Transformations: Latigo Key Ch. 04

Cathy was pretty sure the tall woman in white relished being in charge of an army.

"Oh, God! I can't take any more!" Diana cried as her body shivered and her back arched.

Dan looked at Cathy and nodded.

She put the jar of white liquid to Diana's lips and tilted it. "Drink, Diana. Drink and be reborn."

Diana swallowed a mouthful and then she screamed, her eyes rolling back in her head. What she dreamed of that day, Cathy never asked and Diana never told.

Then Dan groaned and filled her tight body with his cum.

Coven magic: five people became one for all eternity.

Cathy slumped forward as the first patrol boat pulled up to the dock and the people of Latigo Key began filing on.

***

Twelve Hours Later

The old man stood on Main Street, Latigo Key and leaned on his walnut wood cane.

His real name was Hiram Fish, but no one called him that.

He was the 'old man'.

Helicopters buzzed overhead as a contingent of Marines explored every nook and cranny of the deserted island. A flotilla of Navy vessels patrolled outside.

Local law enforcement from the mainland had been shooed away from Latigo Key four hours before.

This was a national security issue now.

And, the old man was national security. He had served every President since Calvin Coolidge in agencies with a host of acronyms. It became the Department of Scientific Inquiry under Truman.

Now it was part of the NRO.

Acronyms changed.

The old man did not... for now.

He looked at the team of scientists they had flown in from DC, from Atlanta, from MIT.

They were stumped.

Everyone on the island was gone.

The old man turned slowly, observing those who were observing. He was looking for someone out of sync with the others, someone not looking at the same things.

He smiled when he saw one of the Marines, a tall, lanky young man in fatigues with a 1st Lieutenant's bars gleaming silver in the hot island sun.

Everyone else was looking at the stores, the empty vehicles, the ground.

The Marine was looking up.

The old man made his way across the street. "What do you see?"

The young man turned and looked at him. "Sorry, sir, I was looking at the telephone pole."

"Don't be sorry. What did you see?"

He turned and pointed. "That thing up there that looks a little like a small speaker, sir. It doesn't belong."

The old man smiled and nodded. "How do you know it doesn't belong?"

"I spent some time as a lineman out west. Never saw anything like that." He pointed further down the street. "That pole down there? It has bolt holes where the same thing was attached but they took that one down. Must've missed this one."

"Who took it down?"

"Well, I suppose the people who took the islanders, sir."

The old man smiled. "You're assuming they were taken? Not left of their own accord?"

"No assumption, sir. There's still clothes in the houses, purses, wallets, keys. Still food on the table in a few houses. They left with nothing. They were taken."

The old man turned and waved to a group of the scientists and engineers.

They came running. "Yes, sir?"

"Get a ladder and take down that device all of you have completely missed."

"Yes, sir!"

The old man turned and looked at the Marine.

He was turning slowly, still looking at the overhead wires.

"See something else?"

"Wires leading from the device. They're going," he turned and pointed toward the medical clinic. "That way, sir."

"Well, let's have a look, Lieutenant."

The old man stumbled along on his cane and the Marine slowed his pace to match.

"If I may ask, sir? Who do you think would have taken these people?"

"You may ask. However, I can only make suppositions at this point. You understand that - that's why you didn't venture the proposition they were taken until you had vetted your hypothesis."

The lieutenant smiled. "Yes, sir. Then may I ask your supposition?"

"The entire population was removed - to move that many people in a few hours requires careful planning and bountiful resources. My first inclination was that our own government did it..."

"Sir?!"

The old man laughed. "Wouldn't be the first time. However, I've consulted with all the usual suspects and they all proclaim their innocence. Which leads me to Cuba."

The lieutenant nodded. "Only ninety miles away."

They stepped into the darkened interior of the clinic.

The old man watched as the Marine began tracing where wires entered the building.

He opened a closet door painted the same color as the wall.

There was a tangle of cables inside, hundreds. "This is the nexus, sir."

The old man nodded. "Whatever was done? This was the control center. I'll get a forensics team in here. Nice work, Lieutenant...?"

"Lieutenant Taylor Menser, sir."

"Welcome to the NRO, Lieutenant Menser."

"The NRO? Sir, I'm a Marine..."

"You can still be a Marine. You'll maintain your career, even go up in rank over time. However, from this point on? You're my second-in-command."

"Do I have a choice in this, sir?"

"No, Mr. Menser, you do not. I have spent the last sixty years of my life in the service of this nation. I've protected it from threats you learned about in school and other threats you couldn't possibly imagine."

The old man leaned against a desk and tapped his cane on the floor. "There's a darkness coming, Lieutenant. Spend six decades in this job and you can sense these things. Something's rising in the Caribbean, in Cuba. I think it's the most dangerous thing anyone has ever seen. It might be the end of this country... maybe the whole human race. We're a very thin line standing against that darkness, and I will tell you true I am not sure we can win."

Menser shook his head. "Why me, sir?"

The old man smiled. "You looked up."

"Sir?"

The old man sighed. "People are specialized now, Mr. Menser. Wasn't always like that. Back in my day, people were more generalist. A scientist still knew how to change a flat tire, load a gun, fight a war if they had to. Not anymore. One trick ponies, most of them. Oh, they're phenomenal in their area of expertise but what's needed in this organization are people with analytical minds who can still make the hard decisions."

The old man stood up and turned toward the door. "So follow me, Lieutenant Menser. Learn. The future of mankind depends on it."

Menser watched the old man walk away. Then he followed.

***

The Freighter Corazon de Balboa

100 Nautical Miles North of Cuba

Rather than heading straight to Cuba, the Church ship was at anchor north of the island. Hecate told them it might be several days before they could be smuggled onto the island itself.

The people of Latigo Key crowded the hold of the Corazon de Balboa. No one was seasick though the sea was not calm - Cathy was unsure if this was simply another miraculous side-effect of being transformed, though many of the Church Agents were constantly puking over the railings and into the sea.

It might have simply been because the islanders were used to boats and heavy seas.

The orgy in the ship's hold was continuous. It helped take their minds off the uncertain future they now all faced.

Cathy smiled as she walked among them. It was beautiful. Sex was natural for Whore Caste, like breathing. The covens intermingled but always returned to their 'families'.

A few days ago, Cathy Greene would have found this entire scene disturbing. The blending of Cathy Greene and Cumslut Cathy, though? To the new Cathy, this was all part of a beautiful future.

It wasn't all orgies.

Deborah had returned, now part of another Whoremaster's coven. She and Diana had cried as they talked.

Willy made himself scarce, brooding elsewhere on the ship, staring into the northeast at the sea.

And, in between lovemaking sessions, people would come to Cathy and ask her if everything was going to be alright? Was it all going to work out?

Dan fell in step with her and took her hand. "Do you see how they look at you?"

She nodded. "Like they think I have all the answers. God, Dan, I wish I did."

"They're accepting this. All of it. It's just..."

"What?" Cathy asked.

"Faith. That's what they're lacking. They need faith, Cathy." He looked at her expectantly.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Dan smiled and ran his fingers through her dark hair. "Mistress Cathy di Greene... di Hecate? You're the only one on this ship who can do that job."

Cathy shook her head. "I'm no leader, Dan. I don't know the first thing about it. Maria should be..."

"She isn't the one who can do this. They don't trust her. I think she's good, I think most everyone in this hold thinks she's good. But, her goals? They're alien to us, Cathy." He smiled. "But you? They know you. They love you. It has to be you, baby."

He kissed her cheek and walked back to their coven.

Cathy took a deep breath. She walked to the center of the hold. Sunlight streamed down from the open hatch above. "Everyone?" She said.

The moans and murmurs in the hold died down.

People made their way toward her, formed a naked circle, and sat down facing her.

And, Cathy was terrified. Who was she to tell them anything?

She almost faltered.

Then she looked at their faces.

Whores smiled at her with innocent eyes - faces she recognized, faces that had once been young, middle-aged, old. Mortal faces with lines and worries.

Now their faces were beautiful but their lips trembled, immortal but afraid - not of loneliness or death.

No, these beautiful unmarked faces were afraid of one thing: the unknown.

Cathy smiled and people who were there that day would later say she seemed to glow in the sunlight that drifted down from the hatchway.

"You're afraid," she said in a strong, sure voice. "So am I. This isn't our home. The place they're taking us? It won't be our home either. I feel so small now. We're caught up in things way beyond our ability to understand and it's terrifying. Surrounded by gods and people who want to be our masters. But I want you to listen to me: I've seen what is coming. I've seen where it will lead. And it's beautiful - it's going to be a frightening trip but we're going to be together. You see, we are home. Look around you - Latigo Key is here." She smiled and held out her arms. "We brought it with us in everyone we love. Together? We can face anything. Because we're island strong."

"Island strong," the covens said back.

High above, Maria Marapova looked down through the open hatchway and smiled.

***

Cathy made her way up from the hold to the main deck, passing seasick Church Agents who leaned over the rail.

Hecate's quarters were near the bridge, and Cathy had been summoned.

Cathy kept her waiting an hour. She was going to have a long talk with her rubber clad lover before she fucked her senseless - Cathy wasn't going to be her harem girl to be called in when she needed a good cum.

"Heard your master's voice, did you?" Maria said.

The white-haired goddess stood looking over the railing at the rolling sea.

"Seasick?" Cathy asked.

Maria smiled. "Darling, I rowed a tiny boat across the Bering Strait to escape Russia. I don't get 'seasick'."

"Of course not," Cathy said as she shook her head and smiled. "And she's my girlfriend, not my 'master'."

Maria nodded. "No accounting for taste. Tell me does she take you to the elbow or all the way to the shoulder?"

"Jesus, how tall do you think she is?"

Maria ignored the question. "Did you believe what you told them in the hold?"

Cathy paused and then nodded. "I do, yes."

Maria raised an eyebrow. "They love you, you know?"

"That's a strong word..."

"No, they love you. You are the anti-me... this new 'Whore Caste' adores you. They respect me, in time they may even grow to trust me, but they will never love me the way they love you."

"You sound almost envious."

Maria stared at her. "You have a Whoremaster who loves you more than life itself. The second most powerful individual in the Church of Morpheus loves you as well - what I wouldn't give for someone to look at me the way they both look at you."

"How long have you been transformed?" Cathy asked.

"Almost twenty years... though I have no memory of the beginning."

"You've been alone all that time?"

"Alone? No..."

"No other transformed close to you, I mean?"

"None that I can remember."

Cathy shook her head. "I don't think we're meant to live like that. We need each other."

Maria looked out at the sea. "I'm self-reliant."

"Yes, I know. That's the problem."

Maria turned toward her.

"What we are? You especially? We're like gods. Easy to lose touch with your humanity from this altitude, isn't it?"

Maria nodded. "There's truth in that."

"I have Dan and the rest of my coven to remind me that I'm still a person. And, now, I suppose Hecate has me to remind her. That's what you need, Maria."

Maria laughed. "A memento humani? A reminder I am human? Unlikely, I fear. I'll settle for expert lovers."

"Still, I hope you find one." Cathy said as she turned and headed up the stairs to the upper decks.

"What you told them? It is true, Cathy. We're saving the world. Whore Caste is needed for that... you are needed. Be the one they love and I will lead us to victory."

Cathy turned. "Victory against whom?"

Maria smirked. "Against whomever needs to be vanquished."

Cathy shook her head and continued up the stairs. "Fuck, you people scare the shit out of me."

She could hear Maria laughing over the roar of the sea below.

***

Outside Le Domaine, Quebec, Canada

"Are you sure you want me to drop you here?" The bus driver asked.

Jenny stood behind his seat as the bus came to a stop. She looked out the window at the expanse of green forest that stretched out as far as the eye could see. "Yeah, I was actually born here."

"Here? Ma'am, there's nothing out here but moose and wolves."

Jenny smiled. "Yes, it hasn't really changed a lot."

"You should've let me drop you in Le Domaine..."

"I like the woods. Seriously... I'll be fine." She put her hand on his shoulder, felt his body stiffen. She knew her pheromones were giving him a raging hard-on.

He gasped and then pulled the lever to open the door.

Jenny stepped down from the bus with nothing but the cheap backpack she had picked up at the stop in Philadelphia. Inside were some simple provisions - she found she needed far less food and water than her old body had required.

She didn't look back as she stepped into the lush woods on the side of the road.

The bus pulled out and soon she was alone with only the sound of the wind in the trees.

"Oh, Willy, I wish you were with me," she whispered.

She missed him, but she knew she would see him again.

That was the thing about being immortal - she knew that, no matter how long it took, they would be together again.

Until then? She had a job to do.

She walked over a small hill and straight into the deep woods. There would be other immune. They would need a place to hide. She was going to create one.

And the thick Canadian woods were the perfect place to hide from the Church of Morpheus.

***

Theocratic Republic of Cuba

Now

Cathy Greene di Hecate sat on the sand as the sun rose. Tracy lay with her head in Cathy's lap and the White Witch rubbed Tracy's hair, the story of Latigo Key finished.

"I fucked up so bad, Cathy," Tracy whimpered.

"Nothing that can't be made right," Cathy whispered.

"What if Akimi dies?"

Cathy shook her head. "This is war. People die."

"But it will be my fault..."

"You did what you thought was right."

Tracy wiped away a tear. "They never would have made that Diadem thing without my help."

"Shh... no, they would have found a way. This is all so much bigger than all of us. We'll make it through this."

Tracy sat up and Cathy kissed her.

"There you two are," Dan said as he sat down naked on he sand beside Cathy.

Ramona sat down in his lap.

Consuela and Alejandro, the latest addition to the coven, sat down beside them as well.

Diana and Hannah followed.

Wink and Margaret led their coven out to sit in the sand - the covens shared the same beach house.

Dan looked at Tracy. "Why are you crying, honey?"

"Tracy made a mistake," Cathy said. "She's very upset. I've told her we'll fix it."

Diana put her arm around Tracy.

"Damn right, we'll fix it," Wink said.

Tracy laughed. "You don't know what I did."

"Don't matter what you did. We'll fix it," Margaret said.

Cathy smiled at Tracy and nodded.

Wink looked off to the sky to the east. "Ahh, look at those red clouds. Heavy weather comin'."

Cathy continued to smile at Tracy. "Doesn't matter. We'll weather it."

She touched Tracy's cheek. "We're island strong."

"Island strong," they all agreed.

Tracy smiled.

***

Latigo Key

Colonel Taylor Menser stared toward Cuba. "The devices used were ultrasonic. They induced some sort of hypnotic state in the islanders but only because they had been treated with some sort of drug in the water supply. Whatever that compound was, it had been completely removed by the time we got here."

Menser turned and pointed toward the street. "We found a single-engine plane, 'borrowed' from an airport outside New York City. Old security guard there had no recollection of who had taken it or why - he claimed the entire event was a blank spot in his mind."

He pointed behind him. "We found a fishing boat, Wink's Folly, registered in Latigo Key, up the coast. It was run aground on a sand bar at Jupiter Beach. Fuel tanks were almost empty. No sign of anyone nearby."

"You think some of them escaped?" Tony Gilder asked.

"Maybe. If so, they haven't shown up on anybody's radar in five decades."

"Drop in the bucket for them, though, isn't it?" Gilder asked.

Menser nodded. "So they claim." He watched the horizon.

He heard the rotors before Tony Gilder.

"Pilot's back early. Looks like I'm being summoned," Menser said. He nodded toward the ocean and the approaching Blackhawk.

***

Embassy of the Theocratic Republic of Cuba

Washington, DC

Colonel Taylor Menser walked toward the gates leading into the embassy grounds.

He had told his NRO escorts to stay back.

He walked the final one hundred yards alone.

Whoremasters flanked both sides of the gate.

They stared at him with contempt.

One fell in step beside him and led him toward the embassy as the other closed the gates behind him.

The giants were completely silent.

The marble entryway with its crystalline statue of Morpheus was empty.

The silent giant led him downstairs.

Gwen Kincaid stood in the downstairs hallway. She looked nothing like the Jehovah's Witness she had once been - she was seven feet tall in her stiletto boots, a white latex loin dress doing little to disguise her curves.

She stared at Menser without smiling. "In there," she said. She pointed to a door to her left.

"Is Akimi alright?"

"In there," Gwen repeated.

This time, her words came with a 'push' - Menser lost control of his legs and found he had no choice but to walk into the room.

Akimi Maru di Kincaid was sitting up in bed and smiling.

"We'll talk after," Gwen Kincaid said as she closed the door behind Menser and left him alone with Akimi.

Akimi Maru held out her hand.

Menser stared at it but kept his distance. "I'm glad you're okay. On behalf of the United States Government I want to apolo..."