Kiss My Apocalips Ch. 07

"No, no. You talk on old cell phone. We got cell transmitter here. Not work when we fly away. No good talk on regular phone. We see you. Bye bye."

I looked upward and saw the sleek little aircraft bank toward the west, and I snapped the phone shut. "Well, it looks like any further discussion might be premature. We should wait and talk with this Dmitri fellow and see what we're up against. Also, we apparently have an aircraft at our disposal. Does anybody know what 'JP' is in connection to airplanes?"

"Jet petroleum," Sadie said. "His plane doesn't use gasoline, which they call 'AvGas' at airports.Instead, it's a turboprop that uses a grade of kerosene, which is designed for jet engines."

"Well," I told everyone, "it looks like we have an early day tomorrow. They'll probably be here before eight, if they don't have any trouble getting out of Florence. Let's call an end to the meeting and we'll show you around."

We walked around the barn for a while. When there's nothing else to do, watching animals is always good. I showed off the upstairs rooms, including the antenna farm up top. Then, we wandered back and picked some late vegetables. It looked like the apples would be ready to pick in another few weeks, and we promised we'd take a bunch down into Acton to trade. Mr. G told us that he was trying to set up "Market Days" every Wednesday and Saturday.

Hannah had pulled out steaks for dinner, and we baked potatoes to go with our fresh salad. I think everyone had a nice evening. We pulled out a couple bottles of wine to go with the meal, and somebody found another bottle of brandy to sip while we watched the sunset through the mountains again.

The crisis came about nine o'clock, after Mr. & Mrs. G had gone up to bed, and the sheriff came to us leading Hannah by the arm, telling us the two of them were going to bed. I was absolutely caught off guard by the statement, and looked hard at the dark-haired woman, who only seemed able to blush and look down at her feet. I hemmed and hawed and finally bid them both goodnight; but before they could depart, my other four ladies swept in and led her off to some other part of the house, telling her that they needed her help before they all went up to bed. The sheriff was not pleased, and he and I and the professor just stood around looking at each other, shuffling our feet.

At long last, they were all back, and Doriana took Hannah by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. "Tell them, honey. Tell them all what you just told us. Do it now."

The brunette looked frantic for several seconds; but finally, shegazed directly at me and said: "I don't want to."

"Now just a cottonpickin' minute!" the sheriff declared loudly. "We just talked about this, woman! You told me you weren't fuckin' this guy!"

I finally found my voice. "What's THAT got to do with anything? If the lady says no ...."

"But she didn't!" the man declared, his face red. "The 'lady' said yes! We've done it before, her and me! That's the reason I've been so gul-durn happy, ever since I got here! So, I told her I was ready for round two, and she said alright!"

I nodded. "If you were a guest here before, then Hannah, and all the women here, were under the influence of certain drugs. We haven't been able to ascertain exactly what they were, but it seemed to make them all very sexually submissive. She's no longer on those drugs, but we have no idea how long-term their effects might be."

"Kid, the girl said 'yes!'" He took a menacing step toward me. I stood my ground.

"Sheriff, I was always taught that a girl could change her mind. And further, if she ever said 'no,' then it was game over. This might be a new era, but it's the way I've always lived. And ... it's my house, and those are my rules."

"It wouldn't even BE your house if I hadn't told you it was here!"

"Once again, what does that have to do with it, sir?"

Doriana was suddenly at my side, her arm wrapped through mine. The sheriff glared at her. "You trying to protect this young kid?" he asked her pointedly.

"Yes," she answered levelly. "The last time he got into a fight protecting one of us girls, he killed a man with his bare hands. I don't really care what happens to somebody like you, but that event really affected him emotionally, and I don't want to see him hurt again."

He stepped back immediately, probably without intending to do so. But once he'd done it, he realized he'd shown weakness. He was still beet red, and he was shaking slightly.

"Okay, that's enough," I said softly. "This whole episode has been blown way out of proportion. Sir, I'm sorry this misunderstanding has occurred. Hannah agreed to sleep with you tonight, but she changed her mind. I can certainly understand your frustration. But everyone in the whole community looks up to you and seeks your guidance. Thank you for understanding and for doing the right thing."

He eyed me for a moment, and then he took the path I'd given him. He nodded in the direction of the other three girls, all huddled around Hannah; then briefly at Doriana. "Of course. Think nothing of it. Good night, ladies." And he turned and marched up the stairs.

No one said a word until we'd heard the bedroom door close upstairs. Doctor Gonzales walked up to me and took my right hand, shaking it. "Of the many traits I wish I could acquire, the greatest would be courage. You have just shown that you possess that. I envy you. It's a pleasure knowing you, sir." And he turned and went upstairs himself.

"Can you two sleep with Hannah tonight?" Wanda asked her slim companions. "You know how Doriana has been lately. It's probably going to take Jacob and me half the night to satisfy her. I mean, she's standing there dripping! Being near a strong man seems to do that to her."

"Wanda!" my companion chided. But she did so blushing.

TO BE CONTINUED