Sam Spade 19: Case of the Hidden Agenda

"The answer is no Jasmine," I said mentally.

"I already figured that," Jasmine replied. "Once she has the bunker protecting her house, I will return home alone."

"I know why God stayed apart. No matter what he did he was hurt. Only by staying separate could he handle the stress of the job. I see that now," I said finally. "I can't face Amy and don't dare face Jane."

"Then you aren't going to like what I'm about to tell you." Maradith paused, "Jane has taken over the chairman position."

"Fuck me... fuck me twice," I said looking down. "I'd like to be alone for a bit mother if you don't mind." When I looked up, I was alone once more. Laying down I closed my eyes and tried to calm down. I knew it would be only a matter of time before she showed up.

I didn't have long to wait because no sooner had I closed my eyes before I heard Jane say, "Nice place you have here. I love what you have done with it sister."

"You want to take it out from under me also? It's yours..." I said not opening my eyes.

"Samantha, if you can tell me Amy didn't need someone to help her I will call you a liar." Jane said calmly.

"We, her wives were working together to heal her pain. Be happy you are my sister, anyone else I would have killed for stealing one of my wives." I sat up and looked at her, "You have Amy, but I tell you now. Try to take any others and you will have to remove me to keep from losing everything you love. I show you firsthand what hurt and betrayal feels like."

"I'll come back when you are ready to talk like an adult," Jane said and returned home.

"What did she say," Amy asked rushing up to her.

"Samantha is rather upset and hurt," Jane said sadly.

"Please let me go to her mistress. Let me heal her pain," Amy cried.

"Little one, anything you say or do will only make it worse," Jasmine said from where she was working with Kimmy. She paused and then sighed, "Amy, in Red's eyes you betrayed her. It is worse in that you did so to her sister. Moreover, that is just after telling her to save Jane. Put yourself in her shoes and you will understand how deeply it affected her."

"What about your eyes Jasmine?" Amy asked.

"It looks like you set all of us up just so you could have the mistress you wanted," Jasmine finally said. "To my shame, I fell into it and added my voice to your plan." She looked down, "I just wish you had clued us in beforehand Amy. If you had said something, we would have helped you find peace instead of the mess we now have." She looked up and at Jane, "The pair of you killed our goddess. I hope you're happy." She looked at Kimmy, "You can finish up here. I need to go."

"Wait," Jane said but Jasmine had already left. She felt her out and followed her. Instead of finding Jasmine, Jane found herself facing another woman.

"You must the new chairman. Leave, you are not welcome in the goddess's temple," the woman said.

"I have it Heather," Angela said coming up. "Jane, go home. All you are going to do here is make it worse."

"How can it be worse Angela? All of you think Amy ran a game on you so I could become her mistress. Do you think I planned it? Do you think I want my sister to hate me?" Jane said.

"No you didn't plan it. But Amy sure as hell did," Heather shot back.

"You could have said no. How would you feel if your wife suddenly said fuck you I'm gone, out of the blue?" Angela said coldly. "Jasmine bragged about your intelligence. Why didn't you use it before you destroyed Samantha?"

Jane could not face their anger. More so, Angela's questions struck home. She acted before thinking about how it would affect others. Returning to Samantha, she knelt with her head touching the ground, "Forgive me Samantha. I didn't think before I acted." When her sister didn't reply she looked up and cried, "Please sister, tell me how to make it right."

"There is no way to make it right Jane," I said slowly. "If you send Amy back, she will be unhappy, my wives will be still unhappy with her and god knows how my followers will react to her return. If she stays with you, she will be happy and the rest of us will get over her betrayal in time. Since you also took her position..." I had to calm myself enough to finish, "Outside of goddess business, you and I are done."

"When she unlocked the succubae side of me, Aunt Maradith said for me to take care of you. So what did I do? I destroyed you." Jane said crying. "Please Samantha, tell me what to do."

"Go, just go home," I choked out.

Jane fled back home and to her family. Of all of them only Amy was upset. That bothered her. She clapped her hand once and pointed to the floor. Once they had all knelt she said, "How would you feel if your wife, someone who you preformed a life mating ritual with decided just after meeting her sister to become her slave and leave you?"

Susan opened her mouth to reply but shut it. Now was not the time to answer with a joke. She looked at the others and then Amy. When no one else spoke she asked, "Is there some way to reverse time and do everything over?"

"We could do that but the goddess, Amy and I would all remember. Nothing is gained," Jane said sadly.

Angela's doppelganger spirit said, "Sister of my love, your defense system is up and running." She started to turn away but stopped. After a moment she turned back, "I have a solution, but for it to work you and all here under you must agree."

"What is the solution?" Jane asked softly.

"Complete and utter submission. Not only the words but you..." Angela looked around before focusing on Amy, "...each of you must soak in her essence and be judged." Returning her attention to Jane, "If her essence does not consume you, it will bind with you. That means you are one of the goddess's followers. Then the goddess will accept you back into her heart." Angela's doppelganger spirit faded from view.

Jane looked at Amy, "You're free Amy. She looked at the others still kneeling, "All of you are free."

"Free?" Kimmy whimpered. "Mistress...Jane where can we go? We are nothing without you."

"Kimmy, I will pay any price to get my sister to forgive me. If she gives up, this solar system an all life on it will go poof. If submitting to her will get her to forgive me, I will do it gladly. She paused and then added, "Family takes care of family."

"I need to be good," Amy said. She bit her lip and went to the temple. Kneeling before Samantha's statue she put her head to the floor, "Please forgive me Samantha. I was not thinking and got caught up in the moment."

Heather was about to say something nasty to her when Amy sat up and she saw the tears on the girl's face. Stunned she watched as Amy got into the large hot tub.

"I give myself to you fully goddess. Please look in my heart and find me worthy. If not allow me to die." Amy said and dunked under.

As soon as Heather told me that Amy was home and begging forgiveness, I roused myself to face her. I arrived soon enough to hear her words before dunking and panicked. I jumped in the large tub and pulled her up. "What do you mean die? Have you lost your mind?"

"Goddess, life is not worth living without you." Amy paused and looked down, "I know you can never forgive me Samantha as a woman. But I pray you as the goddess will give me in all my aspects a second chance."

I pulled her tightly into a hug and cried, "How could I not forgive you? I love you Amy. But what about..." I choked on the word mistress. Finally, I managed to whisper, "her."

"Jane freed me so I could return where I truly belong." Amy said still clinging to Samantha.

"Amy will you and Heather give Samantha a moment alone," I heard Angela say from behind me.

"Whatever it is it can wai..." I said as I turned toward Angela. Instead of Angela, I saw the spirit of my first Angela. "Angel?" I said softly. "Is that really you?" Back when I first graduated from high school, Angela and I had come out to my father. Instead of him embracing my sexuality, he lost his mind.

The fight we had was epic and will haunt me until the day I die. Finally, Angela and I fled his anger. I drove like a crazy woman. All the while, Angela begged me to slow down. In a curve, I lost control and slammed into a tree. I was thrown clear but Angela burned to death. I lay dying listening to her screams as she burned. I have never forgiven myself for her death. I killed my lover. Now, her spirit was standing before me.

I have only seen her spirit once before. She came back from beyond the grave to guide me when I lost my way. I had fallen into the power trap and my masked girls were nothing more than property. She guided me back on the path of treating them like people and lovers.

Alvin built current Angela to help me heal my mind. She filled a void in my heart and I have come to love her more than life it's self. She appeared and knelt with lowered head for a moment. She looked up and said, "Angela, I have tried the best I could to take care of Samantha for you."

"No you haven't. You forgot to keep love in your heart. You have to remember that these are humans and as such stumble and fall. Instead of lashing out, you need to offer a helping hand." Angela sighed, "You and you," she looked at Heather. "Must lead by forgiving instead of removing. Everyone else follows your lead. If you have only hate in your heart, the great war will come to pass and Samantha will die as a result. Is that what you want? Do you want her to die?"

I had never seen my angel take an aggressive stance. Even when I lost my way, she was sweet in her talk. Now though, the ghost was angry and that really worried me. Kitten showed up and looked at the spirit Angela. "You have no right to hurt momma. Momma is hurting enough without you making it worse. Leave now or Kitten will send you away."

"Ah shit," I thought to myself.

Before I could tell Kitten it was okay, the spirit of my dead lover said tenderly, "I'm not here to hurt your momma. I am here to save her." Angela's spirit turned to look at me, "Do you want peace or not Woody?"

"More than anything," I replied.

"Forgive your sister when she comes," Angela's spirit. She moved forward until she was close. Her ghostly lips caressed mine with a feather's touch and she said, "Something for you to think about... You could have asked for me to return when found out you could." With that she faded from view.

I turned and sat on the edge of the tub. Looking down at my hands I said, "Heather I want the blood slaves freed. If you want blood, just ask for volunteers." I looked at her, "We do not keep slaves. Not now and never again."

"Goddess we don't know how to free them," Heather said after a minute. "I'm sorry."

"I can mistress if you wish it," Amy said. "Or I can show you how."

"Please handle it Amy, I trust you," I said looking at her.

After a second she said with a smile, "Done."

"Just like that?" I asked looking at her surprised. Even Heather and Angela looked shocked.

"Of course mistress. I jumped time lines, and then examined everyone here. Those who were blood slaves, I restored to the point before they changed." Amy said with a smile. Suddenly I felt her mind in mine and I understood what and more importantly how to do the same thing.

"Is there some way to isolate someone, without shifting timelines?" Angela asked with a funny look on her face.

"What are you thinking Angela?" Heather asked.

"You know how Jasmine worries about the defenses. I was wondering if there was a way to make a field like a bubble that protects the temple. Only those with the goddess's essence or marker can enter." Angela said slowly. She looked at me, "It would make your temple and all here safe from attack."

"And keep Jane from showing up," I replied frowning.

Again, Amy's mind joined with mine. She explained how to make a field around the temple and grounds that would block anything or one I didn't want from entering. She showed me how to set it up so visitors could enter as long as they were nude. "Could you show your sister, Jade, how to do it? She controls the defense system."

"As you command goddess," she replied. "I'll help her make your temple and home safe."

"I would rather you helped Jade make our home safe Amy. However, I know you will return to Jane in the end. She can give you peace while all I can do is give you my love." I replied mentally.

"I'll not betray you again Samantha," Amy cried.

I stroked her face, "You won't be able to help yourself little one." Releasing her I said aloud, "Go to Jade now and teach her and Jasmine how to protect the temple." I went to the mesa and sat on the edge looking out towards the sunset. "I know you can hear me sister. Come to me please."

"I give myself to you. You are the mistress here, I am the fool. Guide me so that I can regain your trust." Jane said from behind me.

"I'm too tired for games sister. Come sit beside me so we can find some way to make peace." I said not looking at her. After a minute she came up and sat beside me. Glancing at her I saw Jane looked like I felt. Even though Amy had come back, when her mind was linked with mine I saw it was only a matter of time before she would leave once again. It was written and there was nothing I could do about it.

"I'm sorry I hurt you Samantha. I wasn't thinking about others when I took Amy as mine. All I saw was a girl and being hurt and needing someone to take responsibility for her actions." Jane looked down, "Back when I was first starting college, I was pre med and ran across a woman in a hospital who had a stroke while frying chicken. She suffered horrible burns and that day I swore I would do anything to heal her and keep another person from hurting again." She looked at her sister sitting beside her and said, "I know it doesn't excuse my actions. But I thought you should see why I acted as I did. It was nothing personal; it was my drive to heal someone hurting. Instead of healing Amy, I made her hurt worse and very nearly destroyed you."

"Did you know that when someone says the words yes but, they really mean no," I replied. "So I ask you..." I looked at her and continued, "What happens now?"

"I soak in your essence and follow where you lead Samantha." Jane said after a moment.

Mentally I said to Amy and my wives, "Amy, ask Angela to mask you properly. Once masked, you will be unable to hurt any of your sisters or me. Are you willing to take that step?"

"Yes Samantha," Amy replied.

Aloud I said, "It becomes a question if you really would to be able to give up everything to follow me." I looked at her, "I just don't see that you are really ready to toss everything away to do that." I stood and walked to the middle of the mesa and looked at Jane, "I can prove it. Once you kneel, all you have done and achieved will become meaningless to you. You will be nothing more than another follower in my service." I pointed to the ground before me.

Jane looked at her sister and knew this was the moment of truth. She got up and slowly walked forward until she was standing before Samantha. She looked at her and saw not her sister, but the goddess standing before her. And the goddess meant every word she spoke. Once she knelt, her old world would disappear. She fled back home before she realized she acted. She knelt in her living room with her head in her hands and cried.

When she finally cried herself out, Jane looked up she saw her old girls kneeling before her unspeaking. Off to one side her sister sat in one of the chairs watching her calmly. "How can you be so calm when I failed you again?" she cried. If Samantha had been mad, she would have felt better but her sister's calm face made her shame worse.

"Because you are not ready." I replied. "My dead angel said I must make peace with you to avert the Great War. If I don't, I will fall." I paused and then added, "It is written that the Great War will happen and my daughter and angel of death will continue where I left off. Only then will peace flow over the land and the world will be unified under her guidance." I looked from Jane to the others in the room. Their shock and fear should have bothered me but like I told Jane, I was tired of games. Instead of calming their fears I said, "All I'm doing is waiting for the day when I can pass the torch. I am done."

Standing I walked outside and looked at the desert. After moment, I returned home and moved to one of the corners in the atrium. Sitting down I leaned against the wall with my eyes closed. "Angel just let it end," I whispered.

"I can't believe you would just give up like this," Maradith said.

Opening my eyes, I saw her kneeling before me, "Jane says the words but they are only words. It is like when the quarm mother submitted. Inside she was already thinking about how to continue on the path she was on."

"So instead of offering a helping hand to your sister, you give up. Daughter, you are better than this. I can't believe you are willing to watch the world burn while you sit idly by."

"She must make the next move mother. Remember when I pointed to the ground. You knew that to kneel before me would destroy your relationship with Jason. Instead of fleeing you begged me not to take that step." I paused and looked down a moment before looking back up at her, "Jane on the other hand, instead of facing her issues, ran away." I paused again as I thought about how to get her to understand. "Mother, when I closed the circle, you thought I wasn't ready and would lose. Even so, you and Jason were willing to fight and die beside me. Jane would have fled. That is why I say she isn't ready."

I saw Amy kneeling behind mother and asked, "Amy, would you have stayed and fought knowing the human side of would die in the process?"

"Of course Samantha," Amy replied. "Any of your wives and followers would have gladly laid down our lives." She smiled, "We still would without question. Tell me the location and manner of my death. Goddess, I will gladly march into the final darkness for you." Suddenly I heard my wives and for some reason I could hear my followers saying the same refrain behind Amy.

Even mother looked surprised and with bowed head recited the same thing. When she raised her head she was calm, "Goddess, is it your will for me to face and remove your false sister?" Almost to herself, Maridith said, "I pinned my hopes of the wrong daughter to help and guide you."

"What do you mean wrong daughter?" I asked.

"May Song, was my first born. While mature in years, she has not grown past power and pleasure traps." Maradith said sadly. "I hoped when Sue gave birth to Jane as I changed her and her mate into living latex suits, that I could block off the succubus side of her. Then Jane would mature where May Song didn't. It seems I was wrong..."

"Mistress are you really going to stand by as the world burns?" Amy asked.

"No... but what can we do, there are less than one hundred of us against nearly 10 billion." I replied. "Short of turning nature against man which I refuse to do, I will lose."

"Goddess although I am a slave to your will, I once was the guardian to the cosmos. As the former madam chairman, may I advise you?" Amy asked with lowered head.

"Amy, and anyone else who follows me. If you have any ideas on how to gain followers without pulling humanity to its knees in the process, please speak up. I may not follow you advice, but at least you are being true to yourself by speaking up." I said looking at her and towards Heather. I finally focused on mother. "Mother, other than your sisters and their daughters, can you speak for the succubae? Will they take my gift?"

"What is this gift Samantha?" Maradith asked.

It is what you and Jason already have Mother. It is the knowledge that no matter what happens we have each other's back." I smiled and added, "That, a part of myself, all the races of man, nameless and the quarm which has joined with us. We are in this together no matter what happens."