Quaranteam Aotearoa Ch. 02

Chapter 2 - Speak To Me/Breathe

This is a spinoff of CorruptingPower's Quaranteam Universe and was written with his consent. While other stories in the QT universe can be read independently, this one follows from the events in QT2.14. I strongly recommend you, at least, read that chapter first, if not start from the very beginning.

For those not familiar, Aotearoa (pronounced r tay a row a) was originally the name of New Zealand's North Island but has now become synonymous with the Māori name for New Zealand. It translates to "Land of the Long White Cloud".

This chapter bookends the first one as the team starts to come together at the stadium. I hope you enjoy.

04:00 Saturday 19th December 2020

Caleb moved forward, along the way airmen were positioned, directing the men to their places. Lost in his own thoughts about what the future was going to look like. When he left the stadium, it might not be with just Ellie. He could have another three partners. Caleb was still coming to grips with that. During his time in the army, he had a few mates who had boasted of having more than one girlfriend at the same time. The thing was that most of these affairs had fallen apart for his buddies when one of the women learned about the other or others. It seemed to Caleb that, however, his friends tried to sell it, it was cheating pure and simple. Being polyamorous, truly polyamorous, meant having and loving more than one partner, and sharing yourself equally, with no lies and no deception; at least that's what the pamphlet said. Caleb had to admit it was a term he heard but hadn't paid much attention to.

Could he be an equal partner to more than one woman? His relationship with Ellie had been forged over time and shared experiences; the bond they had developed was very strong. So strong that Ellie was willing to share him with these, as yet, unknown, women if it meant he stayed fit and well. This one fact brought Caleb to a halt; Ellie loved him that much. His feet started moving forward without conscious thought. All I can do, he thought, is to work, every day, to make sure I deserve that love. Caleb knew he had to guarantee that any woman who decided to join their team was treated the same way he treated Ellie. If this was going to work long term, and, according to the pamphlet, long-term meant the rest of their lives, then everyone had to feel equal, equally loved, equally respected, and equally valued. All of these thoughts ran through his mind as continued toward the main concourse. It was crowded but organised, the airmen keeping things under control, directing people to where they needed to be.

"Major," The voice came from his right.

The Captain that Ibarra had tasked with getting the vaccination booths up and running came out of the crowd. She saluted crisply, which Caleb returned.

"Your wife has already gone through,...........along with, what might be, your first new partner." The captain was trying hard to maintain a professional face, but Caleb could see her lips twitching.

"Good to know, Captain, good...to...know, and which way should I go to....Team... up with them?"

The captain's façade of professionalism never wavered, "Affirmative, please go through gate nineteen or twenty. Your wife went through gate twenty-four. You should be able to meet up quite quickly."

"I have to admit I am very intrigued as to what, or rather, who, I will find accompanying Ellie," Caleb replied. "Thank you, Captain, for everything. Safe travels wherever your duties take you." They said their goodbyes and Caleb continued down the tunnel at gate nineteen. Given the choice, he would choose to occupy one of the spaces on the pitch. He got to the end of the tunnel, the stands opening out around him and the pitch in front of him. Both the pitch and the stands looked already full of men, either reading the pamphlet or looking around at the women who were starting to emerge from the other tunnels. He could see some unoccupied squares out on the stadium grass.

As he stepped into the open, he was stopped by an airman, "One moment, please sir." Caleb was impressed. Even in this stressful situation, she was being calm, and polite, this would ease the men's minds. The airman looked around at the stands, but the nearest ones were all occupied.

"May I go out onto the pitch?" Caleb asked politely. "There seems to be room out there."

The airman quickly turned to look over her shoulder at the pitch. She turned back and nodded, "Go ahead," she told Caleb.

Caleb moved forward making his way down the steps and out through a gate that had been opened in the low wall around the pitch. Caleb looked left and right, trying to decide where to stand.

"Sir," the voice came from Caleb's right. He turned his head in that direction. Another airman waved to him, "Sir, there's space here."

Caleb moved towards her. She was standing by the ten (that's a line ten metres on either side of the halfway line for anyone who doesn't know rugby). She was pointing to a vacant square one back from the sideline. Caleb made his way to the spot and turned to look at the stands. The captain had said gate twenty-four so Caleb swivelled to his right looking for Ellie and this mystery woman. She must still be getting processed. How far behind her had he been?

"This is fucking crazy," The voice came from Caleb's left so he spun in that direction. Standing in the next square was a young guy, maybe twenty-two or twenty-three. He was maybe 177cm (5ft 10in) tall, with a fairly average build. Despite his hoodie being pulled up to ward off the night's chill he seemed to be shivering slightly, as he rocked anxiously from left to right.

"You okay?" Caleb asked; he sincerely hoped the man wasn't on anything.

"Yeah, it's just that," the young man paused, seemingly not able to get the words out. "I haven't.....," he dropped his voice so that only Caleb could hear, "ya know,......done it before."

Caleb looked at the guy. He could see the panic written across his face. Caleb thought there were a couple of ways he could handle this, but he decided on the carrot first, stick only if needed approach, "What's your name?" Caleb asked.

"It's Ron," The younger man replied.

"Hi Ron, I'm Caleb," he replied. "Look, have you read the pamphlet?"

Ron nodded.

"And you understood everything?" Caleb asked. Again, Ron nodded. "Then you must realise that this needs to happen if you want to remain fit and healthy. All you need to do is be kind. The women who approach you are going to be stressed too. Talk to them, find out something about them, something you can connect to. Let them know you see them, first and foremost, as human beings, and that you want to get to know them. You're going to be together for the rest of your lives. Be honest with them, and I mean totally honest. The right ones will, I think, make themselves known. As for the other, well, it's true that it gets better over time. You will get to know your partners, what they enjoy, what they don't. Talk to them, openly, and honestly. Listen to what they tell you, never cross their boundaries, and be respectful. And it's okay to let them know what you want. Everyone's desires need to be met."

A voice came from behind Caleb, "Damn, that's some mōhio right there, bro."

The man was Māori, tall and solid looking, he looked about forty, his arms and face showing traditional tattoos. He nodded his head, "Some real wisdom bro," He looked towards the younger man. "You listen to him bro, I'm going to. I didn't do a good job the first time."

"Well," Caleb continued, "Remember, as I said, this bond is FOR LIFE. There's no walking away from it. You need each other. So, make it the best experience you can for everyone." There was a smattering of applause from around him, he hadn't meant to draw a crowd. He looked around seeing a few heads in the proximity nodding at his words. Caleb hoped that all of these men appreciated just how lucky they are. Just one day earlier it had seemed like New Zealand was destined to become uninhabited by humans, once again. Now they had a chance, a chance to survive. He truly hoped that everyone made the best of this royally, fucked up, world they now lived in.

"Hey man?" a man two rows over called out. "You on Facebook? Can I get your details? Might be good to talk once the dust has settled."

Caleb thought for a moment. "Sure," he said. Suddenly several phones were visible with men exchanging contact details. 'We're going to need that connection if we're going to survive going forward.' Caleb thought to himself.

"Can I get your deets?" the young man asked. He seemed a little calmer now, accepting of what the future held.

"That's my husband," said a female voice from behind Caleb, "organising the troops as needed." Caleb spun around and Ellie jumped into his arms crushing his lips in a hard kiss. Caleb was oblivious to everything else around him, although he couldn't ignore the calls and whistles from some of the other men. Their lips were still pressed together as they started to smile, then laugh. They separated and Caleb lowered her to the ground, feeling her body slide down his seductively, "There's my Daddy," Ellie whispered softly so only he could hear.

"Hello, My angel," He replied, emphasising the 'My', which brought another smile to Ellie's face, her eyes sparkling with lust. Caleb had been, momentarily, aware that Ellie was not alone before she jumped into his arms. Now he gently moved her to one side slightly to see who else was there. Standing front and centre was another blonde. Shorter than Ellie, she looked to be about 167cm (5ft 6in) tall. She stood there, her posture indicating how nervous she was feeling. Her blue outfit didn't allow Caleb to guess what her figure was like, so he lifted his gaze up to her face. There was no mask to hide her features and Caleb could see the nervousness written large across her face but trying to break its way through, was a smile. 'Hang on. Blue Outfit', Caleb thought. He looked again the outfit resolving itself into a blue Police uniform, "Beth?" Caleb asked.

He hadn't initially recognised her, the protective gear she had been wearing previously had obscured her features. Now that he looked at her closer. She was very pretty. A lean look to her face. Her arms, what he could see of them, sticking out of her short-sleeved uniform shirt, were well muscled. Here was someone who truly enjoyed physical exercise. Caleb and Ellie did it because they wanted to stay fit. With both of them being in the reserves they need to maintain a level of conditioning, but exercise was a necessary evil they went through to get the benefits, if there'd been another way, they would have taken it in a heartbeat. It was obvious, however, that Beth must take exercise seriously and her physique was a testament to her dedication. He wondered whether she competed in a sport that required that degree of fitness. Suddenly, Caleb realised he'd been staring. He shook his head to clear it, "Wow, Beth. I was told I might have a new partner already, and I hope I'm not making a complete arse of myself thinking it's you," Caleb's voice rose slightly on You, almost making it a question.

Ellie wrapped her arms around him more tightly, "Beth and I have talked a bit since we got here and I thought she would make a good partner, and, whatdyaknow, she blurted out how she'd like to be in our team."

Caleb walked up to Beth, standing close but not touching, who had to tilt her head up to keep looking him in the face, "Is that true Beth?" he asked looking her in the eyes. "You want to join Ellie and me?" Beth nodded; her breathing had sped up. "You know it won't just be you two? There will likely be other partners; everyone is equal."

Again, Beth nodded. "I know," she said, "but I've been watching you since you got here. And, despite how freaked out, by this fucked up situation, you must be, your first concern has been helping others. Ellie told me quite a lot about you in the short time we've been here. You know you're her hero, don't you? I want that. I want a hero in my life. Ellie's told me that she's willing to share you to keep us safe, you, her, me, and anyone else who chooses to join us. Will you be my hero Caleb?"

Caleb wasn't sure how to respond with words. He was more than a little choked by her words and the implications behind Ellie's acceptance of this crazy state of affairs. He decided words were unnecessary. He put his hand on the back of her head and bent down to kiss her. Caleb intended to keep it brief, his team didn't need more attention, but it appeared that Beth had other ideas. She held him tightly as their lips mashed against each other. Their mouths stayed closed but there was no mistaking the passion behind the kiss.

"Welcome to the team, Beth," Caleb said. "Thank you for choosing me. I promise to do my best for you."

Beth's eyes went wide and then sparkled with tears coming unbidden. Her hand reached up for the back of his head and pulled him into another kiss. This time there was no stopping, Beth's mouth opened, and her tongue slid along his lips. Caleb couldn't help but respond opening his mouth and pushing his tongue to duel with hers. Beth's stab vest prevented him from leaning much about her body, probably a good thing considering they were in a stadium, surrounded by frightened and worried people. His hand slid down the back of the vest to meet her arse covered, though it was, in police uniform trousers. He gripped one cheek pulling her up slightly and against him. He squeezed gently but firmly. As he suspected, her arse was tight, and muscular; it felt good in his hands, he couldn't help but wonder what it would look and feel like without her clothes covering it. Suddenly, there was a cough by his ear, followed shortly after by another. He looked up from Beth and turned in the direction of the cough, it was Ellie. "As hot as that was to watch," her voice was slightly hoarse, and her breathing quickening. Ellie paused to get her breathing under control, but the lust shone out of her eyes, and it seemed to be directed at Beth as much as Caleb. She inhaled ready to speak but paused before any words came out. She frowned but then dissolved into a thoughtful look.

"Bloody hell, I never thought the sight of you kissing another woman would turn me on so much," she said quietly. "I mean, we've watched porn together and most of the time it's just us ripping the storyline or acting apart. It was fun never really sexy. But watching you two....," Ellie lowered her voice so that only Beth and I could hear. "Oh....My.......Fucking.......God. I want to rip both your clothes off." Her breath was becoming a little ragged. Caleb looked at Beth and saw she was staring intently at Ellie, her shoulders heaving with her breathing. He was sure Ellie was talking more to Beth than him when she continued, "I want to taste every inch of you. I want to hear you scream as you cum. I want to suck your juices and feel you quake in my mouth." Both girls groaned at the same time, Caleb had an arm around each of them, holding them steady, ready to stop this make-out session from getting any more heated. A minute passed before either moved. Ellie straightened up first. Her face was flushed, and her breathing was returning to normal. "Well, fuck," she said. "Who knew I'd be into girls and that I could get that turned on? My knickers are bloody soaked I want to you two so badly."

Beth straightened up, nodding her head in agreement. "Me too," she whispered.

"Please stop," Caleb groaned, "You're making things rather.....uncomfortable." Both women looked down at his crotch and could see his erection making its presence known in his trousers. They then looked at each other, grinned and then started to laugh. Without conscious thought, they both turned to snuggle into Caleb. Their bodies still shaking with suppressed laughter. Ellie raised her head and looked into Caleb's eyes.

"That's alright isn't it, Daddy?" she asked him coyly. "It's all right that your little angel wants to play with Beth, isn't it?"

Caleb looked into those clear blues, feeling the heat, the passion, radiate from their depths. He turned his head to look at Beth. Beth was nodding her head frantically. How the hell did I get this lucky, he wondered. He couldn't help but admit that Beth was as gorgeous as Ellie. Each had their own unique characteristics, but each was equally beautiful.

"Please say yes. Please say yes, sir," There was an imploring look on Beth's face. Her eyes, green, Caleb noticed, also shone with an eagerness to match Ellie's.

Caleb smiled, "That sounds amazing. I hope you'll let me watch sometimes."

"Oooh, not just watch Daddy,' Ellie replied. "We want you in the middle."

Caleb's cock, which had started to deflate slightly returned to full size and he was now very uncomfortable in his fatigues with nowhere to rearrange things. Ellie seeing the look of discomfort flit across his face, looked down and giggled again. This attracted Beth's attention and she looked at Ellie, who nodded down. Without a word, they closed ranks around Caleb's front. Ellie's hand sought out his length. Squeezing it gently, she manoeuvred him into a more comfortable position. From next to her Beth let out a groan. She had been watching Ellie's actions. Ellie took Beth's nearest hand and turning the palm outwards pressed Beth's hand against Caleb's length. Caleb felt Beth squeeze him firmly as she gave out another throaty moan. Her hand not leaving his cock, she raised her face to Caleb and there was a look of real hunger in her eyes.

"Excuse me," The voice broke through the walls that Caleb, Ellie, and Beth had formed around them. The three turned to face the speaker. It was the woman whose partner had died in the queue. Her three children, two boys and a girl, were huddled around her legs. The girl looked to be the oldest, looking like she only just missed out on being part of the generation that had just been wiped out. He could see that she was fully aware of what was going on and that she needed to protect her mother. The gaze she turned on Caleb was fierce and challenging. "Did you mean it? Did you mean what you said?" her mother asked.

Caleb looked at her questioningly. "Sorry," he said, "did I mean what?"

"That everyone is equal," the woman replied.

"Yes," Caleb said, "I don't see it working any other way. If we can't treat each other equally, and love each other equally there will be problems that we just can't solve and that will have dire consequences all around. What's your name?"

"It's Aroha, Aroha Johnstone," she said, standing a little straighter, "These are our....my kids, Tiara, Kahurangi, Kahu for short and Wairangi. Tiara is ten, Kahu is nine and Wairangi is six." Caleb nodded in greeting to each of the children. "You know you're the first man I've talked to that spoke about respect," Aroha said.

Caleb shrugged his shoulders. "To me, it goes without saying," he replied. "I will give you the respect you deserve, all I ask is that you do the same for me and all of the other team members."

Aroha looked at Caleb for a long moment, her face was a mask giving nothing away. Caleb took that time to study her. Her Māori heritage shone through. She looked to be slightly shorter than Beth, probably 164cm (5ft 5in) or close to it. The clothes she wore did not reveal much about her body. A three-quarter length coat hid her to mid-thigh. Below that could see jeans and a pair of Ugg boots keeping her feet warm. Her face was pretty, even with the frown of concentration and worry that she currently wore, her chin covered by her Ta Moko, a traditional Māori tattoo. Her skin was a warm light brown, as were the colour of her eyes. Her hair was black, falling halfway down her back in dreads. He could see both raw loss and worry reflected in her eyes warring for precedence.