Conspiracies Ch. 10

Now she was more confused than ever. He had never ignored her before. In fact he demanded her attention. But he didn't even smile as he walked right past her.

Maybe it was all over. Maybe Sauer had stopped everything, and they were dropping her. It's what she wanted, but she needed some sort of verbal confirmation, letting her know for sure.

She didn't expect everything to be over so fast. Though it felt like a million years, it had only been weeks. This just wasn't how she expected this to end.

Her break didn't last long, though she wasn't in a hurry to get back. She nearly forgot her coffee at the local coffee house. She always made up different names when she ordered, and today she didn't realize she actually gave them her real name.

The slow and boring workday came to an end and still no communication from Sauer or Oliver. On her chilly walk home she managed to expel her suspicious thoughts and focus on the present. Her time alone had become very precious.

She spent the night exactly how she wanted to, snuggled in a blanket on her couch, smoking and watching Farscape until she passed out.

When she woke up, she realized she had yet again fallen asleep on the couch. The sun was starting to shine through the windows, telling her what time it was. Again she went about her usual routine, making coffee and struggling to wake up to shower.

On her walk she wondered what would happen today. She had finally started to see a pattern in Oliver's behavior, but now she was completely lost. But again, no contact from Sauer or Oliver. Luckily work had already been stacked on her desk, but she went through it very quickly.

Kevin watched her drag everything out as slowly as possible, trying to stay occupied. At one point during the end of the day she passed Oliver again going down to the basement. She stopped and opened her mouth to say something as he passed, but he ignored her completely.

"Well, I'll just go fuck myself then," she mumbled sarcastically.

When she got home, she spent the night the same as before. She opened a new pack of cigarettes and tried not to stew on what was happening with Oliver. It made her feel empty. She wasn't happy or sad or angry. She definitely was not relieved.

After a few good episodes of Farscape she realized she had smoked a third of her pack throughout the night. She tossed her cigarettes on her coffee table and gave up, spending another night on her couch.

The next morning was the same. Going about her normal morning routine and fast-walking to work. After an hour of sitting, another pile of thick folders mysteriously appeared on her desk before she arrived, she started to lose her mind.

She wanted to rip her hair out and scream. She needed to know what was happening. She needed to know if it was over. It was as if her life was stuck on pause.

Kevin could see her distress and nudged her arm. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

AJ huffed and leaned her head on her hand. "Yeah."

"Liar."

AJ shifted in her seat and turned to look at him. "You're supposed to help me, right?"

Kevin tilted his head to the side and replied, "What's going on?"

AJ scooted her chair closer to him, talking in the quietest voice she could. "Have you talked to Oliver?"

"Actually no. Why?"

"Do you know, did I do something? He won't talk to me."

Kevin shrugged. "Maybe you're off the hook."

AJ leaned back in her chair. If he said it, maybe it was true, or at least in the realm of possibilities.

"Doesn't that make you happy?" he said.

"Yeah, I just, you know, want to know for sure."

"Then go talk to him."

AJ sighed and scribbled on the thick packet before her, attempting to form a plan. Kevin could be right. If she just asked him, he could tell her. There would be no more waiting around panicking in anticipation.

She pressed against the paper with too much pressure, breaking the lead tip of her pencil. She tossed it on her desk and let it roll to the digital clock in front of her. She was done drowning in uncertainty. It was killing her.

She turned in her swivel chair and stood, scratching her head and debating one last time if this was a good idea. But she needed confirmation. She wanted an official release so there was no more wondering or questioning.

She slowly walked to the fourth floor, gathering her courage along the way. As always, when she made it to the door of his office she hesitated. It was time to rip off the band-aid.

As she opened the door, she saw Oliver sitting over his desk talking on the phone. When he saw it was her, he hung up. "What?" he said impatiently, acknowledging her for the first time in days.

She had thought of a million different things to say, but now she was face to face with him she was speechless. His attitude had completely changed. When he didn't say anything else, she managed to say, "Do you need, um, work stuff?"

That didn't make any sense. She cursed at herself and tried to think of a way to bring up her potential freedom.

"No," he replied, looking back down to his phone.

Finally AJ managed to break out of her fear and asked, "Am I done?"

Oliver stood, walking around his desk to stand in front of her. He poked her in the chest roughly and said, "Do you need my attention that much? That you need to bother me?"

AJ shrunk where she stood, terrified of the aggression in his voice. It wasn't playful or even sinister. He genuinely looked angry. She tried to say something, but she couldn't find the words.

Oliver backed her into the wall next to the door. "Fine. I'll give you attention."

He brought his hand around her backside and lifted her, holding her up by her thighs. Without hesitation he started to grind himself between her open legs. It happened so fast she didn't know what to do.

She felt his cock getting hard through his pants as he crushed his hips into hers, forcing her body to react to him. The familiar ache quickly struck her lower half, but she didn't want it. She was scared. There was no teasing, no room for her to budge.

The back of her head hit the wall as he reached his hand around her thigh to feel the moisture that had built up between her legs.

"Wait," she yelped, being squeezed against him and the wall. This needed to stop before she gets hurt.

Oliver reached up one hand to clamp it over her mouth, nearly suffocating her. "Shut the fuck up."

AJ could only reply with a terrified expression, quivering in his grasp. He took it away and started to unbuckle his belt and undo his pants, freeing his thick cock. He positioned the head against her opening, causing her to start to struggle against him.

Before she could prepare herself, he plunged inside of her all at once. She winced from the force. He gave her body no time to adjust before thrusting deep and roughly inside of her.

She reached out for his arms, keeping herself from falling out of his grip. He rocked his hips into hers, his nails digging into her skin as he squeezed her thighs. With each hard thrust she could feel herself begin to stretch around him.

Small whimpers and quiet stuttering left her lips. It was too much, too fast. He continued to pound into her and keeping her pressed against the wall, groaning as he felt the incredible tightness around his thick cock.

"No," she squeaked, pressing her hands against his chest to push him away. Oliver slid himself out of her and dropped her to the ground. He spun her around to face the wall and shoved her into it.

"Put your hands on the wall," he growled, wrapping his hands around her hips and pulling them towards him. AJ did as she was told, completely overwhelmed by his newfound attitude. Or maybe this was how he truly was.

Oliver pushed his cock inside of her again, burying himself as deep as he could get. AJ's mouth gaped open, her palms spready wide on the wall, as she struggled to stay silent through his hostility. He was hitting all of the right places, her body was starting to keep up with his pace. But his movements were wild and unrestrained. Through the pain there was that powerful pleasure only he could give her.

His nails sunk into her waist as he rocked himself in and out, taking complete control and ignoring her wriggling. The force behind each pump sucked the air from her lungs. The pulsing from his cock was enough to put her on the edge, putting her in a state of panic.

She wanted to finish but her fear was trumping her lustful desires. Just as she was on the edge of bursting, Oliver released himself, filling her completely with the warm fluid.

He pulled out, denying her any more attention. The white substance dripped down her thighs as he grabbed the back of her shirt and pushed her out of the office.

"Now you're done," he said coldly and slammed the door behind him.

AJ jumped from the sound and looked down at herself. Her breath started to quicken as her panic attack worsened. She ran to the fourth floor bathroom and locked the door. It had multiple stalls, but she didn't care. If someone tried to get in, they could go find another fucking bathroom.

She did her best to clean off her legs with paper towels, but she couldn't rid herself of the stickiness. Or maybe she was just tweaking out in her mind that was making her still feel dirty.

When she made it back to her desk she was slightly red in the face. Kevin wasn't there again, but that was good. She was too worked up to talk to anyone.

Oliver told her she was done. He even tossed her out of his office like garbage. It was all over. This was it. She always thought she would have to escape or find a way out herself, she never thought he would just give her up so easily.

She looked at her desk, then around the busy room. Her fingers pulled at a lock of her hair as he debated her next move.

It was time to quit. She couldn't stay here anymore. And now nothing was stopping her from leaving. She took a blank piece of paper and in her best handwriting wrote the shortest letter of resignation.

Feelings rose up in her that she hadn't felt in a million years. Confident, strong and walking her way to freedom. For the last time she walked to Sauer's office, knocking and coming in with her letter ready.

Sauer didn't look up from his work until she put the letter on his desk. He inspected the neat handwriting and said, "That's probably for the best." AJ held her chin high, even though he was not acknowledging her, and left the office.

She nearly sprinted to the elevator, pushing the buttons multiple times in a hurry. When she made it to her floor, she didn't bother saying goodbye to anyone. Not that there was anyone to say goodbye to anyway.

She grabbed her belongings and left the CIA building, and this time for good. The sun seemed to shine brighter, and the constant wind didn't feel so cold. When she made it home she changed, putting on a pair of jeans and an old black shirt. She put on her warmest hoodie and rolled a few tight joints, putting them in the pack with her cigarettes.

She took the Metra, silently watching the run-down neighborhoods turn into gentrified clumps the closer she got to downtown. She brought a Walkman in her bag, pulling out the headphones and getting lost in the sweet sounds of David Bowie's voice.

Lake Shore Drive was her favorite part of the city. She walked past the skyscrapers and museums, watching one of the weekly protests blocking the roads. She made it to the lake, sitting on a concrete slab and watching the waves crash under her feet.

The air coming off of the lake was cold, but she barely felt it. She felt empty and confused. The events of the past few weeks had been so insanely overwhelming. She was dragged into a world she didn't know existed and just like that it was all over.

Now she was back where she started. Invisible, alone, and boring. Not that she wanted to be tortured and blackmailed, but she now knew there was so much more than she could imagine out there. Maybe this was a good thing.

Oliver had made her so ready to run away and start a new life. Maybe all of this was a kick in the right direction. A way for her to finally break free from her monotonous lifestyle. Running away and starting over had always been a dream that was just too far too reach. Fear held her back, and she had gotten too comfortable. But she had learned to be strong, and now she could actually have the strength to do it.

She flicked the ash from a joint that she'd lit after stepping off the train, not caring in the slightest if someone saw. Even went the sun went down she stayed, watching the lights and the ferris wheel slowly turning on the pier.

But eventually she had to leave. Now it was well past ten and she passed group after group of intoxicated people hanging around the bars. Her Metra ride was the same, staring at the drastically different neighborhoods and walls of graffiti.

When she got back to her apartment, flicking on only her light in the living room, she kicked off her shoes and started to roam through her pile of tapes for something to watch. She went to find her favorite Stargate episode, but that only made her think of Oliver. She poked through her collection of the Outer Limits, and even though they weren't the reboot it still made her cringe.

Star Trek? No. Trouble with Tribbles was still in the player. Star Wars only made her think of Mark Hamill in Oliver's favorite Outer Limits episode. She started throwing the tapes, but for the first time in her entire life, science fiction just wasn't doing it for her.

She gave up and found Romancing the Stone, pulling Star Trek out of the player and tossing it to the other side of the room.

Halfway through the movie she began to fade from consciousness, curling on her couch for the third night in a row. But she didn't have anywhere to be tomorrow, so why the hell not.

The next day she felt lost. She made two pots of coffee, pacing back and forth and smoking entirely too much. Henry passed through her legs, meowing and bumping into her ankles.

What would she do now? Find another job? She didn't have the qualifications to do anything better than what she was at the CIA. And if she did find another job would it be enough?

Maybe she should join Willow and Jake. Or at least do what they do. She didn't have a car, but she hopefully had enough money to buy a used one.

She could chase UFOs and track down crop circles. She could chop off her hair and dye it, give herself a new name that didn't make her sound like a boy.

But she would still be alone. Something that never seemed to bother her until now. Maybe on some level she did like Oliver's attention. Not what he did to her, but she definitely had never been bored. She looked to the jackalope on her table and turned it around, so it wasn't facing her.

Fuck.

Well, at least she had time to think about it. She left her apartment only to go to the local coffee shop, trying out a new fake name when she paid for her drink. It didn't sound right.

She went to the bookstore, finding her seat next to the glass walls and peering out into the snowy street. It never stuck, but she loved seeing it fall from the sky so delicately.

No more Ender's Game. In fact, no more Orson Scott Card books at all anymore. At least not anytime soon. She traveled through the science fiction isles but still, it was doing nothing for her. She moved to fantasy, trying to sift for something safe she could escape into.

She half expected to see Oliver strolling in like last time, coming to harass her, but it never happened. Hours went by before she was told to buy the book if she wanted to keep reading. Her coffee had gone cold very quickly.

When ten o'clock rolled around she went home, always cautious at night in the city. Gun violence was a severe problem, and she did not want to get mugged for a third time.

When she was back at her apartment, she watched Romancing the Stone again, more than once this time. As much as she didn't like fiction, she did like adventure. she could watch it over and over without ever getting bored. The same jokes never failed to make her laugh, no matter how many times she heard them.

By the third time replaying the movie she had started to drift to sleep. Her eyes fluttered as her cigarette went out in the ashtray. She didn't notice her door creak open while slouched into the couch, completely bundled in the blanket.

She jumped awake when she felt something much heavier than Henry sit on the cushion next to her. She sprung into action and punched in the air, only to realize she was slugging Oliver in the arm.

She backed away, confused and frightened. He could be coming to kill her, stop any trail leading back to them. But Oliver just slumped onto the couch next to her.

He was wearing his work clothes, his slacks and button up shirt, a tie hung loosely around his neck. But he was dirty. His shoes were caked in mud, his shirt was stained with oil or some sort of dark substance. His hair was more ruffled than usual and sweat beaded down his forehead.

AJ didn't say anything. She just waited to see what he would do or say. There was no reason for him to be here. He said she was done.

Oliver wiped his forehead and turned to her, giving a long sigh. Their eye contact lasted too long. She couldn't pinpoint what he was communicating with his gaze, but he certainly looked exhausted.

He reached out and brought his hand to cup the back of her head, curling his fingers in her brown curls.

"I quit," she said, still unsure of what was happening.

"I know," he replied.

But that didn't stop him from pulling her in, pressing his lips against hers and letting his tongue explore where he wished. He leaned over her, gently pushing her on her back without breaking the kiss.

His palms found her waist and slowly traveled to her breasts, soaking up the softness of her skin. He lightly massaged them and began to circle his thumbs over her nipples, provoking sharp pangs of desire.

He lifted her shirt up to her neck and lifted his lips from hers only to bring his teeth on one of her nipples, giving little nips and bites. He pinched the other with his fingers, sending electric sensations that traveled all the way down to her toes.

Her back arched, opening her chest to him as he leaned over her, teasing her until he was satisfied with her body's reaction. His hands found her hips as his lips trailed down from her breast to her stomach, making his way between her legs.

His tongue found the excruciatingly sensitive nub just above her tight opening, giving it a small lick enough for a whimper to come from her lips.

He started to swirl his tongue along her slit, inducing an overpowering lust she hadn't expected feeling for a very, very long time. His tongue dipped inside of her as her juices started to flood, coating her thighs.

Oliver brought his fingertips to her slit and slowly pushed them in, using his tongue to circle above it. AJ's hands instinctively reached out for his head, pulling his hair as he began to move his fingers in and out, only bringing out more of her juices along with them.

AJ's thighs tightened around his head, as if he would stop if she let go. Her pull became stronger on his hair, but he didn't stop or complain. Instead his motions became faster, his tongue sliding and dancing along the place between her legs that always managed to blind her.

His fingers thrusted harder, but carefully and methodically. Every circle of his tongue brought her closer and closer to the state of bliss he had denied her before. Her hips rocked as her body arched closer to him. Oliver grunted when she pulled his hair too tightly, but he still didn't stop.

His fingers deepened and curled inside of her, holding still while his tongue brought her over the edge. Once she started to come, her legs spasming while refusing to let go of his hair, he moved faster. He used his tongue only to prolong the intense orgasm until she physically could take no more.