Anna's Mystery Plan Pt. 09

Everyone sat down, leaving me standing. I began carefully, "Thank you, Anna and Rolf, for your confidence in me. Anna delights in asking impossible things of her subordinates and has used that strategy on me repeatedly. Now that I know I am carrying her DNA, and Rolf's, it should not be a surprise that I am standing here ready to respond to their challenge.

"Anna says the new Working Group is not a bureaucratic exercise. To make that true will require hard work, not only of the WG, but eventually of everyone. We have a responsibility to the special talent we have inherited to use it for peaceful purposes and to police ourselves against any who would violate that covenant.

"In recent weeks, Talia Reid and I have worked closely together. Not only is she enormously talented, but she is the unofficial liaison between those holding the Power and the civilian government. She carries that unique responsibility incredibly well even though it is necessary that her work in that regard be held very privately. I would ask that you safeguard that information.

"Any normal male would be attracted to Talia for many reasons, and I must confess that not only will our working partnership continue, but that our unofficial relationship may just possibly result in marriage."

I was interrupted by cheers and shouts of "Bravo!" When the noise died out, I finished with, "No one can foretell the success or failure of the effort Anna and Rolf have launched today. But with your help, I will do my best to make it happen!"

As everyone stood to engage in energetic conversation, I was mobbed by the women in my life. Before I could express myself, Anna and Rolf arrived and this time there were fierce hugs. Anna spoke directly in my head, "I am so proud. You not only took my obnoxious orders, but you carried them out!"

Rolf was calmer. "Jeremy, those were wonderful words. I hope we can get to know each other better in the next days."

I looked him in the eye, "It is nice to have a dad. Especially nice to have a dad that still loves my mother. I hope the three of us and my bride-to-be can finally be a family unit."

Talia had been listening and delivered a fierce punch. "Bad one, the protocol is that the bride's family announces an engagement. You are running up a mountain of demerits!"

In minutes, helos were disappearing, leaving the Silicon Valley unit to clean up and depart themselves. Chelsea said Jose would arrive shortly to take over responsibility for the site. Talia had a sheet of paper with our rendezvous instructions. "Anna says we don't put everyone in one vehicle. What about those beans, lover? You are now a VIP!"

The Professors approached with drinks to share. "Jeremy, do not get a swelled head, but you deserve every bit of Anna and Rolf's confidence. We have a little secret to tell you. Josh is a grand nephew of Rolf's, so your faculty boss is also a relative! We will keep that little secret for you."

I pulled them tight with kisses, "Talia says I will still have certain privileges."

"That is terrible, Jeremy. She will be in our bed claiming rewards!"

Karen pushed into my arms. "Wonderful speech! You are not overwhelmed with all this?"

"I am overwhelmed with all the love I have received from my substitute mother!"

In rapid fashion, a transport helo arrived and quickly departed with the SV group, minus Talia and me. Jose and two helpers showed up in the big box van and began the job of mothballing the site again.

Talia's arm did not leave my waist or shoulder. "I was pretty proud of you today. I used to think I would never find a man to love. You've proved me wrong."

Her piece of paper said we would be collected before five and the pilot would know our undisclosed location in the desert.

I settled her in my lap. "You mean we can wait here and have makeout?"

She pushed her head to mine, "You know, you are going to be the boss of Anna now for part of the time. When we are together tonight and tomorrow, my future husband is a grownup coequal partner of his parents. You understand?"

I nodded, feeling exhausted, but Talia was bubbling with energy. "Damn this is fun!"

Chapter 32 - Aftermath.

The undisclosed location was on the edge of a wilderness area west of Caliente. We were in trees, with a flowing spring fed from peaks above. The improvements included concealed hangers for two helos, plus other hidden amenities, including an ancient building that had been modernized within.

Rolf and Anna were relaxing on the covered porch with drinks in hand. They stood to welcome us with hugs and kisses. He explained that the Basin and Range group had purchased an old mining camp and several thousand acres of mountainside to create a retreat in the northern part of their territory.

"It's just the four of us here. Unfortunately, the pilots have to stay close by in case of emergency, but they have their own place a little ways up the canyon."

Anna was still in command mode until Rolf laid his hand firmly on hers. "Relax, Anna. There are no bosses and no orders here. You need to put yourself in loving mother mode."

Anna blinked and then laughed. "I deserved that, I guess."

Talia took a sip and asked, "Are you going to marry him now?"

They looked at each other, silent messages flowing back and forth. Rolf said, by way of explanation, "After school, I went to work in Phoenix in the electronics industry. After several years, I met a wonderful woman who does not have the power and married her. We are very happy and have children. I now run my own company. If I tell Joyce about this, I am sure she will be all right with the long ago relationship. I would never think of divorcing her, and Anna would not allow that anyway. So the answer is a reluctant no. When we are together, we behave as a couple and one of these days, when our kids are out of school, I will tell Joyce."

Sitting there, holding Talia's hand, I realized that these two leaders somehow thrived on the mysteries and secrets in their lives. The behavior necessary to keep use of the power opaque to normal people carried over at times into their secret lives within the Power circles. Karen had been able to shield it all from me until last spring. No wonder she had been so nervous when Sophie came into my life.

Seeing that she was relaxed, I asked, "Is Karen any blood relation to us? She is amazingly loyal to you."

"Karen is the youngest sister of my college roommate and not a blood relation. I was pregnant when she visited one time she took a special interest in my situation and one thing lead to another. At first she was a summer nanny while I studied hard to finish my degree, but between her loving care for you and my desperate family situation, we hatched the plan to switch mothers."

Talia put a headlock on me and hissed, "Something about him attracts females."

I tickled viciously, "Certain females attract me, especially if they are smart, pretty, athletic and teasing."

* * *

In three busy days, old bonds were strengthened and new bonds were formed. Rolf decided that his own secrets with his wife had to go, and promised to introduce us to Joyce as soon as that awkward confession had been made.

Anna and I went on a private hike together and worked out my many irritations at her secretive plans. She accused me of fake adolescent behavior, and I responded with inappropriate moves. I came down the hill feeling that having a real mother and real father was very fine indeed.

Details of the WG were filled in and names for the membership were chosen. The Armory we had constructed in Silicon Valley would be remodeled to serve as the WG administrative site. Anna volunteered to convince Professor Greenberg that he should become a close advisor on technology to the WG, especially since he had co-opted me to be his project leader on the gyro research.

In bed every night, Talia complained that she was being forced to acknowledge her destiny as a wife and mother. This involved frequent and loud sex. She told me that the noise didn't matter because the other couple were making noise too.

I hugged her tightly and said I was terribly impressed with loving such an important person, and hoped my cock treatments were agreeable. We fought like tigers and slept in each other's arms. I woke each morning ready to take on the world.

The End.

(Author's Note: Many of Anna's mysteries have been revealed, but not all. In due course there will be a Book 2, in which Jeremy and Talia undertake new roles and new challenges. For those who are interested in such things, the development of Book 1 began on 1/21/17.)