Exigence Ep. 02

EXIGENCE • EPISODE ONE

Author's Note: Hi everyone! Unfortunately there was a glitch in uploading this episode that led to a different story (that I'd actually never seen before) appearing under the title 'Exigence Ep. 02'. I would like to thank the site admins for their incredibly fast and effective assistance, and I hope many of you will be coming back even after being a bit confused by what happened. Now, onto the actual author's note and recap...

I managed to seriously injure my back, which affected my ability to sit down and write. As such, this episode came about as a way to keep writing while navigating my rehab. I am hesitant to call this an 'in-between' part since I still put a lot of work into it and am proud of the end-result, but you will notice it takes a slight pause from the main story to explore the world and lay some groundwork for big character-focused pieces that are still to come.

All sexual activity is between characters that are 18 or older. This is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to real persons, places or events is purely coincidental. The below is not intended to serve as a guide for real-life sexual encounters or relationships. Stay safe, happy and healthy! :-)

----------------------------------------

Prologue • Men in Darkness

The loyal vizier barely had any hair left. All that remained were a few wisps of blond straw thinner than a new bride's nightgown. "Are you sure?" he asked.

The man's employer cleared his throat, filling the pitch-black surroundings with a menacing growl. The only light came from a small lamp on the large desk, which blazed a golden glow over a few sheets of bright-white paper. The black ink precisely printed on each page would've meant nothing to most people. Yet, it meant everything to Artemis Enquist and could mean much more to Oliver Orwell.

"Are you sure, sir?" the balding advisor asked again, unsure if his employer's hearing was intact.

"Are you going to make a habit out of questioning me?!"

"You are not thinking clearly--"

The employer fumed, "Even on my worst days, I am far smarter than you! Never forget that."

"Of course, sir," the advisor bowed. "So, when do you wish to see Mr Orwell?"

"Hm?"

"Oliver Orwell, sir... When would you like to meet him?"

"Who's Oliver Orwell?"

The balding man's face could not be described in words. It was a look of sheer emotion. As with most intense feelings, it exceeded the human mind's capacity.

The advisor had seen his employer's rise, and now he was witnessing the once great man's fall.

It made him profoundly sad.

01 • Snowy Sanctuary

Albert Einstein remarked, "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."

As I looked out my window, I couldn't help but be impressed by the infinite imagination of Mr Artemis Enquist. His sprawling snowcapped castle in Bavaria seemed endless, with old stone buildings and futuristic extensions. Every square inch seemed to hold some great invention devised by his network of companies.

One journalist wrote, "Artemis Enquist has catapulted humanity ten years into the future."

I had come to buy billions of dollars worth of advanced technology from this enigmatic figure. Still, the inventor had yet to show his face. My entourage and I had been waiting for two days, having delayed flights and postponed meetings to accommodate Enquist's constant excuses. The longer I stayed, the more I felt like I was being swallowed whole by some unknown power that tied together all the stone blocks that made up the grey fortress.

If you could build walls around infinity, you'd have that compound -- that place of indescribable importance and scientific wonder.

I was intent upon meeting Enquist before paying him a sum equivalent to the net worth of number 100 on the Forbes list. My own tech people were in the process of building a computer to decode Liz Wharry's final bequest. I wanted to judge the kind of man our host was before asking him if he could spare a few petaflops of computing capacity to try and decipher the data.

"This is unacceptable," I growled, addressing the corporate official in charge of our stay.

Despite being quite a big wheel in the Enquist Empire, Mr Rubbenheimer had the demeanour of a butler. He spoke in a soothing voice, which was so calm it made it almost impossible to be stern with the man. A profound bald patch defined his appearance. He was tallish, with clever dark eyes and long fingers that seemed older than the rest of him.

"Mr Orwell," he said softly, "I assure you my employer intends no disrespect. He has simply been caught up in negotiations with the Chinese on a matter of extreme global importance. In the meantime, there is still so much of the compound I wish to show you. We've barely scratched the surface."

Glancing out the window again, I realised there were still three massive buildings we hadn't been inside. They were undoubtedly full of toys and gadgets a few years away from being announced to the general public. Another tour would be fascinating, but I was a busy man, with commitments aplenty.

"My sisters are turning nineteen in a few days. Their nineteenth birthday, Mr Rubbenheimer!" I complained. "Instead of hosting a party, we'll be here, waiting for your boss to grace us with his presence. I respect the man, I really do, but he's being quite rude."

Ever the diplomat, Rubbenheimer smiled brightly, having had an idea. "We would be more than happy to throw a party for them. Mr Enquist's supersonic private jet could collect all the guests from any corner of the world, we have ample accommodation, and there are several ballrooms to choose from for the festivities! Our organisation would cover all the costs to compensate for the inconvenience you've suffered. I assure you, sir, we would spare no expense to make your sisters' birthday unforgettable!"

The offer was considerate. That and the man's mild disposition made it hard to refuse. "Let me talk to the girls," I said.

"Excellent, sir! They are currently enjoying a trip to the nearby village. Would you like to join me for a tour of the last few buildings before they return?"

I hesitated for a moment but then conceded, "Very well. One last tour, Mr Rubbenheimer, then no further delays."

02 • Wonders Aplenty

As we walked through the castle, I zoned out more than once. Despite all the incredible technology, there was a lot on my mind. My journalist friend, Danika Dalton, was hunting for facts about my enemy, the Doomsday Archive. Cassandra Nash, the CEO of my company, was planning for her retirement. And my friend Felix had offered me a whole island in exchange for helping him take the reins of his Caribbean home from his father.

That last matter saw me drag myself out of thought and into the present. I wanted the latest and greatest for the tropical villa my family were in the process of building.

From AI drones that could survey massive sites in minutes to artificial reality helmets that helped builders work more efficiently, there was no end to the incredible tools on display. Most had never been announced to the public, but I had the pull to get them early. They would undoubtedly speed up construction by months, if not a year.

"It is astounding," I remarked to Mr Rubbenheimer.

He was charmed. "Thank you, Mr Orwell."

Alicia and Skylar accompanied us, more out of curiosity than a need to provide close protection. After all, the castle had probably a hundred armed guards to keep us safe.

We'd already ordered several toys for my security team. Nevertheless, they still wanted to return to the building that housed tech from Enquist's defence firms. After a taxing walk up a steep hill, we arrived at our destination, and they proceeded to point at a dozen things they wanted to add to our shopping cart.

There was a "smart" firing range that used cameras and complex algorithms to train shooters. This was housed next to a laser defence grid that could shoot down missiles with 98% accuracy. Then there was the 'Machine General' -- an ultra-intelligent computer that could direct complex military operations faster and more accurately than any human commander.

"Do we need all of this?" I asked.

Alicia replied with an uncharacteristically cheeky smirk. "It's about wanting, not needing."

Skylar agreed, "What's the point of being richer than Rockefeller if you're not going to indulge in a little retail therapy?"

"Fair enough," I conceded. "Since it looks like we'll be spending the girls' birthday here, I should probably pick up some gifts for them."

We took another long walk until we reached the appropriate facility. Along the way, we passed the building I assumed was Eqnuist's private residence, and I turned to Rubbenheimer.

"Is he in there?"

"Sir?"

"I only need five minutes of his time. Why can't we quickly say hello?"

"I'm sorry, sir--"

"Five minutes," I beseeched. "I simply want to meet the man before we conclude our business. You see, Mr Rubbenheimer, I find your boss fascinating. I'm also pretty sure some of his best contraptions aren't displayed here."

"Mr Orwell--"

"Five minutes, and I'll be out of your hair!"

My guide stroked his bald patch and bought some time by stumbling from one random word to the next. Unfortunately, I'd been too forceful in my request, causing him to become pale and look rather sickly. My pestering hit a nerve, and I should have had the good grace to back down. Yet, I persisted, perhaps not realising how meek the not-so-mighty Mr Rubbenheimer truly was.

"I'm beginning to think there's something you're not telling me," I said.

"Sir!" Rubbenheimer gasped. The look of sheer terror on the man's face as I got closer to the truth caused me to back down, and we spent the next few minutes in silence, giving our relationship time to reset.

Once we had some distance from our minder, I pinched Alicia's shoulder and whispered, "What do you think is going on?"

She shrugged. "Maybe Enquist is incapacitated. There's always been buzz about him having a drug problem."

I murmured, perhaps.

After picking some birthday presents for the girls, we returned to our quarters. Alicia peeled off to her room while Skylar accompanied me to mine.

My bodyguard didn't need to walk with me, so I knew she had something on her mind. I'd noticed her usually perfect swoop of short assymetric blonde hair wasn't as well put together as usual, and her posture seemed slightly stiff. Yes, she'd lost her swagger, and it didn't take Artemis Enquist and his brilliant scientists to figure out what was wrong with her.

"Girl trouble?" I diagnosed.

Rubbing her arm, Skylar seemed to shrink. "Lauren's being weird. She keeps giving me hints about wanting clothes, jewellery, expensive make-up--"

"And you keep buying her those things?"

"Well, yeah... Of course. I love her."

Sky was a novice at relationships despite her good looks and easy charm. You'd never guess she was awkward by looking at her, but it was hard to miss when she talked about her love life.

Placing a hand on her shoulder, I gave my friend some advice. "You can't keep buying her things just because she's dropping hints. I may not have the most traditional relationships, but I know you can't build a healthy one by trying to buy love. Sex, sure... Yeah, you can buy sex. You can even buy affection, but you can't buy love..."

"I guess so--"

"It's true," I asserted. "You're quite wealthy, Skylar. I'm not saying that's the only reason Lauren is attracted to you, but it'd be hard for her to overlook. You have to accept that money will always be a factor in your relationships. Still, it can't be the only thing keeping you two together."

Upon reflection, I could've been gentler with her, but Sky seemed to appreciate my frankness. "You're right about everything, but..."

"You love her?"

Skylar nodded.

"Take a few days off," I suggested. "The security here is tight. There's no need for you to stand guard 24/7. You and Lauren can book into a cute little hotel in the nearby village. Take some time for yourselves."

"Thanks, sir."

"Don't mention it," I smiled, giving Sky a little love tap on the shoulder.

Having sent my friend off with a smile on her face, I entered the set of rooms that had been assigned to me.

It sounded like my sisters were back from the village and decided to pay me a visit. I could hear the sound of a twin-tiff brewing from the small sitting room and followed it until I discovered them arguing in front of the fireplace. I walked in on a spirited quarrel over the best way to stack the firewood. It was a lover's spat, really, and I couldn't help but find it adorable. After a minute of watching their sharp retorts and playful jabs, I interjected.

"Brandy?"

The twins turned, arms crossed in perfect unison. I couldn't tell them apart at that moment as they gave me matching looks of playful annoyance. They both had long black hair and tall bodies. They were thin, with the athletic qualities of dancers as a result of regular ballet classes.

"You get a kick out of watching us fight, huh?" one of them quipped.

I grinned with a hint of mischief in my voice. "Sure do, but I'd prefer it if you two really went at it. Feel free to push each other around; maybe pull on some hair, or try a chokehold."

As soon as I said what I did, they both gave each other a look and rolled their eyes. But I could tell they were holding back a pair of smiles. Those moments made me forget about all the mystery outside, even if it was just for a little bit.

The difference between the girls came down to single words. Tecla was foxy, and Elle was kittenish. They were both brave and beautiful, and I loved them more than anything in the world.

One unexpected benefit of my expensive Swiss education was that I learned to make a decent fire. The girls stood aside, with Elle going off to pour us some drinks and Tecla plonking herself down on a bearskin rug right behind me. They started telling me all about their day in the village, recalling quant shops and adorable old couples who seemed to have been in love for decades.

"Sounds very nice, girls," I smiled, glad they were getting out and about.

Getting the fire roaring wasn't that hard, and we all settled on the plush floor, resting our backs against pillows and cushions we grabbed from the sofas. We drank brandy and talked about being tourists for once. Yeah, as much as we'd visited every corner of the world in recent months, we rarely caught our breath.

Elle asked, "Have you seen Enquist yet?"

I shook my head, taking a pensive sip of my drink. I knew I had to break the news about us staying over their birthday. Of course, we hadn't planned anything, but I still felt bad for keeping them isolated at some castle on the day they turned nineteen.

Tecla could read my mind, setting her drink aside and resting her head on my shoulder. "It's okay, Olly. We weren't going to throw a big party in any case."

Elle agreed, "The only thing that matters is that we spend the day together."

I sighed, half-glad they were content yet unwilling to leave things as they stood. "You're only young once," I declared. "We can throw an incredible party here at the castle. Invite all your friends--"

"What friends?" Tecla asked, not sounding bitter.

"Oh, c'mon," I encouraged, "you girls were popular at school."

Elle interjected, "That was before our lives changed."

"Give it a thought," I encouraged, and the girls seemed to relent a little.

With the fire crackling and the room warming up, we didn't rush to finish our drinks as minutes passed into hours. The girls curled up next to me, Elle put her head on my chest and closed her eyes, and Tecla pressed her cheek against mine as we watched the flames.

I sat before the fireplace, mesmerised by the dancing flames decorating the room. The logs crackled and popped as they burned, sending tiny sparks flying up the chimney. The warmth enveloped me, chasing away the chill of that late-November night. As the sun set, the cosy glow of the flames flickered across the room, casting shadows on the walls and ceiling. I watched as the embers burned orange and red, and occasionally a gust of wind would blow through the chimney, sending sparks shooting upwards. I reached towards the flames, feeling their heat and admiring their beauty.

It seemed so natural for Tecla to run her hand along the inside of my thigh. It felt perfectly right to return the gesture. I thought about other siblings, who weren't like us, and I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for them (especially for those pairs and trios who loved each other as much as we did).

"I'm horny," Tecla whispered.

Elle giggled, half-asleep, "You're always horny, Tec."

Tecla whined a reply, with her head too far in the clouds to make words as her hips humped empty space. She was a horny little thing... That couldn't be denied. Gripping my leg with both hers, she rode my knee and pleaded for permission.

"Can I masturbate, Daddy?"

"Freak," Elle giggled, but it drew no response from her sister.

"You want to play with yourself?" I asked.

"Only if you let me. You're my..." Tecla paused for a moment, biting down on her lip. It may have been banter, but being chided by Elle for the use of the word 'daddy' did get under her skin. So, she picked another word. "You're my god, Olly."

I frowned. "Tec--"

"Don't push back," Elle instructed, opening her eyes and sitting upright. "You know she means it, and you know I feel the same."

"It's quite a thing to say," I smiled, feeling goosebumps as Tec rubbed her hips against my thigh and Elle got ever closer to kissing me.

I froze in place, watching as my sister's eyes cycled through the palette of splendour they summoned and controlled as if doing so was as easy as letting a feather float away in a strong wind. I looked at the corners of her lips, at how they curled into a smile, and my eyes slowly traced the plump goodness of her faint lipstick to the centre of her mouth. I could smell perfume and fire; they were both heavy but divine.

All scent and sensation stopped existing for a few seconds. Then, finally, there was nothing but the feeling of Elle's breath against my own, like two flames dancing against each other. In the split-second before anticipation and realisation, we closed our eyes and gave ourselves to each other.

I could feel again. My sister's lips were soft against mine, her kiss shy and innocent. She waited for my next move, and our tongues played when I made it.

Elle put a finger under my chin and broke away breathlessly. She turned my head to her twin because she was a good sister. Tecla didn't notice immediately; she was too caught up pumping her hips and grinding her teeth. Her whole body shook as she stressed her muscles and embraced an animal instinct that was unique to her. She spotted my lips once, twice... The third time was when she kissed me, and that kiss hit like a freight train.

Tecla's tongue and lips were battling to see which could be more aggressive, seizing more territory, extracting more pleasure... Her tongue was winning, but I pushed back hard.

"Ah," my little sister gasped, registering something incredible that started between her legs, hit her heart and knocked out her brain.

Elle was gripping my top from my other side, threatening to tear it off my body with more ferocity than you'd think she could manage. She was frustrated. She was full of lust.

The three of us were charging each other up. It was electricity, but not the kind that could be contained.

Tecla knew precisely what I was doing the moment I did it. She made herself a ragdoll for me, letting me toss her onto her stomach as I groped the wetness between her legs. Her leggings were soaking, and she explained why in a suppliant voice. "I came."