Dead to Me

"That's what I heard," Tom replied. The woman smiled as Tom accepted her hand.

"It's good to finally meet you, Mr. Jackson. I've heard a lot about you. I'm Eve Carson," she said.

"Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Carson. Please, call me Tom. I hope you've heard at least a few good things. So, what do you do for the firm?" Tom asked.

"I'm in charge of training and recruiting," Eve told him. "And please, feel free to call me Eve. I have heard a lot of good things, and I have a feeling we'll be spending a lot of time together this weekend."

"Oh?" Tom asked. "Why is that?"

"With Janice's new position, there's going to be a lot of changes in your life," Darren stated before Eve could respond. "She's here to help you... adjust."

"Adjust? And why would I need to adjust to my wife's promotion?" Tom asked, more than a little concerned. He looked at Janice for an explanation, but none was forthcoming.

"It's... complicated," Darren stated bluntly. "Let's eat breakfast first, shall we? Maybe we can get to know each other a little before we get into the meat of things."

They sat down as Darren's employees wheeled carts into the room. As Tom watched, they placed dishes in front of everyone piled with eggs, bacon, toast, and fruit. Another employee walked around the table, pouring coffee into their cups. Tom also took stock of the armed security men who took stations on either side of the door.

"So, Tom, why don't you tell us a little about yourself?" Rick Harmon, another executive, asked. "Janice says you were some kind of soldier or something." Tom glanced at Janice before answering. He had told her a little about his service, but it went over her head. As far as she was concerned, everyone who wore a green uniform was in the Army.

"I was in the military, but I was never a soldier," Tom replied before taking a bite of his scrambled eggs, which he found delicious.

"Oh? What were you, then?" Rick asked, glancing at Janice.

"I was in the Marines," Tom answered.

"Thank you for your service," Darren said. "What did you do in the Marines, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Not at all," Tom said. "I was a scout-sniper. Assigned to a Force Reconnaissance unit when I was wounded."

"Scout-sniper, huh?" mused Ryan Jones, the third executive at the table. "So... Basically, you killed motherfuckers. Right?" Tom saw the glances between the other executives and the security men before replying.

"I suppose that's one way of putting it," Tom said. The glances became expressions of concern, and Tom wondered what was happening here. "Thirty-two enemy soldiers didn't finish their missions," he added lightly... but in a tone like a rattlesnake giving fair warning. "I haven't had to kill anyone in several years, though." The military part of his mind chided himself. Had he betrayed his position - or warned them off?

"Interesting you never told us this, Janice," Darren said with a slight tightness in his voice, looking at Tom's wife, who flushed slightly

"It's not Janice's fault," Tom said before Janice could speak. "I never told her exactly what I did in the service. Partly because some of it is still classified, and partly because that's a period of my life I'd much rather forget."

"But now, you're an accountant. Is that right?" Rick asked hurriedly, breaking in to divert the tension that had suddenly rolled over the table like an overcast day.

"Yes. I was discharged after my rehab, and went to college to finish my business degree. That's where I met Janice. I'm now a forensic accountant working for my father," Tom said.

"What does your father do?" Glen asked.

"He runs Jackson Specialty Investigations. Works primarily for corporations," Tom said.

"I've heard of them," Rick said thoughtfully. "They do good work from what I've heard." They finished their breakfast, engaging mostly in small talk. But that didn't help Tom, who had a very uncomfortable feeling about all of this. He had learned to pay close attention to his instincts on the battlefield, as they had kept him alive more than once.

"Well, it looks like a beautiful day outside. Eve, why don't you take Tom for a tour around the property while we go out back?" Darren asked.

"Of course," Eve replied. Tom looked at Janice and tried to gauge her thoughts but couldn't. She had an expression he would hate to play poker against.

"Go ahead, sweetheart. It'll be okay," she said encouragingly, but a little stiffly.

"Yeah, okay," Tom said. He was uncomfortable with the situation but felt he couldn't do much now. So, he acquiesced to Darren and Janice. Intel and recon; recon and intel, he told himself. Grabbing his walking stick, he looked at Eve.

"Are you ready, Tom?" she asked with a brightness he knew was phony.

"Sure," Tom replied, hoping the churning in his gut would settle down. "After you." Janice put a hand on his arm before he left, and he stopped and looked at her.

"Just remember that I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," Tom said. He leaned in to kiss her, but she turned her head. Shocked and humiliated, Tom backed off and walked away, not saying anything until he and Eve were far from the main house.

Tom couldn't help but notice the heavily armed security men not far away from them. With Eve's back to him, Tom pulled his phone out and activated the voice record app while observing that he somehow had two bars - a weak signal, but enough to make a call, then replaced it in his pocket.

"It's so beautiful out here," Eve finally said to break the ice.

"Yeah," Tom replied in a noncommittal tone. They reached a wooden park bench overlooking a small pond and stopped. Eve sat down, so Tom followed her lead. "What's going on here?" he asked.

"You're a smart man, Tom. Why don't you figure it out?" she asked in response.

"I've got an idea, but it's too horrifying to contemplate," Tom answered. "Why don't you just come clean and tell me?"

"All right. As you know, Janice has been picked to be Darren's next executive assistant," Eve began.

"Yes, I already know that. Janice told me that much. But there's more, isn't there?"

"Yes, there is," Eve said. "Your life is about to change, Tom. Whether it's for the better will depend on how you react. You know Janice loves you, don't you?"

"I've heard her say so. But frankly, I'm having a hard time believing it right now."

"Trust me. She does love you. And she wants the best for the two of you. That's why she's willing to do whatever is necessary to guarantee your future," Eve lectured. "You do support your wife in her career goals, don't you?"

"Of course. I always have," Tom said. He felt like he had one night years ago, worming his way slowly across the ground, probing the sand for mines under a high-tech heat-dispersing cape.

"I'm glad to hear you say that. Then you should understand that the next year or two will only be a minor blip - a bump in the road of a long, happy marriage."

"A year or two? She mentioned six months. Why are you saying that? What's going to happen over the next two years?" Tom asked pointedly. "And what, exactly, is your role in all of this?"

"I'll get to that. My role is to... prepare you for what will happen. And to make sure you fully understand and embrace Darren's expectations. For you and your wife."

"Why should I care about Darren's expectations of me? I don't answer to him, and he doesn't sign my paycheck," Tom snarled, his patience growing thin.

"No, he doesn't, but he does sign hers. And your... acquiescence... will go a long way toward making Janice's job easier," Eve explained.

"Acquiescence? What the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm sure you've noticed that Darren is what most people would call an... alpha male," Eve stated, as though it was as obvious as a giant flashing red neon sign.

"In other words, he's a self-absorbed narcissistic asshole," Tom growled. Eve chuckled at that, the first genuine sound she had made... and the first he believed.

"Let's just say, he expects people to... fall in line. Do as they're expected. That includes Janice. And by extension - you."

"In other words, he wants to screw my wife and expect me to just accept it. Isn't that what you're telling me?" His temperature rising but, for now, firmly controlled.

"I wouldn't quite use that terminology, but essentially... yes. In fact, they've already been... intimate. Several times," Eve said, noticing the pained look on Tom's face.

"And you know this... how?" Tom asked.

"I was there. I recorded it," Eve said in an even tone, as though recording two people having sex was the most natural thing one could do. "Would you like to see some of the video?"

"You're kidding, right?"

"Not at all, Tom. Here, take a look. You might find it... interesting," Eve said, handing Tom her phone. He looked at the short video clip of Janice and Darren rutting like animals.

"It is interesting. Mind if I keep a copy?" Tom asked. It would come in handy for his divorce, he thought.

"Not at all. I saved that clip especially for you." Using the phone's Bluetooth capability, Tom saved a copy to his phone. "Tell me something, Tom. How has your love life been lately?"

"Not that it's any of your damn business, but it's been practically non-existent for the last couple of months. Why?"

"Actually, it IS my business. And the reason is simple. Darren instructed Janice to cut you off most of the time. He's quite possessive of his property."

"WHAT? And she just went along with it?" Tom growled between clenched teeth, his anger growing.

"Of course. He is her master now. She answers to him, just as all of his previous assistants answered to him. And he will expect you to answer to him as well." Tom cringed at the term "master."

"He can 'expect' in one hand and shit in the other - see which one fills up first," Tom snarled through gritted teeth. He saw the smirk on her face and felt like wiping it off with the back of his hand. "So what does the Asshole 'expect' from me? Money?"

"Hardly," Eve chuckled. "He expects your... obedience. Your... submission. And he will expect you to publicly display that tonight before the other senior partners."

"What are you talking about? What does he expect me to do?"

"The dynamics of your marriage will change drastically while Janice is in her current position. To reflect that, Darren has documents he needs you to sign. These documents state that you willingly surrender your marriage rights, property, and assets to him while Janice is his assistant.

"After he has had his way with you, he will expect you to get on your knees in front of him in full view of your wife and the others. And he will expect you to... fellate him. To completion," Eve said with a face devoid of emotion. "I know it is difficult to hear, but Janice expects it of you as well. She's quite eager to see you do it, in fact. In this way, you will cede any authority of your marriage to him for as long as he deigns to own her."

"Let me see if I understand what you just said. Your asshole boss wants me to sign everything to him, let him fuck me in the ass, then suck his cock? In front of Janice and the other executives? Are you fucking kidding me?" Tom growled, murder in his eyes.

"I am not kidding, Tom. And yes, that is what he wants. He also expects you to... swallow. And so does Janice. Of course, the whole encounter will be captured on video."

"Of course. That way he can hold it over my head. Sounds like extortion or blackmail to me."

"You make it sound so tawdry. But it would be used to keep you in line," Eve said nonchalantly. "After you have submitted yourself to him, he will take Janice to bed. They will leave for New York City early tomorrow morning, where they will spend the weekend."

"And where will I be while they play in New York?" Tom asked.

"You will remain here, confined to your room. You will be fed and watched over. When they return, you will drive Janice back to your residence. You will follow her directions to the letter without question," Eve replied.

"So, if I understand you correctly, I'm to be literally fucked in the ass, made to suck Asshole's dick, then kept prisoner here against my will. And what would I get out of this?"

"If you go along with Darren's program, you will be left relatively unscathed, except for some minor humiliation. And when he's finished with Janice, you will be well-compensated."

"And I take it that you, Asshole, and my soon-to-be ex-wife conspired to destroy my marriage, take my life's work, and literally rape me in the ass. Am I right?"

"I wouldn't put it quite like that, but I suppose from your point of view, yes. We worked on this together," Eve said in a neutral tone of voice.

"Did he do this with his other assistants?" Tom asked.

"Yes," Eve said.

"And they went along with this shit?"

"They did," Eve told him. "In fact, the husbands enjoyed it tremendously. What would it hurt? Janice would love to see you pleasure her master."

"I'm sure she would. They can both kiss my ass and fuck off," Tom hissed. "And you can tell Asshole if he makes a move on me, I'll do everything I can to make sure it'll be the last thing he ever does."

"I understand you're angry, Tom. And you have every right to be. But you would benefit in the end. In more ways than one. But there's more."

"More?" Tom asked, shocked.

"The document requires you to obtain a vasectomy at your earliest convenience. And it states that you will accept and take responsibility for any children Janice and Darren produce. In fact, she intends to make a show of flushing her birth control after you sign."

"And if I don't go along with all of this bullshit?"

"Let's just say you wouldn't like the consequences," Eve stated. "A few tried to fight Darren and found themselves penniless and convicted sex offenders in prison for child pornography which just happened to be found on their personal devices. And you may be aware of what happens to child sex offenders in prison. Not a pretty existence."

"That sounds like a threat," Tom responded.

"Call it what you want."

"All right. I will," Tom replied as he pulled the phone out of his pocket. He stopped, saved the audio recording, and looked through his contacts until he found what he was looking for. Verifying that he had signal, he selected the number he wanted, then held the phone to his ear.

"What are you doing?" Eve asked, her face turning red with anger. Tom smiled, and put a finger to his lips, indicating that she should remain silent.

"Sheriff Jackson," the man said when he answered Tom's call.

"Uncle Bob! How're you doing?" Tom asked.

"Stone! What's the word?"

"Dad was right. I need an extraction. Fast. You got the address?"

"I got it, son. I also have the coordinates from your phone. What's your sitrep?"

"I counted at least 15 heavily-armed men. There's a gate at the entrance. Code is 6973, unless they changed it since last night. Hansen and three of his executives are here, along with his trainer. She just gave me the lay of the land, so to speak. Got it all on audio. I'll send it to you," Tom said.

"Copy that," Bob replied. "We're on our way. ETA approximately five mikes. Can you hold out that long?"

"I think so, Uncle Bob, as long as you're willing to call it self-defense," Tom said. "And thanks."

"My pleasure. Wouldn't want to see anything happen to my favorite nephew. What about Janice?"

"According to Hansen's trainer, she's an accomplice... and already a whore for Hansen," Tom said.

"I'm sorry to hear that, son," Bob said sadly.

"Yeah. Me too," Tom said.

"Well, you hang tough, young man. We'll be there shortly." With that, Tom ended the call, then sent the audio file to his uncle.

"What did you just do?" a frightened Eve asked after Tom replaced his phone. "Who did you just call?"

"I called in the cavalry," Tom replied with a smile.

"I need to get back to the house and warn the others," Eve stammered, starting to rise, clearly disoriented by the turn of events. Tom shook his head and gently pulled her back down on the bench. She stared at his 'sniper expression' in horrified fascination.

"I think not. We'll sit here and enjoy the sunshine for a few minutes. Might be the last sunshine you see for a while," Tom said, allowing himself a satisfied smile.

...

"I think you might have bitten off a little more than you can chew this time, Darren," Ryan said after Janice and the four men took their seats next to the large pool behind Darren's house.

"Why? Because Janice's cuckold is a former Marine? Big deal," Darren scoffed. "What's he gonna do, anyway? He's alone, unarmed, and surrounded by a small platoon of armed security. If he rejects Eve's proposal, then we go to plan B."

"Just be careful," Rick cautioned.

"Don't worry," Darren said. "I've got it all under control. We'll spike his drinks tonight, and when the time comes, he'll be more than happy to suck my dick."

"I can't wait to see that," Janice cooed. "Are you going to make him swallow like you did the others?"

"Of course," Darren said. "By the time this weekend is over, your wimpy little cuck will be begging for my cock," he added, causing Janice to giggle like a schoolgirl.

"Just don't push him too hard," Ryan said. "He's not like the others. They were weak. He's not."

"They're all the same, Ryan," Darren sneered.

"No, they're not. This guy is a combat Marine, trained to kill. You need to be ready for anything."

"Settle down, Ryan. I got this," Darren scolded. "But I am curious about something. Why didn't you know about your husband's service?" he asked Janice.

"Well, it's like Tom said. He never told me any details," Janice replied. "All he would say is that he was in the military."

"It doesn't matter," Darren snorted. "He's going down. Tonight. And your career will take off."

"What if he files for divorce?" Janice asked.

"Then I'll ruin him the same way I did the others. He'll end up in prison for child porn, or worse. Don't worry, dear. I'll take care of him."

"What's that sound?" Glen asked, looking around. Everyone stopped talking and listened. The tell-tale sounds of helicopters could be heard all around them. Suddenly, one of Darren's security men ran to the pool.

"We've got a problem, Mr. Hansen," he huffed.

"What's that?" Darren asked. They heard shouts and the sounds of men scuffling. Then they saw two uniformed deputies in body armor walk to the pool, their rifles ready.

"Freeze!" one of the deputies ordered. "Drop your weapon," the deputy told Darren's security man, who instantly obeyed, not wanting to get shot. Other deputies poured in, placing Janice, Darren, and the other three men in handcuffs.

"What's going on?" Darren demanded. "I'll have your badges for this!"

"Quiet. You're all under arrest," a deputy stated before reading a laundry list of charges. He finished by reading their Miranda rights. The deputies led all five detainees around the building, where they saw four helicopters, a bus, and three large vans. Officers were everywhere, escorting the handcuffed and disarmed security men to the bus. Janice saw Tom standing next to a large man in a khaki uniform.

"Tom! What's going on?" she cried out. Tom and the large man walked toward her.

"Your little party is over, Janice," Tom said calmly. "I'm sorry, I forgot my manners. Janice, this is Sheriff Robert... Jackson. You remember my Uncle Bob, don't you?"

"Uncle... Bob?" Janice gasped weakly. "I didn't know you were a sheriff."

"I guess it slipped my mind," Bob said with a smirk.

"Tom, please. This is all a big misunderstanding. You have to believe me," Janice cried desperately.

"No, Janice. I don't have to believe you. In fact, I don't think I've ever been more shocked and disappointed in my whole life. I'll be visiting my attorney ASAP to have divorce papers drawn up. As of now, you're dead to me," Tom said. "Do you understand? Dead." With that, Tom grabbed her left hand and pulled her rings off, depositing them in his pocket.