A Stella & Margarita - Desert Sex Pt. 09

A Stella and Margarita story - Sex in the desert sands
Chapter Nine – The End

This is one of three stories that have been merged with two others, [An Evil Woman and the City of Churches - The OWLS Club] This Chapter starts where Chapter 8 of A Stella & Margarita Story finished. It will make more sense if you have read the whole three stories. It will show you the whole picture.

This has been an experiment for me, in trying to connect three different stories into one. Some will say it has been a success, others will say it hasn’t, or it is too violent, or too this or that.

I feel I fall somewhere in between. Not unhappy, but not satisfied. I feel there is more to write about with Stella and Margarita. I also feel that Corrine Myers deserves a series as well. The Matron I’m not too sure about, maybe she deserves to be put in a stand-alone story, I’m not sure. Tell me what you want to see via email or in the comments. Please your comments are most welcome, it is your feedback that encourages us to keep going.

As always, there is no underage sex as required by Lit policy. But as a reader, you will have to use your imagination.

• - Lennon/McCartney
And in the End
The Love you take
Is equal to the love
You make

**Song Lyrics**
Wish you were here by Pink Floyd.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The bullet nicked her ear, she didn’t flinch she just smiled at her, not blinking, not moving. Lui Wang sat there waving the gun around then stopped pointed it at her again and fired. This time she nicked her other ear. The Major felt the blood trickling down her neck. She didn’t show any signs of fear, of pain, or anything. Her eyes went cold, as she stared into the eyes of this truly evil woman. Stella knew that at any moment it could be her last.

She looked at a point on the grubby window just above Lui Wang’s head, she cleared her mind. She was doing what a lot of people would say, ‘was daydreaming’ or ‘zoning out’. She didn’t blink, she didn’t take her eyes off that spot. She blocked out all of the outside noises, she just totally focused on this one spot. It wasn’t that she wasn’t conscious of what was going on around her, it was that she chose to block it out. The wound in her leg was starting to feel hot and throbbing not a good sign. She turned off the feelings of pain, of love, of life. She slowed her breathing down as if she was hibernating. Conserving what little energy she still had left.

Meanwhile…………………..

Margarita and Corrine were walking along the crowded Rundle Mall. Buskers on every corner, coffee shops and cafés were full, the sun was shining as they window shopped. Margarita stopped and felt her ear then her calf and looked back at the reflection of herself in the window. Corrine walked on then stopped and looked back for her. She slowly walked back and touched Mags on her shoulder, and asked, “What’s up?”

She looked up and said quietly, “We need to go home. Stella needs me.”

“What are you on about? How could you possibly know that?” She wanted to know.

Margarita stood there looking up at Corrine and said it again. “Stella needs me, I know it, I can feel it. I feel her pain.”

Corrine grabbed her hand and headed back to the apartment. As they were walking Corrine pulled out her phone and rang the only number she had in the phone’s contact list. The call was diverted and picked up by a stranger, who answered in a cool, calm voice and he sounded as if he was expecting your call.

“Are you in danger?” he asked, without giving his name or any other information.

“No, but I need to speak to the Matron,” Is all that she said and hung up.

They hurried back with Margarita leading the way, she was almost running. Their fitness training came in handy at that moment.

Meanwhile…………

The windows where the Major was located were so dirty you couldn’t see out of them. Freddie had moved a simple drone to land on the roof of a building directly opposite that very window. He couldn’t see in either. But this drone had a heat-sensitive camera attached, he could see the heat signals of everyone up on that third floor. He saw a heat signal from a person that didn’t move, the body heat said she was stationary, cooler, but not deathly cold, while all the others moved here and there and shone bright reds and yellows. He saw the heat from the gun as it fired. He was almost certain he was looking at the Major but he had to be certain before he reported in.

He didn’t know whether the cool blue colour was due to the person being shot and wounded by the shooting earlier or just now, or in fact if the person was wounded at all. He had to find out.

The 13th was 27 minutes from arriving. Freddie was eavesdropping on all conversations from the 13th, the Matron’s office and her private phone. He didn’t want his friend Stella to be just another statistic in the undeclared war between the East and the West. He knew if he got caught, he would be sent to purgatory, or worse, sent to work under the watchful eye of the Matron. He decided it was best he didn't get caught.

He needed to find a way to let her know she wasn’t alone. Help was on its way.

He called his team to order.

“New project guys,” He told them all. “I want to find a line of sight shot into #3, no more than 1500 metres, you have 2 minutes. Then pointing at a big guy, he told him to put a microphone onto the window they were watching. The guy smiled and said, “Why do I get all the easy jobs, there is more to me than flying drones you know,”

“Yes, and we have all heard it a thousand times before, so shut the fuck up and do it OK,” Freddie told him.

He set his clock counting down from the now 24 minutes before the 13th arrived.

He had to draw the Chinese attention away from that one window he wanted to use. He again went over to the big fella and talked quietly to him. “So you want to feel more important do you?” he asked in a questioning tone. The big guy nodded.

“What I need is some form of distraction for our Chinese friends just long enough so I can send the Major a signal, just to let her know we are here with her,” Freddie said.” Nothing big or dramatic, just a simple distraction you understand,”

The big guy smiled and told him “No problem, it will mean using a drone we have in place so we will lose one camera plus we will be exposing ourselves to them,”

“Do it, subtly at a rear window. Let them think they caught us out, hey,”

“So you want sneaky as well,” He asked Freddie who nodded while rubbing his three-day growth.

“That is why I came to you, sneaky and subtle,”

The big guy had the biggest, cheesiest grin anyone could have. He loved being sneaky but subtlety wasn’t his unique skill. Clumsy was more his style.

Freddie called Skater to his side. “Girly, can you fly a drone?”

“Yeah, I think!” She replied.

“You will need to be smart about it, you will only have a split second, once the big guy, gives you the go, just fly a drone up to that window,” he said to her as he pointed to a window on the screen don’t be seen by those inside except one.

Skater smiled and said “OK,”

Meanwhile……………..

The General rang straight through to the Matron, she picked it up on the first ring. “Yes Sir,”

“The meeting has been moved, keep the Chinese occupied in Adelaide,” He told her and said no more.

“Yes Sir, the 13th is almost there, has the nil survivors order changed?”

“Not at this time,” He barked back at her.

She hung up the phone, putting her head in her hands, She remembered the look on the Major’s face the day she said goodbye to Margarita and she knew it was going to be her who will have to tell the sweet child-like woman what had happened. She reached for her purse and extracted a tissue, dried her eyes, then opened her bottom drawer and took out a bottle of whiskey, poured herself a stiff drink and held it in her hands as she tried to find another way.

Back at the apartment……………

Margarita remembered her code to access their apartment, and as soon as she entered the lift, she was pushing the keypad to take them to the top floor. Corrine just made it in as the doors began to close.

“What do you intend to do Mags?” she asked her.

“I’m not sure yet, has the Matron rang back?”

“Not yet,” She replied. “Do you get these feelings about her often?”

Margarita stared straight ahead and didn’t answer. The lift opened onto the top landing and as Margarita reached her front door, the tears were running down her cheeks. She walked into the apartment and went into the office area and started searching the drawers in the desk. Corrine stood back and watched. “What are you looking for,” She asked.

“Stella once told me I have to assume the Matron is always listening, so I am looking for a pad and pencil,” Mags replied.

“Why?” she asked once again.

“Why, I want to write something down, that’s why. What a silly question Corry,” She told her.

Corrine disappeared into her bedroom and returned with a simple lipstick and throw it into her hands, she caught it like a fielder would catch a skied cricket ball, her hands open, and in front of her. It landed perfectly. She looked at Corrine and asked, “What’s that for?”

“In an emergency, it can write on any surface,” Corrine told her.

Margarita nodded and ventured over to the white marble bench top, stopped, took a deep breath and began to speak.

“Tilley, I know you are listening to me and I have a feeling something is happening right at this moment. I know that Stella needs my help. I don’t expect you to tell me everything, in fact I know you can’t. But please, PLEASE, I beg of you, do everything you can to protect her. I am asking you this because I know, and this is a very real feeling. Please ring me.”

They both collected their phones and waited.

Meanwhile…………….

The Matron received a message from her signals officer. He played her the message they had picked up from the apartment they were watching over. She picked up her secure phone and punched Margarita’s number in, then waited for it to be answered.

The phone no sooner rang than Mags answered. “Thank you, Matron how bad is Stella hurt?”

“We don’t know that she is,” She answered.

Margarita took another deep breath not wanting to lose her temper. “She needs medical help, as we speak,”

“Margarita, you can’t possibly know that none of us do, so please let us do our jobs,” She hesitated before continuing and trying to reassure her all was ok and not to worry. “She may be injured, but she has been in a lot worse situations than this, so please, just relax and be patient. She will be with you before too long.” With that, she hung up.

They were both unaware that Freddie was listening in.

Margarita threw her phone across the room it bounced several times before resting up against the wall. Corrine moved closer to her and put her arm around her shoulders. “Went that well huh?” She said sarcastically.

Neither of them knew that Freddie was trying to contact her.

Freddie put his plan into action, Skater had a drone hovering out of sight below the window, while the big guy had his drone at the rear of the warehouse.

If you are unaware of the sizes of these warehouses, let me explain it to you. Back in the 1800s, the Australian economy rested on the sheep’s back. The wool trade was enormous. In 1850 there were over 16 million sheep in Australia, and they were sending over two million kilos [4.4 million lbs] per year, just to England.

The warehouse sizes varied depending on each city location and ease of transport, notably shipping, hence the warehouses in Port Adelaide were large. This warehouse is 100 yards wide and 100 yards long. It doesn’t sound much until you try and run around it.

The big guy looked up and nodded to Freddie then smiled at Skater and said out loud, “On the count of 3 everyone,” he counted out loud, “1-2-3” and he sent his drone up to a rear window and hovered it in sight and waited for a few moments until Freddie told him to move it away. It didn’t take long for it to be noticed. Several but not all of the Chinese soldiers went running towards the rear of the building, guns drawn and looking out the windows. Freddie gave the command for him to move on slowly. He turned to Skater and then using just a hand movement he told her to take her drone up to the window. The heat-sensitive camera showed that two people were standing next to a cooler one sitting on the floor. What Freddie didn’t know was what way they were facing. He took a chance and told Skater to bring the drone right up to the window for a few seconds. She did just that.

The red figures didn’t move while the cooler blue one wiggled her body as if getting comfortable. Then stopped and did it again, three times. The Major was sending a message of acknowledgement.

Freddie smiled and told everyone to rest the drones. He picked up his phone and confirmed to the Matron that the Major was still alive.

There were now 23 minutes until the 13th arrived.

“Where is that line of sight shot guys, come on,” He yelled enthusiastically.

Two voices spoke up together “Marine and Harbour building in Saint Vincent’s Street, they will need to be on the roof,”

Freddie dialled the Matron again. As soon as it was answered he went into his spiel. “We have a position for a shot Matron, we can provide covering fire to get the Major out.”

“Thank you, Freddie, I will pass it on,” She told him and hung up.

Freddie listened in, waiting for the Matron to pass on the information. She didn’t. Freddie looked at the clock counting down and he broke out in a sweat. He knew that the Matron wouldn’t let the Major die, and he knew she would be weighing up all of her options.

He began to pace back and forth in front of the screens, watching the streets, watching the building waiting for the phone to ring, waiting for the Matron to call the General. Surely she will do something.

17 minutes before the 13th arrived, Freddie rang the Matron on her phone. He had stepped away from his team and entered the toilets, locking the doors behind him.

Her phone kept on ringing, she wasn’t picking up. “Come on Matron, pick up,” He said out loud but to himself.

Eventually, she picked up.

“What’s the plan, Matron,” He asked straight away.

“Freddie, I just don’t know. My hands are tied. We have no allies close enough to burst in. The 13th won’t be taking any prisoners,” She told him.

“I know,” He replied, letting the cat out of the bag.

The Matron hesitated before speaking and then told him. “You stupid boy, if you get caught doing silly things like listening in on your superiors, you’ll end up in Wentworth for the rest of your life dear boy.” She told him with a hint of laughter in her voice.

“So, what’s our plan, Matron? We can’t let her die, for real,” He said to her without even considering the consequences of what was just said to him.

“No, we can’t and I can’t issue a change of orders for the 13th without joining you in Wentworth. She explained.

“But I can,” said Freddie. “Well, the General can I mean, but it would have to be via a text,”

“And why would the General do that Freddie?”

“Because he is a nice guy?” he said but not believing a word of it.

“He would need a reason, Freddie. What if he was to get an urgent message from you to so say that the Major is likely to have information on this Grace woman? That you believe she needs to be brought in,” She told him, “Make it convincing Freddie,”

Freddie knew he was grasping at straws, he also knew that the General wouldn’t believe a word he said.

As they were talking the clock was counting down. 14 minutes.

“What about a sniper covering the Major.” He asked.

“Inside 14 minutes is nearly imposs…….. “ She hesitated, and put the phone to her chest, she called out loudly, to her head of security in the next room.

“Pick up the Margarita girl from her apartment, and her package, now!! code blue, CODE BLUE. Get her up to the helipad.” Then she yelled out to Celina. “Celina, get the helicopter warmed up they are going down to the port, no time to lose,”

She got back to Freddie, “Freddie send that message to the General as in right now,” The sense of urgency in her voice sent everyone scurrying to do as they were told.

“He won’t believe me, you know,” He replied.

“Just do it,” She was almost yelling down the phone at him.

Freddie had already got his message ready and hit the send button as soon as he got the go-ahead.

She rang Margarita and it was answered immediately. “Mags, there is a team coming to collect you, don’t ask why, grab your package and be ready. You are going to have to step up girl, NO QUESTIONS ASKED!!!” She hung up the phone.

She waited for everything to fall into place. First, she expected a call from the General, then to be told the copter was ready and that it was air born with Margarita.

On cue, her secure line rang. “Have you heard from Freddie,” The General asked.

“Just now Sir, but no details,” She replied to him.

“Bring her in,” Is all he said. “Yes Sir,” Came her reply. Tilley McMahon kept a straight face and a cold tone, as the General would have expected, had he been there. Inside her, her heart was pounding. She felt responsible for Stella and Margarita’s future happiness. The fact is, she was, totally responsible.

With the clock ticking down a team of 6 well-dressed men in black suits, burst into the apartment building all yelling to get out of their way, tradies and labourers just stepped aside and watched in disbelief as a well-coordinated team of men and women raced up the 7 flights of stairs to the apartment, as they reach the top floor, Margarita and Corrine were waiting for them. Both were literally picked up under their armpits and raced off back down the stairs. The team made the pickup and the 100-yard dash across the street in record time, only 9 minutes to the arrival of the 13th.

The Matron picked up her secure line to the 13th and spoke to the officer. She modified her instructions slightly, actually, she changed the entire meaning of what she was told. If this goes badly, she thought, Wentworth would be waiting for her. “Bring our girl home, and if you can the Grace woman. We will have cover for you on the top floor. They are expecting you.”

She heard a muffled word that sounded very much like ‘fuck’ but ignored it.

“Is your ETA as advised?” She asked.

“Affirmative,” Came the reply.

She hung up the phone and inwardly cursed.

She got the helicopter on her phone and was put through to Margarita. “I am sorry to ask you to do this Mags, but you are the only person that was quickly available. You can say no if you want to.” She told her.

“What is it you are asking me to do?” she inquired.

“This is a tough ask, I need you to cover someone in a building and if someone else comes into the shot, you HAVE to take them out. Do you understand what I am saying?”

“You want me to kill someone?” She answered.

“Hopefully it won’t come to that, but if it does, can you do it?” The Matron asked her.

“I don’t know,”

“I need you to be one hundred per cent certain.” She told her.

“I just don’t know, Tilley, killing someone, I mean, I don’t know,” She was confused and scared. The helicopter sped towards the M&H Building. It is the tallest building in Port Adelaide. It stands heads and shoulders above all other structures in the area. ‘Like dogs ears in the moonlight.’

“What if it was to protect someone special? I mean someone that means everything to you?” The Matron continued speaking and then told her. “I’m begging you now and I didn’t want to tell you this, Stella needs you to cover her.”

There was silence. The only sound that was heard was the thump-thump-thump of the rotor blades cutting through the air as the sleek black helicopter was racing towards the building in Port Adelaide.