Anna's Mystery Plan Pt. 05

Chapter 15 - Anna's Underground Retreat

We seemed to have escaped detection by the aerial good guy cops and bad guy enemies of Anna, but needed to get to a rendezvous in the old mining town of Darwin as quickly as possible.

I looked at the black Camaro trying to hide under a few trees. A dead giveaway in the desert. There were a couple of choices. We could take it to Ridgecrest, where there was a mall it could be stashed. Or we could find another grove, farther away from here, to cover it up. Either way, let Anna take responsibility for retrieving it.

There was one other choice. Abandon the truck, cram into the hot rod, and make tracks back to Karen and the house on the hill.

I looked up, smiling. I was in the middle of four older women, all smart, all lovers of mine, all smelly in the heat. If I could smell them, they could smell me, all male animal.

"What's there to smile about?"

"I'm going to tell you what's in my mind, but first I'm going to tell you that I am surrounded by four incredibly smart, sexy women and all I can think about is loving you!"

They rushed me, bending my body back over the hood of the truck. "We should have known! Look at this!" They had my shorts down, pouring water on a hot, hard cock.

The strained faces were gone. Crouching in the dust, they took turns sucking me. Quick hard sucks, with a touch of their teeth. Smirks and laughs.

"No! please no! I promise to be good. Don't bite it off!"

Talia's stiletto from her boot flashed in the sun. Slowly, it lowered toward my stretched out shaft that was rapidly shrinking. "You are getting a special present, Jeremy. Watch."

The incredibly sharp tip made a quarter inch incision in the broad top of the penis. There was no pain, but a trickle of blood oozed out. Her long tongue reached forward and lapped at the blood. She stood back and gestured to the others. In a minute, four tongues had tasted blood and their owners stepped back, thin smiles looking at me, the shrunken cock no longer advertising any male dominance.

Carolyn spoke for them. "You are bound to us, Jeremy, and we are bound to you."

I opened my arms and we had a five way hug, smearing sweat around. I butt fisted Talia and said, "What brought that on?"

Silence while she looked around the circle. "I just thought that if we are going to get killed out here, we should show our appreciation first."

Chelsea muttered, "Hot damn, you are some woman, Talia."

It took another several gulps of water before I could say, "Dark one, we are going to have a talk about ritual cutting, but not right now."

Chelsea cradled my balls and asked, "Does teeny-weeny need a bandage?"

He had stopped bleeding and I did a quick tuck inside the shorts, "Are you kidding?"

Now was the time for my bad news, while they were still smiling. Pointing at the sleek, low slung beast, I said, "That is a dead giveaway in the desert, even at night..."

Heads nodded. Talia said, "Shit," under her breath.

"We could leave it in a big box parking lot in Ridgecrest, or somewhere in that wilderness preserve north of us. Hope that Anna's people can retrieve it."

Sophie had the right idea. "We don't want those bloody uniforms discovered in it. Better to find a place in the preserve and bury those bags nearby."

She also had the better thought about heading for Karen. "Anna's already considered that. There must be a reason why she wants us to stay over here on the east side of the Sierra."

Chelsea added, "The truck is brand new inside. Plenty of power to get us to San Jose when she wants us there."

My poor brain was scrambled by Talia's knifework, but some things were penetrating.

I straightened out my arm so that my hand was shoulder high, in the center of their circle. Theirs slowly extended as well, until five hands were touching, and then twenty-five fingers finding each other.

Continuing to wiggle my fingers, I said, "We need to relax a moment more. Regardless of whether it is the good guys or the bad guys, Anna is hoping we don't get captured. But their surveillance is just beginning. Every vehicle for fifty miles around is going to get the onceover. Those plates on the pickup tie us to the compound back there. And if we take them off, that is more of a giveaway."

My fingers were drawing them closer until shoulders were leaning on shoulders. Chelsea mumbled, "I could use a nap..."

My fingers wrapped in her hair, I kissed the forehead and leaned her more into me. "We all do. But let's finish the conversation. We didn't have a plan for this, so the odds are not in our favor. But are we worse off hunkering down here until dark, or trying to move up the highway in daylight?"

Sophie poked me, "Very sad leadership. Why weren't we on alert? I think poor odds favor us staying here. It's riskier than they will expect. Some sheriff's deputy is telling the helicopters he is sure we are heading out as fast as we can."

"We need to pair off and take turns staying awake. Let's get these vehicles better hidden."

Carolyn and Sophie insisted on taking the first turn, which had me in the shade and asleep in no time. Too soon, a Talia finger poked me as she said, "It's our turn. Nothing happening so far."

And still quiet for the rest of the day. This time of year, the sun was almost down by six, and everyone gathered for a snack. I wanted to talk to Anna in the worst way, but using the sat phone here was a no-no.

"Our lovely car has to stay where it is. The clothes should be buried as we discussed. We can tell Anna where it is. Let's make our way in the truck to the mall in Ridgecrest and make a call. Hard to localize us there."

Over the next twenty-four hours, our luck continued to hold, although it was really a matter of Anna making our luck for us. In Ridgecrest, she said, "Good to hear your voices. Keep this short. Go to the location I identified to Talia. You will be approached on the ground with further instructions."

In the dim illumination of the parking lot, everyone was looking my way, eyes asking whether we were trying for Darwin in the dark.

"There's a turn from the highway beyond Trona that leads to the ghost town. We will find a concealed spot there and leave before first light. Let's get some takeout."

I decided beer was necessary and asked Chelsea to buy a sixpack as we waited for our order at a Thai place. The business from the Navy lab at China Lake must keep it alive, I thought.

I drove while the women plowed through the delicious food, using fingers and feeding me at the same time. They even sluiced forbidden beer down my throat. The words from Anna had calmed all of us. Even in the dark, it was less than an hour to Trona, a mining town with soda ash deposits nearby. Talia used her iPad to guide us north of town several miles to the poorly marked gravel road that would follow the valley to Darwin. The information on Google said it wasn't completely a ghost town, having ten to twenty hard living residents who valued their privacy and independence.

I smiled and said, "Alright, PhD's, it is time for some Darwin identities. Who are we and why are we arriving in Darwin."

Chelsea pointed to a track leading into the brush and I followed, carefully. Within a hundred yards, there was the perfect little depression we were looking for. Stretching legs, we felt the icy pinpoints of many constellations above. We were nearly a mile high and chill was upon us. Chelsea dropped the tailgate and pulled a large water jug to the edge for washing. A wet soapy washcloth was not a shower, but would have to do. I was instructed to go pee somewhere so they could wash all critical places.

I was emptied out and watching stars when warm breasts pressed my back. "Jeremy, don't get a swelled head, but that was a good job today, getting us here safely." She applied pressure elsewhere and added, "If we ever find a shower, there will be rewards."

Turning her around, I pressed us tightly together, whispering in her ear, "That was pretty grim this morning, dealing with those bodies. Not many young people could handle that like you did."

After a very hot kiss, she smacked my head, "Who is young around here? Last I heard, you said I was an older woman!"

I lunged for her, but met a wall of bare tits. "Yes, Jeremy, what is this age stuff? How many high school guys call fire on themselves in a fight?" We all danced around for a few minutes, letting off a day of tension. Chelsea found a very large tarp and everyone unrolled the sleeping bags grabbed from the house this morning. A dry camp in the desert was not going to contribute any cleanliness, but we snuggled into a pile of bodies, not caring. I set my watch alarm for four.

My brain did not like the buzzing of the watch in the dark, nor did others, who groaned and complained. I said, "Up and out. The watchers never quit. We need cover."

By popular insistence, we took time to boil water for coffee while packing up. I stayed behind the wheel, which wasn't all bad, with fingers placing odd breakfast items in my mouth and holding the coffee cup. Carolyn and Sophie arranged themselves behind me.

"Jeremy, you will like this. We are a group of CCC people who just finished a project at Owens Lake, over to the west. We are exploring Death Valley back country before returning home. Maybe going to Saline Valley Warm Springs. Talia and the two of us were working off drug sentences from a court in Riverside County, which assigned Chelsea, one of their matrons, to make sure we toed the line. You were put in charge of us as your first team leader job with CCC."

Talia hissed, "A druggie, I should have known."

Chelsea jumped into her role. "Quiet, black one. You piss me off and you are back to the hall."

There were suppressed giggles. I said, "Brilliant. Let's get our vocabulary in check. No four syllable words. We're loose. Have been in dirt all summer and don't mind it any more. Clothes haven't seen a washing machine in weeks. Talk it up a bit back there. If we're lucky, we won't need to use these identities much."

Following Anna's instructions, we approached the mostly uninhabited ghost town of Darwin in early light, making as little dust on the gravel road as I could. Talia provided close in details from memory. "Take a left across from the Store and go about a block to a two story house on the left, standing by itself. Park under a tree in the back and go in the closest door, which will have a working lock that is unlocked."

I didn't see anyone out and around at this hour, and we found the destination on the first try. I said to Talia, "Why don't you try the door before we all pile out?"

Except for a few bird calls, it was completely silent outside. I scanned for windows with a view of us, but didn't find any. Looking closely, the house was in better shape than it had first appeared. I was beginning to think there was an Anna helper nearby when Talia returned with a smile.

"There is a welcoming committee. Everyone come in."

A man who looked every inch a desert rat was standing in a narrow passageway with a smile and a mug of coffee in his hand. "Hello, glad to see you. That was a hell of a ruckus down south. Everyone in good shape?"

I nodded and he led up a steep tight stair to a modern room that was shielded from the windows. He gestured to the coffee maker and offered chairs. In a minute, his very nervous guests were sitting and wondering what next.

"My name is Andrew and I am the host for your visit. That isn't my real name, but we don't use them. There is a rotating cast of four or five retired peace officers that have been recruited by your leader for chores in the desert. Is that enough of an explanation for now?"

To our surprise, a door opened silently and a woman appeared. She wore a frontier dress and had her hair in a bun, with no jewelry and no lipstick. "Hi, I am Annie. Andrew is my boyfriend, but we aren't married or anything like that. You look like a shower and some breakfast would be a good idea. Please follow me. Ladies only."

She led the way back down the stairs, and I heard more doors opening and closing. Andrew laughed, "Annie is the most wonderful woman you could ever meet, but has a sharp Irish temper. The guy she married brought her out here, they had a terrible argument, and he disappeared. She came up to me at the Store and asked if I needed someone to clean house."

I finished for him, "She passed inspection by Anna and has been warming your bed ever since."

"Yes sirree. Has other useful skills. Was raised on a ranch. Rides like the wind, and does bullseyes at 100 yards. She and Anna work real well together. While the women are cleaning up, I wanted to tell you that there is a big surprise this morning. Anna is arriving here in about an hour. There is a gravel strip over the hill in Panamint Springs, and one of the guys will drive her."

"Must be important if she is coming herself."

"Anna is short on words, so don't know for sure. But she mentioned she is embarrassed by what happened to you."

We were interrupted by four bodies with fresh clothes climbing the stairs. "Jeremy! You won't believe the basement. Get your dirty self down there and Annie will show you the shower."

Following their path, I found myself in a very modern arrangement of three rooms, with a laundry, shower, and toilet. My guide wasn't guiding anyone, she was in the shower. "Jeremy, get in here, we need to save water. They said you won't attack me."

The singsong voice gave me warning that another tease was coming. The filthy clothes went on top of the earlier pile and I stepped in behind her. The water felt divine and I gave a long moan. While I stood there, soapy hands and a soapy body attached themselves. "You sure are a hunk. Anna said I would be impressed and I am."

"You have permission to come after me?"

She grabbed my cock and squeezed. He stiffened in her hand. "Andy and I are not exclusive. But it looks like you have your hands full with four women to look out for. Do they all share your bed?"

I caressed the slippery tits and kissed her wet lips. "Yes, but I swear I haven't hit on them."

She hit my ass as hard as she could. "You are a horrible stud that any sane woman could not stay away from!"

I turned the faucet to cold, which chased us out. I wrapped her in a big towel and kissed her cheek. "Alright, the truth, what is the real reason you are here?" She tried to wiggle away, but my hands were tight. "That's top secret. Anna will kill me if I tell you."

I edged us against the wall. "No phony excuses. Why?" I was about to touch foreheads with her when she began talking, dropping the towel and hanging on me.

"Jeremy, I'm beginning to understand about you. Anna warned me to be careful."

I could tell instantly that Anna had said no such thing. "If you lie again, I will turn your pretty behind very red."

She moaned, "I've never given up this easily before. May I have a clean dress?"

As I was wondering if this was a new dodge, she said, "I am one of Anna's senior assistants. Used to run the office, but got tired of being inside all day. Told her I needed a new assignment. Here I am."

My fingers gently did her buttons up the back and my lips thanked her with a kiss on the back of her neck.

"It's not fair. That went all the way through me."

I applied more kisses as she melted to my front. "So, this wasn't a random choice, sending us here? She has a more complicated plan and is coming to explain it?"

Her tongue was seeking mine as she whispered, "Jeremy, she keeps us all in the dark until the last minute. Let's go upstairs before they send a party to retrieve us."

At the bottom of the stair, I said, "You have a lovely flush on your cheeks. If you want, slap me when we get close to them and say something like "None of that!"

This got me a kiss. "You are really sweet. I'm not hitting you. Let them think what they will!"

It didn't take very many seconds in the second floor room before all of them, including Andrew, were laughing. "It's not what you think."

"Tell them." I looked sternly at Annie.

"He broke me. Threatened to beat my ass. I hate him."

The frowns lasted seconds before turning to laughs as she frenched me ferociously.

I raised my eyebrows at Andrew. He shook his head no.

Looking at my four friends, I wished there was a big bed to mess around in as we figured out what was going on. The sparsely furnished room had hard chairs looking like they came from a frontier one room school house.

I leaned against the wall with my arm still around Annie and said, "Anna is about to pay us a personal visit. These are two of her senior helpers."

It took a moment or two for that to sink in. Faces looked puzzled, curious, surprised and other emotions. A chime sounded from somewhere and Andy said, "Time to relocate. Follow me."

Given the basement engineering required for the shower and laundry, I wasn't surprised that he disappeared down two flights of stairs and turned in the opposite direction from the shower. A very sturdy door opened to his fingers on a keypad, and revealed a lighted tunnel. I noticed Annie bringing up the rear.

The tunnel roof was reinforced along its length to hold back the gravelly soil. I wondered when the work had been done. Not recently, and it occurred to me that the underground complex was the idea of Anna's predecessor. Perhaps even more than one generation. While I pondered that idea, we came through another door and into a chamber with multiple exits. I could feel moving air, but there was no fan noise.

"Wait here, folks, while I check around."

Annie came up from the rear and went down one of the side tunnels. Talia nudged me, "Pretty fancy, don't you think?"

"Yes. Notice that it doesn't appear new, or even recent?"

"Jeremy," Sophie's voice echoed in the space, "there is family history here that you and I have never heard."

I smiled and pulled her close. "Makes you feel like a little kid sitting next to Daddy while he reads a mystery story."

They clustered closer, nodding. The wait stretched into more long minutes. I suddenly realized that the tunnels we were in could be connected to hard rock mining tunnels from the 19th Century with an entrance or entrances located outside the mostly deserted town.

Annie returned and said, "Andy has gone to escort them from the entrance and says it will be a few more minutes. Come along, and I will take you to the conference room."

In fifty yards, we entered a transverse tunnel with small cars sitting on a railed track. Each took two of us, facing each other. Annie made sure the doors were fastened and took the lead car. With a quiet whirr, we launched down the dark tunnel, more than a little fearful. I tried to keep a mental geography map, but it wasn't possible. There were curves and a steady increase in altitude.

After less than ten minutes, we emerged into a larger room, almost like a metro gallery, except smaller. Another trek down a dimly lit tunnel and we entered a spacious room with indirect lighting overhead, and deeply sunk portals to the outside. A mystery chamber for keeping tabs on Darwin, which lay below us to the west.

Before we could adjust to this new space, a door to the side opened and a familiar voice said, "There you are!"

It was Karen, rushing at us with kisses and hugs. In a moment, she said, "I know you are full of questions, but first, please meet Anna."

There she was, the ever enigmatic figure present in the flesh. Each of the women got a hug and a kiss. Arriving finally at me, she said, "Jeremy, I owe you thanks and a giant apology for the incident yesterday. Will you ever forgive me?" That was followed by a more than a momentary kiss on my lips. I could hear noises to my rear.

"Please, everyone, take seats. We have much to talk about." She was taller than Karen, maybe 5-10. On the elegant side of sturdy, with broad shoulders. Large head and aristocratic features.