Three Square Meals Ch. 130

John looked at her in surprise. "But you took out that squad of ISD troops on your own. How do we explain that?"

"I've been range shooting for ten years and I'm a good shot. I even did a feature about taking lethal measures to defend myself against that team of kidnappers. Is it that far-fetched a story that a confident markswoman rushed to rescue her friend's father, knowing that your advanced equipment would keep her safe?"

Viewing the ingenious reporter with a new sense of admiration, John replied, "That's absolutely inspired. You're right... it's not like you were using psychic powers or did anything supernatural. We just gave you a massive gear advantage, which made that whole shootout ridiculously one-sided."

Jehanna nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! I don't even look the part. Everyone expects a Lioness to be a busty Amazon in white body armour, but I'm not big enough to fill out a Paragon suit. It's actually far more believable that I'm just an ordinary woman with a few incredibly powerful gadgets, than believing that I'm one of your superhuman Lionesses."

At this John shook his head and locked eyes with her, a fierce hunger in his own. "You're definitely not an ordinary woman, Jehanna... far from it. I think you're truly exceptional."

*And it's only a matter of time until you look just like us,* Alyssa purred. *John loves smart girls and you've no idea how much he wants you right now. You need to come up with a good explanation for why you're about to grow an inch taller, because there's no way you're leaving the Invictus tonight without a huge tummy full of cum.*

Jehanna moaned softly at that thought, imagining swallowing down pints of his delicious spunk and cradling her belly as it expanded to take John's heavy load. "God... I wish you were here right now," she whispered, her answering gaze smouldering in its intensity.

"Not long, honey, then we'll be together." John paused and suddenly looked at her in surprise. "This conversation didn't go at all the way I expected. I thought you'd be devastated at being unmasked as a secret Lioness and we'd be forced to make some drastic decisions."

She bit her lip, then ruefully admitted, "I still haven't made up my mind about what to do in the future. Please don't think that it's because I don't want to run away with you... I do, very much. it's just hard to give up my old life."

He gave her a look filled with sympathy. "There's no rush. Take as much time as you need to make sure you're happy with your decision. We can discuss it in more detail later tonight; you might find it helpful to talk things through."

"I'd really like that, thank you," she said gratefully, relieved that he didn't see her indecision as a slight. She heard raised voices from deeper in the house and sighed. "It sounds like my parents are arguing about me being a Lioness... I better go and set them straight."

"Good luck. If it gets really ugly and you want me to talk to them, just call and let me know," John offered. "We're currently on our way to Jericho and should get there for about 9 pm. After we've dropped off Calara's father and brother, we'll be heading straight to Olympus to see you."

"Have a safe journey," Jehanna said blowing him a kiss. "I can't wait until tonight..."

"Me too," he agreed, smiling with anticipation.

Jehanna waved goodbye, then reluctantly ended the call. She fanned herself with a hand, then glanced in the mirror and blushed at how flustered she looked. A brief conversation with John had left her as giddy as a schoolgirl and she could only imagine what it'd be like when they were living together... along with the Maliri twins.

A rosy bloom filled her dusky cheeks and if her panties weren't already soaked after that call, they definitely would be now. She blushed even harder with embarrassment, unable to face her parents like this. Creeping out of the lounge, she dashed upstairs and into the shower, mortified at the thought of them smelling her arousal.

***

"Well that's one disaster averted," John said, spinning his leather chair so he was facing Alyssa and pulling her into his lap.

"Jehanna certainly seems to think so," Alyssa agreed, enjoying having his strong arms wrapped around her. "She's very happy with you at the moment..."

He glanced at the combat footage on the holo-screen above his desk and watched the dusky-hued reporter blast gaping holes through one armoured assassin after another. A flicker of doubt crossed his features as he asked, "Do you really think people will believe her? That video is pretty graphic."

"Jehanna's a very smart girl. If anyone knows how to spin a story, it's her."

"I suppose that is her area of expertise," he conceded, his eyes drawn inexorably back to the video of the firefight on Olympus.

Alyssa watched the raven-haired beauty ruthlessly dispatch the ISD insurgents and her full lips curled up into an approving smile. "She's pretty handy in a gunfight too..."

"That was some very nice shooting," John agreed, watching the reporter calmly step over the sprawl of corpses as she approached Henry's office. "I didn't realise just how intense the fighting had been. How's Jehanna been coping after the battle? Any signs of distress?"

"None. She's just been missing you," Alyssa replied with a fond smile.

John frowned and looked at the blonde. "Nothing at all? Jehanna was upset about killing just one of Weber's kidnappers, but we just watched her wipe out an entire squad of ISD operatives."

"You've fed her twice since the kidnapping, John," she gently reminded him, turning to gaze into his eyes. "Jehanna's outlook has changed... just as you knew it would."

A flash of regret crossed his face. "I didn't want to do that to her."

"Would you prefer her to be traumatised with PTSD instead?" Alyssa asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, of course not," he said, looking conflicted. "But Jehanna was worried about being turned into a remorseless killer and that's exactly what's happened."

"Those ISD assholes weren't worth a second of regret," the blonde said with a firm shake of her head. "Our friends and family were in danger and Jehanna stepped up to protect them, that's the only thing that matters. You warned her that the Change had a bunch of psychological side-effects like this, but she still joined us willingly. Talk to Jehanna about it tonight; I bet you a million credits she won't feel any resentment towards you."

"But I've fundamentally altered her personality," John said, slumping back in his chair. "She watched the girls in action during the Battle of Terra debrief and was shocked at the scale of the violence. She shouldn't just be shrugging this fight off like it never happened."

Alyssa was quiet for a moment as she studied his face. Making a decision, she began to unbutton her blouse, exposing her glorious bronzed midriff. Taking his hand, she placed it on her toned stomach, watching how his expression changed as John caressed her soft skin.

"You fed Jehanna three times and she's one of us now," Alyssa said firmly. "We both know how protective you are of your girls... and this is just one of the ways you keep us safe. Jehanna's association with you made her a target, but you gave her the mental fortitude to do what needed to be done without suffering guilt and remorse afterwards."

He nodded thoughtfully, tracing an oval around her bellybutton with the tips of his fingers.

Alyssa's voice turned gentle and sympathetic as she said, "When Jehanna made the decision to join us, it was only a matter of time until she went through the Change. The physical enhancements are more blatant, but we all know you enhance us mentally as well. At least by going through it now, she'll be better prepared for the brutal reality of a Progenitor war."

"You think Jehanna's going to be involved in more combat?" he asked with surprise.

Alyssa simply nodded as she gazed into his eyes.

John studied the blonde curiously. "You want to bring her with us, don't you?"

"That's entirely up to you..." Alyssa murmured, giving him a tender kiss.

"I thought XO was in charge of recruitment?" he asked with a wry smile.

"We already recruited Jehanna two weeks ago," Alyssa replied with a look of satisfaction. "I still need to bond with her, but aside from that, my work is done. She's a smart girl and can handle herself in a gunfight; I think there's no question that she'd be a great asset to the team. Jehanna adores you... but she loves her career and her parents too, and doesn't want to abandon her old life. I think you need to help her make a decision, because she's really torn at the moment."

He nodded his understanding. "I'll talk to her about it tonight."

"Thank you," she said with a grateful kiss. Raising an eyebrow, she abruptly changed the topic. "Sorry to call you away so abruptly earlier. I hear congratulations are in order; how does it feel to have adopted a daughter?"

John looked at her in confusion for a moment, then realisation sank in. "Oh, you mean Daphne? Yeah, that was lovely what she said."

"You were very sweet with her."

"I felt so sorry for the poor girl. Daphne's becoming more sophisticated on a daily basis, but that just means she's missing Faye even more. I really hope she doesn't end up feeling isolated in the same way."

Alyssa shook her head. "I think she'll be alright; her circumstances are different from Faye's."

"What do you mean?" John asked, surprised at how certain she sounded.

"Faye fell in love with you," Alyssa gently reminded him. "Her fondest wish was to go through the Change and truly become one of your girls. She wanted to share our psychic connection; to know what it's like to have a tummy full of your cum, and give herself to you completely. Her dream was to become a living, breathing woman, and someday have your children."

John squeezed Alyssa tighter, feeling Faye's loss more than ever.

She gave him a comforting kiss on the cheek. "Faye wanted to be one of us, but her daughter is still very much a part of the Collective. Daphne wants to be our friend, but she seems to be content with who and what she is."

John nodded thoughtfully. "So Daphne's fundamentally at peace with herself. Yeah, I get that impression as well... and I think you're right, it does make a big difference."

"I'm sure she'll run into a few teething problems along the way, but we can help her through those," Alyssa said with a shrug.

He ran his fingers through her luxurious golden mane and pulled her towards him for a kiss. "Yeah, we will." When they parted, he reluctantly patted her on the thigh. "I'd love to stay here and chat with you, but I should probably get back to work. I'm going to reshape our Paragon suits so they're all twenty-shaped, then I'll head down to Engineering; Dana still needs my help."

Alyssa raised an eyebrow as she slid off his lap. "If it's a chore doing the psychic shaping for Sparks, I'm happy to do it for you."

"Ah no, it's okay," he quickly replied, rising from the chair.

She gave him a knowing look. "So you are still looking forward to giving Maria a gift you hand-crafted for her personally?"

John flushed and shot a guilty glance at the doorway. "It's not like that."

"Of course not," Alyssa agreed, adopting a mock-serious expression. Her cerulean eyes twinkled mischievously as she added, "Have fun..."

He groaned and waved her goodbye, leaving the study to the sound of her melodic laughter.

***

Dressing in casual clothes after she was dry, Jehanna didn't bother to reapply her makeup, wanting to make herself look as normal as possible. The doorbell rang, the loud chime reverberating through the house and making her jump. Jehanna grabbed her suitcase and rushed down the stairs, arriving at the front door just in front of her mother, who looked at her in bemusement. Jehanna glanced through the spyhole, then opened the door to the marine Commander who stood just outside.

"Good morning, Miss Elani," the officer said, giving her a sharp salute. "We're under orders from the Fleet Admiral to escort you to Olympus whenever you're ready to leave."

"I have a few things to discuss with my parents first. It might take a little while, Commander...?"

"Commander Sharring, ma'am," he replied. "Take as long as you need. We'll setup a perimeter to keep anyone from disturbing your residence."

"Thank you, Commander Sharring," she said gratefully, flashing him a dazzling smile. "I feel so much safer knowing that you're here to protect me."

He couldn't help grinning and saluted again as he stepped back. "My pleasure, ma'am!"

Closing the front door, Jehanna turned to see her mother watching her in fascination. "What?"

Harini gave her a knowing look. "It's been a while since I last saw you turn on the charm. I bet you have Admiral Blake wrapped around your little finger..."

Jehanna blushed and headed back along the hall. "Is dad in the lounge? It's probably best if I speak to him first."

"He's in his study," her mother said, before reaching out to clasp her daughter's hand. "Will you tell me about John afterwards? I want to hear all about him."

"I promise, Mama," Jehanna said, kissing her on the cheek. "He really is wonderful."

Smiling at her fondly, Harini nodded towards the door at the end of the hall. "Go on now, don't keep your father waiting."

Walking into the oak-panelled room with her floating luggage following her inside, Jehanna's gaze was immediately drawn to the large wooden desk that dominated the study. Ramesh had been watching the Olympus combat footage again and he paused the holo-recording when his daughter joined him. Turning in his plush leather chair, he sipped his cup of tea, fixing Jehanna with a steady look and raising an eyebrow expectantly. Her father was calm and in control again now, but she wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a very bad one.

Jehanna picked up the spare chair and deliberately placed it to the side of her father's desk so that there wouldn't be anything between them. After taking a seat, she met her father's piercing stare. "I've been dating Admiral John Blake for the last couple of months, but I'm not a Lioness."

Ramesh put down his cup and glanced pointedly at the caption on the holo-screen. "They seem to think otherwise."

"They're only speculating, they don't know the truth," Jehanna said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "You know better than to believe Holonet conspiracy theorists, Papa."

He frowned with disapproval. "I've watched that video several times... and I know it's you. I recognised your shooting stance."

She smiled at him fondly. "You're right, it was me, but that doesn't make me a Lioness... not really."

Ramesh's frown deepened. "I'm not in the mood to play word games, Jehanna. Just tell me the truth."

Turning to her suitcase, Jehanna unlocked it and retrieved her custom-made laser pistol and personal shield. She carefully placed them on the desk in front of her father, who stared wide-eyed at the sleek handgun, recognising the incredibly powerful weapon from the video.

"I first met John through work a couple of months ago. I told you all about the series of interviews I did with him and I know you've watched them. I'd been on a couple of dates with John, when Buckingham had me kidnapped and held prisoner on Tartarus because of all the pro-Lion propaganda pieces I was running for TFNN. John freed me from there and saved my life, but he was worried that I might be targeted again... so he gave me some state-of-the-art equipment to defend myself."

Her father glanced at the laser pistol and shield generator again. "That was very generous of him."

"I'm friends with John's Chief Engineer; she built them for me as a gift before they left for the Kirrix border. I'm sure you've seen her at the awards ceremonies; Dana's the beautiful redhead," Jehanna explained, then turned towards the video of her storming the Voss offices. "I'm also close friends with the rest of the Lionesses... including the Angel of Terra."

"Rachel Voss," Ramesh interjected, turning to glance at the screen again.

"That's right. Rachel's lovely, Papa... one of the kindest women I've ever met. Anyway, when Olympus came under attack, I discovered they were trying to assassinate everyone connected to the Lion, including Rachel's father. My personal shield makes me impervious to bullets and my laser pistol hits harder than a Gatling Laser, so I knew I could save Henry Voss. I ran to his office and used the marksmanship skills that you taught me to eliminate the ISD insurgents."

Ramesh turned to watch her gun down the elite soldiers in bursts of blue laser fire, her lethal shots aimed at central mass every time. "Nice tight groupings..."

Once all the soldiers were dead, the video then showed her checking the steaming corpses for signs of life.

"Confirm your kills; make sure they're no longer a threat," Jehanna said softly, explaining her actions and parroting one of her father's many lessons. "I used high-tech gear and your training to save Henry Voss... that's the honest truth."

He looked puzzled and gestured towards Lynette on the second holo-screen. "Then why is she claiming to be a Lioness when you're denying it?"

"It's complicated," Jehanna replied reflexively. When her father raised an eyebrow, she rolled her eyes. "You of all people should understand that sometimes information is classified for very good reasons. The Lionesses are all exceptionally gifted women, like the Angel of Terra who can heal people at will, whereas I'm just... me."

He leaned back in his chair and slowly nodded. "Alright, thank you for being honest with me. It goes without saying that I'm very relieved you survived the attack unscathed, but I wish you'd given me some kind of warning. The last thing I ever wanted to see, was my daughter being shot at by a dozen highly-trained killers."

"I'm so sorry you got a shock, Papa," she said, giving him a rueful look of apology. "I would've loved to tell you all about my connections with John, but I was just trying to keep you safe."

"Sometimes it is necessary to keep secrets to protect your family," he conceded, nodding thoughtfully. Ramesh hesitated for a moment, then looked at his daughter with concern. "Jehanna, I know your mother's overjoyed that you're dating Admiral Blake, but I found something that you really need to see..."

He faced the holo-interface again and swiped away the Olympus footage to reveal another video. The recording was taken from a security camera, zoomed in on Calara as she gave a stirring speech to a military audience. John and the Lionesses were lined up behind her, and Jehanna's gaze was immediately drawn to the petite purple girl in the back row. Faye's elfin face was lit up with joy, thrilled to be part of the crew in front of the adoring crowd. Jehanna remembered how Faye had always treated her with kindness and respect, the poignant memories making her heart ache with grief for the lovely girl.

"I'm so sorry, Jehanna," Ramesh said with sympathy, when he saw his daughter's heartbroken expression. "I know you loved him, but it's better to find out what kind of man he is now, rather than later."

Jehanna stared at her father in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Ramesh gestured towards the front of the stage, where John was kissing Calara, her sparkling engagement ring catching the light as she swooned in the passionate embrace.

"When I was searching for more video on the Lionesses, I read some disturbing speculation about the Lion... and found this," he explained quietly. "This was recorded on Olympus only two weeks ago. The whole time you two have been dating, he was already engaged to be married; Calara Fernandez is John Blake's fiancée."

Jehanna focused on the kissing couple and couldn't help thinking how beautiful they looked together... and how deeply in love. She smiled affectionately and wondered if the gorgeous Latina would be joining them in bed later that evening. Her father's words finally registered and Jehanna gulped, darting an anxious glance in his direction.