No More Swedish Meatballs Pt. 03

"So what do we do now?" Kristen asked in a low, sultry voice.

Her voice sent shivers down Ryan's back. He knew he had to have her. The intensity of his need was beyond comprehension.

"Now I take you upstairs and show you with my body what's already in my heart."

"Oh. That sounds lovely," Kristen sighed. "I missed you so much. I was going crazy thinking you weren't coming back," she said as they made their way to the bedroom Leslie had given her.

"I always planned to come back. I just wanted to be sure you had other options than me. I still do.

"Shut up," Kristen said lightly. "I know my own mind." She started to undress as soon as they entered the room which was flooded with burnished light from the late afternoon sun. Ryan watched, ensorcelled by her grace and beauty as she dropped her garments.

Then Kristen stood naked and watched while Ryan disrobed. He was golden in the sunlight. His cock was long and proud. Kristen kneeled and kissed it, getting a taste that was utterly male. Ryan brought her to her feet. They kissed and caressed each other, slowly, lovingly, taking time to bring both to a height. Ryan stopped long enough to pull a condom out of his discarded jeans.

He was wild for her by the time the protection was in place. Kristen was aching for Ryan to drive his staff into her. They tumbled onto the bed. Their lovemaking was fierce and stormy. It barely slaked their thirst for each other. Afterwards Ryan wanted to start all over again without pause. But the world interfered.

Chapter

Leslie had left the house shortly after she spoke to Ryan on the telephone. She thought it would be best to leave the two of them alone to sort things out. So she ran some errands and did some shopping. She stopped for a late afternoon snack at a nearby restaurant. She pondered Kristen's situation as she sipped white wine and devoured a quarter pound of spiced shrimp.

Leslie figured Ryan was planning to stash Kristen at a safe house until she was given a new identity and entered College. But Leslie wasn't ready to give Kristen up. She had a much better idea. It would cost the Guardians a little money but it beat the hell out of closeting an active 16 year old in a stuffy old house completely lacking entertainment.

Leslie had an aunt in Spain who she'd always planned to visit but somehow never gotten around to it. They met 5 years ago when Leslie's mother died. Aunt Clara was ten years older than Leslie's mother and had married a Spaniard when she was 18. The Spaniard died young, leaving Clara with a villa on the Spanish Mediterranean, near the French border. She hadn't had much contact with her sister over the years but felt compelled to come to the funeral. She and Leslie found themselves a kin to each other. Their psi talents resonated. Leslie was given an open invitation to visit but she'd never taken her aunt up on the offer. This seemed to be as good a time as any. Spain was supposed to be lovely in the summer.

Yes, Leslie thought as she finished her repast, a summer vacation in Spain is just the ticket for me and Kristen. She looked at her watch. Have I given them enough time to sort things out? she wondered. Well, I did offer Ryan dinner, so I may as well head home. She flagged the waiter and paid her bill.

Leslie noted Ryan's bike parked on her block as she pulled into a parking space a few doors down from her house. I hope they've worked something out.

The house was surprisingly quiet when Leslie walked in the door. "Hello, is anyone home?" she called. There was no response. Maybe they went for a walk. She didn't think to look for them upstairs, I guess I'll start dinner, though I'm not ready to eat.

Chapter

Ryan and Kristen heard Leslie come in so they untangled themselves and dressed reluctantly. "Leslie's going to have my hide over this," Ryan said ruefully as he zipped up his jeans.

"No she won't," Kristen responded. She pulled a brush out of her purse and started to repair her hair. "She's in our camp. She wants us to work things out. She wants me to go to school and meet new people, but she knows how strong our bond is. She's given me all sorts of advice about how to handle this. She's really great."

"You've had a lot of discussions about me, have you?"

"Of course. You're Leslie's favorite topic of conversation."

Ryan groaned. "Well, I'm glad I keep her interested. Who else does she talk to about me?" He was a little concerned about being the subject of gossip.

"No one. She wouldn't…"

"Well that's a relief. Are you ready to go downstairs?"

"Yeah, I'm ready."

Leslie was frying chicken and singing to the radio when Ryan and Kristen came downstairs. They startled the hell out of her when they waltzed into the kitchen together. "Hey sis," Ryan said with a grin. "What's on the menu tonight?"

Leslie brandished the hot, greasy spatula. "I should whip you for sneaking up on me like that," she said with a laugh. "What have the two of you been up to? Or need I ask? I hope you're being responsible," she said pointedly to Ryan.

"Yes mother," Ryan replied.

"Mother! I'll mother you."

"You're too young to be a mother," Kristen interjected. "That chicken smells wonderful. What can I do to help with dinner? I'm starved."

"Worked up an appetite, did you? You can do the salad. The makings are in the 'fridge. Ryan, you can set the table."

The three worked in companionable silence putting together the meal. Over dinner Ryan broached the subject of Kristen's move. He told her about the events of the day. As Ryan talked Kristen grew solemn. She was angry and scared. She didn't want to leave Leslie's house. She was just getting settled.

"This isn't fair," she cried. Do you really think they'll come after me? Aren't they more interested in finding Dad? And what about Lizzy and Ned? Are they safe?"

"I think they'll use anyone he can to get to your Dad. Lizzy and Ned have been given new identities. We're going to do the same with you."

"Hell, I don't want to give up my identity. And I don't want to leave here. Where am I going to go now?"

Ryan started to answer but Leslie cut in. "I have an idea." She told Ryan and Kristen about her aunt. "Do you think it's possible? Would the Guardians be willing to send us to Spain?"

"I like the idea. I'll run it by the committee. But in the meantime Kristen has to go to a safe house."

"Do I have to go tonight?"

"No. Tomorrow's soon enough. They haven't had time yet to extract information from Jim."

"Oh God, poor Mr. Phillips," Kristen said sadly. "What do you think's happening to him? Are your guys going to be able to find him?"

"I don't know. I hope so."

"Well," Kristen said cheering up, "at least we have tonight. Oh, and Ryan," she said looking guilty. "The other day you asked if Dad had any hiding places…."

"What?" Ryan said excitedly.

Kristen told Ryan about Karl's secret room.

"Oh, sweetheart. Why didn't you tell me about this last week?" Ryan said. I might have…."

"You weren't exactly in the mood to listen to me. And anyway, I was mad at you. It wouldn't have made a difference. It least I don't think…. Oh God," suddenly Kristen was mortified, "if I'd told you maybe Mr. Phillips wouldn't be in the mess he's in."

"No, Ryan said quickly. "I think Jim was in trouble no matter what. It's just…. You're sure Jim doesn't know about the room? He's got to have been in your basement dozens of times. Jim and your dad worked together."

"But not on the same projects. And Dad was so proud of his secret. He didn't even show it to me for more than a year. It's amazing. Wait 'til you see it. Can we go now?" Kristen was pumped up with excitement.

"No this minute, no," Ryan laughed. "We've got to have a plan. Your house is gonna be under close watch." He was stymied for the moment.

"I have an idea," Kristen said slowly, thinking hard. "We'll have to create a diversion."

"What kind of diversion?" Leslie asked, wanting to be a part of the planning.

"A fire," Kristen said, excitedly. "I'll call Rita. She'n I almost set the blue spruce in our side yard on fire when we were about 7 years old lighting matches under the tree. That tree'll go up like fireworks with no danger to anyone."

"Except Rita," Leslie pointed out dubiously. "That'd be pretty tricky. And how's she gonna get into the yard without being seen?"

"A little smoke and mirrors. Magic. She and her 'boyfriend'll park and neck on the street near the side yard. Rita'll slip out the passenger side door while her boyfriend keeps up appearances with a dummy or something. Then she'll set the fire. Once it's going she'll scoot on home and call the fire department. Between the 'neckers' and the fire and the fire department there'll be plenty of confusion. We'll be waiting and slip in through the basement bulkhead door at the back of the house. It's brilliant!"

Leslie and Ryan looked at each other and shook their heads. "It's too risky," Ryan said.

"No. It's a piece of cake. You've done riskier things a hundred times."

I'm not worried about me."

"I know. You're worried about us 'sweet innocent little girls.' Well, I could tell you about some things Rita and I pulled off before we even had tits that would turn your hair white. You should have been with us on mischief night a few years back. And Rita got away from that bastard who tried to snatch dad last Christmas. She almost bit his hand off."

"What!" Ryan and Leslie exploded with laughter and continued laughing as Kristen described the Christmas incident.

Leslie stared to come around. "I'd have to come along to be sure you girls don't get into trouble."

"Oh, no." Ryan said, shaking his head in dismay. Not you, too."

"I think it might work" Leslie said. "We should at least explore it as an option. I might even join in the fun," Leslie said.

"What would you do, hypothetically?"

Leslie gave Ryan a sweet smile. "Hypothetically you could point me towards the surveillance car. I'd help make sure they're not focusing on the house at the right moment."

"And how would you accomplish that?" Ryan said skeptically.

"They're men aren't they? I might give them something to look at – come running into the street wearing a skimpy nightgown worrying about the fire."

"You wouldn't," Ryan said, breaking into laughter.

"I would. Between Rita, me and the fire department it'd be a three ring circus." She saw Ryan's dark scowl. "Hypothetically."

Kristen was laughing in glee at the thought. "Rita's gonna love this. Besides – it's imperative that Rita meet the two of you."

"Oh it is?" Ryan said, raising an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Well, seems like you two are going to be honorary members of the family so you have to meet."

"We'll find some other way to meet up. Some other time when it's safe."

"It's never going to be safe for me to go back to the house," Kristen said stubbornly. "You're talking about sticking me in a safe house and changing my identity. I might never see Rita again. And besides how else are we going to get into the house? I don't see you coming up with any bright ideas."

Ryan opened his mouth to say something, then shut it. He looked helplessly at Leslie, who shrugged.

"She's got a point there, brother."

"Oh for Christ sakes." Ryan knew he was beaten. At least for the moment. He decided he'd better focus on the tactical aspects of this hair brained scheme. "Rita may be up for it but I doubt if you'll be able to get parental approval," he said, throwing out the best, final objection he could come up with.

"We don't have to tell them."

Leslie stepped in on Ryan's side this time. "Huh uh, Kristen. It's not going to happen if there isn't full disclosure."

"So we'll have to figure out a way to sell it to her parents," Kristen said, not willing to give up on the idea. "What if Rita's older brother acts as her 'boyfriend' for the necking scene? He's 22. He was a volunteer fireman for two years after high school."

This suggestion made Ryan see the proposal in a better light. It also made him look at Kristen with new respect. She's dauntless he thought admiringly. "Now that's an idea I can live with. It would be good to have an extra man as backup."

The idea took fire and the three spent another hour brainstorming and perfecting the plan. Ryan thought long and hard about how much to tell the O'Learys. He asked Kristen a few incisive questions about their politics which Kristen wasn't quite sure how to answer. "They're basically good, honest, working class Irish Catholics. Rita's mother came over from Ireland when she was…, oh my God, my age now.

Ryan laughed. "I think they'll get into the sprit of things. They may even come up with a couple of tricks of their own."

"When should we do it?" Kristen asked.

"The sooner the better," Ryan said. What do you think, Leslie?"

We should check the weather and the stars. Overcast would be best. Leslie stood up and walked over to the back door. Night had fallen while they were making their plan. She peered up at the sky. "Good," she said. "The moon's well past full. Let's try for tomorrow night. It's not too late to call Rita now is it?"

"Are you kidding? It's not even 9:00. Rita's a night owl."

"Okay. How are we going to handle the call?" Ryan started thinking out loud. "How much does Rita know already?"

"She knows all about mom and Max and the Cabal. She doesn't know anything about dad's work of course. I called her when I first got here to tell her I was alright. She said someone was asking questions about my disappearance. All she knows is that is has to do with mom and dad. She doesn't know anything new. I knew you wouldn't want me calling her" she said looking at Ryan with a guilty expression on her face, "so I didn't tell her about anything she didn't know already."

Ryan sighed. "You're right. I wouldn't have wanted you to call her but under the circumstances it's probably for the best that you did."

Leslie nodded in agreement.

"So, why don't you call her now and fill her in on what's been happening. Sound her out on our little plot. Don't push her if she doesn't want to do it," he warned her.

"Are you kidding?" Kristen said. "She'll think this is the best adventure ever!"

They adjourned to the living room to make the call. Rita's sister, Arlene, answered the phone on the third ring. Kristen hung on the line nervously for a few minutes while Arlene went to look for Rita. Finally, Rita's chirpy voice came over the line.

"Hi Rita, it's Kristen."

"Kristen! Rita said happily. I was beginning to think you fell off the planet. Where are you? Are you okay? What's going on? I think there are people watching your house. I've been keeping an eye on it since you called. Who are they? Are you in some kind of trouble?" Like usual Rita was chattering away a mile a minute.

"I'm fine. But there's trouble big time!" Kristen responded. She went on to explain what let up to her disappearance.

"Sound's like you landed on you feet, alright," Rita said with a hint of envy in her voice. "You're dad's missing? That's a drag. Where do you think he went?"

"I don't know. Here's the thing. Dad got very security conscious after Mom took off. He built a secret room in the basement."

"No shit! You never told me," Rita said reproachfully.

"Dad would have killed me if I told anyone about it. I couldn't tell you. Not after what Mom did."

"Yeah, I guess," Rita said grudgingly. "So what do you want me to do? Go in there and see if your dad left a message? I could pretend I was looking for Felix and…."

Kristen started to laugh. "I knew you'd come up with something like that. But it would be too dangerous. We have a plan. But you've got to get your parent's okay and we're gonna need Tom's help." Kristen laid out the plan, pausing to listen to Rita's questions and suggestions. Rita was as enthusiastic as Kristen thought she would be. She was reluctant to tell her parents.

"But Rita. Just think. Your mom was our age when she left home to come to America. She has to have had an adventurous spirit. Let Leslie talk to her. If we get her on board your dad will go along with it. Especially since Tom will be with you in the car."

Rita agreed and went to get her mother. Mrs. O'Leary was surprisingly easy to convince after she heard about the Christmas incident involving Rita. The idea of a grown man pulling a gun on her daughter got her Irish up. She said she'd have a word with her husband about it, and put Rita back on the phone. Leslie signed off and handed the phone over to Kristen who was waiting impatiently to return to her conversation with Rita.

"I'm going to go do the dishes," Leslie said, needing an outlet for her pent up energy.

Rita was really tickled by her mother's response to their plan. "When she says she'll have a word with dad, it usually means she's going to get her way."

"Do you think your dad's going to need a lot of convincing?" Kristen asked.

"I don't know. I never expected my mom to come around so fast. I'm gonna hang up. I want to listen in on their conversation."

"Okay. I wish I could be a fly on the wall in your house. Call me back tonight. I don't care how late it is."

"'kay, bye."

Ryan had enjoyed listening to Kristen chattering with her childhood friend. He could just imagine the kinds of mischief the two of them had dreamed up together over the years. His feelings for this half-grown femme fatale were strengthening and deepening as hour by hour. He realized there was no turning back for him as far as she was concerned. He shook his head ruefully, sucker-punched by cupid he thought when she hung up the phone and turned to give him a brilliant smile.

"What?" Kristen asked seeing the look on his face.

"Nothing. I just find you enchanting, is all.

Kristen blushed with pleasure. She was all keyed up and full of nervous energy from the evening's events. As was Ryan. The super-charged atmosphere quickly turned into sexual arousal.

It was tempting to take her to bed while they waited for the verdict from the O'Learys. Kristen saw the look n his eye and laughed. "That would hardly be polite," she pointed out. "Besides, Rita could call back any minute. It would be awfully embarrassing if she called and we were in the middle of…. You know."

"It was just a passing thought," Ryan said agreeably. "A tempting one. But for once, you're the voice of reason."

"I think I'll make myself a drink," Ryan said. "Something to cool me off. I'd offer you one but you're under age."

"I have a better idea," Kristen said with a wicked smile. "Want to get stoned? I have a little pot…."

Ryan's mouth dropped open. "You're kidding. Jesus. And I was worried about corrupting you. All along it's you doing the corrupting. How long have you been smoking pot?"

"I'll take that as a yes," Kristen said, sidestepping the question."

"We'd better get Leslie in on this. She's so damned insistent on going on this "adventure" with us. She may as well join in the fun."

"Now you're talking. Have you ever gotten stoned with her before?"

"No. I don't even know if she's tried it. She may decide to call the police on us," Ryan said jokingly.

"Not Leslie. I'll bet she's got a stash of her own. You're the straight one in this household."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Uh huh. Go ahead, ask her."

"Leslie," Ryan called into the kitchen, "are you done with the dishes?"

"Yeah, just about."

"Come out here. We need you to settle a bet."

Leslie had the kitchen organized and was just finishing wiping up the counters. She rinsed out the sponge and dried her hands on her slacks.

"A bet, huh?" she said as she entered the living room. "What's it about?"

"Ask her," Kristen urged, with laughter in her voice.

"Huh un. It's your idea. You ask her."