Rings of Fire Ch. 05

The sun was high over the scorching Texas desert before they made it back to the compound. It seemed that whether or not Brent's theories about one volcanic explosion triggering others were scientifically accurate, it was definitely true of their need for one another. One hot and heavy coming together had barely whetted their appetites for more, three more to be exact.

It was not until they were dressed and on the ATV, her arms wrapped around Brent's waist once more, that Lauren had come to her senses enough to realize what they had done. Unprotected sex was a risk that exceeded her scientific calculations. She had spent the whole ride back to the compound entering data and making calculations. She hoped that her assumptions were correct this time.

She hoped even more that Megan and her grandmother had remembered to pack her old-fashioned calendar that served as more of a journal, since she now stored most of her appointments on her phone. Always one to suffer from PMS; Lauren had taken as a teen to carefully charting her moods in the journal. Like the scientist she was, Lauren felt that it gave her some control of her body...the ability to know what was to come.

As they drew back up to the other vehicles, Lauren cursed her lack of control with this man...for the millionth time in their lives together. Why did Brent Jacobs have the ability to make her forget everything that she held dear?

Science could not explain the phenomenon; she had long ago given up on the simple explanation of neurotransmitters that provided the brain with sensations of pleasure and love. This was not that weak. This was not merely love. It was an irrational obsession. One that even her logic driven brain had been powerless to thwart over the years.

Lauren could only hope that stupid neurotransmitters had something to do with it because this next week she intended to do everything within her powers to burn them out. Once and for all. She wanted to be free of the power this man held over her. The ability to control not just her emotions, those she had decided long ago meant next to nothing.

No, what scared Lauren most about her ex-husband was his ability to override even the most logical of her scientifically formulated theories. One look, one touch, a couple of sweet words from Brent Jacobs blew it all to hell, like the north side of Mount Saint Helens in the 1980 eruption.

Lauren smiled at the memory. She had been just seven years old, but she remembered staring at the television fascinated as the BBC replayed those mind-boggling moments of video over and over again. It had been the moment that she decided to become a volcanologist.

Why should she think of that now? Why the connection to this man? She chuckled, perhaps because he was just as destructive...or maybe because her commitment to him was as eternal as her love of this scientific field.

When Brent stopped the four-wheeler, she was quick to jump off, needing to put some distance between them. Perhaps a little too late. Taking off her helmet, she tossed it on the back of the vehicle as she turned towards the barn where they had left the girls. Brent reached out for her, grabbing her arm.

"They probably went to the mess hall for lunch. Either that or Megan found Sammy, and they went off exploring with Elise somewhere. I need to get back to the control center and look at the latest models. Check in with our pilots and see how things are going at the rendezvous points. I want to give everyone as much time as possible to make it out, but I can't risk waiting too long to call the planes back."

He scuffed his boot against the ground. "After you find the girls and get that shower, I could use a second set of eyes on my calculations, Lauren."

Lauren supposed she should be surprised that Brent would consult with her, given her adamant refusal to accept his theory. But after almost thirty years as best friends and colleagues, it seemed the most natural thing in the world to nod. "Sure, Brent. I'll meet you there after my bath. You know I don't necessarily agree with the assumptions that drive your model, but I am happy to check out the data you are feeding into the calculations."

He smiled, "That's why we were always the best team going, little girl. I do the theory, and you handle the application."

Lauren shook her head, "One week, Brent. This is only for a week. Working together again, playing family, the sex. It all ends in a week. Don't forget that."

Brent's face darkened. A frown creased his forehead and crinkled those magnetic blue eyes. "Yes, Lauren. How can I forget with you reminding me constantly?"

He stepped forward, and his hands caressed sensually up and down her arms, "But how about you take the time actually to live in the moment? How about for the next week you remember we are a damned good team...maybe the best? And if we are going to save the lives of the people I...we care about, it is going to take us both."

His grip on her upper arm loosened, "And while you're thinking about that...try this one. Divorced or not, we are a family. Those are our daughters. Mine and yours. And nothing is ever going to change that."

His other hand came up to her face, his fingers lifting her chin, forcing her to meet his blue eyes, "As for the sex, try the words...making love. It always fit us better. Whether it was hot and fast surrounded by the world falling apart around us or slow and gentle after the girls went to bed and we had argued and laughed. It was. It is love, Lauren. And nothing is ever going to change that either."

Lauren remained silent. His words shocked her sensibilities. It was not what she wanted to hear. Not when all she wanted to do was run as far and as fast as possible from this man. She jerked her arm from his grasp. "I'll go find the girls then grab that shower. I'll see you in a couple of hours," she pronounced with finality as she turned and walked away.

***

Brent had trouble forcing his mind to focus on the latest numbers that were still coming in from Iceland. It seemed that like a fucking potato chip when it came to his ex-wife...once was never enough. Her whole theory about burning out like some asteroid as it entered the Earth's atmosphere seemed to be nothing more than wishful thinking.

And all he could think about was how soft her skin had been, how he could still smell her sweetness clinging to his skin. How good she had felt, how tight and wet and warm as he entered her for the first time in over seven long miserable years. The sound of her moans and especially those precious screams still rang in his mind. They probably would for a lifetime.

Damn, he had not gotten around to tasting her sweet depths. Oh, well, there was always tonight. And the next. And the next. And if he had his way, a lifetime of them to come.

Because while they were still no closer to proving his theory, to making the simulation work, to finding that elusive magical prediction in the crystal ball of science, he knew in his gut this was it. And there was no way in Hades that he was allowing her and their children back on a plane to a place where he could not protect them. Not even if he had to tie up her and keep her helpless in his bed for days or weeks.

He growled as his cock thickened at the mere thought of it. Down boy. How the hell could he even still manage to get an erection after cumming inside her four times already? The simple answer was Lauren. She had had that effect on him since that summer when she spoiled everything by coming to camp a woman-child that he could not ignore.

"Get that brilliant mind off that woman, stud puppy," the thick French accent of Monique intruded on his thoughts.

It was enough to rapidly bring him back to reality, "How did you guess?" he teased his colleague.

Her smooth laughter echoed off of the glass of his private office, "Nothing else ever makes you smile." She shrugged as she took a seat on the corner of his desk, "Well, your girls, of course. But I'm putting my money on their mère this time," she teased as she reached over and pulled something from his hair. "Definitely, Lauren," she said using the French pronunciation.

Brent could feel the heat rising in his cheeks as he cleared his throat, "So, did you have any better luck with this damned thing than I did?" he attempted to redirect the conversation as he pounded the keyboard.

She shook her dark head, "Non, mon cheri, you know I am no use with such things. Have you convinced the girl genius that owns your couilles to have a go at it? Or only at emptying them?"

Brent shook his head at Monique's frank assessment of the situation. Not that he was in any position to deny that Lauren either owned his 'balls' or had emptied them. But that was perhaps one of the reasons why the two women in his life had never managed to get along. Monique's brash and open French mannerisms grated on Lauren's stiff upper lip.

He barely bit back a moan at the thought of how good that upper lip felt wrapped...

"Earth to Brent," Monique punctuated her words with a slap to the side of his head. Just like the big sister, he has always considered her.

But Brent knew the underlying reason behind her angst. While his family might be safe, Monique's were lost somewhere out there. "Has Daniel and Samuel been able to make any headway in locating them?" he broached the subject gently.

Her face fell, and the fake smile dropped as she shook her head, "Non, Dwayne traced them as far as Mexico City." Tears gathered in her dark eyes as she shook her head and rubbed perfectly manicured hands together slowly, "He discovered that Hector was murdered. A cartel...or so it seems. What does the life of one inconsequential politician matter against the billions of dollars of drug money? It is easy to cover things up with the corruption."

"Maria and the children?"

She shook her head as the speed with which her hands moved increased, "No one knows. It is like they just disappeared. I do not want to think the worst, but what if..."

Brent covered her tiny hands with one of his. He gently squeezed to reassure her, "If anyone can locate them, you know it is Daniel's team. Why don't we go and check in with them now? See how the evacs are going and if they have any more news."

She nodded her head and forced that smile once more, but Brent saw behind it all. He knew her pain because until a few hours ago, it was his own. The idea of being separated by thousands of miles from those you loved the most, not being able to provide for and protect them as the world fell apart all around them...it was overwhelming.

He thought of his younger brother, Travis. Another good reason to check in with his security team to see if they heard from his prodigal sibling yet.

Once more, he pondered life beyond just their little community. Of course, he had never made any secret of his theory. It was all laid out there on the internet for everyone, but he knew that only a handful of survivalist took it seriously.

But if this really was the beginning of the end? What should he, or they, do with that knowledge? Shouldn't they at least try to warn others, so that they too could do their best to prepare and protect their loved ones? It was an argument that he and Monique had had often, how and when to raise the alarm for others.

It was another conversation they needed to have with Daniel and Samuel. Because Brent had long ago lost his idealism. So far the powers that be had been content to merely discredit him and Monique, make them look like kooks and freaks, mad scientists.

But if they took this story to the major media, especially with Katla already spewing her gases into the air, disrupting travel over most of Europe, well, Brent was just not sure to what degree the government and corporate America would go to protect their interests.

And until the others were safely here, was it worth taking the risk? He was sure it was an argument they would be having again soon, and one that Lauren was sure to weigh in on the side of caution. In this case, they were on the same side for once.

***

Lauren had foregone her shower for the moment in search of the girls. She had found them in the mess hall as Brent called it. It was easy enough to find; she just followed everyone else to the large building in the center of the compound. Although she could just as quickly have followed her nose. If the homemade bread, butter, and jam that morning had been delicious, there were no words to describe the aroma drifting from the building now.

She quickly found her daughters sitting at a table in the corner with Katie, her grandmother, and a young man, whom she assumed was the mysterious Sammy. He was not what she had expected, though.

For some reason even though she knew they were not related by blood, Lauren had pictured a miniature of Brent, just as Travis had once been. But the dark-skinned, young man sported an Afro that made him appear remarkably like a young Michael Jackson.

The only thing that remotely resembled Brent about him was the intensity of his eyes when he looked at Megan. It was a stare that she recognized; one that had stolen her composure just a few minutes before. In that instant, she seconded Brent's earlier wish. 'Please let their road be easier.'

"Hello," she said as she pulled a chair out. "That smells delicious."

Megan smiled, "I told you everything here tastes great. Not only is it grown fresh, but Jill is a brilliant cook. She and her family came here after her husband Daniel retired from the SEALs. He is part of dad's security team. She's American, but she lived for a long time in England. I'll introduce you after lunch. But you should go get you something to eat now." Her daughter rambled on enthusiastically about everything around this place.

Her grandmother smiled knowingly, "Yes, child, you must be hungry. You look like you could use a bath too. Off exploring with Brent?"

Lauren stared down at her dusty pants. "He was showing me around."

"Uh-huh," was her grandmother's only response as she winked across the table to Megan and the young man.

Lauren tried not to look as if she were running away as she stood and headed across the room to the bright display of serving equipment.

The blond woman, who was arranging dishes, smiled as she approached. "You must be Lauren," she said as she continued her work. "Brent and Megan have told me so much about you. I'm Jill."

"Then you're the chef? The food smells great, and the bread this morning was delicious."

"Thanks," she smiled. "Help yourself. Since it is so hot today, I kept things light. Salad, some more bread and a bit of roast beef to give these guys their protein fix."

Tilting her head towards a table to their right, she added, "That's my brood. My husband Daniel can't live without his meat. Neither can his friend Sam. That's him and his wife, Simone. She's a real character," she added, looking towards the African-American couple sitting at the table with her husband. "I'll be happy to introduce you later. You go eat, and I'll find you when I finish in the kitchen."

"Thanks, maybe another time. I am supposed to join Brent at the command center after I eat and grab a shower," she explained.

"That's right. You're a scientist like him. No problem. You can usually find me around here from about four in the morning until three each day. I serve breakfast and lunch; then everyone is on their own for dinner."

"Gives us families a chance to spend some time together. Don't worry if you don't feel like cooking, though. When lunch is over, everyone sort of grabs anything leftover. Makes life easy for the single guys around here or us moms, who are too tired to cook," the woman explained.

Lauren smiled and nodded, "Thanks. I'm not much of a cook anyway."

She finished filling her plate with the food and headed back to the table where her grandmother and daughters were sitting. Lauren noticed that Elise was managing to feed herself a slice of the buttered bread.

"Elise, is that bread nice? You seem to be eating a lot."

Megan nodded, "She loves Jill's cooking. Most of us do."

"I can see why," Lauren said, taking a seat. She noticed that Katie was quiet, picking at her food, and pushing it around on her plate. "Everything alright, Katie?"

The young woman nodded, keeping her eyes on her food. "Yes, just not feeling very hungry."

"Jet lag may have gotten you, sweetie," said her grandmother. "Why don't you go back and take a nap? I'll bring some food for later if you're hungry when you wake up."

Katie looked up and smiled at the older woman. "Thank you," she said as she stood.

Lauren took a couple of bites of the food, careful this time not to moan even though the food warranted it. Her grandmother fussed about with Elise as Megan and the young man murmured. Their eyes danced with laughter.

"Megan, have you lost your manners? You have not introduced me to your friend."

Her daughter's cheeks reddened a bit at her chiding words. "Sorry, Mum. This is Sammy. He is dad's cousin, sort of."

Lauren smiled as she put out her hand to the boy. "It's nice to meet you, Sammy. Brent told me about your parents. I'm sorry."

Sammy looked uncomfortably at his plate. "Yeah well, Brent has been great."

Lauren nodded. Silence reigned for a moment before Megan asked, "Is it all right if Sammy and I head out. We want to hook up with Jess and Althea. They're friends of ours," she explained.

Her grandmother spoke before Lauren could finish chewing the bite of food in her mouth. "Sure, sweetie. You have fun. Elise and I will wander around a bit." Her bright eyes pinning Lauren; she added, "I think your mother and father might have some unfinished business to take care of."

Lauren almost choked on her food at the clear innuendo. Swallowing her food quickly, she replied. "Actually, I am meeting your father. At the command center. To go over some of his calculations." Her eyes flamed at her grandmother's interference as she corrected her before her daughter got the wrong impression. Or the right one, given this morning tumbles in the bushes.

"Great, then I'll see you all later," Megan said as she took Sammy's hand and dragged him from the room.

Lauren turned her attention back to her grandmother. "Don't be feeding her any wrong ideas. This is only for a week. I don't want her thinking that Brent and I are getting back together. You of all people should know how easily children are hurt by things they can never understand."

Her grandmother's eyes softened. "Yes, child. I know how badly you were hurt by everything that my daughter and your father did. But Megan is much older than you were when they separated. And she understands a hell of a lot more than you think. So, if you don't want her getting the wrong ideas, I suggest that you don't come in here covered in dirt, with twigs in your hair, and a hickie on your neck."

Lauren's eyes flew open wide at her words. Her hand automatically reached towards her neck. "Oh my god! Please tell me no."

Her grandmother laughed, "It isn't that noticeable, child. Finish your lunch then get a shower and change your clothes. Megan put your bag in the girls' room at Brent's. You should find everything you need in it. I packed it myself."

"And that's another thing. You knew. You knew about all of this. What the hell were you thinking? Didn't you think you should tell me that my ex-husband was going to kidnap my daughters?"

"He is their father, Lauren. The two of you share custody, so I would hardly call it kidnapping. And what I was thinking was how stubborn you could be."

Reaching across the table, her grandmother placed her wrinkled hand over hers. "Brent needs to know that his family is safe right now. Whether he is right or wrong, he could never live with himself if he could not protect you and the girls."