Rocky Mountain Hell

"Very well, Petra." I said as I spied the wolves sitting just off the dock. "Would you have dinner with me, and we can perhaps discuss the situation?"

"What are we to have to eat?" She asked.

"Slow Smoked venison ribs, Seasoned zucchini grilled over a wood fire, Angel hair pasta with garlic and herb seasoning, and garlic sourdough bread. If you have room for dessert, we also have a campfire apple pie. For an accompaniment, I have a very nice Cabernet Sauvignon."

"I guess that will be acceptable." She agreed.

Being the gentleman that I am, and trying to show her that I did have manors, I helped her into her seat. I then signaled across the river to proceed. Although I already knew that she was a very attractive woman, I had seen her with my binoculars several times, I was impressed by her beauty in person. She looked to be in her mid to upper 30s. Fiery red hair and blue eyes. I can attest to the fiery temper as well. We exchanged pleasantries for a bit as the boat was making its way back across the river. I took the opportunity to pour each of us a glass of wine, as well as filling her goblet with water. Soon the food arrived.

She was a cautious one. Having anticipated that, I had everything in bowls and on platters. There would be no way to differentiate between spiked and unspiked food. Still, "Lobo. Here, boy." She called out. I watched as the biggest, meanest looking wolf I had ever imagined, trotted out to the table. She plucked a rib off the platter and tossed it to him.

Understanding the challenge, I asked her to point out three ribs that she would like me to take. She did. She then handed me a cob of corn. I spooned a few zucchini slices onto my plate, then took a slice of bread. Once I had taken my food, she did the same.

We stayed on fairly tame subjects as we ate and drank the wine. When the first bottle was getting low, I signaled for a second bottle to be brought over along with desert. I allowed her to cut the pie and serve us. Finally, we ate as much as we could. I informed her that she should take the leftovers with her, as I had more resources than she did.

"So, why the hell are you here disturbing me?" She finally asked.

"Well, Petra, all we are looking for is a wanted fugitive. We've been sending out patrols all over the valley and through the passes, but my superiors are demanding that we verify that you are not hiding the fugitive before we can leave."

"Really? You think that I have someone else in my home? What did she do that has over a hundred law and order officers camped out up here for weeks on end? Did she burn down a Crispy Cream or something?"

I decided to politely ignore her jibe. "Actually, it isn't a she. It is a he, and he allegedly raped and murdered a 17-year-old girl."

She began laughing. "OK, so now that we have that settled, you can go home now."

"Actually, I still can't. I need to verify that there is no one else in your cabin."

"We just did." She said confidently. "You said that you are looking for a man, did you not?"

"Yes, I did." I answered in confusion.

"Then it's settled. Since you are looking for a man, he obviously wouldn't be in my cabin."

I still didn't really understand. "Look, if you would just let men look inside to verify that there is no one else in there, we can all leave this valley and let you live in peace."

"That is never going to happen. There are only two ways into that cabin. One is to murder me and my pets, and that would cost you a lot more than you want to pay to do it. I'm pretty sure that the five news cameras will be watching as that happens. Not only would it cost you several agents and militia members, but it would be national news as it happened. With what has been broadcast about how the big bad government is harassing an innocent lone woman, that would lead to a public relations nightmare for you. The second way is to become my lover and share my bed, couch, floor, bearskin rug, kitchen table etc."

Still being somewhat oblivious to the exact situation, I made a split decision on how to end this stalemate. OK, so my big head wasn't fully in charge here. After all, even without any makeup, she was a very attractive woman.

"Very well. I would like to choose Option two. After all, you are an attractive woman that appears to be single. I have been told that I am somewhat attractive as well. I also keep fit. I'm not trying to brag, but I do have a slightly larger than average equipment, and I have fully satisfied every woman that I have been with. I would also like to mention that I am far from a selfish lover, and I always place the woman's needs before myself."

I had just made my best pitch. Granted, I was no Don Juan, but I think that I put forth a pretty good argument for her. To hear her peals of laughter as I finished was absolutely humiliating. On and on it went. Finally, after a full 10 minutes, she began to regain control of herself.

"Well, you might have the right idea, but the wrong approach. While I will admit that you are quite a handsome man, the key word there is 'man'. As long as my pets and I are still breathing, no man will ever set foot inside my home. I therefore, must respectfully decline your offer."

"Very well, Ms. Volk. I appreciate the chance to share a meal and discuss out issues with you. I have had a very pleasant evening. I do hope you understand that I have my duty to perform. While personally, I do not believe that you are housing a wanted fugitive, my superiors require some sort of proof." I handed her a bag that I had brought over. "Here is a two-way radio. Please take it. It is set to a channel that will connect you directly to either me or my personal assistant. I would rather that we stay in communication and work out any issues before bullets begin flying."

With that, I stood and held out my hand to her. She took my hand expecting to shake. Instead, I turned my hand, so the back of her hand was up, then pulled her hand up as I bent down to give the back of her hand a quick kiss. "M'lady." I spoke as I released her hand and turned to leave.

"JONES!" I yelled as I strode back to my command post.

"Sir?" He huffed as he sprinted through the door.

"I need every woman in the entire camp in the mess tent withing 30-minutes. EVERY. SINGLE ONE. I want guards stationed a minimum of 100-yards away surrounding the tent. Their orders are to prevent anyone else from getting within 100-yards of the tent. Any woman that leaved the tent before I do will also be required to stay that distance away from the tent until I leave. I also need those news crews distracted until I am finished." I ordered.

"Sir?"

"I don't care what it takes. Get it done!"

"Yes Sir." He replied and strode out of the tent.

45-minutes later:

"This is more than a bit unorthodox, but I believe that this is the best way to end this farce, so we can all go home. I will need one volunteer for a special mission. This is completely voluntary, and if no one volunteers, we will just find another way to complete the mission. Obviously, this mission and any discussions will be Black Label top security. There will be no discussion or even acknowledgement of this. Even this meeting will not be discussed. If any word does leak, it will simply be brushed off as a possible, but not verified meeting about harassment. Does everyone understand?"

There were no protests, so I continued.

"Very well." I breathed. "Everyone married or in any other exclusive relationship, please stand and exit the tent."

Two hands were raised.

"Yes?" I asked the petite blond.

"Uuumm, suppose that someone is married, but they have an open marriage?"

Christ! Today's youth. "You may stay until such time that you feel your marriage or current relationship may be harmed. Keep in mind that there is a very good chance that this mission could very well expose you to unwanted attention."

The brunette that also had her hand raised left with the others. The blonde smiled and remained seated.

Now to begin the tricky part. "Those of you remaining that do not have the slightest inclination or curiosity for other women, you may leave."

About half of the remaining women walked out the door. Granted, most of them had at least an inkling as to where this was headed, but that statement pretty much sealed it.

Once they were gone, it was time to get into the facts.

"I know that all of you remaining have seen the woman across the river naked as she showered, and possibly even at other times. All those of you that are not physically attracted to her may leave."

Two of the remaining 10 women stood up and left. That left 8 women remaining. Somewhat surprisingly, the blonde that was married and in an open relationship was still seated in the room.

"Very well." I sighed. "As you have most likely guessed, the woman in question is a lesbian. The only way inside that cabin without bloodshed is for a woman to seduce her and get invited inside for carnal pleasure. Obviously, this cannot get out into the media. The news has already6 reported and shown video of me having dinner and having a long discussion with her. Whomever volunteers for this mission will be assured that they will end up on the national news. If you are not comfortable wit that, you may leave."

Four more women stood and left. Not surprisingly, Blondie was one of them. Being in an open marriage was one thing, having it broadcast around the entire country was another. Of the four remaining women, one was eliminated because she was a vegan. It wasn't that I really had anything against that, but Petra was most assuredly a meat eater. I just didn't see how that would work, especially since a big part of the seduction would include a romantic dinner that had meat in every course. A second woman was eliminated because she was,,,,, well,,, I mean,,, Fuck it. She was a complete slut. She had already fucked half the men and several of the women in the camp. Petra seemed to be a bit pickier about the people she chose to associate with.

It finally came down to two women. Yes, I asked, and yes, they both volunteered. There was a young blonde, straight out of the academy. This was actually her first assignment. She was enthusiastic, bubbly, energetic, and absolutely gorgeous. Her body would bring dead men to life. The other was older. She looked to be in her early to mid-30's. While she wasn't the bombshell that the blonde was, but she was still attractive. I figured that she would be a better match for Petra. Suzie, the blonde seemed to be a bit saddened that she wasn't the one chosen, but I assured her that if Robin, the redhead, didn't work out, she would get her chance.

"JONES!' I called out from the door of the tent.

It took a week to get everything ready. It was late afternoon when I called her on the radio. I informed her that I had a dinner set up to take place on her dock and to please not shoot as the boat was traveling over.

Robin:

I admit that I was nervous for a couple of reasons. First off, even though the Captain had called over and gotten assurances that she wouldn't shoot us, as long as we stayed on the dock, there was still no guarantee. Second, this was only the second 'date' that I had been on in the last four years. I knew literally nothing about this woman. Every blind date that I had ever been on turned out to be a disaster, Still, if this would end the stalemate without bloodshed and get me home faster, it would be worth the effort. Besides, I had seen her several times, and I had been attracted to her.

There were actually two boats that came across the river. One, carrying me and some guy wearing a chef's uniform, and the other carrying two barbeques, seasoned wood, and a couple of coolers filled with food. It also carried a table for two, chairs, China, and a full formal place setting for two. They even had a tablecloth, linen napkins, and a candle.

I sighed in relief when the boats finally landed on either side of the dock. I was helped out as the guys in the other boat quickly unloaded and set up the table and chairs. I was wearing my red cocktail dress with matching-inch heels and stockings. The captain had gotten a couple of female agents to break into my apartment and retrieve the dress, shoes, clutch, and, well, I did need something to wear underneath. More on that later.

As I was being helped off my boat, the crew on the other boat was busy unloading and setting up the barbecues. The chef jumped onto the dock and began organizing everything. Another woman appeared dressed in a black skirt, black hose, white blouse, and 3-inch black heels appeared. She stood me at the table and set two wine glasses on the table. She then produced a stand with a bucket of ice beside the table. After setting two water goblets down, she set a bottle of Merlot in the ice bucket.

The chef and his assistant were busy preparing the grills behind me. I knew that most of the prep work as well as the cooking had already been done beforehand. Most of the cooking now would just be the final cooking or warming up.

I had been sitting at the table sipping my water and watching the door to the cabin. My back was to the river, so I was facing the cabin. Even the cooking was behind me. The captain had gone all out and found one of the best chefs in the country at cooking over an open fire. It was going to be a full prime rib dinner with all the trimmings.

As I sat sipping a glass of wine, the door to the cabin opened. Out stepped an extremely stunning woman. She was a bit older than me. She must have been in her mid-40s, but she was in very good shape. Her face was not classically beautiful, but more like the 'girl next door' attractive. She was wearing a nice, yet not designer dress and 3-inch heels. Given the situation, I would surmise that this outfit was hanging in her closet unused for quite a while. It was probably the only thing she had like it, and she was only kept for some sentimental reasons. I stood as she approached the table.

"Robin Smithers." I introduced myself, extending my hand towards her.

"Petra Volk." She replied.

I just couldn't help it. I burst out laughing.

"Yes?" She asked with a peculiar smirk on her face.

"Petra Volk!" I announced. "Petra is the Russian feminine form of Peter. Volk is Russian for wolf. You have five wolves as pets. That makes you Peter and the Wolf." I laughed.

"You are very perceptive." She smiled. "Most Americans do not understand the context."

"Oh, I do. I have actually read the fable in the original Russian, as well as the English translation. I find the original to me much better."

"You can read Russian?" She asked surprised.

"Oh yes." I countered. "I've always been good with languages. In fact, I was hoping to make a career out of being a translator. As it happened, there were other skills that I have that were deemed more important to the FBI."

"Hmmm. Perhaps we will be able to discuss those skills at a later time. Right now, I am more curious about you as a person, and I do not wish to distract our first time together with discussions that may ruin a wonderful time."

"One thing that I am curious about though." I stated. "It is just too perfect that your name is Petra Volk, and that you have five wolves as pets. You do not need to tell me your real name, but I am betting that Petra Volk is not your real name."

She sighed. "No, it is not. My first name is actually Ingrid. Maybe sometime in the future I will tell you my last name. Right now, that is not important,"

"It doesn't matter "I spoke. From this point forward, as far as I am concerned, you are Petra."

Right after that, our FBI supplied server (who, BTW was wearing so many hidden cameras and audio bugs that she would light up like a Christmas tree if she were searched by anti-bugging equipment) brought over our soup. We continued with our lite conversations though the salad course and the appetizers. It seemed that the half-dozen raw oysters on the half-shell, combined with horseradish and hot sauce were a hit. She also seemed to enjoy the fried calamari.

"I do apologize it the main course is not to you satisfaction." Our server stated as she set the main course plates down in front of us. "We thought that after having lived on lean wild game that you may appreciate an excellent Prime Rib cooked to perfection."

"Thank you." She replied. Before coming out here, I enjoyed eating at the best restaurants in the country. I still do appreciate an excellently cooked Prime Rib, and I haven't had this in quite some time." She responded.

Our mutual attraction had grown through our dinner and desert. It grew even stronger throughout after-dinner espresso and liqueur. Finally, it came to the time that our 'date' would be ending. Our dishes had been removed, and we had pretty much concluded the meal.

"So." She began. "I assume from the fact that we are here on a wonderful date, that there is an underlying purpose for you being here."

Since there was no reason to lie, I was upfront with her.

"Well, yes. Look, we both know that this isn't going to end until someone actually gets into your cabin and verifies that there is no one else in there."

"So, I take it that you are the sacrificial lamb to enter my home and report back that I am here alone?"

"Well, I wouldn't actually call it being the sacrificial lamb. I did volunteer for this assignment. After all."

"It's been a long time for me. Are you sure that you are up to the task? By the time I am finished with you, you may not have the energy to complete your assignment."

Major Lee:

I watched as they had dinner. The video feeds I got from the server, chefs, and anything else I could get showed that she was alone in the cabin. I listened to all the conversation, but there was nothing incriminating there. Finally, I watched as Petra took Robin's hand and led her up and into the cabin. That was a long night. I was expecting Robin to give me an update after a little while. That little while ended up being a day and a half. Just as I was about to mount a full-scale assault on the cabin to rescue one of my people, I received a text message.

"Everything is good." Robin texted me. "She is alone in here. There is no evidence of anyone else having been in this cabin for the last several years."

"Very well. We will use your report to demobilize from this site. Return to base and prepare to depart."

It was three hours later that I got he r reply.

"Sir, I am unable to return to base. I assure you that I am not being held against my will, but I will be tendering my resignation to the Company. I have decided that I wish to spend the rest of my life here in this valley with the love of my life. She requests that you all leave as soon as possible and leave as little sign of your occupation as possible. She also requests that an occasional delivery of the Prime Rib that you got for us be dropped in the area. Other than that, we simply request that we be left alone."

I had to ask. "Do you wish to have some sort of communication in case the fugitive that we are looking for appears?"

"That is not necessary. Petra has already dealt with him. He will not dare to tangle with her again. He keeps at least three mountains away from her. You might want to check a valley about 100-miles North of us, though."

Epilogue:

Every couple of months for the next three years, a package was dropped using parachutes from a high-altitude aircraft. Included in the package was a Prime cut Prime Rib roast, a dozen Corn-on-the-cob, and a few loaves of sourdough bread. There was also a steady supply of ammunition for Petra's rifles, shotguns, and pistols, as well as a package of high-end fishing gear. Every spring, another package of vegetable seeds appeared.

Petra had a ham radio set. Through that, we learned that the fugitive had been found, but he managed to prove his innocence and evade capture. Once all the facts came out, he was pardoned and was allowed to live out his life with the woman that he fell in love with. They lived three valleys North of us, so we managed to get together a few times a year. Every once in a while, the captain would visit us to make sure that we were OK. On some of those occasions, the fugitive that they were looking for would be with us. Nothing was ever said about the hunt for him, but the captain and he would look at each other and grin.