 
# **CONTENTS**

Other Books

Author's Note

Title Page

Chapter One - Step-wife

Chapter Two - Evelyn

Chapter Three - David

Chapter Four - Jazz

Chapter Five - Noah

Chapter Six - Hiatus

Chapter Seven - Mia

Chapter Eight - Zerubba

Chapter Nine - Laszlo

Chapter Ten - Betrayal

Chapter Eleven - Annette

Chapter Twelve - Enlightenment

Chapter Thirteen - Insubordination

Chapter Fourteen - Adriel

Chapter Fifteen - Hermaphroditus

Chapter Sixteen - Termination

About the Author
**Adriel Chevalier Book Series**

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False Antichrist - 2016

The Gold of Ophir - 2018

Noah's Portal - 2019

Zanzibar - 2020

The Precinct Murders - 2020
**To the Reader**

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The saga continues, but you knew that it would. My perpetual experiences progress beyond this world, and as long as they endure, so shall your books. I hope that you are not only entertained but also have the encouragement to think. Nothing that we endeavor is impossible. It's often a matter of perspective. I had not intended for this work to be categorized as erotica, but in order to tell the story properly it required a necessary level of detail to understand the relationships and emotional pressures that we all experienced.

As always, I had to change names and locations to protect the anonymity of others, and any similarities to persons living or dead are merely a coincidence.

Love always,

Adriel

NOAH'S PORTAL

Adriel Jacques Chevalier

Copyright © 2019 Adriel Jacques Chevalier

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 9780463952795

# **CHAPTER ONE**

# **_STEP-WIFE_**

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I awoke as the sun was beginning to break the horizon. I looked over at Joey's naked body next to me in our bed as the dim light began to shine through the wall of windows in our chalet. She was the epitome of sensuality. Her youthful face was so soft and beautiful, and the curves of her body were sheer perfection. Joey never wore makeup. She never needed it. Her features were so well defined and flawless that she looked incredible at any time day or night. The light was beginning to create a soft glow on her flowing red hair. We had been together for several months, and I never tired of her. The old adage that familiarity breeds contempt was certainly not true in Joey's case. She was always magnificent, and I couldn't get enough of her. I loved her dearly, but I was missing my wife, Evelyn. I regretted the fact that I was not available for our thirty-fifth wedding anniversary. It wasn't possible. Everyone had to believe that I had been assassinated. It was the only way I could survive. Evelyn was still grieving my death, and I desperately wanted to let her know that I was still alive. However, Joey knew that it was too soon to let Evelyn in on our secret.

When I first met Joey, she suffered from Emotional Detachment Disorder. She had never experienced love, hate, guilt, shame, fear, greed, disappointment, depression, anxiety, or any other possible emotion. She was the perfect killing machine. Joey worked for the agency. She was usually utilized as a bodyguard or assassin. She was the most efficient terminator that they employed. I had personally seen her make several kills. She was as fast as lightning. I once watched her take out three armed men in two seconds with her bare feet while she was completely naked. When they first saw her voluptuous form, they stalled for a split second, and that was all she needed. I knew that she employed many methods of assassination, but the only one that I had witnessed was her most common. She snapped their necks with a blow below the jaw with her bare feet.

I had joined the agency a few months ago during a project that we were executing. The agency was not affiliated with any government. They had contracts with many nations and enterprises. It was a strange organization. They offered complete financial freedom and never asked questions about extravagant expenditures. I had wondered how they operated, but I had since learned that they had thousands of lucrative contracts all over the world. They made money faster than the agents could spend it. It kept the agents secure and content with no chance of personal greed or insubordination. We owned nothing but lived better than royalty any place in the world that we desired. However, agents were usually kept very busy and had little time for recreation. We all had learned to incorporate fun with work.

Joey had disclosed that the agency had received six and a half billion dollars for the project that I executed to find the richest gold mine on earth to be disclosed to the United States Treasury Department. However, there was a seemingly insurmountable problem with accessing the gold. I knew this was going to be our next assignment but not through the agency. They believed us both to be dead. We had done a convincing job of portraying our deaths which was no small task. The agency was thorough, and they had contacts and emissaries everywhere around the globe. Fooling them and hiding from them was extremely difficult, but Joey had the necessary expertise and means to prevent them from proving that we were still alive. Joey was known world wide as the best assassin in the business. She had secured countless contracts apart from the agency and built a sizable personal fortune through her endeavors. She had contacts in every country, and many influential dignitaries owed her personal favors. She had purchased this chalet in the Swiss Alps in order for us to lie low until the various factions who searched for me had given up and accepted my death. It was an incredible place with an unbelievable view. Joey knew better than to rely exclusively on the agency. I was extremely appreciative of her foresight.

We were limited in our travel. Cameras were accessible nearly everywhere in populated areas. We had methods of disguising ourselves, but it was a terrible inconvenience. However, we had the means of jumping from place to place where we could never be detected. Much of our time was spent in seclusion and enjoying the most incredible bliss and pleasure that soared far above comprehension. Joey stretched and rolled over to kiss me. I was captivated by her emerald green eyes. Her lips were sumptuous, and her flesh always smelled divine. I began to heave with expectation, and she led me to our special destination.

I had learned so much during our last project together. Evelyn and I had been experimenting due to a discovery by an English physicist named David Allen who lived in Cairo, Egypt. He was an outrageous man in his early seventies. His dark tan and handsome features were equalled by his flamboyant personality and style. He found excitement in everything and being around him provided a contagious atmosphere of wonder and curiosity. However, the one thing that troubled me the most about him was that he was head over heels in love with my wife, Evelyn. The only other person who knew that Joey and I were still alive was David. We had visited him a couple of months ago to be sure that he was willing to be a front for Joey and me to access the gold deposit. David considered me to be his only friend, but I often thought that his fondness was merely due to Evelyn.

David had wanted to console my grieving widow, but I assured him that Annette would not allow that. Annette led our last project, and it was her idea to connect me to David. She believed that his research could be valuable in my quest to locate the gold mine. She was correct. Annette had fallen in love with Evelyn during the week that we had spent at her residence in Cannes, France. It was a decadent sabbatical beside her pool with a smorgasbord of food, alcohol, making love, and swimming. Needless to say, once I went missing Annette moved in to comfort Evelyn. They now believed that I was dead, and Annette was spending half her time with Evelyn in the states. The other half was divided between work and her other lover, Gina, who lived at Annette's residence in Cannes. The affair with Annette came as a surprise to Evelyn. Annette was purely homosexual, but Evelyn had never considered such a thing. It evolved due to extreme emotion and circumstance during our last project.

Joey and I had secretly checked in on Evelyn twice in the past couple of months due to the capabilities that we had to navigate. Early in our previous project, David had shown me a portal in Giza near the pyramids that appeared periodically and could be used to enter another dimension. Evelyn and I began to explore the portal, and through some very interesting events we learned to navigate to any place on this earth within seconds. However, what Evelyn knew about the portal was infinitesimal compared to what I learned later. When we stepped through the portal, we immediately found ourselves on a golden highway. The highway intersected with every point in our universe within one step. It also intersected with other universes which I never traveled. One day, as Evelyn and I were attempting to learn how to navigate, we were approached by another couple on the golden highway. They wore bright white robes and had no hair whatsoever. As our experiences progressed over time, we learned that the other couple was really the counterpart to ourselves in another realm. They taught us to navigate without the portal. My counterpart, who I later named Yvonne, began to pay me nightly visits and engage me in a healing process that was inexplicable. As many times as I tried to convey it to others, it always sounded like we were making mad, passionate love together. However, as Annette and Joey later observed some of the sessions that I had with Yvonne, they both said that it was quite different. Nevertheless, it was the most incredibly satisfying and stupendous euphoria that I had ever experienced.

The night that Joey had seen me with Yvonne, something changed her forever. Yvonne had done some things to Joey that caused her emotions to emerge. Joey lost control after that event, and she began to believe that she could have the same experiences if I made love to her. However, Yvonne warned me strictly against having intercourse with Joey. She explained that it would cause me irreparable damage and that she would never return if I did. Joey was irresistible. I had been losing considerable ground in trying to ward off her advances, and one night as I was about to give in, Yvonne showed up and took Joey away. They just disappeared, and I assumed that Yvonne had taken her to the golden highway. I had no idea at the time that she could do that. It was during Joey's absence that I was able to finish the project and disclose the coordinates of the gold deposit to the United States Treasury.

Yvonne had often explained to me that I had caused myself so much damage in my life. I had made bad decisions and fragmented my soul in countless ways. Her goal was to bring healing to me. She told me how rare it was for anyone to find the golden highway. Out of the ones who did, very few ever met their counterparts. Of the rare few who did find their counterparts, the ones who made love to them were practically nonexistent. What Yvonne and I shared was somewhat unique. Her methods of healing were incomprehensible, but I longed for them on a daily basis.

Joey and I enjoyed a level of indulgence with one another. However, we had negotiated limits. Whenever we approached a point of concern, we stepped onto the golden highway and enjoyed the greater satisfaction that our counterparts provided. We knew that no level of intercourse on earth could come close to what we experienced with our mates in that realm. In addition, our healing process had taught us the importance of earthly fidelity. As Yvonne once explained to me, if people really understood making love, they would never be unfaithful to their earthly mate. When Yvonne took Joey that night on the beach as I was about to step over the line, she introduced her to her counterpart, Agamon. He was a magnificent man, tall, strong, and handsome. During the past couple of months, Joey and I consistently made love side by side with our counterparts, and at times we even held hands during the process. It was an unbelievable consumption of rapturous delight. We would spend hours convulsing over and over in celestial orgasms that exploded to the ends of our extremities and up and down our spines. Afterward, we would spend more hours discussing with one another what we had experienced. This was the strangest relationship that I had ever imagined. Joey was my step-wife.

It had been a difficult two months because I had to endure Evelyn's belief that I was dead. However, Joey had created an atmosphere of contentment for me far beyond my expectations. The chalet that she had purchased for me was incredible. Our bedroom was in a spacious loft that overlooked the living area which had a massive fireplace. It was a stone chalet with beautiful artistic works of carved wood framework. I could sit in our king size bed and gaze out over the Swiss Alps. It was breathtakingly picturesque. Joey had carefully chosen this location due to the limited access. There was a helipad in back, and the only way in and out was by helicopter. Naturally, Joey and I had other means of entry. We virtually saw no one. We had treadmills, free weights, and various implements of workout equipment to stay in shape. She had our groceries flown in weekly and deposited at our service entrance. I was glad to be back in a kitchen cooking our meals. It had everything and was a state of the art culinary studio to experiment with new creations. There was no limit to what we could order. Everything was shipped in from Geneva, and I had a vast array of fish, meats, cheeses, vegetables, herbs, spices, butter, cream, and the most incredible variety of tea and coffee. My wish was her inspiration.

One morning, I had awakened to Joey bringing me a wonderful cappuccino that she had made. She wished me happy birthday, but my birthday wasn't due for another six months. She led me by the hand to an office area that she had turned into an art studio for me. She had purchased paint, brushes, canvasses, easels, palettes, oil, and thinner for me paint the gorgeous landscapes that surrounded us. I asked when she found the opportunity to create such a wonderful area for my art projects. She smiled, kissed me passionately, and said that she had many ways of doing things to surprise me. She was amazing in so many ways. However, since she had begun to experience emotion things weren't as smooth has they had been when she suffered from her Emotional Detachment Disorder. I had found comfort and predictability when she felt no emotion. It helped me to cope with our closeness because I knew that she felt nothing. Lately, I had to deal with emotional roller coaster rides that were difficult to navigate.

"Adriel, you can't go back to your former life. You know that. If you come out of hiding, you will be found and annihilated."

"I know that I can't be Adriel Chevalier anymore, but I can bring Evelyn in once we determine that it's safe."

"That will complicate things too much. Evelyn doesn't want to be an agent. She would be miserable in our lifestyle. What we have together is wonderful, but it can be better."

"Joey, surely you knew that I would eventually want to let Evelyn know that I'm still alive."

"It's too dangerous, Adriel. I have explained this to you over and over. For her sake, you need to let her go. Be my husband. Don't you know how wonderful it will be?"

"I thought that you and I had an understanding. You know that we need to follow the rules in order to continue with our counterparts on the golden highway."

"No, Adriel, you had an understanding. If you marry me, then all will be acceptable."

"It's not that simple. Evelyn and I are still married. I didn't really die."

"This isn't fair! Ever since you introduced me to Yvonne I have had to suffer from the selfishness of keeping you, the fear of losing you, the jealousy toward Evelyn, the anger that the jealousy causes, the guilt of our relationship, and other things that constantly fragment me. Agamon seeks to bring me healing, but our relationship is causing me problems. Life was so much simpler before I suffered from all of this. Emotion just brings pain. I want the joy. I want the love. I want the peace, but as long as you expect to reunite with Evelyn all I do is suffer. How would you feel if I took another man?"

I gave a long sigh. "It would devastate me."

"Then how can you expect me to endure this, Adriel? Besides, do you really think Annette is going to idly stand by while you try to take Evelyn back?"

"I don't know. I never thought about it."

"I'm tortured, Adriel. I have the memory of watching you and Evelyn have sex 176 times."

"What, you counted?"

"I have an eidetic memory. You know that. I have killed 4,792 people, and if I ever see you fuck Evelyn again, she will most likely be the next."

"Joey, you can't mean that!"

"I do mean that, Adriel. I swear if you go back to Evelyn, I will end her."

I sat on our bed staring out at the snow covered mountain tops. I was in a stupor and felt devastated. Joey had spent four months as my bodyguard during the project. She had to remain attached to me during part of that time due to the extreme danger that I was in. As a result, she was present with Evelyn and me whenever we made love. I longed for Evelyn, but I also loved Joey. I couldn't bear the thought of giving either one of them up, but neither would allow the other to remain in my life. If I tried to enter Evelyn's life, it would put her in grave danger, not just because of Joey. There were several groups in this world who would either want to capture me for their own purposes or end my life. Evelyn would most likely be caught in that crossfire or used to manipulate me. Evelyn had felt sure that I would die during our last project, and for all intents and purposes, I did. I had convinced myself that I could one day bring her back in, but I was now beginning to realize how unrealistic that was. My heart was aching. Joey was right. This relationship was painful. However, it was necessary at this time to keep me alive. Yvonne had warned me more than once about succumbing to Joey's desires. Yvonne was the one I could trust. She always had my best interests at heart. She promised that she would not return to me if I were unfaithful to Evelyn with Joey. Joey and I had pushed the limit, that was for sure, but we always kept the boundary. At least it appeared that way because I was still having daily visits with Yvonne. I didn't want to risk losing that either. I hated to admit it, but Joey was the fly in the ointment. Evelyn knew who Yvonne was and wouldn't refuse my relationship with her. Yvonne promoted Evelyn. Neither wanted me with Joey, but she was keeping me alive, and I knew that they appreciated that. Well, Evelyn would appreciate it if she knew that I was still alive. I was trying to view this predicament from an unselfishness perspective, but everywhere I turned it felt selfish.

Joey tried on a few occasions to convince me that I had locked myself out of my former life. My only alternative was to continue as a covert agent with her. However, I knew that meant doing many things that were against my principles, and foremost was murder. I had already participated in one assassination, and that was still haunting me. In the course of six months, my life had been turned completely upside down. My head was spinning as I tried to recall where I was a year ago. I was in Orlando, Florida conducting my own mission to expose a conspiracy that was to execute a coup in Pakistan and launch the world into nuclear war beginning with India. It was a tangled deception by evildoers that involved engineering viruses to infect the world with some innovative symptoms that would impose disadvantages on countries around the world. I remember feeling helpless and clueless as to how I was going to prevent that disaster, but when the time came to expose the perpetrators I had all of the means to accomplish my task. As hopeless as I felt during that time, it was nothing compared to what I was feeling now.

Joey had no belief in a supreme being. Even after meeting her counterpart, Agamon, on the golden highway and experiencing that incredible environment she still had no faith in a creator. To her, it was another part of an unknown realm much like exploring a cave. Evelyn had grown up as a Catholic. Her simplistic view of life was white or black. I knew that she was having a difficult time accepting her relationship with Annette, but I wasn't the least bit judgmental. I certainly had no adherence to organized religion, but as long as I could remember I believed in the Creator. However, my faith became a reality during my endeavor to prevent the coup in Pakistan. I experienced so many things that were mind boggling, and I came to know my Creator on a personal basis far beyond anything I had ever experienced. So, for me it was no longer a matter of faith, but acceptance of Truth and the reality that is evident to those who seek it. So much had been revealed to me even through nature because nature cannot be false. As a wise one once explained about the birds of the air, and the lilies of the field, and the sower who went out to sow, and the mustard seed. If we will be open and willing to accept Truth, we will recognize it as it is engraved on the tablets of nature all around us.

I still couldn't get used to seeing tears stream down Joey's face. She hadn't shown emotion before her experience with Yvonne when I introduced them on the beach in Italy in the middle of the night a couple of months ago. It broke my heart to see her crying, and I pulled her in close to me to hold her and stroke her hair. I wanted to make love to her, but I feared the ramifications. I kissed her over and over and apologized for hurting her. However, I knew what she would want from me, and I couldn't give it to her right now, if ever. I asked if she wanted to visit Agamon for another healing session, but to my surprise she declined. She just wanted me to hold her. I had supposed in the past that if Joey could ever feel emotion that she wouldn't give me a second thought, but how wrong I was. She was definitely in love with me, and Joey was used to having everything she wanted. It was hard for me to accept that Joey would murder Evelyn, but I knew for certain that she would. She never made idle threats, nor did she lie.

Joey stripped off her sweats and pinned me to the bed. I had seen this look in her eye once before on the beach the night that Yvonne took her. "Joey, stop! You know what happened the last time you did this. Yvonne took you away."

"Yeah? Well, this time I won't let loose of you, so she can't."

"Joey, you have no idea what she is capable of doing. Please, stop. I don't want to lose you again. I'm begging you." Joey stripped my sweat pants off of me. I pleaded again, "Is this really how you want to make love to me for the first time?"

Joey fell on top of me sobbing uncontrollably. It was her emotion that endangered me, and it was her emotion that saved me just now. I understood Joey's confusion about emotions and how they often contradicted one other. This was all new to her, but I had a lifetime of experience, and I still didn't understand it. I held her for an hour as she wailed and moaned. It was time for another healing session for us both, and we departed to the golden highway to summon Agamon and Yvonne. Because they were our counterparts, nothing was hidden from them concerning us. There wasn't a thought or an emotion that they didn't know we had. After all, Yvonne was me, and I was Yvonne. She once described herself to Annette as being another body part to me. As feeble as that explanation really is, in our realm it is probably the best depiction of our relationship.

Unless you have been on the golden highway and experienced it on a firsthand basis, it is impossible to convey the reality that exists there. I do my best, but my best is an extremely inadequate representation of what it truly is. Nevertheless, I will continue to explain it to the best of my ability. It's like trying to describe color to someone who has been blind since birth. How do you relate something with no reference? When describing experiences and relationships in that realm, we use terms such as "body parts" or "making love" because those are intimate items or experiences to which we can relate. However, it's like comparing a house made of playing cards with the Empire State Building. I can only appeal to your wildest imagination because, believe me, it's far more than you can possibly imagine.

Yvonne was working me hard, but I wanted to talk. Yvonne never wanted to talk. She was insistent on our marathon of celestial lovemaking and utilized so many different talents to drive me into the wildest ecstasy that sent me reeling and screaming with delight. "Oh, dear god, Yvonne, please, I need to talk to you." She let up for an instant, but I was overwhelmed in the residual sensation of having my entire soul stripped naked and ravished with sensuous pleasure that I couldn't speak. She dove in for more, and I screamed as I convulsed over and over in an explosion of orgasmic satisfaction that left me limp and docile.

As I lay breathlessly trying to regain reasonable consciousness, she looked down on me. "What is it that you want to discuss?"

As I gasped for breath, I mouthed the words, "You know what I want to discuss."

"I know what you're experiencing with Joey. Remember that I told you back in Italy that it was going to be difficult for you because you brought her to me. That was a mistake. I can't help what it did to her, although it was in her best interests. However, it needed to wait until much later. You brought this on yourself, and now you have to deal with it. You're expecting me to swoop in and make everything all right. It doesn't work that way, Adriel, and you know it. I don't make the decisions, you do. Remember, I can't do anything contrary to your will, but you often do things contrary to mine. You have no idea what it's like from my end. You drag me through so many experiences and things that I would never do. I want the best for you, but you undermine us in so many ways that it's unfathomable."

I gasped and cleared my throat. "Then why do you put up with me?"

"What choice do I have? I am you."

I finally caught my breath. "I need for you to do something for me. You once said that all dreams are directed by our counterparts on the golden highway. You are the one who orchestrates my dreams."

"That is correct that all premonitions and dreams are directed by us according to what we think we know. However, we aren't infallible."

"I understand, but I need for you to contact Evelyn's counterpart to have him give her a dream to let her know that I am still alive."

"Adriel, that's not how this works. I can't just track down Evelyn's counterpart. If you aren't around Evelyn, then I'm not around him. Much of what I can do depends on what you do in your realm. Besides, I'm not your errand girl. So, don't get the idea that you can give me tasks because that's not my purpose."

"You know my predicament. I don't know what to do."

"It's not my responsibility to tell you what to do. You have to make decisions. You are the one with free will. You can't expect your left leg to stay in one place when you go for a walk. Surely, you know better than that." Yvonne pulled me on top of her to start our second round.

The time correlation between the golden highway and our world was unpredictable for me. What seemed like an hour on the golden highway sometimes equated to a whole day in our world. Joey and I consistently checked the date and time whenever we returned. We felt starved. It had been thirty-six hours since we stepped onto the golden highway, so we retreated to the kitchen to fix a quick meal. I had a leftover leg of lamb in the fridge and some pita bread. I minced some garlic and mixed it with yogurt and oregano. Chopped scallions and cubed feta cheese were stuffed into the pita with the meat and covered with the sauce mixture. I grabbed a bottle of Merlot. Joey's hair was still moist with sweat, and I knew that she had been ravished well. I was trying to expel the thought from my mind that I wished that I had been the one to ravish her. Yvonne would be no help in my predicament. I wanted Joey so badly that I could taste it, but there was no way that I ever wanted to lose my opportunity with Yvonne. I knew what I eventually had to do, but today was not the day that I would do it.

Joey and I took our wine out to the living area and sat in our chairs. The chalet was built on a ledge that dropped over three hundred meters below us. I could never get used to the feeling of hanging in midair. As the sun was beginning to set, Joey suggested that we retire to the bath area and enjoy a bubble bath in the huge jetted sunken tub. I grabbed another bottle of wine and lit some candles. She always like the water hotter than I did, and I often had to take breaks by sitting on the edge of the tub to cool off. After about half an hour she agreed to cool it off for me. I had to admit that the hot jetted water helped soothe my muscles from our vigorous workouts.

It was time to discuss how we were going to lead the United States Treasury Department to access the gold in the deposit that Yvonne had revealed to me two months ago. We filled our wine glasses and eased back against the water jets. Our last project was to locate a gold mine that was believed to be the famous King Solomon's mines. It had all started about eight months ago. My friend, Eddie, had helped me in my first endeavor to prevent the coup in Pakistan that threatened a global nuclear war. He developed a software package that encrypted and routed emails that could not be traced. I had been communicating with dignitaries in South Asia using his software. I also had gotten the United States involved to intervene. I had some capabilities that greatly concerned the leaders of Pakistan, India, and the United States, and they launched a search for the mysterious emailer. One of their technicians recognized similarities between the software that I was using and a product that he had seen on the Internet in the past. Eddie was the developer of that software, and they called him in to locate the operative behind the emails. As amusing as this was, Eddie led them on a wild goose chase, and during the course of events I was able to prevent the coup in Pakistan. What I didn't know was that Eddie had eventually disclosed my identity in hope of securing a very lucrative government contract. The federal government chose to utilize me to find a particular gold mine in hope of creating a financial independence for the United States and gain a position of unparalleled power with the gold from the mine. The gold that they sought no longer existed. However, I was able to locate a much larger vein of gold in another deposit. The problem was the fact that the United States couldn't access the gold as easily as they had hoped. The only hope of attaining the gold was through my ability to navigate this world in a unique fashion. Normally, I wouldn't be a party to enabling our government by giving them access to the gold. However, I had since learned that this was a significant stepping stone in a much greater endeavor that I was called to do.

My original concern was how to engage the United States government while still appearing to be dead. Any possible leaks to the fact that I was still alive would spark a worldwide manhunt to find me, and it would just be a matter of time. Since my fabricated demise, Joey had also been considered to be terminated. Not everyone was convinced, but we couldn't wait forever to put our plan into action. Joey had intended to use David as our front to be the liaison with the United States. This was a delicate situation because in essence we were going to have to steal the gold from another country without their knowledge. When I originally thought that the gold mine for which I was assigned to find resided in eastern Africa, the feds planned to mine the gold with the cooperation of African governments under the guise of a seismic geological investigation. I wasn't sure how they were going to successfully pull that one off, but it was now moot.

The original intent was to find the gold mines of King Solomon. However, as I learned later those mines had been depleted. I had assumed that they were part of the gold of Ophir in the land of Havilah that existed in north central Africa before the splitting of Pangaea into separate continents, but I was wrong. King Solomon never found the gold of Ophir. I had a unique experience a little over a year ago when my memory was restored of events that transpired before I came to this world. I realized that we had all existed long before we came here. I got to watch the shifting of the continents and the splitting and rotating of the land masses. I had assumed that due to the shift that occurred, the gold that was expected to originate in the land of Havilah had ended up around Tanzania or Mozambique. It could have even split off to Madagascar, but how wrong I was. The gold of Ophir ended up farther north than my expectations, and it was now secured in a very historical and significant location.

Joey filled my wine glass and eased back into the bubbles. "It appears that our only contact for this project will be with David Allen. We will need to devise a protocol for him to follow to interface with the contractors who will be assigned to access the gold."

"I don't see how this is going to work, Joey. We will have to be the ones to get them to the gold. How do you expect to do that without them knowing about us? David can't navigate the golden highway. We can't just take them in one by one. I'm missing something here."

"We have a lot to do in a short period of time. I have spent the last two months informing you of the agency and its operations. We have worked on your agility and strength capabilities, and I need to show you some basic self defense. I realize that you don't have the background that I do, and your capabilities are limited. You won't be able to take down multiple assailants the way that I can, but I can get you to be successful in a one on one combat. We will work on your knowledge of human anatomy and your reflexes and speed. In addition to your personal training, we need to be trained about the golden highway. Agamon and Yvonne have much to show us, but we still need more healing. So, I'm not sure when they are going to teach us what we need to know."

It had been a very emotional day, and we decided to towel off and go to bed. I was looking forward to a good night's sleep. Joey was a light sleeper. I knew that she slept, but every time I was awake she would respond with a kiss or a caress. If I raised my head, she was immediately attentive. It didn't take long before I drifted off into a sweet slumber. However, I had a nightmare that greatly disturbed me. I was speaking with Evelyn, and she was terribly upset with me.

"Damn you, Adriel! How could you do this to me?"

"Evelyn, I had to make you think I was dead. I couldn't take the chance of you not showing genuine grief. I still have some undesirables who are looking for me."

"So, you have been shacked up with Joey this whole time? I want a divorce, Adriel. I can't take this."

"Evelyn, please, you can't mean that."

"On second thought, I don't need a divorce. I have your death certificate. I'm free of you Adriel. Get out of here and never come back!"

I shot up in bed as I abruptly awakened from the horror of Evelyn rejecting me. Joey immediately put her arm around me and pulled me in. I couldn't possibly tell her of my nightmare. She never wanted to hear Evelyn's name again. The dream was traumatic, and it took me half an hour to get back to sleep. I didn't know what time it was. It was still very dark outside. I began to awaken as I felt her tongue on my lips. She was teasing and inviting me to offer my tongue for her to gently lick and suck. I wasn't ready to start the day, but I opened my eyes and saw Yvonne's beautiful face staring back at me. She smiled and held out her hand. I hadn't yet moved, and I knew that Joey would be awake in an instant. I shook my head, but Yvonne slipped off her robe and invited once again. I couldn't resist her invitation. I carefully extended my hand, and she transported me to the golden highway.

Evelyn and I had done countless experiments by trial and error on the golden highway. We had learned that there is an improper and proper way to enter that realm. First and foremost, it requires the appropriate partner. One can enter alone via a portal, but the atmosphere is extremely daunting due to the confusion that exists. If you enter with the correct person, you experience a serene and beautiful environment. A breeze blows from your left to your right as you step onto the highway. We learned that the breeze was the passing of time. If one walked into the breeze, he would travel back in time. If one walked with the breeze, he traveled into the future. Traversing time allowed us to see past events and potential future events. However, the future was based on current circumstance, and it could change depending on decisions that people made and the actions that they took. I surmised that the blowing of the breeze was the factor that made the passing of time vary from the golden highway and our world. Whenever we traveled time or space, we always stepped into a parking mode. It allowed us to see this world from a spectator's standpoint. However, we could only come out of parking mode and step into this world in the current time. We were never allowed to come out of parking mode in the past or the future. Parking mode was how I was able to visit Evelyn on occasion in the past two months. I could observe her, but she could not see nor hear me. Joey only allowed two of these visits before she forbade me to see Evelyn again. She had grown more jealous of Evelyn as she saw my emotions when we spied on her.

Yvonne had me lead her into the future on the golden highway to prevent too much time from passing on earth. She wanted to kiss and caress and make love, but I wanted an explanation for the dream that she had given me about Evelyn. "Adriel, relax and enjoy me. We will talk about Evelyn later."

"No, the dream greatly upset me, and I want to know why you did that."

"It is a possible future event, but I plan to take you to Evelyn to let her know that you are still alive."

"What about Joey? She threatened to kill Evelyn."

"I know. Once again, you made a terrible mistake having me meet Joey on the beach in Italy. I hate to keep bringing that up to you, but it was really your bad decision that caused this. Let's take this one step at a time. So, for now I want you to lie down and let me take care of you." Yvonne advance on me, and I succumbed to the overwhelming pleasure. She promised to take me to Evelyn tomorrow night. I was six hours ahead of Evelyn on the clock. Yvonne deposited me back into bed next to Joey who was surprisingly still asleep. I wasn't sure how that was possible, but it was a relief. However, she soon stirred as I pulled the sheet over my naked body. She pulled me in under her arm and continued to snooze.

Joey had spent the past two months introducing me to the agency language. Joey spoke nine languages, and the first language that agents were required to learn was the one developed by the agency. It was virtually impossible to translate due to the fact that there were actually ten fabricated languages, and each had its own vocabulary. There were also fifty-five trigger words that would signify a shift in vocabulary. For example, let's say that you were conversing in English and someone used a trigger word in a sentence. You would then switch to French, until you heard another trigger word and then switch to German. This caused the vocabulary to keep bouncing around which prevented a linguist from deciphering the meaning. All phone and text communications were exchanged in the agency language. I was adept with Greek, Hebrew, and Latin, but this was by far more challenging.

What a night I had, but today we began my self defense training. It was grueling and painful. "Adriel, normally I go for the kill in combat unless there is a reason to bring someone in alive. That's rare in the contracts and projects that employ me because I'm extremely effective in assassination. However, I know your disdain for killing people. So, I'm going to teach you how to disable your opponent quickly and effectively. Try to attack me, and don't hold back."

I lunged as quickly as I could, but Joey maneuvered behind me and pushed her fingers into the muscle just above my left clavicle beside my neck. I screamed and collapsed on the floor. "My god! What was that?"

"I didn't apply full pressure to you, Adriel, or you would have been incapacitated for over twelve hours. You need to strengthen your hands for this move because you have to push your finger beneath the muscle to touch the nerve. The pain is excruciating, and I would never do that to you. Once you learn this move, you can take down someone twice your size in an instant, but it does require considerable strength in your hands."

Joey spent the next two hours showing me similar nerve points under the arm, groin, side of the leg, back, and buttocks. There were many moves that would kill a person, but she sidestepped those for my sake. The most distasteful move she showed me was the eye gouge. It was a quick, swift movement with the first two fingers in a rigid, curved formation. You had to thrust the fingers into the outside corner and snap twist. The eye would pop out of socket in a split second. Joey and I used to play a game where I would hold a toothpick in my mouth extended about one inch. She would snatch the toothpick from my mouth without touching me. I would try to block or dodge, but she was fast as lightning. She used this ability for her eye gouge move, but she admitted that these days it was extremely rare. In the course of one day, she made me a much more dangerous opponent, but I still had a lot to learn and needed much more practice.

As usual, Joey had exhausted me with our physical workout and practice. I took a couple of ibuprofen tablets and eased into the hot water bath as the jets blasted my sore muscles with a soothing water massage. She brought me a glass of red wine and dropped her robe before stepping into the pool of water to nestle herself under my arm. Her form was always breathtaking. Her kisses and caresses were delightful, but my mind was focused on seeing Evelyn again and letting her know that I was still alive and wanted her back. I was apprehensive about my dream and wondered how she might react. In addition, I had to be sure that Joey didn't know that I had been with Evelyn. Joey and Evelyn had yet to navigate the golden highway without me. They weren't nearly as advanced as I was. Yvonne could take me anywhere, so I virtually learned to navigate by myself because Yvonne is me. I could transport others as well, but only one at a time. I was wondering if I would later understand how to take more than one. I knew that I had a lot to learn.

One of the interesting facts that I had discovered about the golden highway was the effect of gravity. I had once taken a twenty pound dumbbell with me when I was experimenting at the portal in Giza with Evelyn. I threw the weight into the air and had Evelyn catch it. She snatched it like a piece of paper. I had contemplated the possibility that the Egyptians had used the portal to build the pyramids. I had wondered if they found a way to transport the massive stones through the portal to position them with the accuracy that left us baffled. If I learned such capabilities, extracting the gold from the deposit in that mountain might not be as monumental as I originally thought. The extraction of the gold would merely be the movement of a pawn in this chess game of life and death that I was playing.

The shadows on the Alps were growing long, and Joey was getting amorous and too aggressive. I knew that it was time to visit Agamon and Yvonne. I never feared that Agamon would tell Joey about me visiting Evelyn. Our counterparts never did anything to us that they didn't consider to be in our best interests. I knew for certain that having Joey learn of my meeting with Evelyn would not be the best for her. I knew that he would wear her out for the evening. I could count on that, but then again Yvonne would do the same to me. However, she intended to take me during the night. I just hoped that Joey would again remain asleep. I'm sure you realize by now how much I wish that I could make love to Evelyn, make love to Joey, and make love to Yvonne, but that just wasn't going to be possible. Choices had to be made before long, and I dreaded having to choose. I was about to put Evelyn's life at risk, and I didn't relish that idea. In addition, being open and honest could cause her to lose her life. So, I had to deceive Joey, and I hated doing that. Joey didn't lie to me, and I felt bad that since she had begun to suffer from emotion I could no longer be open and honest. It was too dangerous.

We spent another amazing time with Agamon and Yvonne. The experience did help to relieve our sexual desire and tension, but it wasn't really sexual. It often appeared that way to us, but onlookers would disagree. I was really exhausted and didn't see how Yvonne was going to keep me awake tonight. Besides, Joey had me tucked into her like a stuffed animal. I could barely breathe from her bare right breast pressed into my face. That's not a complaint; it just seemed to be more challenging for Yvonne to take me. I did feel safe and loved, and within a few minutes I was sound asleep. I awoke to Yvonne gently blowing in my face. I saw her beautiful dark eyes staring at me. She smiled and held out her hand. I was still being held tightly by Joey, and I was afraid that my disappearance would awaken her. As I raised my arm to extend my hand, Joey pulled me in and raised her head. She was startled by Yvonne's presence and sprang up in bed. Yvonne tried to console her and asked to take me for a discussion, but Joey adamantly refused. Yvonne conceded and disappeared. I was disappointed and frustrated. I had hoped to see Evelyn tonight, but Joey wasn't going to let me out of her sight. I considered telling Joey that I needed another session with Yvonne, but she knew full well that Yvonne had exhausted me earlier. It was nearly an hour before I fell back to sleep.

The next morning, I was upset with Joey. These emotions never existed when she suffered from Emotional Detachment Disorder. We used to get along famously. It was a wonderful relationship, but now that emotion had clouded her judgment I often felt myself being frustrated with her.

I lashed out. "Yvonne wanted to take me last night to teach me some things, but you wouldn't let her. How am I supposed to learn what I need to know if you won't let me out of your sight?"

"Since when were you supposed to receive teaching without me, Adriel? I thought that Agamon and Yvonne were going to teach us together."

"Well, so did I, but she came last night to take me. You shouldn't resist her, Joey. She's here to help me."

"Maybe so, but she's not here to help me. I don't trust her."

I knew that arguing with Joey would get me nowhere. I pulled her close and hugged her. "I understand. I don't like being away from you either." I kissed her passionately, and we began another session of play that I hoped wouldn't get out of hand.

This wasn't the first time that Joey had kept me from Yvonne. A few months ago, I had finally realized who Yvonne was. Evelyn and I had met our counterparts on the golden highway and had erroneously assumed that they were another couple who could guide us in that realm. However, as our encounters with them progressed we learned that they were actually our counterparts of ourselves within that environment. I knew there was more to us than just our bodies, spirits, and souls, but I had no idea. Since the day that I recognized that Yvonne was truly me, she had wanted to take me at night for my healing session, but Joey had kept a tight hold on me at all times. Joey did everything with me, showered, slept, watched my intimate times with Evelyn, and followed me to the toilet. Joey and Annette had been warned that someone would take me if I were left alone. Joey took her assignment very seriously, and she never stopped clinging to me. However, one day during an attack to get to me Joey was shot in the leg as she was taking out the perpetrators. She spent a couple of weeks in an agency medical facility, and Yvonne was then able to introduce my healing which was far more wonderful than words will allow.

After that last attempt on my life, Annette suspected that someone in the agency relocation team was disclosing our whereabouts for compensation from someone who wanted me dead. She decided to secretly move Evelyn, me, and herself to a secluded resort in the boot of Italy on the Adriatic Sea. It was a wonderful place with complete privacy. Again, we were tanning ourselves naked on the beach, and Evelyn and I were making love whenever we wanted. That was when Yvonne had first taken me. It happened one afternoon when Evelyn and Annette were napping on beach towels in the sand. I was supposed to watch over them so that they didn't burn in the intense Italian sunshine. However, I saw a woman walking in the surf who turned out to be Yvonne. She made love to me for the first time and left her virgin blood all over me. Once again, this is impossible to explain in earthly terms. When I returned to Evelyn and Annette on the beach, Evelyn was outraged, and Annette took samples of the blood. Evelyn insisted that I be tested for sexually transmitted diseases, and Annette decided that we should use the golden highway to step over to an agency clinic in Washington, D. C. I was cleared of any disease, and the blood sample was analyzed. I was surprised when I learned that the DNA of the blood that had been collected from my genitals was not only someone else's, it was apparently from someone as close to me as an identical twin. I didn't understand how this could be, but when I later posed the question to Yvonne she explained that trying to understand her relationship to me by worldly means would only raise more questions than answers.

For some reason, Evelyn never developed a relationship with her counterpart as I had with Yvonne. I wasn't sure why, but I had some reasonable ideas. Her relationship with Annette was just beginning, and that was one suspicion that I had that she hadn't progressed. However, I was in a quandary because Evelyn and Annette now thought that I had been unfaithful to her with a stranger on the beach. That's when Annette insisted on meeting Yvonne. Once Annette witnessed my healing encounter with Yvonne, she readily understood that I had not been unfaithful to Evelyn. Yvonne began coming to me at night. Sometimes she would meet me on the beach, and sometimes she would take me to the golden highway. When we brought Joey back in after her stay in the medical facility, Annette thought that Joey should meet Yvonne. I had no clue as to how bad that idea was. That's when Joey started to feel emotion and became obsessed with me. Finally, Yvonne had to snatch her from the beach during one of our late night visits. She had introduced Joey to her counterpart, Agamon, for the purpose of beginning her healing sessions. That was the first time that I realized that Yvonne could take other people to the golden highway. However, Joey and Evelyn had never learned to navigate without me.

It didn't take a genius to figure out that Joey desperately wanted to learn to navigate alone. She was already the most successful assassin in the world, but if she could navigate to anyone anywhere at anytime she would become the greatest assassin of all time. I had learned from one of the agency directors that Joey had been given the nickname Angel of Death. If they thought she was so lethal now, they had no idea what she would become later. To put the icing on this cake of horror, Joey now was suffering from human emotion which made her incredibly unpredictable. I had hopes that Agamon would never show her how to navigate without me. Then again, that was posing me a serious problem at the moment. She never wanted me out of her sight, and I was reluctant to upset her too much.

I couldn't rely on alcohol consumption to put Joey out for the night. I once had seen her drink three quarters of a bottle of French vodka and perform a stupendous exercise in agility, skill, and acrobatics with pinpoint accuracy. Somehow, I needed to get her permission to spend time alone with Yvonne. I had an idea, but it was dangerous and deceptive.

"Joey, Sweetie, I have been thinking about what you said the other day. If we got married, it would solve so many of our problems. You have no idea how much I want that, but you also know that Yvonne and Agamon wouldn't return if we violated their rules. We can't afford to lose our ability to navigate with them because I believe they hold the key to our future capabilities. What if I can persuade Yvonne to concede and let us marry?"

Joey gave me a suspicious look. "How stupid do you think I am? Adriel, I would never try to deceive you like that. You have no idea how much that hurts me. I love you, and I always tell you the truth. I disclose everything that I feel and every intention of my heart. No one would be as true and faithful to you as I am. Your ex-wife is with Annette, and that didn't take long to happen. I would be true to you forever, but you injure me by trying to deceive me about your feelings."

I felt horrible, and tears began to fall from my eyes. I hated it when she referred to Evelyn as my ex-wife, but Joey was right. As dangerous and heartless as she appeared at times, she really did have a sense of dedication and loyalty. In fact, she made me look dastardly compared to her when it came to commitment. I had compromised my marriage with Evelyn, I had tried to deceive Joey, I had even let Annette's twin sister indulge me in Cannes at one time, but that's another story. Yvonne had used visions to show me how unfaithful I was. I made compromises and justified my actions, but in truth I was a faithless, selfish, deceitful lover. The only thing that kept me from indulging Joey to the fullest was my fear of losing Yvonne. I disgusted myself. I was inching dangerously closer to being guilted into making love to Joey. I knew that Yvonne was aware of everything that I was thinking.

# **CHAPTER TWO**

# **_EVELYN_**

****

****

As many times as I had felt responsible for taking action during times of crisis or danger, I still had yet to learn to trust in the provision of my Creator. Yvonne was a new concept in my life. She lived in a realm that was above my earthly existence, and yet she was an integral part of me. She was as mortal as I was. Her existence in the world of the golden highway was dependent on my existence upon earth, and vice versa. I was embarrassed for trying to deceive Joey, and I knew that Yvonne would not approve. As much as I enjoyed my healing process, I knew that I needed to make progress, and I had just fragmented myself even more. It almost sounded counterintuitive to stop increasing my need for healing because the process was so pleasurable. However, what I was learning was that the more healing that I accomplished, the greater was the euphoria that I experienced. As a result, Joey and I were holding each other back from going far beyond what we had experienced with Agamon and Yvonne. If we could stop undermining ourselves, we could graduate to realms of ecstasy far beyond what we had already experienced. That's much easier said than done. We desperately wanted one another contrary to the direction of Agamon and Yvonne. I already knew enough to realize that if I did have intercourse with Joey, Yvonne would be forced into the same with Agamon, and she did not want that. She rightly accused me of dragging her through situations and decisions that were contrary to her will.

I had tried to devise a way to break away from Joey so that Yvonne could take me to Evelyn. I never should have taken it upon myself to manipulate the situation. I was responsible for making the right decisions for my life, and conniving and deceiving was not the appropriate choice. If I could really have anything in the world that I wanted, it would be to go back to my former life with Evelyn before all of this turmoil began with the search for the gold mine. However, I knew that would not be possible. Instead, I was hoping to glean some shred of existence with Evelyn going forward into the future. My first hurdle was to let her know that I was still alive and determine if she really wanted me back. That scared me more than anything.

That night, as Joey and I were settling into bed Yvonne showed up again. Joey grabbed me around the waist, but Yvonne didn't advance. She sat on the bed as though we were having a slumber party. She kept her robe on and began to disclose things to me about my past experiences. Joey clutched me tightly because I knew that she didn't trust Yvonne. However, Yvonne was careful to keep her distance and not threaten Joey in any way. After all, Joey could end her life which would end mine as well. I was hoping that Joey was aware of that fact.

Yvonne joked and laughed and giggled for over an hour as she recounted my experiences in my first project to take down the coup in Pakistan. I had been completely unaware of her at that time. The first experience that led to my involvement to prevent a world disaster was that I could read the minds of other people. I also had my memory restored of times past before I ever descended to this earth and was born to my mother. I had known my mother prior to our descent to this earthly plane, and we had originally agreed to be husband and wife on earth. However, due to circumstances that happened during the course of time before we got to descend she changed her mind. Although many of us had agreements before we descended to earth, everything had to be negotiated with the Creator. Once an agreement with him was established, it provided a course for our earthly lives. Yvonne thought it was ironic that the one who I had hoped to be my wife on earth actually turned out to become my mother.

What astounded me was when she explained that my ability to have prescendant memories of my former existence and know the thoughts of others was due to her disclosing these things to me from her realm. I had thought that the Creator had somehow given me these abilities, and I still believed that he did. I just didn't know how he did it. He allowed Yvonne to disclose things to me that were not normally a part of the protocol that they followed. Having these memories and being able to read what others were thinking gave me an incredible advantage at that time. I eventually learned how to project thought which gave me the ability to communicate thoughts to others. I had previously assumed that I needed to send emails to the dignitaries in South Asia, but as it turned out I never needed that. This was another example of me taking matters into my own hands, and it caused a considerable amount of trouble as can be seen in my chronicles that I published under the title _False Antichrist_. Yvonne was transferring thoughts for me to other counterparts in her realm. Whenever I made earthly contact with someone, it established her contact with their counterpart. Once I understood the mechanics behind this communication, it didn't seem so mysterious.

We often interpreted events in two basic categories, science and spiritual. However, I was learning that there was no distinction. It was all science, and it didn't negate the existence of a Creator who provided intelligent design. I could never really understand those who refused to believe in a creator. Conversely, I could never understand the blind belief that creationists had which contradicted science. Both sides of that spectrum appeared to bend facts into fiction that supported their belief systems. Rather, I wanted a belief system that coincided with the facts. Unfortunately, most people never delved into the realms necessary to understand. As Yvonne once told me, very few people ever find the golden highway. I couldn't help what others thought or believed, nor did I care. I wanted to explore more of this unknown realm and learn how it affected my life on earth. Yet, there was the inherent deterrent that had me pulled in securely at my waist.

I noticed that Yvonne was pulling Joey into the conversation and reaching out to touch her hand. It took over an hour to feel Joey's grip begin to loosen. I would turn from time to time to give her a kiss or caress her arm. Yvonne made a bold move. She removed her robe and lay on the bed inviting Joey to climb on top. I had witnessed a similar move by Yvonne on the beach in the middle of the night in Italy when she first met Joey. Yvonne's body was incredibly inviting. Joey may be the epitome of sensuality in the earthly realm, but Yvonne was her match on the golden highway. Joey scooted out from behind me and lay naked on top of Yvonne. Yvonne kissed her over and over, exchanging tongues and saliva. She wrapped her legs around Joey and asked. "Why don't you trust me?" Joey didn't answer. Yvonne kept working Joey with her pelvis and demanded once again, "Why don't you trust me?" Joey was moaning with delight and ground her pelvis back into Yvonne's. I think at this point my jaw had dropped onto the bed. Yvonne made some incredible moves that sent Joey screaming into orgasm which aroused me beyond my ability to resist. As I dove toward Yvonne, she pulled me in and engaged me fully as Joey was still writhing in delight. It was erotic, confusing, and incredibly satisfying. Just before Yvonne retreated, she whispered in my ear, "Don't you dare fuck her. We're going to go see Evelyn."

I lay in bed holding Joey as she lightly moaned. I had never witnessed her having an orgasm before, but it was the most earthly erotic experience that I had up to this point. I was trying to understand her physical orgasm with Yvonne. Yvonne had a tangible body which she explained was part of me. I couldn't comprehend that Yvonne had actually engaged in physical sexual intercourse with Joey and brought her to orgasm, but yet I wasn't allowed to do the same. My head was spinning at this point, and I needed more time to process what had just happened. The one major fact that I did get from this was that Yvonne told me that we were going to go see Evelyn. Joey had made me perform certain favors for her in Italy after she had received her emotions. However, I was never aware of her experiencing an orgasm. Some women had varying degrees of pleasure and expression, and it was sometimes unclear to what extent they had been satisfied. Others nearly tore sheets in two as they skyrocketed into orgasmic explosion. However, after watching Joey scream with pleasure, I was somewhat relieved that I hadn't done that to her before. After all, once I reconnected with Evelyn I would have a lot of explaining to do. Evelyn had suffered considerably from Joey's possessiveness of me in Italy after she began to feel emotion. She taunted Evelyn with me, and it hurt me considerably to see Evelyn demoralized by her. We were all afraid of what Joey might do, so we did our best to maintain what shred of decency that we could and remain alive in the process.

Later in the evening as the stars began to shine brightly above the Alps, I went to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. I was startled by Yvonne who was sitting at the table waiting for me. She was smiling triumphantly and asked, "So, what did you think of my little escapade with Joey?"

This was much like talking to myself. "Well, I felt jealous, relieved, excited, aroused, disappointed, frustrated, confused. Shall I go on?"

Yvonne shook her head and laughed. "No, it won't be necessary. The main thing is that you can explain to Evelyn that your encounters with Joey weren't as satisfying as Evelyn feared."

I shot Yvonne a doubtful glance as I poured the hot water over my tea bag. "I rather doubt that Evelyn is going to believe much of what I say."

"On the contrary, Adriel, why do you think I am going to accompany you?"

"Oh, for god's sake, Yvonne, she still thinks that you seduced me on the beach. She hasn't seen you since before that time."

"But I did seduce you. She just hasn't seen us together, or she wouldn't feel so threatened."

I looked over at her in wonder. "Are you planning on putting on a show for her?"

"Oh, no, no, I didn't mean that. I just meant that in reality she has nothing to be jealous of concerning us. I will be there to vouch for you. She knows me from the golden highway, but she has never conversed with me before."

"Well, I greatly appreciate that, but that dream you gave me still has me concerned."

"That's why we're going to visit her. I don't want her to get into that frame of mind."

"You do realize that this is going to complicate matters and endanger her, don't you?"

"Yes, but we can't avoid that. We need to take this one step at a time. Finish your tea because we need to get going."

I just remembered that Joey had drifted off to sleep. I couldn't believe that I was so distracted by the sexual encounter that I forgot about my opportunity with Yvonne. I put my cup on the table. "Let's get going. I don't want to waste any time."

Yvonne took my hand, and we made the step onto the golden highway. One more step, and we were in parking position in Evelyn's kitchen. Much to my surprise, she was making a cup of tea. Yvonne looked over at me and squeezed my hand. "Are you ready?" I nodded.

Yvonne stepped us into the kitchen on the other side of the island that held the stove top. Evelyn let out a terrible scream and fell against the counter to her back. I tried to console her. "Evelyn, it's all right. It's me, Adriel"

Evelyn was shaking violently. "Adriel, have you found a way to visit me from beyond the grave? I don't understand. Did this angel bring you here?"

"She's not an angel." Yvonne feigned an injured look. "This is Yvonne. She's my counterpart from the golden highway. She brought me here to you to prove that I'm still alive."

Evelyn staggered over to the table and sat in a chair shaking her head. "I need to see a doctor. I've totally lost it now."

Yvonne stepped over to Evelyn and put her hand on Evelyn's back. "Evelyn, dear, I know this is hard for you, but you need to trust me. Adriel is alive, and I can explain it all to you. I have been keeping him safe these past two months to protect him from the evil men who want to harm him."

Evelyn looked up at Yvonne in wild eyed amazement. She then looked over to me. I was afraid to approach her too quickly because she was in a state of shock. I held out my hands and invited her to come to me. Yvonne encouraged her and led Evelyn to my awaiting arms. Tears streamed from my face as I held Evelyn tightly. It felt so good to have her next to me. I wanted to make love to her, but I still needed for her to accept the new reality that I was alive. I pulled her face up toward mine and began to kiss her. She was shaking and crying, and she thought that she was dreaming. I looked over at Yvonne who nodded her head in encouragement. I looked into her eyes. "Evelyn, I'm here. I'm alive. I want us to be together, but we have to be extremely careful or it will endanger us both."

Evelyn pushed me back and looked me up and down. "I know that I'm dreaming, but I don't care. I want this dream to last as long as it can."

I took advantage of the opportunity and led her into the bedroom. I stripped her pink sweats off and gently laid her on the bed. I continued to kiss, nibble, and caress and slowly descended to her soft, firm breasts. As her arousal mounted, I gradually continued my way downward and slipped my arms around her legs. I pulled her apart to reveal her throbbing, moist mound that was begging for the caresses of my tongue. I slowly and gently began as I could feel her tremble and moan. After about two minutes, she exploded into delight. The next four waves of ecstasy came within another minute, and I stripped off my clothes. I gently kissed and nibbled my way back to her lips and we began a medley of sensually blissful positions as we slowly and tearfully made sweet love together. "Oh, Adriel, I don't want to wake up." I gently sucked on her soft neck to leave a mark for her to know later that this was no dream.

Yvonne had disappeared, and I knew what she was doing. She was enjoying Evelyn's counterpart on the golden highway in much the same manner as I was. I knew that every time I erupted with delight that Yvonne was experiencing the same. Although Yvonne and I made love, it was nothing like what we experienced with Evelyn and her counterpart. Evelyn had never named him. She never had the experiences that I did, and she had no idea what it was like to receive that kind of healing. Nevertheless, I was enjoying her to the fullest. She offered to turn over, but I wanted to face her the whole time that we made love. I had missed her so much, and I didn't want to lose a second of her tongue entwined with mine.

Evelyn and I had been enthralled for over two hours. We lay holding one another and continued to silently weep together. Yvonne appeared once again and sat on the bed. She stroked Evelyn's back and then scooted in next to her. Evelyn turned to look at her, and Yvonne removed her robe. She pulled Evelyn on top of her and began gently kissing and caressing her. She teased Evelyn's tongue with hers and whispered into her ear. "This is no dream, Evelyn. I am keeping your Adriel safe. We will return to you from time to time, but you must keep this a secret. It is extremely important that no one knows that Adriel is still alive." I saw Evelyn nod with understanding. Yvonne then turned to me and instructed me to go shower before we returned.

All at once, I remembered Joey. Yvonne was careful not to mention her. My concern was that Joey was going to realize what Yvonne and I had done, and it would jeopardize Evelyn's safety. I hurriedly showered and dressed. I kept my composure as I kissed Evelyn goodbye for now. Yvonne took my hand and stepped us onto the golden highway. I became frantic as I expressed my fears to Yvonne.

"Calm down, Adriel. I am about to show you something about the golden highway. However, you must listen very carefully because this is a very dangerous maneuver, and if you use it improperly it can create havoc in your world. The comforting aspect of this to me is that you will not be able to accomplish it without me, but you can abuse it. Please don't. In addition, please do not tell anyone about this capability. It is secret, and this is disclosed to no one. The only reason that I can show you this is because of your character. I can trust you, but you will be tempted to abuse it. Now, walk me into the breeze." I led Yvonne into the breeze until she told me to stop. She stepped us back into my kitchen in Switzerland. My cup of tea was still steaming. Yvonne passionately kissed me and whispered, "I'll explain all of this later." She disappeared as I heard Joey descending the stairs.

"I must have dozed off to sleep."

"You did. I decided to come down and make a cup of tea. Would you like some?"

"Yes, please, that sounds good."

Joey showed no signs of suspicion. I looked at the clock. Yvonne had brought me back to the same place and time that we had left to go see Evelyn. Was my experience real? Yvonne had let me see many visions in the past that I had thought were real, but later I discovered that they weren't. She wanted Evelyn to know that she wasn't dreaming, but now I was beginning to wonder if I were. Yvonne promised to explain later, and I was curious to know what really happened. Then again, did it really matter? What if these tremendous experiences were lifelike dreams? Was the experience the most important aspect of it all? I remembered Yvonne's question to me over two months ago. "What is reality?" The maneuver that she just showed me on the golden highway was incredible. However, I wondered if it negated the experience. If I returned to the time before I met with Evelyn, did she really have the experience? There was no way for me to ask her. If I could really go places and do things and then return to the same place and time, nothing would be impossible for me.

That is exactly what the translation of the Egyptian scroll said that I had found in the papal archives in Avignon, France. Evelyn and I had been exploring about four months ago to find clues to the location of the gold mine that I was supposed to find. David Allen suspicioned that the Templars had found the gold around 1000 AD. He hoped that we would find evidence of the gold mine in an ancient document. However, what Evelyn and I found was far more significant than gold. It was prophetic, poetic, and contained essential attributes concerning the golden highway. I was realizing that not only did Yvonne show me where the gold was located, but she was also going to show me how to access the gold. The question that was looming in my mind was whether or not the United States Treasury Department was going to be the recipient of that gold.

I had so much to ask Yvonne. I had been terribly concerned about how I would see Evelyn, and how I would access the gold. However, with the knowledge of this new capability I realized that the consternation that I suffered before was for naught. I was now wondering what other capabilities were available on the golden highway. Life just went from frightening to exciting in one night. I have had some very strange experiences in my life. However, each month that passed provided more and more incredible experiences. A year ago, I would never have dreamed that all of this was possible. I remember times when I thought that I had reached a plateau of understanding. I didn't see how my experience and knowledge could progress beyond what I had already learned. How naive I was! One of the most exciting aspects is that I was gradually becoming aware that experience and knowledge had no limits. They were as infinite as the Creator himself. I would never reach a pinnacle of understanding, and that in itself was thrilling to know. As fantastic and indescribable as my current experiences were, I knew by faith that they were pale in comparison of what I would soon get to experience.

Yvonne warned me not to disclose my newly found maneuver on the golden highway. My mind was racing with possibilities. I was now wondering if I could return to the time that I had left Evelyn and continue from there. If so, it could be possible to live two lives simultaneously by overlapping timeframes in two different places. Sometimes my imagination got the better of me, but it was an exciting concept to consider. That would allow me to have a life with Joey and a life with Evelyn. However, I knew that it would be a matter of a short time before I got confused and said or did the wrong thing to botch the entire opportunity. It certainly sounded wonderful, but it also appeared to be exhausting. However, my imagination couldn't come close to what I was about to learn from Yvonne.

Joey and I cuddled together on the couch to enjoy the moon glow on the mountaintops. The scenery was breathtaking, and I enjoyed these moments with Joey. I caressed her arm, and she placed my hand upon her right breast. I stopped caressing and gave her a kiss on her cheek. She turned to engage me in a more intimate experience. My time with Evelyn gave me a newly found strength to resist Joey. After a few minutes, I told her that I was getting tired and wanted to go to sleep. She was visibly disappointed, but we headed up the stairs to get ready for bed because it was now past midnight, and we had more training and workouts to do in the morning. I was afraid that Yvonne's stimulation that she had provided for Joey was going to be expected of me, but I learned that my only responsibility was to make the right decision.

I awoke to being stripped of my pajamas. I was tired and not ready for another test of my resolve. However, I was relieved to see that it was Yvonne who advanced on me and not Joey. Before I knew it, we were on the golden highway. Yvonne rarely allowed me to wear clothing around her. She complained that it just got in her way. We spent about an hour and a half in another incredible healing session. Finally, Yvonne turned to me and asked me to describe what I saw.

"I see the golden highway. It appears to be made of golden glass because I can see down into it about a foot or so. The trees and shrubs scattered throughout the landscape are brilliant, sparkling colors like precious gems and jewels. The grasslike ground cover is incredibly soft, and I smell a scent similar to gardenia. There is a brilliantly white light, but I can't tell what is causing it. Everything seems to be illuminated. The sky is bright blue, and I see no clouds. Oh, yes, and there is a breeze blowing down the highway."

"OK, Adriel, do you remember when I told you back in Italy that I was tempted to show you something, but it wasn't in your best interests at that time?"

"Yes, I do. That was the night that Joey met you. You said that I was trying to gain a perspective of you from three different vantage points because I introduced you to Annette and Joey on different occasions. I wanted to see what they thought of you in addition to my experience, but you said that it was like three blind men trying to understand an elephant. One touched the leg and said it was like a tree. Another touched the tail and said it was like a rope. The third touched the trunk and said it was like a hose. I supposed from your analogy that the three of us were wrong about you."

"Well, the three blind men weren't wrong in their analyses. They just couldn't see the whole picture, and they related their experiences to what they knew. You are doing the same in this realm because of your perceptions on earth. Your brain perceives things in a fashion to be able to make sense of it all. For example, there is no breeze blowing. Your mind provides that concept in a way that you can relate to the passing of time. Everything that you perceive is related to something that you know. I have to be very careful here because you are extremely fragile, and I can't afford to break you. You perceive our healing sessions as sexual. You perceive the golden highway as a means to traverse time and space. It's important for you to continue to relate your experiences to events and experiences in your own life. Just understand that the reality is far different. We are standing in the hub of time and space. We can go anywhere and to any time from where we are. I have walked you into the breeze to go back in time, and I have walked you with the breeze to go forward in time. This was to allow you to relate to the experience. However, it isn't necessary. You can go anywhere to any time with me standing right here. I know what you were thinking about having a life with Evelyn and a life with Joey. Remember that I told you this capability was extremely dangerous, and that you would be tempted to abuse it. You must be careful to only do that which I recommend because we can get into a lot of trouble if we unravel the time space continuum on earth. What I did with you and Evelyn last evening was a safe maneuver. It didn't put you in the same place at the same time. It allowed you to be in two places at once, but only allowed you to experience one at a time. We could have done this differently, but it would most likely have broken your ability to live on the earth. You could end up in a mental ward drugged out of your mind, and I don't want that to happen. So, don't color outside the lines, Adriel. It would be disastrous."

"I'll keep that in mind. You left so abruptly that I didn't have a chance to thank you for taking me to Evelyn."

"No thanks are necessary, Adriel. It was as wonderful and exciting for me as it was for you. Never forget that I am you. However, I would appreciate you taking me into consideration with each decision that you make."

"So, when are we going to visit Evelyn next?"

Yvonne smiled and gave me a look of understanding. "There is so much for you to learn. As I was explaining, everyone needs a belief system and paradigms to be able to cope with life. Life on earth is so subjective that no one really understands the true reality. I know that you can remember times past when you had major paradigm shifts and even felt dizziness as though you would pass out. Severe shifts in one's belief system have a radical effect, and most are unwilling to give up their current beliefs in the quest for Truth. I know that in the past you believed that you had found it, but it is an ongoing process with infinite results. Never forget that, and never stop seeking Truth. Lucky for you, I know how you perceive things. I understand your infantile paradigms, so I can reveal aspects to you in a judicious fashion that will not be overwhelming for you. I just need for you to be patient and not experiment too much. I will be making you incredibly dangerous to others who live in your realm. You were once concerned about becoming corrupt because the agency promised to give you anything that you wanted. Adriel, that is nothing compared to what I am going to do with you. However, in order to accomplish what you need to do, it will be necessary to give you these capabilities."

"So, where does the Creator fit into all of this? I remember having an incredible dream about a year ago where the Creator was portrayed as a woman. We were naked and with other couples who were performing some sort of water ballet in a clear, sandy bottomed pond. Afterward, we left to go to a place that was supposed to be home. She stopped, kissed me, and I noticed a silver umbilicus from my abdomen to hers. As she drew close, our bodies melded into one. It was exciting, euphoric, and surreal."

Yvonne's smile broke into a giggle. "I remember. I was the one who gave you that dream. I wanted you to understand the intimacy that the Creator has with all of us. Much of this is hard to explain, and I must use earthly terms to be able to relate it to you. You can't describe to others what you and I do together, and explaining this to you is very difficult as well. When you are hungry and partake of food, you never think of the mechanics behind what you are doing. You don't consider the brain's recognition of hunger or its impulse to reach for the food. You are unaware of the nerves used to relay signals to the muscles to cause you to grasp the food or the act of chewing or digestion. You simply just eat when you are hungry. However, as we function together you have some burning desire to know the mechanics behind it all. You want to understand the relational aspect of the Creator with me. You also want to understand my relationship to you. I understand your curiosity, but it isn't necessary to comprehend it all. What is necessary is that you make the right decisions and proceed with caution. Free will is a frightening aspect of mankind. The Creator doesn't force you into making decisions. Granted, he or she can be very persuasive, but it's still your choice. No matter how I try to explain it, or no matter what you may see, you will still continue to shove the square peg of reality into the round hole of your paradigm." Yvonne pulled me a few steps along with the breeze and lay on the soft grass beside the golden highway. She spread wide and invited, "Come, make love to me."

When I awoke, Joey was in the shower. In the recent past, when everyone was afraid that I would be snatched out of thin air, Joey would continually cling to me. I could do nothing apart from her. She had witnessed countless times my every conceivable bodily function that existed. However, these days she was more lax concerning my immediate safety. It felt good to have her more relaxed. Although, I knew that she still didn't trust Yvonne. I wandered into the shower to join her, and we planned our day. She seemed to be in a relatively good mood, but I attributed that to the attention that Yvonne had given her. She was hungry for French toast with Black Forest ham today. We finished our shower, and I headed for the kitchen.

I always kept a homemade loaf of bread handy for various recipes that I had created. The one that I used for French toast was double yeasted and made with eggs and honey. I sliced four one-inch pieces of bread and let them soak in an egg mixture with stevia, cinnamon, nutmeg, Garam Masala, and allspice. Once they were completely saturated, I put them into the oven on a baking sheet on low heat until the egg solidified. In the meantime, I fried some ham in a skillet to get it warm. The bread was then taken from the oven and browned in the pan with butter. In no time, Joey had her breakfast on the table with a lit candle and a steaming cup of coffee. She had pure maple syrup and freshly whipped cream on the side.

After breakfast, we sat in the living area sipping our coffee. Joey explained to me what she intended to teach me for the day. I was surprised how much of the agent training revolved around killing people. She chose to sidestep those areas for my sake due to my aversion to murder. However, there was an entire class on poisons and antidotes in addition to the various attack methods to end someone's life. Even though torture did not necessarily result in killing the subject, I chose to skip that lesson as well. We continued to focus on my speed, strength, and practicing self defense. I was improving, but no matter how diligently I tried, I could never land a punch on her. There were times that I became discouraged, but she always encouraged me and showed me what I did wrong. She demonstrated how I was shifting my body and balance that forecasted every move I intended to make. She knew long before I acted which hand or foot I was going to use. She showed me how to posture and shift and use a limb that sometimes seemed impossible. When my children were very young, Evelyn and I would take them to places to play games. There was one game with heads that would pop up, and the children used a mallet to smack them back down. They popped up in random which made it difficult to know where to strike. That's what Joey was trying to teach me. She wanted my punches and kicks to be unpredictable.

Being ahead of Evelyn by six hours proved to be advantageous. I could leave Joey asleep in our bed and visit Evelyn during her evening hours. Yvonne waited until Joey had drifted off before she entered our bedroom and took my hand. I knew that I was going to return in the exact moment that Yvonne had removed me from Joey. If Joey did awaken, I wouldn't be gone for even one second. Yvonne always wore a white robe, that is whenever she wasn't naked, which was most of the time. However, we were standing on the golden highway, and all I had on was my pajama bottoms. If I appeared to Evelyn dressed this way, it would make her very suspicious. Yvonne wanted to keep Evelyn unaware of my current living situation. She didn't want to take the chance of awakening Joey. Fortunately, we learned by observing in parking mode that Evelyn had not gotten rid of my clothing. Apparently, she couldn't bear the thought of removing my memory from the house. Yvonne and I were able to slip in and retrieve a pair of sweats for me as Evelyn was in the living area reading.

It was somewhat alarming to startle Evelyn the way that we did, but it was inevitable. We sauntered into the living area and allowed Evelyn to see us before approaching very close. Again, she screamed, but she gained control much sooner than last time. She bolted from her chair and ran to me. She grabbed hold of me and clung tightly as her face streamed with tears. "Oh, Adriel, you really are alive!" Yvonne smiled and stroked her back.

"Yes, but as I warned before, you mustn't tell anyone."

"I know. Annette is in Cannes for another few weeks. I want to see you, but I'm not sure how we're going to work this out."

Yvonne looked Evelyn in the eye. "Don't worry, it will all work out."

Evelyn was nearly frantic. "Oh, Adriel, where are you staying?" She looked over at Yvonne. "Are you living on the golden highway? Annette was convinced that you were dead. Have you seen Joey? Is she still alive? Please don't be angry with me about Annette. I am so confused."

Yvonne led Evelyn back to her chair and sat her down. "Evelyn, we can't answer any of your questions. However, we can let you know that we love you, and you needn't worry about offending us. We are in a difficult situation right now, and we need your trust and patience. My advice to you is to enjoy every single minute with Adriel." Yvonne turned to me. "I know how badly you want to make love to your wife, but I think it would be nice if you cooked something for her in your kitchen. Keep it simple, but it's important that Evelyn tastes your cooking once again. After that, take your time together for as long as you like. You know where I will be." Yvonne then disappeared.

Evelyn grasped my hands. "Oh, Adriel, after all that we have experienced over the past several months it just seems like a dream. Did we really walk on the golden highway? Did we really travel to all of those places? I remember our time on the beach in Italy, and I still have some of that suntan, but it just seems so surreal."

I smiled and nodded. "Yes, Evelyn, we did all of those things. Yvonne suggested that I cook you something. What would you like?"

"How much time do you have? I don't want to use all of your valuable time cooking."

"I have all the time in the world, but I need to be careful so that everyone still thinks I am dead. So, what would you like? We have all night."

"Would it be too much for you to make spaghetti and meatballs?"

"Do you have all of the ingredients?"

Evelyn gave a sigh. "No, I don't. I don't keep much in the fridge anymore. I haven't been able to cook with you being gone."

I led Evelyn into the kitchen to take a look. "How about a cheese omelet?"

Knowing Yvonne's capability to return me back to the same place and time that I had left greatly helped me to relax and enjoy Evelyn. As much as she wanted to know about my current situation, I had to remind her that it all had to be kept secret. Instead, I began to discuss our future and how we might be able to proceed with our new lives. She understood that I couldn't go back to being Adriel Chevalier, but I knew there had to be a way for us to have a wonderful life together. It felt so good to talk, laugh, make love, plan, and cry together. I had needed this more than I knew. Evelyn was the woman for me. However, I never forgot the horrible addiction that I had for Joey.

I asked Evelyn about our last rendezvous. She had been so convinced that she was dreaming, but she did notice the mark on her neck that I had left when I gently sucked on it. She said that she was also considerably sore between her legs, and she hadn't experienced that since we had made love on the yacht in the South Pacific just before I was kidnapped. That raised many more questions that I had to decline answering. At least I knew that Yvonne's manipulation of time didn't negate my experience with Evelyn. That was a relief. We rolled over to have another sweet session of love when I noticed the sun beginning to rise. I couldn't believe that we had spent all night together. Evelyn was supposed to go to work, but she offered to call in sick. I accepted the invitation and intended to spend the whole day in bed with her. Yvonne hadn't come to take me back. I knew that she was enjoying her mate as well, and I didn't want to interfere with that either. In the course of the day, Evelyn had gotten surprisingly adventurous, and we did things that we had never done. We were both so sore that we finally had to agree to stop. I was a little concerned that Joey would notice the redness and swelling, and I would have to try to avoid her seeing me naked as much as possible.

I had been with Evelyn for twenty-four hours before Yvonne returned to take me. We tearfully kissed and made our goodbyes with the hope of seeing one another soon. Yvonne stepped me to the highway, and I noticed that she was walking strangely. I gave her a questioning look, and she smiled up at me because she too had quite a day. She hugged my arm and gratefully whispered, "I think this time I should thank you." She held out my pajama bottoms and asked me to change. I pulled off my sweats, and Yvonne grimaced when she saw my soreness. "You need to keep that out of Joey's sight."

"I know," I agreed as I pulled on my pajama bottoms. Yvonne deposited me into bed, and Joey immediately pulled me in closely. I was exhausted. I had been awake for forty-eight hours and desperately needed to sleep. Fortunately, Joey finished showering in the morning before I awakened. I headed into the shower as she descended into the kitchen to start the coffee. I showered quickly and pulled on my sweats before heading to the kitchen for breakfast. We had another day of practice and conditioning ahead of us.

The next few days were more of the same routine with Joey. We made our periodic trips to the golden highway together to visit Agamon and Yvonne. Joey was still unaware of my secret visits with Yvonne due to her technique of overcoming time. Then something significant happened late one Saturday afternoon. Joey and I were sparring in the living area. She had shown me how to use objects and furniture to my advantage. I had mastered my attack methods by not thinking about which arm or leg I was going to use. It became automatic and even surprised me at times. I had created a maneuver with a duck, turn, and sweep. I knew that she would hop over my sweep, but I punched upward from below on my knees and grazed her cheek. She had a look of shock on her face. She broke into a smile and exclaimed, "Well done, Adriel! I haven't had anyone make contact like that in a very long while." I was heaving to catch my breath, and she pulled me up from the floor. She playfully pushed me onto the couch and went to the kitchen to grab a water.

In an instant, I was on the golden highway with Yvonne. "Adriel, you must come with me. Something terrible has happened." My heart started pounding even harder, and Yvonne whisked me away to Evelyn's kitchen. We stood together in parking mode observing Evelyn as she drank a cup of morning coffee at the table.

I looked over to Yvonne. "What's so terrible?"

"Just wait and watch."

After a couple of minutes, Annette came in the front door and entered the kitchen. Evelyn looked up in surprise, "Annette, I didn't know you were coming back so soon. Is everything all right?"

Annette didn't answer right away. I knew Annette, and this was a bad sign. She deposited her bags on the floor and strolled into the kitchen. She stopped and picked up a prescription bottle off the island and examined it. "Are you taking an antibiotic?"

"Oh, yeah, I picked up a silly urinary tract infection somewhere. I decided to go to the doctor and get a script. So, is everything all right?"

"Well," Annette paused as she placed the prescription back on the island. "I got a call from David Allen."

"Oh, wonderful! How is David these days?"

Annette took a seat at the kitchen table with Evelyn. She sprawled back in her chair and explained. "Well, David is a little distraught. He thinks that he may be losing his mind."

"Oh, really? What makes him think that?"

"He seems to think that he has seen Adriel and Joey." Annette was studying Evelyn's face closely. Even I could see the telltale signs on Evelyn's face that she knew something. After a few seconds, Annette smacked the table. "Damn it, Evelyn. When were you going to tell me?"

Evelyn and I had witnessed Annette brutally circumcise her lover, Gina, with her teeth due to Gina being unfaithful. I knew exactly the fear that Evelyn was suffering right now. I grabbed Yvonne's arm. She put her arm around my waist and squeezed me tightly. Tears began to spill from Evelyn's eyes as she put her cup on the table. "I just found out about a week ago, but you can't tell anyone. His life is still in danger, and he doesn't want anyone to know."

"Then why in the hell did he go visit David with Joey? David is the last person in this world that I would trust to keep a secret."

"I didn't know that he was with Joey. I thought she was dead. He wouldn't answer any of my questions and told me that the less I knew the better for now."

Annette looked over at the prescription in disgust. "Well, I'm sure that you two have been wildly fucking like rabbits again." Evelyn was silent and didn't know what to expect. Annette sat in silence for a few moments and sighed. "You know that you can trust me, don't you?"

"Of course I do!"

"Were you going to tell me that he was still alive?"

"He asked me not to tell anyone. I was going to wait for the all clear before I said anything to you."

"And what were you going to do when I took you into the bedroom, Evelyn?"

"I hadn't thought that far. I'm sorry, but what do you expect from me? Adriel is alive!"

"I know. Believe me, I am relieved in one way, but I still want you, Evelyn. I doubt that Adriel can live with that. The question is, can you?"

Annette had once described herself as a cold hearted bitch. I had seen many sides to her. She could also be very loving, supportive, and understanding. She was affectionate and passionate. Annette and I were very close at one point, and I was grateful that she was purely homosexual. Otherwise, I'm not so sure that she and I wouldn't have done something that I would regret. She was youthful, and absolutely gorgeous with those bright blue eyes and straight black hair. She was in top physical condition. She was a seasoned agent and had gained an impressive reputation with the agency. I knew that she was in love with Evelyn, and I even consented to a threesome at one point on the yacht in the South Pacific just an hour before I was abducted. I looked over at Yvonne with a questioning look, and she nodded. We stepped into the kitchen in view of Evelyn and Annette. They both jerked as we startled them.

Annette jumped up. "I knew it! I suspicioned that you weren't dead."

"Annette, I had to do what I did to remain alive. I need complete secrecy if I am to remain that way."

"Well, you certainly made a stupid move by going to David. By the way, where is Joey?"

Yvonne stepped forward. "As curious as you both may be, it is imperative that we maintain complete secrecy. We can't let another person know that Adriel is alive."

Annette demanded, "David said that you're going after the gold. Is that true?" I nodded my head. "Well, I hope you have realized that I'm going to be a part of that."

I looked over at Yvonne. She shrugged her shoulders. "All right, Annette. I would love to have you aboard. I know you're concerned about your relationship with Evelyn. We can work everything out later."

"So, what am I supposed to do in the meantime?"

"I will leave that totally to Evelyn's discretion. I trust that you can accept that. I will warn you that I have seen you get out of control in the past. If anything happens to Evelyn, you have no idea what I am capable of doing from my vantage point. I have learned more than you can possibly imagine."

"Are you threatening me, Adriel?"

"I just think you need to have the facts before you make a stupid decision. I love you, Annette. Please remember that, and I want the best for you. If we are going to be a team again, we need to learn how to get along."

Evelyn finally spoke. "Annette, maybe it's best that you went back to Cannes for the time being." Annette walked over, grabbed her bags, and stormed out the door. We saw her make a call from her phone, and she stood at the end of the driveway awaiting her limo.

Evelyn arose from her chair and grabbed my arms. "Are you with Joey?" Tears were beginning to fall from her face.

"Evelyn, the less you know, the better. Joey isn't our concern right now. I need to keep an eye on Annette. You know that she can be a loose cannon when it comes to emotion. I'll disclose what I can when I can. I will, however, tell you that if you're concerned that I have had sex with Joey, you don't need to worry. Other than that, I can't tell you anything about her."

Yvonne put her hand on Evelyn's back and nodded. "We have to go now, but we'll return soon." Yvonne did her magic and returned me to Joey in the exact moment that I had left.

I had transitioned from a celebratory moment with Joey to an emotional encounter with Evelyn and Annette within seconds. I was now back with Joey and had to regain the emotion of the experience that I was sharing before I left. It was emotional whiplash, but I had to do my best to hide my consternation. Joey had taken many behavioral classes, and she could tell when I was lying. I jumped up, smiled, and took my fighting stance. Joey laughed and handed me a water. As we sat on the couch watching the snow fall, I began to contemplate Annette's jealousy and her opportunity to put my life in grave danger. I also knew that she wanted to be part of stealing the largest gold deposit in the world. I was hoping that Annette's greed for recognition and power exceeded her jealousy. I wasn't sure. One thing that I had determined was that David Allen had a lot of explaining to do.

My next problem would be whether I would let Joey know that David had leaked our secret to Annette. It was likely that David had no clue that I had been with Evelyn. However, if Joey intended to visit Annette it could be disastrous for Evelyn. I doubted that Annette knew how emotional Joey was these days. Annette had seen Joey's emotions emerge in Italy, but Joey had soon vanished after that. This all appeared too risky for me. If I were to confront David, it would have to be with Yvonne and not Joey. Then again, now that Annette insisted on being a part of the gold project I wouldn't need David at all. Joey and I thought that David could be the perfect front for accessing the gold since he had knowledge of the portal. I needed to rethink that angle, but if I decided not to use David, I would have to disclose the reason to Joey. I was doomed. Joey and Annette were bound to meet, and the truth would come out. Here I was again trying to solve a problem when I should just be awaiting the answer.

That night, I got another visit from Yvonne. She pulled me to the golden highway and looked up into my eyes "We have a real problem. Annette is going to want to kill you, and Joey is going to want to kill Evelyn."

So much for awaiting an answer. "Well," I surmised, "it sounds like Annette and Joey will be at odds because Joey wants me, and Annette wants Evelyn."

"Yes," Yvonne admitted, "and you and Evelyn want each other."

"So, what are we going to do?"

"Well, Adriel, we can't solve this problem tonight, but you know what we're going to do right now." Yvonne smiled and dropped her robe.

The next day, as Joey and I were sparring in the living area, I asked, "So, do think that I could take down Annette yet?"

Joey burst into laughter. "What made you ask that, Adriel?"

"Well, I know she's a trained assassin. I just wondered how I was doing."

Joey shook her head with a big smile. "You're not even close to being that good, Adriel. She has had years of training, practice, and experience. You wouldn't last three seconds with her."

"Really? How do you think she would take me down?" I was clowning around by jumping from side to side.

"She would probably amuse herself with you. She likes to go for the throat a lot. She might break your trachea and watch you choke to death. She might kick you in the chest and stop your heart, but first I think she'd kick your testicles up into your lungs. It's hard to say. It depends on what mood she is in."

"So, I guess I have a long way to go."

Joey chuckled. "I'd say a very long way to go. There's a reason that Annette and I are still alive. We're very good at what we do."

"Well, do you think you could take out one of the Black Ops assassins?"

Joey squinted at me. "I still can't believe that you know about BOPS, and you're still alive. When I found out that you knew about them, I was sure that the federal government planned to dispose of you."

"Yeah? Well, they didn't." I was still jumping around. "So, do you think you could take one of those guys out in a fight?"

"Why are you asking all of these questions about ability all of a sudden?"

"I'm just curious, that's all. I know a little about their capabilities, and I wondered if you could give them a good fight."

Joey gave a long sigh and thought for a moment. "I really shouldn't tell you anything, but you already know too much. BOPS troops are head and shoulders above Navy Seals. You have seen these guys, right?"

"Actually, no, not in person."

"They are the elite of the elite. They are a lot stronger than I am. My only chance would be through speed and agility. It's possible that I could take one down if he didn't get a hold on me. They have a tendency to be bulky, so I can move a lot faster, but they can withstand a lot more punishment than I can. These guys have necks like telephone poles. I wouldn't be able to snap a neck with them like I usually do. I wouldn't go for the kill right away. I would work on a disabling attack to break him down and then finish him when I had more opportunity."

"I have only seen you break necks. How would you finish him?"

Joey squinted again and put her hands on her hips. "You didn't want that kind of training, and now you're asking me how I would kill him? This isn't like you, Adriel. What has happened?"

I had overplayed my hand. I had unwittingly been caught, and I didn't know how much to divulge. I needed an Oscar winning performance right now. "I'm sorry. I guess I just don't understand why you're teaching me all of this self defense. My children are close to your age, and it seems ridiculous for me to try to learn this stuff at my age. Earlier, I had hoped to actually get good enough to make a difference, but now I think it's a waste of time."

"Adriel, that's pathetic! If you have to pass the class with a C minus instead of an A plus, you're just going to drop out? This training could save your life. You don't have to be the best of the best. You just need to be able to take out your opponent. You requested not to learn moves that were fatal, so you have reduced the number of options for yourself. Sometimes killing is the only defense. You need to reconsider our training."

Well, Joey was now thoroughly disgusted with me, but no longer suspicious. I needed to be more careful, but it was just a matter of time. Any day now Yvonne was going to tell me that it was time to access the gold. I still had no clue how we were going to do it, or where we were going to take it. Joey thought that we were using David, but after giving it more thought I rather doubted it. I finally consented. "OK, then, start showing me fatal moves. Maybe that will instill more confidence in me." The next hour was frightening. It was ridiculously easy to take someone's life when you knew how.

If Joey would regain her Emotional Detachment Disorder, it would solve some significant problems. I had learned to appreciate her inability to feel emotion. I could engage her in play without her getting emotional. She didn't fall in love or get jealous. She never showed signs of anger or fear. She was the best bodyguard ever. There was nothing that I couldn't say or do to her. Now, I had to be extremely careful about what I said around her. The best of times was when we spent the week at Annette's residence in Cannes. Joey clung to me without emotion. Evelyn and I had learned to do whatever we wanted whenever we wanted with Joey holding on to me. Annette had Gina, and all was well. I still have very fond memories of that time. It seemed like ages ago, but it was only a few months past. How things had rapidly changed! The only constant that continued to pervade my life was seemingly insurmountable problems.

# **CHAPTER THREE**

# **_DAVID_**

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****

Had it not been for David disclosing my secret to Annette, I could have continued covertly without anyone knowing what Joey and I had intended to do. Now I was faced with the conundrum of including Annette in our endeavor and the likelihood that Joey would learn that I had been with Evelyn. It also raised Evelyn's suspicions about Joey. It had been Joey's idea to get David involved, but I had readily agreed. It was undoubtedly a bad move, but then again I had to remember that everything happens for a reason. Even Yvonne recognized the seriousness of our predicament. Emotion was at the root of our entire dilemma. Once again, if Joey still suffered from Emotional Detachment Disorder this would be relatively simple. As much as I wanted her to be healed emotionally, I still had the selfish hope that she could return to her abnormal state. I might be able to reason with Evelyn and convince her that I had not actually engaged in coitus with Joey, but if she learned the extent of my relationship with Joey it would crush her. However, I wasn't concerned that Evelyn would murder anyone. Joey was another story.

I was also concerned with Annette and what she might do. I was hoping that she wouldn't hurt Evelyn. I knew that she had mixed emotions about me being alive. She didn't want to give Evelyn up, but I knew that Evelyn would want to end her affair with Annette if she wanted to get back together with me. One of the major factors was that Annette and Joey had been with the agency for years, and they were accustomed to having everything that they wanted. It was extremely difficult for either of them to accept that there was something that they could not have. Annette didn't intend to let Evelyn loose, and Joey had no intention of letting me go either. Both of them were dangerous assassins. I didn't want to anger either of them, but it appeared to be inevitable. In addition, I loved them both and didn't want to try to hide with Evelyn for the rest of our lives. Besides, Evelyn could never endure a life like that. I could see no resolution.

Time is the most precious commodity in the world. Everyone gets twenty-four hours in a day regardless of their circumstances. No one can save it or hoard it, but one can certainly waste it. However, with Yvonne I had an unlimited number of hours to do what I needed because I could return to the same place and time where I was before I started my task. This gave me another incredible advantage above others. Not only could I traverse this world in seconds, I could carve out time to do whatever I needed without loosing any of my own.

I decided that Yvonne and I should pay David a visit. I needed to confront him about disclosing my secret and endangering my life. Yvonne was getting very creative these days in snatching me from my daily routine. She could take me as long as I was out of Joey's sight and bring me back at the same second that I had left. It often made my head spin and created a challenge to switch my environments so abruptly, but it was manageable. Yvonne held my hand and stepped us into parking position at David's residence in Cairo. He was dusting his many ancient artifacts that he had collected from some archaeological excavations that he had conducted decades ago. It appeared that he had added more tropical plants to his living area as well. He maintained an elegant ambience of antiquity in his living quarters, and I often felt that I was in a museum whenever I visited. We stepped into the room as his back was turned. I could feel the cool amber Spanish tile beneath my bare feet. Yvonne and I stepped over to a couch that sat upon an Oriental rug and took a seat.

David turned and gave a high shriek when he noticed us sitting across from him. "Damn it, Adriel! Must you sneak up on me like that? One of these days, you're going to give me a heart attack. Good lord, who do you have with you this time?"

"This is Yvonne. Let's just say that she's my soul mate."

"You devil! How is it that you always surround yourself with such beautiful women?"

"I guess I'm just lucky, but I'm not here to talk about my companions. You did me a grave disservice by calling Annette and letting her know that I was alive."

"What are you talking about? Annie is a good friend to us both. Surely you don't think that she would jeopardize your safety in any way."

"There's a lot you don't know, David, and I trusted you to keep a secret. You have made life very difficult for me now, and I have decided not to use you in my operation to remove the gold from the deposit."

"Adriel, I never took you for a vindictive person. I assumed that Annie was going to be involved in our little venture. Surely you don't mean to punish me over confiding in a dear friend."

"This could have been a lot simpler, David. We could have retrieved the gold in a clandestine manner without drawing attention. A lot has happened that you don't know about, and it's probably best that you don't know. I was hoping to keep Evelyn out of this, and if you hadn't alerted Annette I might have been able to do that."

"So, have you let Evelyn know that you're still alive?"

"I have. We are back together, and I want to keep her as safe as I can, but your indiscretion has made that more difficult."

"I still don't see the problem with confiding in Annie. How could Annie endanger Evelyn?"

"Because Annette and Evelyn are lovers!" I hadn't intended to disclose that, but I was getting perturbed.

David jumped up from his couch. "Good god, when do I get my turn with her?"

I snapped back at him. "I see no humor in that statement, David. I have had a lot to deal with, and I don't need your lascivious desires to deal with either."

"Adriel, I don't see why you are so upset that I told Annie. If Evelyn knows that you are still alive, Annie was bound to learn it sooner or later. Evelyn doesn't strike me as a woman who would entertain two lovers, unless I'm wrong about her."

I gritted my teeth. "As angry as I am with you right now, David, I have to admit that you're probably right. Evelyn wouldn't have been able to keep it a secret from Annette for very long. I hadn't really thought about that."

David eased back onto his couch. "So, in essence, all I did was let Annie know a little sooner than she would have. I don't see that as a reasonable cause to exclude me from the project. Please, Adriel, we can be a team again like old times."

"Old times were just a few months ago, David."

"Maybe so, mate, but you have obviously discovered a hell of a lot since I last saw you. You have learned to travel with Joey and your new companion without Evelyn. What other delightful things have you uncovered?"

Yvonne looked over at me and shook her head as she squeezed my arm. "Sorry, David, as I told you before, the less you know, the better."

David hung his head. "Look, mate, I told you that you were the closest person to being a friend that I have ever had. I really meant that. Wait here; I want to show you something." Yvonne looked over at me and squeezed my arm again as David retreated to his bedroom for a moment. He returned with a piece of paper in his hand. "I'm not showing you this because I want your sympathy. I too have a secret that I would appreciate you keeping to yourself. I just want you to realize what this project means to me."

David handed me the paper, and I could see that it was a medical report. I looked up sorrowfully. "I'm so sorry, David. I had no idea. How much time do they think that you have?"

"They don't rightly know, but they doubt that I will last another year."

I took a deep breath and gave a long sigh. "OK, David, we'll make this work somehow. You have my word."

"Listen, mate, I don't know how much time you and your companion have, but I would appreciate some company for a while. I would love for you to tell me all that you can. I haven't heard a good story since I last saw you."

Yvonne finally spoke. "David, we have all the time in the world. We would be delighted to stay."

I smiled at Yvonne and offered, "Would you like for us to order dinner from one of the caterers that we used to use?"

A tear formed in David's right eye. "Oh, Adriel, that would be brilliantly wonderful. Let me snatch a few bottles of wine from the cellar."

David handed me his phone to order our meal before he descended the stairway. After I placed our order, I turned to Yvonne. "Do you drink wine?" I was curious if Yvonne ever ate or drank.

She smiled as she replied, "Yes, I do all the things that you do, but in a different manner. I will drink wine with you."

Yvonne squeezed my arm and put her head on my shoulder. It was reminiscent of my times with Joey when we used to be here at David's. I knew what she was thinking. This was the longest that Yvonne and I had been together without making love, and she desperately wanted it. However, she was kind and considerate concerning David's condition and knew that we had plenty of time. I had taken advantage of our location and ordered falafels, hummus, kushari, and kofta. David had selected five bottles of wine, and we all had a wonderful time eating, drinking, and talking about the experiments that we had conducted at Giza. It was amusing because David was enthralled with Yvonne as he insisted on telling her about our experiences together. He was totally unaware that she was me and knew everything that had happened. She was kind, attentive, and considerate as David poured out his English charm upon her. It got even more amusing at one point as I suspicioned that he was trying to make Yvonne jealous with his stories about Joey and me. I just smiled as he rambled on and on.

The sun had fallen below the horizon, and Yvonne whispered to me that it was time to leave. We graciously extended our thanks to David for his hospitality and arose from our seats. David waltzed over to Yvonne and hugged her. He looked over at me and requested, "May I?" I smiled and nodded. I broke into a laugh as he planted a kiss full upon Yvonne's lips. She smiled and touched his face. She then turned to me and extended her hand. In an instant, we disappeared from David's sight. Yvonne wasted no time once we were on the golden highway. She dropped her robe and pulled me on top of her.

It had become apparent that our team now consisted of Joey, Yvonne, Annette, David, and me. I was hoping to keep Evelyn out of danger, and I saw no advantage to having her as part of our team. It now appeared that Evelyn was the catalyst for jealousy with Annette, Joey, and David. Perhaps we could get along if she were completely out of the picture, but that wasn't going to be easy. However, with my abilities I could make visits to Evelyn for undetermined amounts of time and never appear to be absent from the others. Although, being in two places with an extended time period presented problems.

Joey and I were sparring in the living area. "What's the matter with you today? Have you been drinking? You're unusually slow, and your eyes are glassy."

I shook my head. "I guess I'm still tired. I feel like I didn't get enough sleep."

Joey gave me a curious glance. "You slept a full eight hours last night."

"I know. Maybe I'm coming down with something." I was exhausted. The long day and the wine just made me want to go to sleep. I still had a full day ahead with Joey, and I was showing too many signs of fatigue. "I think I'll make a cup of tea. Maybe that will perk me up."

Yvonne had never coordinated naps for me during our excursions. I was beginning to understand how essential that would be. It had been all love, healing, and business, but I needed my rest. In fact, if I worked things strategically, I could nap during my times of absence and actually appear to need less sleep when I was with Joey. This capability was so new to me, and I hadn't really thought of the opportunities that it provided. In essence, I could appear to others as having no need for sleep at all. Sleep demanded about a third of our lifetime. If I could double up on my time, I could gain a considerable amount of daily time back. What could I accomplish with one-third more time in my life? I think the real question would be how much trouble could I get into?

It was so refreshing to spend time with David. My only reservation with him was his desire for Evelyn. However, I could manage that. Joey knew that if Evelyn were gone that I would marry her. She was right about that. However, Evelyn knew that if Joey were gone she would have no one to interfere between her and me. Annette knew if I were gone that she would continue with Evelyn, and I knew that if Annette were gone I could manage my time between Evelyn and Joey. Yvonne had warned me not to get too creative with my new discovery of space and time. However, I was beginning to think that the answers that I was seeking would most likely be found with my new capabilities. I needed to do some brainstorming.

Yvonne had shown me how to steal away from Joey and spend time with Evelyn without missing a single second with Joey. I didn't see why it wouldn't be possible to multiply that capability. For example, what if I ducked out from Joey to see Evelyn, and then when I was with Evelyn I ducked out to see Annette? How many places could I be at the same time and then return to each place to live out the sequence with each and every one? Yvonne said that I would be tempted to misuse my capabilities, but I saw no harm in multiplying the sequences. I could schedule time to eat and sleep and virtually be in ten different places at once. My head was spinning with possibilities. I could be on several different continents at the same time interacting with various people simultaneously. This wasn't some supernatural capability; it was scientific. The hub of time and space would allow me to cheat the time space continuum to which everyone had to adhere. I could literally be in several places at the same time. This was about to get very interesting.

It was exhausting, but I made it through the day with Joey. I fell asleep in her arms after dinner as we watched the snow fall on the Swiss Alps. She shook me to get ready for bed, and I followed her up the stairs. It was time to visit Agamon and Yvonne, and I knew that Joey was in dire need of a healing session. We hadn't discussed Evelyn for over a week, but Joey seemed somewhat despondent. During our time on the golden highway, Yvonne whispered in my ear as she worked me over. "I know what you were thinking. You aren't superhuman, you know. I'll admit that your idea doesn't violate your understanding of continuity. Therefore, I would consider it to be safe. My concern is how you will manage the seemingly nonexistent passing of time after you experience all of the different sequences. You will see them as contiguous, but in reality they will be simultaneous. Therefore, your perception will be false. Do you really want to complicate your life to that degree?"

"Actually, Yvonne, I think I do." It was difficult for me to speak as she was working me well. I just wanted to enjoy our time together.

"I will come get you tomorrow. We can discuss it further." She intensified our workout of healing, and I convulsed six more times before Joey and I returned to our bed. I slept like a rock.

Joey and I awoke after noon. She would sometimes get perturbed over the time difference between our world and the golden highway. Apparently, we had returned last night later than we realized. We had forgotten to check the date and time and went right to sleep. Time was becoming moot to me. If Yvonne could take me back to where I was when I left Joey, I wondered if she could take me further back in time. I had never successfully come out of parking position in the past or the future except for when Yvonne returned me to Joey. I decided to ask Yvonne more about time travel when she came to get me today.

Yvonne would most commonly take me during one of Joey's bathroom breaks. She snatched me from the living area to the golden highway, and before I had a chance to ask her anything she posed a question. "Why have you never taken David to the golden highway?"

I thought for a moment. "Well, that's a good question. He once said that he was unexpendable, and that it would be too dangerous if he got lost."

"But it's not dangerous for you anymore. David has little time left on the earth. I think you should take him on an excursion."

"That sounds like a great idea. Where should we take him?"

"Let's let him decide."

Yvonne stepped into parking position at David's residence in Cairo. He was perusing some of his many photographs that he had taken inside the pyramids long ago. We entered as discreetly as possible to prevent frightening him. He gave a slight jerk as he saw us appear, but he didn't scream this time. "Adriel, Yvonne, what a pleasure! To what do I owe the honor?"

"Yvonne had a great idea, David. She wants to offer to take you anywhere that you would like to go via the golden highway." David's face grew dark with concern. He walked away from the table and wandered into the living area. I continued, "So, where would you like to go?"

David spun to face me. "Actually, nowhere, mate."

Yvonne and I gave one another a confused look. "I don't understand. I thought that you would be excited to travel the golden highway after hearing about it for so long."

David invited us to sit in the living area. "I have told you of times past when I was experimenting with the portal. I lost three assistants at different times in that portal at Giza due to my own ignorance with the experiments that I was conducting. One of them had been my lover for two years. I can't begin to explain how devastated I was to lose her. I didn't want her entering the portal, but she insisted on helping me. Her curiosity got the best of her. I blamed myself for teaching the steps that lead in and out of the portal. You know them well, Adriel."

"Yes, they are the rudimentary steps of aku and aki."

"Precisely, and I regret ever teaching them to her."

"So, David, where did you learn those steps. You wouldn't tell me several months ago."

"Well, now that the project is over I suppose I can tell you. I was approached by a woman a little over two years ago who introduced me to the portal. I had suspicioned that something existed due to the hieroglyphs that I had translated in the past few decades. I just didn't know what it was. She taught me the steps of aku and aki. I never saw her again until Annie contacted me about the project to find the gold mine. Annie thought that my research could be helpful to you. After you were engaged with experimenting with the portal, she came to Annie and me with another man to warn us that you would be captured if we didn't steer you away from delving into the future. Annie didn't want me disclosing anything to you. Quite honestly, Adriel, you have excelled far beyond my wildest dreams."

"Oh, David, you have no idea, but why don't you want to travel the golden highway?"

"I feel responsible for losing my three assistants. I have mourned their losses ever since. I just don't think that I should benefit this way from their disappearance. It's hard to explain. I have the satisfaction of knowing that you were successful. I suppose it's like designing a rocket to go to the moon. The designer isn't the astronaut, and he can appreciate his accomplishment without having to personally utilize it. It's kind of you to offer, but I respectfully decline. I would, however, be delighted in assisting you to access the gold."

"Yes, but what if you are required to traverse the golden highway to help us?"

"That's an entirely different matter, mate. I would be most willing if it were necessary."

I still had much to discuss with Yvonne, and after some light conversation with David we retreated back to the golden highway. Yvonne and I exhausted ourselves with one another before I engaged her in a conversation about the possibilities that I might have in this environment.

"Yvonne, you are able to take me into the past to return to Joey at the same second that you took me away. Is it possible for me to enter the past at any other time?"

Yvonne smiled. "Nothing is impossible, Adriel, but not all things are profitable, nor are they permitted. There are grave consequences from certain exercises, and they are greatly discouraged. The Author of space and time has allowed me to show you certain capabilities. In your first project, I was allowed to let you know the thoughts of others and project your own thoughts in the same manner of communication that we all have within this realm. It is not common on earth to possess these capabilities, but it certainly is possible. Once you had disarmed the coup in Pakistan, I withdrew your ability to read the thoughts of others."

"So, you could return my capability of reading thoughts?"

"Yes, I could, but why would I hand you a screwdriver when you really needed a hammer? My purpose is to help equip you with what you need and guide you to make the right decisions. However, I can't give you direction or make decisions for you. Neither can you command me to do things that I do not believe are in your best interests. In essence, I hand you the tools and material, but you have to create the finished product. There is no blueprint."

"So, are you telling me that I can't enter the past or the future with the exception of returning to Joey?"

"I didn't say that you can't; I said that you shouldn't. A child can play in the middle of a busy street, but no one would recommend it. I suggest that you go down another path." I sat in consternation for a minute before Yvonne continued. "Adriel, you aren't thinking this through. You need some time to consider your possibilities. Do you need a nap before I take you back to Joey?" I shook my head, and Yvonne returned me to Joey the very second that I had left.

Joey and I had decided to make croissants today. I was a great fan of the flaky, buttery, light pastry, and the process to produce a good croissant was tedious. I could never rival the perfection of a French croissant, but I had fun trying. We had a pantry next to the kitchen at the back of the chalet that we kept around fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit. It was an ideal environment to roll the dough because it kept the butter within the appropriate consistency. I used half unbleached flour and cake flour with eggs, yeast, water, salt, and honey to create a good consistency for the rolls. The butter was pounded out to gently soften it before spreading it onto the rolled out dough. The dough was then folded and rolled three times before allowing it to rest for half an hour. This process was continued five times to produce the many layers of butter to create a flaky croissant. We continued to let the dough rise another hour in the cool temperature before cutting into wedges and rolling into crescent shapes. We baked them to perfection and enjoyed them with some steaming cups of cappuccino. Joey would then work me twice as hard with our weights and treadmills, but it was worth it.

After a great evening, warm bath with jetted water, and wine, we made our customary visit to the golden highway to end our day. Joey usually insisted on holding my hand during our sessions with Agamon and Yvonne, so Yvonne would seldom engage me in conversation. Besides, I had a difficult time concentrating on what she said due to the extreme pleasure that I enjoyed. Joey and I later returned to our bed at the chalet, and I lay awake thinking about what Yvonne had told me. As I contemplated my abilities, what you have probably already surmised was just beginning to dawn on me. It's often difficult for me to see the forest for the trees. Within certain limits, I could actually cheat time and space. I had the capability of being in multiple places at the same time. As I began to think of the possibilities, I realized that I had become the most powerful person in the whole world. Truly, nothing was impossible for me.

Joey and Annette had one common thread of dedication, and that was to the agency. They strictly adhered to all directives and protocols. During our last mission, I was continually amazed at how they religiously followed the orders that they had received, and nothing could deter them from following agency commands. If I couldn't beat them, I was going to join them. I had agreed to join the agency, but due to my need to disappear I never was formally introduced, nor did I receive agent's training. The only training that I had received was from Joey, and that was abbreviated to a great degree. The agency believed that I had been assassinated. The only other person within the agency who had met me, other than Joey and Annette, was a colonel at the Pentagon who was the director above Annette's supervisor. Annette's supervisor, Alexis, was now serving a prison sentence due to murdering Annette's twin sister. She thought that she had shot Annette, but Annette had sent her twin sister, Yvette, to a meeting with Alexis not knowing the potential outcome. Joey later told me that Annette and Yvette often traded places to allow Annette to virtually be in two places at once. Yvette and Annette had traded off time during training so that they both had the same knowledge and capabilities within the agency. The agency never knew that Yvette existed. In fact, only Joey knew of Yvette and how Annette utilized her.

Before Alexis had shot Yvette, she had put an assassination order out on Annette, and Joey was the assassin. It took a considerable maneuver by Evelyn and me to get the order overturned. Alexis had violated agency protocol, which I discovered after contacting her supervisor who was the colonel at the Pentagon. The colonel knew of me from my previous endeavor to prevent the coup in Pakistan. He had never met me in person until Evelyn, Joey, and I approached him to rescind the assassination order on Annette. He had the authority that I needed to accomplish my new scheme. However, it would require me to disclose to him that I was still alive. I needed to discuss this with Yvonne, but she already knew what I was thinking. After all, she is me, so nothing I think, say, or do is hidden from her.

Yvonne took the first opportunity that she found to snatch me to the golden highway the next day. She was fully aware of my plan, and she actually appeared to be excited about it. When Evelyn and I had spied or visited others from the golden highway, we had to wait until they were available. We had no expertise in navigating time to our advantage. However, Yvonne had no limitations, and taking me to the colonel when he was available in his office at the Pentagon was a simple task for her. We stepped into his office in front of his desk in full view. He had seen me appear and disappear before with Evelyn, so this wasn't a new experience for him. He nearly jumped out of his chair. He studied me up and down before he commented. "Mr. Chevalier, I was told that you had been assassinated."

"That's what I intended for everyone to think. It was necessary at the time to prevent me from being killed or taken by another agency."

The colonel looked at Yvonne. "I see that you have a new travel companion."

"Yes, it would appear that way. This is Yvonne, and she assists me in many ways."

The colonel smiled and nodded. I knew what he was thinking. "So, what brings you here to me? I'll have to admit that I'm greatly pleased that you are still available. We have much to discuss, but first, what can I do for you?"

"I'm sure that you are aware of the complication with the location of the gold deposit that I delivered to the Department of the Treasury."

"I know that they have concerns, but I haven't heard any specifics. The location isn't being disclosed, and the coordinates that you gave them are in an agency lockbox."

"Yes, that's true, however, I can get access to the gold deposit."

"So, what are you doing here? Why aren't you in contact with the Treasury Department? Our contract was with them."

"I realize that, but I have several details to work out, and I need your help."

"I'll do whatever I can. What do you need?"

"I need for you to put me in charge as a director over Annette Marceau and Joann Nyari."

The colonel chuckled. "That is very amusing. I can't do that, Mr. Chevalier."

"But why not? Believe me, colonel, I have capabilities that I cannot disclose that would boggle your mind."

"That may be, but there are several reasons. First, there is no position within the agency for which you are requesting. To create a new position, I would have to submit a request to be authorized that would require me to substantiate the need for the new position. I personally don't see the need. Secondly, you haven't been trained as an agent, and there is no way that you would satisfy the requirements for the position. It simply cannot be done. Thirdly, I desperately need you in the field taking orders, not giving them."

"I understand your reasons, colonel, but this isn't a whim. I need that position to be able to access the gold. We are talking about the largest gold deposit in the world. In fact, it's larger than the one that the Treasury Department was originally seeking. Surely, there must be a way to grant my request."

"Look, Mr. Chevalier, this isn't up to me. I can't just grant you that authority."

"But you put Agent Marceau in the position of her supervisor, Alexis, after Alexis murdered Marceau's twin sister."

"There's no comparison there. The position already existed, and Agent Marceau possessed all of the necessary attributes to fill that position. What you are requesting is preposterous."

"Colonel, everything is negotiable. If I can substantiate the need for the position and personally gain the necessary requirements to fill that position, would you be able to instate me as the director over agents Marceau and Nyari?"

"Under those circumstances, I suppose that would be possible, but it would require you to pass the agency training both academically and physically. There is no way that you can do that. Our agent induction training program is a full year of rigorous physical and mental training. There is a small fraction of the general population that could possibly endure and pass that training. In addition, you would have to have experience in the field to prove yourself."

"Colonel, two months ago I successfully executed a project that brought the agency six and a half billion dollars of revenue. That's by far the largest sum of money for any single contract in the history of the agency."

"How do you know how much the agency received?"

"That's another asset that I have. I am privy to information that most people can't get. Don't underestimate me, Colonel. What do I need to do to get my agency training?"

I was about to put my new capabilities to the test. I needed to pack one year of agent training into a split second of time away from Joey. I was trying to understand how the changes to my knowledge and my body were going to transfer within that split second. Yvonne tried to explain to me that my physical body could undergo changes during my time away from Joey, and those changes would remain even after I returned. I didn't have two bodies, only one, and my body would retain its attributes regardless of the timeframe that I was in. Yvonne promised to help me in any way that she could during my training, and she did. In order to expedite an agent's training, opportunities were always available to test out of any of the classes. Yvonne and I took advantage of these opportunities, and by overlapping my time, I was able to double up on several of the training classes. I had learned six foreign languages, self defense, assassination techniques, chemistry, medicine, field surgical procedures, poisons, antidotes, anatomy, memory enhancement, and received conditioning and speed training.

It's hard to fathom the experience of stepping outside of a particular timeframe to go off and spend a year's worth of living and then return to where you were. As much as Joey had conditioned and taught me during our time together, it was a drop in the bucket compared to what I now was. My body was solid, and I was much faster and had more knowledge. It literally had happened overnight. That morning in the shower, Joey exclaimed, "Oh, Adriel, our double workouts are really doing you some good. I see a tremendous improvement already. I should have started them weeks ago." I didn't comment. I knew that she was going to notice a big difference in me today. We were planning another sparring session in the living area.

I had intended to hold back and not let Joey know the extent of my capabilities, but the problem that I was having was that the agency training caused me to act without thinking. My movements of offense and defense were like immediate reflexes. Joey's first advance resulted in me throwing her across the floor. She shook her head and gave me a puzzled look. She approached again, and I sent her flying sideways onto the couch knocking it backwards to the floor. She sprang back and engaged me on a completely different level. I blocked her six times and made contact by smacking her cheek with my open hand. She was dazed. She stepped back and looked me up and down. She escalated her attack. I had seen my trainer make a similar move, and instead of retreating, I stepped in to throw off her timing. I grabbed the foot intended for my face, twisted, and sent her to the floor. I was now concerned. I had awakened the Angel of Death, and I knew what she was going to bring next would be frightening. I can't recall the sequence because it happened so fast that I have no recollection. Whatever she did resulted in me pinning her to the floor with my knee in her back and my arms locking hers behind her head. She couldn't move. I had her paralyzed.

I released her from my hold and rolled her over. She grabbed me and pulled me downward as she began kissing me passionately and pulling at my sweatshirt. She pulled it over my head and stripped hers off. We engaged in a half hour of rolling on the floor in a kissing frenzy. She was begging me, but I knew that I couldn't jeopardize everything for one overwhelming temptation. I reminded her that we needed to stay within our boundaries. She was caressing my body and enjoying its new condition. I felt bad because I wanted Evelyn to be the first to experience it. She slipped her pants off and mounted me. Luckily, I still had mine on, but she rode me hard, and before long she screamed with delight as she brought herself to an orgasm by stimulating herself on my right leg. I was nearly out of my mind with desire and insisted that we visit Agamon and Yvonne.

I begged Yvonne to take me to Evelyn. She promised that we would go during the night after Joey went to sleep. I still had not finished executing my plan with the agency. Yvonne and I needed to follow our current protocol that we had established, and I would need to wait to see Evelyn. It was all that I could think about during the day, and Joey wasn't making things any easier because she chose to be naked all day long. I knew that she was just tempting me, but I would be with Evelyn tonight and spend as long as I wanted. That night, Joey insisted that I sleep naked as well. She was hoping to wear me down, but my sights were on Evelyn. I fell asleep first, but Yvonne came to me at first opportunity. She whisked me away to Evelyn, who thoroughly enjoyed my new body and talents. Luckily, tomorrow was Saturday, and we could spend the entire day in bed, and so we did. I napped with Evelyn for a couple of hours in between our escapades of delight. I knew that I was returning to Joey around midnight which would allow me ample sleep.

Once Yvonne and I returned to the golden highway, I discussed the next part of my plan. I still had a significant hurdle to clear because I now needed to pass the necessary tests to gain my new position with the agency. I had planned to hinge the need for the new position on the success of accessing the gold deposit. My goal was to secure another contract between the agency and the United States Department of Treasury for ten billion dollars to access the gold. That would make me responsible for the two largest contracts that the agency ever had. Yvonne and I needed to coordinate to make another visit to the colonel. I was appreciative of the extra time that I could create in order to put my proposals in writing. I had developed a document to present to the colonel that would be used to secure the contract with the Treasury Department. I had also created the written explanation for the colonel to use to substantiate the new position to put me in control of Annette and Joey.

That next morning, Yvonne snatched me as Joey was using the bathroom. We visited the colonel, and I presented the documents that I had crafted. He didn't have time to review them with me in detail, but he promised to look them over within the next day. I also requested the necessary examination for the new position. He was reluctant and dubious, but I challenged him to give me a quick preliminary review. I was able to satisfy him enough that he agreed to schedule a testing session. It would require both a physical display of my defense and attack techniques as well as a written examination. I promised to visit him again tomorrow.

After Joey came out of the bathroom, she joined me in the kitchen where I was preparing our breakfast. She sat on a stool at the breakfast bar and sipped her coffee. She seemed pensive as she put her cup on the counter. "Adriel, I saw you make moves yesterday that I never taught you. You didn't just make those up on your own. Where did you learn them?"

I was half a step away from executing my plan, and I didn't want to raise suspicion. I also didn't want to lie to Joey again. She deserved better than that. "Joey, I love you dearly, and I won't lie to you, but I need to wait another few days to answer your question. I promise that I will explain it all then."

Joey swiped a few drops of coffee from the counter with her napkin. "Why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to like your explanation?"

I smiled and shrugged my shoulders. "Who knows? Maybe you will."

Joey had yet to learn of my capability to cheat time. I couldn't explain it her before I gained my new position within the agency. It would be too dangerous. That morning, she noticed a tremendous improvement in my strength training. She grew more and more suspicious, but she couldn't imagine how I had accomplished it. I was never out of her sight, or so she thought. I had the latest version of agent training. Agents were required to update their training on a regular basis. However, Joey was out of service at this time. The colonel never questioned my request to be Joey's superior. She had been missing for over two months, and I wondered if he was aware. Joey never really had a supervisor. She was utilized by several different groups within the agency as an assassin and bodyguard. If she were to report to me exclusively, I would become the first supervisor that she ever had. Before she had ever experienced emotion, it wouldn't have been a problem, but I was now wondering how she might react.

Joey wanted to have another sparring session today. In the past, she had been careful not to hurt me, but today I noticed her using aggressive attack methods that could seriously injure me. I don't think she intended to hurt me, but she was realizing that she didn't have to protect me anymore. I kept pace with her, and I was now stronger than she was. She wasn't used to that. I took advantage of my new ability and grabbed her during one of her attack moves. I pinned her face down to the floor as I lay on top of her. She began to push upward, and I knew that she was trying to stimulate me. I grinned as I whispered into her ear, "And just where did you learn that move?"  She struggled to get free, but I held her securely. I couldn't help myself. She smelled divine, and I kissed her ear. She turned her head, and I found her lips. This was hopeless. I was so glad that I was about to completely change my circumstances. I just needed to hold out another few days, and I would be home free. I kept telling myself that.

Yvonne and I learned that my testing session would be held on Tuesday afternoon. Fortunately, the colonel didn't want to waste everyone's time and instructed the testing team to give me an abbreviated version. He seriously doubted that I would make it through the first round. However, he was terribly wrong. Yvonne used our capability to walk us into the future and observe my testing session. This allowed me to know everything that I was going to experience. As a result, I was fully prepared both physically and mentally. Naturally, we saw my success in passing the test because I had forearmed myself. The day arrived, and my first test was self defense. I knew exactly what my opponent was going to do. He was confident of his maneuver that he had developed. Few agents were successful in defending this attack, but all I needed to do was go down on my left knee, rotate, grab his left leg, and twist it out of joint by spinning myself over. I hated putting him through the pain, but otherwise his countermove would have taken me down. The colonel came out of his chair when he saw what I had done. Needless to say, I passed the examinations with flying colors.

Annette had once told me that she had learned that she could usually get whatever she wanted with government agencies when she reduced everything to financial opportunity. I had made a proposal to the Department of the Treasury that they couldn't afford to refuse. I guaranteed the delivery of the gold to the U. S. Treasury for the agency compensation of ten billion dollars. They had nothing to lose. I would be delivering possibly quadrillions of dollars of gold to the federal government. My position was official, and I was now the Director of Covert Operations in charge of the most lucrative contract the agency had ever secured. I disclosed the roster of my chosen teammates. Annette, Joey, and David were to assist me in executing the project. David was not an agent, but I was contracting him as a liaison to keep my exposure minimized. I even changed my name to agent Jasper White. Yvonne returned me to Joey that day, and I was now ready to tell her everything.

I knew full well that I could not defeat Joey in an all out hand to hand combat. Fighting for the kill left no room for pulling punches and protecting one's opponent in any way. She had far more experience than I did, and I didn't fool myself into thinking that I could ever take down the Angel of Death. I doubted that I could prevail over Annette either, and I hoped that I would never find out. I was about to drop a bomb that would aggravate them both to no end, but it was a necessary maneuver to hog tie them into submission to me. I was now their agency director. Joey and Annette would have to submit to me, and I didn't have to sneak around to see Evelyn anymore. I couldn't wait to tell her. However, I first needed to gently introduce Joey to the fact that our lives were about to change drastically. We would be rejoining the agency program, and our days at the chalet would be over for now.

I was now ready to tell Joey what she had asked me to reveal a few days ago. I opened a bottle of wine and invited her to the living area. "What I am about to tell you may be hard for you to believe. Before you object or ask any questions, please let me finish. You have noticed an improvement in my skill level and strength. To answer the question that you asked the other day, I have been through the complete agency training." I held up my hand as Joey was about to speak. "I will explain later how I did that. The more important news that I have to tell you is that I am now Director White in charge of Covert Operations with the agency, and you are on my team to access the gold for the United States Treasury Department."

Joey put her wine glass on the table and threw her arms around me. Tears were streaming down her face. "Oh, Adriel, I knew you were up to something. I couldn't imagine what it was, but I'm so happy."

I was surprised. "Really? I was afraid that you would be upset."

"Upset? Not at all! We can get back to the agency and go back to work."

"Did you hear the part about me being your supervisor?"

"Oh, Adriel, I would love to be under you in any fashion." Joey smiled and punched my arm. "So, how did you manage to get your agent training done? Did you travel the past somehow?"

"Not exactly. It's hard to explain. It's all present, but it overlaps somehow. Yvonne knows how it works."

Joey's smile disappeared. I could see her teeth clench. "You've been with Evelyn, haven't you?" I didn't want to answer. I looked down and nodded my head. Joey got up and started pacing in back of the couch with her hands over her face. I couldn't bear to see her suffer emotionally. I still wasn't used to seeing her like this. I got up to try to console her, but she pulled away. "You can sleep on the couch tonight." She ran upstairs to our loft.

The only two people who had taken Joey to the golden highway were Yvonne and myself, and since we were the same person Joey relied upon me. I needed to give her some time, so I went into the kitchen to get something stronger than the wine that I had opened. As much as I loved Evelyn, I still couldn't bear to hurt Joey. I loved them both so much, and if it weren't for Yvonne I knew that I would lose Evelyn. When I was with Evelyn, I missed Joey. When I was with Joey, I missed Evelyn. What the hell was wrong with me? Yvonne explained that I needed healing, but as many times as Yvonne and I had gone at it, I never felt any differently about Joey. There was no winning. It was just degrees of losing, and in my pathetic condition if either of them knew how I truly felt about the other they would be deeply hurt. I felt like someone was giving me a choice to either have my left leg or my right leg cut off. I could hear Joey crying up there, and it was wrenching my heart.

I put my glass on the table and started up the stairs. Yvonne stood at the top of the stairs and wouldn't let me pass. "Adriel, you have come so far, and I can't let you throw it all away. You are at a crossroads right now, and if you go to Joey it will be the last time that you ever see me." Yvonne held out her hand. I reached out, and she took me to the golden highway. "I know this is hard for you to see Joey hurting, but you didn't get to see the pain that you put Evelyn through. She mourned your death, Adriel."

"Yes, but she had Annette to comfort her. Joey has no one."

"Evelyn was desperate, torn apart, confused, in despair, and you never saw her suffer. You have given her new hope, but you will heap more pain on her if you stay with Joey. You accomplished what you needed to do. You are in control of the project to access the gold. Annette and Joey must follow your orders. Your name is changed, and we have the ability to protect you more than Joey can. I have been waiting for you to realize that you don't need her anymore."

"I can't help it. You know that I'm in love with her."

"Adriel, it's your turn to feel a little bit of pain. Evelyn has suffered far too much. If you love her, you will do what's right by her. I'm ready to take you to her right now. You need to disclose everything to her and let her know how you feel. We will discuss what to do with Joey later."

Yvonne took me to Evelyn, and I explained everything that I had been doing. I told her about my agent training and my new position and name. I told her that I had been with Joey the whole time, and although we didn't actually engage in sexual intercourse, we did do a lot of things together. I wanted to start anew and begin to build our marriage together. Evelyn was in a lot of pain. She was still suffering from the belief that I had been brutally murdered. She was very upset that I had spent two months with Joey and never let her know that I was still alive. She had witnessed how Joey treated me after she had gained her emotions, and just knowing that I had been subject to her aggression made Evelyn ill. She wanted a few days alone to think about our possible future, but she warned me that if I returned to Joey that we were through. She understood that Joey was part of my team to access the gold, but she didn't want me living with her or sleeping in the same bed. Those days had to come to an end. I agreed, and Yvonne and I decided to go visit Annette.

Annette had received word from the colonel that agent Jasper White had been assigned as her supervisor. I didn't know if the colonel had let Annette know that I was Jasper, but I would soon find out. We found her with Gina at Annette's residence in Cannes. Traveling the golden highway gave me the ability to locate anyone anywhere at any time. No one could hide from me. Yvonne stepped us into Annette's residence in the living area just before Annette came out of the bathroom. She stared at Yvonne and me, but she didn't utter a word. I began the conversation. "I know that you have heard from the colonel."

Annette stepped closer. "That's right. He said that I was now reporting to a new director of Covert Operations, and that I was assigned to the team to access the gold deposit."

"Did he tell you who the new director is?"

Annette looked away for a few seconds. "Damn you, Adriel! You took Evelyn away from me, and now you have taken my position from me at the agency. I'm going back into the field, and I'm right back where I was. Alexis had taken advantage of me and was fucking Gina behind my back. Now I have to report to you, and you are taking Evelyn back. You took all of the credit for finding the gold deposit, and they awarded you the new position."

"That's not exactly how it happened, Annette. I earned it. I had to negotiate with the colonel. He didn't want to create this position or put me in charge. I had to go through the agency training, pass the tests, and substantiate the new position with the agency. I also drafted the contract to access the gold for the Department of the Treasury for a sum greater than the contract to locate the gold."

"So, you obviously used your time travel capabilities to get your training. That doesn't surprise me. As pissed off at you as I am right now, I will admit that no one has your capabilities. You don't even need Evelyn anymore to perform your little tricks." Annette looked over at Yvonne. "How is Joey taking all of this?"

"She's upset that I'm back with Evelyn, the same as you are. The only way I was going to be able to handle you both to complete this project was to gain control. I know what the agency protocols and procedures are, and you both now report to me. Are you ready for your first directive?"

Annette looked down, shook her head, and repeated under her breath. "Damn you, Adriel." She looked me in the eye and asked, "So, what's my first directive?"

"Get over here and give me a hug!" I smiled and extended my arms. Annette trudged over and put her arms around me. I hugged her tightly and then pulled her chin upward. I kissed her lips and asked, "Now, isn't that better?"

Annette pouted for a moment and then kissed me back. "Will you share Evelyn?"

"We'll see, but I'm not promising anything. I'm hoping that we can all get back to being the great team that we were."

"I don't see how that's possible, Adriel. Having you in charge and being in command over Joey and me completely changes the dynamics."

"Well, that may be true, but only if you let it. We were close at one point, Annette. I truly do love you, and I want us to get back to the way things were between us. I thought that we were good friends."

Annette put her head against my chest and gave me a real hug. "Yeah, well we'll see."

Yvonne and I had one more stop to make before we returned to Joey and got her on board. Yvonne made the necessary step from the golden highway, and we were back at David's. He was pouring hot water over his tea bag at the table when we approached from the living area. He gave a slight start and smiled as he shook his head. "I'm trying to get used to you both popping in on me, but I hope that you never catch me at an embarrassing moment."

I laughed. "Are you ready to become the liaison to the Department of the Treasury to access the largest gold deposit in the world?"

"Are you serious, mate? Did you clear it with the agency?"

"You're looking at the new Director of Covert Operations. I'm in charge. That means that I get to control the operation, and you are my liaison to the feds."

"By damn, Adriel, I think I'm going to cry." David sat in a chair and put his face in his hands.

I walked over and patted him on the back. "It's an honor to have you aboard."

Yvonne and I spent a couple of hours explaining the situation to David. We disclosed as much as we comfortably could about the personal dynamics and what we expected. We had planned to organize a team meeting in the next couple of weeks to discuss a plan of attack. We were about to do something very risky, and if word got out as to what we were doing, it could be disastrous. We still had one more team member to get on board. We navigated our way back to Joey. She asked me to leave, but I told her that we needed to talk business. I filled her in on the operation and told her that we would be reporting for service within the next two weeks. She asked me to take her to Annette. Yvonne nodded, and we transported Joey to Annette's residence in Cannes. Yvonne took Joey aside for about ten minutes while I conversed with Annette. When Yvonne returned to me, we grasped hands and departed to the golden highway.

For the first time in a very long while I felt alone. Yvonne knew exactly what I was suffering. "It's going to be all right, Adriel. Everyone needs time to adjust."

"So, what were you discussing with Joey just now?"

"I am her only resource to Agamon. I promised to make regular visits to continue her healing process. Fortunately, I have clearance to do that. You're not the only one who reports to a superior." Yvonne smiled at me.

I was confused as to how Yvonne was going to continue a relationship with Joey, and I wondered exactly what that meant. However, I was afraid to ask. I couldn't move back into the house with Evelyn. It would be too dangerous. I now needed a place to live. It was time to go exploring.

# **CHAPTER FOUR**

# **_JAZZ_**

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****

Yvonne and I discussed the attributes that my new residence should have. Agents could live anywhere in the world at any expense. No questions were asked, but the residences had to be approved by the immediate supervisor which means that the colonel would have to review my request. I definitely wanted a place that was warm all year long and located on a beach. I wanted the privacy to be nude at any time and also have a home with enough space to entertain my teammates. I had greatly enjoyed our time in Italy and had some fond memories there because that is where I first made love to Yvonne. However, Yvonne discouraged me from choosing a place in Italy. She thought that I needed a more remote location especially since travel was no object for us. I didn't want to live in the back rain forest of Brazil because I wanted some amenities and groceries nearby.

After spending two days of bouncing around to tropical locations, Yvonne and I finally came to a decision. We had found a little villa on the west end of the Greek isle of Milos. There were no neighbors for miles, and it was attached to a private secluded beach. It looked perfect, and it was absolutely beautiful. The water was the deepest and brightest blue that I had ever seen, and the rocky terrain cascaded down to a pure white sandy beach. The house was vacant, and it was not for sale, but the agency would make an offer that the owner couldn't refuse. I just needed to have the colonel sanction my request. Yvonne and I took some pictures and brought a map to the colonel one afternoon to drop off for him to review. It only took minutes before he approved. I was elated. I was dying to show Evelyn our new residence. However, I was about to be blindsided by something that I didn't expect.

Yvonne stepped across the golden highway to Evelyn, but she wasn't as welcoming as I had anticipated. She had given our relationship a lot of thought, and she was inclined to end it all. I felt like a knife had pierced my heart. "Adriel, I still can't get past the idea that you have been sharing a bed with Joey for two months while my heart was torn out thinking that you were dead. I don't know how you could be so insensitive and selfish. I would never do that to you no matter how much danger my life was in. You say that you didn't actually have sex with her, but in my estimation, you might as well have. I find no consolation in what you tell me. You were unfaithful to me in so many ways. I really don't think I can go forward from here with you. My husband died, and I don't know who you are."

I began to plead. "Evelyn, I am so sorry. I don't blame you, and I agree with everything that you just said, but I really want us to work this out. I can give you more time. I never intended to hurt you."

"Adriel, you weren't suffering for two months the way that I was. You were living a plush lifestyle with the most incredible woman that I have ever seen. She humiliated me in Italy, and you let her. Then you moved in with her and traded sexual favors while I mourned your death."

"We didn't trade sexual favors, Evelyn."

"Really? Are you willing to answer some questions?" I shook my head as I hung it in shame. "I think we need to part ways, Adriel, and I don't want you spying on me either. At least give me that much respect. I have been through too much pain in the past two months, and I don't think I can take any more. I had just begun to accept your death, and I need to go back to that place. Please just leave me alone."

Tears were streaming down both our faces. "Evelyn, please give it some time. Let me check back with you in another month."

Evelyn shook her head as she dabbed her eyes. "No, Adriel, I can't. I can't bear to tell the children that you are still alive. They suffered more than you know due to your scheme. I can't do that to them. They would never understand. You need to go back to your deceptive grave."

"Evelyn, please!"

She clenched her fists and screamed, "I said go!"

Yvonne immediately transported me to the golden highway. I collapsed to my knees and sobbed. "I just lost both of the women that I love!"

Yvonne gave me a puzzled look, "And you're surprised? Honestly, Adriel, you should have seen that coming a couple of months ago. I'm just glad that you didn't throw it all away to the point that I couldn't return to you."

"Why did you tell me to disclose everything to Evelyn? Now she doesn't want to have anything to do with me."

"Believe me, I of all people know that you aren't the most noble person, but did you really want to continue a relationship with Evelyn based on deception? She deserved to know who you really are. I have warned you all along about Joey, but you pushed that envelope as far as it could be pushed."

"So, now what? You have a relationship with Joey? You said that you were going to make regular visits to her."

"Yes, I did, and that's certainly none of your business. I'm trying to clean up your mess. Once again, you should not have brought her to me on the beach in Italy. She watched us make love. That one mistake has cost you dearly."

"How was I to know what would happen? It was Annette's idea to have Joey meet you."

"Yes, but your initial reaction was not to introduce me to anyone else. However, you gave in to Annette's reasoning. You should have stuck to your original inclination. What you did to Joey was unfair, whether you knew it then or not. I feel somewhat responsible for your actions, so I'm going to make sure that she continues to enjoy her healing process by taking her to Agamon."

"So, what am I supposed to do in the meantime?"

"Well, you have a team to organize and a project to conduct. You have protocols to establish and document for the agency, and you need an execution plan as well. You still need to determine the directives for each team member and organize meetings. I'd say that you have a lot to do."

It would be two weeks before my villa in Milos was ready for me. I stayed at an agency residence hall during that time due to the many cameras that existed all over the world. My face was recognizable, and the agency didn't want to take any chances on me being detected by anyone who might still be looking for me. Facial recognition software had been tracking me for months. I was struggling with a suggestion made by the colonel to alter my facial appearance with plastic surgery. I now had a new name, and the colonel wanted me to have a new face. Agent Jasper White had to be completed. I dialed the colonel and consented to his request. My surgery was scheduled during my first week at the villa. I took my available time to establish all of the necessary agency requirements for our project. I was hoping that delving into my responsibilities would keep my mind occupied because I couldn't stop missing Evelyn and Joey. I had decided to contact my team to let them know that our first meeting would be in four weeks. This should give me ample time to complete my preparation and begin healing from the surgery.

Agent cell phones were active from anywhere. Our connectivity was seamless. Agents were encouraged not to use personal phones, but every agent that I knew kept a burner phone available at all times. Agents received new phones and numbers with each project. The agency attempted to keep inter-agent involvement to a minimum, but we were human, and that was often impossible to prevent. I had received all of the cell phones for my team, and I needed to distribute them prior to my surgery. This was a simple task with the help of Yvonne. No matter where my team was, we could deliver the phones within minutes from the golden highway. David was my liaison with the federal government. Joey was my bodyguard. Annette had requested to be involved, and I needed to assign a position for her. I considered her to be superfluous. I also had a problem knowing that she would be fucking my wife. Nevertheless, I was diligent to complete the necessary arrangements, and I delivered my preliminary requirements to my team just before I entered the agency medical facility to receive my new face.

I had perused over one thousand options for my new appearance. I would emerge looking twenty years younger and unrecognizable to my former acquaintances. Agent Jasper White was about to replace Adriel Chevalier and leave him in the grave. I was eager to settle into my new villa in Milos that was located just north of the Sea of Crete. However, I was now lying in a hospital bed at an agency medical facility. My face was bandaged, and I had yet to see my new appearance. The medical team had failed to tell me prior to my surgery that they were altering my vocal cords as well. It was strange to hear my voice whenever I spoke, and the nurses were encouraging me to remain silent for at least two days. I had been assigned to a rehabilitation team. As an agent, I had to remain in top physical condition. I was beginning to understand Joey's insistence on our workouts on our former project. I often felt that she was excessive, but now I realized that she was instituting bear minimums. I was always amazed at how readily the human body adapted to exercise. My strength was far beyond what Joey had helped me to attain. My reflexes were sharp, and my speed and endurance were within the top ten percentile of the agency. They considered me to be phenomenal at my age. However, I had to give them the credit. The agency knew how to condition their agents.

It was time for the bandages to come off. My medical team positioned a mirror over my bed as my doctor removed the gauze from my face. The man who stared back at me from the mirror was a stranger. I knew then that no one who had ever known me before would ever recognize me as Adriel Chevalier. I was now agent Jasper White. I had not only changed outwardly, but inwardly as well. I was somewhat disappointed that I had evolved from a man who aspired to live by faith to an agent capable of assassination and selfish motives that I hoped would not get out of control. I was a supervisor with the agency, and I could virtually do anything to my subordinates. The only deterrent to me flying completely off the rails was my fear of losing Yvonne. She was necessary for me to accomplish my project, and I knew that if I did something morally reprehensible that I would lose her forever. Were it not for her, I was afraid that I would fuck, murder, and destroy without any repercussions in this world. Yvonne was my only hope. I postponed my team meeting for another week to allow my face to heal a little longer. I could sense the confusion of my team members when I spoke on the phone due to my voice change. They questioned by addressing the name Adriel, but I had to insist that I was Agent White. They were no longer allowed to use the name of the deceased agent, Adriel Chevalier.

Yvonne and I had gotten settled into my villa in Milos. We set the kitchen up to allow me to cook in the manner to which I was accustomed. The agency had my exercise equipment air lifted by helicopter and established a gym in one of the rooms. Agents rarely spent much time at their residences. We were usually kept too busy to fully enjoy them, but I could travel anywhere with Yvonne in an instant, and I fully intended on spending my nights here in Milos. We had taken a break from my healing sessions during my medical hiatus. She worked me extra hard to make up for lost time, and I greatly needed it. I had been torn apart emotionally, and Yvonne did all that she could to help me heal.

Two nights after I had settled into my villa, Yvonne sat with me in the living area looking out over the bright blue sea. Annette had gotten me into the habit of drinking wine, and Yvonne often accompanied me. We were sipping a great Merlot when Yvonne put her glass on the coffee table and turned to me. "I'm a little fuzzy on why you need Joey as a bodyguard. You have received your agent training, and your exposure to others is supposed to be minimal." I knew that Yvonne was concerned about me being around Joey.

"You could say the same about David too, Yvonne. Now that my appearance has changed, I really don't need David as my liaison because I can now increase my exposure."

"That's true, but you promised David a position on your team."

"I did, and I intend to honor that commitment. However, I will be able to get more involved, and having Joey as a bodyguard to protect me as an agency asset just makes sense. I know you're concerned that I will compromise your principles and fuck her. However, if I did that I would lose my opportunity to access the golden highway with your capabilities. Even if I used Evelyn, we couldn't do the things that you do. I'm not willing to jeopardize our relationship, Yvonne. However, I'm not sure how long you expect me to hold out without a sex partner. What you and I do isn't the same, and the agency is pumping me with steroids. I hope you know that it's just a matter of time."

For the first time ever, I saw Yvonne squirm in her seat. She looked away and thought for a moment. "Adriel, I can sympathize with what you are saying, but you need to understand that it's not my restriction that frustrates you. I have to adhere to certain rules and guidelines just like you do."

I felt as though I were a raging monster who was kept at bay in a cage named Yvonne. My changes in face and voice had a profound effect on me, and it wasn't for the better. I desperately wanted to find a way to control Yvonne, but I had no clue how that would be possible. I knew that she was aware of what I was thinking. I would do anything to control her and have my way. "So, what happens if you violate the rules? What if you let me do whatever I wanted and still came to see me? Let's face it, Yvonne, you enjoy it as much as I do." She knew how desperately that I wanted to corrupt her.

I then saw something else from Yvonne for the first time ever. She was beginning to weep. She hung her head, and tears fell from her eyes onto her lap. I scooted in next to her and held her tightly. I reached over and grabbed a box of tissues from the table. She blew her nose and dabbed her eyes. She began kissing me profusely and pulled off her robe. She tugged at my clothing, and within seconds we were engaged in another session on my couch. She begged me to drive her hard, and I took her to levels that we had never reached before. Normally, I was the one overcome with pleasure, but tonight she was heaving, moaning, and screaming with delight. My endurance had grown to practically a superhuman level, and I rode her on and on. She was delirious with ecstasy, and I took advantage of the opportunity. "If I can't have Evelyn, then let me have Joey."

Yvonne was writhing with orgasmic waves and continuing to cry as tears streamed down the sides of her head. "Oh, Adriel, please, I don't want to lose you. You don't know what you're asking. You want me to defect, but if I do then we will both be answering for something horrendous, and you really don't want that."

I drilled her harder as she screamed again and again. "Do you really want to give all of this up just because I take Joey?"

Yvonne pushed me off of her. Her resolve was much greater than I gave her credit. She grabbed the tissue box and sat on the couch with her knees pulled up to her chin. She continued to sob, and I felt terrible that I had tried to manipulate her like that. Once Yvonne had regained enough composure to speak, she looked over at me through her tears. "You sacrificed Evelyn for your time with Joey, and now you are willing to sacrifice me too? Adriel, Evelyn loves you, and I love you, but Joey doesn't love you. What is the matter with you?" Yvonne was crying uncontrollably. I never even knew it was possible for her. She sobbed and gasped. "You just took something incredibly beautiful between us and used it as a weapon to manipulate me. How could you do that?"

Was I really that selfish and desperate that I would hurt everyone to have what I wanted? I clung to Yvonne and gushed with apology and remorse. I tried to explain that the surgery and the drugs were having terribly negative effects on me. I didn't want to be the monster that was growing within me. I desperately needed her help. She agreed to spend the rest of the night with me. We started another session with the right intentions. It was sweet and brought healing to both of us. I held her through the night, but she needed to leave for a while in the morning. I didn't ask, but I was fairly certain that she was going to go see Joey. I wondered what she might say to her. It seemed so odd to have Yvonne with Joey when I wasn't around. I still had much to learn about the realm of the golden highway.

It was time for me to meet with my team. Joey was with Annette in Cannes. Yvonne and I needed to go get David, and it would be his first trip via the golden highway. I had forgotten that I looked and sounded much different, and David had a considerably difficult time acclimating to my new persona. Yvonne and I spent about half an hour getting him to accept that I was the former Adriel Chevalier. I had to correct him three times when he addressed me with my old name. I could sense David's apprehension about having us take him to Cannes with our unique travel technique. Yvonne and I assured him over and over that all would be well. David had only experienced the chaotic aspects of stepping through the portal at Giza, but I insisted that the experience of the golden highway was quite different. We would be passing through a very pleasant and serene atmosphere. We finally got him comfortable enough to take my right hand, and Yvonne stepped us over to Cannes in three seconds. David arrived with us in wide eyed astonishment.

It was somewhat of a reunion since our last project. We hadn't all been together for several months. However, Evelyn wasn't present at this time, but I was relieved. I don't think I could have endured the emotion of having her with us. Annette had provided a nice table of appetizers and drinks for us to enjoy as we discussed the protocol and procedures that I had outlined for our project. However, it was a very different experience. There were no hugs or kisses, and my team sat opposite me in the living area. It was the most formal meeting since Evelyn and I had met Joey and Annette in our living room nearly a year ago. We walked through the documents that I provided, discussed each team member's role, and finished reviewing the project plan. Once we had finished our business, it became awkwardly silent. Finally, I offered to escort David back to his residence in Cairo, and Yvonne took my left hand as David received my right. We took David home, and Yvonne and I cordially wished him a good evening. We then stepped back over to my villa.

I turned to Yvonne. "I can't believe the difference in how everyone treats me now that my appearance and voice have changed."

Yvonne sorrowfully looked into my eyes. "Surely, you aren't that dense, Adriel."

"What do you mean?"

"One of the reasons that you were chosen for your last mission to locate the gold mine was due to your lack of greed. You didn't care about the compensation. I told you at one point that it wasn't what you knew that interested the feds, but who you were. During the course of that project, you had to endure a lot of trying experiences. However, as you all worked through the challenges together your team came to love and respect you. You no longer have that. Now they just fear you, and I hate to say it, but they dread you as well. No one trusts you, and no one likes you either. You have become their superior, and they are frightened by what you might do with your power. You are aware of the capabilities that you have through the agency, and they don't know what to expect. They are obligated to follow you, but none of them wants to do that right now."

I slumped onto the couch. "How did I change so much?"

"That's a good question, Adriel." I started to correct Yvonne, but she stopped me. "No, I'm not addressing you with your new name. That's not who you really are. You don't look any different to me because I see your heart. You changed, Adriel. You may not have been a greedy man who wanted wealth, but as an agent that is moot. What you did seek was to have people that you shouldn't have. Your selfishness was one with relationships. You used to be one who would give to others without expecting anything in return, but now you have become someone who wants to take from others without any regard as to what it will do to them. Everyone can see that, and that's why you lost Evelyn."

I was bewildered. How could I have been so blinded as to what I had become? "What should I do, Yvonne?"

"Well, for starters I think you need to consider what other people need, and do what you can to fulfill that need. Stop indulging yourself at the expense of others. Use your resources and talents to serve others, not yourself. You just went through a year of agency training, and they don't teach you those things. In fact, they taught you quite the opposite. You have been greatly damaged, but you can recover. I suggest that you start today."

"But what can I do today?"

"That's not for me to decide, Adriel. You are the decision maker. I'm just your sounding board."

I looked at the western sky across the water. The sun had just dipped below the horizon. I looked over at Yvonne. "Take me back to Annette's place in Cannes." We made the necessary steps, and Yvonne and I entered Annette's living area. She gave a start when she saw us, and I could see the look of dread on her face. Yvonne was right. "Annette, we need to talk. I owe you an apology, and I want to make things right between us."

Annette raised her eyebrows and nodded as she reservedly asked us to take a seat. "So, what do you want from me, Ad..., I mean Agent White."

"I want to relinquish control of the project to you. If you will accept, I will go to the colonel tomorrow to establish the appropriate agency command. I want you to have the credit for the largest project in the agency's history."

"Now, why would you that, Agent White? What are you expecting in return?"

"There are several reasons, Annette, and I don't really want anything in return. You have the experience, intelligence, and skills to direct this endeavor far better than I can. You deserve the credit. What I did to you was unfair, and it was extremely manipulative. I really do love you, Annette, and I apologize for being so selfish. I want us to be a team like we were, but I can't accomplish that. I know that you can." Joey was standing behind the couch where Annette was seated. I looked up at her. "Joey, I owe you an apology as well. I tried to manipulate you also, and I was wrong to do that. I used you in a very selfish manner, and I shouldn't have done that. My actions were disrespectful, and I promise to treat you with the respect that you deserve. I hope you both can forgive me because I truly am sorry. Annette, I want you to know that I won't come between you and Evelyn. I promise to respect both your wishes. Now, just say the word, and I will execute the order to put you in charge."

Annette just stared at me as she repeatedly rocked forward in her seat for a minute. "Will you transport me to Evelyn whenever I want?"

"You have my word."

Annette kept rocking and staring. "Do I have to keep calling you Agent White?"

"You can call me anything you like, but the colonel doesn't want my old name used anymore."

Annette nodded as she continued to rock. Suddenly, the corners of Annette's mouth turned down, and a tear dropped from her right eye. I moved over to her couch and put my arm around her. She put her head on my right shoulder. "I don't like the name Jasper White," she complained. "I want Adriel back."

I squeezed her tightly. "Adriel's back, we just can't call him by that name."

Annette wiped her eyes and looked up at Joey. "What should we call him, Joey?"

Joey looked toward the ceiling. "Oh, I have several names in mind, but he's still our superior."

Annette looked over at me. "Will you really take me to Evelyn?" I nodded in assurance. "Then I want to go right now."

Yvonne and I stood, and I took Annette's hand. Within three seconds we were in parking mode at Evelyn's house in the midwestern United States. She hadn't yet gotten home from work, so we dropped Annette off. Due to the time difference, Evelyn wouldn't be home for another hour or so. I instructed her to give me a call if she needed to be transported at any time. Yvonne and I retreated back to Milos. I was in desperate need of another healing session. Yvonne and I enjoyed one another once again and then turned to reflect on our day. I was making amends with Annette, but it was going to take some time. I didn't see how I would ever make things up with Joey or Evelyn, but I had to remain focused on their needs, and if they needed to hate me, then so be it.

Annette agreed to take the reins for our project, so Yvonne and I were going to visit the colonel. I appreciated her ability to bend time in our favor. Although, there were plenty of business hours left in the day in D. C. We approached the colonel after we were sure that he was available. He broke into a laugh. "Agent White, I will never get used to your entrances. What can I do for you?"

"Sir, I would like to relinquish my position and put Agent Marceau in my place. I would then be her subordinate. I realize that this would require your permission."

The colonel thought for a minute. "I'm sure you have your reasons, Agent White, but under the circumstances I can't just allow you to relinquish this new position. We just established the need for you to be in control of the team to access the gold."

"Then can I put Agent Marceau in control of the project? She's far more capable, and I want her to get the credit."

Once again, the colonel was pensive as he nodded his head. "Well, it's your project and your team. You can configure them however you like. Agent Marceau will continue to report to you though. You will need to submit the new responsibilities in writing to me according to protocol."

"I understand, sir. Thank you."

Yvonne and I returned to my villa. "Well, I'm not sure how Annette and Joey will react to this, but I tried. At least, I can put Annette in control of the project and let her get the credit, but they still have to report to me."

Yvonne agreed. "You're right, you tried, and that's the important thing."

Evelyn asked me not to spy on her, so I was going to await contact from Annette. I would explain it to her at her earliest opportunity. David would be contacting the liaison at the Treasury Department. I wanted him to make them believe that he was responsible for accessing the gold. Annette was going to run the operation, but in reality it was Yvonne and I who would be the ones to transport and handle the logistics. My goal was to minimize our exposure. The agency really didn't want people to know my capabilities, so we had to be careful how we executed this magic act. If we got caught stealing the gold, the United States would deny any involvement in the operation. Yvonne and I could disappear at will, but others could get apprehended and suffer the consequences.

A few months ago, Evelyn, Annette, and I had delivered the coordinates of the gold deposit to the contact at the U. S. Treasury Department to complete my assignment for our previous project. Only I knew the coordinates. I had written them down and put them into an agency lockbox that required two keys to open it. Our contact at the Treasury had received one key, and Annette held the other. When we delivered the box to him, he and Annette used their keys to open it. He read the coordinates, checked them, and then threw the paper back into the box in disgust. Annette quickly stepped forward and closed the box. We then disappeared, and Annette kept her key. The Treasury Department had rejected the coordinates due to their inability to access the gold. It later took the threat of a lawsuit to get the Treasury Department to honor the contract and pay the agency. The only two people in the world who knew where the gold was located were the contact at the Treasury Department and myself. Neither of us had disclosed its location, and the coordinates were safely locked in an impregnable agency box held by the Treasury Department. They only had one key, and Joey had managed to steal the other one from Annette when she and Yvonne had abducted me from the yacht that Annette, Evelyn, and I had chartered in our attempt to hide. We were certain that someone within the agency had been disclosing my location due to multiple attempts on my life.

I originally had not intended to offer my services to access the gold. I actually didn't see how we would be able do it. After I had introduced Joey to Yvonne on the beach in Italy, she had become emotional and possessive of me to the point that I couldn't proceed with our project. Before crossing the point of no return, Yvonne had taken Joey away from me one night. I was then able to complete the project. I had no idea when Joey might return. However, we knew that several agencies and governments around the world sought my capabilities. We weren't trusting anyone, so Annette had chartered a yacht cruise for us in the South Pacific while we regrouped to make future plans. However, Yvonne and Joey had conspired to abduct me in order to protect me. I was in more danger than we knew. Yvonne had transported Joey to the yacht while Evelyn, Annette, and I were sunbathing on the deck. She had drugged some champagne that she had left for us in our cabin. When we returned to our cabin, we were surprised to see the open bottles and glasses, and we thought that our stewardess had brought them. We toasted and celebrated, but we were soon unconscious from the drug.

When I awoke, I was with Yvonne and Joey in the Swiss chalet that she had purchased. The chalet had been vacant for over two years, and the owner was desperate to offload it. Joey paid cash and executed the transaction under the name of one of her aliases. Transfer of ownership happened practically overnight. Yvonne and Joey spent days convincing me that I had to appear to be deceased. Otherwise, it would have been a matter of a short time before I was apprehended by undesirables who would force me into their service. I was learning that Joey had several aliases that she used to conduct her business. She had secured hundreds of contracts for assassination and other covert operations and had amassed fortunes in the process. Her tremendous assets had been scattered in banks throughout the world under several different names. I began to realize that Joann Nyari wasn't her real name. In fact, I don't think a single agent retained his or her original name once they had entered service. She was known all over the world, but only by differing names by region. She maintained her anonymity and continued to work among several circles to establish contacts and stockpile favors to be collected in the future.

Joey's intent was to use me to navigate the world to enhance her capability. She wanted us to be a husband and wife team, but Yvonne had insisted that I remain faithful to Evelyn. Yvonne couldn't read Joey's mind, but she could read Agamon's mind which reflected Joey's thoughts. However, whenever Yvonne was with Agamon and Joey, Joey was engaged in her healing process, so she wasn't thinking about her plans with me. I later realized that Joey didn't really care if I violated my relationship with Evelyn or Yvonne. I would still have the capability to take her anywhere in the world within seconds. I just wouldn't be able to exercise the incredible abilities that I had with Yvonne, nor would I be able to continue in my healing process. Joey's main conflict was with the fact that she wanted to be instrumental in stealing the gold from the deposit, and she knew that it would require Yvonne's abilities to do that. That was the only way that I could hold her at bay during our two months at the chalet.

Perhaps now, you can better understand Joey's consternation over losing me. She knew that if I returned to Evelyn, she would never get her chance to use me as an escort. Her plan had been to wait until we had taken the gold and then launch an all out attack to seduce me and alienate me from Yvonne and Evelyn. I was now contemplating the idea that Yvonne had used Evelyn to alienate Joey, and Joey to alienate Evelyn. That actually gave Annette and I a chance to regain our relationship without jeopardizing my relationship with Yvonne. I knew that Yvonne didn't discuss everything with me. She knew that I would never agree to that plan. I also knew that she was aware of what I was now thinking. She said that she couldn't do anything against my will, but she had convinced me to be open and honest with Evelyn. It was my decision. I just never realized what the outcome would be.

I was now beginning to realize that being the superior over Annette and Joey had protected me more than I anticipated. It was important for me to clear the air with Annette. I needed her full cooperation on this project. She was extremely intelligent and had the necessary experience. I could never do that if I were still with Evelyn because of Annette's resentment and jealousy. I apparently needed Annette's commitment to my leadership. Joey would never undermine a superior, so that kept her in check as well. Otherwise, now that Evelyn and I were estranged, Joey would have taken advantage of that opportunity. Yvonne had guided me into the necessary position to execute this project. However, she had yet to instruct me on how we would access the gold. It just appeared to be so impossible.

I was sitting on my couch looking out over the bright blue water of the Greek isles when my cell phone rang. It was Annette. She needed me to transport her from Evelyn's back to Cannes. Evelyn had stepped out so that we wouldn't meet. I was careful not to ask any personal questions and remained very cordial. Annette was reticent and pensive which made me curious. I explained that the colonel would not allow me to relinquish my position as director, but I could put Annette in charge of the project. She made no response, and we deposited her at her residence in Cannes. I didn't stay and returned to my villa. I was handling things much better in the past few days. I think it was partially because I was now focusing on the project. I needed more time to understand what the process would be to access the gold, but so far Yvonne hadn't disclosed anything. I wasn't sure why, and she was more interested in our healing sessions than talking.

My phone rang again. It was David. He had made his connection with the liaison at the U. S. Treasury Department. He had discussed the protocol and deliverable expectations. We were operating on the agency timetable and would relay pertinent information when we deemed it was necessary. We couldn't give them a requirements list because I was yet to learn what we needed. I couldn't envision a team of excavators. That would draw too much attention. Somehow, we had to get the gold out of the mountain without being detected. This would be the largest major theft in history, and no one was aware of the asset that we were stealing. I chuckled as I thought about our operation being likened to someone stealing unknown buried treasure out of a neighbor's backyard.

My phone rang again for the third time in forty-five minutes. It was Annette again, and she was crying. She wanted me to take her to a secure location to talk. Yvonne and I stepped over to Cannes and brought Annette back to my villa. Yvonne departed, I got Annette settled onto my couch, and I quickly grabbed two bottles of wine from the kitchen. I poured her a glass and slid in beside her as I held her with my right arm. She gave me a strange glance. "It's so hard for me to get used to you as the former Adriel. You look and sound so different."

"It's me, Annette. What's got you so upset?"

"Honestly, before I ever met you and Evelyn I can't remember the last time I cried. I don't know why you both have brought out so much emotion in me, but now it happens regularly. You're the only person that I can talk to right now. Plus, you know what a selfish bitch I can be."

"I do know you pretty well. I have a suspicion that the emotions are due to the golden highway, but we can discuss that later. What's going on?"

"After you took me to Evelyn's, I waited for her to come home. She was surprised to see me, and I told her that you had given me permission to continue my relationship with her. She got really upset and told me that she didn't want me there. She said that she was still sorting things out, and she didn't think it was fair for her to have a relationship with me. She told me not to come back, and if she decided differently she would contact me."

"That does sound like Evelyn. I think you just need to give her time. I am curious though. Does Evelyn know that Gina is living with you in Cannes?"

"That's another thing. In the past, I have had double standards and taken advantage of others and situations for my own benefit. I moved Gina back to Cannes because of what I did to her. I feel really bad, which is another change in me to which I am not accustomed."

"You were brutal to her, Annette. Evelyn and I were appalled when you circumcised her with your teeth."

"I know. I can have quite a temper." That was an understatement. "But Gina and I have decided to redefine our relationship. We aren't lovers now, just good friends."

"I want us to be good friends too, Annette. Let's grab a couple more bottles of wine and head to the beach. It's a beautiful day, and we can work on our full body tans again like we did in Italy. I think it will do you some good. I'll give you a quick tour of my villa, grab a couple of towels, and we can spend the rest of the day in the sun. I want you to stay for dinner too, if that's OK with you."

Annette consented, and I showed her my new residence. She thought that it suited me. She fully expected me to own a private beach. We took our towels and wine down to the sand and sprawled naked in the sun. It reminded me so much of our time in Italy. Before long, we were laughing and reminiscing about our last project. Annette was such a beautiful young woman. Had she not been purely homosexual, I would have had a difficult time not making advances on her. She still aroused me greatly, and that always amused her. Annette rolled toward me and started outlining my face with her finger. "Why did you choose this face?"

"I don't know. I guess I thought that it was pleasing to some degree, and it didn't look anything like me."

Annette continued to study my features. "It has sort of a feminine appearance."

I laughed. "Maybe that's why I liked it. I don't know."

She leaned in and kissed my lips. I pulled her close and engaged her with my tongue. "Whoa, Adriel, take it easy. We're friends, remember?" Annette quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, Adriel, I forgot that you are my superior. You can do anything you want to me."

I rolled over on my back. My heart was pounding, and I was beginning to pant. "Sorry, Annette, sometimes you're just too irresistible, but don't worry. I'm not going to abuse my position. You're right, we're friends."

Annette propped her head on her hand. "So, what are you fixing for dinner?" I knew she wanted to get my mind off of my desire.

I wanted to use my new grill, so I had given Annette a choice of grilled pork ribs, steak, or swordfish. Annette opted for the fish. I sautéed some vegetables to accompany our entree and opened three more bottles of wine. As usual, Annette drank most of the wine. She could handle twice the alcohol that I could. We went out to the patio to enjoy the stars in the sky as we continued our evening together. Annette scooted over next to me and put her arm around me. "I know that I'm not supposed to call you Adriel any longer."

"Oh, I don't mind as long as we are alone. The colonel wants everyone to have the mindset that Adriel is dead. He wants me to truly be Agent Jasper White, but it's difficult for me to accept that."

"You'll get used to it after a while," Annette encouraged. "You wouldn't believe how many different people I have been over the years. Joey and I did decide on a name for you though."

"I'm almost afraid to ask. She's not my biggest fan these days."

Annette chuckled. "It's not as bad as you think. We agreed that White was too bland, and neither of us like the name Jasper, so we compromised. We have decided to call you Jazz. We think that fits you better."

I laughed. "Well then, I guess Jazz it is."

I coaxed her into staying the night, and we laughed and teased one another about the nights that we had slept naked side by side on our last project. Old habits die hard, and we did the same tonight. She dozed off in my arms, and I kissed her several times before I finally fell asleep. It felt so good to have her next to me again. I awoke before dawn and scooted off of the bed to go make some coffee. I started a frittata that contained eggs, spinach, onion, garlic, feta, thyme, oregano, and Parmesan. Annette strolled into the kitchen. She was so accustomed to being naked around me that she didn't bother to dress. We enjoyed our breakfast on my patio overlooking the water. We hadn't discussed the project because I was awaiting direction from Yvonne. I had learned to be patient in these circumstances. I tried to coax her into spending another night with me.

"I'd love to, Adriel, but another night will turn into a week, and Joey is staying with me. She's already going to be upset when she finds out that I spent the night with you. Honestly, it's so different now that she has emotions. I'm still not used to it. I still can't believe that you two shared a bed for over two months and you didn't have sex with her."

"Well, if it weren't for Yvonne I wouldn't have lasted ten minutes. By the way, I'm surprised that you have never asked to meet your counterpart on the golden highway."

"Adriel, I have done some dastardly things in my life. I have taken advantage of people and humiliated them and their spouses. I have killed hundreds, and I have tortured victims to the point of death and enjoyed it. You have no idea what a heartless and cruel bitch I have been. I have changed a lot since I met you. I know I have a lot to answer for, and I never believed in an afterlife until lately."

"But, your counterpart can bring you healing, Annette."

"Seriously? After what I saw Yvonne do to you that night on the beach when I woke up next to you, I have been horrified ever since. I once told you that I'm not afraid of anyone, except for Yvonne. It looked like she had your internal organs outside your body. You might think the experience was more like Madam Bovary, but it looked like Jack the Ripper to me."

"That's interesting, because it was the most pleasurable experience that I have ever had. It was incomprehensible."

"That may be, but I think I'd rather not meet anyone else from that realm. She scares the hell out of me."

We enjoyed a few more hours together. About mid-morning, I summoned Yvonne, and we took Annette back to Cannes. We returned to my villa and sat on my couch to talk. Yvonne looked over and smiled at me. "It looks like you and Annette are getting along."

Yvonne knew that I had realized how she had manipulated my situation. "Yes, thanks to you we seem to be back to our previous friendship. So, when do we go after the gold?"

Yvonne suggested that we go to the beach for another healing session, and then we would discuss the necessary steps to begin our project. We grabbed a blanket, some water, and headed toward the surf. We spent the next three hours enjoying our blissful entanglement on our blanket in the sand. Finally, Yvonne rolled off of me onto her back. "There's a lot to discuss, Adriel. Most of what I am about to tell you might not make a lot of sense. However, I want you to realize what we are doing. You will, as usual, interpret it by whatever worldly means that you can, and that's all right. I know that you are familiar with the portal in Giza. You also experienced another portal at Stonehenge. There are many portals all over the earth. Some are major, and some are minor. Some people believed that there were twelve portals around the world, but that's not true. There are hundreds. First, you need to understand what a portal is."

"Aren't they just doors that lead to the golden highway?"

"Well, that's one function that they have. Some have called them wormholes in the fabric of the universe. Actually, they are electromagnetic hotspots that exist due to conditions in the atmosphere, the effects of the sun, and the terrain on the earth. There are other factors as well, but that's not important. As you have come to realize, all points in your universe are connected by one single step from the golden highway. Therefore, geographic distance is an illusion to those who live on the earth. You once had a theory that the pyramids and Stonehenge were possibly built by using portals to position the heavy stones that has baffled so many people to this day."

"Yes, that's true. I was toying with the idea that due to the differences in the gravity on the highway that the ancients had used the portal to navigate the stones."

"You are on the right track, but your reasoning isn't correct. It really isn't so much the gravitational aspect of the golden highway. How do you suppose that the Egyptians could get the heavy stones into the portal?"

"That was something that I hadn't figured out yet."

"That's because you don't have all of the facts. People on earth only know a fraction of the laws of physics. They only know what pertains to their realm. As you have learned, speed, time, space, and distance are all relative due to perspective. From the sun's perspective, the earth travels around the sun, but from the earth's perspective, the sun travels around the earth. The Egyptians were never able to deduce how to build the pyramids. They had to learn as you are learning to do things that seemed impossible. Archaeologists have found the buried bodies in Egypt with the jars that contained their organs. They had believed that the organs pertained to the afterlife. However, the Egyptians recognized their counterparts from the golden highway as being another body part. Out of respect for their reciprocal aspects, they recognized the importance of the vital organ that they had found on the golden highway. Much of them lived as you and I do, Adriel, and I'm about to show you something that was revealed to them. However, there are some aspects that I am going to share that you cannot under any circumstances tell another person. I will save that for later." I nodded in agreement. "Since you realize that geographic distance is an illusion, you will appreciate the fact that all portals exist within one step. You have probably noticed that when using a portal, there is no such thing as stepping into parking position. You always step directly into and out of a portal."

"Actually, I hadn't thought of that before, but that's true."

"Since there is no parking position from a portal, it's possible to stack portals together from all over the world. Here is where you will have a difficult time understanding because you see those portals as being separated by great distances. In reality, they are not. By stacking portals, you can move any object with ease to anywhere in the world. Now, here comes the more interesting aspect of what I have to tell you. Portals can be created where you need them. Therefore, not only can they be stacked, but they can be positioned to your advantage. This is how we are going to transport the gold from the mountain."

"So, how do you create and stack portals?"

Yvonne smiled. "I'm going to explain that, but that is exactly what you cannot tell anyone. It involves some laws of physics that are hidden from your realm, but they are still laws in your environment, nevertheless."

Yvonne and I spent the next two hours hopping from place to place as she demonstrated the relationship of the portals. She was impressing upon me the need to stop thinking in earthly geographical terms and concepts. She was showing me the creative aspects of how to use the environment to cast a mountain into the sea. We went to remote places for me to experiment. I had to realize that nothing was impossible. My only limitations were those that I imposed upon myself. I felt like she had just removed me from a straitjacket that had held me prisoner for my entire life on earth. If I thought that I was dangerous before, it was nothing compared to who I was now.

# **CHAPTER FIVE**

# **_NOAH_**

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I am often amused at my infantile concepts that adhere to the paradigms built from the perceptions of my worldly environment. What seems impossible is only the lack of enlightenment that comes from the necessary revelation that one cannot control. I have always received direction when it was necessary and not a moment before. As many times as that happens, it is often difficult for me to wait in ignorance for a necessary revelation. As humans, we have a tendency to hoard things, whether it is money, knowledge, or any other thing that we interpret as security. We often look for worldly assurances. The story of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness comes to mind. They could gather manna each day, but they couldn't successfully keep more than was necessary for that day. Each day, it was provided for them as needed. Only on the sixth day could they keep enough for the seventh because they weren't allowed to gather on that day. This required a dependency based on faith, not the assurances of storing enough food to make them comfortable. If our comfort is not provided by the trust and belief in the will, nature, and character of the Creator, then we are missing the very purpose for our lives. It's never about us, it is all about the Creator. Yvonne said that I had become selfish, and that I needed to serve others by seeking to provide what they needed as much as it was within my power. Selfishness was at the root of all misery. I had experienced that firsthand.

I now had amazing capabilities, and I needed to use them to serve others, not myself. So far, I knew that Yvonne was intending to access the gold. I knew where the gold was located, but she hadn't told me where the gold would go. The United States Treasury Department expected astronomical sums of gold to be transported to a secret underground repository. The agency expected ten billion dollars for executing the contract to transport the gold. Yvonne had shown me the gold deposit. It was unbelievable, and I had concerns what would happen to the terrain when we removed the gold. If the mountain collapsed, it would draw worldwide attention. However, we needed to extract the gold without anyone detecting what we were doing. Yvonne had shown me the technique for stacking portals and positioning them wherever I needed. She also explained that we were using a displacement technique that would backfill the void from taking the gold. We were going to transfer remote areas of granite and quartz into the mountain as we removed the gold. There was also a relic of antiquity that we had to preserve at all costs because it was the entrance location for the gold.

Only Yvonne and I knew how much gold was in the deposit. No one else had the capability of learning that. I had never attempted to calculate its worth. However, it became apparent to me that if the deposit contained approximately five quadrillion dollars, and we transferred four quadrillion dollars of gold to the designated repository, the federal government would be ecstatic. What they wouldn't know is that we had kept one quadrillion for ourselves to be used to fund projects to help reduce hunger, disease, poverty, and bring opportunity for enhanced development and education around the world. I hadn't discussed this with Yvonne, and I didn't know what her intentions were for the gold. I found it difficult to accept that she would want to give it all to our federal government. However, due to the contract to find the gold we had disclosed its location. If we satisfied the current contract, it would alleviate any suspicion that we had skimmed any for the purposes of aiding mankind. I was never allowed to see the big picture, but I knew that Yvonne would act in a manner that was best for everyone involved. Regardless of what anyone might suspicion, we were working without supervision because it would be impossible for anyone to monitor what we were doing.

I needed to discuss our intentions with Yvonne. I summoned her, and as usual, she put my healing session as top priority. By the time that we had finished, I had nearly forgotten why I had called her to me. As my head was clearing, Yvonne was gazing at me as she smiled. "So, you think we're going to skim the gold, do you?"

I blinked as I tried to focus my attention. "The thought had occurred to me, but I was wondering what your intentions were. When I was originally approached to find the gold, I had concerns with the federal government having that much financial power. Now, it appears that is exactly what is going to happen."

"Well, let me ask you, if we did skim the gold, then where would you put it? Before you answer that question, how would you convert the gold to spendable currency to execute the different benevolent programs that you considered?"

"I have no idea."

"It would create an administrative nightmare. We aren't skimming the gold."

"So, do you plan to just hand it over to the feds? Can you imagine the corruption that would occur?"

Yvonne smiled again. "I love you, Adriel. You're like a naive child sometimes. Do you not realize that everyone is at our mercy? No one can access the gold without us. They don't even know how much there is. We aren't obligated to take it all. If you remember the contract that was drafted, it doesn't stipulate the rate of transport or the amount of gold to be delivered. We haven't even estimated the worth of the gold. Maybe we should do that first."

"How can we do that?"

"Well, it won't be exact, but we can ballpark it close enough to have an idea of what might be contained in that mountain. We know the coordinates, and we can estimate the amount of gold within those perimeters. If we are accurate within seventy percent, I would consider that to be a workable number."

"Surely you don't intend to disclose the amount of gold."

"Oh, no, of course not. It's just a number for us to work with. It's nice to know what your hostage is worth." I gave Yvonne a puzzled look. "We can basically hold the gold hostage to coax the federal government to institute certain programs as we judiciously dish out the gold."

"They would never agree to that!"

"What choice do they have? Look at our capabilities, Adriel. What can they possibly do to us? Believe me, they will want that gold so badly that they will do anything."

"OK, so how much gold do you think there is?"

"Well, let's start with the size of a standard gold bar. It weighs about four hundred ounces. Gold sells for over one thousand dollars per ounce, so we'll be conservative and estimate a gold bar at about four hundred thousand dollars. Based on our observation of the deposit, I would estimate the percentage of gold ratio per ton of rock to be about twenty-five percent. We saw rivers of pure gold running through that deposit. When you consider the coordinates of the perimeter and the fact that the gold runs several hundred feet deep, I would estimate that we are conservatively looking at about three quadrillion dollars worth. Then again, it might be much more than that, but I would say it contains at least that amount."

"So, who is our hostage negotiator?"

Yvonne threw her head back and laughed, "Why, David, of course. He should love the idea."

"Damn it, Adriel!" David threw his dust cloth against the back of the couch. "I'm a goddamned physicist, not a hostage negotiator." Yvonne couldn't wait to break the news to David. She had transported us to David's residence, and he was now in a lather over our plan. "I thought this was going to be some kind of a cushy job that I would enjoy. Now you have me strong-arming the U. S. federal government into doing whatever you want with the gold."

"David, all you need to do is relay messages. That doesn't make you the bad guy."

"Are you not familiar with killing the messenger?" David looked over his glasses at me.

"This is going to be the business deal of the century. You have a front row seat. I won't get to see the look on their faces when you tell them our terms."

"Oh, of course you will. You'll be parked in the same room with them. I know you. You have spy tactics that are unrivaled."

Yvonne leaned over as she squeezed my arm and whispered, "I think it's time David met his counterpart on the golden highway." I gave Yvonne a wide eyed look of surprise. "You don't mind staying here for a few seconds, do you? He will experience a bit of time travel, but it will be good for him." I nodded my head in agreement. "David, dear, I would like to take you on an excursion with just the two of us. What do you say?"

David perked up. "An excursion? Where are we going?"

Yvonne smiled and held out her hand. "There is a young lady who would love to meet you. Come with me."

David's demeanor was evidence that he was flattered and excited. He hopped over to Yvonne and took her hand. They disappeared. I knew that he was going to experience the time of his life. He had once boasted about his sexual escapades with three young Swedish blonde girls that Annette had provided for him during a project a few years back. That was nothing compared to what he was about to do. His experience would last for hours, but Yvonne would return him within seconds according to earthly time. I couldn't stop laughing when I saw them appear. He face was flushed, and he was exhausted. He insisted on lying on the couch to recover. Yvonne was grinning from ear to ear. She sat down next to me and gave me a kiss. "I think David will be just fine." We left David on his couch to recover and returned to my villa.

Yvonne departed, and I knew that she was going to take Joey to see Agamon. I decided to snag a couple bottles of wine, my beach towel, and head down to the shore for a relaxing afternoon in the sun. I always enjoyed the warm rays and breeze as I watched the waves wafting onto the sand. The sky and the water were such beautiful shades of blue in contrast to the sugary white sand. Suddenly, something caught my eye. It appeared to be a swimmer about forty meters off shore. I sat up and shaded my eyes from the sun with my right hand. Someone was definitely out for a swim. I saw no boats, and my nearest neighbor was miles away. The swimmer turned around and headed back in the opposite direction. I finally determined that the swimmer was a woman. She appeared to tread water for a minute and waved at me. I waved back, and she continued to swim until she was out of sight down the shoreline. My beach was very secluded on both sides by rock that descended into the sea. I continued to watch for a few more minutes, but I never saw her again.

I lay back on my blanket and began to contemplate the logistics of transporting the gold. The underground repository was adjacent to a large gold refinery controlled by the federal government. Yvonne and I had to be sure that no one saw us transporting the gold. We realized that it would cause a considerable amount of curiosity when the gold seemed to magically appear. I would need Joey and Annette to make sure that the area was vacated and that no possible witnesses remained within the repository. Yvonne and I had discussed the portal stacking that was necessary. We would be able to establish a portal within the repository to receive the ore that we transported. I started to recall her explanations of phenomenal experiences in our world. The portals provided a conduit of entry. Yvonne had spoken of the accounts of near death experiences. Many witnessed the progression through a tunnel that ended in a very bright light. She laughed as she likened it to a fetus descending the birth canal and seeing the bright light of the birth room. Birth and death had their similarities. Both described a type of conduit with light at the end, and our experience with the gold had its own similarities. We were birthing a gold mine which would leave the darkness of the mountain, travel through a conduit, and end in the light of the repository.

We had to establish a portal at the entrance point on the mountain that was closest to the gold. I was astonished when she explained that the first gold side portal would be positioned within a manmade structure. It was part of a large ship that sat on the side of the mountain. The ship had broken apart, and some of it had fallen further down the mountainside. The ship had been buried in the ice, and it contained large rooms. We were establishing a portal in one of the rooms, and it would extend into the side of the mountain. As we transferred blocks of ore, we would stack more portals inward. She decided that we should work our way downward and begin backfilling as we removed the veins of gold. We had chosen a remote, uninhabited island to use as the backfill material. She estimated that we would be transferring about one cubic yard of material at a time. I had imagined irregular chunks of raw ore being moved through the conduit of portals, but she corrected me. The pieces were going to be cut in precise, perfectly shaped cubes hewn from the mountain. She reminded me of the pyramids. Although some Egyptologists believed that they had found some of the tools used to cut the stones, they were duped. Yvonne and I thought about doing something similar to throw off the feds into thinking that we used tools, but we considered that to be more trouble than it was worth. However, we did intend to remove our tools that would be necessary to create the portal.

The stones would be cut by controlling the shape of the portal. Whatever was encompassed by the portal would easily move free from what was outside the portal. She had me experiment with this procedure in a remote area that had an existing portal. It reminded me of a computer graphics program where you could drag the mouse to create a square and then remove what was in the square by dragging it away. It worked much the same way. The blocks of ore remained within the portals which prevented them from having too much weight. We could easily move them through the portals that only extended a very short distance. We could control the size of the portals to a degree. Stacking was necessary to traverse further three-dimensional distances. There was no limit to the number of portals that we could stack. I estimated that we could transport one cube every four seconds which would provide a large amount of gold in a very short time. If Yvonne's estimate of gold percentage of twenty-five percent were correct, that would amount to over one hundred million dollars of gold in every cube.

It wasn't difficult to understand why so many agencies in the world would want to abduct me and force me into their service. The only way to do such a thing would be to threaten the ones whom I loved. I had to remain the number one kept secret in the entire world. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Evelyn's decision to remove me from her life actually protected her. As long as everyone thought that Adriel Chevalier was dead, and no one knew of Agent Jasper White's abilities, the ones whom I loved had a better chance of safety. I could never accomplish any of this without Yvonne, but I longed for a mate, and she would never agree to that unless it was Evelyn. I reminded myself that I needed to focus on the interests of others, not my own.

I had spent the last several months with Joey attached to me. I was never alone, and for the last couple of months before the end of the last project, she bodily held on to me. Now, I was alone more than I wanted. I remember how I longed for moments like these, but now I wanted a companion. Annette and I had such a great time together. Even though we couldn't be lovers, she was always a lot of fun for me. The sun was setting, and I was wishing that she was sitting next to me. Yvonne appeared. She put her head on my shoulder and held my arm. Although Yvonne had a physical body and showed me affection, it wasn't nearly the same as being with Evelyn, Joey, or Annette. She brought peace and healing in so many ways, but she really didn't satisfy my need for companionship. "Do you really want to go get Annette?" A tear rolled down my cheek as I nodded.

Yvonne disappeared. In a few seconds she reappeared with Annette. I knew that she could take others to the golden highway, but she had never retrieved anyone for me before. Annette sat in my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck. "Yvonne said that you were lonely." I squeezed her tightly and kissed her neck. She looked into my eyes with a big smile. "And she also explained to me about how you travel time. She promised that I could spend the night with you and return to Joey the exact same second that she took me from Cannes. We just spent an hour talking together, but she said that you would think that she just left. This is incredible!" As I sat holding Annette, I realized that I had forgotten that aspect of time. We could transfer all of the gold in a split second. It amazed me how quickly I forgot our capabilities.

Yvonne was observing me with Annette and grinning. I thanked her and opened three bottles of wine. Annette was ecstatic to learn about our abilities. I was surprised that Yvonne had told her about the time travel, but I assumed it was going to be necessary for our team to know why things happened. During the course of the evening, I was learning that Annette enjoyed being with me as much as I did with her. She could spend days and nights with me and then return to Joey, who would be unaware of her absence. I remember when I first learned of this neat little trick, but I also knew how exhausting that it could be. I spent a year by overlapping time within two seconds. It's impossible to describe. Nevertheless, I was overjoyed to have Annette in my arms.

We ate a late dinner and sipped wine on the patio as we gazed at the stars. Annette looked around and suggested that I put in a swimming pool. I complained that it was too much trouble, and I wouldn't want to maintain it. Neither would I want anyone here to tend to it. I liked the natural aspects of my surroundings and enjoyed the beach. It was getting late, and we retired to the bed to hold one another through the night. We slept in and had a late breakfast. It was now beach time, and we took some wine, bread, and cheese down to the beach. Once again, it reminded me of Italy because Annette would take the same things to the beach to enjoy. We had a wonderful time talking, joking, snacking, and drinking as we lay in the warm sunshine. About two o'clock in the afternoon, Annette spied a swimmer out in the water. I looked over, and it appeared to be the same woman that I had seen the other day. She didn't stop and wave this time. I told Annette about the last time I saw the swimmer, and she pondered, "I wonder where she came from? You said that there were no neighbors for miles." We walked to the edge of the water to look in both directions. We saw no boats, so we assumed that she had come from the north. The shoreline was too rocky to walk the sand, so we returned to our blankets.

I wasn't sure when we were going to transport the gold, but I told Annette as much as I could about the process. As the sun began to sink in the western sky, we decided to go back to my villa and get in a great workout in my gym. She also wanted to spar with me to keep her reflexes sharp. She may not have been as formidable as Joey, but she was an incredibly experienced assassin. She showed me some new moves that she had developed over the years. Yvonne returned to take Annette back to Cannes to catch up time.

Once she had transported Annette, she returned to me to correct my thinking about the timing aspects of transferring the gold. "Adriel, please remember, I told you not to get too creative with our ability to splice portions of time. Transporting the gold will take the necessary time to move it from the mountain to the repository. Even though you can return to the same place in time that you started, those at the repository will still be subject to the time that it takes to move the gold. It won't appear to be instantaneous to them, just as it wasn't instantaneous for your trainers during your agency training. I want you to realize that if you try to work outside of those boundaries, you could cause yourself to be in the same place with a redundant presence that could break your stability. We don't want to short circuit your reality paradigm, or it might prevent you from functioning in the earthly realm."

"I think I understand what you are saying. When should we start the transfer of the gold?"

"We aren't going to start until David meets with the liaison at the Treasury Department to communicate our stipulations."

"What if they refuse to comply?"

"Oh, they will comply, all right."

David was scheduled to fly to D. C. to meet with the liaison at the Treasury Department. Yvonne and I had decided that his physical presence would be more effective to communicate our stipulations. This made David even more uncomfortable because he wasn't the least bit confrontational. I had to remind him that he was receiving ten million dollars for his services, and a little discomfort was well worth the compensation. We had given him a list of stipulations and gold distribution schedules based on the compliance of the federal government. Our first stipulation was that the feds pay the agency the ten billion dollars after our first wave of gold transport. This would give them more than enough to pay the agency, and if they expected any more gold delivered they would have to comply. This would require them to trust us to finish the project, but we weren't giving them a choice. Yvonne was confident that they wouldn't settle for fifteen billion dollars, but would want the rest of the four quadrillion. However, we weren't disclosing the total amount of gold in the mine. Although, we did allow them to know that there was at least one quadrillion. That was an irresistible carrot that they couldn't refuse.

Yvonne allowed Annette to continue to visit me for two weeks within the time splices necessary to keep Joey unaware of the continuous time that I had with Annette. Annette and I were falling in love, but it was a different relationship. I was like a big brother to her, and even though I desired her physically, emotionally she was as close as a sister. There was nothing that we couldn't share with one another. Yvonne needed some time alone with me to discuss our timetable with the gold. We would be transporting soon which would require another team meeting to get everyone on board. I hadn't disclosed our stipulations with anyone else other than David, and I asked him to keep it in strict confidence. I couldn't believe that I had decided to trust him again. I hadn't even told the colonel what my intentions were. I knew that if the feds would pay the agency compensation up front, the agency wouldn't care what I did after that. They had no idea what my capabilities were. Only my team had an inkling of what Yvonne and I could do. We could literally take anything on this earth from anyone at anytime. Yvonne knew that I wouldn't abuse that capability. It made me the most powerful and dangerous man in the whole world, and it put my life in great jeopardy. The feds were about to learn a small fraction of my abilities, and that was bound to be leaked to others at some point.

During the two weeks that Annette was basically living with me, we saw our mystery swimmer about ten times. She never stopped to wave when Annette was with me. We tried to watch her as she swam back to the north each time, but she disappeared out of our sight down the coast. Each time we saw her, she turned around in front of my beach to swim back the other way. I was still dumbfounded as I considered that she would have to be swimming for miles in order to get to my beach. She was obviously in great physical shape. I was a little disappointed that my remote villa was still accessible to someone on a regular basis. I had mentioned the swimmer to Yvonne, but she didn't appear to have any concerns or interest.

I scheduled another meeting at Annette's residence in Cannes. Yvonne and I transported David as before. I had a much better reception this time. We laughed, drank, ate, planned, and discussed the schedule that we were intending. I could tell from Joey's demeanor that she wanted some time alone with me. She was missing our intimacy, and I felt much the same way. However, Annette had been a great diversion. I knew that Joey would not approach me because I was her superior. Protocol demanded that a subordinate could not initiate a personal action. It had to be initiated by the superior, who could do anything that he wanted. If I hadn't had the colonel put me in the position of authority, it would have been impossible to keep Joey at a distance.

I was still not disclosing all of my intentions concerning the gold transport, but I shared all of the necessary information for our team. My plan was to get the agency paid as soon as possible, and recognize Annette as the project leader who would be responsible for the most lucrative contract in agency history. This was going to be my surprise for her. I explained how the gold would arrive, although I kept the method a secret. Annette and Joey were to make sure that the area was clear. There was no parking area from a portal, so Yvonne and I would be moving the gold directly from the deposit to the repository. We could see through the portal which would help us with the caution and placement of the cubes of ore. Yvonne and I were going to transport one hundred and fifty cubes of gold which would amount to approximately fifteen billion dollars. Transport time was estimated at twenty five minutes due to backfilling to displace the gold in the mountain. We would then demand payment from the feds to the agency for our ten billion dollar compensation. They wouldn't get another cube until payment had been secured.

We spent the night at Annette's, and Joey was noticing a much different relationship between Annette and me. I tried to warn Annette that Joey was getting suspicious. However, Annette did something that greatly concerned me. As I sat on the couch, she climbed on top of me and straddled her legs across my lap. She put her arms around my neck and gave me a long, sensuous kiss right in front of Joey. Joey was visibly upset and left the room to go out to the pool to join David. Annette smiled and put her forehead against mine. "What the hell are you doing," I asked.

"What, I can't kiss my good friend when I want?"

"Annette, you can do anything you want to me at my place, but this is a business meeting. You just violated protocol, and you know it. You did that to upset Joey, and if I don't take the necessary action against your insubordination, she's going to think that she can do the same. Luckily, she's the only one who saw it, so I'm going to insist that you bring her in here in front of me and apologize to her for your insubordination."

"And what if I refuse?"

"Annette, why are you doing this? Things were going along just fine. Why are you testing me and upsetting Joey? We all have to work together."

"Because I know what she intends to do after this project is over, and I don't want us to lose what we have. If she has her way, she will leave the agency and keep you all to herself. The agency would never stop looking for you, and I would be the principle agent assigned to find you. I don't trust you with her, and if I can do anything to discourage her from coming after you, I will. If you discipline me, it will just prove to her that she has a chance with you."

"Damn it, Annette. Don't make this harder than it needs to be. Yvonne doesn't want me with Joey, and if I ever did choose Joey, I would lose all of my abilities with Yvonne."

"For a man who is as intelligent as you are, sometimes you act like an idiot. Once this project is over, you won't need Yvonne any longer. Joey can be very persuasive, and you won't stand a chance."

"That's not true, Annette. I don't want to lose what I have with Yvonne. She comes to me daily for my healing."

"I know you, Adriel, and I know Joey. You'll never last."

"You know, a few weeks ago you didn't want Joey getting upset about us spending the night together. Now, you're trying to upset her to discourage her from coming after me. This doesn't make sense to me."

"A few weeks ago, I didn't know what she was planning. We talk a lot. She would kill Evelyn if she ever got in the way, but she won't harm me."

"This still doesn't make any sense. Yvonne didn't put you up to this, did she?"

"No, of course not. If I can convince Joey that I'm having an affair with you by the time this project ends, I can keep her away from you. I promise not to let anyone else see anything."

"Annette, this is a terrible idea. I have no idea what Joey might do. You need to back off of this plan."

"Adriel, you can't afford to stop me. I'm spending tonight with you at your place, and I'm not hiding it from Joey."

Later that afternoon, Yvonne and I took David back to his residence in Cairo. We then stepped back to my villa in Milos. I asked Yvonne to take a break on the patio to enjoy the rest of the beautiful afternoon. "Yvonne, I think Annette is making a terrible mistake by upsetting Joey. She says that she is going to spend tonight with me. Did you promise her that you would bring her here?"

"Well, yes, in so many words I did. I explained that I would transport her to you whenever she wanted. I knew that you would appreciate that."

"Yeah, well, it doesn't make sense to me. She doesn't want to meet her counterpart, and she says that you scare her, but she's relying on you to carry out her ridiculous plan."

"Adriel, I don't see what you're so concerned about. Annette is the only person who can reasonably be your companion right now. Joey would murder Evelyn if Evelyn were here, and Joey would wear you down if she were here. Annette isn't interested in having a sexual relationship with you, and Joey respects Annette enough to leave her alone. Relax. Maybe you just don't want Joey upset because down deep you're hoping that she will eventually come after you. Annette thinks that you would abandon me for Joey."

"Yeah, but what do you think?"

"Actually, I know you would under the right circumstances. I don't want that either. I like Annette, and we both have similar desires and interests. So, I'm not going to discourage her. Annette is a very intelligent woman, and she knows Joey far better than you do. I trust her instincts and experience."

"Maybe you're right. Maybe I am concerned about alienating Joey. I just don't want any friction between my team members."

Yvonne fell back in her chair laughing. "Adriel, this is about as good as you could hope for. Joey and Annette are professionals. There isn't a personal conflict that would interfere with their performance on a project. Just stick with your project plan. We have a lot to do. We need to go to the gold transfer origination site tomorrow afternoon, but first, let me go get Annette."

I had told Annette that I was giving her control of the project, but in reality that wasn't true. I didn't know about Yvonne's agenda when I promised Annette, and no one but David knew what our plans were. Annette would soon find out because I knew that David would end up whining to her at some point about having to be the one to directly deal with the feds. Granted, Annette was far more suited for the job of liaison, but I had promised to get David involved, and I didn't see any other position for him. However, I was determined for Annette to get the credit for the successful completion of this project.

After about twenty minutes, Yvonne brought Annette to me and retreated. Annette took my hand and invited, "Come on, Adriel, grab some wine, and we can go to the beach to enjoy the stars together. We need to talk." I retrieved three bottles of wine and a large blanket. We descended the rocks together and lay down on the blanket to gaze at the stars. It was pleasantly warm, and I always enjoyed the soothing sounds of the surf. Annette turned to me. "I talked to Yvonne, and she agrees with my plan."

I slowly shook my head. "I'm not so sure I agree, Annette."

"Well, there is nothing that you can do about it. I let Joey know that I was coming here and that you and I were sleeping in the same bed together. I told her that I wanted her to back off of you for good."

I had nothing to say. I may not have felt that Annette was in control of the project, but she certainly appeared to be in control of my personal life. She had Yvonne on her side, and that alone gave her an unparalleled amount of power in my life. I had counted on my position as director to keep me in control of Annette, but she knew how to circumvent that. Joey once told me that Annette was the most intelligent person that she had ever met. That was high praise from someone who knew people well from all over the world. Nothing that I had ever seen ever proved that to be false.

As perturbed as I was with Annette, I did appreciate her companionship. It felt wonderful to hold her through the night. We did show each other lots of affection, but not nearly to the degree that I had done with Joey. However, we did still kiss and caress, but it was more reserved and not passionate like lovers. She seemed to enjoy me a lot more since I had my agency training. We had a lot of fun sparring together, and it kept us sharp. I had loved Annette during our last project, but I was falling deeper and deeper. I always hated to see her leave, but Yvonne kept us on schedule. We were going to visit the gold site in the afternoon, and she needed to take Annette back to Cannes.

Yvonne took me to the golden highway, and we made the necessary step to position ourselves at the entrance to our gold deposit. We were in a large, dark room. I used my cell phone light to look around. The walls were hard as stone, but they had the appearance of wooden beams. It was difficult for me to believe that we were actually standing in the most ancient structure that existed on the earth. We were inside a ship that had landed on the side of this mountain tens of thousands of years ago. Many had claimed that they had discovered the resting place for this ship, but few had really found it. There was an area about seventeen miles south of where we were that had an impression that resembled a boat-like shape, but no wood had been found there. It was surmised that the wood had been used for structures or fires, but they were mistaken. This ship was still somewhat intact, and it was buried beneath the snow and ice on the mountain. I wanted to explore other rooms, but Yvonne warned me that it wasn't safe. We needed to establish a portal not only for transport, but to keep us protected from any potential collapse of the roof. We would be altering the contents of the mountain, and we needed to take great care not to upset this structure as much as possible. I couldn't help wondering which animals had occupied the room that we were now in.

Yvonne had made a materials list for the things that we would need to create the portals. We needed three portals. One would be at the repository, one would be at the site of the gold, and one would be in a cave on a remote island used to backfill the mountain. She was going to work with David to obtain the materials. We couldn't just go to the local hardware store and get everything. Each portal needed a battery, a metal frame, an ultraviolet light, and an infrared light. We would create a magnetic field through the metal frame and use a mixture of ultraviolet and infrared light with the correct proportions to create the portal. The battery and the lights had to be controlled via rheostats to adjust the intensity in order to establish the proper mixture. Once the proportions of magnetism and lighting reached the correct level, a hazy glow would appear. We could then adjust sizing and placement from within the portal. Our portals were not going to be exposed to sunlight, so they would remain until we disbanded the magnetic fields and lights required to establish them. It would take Yvonne and I hours to get the portals in place. Once they were active, we could easily use stacking to create the conduit to the repository.

Over the next two days, Yvonne and I transported the materials to the remote island and the mountain. The cave on the island would protect the portal from the sun's disturbance. We successfully established the portal inside the cave on the island and tested a backfill extraction. I was amazed how easy it was to move tons of rock with no effort. Next, we activated the portal inside the ship attached to the mountain. It was a tedious operation to get the mixture of the lighting and electromagnetism in the correct proportions. It was now time to create the portal at the repository. This would require Joey and Annette to guard the area so that no one could see what we were doing. I asked Yvonne if we needed to disband the portal at the repository after each wave of transport. She explained that we could leave the portal in place. No one could access it without either a counterpart from the golden highway or the knowledge of stepping aku/aki. I got to thinking about the fact that Joey had never learned to navigate with Agamon. I was greatly relieved because that capability could wreak havoc on my life.

David had notified the liaison at the Treasury Department that we would need exclusive access to the repository the day after tomorrow. He would notify them when the first wave of gold ore had been deposited. According to my understanding of Yvonne's plan, the time necessary to complete the full transfer of gold could take months, if not years. I was still hoping to get back together with Evelyn, but I saw no reasonable means to do that. Above all, I wanted her to be safe. I also wondered what Yvonne would expect of me if Evelyn and I never got back together. Would she require my celibacy for the rest of my life? I certainly hoped not. I needed to stay focused on the project and not think about my personal life. We were about to begin the operation in two days, and I wasn't sure what to expect. Yvonne wasn't disclosing everything, and I knew it.

I had intended to spend my nights here at the villa during the project. Yvonne and I could transport everyone and move from place to place in seconds. I assumed that Joey would be staying in Cannes with Annette, but Annette had every intention of practically moving in with me. I still thought it was a bad idea. David would remain at his residence in Cairo. No one outside of our team, other than the colonel, knew about our ability for navigation. Well, Evelyn knew, but that didn't count at this time. We would appear and disappear like ghosts at the repository, and so would the gold. I had no idea what questions and suspicions would arise from those phenomena, but we would have to deal with it in stride. The only people who would ever have contact with the feds were David, Joey, and Annette. Yvonne and I were to remain unseen. All cameras at the repository would have to remain covered. Joey and Annette were the ones to secure the area, and they had the necessary experience and equipment at their disposal. As capable as Yvonne and I were, I was still nervous.

Our target was located at Area 62, an underground top secret gold repository and refinery. I'm not allowed to divulge its geographic location, but I will say that it's not in the eastern part of the United States. Nothing is visible above ground. However, it is a veritable city below. The Department of Defense had control of the facility, and the colonel was part of the command to protect the repository. That wasn't actually planned by the agency. It was merely coincidental, but convenient. Joey and Annette were to perform a sweep of the area tomorrow. They had to be certain that all eyes were covered, and that we had complete anonymity and secrecy. Once we had the all clear from Annette, Yvonne and I would establish the portal at the repository. We were about to launch this country into unprecedented financial freedom. However, we were putting a bit in its mouth to control the direction. They wouldn't like it, but they had no choice. At least, in the end they would have more gold than they ever dreamed to obtain.

Annette was spending all of her available time with me. I was wondering how Joey was handling the situation with Annette spending so much time at my villa. "So, how are you and Joey getting along these days?"

"She's going through the obvious stages of grief. At first, she denied that I could fall in love with you due to my homosexuality, but that's so subjective that I could easily make her think that I wanted an intimate relationship with you. She transitioned to bargaining and tried to get me to share you with her, but I refused. She's moving into the anger stage now."

"What does Gina think of all this?"

"Gina is rarely around anymore. She found a man nearby who can hit her G-spot with his penis, so she's elated to have sexual satisfaction again."

"What a minute, I thought Gina was homosexual."

Annette shook her head. "She's bisexual. Remember when you first visited my residence in Cannes, and I told you that I didn't like to share Gina?"

"Sure, but I assumed that you were referring to women."

Annette shook her head once again. "Gina is very much attracted to men. I trusted you greatly by brining you to Cannes. You had Evelyn with you, and I knew that you wouldn't try to take advantage of the situation. Believe me, Gina was asking about you, Evelyn, and Joey. I think she wanted to get into a foursome, but I explained that wouldn't be possible."

"Wow, I had no idea."

"I know. I didn't want you to know."

I pulled Annette into me and kissed her lips. "Give me your tongue, Annette."

"No, please, Adriel. You know where that will lead. We need to remain good friends. Save your tongue for your lovers. Sex complicates everything. Once two people get sexually involved, it often leads to expectations, possessiveness, jealousy, frustration, and manipulation. I want us to remain solid forever. I love you dearly, but I'm really not attracted to men. I hope you can understand that. Right now, I need to protect you from Joey. She's a long way from giving up."

I rolled over on my back in frustration. "I still can't believe that you had sex with Evelyn."

"Yeah, and I still can't believe that you didn't have sex with Joey."

I wanted some type of intimacy. Yvonne and I shared an indescribable union together, but it wasn't the physical intimacy of a companion. I longed for Joey's lips and tongue. Annette knew me will enough to know that I could never perpetually resist Joey. I needed to concentrate on the project. Yvonne and I would be transporting Joey and Annette to the repository tomorrow to secure the perimeter from observation. Yvonne and I would then bring the necessary equipment and set up the portal at the repository. We were just hours away from executing the most incredible transportation feat in history. I dozed off in Annette's arms and slept soundly all night.

The next morning, Yvonne and I stepped over to check our portals on the island and the mountain. Both appeared to be in good working order. David had alerted the Department of Defense that they would need to vacate the premises of the repository within the hour. Yvonne and I transported Joey and Annette to the repository. Joey squeezed my hand repeatedly during our steps of navigation. I knew that she was trying to establish an emotional connection. Luckily, I remained passive. Yvonne and I awaited Annette's call to notify us that the repository was clear and safe to enter. Yvonne and I then transported the necessary equipment to the repository.

We set up the metal frame and attached the battery. Next, we positioned the ultraviolet and infrared lights at the appropriate angles. Yvonne began dialing the rheostats to establish the proper mixture of electromagnetism, ultraviolet, and infrared components. After about half an hour of trying different mixtures, she turned to me. "Something isn't right, Adriel. I don't know why, but it's not working in here."

"Well, this is certainly out of my realm of expertise. Should we go get David?"

Yvonne thought for a moment. "I think we may have to. Take my hand. Let's go get him."

We made the step to David's residence in Cairo and explained our problem. I took his hand, and we brought him to the repository at Area 62. Yvonne took about ten minutes to explain the portal components and how they worked. She was disclosing all of the information to create a portal. I was a little surprised that she would divulge that much detail to David, but he needed to know in order to assess the situation. David checked the gauges for the components. He was surprised that such a weak magnetic field was necessary. "I think I know the problem, Yvonne. You could establish the portals in your other two locations, but this one has been contrary. You are getting some kind of low grade interference. My guess is that it's electricity that is marring your electromagnetic field. Have the feds cut the power to the repository, and we'll try it again."

I phoned Annette and told her to relay the information to the chief engineer in charge of the electricity. We waited for about ten minutes before the power was completely cut from the repository. Yvonne then began to adjust the dials, and within five minutes we saw the familiar blue glow of the portal. David was ecstatic as he jumped around with an excited dance. He grabbed me into a tight hug. "You know, Adriel, I have spent most of my life in search of answers for many questions concerning phenomena around this world. In the last couple of decades, I had focused on the mysteries of the pyramids. Since I met you, I have learned more within the past year than I have the prior years of my life. The irony of it all is that my life will soon be over. There's so much more for me to learn, but I won't have the chance."

"I don't know about that, David. You have met your counterpart on the golden highway. You may be surprised what you can learn in a short period of time." I was fairly certain that Yvonne would be taking David for regular visits to the golden highway for his healing.

Yvonne and I took David back to his residence in Cairo. It was time to assess the direction that we would take to extract the ore from the mountain. Originally, Yvonne intended to work our way downward, but we needed to be sure that the there was a high percentage of gold in that direction. We stepped to the golden highway and entered parking mode. As we scanned the mountain next to the ship that was embedded into the ice, we decided to start taking cubes from the left side for about fifteen feet and then move downward. We still hadn't done the necessary portal stacking to attach the cave, the mountain, and the repository. We were taking longer than I expected to get everything set up. I decided to contact our team to let them know that we should start the transport in about half an hour. Yvonne and I stood on the golden highway and attached sixteen portals to our homemade three. It provided a nice ethereal tunnel to float the ore from the mountain to the repository. We had about six loads of rock that had no gold that we needed to transport to the cave in the island. Once again, things were moving much slower than I anticipated. We finally had access to the gold deposit and began moving cubes of ore to the repository. Once we got started transporting the gold, it went fairly quickly. We backfilled the empty areas periodically to maintain support within the mountain. We only needed one hundred fifty cubes. It took us forty-five minutes to complete the transfer. We then disconnected the stacked portals and disconnected the battery at the repository. I called David and Annette to let them know that the transfer was complete.

David was going to relay the information to the liaison at the Department of the Treasury. We weren't transporting any more gold until the agency had been compensated with the agreed amount of ten billion dollars. The ball was now in their court. It was party time for our team. I had originally intended to entertain everyone at my villa, but Annette insisted on hosting it. She wanted to enjoy the pool, so we opted for her place. Our celebration wasn't the naked extravaganza that I had enjoyed with Evelyn, Annette, Joey, and Gina. Annette thought that we had better tone things down. She didn't want David to have a heart attack with all of the naked flesh exposed. She also didn't want Joey and me back in that situation either. So, things were much more subdued, but it was a fabulous time. She had a vast array of seafood, lamb, pork, beef, cheeses, salads, appetizers, vegetables, fruit, croissants, espresso, and a fully stocked bar. We ate, drank, talked, laughed, planned, and played games together for three solid days. Yvonne was kind enough to steal me away at intervals without having me miss any time at the party. I couldn't really detect it, but I highly suspicioned that she was doing the same with Joey and David to take them to their counterparts. They certainly seemed content beyond what the party could provide.

Yvonne and I dropped David off at his place, and then we stepped over to my villa in Milos. I was exhausted, and I desperately needed some sleep. However, my phone rang. It was the colonel. He wanted to see me right away in his office. The term "right away" was somewhat relative to me now. I had Yvonne carve out some time for me to get about ten hours of sleep and then bring me right back to this same time. It worked beautifully, and I was able to visit the colonel totally refreshed. Yvonne and I made the step across the golden highway to the Pentagon where the colonel's office was located. I had never seen him so excited. Apparently, the Department of Defense and the Treasury Department were having a very difficult time keeping the lid on the fact that the purest gold ore ever seen had been deposited at Area 62. While my team was partying, the government had been conducting purity tests and ascertaining the value of the gold that Yvonne and I had transported. We estimated it at around fifteen billion, but the feds had assessed it at twenty-six billion. The agency had been paid, and the government was now awaiting the next shipment. My head was spinning. I had assumed that we would have nearly a month before we had to resume.

The colonel was gushing with praise for me, but I had to insist that it was a team effort, and I needed everyone involved. I wanted Agent Marceau to take the credit for the project, but I could see that it would be difficult to make that happen. I insisted on remaining anonymous on this project, and I wanted no recognition. I didn't want anyone to know about me or my capabilities. It took nearly half an hour to reason with the colonel who reluctantly agreed. The colonel finally conceded. "I don't know what kind of personal thing you have going with Agent Marceau, and I frankly don't care. You are the goose that literally laid the golden egg, but if you want Agent Marceau to get all the credit, then so be it."

It was time for phase two of our gold transport. However, the stipulation for this delivery was going to ruffle some feathers. This was going to be a lot more work. It would take us about eight hours for the next transport. I contacted my team to let them know that we were beginning phase two of the operation, and we needed to allocate enough time to execute the transport. I was a little worried about transporting so much ore because I didn't want to compromise the mountain too much. Yvonne and I weren't able to work separately because everything had to be done while we were attached. We needed to work systematically to remove and fill areas intermittently. Our estimation of the value of each cube was low. We had intended to deliver about fifteen billion dollars of gold, but we had delivered nearly twice that amount. We had corrected our assessment, and we were ready to start the transport. After this delivery, we were going to demand that the federal government abolish all federal income tax. If not, we would stop with this last shipment.

The feds had processed all of the cubes from our first delivery. We got the all clear call from Annette, so Yvonne and I restarted the portal at the repository. This was going to be more work, and we would need to adjust the portal a few times during the process. I was getting much faster at extracting the cubes from the mountain. We could stream them fairly quickly. The portal stacking was great. Everything was one step away, so we were working in a close proximity at all times. We would extract the ore for a while, and then we would turn to backfill. As easy as it was, it still took a concerted effort to stick with it for eight hours.

The operation was going smoothly until I looked over Yvonne's shoulder at one point. I was startled by a tall man wearing a long, colored robe. He had a long beard and wore a concerned look upon his face. His brow was wrinkled, and he appeared to be studying what we were doing. Yvonne looked up at me as I broke my stride in extracting the gold. She turned to look behind her and asked, "What is the matter?"

I gave Yvonne a puzzled look. "Don't you see that man over there staring at us?"

Yvonne turned again to look. "I don't see anyone. Where is he?"

"He's about twenty feet away across the room. He's just standing there staring at us."

Yvonne turned once more. "Adriel, I don't see anyone in this room except for you and me. Come on, we need to keep moving if we're going to get this finished today."

I couldn't imagine why Yvonne could not see this man. She had a perspective that was far greater than mine. She existed on the golden highway. She could see dimensions that I could not. Yet, here was this man standing in the room with us and examining everything that we were doing. We continued for another hour with the man standing behind Yvonne. He never moved from his spot. We finally finished backfilling the last depression that we had made and left an access for more gold to be transported later. It was time to disable the portal at the repository and let Annette know that we were finished with the delivery. Just as the last cube had been placed into the repository, the man stepped toward me. I became very alarmed, and before I could think, I instinctively asked, "Noah?"

# **CHAPTER SIX**

# **_HIATUS_**

****

****

I knew that it would take the feds a considerable amount of time to process the gold and determine if they would comply with our demand to abolish the federal income tax. They had several hoops to jump through on their end, and my team was basically on holiday until further notice. I made sure that no one got any assignments as long as we were still executing this project. I was sure that the agency viewed this little hiatus as lost revenue. After all, they had been paid in full for our project. I knew that they would try to utilize us on other contracts to continue producing for the agency. I had to remind the colonel that we had other preparatory work to do, and we needed to be available at all times. Yvonne and I were going to do a little spying to see what the government reaction might be concerning our demands. However, my experience with surveillance in parking mode usually proved to be a large waste of time.

Annette was flying to D. C. to be recognized for her successful contribution for the project. I was elated that she could reap the reward, and she definitely deserved it. She was sure to get a promotion. She was eager to get out of field work, and I believed it was largely due to her recent emotional vulnerability. I enjoyed working with her, but things never stayed the same. Change was always in the air. It felt good to have some alone time at the moment. Yvonne had paid me an early morning visit for my healing session. I planned a good physical workout after the sun had made its trek across the sky. However, right now I was basking in its rays getting a full body suntan.

The music of the surf threatened to put me to sleep until I heard someone calling to me. I propped myself up on my elbows to look around. My mystery swimmer was waving to me from the water. I decided to wave back. She started swimming toward me and waded her way out of the surf. My heart nearly skipped a beat as she approached. Her hair was coal black and smooth as silk. She had milk chocolate brown skin that was tight and sleek. Her muscle tone and voluptuous figure rivaled Joey's. She was absolutely gorgeous, and I tried to collect myself in order to hide the fact that I was stricken by her appearance. She was wearing a black, two-piece, athletic swimming suit. I quickly grabbed my towel and covered myself as she trudged her way through the sand toward me. She smiled, and my heart melted. Her teeth were straight, brilliantly white, and contrasted with her beautiful dark skin. "May I," she asked. I scooted over on my blanket and offered her a seat. Her dark eyes were like coal. I was obviously captivated, and I couldn't hide it.

I extended my right hand. "I'm Jasper White, but my friends call me Jazz."

She reciprocated and shook my hand. "I'm pleased to meet you, Jazz. My name is Mia Azumba. I live about five miles north of here."

"Yes, I've seen you swimming by several times. You must be quite a swimmer if you live that far."

She chuckled. "Swimming is one of my passions. It's one of the reasons that I chose to live on this island. I try to swim between fifteen to twenty kilometers a day."

"That's impressive. You are obviously in really great shape."

Mia smiled. "Thank you. I enjoy exercising. Do you live here?"

"I do. I moved in about a month ago. I wanted a place that was secluded so that I could enjoy my privacy."

Mia recoiled and put her left hand over her chest. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to intrude."

"Oh, no, no, you're not intruding. I have been curious about you and wanted to meet you."

"So, does your wife or girlfriend live with you? I have seen her with you several times."

I chuckled. "No, she's just my friend who comes to visit me sometimes."

"She seems like a very close friend from what I have seen."

"Truthfully, I think she would be far more interested in you than she is in me."

Mia smiled. "I see. What about you? Do you have a significant other?"

I didn't want to disclose too much of my personal life. "Not at the moment."

"What about you?"

Mia leaned back on her elbows. "I haven't had a man in quite some time. I ended a very bad relationship about four years ago. I decided to sell my business, pack up, and move far away."

"I'm surprised that a woman as beautiful as you could remain single that long."

Mia gave me an appreciative smile. "So, I take it that you're not like your friend."

"Not in the least, Mia." I stared out at the surf as the gulls were diving over the water.

"I'm really glad to hear that, Jazz. So, are you retired?"

"I do what I want. I too decided that it was time to pack up and leave. I'm very comfortable here."

"So, where are you from?"

"I lived in the midwestern United States, and you?"

"I am from Cape Town, South Africa. Well, Jazz, I would love to stay and talk, but if I don't continue my swim I will lose my aerobic level. It was nice to meet you." Mia jumped up from my blanket.

"Wait, Mia! Do you have plans for the evening?"

Mia smiled in relief. "None whatsoever. What do you have in mind?"

"Let me cook you dinner, and we can get better acquainted."

"Oh, now that's interesting, a single man who cooks. I might ask how you have remained single as well."

"Is that a 'yes?'"

"It surely is, Jazz."

"Great! Do you have a car?"

"I do."

"OK, take the road past the turn to St. Helena's. Turn right on the second road and follow it to the end. Just walk the path after that, and my villa is about two hundred kilometers away. I'll look for you around seven o'clock."

"I'm looking forward to it. I'll see you at seven."

I watched Mia stroll toward the surf. My heart was pounding. Joey may have an impressive body, but Mia's ass took my breath away. I thought it might be worthwhile to investigate Mia to see what I could find. I called the agency vetting service and asked my representative to check on Mia Azumba from Cape Town, South Africa. I received a call about an hour later, and not to my surprise there was no such person fitting my description. I was determined to capture her fingerprint tonight and send it to the agency for further investigation. My training had taught me to be wary in these situations. People who show up out of nowhere are prime suspects as agents, and extreme caution was always advised, especially when they are as attractive as Mia. Agents often used physical attraction to affect the judgment of the opposite sex and gain an advantage. I knew that was one of Joey's principal tactics.

After a good workout in my gym, I decided to choose something for dinner. I hadn't asked Mia her preferences, but I could usually count on a woman choosing fish for dinner. I decided to grill some Greek red snapper with a dressing of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and oregano. I chose to accompany the fish with a spinach casserole made with egg, onion, garlic, parmesan, feta, thyme, and oregano. I would give her a choice of red or white wine. I put a fresh white linen tablecloth on the table with linen napkins. I retrieved two crystal wine glasses and some fine china from my cabinet. I decided to pick some flowers from my yard and create a simple bouquet to accompany seven tapered candles for a pleasant ambience. The sun would soon set after seven o'clock, and the candles would usher us into the evening by providing some natural light. I hadn't taken such care for a dinner preparation since I had done so for Evelyn. Even in the months that I spent with Joey, I had never really taken any truly romantic steps. I began to realize that even though I desired Joey, I also took her for granted. I was sorry that I hadn't really respected her.

I couldn't remember the last time that I was so excited to have someone for dinner. Mia was mysterious and exciting, and although I knew that I had to keep my guard up, I was exhilarated by the prospect of possibly having a new woman in my life. I hadn't seen Yvonne since this morning, and I was wondering what she thought of Mia. Oh, sure, I knew that she would warn me against having a physical relationship, but I was curious to know what she thought of Mia as a person. I was certain to see Yvonne by morning. I knew that she was occupied with Joey and David. I still thought that it was strange that she felt some sort of an obligation to keep them connected with their healing. They couldn't travel the golden highway the way that I did. Neither of them were introduced to that realm with a mate. It had been Yvonne in both instances who had led them to their counterparts. Even Evelyn had never really connected with her counterpart, so she couldn't travel the golden highway without me. I still wasn't sure what the rules were, but I was observing certain aspects of travel ability. So far, Yvonne was the common denominator.

The spinach casserole was in the oven, and the fish was dressed and ready for the grill. I decided to wait for Mia to arrive before lighting the grill in case she were late for some reason. I hadn't given her a way to contact me. I sat out front of my villa and saw her approaching just before seven o'clock. She was prompt, and I appreciated that. I stood to greet her and gave her a hug before escorting her inside. I showed her around. She loved my gym and suggested that we work out together sometime. I thought it was a great idea. I ushered her into my living area and offered her some wine, but she declined. She opted for spring water instead, and I retrieved a glass of fresh water for her. I would now have her fingerprints. I poured myself a glass of red wine, and we engaged in some light conversation as I lit the grill. We sat down on the patio for about twenty minutes until the coals turned white.

I was curious about Mia. "So, do you not drink alcohol?"

"Rarely. I work out so much that I seldom desire it. It seems to drag me down."

"I know what you mean, but my friend whom you have seen has gotten me into the habit. She's French, and she likes her wine."

Mia smiled. "I know some French people, and they do like their wine."

"I appreciate you accepting my invitation. It's good to meet someone new."

"I agree. I really don't have any friends. I told you that I ended a bad relationship, and all of our friends were his. I needed to get far away, and so I did. I haven't really met anyone, but I came here to be alone. Although, you are the first person that I have ever approached since. I'm not sure what made me do that. I'm usually not that forward."

"Well, I'm glad that you did. I have been curious about you since I first saw you."

"I was surprised to see you on the beach. I thought this area was uninhabited."

"It largely is, however, I found this villa during a search for places to live, and due to its seclusion it seemed like the perfect place for me."

"I can appreciate that. Did you say that you are retired?"

"I have retired from my profession, but I keep busy doing other things."

"What did you used to do?"

"I was a software engineer."

"Well, you must have done rather well to be able to retire here at your age."

"I could say the same for you." I expected for us to begin a game of cat and mouse. If she were an agent, she certainly expected me to be the same.

"I had my own financial consulting business in Cape Town. My fiancee had become my partner, but after about two years I caught him cheating on me. I decided that it wasn't worth giving him another chance, and I sold my half of the business. It provided enough of a nest egg for me to retire here modestly. I swim and eat and sleep. That's about the extent of my life."

"I can't imagine anyone cheating on you. You seem too incredible for someone to do that."

Mia humbly smiled. "That's kind of you, Jazz, but some people get bored with relationships, and apparently he did. If you don't mind, I think I will have a glass of that wine."

The evening progressed smoothly. Dinner turned out to my satisfaction, and Mia seemed to greatly enjoy it. We consumed three bottles of wine, and I didn't want her driving back to her place. I easily convinced her into spending the night. I was giving her my bed, and I was going to retire on the couch. She appeared to be a delightful lady, but agents are trained to be convincing actors. Her story was simple, but agents often portray simple lives when in reality they are dark, twisted, and complicated. She was certainly susceptible to the alcohol, and she loosened up considerably. Still, she spilled nothing suspicious about herself during the evening. I could tell that she was comfortable, and she had an obvious level of trust for me. I escorted her to my bedroom because she was a little wobbly from the wine. I tucked her into bed, kissed her forehead, and retreated to my patio to enjoy more wine and twinkling stars.

I was soon accompanied by Yvonne, who to my surprise asked for a glass of wine. I took Mia's glass and hid it in the cupboard to capture her fingerprints in the morning after she left. I poured Yvonne a glass of white wine and brought it to her on the patio. "So, what the hell do you think you are doing, Adriel?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. You are violating agency protocol. You aren't allowed to fraternize with anyone outside your team during the course of a project. You should have let Mia go on the beach when she was resuming her swim. Instead, you have brought her to your not-so-secret villa and started a relationship of some sort."

"I was curious about her. I'm being careful. I am having her vetted by the agency. It's no big deal."

"I've seen her, Adriel, and it is a big deal. Remember, you can fool others, you can even fool yourself, but you can never fool me. I know exactly what you are up to, and it took a considerable maneuver to get you away from Joey. Please, don't complicate things right now. We still have a lot to do."

"If she checks out, then I have gained a new friend. I would enjoy some companionship."

"That's why I bring Annette to you. I know that you need some earthly companionship, but Annette is safe. Mia is anything but safe. In fact, in some ways she is more dangerous than Joey. You need to keep your distance."

"Evelyn has shut me out. Annette is homosexual. I want a relationship. Why is that so horrible?"

"Adriel, you have no idea what Evelyn will decide in the near future. If you entangle yourself with Mia, and Evelyn does decide to take you back, it's going to cause more trouble, and you're going to end up hurting them both just like you did with Joey."

"So, what am I supposed to do, wait around forever for Evelyn to change her mind?"

"You need to at least get through this project. I had to save you from Joey because if you step over the line, and I'm not able to continue my relationship with you, you will lose your ability to navigate with me. You won't be able to splice time, manipulate portals, learn more about my realm, or have any chance of a future with me. The only thing that you will be able to do is navigate to places via the golden highway with another woman. Originally, you could only navigate with Evelyn, but you have graduated from that. You will lose your autonomy and have to depend on another. You have far too much to lose, Adriel, not to mention that I won't be able to take Joey and David for their healing sessions or transport anyone to you."

"Let me vet Mia and see what I can find. I'll take your advice into consideration, but I don't want to be rude to her."

"You always were stubborn, Adriel. I just hope you're prepared for Annette's reaction when she learns about Mia."

"That reminds me, do you know when Annette is coming back?"

"She's flying back to Cannes the day after tomorrow. I'm sure that she will want me to bring her here no later than the next day. Listen to me, Adriel, I know that Annette doesn't satisfy your longing for a woman, but Annette truly loves you. Joey never has. That is why I have promoted Annette as your friend. Please don't forget that, and whatever you do, don't shut her out."

"Good lord, Yvonne, I would never do that. I love Annette, dearly."

"OK, good. Annette may not want to have sex with you, but I will warn you that she can be very jealous of others in your life. Just beware."

Yvonne and I decided to go to the beach for my healing session. We didn't want to take a chance on Mia stumbling onto us. After a few hours, I settled in on my couch. Mia was sleeping soundly. I awoke very early the next morning and checked on her. She was still snoozing, and I had no idea at what hour she would awaken. I started a pot of coffee and whipped up a homemade coffeecake. I put the cake into the oven and strolled out to my patio to enjoy a cup of coffee. It was still dark, and I gazed into the sky as I admired the stars. Mia startled me as she wandered out to the patio. Her head was aching, so I retrieved some ibuprofen for her. I apologized for her headache as I handed her the ibuprofen bottle with a glass of water.

"Oh, there's no need to apologize. I've never been much of a drinker, but I had fun last night."

"I put a coffeecake into the oven. I was hoping you would enjoy some breakfast with me. Would you like a cup of coffee?"

"Oh, that would be wonderful. I'd be delighted to stay, but I need to get back to my place after we eat. I slept in my clothes, and I desperately need a shower. Thanks for giving up your bed last night."

"It was my pleasure. I'm just glad that you enjoyed yourself."

I snatched a cup of coffee for Mia and took the coffeecake out of the oven. We let it cool for a few minutes as the sun began to shed light in the eastern sky. I scooted in beside her with my coffee and put my right arm around her back. I apologized if I were being too forward, but she said that she felt comfortable in my arm. She snuggled in and sipped her coffee. Her hair was silky, and her skin was like velvet. She felt good under my arm. We enjoyed the sunrise and then went into the kitchen to slice the coffeecake. We took our plates back out to the patio and enjoyed another cup of coffee with our breakfast. She was so pleasant and delightful, and I felt comfortable with her. We exchanged phone numbers. I gave her the number for my burner phone. No one else had that number, so if it rang I knew it would be her.

It was time for her to leave, and I walked her out the front door into the warm morning breeze. As she began to depart, I took her left hand and pulled her to me. I put my arms around her and gazed into her dark eyes. I could see her consent as I studied her face, and I gently kissed her lips. They were so soft, full, and sensuous. She was either an award winning actress, or it had been a very long time since she had kissed a man. I felt her knees begin to buckle, and I gripped her tightly around her waist. It was truly electrifying, and I didn't want to break away. I was afraid that I had lingered too long, but she seemed to want more. We spent another moment in a warm embrace, and she laid her head on my chest. "I want to see you again soon," I announced. She nodded her head. She appeared to be too overcome with emotion to speak. I reluctantly let loose of her hand and watched her walk away down the path. I began to think that Yvonne was right. I was getting in over my head.

That morning, I called the agency vetting service and let them know that I was sending a text with a fingerprint that I needed to have them trace. Agent Sommers was my contact, and he asked if it was an emergency. I explained that it was not, and he told me to give him a day to check the print. I was curious what he might find. The agency had the ability to find anyone who had a fingerprint on file with any entity. I had planned to later get a photo of Mia and see if she could be identified via the facial recognition software that I had spent so many months dodging in the past. I was seriously hoping that she wasn't an agent. If I discovered that she worked for another agency, I knew that I would have to leave Milos and choose another residence. Yvonne was correct that I was being a little careless, but I felt that I could take a chance. Mia was too exciting to leave alone.

I spent another wonderful day at the beach with Yvonne. However, I couldn't help but think about Mia. Yvonne always knew what I was thinking. She would sometimes shake her head and tell me that I was pathetic, but I didn't care. I felt like a grade school boy who had just fallen for the girl in the next aisle. It was new love, and it felt wonderful. I intended to enjoy it for as long as I could because I knew that it wouldn't last. I doubted that I would see Mia swim past today. I felt bad that I had interrupted her exercise routine with a bottle of wine. We did have fun, though. I was curious when she might call. If I didn't hear from her in a couple of days, I would call her. I was tempted to spy on her with Yvonne, but I wanted to wait to see what the agency vetting service had to say about her. I was anxiously awaiting their call.

Late that evening, I got a call from Agent Sommers. He told me that there was a match, but the file was sealed. He would have to go through agency back channels to get the information, but that would require authorization. He recognized that I was a director of Covert Operations, and I had the clearance to approve the search. I just needed to text him the fingerprint along with my authorization for him to proceed. He needed another day to get the results. I was now intrigued and somewhat alarmed. There were a number of reasons why her file could be sealed, but the most likely of all was that she was a secret agent of another agency. If she were registered with us, Agent Sommers could have easily found that information and divulged it to me. That ruled out the possibility that we worked for the same agency, and my concerns for needing to relocate were escalating. Once again, Yvonne was right that Annette was going to be really upset with me.

Much to my surprise, Annette and Yvonne showed up early the next afternoon. Annette threw her arms around my neck and wouldn't stop kissing me. She was jumping up and down and thanking me for allowing her to take the credit for the mission. After this project, she was going to be awarded a position over seven directors. She was eager to get out of the field. It would give her more time at her residence in Cannes, but I knew that she really meant it would give her more time with me. Yvonne was standing behind Annette and gave me her demanding look. I knew that she wanted me to tell Annette about Mia, but I had hoped to hear from the vetting service first. Annette wanted to strip off her clothes, shower, and go to the beach with me. She asked me to pick out the wine for the day and gather some snacks while she was in my bathroom. In just a few minutes, we were loaded with wine, snacks, towels, a blanket, and we headed for the warm, white sand.

We spread the blanket and sprawled naked in the sun once again. Annette couldn't stop talking about her opportunities with the agency. She kept rolling over to kiss me every time she mentioned an option. I couldn't help but laugh at her, and I always enjoyed her kisses. After a couple of hours of listening to Annette gush on and on, I saw Mia stroking her way through the bright blue water. I sat up to look at her. She stopped for a moment and waved. I waved back, and she began swimming back toward the north. Annette just stared at me in surprise. "You two are exchanging waves now?"

"Yeah, she came up and introduced herself a few days ago."

"I know that you're my superior, and I can't criticize you, but you do know that is against protocol, right?"

"Yes, and so was your insubordination when you kissed me in front of Joey."

"Excuse me for being out of line, but I didn't introduce an unknown, unvetted person to my circle. This could be serious, Adriel."

"Look, Annette, I know what you are saying is true. Yvonne told me the same thing, but I'm having her vetted by the agency."

"Really? Who's your contact at the agency?"

"Agent Sommers."

"Oh, he's good. If there is any dirt on this lady, he will know it. When is he supposed to get back with you?"

I really didn't want to disclose what I knew so far. "He said that it would be another day or so."

"Well, good. I'd hate to think that you exposed yourself to another agency representative. That could be really bad."

"Yes, well, that's why I decided to have her vetted." I knew that Yvonne would scold me for not telling the whole truth. I certainly wasn't ready to tell Annette that Mia had slept in my bed overnight.

Annette and I had established quite a routine. We sunbathed, drank, worked out, sparred, ate dinner, enjoyed more wine, and slept naked in each other's arms all night long. I didn't see how Mia or any other woman would understand my relationship with Annette. Evelyn would probably come the closest to understanding, but there's no way I would want to explain it even to her. I awoke early and held Annette as she continued her slumber. I stroked her toned body. She was petite and fit nicely in my arms. I kissed her forehead and cheek several times. I loved her so much, but she didn't provide the excitement that Mia did. Annette finally began to stretch and yawn, and I decided it was time to start a pot of coffee. I wasn't sure what to fix for breakfast, but I would let Annette choose.

Since our project was at a lull, I hadn't been as attentive to my agency phone. It had been charging on the kitchen counter, and I strolled over to check it. I had gotten a text from Agent Sommers who had accessed the file that contained the information that I was seeking concerning Mia's identity. He wanted me to give him a call today, but it would have to be late in the afternoon in my time zone. I was apprehensive, and I hated to wait that late to learn what I needed to know, but I was seven hours ahead of him on the clock. Annette strolled out to the kitchen. I could see that she had just gotten out of the shower, so I asked her to pick something for breakfast while I showered. I hadn't heard from Mia, and I doubted that she would call especially if she knew that Annette was staying with me. I began to laugh as I imagined that Annette would start salivating at the sight of Mia. Anyone who desired women wouldn't be able to resist Mia.

After my shower, I sauntered out to the kitchen as Annette was rummaging through my refrigerator. She asked how long it would take to make a crusty loaf of French bread. I promised to have one ready in an hour. My bread baking techniques were second to none, and I knew how to cut some corners. I started it right away. She had decided that we would have prosciutto, eggs, and crusty bread dipped in Chianti. I laughed as I remembered a very similar breakfast that we had shared in Italy a few months ago. It didn't surprise me that Annette would somehow introduce wine into our breakfast. Had it not been for her homosexuality and Yvonne's strict rules for me, I think I could be very content with having Annette as my wife. However, those were extremely unlikely contingencies.

We finished our breakfast and gathered our things for another day at the beach. We were both getting rather dark, and we never tired of tanning in the sun. I think one of the reasons that Annette and I enjoyed our time together so much was that we were so much alike in many ways. In fact, Annette and I seemed to share more interests than Evelyn and I ever did. I had seen Annette under so many circumstances. She could definitely be frightening, but when things were running smoothly, she was pleasant, fun, exciting, and playful. I still had to fight waves of desire for her. Some times were easier than others, but it was often difficult. We seldom wore clothing around each other, and she was very aware of my times of weakness.

However, she took advantage of my situation and did something that greatly upset me in the afternoon. I had dozed off on the blanket as Annette was gazing out over the water. She had devised a sinister plan to wait for Mia to swim by and then appear to advance on me. By the time I awoke, it was too late. She had taken me into hand and mounted me while Mia was watching. I was startled, and before I could react to get her off of me, Mia had quickly started stroking her way back home. I screamed, "What the hell is the matter with you. Why did you do that?"

Annette recoiled with a fearful look on her face. "What's the big deal? You've had one conversation with her. I just did you a major favor. Vetting or not, I guarantee you that if she waves again, she's definitely an agent."

I was fuming. "I want you to go back to Cannes this afternoon."

"What?! Over this? What's gotten into you, Adriel?" Annette's demeanor changed. "Unless, you haven't been telling me the truth. I know you, and you're keeping something from me. Come on, talk to me." Annette scooted over and started rubbing my back.

I was still furious. "OK, you're right! I didn't tell you everything because I didn't want to upset you." I spent the next fifteen minutes telling Annette everything that had happened.

When I told her what Agent Sommers had said about the closed file she jumped up and started pacing the sand. "Oh, my god, Adriel! I can't believe that you have done this! You, of all people, should know better. Joey has saved your ass several times, and now you go and put yourself in possible fatal danger. We definitely have to move now. Let's get Yvonne. I can help you find another residence. Until then, you can move in with me in Cannes."

"No, I can't. Joey is staying with you."

"So, what? I'll keep an eye on you two. Besides, she won't come near you if I'm around, and I won't let you out of my sight."

"Yvonne would never go for that. It's too risky."

"Well, it's not nearly as risky as what you have done. We need to get you to safety right away. Come on, we're not spending another night at this villa. Call Yvonne so she can help carry what we need for you."

"Annette, if Mia wanted me dead, she had every opportunity."

Annette pulled in close to me on the blanket and put her face in mine. "Adriel, think with the head that's on your shoulders, not the one below your waist. What's the first priority when you dispose of an enemy agent?"

"I know, learn all you can, and when you believe you have gotten all of the information, then kill him."

"That's right, and don't forget that. You didn't give her much, and she will be back for more. You may be my superior, but you have seriously violated protocol, and we're leaving. Otherwise, I have to go to the colonel. Now, call Yvonne."

For over a year now I have been ordered around by women. If it isn't Evelyn, it's Joey. If it isn't Joey, it's Annette. If it isn't Annette, it's Yvonne. OK, maybe Yvonne doesn't count, but just the same. The worst of it all is that I know that Annette is right. I tried to get her to let me call Agent Sommers before we vacated, but she wouldn't stand for it. I summoned Yvonne, and we stepped the golden highway over to Annette's residence in Cannes. I now had another can of worms to deal with. Joey and I were like two dogs in heat that had to be constantly watched and kept separate. It was so much easier when I wasn't around her. Seeing her made it all the worse. All of my feelings came rushing back as intensely or more so. Her wanton stares were nearly more than I could bear, but Annette was wise and graceful in her quest to keep Joey and me apart. I was afraid that she might provoke Joey as she had done with Mia, but she didn't. She kept our environment light, cordial, and functional.

I called Agent Sommers the next day to learn what he had discovered concerning Mia. It broke my heart. "Agent Sommers, this is Agent Jasper White. I'm calling about the fingerprint that I sent a few days ago."

"Yes, Agent White, I have the report in front of me. This is for your ears only and should be shared with no one."

"I understand. What did you find?"

"The file was sealed due to the subject being under a government witness protection program. Do you need her real identity?"

"I don't think that will be necessary, but may I have the particulars of the situation?"

"Yes, she was given her current name and relocated to Milos due to her cooperation as a witness in a money laundering operation that was associated with international drug cartels. Her testimony was instrumental in convicting six operatives in an organized crime syndicate. According to the photos and documented evidence, she was beaten very badly and left for dead prior to her decision to testify. I have a considerable amount of detailed information, but I'm not allowed to send any documentation. I can only tell you what I have over this secured line. Do you need to know more?"

"My only concern was why her file was sealed. I needed to be sure that she was not a foreign agent."

"I see nothing in her record that would indicate such a thing. Her file tracks her life back to her childhood."

"Then, I think we're done here, Agent Sommers, and thank you so much for your research."

"My pleasure, sir."

I walked out to Annette's pool and sat down in a funk. Annette and I had injured an innocent woman who most likely had a hope of having a loving relationship with Jazz White. I seemed to have a way of spreading emotional pain wherever I went. I took a chance and dialed Mia's number. As expected, there was no answer. I decided not to leave a message because I wasn't sure what to say. She most likely thought that I had betrayed her in some fashion. The kiss that we shared had given her hope. I could see it in her eyes. Now, she probably thinks that I lied about Annette and our relationship with one another. Perhaps Yvonne was right that I needed to get through the project before I introduced anyone else into my life. I would much rather have Evelyn back, but I was afraid that I had destroyed that chance because of my indulgences with Joey. At least, at this point I didn't see a reason to relocate from Milos. Mia's secret was safe with me, and I doubted seriously if she would be waving to me anymore. I think Annette was right. If she did wave, it would likely point to a motive that overruled human emotion. She would most likely be an agent, but she wasn't. I think Annette destroyed the possibility of any future involvement.

Annette came out to the pool. I could tell that she was concerned that I was out of sight. She sat next to me and rubbed my back. "What's bothering you? Are you having a hard time with Joey?"

"Yes, but that's not the immediate problem. I got the report from Agent Sommers. Mia was the subject of a government witness protection program. She's not a foreign agent. I feel bad that we have injured an innocent person."

"Well, innocent or not, you violated protocol. You shouldn't see her until the project is complete, and from the way things look it could take years. Look, Adriel, neither of us have lovers right now, but it's not the end of the world. Let's open some wine and have fun. You need to get your mind off of women for a while."

"That's very funny. I'm constantly surrounded by them."

Annette went inside to open some wine as I sat by the pool. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Mia's number, and I answered immediately. "Jazz, it's Mia."

"Look, before you say anything I want you to know that I'm terribly sorry for the silly stunt that my friend pulled yesterday on the beach."

"What are you talking about?"

"Yesterday, when you swam by I was asleep, and my friend jumped on me."

"I'm sorry, I guess I didn't see that. I was wondering if you wanted to work out together tomorrow afternoon at your place. I hope I'm not being too forward."

"Oh, no, not at all, but can we make it the day after? I have some personal business to take care of, but Thursday afternoon around three o'clock will work."

"Thursday at three? Sure, that will work for me."

"OK, I'll see you Thursday, and why don't you stay for dinner?"

"Oh, that sounds marvelous, thank you."

Annette was right that I had violated protocol. However, protocol states that an agent cannot fraternize outside of a project unless he first has the subject vetted, and I have now done that. I was free and clear to date Mia. Annette had two bottles of wine and two glasses in her hands as she strolled toward me and exclaimed, "You're smiling. That's more like it."

I knew that Annette would give me more grief if I told her about Mia. Instead, I would wait until tomorrow to give her the directive to allow me to have two days alone at my villa. I was her superior, and she was obligated to comply without question. I would just tell her that I needed some time alone. I could instruct Yvonne not to transport Annette until further notice. I knew that I would have to contend with Yvonne, but I was tired of everyone telling me what to do. I needed to find out where things would go with Mia. My mood had greatly improved, and I told Annette that I attributed it to the wine. I also handled Joey much better now that I had the anticipation of seeing Mia. We ate, drank, and had some fun reminiscing about our previous project. Joey was inching her way closer to me, and Annette decided that it was time for bed. I had to sleep in her bed with her because she didn't trust Joey.

The next day, I explained to Annette that Mia was no threat, and I was going to move back to my villa. I needed a couple of days alone, and I would appreciate the privacy. Unfortunately, I always had a difficult time deceiving Annette. She knew me too well, and I knew that she suspicioned that I would see Mia. However, she didn't give me any resistance. I think she was leaving that up to Yvonne because after Yvonne escorted me back to my villa she unleashed her disapproval. "Adriel, I get tired of fighting you sometimes. I can't stop you from doing whatever you choose to do, but I can remove my presence from you to show you what your life would be like without me."

"Yvonne, you're overreacting. Can't I have any friends?"

"Adriel, I've told you many times that you can't fool me. You keep insisting on putting yourself in impossible situations. If I hadn't stepped in between you and Joey, then you and I would have been done long ago. I finally got that predicament settled, and now you introduce another, equally attractive female into the picture. So, here's what I'm going to do. As long as you choose to have Mia in your life, I'm not coming back, and you know that if you have sex with her I will never come back."

"Yvonne, please, be reasonable." She then disappeared. I felt such a tremendous void that I wandered out to my patio and plopped down in a chair. I hadn't felt this alone for as long as I could remember. I was isolated and stranded without any unconventional way of leaving the island. It seemed so quiet as though I were in a vacuum. I decided to go to the beach and drown my loneliness with two bottles of wine. I had several more hours of sunshine to enjoy, and I snatched my blanket, the wine, and a loaf of bread. I trudged my way down to the beach, spread my blanket, and slugged down half a bottle of Merlot. I fell back on my blanket and enjoyed the penetrating rays of the island sun on my naked body. The song of the surf and the gulls permeated the air. I never tired of the sounds of the beach and the smell of the salty air. The wine was taking effect, and I felt the soothing feeling of the alcohol through my arms and legs. I grabbed the bottle and finished it off.

I must have dozed off because I awoke to some gulls trying to steal my French baguette bread. As I shooed them away, I heard a voice calling to me. Mia was taking her daily swim. I waved to her, and she swam toward me. I grabbed my towel to cover myself and awaited her on my blanket. She wrung the sea water from her hair as she approached. "I thought you had some business to attend to. Did you get it taken care of?"

"Oh, yes, I did. It didn't take nearly as long as I originally thought. I'm glad you came by. It's good to see you."

Mia looked around. "So, your friend isn't here today?"

"No, she won't be back for at least another two days, maybe longer."

"Does she live nearby?"

"No, actually, she lives in France."

"Oh, my! She must travel a lot. She seems to come here often."

"Yes, she is quite the traveler. She loves to come here, but I asked her for some time alone." Mia gazed into my eyes. "I wanted a chance to get to know you better."

"That's very kind of you, Jazz. I appreciate that. By the way, you don't have to cover up with your towel just because I'm here." Mia gave my towel a tug and pulled it off of me. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"Not at all!" Mia slipped off her swimming suit, and I immediately responded. She turned toward me and put her left leg over me as she engaged me in a sensual kiss. Our tongues met for the first time, and my arousal was exciting her. She reached down and began to stimulate me. Within seconds I exploded with pleasure as she caressed my tongue with hers.

"You haven't been with a woman for quite some time, have you?" I shook my head. "I understand. I haven't had a man in years." I reached down to stimulate her to reciprocate. I gently worked her as she began to quiver. We continued to tease one another with our tongues until she finally convulsed into an orgasm. She buried her face in my neck and silently wept. I held her tightly as we lay entwined on the blanket. She wiped her tears and started to chuckle in amusement as she gazed at our naked bodies together. "You are as dark as I am, but you're white, and I'm black." I looked down, and admired her natural, large, soft breasts. They were full, held their shape, and didn't sag in the least. Her body was toned and tight. I was getting aroused again, and this time she mounted me. I wanted to resist, but I couldn't stop. I had never had a black woman before. She was sensational. It felt as though I were being sucked into her pelvis. She gently worked me as I moaned with pleasure. I kissed her breasts as she rode me in circles until I released another wave of pleasure. Within seconds, she gasped as she writhed in another orgasm. It had been so long since I had such coital pleasure that I had forgotten how wonderful it was. In the heat of passion, I had made a decision to end my relationship with Yvonne. I clung to Mia, and we held each other on the beach for hours as we made sweet love four more times.

We finally gathered our things and walked hand in hand back to my villa. We shared a shower and kissed intermittently as we caressed and washed each other's body. We toweled one another off, and I took her hand as I led her to my bed. We began a symphony of love that exceeded anything I had ever experienced. We indulged one another with complete and utter abandonment. We relinquished control and engaged in every imaginable pleasure. I was overwhelmed with the power that she exercised over me as we explored each other's erogenous zones inside and out. She had found pressure points with muscles and nerves that would continually bring me to arousal over and over again. We licked, nibbled, sucked, and kissed every inch of each other's bodies. I plunged deeply and exploded in every orifice, crack, fold, and crevice of her soft, sensual frame. We found an anal position where I would reach around to her front and stimulate her sensitive areas with my fingers that provided a string of staccato orgasms repeating like an automatic weapon for minutes at a time. As she recovered from her crescendo of bliss, I would turn her over and drive deeply. The rippled muscles of her vagina would massage and suck me inward as I screamed with delight. Her intense swimming had developed her inner parts to provide the perfect love canal. We experimented with every position that we could dream, and I found some that bent her vagina into an even more intense sensation of delight. We were in top physical condition, and after hours of sexual frenzy, we broke through the glass ceiling of physical limitations as we discovered combinations of erogenous stimulation that brought one another to a plateau of ecstasy that I never dreamed possible. It provided a type of extended orgasm that caused a mind numbing euphoria which demanded my abandonment of my entire soul and body. It was apparent that there was no other woman in this world who could provide what Mia could. She was my perfect sensual partner, and I never wanted her to leave my side. I knew then that no other woman in this world could ever steer me away from Mia.

We had used a bottle of olive oil to keep our bodies lubricated. However, even with the reduced friction we were both beginning to bleed. Empty water bottles were strewn across the floor of my bedroom. My sheets were stained with semen, female ejaculation, urine, sweat, saliva, blood, olive oil, and traces of feces. We had been entangled in our celebration of love for two solid days. We hadn't eaten or left my bedroom and bathroom the entire time. Only the tenderness of our genitals demanded that we take a break. I stripped the bed of the linens and plastic mattress cover and threw them into my washer along with her swimming suit. We would later dry them in the sunshine on the patio. We showered again, and I led her out to the kitchen. Surprisingly, we were barely hungry. However, I intended to prepare a light snack, but before I could look into the refrigerator, I had her on her back on my kitchen table as I drove her again. I grabbed her arms as she wrapped her legs around my back, and I lifted her to gently place her body into the soft cushion of a chair. Her vagina was bent once more into the perfect environment that caused me to explode yet another time.

We couldn't deny one another any desire without exception. I was pushing beyond what my body could endure. She examined my areas of worn flesh that were starting to bleed. She knew an herbalist in town who could prepare a mixture to help us heal more quickly. I hadn't thought about Yvonne, Annette, Joey, Evelyn, the agency, or the project in the past two days. I had remembered Annette's explanation once of a brainwashing technique that involved an intense level of orgasms that flooded the bloodstream with endorphins. I could now understand how that was possible. I didn't care about anything but Mia.

I was running low on groceries and supplies. She was surprised that I didn't own a car, and I could detect her curiosity as to how I could stock my kitchen. Yvonne was no longer available to step me across the golden highway to purchase goods from town. I knew that I could use Mia to navigate, but it was too soon to introduce her to that realm. She decided that she would wait an hour after we ate our snack and swim the coast back to her place. She would then get her car, and we could drive into town to restock. After Mia left to descend to the beach, I picked up my agency phone. I had two messages from Annette. Rather than listen to them, I called her back. "Adriel, I have been trying to reach you. Where have you been?"

"I told you that I needed a couple of days alone. I'm still not ready. I need a few more."

"Nobody has seen Yvonne. Neither David nor Joey has visited their counterparts for more than two days. We're getting worried. What the hell have you done?"

"Relax, Annette. I'll call you back in three more days. Just sit tight." I hung up the phone. I could never get away with this if I weren't her supervisor.

I had no idea what I was going to do. I had no long range plans. I just wanted more time with Mia, and that was all that mattered. I was already missing her terribly, and I knew that she hadn't had time to reach her home yet. I didn't expect her for another hour. I found some ointment in my medicine cabinet that I applied to my soreness. I sat on my patio and lay a cloth over me to protect it from the sunshine as I sipped a glass of red wine. My mind turned to our love extravaganza that we had experienced over the past two days. I grabbed my phone to research possible positions or things that we hadn't tried. I wasn't surprised to come up empty. We had done everything that we could possible imagine. It had been so long for both of us that we were starved for sexual gratification. I could still feel the euphoric effects of our lovemaking throughout my entire pelvic region.

I was surprised that I wasn't more disappointed about relinquishing Yvonne. I wasn't concerned that I couldn't finish the project. I didn't know what the ramifications would be for me not being able to access the rest of the gold, nor did I care. I could travel with Mia. The agency wouldn't dare do anything to alienate me. I was too valuable. I knew that at some point soon I would need to explain my capabilities to Mia. We would make an incredible team. She was already in amazing physical shape, and I hoped that she would agree to join the agency.

Mia finally arrived, and I got dressed to go into town. Our first stop was at the herbalist. She was an elderly Greek woman who spoke no English. Mia was fluent in Greek. I hadn't learned modern Greek, but due to my studies in the Koine dialect I could make out a few words. Mia explained our situation to the herbalist. After exchanging some conversation with the woman, Mia turned to me. "She wants to see the affected area."

"You must be joking."

"No, she needs to see your soreness to know what potions to mix. Pull your pants down." Mia reached over and untied the string that held my pants up. She gently lowered them, and the woman stepped from behind the counter to examine all sides. She smiled and commented to Mia. Mia smiled and replied. I had no idea what they said, nor was I going to ask. I pulled my pants back up, and the woman walked into the back room. "She needs about fifteen minutes to mix our potions."

We wandered through the shop looking at the different herbs and elixirs. The woman returned with the potions to explain how to administer them. Mia paid the woman, and we left for the grocery. Mia had been on a limited budget, so I let her pick out anything that she wanted from the grocery. We filled our basket, and I paid the clerk. She clung to my arm as we walked out to the car. We transferred our groceries to her trunk and drove back to my villa. I put the groceries away as Mia reviewed the instructions for the potions. There were two for me and one for her. I asked if she wanted a glass of wine. She suggested that I get something a lot stronger. Apparently, one of my applications was going to be rather painful. I selected a bourbon from my cabinet and poured a glass. We sat on the patio as I sipped the whiskey and waited for the soothing effects.

It was time to apply my first potion. Mia warned that it was going to sting, but we needed to leave it on for one full minute. She would then wash it off with cool water and apply the second one. I removed my pants, and she worked me up to apply the salve that the herbalist had prepared. I screamed as she dabbed it on. It felt like fire, but I had to endure as she timed the application. She then started dabbing with a cool wet cloth to remove the initial application. Luckily, the second one was very soothing and removed all discomfort. She then wrapped me in gauze and told me that it needed to sit for four hours. This may have put me on hold for a short time, but I was still able to engage her with my tongue. I licked up and under her hood as I applied her ointment as deeply as I could with my fingers, massaging it over the walls of her vagina. We spent the next three hours with me working her body over with every sensual delight that I could administer. Mia convulsed and writhed with each orgasm. There was no question about her level of satisfaction. Her explosions were like fireworks, and they excited me to no end. It would require me to be inside her to bring her to the plateau of extended orgasm, but that was something more to anticipate.

Mia and I lay in bed with our naked bodies entwined as we continued to kiss, lick, and gently suck for hours. During one of our breaks, I suggested that she teach me modern Greek. She was surprised that I didn't already know it. I told her that I had learned the ancient dialect, and I knew that learning the modern one wouldn't take long. Pronunciations had changed considerably, and the vocabulary was a little different. She taught me a few common phrases as we lay together on my bed. We had planned to converse only in Greek and forsake English within the next week. It would be the fastest way for me to get up to speed. We could go into town periodically and allow me to practice on some of the locals. It sounded like fun.

However, the conversation took an unexpected turn. "Jazz, may I discuss something personal with you?"

"Of course you can, Mia. We can discuss anything."

"I'm frightened."

I looked up at her in astonishment. "Whatever for?"

"Well, I'm afraid that you will leave me."

"Leave you? Heavens, no! I would never do such a thing. Why are you afraid of that?"

"I'm afraid that your friend won't like me."

"Well, my friend's name is Annette, and I'm quite certain that she won't like you. She may be purely homosexual, but she's very possessive of me. Don't worry, she'll eventually accept you. She doesn't have much of a choice."

Mia held me as she faced me closely. "Jazz, I've never experienced anything before like what you and I have. It might be common for you, but it's special to me."

I gasped. "Are you serious? Mia, I have never had an encounter like this. You have exceeded my wildest dreams. I don't know what to expect next. I hope that you and I will be together forever."

"You're only the second man that I have ever been with. My fiancee got bored with me, and I'm afraid that you will too."

I smiled at her. "Well, I assure you that's quite impossible."

"What about the interracial aspect? I am from South Africa, and there are many people who wouldn't accept us as a couple."

"Mia, I don't care if you're from Mars. What we are together is incredible. I have never been so compatible with anyone in my life. Stop worrying. We'll be just fine. Look, I understand that you are apprehensive and don't know what to expect. We just met, and we have a lot of getting acquainted to do, but commitment is a matter of choice. Let's just choose to stay together and enjoy getting to know one another. This should be fun, not frightening."

Mia squeezed me tightly and put her head on my chest. I lay on my back as I pondered the idea of introducing her to the golden highway. She may be frightened that I would leave her, but I was certainly concerned that she might bolt if she ever found out what I could do. We had both been surprised by the levels of sexual fervor that we had attained. I was afraid that another extraordinary aspect of our potential would be too overwhelming for her. I began to contemplate how to deal with Annette. Too many more days, and she would use conventional travel to come to me. I was sure of that, and I didn't want her showing up unexpectedly, especially since Mia and I would likely be in the middle of another carnal adventure. I had three days, and then I would have to invite Mia to the golden highway. I didn't see any other reasonable alternative.

# **CHAPTER SEVEN**

# **_MIA_**

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Both Evelyn and Yvonne had accused me of overanalyzing everything. However, I have always needed to understand the phenomenal things that happen in my life. Mia and I had discovered the most incredible ability to bring one another to a plateau of extended orgasm. We weren't able to accomplish it simultaneously. We tried many times, but once we reached that level it was impossible to focus on anything but the pleasure. Therefore, we traded off intervals of pleasing one another. I would push myself deep within her and reach around to insert my finger into her anus until I found her spot. I would then reach down between our pelvises and stimulate her clitoris. Within a minute, it would bring her to the epitome of sexual intensity that could be maintained until I released her. She would ejaculate several times during the experience, and I could feel the warm liquid soaking my scrotum and the towel that I kept beneath her. In turn, she would perform the same on me except that she reached under my groin to find the spot that worked in conjunction with my other erogenous zones to create the indescribable euphoric state for a prolonged period. She found it easier to engage me orally rather than vaginally during this process. We had stumbled onto this magic formula by experimenting with one another's bodies. We discovered that we could provide waves of pleasure for each other on this plateau by massaging the zone within the anus.

However, what intrigued me the most were the essential preparatory aspects of this function. We had found that it wasn't possible to successfully administer this procedure to one another until certain conditions existed. Apparently, due to the symphonic aspects of the three erogenous areas that worked in conjunction with one another, we had to align the nervous system impulses to enter that plateau. One of those conditions was the need to get the nerve impulse pathways prepared by giving one another repeated orgasms. Mia required six orgasms to raise her to the appropriate level of abandonment to allow the extended orgasm to be achieved. Once she convulsed six times, I saw a very different demeanor in her sexual responses. She was more amorous and adventuresome. Her eyes would glaze over, and she willing gave her body over to me with complete submission. I was always amazed that the transition from five to six orgasms consistently provided the same results. My magic number was three.

There was an even more important condition that had to exist at all times in order to create the necessary level of abandonment. It required the complete harmony between Mia and me. There could be no resentment or mistrust, no aggravation nor apprehension. So many married couples had issues with one another that would not allow them to achieve this level of satisfaction. I knew that Evelyn and I would never have been able to accomplish this. It required the complete cooperation of both individuals. I also knew that Evelyn would never be comfortable with the level of abandonment that was necessary. As many times as I had imagined that Joey and I would be phenomenal in bed, I now realized that it would have been impossible to share this kind of pleasure with her. I once described her protection for me as being like a tiger that kept me safe. It was exciting, yet I never knew when she might devour me. It excited me that she was known as the Angel of Death, but that aspect alone would keep me from completely abandoning myself to her. Mia and I had no bad history together. We had no unresolved issues. We trusted one another. My principal concern was her being frightened by the possibility that I would leave her. I knew that I had to provide the security of commitment if we were to continue this tremendous bliss.

I pondered whether the inherent problem lay within the longevity of a relationship. More water under the bridge meant more potential for problems. However, I also realized that switching partners was not the answer. In fact, it would prove fatal to achieving this state with another. Rather, it was imperative that the two people work out their differences and come to terms to trust, love, respect, and completely give themselves over to the other. Had I been sexually active with Joey, I do not believe that I could have experienced this with Mia. Commitment was essential. One of the major components to my relationship with Mia was that I wanted no one else, ever. Joey could never tempt me now, and I would not want to go back to Evelyn. I had never felt this way before in my life. Somehow, I had stumbled onto the perfect mate for me, and under no circumstances would I allow anything to mar our relationship.

I had surmised that many couples engaged in fantasies or role playing during sexual interludes, pretending to be someone else or with someone else, in order to circumvent their issues for one another. As successful as those emotional gymnastics may be to elevate excitement and passion, they could never provide the necessary harmony for the extended orgasm. Breakup sex, makeup sex, angry sex, grieving sex, pity sex, we're failures from the start. There was no substitute for genuine love, forgiveness, submission, trust, and vulnerability. Yvonne had insisted that I be faithful to Evelyn. However, my abstinence of coitus with Joey did not provide fidelity. I was very thankful that I had never had sex with Joey. It would have created an incrimination that would have interfered with my relationship with Mia. I didn't blame Evelyn for rejecting me. I could never have lived through what she did during our last project. The alarming aspect of it all was that I seemed to have a level of commitment to Mia that I didn't have with Evelyn. That was a sad commentary, to say the least.

I couldn't possibly compare Evelyn to Mia, nor would I want to do that. It was like oil and water. They were in two different worlds sexually. It would be like comparing a glass of wine to mainlining heroin. I knew that Mia had never experienced any of this with her ex-fiancee. It amazed me how the chemistry of two people affected the resulting relationship. I had no idea how many people in this world could fill Mia's shoes in my life, and I didn't care. We had found each other, and she was all that I wanted. I remember Evelyn's explanation once about the golden highway and people's oblivion that such a place existed. It's like walking the beach unaware that a fortune in treasure is buried just beneath you in the sand. You can spend your life walking that beach and never know about the treasure. However, if someone told you it was buried on the beach, you might go digging everywhere until you found it. Few people believe that such a thing exists, so they never go looking. I had no idea that such a heightened sexual plateau existed. Mia and I had stumbled onto it, and I was going to take full advantage of our capabilities as often and long as I could.

Mia was out for a swim. I was uncomfortable with her swimming in the sea. Every time I mentioned the possibility of sharks, she would laugh at me. Nevertheless, I wasn't spending prolonged periods of time in that water. I felt so empty when she was gone, and I always eagerly awaited her return. The sheets were drying on the patio. I had washed them three times in the past two days, and I knew that I would be washing them again today. I decided to get in a good workout in my gym while she was swimming. As much as I missed her, I did appreciate her keeping those vaginal muscles in shape. After my workout, as I sat on the patio watching the sheets flap in the breeze and dry in the sunshine, I suddenly remembered something that Yvonne had once explained to me. If I were making love to Mia, then Yvonne must be making love to Mia's counterpart on the golden highway. Yvonne sometimes complained that I had dragged her into situations against her will. My only hope was that she was experiencing the same pleasure that I was getting from Mia.

Mia was the most beautiful black woman whom I had ever seen. Her facial features were striking. I was convinced that she had a mixture of racial genes. Her hair was straight and silky and was the only hair on her body. Her nose was petite and narrow, but her lips were full, soft, and sumptuous. Her velvety skin was a smooth chocolatey brown. Even her hands and feet were beautiful. She was about three inches shorter than I was, and her muscle tone was exquisite. I estimated her weight to be around one hundred twenty pounds. Her clitoris was larger than Evelyn's, Annette's, or Joey's and would always swell when she got aroused. Even her vulva was gorgeous. One of our favorite aspects of making love was the electrifying intensity that we shared with the engagement of our genitals and our tongues that continually teased one another. It wasn't as intense as the extended orgasm, but it provided a sensual experience that was truly unique. I yanked the sheets from the line and headed inside to make the bed. I couldn't wait for her to return. Just thinking about her got me aroused.

As I was making the bed, Mia entered and stepped into the shower to wash the salt off of her body. I took her by the hand and led her to our bed. I couldn't wait to plunge myself into those rippling waves of pleasure that massaged me over and over. I didn't even need to move to receive the most incredible sensation within her, but I often found myself unable to resist driving her relentlessly like the piston of a combustion engine. I discharged twice in fifteen minutes and then turned southward with my tongue to stack several orgasms for her. I was taking her to the plateau this morning. Once I had her there, she would moan with a singing sound that was in tune with C above high C. I held her there for fifteen minutes as I worked her zone deep inside her anus. This was the longest that she had ever experienced. She was incoherent and appeared to be drugged out of her mind. It took me ten minutes to get her back to a state where she could understand what I was saying. We had broken a new record, and I was wondering just how far this could go and what else we might find. I was going to enjoy every step of my exploration. I took advantage of her euphoric condition and turned her face downward. I rode her for another twenty minutes as I exploded two more times.

We held each other for at least an hour. I was still enjoying the tingling throughout my entire lower body. She was amorous and submissive and drunk with our love. I had never seen anyone look at me the way that Mia did. She seemed so innocent and fragile and vulnerable to me, and I wanted to protect her in every way that I could. She descended on me, and even though I was completely satisfied, she knew the appropriate nerve endings to extend me once again so that she could take me fully into her throat. She used her hands to reach behind me into my anus, under my scrotum, and before I knew it I was writhing in the most wonderful sensation that completely consumed me. I never wanted it to stop, and I hoped that she would continue for hours. I was completely out of touch with my surroundings. I couldn't think. All I could do was enjoy the mind stopping pleasure that she was giving to me. I don't know how long she held me there. I didn't know if it was day or night. Suddenly, I thought that I saw Yvonne's face, but I was unable to react. I knew that I was moaning, but I couldn't hear anything. When I became aware of my surroundings, Mia was looking down on me as I lay on my back. She was smiling and kissing me over and over. I asked how long she had kept me under. She said that it was about forty-five minutes and that it took me twenty to recover. This was the most amazing thing that I had ever discovered in my life.

I figured that I had one more day before Annette called for an agency aircraft to bring her to me. I needed to be proactive and introduce Mia. We were in our favorite cuddling position in bed when I suggested, "Mia, you and I should take a trip together. There's so much that I want to show you." She made no response, and I checked to see if she might have fallen asleep. Instead, I saw a look of consternation on her face. "Sweetie, did you hear me?"

Mia finally responded. "Jazz, there's so much that I would like to tell you, but I can't. I really can't leave the island."

I needed Mia to navigate the golden highway. Otherwise, I would have to rely on Annette, and I didn't want to put her in that position. I knew about Mia's past, but I didn't want to reveal that yet. I squeezed her and responded, "That's fine. I understand. We can enjoy our lives with one another right here."

Mia had never invited me to her place. In fact, I had no idea where she lived. We had known each other for less than a week, but it seemed as though we had been together for years. If I couldn't get her to travel with me, I would need to call Annette and coordinate her visit. The last thing I wanted was a surprise from Annette. I decided to acclimate Mia to the possibility of Annette coming to the island again. "Well, I had originally intended to take you to Cannes to meet Annette, but since you can't leave the island, then she can come here to meet you."

Mia propped up on her elbow to look at me. "Jazz, I'm sorry, but I'm not comfortable meeting your friend. I don't know what made me wave to you a few days ago. I never make friends or meet people. I'm glad that I did, but I'm just not ready to meet anyone else."

"Mia, I understand that you're uncomfortable, but Annette is going to insist on meeting you."

"You already admitted that she wouldn't like me. I prefer to stay home alone when she's here. I'm not trying to be difficult, and I'm not trying to get you to choose between her and me. I would never do that, but please try to understand."

I kissed her and consoled, "It's OK. I do understand." I wouldn't contend with Mia. I knew that Annette would be coming to the island soon, and I hated the thought of being away from Mia. My only recourse was to try to call Annette and reason with her to gain more time. However, I knew that Annette was as stubborn as I was, and I doubted that I could squeeze another day out of her.

I asked Mia if she would like to go to a restaurant for the evening. She thought it sounded nice. She rarely went anywhere. I knew that she lived on a limited budget and was careful with her spending. The agency provided me with limitless funds, but I didn't want Mia to know. It would certainly look suspicious, however, it was probably already obvious that I had an opulent lifestyle. We decided to visit Archontoula for dinner. Mia needed to drive back to her place to get some clothes for the evening. This would give me a chance to call Annette and see what I could negotiate. Mia expected to be gone for at least an hour. The thought of her being gone for so long caused me to advance on her again. This time it was slow and sweet, and we timed it so that we could release together at the same time. I couldn't bear the thought of Annette keeping Mia away.

Mia finally left to drive home, and I headed to the beach with a bottle of wine, my blanket, and my phone. I dialed Annette's number. "Adriel, I've been waiting patiently, but I need to know what's going on."

I was dreading this conversation. "Well, by now you know that I've done something serious."

"I knew it! You fucked that swimmer, didn't you?"

"To put it crudely, yes, I did."

"Damn you, Adriel! Do you have any idea what you've done? Your selfishness not only affected David, Joey, Evelyn, and me, but it has jeopardized our project. We haven't seen Yvonne, and I'm guessing that you haven't either."

"You're absolutely right, Annette. I'm captive on this island until you come to me."

"I'm calling the agency right away. I'll be there tomorrow morning."

"Wait! Don't hang up. I need to explain some things. Annette, I didn't just have sex with this woman. I am truly in love."

"Oh, my god, Adriel! Once again, you're like dealing with a child. One piece of ass, and you're in love. You are pathetic!"

"It's not like that, Annette. Listen to me. I wanted her to meet you, but she's too afraid. I'm the first friend that she has made in over three years."

"You're not only pathetic, you're gullible too. She has probably fucked half the guys on that island."

"I really don't think so, Annette. I need for you to work with me, please. I'm ready to chuck everything for Mia, but I know that I shouldn't. I love you, Annette, and I don't want to lose you either. Somehow, you two need to get along. It means everything to me."

"Mia, huh? OK, look, I know if I sit here on the phone and criticize you for being selfish that it makes me the biggest hypocrite in the world. You put up with a lot from me during our last project. The least I can do is support you in this. I promise not to give her a hard time."

"I appreciate that, Annette. She says that she doesn't want to meet anyone, and she plans to stay away while you are here. As much as that disturbs me, I really need to see you. I'm missing you terribly, and I want to spend some beach time with you."

"That sounds wonderful. Let me call the transportation team. I can probably be at your place by mid-morning. Once I get the particulars, I'll text you."

"OK, I'll keep checking my phone. I love you!"

"I love you too, Adriel, but you're still a child."

I enjoyed the wine and the sunshine for over an hour before Mia found me on the beach. I told her that I had called Annette, and that she had planned to be here sometime tomorrow morning. I could see the disappointment on Mia's face. "Mia, I know that you don't want to meet Annette, but I explained to her what you mean to me. She promised to accept you. I think you two should get to know one another."

Mia sat down on my blanket and thought for a minute. "I'll think about it. I don't like the idea of being away from you either. I'm really not fond of the possibility that she might hear us making love."

"I think after you meet her, you'll feel a whole lot more comfortable. Annette is outrageous in her own way, but she's really sweet. I think you'll like her."

Mia was quiet for a few moments. "We'll see."

I coaxed Mia to make love on the beach. We spent a few more hours on the blanket and then headed back to my villa to get ready to go to dinner. We showered and dressed, and Mia drove us to Archontoula. We had a very pleasant dinner together as we shared a bottle of red wine. Mia ordered the chicken braid with cherry sauce, and I had the eggplant. We both had a Greek salad with a slab of feta on top. It was so wonderful to share an experience with Mia that wasn't just sexual. We laughed and talked, and it was apparent that we were very compatible at every level. I just hoped that she and Annette would get along well. I couldn't imagine being happier if I had Mia and Annette in my life. I loved them both so much. I just wondered what Yvonne would say about Mia. I would never know.

That night, Mia was insistent and intense. I was somewhat surprised at her sexual aggression, but I assumed that it had to do with Annette's visit tomorrow morning. I certainly wasn't complaining. I found her forward demeanor to be exciting, and I enjoyed relinquishing control to her as she got on top and rode me hard. We were nearly out of the ointment that the herbalist had mixed for us. She had told Mia to use it as a lubricant during sex to continue to promote healing. I was amazed at how effective it was. Our soreness had greatly subsided, and we had engaged in a lot of sex since. Mia had decided to go into town before Annette arrived to get more ointment from the herbalist. She wanted to give Annette and me a chance to talk before she met her. I promised to text her after Annette arrived and let her decide when she wanted come over. I was somewhat reluctant to explain my relationship with Annette to Mia. I wasn't ready to tell her that we always slept naked in each other's arms. I doubted that she would understand that, but she did need to know that Annette and I kissed a lot on the mouth, however, there were never tongues involved. I did explain that Annette is purely homosexual, and I wasn't sure how forward she might get with Mia. I knew that Annette would desire her, and I knew how aggressive Annette could be. I just wanted Mia to be aware. Annette had texted me that she should arrive around ten o'clock in the morning.

Mia awakened me very early in the morning. She was nervous about our day, and she wanted me to give her an extended orgasm. I was aware of the potential problem with requesting an extended orgasm. One must never treat it as a goal, but appreciate it as a process instead. One of the principal mistakes that couples make with their sexual union is to have the goal of orgasm. Orgasms are a process, not the goal. The goal should be to share the intimacy to bring a greater bond between two people. I didn't want Mia to see her pleasure as the goal. Therefore, I took my precious time kissing, sucking, licking, and caressing her body. I had her engage me orally for a while to put her on the giving end before I put her on the receiving end. It was a wave of balance of pleasure that we offered to one another. Once I determined that her mind was now on the process, I engaged her throbbing clitoris. I gently sucked it into my mouth and used my tongue to stroke upward as gently as I could. She quivered, then writhed, moaned, and ejaculated as she heaved with her first orgasm. The communication of nerves was beginning to establish, and I gently continued to bring her to five more convulsions. I could see by her eyes that she was ready. I had her go down on me again to prepare me. Within a minute, I thrust myself deep within her as I used my fingers to massage her other two zones. She began to shake and jerk as her eyes rolled back. I intended to keep her there as long as I could. I held her for an hour before I released her. She continued to jerk for another five minutes. After fifteen more minutes, she was finally able to respond, and I drilled her hard from behind.

We dozed off again in a naked embrace. I was never ready to let loose of Mia, but it was time to get up, and we were both wanting a strong cup of coffee. I started the coffee pot, and we jumped into the shower together. Afterward, we went back to the kitchen to make breakfast. I made a quick cheese omelette. Annette had landed at the airport, and she was renting a car. She was going to track the location of my agency cell phone to navigate to me. Mia was getting more nervous by the minute, and she wolfed down her breakfast to get ready to leave. I tried to coax her into staying, but she was too nervous. I was just hoping that she would come back later to meet Annette. Before I knew it, she was gone, and the empty feeling returned.

Annette showed up about half an hour later. She came waltzing through the door and looked left and right. "So, where is your new lover?"

"She went into town. I don't know if she will get the nerve to meet you or not. I'll text her after a while to see when she plans to come over."

Annette stripped off her clothes. "You grab some wine, and I'll get the blanket. Let's head for the beach." I still wasn't sure how Mia would accept Annette. I think I had seen Annette more naked than not. She tugged at my clothes and made me strip as well before we left the villa. She spread our blanket in the sand and pulled me down. She practically climbed on top of me. "So, tell me about your girl."

"Well, Mia is a very sweet and sensitive lady. She's beautiful, shy, loving, and fragile. Please take that into consideration. I love you, Annette, and I know how crude and forward you can be. Just take it easy around Mia, OK?"

"Wow, Adriel! You make me sound like some ogre or something."

"No, I don't mean it that way. You and I have a familiarity with one another. I haven't had a chance to establish that yet with Mia."

"So, is she Greek?"

"No, she's from South Africa."

"Is she black?"

"Yes, she is, and she's absolutely gorgeous."

Annette climbed on top of me. "Oh, my god, Adriel! Have you ever had a black woman before?"

"No, but you probably have."

"Damn right, I have. I'll bet you're having the time of your life." Annette started bouncing up and down on me.

"Annette, stop it! This is exactly what I'm talking about. We can't be touching genitals or sleeping naked together in front of Mia. Please, take it easy."

Annette rolled off of me onto the blanket. "Zut alors, Adriel, it's not like we're fucking. You're like my big brother."

"You know that, and I know that, but how do you expect Mia to understand that? You know damn well that Evelyn would never have put up with you acting like this."

"OK, Adriel, maybe I am a little bit jealous. I just don't want her taking our time away. We have a lot of fun together."

"I know. I'm just asking that we break her in gently, that's all, and don't be telling her any stories about the past. She doesn't know anything about Evelyn or Joey. By the way, you need to switch to calling me Jazz. She doesn't know my real name either."

"God, you treat me like I'm a rookie. Of course I won't call you by your real name."

Annette propped her head on her hand. "By the way, David and Joey are really upset with you. Yvonne hasn't come to take them for their healing sessions."

"Yeah, well, she could if she wanted to. I don't see how I'm preventing that."

"Seriously? You told me yourself that Yvonne had warned you not to fuck anyone but Evelyn."

"It's not my fault that she chooses not to come around."

"Hmmm, I think I have to disagree with you, Jazz. That's like a murderer blaming the judicial system that he's in prison. You knew the consequences, but I'm not here to criticize you. It's just good to see you again. I can still kiss you, can't I?"

I pulled Annette into me. "Of course you can." We kissed each other for several minutes to make up for lost time.

I texted Mia to see when she planned to come over. She responded and said that it would be after dark. She knew that Annette and I enjoyed our time in the sun. Annette approved of her consideration, and she went back to my villa to get three more bottles of wine. When she returned, she had a loaf of French bread with her that I had baked yesterday. Annette sat down and handed me a bottle of wine. "So, do you think she's spending the night?"

"I don't know, but I hope so."

"Does that mean that I sleep on the couch?"

"Let's just play it by ear. My guess is that she won't stay, but don't make that happen." Annette shrugged her shoulders and gave me her feigned innocent look.

After a few minutes Annette looked over at me. "Can I be naked?"

I shook my head. "Once again, let's break her in gently."

"OK, so explain to me what she does know. Does she know that you can hop anywhere in the world within seconds?"

"No, she doesn't. I was hoping to take her to your place, but she refuses to leave the island. I never explained how I was going to do that. She doesn't know that I know about her witness protection. Actually, you should assume that she knows nothing because that is basically true."

"So, what are we going to talk about?"

"That's a very good question, Annette. I have no idea, but let's keep it light and simple."

"Well, Jazz, I'm almost afraid to ask, but if Yvonne has flown the coop, how are we going to get the rest of the gold out of that deposit?"

"That's another good question. I'm not so sure that we can."

"Well, it's a good thing that you got the agency paid up front, or they would hang you out to dry. It's the feds that are going to be really upset."

"I know, but I don't think they are going to pass the legislation to abolish all federal income tax for quite some time, if ever."

"Yeah, you better hope not. You will really be in the hot seat if that happens. I am a little concerned about how we plan to terminate this project. My promotion can't happen until this project ends. If you can't access the gold, how do you plan to break that news and get this projected ended?"

"I have given that absolutely no thought whatsoever, Annette."

"Look, Jazz, I've got your back, but you're going to have to work with me too. I don't want to be stuck in the field, and this project could drag on indefinitely. I don't want that to happen."

"I know that. I promise that I won't let that happen." Annette leaned over for another kissing session.

I hated to ask, but I was curious. "So, have you heard from Evelyn?"

Annette shook her head. "Not a word."

"Would you go back to her if she wanted?"

"Of course I would. Would you?"

I shook my head. "No, I wouldn't."

Annette put her face in mine as she studied my eyes. "Are you being honest with me?"

"I certainly am. I wouldn't leave Mia for anyone."

Annette continued to study my eyes for a moment. She rolled over on her back. "Wow, I'm surprised. I mean, I believe you, but I never thought I would see the day that you said you wouldn't go back to Evelyn. Maybe you really are in love. I don't know, but we'll see. Now I really have to meet this girl."

Annette and I enjoyed the sunshine for as long as we could. Once the rays began to weaken due to the setting sun, we grabbed our things to head back to the villa. I let Annette choose what we would have for dinner. We enjoyed cooking together and ate on the patio. Once the sun was down, I reminded Annette to get dressed. She threw on a tee shirt, but that was it. I texted Mia to see if she was still coming. She didn't answer for another fifteen minutes. Finally, she agreed to stop by for a while. Annette asked what kind of wine Mia liked. I explained that she wasn't much of a drinker. Annette smiled. "I'll get a nice white one ready for her. I think she'll be in the mood."

Mia finally arrived, and I went to the door to greet her. She was sheepish and reluctant, but I ushered her out to the patio. Annette greeted her with a glass of white wine, and Mia accepted. We exchanged cordial greetings and began some light conversation. I sat next to Mia, and Annette sat across from us. I noticed Mia glance at Annette's bare crotch, and I hoped that she didn't get the wrong idea. Annette arose to fill Mia's wine glass. Mia was being polite and accepted as she continued to drink. Annette was fairly inebriated, and I knew that Mia couldn't handle much wine. I had shifted to water during dinner, but I had a glass of red wine at the moment. I felt like I was walking a tight rope above a deep canyon in a strong wind.

Annette was an excellent observer of human behavior. I noticed that she was studying Mia closely. She was waiting for the wine to relax Mia enough to be more receptive. I wasn't sure what to expect. I was just hoping that Annette wasn't going to ask for a threesome, but it wouldn't have surprised me. I could tell that she liked Mia. Suddenly, my heart picked up pace as Annette arose to come over to sit next to Mia on the other side. I think I stopped breathing as Annette took her finger and pulled Mia's silky hair behind her left ear. Annette then began her discourse. "Mia, I know how uncomfortable it can be to meet new people. I have known Jazz for over a year now, and he's like a brother to me. I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but I will freely admit that I am homosexual. Jazz has told me how much in love with you that he is. When he first told me, I had my doubts since he has only known you for about a week, but after talking to him this afternoon and meeting you tonight I am thoroughly convinced that he really loves you. I want you to know that because he is so special to me, I am making a commitment to you as your friend. I want us to get to know one another, and I hope that we can become good friends in the near future. Jazz wants you to spend the night, and I am encouraging you to be with him tonight. I can get a room in town if that makes you more comfortable."

Mia turned to me with a loss of what to say. She had a tear in her eye. She turned back to Annette and hugged her. "No, please, you don't need to go anywhere. Stay here with us."

I gave a sigh of relief as my breathing resumed, and my heart settled down. Annette filled Mia's glass another time, and we all toasted to a new friendship. Mia was hungry, and I went into the kitchen to fix her something to eat while she and Annette sat side by side and talked. I prepared a plate of food for Mia and brought it out to the patio. Annette had her arm around Mia, and they were laughing together. Tears began to fall from my eyes as I saw them getting along so well. I couldn't help myself, and I thanked them both and told them how much it meant to me. I opened another bottle of wine, and I knew that Mia was going to have a headache in the morning, but she insisted. Things finally began to wind down, and I got a blanket and pillow for Annette while Mia settled into bed. I brought them to Annette on the couch and hugged her. "My god, Jazz, she's absolutely beautiful. She is so sweet. I just love her. We're going to be just fine." I kissed Annette several times and wished her a good night. I think this was the happiest point in my life.

I joined Mia and scooted in beside her. We tried to keep our noise down, but after about an hour we just decided to let go. Two more hours of lovemaking passed before we finally agreed to get some sleep. I awoke an hour later, ready to go again. As things progressed, Mia took me to the plateau of extended orgasm for over an hour. Annette and Mia were friends. I was experiencing the most incredible sexual pleasure imaginable. All was good with my life, or so I thought. I finally regained my consciousness, and I turned to take Mia to where I had just been. I held her for ninety minutes. We were breaking longevity records, but I was interested in a new, higher plateau. We would need to wait for Annette to leave before we had the opportunity to experiment. Due to our nightly activity, Mia and I slept in later than usual. Annette was never an early riser, so it didn't really matter.

I went out to the kitchen the next morning to start the coffee. I was looking through the refrigerator to choose something for breakfast. Annette was stretching on the couch, so I knew that she would be up soon. Mia came out to the kitchen just as Annette was getting up. Annette greeted Mia and put her arms around her. She kissed Mia on the lips. I saw the slight look of shock on Mia's face, and Annette apologized. "Oh, I hope I didn't upset you. I'm a hugger and a kisser, but I won't do that if it makes you uncomfortable."

I paused for a second. Mia pulled Annette back in and kissed her lips. "You're fine, Annette. I'm a hugger and a kisser too."

The last time I saw Annette act like this was with Evelyn, and they eventually ended up in bed together. I realized that history had a nasty way of repeating itself, but I wasn't jumping to conclusions. However, I did know Annette well, and I knew that she wouldn't hesitate to get into Mia's pants if she could. My selfishness was apparent because I was mainly concerned that Annette would interfere with the delicate balance between Mia and me that could result in us losing what we had attained so far. I was ready to experiment further with Mia to discover what new heights we could achieve, and I would be terribly upset if Annette interfered. Mia was kind and polite, and I knew that she wanted to have a good relationship with Annette. She could perceive that Annette and I were close. Just how close, she would soon find out. Annette and I were too much alike. Maybe that's why we got along so well. I knew that she would be pushing the envelope as far as she could. The problem was that it intrigued me, and I was reluctant to stop her.

We finished breakfast, and I went into the bedroom to strip the bed and wash the sheets and mattress cover. When I came out of the bedroom, my knees nearly buckled. Annette and Mia were naked as Annette rubbed sunscreen all over Mia's body. Annette yelled, "Get your clothes off, Jazz. We're going to the beach." Well, so much for breaking Mia in gently. I grabbed the blanket, some towels, and we each carried two bottles of wine to the beach. My head was spinning. Annette only had two speeds, stop and lightning fast. I chuckled as I walked behind them down the rocks. Mia had the nicest ass that I had ever seen, and I knew that Annette's eyes were glued to it. I could see that this was going to turn into another naked, drunken, sex extravaganza like we all had in Cannes during our last project. That's the way things seemed to progress when Annette was involved.

We spread our blanket, and Mia lay between Annette and me. I turned to Mia and thanked her. "I know that you're not into tanning like Annette and I are, but we appreciate you joining us."

"Oh, I love the beach. Besides, I want to spend more time with you. I asked Annette last night how you two met. She said that it was a long story, and that I should ask you."

I looked past Mia at Annette who raised her eyebrows and made a face. "It is a long story, but the short version is that we have a mutual friend in Cairo who is a physicist. He and I were working on a project, and Annette came to visit. We got acquainted, and we have been great friends ever since."

"That sounds interesting. What kind of project were you working on? You said that you were a software engineer."

"Oh, it had nothing to do with my profession. I was basically his guinea pig for some spatial concept experiments. He would rather that I kept them secret."

"I can appreciate that. I think we all have things that we would like to keep secret."

Annette raised her eyebrows and made another face. Then she practically crawled on top of Mia. "So, Mia, how long have you lived here?"

"I have been here a little over three years. I sold my business and decided to get away from a bad relationship."

"You should come to my place in Cannes sometime soon. I think you would enjoy it."

Mia smiled. "That's kind of you to invite me, but I really want to stay on the island."

"What's the matter? Do you not like to travel?"

"I'm happy here. I don't like crowds, and I have been used to being alone until I met Jazz." Mia reached over and squeezed my leg.

It was becoming obvious that none of us were going to divulge much information. We all lay back on the blanket and enjoyed the sounds of nature as the light breeze blew over our bodies. After about an hour, Mia decided to take a swim. She promised not to go far because she hadn't brought a swimming suit with her. Annette watched her walk toward the surf and turned to me. "How long are you two going to evade your questions?"

"I was wondering the same thing. I really don't want to be the first to open up, but I doubt that she will ever want to tell me about her past."

"Well, Jazz, you will need to get her on board soon. You can travel with her, and you need that capability. I'll see if I can get some more wine in her. She's a lightweight when it comes to alcohol."

"Look, Annette, I love this woman. I don't want to manipulate or use her. I'm afraid if I tell her about the golden highway she will either think I'm looney, or it will scare her off."

"Well, you have a convenient way to introduce it to her with David's experiment. I think you need to tell her more. I'll be the one to start leaking information. Once I get to the point of no return, you can take over."

"Maybe you're right, but it makes me nervous. I don't want to lose her."

Annette looked over at Mia in the waves. "I can't blame you there, Jazz. She is a beauty." Mia swam back and forth for about an hour. When she finally began to walk toward the beach, Annette looked down at me. "You're obviously ready for her. I don't think I should be here with you like this when she walks up. I'll give you both about an hour. I'll go back to the villa and bring more wine later." Annette jumped up and scurried up the rocks.

When Mia got to the blanket, I explained that Annette wanted to give us some time alone. She could see that I was ready, and she dove in as we enjoyed each other for an hour. Mia asked if Annette had ever experimented with my body. I assured her that she had not. I also reiterated the fact that Annette found her attractive. I wanted to prepare her in case Annette got physically aggressive as she often did after a couple of bottles of wine. She laughed and said that she could handle Annette. I wasn't sure what she meant by that, but I didn't ask for clarification.

Annette finally returned with five bottles of wine. She had us all sit in a circle and started passing a bottle around for us to drink. She kept encouraging Mia to take another sip. We could see that Mia had loosened up quite a bit, and Annette started talking about David. "When I first met Jazz, he was involved in an experiment that he and David were conducting at the pyramids in Giza." She had piqued Mia's interest. "David had designed a type of sextant to find a certain recurring, temporary condition that existed near the pyramids. It was some sort of a time travel environment."

Mia laughed and spilled some of the wine down her breast. "You're making this up, Annette!"

"No, seriously, he found some sort of wormhole in space that could allow you to go forward or backward in time. It did a lot more than that. Jazz will vouch for me."

Mia turned toward me. The stage had been set, and I was starting to squirm. "Annette's telling the truth, Mia. We found a type of portal to another dimension." Mia looked into my eyes and stopped smiling. She started to get up, but I grabbed her wrist. "Mia, please, I need to explain this to you. Please sit because there's a lot that you need to know." Mia scooted to the edge of the blanket facing Annette and me. "I have the ability to do things that you wouldn't believe. I need to introduce you slowly because there is a lot to understand, and it will take a considerable amount of time."

Mia was agitated. "Who sent you here? This beach had been empty for years. All of a sudden, you showed up. You seem to have a lot of mysteries, and now you have outlandish stories."

I knew that Mia was concerned about her protection program. "Mia, I came her to live. I had no idea about you until I saw you swim by one day." Annette nodded in agreement. "I know you're alarmed, but I have to tell you this because I want us to stay together forever."

Mia looked back and forth at Annette and me for several moments. Annette reached out her hand. "Mia, Jazz is taking a risky chance in telling you all of this. He doesn't want to scare you or alienate you. Come here." Annette held out her arms. Mia continued to look back and forth at Annette and me. She slowly began to scoot closer to Annette, and Annette took her in her arms. "He's telling you the absolute truth. He wants to commit to you, but in order to do so, he will need to tell you several things. My residence in Cannes is very secluded. I was hoping that Jazz could bring you there using the dimension that we have been explaining. I know this is a lot to take in within a very short time, but we need to get you on board."

Mia didn't speak. She just stared at me from Annette's arms. Finally, Mia pulled away from Annette. "I need to go home. I need some time to think. I'll text you when I'm ready."

Mia stood and left for the villa. I jumped up to follow, and Annette trailed after me. I tried to change Mia's mind, but she insisted that she needed some time alone. She was distant and determined as she got dressed. She didn't kiss me or say another word. I watched as she walked down the path toward the road. Annette stood with me and had her hand on my shoulder. Once Mia disappeared from our sight, Annette turned to me. "Well, now we just need to give her time. I'll admit, it's a lot to handle when you first hear about the portal. She'll come around."

"I sure hope you're right, Annette."

Annette grabbed my wrist. "Come on, let's go back to the beach. There's still about four hours of sun left."

I hadn't heard from Mia in two days. I was becoming despondent, and Annette was doing her best to cheer me up. As psychologically dark as that woman could get sometimes, she could also be a lot of fun. We were sleeping naked in each other's arms again, and Annette was happy. As long as she had wine, sunshine, and naked flesh against her, she was content. I had to admit, that combination had been good enough for me too, but I now missed Mia. I desperately wanted to call her, but I knew that I had to wait for her to contact me. Otherwise, I could lose her forever. On the third evening, I got a text from Mia asking if Annette was still at my villa. I responded to let her know that Annette was here. She said that was good, and she wanted to come over and talk. I was elated and asked her to come for dinner.

I dressed a whole salmon filet with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, and rosemary. I fired up the grill to get it good and hot. Annette prepared a combination salad, and I put some rice pilaf on the stove. I waited for Mia to arrive before I grilled the salmon. She was quiet, but cordial. Annette had given us all wine glasses, but Mia only wanted water. Mia wasn't hugging or kissing. I was getting a little concerned that she had little to say through dinner. Annette tried to engage her in conversation, but Mia only answered questions. After dinner, we gathered on the patio, and I asked if she had time to think. She didn't answer right away, and I thought I saw a tear form in her left eye. She looked back and forth at Annette and me, then she began, "Jazz, we haven't known each other very long. I'm sorry if I seem a little paranoid, but I needed some time alone. I'm not sure why you decided to tell me what you did. I think it's obvious that you aren't who you say you are, and that gives me a lot of concern."

Annette glanced over at me with a worried look as I responded. "You're right, Mia. I'm not who I say I am, but there is a reason. I really do want to tell you the truth, but it's not up to me to choose to do that."

"I can understand that. I don't need to know who you are, but will you be honest with me if I ask you a question about me?"

"Of course, I can be honest about you."

"What do you want with me?"

"I want to have a lifelong relationship with you, Mia." Annette was nodding.

"What do you know about me?"

I looked down for a second. "I know that you are hiding on this island protected by a witness program."

Mia immediately stood and demanded, "How do you know that?"

Annette grabbed my arm and shook her head to stop me. I responded anyway. "I work for a secret agency, and I did a background check on you. I had to make sure that you weren't an enemy agent."

Mia put her hands over her face and started to cry. Annette gave me a terrible look of disgust and jumped to Mia's side to hold her. I had broken a cardinal rule, and Annette was outraged. Mia sobbed. "I thought you came here to kill me."

I rushed over to Mia's other side and held her. "Goodness, no! I want us to be together. I would never hurt you. Mia, I can protect you better than a witness program. We can go anywhere. You can trust me."

Annette and I consoled Mia for about an hour until she regained her composure. We coaxed her into staying for the night. She needed to go back home and pack a bag, and Annette and I took some wine to the patio to await her return. Annette reprimanded me. "I sure hope that you can trust her, Adriel. You know better than to ever admit who you are. This is a dangerous game that you're playing. I'm expected to report you to the agency, but I'm not going to do it. If you get caught, we will both be in a lot of trouble."

As usual, Annette was right. I was getting careless with Mia, but I didn't want to hide things from her. I was hoping that we could be a team with the agency, but I was rushing things, and I knew it. I wanted to take Annette to the golden highway and step into the future, but without Yvonne it was like groping in the dark. I didn't have the ability to target times and places in the future as accurately as Yvonne. I also couldn't splice time without Yvonne, and I didn't want to be gone when Mia returned. Too much time here could pass if Annette and I were on the golden highway. I was hoping that I wouldn't be sorry for disclosing my identity. Annette tried to persuade me into letting her sleep on the other side of me in our bed, but I knew that it would interfere with Mia's extended orgasms. I gently explained to Annette that Mia and I needed to be alone.

Mia returned, and we had a pleasant evening together. She was careful not to ask many questions. She could tell that Annette was somewhat upset with me. Annette and I devised a plan of disclosure to acclimate Mia gradually with some of the things that I could do on the golden highway. I explained what she would see when we entered, and that we could transport ourselves anywhere within one step. We could tell that she was having a difficult time accepting our explanations, and I didn't want to introduce her to that environment too soon. Yvonne was much better at acclimating newcomers than I was. It was her realm, and she was comfortable with it. I couldn't possibly instill the same confidence in anyone like she could. We spent the next week trying to get Mia up to speed, and Annette and I finally gave her a demonstration. Annette took my hand, and we stepped into parking mode at my villa. We had disappeared from Mia's sight, and she spun around trying to see where we had gone. We stepped back into the room. She looked at us in awe and finally rushed over to hug and cling to me.

The comfort level was rising between Mia and me. I was more and more convinced that she wouldn't leave, and she was more and more convinced that I would never harm her. Annette had been talking with Joey daily on the phone, and she had gently explained that I was with Mia. There was no question that Joey would be terribly upset. I had resisted her due to Yvonne, but now I had forsaken Yvonne for Mia. Joey's plans were thwarted because she had relied on me to be able to take her anywhere at any time. Now I would be with Mia, and Joey wouldn't be navigating with me. My concern was introducing Mia to Joey. I knew that it would eventually be necessary, but I was more reluctant than Annette. Annette was still trying to convince Mia to come to Cannes, but Mia was still afraid to leave the island. I would need to take Mia to the golden highway, get her accustomed to the environment, and show her how we could enter parking positions anywhere that she desired. Tomorrow would be our first trip.

The next day, I had to impress upon Mia that we needed to spend as little time on the golden highway as possible. Otherwise, many hours could pass on earth before we returned. I wanted her to think of a place that we could visit, but we would only be in parking mode. She wouldn't actually be transported physically to that place, and no one would be able to see or hear her. It didn't take long for her to decide that she wanted to visit her father. She hadn't seen him in over three years. We now had a destination, and I asked Mia to stand on my left. I could see that she was nervous. She held my hand and clung to my arm as I stepped us onto the golden highway. She began turning her head from side to side to look circumspectly as I stepped us into parking mode near her father. She gasped and tears fell from her eyes. I explained that we could stay as long as she wanted in parking mode, and it wouldn't affect the time differential between my villa and the golden highway. She fell to her knees and sobbed, and I stooped down to hold her. It's difficult to judge time in that realm, but it seemed like about twenty minutes passed before she was willing to return.

We stepped back to the golden highway, then into parking mode at my villa, and then onto my patio. Mia was overcome with emotion and incredulity. I asked Annette how long we had been gone. She had timed us at four minutes, thirty-six seconds. I was very familiar with reentry shock, and I took Mia into the bedroom to have her rest and assimilate what had just happened. She pulled me down to the bed, and held me tightly as she kissed me over and over. Once she had calmed down, I returned to the patio with Annette. Annette put her coffee on the table and asked, "So, how did she take it?"

"She needs some time to accept it all. Remember your first trip to the golden highway? It's a lot to take in."

We spent the next several days working with Mia and performing other experiments. I took her to remote places and stepped us out of parking mode. She was having a difficult time believing that we were really somewhere else in the world. I offered to take her to one of her familiar places, but she was too afraid of being in a public place. She didn't want to take the chance of being recognized. Annette was tired of sleeping on the couch and decided to go back to Cannes. I hated to see her go, but she wanted to sleep naked next to someone, and Joey was available at her residence. I was to keep her posted on Mia's progress. Once Mia was comfortable enough to travel to Cannes, we were going to introduce her to Joey. I thought it was a bad idea, but I knew that it was inevitable at some point. Even though I didn't want Annette to leave, her absence gave Mia and me a great opportunity to enjoy one another with complete abandonment. We were delving into more experiments to explore our possibilities in the limitless world of sexual bliss.

Mia was gaining confidence on the golden highway. We had some success in navigating the past, and we got to see ourselves making love for the first time on the beach. It was a precious moment that we shared together, and it ignited her desire to make love. We decided to enjoy one another right there together. It was a strange experience to make love to Mia as we watched us make love on the beach in the past. I gazed into her beautiful dark eyes. I was so overwhelmed by my love for her as we began to progress to a higher level. We were beginning to suspicion that our opportunities were greater outside of our earthly realm. The scene of our past earthly encounter on the beach had ended, and we watched us walk up the rocks toward my villa. However, Mia and I weren't ready to return. We continued to enjoy indulging one another for quite some time as we graduated to new levels of ecstasy.

It had taken two weeks to get Mia to agree to visit Annette in Cannes. I was missing Annette and eager to see her again. I was still concerned about Joey, and I tried to prepare Mia without alarming her. I did tell her that Joey and I had been close, but we had never actually had sex with one another. I also explained that Joey might act a bit jealous, and I wanted Mia to understand. Mia was accustomed to navigating the golden highway now, and I could see her confidence rising. Yvonne had been able to transport Annette, David, Joey, and me. She had given me the ability to transport others as well, but I had to be accompanied by an emotionally close female on my left. I could transport David if Mia were on my left, and he were on my right. Having this capability alone gave me an incredible advantage as an agent. However, due to the loss of Yvonne I could no longer navigate without another close female.

I texted Annette to prepare her for our visit. I let her know that we would arrive at ten o'clock tomorrow morning in her living area in Cannes. I was more apprehensive than Mia. I couldn't imagine what having Mia and Joey in the same room would be like. The last time I had seen Joey, I still desired her. Now, I didn't think that she could affect me that way. Mia meant everything to me. We had an incredible early morning together and sated one another completely before our time to leave for Cannes. Annette was providing an extensive brunch for us all, so we had skipped breakfast. Mia and I showered together and dressed for the day. The time was approaching for us to step across the golden highway to Annette's place on the French Riviera. I could sense Mia's excitement as she took my hand.

What transpired in the next ten seconds turned my life upside down. I stepped Mia and myself onto the golden highway and then into parking position at Annette's. We could see Annette and Joey awaiting our arrival. We decided to enter across from the couch in the living area about ten feet from them. I stepped us inside the room. I saw Joey's and Mia's eyes lock, and Joey sprang like a tiger. I screamed, "Joey, no," as I stepped in front of Mia. Mia threw me onto the couch and sidestepped Joey as she slung her into the wall. Joey bounced back to rebound, and Mia inverted with her hands on the floor and kicked upward catching Joey under the jaw. Joey collapsed to the floor unconscious. I looked at Annette as our jaws dropped open, and I turned to Mia. "Do you have any idea what you have just done?"

Mia rubbed some dirt and sand grains from her hands and replied, "Yes, I just cold-cocked the Angel of Death."

# **CHAPTER EIGHT**

# **_ZERUBBA_**

****

****

Annette was attending to Joey as she regained consciousness. Mia began to explain, "I have trusted you both, and now you both need to trust me. I hope you realize that I intend no harm. I could have killed Agent Nyari just now, but I didn't. Please contain her because we need to talk for quite some time."

Annette shot me an angry look, and I knew that she was upset that I had divulged so much information to Mia. I had been foolish. "So, you aren't the subject of a witness protection program, are you," I asked.

"No, I'm not, but unlike you I have provided myself a decent cover. I did a background check on you too, and Jasper White is a ghost. Although your face and fingerprints identify you as that person, you need to establish a history for your false identity."

Annette snapped back, "So, who in the hell are you?"

"Like I said, Annette, we have a lot to discuss." Annette helped Joey to the couch. "We should probably start with why Agent Nyari attacked me. We have met before. She and I both have eidetic memories." Mia looked over at Joey. "Agent Nyari, may I call you Joey?" Joey nodded as she rubbed her chin. "Joey, perhaps you can tell Annette and Jazz where you first saw me."

Joey moved her jaw around to make sure that it wasn't injured. "We saw each other in Mtwara, Tanzania in the town square."

"Yes, that's right, and when you saw me just now you assumed that I was a threat to Jazz."

Joey nodded. "Yes, that's true among other things." I could see Joey's resentment toward Mia.

Mia continued, "You were with another agent. He was an unknown. First, I want you to know that my organization had nothing to do with the attempt on his life at the beach in Mtwara."  Mia turned toward Annette. "At that time, I worked for a continental agency that investigates and protects political balances in Africa. As you can imagine, they have their hands full. When the United States government contacted Tanzania and Mozambique with concerns for possible future seismic activity in that region, the agency received an alert to investigate. We were aware of their itinerary, and I was observing Joey and the other agent. Next, she took him to Palma, Mozambique where they spent the night." Mia directed her next comment to Joey. "I was continuing to observe when I saw someone gain entry to your room. It became readily apparent that he was an assassin, so I quickly approached and shot him in the back of the head. He fell, and I dragged his body off to dispose of it."

I felt injured. "So, you have been playing me this whole time."

Mia rushed over to me, and Annette grabbed Joey to hold her down. "No, Jazz, I haven't, no more than you were playing me. I have been honest with you about how I feel. I was forced to retire from the agency, and I am being hidden on Milos due to others who are hunting for me. My father helped me to disappear."

"Well, you couldn't have lived there for three years as you said you did."

"You're right. I was dishonest, but I had no idea who you were. I needed to approach you on the beach to determine if you were there to kill me. After a while, it became apparent that you didn't know who I was. I had no idea which agency you were affiliated with until I saw Joey just now. I have lived on Milos for about eight months now, and I told you the truth about not leaving the island. It's too dangerous for me. I can explain all of that later, but Jazz, what we have together is real. I want you to know that." Mia held out her hand, and I pulled her into my arms.

Joey was heaving with anger as Annette held her back. Annette started taking control. "OK, you're right, Mia, we have a lot of talking to do. First, we need to neutralize this situation. Joey, you need to contain yourself. Mia, you have asked us to trust you, but right now, I don't. You need to cooperate and answer several questions."

Mia nodded. "I agree, Annette. Why don't we get some wine, and we can talk?" Annette made sure that Joey was in control before she went to the kitchen to pick three red and two white varieties. We all headed out to the pool as Mia extended her hand to Joey in friendship. Joey ignored her and followed me outside. Annette soon joined us with four glasses and two bottles. We poured our wine and sat at a table by the pool. I always enjoyed the privacy of the large, thick hedge that encompassed the area. The palm trees and colorful plants were gorgeous and added so much color to the perimeter. It truly was a secluded paradise. Mia leaned back in her chair with her glass of white wine. "Ask anything you want, Annette, and I will tell you all that I can. If there is anything that I can't divulge, I will explain why. I'm an open book."

Annette leaned forward in her chair. "First, are you really a retired agent?"

"Yes, I am. Everything that I have told Jazz is true, except that I have been on Milos for eight months. The government witness is a colleague of mine. I took her identity. The organized crime syndicate and drug cartel don't have the skills, ability, or manpower to concern me, but the others who seek me do. I needed to vanish, and my father helped me disappear. He doesn't know where I am staying. He didn't want to take the chance of someone torturing the information out of him."

I interjected. "So, the story of your ex-fiancee and your business was false as well?"

"Actually, no, that was true. I did sell my part of the business three years ago, and I did catch him cheating on me." Mia leaned over and took my hand. "I was telling the truth. I haven't been with any man in over three years, and he was my only one."

Annette rolled her eyes. "I don't care if you fucked the Spanish Navy. Let's get back to matters at hand. I want to know what you know about our last project."

"Are you talking about you and Jazz, or are you talking about Joey and the other agent?"

Annette and I glanced at one another. Mia didn't know that I was the unknown agent, and she hadn't made a connection between Joey and Annette on our previous project. Annette clarified. "What happened after you killed the assassin in Palma?"

"Well, I kept my distance and followed Joey and the other agent to the beach. They boarded a motor boat that took them to a yacht. My agency tracked the yacht to Suez, but we lost sight of them. We never saw them turn up in Africa, so they were of no concern."

"Do you know what they were doing in Tanzania and Mozambique?"

"That was why I was called in to find out. No one believed that the United States was concerned about seismic activity. We never determined the true intent because there was no other activity in that region."

"Well, I'm going to have to verify your story. I'll need your agent identification number and your agency contact information."

Mia pleaded. "Please, don't let them know that I am still alive. Also, whatever you find, please continue to call me Mia."

Annette agreed, and Mia gave her the necessary information to verify her identity. Annette wasted no time and distanced herself to call the agency vetting service. Joey had daggers in her eyes for Mia. Mia decided to look around the area to leave me with Joey, however, she never turned her back. Joey's eyes welled with tears as she stared at me in her anger. I lovingly stared back. I had nothing to say. Our eyes remained locked until Annette got off the phone. Annette returned with the other three bottles of wine, and Mia followed her to the table. Annette put her phone on the table and explained. "My service is going to verify your information right away. I should get a text within fifteen minutes. I just hope you're telling the truth." Mia smiled and gave an assuring nod. I reached over and took Mia's hand. She scooted in close to me. I could see Joey's agitation escalating. We sat in silence until Annette's text notification sounded. Annette grabbed her phone. She read the text and examined the attached information along with Mia's picture. She was satisfied that Mia was telling the truth. Annette filled everyone's wine glass, and we decided to finally enjoy the tremendous spread of cuisine that Annette had ordered.

The first thing I grabbed was one of those fantastic French croissants. I dipped it into my glass of red wine and took a huge bite. There were chilled lobster, shrimp, crab, and octopus. Chafing dishes were keeping the eggs, sausage, bacon, and potatoes warm. I counted fourteen different kinds of cheese. There were French baguette, scones, cakes, and flatbreads. We had a huge urn of delicious coffee, so I abandoned my wine glass for a while. French cream and butter were unequaled in this world, and I made sure to get plenty of both. After we all had our fill, we relaxed by the pool to allow our food to digest. Annette and Mia had planned to swim laps together. Naturally, that meant no swimming suits, so I could see where the afternoon was headed. Joey and I still needed to talk, but I didn't know what to say. I felt bad that I had hurt her, but I had to admit that I desired no one but Mia. Mia had captured my heart like no other, and she was all that I wanted. If anyone wished to remain in my life, he or she would have to accept Mia.

Finally, Mia and Annette stripped off their clothes and dove into the pool. I knew it would be hours before Mia returned. Annette kept pace with her for the first hour. Joey and I sat at a table and continued with our wine. She just stared at me, and I knew that I would have to be the first to speak. "Joey, I know you're upset with me. I don't blame you, but I am sincere when I tell you that I love you." Joey looked away as the tears fell. "As much as we did share together, it was wonderful, but it wasn't meant to be."

Joey jerked her head to face me in anger. "You wouldn't be my husband because you were afraid that you would lose your capabilities with Yvonne, and now you have thrown that all away. How am I supposed to feel?"

"Joey, there's nothing I can say, and there's no explanation that will suffice. I know that I love you, but I am with Mia now. Evelyn has moved on, and so have I, but I want you and Mia to get along."

Joey snapped back, "Well, that will never, and I mean never happen!" She left the table in a huff and stripped to dive into the pool. I watched intently because I was honestly concerned that she might try to drown Mia. I decided to take my clothes off as well and enjoy the sunshine.

It was a beautiful day, and Annette and Mia were enjoying their time together. I was happy that they were getting along so well. However, I was concerned that Joey would feel left out. I got up and sat on the edge of the pool. I asked Joey to play our game that we used to play where I would put a toothpick in my mouth extended about one inch. She had to grab the toothpick without touching me as I dodged her. She got a point for grabbing the toothpick without touching me, and I got a point every time she failed. The first to gain twenty-one points was the winner. When Joey had introduced me to this game nearly a year ago, I had only gotten to three points. It took me ten minutes to coax her out of the pool. Mia glanced over at us because everyone was naked. I didn't want Mia to feel threatened, but I wanted to get Joey involved. I could see that Mia kept a close eye on us as we engaged in our game. Joey actually started laughing during our third game. I had won two of the games, and Joey had me play the offense as she put the toothpick in her mouth. I won the fourth game as well, and Joey grabbed me for a kiss. Mia had stopped swimming and was standing in the pool watching. I pulled away and got into the pool with Mia. Joey smiled at Mia triumphantly and filled her wine glass. Mia went underwater and took me into her mouth. Annette looked over at me with concern and announced. "OK, this has to stop right now. Everybody, out of the pool! We need to set some guidelines."

We all gathered at the table with more wine. Annette was laying down the law. "Normally, I wouldn't care if you fucked all day out here, but Jazz is my friend, and I'm not going to allow a tug of war with him between the two of you. There's a lot you don't know, Mia, and in time we need to get you on board. I hate to set these parameters, but you and Joey need to stop antagonizing one another. At some point, we're going to have to work together, and that means having each other's backs. Joey, you need to accept that Jazz is with Mia. Mia, you need to realize that Joey and Jazz have been as close as they could get without fucking. I don't want any more problems. Mia, you need to come with me. I have some things to explain to you."

Annette took Mia by the wrist and led her away from the table. I could see that Joey was disappointed that she couldn't entice me like she had before. Annette knew that she could trust me with Joey. I just hoped that Mia did too. Joey was doubly upset with me. Not only was I now with Mia, but Yvonne had not come to take her for her healing sessions. I didn't see how I could resolve the latter, but I was determined to try. I had a few ideas that I hadn't yet shared with anyone. The silence between Joey and me was uncomfortable, but I didn't know what to say. When Joey spoke, it became even more uncomfortable. "She won't last, Adriel. I'll have you back before long, mark my words, and when I do, there won't be any limits." Joey got up to revisit the food table. I sat sipping my wine for over half an hour before Annette and Mia returned. Annette asked that Mia and I go back to my villa while she had some time to talk with Joey. We dressed, clasped hands, and returned to my patio.

Mia had a long list of things to discuss. Annette knew that if Mia and I were going to stay together we had to be honest with one another. Apparently, Annette was thoroughly convinced that Mia was telling the truth. One of the first topics that Mia wanted to cover was Yvonne. I wasn't sure where to start. Before I could discuss Yvonne, I needed to explain to Mia about Evelyn. I asked Mia if Annette had mentioned her. She had not. I explained that Evelyn had decided that she and I should break up, and she had told me to leave. Mia became very insecure as I explained about my marriage and family. She felt threatened and fearful that I would go back to Evelyn, but I did my best to assure her that it was over. She became even more alarmed when she realized how recently I had seen Evelyn. This wasn't going to be easy. I was afraid that this would drive a wedge between us that would interfere with her extended orgasms, and I was doing my best to build her confidence.

"Jazz, I haven't been with a man in over three years, and now I'm finding out that not only have you been with Joey, but you have a wife too, and I also heard from Annette that there is another woman named Yvonne. How could you be so deceitful?"

"It's not as bad as it sounds. Please, give me a chance to explain everything, and it will make more sense. I'm not taking advantage of you, and I want us to be together forever. Just bear with me."

In order to explain it all, I would have to disclose that I was the unknown agent in Tanzania and Mozambique. Mia needed to understand the sequence of events and how everything evolved with Joey, Annette, and Evelyn. It took several hours of explaining and answering dozens of questions along the way for clarification. We talked late into the night and decided to resume the next day. Our lovemaking was more reserved, but slow and intense. Mia's emotions were sensitive, and I needed to reassure her that all would be well. We slept late the next morning, and Annette called me while Mia was in the shower. I told her that I was disclosing everything to Mia, beginning with my first project before I ever met Annette and Joey. There was so much information, and Mia was trying to assimilate it all and keep the timing of events straight in her mind. She did have an eidetic memory, but I wasn't always the best at explaining and describing things. By that afternoon, I had covered everything up to the point in time that I met Mia on the beach. She had a much better understanding of my situation, but she still couldn't relate to Yvonne as being another part of me.

I decided that the best way to explain it was by example. I had a plan that I wanted to test, and I disclosed to Mia in great detail what I thought we needed to do. I was going to use the same methods that I had used with Evelyn when me met our counterparts on the golden highway. Mia took my left hand, and we stepped onto the golden highway. I had Mia clap her left hand with my right hand. My heart took a leap as a couple approached from the other side of the golden highway. As I had hoped, it was Mia's counterpart holding Yvonne's hand. Mia gripped my arm tightly as they approached. Yvonne would not look me in the eye. I was trying to calm Mia because her counterpart was communicating with her telepathically. His name was Zerubba. I had explained that he might take her hand from mine, and that she shouldn't be afraid. He was another part of her. We extended our grasped hands, and Zerubba did the same with Yvonne. Zerubba took Mia's hand, and I took Yvonne's hand. Mia and Zerubba walked into the breeze and Yvonne and I walked with the breeze. She wouldn't speak or look at me.

I stopped walking and pulled Yvonne's face toward mine. I insisted that she look me in the eye. "You stopped taking Joey and David here to get their healing. That wasn't necessary to abandon them like that." Tears began to fall from Yvonne's face, and she tried to look away. I pulled her chin back to face me again.

I hugged her closely, and she began to sob. "You betrayed me, Adriel, and you abandoned me for Layana." I never knew Mia's real name. "I warned you what would happen, but you did it anyway. You threw me away the same as you did Evelyn by being unfaithful with another woman."

"You know why I came here. It wasn't to get you to talk to me. I wanted Mia to meet her counterpart. I don't have to explain anything to you. You know exactly how I feel and how compatible Mia is with me. However, I do want you to resume taking Joey and David here to meet with their counterparts." Yvonne turned away from me. "It's not fair to punish them because you're upset with me."

Yvonne spun around. "So, you think this is a matter of me being upset with you? I told you what would happen. I explained everything, and you still insisted on crossing the line. Apparently, you didn't believe me. Now you have to live with the consequences."

"I hope someday we can resolve this, Yvonne."

"You can't undo the past, Adriel. Just like Evelyn told you, move on!"

Yvonne and I returned to meet back with Mia and Zerubba. Mia had a blank stare on her face as Zerubba handed her off to me. I stepped her back to my villa on the patio. Mia sat in the loveseat staring straight ahead. I waited several minutes for her to speak. Mia blinked a couple of times and turned to me. "I don't know where to begin." I kept silent and nodded my head. "Zerubba took me back into the past and asked what I wanted to see. We followed you back in time for two years. Jazz, Adriel, whoever you are, you certainly aren't the man that I thought you were. I need a few days to sort all of this out, but I want to be here with you. I may have a lot of questions. I may not, I don't know."

I could only imagine what Zerubba had shown her. I assumed that she had seen me with Evelyn and Joey and Annette. I supposed that if Mia and I were going to have a future together, she needed to know everything. Just as Evelyn had viewed the past with her counterpart and had seen me with Joey during our last project, so now had Mia seen me with everyone. I had no idea how she might react to Annette or Joey from now on. At least she was willing to stay with me. I thought that was a good sign. The next several days with Mia were different. She didn't want to go back to the golden highway, and she didn't want to go home. I had suggested that we go out for dinner one night, but she wanted to stay at my villa. We made love regularly, but there were no extended orgasms. I was beginning to wonder if she would ever be able to return to that state. Time would tell.

Three weeks had transpired, and Mia was continuing to become more reticent. She wasn't rejecting me. In fact, she seemed to cling to me more, but something was eating away at her emotionally. I was afraid that I had destroyed something beautiful. I wasn't sure that full disclosure was the best thing for her, but I didn't want any skeletons lurking in my closets. I loved Mia, and I was truly committed to her. Annette wanted to come and visit us, but Mia was reluctant to have anyone else here. I had received a call from David, and he said that the feds wanted to negotiate a change to our stipulations. Things were beginning to heat up while Mia was cooling down. I needed to have Mia to navigate. I no longer had the capabilities with Yvonne, and I had to determine exactly what my abilities were at this point. If the feds were expecting me to deliver more gold, I would have to stall them somehow until I figured out a way to accomplish that.

One day, Mia explained that she needed to go back to the herbalist. She needed more ointment, but I could sense that there was something she wasn't telling me. She had a tear in her eye as she turned to walk the path to her car. I watched until she was out of sight and called Annette.

"Adriel, what's going on with Mia? I just wanted to visit for a few days. Is she still upset over Joey?"

"She's fairly quiet these days, Annette, but she clings to me a lot. I'm not sure what's going on with her. She's not talking, but she is more emotional than usual."

"You know, since Yvonne has disappeared, it has become very difficult. You can't come and get me without bringing Mia. I would gladly fly to come see you, but Mia hasn't wanted anyone stopping by since she was here. By the way, David needs to talk to you. It looks like the Treasury Department wants to make a deal. We need to know what's going on with them too."

"I realize that. I'll give Mia a couple more days and impress upon her that I have a job to do. Otherwise, I may have to have you come here so that we can navigate together."

"Don't get me wrong, Adriel, I really like Mia, but she's making things difficult."

"I understand. I'll see if I can find out what's happening. I'll talk to you later."

Mia returned about two hours later. She was obviously distraught over something. I led her out to the patio and offered her some wine. She opted for water instead. We sat down, and I coaxed her to open up and tell me what was going on with her.

Tears began to drop from her eyes as she turned to me. "There's no good way to break this to you, Jazz. I'm pregnant." That was the last thing that I expected to hear. I pulled her in for a tight hug and assured her that all was going to be fine. "Are you upset," she asked as she wiped her eyes.

"Goodness no! I had no idea, but I'm excited that our love has produced a child. We're going to be a family." I spent the next hour explaining to her about the agency and how the financials worked. I promised that we could live anywhere, and she could have whatever lifestyle she wanted. Our child would want for nothing and have the best educational opportunities that money could buy. I became so excited that I insisted that I call Annette to give her the good news. I was glad that Mia couldn't hear Annette's response. She began ranting about children and what new responsibilities I would have that would completely change our lifestyle. I was amused that she referred to it as "our" lifestyle. I had obviously forgotten that Annette was part of my family too. She was never willing to accept anything that would interfere with her naked wine drinking time with me.

After I got off the phone with Annette, I explained to Mia that I needed to visit David. This would require us to navigate via the golden highway, and I had a job to do. I needed Mia at this moment to do it. She was very nervous about navigating, but I assured her that all would be well. We weren't calling our counterparts. We were just stepping over to Cairo to visit David. She still had a difficult time comprehending that we could go anywhere in seconds. She was concerned about our fetus, but I assured her that the golden highway was the safest place for all of us. We grasped hands, and I stepped us over to David's residence. We entered parking position to be sure that I hadn't caught him at the wrong time. He was sitting on one of the couches in the living area. He didn't look well. Mia and I entered across from him and sat on the other couch.

David made little reaction and smiled. He then exclaimed, "Good god, Adriel, every time I see you, you are with another beautiful woman."

"This is Mia. She is my new wife."

David looked confused. "What happened with you and Evelyn?"

"She decided that we should part. My faked death was too much for her." I knew that David wasn't feeling well. He normally would have made a comment about going after Evelyn, but he was in no mood at the moment. I sat down next to him and asked. "How are you feeling, David?"

"To tell the truth, I have been better, Adriel, but we have business to discuss, and I think it would help to get my mind off of the bloody pain. The feds want to renegotiate your stipulations. I'll need my notes though. Could you please retrieve them from my dining table?" I readily complied and asked Mia if she wanted a cup of tea. She declined, and I grabbed the notes and brought them to David. David reviewed them for a few moments and began to explain. "The feds are concerned that passing the legislation to relieve the federal income tax will take too long. They aren't taking it off the table, but they want to reprioritize the stipulations. Instead, they are willing to tackle the provision for free higher education. However, they want to define certain limits. Just a second, let me find the particulars."

While David searched his notes, I stepped over to Mia to be sure that she didn't need anything. She decided that she would like a cup of tea, so I went to the kitchen to heat the water as David and Mia got acquainted. I called to David to see if he wanted a cup as well. It turned out that we were all having tea. I got settled in again with David after serving the tea, and we resumed our chat. David had his reading glasses perched on the end of his nose as he deciphered his handwriting. "The Treasury Department has quantified the worth of your last gold shipment. They aren't quite finished with the refining process, but they are certain that it exceeds four trillion dollars." David looked over his glasses at me. "Well, done, mate!" I shrugged my shoulders and smiled. He continued. "They have several details to work out, but they are establishing a college scholarship program. They want to limit the free education to households earning less than two hundred thousand dollars of adjusted gross income per year. They also wanted to cap the household net worth at two million dollars. Anyone having more assets and or making more income would still be required to pay for the education. They were also willing to establish a graduated scale to provide educational assistance as households resided within certain brackets of income."

It all sounded very fair, and I would have been unreasonable to reject the ideas. I was growing more concerned that I couldn't transport any more gold without Yvonne. From what I got out of our last conversation together, she wasn't going to be willing to cooperate. I then countered, "That sounds like a positive step in the right direction, but let's consider the worth of what we delivered compared to their offer. What is this scholarship program likely to cost?"

"That's a good question, mate. However, we can ballpark it."

"That is a good idea, David. Tuition fees vary greatly from state colleges to private ones." David began researching average costs. We didn't want to overcomplicate the matter, and we chose a base tuition rate of fifteen thousand dollars per year. Next, we needed to estimate the number of students. After doing more research, we concluded that there were about sixteen million undergraduate students enrolled in the United States. We decided that one trillion dollars would more than cover the cost of four years for the enrolled students in the United States. This would give the feds a chance to invest the money and continue a college fund much the way in which social security was administered. "It appears that we have delivered more than enough gold to cover a higher education scholarship program. Once they are passing that legislation, we can consider how the remainder will be used. I think healthcare is a major issue. I would like to see the feds establish nationalized healthcare that would exclude no one. They can fight it out with the insurance companies. I really don't care, but I don't want to see another person deprived of care or medication due to a lack of funds. I also don't want the American people taxed in any way that would burden them with the care that they deserve. If America thinks that it is the best nation in the world, it needs to act like it."

David began taking more notes. "OK, Adriel, let me be sure that I have this straight. We are going to agree with the scholarship program, and in addition we want to see them pass the legislation for nationalized healthcare. By the way, are you planning to review all of the federal documents to be sure that it passes your approval?"

"Heavens no, David! If I find at any time that the feds aren't complying with our stipulations, I can take the gold back whenever I want."

David removed his glasses and laughed. "Ah, you are a rogue, Adriel. So, once you are satisfied with the necessary legislation and progress, are you willing to deliver the next shipment of gold?"

My selfishness had affected Evelyn, Annette, Joey, David, Yvonne, and Mia. I was now faced with a tremendous opportunity to bolster the academic and healthcare opportunities in our country, but if I couldn't deliver the gold it would crumble like a forgotten cookie in a jar. It was imperative for me to find a way to transport the gold. I had partial knowledge of the means that utilized the portals, but I didn't live in that realm. It required another who knew how to create and stack portals in order to transfer the gold from the mountain to the repository. The only other candidate that I knew was Zerubba, and getting him on board would require the complete cooperation of Mia. Mia was apprehensive, reluctant, and now preoccupied with her pregnancy. I knew that she would be an excellent mother. Every decision she made was in consideration of our unborn child.

I was concerned that David might not be able to finish this project. He was doing his best to appear competent, but I could see that he was in a lot of pain. I felt bad that Yvonne had forsaken him and Joey to provide transportation to the golden highway for their emotional healing. I was hoping that Zerubba might be able to aid in that arena as well. It was going to be difficult to persuade Mia to do what was needed. The concept of the golden highway was still new, and it was challenging for her. She didn't understand the aspects of our counterparts and the healing that they could provide. It would require her to get involved with Zerubba, and I needed to urge her to spend time on the golden highway with me in order to accomplish that. Our business with David was done for the day. Mia and I stayed to talk with him, and I grew more concerned. He wasn't sharing stories of the past. For the first time since I had known David, he was more content to listen than to speak. It broke my heart to see him like this. As much as he had irritated me with his forwardness toward Evelyn, I would much rather be irritated than see him in this condition. Mia and I finally ended our visit and stepped back to the patio at our villa.

I convinced Mia that she should relinquish her residence. We began moving her belongings from her place to mine. It took a week to move everything to my villa. She really didn't own that much. It was mostly an extensive library of books. She loved to read. Her father had established an annuity for Mia that was administered by a trusted colleague. I explained that she no longer needed it, and the money could be returned to her father. She wasn't willing to do that at this point. I knew that Mia wasn't convinced that I would stay with her. I had to admit that my past was questionable, but Mia would eventually learn that she had captivated my heart completely. I dearly loved her, and I was committed to her, but I needed to get my life back on track. I was finally able to get her to agree to have Annette come for a visit. I gave Annette a call, and she was elated. She was still pressing me to sleep in the same bed, but I encouraged her to be patient. I knew that it was a bizarre arrangement, but Annette and I had been accustomed to sharing the same bed for almost a year now. Annette could be very persuasive, so I was going to leave it to her to convince Mia.

Mia consented to use the golden highway to retrieve Annette from Cannes. Annette could hardly contain herself. We got her to the villa, and she kept kissing Mia and me over and over. She spent most of her time talking to Mia about her plans for the baby. Annette was a wise woman, and she knew how to engage a person according to his or her interests. Annette appeared to be genuinely excited about the baby which contradicted her original statements when I first told her the news. Either she was trying to get into Mia's good graces, or she had truly become thrilled with our situation. I couldn't tell, and it really didn't matter to me as long as Mia and Annette got along. Once I saw them both naked and Annette rubbing Mia with lotion, I knew it was beach time. I grabbed the usual staples, and we headed for the sunshine in the sand. I brought plenty of water since Mia had sworn off of all alcohol.

Surprisingly, once we settled in and finished our first bottle of wine, Annette wanted to discuss business. She included Mia because she wanted to emphasize the importance of us working as a team. However, Mia refused to put our baby into any possible harmful situation. Annette gently explained to Mia that danger was not a part of this project unless someone else learned what we were doing and where we were doing it. She promised that Mia's involvement would be kept safe. Although Mia had been trained as a foreign agent, and she was skilled in self defense, we wouldn't be utilizing any of her physical attributes. Annette knew that I was planning to have Zerubba help with the portal stacking, and I could see Annette gradually steer the conversation to the healing process on the golden highway. Although, Annette had yet to experience it firsthand. This was probably the most confusing topic concerning the golden highway for Mia to comprehend. Mia was completely unwilling to make love to anyone but me, and Annette kept trying to explain that Zerubba was a part of Mia. I began to realize that explaining the relationship was inadequate. Unless it is revealed to you, you cannot begin to understand who your counterpart really is. Yvonne had revealed it to me, but that took multiple experiences with her on the golden highway. She led me through some very vivid visions that I believed were real. She kept bringing me back and questioning, "Who are you?" After several different sequences of visions, I finally answered and said that I was her. It was quite a revelation, and it led to some amazing capabilities. I was now remembering that I couldn't just recruit Mia. If she were not receptive to Zerubba, she would never progress to the level that I needed to utilize him. In spite of Annette's tenacity, Mia wasn't showing any signs of interest to get involved with Zerubba.

Mia had decided to go for a swim. She went back to the villa to put on her bathing suit because she planned to swim for miles up the coast and back to us. We watched as Mia swam out of sight. This gave Annette a chance to talk. However, she needed her time to bounce up and down on me and kiss me over and over as she explained how much she missed me. I was glad that she didn't get this animated in front of Mia. She made me laugh, and we frolicked together for a while to catch up on time lost. "Jazz, I'm not sure how we're going to handle this. The feds have been reasonable. Once David contacts the Treasury Department, and they make the necessary steps, we are going to be on the hook to deliver more gold. You heard Mia. Even if we did get her to cooperate, we have no guarantee that we could get Zerubba onboard. You have put me in control of this project, but I'm running out of ideas."

"I know, Annette. I feel like I'm using Mia, and I hate that thought. I'm afraid that she feels the same way. I don't think using Mia is a wise choice. Please realize that she is my number one priority. I don't want to do anything that would jeopardize her confidence or stability with me. I think we should leave her out of this."

"So, do you just plan to refuse to transport the gold? Believe me, no matter what explanation you provide that is the way that it will be perceived. Let me continue to work with Mia. If I have enough time, I think that I can persuade her to help. She needs to understand just how hot the water is that you are in."

"Annette, even if you were able to get her to cooperate, I don't think that I would be comfortable with it. I'm going to tell her that I want her home getting our place ready for our baby. I need to finish this project without her."

Annette fell back onto the blanket, stretched out her arms, and spread her legs. "Well, we can't solve this problem today. Let's soak up some more rays."

Mia returned while Annette and I were sleeping on the blanket. She had removed her swimsuit and dried herself with a towel. I awoke to her climbing on top of me, and she initiated our lovemaking as Annette lightly snored. This was the first time that we had made love in Annette's presence. I was very accustomed to doing this in front of Annette, but this was a new adventure for Mia. I was glad that she was comfortable enough with Annette to have her this close. As she slowly ground my pelvis, driving me into ecstatic euphoria, she whispered in my ear. "I have been thinking about what Annette said, and I am willing to help you any way that I can."

I couldn't speak under such intense pleasure. She brought herself to orgasm three times, and then she concentrated on multiples for me. Annette awoke as I convulsed during my third. She blinked in surprise, and then broke into a wide grin. She advanced and engaged Mia in a sensual kiss. She then whispered in Mia's ear. "Do him again." Mia took Annette's instruction to heart and Annette witnessed the extended orgasm for the first time in her life. Mia held me under for thirty-five minutes. Annette was so intrigued that she asked us about the experience several times in the coming weeks, but what excited her most was that Mia was going to allow Annette to sleep with us in the same bed.

As I recovered, Mia and Annette took turns kissing me over and over. I was surprised that Mia was so willing to share, but Annette kissed me as a friend, not a lover. When I finally gained my composure, I told Mia that I didn't want her involved in the project. I wanted her here to prepare for our child. She began to contend with me, but I was adamant that our family and safety came first with me. We continued to enjoy the afternoon in the sun and discuss what everyone wanted for dinner. However, as I lay on the blanket between them, my consternation grew as I felt like I was out of options for the project. I wasn't sure how I would handle the explanation to the feds that I couldn't transport any more gold. I didn't care what happened to me, I wasn't going to jeopardize my family.

Mia was now willing to help, but I was the one resisting. Annette turned her focus onto me as she tried to convince me that engaging Mia on the golden highway was our best option. I assured Mia that I did not want to use her. Mia insisted on visiting the golden highway again and clapping with me. We stood up on the blanket, and she took my left hand. I was surprised that she was willing to travel naked, but I was accustomed to it. We stepped and then clapped. Once again, Zerubba and Yvonne were approaching us, but Zerubba had a small bundle in his right arm. My heart began to race as I saw him step closer with something wrapped in a blanket. He showed Mia what he was holding, and she burst into tears. He handed her the bundle, and she lovingly held it in her left arm. I was in awe as I watched her cuddle our unborn baby. Zerubba extended his clasped hand with Yvonne's, and I took Yvonne as he took Mia. Once again we walked in opposite directions as I led Yvonne with the breeze on the golden highway.

We walked for several minutes until Yvonne finally offered, "Congratulations."

"Thank you," I reciprocated.

"Adriel, you know full well that I am aware of everything that you think. I know that you would like to persuade me to help you transfer the gold, but that just can't happen. I also know that you plan to use Zerubba if I won't comply. Let me save you some trouble. Mia is not going to make love to Zerubba. She wants to help you, but she isn't seeking Truth. She won't be enlightened, and Zerubba will not engage her unless she's open to the Truth. You're wasting your time. You think you can talk your way out of this the way that you have most of your life, but it won't work here. You are responsible for your decisions and actions, and you have to pay the consequences."

"A lot of people are counting on me, Yvonne, and I can't just give up."

"Yes, a lot of people were counting on you before, but that didn't stop your selfish decisions."

"My god, Yvonne, is there no forgiveness?"

"This isn't a matter of forgiveness, Adriel. Just because you are forgiven doesn't mean that everything goes back to the way it was. Forgiveness doesn't change the past. It means that others are willing to love and accept you without holding grudges, but the consequences of your actions remain. I love you, Adriel, and I forgive you, but you have been driven away from the Tree of Life. If one murders another, forgiveness will not bring the dead one back to life."

"You make everything sound so final. I'm not giving up. I have a job to do, and I won't quit until I find a way to do it. With or without you, Yvonne, I have to find a way. I was hoping that we could share it together."

"So was I, Adriel, but you didn't let that happen."

When Mia and I returned to our villa, she was overcome with emotion. She had gotten to hold our child, and she couldn't talk about anything else. She rubbed her abdomen as she spoke about him. She had seen him, held him, kissed him, and promised to cherish him forever. Mia was glowing. That night I took her to the plateau of extended orgasm for two hours as Annette watched spellbound, studying the entire process. I was shocked that Mia had become so comfortable and trusting of both Annette and me that she could relinquish control with complete abandonment to be taken to such heights of pleasure. I had no answers concerning my dilemma, but I was elated that Mia was back on the plateau of ecstasy. We would soon be searching for ways to elevate that plateau. I was learning more each day. Nothing was impossible.

Annette had been begging me to take her to the plateau of extended orgasm, but I explained the myriad of reasons why that couldn't be possible. As an onlooker, she had studied the physical mechanics which was only ten percent of the process. She didn't understand the ninety percent that pertained to love, commitment, romance, abandonment, trust, faith, and unity. I often wondered if Annette had truly ever experienced any of those things. We weren't lovers, we were friends, and friends cannot administer that kind of bliss. She was homosexual, and she could never be enthralled by me physically. She could never offer the emotional abandonment, because she was not romantically in love with me. She was desperate to experience the indescribable bliss, but I didn't see how that could be possible with her.

However, the experience of witnessing the unbelievable euphoria that Mia had enjoyed did have another profound effect on Annette. Yvonne had frightened Annette in the past due to some things that she had witnessed Yvonne doing to me. The objective experience is nothing like the subjective experience. Annette had never been willing to meet her counterpart on the golden highway. She was afraid of what she might experience. She had eventually become comfortable enough with Yvonne to navigate with us, but she was never comfortable to be alone with her. She began warming up to the idea of meeting her counterpart. I think she was now curious about the healing process that our counterparts provided. I remembered Annette asking Yvonne one time if Annette's counterpart were male or female. Yvonne explained that Annette would perceive her counterpart however she chose. One of the interesting aspects of this was that our counterparts appear to others as they appear to us.

One day, as Mia was out for a swim, Annette approached me to take her to meet her counterpart. She was nervous and reluctant when we stepped onto the golden highway, but very excited. I instructed her to clap my right hand with her left hand. Once we heard the clapping noise, we saw three people approaching from the other side of the golden highway. One was Yvonne, the other woman I assumed was Annette's counterpart, but the man in between them was Evelyn's counterpart. Annette was nervous, but I encouraged her as we extended our hands. The man extended both of his hands. Annette took the hand of her counterpart, and I took Yvonne's hand. Annette walked into the breeze with the man and her counterpart, and I led Yvonne with the breeze.

There were rules to navigate the golden highway. Yvonne had been able to take Joey and David to meet with their counterparts on the golden highway. I knew that she couldn't navigate with Joey unless Joey's counterpart was with them. Two women or two men could not navigate without a helping person of the opposite sex. Evelyn's counterpart came as a helper. It made perfect sense because the common intimate link between Annette and me was Evelyn. Yvonne was reticent and aloof. I asked if she was angry with me, and she shook her head. I asked if she loved me, and she turned to me in tears as she pulled me in to kiss me. She dropped her robe and frantically pulled at my clothes. Before I knew it, we were making love on the golden highway together. It had been so long, and I had forgotten how wonderful it was. She sobbed as she drove me harder and harder. She screamed with delight and made me convulse time and again. It was like old times. I was hoping that she was back, and we could use the portals to access the gold. She feverishly rode me with a fervor that I had not seen. She was very emotional and desperate for our love, but something was different.

I rolled us over and got on top of her to take control. She looked up at me with submissiveness, and I whispered in her ear. "There's something that you want to tell me, but you can't. Am I right?" She quickly nodded as I drilled her deeper. I inquired further. "Are you being watched?" She quickly nodded again as she bit her lips and convulsed with delight once more. I kissed her over and over as I continued to whisper. "Don't worry, I'll figure it out. I don't want you in any trouble."

She clung to me tightly and whispered, "Thank you. Please come back to me again soon." I promised that I would.

Once Annette and I had returned to my patio, she began to vent her frustration. "She wouldn't fuck me, Adriel." Annette was pacing back and forth in front of me as I sat on the loveseat. "I tried to remove her robe, but she wouldn't let me. She let me kiss her, but she wouldn't have sex with me."

"Annette, you aren't understanding your counterpart. We don't have sex with them. We make love to them. You are seeking sexual gratification, but your counterpart wants to give you healing. You have seen me with Yvonne. You admitted yourself to her that I wasn't being unfaithful to Evelyn when you saw Yvonne and me make love on the beach in Italy."

"Adriel, I am so desperate for sensual love that I have nearly asked you to satisfy me, but what I really want is the touch of a woman. I pleasure myself six to eight times a day, but it's not the same. I can't go outside our family. We are in the middle of a project. Gina is with her man. Joey is purely heterosexual. Evelyn hasn't wanted to see me."

I interrupted. "I understand, but don't get any ideas about Mia. You may have been able to compromise Evelyn, but Mia is very different."

"Maybe so, but I watch you have sex all day long, and as much as I never thought I would say this, I can't even comprehend the magnitude of most of it."

"Annette, don't give up on your counterpart. You desperately need healing whether you realize it or not, but don't go to the golden highway expecting to get sex. If you approach her to make love, you will most likely find that she will be willing to engage you in an inexplicable experience that will captivate you. It may not satisfy you sexually, but it will certainly help you to deal with it. Yvonne was the only way that I could live with Joey for two months and sleep next to her with our naked flesh pressed against one another and still never have sex. I wouldn't have lasted five minutes without Yvonne's help."

"So, how do I do that?"

"Let's plan to go back tomorrow when Mia goes for her swim. This time, don't try to fuck your counterpart. Gently kiss her, and tell her that you need healing, and you want to make love. Don't try to remove her robe. Let her do it. By the way, if she hasn't given you her name, either ask or name her. You need that personal connection."

"That's not going to be easy. I just want to tear into her. Did you see those big blue eyes? She's so petite and looks so young. She's beautiful, and I can't wait to see her naked."

"You're still on the wrong path, Annette. Stop expecting sex."

I had little confidence that Annette would be successful in finding her healing process. Just as Mia was returning from her swim, Annette's phone rang. It was Evelyn. She wanted to talk to Annette face to face. Annette began to bubble with excitement, but I knew Evelyn well. I didn't want to squash Annette's anticipation. Mia was happy to see Annette so excited, and we lined up to take Annette to Evelyn's. Evelyn was going to wait in the bedroom while Mia and I deposited Annette in the living area. I asked for her to call me if she needed anything. Mia and I then stepped back to our patio. We made some tea to enjoy together as we sat outside enjoying the breeze. Mia turned to me. "Jazz, are you even remotely aware of how bizarre your life is? You sleep naked with women and don't have sex with them. Your best friend, who sleeps naked with us, has an affair with your ex-wife. You have an interracial relationship with me, and we're expecting a baby. However, the strangest aspect of it all is that you can go anywhere in this world within seconds without limitations. You have been stealing large amounts of gold from a deposit in Ararat, and you have the United States government jumping through your hoops."

I sighed as I thought for a moment. "That's funny because I never think of my life like that. Everything happened so gradually, or I was forced into it. I had been introduced to the golden highway, and I was desperately trying to find a way to locate the gold. My life was in danger, and Joey had to cling to me constantly to protect me. We showered together, went to the bathroom together, and Evelyn and I became comfortable doing everything around Joey. Annette became close as we tried to hide from the agency due to a possible double agent. It evolved into a strange relationship with one another, and Annette made a play for Evelyn. I remember times that I thought were so bizarre, but in time I came to accept it all. I can't imagine what it looks like to you."

"Well, I won't deny that sometimes it's difficult to accept. I have led a very conservative life. My father had strict moral values, and he raised me to do the right thing. He would get so upset whenever I had to terminate someone, but that only happened three times. He desperately wanted to get me out of the agency, and he finally did. I would love for you to meet him, but I'm afraid that he would never approve of you. Besides, it's too dangerous to meet with him. I love you, Jazz, and I want us to build a life together. Annette and I are becoming close as friends, and I know that pleases you. I would never have dreamed that I would let another woman sleep naked with my husband, but I trust you, and I trust Annette."

"Well, I appreciate that, but it's not Annette with me that has my concern. You are a beautiful, desirable woman, and Annette is sexually starved. Please understand that Annette isn't a noble person. She would take you in a heartbeat if she could. She has her hopes up with this meeting with Evelyn, but I know Evelyn. She didn't disclose anything to Annette over the phone and wanted to meet in person. She's bringing any possible relationship with Annette to an end, and Annette is going to be severely injured. I have been working with her to try to get her to receive healing from her counterpart on the golden highway, but so far she's not understanding the process."

Mia smiled and took my hand. "You don't need to be concerned about Annette. I would never do anything to injure my relationship with you. Besides, there's not a homosexual fiber in my body. You and Annette are safe with me."

I turned the conversation to our project. "I had been entertaining thoughts of possibly using Zerubba to help me with the portals that are necessary to transport the gold, but the more I thought about it the more I felt that I was using you, and I won't do that. I did connect with Yvonne. She was very emotional, and there is something that she isn't allowed to tell me. I was hoping that she would continue to help me, but I don't think that she is going to be able. She asked me to visit her again soon. If she could help me, she would come to me. There's so much about that environment that I don't know. She was teaching me a lot, but I threw it all away for you, and I have never regretted it. I want you more than anything, Mia. Never forget that."

Mia took me by the hand and led me to our bedroom. My heart began to pound with anticipation. As she removed her swimsuit, my phone rang. Annette was crying and wanted to be picked up immediately. I wasn't surprised. The disappointment that Mia and I shared dissolved as our concern for Annette arose. We stepped over to Evelyn's and grabbed Annette to bring her back. We sat on the edge of our bed with Annette as she sobbed. I held her closely as Mia placed her head on Annette's back. Annette rambled on and on about how Evelyn explained that she didn't want a homosexual relationship. She was brutal and deeply hurt Annette's feelings. Mia and I just listened and caressed Annette as we held her. I needed to find a way to get her healing on the golden highway, and I wasn't going to give up until I did. Annette began to calm down, and Mia got concerned as Annette demand wine and lots of it. I nodded with encouragement. I knew Annette, and she was going to be drunk tonight.

I suspicioned that Evelyn knew that Annette and I were close. That alone would have caused Evelyn to reject Annette. Evelyn's world was black and white. She couldn't possibly entertain Annette if she knew that Annette and I still saw one another. Evelyn was heterosexual. I think the affair that she had with Annette was due to extreme emotion that brought sexual confusion to Evelyn. Annette wanted a longterm relationship with Evelyn, but I never thought it would last. I was sitting on the couch as Annette straddled me and held me closely. It was a provocative position, and I could tell by Mia's glances that she wasn't comfortable with it. Had we been naked, Mia would never have permitted it, but we were both clothed. Annette was fairly inebriated and crying on my shoulder. Mia took the wine bottles to the kitchen and brought some water to help sober Annette. Annette began kissing me, and Mia gently took her by the shoulders to help her up off of my lap. Mia handed Annette some water and sat her into a chair before joining me on the couch.

I loved Annette, and it always hurt me to see her in emotional pain. Mia and I figured that Annette would be asleep within half an hour. Annette looked up to tell me, "Evelyn asked about you, Adriel." I nodded. "I told her that you were in a great relationship and expecting a black baby." Mia looked over at me. We knew that Annette was not racist. We also knew that Annette was making an emotional jab at Evelyn. We both got up to put Annette to bed. It was a beautiful evening, and Mia wanted to take advantage of the warm breeze. We grabbed our blanket and headed to the beach in the dark to make love. The evening was about to become very interesting.

# **CHAPTER NINE**

# **_LASZLO_**

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Mia spread our blanket on the sand. The tide was high, but we had plenty of room on the beach. She pulled me down, and we began to enjoy one another beneath a clear sky with a canopy of stars overhead. Mia was more relaxed without Annette next to us. She wanted to experiment, and I let her do whatever she wanted. During one of our breaks, we lay on the blanket recounting our first time together. It was on this same spot where we were enjoying our love tonight. Mia lay with her head on my chest. I began to explain about my last meeting with Yvonne, and how she had asked me to return soon. Mia propped herself up to look into my eyes. "Do you want to go tonight?"

I hadn't really considered going to the golden highway at this hour, but I asked, "Is that all right with you? You will be spending time with Zerubba. Are you OK with that?"

"Of course I am. I hope he still has our child with him."

I made sure that Mia was comfortable to visit the golden highway naked. She took my left hand, and I made the step. Once again, we clapped, and Yvonne and Zerubba approached. As before, he held our child, and Mia looked over at me with excitement. She couldn't wait to hold our son again. I now realized that I could get Mia to the golden highway as often as I wanted. She took Zerubba's hand, and I took Yvonne's. We walked with the breeze until Yvonne stopped and dropped her robe. We stood kissing and caressing until she pulled me down to the ground. She looked into my eyes. "I'm no longer angry with you, Adriel, but I am disappointed. I can't come to get you anymore, but you have now realized that I can make love to you if you come to me. I was afraid that I would never see you again. I can't enlighten your friends anymore either, nor am I allowed to explain anything else to you."

I kissed her lips again and whispered, "Is there a way for me to transport the gold?" Yvonne put her tongue in my mouth and licked upward. I asked, "You can't help me transport the gold, can you?" She put her tongue in my mouth and licked sideways. I whispered a third time, "Do I have enough information to figure this out?" She thrust her tongue into my mouth again and strongly licked upwards. I smiled and looked into her eyes.

She begged, "Make love to me, Adriel, we don't have much time." We were entwined for what seemed like hours. When she said that she had to depart, she looked soulfully into my eyes. "I know you, Adriel, and I fear for you. Please be careful."

When Mia and I returned to the beach, she couldn't contain her excitement. She insisted that we make love again to celebrate our child before going back to the villa. We finally returned home in the wee hours of the morning. Annette had taken her clothes off and was fast asleep. Mia and I scooted into bed, and I held her as we drifted off together. When I awoke, Annette was practically on top of me and gently snoring. Mia was still sleeping, and I carefully scooted off the end of the bed to go make coffee. The sun would soon be up, and I decided to choose something to make for breakfast. I whipped up a simple coffeecake and put it into the oven. I then returned to the bedroom where I found Annette clinging to Mia. I just smiled and let them be. Mia could handle Annette. I was sure of that. I went back to the kitchen to pour a cup of coffee and enjoy it on the patio as the sun began to rise.

I contemplated what Yvonne had told me. She was fearful for me. I had no idea why. She indicated that I had enough information to figure out how to transport the gold. I had been entertaining the idea of having Zerubba help me, but until Mia was enlightened she wouldn't establish the relationship with Zerubba to be in a position to help. Mia was so emotionally involved with our child that I doubted she had any interest in her enlightenment. I thought about Evelyn's counterpart. He hadn't spent much time around me. Everything appeared to revolve around Yvonne, but she could no longer help me transport the gold. I knew that I couldn't do it by myself. I couldn't stack or create portals. I began to wonder if Annette's counterpart would be a possibility. I hoped not. I had seen her, and she was devilishly attractive. Maybe that is why Yvonne feared for me. Annette was the last person that I expected to receive enlightenment. All she could think about these days was sex. I was missing something.

Mia came to join me on the patio with her coffee. We began discussing alternatives to my problem. As willing as Mia was to help me, I didn't really want her involved. She started asking questions and helping me consider the possibilities. She came up with a great idea that I hadn't considered. If David had been visiting the golden highway with Yvonne to get healing from his counterpart, perhaps we should take him there to summon his counterpart and determine if she could be used. It was such a terrific idea that I suggested that we get dressed and visit David immediately. I knew he was an early riser and would likely be up for the day in Cairo. I took the coffeecake out of the oven. Once Mia and I were prepared, we joined hands, and I stepped us over to David's residence. Oddly, he wasn't home. This was highly irregular. I knew that I could target David wherever he was, so I took us back to the golden highway and used the step to take us directly to David. We entered parking mode, and a familiar scene pierced my heart. Several months ago, Evelyn and I were experimenting with traversing the future. We had stumbled onto the scene which was now a reality. David lay in a hospital bed unconscious with intravenous feeds and tubes down his throat and nostril. My heart broke as I realized that David wouldn't make it through the project. Annette was his logical replacement.

I was despondent as Mia and I returned to our patio. She tried to encourage me, and we continued to discuss other alternatives for the project. Annette wandered out to the patio with her coffee and gave Mia and me a strange look. She wondered why we were dressed, and I broke the bad news to Annette about David. She didn't know that he was ill. David had asked me to tell no one. It was a shock, and we discussed the plan for her to step into his position with the liaison at the Treasury Department. Annette knew him well from our past project. Mia and I decided to resume our conversation in private at a later time. We divided the coffeecake into thirds and refilled our coffee cups.

Annette seldom suffered hangovers. She spent part of the morning on the phone with the agency to update our status. David was unable to fulfill his contract. He had no known family, and his affairs were assigned to a legal firm. Annette made contact with the liaison at the Treasury Department. He wanted to know when we were going to transport the next shipment of gold and how much it would be. She promised to get back with him in the following week. We needed to discuss the specifics. I was going to approve the transport. Yvonne indicated that I had enough information, and I was acting in faith. I couldn't commit to a specific timeframe, but Annette would keep them posted. Mia was becoming more insistent to help me, but it wasn't just a matter of her cooperation. She hadn't been enlightened, and Yvonne was no longer allowed to do that.

By that afternoon, a dark cloud had settled over my emotions. Something had been lingering in the back of my mind since morning, and I was desperately trying to ignore it. I now knew what Yvonne meant about her concern for me. Trouble was looming on my horizon, and it threatened everything that I cared about. I couldn't rely on Annette or Mia to gain enlightenment and get to the necessary level in a relationship to utilize their counterparts. David was waning in a hospital bed and would soon expire. That left only one candidate to navigate with me and her counterpart, and that was Joey. I didn't want to upset the applecart in our little family, but I saw no other way to transport the gold. I didn't know how to break this to Mia, but I had to do it soon. I decided to wait for her to go for a swim and discuss it with Annette.

We all went to the beach for the afternoon. Mia spent about an hour with us before she decided to go for a swim. She had brought her swimsuit to the beach and headed out toward the surf. Annette rolled over and continued to talk about Evelyn. She was working on her second bottle of wine by now and getting very animated about how Evelyn dumped her. I gently tried to persuade her into another conversation, but she was in a tirade concerning Evelyn. Like a tempest, I needed to let her blow her course. After about an hour, she finally began to settle down as she opened her third bottle of wine. I took advantage of the opportunity and got right to my point. "Annette, I'm afraid that my only alternative to access the gold is with Joey and her counterpart on the golden highway."

Annette stopped turning the corkscrew and froze for a moment. She didn't move a muscle and looked sideways at me. "Zut alors, Adriel!" Her French roots were coming out once again. "How do you expect Mia to put up with that?"

"I have no idea, but I don't see any other way. Please help me talk to her. I don't know how to explain it."

Annette thought for a minute as she took a swig from her bottle. "I have an idea. What if you took Mia along with Joey to the golden highway?"

"Well, that would get us as far as when Zerubba took Mia in one direction, and Joey and I went the other direction with her counterpart. Mia couldn't stay with us, and I can't navigate with Joey's counterpart without Joey."

"Oh, Adriel, I know Joey. It's a good thing you got into the position of her superior. Otherwise, she would demand to fuck you before she helped you. As your subordinate, she has to do what you say, but she's going to do everything in her power to get you to fall for her. I hope you know that."

"Yeah, she made that fairly clear the last time I saw her."

"We need to prepare Mia, Adriel, because Joey is going to rub Mia's face in this. Remember how she humiliated Evelyn in Italy? That's nothing compared to what she will do with Mia, and Yvonne can't come to save you this time. You need to be careful. You got upset with me when I kissed you in front of Joey at my place. I knew you wouldn't discipline me, and I needed to keep Joey away from you. Joey might try something similar. She will know that she is essential to the operation, and she might become insubordinate. You better prepare yourself for that. The more I think about this, the worse it looks. She will definitely leverage her position to alienate you from Mia. I don't know how you can stop her. Can you think of any other way to transport the gold?"

I shook my head. "Not at the moment, Annette." My dark, gloomy cloud just got darker.

I was never so reluctant to see Mia return from a swim. I looked at Annette, and she gave me a reassuring nod. Mia removed her swimsuit and toweled off. Annette patted the blanket next to her inviting Mia to take a seat. Mia gave us a quizzical look. She could see that I was distraught. Once Mia got settled, Annette turned to face her. "Mia, I have some possibly upsetting news." Mia looked back and forth at Annette and me with a worried face. "You are aware of our dilemma with losing Yvonne's help in transporting the gold." Mia acknowledged with a nod and gave me another worried look. "We have all been searching for ways to get someone from the golden highway involved to help us. Unfortunately, as you discovered this morning, David's counterpart will be unable to help. Neither you nor I have been enlightened. The only other person who can accompany Jazz is Joey and her counterpart."

Mia shot me a look of shock. "Are you serious? Have you agreed to this?"

I squirmed a bit and shrugged my shoulders. "Mia, honestly I don't know what else to do."

Mia shook her head and looked down at the blanket. She knew enough about the golden highway to realize that Joey and I would be alone together for quite some time. Annette looked at me with concern. Mia then begged, "Give me a chance, Jazz, and let me seek the enlightenment that I need."

I shook my head. "It won't work. Your motive isn't right. Trust me, it won't happen, and we really don't have the time. We will need to move quickly. You can trust me, Mia."

"I'd like to believe that, but the reason that you and I are together is because you violated a trust."

"Yes, I did, but it was to be with you, and I don't want to lose you."

"Did you want to lose Evelyn? Did you want to lose Yvonne? I'm not stupid, Jazz. I have met Joey, and I know what she will do."

"Listen, both of you, I'm open for suggestions, but they have to be realistic. We have to transport gold soon. If you can think of any safeguards or other possible ways, I'm all ears."

We all knew the inevitable. We just needed a way to control Joey, but I had no idea what that was. Within the next couple of days, I would need to approach Joey for the assignment. I was dreading it, but I saw no other choice. Yvonne had stopped taking David and Joey for their healing sessions. She had stopped coming to me as well. However, when I stepped onto the golden highway with another woman, Yvonne was able to engage me in my healing. She just couldn't come to me. I had to go to her. I began to realize that I could take Joey to get her healing from her counterpart. I decided that would be my best course of action. If I could get Joey with her counterpart, I might be able to steer him toward helping me with the portals. Yvonne would most likely be with me, but she was no longer allowed to help. I needed to keep Joey unaware of how much I needed her. In order to do that, I needed to bring her here with Annette and Mia for a prolonged visit. I would explain that we needed to do some team building. That would take the focus off of her and onto the team. My main concern was having Joey at my home with Mia, but I was counting on Annette to control Joey.

Yvonne could no longer explain her environment to me. She obviously reported to someone who established the rules. In the past, I would have assumed that it was the Creator, but I didn't think that realm was nearly as simplistic as I originally thought. I was beginning to think that there was a long chain of command. For some unknown reason Yvonne had been able to take Joey, David, and me to the golden highway. I didn't think that her ability was limited to just us. However, when I stepped over the line with Mia, Yvonne appeared to lose that capability. I had never known anyone else's counterpart having the ability to take others. Apparently, whatever condition I have created to prevent Yvonne already exists with the other counterparts. I couldn't get answers from Yvonne, but I had learned in the past with Evelyn that we could experiment. I discussed my ideas with Mia and Annette. It was the best plan that we had so far.

As Annette dozed off in the sunshine, I turned to Mia. "You have met our son and held him in your arms. We should name him." Mia embraced me and asked if I had any ideas for names. I suggested naming him after her father. She was touched, but she didn't want any links that could possibly be traced to her past life. I urged her to choose a South African name because I wanted our son to retain her heritage. She decided to name our son Melokuhle, which meant stand up for good. It epitomized her father. I hoped that she didn't mind that I called him Mel for short. It was a tender moment for us, and we did what we usually did during those moments. We made love.

Later that afternoon, I texted Joey to give her time to prepare. I wanted to move her to my villa indefinitely as we began some team building exercises. I explained that Annette and I would come to get her tomorrow morning at nine o'clock sharp. Mia and I then began to decide what the sleeping arrangements would be. As bizarre as it sounded, I suggested that Joey sleep on the other side of Annette. I knew that it would put a crimp in our lovemaking, but Mia and I could go down to the beach if we wanted. I didn't want anyone sleeping on the couch because in the past our team was very closely knit due to our sleeping arrangements. Mia was very uncomfortable with my suggestion. I understood, but Joey and I were going to be working very closely with one another, and I needed to neutralize the polarity between Mia and Joey. Annette understood my reasoning, but agreed with Mia that it was dangerous. I also needed to spend some time alone with Joey in order to get her used to the fact that we would be working closely together. It was essential that she believe that I wanted her in her new position rather than I needed her.

Early the next morning, Mia and I awoke before Annette and went out to the kitchen to make the coffee. We settled ourselves into the loveseat on the patio as we watched the sun rise. Mia was pensive as she sipped from her cup. She finally turned to me. "I don't want to make the same mistakes that Evelyn made with you." I looked over at her, but I was afraid to ask what she meant. "I can't imagine what she suffered. I know that your situation with Joey hurt her very much. I know that she was devastated by the deception of your death. Jazz, I know that you have assured me that you can handle Joey, but I need to make a commitment to you as well. If for some reason you fall into a moment of weakness, and you end up having sex with Joey..."

I interrupted, "Mia, that's not going to happen."

"Please, just let me finish. If it did happen, I want you to know that Melokuhle and I will always be here waiting for you."

"That's noble of you, Mia, but I'm not going to be unfaithful to you."

"Jazz, I'm sure you told Evelyn the same things. I have only had one other romantic relationship in my life, but I know that you and Joey used to be very close. I can't imagine what you must feel, but I won't shut you out if you fail. We consider ourselves to be married to one another because we have made that commitment, and I'm here to stay. I trust that you are too." It was another one of those lovemaking moments, and we took our blanket to the beach. We lay on the blanket as the morning air was beginning to warm.

I rolled over to explain, "Mia, I know that Joey will try to upset you any way that she can. I need for you to control your reactions. If you appear unaffected and confident, she will eventually abandon her childish tactics."

"I understand what you're saying, Jazz, but she will escalate to another level as well. I hope you realize that."

"Maybe so, but we need to maintain a solid appearance in front of Joey. We have to remain stable and confident no matter what she does." Mia and I discussed a game plan that would help us communicate and endure anything that Joey might try.

We all had breakfast together, and the time arrived for Annette and I to retrieve Joey. We stepped our way to Cannes. Joey had a bag packed. She took my hand, and we all stepped back to my villa on Milos. I gave Joey a tour of the place, and it didn't take long before she asked about the sleeping arrangements. I explained that she would be very familiar with them due to our last project. I could see the look of surprise on her face with a trace of confusion. Mia was very cordial and offered Joey some refreshments as we all settled onto the patio. So far, it appeared that we had Joey off balance, which is exactly what I wanted. I began to focus my attention onto Joey and explain that we were going to reorganize the team. However, my first task was to take Joey to the golden highway for a healing session. Now she was really shocked. Mia continued to appear confident and congenial as I took Joey's hand. I didn't want to give her much time to think, and within seconds we had summoned her counterpart who held Yvonne's hand.

The memories came flooding back into my mind as Joey and I made love with our counterparts while we continued to hold hands. Mia was right. This was going to be difficult, but I was committed to Mia and Mel. I could see the concern in Yvonne's eyes as we engaged in my healing process. I whispered in her ear that everything was going to be fine. She obviously wasn't convinced which gave me concern. I knew that Yvonne could visit my possible future, but she wouldn't be able to warn me. She also couldn't splice time with me anymore, and I knew that my time on the golden highway with Joey was going to create a prolonged absence from Annette and Mia. Joey's counterpart, Agamon, was also known as Laszlo by Yvonne. I didn't know how to engage him in conversation, so I asked Yvonne if she could assist. She could not. I would have to go through Joey. Our healing session ended, and Joey embraced me as we stood on the golden highway. She kissed me long and deeply as she held me tightly. My heart melted a little bit more, and I reciprocated. I had to make her feel loved and accepted. I think this was the worst that I had ever used her, but I saw no other alternative.

When we returned to my villa, Annette was consoling Mia. Joey and I had been gone for sixteen hours, and it was now the middle of the night. I was concerned that Mia was showing too many signs of insecurity, and I asked her to go to the beach with me as Annette got Joey settled for the night. Mia was more upset than I realized. Once we had descended the rocks and were out of earshot, she exploded. "Jazz, you have no idea the mental torture that I suffered. I never dreamed that you would be gone for over sixteen hours with her. What happened?" I explained about the time differential between the golden highway and our world. Mia wanted details, but I didn't want to give them. I tried to console her and remind her that she needed to maintain control especially in front of Joey. I held her and assured her that all was well. We went back to the villa to grab our blanket. We needed our time together on the beach. The longer that we made love, the calmer Mia became. We finally fell asleep in each other's arms and didn't awaken until the sun had risen.

We got up and shook the sand from our blanket. I reminded her that Joey was going to test her resolve, and Mia needed to contain herself no matter what Joey tried to do. Mia understood and braced herself for Joey's onslaught. When we got back to the villa, Annette and Joey were still sleeping. The first hurdle was for Mia to get used to the fact that no one wanted to wear clothing. However, Mia and I decided to stay covered unless we were at the beach which was most of the time. The rest of our day was terribly reminiscent of the time that Evelyn, Annette, Joey, and I had spent in Italy. I attributed our daily routine to Annette. It was naked time in the sun eating bread, cheese, and drinking wine. The only differences were the beach location and the presence of Mia instead of Evelyn. History was repeating itself.

Joey wanted to engage me in some of our exercises that we used to do for strength and speed training. We took a break from the blanket to perform our exercises as Mia watched. Joey was making more bodily contact than necessary, and Mia was aware that Joey was trying to upset her. Mia lay back on the blanket and ignored Joey. Annette had already fallen asleep. Joey tossed me on my back onto the sand and straddled me. I smiled at her and flipped her over onto her back on the sand and climbed on top of her. She lovingly looked into my eyes, and I bent down to kiss her the way that I kiss Annette. I then let her up, and we continued our exercises. Joey wanted to take a walk in the surf with me, and I consented. We waded past the rocks, and as soon as we were out of sight from the others she embraced me. She began to kiss me the way that we used to do when we lived at the chalet. Only this time, she wasn't adhering to any limits. She started to stimulate me, and I asked her not to do that. She continued, and I reminded her that she was my subordinate. She begrudgingly stopped, but continued to kiss me. I had to draw the line but not shut her out completely. I needed her cooperation.

We walked up between the rocks and sat in the small stretch of sand. I wanted to discuss her new position on our team. Annette was taking the responsibility as the liaison with the feds now that David was no longer available. I wanted Joey to accompany me for the gold transport. I explained that it would be her, Laszlo, Yvonne, and me who would be transporting the gold and backfilling the mountain with granite and quartz. Joey never knew the details of what Yvonne and I had done to transport the gold, so I explained about the portals and the stacking method. She wasn't as familiar with the golden highway, but I told her that I wanted to get her trained. She often interrupted my explanations with caresses and kisses, but I kept her within reasonable limits. It was a delicate balance of teasing without excessive encouragement. We ended our meeting with an interlude of kissing until I could see that she was getting too aroused. I led her back to the surf to walk back to the others.

There was no way that I could maintain this delicate balance for long. We needed to start making the necessary preparations to transport the gold. I had decided that Joey and I would to go to the golden highway to meet Laszlo and Yvonne this evening. From there, we would navigate to the source of the gold and discuss our procedure for transport. I had to use Joey in order to utilize Laszlo to manipulate the portals. As long as I made it appear to be instructional, I would be able to get their cooperation without Joey realizing that they were essential. Once I was sure that we were able to move the gold, I would have Annette alert the feds that we were ready to deliver another shipment.

When Joey and I returned, Annette and Mia were enjoying the bread, cheese, and wine that we had brought. Mia was very cordial as Joey and I joined in. Joey was clinging to me as was her custom in the past. Mia was doing a great job of ignoring Joey's caresses and kisses, and she did nothing to antagonize Joey, although I knew that is exactly what she wanted to do. I explained my plans for the evening. Joey and I were going to meet with Laszlo and Yvonne to start training for the gold transport. I was explaining that I wanted to put Joey in charge of the logistics, and we needed to cross train. This presented our situation as a team building effort rather than a need for Laszlo to transport the gold. After all, Joey had just witnessed me making love to Yvonne. She most likely thought that Yvonne was helping again. Besides, Joey's focus wasn't on the project. She still wanted me exclusively to navigate to become the most powerful woman in the world. She expected to captivate me with sex. It wasn't me that she wanted. She wanted the capabilities that I could provide. So far, no one had advanced to my level on the golden highway. Mia, Joey, nor, Annette could transport others the way that I could. Not even Yvonne was allowed to do that now. If Joey were too aggressive against Mia, she would alienate me. Her plan was to drive Mia away in jealousy. She had underestimated her opponent.

That evening, Joey made a play for me. We had held hands to go to the golden highway to begin our training at the gold site, but instead of clapping with me she embraced me and kissed me deeply. She wanted me to make love to her. She reasoned that no one would know, and it wouldn't threaten my capabilities any longer. This wouldn't be the first time that I lied to Joey. "Joey, I chose you for this position because I know that I can trust you. I think it's important that we can share knowledge and responsibility as a team. As your superior within the agency, I need to be candid about my position. I am committed to Mia. If you are unwilling to cooperate in this team building exercise, I will be inclined to put her in your place. She has met with her counterpart, but I have chosen you for this task. This isn't personal; it's business. If you want to relinquish this position, just let me know." Joey shook her head and released her embrace. She stood by my side holding my hand, and we clapped.

I was about to learn another technique on the golden highway. From left to right, Yvonne held my hand, I held Joey's left hand, and Laszlo held Joey's right hand. I had the lead stepping position and took us to the gold site. Within seconds, Joey began studying the wooden walls of the ship. She was fascinated that a sailing vessel had been deposited so high up on a mountain. I smiled as I understood the significance. It would require a very high level of water to land this ship at this altitude. It was evidence of a great deluge. Yvonne remained silent as I explained the portal components to Joey. Our battery still retained enough of a charge to demonstrate. I made sure that Laszlo was involved to activate the portal and show Joey the capabilities of moving gold. I knew that Joey couldn't navigate without me at this point. I felt secure to know that no one yet had my capabilities within this realm. However, I was curious that Yvonne was no longer allowed to help me. Obviously, Laszlo had the capability and the permission. I had definitely crossed a line with Mia, but I still wasn't comprehending exactly how that affected the golden highway. I hadn't lost any capabilities. It was Yvonne who was affected.

Yvonne tugged at me to start a healing session. Joey and Laszlo followed our example, and we spent the next hour making love inside the ship. I was now confident that we had the capability to transport the gold. I knew that the federal government was going to move quickly to establish the legislation in order to get another shipment. This was probably the most agreeable bipartisanship in the history of our nation. It was apparent that they had a common interest. We had concluded our first training session, and I was pleased with our progress. We returned to my villa to join Mia and Annette. Everyone was pleasant, and I knew that Annette and Mia could detect that Joey was more stable. I attributed it to her recent healing sessions with Laszlo. I was glad that she was able to receive them again. It always made a world of difference in how well we got along with one another.

We had a fun evening together as we cooked, ate, and drank wine. I could tell that Mia was realizing how close that Annette, Joey, and I had been in the past. I didn't want her to feel left out, but there was nothing that the three of us had not done together. Mia wasn't even close to being there yet. We sat on the patio and discussed our progress. I was putting Joey in charge of logistics. Annette was our new liaison with the feds. I could tell that Mia was feeling detached, but she and I were planning a trip to the beach tonight to make love and talk about our son. I was performing a balancing act with some juggling as well. It was precarious, but I didn't know what else to do. I was hoping that the feds would move fast. I wanted to transport gold one more time and be done, but I wasn't sure that I could get away with that. My hopes and dreams were to retire with Mia, but there was no way that the agency would ever let me do that. I was too valuable.

The next morning, Joey and I went to the ship and the island to retrieve the batteries. We needed to get them recharged and wait for the feds to catch up with us by adhering to our stipulations. It felt good to be on the leading rather than trailing edge of the project. A week ago, I thought that the major challenge was how to transport the gold, but now I saw that it was really the challenge of maintaining a reasonable social balance with my team. We began to make plans for the next transport. I didn't want the feds holding things up. I knew that abolishing all federal income tax would take too long, so I decided to insist on rebuilding the infrastructure of the United States. I expected the government to secure the necessary contracts and begin projects to upgrade bridges, roads, power grids, and other deficient aspects that desperately needed attention. We decided that we would deliver another four trillion dollars and then await their progress. That still wouldn't make a decent dent into the gold deposit. It was vast, and I knew that it could take years. I didn't have that much time. It was becoming obvious to me that I needed to groom Mia as Joey's replacement.

We were in a holding pattern until the federal government showed reasonable progress with our stipulations. Things were going tolerably well. Mia and I had given Joey a wide latitude toward me. She kissed, caressed, and sometimes put her hands where they didn't belong. I gently removed them when she did. I made sure to take her to Laszlo daily for her healing. Mia and I were making nightly visits to the beach to make love and strategize. We were also going to the golden highway for her to spend time with Melokuhle while I made love to Yvonne. I explained to her that she needed to seek the necessary enlightenment with Zerubba in order to make love to him and gain the ability with the portals. She couldn't seem to get past the idea of making love to another man. I realized that the only way that she could understand would be to watch me with Yvonne. Watching Yvonne and I make love within our realm would help Mia understand that it was not sex. So far, Mia had never been around when Yvonne and I were engaged in my healing. I was hoping that it didn't frighten her the way that it did with Annette on the beach in Italy. I needed to prepare her.

I decided to explain how I had come to my enlightenment. When I had read the writings that David had translated from the hieroglyphic scroll that Evelyn and I had found in the subterranean archives in Avignon, France, I realized that I would never be able to interpret them without receiving a revelation. How right I was. When we first read them, we thought that they pertained to a husband and a wife. However, the meaning was more inclusive and personal. The writings had several levels of application, but the most significant was that they referred to one's counterpart on the golden highway. It took several experiments and failures due to trying the wrong things. It was all trial and error which mostly produced error. When we finally determined how to summon our counterparts, we thought that they were helpers within that realm. We had no idea that they were actually extensions of ourselves. Yvonne always described herself as one of my body parts. She explained that we didn't have the ability to truly understand the relationship, but viewing her as a body part was probably the best that we could comprehend.

One night, I brought a copy of the text from the translated scroll to the beach for Mia to read over and over again. She decided to read aloud. "The two shall become one. He is the right, and she is the left. Together they shall clap and embrace. Together they shall tie and untie, bind and loose. They shall play the flute and the lyre as one. They shall step together and move as one. As he moves, so she moves. As she moves, so he moves. She thinks as he thinks, and no division shall separate them. Their eyes shall be upon one another, and their touch shall be as the heart with the lungs. One cannot without the other, and together they shall accomplish all things, the when and the where. They shall go to and fro, and their knowledge will increase. They shall walk the sands of time and the expanse of the heavens together. They shall meld in sweet union and enjoy the honey that drips from their loins. They will create, and it will not be destroyed. They shall build, and it will not be torn down. They shall see and do as one. They will walk time upon the golden way, and they shall know all things. Nothing shall be hidden from their sight, and nothing shall be impossible for them."

Merely reading the text had a profound effect on Mia. She was curious about the flute and the lyre. We hadn't done the embrace that produced the music from the two instruments, and I realized that we needed to do that. I always believed that it required a married couple. Mia and I had made a commitment to one another that was equal to a marriage vow. I was hoping that would suffice. I could explain to Mia a thousand times that Zerubba was a part of her, but until she received the enlightenment she would never understand. Elemental aspects of Truth cannot be explained. They must be revealed. There are a number of ways in which that can happen, but the one prerequisite is that someone must be willing to abandon all previous assumptions, beliefs, and paradigms to receive the absolute revelation of Truth. In essence, you must sell all that you own in order to be able to follow that Truth. It becomes a life giving water that refreshes the soul as one continues to seek it daily. It was the healing that I enjoyed with Yvonne. It didn't make me perfect, but it did make me better.

Yvonne had enlightened me. She had chosen to enlighten David and Joey as well. I believe that she would have enlightened Annette if Annette had not been so fearful of her counterpart. There can be no fear or wrong motive. Otherwise, enlightenment will never happen. Yvonne was no longer allowed to give someone enlightenment. It had something to do with me taking Mia. Yvonne had warned me not to have sex with anyone other than Evelyn. Evelyn's rejection of me didn't change anything. It was my decision to take Mia that did. I was trying to groom Mia to be able to receive enlightenment. I wanted her to hear the concepts even if she couldn't understand them. I was hoping that witnessing the healing process would help her accept Zerubba. It was a chance that I had to take.

That night, Mia and I held hands on the beach to go to the golden highway. We clapped, and Zerubba and Yvonne stepped toward us from the other side of the golden highway. Mia and I embraced, and the flute and the lyre played a sweet song. I was elated. I told Yvonne that I wanted Mia to watch us make love on the beach. Yvonne got a worried look on her face and slightly shook her head. She and Zerubba extended their hands, and Yvonne and I walked with the breeze as Zerubba, Mia, and Melokuhle went the other direction. Once they were out of sight, Yvonne dropped her robe. I asked why she didn't want Mia to see us making love. She reminded me that it only caused problems. I had forgotten. It not only frightened Annette, but it started the whole problem with Joey's emotions. Until then, she had suffered from Emotional Detachment Disorder. She was much easier to deal with back then. I couldn't take the chance with Mia. Yvonne pulled me on top of her. I had to accept that Mia was not going to get her enlightenment. Her entire focus on the golden highway was with our son. I understood, and I appreciated her commitment to him. Annette was even less of a candidate. Unfortunately, it appeared that I was stuck with Joey. I just needed to be sure that she didn't know that.

Joey was changing her tactic. Aggression wasn't going to work. She couldn't seem to be able to upset Mia, and she knew that I wouldn't tolerate her advances. She wasn't as physical around Mia anymore, but when Mia wasn't within eyesight, she would lightly kiss my neck and whisper that she loved me. She was nonthreatening and coquettish. She was trying to win my heart. She realized that she had lost it to Mia, and she wanted it back. Mia was glad that Joey had backed off of the incessant touching and caressing, especially in areas that only belonged to her. We discussed everything at length and kept in good communication. My question was how much was I going to lead Joey on, if at all. Mia suggested not at all.

Mia felt bad that she was not a candidate for enlightenment. I assured her that it was no fault of her own. She was pregnant with our child, and I appreciated her commitment to him. I really wouldn't have it any other way. We were excited about our family. Mia wanted to make love several times a day, especially whenever we had been talking about Melokuhle. We didn't trust Joey enough to go to the beach during the day. We would walk out of sight, step onto the golden highway, and then go to another remote location to make love. This excited Mia all the more and paid great dividends for me. Mia made sure to keep me satisfied. I had to admit, I wasn't enticed by Joey, and I was glad. Mia was much more confident when she went for her daily swims. She trusted me, and she trusted Annette. As stable as things seemed right now, I learned from the past that they can change in a heartbeat.

One afternoon, as all four of us lay on the blanket, Joey made a serious sexual advancement on Annette. Annette reciprocated immediately, and within minutes they were engaged in a homosexual frenzy. Mia was shocked. Once she saw my arousal, she grabbed my wrist to take me away, but I pulled her down on top of me. I whispered in her ear. "Don't run. That's what she wants. Make love to me." This was the first time that Mia had made love in front of Joey. Joey had seen me many times with Evelyn, but she had never seen me with Mia. Mia had no limits, and she unleashed her relentless techniques that sent me into oblivious ecstasy. After about fifteen minutes of Mia consuming me, Joey stormed off toward the villa leaving Annette moaning with pleasure. We had beaten Joey at her own game, but Mia didn't stop. She continued for another forty-five minutes before allowing me to regain my composure. Annette grinned as she looked over at me. She knew full well what was happening, but Annette would take what she could get. She was able to get five orgasms before Joey abandoned her. I had seen Annette with Gina in Cannes. The only time I tried to tally her orgasms, I lost count after twenty. Annette was a sex marathoner.

Joey's plan had backfired. I wasn't sure where to go from here. She had now seen Mia and me together. I know she never dreamed that it would be as emotional and intense. Few people experienced what Mia and I had built together. I didn't want Joey to know that I needed her to transport the gold. I also didn't want her giving up and running away. I had to string her along, but she was no match for Mia, and she was beginning to realize that. I needed to give her hope, but I knew the danger in that as well. Mia had an idea. She was afraid to meet Annette at one point, but they had become good friends. She was going to try to get closer to Joey. If she could keep Joey from running away and not give her too much hope with me, it would be ideal. I had my doubts that she could do that, but I was in total agreement. Mia changed our sleeping positions. Instead of Joey sleeping on the other side of Annette, she was putting Joey next to her. It would have been too suspicious to make this change when we went to bed, so Mia decided to switch places with Annette during the night so that they awakened in that position. Annette didn't care as long as she was next to me.

To my amazement, things were going extremely well. I had to hand it to Mia, she had gotten Joey to relax and loosen up to the point that the two of them were kissing. I nearly fainted the first time I saw it. Every night I slept with Annette on one side and Mia on the other. Joey was on the other side of Mia, and they were often embracing. Wonders never ceased. I had been faithful to take Joey for her healing sessions. Things were beginning to settle down better than ever. Evelyn had never befriended Joey, mainly due to Joey's personality disorder. However, once Joey began to experience emotion she was relentless with me, and she didn't want Evelyn around me. That was very late in the project, so Evelyn and Joey never really had a chance. Mia was brilliant. Making friends with your enemies paid great dividends. She didn't trust Joey, but she did neutralize the resentment.

Our routines were changing. Instead of Mia and I driving into town to buy groceries and supplies, it was Annette who went with me while Mia stayed with Joey. Mia was teaching Joey that in order to have a relationship with me, she needed to start with Mia. I was riding the ebb and flow of the relationships. I just hoped that I didn't end up shipwrecked on the rocks. The sexual dynamics were strange. Joey and Mia were getting close, but they were heterosexual. Annette and I were already close, but she was homosexual. It's probably good that we had these sexual checks and balances because knowing Annette we would have been engaged in sexual orgies from morning till night. From a healthier perspective, we worked out in the gym, sparred together, and Mia and Joey were going for swims while Annette and I soaked up sun and drank wine. Everyone was enjoying life, but we were well aware that we would have to be ready at a moment's notice when the feds had met our stipulations.

Annette contacted her liaison at the Treasury Department. The feds had made great strides in setting up the college scholarship programs. They had also been securing the contracts to begin strengthening the infrastructure of the United States. They wanted to know what evidence we expected in order to ship more gold. Personally, I just wanted to get this project over. I told Annette that we would fill the repository with the next shipment. Judging from the size of the area and the cubes that we were transporting, I estimated that it would take a week's worth of eight hour work days. Annette was surprised and asked if I were sure that I really wanted to transport that much. I had lost interest in the project. All I could think about was Mia and Mel. I knew that I couldn't have the life that I wanted with them. As much as I loved Joey, I didn't see how she would fit into my life. Annette, on the other hand, would be here till the day I died. I realized that I could only take it one day at a time.

Annette detected my frustration and invited me to the beach late one night. She was planning a long meeting because she brought five bottles of wine. We were no longer worried to leave Mia and Joey alone together. They got along extremely well these days. Annette spread the blanket and stripped off her shirt. That was the most she ever wore these days unless we were in town. She made me undress as well and snuggled in next to me with her left leg over me. She kissed me a few times and gazed at me with those adorable blue eyes. "I know you're exhausted with this project, but you're a rookie. I had a project that lasted two years. You just never know how long something is going to take. I realize that you want to get this over, but be patient. We need to stick with the program. Keep doling out the gold at reasonable intervals to get the government to be responsible with it. We both know that they are going to cheat, but we can still get some good out of it."

I sighed and explained, "You're right, but trying to keep Joey on the hook is exhausting. I still don't want her to know that she is essential."

"You don't have to do that. Mia is doing an excellent job with Joey. You need to relax and enjoy yourself. This is probably as good as your life is going to get, Adriel. You should realize that. What do you think is going to happen when the project is over?"

"I'll probably get another assignment and never see you or Joey again."

"I doubt that. I'll be in my new position, and I won't be in the field any longer. With your capabilities, we could still live together. Mia and you would be making love next to my new woman and me. We would be one happy family." I laughed. "Adriel, will you be honest with me?"

"I'll try. What do you want to know?"

"How would you feel if Joey found a man and married him?"

"Well, that's a good question. I think part of me would be sad, but part of me would be very happy for her."

"I know that you were in love with Joey, but Yvonne kept you from her. I know Joey fairly well. Her emotions are new, and I think that in her own way she loves you, but nothing like Mia does. Joey never would have made you as happy as Mia can."

"Oh, I realize that. It's sometimes hard to disconnect from those old emotions. Do you ever feel anything for Gina when you see her?"

"Absolutely, I do, but we were lovers to the extreme."

"I wish you'd meet a nice girl, Annette, but you realize that I will have to approve of her."

Annette laughed. "I wouldn't have it any other way. After, all she has to sleep next to us." Annette rolled on top of me and we embraced and kissed to make up for our lost time. Annette looked tearfully at me and whispered, "I love you, Adriel." Annette rarely said those words. "You are the best friend I have ever had. You really helped me through the loss of my sister." I hugged her tightly. It had been about nine months since Annette's supervisor had murdered Annette's twin sister. She had mistaken Yvette for Annette. No one knew that Annette had a twin. She had Yvette stand in for her regularly in various situations. I had met Yvette once in Cannes, but I thought she was Annette. The only suspicious thing was that Yvette was heterosexual, and she did some things with me that greatly confused me. I never told anyone what had happened.

"Well, Annette, women may come, and women may go throughout our lives, but we will stay together forever." Annette and I clinked our wine bottles together and started guzzling as we laughed. We drank to Yvette, and we drank to our friendship. We drank to Joey and Mia, and we drank to the agency that gave us our lifestyle. We drank to the stars and the moon, and we drank ourselves to sleep in each other's arms on the beach. We awoke to Mia gathering our wine bottles and helping us up to go back to the villa. She shook the sand from our blanket and our clothes and then ushered Annette and me up the rocks.

A few days later, Annette received a call. The feds had been rubber stamping legislation to keep pace with our stipulations. Annette was invited to the White House in Washington, D. C. to review the progress and schedule the next gold shipment. Mia and I were going to transport Annette back to her residence in Cannes to pack and prepare for her trip. An agency jet was scheduled to take her to the states. The only person who knew of our travel capabilities was the colonel with the agency, and we were all careful to maintain our well kept secret. Joey and I made the preparatory trips to the ship and the island to be sure that everything was ready for our next gold transport. We made some practice extractions of granite and quartz at the island that would be used to backfill the mountain to replace the gold. Everything seemed to be going according to plan.

During Annette's absence, Mia sent Joey and me into town for groceries and supplies. Either she was more trusting of Joey, or she wanted to see how Joey would act. Joey behaved herself the entire time. She did give me soulful looks on occasion to let me know that she missed me, but she wasn't overly affectionate like she had been before. There were times past when this would have disappointed me, but at this stage of my life I was relieved. Mia had been inviting Joey for her daily swims for the past few weeks. This now left me on the beach alone without Annette. If felt so strange to experience that solitude once again. Moreover, I was surprised how much I missed Annette at night when we went to bed. Annette and I often awoke in each other's arms, and the sudden emptiness next to me was annoyingly uncomfortable. One of the more disconcerting aspects of Annette's absence was that Mia didn't want to leave Joey alone. We weren't making nightly trips to the beach to make love or stealing away during the day. Instead, she kept Joey occupied. I was eagerly awaiting Annette's return for multiple reasons.

Three days later, I received a call from Annette. She wanted me to pick her up in Cannes. Mia suggested that I make the trip with Joey. We coordinated with Annette and brought her to my villa within seconds. Annette dropped her bag and jumped into my arms with her legs wrapped around my waist. She kissed me long and hard. I saw Mia and Joey glance at one another with concern. Annette and I were as close as two friends could get, and we weren't letting anyone or anything come between us. Mia and I prepared a light lunch as Annette got settled. After we ate, Annette stripped and grabbed me by the hand. She practically dragged me to the beach with our blanket and wine. When Mia and Joey descended the rocks to join us, Annette was playfully wrestling with me and kissing me intermittently. I could tell by Mia's demeanor that she was disturbed.

Once Mia and Joey had joined us on the blanket for about fifteen minutes, Mia invited me for a walk. We went down to the surf just out of earshot before she began. "I think you and Annette need to draw a line somewhere." I remembered when Evelyn had gotten concerned about Annette and me in Italy.

"What do you mean," I asked innocently.

"Maybe you're just too close to the situation to see it objectively. I know that you two are the best of friends, and Annette is truly an outrageous woman, but I think you two spend way too much time with your naked bodies entwined and kissing one another." Before I could object, she continued. "I know you tell me that she's homosexual, but it's not the sex that concerns me, Jazz. You two are in love with one another, and that's obvious. As your wife, I need to let you know that your excessive physical involvement with Annette makes me uncomfortable. No, let me rephrase that. It hurts me emotionally."

I felt a stab in my heart. I had been in love with Annette for quite some time. We had shared some harrowing experiences together, and we were so much alike in many ways. Annette made me happy. I was happier with Mia when Annette was with us. I dearly loved Mia, and having Annette and Mia close to me provided everything that I wanted. I didn't blame Mia for confronting me. I understood her perspective. Mia patiently waited as I tried to form my thoughts. "I understand what you're saying, Mia. You know that I love you, and I don't want anything to come between us. I love Annette in a different way, and I don't want anything to come between us either. I think the three of us need to sit down and talk through this. You're probably right that we need to establish some limits, but you know Annette. She doesn't comprehend limits. Limits to her inhibit her from being who she is, and one of the aspects of our friendship is that we can honestly be who we are. If she feels like kissing me, she knows that she can. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. Let's spend some time with her and come to an agreement." Mia wasted no time. She had me remain in the surf while she went back to get Annette. Annette followed Mia back to me. She had her wine bottle and bubbled with happiness. I hated to see what was about to happen.

I was noticing a pattern in my life. If it wasn't Joey and Evelyn, it was Annette and Mia. I began to realize that somehow I created a conflict between two women, one being my wife, and the other being a close second. The only single, solitary difference between the two is that I engaged in coitus with one, but not the other. I hadn't had a male friend since Eddie. When Eddie and I were friends, I had no other friends. We had met together every Wednesday evening at a restaurant for over two decades to discuss life, truth, existentialism, and establish a common vocabulary to communicate more precisely. One day, almost two years ago, I started being able to read the thoughts of others. I had no idea what was happening to me. As events unfolded, I began to be aware of a world crisis that threatened a devastating nuclear world war. I felt that I was being called to prevent that disaster and began to establish a plan. I had persuaded Eddie to help me. I experienced some phenomenal abilities over the following months and was finally able to deter the world conflict. I had to communicate with leaders in India, Pakistan, and the United States in order to execute my plan. I had remained incognito the entire time. However, Eddie had not, and at one point he sold me out to gain a lucrative contract with the federal government of the United States. It completely destroyed my life with Evelyn, and I haven't seen him since.

David had been the only other male acquaintance in my life since I began the last project. He considered me to be his only friend, but he was overwhelmed with my wife, Evelyn. At first, I found him annoying and inappropriate, but in time I came to love David for who he was. However, we worked together, and we never really had the time to establish a friendship. I had been thrust into a close relationship first with Joey and then with Annette. Joey had suffered from Emotional Detachment Disorder which made it easy to deal with her. She never got angry, hurt, lonely, scared, and I never had to be concerned about her falling in love. It was perfect until I introduced her to Yvonne. Once Joey started feeling emotion, the dam broke loose, and I had to contend with her roller coaster of feelings. I needed to fake my own death to hide from several people who either wanted me dead or dedicated to their service. It pushed Joey and me together in a living relationship all alone for two months.

I was much like Annette. I didn't like boundaries either. However, Annette and I both had a double standard. She could be unfaithful to her lover and make concessions for herself, but she could never tolerate such a thing from her lover. I could feel free to kiss and frolic naked with Annette, but I could never tolerate such a thing from Mia or Evelyn. I had never met anyone who was as much like me as Annette. I once thought that she and I would make great marriage partners, but I was now aware that we could never tolerate one another due to our double standards. My life seemed to be degrees of losing. I wanted to eat my cake and have it too. I wanted Mia and Annette. I had wanted Evelyn and Joey. My life was faced with this dilemma time and again. Obviously, there was something wrong with me. Mia had a singleness of heart. She neither desired nor needed anyone but me. I wished that I could be like her, but I wasn't. It took someone like her to be with me, but now she was confronting me with my problem, and I needed to get it resolved.

# **CHAPTER TEN**

# **_BETRAYAL_**

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****

The surf washed over Annette's knees as she took two more gulps of wine from her bottle. "So, does this mean that I can't kiss Jazz anymore?" Annette had been drinking, and she was confrontational.

Mia tried to reason with her. "I didn't say that you could never kiss him."

"So, how many times a day am I allowed? Can I hug him if we're naked?"

"I didn't say that you couldn't hug him."

"So, I'm a little confused, Mia. If I can kiss him, what difference does it make if I kiss him once or a thousand times? If I can hug him, then I should be able cling to him if I want to. You know, you and I are very different. You may want to remain secluded and read books all day, but I need people, and Jazz is my best friend."

"Annette, I'm not trying to interfere with your friendship. You may not fuck my husband, but you do get an emotional intimacy from him that only a mate should provide. I'm sorry that you don't have a lover right now, but I don't want you deriving your emotional needs from my husband."

Annette looked up at me. I could see that she wanted my help. "Look, I understand both of you. I think it's unfair that I'm put into a position to choose between you two. That should never happen. Annette, maybe we should be more considerate of Mia. You and I wouldn't put up with anyone like us, and we both know it. Mia, please work with us. We both love you, and we don't want you being hurt or upset. This has to be a give and take situation. Let's work it out together. Annette, I haven't seen you hug Mia in weeks." Mia held out her arms, and Annette stepped in. However, I could see that Annette was perturbed. We all went back to the blanket, and Annette opened another bottle of wine. Mia and Joey decided to go for a swim.

Annette was fuming. "I swear, if I desired men, Adriel, I'd be fucking you right now. How dare her try to come between us."

"Annette, you've had too much to drink. Take a nap. You and I can talk about this when you're sober." We both sprawled in the sun to get another shade darker. The rest of the day proved to be uncomfortable, but Mia and Annette were civil to one another.

I knew that it would be morning before Annette could reasonably have a discussion. I didn't want Joey to know that Mia had a problem with Annette, or she would use it as leverage. After breakfast, I suggested that Joey and I review our plans for transporting the gold. I had asked Mia to take Annette to the beach for a talk. They took a blanket to sit in the sand. They also had their coffee cups and a carafe of coffee with them as well. Mia tried to explain to Annette that she needed to adhere to boundaries. Annette stopped her short. "Look, Mia, I have protected Jazz from Joey. I have promoted your relationship with him. I didn't resist his desire to have you in our lives. You and I became friends. I don't care how often or how long you fuck him. I don't care if you two have the greatest sex on earth. I have never discouraged him from loving you and enjoying you. You make him happy, and that makes me happy, but now you're trying to come between us. Jazz and I enjoy our time together. It's nothing like what you have with him. It's different, but he needs me too, and I need him. If you can't understand how we need each other, then you're being selfish and cruel. I would never ask him to choose between you and me, but that's exactly what you are doing. If you're jealous that he gets something from me that he doesn't get from you, then I'm sorry for you. I'm not jealous that he gets something from you that he doesn't get from me, but rather I encourage it. So, tell me, Mia, who loves him more?"

Mia was quiet for several moments as she thought about what Annette had said. "Maybe you're right, Annette. Maybe I am a little possessive, but I am very committed to Jazz, and I expect the same from him."

"Mia, he is committed to you. He's crazy about you, and I'm happy for him. If you put these boundaries on him, he will eventually become bitter."

"Yes, and if he isn't willing to adhere to boundaries, then I might become bitter."

"Would you treat me this way if I were his sister?"

"I don't think a sister would be rubbing her genitals against his while she kissed him over and over."

"Mia, I don't do that. OK, maybe we have touched a few times, but I'm not attracted to men."

"Yes, but he is attracted to you. Believe me, I've seen it, and so have you. Every time he gets aroused by you, it's a slap in my face. Do you not understand this?"

Annette paused for a few moments as she looked at the sand. "Maybe you're right. I guess I always think that Jazz feels the same way that I do. If he were a woman, I probably would lose control. Since you put it that way, maybe I have been oblivious to his desires, but he has never, ever done anything sexual to me. Well, except for one time with Evelyn, but that's another story. I think I see what you're saying. You work out the boundaries with Jazz, and I'll go along with whatever he wants." Annette was despondent and began to walk away.

Mia grabbed Annette's wrist. "Wait! Thank you for working with me. I promise to do the same." Annette nodded in concession and walked back toward the villa.

Annette was quiet the rest of the morning. I became alarmed when she asked if Joey and I could take her back to Cannes. I didn't want her to leave, but she no longer felt welcome. She knew that we would be transporting gold soon, and she wanted a few days alone. I felt like I had lost my right arm. I could sense that Joey was pleased to remove Annette from the picture. She had been a major deterrent to Joey, but now Joey had a better chance to monopolize our time. She also knew that I would be emotionally vulnerable without Annette. I could tell that Mia wanted to talk, but Joey made sure to make that difficult. I certainly didn't want her to think that Mia and I were having trouble, but Annette's departure made that fairly clear.

Joey was wise. She supported Mia in every way that she could. She knew it was a matter of a short time with Annette being gone that I would be resentful and frustrated. I understood Mia's position, but it just made me think that I wasn't the right man for her. She was carrying my baby, and we had made a commitment. I remember when Yvonne made me cut Joey loose. It felt much the same way. I eventually got over it, but now Joey was back in my life. It was nothing like what it used to be, but I knew that if it were up to Joey it would become even more. I knew Annette very well. She was going to make Mia very sorry for what she had done. Mia wanted a committed husband. Annette wanted her closest friend. Joey wanted my abilities to navigate. Three women that I loved very much would soon tear each other to pieces.

That night, I couldn't sleep. Lately, I had been sandwiched between Annette and Mia in bed. I had a difficult time when Annette had gone to D. C. Now, I was faced with a more permanent situation. I lay in bed for over an hour. My frustration wouldn't let me sleep. I slipped out of bed, grabbed the blanket, and headed down to the beach. I needed to clear my head. I was angry, resentful, frustrated, and now sleepless. I understood both sides of the argument between Annette and Mia. So many times in my life I had wished that I could clone myself. I had lost the ability to splice time with Yvonne. It would really come in handy right now. I could spend time with Mia alone that appeared to be exclusive. I could also spend time with Annette alone which would appear the same. Splicing time allowed me to clone myself by being in two places at once. It appeared contiguous to me, but not to anyone else. I lay back on the blanket and gazed at the full moon. Suddenly, the moon's glow was blocked by a silhouette. Joey was standing over me, and she was naked. My heart leaped. I quickly sat up as she kneeled onto the blanket.

"What are you doing here," I demanded.

"I noticed that you weren't in bed when I went to the bathroom. I decided to come see where you were."

I stood and insisted, "We need to get back to the villa."

Joey reached up to take my hand, but she pulled me down to the blanket. "I just got here. Sit with me and enjoy the moon and stars."

I needed to go, but I wanted to stay. Old feelings were starting to stir, and I was beginning to get concerned. Joey pushed me flat onto my back. She rubbed my chest and put her mouth next to my ear. "It's just a matter of time, like I said."

Just then, Mia walked up to the blanket. "What are you two doing down here?" Joey jumped up and scampered off toward the villa.

"I couldn't sleep and came down here to think. Joey noticed I was gone and came to look for me."

Mia took a seat on the blanket. "Jazz, I once told you that I would stay with you even if you had sex with Joey, but I don't believe that I thought that through very well. When I met you, I had no idea that you had so many women in your life. Had I known that, I wouldn't have made love to you right here for the first time. If I weren't here, you could have Joey and Annette and be happy. I don't want to make you miserable, and I don't want to be miserable. I can raise Melokuhle on my own."

"Mia, what in the world are you saying? Surely, you know that I don't want that."

"No, Jazz, I don't. I know that you have to work with these women, but we don't have to sleep with them. Joey needs to go back to Annette's, and we need to be a family together, just you, Melokuhle, and me. If that's not enough for you, I'll go find another place to live far from here. It's your decision." Mia stood and walked off toward the villa.

There is no question that I would choose Mia over anyone, but if I took Joey back to Annette's it could be disastrous. If Annette let Joey know that she was essential to the project, Joey would leverage that against me. If I ran from the agency, I would lose my unlimited income. Mia and I could hide, but we would have to live off of her annuity. My head was swimming with crazy ideas. I never wanted to lose Mia. I decided to comply with Mia's wishes, and I would accept whatever happened after that. If I had to go AWOL with the agency to keep Mia, I would do that. The thought of losing Mia was worse than anything. Mia and I would take Joey to Annette's in the morning. I shook my blanket and headed back to the villa.

The next morning, I phoned Annette to tell her that Joey was coming back to her place. She wasn't surprised. She informed me that the feds were expecting another shipment, and we needed to make the necessary arrangements. I told her that I would schedule a team meeting within the week. After Joey had awakened, I let her know that Annette was expecting her. Mia and I were taking her to Cannes. I let her gather what she needed, and Mia and I transported Joey to Annette's. Mia and I returned to our villa and cooked breakfast together. She was very pleased, and I was excited that we were going to be a family. We finished our breakfast and took our coffee to the patio. I started telling her my idea of leaving the agency and hiding somewhere with her for the rest of our lives.

Mia put her cup on the table and turned to me. "Goodness, Jazz, there's just no middle ground with you, is there? First, you want two female coworkers sleeping in our bed. Within hours, you want to abandon the agency and go hide with me and Melokuhle. Can't you just go to work and come home to your family like a normal husband?"

"Mia, I want you more than I have ever wanted anyone or anything. I do love Annette and Joey, but I would never choose them over you. I hate ultimatums, but you need to know that I would never want to lose you for anything. I do love you, and I am committed to you. If leaving the agency would make you happy, I would gladly do that."

"I'm not asking you to do that. I don't mind if you work with Joey and Annette. I just don't want them living with us, and no, I don't want them hanging on you naked at any time."

"I'm really sorry. Sometimes things just evolve out of control without me realizing it. Annette is outrageous, and she knows how to manipulate me into getting what she wants."

"Don't take this the wrong way, Jazz, but I don't see how Evelyn endured what she did. You put her through hell. I'm not sorry that she ended your relationship because otherwise we wouldn't be together."

Mia and I were ripe for extended orgasms, and we took each other to that plateau many times for as long as we could the rest of the day. We had both needed the intimacy and total abandonment with one another. I had forgotten just how wonderful it was, and I never wanted to jeopardize it again. We were both completely satisfied and exhausted and slept well all through the night.

The next day, Mia suggested that we check in on David to see how he was doing. I wasn't sure what good it would do. He was unconscious the last that we saw him. It was difficult for me to see him in that condition. We held hands and stepped onto the golden highway. I tried to step in his direction, but we went nowhere. I tried a second time to no avail. My heart sank. Mia gave me a puzzled look. I explained that in my experience there were only two reasons why we couldn't locate him. Either he was on the golden highway, or he was dead. I seriously doubted that he was on the golden highway.

Two days later, I scheduled a team meeting at Annette's place in Cannes. Our new arrangement made it more difficult. It was easier for Mia and me to navigate to Cannes instead of transporting Annette and Joey individually to our place. Besides, Mia really didn't want them lingering at our villa. Annette wasn't nearly as cordial as usual. She didn't provide the usual smorgasbord of food, and she was all business. We reviewed our tactics. Three days from now, Mia and I would come to Annette's to take Annette to the repository. We would then get Joey and take her to our villa. I would take Joey to meet with Yvonne and Laszlo, and we would navigate to the ship where the gold deposit could be accessed. Annette could secure the repository while Joey and I worked with Laszlo to establish the portals and stack them accordingly. We were planning on transporting for eight hours just like last time. That should deliver about the same amount of gold as before. I was beginning to wonder how this project would end. At this rate, it could take years to remove all of the gold from the deposit. However, no one knew how much there was except for Yvonne and me.

Mia and I returned home and resumed our routine. We took the opportunity to experiment more with our lovemaking. We tried the golden highway. We stepped into the past and into the future to make love. We made love on the highway and off to the side. We finally realized that we had completely lost focus. We were seeking greater thrills instead of enjoying the process that provided us with the intimacy needed to further our relationship. We had fallen into the whole orgasm mentality rather than enjoying what the experience provided for us as a couple. We refocused on each other, not the pleasure that the process offered. Once we had taken our minds off of the physical, the rapturous thrill of being who we were together took us to new heights. The pleasure was no longer the goal, but it was a byproduct of the total abandonment that we offered to one another. What amazed me the most was that once we had taken our attention off of the pleasure itself, we instinctively found new combinations of erogenous zones that multiplied our euphoria. The two of us had melded into one body that functioned with a harmony and precision that cannot be described. We had done everything imaginable. Her body was my body, and my body was her body. We gave ourselves to one another without reserve. It was sensual, exciting, beautiful, erotic, and consuming. I finally understood the statement that the two shall become one.

The day of transport arrived, and Mia and I took Annette to the repository to secure the perimeter so that no one could see us moving the gold. We stepped our way back to Cannes to retrieve Joey and took her to our villa. Joey and I left Mia behind as we stepped onto the golden highway. I promised her that we would take time for our healing sessions because I hadn't taken Joey to see Laszlo since Mia had asked her to leave our villa. We summoned Laszlo and Yvonne and stepped over to the deserted island to set up the portal to backfill the mountain. We took the time there to make love to our counterparts. However, we were limited by time. At least we were off the golden highway where the time differential was unpredictable. Once we had finished on the island, we stepped over to the ship at the mountain to set up our portal there. Our two manmade portals were now operational, and I had Laszlo stack available portals to create the conduit necessary to transport the cubes of ore. Everything was now in place.

However, just before we extracted the first cube from the mountain I saw a familiar face. The old man that I had seen before was now standing about four meters away with his hand up. I mentioned him to the others, but no one saw him. As Joey and Laszlo began to extract the gold, he stepped closer with his hand up and now shook his head. I had everyone stop. The old man pointed outward as though he were directing my attention outside the ship. I mimicked his gesture and pointed outside. He nodded his head. Everyone thought that I was hallucinating, but I encouraged Yvonne to step us into parking mode outside the ship. I saw nothing but snow and mountainside. Nothing appeared abnormal. We stepped to the other side of the mountain, and I noticed some sort of expedition. Several men were camped with equipment that I couldn't identify. Suddenly, the men became very excited and pointed up the mountain. About five of them began to climb upward and around the mountain toward the ship that was embedded in the ice. I was curious what had gotten them excited, but when Yvonne and I returned to the ship we found that Joey and Laszlo had started transporting gold. I began to suspicion that the men had detected some seismic activity due to the removal of the ore. I motioned for Joey to stop. Yvonne and I paid another visit to the expedition. They had paused and were studying their instruments. Now I was even more suspicious. Where did these men come from, and what alerted them to the activity? Yvonne and I returned to Joey and Laszlo, and I decided to stop the transfer. We stepped our way over to the repository to alert Annette that we had a problem.

Annette made contact with the chief engineer at the repository who had cut the electricity in order for us to get the portal operational. She explained that we had hit a snag, and we would get back with them when we decided to resume. Joey and I transported Annette back to her place. Mia was still at the villa. I then realized my oversight. I was stuck in Cannes. Neither Joey nor Annette intended to accompany me anywhere. I was now victim of a mutiny that I couldn't easily overcome. I couldn't exercise my authority as their superior because I would have to rely on the agency to take action. Our project was top secret, and there were no other agents to backfill their positions. I had unwittingly allowed Joey and Annette to back me into a corner, and I had no means of escape. They knew that Yvonne could not come to my aid. Annette was about to get her revenge.

Annette wanted to be briefed on the expedition that Yvonne and I had seen on the mountain. She grabbed six bottles of wine, and Joey, Annette, and I headed out to the pool. I was apprehensive, but kept my composure. I began my explanation with the old man in the ship that no one else could see. This was an anomaly that was of minor importance. Our main concern was why these men were monitoring activity on the mountain. We considered two possibilities. One was that our previous transport had caused seismic activity that was detected and alerted scientists that something was happening on that mountain. What didn't make sense was that it had been quite some time since our last transport. Why were they there today? Annette began asking questions about the camp that I had seen. It was very temporary. This wasn't a longterm operation. It appeared that they were preparing for several days, not weeks. The more disconcerting possibility was that someone had tipped them off that there was activity in that mountain, and that it would take place on this day.

We weighed the possibilities. It was unlikely that our previous transport had caused alarm. Of course, I made reference to the old man in the ship, but nobody was the least bit interested in my hallucination. I had seen him before, but he merely observed. He never tried to communicate. This time, he alerted me that there was a potential problem. Otherwise, we would have known nothing of the expedition. The last thing that we wanted was a leak from the inside, but we had suffered this before on our previous project. The alarming aspect was that there were precious few people who knew where the gold was. The only ones with that knowledge were the contact at the Treasury Department, Annette, Joey, Mia, myself, and our counterparts on the golden highway. We quickly ruled out Yvonne and Laszlo. I knew where this was going. The Treasury Department desperately wanted the gold. It made no sense that their contact would leak such damaging information. Obviously, it was not Joey, Annette, nor I. Joey and Annette both turned to look at me.

The circumstances were stacked against Mia. I hadn't known her that long, and she was a former agent of a continental agency. We still suspicioned that we didn't know enough about her. Mia would benefit from shutting down our operation, but I had offered to leave the agency and hide with her. She had declined and asked that I continue. I knew that Joey and Annette had the right to keep me in Cannes, especially if Mia was a suspected traitor. Although I knew better than to voice my thoughts, I was aware that Annette would benefit from ending this project to get her promotion. She would also benefit from framing Mia into appearing as a traitor. In addition, Joey would also want to smear Mia's credibility. If Mia were taken into custody for interfering with a project, I would most likely never see her again. Joey and Annette were a half step away from implicating Mia and confiscating my cell phone. They had the right to hold me captive until the matter was resolved. Mia was not one of our agents, and I had divulged secret project information to her. I was now at their mercy, and that wasn't one of their known attributes.

I began my defense. "We may be jumping to conclusions here. We aren't certain that the expedition on that mountain had anything to do with us."

Annette took another sip of her wine. "I thought you just told us that they became very excited and started following a signal. You thought the reason for that was because Joey and Laszlo had begun to transport the cubes of ore."

"That may be so, but even though they got excited about Joey and Laszlo causing some level of seismic activity doesn't mean that the expedition was there because they had been tipped off. They may have detected some shifting within the mountain from the backfill that we did before. This could be coincidental. We don't know what our previous transport caused or how long they had been monitoring the activity on that mountain. This could have been one of many expeditions." I had to raise a reasonable level of doubt to prevent them from exercising a project coup. If I showed any signs of nervousness or fear, they would pounce like tigers. I poured another glass of wine. "I think Joey and I should pay a visit to the expedition in parking mode to listen and gain information. My Arabic is shoddy from my training, but Joey is fluent." It was a reasonable request. I was playing a game of strategic chess with a master, and Annette knew full well that if I got Joey to the golden highway I could go anywhere, and that meant back to Mia.

"You're assuming that the Turks are speaking Arabic. I seriously doubt that. They most likely are speaking Turkish." I looked at Joey to see if she spoke Turkish. She shook her head. Parking mode did not allow us to take pictures or record anything on our phones because we weren't actually there.

"Well, it looks like we'll have to get a Turkish translator from the agency to help."

Annette immediately rebutted. "We can't do that, Adriel. This is a top secret project. It would require transporting someone via the golden highway, and we aren't allowed to disclose that fact." Annette glared at me. I knew she was implicating my divulgence to Mia about our capabilities and the project. I could feel the noose tightening. Annette and Joey exchanged glances and put their wine glasses on the table. In unison, they arose and approached me. Annette held out her hand. "I need your cell phone and your cyanide pill, Adriel."

About a year ago, Annette had given me a small, waterproof, black box with a spring loaded lid. It held a cyanide pill that I was to use in the event of my imminent capture. We all had them and kept them with us at all times. I knew better than to resist. I reached into my pocket and handed over the box and my cell phone. Joey stayed with me as Annette took my belongings inside. I knew that Annette was locking them in her safe. I didn't have Yvonne's protection anymore, so I couldn't escape or retrieve my things from the safe. I hadn't felt this helpless in a very long time.

When Annette returned after several minutes, I asked, "So, how long have you two been planning this?"

Annette gave me a confused look. "Planning what, Adriel? Are you talking about your carelessness to divulge sensitive information to your lover? You are fully aware that we are within our rights to detain you. I couldn't have planned this setback in our operation. All facts appear to point toward Mia. I'm not fully convinced that you didn't leak the intel to the Turks. You would benefit from shutting this project down, and I know that you would run with Mia. She's a serious problem for the agency, Adriel, and you know it."

I had to admit. Annette was right, and I did know it. "So, now what?"

Annette settled back into her chair and resumed with her wine. "You're a spoiled rookie, Adriel. You not only lack the experience with the agency, you have had super capabilities that we have never had. None of us can travel the golden highway without you. I don't know why that is, and I really don't care. I am used to doing things the conventional way. I have already ordered a security surveillance team to Milos to spy on Mia to see what information we can glean. They will transcribe all of her communication and report on her activities. I also left word with the colonel, and I have asked for your benefits, rights, and freedom to be revoked until we finish our investigation. Until then, we should enjoy ourselves. Right now, you belong to me." Joey stared at me as she smiled, and that was checkmate.

Joey peeled off her clothes as Annette came over to straddle me in the chair. She put her lips next to my ear and whispered. "By now, you should realize that I can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Mia got selfish and tried to steal you from me, but by the time Joey and I get done with you, she won't want you back. You belong with us, Adriel. We own you now, and we have the right to do anything we want."

I pulled back to look into Annette's eyes. "You're kidding me, right? You're just trying to scare me."

"Oh, you should be afraid, all right. You should be very afraid. I have been with the agency a long time. You won't be the only man that I have ever fucked, but you will be Joey's first."

I looked at Joey and then Annette as they pulled me from my chair. "You can't be serious! Annette, please, don't do this!"

I tried to resist as they began removing my clothes, but Joey put a knee in my abdomen that sent me to the ground. They pulled the last of my clothing from my body and carried me into Annette's bedroom. They were throwing me onto the bed. Just as soon as they released me, as I was in midair, Yvonne snatched me to the golden highway. I was shocked, confused, relieved, and bewildered.

Yvonne had me by the shoulders as I screamed, "What just happened? Did you just give me another vision? What's going on? How much of this has been real?" Yvonne had given me some very realistic visions in the past. I was hoping that this whole sequence had been some sort of a fabricated nightmare.

Yvonne shook me and tried to get me to calm down. "Adriel, get a hold of yourself. I have given you no visions this time. Unfortunately, all of this is real, but something significant has just happened, and it's going to pierce your heart. We need to talk, but first we need to make love. I need to heal you. Come with me."

I was surprised when Yvonne took me to the chalet that Joey had purchased for us. The furniture was covered with sheets. I rummaged through the kitchen, but everything had been cleared out. There wasn't even a bottle of wine left. Yvonne explained that we weren't staying for long. We needed to make love, and then we needed to have a very long conversation. If felt good to be able to travel with her again, but I knew that she was harboring some bad news. She pulled the sheet from the bed and took my hand to pull me down. She started slowly and deliberately until I was consumed with her love. We spent hours as she healed me to the depths of my soul.

Finally, it was time to talk. We sat on the bed facing one another. "Adriel, you have probably guessed why I am able to come to you again."

I was afraid to ask, but I needed to hear it from her. "No, I don't want to assume anything. I need for you to explain it to me."

"The reason that I could never come to you is that you chose to be intimate with Mia. You are still married to Evelyn. I don't make the rules." My heart was sinking fast. "Mia has moved on to the next life."

I burst into tears and collapsed onto the bed sobbing uncontrollably. Yvonne lay beside me and held me closely. "Adriel, we have a lot to discuss, but take your time. This is a process. When you're ready, I'll explain it all."

I had never felt such emotional devastation in my life. The woman whom I would have chosen above all was gone with my child. It was more than I could bear. Even with Yvonne by my side, I felt totally abandoned and cheated. I felt betrayed and forsaken. Happiness had been obliterated from my life. I was swimming in misery. My soul had been crushed. In the midst of my pain, I wondered if this was what Evelyn had felt when she heard that I was dead. I cried until I had no more tears. My eyes were emptied and swollen. I felt like I wanted to die. Yvonne was patient and waited as she comforted me. I don't know how much time passed. The sun had set, and it was very dark in the loft of the chalet where I lay in bed with Yvonne. I could barely see the mountaintops of the Alps under the light of the moon. My head was pounding, and I had no ibuprofen. My chest was hurting because my heart was broken. My hopes and dreams had been dashed to pieces.

I was still gasping and sobbing. She kissed and held me as I lay in her arms in a daze. Finally, I was able to ask. "What happened?"

Yvonne stroked my hair as she began. "This isn't going to be easy, Adriel. I'm not sure that explaining the details would be best for you right now. It was an accident, and I would rather explain it later. We need to have a lengthy discussion about your life because unfortunately you have gotten yourself tangled up and can't see the forest for the trees. Do you remember your confusion before your first calling to prevent nuclear war? You started understanding the thoughts of others."

I blew my nose and replied, "Yes, I didn't know what was happening, or why I knew so much about other people."

"You know that everything happens for a reason. You were able to remember your life before you came to this earth. You got to remember watching the creation of this world. You remembered the interaction of all of the people who were waiting to come here and live. You also recalled meeting others with whom you made plans to live your lives here. You realized that everyone got to choose how long he or she would live, and everything was negotiated with the Creator."

"Yes, I do remember that, but that was so long ago that it seems like a dream."

"Well, it wasn't a dream. I was allowed to reveal all of those things to you. You understood that after your negotiation you would come to live here and forget everything about your former existence. The same will be true when you leave this life for the next. However, part of your negotiation was to have a remembrance of your former existence. The Creator allowed that. You also chose this horrific emotional turmoil because you wanted to feel extreme emotion as a human. However, Evelyn did not choose to leave this world before you, so events had to play out according to both your negotiations. Are you beginning to understand this? It's all interconnected."

I nodded and wiped my nose. "I think so."

"All of the unpleasantness that we suffer on this earth was negotiated. We previously chose the challenges that we would face when we came here. Your requests were outlandish, and your life is like no one else's that you know. We still have a long way to go, Adriel. You once understood the necessity to live by faith, but you have strayed from that along the way. You also knew that everything happens for a reason, and that it works for your good. Right now, you have a hard time accepting that because of the pain that you feel. However, you must realize that the timing is perfect. Things that aren't supposed to happen do not happen. If Mia had not passed when she did, I could not have saved you, and you would have been repeatedly and relentlessly raped for days on end by two very ruthless women. It would have been emotionally devastating as well, especially coupled with the pain that you are now suffering, and you never negotiated to have them violate you like that."

"I was looking forward to raising my son with Mia."

"That is another aspect of your negotiation. It apparently wasn't enough for you to lose a lover. You had to lose a child too. You also need to remember that Melokuhle negotiated to die before birth. So many souls were afraid to come here and live on this earth, so they negotiated to die in utero. All of these conditions and relationships are orchestrated by us and coordinated by our Creator. So many people think that a loving Creator can't exist because of the pain and suffering and unfair circumstances in this world, but in reality it is we who negotiated all of it, and then we turn to blame the Creator. If you don't deal with your circumstances by faith in a loving Creator, then you will lose the opportunity to advance in this life. You once realized this, but lately you have gotten off track. There's a lot that I'm not allowed to tell you, but I will say that you negotiated enough for three lifetimes. We have a long way to go."

"So, where do we go from here?"

"I'm not the decision maker, Adriel, or we wouldn't be where we are now."

"Will you tell me what happened to Mia?"

"Like I said, it was an accident. She was making a salad and cut her finger deeply with a knife. She bandaged it and later went for a swim. The blood attracted three sharks."

I broke down once again. "I warned her about that."

"Yes, I know. A man drives to work everyday for years knowing that people get killed in car accidents. He never thinks it will happen to him, but one day it does. Please don't forget that your time here was negotiated. Layana, or Mia as you know her, chose the time of her demise before she was ever born onto this earth."

The sun was beginning to rise, and my head was pounding. I remembered that Yvonne and I could splice time. I asked her to take me to the golden highway and perform her magic to carve out about ten hours for me to sleep after we secured some ibuprofen. My career as an agent had been greatly damaged by Annette, and I needed to take the necessary steps to repair it. After getting several hours of sleep, Yvonne returned me to the sunrise that was shedding light onto the mountaintops outside our window. I needed a gun. I had to make two essential visits today to turn things back around. Annette never bargained for Yvonne returning to my side. She now had a formidable foe whom she could not conquer. Yvonne and I easily borrowed a gun from a shop in America. It was the middle of the night there, and I would be returning it later. We also grabbed the ammunition because although I wasn't going to kill anyone, there was a possibility that I might need to wound someone.

We decided that I needed to eat something. My agency account had been frozen, and I couldn't purchase anything. In addition, I had no clothing. If we were going to be seen in public, we would need to secure the appropriate clothing as well. Besides, it would be essential to my plan. As difficult as it was for me, Yvonne took me back to Milos to get dressed and eat something. My heart was wrenching with pain. We needed to act quickly because Annette had sent a surveillance team to Milos to spy on Mia. They would most likely have been alerted that I may show up at the villa. We were in and out within five minutes. We returned to the chalet to wait for a few hours as I munched on fruit and cheese.

It was time to execute my plan. The colonel was in his office at the Pentagon, and Yvonne and I stepped in at the opportune time. The colonel was startled, and before he could speak I explained. "Colonel, Agents Marceau and Nyari have executed a project coup without the necessary evidence. They took me captive and confiscated my cell phone. They are undermining my authority and misinforming you about me."

Just as I finished speaking, the colonel's cell phone rang. It was Annette. The colonel gave me a concerned look as he listened carefully to what she was saying. I expected his next response. "Agent Marceau, I want you and Agent Nyari in my agency office first thing tomorrow morning. I'm dispatching an agency jet right away." He then hung up his phone. "I see what you mean, Agent White. I'll handle this. As you know, this agency is dedicated to its agents, and the agency expects the same in return. Lying to a superior, especially about another agent, is not tolerated. I will deal with agents Marceau and Nyari."

"Thank you, sir. Now, I have some gold to transport." The colonel gave me a surprised look. "Oh, I imagine that you think that I need Agents Marceau and Nyari. In fact, I don't. I will make the next transport by myself. Please alert the chief engineer at the repository to cut the power. I'll get started right away."

Yvonne and I disappeared as she took me to the golden highway to splice time again. Yvonne and I then stepped over to Annette's pool where she and Joey were enjoying their day. Timing was essential. I held them at gunpoint and demanded that Annette call the colonel to reinstate my status.

Annette put her wine glass on the table as she studied my face. "You won't shoot me, Adriel."

"No, Annette, I won't kill you, but I would put a bullet in that beautiful leg of yours." I pointed the gun toward her right knee.

Annette slowly reached for her phone and dialed the colonel. "Colonel? It's Agent Marceau. Agent White is holding me at gunpoint demanding that you reinstate him." Annette's face transitioned from confidence to confusion.

"Let me guess, Annette, he wants you and Joey in his agency office first thing in the morning." Annette's confusion turned to anger, and Yvonne and I disappeared back to the chalet.

Annette and Joey knew that I could splice time, but if they tried to explain it to the colonel it would look like a desperate attempt with a preposterous story to discredit me once again. The colonel knew that I finished my agency training in record time by testing out of several classes. He didn't know that I had spent an entire year in the training program by splicing multiple time frames within days. Yvonne and I stepped across the golden highway to the mountain. We stayed in parking mode to check for any expeditions that might be trying to detect us. We saw nothing. We then prepared the necessary portals and transported gold for a full eight hours. We estimated that another four trillion dollars had been delivered. I alerted the colonel that the first wave of transport was finished. I planned to transport for another eight hours tomorrow, but I was paying him another visit first.

I needed to give the colonel time to meet with Annette and Joey. Yvonne and I would be in parking mode to observe. I wanted to know everything that they told him so that I could prepare a response. I may not be able to read minds anymore, but I could spy on people completely undetected. My heart was still aching concerning Mia. It was difficult to function amid the grief, but it did at times help to get my mind off of her. It was good to have Yvonne back with her capabilities, but I never regretted my decision to take Mia as a wife. The surveillance team that Annette had sent to Milos would find no trace of Mia. Yvonne and I had removed what few clothing she had at my villa. The only thing that remained of hers was her books, and those could have been mine. I was trying to retrace our steps to determine if anyone other than Annette or Joey could attest to me having a relationship with Mia. No one knew of the herbalist or that we had been to the restaurant. Our exposure had been minimal. However, I needed to be careful not to be caught in a lie to the colonel. That could prove disastrous.

The next morning, Yvonne and I were in parking mode as we followed Annette and Joey into the colonel's agency office in Washington, D. C. He began his interrogation to ascertain why Annette and Joey had executed a project coup. Joey was silent as usual. Annette did all of the talking. She explained that they had reason to believe that I had leaked classified information to a non-agent whom they suspected had compromised our project. The colonel asked for proof which Annette was unable to provide. Joey did corroborate Annette's story with a nod, but Annette could provide nothing substantial. As I suspected, the surveillance team that Annette had ordered reported no activity at my residence in Milos. I was sure that Annette and Joey thought that I had hidden Mia somewhere. The colonel then focused on the phone call that Annette had made to him yesterday morning. Again, Joey attested with a nod that I had held Annette under gunpoint to demand my reinstatement to the agency. The colonel did not disclose that I was in his office at the same time that he received Annette's call. After several more questions, the colonel picked up his phone and made a quick call. I was shocked when two agency enforcement officers arrived to escort Annette and Joey to a detention facility.

Once they had cleared the colonel's office, Yvonne and I stepped in. The colonel nodded at me with concern. "I was expecting you to show up. You're probably aware of the serious allegations against you. I have just detained two of my best agents until I can understand what is going on here."

"Yes, Colonel, I am aware, but before you ask any questions that might jeopardize your position, I want to explain several things."

The colonel looked indignant. "Jeopardize my position? What the hell are you talking about Agent White?"

"Please listen, Colonel. You know that I delivered approximately four trillion dollars of gold yesterday without any other agency help. Obviously, this project has not been compromised. By now, you probably realize that I can take the gold back at any time if I so desire. You probably also know that I cannot be incarcerated. I am also able to hide where no one can find me. I have far more capabilities than you can imagine. The major problem that you are facing is that I cannot be controlled in any fashion. All that remains is that you have to trust me. I know that trust isn't something that anyone in the agency is accustomed to doing. It has been observed that absolute power corrupts absolutely. I will beg to differ. I have lost everything in this world that I cared about. I have the ability to take anything that I want. However, I have no desire to abuse the power that I have. I will continue to comply with our contract to the Treasury Department. You should know by now that I can be trusted. Agent Marceau wants her new position with the agency, but before that can happen this project needs to be completed. Agent Nyari wants to use my ability to navigate to become the greatest assassin of all time. I have no aspirations, but I won't allow myself to be used by the agency or anyone else. Therefore, all that remains is that you must trust me. Now, please notify the chief engineer at the repository because I have more gold to transport."

Yvonne and I disappeared before the colonel could respond. We then used the golden highway to check on Annette and Joey. They were isolated in separate dormitories. The facility was pleasant and offered the comforts of home with privacy and entertainment but no alcohol. I wasn't sure how Annette would survive. I was going to be sure that they were released soon, but I needed to transport more gold. Yvonne and I spent another eight hours of transferring ore from the mountain to the repository. There was still no sign of anyone trying to locate us on the mountain. I was beginning to think that it was just a fluke. Neither had I seen the old man in the ship again. Yvonne and I were able to secure our surroundings by visiting in parking mode. So far, the government had complied with all of my requests to transport the gold in a secured environment. I was less concerned at this point if the feds held up to my stipulations. I just wanted to finish this project. I had no intentions of taking another assignment.

I decided to contact the liaison at the Treasury Department with my burner phone to modify our transport procedure. I explained that I had no more stipulations, and I would fill the repository in the next two days. The refiners had been removing the ore nightly to extract the gold and form it into bars. I asked that no one enter the repository for three days because I was stepping up the transport output. Yvonne and I had assessed the portals and the remaining space at the destination site. We decided that we could increase the size of our cubes from nine square feet to twenty-five. This would require more frequent portal shifting, but it allowed us to deliver more ore in less time. The process was not physically taxing from our standpoint. It just required us to keep moving to transport the cubes. We could extend our transport time to twelve hours. This new process would deliver nearly three times as much ore. That meant that the feds would get over twelve trillion dollars of gold per day.

Adriel Chevalier was dead. Agent Jasper White had no plans or goals. He had no aspirations. I no longer wanted Evelyn or Joey. I had lost the love of my life. No one could ever replace Mia. In the short time that I knew her, she brought me joy and happiness like no other. I had given myself to her in ways that I never dreamed possible. She had given herself back to me in the same manner, and we experienced the greatest bliss and love that anyone could imagine. She was irreplaceable. All I wanted to do now was transport gold and end this project. Yvonne and I had not discussed how much we were going to deliver. Everyone had to take our word for how much there was. It was impossible for anyone to monitor what we did. No one could traverse the golden highway without either Yvonne or me. Once we decided that we had transferred enough gold, I was planning to disappear.

Three days later, I notified the feds that the next shipment had been delivered. I would give them one day to remove it from the repository before I delivered the next wave of gold. I answered none of their questions. If they wanted more gold, they needed to empty the repository. Yvonne and I made another assessment, and we decided that we could expand the cubes to thirty-six cubic feet. It appeared that was going to be the maximum size unless we bought more material to create a larger portal, and we weren't going to do that. We now had to reposition the portal after every four cubes. We stopped calculating the value of the gold delivered. I didn't really care. Yvonne and I stopped by my villa to get four bottles of wine and then stepped over to the chalet in Switzerland. It was time to relax and regroup.

Annette had made a grave mistake by trying to control me. I was still angry that she and Joey intended to rape me to upset Mia. I knew that by now the colonel realized that I didn't need anyone's help. I could contact the liaison at the Treasury Department. I could check to be sure that the repository was secure. I could transport all of the ore. I was fairly certain that Annette's promotion was now off the table. The colonel wasn't making any moves as long as I was transporting gold. I knew that once I disappeared he would put Annette and Joey back into service. They were too valuable. I also knew that Annette would be assigned to find me, but she had no clue how to do that. My agency account would be frozen again, but Yvonne and I could do anything without money. I wasn't concerned. Yvonne was concentrating on my healing. I was even losing interest in that. I was drowning in depression.

I had decided to transport gold for three more weeks. I would then notify the Treasury Department that I was finished. There would be a significant amount of gold left in the mountain, and I could use it for bargaining power in the future if I needed. I was still very upset over Annette and Joey. As much as I loved them, I knew that I could never trust them. They weren't the type of people whom I wanted as enemies, but they weren't the type of people that I could endure as friends. The agency had a way of bringing out the worst in people, and I was determined not to let that happen to me. Several sinister ideas had been swimming in my head as to how I could retaliate against Annette and Joey, but that wasn't who I was. Instead, I was choosing to forgive them and work in their best interests. I had to admit that they were great allies, but worse enemies. Somehow, I needed to neutralize the relationship, but I wasn't sure how to do that.

I had also been struggling with the idea of visiting Mia's father. I knew how to find him because I had taken Mia to him in parking mode. I wasn't sure what I would tell him. I hated to be the bearer of bad news. She said that he wouldn't approve of me. I decided that it was best to leave him in the dark about his daughter's demise, not to mention his grandson. I had begged Yvonne that if there was a way, I wanted to visit Mia via the golden highway. She gently explained that before I came to this earth there were those whom I knew who had descended to live their lives here before I did. It would be like asking to visit them on earth before I descended, and that was impossible. In addition, they would not have recognized me because once we descended to this earthly plane, we forgot our former existence. She said that even if it were possible to visit Mia, I would be terribly disappointed. I wanted to hold her again and smell her fragrant, silky black hair. I wanted to feel her soft skin against my body and enjoy her sensuous lips. I wanted to meld my body with hers in a sweet union of love for hours on end. I felt so empty and alone, but Yvonne was always attentive and never left my side.

I finally decided that I should visit Annette with a bottle of wine and a corkscrew as a peace offering. We needed to mend our relationship sooner than later. Yvonne and I stepped across the golden highway to visit Annette. We sat in parking mode for a minute to be sure that she was all alone. We then entered across the room from her.

She had daggers in her eyes for me, but she softened when she saw the wine. "I've been expecting you. Although, I didn't expect you to bring wine. Is it poison?"

I gave her a disappointing look. "Of course not. I think we should mend our relationship before things get out of control."

"Well, you're a little late for that. I'm a prisoner now, thanks to you."

"You were going to rape me, for god's sake."

"Yeah, and you were going to shoot me in the leg. I suppose Mia is ecstatic that Joey and I have been detained."

I wasn't about to tell Annette about Mia. "Look, I know that your ego is injured that I got the best of you."

"Hey, this fight isn't over by a long shot, Adriel. You may have won a battle, but you will lose the war."

"That's exactly what I'm trying to prevent, Annette. It's useless for us to feud with one another. We have too much to gain by being allies."

"You should have thought of that before you let Mia run me out." Annette popped the cork on the wine. She never needed a glass.

"So, are you telling me that you are unwilling to make amends? Because, if so, I can drag this out for a very long time, and I don't think the colonel will let you out as long as I am delivering gold to the Treasury Department."

"What do you want from me, Adriel? I didn't shut you out. You let Mia come between us. We had a great friendship going, but you ruined it. You really hurt me, Adriel. Damn you! I've never suffered emotion with anyone before like this." Annette guzzled from the wine bottle.

"I didn't mean to hurt you. You demanded to be taken back to Cannes before I had a chance to talk to you. You're as stubborn as I am, Annette. We're too much alike. We both have double standards, and we're both selfish. After all that has happened, I still love you." Yvonne gave me a side glance.

"Well, you have a strange way of showing it. You abandoned me, after all that we shared together." Annette began to cry. "You were there for me when I needed you after Yvette's murder, but once you found a piece of ass you cut me loose."

I had to control myself because my blood was beginning to boil over her comment about Mia. "You shouldn't have run away, Annette. I could have smoothed things over."

"Oh, like you did with Joey? She didn't last more than a day after I went back home. Mia was going to be sure to get us out of your life for good. By the way, I wouldn't go visit Joey if I were you. You hurt her too, and she's not as congenial as I am now that she has emotions." Annette finished the bottle of wine. "By the way, how did you get Yvonne back? I thought that fucking Mia ran her off for good."

Yvonne grabbed my arm before I responded. "There's a lot you don't know, Annette. You have no idea what I can do. So, are we going to make up, or what?"

Annette was still fuming as she thought for a minute. "Damn you, Adriel! I'm so angry with you right now, but I miss you."

I held out my arms. After a moment, Annette mechanically walked over to me with her head down. I held her tightly and stroked her back. I pulled her chin up, and tears fell from her eyes. I gently kissed her lips, and she began to respond. My heart took a momentary leap as she pushed me onto the bed and climbed on top of me. She lay in my arms sobbing like a little girl as she kissed me intermittently. After about twenty minutes, I explained that I needed to leave, but I promised to return soon to sort things out. I just wanted to be sure that she was willing.

Once Yvonne and I stepped onto the golden highway, Yvonne asked, "Just where do you think you're going with this? Are you really going to let her back in?"

I shook my head. "I really don't know, Yvonne. I'm just taking it one step at a time. Annette will be my friend as long as she thinks that she can get what she wants by using me, but I know that she would never be there for me in my time of need if I had nothing to offer. Come on, we have another gold shipment to deliver."

# **CHAPTER ELEVEN**

# **_ANNETTE_**

****

****

Yvonne and I made the steps across the golden highway to the repository to be sure that all personnel had evacuated. After about fifteen minutes of browsing in parking mode, we were confident that the area was secure. We came out of parking mode to reset the portal. All was working well. We then stepped over to the ship on the mountain, and much to our dismay our portal equipment was missing. We searched the large room to see if anyone might have moved it, but it was nowhere to be found. We entered parking mode again and checked outside the ship. We found nothing. Obviously, someone had been here. That in itself was a bad sign. I notified the colonel that we had encountered a problem, and the shipment was going to be delayed until further notice. Yvonne and I didn't stick around and returned to the chalet. It provided a familiar, secure place for us, and I wasn't ready to return to Milos due to my grief over Mia. I didn't know what to think at this point about the missing equipment, and I needed another opinion.

I told Yvonne that we were going to go get Annette. I could tell by the look on her face that she didn't think it was a good idea, but she didn't comment. We stepped over to Annette's dormitory and entered across the room. She was slightly startled, but glad to see me. I began to explain. "Annette, I'm taking you out of here, but first I need for you to remove all of your clothing and give them to me."

Annette looked surprised. "Why do I need to do that?"

"Just do as I say. Take off your clothes." Annette stripped and handed me her clothing. I handed them to Yvonne. "Here, Yvonne, make sure that she isn't carrying anything in her clothes." I then turned to Annette. "Lie on your back on the bed and pull your knees up."

"What for?"

"I'm doing a cavity search to be sure you aren't hiding anything like a cell phone."

"Are you serious?"

"Pull your knees up!"

"I don't know why... ow!  Adriel, take it easy. Aren't you going to buy me dinner first? I don't think Mia would approve of this."

"Good lord, Annette, you couldn't possibly get a cell phone in there. You're tiny!"

"Yeah, I know, so I've been told. Are you done?"

"Yes, we're done. Let me wash my hands, and we'll get going."

We stepped across the golden highway to the chalet, and Yvonne handed Annette her clothing. Annette exclaimed, "Oh, my god, are we at Joey's place in the Alps? I thought we were going to the beach."

"Not today, Annette. You're still a prisoner, but you're captive in a different place. There are no cell phones here, and you can't escape. However, I am going to go get a case of wine before we talk. Do you have any preferences?"

"Oh, how about that little vineyard in Italy that we used to visit?"

"No problem. We'll be back in a few minutes."

For the first time, I got to use the Italian that I learned in my agency training. They had a system that they used for teaching language that made things much simpler. I actually ended up buying two cases of wine, but I knew that Annette wouldn't complain. We dropped off the wine, and Yvonne and I made a trip to Paris to buy two dozen croissants and five different types of cheese. There were times in my former life that I would visit three groceries to get everything I needed. I was now hopping countries within seconds to purchase our food.

Annette was more affectionate than ever. In fact, I was even getting suspicious because she wouldn't stop holding me and kissing me. It took several hours before I realized that she was just making up for lost time. I still didn't trust her. As she munched on the rolls and the cheese, I explained my problem. Annette didn't wait to speak between bites and answered me with a full mouth of croissant. "I don't see what the big problem is. Why don't you and Yvonne just go back in time to see who took the equipment?" I had no idea why I didn't think of that. I turned to Yvonne, but she had a worried look on her face. She held out her hand, and we stepped onto the golden highway.

"Adriel, I think this is a very bad idea. I didn't want to say anything in front of Annette, but we shouldn't be traveling in the past."

"I don't understand. We've done it many times."

"Yes, but that was before Mia. I didn't want you going back in time because it's important that you don't visit her ever again."

"I wasn't asking to visit her. We just need to find out who took our equipment."

"I know you aren't asking that now, but once we get into the past you're going to be overwhelmed with the desire to visit her, and we mustn't do that. You could lose me again, Adriel. Please, I'm begging you."

"Well, can you visit the past without me?"

"I can visit your past and future, but no one else's. You were absent when the equipment was taken, so I can't visit the ship in the past when you weren't there."

"I'm eventually going to have to let Annette know that Mia is gone, but if she showed any signs of elation, I think I would strangle her right now. I'm not far enough past it yet. Yvonne, I miss her so much."

"I know, but you need to listen to me. Every time you disregard my direction, you pay the consequences."

"Perhaps, but I thought everything was negotiated with the Creator."

"Certain concepts and goals were negotiated, but not the means by which they are accomplished. Your decisions can either make things much worse or make them tolerable. That's why so many people fail their negotiations. They make the wrong decisions, and they end up being unable to cope. Your free will is still in control, but you need to use it wisely."

"So, what should I do?"

"I can't tell you what to do. I can warn you of possible mistakes, but you have to make the decisions. However, remember that I'm not infallible."

Yvonne and I paused for another one of my healing sessions. We then stepped back to the chalet. Once again, the golden highway played its chronological trick because several hours had passed in the earthly realm. I found Annette asleep in my bed, and I crawled in next to her. I pulled her in closely and kissed her neck. I then joined her in a sweet slumber. I dreamed so many dreams that I could not remember, except for one. I was at the portal in the ship, and the old man came walking through the portal. He was followed by a woman and three other couples who gathered in the room. I was intrigued as I studied the four women. The old man had a wife who looked much the same as he in color and racial aspects. However, the three younger men had wives who were very diverse. One wife had blonde hair and blue eyes. Another had black skin with kinky hair. The third younger wife had slanted eyes and looked very Oriental. The women stood off to the side while the old man and the three other men began disassembling the portal equipment and took it out of the ship. I watched them disperse from the mountain. The old man and woman walked westward carrying our battery. The younger man with the Oriental wife walked eastward carrying the metal frame. The one with the blonde wife walked northward with the infrared light, and the one with the black wife walked southward toting the ultraviolet light.

I awoke in the early morning to Annette kissing my lips. I looked into her bright blue eyes and smiled. As much as she annoyed me at times, she was the most beautiful young woman who could captivate me in an instant. I climbed on top of her and engaged her in a kissing session for about twenty minutes. My heart was melting again, and I knew that was a dangerous place to be. Mia was gone, and Annette would be clinging to me again. She was my surrogate sister, and I loved her dearly. I knew that if it weren't for her homosexuality that we would be torrid lovers in a love hate relationship. It wouldn't equal what I had with Mia, but I knew that it would be wildly different in its own sensual way.

I paused to ask, "Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you and I made love?"

Annette blinked a few times and gave me a quizzical look. "Have you ever considered making love to a man?"

"No, I haven't. I'm not the least bit aroused by men nor attracted to them."

"Then you know how I feel about men. You and I feel the same way about men and women. I love you, Adriel, and I really enjoy kissing and holding you, but it's like having a dear sister. I do fantasize about you and I making love to a woman together. I know several who would be willing, but we have to finish the project first."

"That's where you and I differ greatly, Annette. I can't use people like that."

"Oh, but you do. You just convince yourself that you are in love with them. That is the real difference between us. I just don't feel the need to employ those emotional gymnastics. Maybe that's how you justify your desires and actions. We're a lot more alike than you want to admit."

I was very disturbed as I contemplated the truth behind Annette's statement. However, I was curious. "When you and Joey took me captive, you said that I wouldn't be the only man that you had sexually. If you're not attracted to men, then why did you engage in a sexual relationship?"

I could see that Annette was disturbed. "Adriel, you haven't been with the agency for very long. They own us in every way. A superior can do as he pleases with his subordinates. Joey is the only woman I know in the agency who hasn't been raped by a superior. First of all, she hasn't ever been assigned to a superior because she is purely a bodyguard and assassin. Secondly, everyone is afraid of her."

"Are you serious? Isn't there a law against that kind of abuse?"

"In the agency, we have no rights. People abuse authority all the time. We are denied nothing, but in turn we have to give everything."

"How many men have abused you?"

Tears began to fall from Annette's eyes. "So far, there have been three."

My heart was breaking for her. I held her tightly and promised that I would never abuse her in any way, nor would I ever let her work for anyone else. I had the means to protect her, and I vowed to keep her safe the rest of her life.

Annette held me tightly as she asked, "Did you and Mia break up?"

My heart was wrenching, and it took me a few moments to respond. "No, she died accidentally, and I don't want to discuss it."

Annette squeezed tighter as she held me with her head on my chest. "I'm so sorry, Adriel. I know how much you loved her."

"Annette, please explain something to me. Why were you going to rape me when you had suffered the same thing?"

Annette sat up and looked down at me. "Adriel, it wasn't my idea. I know you, and I was afraid that you were going to run away with Mia. It was Joey's plan to do that to upset Mia in hopes of breaking you two up. I really had no intention of participating. You were right that I wanted to scare you, but Joey was determined to take you. Believe me, I was relieved when Yvonne rescued you, but I believed that Mia was to blame for the leak to the Turkish government. I was angry that you chose her over me, but I really didn't want to hurt you. I'm sorry we did that. What about you? You were going to shoot me in the leg, and don't tell me you wouldn't have done it. I know when someone is bluffing."

"You're right, I would have. I was angry with you too, and I would have hurt you in order to carry out my plan to get reinstated. I'm sorry too."

Annette and I lay in bed for over an hour holding and comforting one another. I finally disclosed my dream that I had, but Annette held no significance in dreams. I knew that Yvonne had given me the dream, and I didn't understand its meaning. She hadn't returned, so I didn't have a chance to interrogate her. It felt good to hold Annette without any expectations of sex. We loved one another apart from sensuality, but we could go from best friends to bitter enemies in minutes as we had witnessed before. Love and hate were as closely related as laughing and crying. I had seen myself and many others cross those lines within seconds.

"Annette, can we make a pact together?"

"Like what?"

"Can we agree never to be at odds with one another again?"

"I don't think we need a pact, Adriel. I'm never going to let anyone come between us. I think you need to make up your mind to do the same."

I thought about her statement for a while before asking, "Do you think that we need to go get Joey?"

Annette raised up to look me in the eye. "Would you lose Yvonne if you fucked Joey?"

"I'm sure that I would."

Annette put her head back on my chest. "Then I think you better leave Joey where she is."

I waited a few more minutes before asking, "Annette, if I take you out of here, do you promise not to run away?"

Annette raised up to look me in the eye again. "Adriel, I run to you, not away from you. When are you ever going to learn that?"

"Great! Let's take a shower, get dressed, and have breakfast in Paris." Annette jumped up like a spring and headed for the bathroom.

As Annette and I scrubbed each other down, she suggested, "I know a great place in the fifth arrondissement called La Crêperie. They have the best crepes in Paris."

"Sounds good to me, Annette." I finished rinsing the shampoo from her hair.

Annette and I had a wonderful time enjoying our breakfast and coffee. We laughed, walked, talked, and I could tell that she was ecstatic to have me all to herself. It was sometimes difficult to accept that we were just friends. I thought about her deceased twin sister, Yvette. Annette once told me that Yvette had been crazy about me and would probably have tried to steal me from Evelyn at one time. As much as I hated to admit it, at this moment I could see how that could have been possible. As we strolled along the Seine hand in hand, I pulled her around and embraced her in a long, sensuous kiss. She stiffened and then went limp in my arms as she responded and teased me with her tongue. When I finally released her lips, she whispered, "Adriel, please stop. You don't want to do anything that we will both regret. It's Paris, and it always has this effect on lovers, even friends." She kissed me once again, but as my friend.

Annette wanted to go back to Milos. I explained to her that I wasn't yet emotionally able to return to my villa. I still hadn't seen Yvonne, and I thought that it was strange that she had stayed away so long. I suggested that we go to Annette's residence in Cannes, but she wanted to go to a beach. We negotiated for nearly an hour before choosing a deserted island in the South Pacific where we could lie naked next to the surf and discuss our next steps with the project. It was a tremendous experience to sun ourselves on the deserted beach with six bottles of wine, some French baguette, and let our Brie and Camembert soften in the South Pacific sunshine. Anything we needed was just a few steps away across the golden highway. I remember before our last project had begun when Annette explained that Evelyn and I could have anything we wanted with the agency. She said that Evelyn could have breakfast in Madrid, lunch in New York, and dinner in San Francisco. I giggled to myself that I could now have appetizers in Paris, an entree in Hong Kong, and dessert in Boston, if I so desired. What had appeared to be incredible about eighteen months ago now seemed boring. Perspective truly was everything.

We discussed our concerns about the missing equipment inside the ship. Once again, Annette had no interest in my dream. Regardless of who took our apparatus, someone knew that we had been there. We needed to know how much they knew about what we were doing. If the Turkish government realized that we had been stealing gold, there would be a considerable amount of trouble. However, I didn't see how they could pin it on the American government. They would have no idea where the gold was transferred. I wasn't concerned about being apprehended. Yvonne and I kept a hold on one another, and we could disappear in an instant. The major question that I now had was whether we would consider this project to be completed. However, as much as I wanted this to be over, I knew that the feds were aware that there was a lot more gold in that deposit. It would be difficult to get them to agree to a shutdown. Annette was far more aware of the politics and had some ideas for maneuvering with the feds. We could launch an investigation that could take months before we had to produce anything. I could tell that Annette no longer looked forward to a promotion. She wanted to remain as my subordinate. I had promised to protect her, and she knew that I would give her free rein to do as she pleased.

I wasn't sure how or if Joey would fit in with us. Annette had warned me that Joey was intent on captivating me, and once she knew that Mia was out of the way she would stop at nothing. I didn't stand a chance of resisting her. Once Joey was free, I would lose Yvonne. This became another major concern of mine. However, she would be detained as long as I directed. She was my subordinate on this project, and the colonel had put me back in charge. Annette warned me more than once not to visit Joey. She encouraged me to complete my grieving process over Mia and finish the project. She also made me promise to consult with her before ever deciding to see Joey again. Annette had suffered Mia coming between us, and now she was concerned that Joey would do the same. Annette knew what Joey would do once she got a hold on me.

Annette made a good partner for me. Although we were much alike in some ways, we didn't share the same philosophies or paradigms. I was more ethereal, while she was more practical. I could traverse the golden highway, and she could negotiate with the feds. It seemed like a match made in heaven, except that Annette and I could be like gasoline and fire together. We both had our outrageous sides that fed off of one other. In the past, it had taken someone like Evelyn or Mia to keep us somewhat grounded. We no longer had that stable influence, and I was afraid of what Annette might talk me into these days. She was eager to live out her fantasy, and I knew once this project was complete she would have me in Cannes with several women, and that was something that I wanted to avoid. I still hadn't seen Yvonne, and I was ready for another healing session.

Annette and I were fried from the South Pacific sunshine, and we decided to go back to her place in Cannes to get some sleep. We were hopping around the world, and days and nights were mixed up. We were sleeping and eating in intervals. We were also in desperate need of workouts and training. Joey was very disciplined, but Annette and I would go for days without keeping up with our expected regimens. We needed to stop drinking wine for a few days to clear our heads. We climbed into her bed and held each other in our usual positions. I was exhausted, and I was soon asleep and dreaming once again. I saw the old man and woman who had traveled to the west with our battery, and they brought light into the western world. I watched the young man with the blonde woman who traveled to the remote regions of the north with the infrared light to be able to see in the darkness of that region. The man with the wife who had slanted eyes carried our frame to the east and used it to build a great wall to isolate themselves. The man with the black wife used the ultraviolet light to maintain dark skin and live in the region to the south where the wild beasts roamed. They lived among spiders as big as house cats and beetles the size of dinner plates.

I awoke in darkness and pulled Annette's hair from my face. I kissed her bare shoulders for a few minutes and enjoyed the spicy smell of her soft skin. I wanted to make love to her, but I knew that I couldn't have her. I carefully scooted out of the bed trying not to disturb her slumber. I walked out to the pool and sat on the edge with my legs in the water. I needed some structure to my life, and I knew that I would have to be the one to establish that. Annette was like a runaway freight train, and she was often hard to stop, but we needed to focus. It was time to settle back in Milos and adhere to a routine of days and nights to provide some stability. We could transfer gold at any hour, so it didn't matter where we lived. We just needed to stop bouncing all over the world, which was mostly my fault due to my reluctance to return to Milos. I appreciated that I had Annette to help me through my grief. When she awoke, I would explain that we needed to return to my villa and start making progress with our project.

I felt a hand on my left shoulder. I looked up to see Yvonne smiling down at me. She dropped her robe and sat next to me. She pulled me into her arms and made love to me beside the pool. I desperately needed the healing, and we shared two hours of tender bliss with one another. I was curious about the dreams, but as usual, I couldn't focus on anything but my healing session. Our union was incredible. When I was with Yvonne, I couldn't imagine trading her for an earthly woman. However, when I was with Annette I desperately wanted to make love to her. I would never be able to resist Joey if she were near me. I had actually forsaken Yvonne for Mia. I felt like a weak willed slut in some fashion. Why was I so easily overcome by women? I fell in love with them all. Perhaps Annette was correct in her assessment of me. Maybe this was my way of justifying my weakness with women. Regardless, I gravely disappointed myself. Yvonne knew what I was thinking. She kissed me and held me. She gazed into my eyes as she smiled.

"How could any woman put up with me, Yvonne? Evelyn was hurt by me. Mia was hurt by me. Why can't I be faithful?"

"Were you unfaithful to Mia, Adriel?"

"I upset her with Annette and Joey."

"That's true, but you weren't unfaithful to her. She didn't understand your relationship with them. Granted, not many women would understand, but you were committed to Mia. You ousted both Annette and Joey for her sake. You offered to quit the agency and live exclusively with Mia and Melokuhle."

"I guess that's true, but why am I so easily swayed by women?"

"It's part of who you are. Your most successful years with Evelyn were those when you were fairly isolated. You worked from home and met with Eddie on Wednesday nights. I think you recognized your need for isolation. I also think that's why you offered that to Mia. You know that you can't be isolated with the agency, and you also know that Annette intends to stay with you for life. It's just a matter of time before Joey is released, and you know what will happen then. I have known all of this for quite some time, and I have a lot to teach you because I know that you will discard me once again. Annette is wise enough to know that if she indulges you, you will lose your capabilities with me. She may not be attracted to you physically, but she would accommodate you if it weren't for me. Annette is far more dangerous to you than you realize. She manipulates you, and eventually she will have you locked into a sexual relationship with her women that you won't be able to escape, and Joey will be one of them. They intend to use you, Adriel."

"Sometimes I just wish I could go back to my former life with Evelyn."

"That may be unlikely, but it's not impossible. However, I think you need to be more realistic. I know that it's just a matter of time before I can't visit you anymore."

"So, what was the meaning behind the dreams that you gave me?"

"There is so much more that you need to learn about my realm. You are only scratching the surface, and you are going to have to learn what your capabilities can be without me by your side. You will never be able to do all that I can do, just as I cannot do all that you can do in your world. I personally don't want to get dragged into a sexual orgy in my realm, but if you let that happen to you it will happen to me. Just remember that whatever you do affects me. You expect me to interpret your dream for you, but that's not how this works. You need to be enlightened. It has to do with what we have been discussing. I need to give you time to contemplate the dreams. I'm going to give you a few days on your own to think things through. Just please be careful. Don't trust anyone. Everyone is only interested in what they can get from you."

"Are you sure about that? There are times that Annette genuinely seems to care about me."

"Is that because of what she says, or what she does? She wants you to be successful with the agency because she wants to use you for her purposes. She will do anything to keep you around, and I do mean anything. So, please be careful."

Yvonne pulled me up and kissed me as we embraced. She donned her robe and disappeared. I found a towel to dry my legs and scooted back into bed with Annette. She turned and threw her left leg over me as she nestled her head into my neck. I held her as I drifted off to sleep once again. Once more, I was dreaming. The couples who had dispersed to the four directions of the world were multiplying. As the groups grew larger, the ones from the north and west began to interact. They shared knowledge and resources and began to take advantage of the ones who had migrated to the south. The ones in the east remained isolated and untouchable. They didn't suffer from those in the western areas, but neither did they learn from them.

I awoke to Annette nibbling on my ear. Once I opened my eyes, she began kissing my lips and caressing the side of my face. She had the clearest blue eyes I had ever seen. I pulled her in closely, and she laid her head on my chest. I began to explain, "We need to focus on the project, Annette. I think it's time to retreat to Milos. I may need your help coping with my grief, but I think we will work much better there."

She raised her head to look at me and smiled. "I think you're right. We need to use your gym because we're both getting soft. Let's agree to spend the next week sparring, working on your language communication, and building our endurance and strength."

"Yes, and we need to establish a plan for the project. They are awaiting our communication, and so far we have nothing to share."

"I agree. I think I may need to go to D. C. to meet with the Treasury Department and do some relational work to gain some more time."

"We can discuss that later. They are at our mercy, so I don't expect any trouble from them. We may never know what happened to our equipment, but I need to build another portal. By the way, Yvonne visited me last night."

Annette looked surprised. "Why was she away for so long?"

"She wants me to think through some things. She said she won't be back for a few days. Annette, do you really love me?"

Annette smacked my chest. "Of course I love you, Adriel. Why would you need to ask that?"

"Yvonne thinks that you are just using me."

"Aren't you using me? I'm helping you through your grief. I'm helping with the project. Just because you are using me doesn't make me wonder if you love me. Doesn't everyone use everyone else? Why did you promise to protect me? Would you do that if I were just dead baggage to you?"

"Yes, I would. I vowed to protect you because I love you, not because of what I think I can get from you."

"I don't think you're being honest with yourself again. Love is a give and take relationship. It's not one-sided, Adriel. Look at you and Mia. You both gave and took from one another, but you didn't question it. Do you think that you and I are any different?"

"I didn't think so, but Yvonne is trying to warn me."

"Don't be ridiculous. I would do anything for you."

"She thinks you're going to get me involved sexually with a bunch of women at your place once the project is over."

"Oh, my! That does sound like fun, but I wasn't really planning that. I will admit that I am trying to figure out how to deal with Joey once we finish this project." Annette looked deeply into my eyes. "Look, Adriel, I don't want to lose you again to another woman, and Joey will steal you away. Believe me, if I thought I could captivate you with sex I would do that, but I know that sex will only keep you for so long. I need a more permanent solution, but I think that can only come from you. If I were heterosexual, I would marry you today, but I can't change who I am, and I would disappoint you. I won't leave you, Adriel. I wish you could commit the same to me."

"Annette, I don't want to leave you. I don't want to be manipulated by you into something that I shouldn't do either."

"I will do anything to hold on to you, Adriel, and yes, I would manipulate you if I thought that was the only way. I think it's important that we are open and honest about our feelings. If we can keep this kind of communication going, I think we'll be fine. I just wish that Yvonne wouldn't put doubts in your mind."

"Well, she did admit that she's not infallible. She just has a different perspective."

"I know conceptually that she is you, but sometimes she sure seems to get jealous. She's the most mysterious person I have ever met. Can you be honest with me?"

"I'll certainly try."

"Did it hurt you when you caught Evelyn and me together in Italy?"

"Well, it surprised me. I don't know if I was hurt because I had been doing some things with Joey."

"What if I were a man? Would you have been hurt to catch me with Evelyn?"

"Actually, yes, I think I would have been devastated."

"Did it upset you when you found out that I had been with Joey one time?"

"Oh, no, not at all."

"So, you accept homosexual relationships without a problem, but you have a difficult time with heterosexual relationships. I know that David used to drive you crazy when he made overtures to Evelyn."

"That's true, he did."

"What if Joey fucked another man? Would that upset you?"

"Oh, that would definitely upset me."

"You aren't threatened by women, but you are threatened by men."

"So, Annette, would you have been jealous if Gina was having sex with a man instead of Alexis?"

"That's a good question. Alexis was my superior, and she humiliated me with Gina. If she were a man, then yes, I would have to say that having a superior fuck my girlfriend, no matter the gender, would upset me."

"Gina now has a boyfriend. That doesn't seem to concern you, but what if she had a girlfriend instead?"

"I see your point, Adriel. It would bother me more if she had a homosexual relationship."

"So, you aren't threatened by men, but you are threatened by women."

"OK, let's talk about you and me. You have told me that you would like to make love me. What if I made love to another man? Would that bother you?"

"Hmmm... now that is interesting, Annette, because I don't think it would bother me."

"Well, Adriel, I would have to say the same. I really don't care who you fuck, but I don't want to lose you as the friend that you are. Of course, the difference is that you are attracted to me sexually, but I'm not attracted to you that way. So, it's a little different. However, I think it's interesting that you are more tolerant of my sexual escapades than you would be with anyone else. What if I was your wife?"

"Well, that's different. I would expect you to be faithful and not have sex with someone else."

"Would you let me bring another woman into our bed?"

"Ooooh, I don't know about that. Would you expect me to have sex with her?"

"What if you could do whatever you wanted?"

"I don't think I could answer that."

"How did you feel about the threesome that you and I had with Evelyn on the yacht?"

"I think I was more interested in not excluding you from our celebration of love. I didn't feel threatened, and I knew that I wasn't going to have sex with you, except for the stimulation that I provided, but that's different."

"How is it different? It's still you and me with another woman."

"Wow! I'm not sure how I would feel. If you and I were married, I'd rather that we just kept it to the two of us. After what I experienced with Mia, it would detract from the experience to have a third person involved."

"Yeah, what you experienced with Mia was out of this world. From what I saw, there isn't a woman alive who could take her place. Even Joey could never match Mia." Tears began to fall from my eyes, and Annette grabbed me into a hug. "Hey, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned that."

"No, it's OK. I have to get past this."

Annette and I decided to shower at my place in Milos because it was much larger. Mia's car was still parked at the end of my road, and as emotionally difficult as it was going to be, we intended to drive it into town to buy groceries and supplies. It took us most of the day to get settled, and instead of heading to the beach with wine we worked out in my gym until we were exhausted. Annette insisted on using only the agency language the rest of the day, and every time I missed one of the fifty-five trigger words, she made me recite them one hundred times. We decided to postpone our sparring time until the following day. We were both exhausted by the time the sun set, and we were asleep in each other's arms in no time.

I awoke long before dawn and slipped my arm out from under Annette as she lightly snored. I went into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. My muscles were aching terribly, and I reached for the ibuprofen. Once the coffee was ready, I took a cup out to the patio to listen to the sounds of the night and contemplate what Yvonne had told me. I needed to assess the dreams that she had given me. I began to review what I remembered. It appeared that the various races were dispersed to the four corners of the earth. However, in the dream each couple took a component of the portal apparatus. I assumed that the frame taken by the Oriental woman and her husband was used to build the Great Wall of China. They used it to isolate themselves. I began to relate that aspect to the fact that Yvonne said that I isolated myself for the sake of Evelyn so that I wasn't exposed to other women. I don't remember intentionally doing that, but that is essentially what happened. The isolation of the people in the East protected them, but it also hindered them from gaining knowledge from others. I didn't see how that equated to my life.

The couple who traveled northward took the infrared light and used it to see in the dark. However, the older couple who migrated westward took the battery to provide light. Both of those groups took advantage of those who had gone south. I assumed that was referring to the slavery that was imposed on the people of Africa. I didn't see how any of this had anything to do with me. Nothing made sense. I remembered when David had translated the scroll that I had found in Avignon. The hieroglyphics explained about the golden highway and the relationship of couples. We had originally thought that it pertained to a husband and wife, but later we came to realize that it was really about a person and his or her counterpart on the golden highway. We didn't learn it by trying to figure it out. It had to come through enlightenment, and that was done by Yvonne. However, she now expected me to be enlightened about my dreams without her help. I was at a loss.

She had shown me visions before of Evelyn and me standing in the place of our counterparts. It took several sequences before I realized that we were the same people. As I look back, it now seems that it should have been apparent to me, but I was blinded. I am blinded now, but Yvonne expects me to gain enlightenment somehow. That isn't something that you can conjure up because it doesn't depend on your own effort. It's like watering a seed. You can't make it grow, but you have to provide the right environment. In order to be enlightened, we must be willing to let loose of anything that would inhibit our understanding. I had to be willing to give up everything for the enlightenment. If I tried to cling to anything that would deter my understanding, I would never receive the knowledge that I needed. I began to do an inventory of everything in my life that I didn't want to lose. The only thing I hadn't lost was Yvonne, Annette, and Joey. I hadn't lost certain capabilities. I hadn't lost my freedom, but that was debatable. Still, I felt as though I were getting nowhere. Everything seemed to hinge upon Yvonne, but I had lost her due to Mia for a while. I saw no correlation between Yvonne and my dreams. Here I was again trying to figure it out, and that wasn't what I was supposed to do. I had to wait for the enlightenment.

Yvonne knew everything that I was thinking, but I never knew what she was thinking. Although she may be viewed as my subconscious mind, I realized that she was another body part to me. She had a physical form that would die when mine did. We made love, but not in the traditional sexual sense. It always seemed that way to me, but to onlookers it appeared quite different. It had even greatly frightened Annette one night when Yvonne took me to realms of ecstasy that were inexplicable. I had the most incredible experiences with Yvonne, and I had equally amazing sexual experiences with Mia. However, they were very different. The only two people whom I knew that had experienced the healing process in the realm of the golden highway were David and Joey. David was now gone, and Joey was captive. I wanted to take her for her healing sessions, but Annette strictly warned that Joey would either seduce or rape me. She would use any means to lock me into a sexual relationship, especially since she knew that I had been with Mia. I had promised Annette to stay away from Joey.

Having Yvonne around gave me the ability to unlock my subconscious mind and understand what lurked within. However, I didn't want to think of her as merely being another part of my mind. She was another part of my body as well. I had a love for her, but it wasn't similar to what I felt for Annette, Mia, Evelyn, or Joey. Yvonne told me that she didn't make the rules. She also didn't want to break the rules. If it weren't for Yvonne, I knew that I would have married Joey. By now, we would have been an assassination team, and I really never wanted that to happen. The only thing that now protected me was having her incarcerated at the compound in Washington, D. C. Once the Angel of Death was released, I was doomed. Even if I tried to exercise my authority as her superior, I knew she would disregard it to captivate me. Once that happened, her goal would be accomplished.

I liked having Annette by my side. The only thing she would judge me for was doing anything that interfered with our relationship. Outside of that, I could commit the most heinous crime, and she wouldn't care. Mia was gone. Evelyn had rejected me, but I didn't blame her. I knew that Annette and Joey were a package deal, and my future seemed rather certain once this project was complete. As much as I wanted to end this project, I dreaded what awaited me. I may appear weak to you, and maybe I am, but if you saw Joey I think you would understand. These women worked for the agency, and they were accustomed to getting whatever they wanted. They were relentless, and I feared that they would use any means to accomplish their goals. Annette's future was secure with me. Joey could use me to excel far beyond her current reputation, which was already at the top of the heap. I was shocked when Mia had taken Joey down. I didn't think it was possible. As close as I became with Mia, I never learned the extent of her capabilities. She certainly wasn't an assassin, but someone was hunting her down for some reason. I never learned the story behind that either.

Annette wanted to launch an investigation into how our equipment got stolen. I was more inclined to buy more implements and finish transporting gold. Even if someone appeared at the ship, Yvonne and I could disappear in an instant. Someone would have to know the steps of aku/aki to enter and exit the portal, and those people were the rarest on earth. Yvonne had indicated that I could learn far more capabilities that would allow me to work without her physical presence. So far, I was the only one besides her who could transport others across the golden highway. She had taught me the steps necessary to do that. They were directional steps that are extra-dimensional. Unless someone shows you how to do it, it can't be discovered by trial and error. It was the one unique capability that I had that caused Annette and Joey to want to cling to me forever. During my first project, Yvonne had given me the ability to read minds and insert thoughts in other's minds. At the time, I didn't know that it was she who gave me that capability. However, once my project was finished, I lost that ability. I wondered if I would lose my ability to navigate the golden highway once this project was complete. I rather doubted that would happen because I didn't learn how to read minds. Rather, the capability was bestowed on me. I actually had the knowledge of how to navigate the golden highway. This was different.

I was startled as Annette came toddling out to the patio. I put my coffee cup on the table as she climbed into my lap and straddled me. She put her arms around me and snuggled her head into my neck as she kissed me. I could tell that she was disturbed. "I had a bad dream. I want you to hold me." Annette was a dichotomy between a heartless assassin and a vulnerable little girl. She had told me some of the disgusting things that she had done to others in the past. It had polluted my mind to hear the extent of her cruelty. Since she had met me, she complained that she suffered more emotion than ever before in her life. For some reason, I brought out the tender Annette, and she was a beautiful soul. She had a Jekyll and Hyde persona that sometimes frightened me. I could feel her tears on my shoulder, and I squeezed her tightly. I searched for her lips with mine, and she kissed me sweetly for a few minutes. Annette was barely young enough to be my daughter, and at this moment I felt like a father to her as I comforted her in my arms.

Annette fell asleep with her head on my shoulder as she straddled me. I continued to think of Yvonne as Annette lightly snored in my left ear. Yvonne had described herself as one of my body parts, but when she wasn't able to come to me I felt isolated from her. In reality, I could never really be isolated from her. It was the physical aspect that confused me. My thoughts returned to my dream of the family that dispersed throughout the earth. It was one family divided in four directions, and they grew with their different attributes apart from one another. I wondered if Yvonne grew in the same manner as I did. Was she a little girl when I was a boy? She seemed younger than I, but age was very subjective. Yvonne's healing sessions with me could not occur if she couldn't visit me physically. She said that I could have far more capability without her physical presence than I do right now. I didn't see how. Would I be able to create portals? Could I splice time? Could I heal myself? Could I accurately traverse the past and the future? Could I enlighten others to receive healing from their counterparts, or were there other capabilities that I hadn't yet learned? It would be so much simpler if she just told me, but in my experience you can't teach enlightenment. It is bestowed upon us by our Creator. Sometimes the most difficult thing to do is wait.

I carried Annette back to bed as she slept in my arms. I scooted in next to her and held her closely. It was a precious moment that I had never felt before. I sensed her vulnerability and the comfort that I gave her. I loved her in ways that I had never loved another. It was foreign to me, but it was delightful. I felt an overwhelming adoration that consumed me. I never wanted to be apart from her, but I couldn't forget Yvonne's warning concerning Annette. I found it terribly difficult to believe that Yvonne was right about her. Annette stirred and turned to face me. She looked soulfully into my eyes. I was shocked to my core as she whispered, "Never before in my life have I ever regretted being homosexual until now." She sweetly kissed me and buried her head into my chest. I held her as tears fell from my eyes.

Annette began kissing my chest and worked her way down my abdomen. I was getting concerned as she descended to my pelvis. I tried to pull her up, but she resisted and looked up at me. "Let me do this for you, Adriel." She took me into her mouth and my back arched with the pleasure that she delivered. Annette was a natural when it pertained to anything erotic. She was using techniques with her mouth that I had never felt before. She used her hands to mimic what she had seen Mia do to me. As she took me deeper and deeper, I exploded into her throat as she continued to work my three zones. It wasn't an extended orgasm, but it was truly incredible. She returned to my lips and whispered, "Now, it's my turn." She pushed my head downward and wrapped her legs over my back. She pushed my face into her pelvis, and my tongue found her tenderest parts for the first time. Her flesh was soft and sweet, and I gently worked her as I teased her over and over.

I had seen Annette orgasm countless times, and I knew what to expect. Every time was like the Fourth of July fireworks as she screamed and moaned and writhed with pleasure. I had never known a woman who could stack orgasms as quickly as Annette. I was determined to keep count, and after seventeen convulsions she pleaded with me. "Adriel, please work me the way you used to do Mia. My box is tiny, but you can find my G-spot with your fingers just behind my pelvic bone. Don't use more than two. Use your other hand to work me anally." I was sure that I would get into trouble with Yvonne over this, but I couldn't deny Annette the pleasure. I continued with my tongue as I inserted one finger into her anus to find her spot. I could tell by her reaction that I had hit the target. I used two fingers from my other hand to search for her zone inside her tiny vagina. Eureka, I found it, and she was trembling and jerking as she seized with pleasure. I held her there for forty-five minutes. Annette had achieved the plateau of extended orgasm.

It took Annette twenty minutes to recover from the pleasure, and she was determined to descend on me again. She brought me to orgasm two more times. I had unleashed a monster from a cage that I could never control. Annette and I had crossed the line, and I feared what ramifications there would be. She was clinging to me with her head on my chest as she sobbed. I stroked her soft, black hair as I asked, "Annette, are you all right?"

She tried to catch her breath and replied, "Adriel, this is the first time in my life that I have been aroused by a man." She looked up into my eyes. "I'm in love with you, Adriel. Please promise that you will never leave me."

I was totally blindsided by this event. I didn't know what to say. I hugged her tightly as she continued to weep. What had I done? I knew Annette's sexual appetite, and I was aware that she would want to spend entire days in bed as I had done with Mia. I had opened a door that couldn't be closed, and I was concerned that I had jeopardized everything. I remembered what Yvonne had said that Annette would do anything to keep me. I was suspicious if Annette was being honest with me, but time would tell. I doubted that she could have achieved the extended orgasm if she weren't telling the truth. That was one experience that could never be faked. I had seen Annette make love to Gina countless times in Cannes, but I never saw her react like this. I needed to talk to Yvonne, but she wasn't coming back for a while, if ever.

I was right about Annette. We didn't leave the bed except to go to the bathroom. She begged me to take her back to the plateau, and by the end of the day I was exhausted. I had held her there three more times for a total of two and a half hours. During intervals, she insisted that I take her anally. She was afraid that I would be disappointed in her vagina, but she rode me hard in reverse. I was sure that I had lost Yvonne by now. Annette and I were now lovers, which was the last thing I ever expected. She begged me to go get Gina because she wanted us to have a threesome so that I could enjoy Gina's vagina. Gina was a beautiful Italian model, and as tempting as it was I refused to bring someone else into our bed. Yvonne was right. I had fallen flat on my face.

There was no longer a need to inhibit myself with Annette. I had already crossed the line with Yvonne, and I knew it. The next morning, I began to explore Annette deeply and discovered something very interesting that she didn't know. "Annette, have you ever had a Pap test?"

"No, I haven't. I have avoided any intrusion into my vagina as much as possible."

"What about the men who abused you?"

"They couldn't successfully take my vagina, so they took me anally. What are you doing in there?"

"I found something interesting. Lie on your right side, and pull your knees up."

"Oh, Adriel, please be careful."

"I am, just relax." I felt across the back of her vagina and curved my fingers up to the left side. I found a very tight opening that I was able to penetrate. "Annette, your vagina isn't as small as you thought. It has a deformity, but it continues on from your left side. Let me take you vaginally. I'll be careful."

Annette took a deep breath as I sat upright on my folded legs and scooted up against her. I slowly began to enter. She was lying on her right side, so I would be curved toward the left side of her vagina. I gently pushed in, and I was able to bury myself completely within the tight canal on the left. It was such an incredible sensation that I exploded with delight once again. Annette exclaimed, "Adriel, what are you doing? I'm not on birth control." Once again, I had completely forgotten the pitfalls of intimacy. We decided to go get Annette a Morning After Pill and discuss methods to prevent pregnancy. I felt like I had regressed twenty years.

After visiting an agency clinic, Annette and I stepped back to my villa. She grabbed a bottle of wine and met me on the patio. It was uncharacteristically cloudy, so we forewent the beach today. She scooted in beside me. "We fouled things up with Yvonne, didn't we, Adriel?"

"I'm afraid so. If she isn't coming back we only have one alternative to transfer the gold."

Annette turned to face me. "Adriel, we can't go get Joey. It's too dangerous. Besides, she'll take you from me, and I can't bear that."

"Calm down. I'm not going anywhere. Maybe we need to go buy the components for the portal and try it ourselves. However, even if we got it operational, I don't know how to stack the other portals to transport the gold."

"Maybe we can get my counterpart to do it, Adriel."

"You are now in the same position as Mia was before. She couldn't get her healing sessions from Zerubba, so he wasn't going to be an option. You're in no position for enlightenment, and I don't have that ability. I should have thought of that while Yvonne was still around. She could have done that for you."

"Adriel, I'm really sorry. I don't know what's happening to me. I've never felt this way before, and I have never desired a man until now. Something changed in me after I had that bad dream. I don't know how to explain it."

"What was the dream about?"

"I can't remember it now. I remember waking up, and you weren't in bed. I felt frightened, so I came to look for you. I noticed when I climbed into your lap that something was different."

"I know that you don't hold any significance in dreams, but Yvonne told me that they are caused by our counterparts. When you and I are together, then Yvonne and your counterpart are together. Yvonne tried to warn me about you, but now I'm suspicious that she may be the cause of this."

"What exactly does Yvonne think I'm going to do?"

"She said that you will do anything to keep me with you. She also said that you were going to try to captivate me with other women."

"Well, I certainly had no sinister plan to do that. I do love you, and I want you with me all the time. I'll admit that a threesome with another woman does sound like fun, but the main reason I would have done that was because I knew you would be disappointed with me sexually."

I pulled Annette close. "My goodness, Annette, I'm not disappointed with you."

"I saw you and Mia together. I can never be her."

"I don't want you to be her. I love you just the way you are. I understand that you may have a need to enjoy a woman, and I think I'm OK with that, but I don't want to make love to anyone but you. I need to be exclusive. I still can't believe that you achieved an extended orgasm."

"Oh, Adriel, we have to do that again today. That is the most wonderful experience that I have ever had. I never want it to end. I wish I could get you there."

"Believe me, Annette, we're going to work on that, but we need to figure out what we're going to do about the gold."

Annette grabbed my left arm with both hands. "Please, Adriel, you can't go get Joey yet. If she finds out that you and I are lovers she's going to be doubly upset. We need to find another way."

"I'm right back where I was before Mia died. I don't get it. I never dreamed that you and I would end up together."

"Neither did I. This is bizarre. I don't know what happened when I met you, but I have cried more within the two years that I have known you than I have the rest of my entire life. Even Joey no longer suffers Emotional Detachment Disorder. There is some strange chemistry with you, Adriel."

"I attribute the emotion to Yvonne and the golden highway."

"Adriel, I know that Yvonne seems like another person to you, but she really is you. You can't see her the way that I do. You two are one and the same."

"Wait a minute! What did you just say?"

"I said that you two are one and the same."

"That's it, Annette. I've been viewing Yvonne as being more apart from me than she is. I think that's the answer."

# **CHAPTER TWELVE**

# **_ENLIGHTENMENT_**

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If the people of this earth all came from one family, then we are all related. We have a tendency of separating ourselves for various purposes, but if we truly saw one another for who we are it would greatly change our perspective of mankind. We would stop taking advantage of one another and fighting with each other. We would unify for a common purpose and help mankind to advance beyond what we are capable of today with our desire to polarize. If I were truly Yvonne, and she were me, I should have all of the capabilities that she does. So why don't I? Why had I received some capabilities but not others? She had once alluded to the fact that she could only give me what she had been allowed. However, I had viewed that as a limitation put upon her by our Creator. I was beginning to see that it wasn't the Creator who limited us, it was we ourselves. Annette was right. I had polarized my view of Yvonne and looked to her for certain attributes that I should have found within myself. After all, if she is me then I needed to comprehend that.

It made sense that we were encouraged to love our enemies and have mercy on others. If we would not pay back aggression for aggression, but instead pay it back with love, encouragement, and understanding, then we had a better chance of accomplishing good together. It never made sense to me that society justified war. In my estimation, it could never be justified. People thought that if we didn't resist evil that it would conquer the earth, but that was a very worldly perspective. I don't believe that the Creator encouraged us to retaliate, but to turn the other cheek. Few people understood the truth behind that because they failed to live by faith and understand the will, nature, and character of the Creator. They tried to make him or her appear unfair and unreasonable, but it is we who are unfair and unreasonable. I needed to change my perspective from a worldly view to an understanding of unity.

I turned to Annette. "Annette, when I took you to meet your counterpart, how did you perceive her?"

"Well, at the time I really needed sex, so I was overwhelmed with her attractiveness."

"Did you feel inferior to her?"

"Well, I saw her very differently than I see Yvonne with you. My counterpart didn't really feel like a part of me. I guess to answer your question, I think it's natural to feel some sort of inferiority due to the fact that we were in their realm, and it's not familiar to us. Do you feel inferior to Yvonne?"

"That's just it, I think I have all along. She appeared to have all the answers, and she was responsible for my enlightenment. She had the capabilities that I needed. She gave me indescribable pleasure during my healing sessions. I don't see how I couldn't feel inferior, but I think that's part of my problem. I know that she enjoyed our sessions too, and at one point I tried to manipulate her with pleasure to get her to allow me have Joey."

"You did what?!" Annette turned to me in shock.

"I injured Yvonne emotionally because I tried to overwhelm her with pleasure and get her to allow me to have sex with Joey. The agency had pumped me full of steroids, and I was having a terrible time resisting Joey at the chalet."

"Adriel, I'm no match for Joey. She's going to steal you from me as soon as she gets free."

"I wish you would quit saying that. Since when did you become so insecure? I'm not leaving you, Annette. Let's get back to the relationship with our counterparts. That was the only time that I felt that I had the upper hand with Yvonne. I would have manipulated her, and at one point I thought that I would be successful. However, she has more resolve than I do."

"See, you just made a distinction between the two of you, but you're the same person. I think you need to understand that all of the attributes that you recognize in Yvonne are actually your own. Come on, all of this talk about sex has me excited. Let's go back to bed." Annette stood and held out her hand.

I gave Annette two more trips to the plateau of extended orgasm. I was able to hold her almost an hour each time. My greatest hurdle was forgetting what Mia and I had done together and let my relationship with Annette blossom into the unique union that it was. Finally, near the end of the day Annette got me to the plateau. Annette had an incredible energy and endurance for sex, and she held me for an hour and a half. What I never thought possible without Mia was already now happening with Annette. I can't describe the relationship that we had. It had been rooted in a close friendship and understanding. Annette knew me better than anyone other than Yvonne. Our foundation of love was bonded much deeper than just a sexual relationship which brought us to an entirely different level of abandonment and trust. I was learning that I had capabilities with Annette that I could never have with Mia. I was dumbfounded. I always suspicioned that Annette and I would be great lovers, but I had no idea just how great it could be.

I had always wanted to be around Annette. No matter who else was by my side, I required her to complete my happiness. Whether I was with Joey, Evelyn, or Mia, I always had a longing for Annette. I just assumed it was because we were so much alike. I now had Annette as a friend and a lover, and I couldn't imagine things being better than they were at this time. I was now hoping that my negotiations before I came to this earth did not include losing her. It had devastated me to lose Mia, but if I lost Annette I think it would be far worse. Yvonne had portrayed Annette as an opportunist who didn't really love me. I still didn't see that. We were both enjoying our relationship, and as long as Joey was tucked away in the dormitory Annette was confident.

The next morning, I had Annette lie on her right side and pull her knees up. This new discovery was now my favorite position. We didn't fire up the coffee pot until mid-morning due to our escapades in the bedroom. We negotiated workout time, sparring, language exercises, and sunbathing between our interludes of pleasure. However, they weren't equally balanced. Annette and I lacked discipline and immersed ourselves in our lovemaking for most of the day. We had decided to buy more components for the portal to see if we could get it operational, but that was going to have to wait for a couple of days. We were just having too much fun. As Annette lay in my arms, my thoughts drifted to Evelyn and Mia. When I was married to them, I never thought at that time that I could ever love anyone else. I also thought that I could never have a more satisfying relationship. Oddly, I didn't feel that way with Annette. I was experiencing a deeper love and commitment with Annette, but I didn't feel that she was the end all be all woman. However, I didn't want anyone else, nor did I ever want to leave her. Somehow, it was just different. Maybe it had to do with the fact that we had been close friends for so long. I really don't know. It amused me that at different times in my life I thought that I had reached the pinnacle of contentment. I now realized that there is no limit to love, contentment, pleasure, and relationships. We were the ones who imposed limits upon ourselves.

Annette turned to face me. "Adriel, I've never experienced anything close to what we have. I'm going through some changes that I don't understand. At this moment, I have no desire to be with a woman because I know that it could never come close to the pleasure that we share. I just don't want you to think that I need a woman to be satisfied."

"I understand, but in the future if you feel that you do need a woman we'll work it out. I wouldn't worry about it. Let's just enjoy each day that we have together."

Two days later, Annette and I traversed the golden highway to buy the components for the portal. We visited the places that I had gone before. It was a simple construction. We assembled it on my patio, but after two hours of failure I realized that the sun was playing havoc with the mixture of electricity, magnetism, infrared, and ultraviolet light. We took the apparatus inside and closed the shades. I turned off the main electrical breaker to the villa as well. I had seen Yvonne perform the mix of components before, so I tried to mimic her procedure. After about half an hour, we were able to produce the faint blue glow of the portal. Annette and I held hands, and I stepped aku to enter. It worked, and we were elated. I stepped aki to return, and we decided to celebrate in bed. We had another portal exercise for tomorrow.

The next day, after Annette and I had finished a breakfast of croissants and cheese, we took our coffee to the patio to discuss our next steps. I began to instruct Annette concerning portals. Yvonne had explained that we saw them as geographically distant from one another due to our perception in this realm. However, from the golden highway, they were all together. Even the one that Annette and I had built was located adjacent to all other portals. I knew that portal stacking would require us to relinquish our concept of geography on this earth to adopt a new geography of the golden highway. We could no longer address a portal as the one in Giza, or the one at Stonehenge, or the one at my villa. We needed another reference that depicted its location on the golden highway. This was going to require us to visit the golden highway to perform some experiments and adaptation exercises.

I alerted the colonel that Annette and I were conducting some experiments to overcome our setbacks. He wasn't surprised to hear that she was with me. He readily assumed that her absence from the dormitory was my doing. I did iterate my direction to keep Agent Nyari captive for the time being. Annette shot me a smile when she heard my request to the colonel. I reminded Annette that our trip to the golden highway was going to skew our time in this realm. I didn't want to stay too long during each experiment. We noted our current date and time, and Annette took my left hand. We stepped through our portal onto the golden highway. We knew that the other portals had to be nearby. We just needed to be able to perceive them within the geography of the golden highway. I began to explain to Annette that the breeze that we felt wasn't really a breeze. It was our way of interpreting the passing of time. I also explained that the golden highway wasn't really what it appeared to be. It was how we assigned imagery to the concepts of the highway. Yvonne had told me that stepping into the breeze wasn't necessary to go back in time, nor was stepping with the breeze necessary to go forward in time. She also warned me of the dangers of discarding my understanding of the environment. She said that all things were possible, but they weren't necessarily advised.

Annette and I turned to look through our portal. We could see the room in my villa, but that became a distraction due to its relation to the geography of our world. We looked up and down the highway. We saw no other portals. If our portal was supposed to be located with the others, then where were they? I began to lead Annette off to the side of the highway. She pulled back hard. "What are you doing," she demanded.

"We're stepping off the highway."

"What if we get lost? I thought everything was connected to the highway."

"Well, it is, but I have been off of it several times." I wasn't about to relate my sexual experiments with Mia or my excursion with Yvonne to meet with King Solomon during our last project, which was really a vision that Yvonne had imposed on me. "It's OK, we won't get lost." Annette gave me a look of discomfort as I led her off to the side of the highway. She kept resisting as I led her further away from the glassy gold into the soft, bright grassy ground cover. She was clinging to my arm as we stepped over to the opposite side of our portal. Her eyes were closed, and she had her head buried into my chest. I took my right hand and pulled her chin upward to kiss her lips. I smiled and encouraged her, "Take a look." Annette's jaw dropped in amazement as she saw a string of portals side by side with ours that stretched as far as the eye could see in both directions. I was now realizing that portals were stationary on the golden highway. They shifted in our realm due to electromagnetic impulses from our sun. However, they never shifted in this realm. The portal that Annette and I created was attached to a stationary portal beside the highway. I was getting a better understanding of how our navigation was possible. It was more portal dependent than I realized. We decided to conclude this experiment and return to the villa. We checked the date and time. We had been gone for thirteen hours and seven minutes.

Annette was insistent on another experiment in the bedroom, which proved to be just as enlightening as the one beside the golden highway. We had taken each other to the plateau of extended orgasm twice. She had spent a total of three and a quarter hours and gave me two and a half. Our preparatory time was reducing. My impulses that needed to align my nervous system were much easier with Annette. I never really knew her magic number of preliminary orgasms because she often had ten to twelve in a short period of time. We lay in each other's arms as the euphoric waves of relaxing bliss washed over our bodies. The aftermath of the experience lasted for hours, and that within itself was most incredible. All of a sudden, the words left my lips. "Annette, will you marry me?"

She was silent and didn't react for several moments. I didn't want to say another word until she responded. She propped herself up on her right elbow and looked into my eyes. "Are you really sure that you want me as a wife? You once said that we could never put up with one another."

"I said that because we both seem to have double standards, but I think it had more to do with the fact that I never wanted you out of my life. No, I wouldn't put up with someone doing what I did to Evelyn or Mia, and although some of that had to do with Joey, it mostly involved you. We slept naked together and sunbathed in the nude together as friends. No one could understand that, and it sometimes was inexplicable to me. I just knew that I loved you, and I was happy with you by my side. I once said that I would expect you to be faithful if you were my wife, but if you wanted another woman I think I could work it out with you."

"Oh, Adriel, I really don't want another woman right now, but you and I might make terrible spouses. Marriage changes people. As much as I love you, and I never want to leave you, I think marriage is a mistake. It changed Mia when she considered herself to be married to you. She got possessive and controlling. She drove a wedge between us. I never want anything like that happening to us. It's kind of you to understand if I wanted a woman, but the same goes for you. I will work with you too. I just don't want you leaving me for another woman, that's all."

"Oh, Annette, I don't want another woman. It would totally interfere with our plateau experiences anyway. There's no way I want to ruin that. I just want you, and in reality I think I have always felt that way. I just never thought you and I could be a possibility."

"I know. I still can't believe what we are doing together. I used to think that Gina and I had good sex. This is a completely different world of pleasure that we have together. Let's just enjoy it and not worry about marriage."

Annette and I had made a major discovery. I now had a better understanding of the relational aspects of the portals, but I didn't know how to stack them. I remembered when I had lost Yvonne before, and she was forced to come to me when Mia and I stepped onto the golden highway and clapped. The next day, I discussed the possibility with Annette to summon our counterparts on the golden highway in the same manner. She was somewhat reluctant because she was afraid that it might affect our lovemaking somehow. She remembered how she felt about her counterpart during our last encounter, and she was afraid that she might revert back to homosexuality and ruin what we have. I tried reasoning with her that it was her counterpart who gave her the disturbing dream that started her heterosexual feelings. It took nearly a half an hour to persuade her to try the experiment. However, she insisted on us paying another visit to the bedroom before we tried calling our counterparts. Once again, Annette's fervor and endurance for sex was astounding. It took hours to recover.

It was late in the day as Annette and I stepped onto the golden highway. She was nervous as we coordinated our clapping with her left hand and my right hand. Once we heard the smack, we saw the couple approaching from the other side of the highway. When I saw who was holding Yvonne's hand, I nearly fainted. Annette grabbed my left arm and looked up at me in panic. "Adriel, what the hell is going on?" I slowly shook my head and stared into Yvonne's eyes as she approached. She had a smug look on her face, and I knew that she was responsible for this. They stopped in front of us. It was one of the strangest experiences that I had. Annette's counterpart was no longer the cute, petite, young girl with bright blue eyes. It was Adriel Chevalier prior to facial reconstructive surgery who held Yvonne's hand.

I raised my left hand that held Annette's right, and we exchanged with our counterparts. Annette was led away into the breeze, and I escorted Yvonne with the breeze. We walked in silence for a few minutes until I finally spoke. "So, is this your idea of a joke?"

Yvonne smiled up at me. "Oh, it's no joke. She's going to fuck him for hours."

"Really? So, this is her enlightenment?"

Yvonne stopped and turned to face me. "What did you think I was going to do? If you were going to have sex with Annette, did you think that I was going to do the same with some young girl? I already explained that your counterparts are perceived in the same manner as you expect. Annette was afraid to see that young girl again. The only way she could relate to her counterpart now was for him to be you."

"So, are you saying that the only way that Annette could get her enlightenment was to make love to a replica of me?" I was smiling, but Yvonne wasn't.

"Look, Adriel, I told you that I wasn't infallible. I'll admit that Annette has surprised me. She's a different person now that she has made love with you. She really does love you in ways that no one else has. I'm not afraid to admit when I have been wrong."

"So, is Annette's counterpart named Adriel?"

"Of course he is. You're Jasper White, remember?"

"You realize that this is going to be very confusing, don't you? So, is this Adriel going to stack portals for me?"

"No, he's not. You don't need him for that. Just keep going down the path that you have. Now, take off our clothes." Yvonne dropped her robe, and we indulged for what seemed like hours. I held Yvonne in my arms until she decided that it was time to return. We met Annette and her counterpart back in the same place that we had departed. Annette had a dazed look on her face. I took her hand and stepped us back to the villa.

She broke down in tears and clung to me. "Oh, Adriel, I don't know what to say."

"What's the matter? Didn't you get to enjoy your healing process?"

Annette looked up with her tear soaked face. "Yes, but it was totally different from what I thought it would be. It was wonderful. It's like having you before and after. I was afraid that I would feel unfaithful, but I don't."

I smiled down at her. "Believe me, I completely understand." I led Annette into the bedroom, and we settled in for a good night's sleep.

Yvonne was right. Annette was a very different person now that we were an intimate couple. I had found the true inner Annette. I no longer saw the outward cruel, heartless bitch that she described herself as being. I saw the tender, vulnerable, loving, caring, understanding person beneath the facade of a ruthless agent. I had always been helplessly in love with Annette, and now more than ever I treasured her beyond comprehension. As overwhelmed as I felt with Annette at the moment, I had enough experience with Joey to know that she was going to be a major problem. Annette was a very attractive young woman, but Joey was off the charts. I understood Annette's apprehension about Joey, but when Annette was purely homosexual it was never a concern. She now felt that she was in a competitive arena with Joey, and Annette had witnessed firsthand my struggles with Joey since I had met her. Moreover, Joey had no reason to hold back as she did before. I had already alienated Yvonne, and Joey was going to pursue me with an unstoppable determination. To make matters worse, she would be intent on humiliating Annette with me once she found out that Annette and I were in love. At least it didn't appear that I would need Joey and Laszlo to transport the gold, and that was a great relief. I now needed to figure out how to do the portal stacking. I was getting closer, and Annette and I needed to do some more experiments.

However, I was toying with another idea as I contemplated Annette. I was keenly aware that people are different depending on who their lover is. I was a very different person with Mia than I was with Evelyn. I was even more different with Annette, and I liked who I was with her more than anyone. Annette was obviously a very different person with me. If who we are with is any indication of who we are, then I suspected that I might have more capability on the golden highway with Annette by my side. She had been enlightened, and she could now receive healing from her counterpart, whom I refused to call Adriel. It was just too confusing, but Yvonne would be making love to Annette's counterpart when I made love to Annette, and that was a considerably large amount of time. At least Yvonne could enjoy it more if he were a replica of me instead of some young girl. Nevertheless, I had more experimenting to do on the golden highway. If nothing is impossible for me, I hoped to stop limiting myself and explore my potential. My life was getting more exciting by the minute.

Annette awakened me early before sunrise. Even though I found a way to enjoy her vaginally, she encouraged me to often take her anally. She had me use combinations with my fingers as I took her from behind that would stimulate more zones for her pleasure. We found new, unexpected combinations to get her to the plateau. I was sometimes surprised as she entered that state in a prolonged seizure that sometimes bordered on alarming. She would jerk and moan, and her eyes would roll back, but I knew that she was enjoying the greatest pleasure that one could experience in this realm. She wasn't an ejaculator like Mia was, but we soaked the bed with our sweat just the same. I always enjoyed the sweet aftermath as I held her in my arms. I got a certain satisfaction out of pleasuring her so greatly, but once she recovered she always insisted on taking me there as well. We were getting more consistent with our successes. What had seemed sometimes tedious with Mia was more natural and effortless with Annette.

It was now past the time that I had wanted to arise, but it was well worth it. After our shower, Annette made coffee while I scrambled some eggs with cheese. I had lost about five pounds due to the fact that Annette and I didn't eat as much. As we sat on the patio together in the sun, I explained that I wanted to do some experiments, and I encouraged Annette to conjure up some ideas of things that we could try. She was a much more creative thinker than I was. Annette set her coffee on the table and turned to me with an excited look. "Adriel, what if we can change our appearance like my counterpart did? Wouldn't that be extraordinary? I could look like Joey, and you could enjoy me as though I were her."

I sighed. "Annette, the concept sounds amazing, but you can't seem to get it out of your head that I want Joey more than I want you. That simply isn't so. I'm completely satisfied with you, Annette, and you need to stop obsessing over Joey. However, I wonder if we really can alter our appearances. If our counterparts are a reflection of our desires, then maybe there's a way to reciprocate that in our world. I'll have to admit, it's intriguing, but then it would make my facial reconstruction rather moot, which wouldn't surprise me."

"Well, we have the rest of our lives to experiment. We should really be concentrating on transporting the gold."

The new cell phone that the colonel had given me was ringing in the kitchen. I jumped up to answer it. "Agent White, it's Colonel Bracken. I need to override your decision to keep Agent Nyari captive. We need her for an assassination, and I'm going to have to release her."

"I understand, Colonel. Where is the assassination?"

"You know I can't divulge that information. It's not your project, and Agent Nyari does not report to you on this one."

"Is she returning to the compound after her assignment?"

"That's entirely up to you. I'll be in touch once her assignment is complete."

"Thank you, Colonel."

I returned to the patio where Annette was waiting. "So, is there an update on our project?" Annette took another sip of coffee.

"I'm afraid not. The Colonel is releasing Joey to perform an assassination."

"Oh, no, Adriel! She'll come straight for you when her project is complete."

"Annette, calm down. Joey is going to have to be reunited with us at some point. You need to get past this."

"You don't understand, Adriel. I know far more than you do. I spent a lot of time discussing things with Joey after Mia kicked us out. She is very confident that she can win you over."

"I seriously doubt that."

"Adriel, we know you better than you know yourself. I have firsthand knowledge of Joey's anatomy. She has a lot more to offer than you think. Yvonne knows it too. She rescued you from Joey at the chalet when you were going to comfort her over Evelyn because Yvonne knew what would happen. She also rescued you from my bed when Joey was going to rape you. Did she ever rescue you from Mia or me?"

"No, she didn't."

"You need to understand the reason for that. I'm trying to tell you that Joey will captivate you if she has the chance, and she has every intention of doing so."

"Annette, I think you are overreacting. Let's just take this one step at a time. Besides, the colonel left it up to me whether Joey would be detained any further. He's going to call me when her project is complete. We need to experiment with the portals. I have some ideas, but first I think we need to spend some time together." Annette and I retired back to the bedroom for the next four hours. I was doing my best to instill more confidence in her, but I wasn't making much progress. She never achieved the plateau of extended orgasm, and I suspected that it was due to her fear of Joey taking me from her. I knew that she needed Joey back with us to show her that all would be well.

We set our sights on stacking portals, and Annette held my hand as we stepped through our portal at the villa onto the golden highway. I didn't see how portals could possibly be stacked with one another. I had never seen Yvonne or Laszlo actually stack them, but somehow they used them to create a conduit that extended from our portal at the mountain to the one at the repository. I didn't know how many portals needed to be stacked either. When we looked from the golden highway through our portal, I could see the room at my villa. However, when I led Annette off the highway, we could see the other portals that existed side by side with ours. When we looked through any of the portals from that side, all we could see was the golden highway. I led Annette back to the golden highway, but once again all we saw was the portal that led to my villa. I had never seen the portals when I had been off the golden highway before, but during those times I had never entered the golden highway via a portal.

I tried another test. I took Annette to Stonehenge where I knew another portal existed on the earth. It took a while to locate it, but we found it about one hundred meters from the megalithic structures. Annette and I stepped aku to enter the portal. Once again, we were on the golden highway. We looked back through the portal, and we could see the grassy area at Stonehenge. I led her off the highway, and sure enough, we saw the other portals stretching as far as the eye could see. I took her back to the golden highway, and the only portal visible was the one that led to Stonehenge. I took Annette back to the villa. Six hours had passed, and we were beginning to get hungry.

I decided to make some dinner, and then we could talk about our experience. I lit the grill and pulled a filet of red snapper from the fridge. I dressed the fish with minced garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano while Annette sautéed some vegetables. Within twenty minutes, we were enjoying our dinner with a bottle of wine on the patio. As we continued to enjoy another bottle of wine after dinner, I turned to Annette. "So, it appears that our portal focus from the golden highway is the one that we used last. When we look at the portals from the other side, they all lead to the golden highway. Yvonne once told me that the golden highway really didn't exist, but that's the way that we perceived it. She said it's the hub of time and space."

Annette thought for a moment. "I guess that makes sense, since all portals lead to the golden highway. I wonder why we can only see them when we are off the highway."

"That's a good question. It definitely has something to do with our perception. We need to do some experimenting, but it could be dangerous. Are you willing to take a risk?"

"Adriel, I will do anything with you, but remember when you and Evelyn were experimenting with the golden highway? You both made lots of assumptions that weren't true. It wasn't until later that you learned from Yvonne and the interpretation of the scroll that much of what you thought was necessary actually wasn't."

"Well, that's true, but I don't see what alternative we have. Yvonne isn't going to answer any of my questions."

"Yes, and that's my fault for making love to you."

I pulled Annette in close to me. "No, it's my fault, and I don't regret it. Besides, it somewhat appears that Yvonne is the one who brought us together. She wants me to rely on her less and find my capabilities without her. By the way, she admitted that she was wrong about you, and she said that you love me in ways that no one ever has."

Annette smiled up at me as she reached in for a kiss. "So, what is your risky idea?"

"I want to try stepping through one of the portals from the other side when we are off the golden highway."

"But they all lead back to the golden highway. We have seen that."

"Yes, it appears that way, but I have never entered a portal from the other side. The risk is that we could end up in some other world, and the steps that I know might not work from there. Remember, David lost three assistants out there somewhere. I just don't want to go get lost in Never-never Land."

"Well, Adriel, you certainly didn't get this far by playing it safe. I really don't care if we end up on the moon as long as we're together."

Annette and I decided to spend the rest of the evening making love. Once we finished, we intended to step back to the golden highway, summon our counterparts, and get in a great healing session before bed. We had a lot of experimenting to do, and if we were going to take significant risks, I was going to treat this as our last day on earth. We had a lot of ground to cover, and I was determined to get Annette to the plateau of extended orgasm tonight. It did take a concerted effort, but I think revealing what Yvonne had said about Annette was of great assistance in raising Annette's confidence. I held her for one hour and fifteen minutes. She wanted to return the favor, but I just wanted to hold her and kiss her until we visited the golden highway. I was overwhelmed with my love for her, and I wanted to submerge myself in it for as long as I could.

The next morning, we didn't awaken until long after sunrise. We had a late night together, and our healing sessions had cost us more than a day in our world. I scooted out of bed to go make coffee when my cell phone rang. It was the colonel, and he informed me that Joey had completed her assassination, but he had not heard from her. His confirmation had been relayed by another agent who was on location with the project that required the assassin. He had no idea where Joey was, but I had a fairly good idea. I hated to break the news to Annette because I knew that it would increase her apprehension. I was already apprehensive about our experiment that I had planned for the day. When I explained to Annette what the colonel had said, she couldn't even finish her breakfast. I couldn't get her to make love. All she wanted to do was get to the golden highway to perform our experiment. I halfway thought that she hoped that we would get lost out there somewhere. I understood her concern. I still wasn't fooling myself into thinking that Joey wouldn't have a tremendous effect on me.

Annette was eager to take my hand as we stepped through our portal at the villa. I led her off the highway to the other side of the portal to view the string of portals that stretched side by side in either direction. My heart was pounding as I led Annette up to one of the portals. We peered through and saw the golden highway. It appeared benign, but nothing in this realm was without some inherent danger if one was ignorant. I closed my eyes and I stepped aku. We went nowhere. I was disappointed and relieved at the same time. Aku was the most elementary step that led one into a portal. Aki was the antithetical step that led back through the portal. Evelyn had learned a myriad of steps from her counterpart during our last project. She once explained that each set of steps corresponded to an ancient alphabet. All steps were three letters. Steps leading in were suffixed with the letter "u." The opposite step was suffixed with the letter "i." So, there were aku/aki, beu/bei, geu/gei, deu/dei, and so forth. Every navigation required a particular step. These steps had to be imparted by enlightenment or taught by someone who knew them. There were steps to go to locations. There were other steps that led to people. There were steps that led to times past or future. Some of these steps had variations that were not suffixed with "u" or "i," but describing them would be nonessential and tedious at this point. Yvonne had enlightened me to know the steps that I needed. If more steps were required, I didn't see how I could discover them. My only recourse was to assume that I knew all of the necessary steps, and the only portal steps that I knew were aku/aki.

That left one more choice, and my heart picked up pace once again as I squeezed Annette's hand and stepped aki. Voila! Annette and I looked at one another in excited amazement. We no longer saw the golden highway, but instead we were standing in a long hallway of portals that reminded me of a hall lined with mirrors. It was confusing, but stretched in both directions without end. We couldn't see anything outside the hallway, and I wondered how we would know where we were if we stepped in either direction. It was a brand new world for us to explore and discover, but I knew how dangerous it could be. I was mostly concerned with how to get out of this hallway and what step I should use to do so. Aki had gotten us into the portal, which was the opposite of what it normally did. I reasoned that aku would take me back out. I stepped aku, and we were again off the highway facing the line of portals. I got more adventurous and stepped aki again to take us back into the hallway. I decided to try stepping aki one more time, and we ended up back on the golden highway, only this time the only portal that we saw led somewhere else. We hadn't stepped through our manmade portal, but another portal in the hallway. We curiously stepped aki through the portal from the golden highway, and we were in a wooded area. Annette pulled out her cell phone to check our location. Our agency cell phones worked anywhere in the world, and they were often a great help to us. We were standing in a forest in southern Iceland. We then stepped aku through the portal back to the golden highway.

We had made significant progress, but I was now concerned with how we were going to identify portals and locations. Yvonne warned me not to think of portals as locations. It was difficult to disassociate portals with earthly geographical locations because they had that correlation. However, she seemed to allude to a more relative aspect of the portal from the perspective of the golden highway. The hallway was obviously the portal stacking. I just needed to determine the entry and exit between the mountain and the repository. I needed a test group, and I didn't want to use the portal at the repository. We still had the one on the deserted island that we had used for the backfill in the mountain, and we had our new portal at the villa. I needed to see if we could establish a relationship between them somehow. It was time for an intermission, and I was getting concerned with how much time might have transpired back at the villa. I stepped us back to our patio, and we came out of parking mode. We checked the time, and we had been gone for fifteen hours and eight minutes.

We headed to our bedroom to rest, but we were shocked out of our wits to find Joey lying on our bed. She raised up on her elbows as she studied our faces. She looked back and forth to Annette and to me. She then looked back and forth at our pelvises. I knew that she had figured it out. Annette was showing signs of fear, and I broke the silence. "The colonel said that you had a project to execute. He needed an assassin. How did it go?"

Joey swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat up as she gave me half a smile. "It went well, as always. It was some of my better work. I executed the mark in a crowded restaurant in front of several witnesses. Every single one of them insisted that his death was an accident." Joey smiled and shook her head. "I stumbled into him and dragged him to the floor with me as I broke his neck on a table. It was incredibly convincing, but let's talk about you two. From the smell of this bed, I'd say you both have been very naughty."

Annette started to speak, but I beat her to it. "A lot has changed between Annette and me. We've made some considerable progress on the project."

Joey wrinkled her brow. "Sorry, I couldn't be here to help, but you left me languishing in that cell. I see you rescued Annette."

"That's true, I did. I needed her help, and I decided that I would release her for the time being. The colonel left it to my discretion whether to return you to the dormitory, but I think we need to work together as a team." Annette shot me a look of desperation.

Joey sighed and smiled as she relaxed her shoulders. "I'm so glad to hear you say that, Adriel. I would like nothing better than to get back to our work as a team." Joey raised her eyebrows as she looked around the room. "Apparently, Mia has moved out."

Annette interjected, "Joey, Mia died, and I have been here helping Adriel get through it."

Joey rubbed the sheets. "Yes, I can see that. I'd say you have been giving him a lot of comfort. I can recognize the smell of your bodies. I'll have to admit that I was greatly surprised when I came in here. Apparently, you have decided to go straight. I never thought that was possible."

I chimed in, "Neither did we, Joey. It took us by surprise."

Joey gave me a quizzical look. "So, Adriel, now I'm really curious. What are the sleeping arrangements going to be?"

"I would imagine they will be the same as always." Annette looked up at me with wide eyes as she gulped.

Joey jumped up. "Good, just like old times." Joey held out her arms for Annette, and Annette reluctantly walked over for a hug. Joey turned to me and gave me one as well. "So, what's for dinner?" Joey walked out toward the kitchen as Annette gave me a worried look.

I turned to Annette and whispered, "Look, we had to do this sooner or later, and I'd rather it was sooner. We'll stick close together, and make sure that you are always with me. We have to stabilize this team somehow."

Annette and I walked out to the kitchen to choose something to prepare. She wasted no time opening five bottles of wine. I decided to put some meatballs together and make a red sauce for a dish of linguini. As I cooked, Joey and Annette were catching up. I was getting concerned because Annette was slugging down wine fairly quickly, but Joey was drinking very slowly. I invited Joey to join me in the kitchen to help with a salad as I turned my attention toward the tomato sauce. I tried to keep things light, and she seemed to be in good spirits. However, I knew how devious Joey could be. I had watched her befriend Mia to get onto her good side. Evelyn once described Joey as a cobra. She was deadly and could strike without warning. Joey and Annette had always been close as friends, and I hoped that counted for something with Joey. I knew Annette was extremely fearful of her, and I needed to reduce the tension as much as possible.

The situation was difficult. Things were different now. Before Annette and I were involved as lovers, it would have been a great time together, but now Annette was very apprehensive, and she would be afraid to make love to me. I didn't blame her. I too was concerned how Joey might respond if I showed Annette too much attention. Annette was getting more relaxed as she drank more wine. She seemed to warm up to Joey and even started to joke with her. Joey was engaging and congenial, but I kept a close eye of any signs of trouble. I got concerned at one point when we were all on the patio, and Joey walked over to the loveseat where I was sitting and straddled me like Annette always did. She put her arms around my neck and kissed me long and hard. "I've been wanting to do that all evening. It's been too long, and I've missed you." I glanced over at Annette, and her jaw had dropped.

I had to walk a fine line between frightening Annette and provoking Joey. I smiled and pushed her down on the loveseat as I leaned on top of her. "I agree, Joey, it has been far too long." I planted a long kiss on her lips, but no tongues were exchanged. I knew Annette would be looking for that.

That was the only glitch in an otherwise perfect evening together. Everyone still had their clothes on, and that was a relief. We laughed, talked, and even took a walk down to the beach after dark as we sat in the sand and listened to the surf. I was shocked when Joey raised her wine glass and toasted to Annette and me. Annette smiled and scooted in under my arm, and we kissed. I didn't see any adverse reaction in Joey, but I knew that she was just setting us up. As much as I wanted Joey to accept that Annette and I were together, I knew that I was fooling myself. I thought that it would be advantageous to give Annette and Joey some time alone, so I excused myself to go back to the villa to change the sheets on the bed. We would be retiring soon, and I hadn't taken the time to do laundry. I kept three sets on hand because since Mia, I had to keep rotating the sets two to three times a day. As I tucked in the corners of the sheets, I wondered what Annette and Joey were discussing. I wandered out to the kitchen and grabbed a snifter. It was time for some Cognac because I knew that I wouldn't be making love tonight.

I was on my second snifter when Joey came walking up from the beach. She stopped in front of the loveseat and looked down at me. "You need to go down and talk to your girlfriend. I've known her for a long time. I don't know what you've done to her, but I don't know who she is anymore. I'm going to bed." Joey walked off toward the bedroom, and I headed down to the beach. Annette was standing in the sand and facing the surf. I could see that she had been crying.

I pulled her into my arms and asked, "What happened?"

"I don't know where to start. She asked about the project, and I told her that we were making significant progress, but I didn't give her any details. She wanted to know about our relationship, and I tried to be vague. Then she asked if I would share you with her, and then I said something really stupid. I told her that you asked me to marry you."

"You did what?! How did she take that?"

"Oh, I could tell that it really upset her, but she kept very cool about it. She asked if I wanted a threesome, but I told her that I didn't want anyone but you. She offered to trade off time with you between her and me exclusively, but I told her I didn't want to share you with anyone. She said that wasn't like me, and she wanted to know why I was entertaining a heterosexual relationship. I couldn't explain it, but something happened between you and me, and I was really happy. Adriel, I'm afraid that she will kill me in my sleep."

"Oh, Annette, I rather doubt that."

"Adriel, you've never seen her angry. You have no idea what she can do."

"We have to neutralize this situation. I'm sorry that I kissed her tonight, but I didn't want to completely shut her out. By the way, I felt nothing with her, so I think your fears are unwarranted. I believe in time that she will come to realize that you and I are really in love, and she will accept it."

Annette slowly shook her head. "Oh my, you really don't know her, Adriel."

We walked back to the villa to get ready for bed. Annette peeked in on Joey, who was sprawled naked in the middle of our bed. Obviously, she expected Annette to be on one side and me on the other. I had Annette grab three blankets, and we headed back to the beach for the night. After about an hour of cuddling and talking under our blankets, we finally evolved into a sweet union of love that ended in a deep slumber in each other's arms. So much had changed, and we were suffering the growing pains with our new relationships. I awoke before dawn and pulled the blanket over our heads to keep warm. We needed to try some more experiments with the portal stacking. I felt that we had made significant progress. Once we learned how to identify our destinations, we should be able to transport more gold. I was hoping that we wouldn't get any more interference from expeditions on the mountain or thieves taking our equipment. I had decided to remove our apparatus from the mountain after each transport. Annette stirred, and I kissed her shoulder. She turned to me and engaged me once again, but with reservation. She was afraid that Joey would come down to the beach. Nevertheless, it was sweet and satisfying. We decided to head back to the kitchen to start some coffee.

Annette started the coffee, and I could hear Joey in the shower. We decided to wait for her to finish before we stepped in. Joey went to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee, and Annette and I quickly showered and dressed. When we walked out to the kitchen, Annette gave me a concerned side glance as Joey had remained naked after her shower. I shrugged my shoulders. I had probably seen Joey more naked than not. Joey made sure to make contact and brush up against me as much as possible as I cooked breakfast. Much to my relief, I was completely unaffected by her. I wanted no one but Annette. I felt nothing for Joey, and I was pleased. During breakfast, I explained to Joey that Annette and I had some experiments to conduct, and I had no idea how long we would be gone. The time disparity between our world and the golden highway was unpredictable, and I had no estimates as to how long we would be away. I could tell that she knew that I had fully intended to take a side trip with Annette to make mad, passionate love, but I didn't care.

The next hour found Annette and me in her bed in Cannes with total abandonment in a frantic fervor of love as we both screamed and moaned with pleasure and delight. She made four trips to the plateau, and I made two. The sun was setting, and we ordered food as we lay in each other's arms while we kissed and caressed. Annette grabbed a robe as she accepted the caterer's delivery. She opened three bottles of wine, and we enjoyed a romantic dinner in private as we ate outside by the pool. It was just a year ago that Annette had made love to Gina out here, and I made love to Evelyn next to them while Joey held my arm. Those were bizarre days indeed, and it all seemed like a distant dream. I was so much in love with Annette that I couldn't comprehend its extent. I had always longed to be near her, but I never dreamed that we could be lovers. It was a dream come true.

We needed a good night's sleep once again, and we settled into her bed with the intention of resuming our experiments in the morning. We laughed and teased one another before we fell asleep, and I was pleased that Annette was regaining her confidence with me. I assured her that she had nothing to fear. However, the next morning we realized that we had forgotten that our experiment included the portal that we had constructed at the villa. I didn't want to risk going back, and we made another trip to buy more components to construct another one at Annette's residence. We had a minor setback because we couldn't get the new portal operational. I was getting frustrated due to the electrical interference at her residence because we couldn't cut the power to all of the residential units near her. We decided to buy more batteries and increase the power for all of the components to override any interference. Much to my surprise, it actually worked.

Our next task was to try to get a relational aspect between the portal that we had constructed at Annette's and the one on the remote island. Annette and I joined hands to navigate to the island to activate the portal. However, the battery was dead. We purchased another battery within a half an hour and returned to the island to reinstate the portal inside the cave. It took nearly an hour to get it operational. We now had two active portals that we could use to establish the relational aspects and try to stack portals between them. We had no clue what we were doing, but we were having fun trying. Annette was pure delight, and I watched her with loving admiration as I saw her excitement whenever we tried something new. I was head over heels hopelessly in love with her, and couldn't remember ever being so happy. At one point, I pulled her down to the ground on the island to make love to her. It may not have been the fireworks of the plateau experience, but to me it was one of the sweetest, tenderest moments that we shared together.

We tried entering the portal at Annette's and locating the portal on the island. We had no clue which one it was. We then tried entering the portal on the island and trying to find the portal at Annette's. Still, we could establish no correlation between the two. It seemed impossible. There were no recognizable characteristics on the golden highway to use as markers. We even tried leaving items on the golden highway outside the portal to go search for them from the other portal, but we were never successful. It just couldn't be this difficult. Yvonne and Laszlo had made it seem so simple that I noticed no effort on their part whatsoever. Was it because this was their realm, or was I just overlooking the obvious? Suddenly, I decided that we needed to check on Joey because I had no idea how long we had been gone.

Annette and I stepped back to the villa and found her crying on the patio. I rushed over and threw my arms around her. "Joey, are you all right? What's the matter?"

She dabbed her eyes and replied, "I thought you two had left me for good."

"Goodness, no! How long have we been gone?"

"It's been over three days."

"Oh, Joey, I'm so sorry. We're not going to leave you. We were performing some experiments, and I thought we should come back to check on you. I'm glad we did."

"Joey looked at me with her swollen eyes and asked, "Will you sleep with me tonight?"

Annette's head jerked to attention, but I knew that Joey wasn't referring to sex. "Of course we'll sleep with you tonight, but you need to leave room for Annette and me to be next to one another." I gave Annette a pleading look as I held Joey and stroked her hair. Annette sat next to Joey on the other side and put her arm around her. We both kissed her lips and encouraged her to calm down. It was already late in the day, and we headed into the bedroom. It was no surprise that Joey expected us to all sleep naked as we had done countless times before. She obviously wasn't sleeping next to Annette, and I had to give Annette some silent assurances that all would be well. We climbed into bed, and it was such a familiar scene. I remembered times past when Joey would sleep on one side of me, and Annette would sleep between me and Evelyn. Joey was obviously very hurt, and I hated that. She was being consistent to her former behavior with me as we lay in bed, and I didn't see any cause for alarm. Annette held me closely and had her right leg over me. Joey held me from the other side and buried her head into my neck as she kissed me intermittently. She sometimes reached up with her mouth to kiss me on the lips, but that was not unusual. The only uncommon aspect to this night compared to times past was that Annette held my genitals, but I think that was to be sure that Joey's hands didn't roam.

The night went well, and I actually slept soundly. I saw no cause for alarm whatsoever. I awoke to Joey kissing me, but I had experienced that a thousand times. I smiled, and she licked my lips with her tongue. Joey and I used to engage in some provocative playtime during our last project, and I knew that she was instigating it once again. However, I wasn't comfortable to engage her now that I was with Annette. The sad commentary is that I never resisted her play when I was with Evelyn. Joey would soon learn that I was a different man with Annette. Apparently, Annette was awake because she climbed on top of me and monopolized my lips as she kept repositioning herself to take me into her anus. Joey rolled out of bed and got into the shower. "You're mean," I whispered, "but I like it." Annette worked me until I released with a scream of delight.

We waited for Joey to finish in the shower before we jumped in. Joey made coffee while Annette and I got ready for another day of experiments. I promised Joey that we would check back more frequently. I didn't like to leave her all alone, and at this time I had nothing for her to do on the project. Once we determined how to proceed, I could put her back to work. She didn't understand why I didn't use her and Laszlo to transport the gold, but I explained that Yvonne expected me to learn how to do it myself. It broke my heart to see her disappointment, and I pulled her in for a kiss and assurance that we would return soon. I promised that we would spend the evening together.

I decided that we should work and then play. We could perform our experiments and step off the golden highway to our beach to check the time. I didn't want to leave Joey alone for another night. Annette and I navigated to the island to use the portal to step onto the golden highway. We stepped off of the golden highway to look at the portals. They all looked identical, and I had no idea what the correspondence was to our earth. We stepped aki into the hallway of portal mirrors, but I couldn't tell one portal from another. Suddenly, Annette looked up at me and said, "Adriel, take the step toward my residence in Cannes just like you would if you were on the golden highway." Now, why did I not think of that? I took the step, and we were at the portal in Cannes. What I never realized was that Yvonne was using the portal hallway and taking the navigational steps which caused the stacking of portals between our two destinations. It really was that simple. We checked the time, and decided that we had about two hours before we needed to return to Milos. We wasted no time and took two short trips for about twenty minutes to the plateau of extended orgasm. We were back in Milos in time for dinner.

# **CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

# **_INSUBORDINATION_**

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****

The next morning, Joey began to resume her former attention to me that she was accustomed to giving me for the past two years. She clung to me and caressed me as she often kissed me and pressed her body against mine. I could see Annette's discomfort rising, but Joey wasn't doing anything unusual. The sun was getting high enough that we all decided to go to the beach. We spread the blanket and lay naked in the sun as always. Joey was on my right, and Annette was on my left. Annette brought our customary bag of wine, bread, and cheese. It was a beautiful day and a little cooler than usual. The sounds of the gulls and surf were soothing, and I began to fall asleep. I was startled by Joey, who straddled me and grabbed my hands to wrestle. She was laughing and having fun as I pushed her hands behind her back. She bent down and planted a kiss on my lips. Suddenly, Annette knocked Joey off of me.

Joey looked angrily over at Annette and exclaimed, "You little hypocrite! You complained that Mia had kept you from Adriel, and now that the shoe is on the other foot you can't handle it. I've kissed Adriel more than you have. I've slept naked with him more than you have. I've been with him closely for nearly two years, and I have been faithful to protect him in every way. More importantly, I have never lied to him, and I would be faithful to him for the rest of my life. That's more than you can say." Annette was silent and I could see the fear mounting in her eyes. "You vowed to me that you would get him from Mia when she kicked us out. You convinced me that if I made love to him that he would never go back to Mia. I never dreamed that you intended to take him for yourself. You've never been attracted to men before, but now you seem to think that you own him. You little hypocrite!" Tears were falling from Joey's eyes. I looked over at Annette expecting a rebuttal, but she jumped up and headed back to the villa.

I held Joey as she cried in my arms. I didn't know what to think at this point. Annette had told me that it was Joey's idea to rape me in Cannes, but I was now suspicioning that it wasn't Joey's idea at all. I had to admit that it was more consistent with Annette's behavior than Joey's. Annette offered no argument or resistance to Joey's statements. Instead, she had retreated and left me with Joey. Joey looked sorrowfully into my eyes as her tears fell. I kissed her lips, and she pushed me onto my back as she climbed on top of me. She tucked her head into my neck and continued to sob. I rubbed her back and stroked her hair. Most of the time that I had known Joey, she had suffered from Emotional Detachment Disorder. However, since she started to feel emotion during our last project, it always broke my heart to see her in such emotional pain. She was a dedicated assassin, but I saw beneath the Angel of Death. She made no sexual move for me as we lay naked with her on top of me. Instead, she caught her breath and whispered, "Adriel, what I said was true. I have never lied to you, and I would always be faithful to you. I'm sorry for you that you suffered the loss of Mia. I am more than willing to give you a child. Annette would never do that."

"Joey, I'm not asking for a child."

"I'm just saying that I would do anything for you, Adriel. I wanted to marry you when we lived at the chalet, but I respected your wishes because of Yvonne. You hurt me deeply when I found out that you and Yvonne had visited Evelyn, and you were having sex with her. It pierced my heart, Adriel. Then Yvonne took you from me, and the next thing I knew you were married to Mia and expecting a child. Do you have any idea what I have been through emotionally?" I shook my head. "And now, you end up fucking my best friend, who is supposed to be a homosexual. How much do you think I can take?" Joey buried her head into my neck again as she sobbed. Joey continued to talk through her tears. "I once had hope that we would be together, but I know that you could never be faithful to me. I have so much to give you in every way, but you have rejected me at every turn. I thought that you loved me. You and Annette are way too much alike."

I didn't know what to say. Annette had portrayed Joey as some sort of villain, but it was I who was the true villain. I seemed to be oblivious to the pain that I brought everyone. Joey was right. Annette and I were way too much alike. I had spent an hour alone with Joey on the beach, and Annette had not returned. Once Joey began to calm down, I encouraged her to remain on the beach while I went to get Annette. We needed to talk this out. She reluctantly let loose of me as I slid my arm away through her hands. I promised to return soon. I found Annette in the bedroom crying as well. I lay beside her and turned her toward me. "So, did you fuck her?"

"Goodness, no, Annette! I think we all need to talk. Things have gotten way out of hand, and we have a project to finish. Let's get some more wine, go back to the beach, and talk this out." I pulled Annette up from the bed, and we grabbed five more bottles of wine. We then returned to Joey who was sitting with her arms around her knees looking at the surf. Tears were still falling from her eyes. The players changed, but the scenario was always the same. There were two women in my life, as usual. It was a never ending carousal. I had sex with one, but I did everything outside of sex with the other. The only common denominator in this web of unfaithfulness was my character. As usual, I wanted them both, but that was always an impossibility. Mia once told me that I would be happy with Annette and Joey, but I assumed that my lover would have been Joey, and my friend would have been Annette. It was strange how the circumstances were never ideal. I didn't want to put a Band-Aid on this problem; I wanted to perform surgery on it. We needed to get to the bottom of our trouble with as much honesty and candor as possible.

I decided that I should be the one to lead by example. "There is a constant recurring problem in my life. Either I am married to Evelyn and indulging myself with Joey, or I'm married to Mia and enjoying Annette, or I'm with Annette and playing with Joey. I obviously have a serious problem with commitment, but I love you both, and I don't want to hurt either of you. What hurts me the most is seeing you two at odds. I think the first thing to do is for you both to bury the hatchet and make up with one another. We are a team, and we have been together for nearly two years. We have come to love one another, and we have to stop the arguing."

Joey was the first to speak. "I agree with you, Adriel, but I'm not going to sit here and let Annette lie to you any longer. Annette, you promised me that Adriel would be mine, but you went back on your word and took him for yourself."

Annette was looking down at the blanket as she responded. "That's true, Joey, I did, but that was before I was sexually attracted to Adriel. I have always loved him, but when I desired him I took him for myself. I'm sorry. That was selfish, but that's the way I am."

"You lied to me and to Adriel, Annette. I have never done that."

Annette looked contrite as she agreed. "I know. I'm really sorry, but I knew that if you slept with him I would never see him again. You were going to use him to navigate and travel the world as the greatest assassin of all time. You have to admit that too."

"Of course I was going to utilize his abilities. That's what we do as agents. We work as a team, but whatever made you think you wouldn't see him again?"

Annette began to cry again. "Because I knew that after he had you he wouldn't want me." I scooted in next to Annette and held her.

Joey blinked a few times as she looked me in the eye. "Well, Adriel, I would ask you to make a decision, but I see that you already have. I think it's time for me to go."

"Joey, no! Please don't go."

Joey stood up on the blanket. "Adriel, you don't need me for this project. I should return to agency service as a bodyguard and assassin. I'm not doing any good here, and I need to work."

"You're still on my team, and I'm not releasing you."

"Then give me some time alone. I have a friend in Stockholm that I need to visit. I would appreciate it if you and Annette would transport me there today. I'll give him a call to let him know that I'm coming."

I looked at Annette, and she nodded. Joey went back to the villa to take a shower while Annette and I continued to talk. Annette looked up at me. "I'm really surprised that she gave up that easily."

"I think she knows how much I love you, Annette. I could never be away from you, and I could never stop making love to you. She deserves someone far better than I am."

"Adriel, I'm so sorry that I lied to you, but I was afraid that you would get too upset with me."

"Oh, Annette, you don't need to apologize. I lied to Evelyn countless times. We really are a lot alike."

"Joey said that I would never be faithful to you, but that's not true. I would never go behind your back. If we made love to anyone else, it would be consensual between us. I promise."

"I know. I told you that I would work with you. So, who does she know in Stockholm?"

"I have no idea. She knows people all over the world. She probably knows more people than anyone."

"Did she ever have a project in Stockholm?"

"Once again, I have no idea. She has done so many assassinations, sometimes as many as three a day. She bounced all over the world."

"Well, I hope that we can all get along. She's leaving like you did when Mia confronted you. I hate these déjà vu moments that keep happening."

"Adriel, we're not going to let anyone come between us. We need to work on our relationship. I think this is the end of your frustrating situations. From now on, it's just you and me together forever."

"I sure hope you're right. I'm so tired of hurting everyone and being hurt."

Annette and I returned to the villa as Joey was getting dressed. She wanted us to make a stop in Cannes to pack a bag before going on to Stockholm. I asked to have enough time for Annette and I to shower before we left, and Joey went out to the patio to wait. Annette and I took the quickest shower that we ever had together and finished getting dressed. Annette took my left hand as Joey grabbed my right, and we stepped across the golden highway to Annette's residence in Cannes. Joey went into the bedroom to pack a bag, and I knew that she could smell Annette and me on the bed sheets. I could see that she was upset, but she controlled herself. Our next stop was KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. Joey's friend was a professor of mechanical and electrical engineering. We dropped her off in a lobby, and there were no hugs or kisses. Annette and I immediately returned to Milos.

Annette dragged me by my wrist into the bedroom and pushed me down on the bed. She stripped off her clothes and climbed on top of me. "I want you to do everything imaginable to me." She pulled at my clothes, and in minutes we were engaged in a heated extravaganza of love and carnal indulgence. Annette was far more animated than usual, and I was loving it. Over the next week, we soared to new heights. Annette had cleared the threatening hurdle that Joey presented, and she now had more confidence than ever. Each day offered new horizons and experiences, and we had neglected our project responsibilities. The colonel had left me a message asking what our status was, but I was too involved with Annette to take the time to answer. The plateaus that we were experiencing were far more intense than I had ever enjoyed before. Recovery times were increasing with the intensity of the prolonged orgasm experiences. The pleasure of coasting off of the plateau and back to normalcy took hours. Annette and I were addicted to our love, and we couldn't stop from morning until night. I was waiting for her to get us back on track, and she was waiting for me to do the same. There wasn't a disciplined bone in our bodies. We hadn't been to the golden highway, and I knew that our counterparts were indulging one another in their realm as Annette and I were in ours. I wondered what Yvonne was thinking, or if she was walking as painfully as Annette.

Finally, I became alarmed one morning in the shower with Annette as I counted her ribs. We hadn't had a proper meal in over a week, and we desperately needed to get back to our workouts. I needed to give the colonel a status update as well. As much as we didn't want to return to mundane life, we knew that it was necessary. We were literally fucking ourselves to death. We decided to curtail our lovemaking to eight hours a day. It was an unwilling sacrifice, but necessary. I cut my testosterone supplements in half and created menus for us that had balanced nutrients. In addition, I needed to go back to the herbalist for more ointment. Mia had stocked us up with quite a bit, but it was nearly gone.

For the first time in almost two weeks, we began to discuss our next experiment with the portals. We were confident that we were just a small step from being able to transport the gold. We decided to try a small scale trial by extracting some rock from the cave in the island to our portal at the villa. The portals were operational, and we had traversed the corridor of portals. We still had another hurdle to overcome. We had a problem with our perception of the hallway. I remembered what Yvonne had told me about assigning attributes to things that we didn't understand. The hallway didn't really exist. It was how we perceived it due to living in our realm. In reality, the portal at our villa and the portal on the island were virtually next to one another. If the golden highway didn't really exist, then neither did the string of portals that stretched out of sight. We were assigning that visual aspect to what really was a single hub of time and space. It all related back to the unity of mankind. We perceived one another as different, but in reality we were all the same. There weren't many portals; there was one. I understood the concept, but I needed to make it a reality in my perception.

Abstract thought processes were more conducive to the environment on the golden highway than linear thinking. Worldly logic seldom applied to that realm and often inhibited us from properly functioning. My first experience had been the portal at Giza. David had introduced me to the steps of aku and aki to enter and exit. However, he and I were stepping through the portal together, and the environment was one of utter chaos. It appeared to be a kaleidoscope of dimensions with an impossible reference for navigation. It didn't surprise me that David had lost three assistants. He believed that there was a way to navigate this world from an extra-dimensional standpoint. He was correct. However, we didn't understand all of the rules. We later learned that a husband and wife were necessary to enter the portal. That's when I got Evelyn involved. When she and I entered, we saw the serene atmosphere of the golden highway that we see today. Although, Yvonne explained to me that was just our perception to make sense out of it according to our acclimation in our own world. Yvonne had taught me much since that time. I could now navigate with any woman or just with Yvonne. There were steps that led to different destinations, and she had taught them to me.

It's easy to overlook the obvious, and as I thought about the stacking of portals it just seemed overly simplistic to use the navigational step to a location from the inside of a portal, but it really was that simple. Yvonne had also taught me how to extract matter from our world. It was done by remaining in parking mode within the portal. I never knew that was possible until Yvonne revealed the procedure. Annette and I navigated to the remote island, and I extracted one cubic foot of granite. We took the step to our villa, which equated to our portal since we were standing in a portal. I deposited the cube of granite onto the floor. This was our first success. You can imagine how we spent the next two hours celebrating. Afterward, I left a message with the colonel that we would be transporting gold tomorrow morning. I left the instructions to have the electrical power cut off at the repository according to Greenwich Mean Time.

Joey had been gone for two weeks. I texted her to see when she was coming back. She responded in about half an hour that she needed another two weeks, and when she returned she expected an assignment with value. If I couldn't put her into a necessary position, then she wanted to be reassigned to the agent pool. She further noted that the colonel would be glad to reassign her. I knew that distancing her from us would only widen the chasm between Annette's and Joey's friendship. I didn't want that to happen, and I asked Annette to help me find a position for Joey on our team. I had proven that Yvonne and I could transport gold without additional help. I knew now that Annette and I could to the same. There wasn't a viable position for Joey on our team other than being my assistant to transport gold. That meant that she and I would be working alone. Annette was somewhat uncomfortable with that arrangement, but I assured her that at the first sign of potential trouble I would reassign Joey.

Annette and I went to work the next morning, and we feverishly transported gold for eight hours. It was extremely difficult to remain apart from her sexually for that length of time, and we often caught one another longingly looking at each other with desire. We got so distracted that we had failed to backfill the portions of the mountain enough to prevent a cave-in. We remained in parking mode during extractions, so we weren't injured, but our access to the gold was now blocked. It would take a considerable amount of excavation with the portal to regain access to the gold. We were tempted to leave the project at this point and tell the feds that the transporting of gold was complete. We decided not to make any decisions at this point and shut down the transport operation for the day. I notified the colonel that the transport was complete, but left no further information about the cave-in.

Annette and I decided that it was long overdue for us to get another healing session from our counterparts, and we stepped onto the golden highway to summon Yvonne and the new Adriel. I often forgot how much I needed these sessions until Yvonne and I were engaged in our lovemaking once again. I had no time to discuss her experiences with Annette's counterpart until after our session. In the past, Joey and I would hold hands during our sessions with our counterparts, but Annette and I never did. I think it was partly because Joey and I weren't sexual active with one another. The idea of holding onto Annette during our healing just seemed strange to me, so we never did. She would walk in the opposite direction from Yvonne and me, and once we were out of sight we would indulge ourselves. As Yvonne and I cuddled during an intermission, I asked her how she was enjoying the new Adriel. She didn't comment much, but she smiled from ear to ear. I knew that she also was having the time of her life.

Annette and I were surprised that nearly two days had passed since we stepped onto the golden highway. It was sometimes frustrating to lose that much time on earth, but we needed our healing sessions. I began to contemplate the aspect of splicing time. I had a strange confidence that I could do the same thing that Yvonne had done with me. My portal stacking had given me a new perspective. I invited Annette to try some experiments with me to see if we could overlap our time together. However, Yvonne had warned me never to be in the same place at the same time. She said that it could possible skew my paradigm of this earth and destroy my ability to relate to my surroundings. Just that description alone was enough to make me adhere to the rules.

We decided to try duplicating ourselves at the villa and at Annette's residence in Cannes. We were already tired, so we decided to note the time and get a good sleep before we tried the second part of our experiment. We awakened about eight hours later, and Annette took my hand to step onto the golden highway. I wasn't sure how I knew what I knew, but I stepped into the breeze and then to Annette's place in Cannes. We checked the time. Annette couldn't believe it. We jumped into her bed for a rousing lovemaking celebration as we were sleeping at my villa. I could now splice time, and Annette's excitement from her realization that we could make love, sleep, and transport gold all at the same time was exhilarating. It all appeared to be contiguous to us, but within the earthly realm we were multitasking our time.

The next day, Joey texted me that she was ready to come home. I was encouraged by her choice of words. She told me the place and time that she would be ready for Annette and me to pick her up. I could tell that Annette still had some apprehension, but I hoped to get them both back on track as soon as we reintroduced Joey to our environment. As I promised, if I saw any signs of trouble I would transfer Joey immediately. Annette wanted to make love once more before we retrieved Joey. She never made it to a plateau, but she still had her countless orgasms and always returned the favor. We changed the sheets, showered, dressed, and held hands to go get Joey. Within seconds, we had Joey back at the villa. She unpacked her bag and started her laundry. She seemed pleasant, but didn't hug or kiss either of us.

We enjoyed a wonderful dinner together, and Joey insisted that I put her to work in the morning. I had decided to use her to help me dig out the cave-in at the mountain so that we could get access to the remaining gold. She wanted to get a good night's sleep and insisted on retiring on the couch. This came as a great surprise to us, but she said that she spent nearly a month sleeping on her friend's couch in Sweden, and she was rather accustomed to it. Annette and I took a couple of bottles of wine and a blanket to the beach to enjoy the stars while Joey got settled. Annette took a slug of wine and looked over at me. "Something's not right, Adriel. She's too distant."

"I noticed the same thing, but she's been gone for nearly a month. Maybe she's waiting to see how we will accept her. I appreciate the fact that she is willing to sleep on the couch."

"I know, and I do too, but I've known her for a long time, and something's wrong."

"Well, most of the time that you have known Joey she suffered from Emotional Detachment Disorder. Now that she has emotions, she's going to act differently."

"I realize that, but she's not the same. I don't know if we will ever be friends like we were. I really did her wrong, but I would never want to give you up in a million years."

I pulled Annette close. "I'm glad that you feel that way because I do too."

We returned to the villa after a couple of hours and tiptoed past Joey so that we didn't disturb her. We stripped off our clothes and jumped into bed to enjoy a brief session together. After six orgasms for her and two for me, we slept soundly until morning. I got up just before dawn and started the coffee. I decided to make a coffee cake and mixed it up quietly, trying not to disturb Joey. I shoved it into the oven as she began to stretch and sit up on the couch. She seemed pleasant and asked if she could take a shower. Annette was still in bed, so I told her to go ahead, and breakfast would be ready in about half an hour. I watched her as she walked toward my bathroom. Annette was right, she didn't seem like Joey. Annette wandered out to the kitchen as I was pouring her coffee. She smiled up at me, and I put my arm around her. I could see that she was pleased with the circumstances. We sat on the patio awaiting Joey to finish her shower. After breakfast, we decided to start our work for the day, and I took Joey's hand to navigate to the mountain.

Luckily, no one had disturbed our portal. It was still glowing, and I took Joey inside in parking mode to show her the damage. We were trying to assess whether it was worth excavating down to the gold. It had caved in from above and from the side, and I wasn't sure how long it would take to gain access to the ore again. We took a break inside the ship on the mountain, and Joey suggested that I text Annette to let her know how things were going. I explained our situation to Annette and assured her that all was well with Joey. Joey asked if I could take her to the chalet. She had left a sweater there that she wanted, and it wouldn't take long. She took my hand, and we stepped across the golden highway to the chalet.

A beautiful snow was falling on the Alps, and it was picturesque. Joey asked if we could enjoy a glass of wine and watch the snow for a while. I agreed that it would be a nice break. She asked me to look for her sweater in the loft while she poured us some wine. It took a few minutes for me to find her sweater that was under some clothing in the bedroom. She awaited me on the couch with our wine. I laid her sweater on the back of the couch and took my glass of wine from her. We sat and watched the snow fall for a minute before I noticed some equipment in the corner covered with a sheet. "So, what's that in the corner? Did you order another workout machine?"

"Oh, no, I'll show you in a minute, but first let's toast to this wonderful landscape." Joey reached over with her glass, and we clinked before taking a sip.

My mouth nearly puckered. "Oh, this wine has a bit of an aftertaste."

Joey agreed, "It does, doesn't it? It may be starting to turn, but another toast to the greatest agent in the business who brought us the two most lucrative contracts in history." Joey held out her glass again with a smile for another clink and a sip. "And one last toast to our everlasting friendship." We clinked again, and Joey gulped down the rest of her wine. She awaited my reciprocation, and I finished my wine.

"So, what's the new equipment that you have?"

"Oh, this?" Joey walked over and pulled the sheet from the large frame. There were four padded components that were independently attached to the frame, and I could see that they could be positioned at several different angles. "See, you strap the person to the top part just below his ribs. Then you strap his hips to the seat, and you strap each thigh to these other two parts. It comes with a remote control to put them in any position imaginable."

I was growing uncomfortable. "What is it used for? It looks like some sort of sex chair."

"Oh, you're going to get a firsthand demonstration in about an hour, but first you're going to take a little nap." Joey smiled and looked at my wine glass just as I felt the first wave of the drug go to my head.

"Oh, Joey, you didn't." I was struggling to maintain consciousness.

Joey slid in next to me on the couch to catch me as she whispered, "Oh, but I did."

When I awoke, I was naked and strapped to her machine with my hands secured behind my back. When Joey saw me open my eyes, she exclaimed, "Oh, good, you're back. Are you comfortable?"

"Joey, let me out of this thing. What do you think you're doing? You're my subordinate, and I'm ordering you to let me loose. You could get into a lot of trouble for this."

"Believe me, by tomorrow morning you will be begging for my body and doing anything I say. All of this has been carefully planned, and by the time Annette ever figures out where you are it would be tomorrow afternoon at the earliest that she could make it here. So, what do you think of the machine that my friend in Stockholm designed for me? Isn't this fantastic? He owed me a favor because I secured his position at the institute." Joey pressed the remote control, and I was lying flat on my back. She pressed it again, and I was lying face down. There was a mattress underneath, and I was beginning to get the idea. She pressed the remote again, and I was sitting upright with my knees up and my legs spread. "You don't even have to move, Adriel. It does everything for you." She pressed the remote again to swivel my hips to create pelvic thrusts. She pushed another switch that would speed it up or slow it down.

"Joey, I'm begging you to get me out of this thing."

"You need about half an hour for the drug to completely wear off. You should be ready by then, but I have a male sex enhancement cocktail that I concocted for you. Now, you can either swallow this with some water, or I can shove it up your rectum. Here's some water, it's up to you."

"Joey, I'm not taking any more drugs."

"Well, you're in the perfect position."

She reached underneath me with the capsule, and I acquiesced. "OK, OK, give me the water." Joey put the capsule in my mouth and gave me a sip of water.

"Now, that's a good boy. We need about fifteen minutes for that to start working." Joey removed her clothes and stepped in to kiss me.

"Joey, certainly you don't want us to make love for the first time like this."

"You know, Adriel, that statement worked on me once, but not again. You see, I have come to realize that you will never willingly make love to me for the first time. However, after tonight you won't be able to stop. When is the last time you had a super tight virgin? I'll tell you that it won't compare to what I'm about to give you. There are a few things that I need to explain to you while the first drug continues to wear off, and the second one takes effect. You hurt me deeply, Adriel. You and I were thrust together in a close relationship on our last project. I had to hold on to you at all times to protect you. I suffered Emotional Detachment Disorder back then, and it wasn't difficult to endure what you put me through. You took advantage of me with my disorder. When we slept side by side, you would play with me and kiss me while Evelyn was asleep. You sucked my breasts so much that I was afraid I would start lactating. Then when you couldn't take it any longer, you would roll over and fuck Evelyn to satisfy yourself. It never bothered me until that night that you took me down to the beach in Italy to meet Yvonne. She did certain things to me that caused me to start feeling emotion. That's when the memories of what you did began to hurt me."

"Joey, I'm so sorry. I had fallen in love with you. I wanted you, but Yvonne told me that if you and I ever made love she wouldn't come to visit me anymore, and I needed her to finish the project."

"Adriel, I have never lied to you or deceived you in any way. Yvonne took me on that same beach later when you and I were about to make love. She explained to me that we needed to fake your death in order to save your life. I complied in every way, and I bought this chalet for you and me. I wanted to marry you, Adriel. I protected you here, and I gave you a wonderful place to live. You still wouldn't make love to me, and you blamed it on Yvonne. Then you and she went behind my back so that you could fuck Evelyn again. Once more, you plunged a dagger into my heart emotionally, and Yvonne took you from me again. However, that wasn't enough for you. You managed to manipulate the colonel into putting you in charge of this project over Annette and me. It gave me hope for you and me to be together, but then what did you do? You fucked the first woman who came along and impregnated her. You threw Yvonne away, and you threw me away yet again. That should have been my baby, Adriel." Joey was now screaming.

"Joey, get a hold of yourself. I am so sorry, but I didn't plan to fall in love with Mia."

"I'm not done, Adriel. You continued to hurt me, and I remained faithful to you. Annette convinced me that I should take you by force in Cannes, but when we were throwing you onto her bed, Yvonne rescued you once again. Annette promised that you would be mine, and then what happened?" Joey started screaming once again. "You fucked my best friend and asked her to marry you."

"Annette and I never saw it coming, Joey. She had a dream that caused her to start having heterosexual feelings. You know that Annette and I have always loved one another. It was inevitable."

"You have terribly underestimated me, Adriel. I didn't get to my position without being very good at what I do. You have forced me into a situation that you're not going to like. You have hurt me too much. In the next few hours, I will captivate you like never before. Once I have you in my power, I'm going to assassinate everyone you ever fucked, starting with Evelyn and then Annette."

"Joey, no!"

"Oh, yes, and I don't make idle threats. If you had a college sweetheart, or ever fucked anyone else, you had better tell me who they are. I promise to make their deaths swift and painless. However, if you withhold a name, I will eventually find out, and I will torture her to death in front of you. Do you understand me?"

"Joey, please, you need professional help. Your emotions have run amok. You have to stop this."

"You didn't stop hurting me, Adriel, and now you're going to suffer the consequences. Just be glad that I'm going to fuck your brains out and not cut your heart out. You are the only person on this earth whom I would let get away with hurting me like you have done and continue to breathe. I am going to be the only living woman on this planet who has made love to you, and if you are ever unfaithful to me, I will torture her to death in front of you too. If you so much as kiss another woman, you will be signing her death warrant. Is that clear?" I nodded my head. "Now, let's get started. I'll get the lubricant." Joey began to work me with her hands. Her touch was always electrifying. She was like no other.

I moaned with delight as I begged, "Please stop, Joey."

"Oh, your lips may say 'stop,' but this guy right here is saying 'Yes, yes, yes!' I know what you like, Adriel. I've watched you for almost two years. How does that feel?" The drugs had kicked in, and I was delirious with the pleasure that she was giving. "I'm not going to let you go off in my hand. I'm saving it to go in me. You see, I'm ovulating tonight, and you are going to give me a baby. We're going to be a family, Adriel. I'm finally going to get what I want. I think you're ready for the plunge." Joey lay down on the mattress and pushed a button on the remote. I was lying face down about two feet above her. She slathered me with lubricant and pushed the remote once more. "I want to see the look on your face when you enter me. You're about to become mine." She pushed the remote once again, and I was on top of her.

Her skin was magnificent, and she was about to thrust me inside her when I heard Annette scream. "Stop! Release him immediately!" Joey and I both looked up to see Annette and her counterpart standing a few feet away. He was stark naked, and Annette had a gun aimed directly at Joey's head.

Joey screamed, "Adriel!" She pressed the remote and raised me up about two feet off of her. She looked back at me and demanded, "What's going on? I thought you were Adriel. How do you have Adriel's body?"

I motioned with my head toward Annette's counterpart. "No, I think he has Adriel's body. I'm Jasper White, your superior."

Annette continued to hold the gun on Joey and backed up as Joey clambered from the mattress toward Annette's counterpart. Annette demanded again, "Face down on the floor, Joey. Now, or I'll take you out, and you know it." Joey never took her eyes off of Annette's counterpart as she lay face down on the floor. "Bend your knees, and grab your ankles." Joey complied, and Annette pulled out a set of quadricuffs to secure Joey's wrists and ankles together. "Joann Nyari, you are under arrest for attempted rape, insubordination to a superior, kidnapping and restraining a superior, and interfering with a top secret project. You have no rights, and you will be remanded into the colonel's custody to await sentencing. I'm calling an agency team to transport you to jail once I release your captive."

Joey began pleading with Annette's counterpart. "Oh, Adriel, I would never be unfaithful to you. I thought he was you. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."

Annette came rushing over to me, and I directed her attention toward the floor. "The remote for this thing is over there. Be careful because you could twist me like a pretzel." Annette examined the remote and pushed a button. I was now in an upright position. She kissed me as she implored, "Did she fuck you?"

"No, but you weren't a second too soon. Please, get me out of this infernal contraption."

Annette studied my eyes. "Are you telling me the truth? Did you fuck her?"

"Absolutely not, now please, get me out of this thing."

As Annette stepped behind me to untie my hands and loosen my straps, I noticed that Annette's counterpart was lying on the floor next to Joey and had her rolled on her side facing him. He was talking with her and kissing her frequently. I drew Annette's attention to them as she continued to release my bonds. Just as Annette had gotten me out of the straps, her counterpart came over to us. "I need the keys to the cuffs."

Annette protested. "Are you out of your mind? She could kill us all."

"She's not going to hurt anyone. Please, give me the keys. You can trust me, and do not call the authorities. I'll explain in a few minutes." Annette reluctantly handed the keys to her counterpart. She snatched my clothes from the couch as we watched him remove Joey's cuffs. Joey grabbed him in a tight embrace, and he mounted her.

Annette and I gave one another a concerned look. "Is he having sex with her," I asked.

"It sure looks like it." Joey had wrapped her legs around Annette's counterpart as he was riding her hard. After a few minutes we heard her scream with delight.

I gasped, "Oh, my god, she just orgasmed." He then arched his back. "Oh, dear god, and he was right behind her. What is going on?"

Annette shook her head. "I have no idea."

We watched as Joey went limp and stared blindly at the ceiling. She appeared to be passed out. Annette's counterpart stood up and came over to us. "You need to listen very carefully. From now on, Annette, you must never refer to him as Adriel again. He is now Jasper White. He gave up his identity, and I am now Adriel. Never let Joey know that I'm your counterpart. She believes that she had sex with Adriel." He then looked over at me. "Jazz, you must not press any charges against Joey. I need to get out of here before she wakes up. You will both understand much more in a few minutes. I need to go." Annette's counterpart disappeared.

I looked over at Annette. "How in the world did you find me?"

"Yvonne and my counterpart came to me and said that you were in grave danger here at the chalet. Yvonne gave me this gun. It looks like the one you pointed at me in Cannes. She told me to leave immediately with my counterpart, and she took his robe. He stepped us across the golden highway to the chalet. That's when I saw you on top of Joey. It looked like you were fucking her." Annette looked intently into my eyes.

"Like I said, another two seconds, and I would have been. You came in the nick of time."

I looked over at Joey with sorrow. I could see that Annette was perturbed. "You're upset that my counterpart fucked Joey, aren't you?"

"Well, I'm not happy about it. I'm sorry, I guess I always thought that I would be her first."

"Well, it appears that you were is some fashion or another. I know you've always wanted her, but you're mine now, so don't get any ideas."

"Oh, no, Sweetie, I don't want to have sex with her. Joey will be devastated if she ever learns that she didn't have sex with the real Adriel Chevalier. Believe me, she has had more than her share of heartache."

Joey finally began to stir. She shook her head and sat up. Annette and I both looked at one another. When Joey stood on her feet, we had noticed the trickle of blood that ran down her left inner thigh. Annette checked my genitals. I was clean. She had given her virginity to Annette's counterpart, whom she thought was me. I didn't even know that such a thing was possible. I needed to talk to Yvonne. My head was spinning. Joey walked over to us in a daze and asked, "Am I in some sort of trouble? I'm so sorry, Jazz. I thought you were Adriel."

I replied, "You are in no trouble, Joey. I understand your confusion." I looked into Joey's eyes, and I was the first to recognize that she looked like the old Joey. The next few minutes confirmed my suspicion. Her Emotional Detachment Disorder had returned.

Joey went upstairs to take a shower and clean herself off. Annette looked down and exclaimed, "My god, Jazz, you're still aroused!"

"Oh, yeah, Joey gave me some sort of male sex cocktail to enhance my abilities."

Annette quickly stripped off her clothes. "Well, I'm taking full advantage of this situation." She pushed me down on the couch and shoved me into her anus. She rode me wildly and gave me three orgasms before Joey finished her shower.

We got dressed, and Annette grabbed a bottle of wine from the kitchen before joining me again on the couch. I smelled the wine before I reluctantly took a sip. I explained to Annette how Joey had drugged me. Annette sternly warned me against taking advantage of Joey now that her EDD had returned. I assured her that I would never do that again. I had no idea how much I had hurt Joey. I never dreamed that she would gain emotions and suffer retroactively. Besides, it was just the wrong thing to do, no matter what. Having Joey's disorder back solved a myriad of problems. I was so relieved that Annette, Joey, and I could get back to being a congruent team again. She could sleep in the same bed with us again without the fear of emotion. Of course, Annette explained that she would be sleeping between me and Joey. I fully concurred.

Annette and I finished our bottle of wine, and Joey returned to be taken back to the villa. It was so refreshing to have the old Joey back. She was so much easier to get along with. We had been walking on eggshells around her since she had received her emotions back in Italy on our previous project. It had been nearly a year now, and Annette and I needed to get accustomed to the latest version of Joey. However, there was a brand new, serious problem on the horizon that I never saw coming. We all held hands and stepped across the golden highway to our villa. It was good to be home. Joey was exhausted and wanted to go to bed. Annette and I selected another bottle of wine and headed down to the beach. I was emotionally drained and exhausted, but Annette wanted to talk.

I filled her in on every gruesome detail of my ordeal. I had been convinced that Joey was going to kill Evelyn and Annette, not to mention the other women whom I had been with in my life. I had pictured myself as her captive love slave raising a child together. It seemed like hundreds of nightmarish thoughts had streamed through my head while I was strapped to her rape machine. I had been traumatized, and I desperately needed Yvonne's healing. I persuaded Annette to take a trip to the golden highway and summon our counterparts. She was somewhat reluctant knowing that Adriel had just had sex with Joey not long ago. I would have made the trip without Annette, but I needed her to get to the golden highway and summon Yvonne. Annette took my hand, we stepped onto the golden highway, clapped, and Adriel and Yvonne approached.

I could readily see that something was amiss. Yvonne looked horrified, but I made no mention of it as I took her hand and walked in the opposite direction from Adriel and Annette. Once we were out of earshot, Yvonne turned to me in despair, "Jazz, how I hate to call you that, but it's now necessary. Something horrible has happened, and we need to do something about it."

"Why should I not have seen this coming? Just when things seem to level out, we have another problem. What is it?"

"This is serious. You know I pushed the envelope a few times with Joey and Annette by engaging them. I never really crossed a line, but Adriel has done something dreadful."

"Yeah, I was going to ask you about that. I didn't realize that he could actually have sex with Joey."

"Oh, we have that capability all right, but it's forbidden. He knew better than to do what he did, and to make matters worse, Joey is now pregnant with his child."

"What?! How can that be? Are you telling me that he has sperm just like I do?"

"I'm afraid so. This is really serious, Jazz." Yvonne looked down and spoke under her breath. "Oh, god, I hate that name." She looked back up at me. "This has not happened for a very long time. You need to understand the gravity behind what he has done. His insubordination is likened to what happened thousands of years ago. There were counterparts who came to earth and impregnated women. The offspring were superhuman. They were giants with superhuman capabilities. The only way to rid them from this earth was to flood it entirely and save one family. The irony is that we have recently been working in the ship that saved them long ago. Joey's offspring will not be human. Her pregnancy will barely last three months, and the child will grow at a rapid rate. He won't have a soul or a counterpart on the golden highway. This just isn't supposed to happen. We're going to have to do something."

"I hope you don't mean that we need to terminate her child. We can't do that."

"I realize that, but we have to do something. Annette's counterpart is going to be in serious hot water, and I don't know how that will impact her. This is just too unpredictable. Joey isn't suffering emotion right now, which is good. I need some time to confer with others how we should handle this, but I wanted you to be aware."

"Should I tell Annette about this?"

"Not yet, let me do some research first and get back with you."

Yvonne dropped her robe and gave me the healing session that I so desperately needed.

# **CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

# **_ADRIEL_**

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****

Annette and I climbed into bed with Joey, who was already sleeping. We all consistently slept naked, and Annette positioned herself between Joey and me. It had been a harrowing day, and we decided to wait until tomorrow to make love. As I slept that night, I had a nightmare about being chased by a one-eyed ogre who was trying to devour me. I barely stayed out of his reach as he relentlessly pursued me across a desert. There was nowhere to hide, and he had superhuman strength. I knew that I would eventually exhaust my energy, and he would capture me. I awoke soaked in my own sweat. I scooted out of bed trying not to disturb either Joey or Annette. I was trying to shake off the extreme emotion of the dream and walked out to the patio with a bottle of water.

I was sitting on the loveseat sipping my water when Yvonne surprised me as she appeared next to me. I quickly turned to her. "I thought that you couldn't come to me anymore since I made love to Annette."

"Oh, Jazz, there's so much that you don't know. I told you that I had so much to teach you about my realm. I had no idea that it would come to this. I have been allowed to visit you for the time being. You need to listen very carefully. I'm not sure where to begin." When Yvonne didn't know where to begin, I knew that it was serious. She always knew what to say. "I have been conferring with my colleagues. We went back to search the archives to recall the events that happened thousands of years ago."

I interrupted. "Wait a minute, what archives?"

"You have heard of them. They are sometimes referred to as the Book of Life, or the Akashic records. They are chronicles of everyone's life, and they contain every thought and action that anyone has ever had."

"I have heard of them, but where do they come from?"

Yvonne gave me concerted look. "We counterparts record everything. Did you think we just sat around strumming harps and singing all day long? We are busy recording everything about you. It is an extensive library that contains your entire existence. Some have erroneously believed that they have lived several lives on this earth. That simply isn't true. They have gotten confused with previous realms where they have lived. Every time you move out of a realm, you enter another. You don't remember your former life, but the archives keep track of all of your lives and progress within each realm. It is referred as the Kingdom of the Heavens in some publications on your earth. There are secrets that I can reveal to you because you have already discovered them within your realm. Every person on this earth makes decisions with his or her own free will. Those decisions result in one of two outcomes. Either one decides to live by faith in the nature, will, and character of the Creator, or one chooses to act according to his or her own desires and erroneous paradigms. The Kingdom of the Heavens has a filtering mechanism that only allows the attributes of the Creator to pass on to the next realm. There is a parable about three men who received varying amounts of money to invest. One received a denomination of one, another received two, and the third received five. They were judged by the increase on their investment. It has nothing to do with money. It has to do with the measure of faith that each person was given as he or she entered this realm. The more that you exercise that faith, the greater your investment becomes. The increase is measured in the attributes of the Creator. When you exercise your faith, you become more like him, and the only aspect of you that can advance to the next realm is that which coincides with his attributes. These eternal attributes of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, meekness, gentleness, self control, encouragement, nurturing, forgiveness, mercy, compassion, and the like are only successfully achieved through faith. Some will move to the next realm with the riches of these attributes, and some will enter with a bankruptcy of those attributes. What you do not know is that there are several administrations in my realm. People on earth have an infantile view of my realm. They naively believe in a god, who has angels, and a devil, who has his demons. That's like a five year old child believing in Santa Claus. I know that you have read the Ethiopian Book of Enoch."

"Yes, several years ago I found a copy. It's an interesting work, for sure."

"Well, it's loaded with symbolism, but the Watchers to which it refers are we counterparts on the golden highway. We watch and record everything. A hierarchy of authority exists within my realm. We answer to an upward chain of command that ends with the Creator. What people of earth have referred to as angels are really a number of different ranks within the hierarchy. I need to explain all of this to you in order for you to understand what has happened to Joey. The level above me is known by you as the Overseers. You and Eddie got to see your overseers when you were in Orlando. As you know, the Greek word for messenger is angelos, which is mistranslated as angel. There are many types of messengers, but people on earth overly simplify my realm. I qualify as an angel because I am a messenger to you. Your overseer, who is my boss, is also a messenger, and he reports to another level, which are also messengers. There are some sects on earth who have more accurately identified a hierarchy via seraphim, cherubim, and the like, but they are grossly naive about the administrative aspects and levels of authority. It really isn't important from your perspective though. The only important aspect to your life right now is choosing to live by faith. When your life ends in this realm, the basis will change from faith to something else as you move to the next realm. However, you will be better equipped if you retain more attributes of the Creator by faith before you end your life here."

"So, how does this hierarchy of authority pertain to Joey?"

"We counterparts have reproductive capability, but we aren't supposed to breed with humans in the earthly realm. Please don't ask what I know you're about to ask. Just listen. Levels above mine do not have reproductive capability. I went back to access the archives, and I read about counterparts who entered your realm because they were tempted by women as beautiful as Joey. They had sex with these women and impregnated them. These women gave birth to a group referred to as the Nephilim. Your realm merely refers to them as giants, but they were much more than that. You need to understand what we are dealing with. These Nephilim could appear to each individual as they desired. They appeared to some as giants to intimidate them. They are a mixture of my realm and your realm. You have seen Annette's counterpart as a beautiful, young, innocent girl, and you have seen her counterpart as a replica of you prior to your surgery. We have the ability to appear to your earthly realm in the manner which is conducive to you. Joey's offspring will have the ability to appear as a gorgeous, seductive female to men, or as a virile, handsome man to women. They are prolific and driven to reproduce at the highest rate. As a man, they can impregnate a woman. As a woman, they can be impregnated by men. Their development is far more rapid than humans, and they can subdue the earth in a short period of time. That's why the earth had to be flooded. They were multiplying at an uncontrollable rate because nearly everyone had been seduced by them."

"So, Joey's offspring could potentially wreak havoc on mankind."

"That's precisely what will happen if we don't intervene."

"Well, whether her child has a soul or not, I'm not terminating it in any fashion whatsoever."

"I'm not advocating termination. We have to control its influence somehow."

"So, its gender is moot because it can appear and function as male or female."

"That is correct. It will have either gender depending on who is viewing it. You need to realize that it will appear irresistible to anyone who sees it. If you think Joey is attractive and provocative, you haven't seen anything yet. No one can resist these offspring sexually. That's why they are so prolific. We have to find a way to keep it from any other human. Even you don't stand a chance with it. You and Annette won't even come close to what this thing can do. It truly will fuck you to death."

"How much time do we have after it's born before it starts to reproduce?"

"That's a good question. There is no record of their specific development. It could be days or months, but I know that it will happen quickly."

"Can you and I transport it to another realm?"

"We could, but then it will threaten whatever realm we put it in. It has the ability to adapt and reproduce. It will overtake any environment in which it lives."

"How can such a thing be possible?"

"There are biophysical laws in creation that should never be violated. This is one of them. The new Adriel is in deep trouble. He has been apprehended by the overseers. I'm not certain what fate awaits him, but I imagine that he will be imprisoned with the other counterparts who caused this same problem long ago. That brings me to my next topic. The reason that I am able to visit you now is because I have been granted special privilege due to the current circumstances. Adriel and I were allowed to save you from Joey by having him take Annette with him to the chalet. I had to sit that one out because I couldn't come to you. However, now that Adriel has violated his proper realm and impregnated Joey I have been given clearance to stand in. There's just one small catch."

"I'm almost afraid to ask. What's the catch?"

"You and Annette have to get married. I can then adopt her and act as her counterpart."

"And what if she refuses? I have already asked her, and she turned me down."

"You're not going to like this. I'm afraid that without a counterpart, she can't continue in your realm. The worst part of your predicament is that you're not allowed to tell her that. If you do, you will lose her forever."

"How much time does she have?"

"That I really don't know. I would have to be able to catch up on recording her life wherever Adriel left off, but if too much time passes without a recording she will die. I just don't know how long that is."

"Why do these things keep happening to me? Every time I think that everything is going to turn out all right, something else has to pop up and threaten my peace of mind."

"It's like I told you before, you negotiated enough for three lifetimes. We still have a long way to go. Just be thankful that it gives you more opportunity to exercise faith and increase your investment. The choice is yours. Just one more thing before I go. I can't be seen by Joey again, or she will regain her emotions, and we will be right back where we were with her. We need to prevent that at all costs. I have to go now, and you need to get some more sleep. I promise not to give you any more nightmares tonight, but I needed to talk to you alone."

Yvonne disappeared, and so did my sleepiness. I wasn't sure how to get Annette to agree to marry me, but I had to find a way. That was my first priority. I also needed to establish a plan to handle Joey's baby. I had no idea what to expect from her or the child, but after hearing Yvonne's explanation I realized that I would have to isolate it from the human race so that even I couldn't get to it. Yvonne had warned me, and based on my track record with normal women I certainly didn't stand a chance against this creature of carnal magnetism. I decided that it was best to keep all of this to myself for the time being until I could come up with a plan. I finished my water and wandered back to bed.

I lay awake next to Annette as I pondered my options. If Yvonne could now come to me, I would have her accompany me to a jewelry store in the states to purchase a ring for Annette. I was planning a proposal that few women could refuse. I would buy her a gown from Paris, and take her to dinner in Hong Kong to present the ring to her. I needed time to plan an elegant setting to set the right mood to captivate her. I wouldn't take "no" for an answer. I began to contemplate how to deal with Joey's child. I couldn't come up with a plan that didn't sound incredibly inhumane. If we weren't going to terminate it, we would have to incarcerate it somehow. Yvonne made it sound more like an animal than a human, but I knew that it would appear very human and attractive beyond comprehension. I realized that no matter what we did, it would be difficult to execute the plan. I finally drifted off to sleep.

Annette awakened me early to make love. She took me by the hand and led me out to the patio. We took the step across the golden highway to her bedroom in Cannes and enjoyed about two hours before checking back at the villa to see if Joey was up. We fully intended to come back later when we had more time. We both made one trip to the plateau of extended orgasm, and we were still on the slow descent back to normal as we returned to the villa. Our glazed eyes were a fairly clear indication that we had been experiencing indescribable sex together. Joey had made coffee, and she was reading on the patio as she intermittently sipped from her cup. She was in good spirits, and it was reminiscent of days past before she had begun to experience emotion. Annette and I got some coffee and joined her on the patio.

Joey placed her book on the table and looked over at me. "Jazz, I believe that I owe you an apology. The emotions that I was feeling were far too overwhelming for me to handle. You said that I needed professional help, and I have to agree with you. I didn't handle my situation well, and I am very sorry for that."

"Joey, you don't need to apologize. It's good to have you back in a better frame of mind."

"It's good to be back. I really don't know how you all deal with emotions. Most of what I have experienced and seen is very painful. It looks like you and Annette are very happy together, and I'm very glad for you."

Annette leaned forward to answer. "We are very happy, Joey, and I want you to know that we love you very much. I'm sorry for everything that you suffered, and I was partly to blame for that. I want us to be good friends again."

"We are good friends, Annette. I can't believe that I said some of the things that I did. I'm so glad that I don't feel that way anymore."

I added, "So are we, Joey." Joey was still naked. I looked at her abdomen to see if I could detect a bulge. So far, I saw nothing, but I knew before long she would be aware that she was pregnant.

We had planned to take the day off and go to the beach to work on our tans. We loaded up with all of the necessary items and descended the rocks toward the surf. We spread out our blanket, and Annette lay between Joey and me. Annette knew that Joey wasn't suffering emotion, but it was me whom she didn't trust at this point. Joey was still a very attractive delight. I lay back on the blanket enjoying the sun's rays and thinking about my plans. I would summon Yvonne tonight while Joey and Annette were sleeping. I could splice time to go to Paris and buy an evening gown, shoes, accessories, and undergarments for Annette. I knew her sizes, and I could surprise her with a new outfit. I could go to the states and buy a huge diamond ring for my proposal. I could then go to Hong Kong and secure a private table with a great view at Cafe Grey Deluxe. After all of my stops, I could have Yvonne bring me right back to my bed at the same time that I had left. I loved having this capability.

Apparently, Annette and Joey had fallen asleep because Yvonne came and took me to the golden highway. I was surprised and asked why she had taken me from the beach. She began to explain. "We're splicing time right now. We have a project to finish. If you use either Joey or Annette, your time will be limited. I think you and I need to finish this project, which means that we need to go to the mountain right now and dig out that cave-in. I'll bring you back to this same time and place. Let's get going." The next thing I knew, I was in the ship on the mountain with Yvonne. I was naked and hoping that the old family didn't show up again. Yvonne got the portal working, and we hopped over to the deserted island where we intended to deposit the debris. We worked feverishly for hours cleaning out the quartz and granite until we finally got back down to the gold. I was rather exhausted, and Yvonne took me back to the beach where I promptly fell asleep. She had more to tell me, but it could wait until later. She knew my plans for Annette, so I knew that she would be back tonight.

I awoke to Annette mounting me as she kissed my lips. Joey had gone back to the villa for some more wine, and Annette wanted to get in three orgasms before she returned. I was able to accomplish one before Joey got back. It was obvious that Annette and I had been at it, and I could see that Joey was aware. Luckily, she showed no signs of emotion. We got the bread and cheese out of the bag and enjoyed a light lunch as we talked about our future plans. My goal was to keep Annette and Joey on my team after this project was over. I was aware that the agency would want to put Joey back into service as an assassin, but I was devising a plan to make her the most effective assassin in the world without killing anyone. I now had ways of making people disappear without terminating them. However, we hadn't finished our current project, and I knew that Yvonne had something to tell me about her plans. I was hoping to discuss them tonight when I prepared for my proposal to Annette.

I lovingly looked over at Annette. She was so beautiful, and she looked much younger than her age. Her eyes were so blue, and she often mesmerized me as she gazed at me. I couldn't stop kissing her. Before long, things got so heated that we disregarded Joey's presence and freely made love in front of her. As long ago, she paid no more attention than if I were brushing my teeth. Annette's excitement was escalating as she drove harder in front of Joey. I knew that she was ready, and I engaged her anally as I reached for her other zones. Once Annette had entered the plateau and began to convulse and jerk wildly, it got Joey's attention. She had never seen anything like this. I was able to hold Annette for an hour and a half as she moaned and cried with delight. I finally released her, and I collapsed back onto the blanket. She held me tightly as she continued to convulse for another twenty minutes. She ended up urinating all over the blanket before she regained full consciousness. I laughed as Joey immediately jumped up. She went back to the villa for a couple of clean blankets. By the time that Joey returned, Annette had me completely down her throat and onto the plateau myself. I stayed for about half an hour, and she released me to coast back to consciousness. We were both riding the euphoric waves of recovery from our extended orgasms as we held each other on our wet blanket. We had no more inhibitions, and we could make love anywhere at anytime.

After dinner that evening, as we all sat out on the patio enjoying our wine, Joey asked about what she had witnessed today. Annette began to explain. "Before I met Jazz, I used to think that I had incredible sex. He introduced me to things that I never knew were possible. We have both learned that there is no limit to what we can experience sexually. People become complacent about sex and don't expect to soar to new heights, but Jazz and I have learned that if we just concentrate on our love for each other and don't set limits we achieve new levels that we never knew. It requires complete abandonment and a willingness to do absolutely anything. Before now, I used to dominate my sexual encounters, but now I am completely submissive. He can do anything to me that he wants, and vice versa." I pulled Annette into me and kissed her deeply. I couldn't have said it better.

Joey asked about the anal aspect of the experience. She said that it sounded painful. It was my turn to explain. "Anal sex can be painful if you don't approach it correctly. As Annette pointed out, she is willing to let me do anything. She first needs that kind of abandonment to trust me not to hurt her. There are erogenous zones in several places on the body, but they don't really activate to their potential until someone is aroused and has entered the state of complete abandonment. There is a zone on the bottom of Annette's foot that will drive her into ecstasy, but I have to wait until the right time to work it. Otherwise, it does nothing. Once the nerve impulses are aligned, you can find new zones of pleasure all over the body. You just need to experiment under the right circumstances. Some do not activate until others do. Once I have her on the plateau, I can start searching for undiscovered zones. I can tell by her response when I find one. I even found one in her ear." I looked over at Annette and smiled. "Sometimes I wish I had five hands to explore her body."

That night, after Joey and Annette drifted off to sleep, Yvonne came to get me. "Adriel, you have a lot to do, and this is the end of your day. Let's start with a good night's sleep. Then we can run your errands before I bring you back home to the same place and time. Otherwise, you will be too exhausted." Yvonne took me to Annette's residence in Cannes to sleep. She held me in her arms as she gave me some really great dreams. When I awoke, she gave me a healing session, and then we spliced our time to execute my plans. I was able to secure the garments for Annette, a beautiful ring, and book the reservations for the restaurant. I just needed to persuade Annette to marry me. However, before Yvonne took me home she wanted to discuss something with me about the project. "We have one more transport to do. There is something that I have been withholding from you because I was afraid that you might leak it to the others. However, we need to wait until the feds are finished refining the gold and forming it into bars. As it turns out, they have reneged on all of our stipulations, which I fully expected. Once they are finished creating the gold bars, we're taking the gold."

"How can we do that? It's heavily protected, and we would set off the alarms."

"Yes, but we have about three minutes to extract the bars before they gain access to the vault. If we construct the proper portal and transport it to the vault, we should be able to take most of it out of there."

"Where will we put it?"

"We need to choose a remote place where no one lives. Once we take the gold, we will sell about six billion dollars to another government and deposit the proceeds into several secret bank accounts around the world. You're going to need that money to live because we are leaving the agency."

"What about Annette and Joey?"

"Annette will follow you to the ends of the earth. She's not a problem, but Joey might be. I'm still not sure. Besides, we still have the problem with her baby. I'm not sure how that will play out, but we need to secure the gold first. We're ready for the final transport, so alert the colonel that we will be transferring the last of the gold to the repository this week. You establish the time, and I will help you."

"I was going to use Joey to help transport the gold."

"No, we're splicing time to do this. Annette and Joey will be unaware. They also won't know we stole the gold until the feds alert the colonel. Timing will be crucial, but we can't take the chance of either of them disclosing our plan."

"What if Annette won't come with me when we run?"

"We have much bigger problems than that with Joey's baby. We need to get the gold first and deal with the remainder later. We'll see how things play out with Annette, but my guess is that she will do whatever you want." Yvonne took me back to my bed at the villa, and Annette rolled over to put her right arm around me. It was time for another good night's sleep.

The next morning, I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that Annette's hourglass was running out of sand. The new Adriel had been incarcerated, and I couldn't tell her what had happened. My first goal was to get her to accept my proposal. I wasn't transporting any more gold until I knew that she would be safe. Yvonne wouldn't tell me what I had negotiated for my life, and I was desperately hoping that losing Annette was not part of the deal. However, I did know that living by faith required that we had no agenda for our lives. That's where I struggled when it pertained to Annette. I could no longer take Annette or Joey to the golden highway for healing sessions. Annette now had no counterpart, and I couldn't let Joey see Yvonne, or she would regain her emotions. That was far too dangerous to risk. The clocks were ticking, and I needed to get started.

Annette initiated our lovemaking, but she was disappointed that she couldn't get me to the plateau of extended orgasm. I couldn't clear my head because I was worried that I would lose her. Luckily, I got her there, and she enjoyed her long descent back as I held her in my arms. Joey had already made coffee and eaten some leftover coffee cake. Once Annette was cognizant enough to understand, I told her that I had a surprise for her. I handed her the boxes that contained her shoes, undergarments, evening gown, purse, and jewelry. I then invited her to a romantic dinner in Hong Kong and showed her some brochures of the restaurant. I wanted us to enjoy an intimate date together alone. She threw her arms around me and began modeling the gifts for me. I had chosen a blue gown to match her eyes. She looked positively stunning. Our date was scheduled for tomorrow night in Hong Kong. I couldn't wait.

Joey was eager to get started clearing the mine, but I told her that I hadn't yet decided if we were transporting any more gold. I hated to lie to her yet again, but I needed to keep the entire plan a secret. We never wore clothing at the villa anymore, and I kept an eye on Joey's abdomen. I thought that I saw a small bulge this morning, but I wasn't positive. Annette was excited about our date, and she showed Joey the gifts that I had given her. Joey thought that the gown looked great on Annette. It was good to have her emotions suppressed once again. She picked up her book as she took a bite from her apple. Annette led me back to the bedroom to thank me for the gifts. She was obviously very appreciative, but I never made it to the plateau.

We spent the afternoon on the beach in the sun. Annette and Joey fell asleep, and I was looking out at the bright blue water. I remembered how Mia used to swim by and wave. That seemed like eons ago. Mia and I had a good relationship, but it couldn't equal what I had with Annette. I looked over at her as I admired her body. Just then, something caught my eye. I had to study it to be sure, but I saw a slight movement within Joey's abdomen. She was still sleeping as I continued to watch. Sure enough, I saw movement. Things were about to change rapidly, and I had a lot to do. Annette awakened and saw me studying Joey's body. I could tell that she was upset, but I showed her what had drawn my attention. Her jaw dropped open as she gave a wide eyed look. I wasn't sure if I should tell her what had happened, so I didn't elaborate. Instead, I engaged her in a kissing session that quickly escalated.

However, we stopped after Annette's fifth orgasm as Joey had awakened and gasped as she grabbed her stomach. She felt the movement in her abdomen, and she was alarmed. I had to say something. I told her that I thought she was pregnant. She wanted us to take her to an agency clinic for confirmation later in the day. I could tell that Annette was perturbed about something, but she wasn't saying anything. Later in the afternoon, she grabbed my hand and nearly dragged me back to the villa while Joey was napping again. I thought we were heading for another session of bliss, but I was greatly mistaken. She got me inside and faced me as she studied my eyes. "Is that your baby? Tell me the truth, Adriel!"

"OK, you're not supposed to call me Adriel anymore, but I need to explain."

"Oh, you have a lot of explaining to do all right. There's no way she would be that far along if it weren't your baby. When did you fuck her last?"

"Annette, you need to sit down for this." Tears began to stream from Annette's eyes as I led her to a chair at the dining room table. "Calm down, it's not what you think. I have never had sex with Joey, so let's get that out of the way."

"Don't lie to me, Adriel! I'm not that naive."

"Your counterpart impregnated Joey, and the fetus is growing at an accelerated rate."

"Are you serious? You really expect me to believe something like that? You obviously got her pregnant at least a month or two ago."

"OK, Joey never lies. Why don't you ask her if she has ever had sex with me. She's not suffering emotion right now, and you know she will tell you the truth."

"That's exactly what I'm going to do, and you better hope that you're telling the truth." Annette grabbed my wrist to drag me back to the beach.

"OK, but don't call me Adriel in front of her. I'll explain later."

Annette was very confrontational as she pulled me in front of Joey on the blanket. Joey looked up and squinted as Annette began. "Joey, tell me the truth. Have you ever fucked Jazz?"

Joey sat up and gave Annette a confused look. "No, you know what happened at the chalet. I was close to having sex with him, but you intervened."

"Did you ever fuck him prior to that?"

"Of course not, Annette. Why would I have used that machine if he and I had ever had sex? I wouldn't need it."

Annette shot me a look of doubt as I excused us from Joey. I led her back to the villa to explain. This would be delicate because I couldn't let her know that her life was in danger due to what her counterpart had done. "Annette, Yvonne explained to me about babies that have been conceived by counterparts. The fetus grows at an accelerated rate. The child continues to grow in like manner and reaches adulthood in a small fraction of the time as humans. Please promise not to tell Joey about this. I can explain a lot more later, but the first thing you need to know is that I have never had sex with Joey. I swear to you. I love you dearly, and no one will ever come between us." I pulled her in for a tight hug, and she studied my eyes. "You know me, Annette, and you have always been able to tell when I'm lying."

She continued to study my eyes and then kissed me long and hard. "I believe you, Adriel."

"OK, but as much as I hate my new name, you have to stop calling me that. I can explain that more later also. I want us to have a wonderful date together tomorrow night because I love you with all my heart, and you need to know that I have never loved anyone the way that I love you."

Annette became more convinced later that night after we stepped Joey across the golden highway to an agency clinic. The doctors had asked when Joey had her last menstrual period. She explained that she had been charting her temperatures and knew when she was ovulating. The doctors assured her that it was impossible because she was at least sixteen weeks pregnant. Joey became very confused and wondered how she could possibly be that far along. I insisted that Annette not tell Joey what had happened. It was important that she believed she had made love to Adriel. At least, that is what her counterpart had told us. We returned to the villa, and Joey began to research pregnancy. I was running out of time.

Time seemed to drag annoyingly as I anticipated my date with Annette. We showered together, and helped one another dress for our late night dinner in Hong Kong. She looked absolutely ravishing, and I pulled her in to kiss her over and over before we stepped onto the golden highway to the restaurant. I had booked a room in an upper suite. It was a private setting with a dedicated wait staff exclusively for us. I seated her at our table as she admired the view from our window. I had arranged for a meal that was off menu. It was simple but elegant. Our sommelier poured a Domaine Leflaive Batard Montrachet to enjoy minutes before the appetizer of Lobster Frittata. I had instructed that courses be served no sooner than half an hour apart so that Annette could fully enjoy each wine choice. I wasn't planning to dominate the conversation, but I couldn't stop telling her how wonderful she was and how much I loved her. She had captivated me, and there was nothing I wouldn't do for her. Our salad course of Florette Sea and Earth Salad was preceded by a Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling. Annette was very familiar with some of the best wines in the world, and I wanted to keep her impressed with my selections. Before our entree was served, I explained to Annette how I had loved her from the first time I saw her. I had never dreamed that she and I would become lovers, but I had always wanted for us to be best friends. Now that we were intimate, I was ecstatic beyond words.

Our third wine arrived, which was a Chateau Margeaux. I thought it would pair excellently with the Japanese Kobe Steak. I had taken a chance with the entree because I knew that Annette preferred fish over beef, but I doubted that she had tasted the most tender and flavorful steak in the world. I was beginning to sweat with anticipation because I had planned to present her ring just before dessert. She was impressed with the steak and thought that the wine was a perfect accompaniment. The time had arrived, and I had lost my appetite. I could hardly breathe. Our sommelier stepped forward to pour our dessert wine, a Graham's Vintage Port. Annette sipped the sweetness from her glass as the waiter brought us the Golden Opulence Sundae.

Before she reached for her spoon, I arose from the table and bent on one knee beside her. I looked up into her wonderfully blue eyes, and took her hand as I began. "Annette Marceau, since I have met you I have been captivated not only by your beauty, but by your incredible example of the most fascinating woman I have ever met. You captured my heart and soul, and I never want us to be apart." I pulled the ring from my pocket and opened the box. "Will you do the honor of being my wife for the rest of my life?"

Annette's jaw dropped as she gazed into my eyes. She looked at our waiter and back to me in amazement. "Adriel, I thought that we had discussed this. Marriage changes people."

"Yes, I will admit that it does, but in your case I know for certainty that it will change me for the best. I desperately want you to be my wife. Please say 'yes'."

"Adriel, the ring is beautiful, and you have obviously gone to a lot of trouble for this moment, but..." I rose up and embraced Annette in a sensual kiss as I teased her with my tongue. Her breathing increased, and she reciprocated as I unzipped her dress. The waiters exited the room, and I picked Annette up off her chair and laid her on the bed. She looked at me in amazement as I slowly undressed her, kissing every inch of her exposed flesh. I teasingly removed her underwear and kissed my way up her inner thigh. She arched her back as I engaged her swollen clitoris gently with my tongue. Within the next minute she convulsed in orgasm twice, and I softly began to rub around her anus as I continued with my tongue. She orgasmed three more times, and then she did the most unexpected thing that I never anticipated.

She pulled me upward on top of her as the tears fell from her eyes. "Oh, Adriel, what about my vagina? I can't give you what other women can, and I'm afraid that you will be disappointed with me."

I couldn't believe my ears. "Annette, what are you talking about? I have never been disappointed with you in any way. I would never want anyone else. I have found a way to enjoy you in every fashion. Please be my wife. Will you marry me?"

Annette blinked as the tears splashed from her eyes. "Yes, I will marry you, Adriel Chevalier, Jasper White, or whatever your future name might be."

I can't say that the rest of the evening topped anything else we had ever done, but it was certainly close. We made love all night long, and Annette kept looking at the ring on her finger. We never took the time to enjoy the terrific looking dessert, but I was so happy that Annette was going to be my wife. However, she had merely said, "yes." I needed to arrange a ceremony as soon as possible. Late the next day, we navigated back to our villa, and I left word with the colonel that I would be transporting gold at the time that I designated according to Greenwich Mean Time. I also let him know that I was requesting his services to perform an agency marriage between Annette and myself. I wanted to complete the ceremony within the next two days, if possible. Yvonne and I now needed to splice time to transport gold so that neither Joey nor Annette knew what we had done. After that, we had to wait for the feds to refine the ore and form it into bars. I felt as though I could hear a clock ticking in my head as I feverishly tried to accomplish my tasks.

Annette was excited that evening as she asked Joey to be our witness for our marriage. She gladly consented, and I checked my phone to see if the colonel had responded. His schedule was clear in the afternoon for the day after tomorrow. Yvonne and I would be splicing time tonight to transport gold. So far, I was keeping up. Joey voiced her concern over the rapid development of her fetus. She was now definitely showing, and Annette was relieved because it was a clear indication that I had told her the truth. However, I needed to get her past the marriage ceremony to enlighten her about Yvonne's adoption. We could then explain to Annette what had happened and the challenges that awaited. As much as I had accomplished so far, the circumstances still had not changed.

Yvonne came to get me that night as the women were sleeping. She already knew everything that I did and a whole lot more. It was time to transport gold, and we worked for ten hours before we decided that we had removed enough gold from the mine. I had not been distracted with Yvonne as I had been with Annette, and she was diligent to keep backfilling the area as we removed more ore. We finally shut down the operation for the last time and took our portal equipment from the repository and the ship on the mountain. We decided that we would keep the portal on the remote island because it appeared to be a great place to hide the gold bars that we were going to steal back. All was going according to plan, and we stepped into parking mode at the repository to assess the placement of the gold bars that had already been formed. We were trying to determine the size and shape of our final portal to transport as many gold bars as we could to the island. It appeared that we could take nearly all of what we had delivered. This was going to cause a major upset with the agency and the Treasury Department. I was amused and nervous. I was about to provoke the most powerful nation in the world and the deadliest agency in the world as well. Yvonne deposited me back into my bed at the same time I had left.

The next morning after breakfast, I told Annette and Joey that I had decided to bring our project to a close. Annette was excited and began to inquire about our next project. I had not disclosed Yvonne's plans, and I enticed them to enjoy me in a celebration at the beach after our wedding. Annette and I went shopping to find dresses for her and Joey and a suit for me. She didn't want anything fancy, but she wanted it to be special. I didn't care what we did as long as it was quick. She chose a peach colored dress for her and a dark purple maternity outfit for Joey because she was getting bigger by the hour. I would be wearing a dark blue pin stripe suit. I wanted to cut our time short with the colonel to minimize the chance to talk business before our ceremony. Unfortunately, our wedding had been delayed a few hours due to agency business that involved the colonel. I was getting nervous because I didn't know how much time Annette had before she would expire.

We finally had our opportunity to step across the golden highway to the colonel's agency office in Washington, D. C. Annette held my left hand as Joey held my right. I was noticing an electrifying sensation as I held Joey's hand, and she looked more ravishing than ever. I realized that this was the effect of the child inside her womb. However, I needed to focus on my wedding with Annette. The colonel had us sign all of the necessary forms and license for our agency marriage. Once we had finished with the documents, we just needed to have the colonel perform the ceremony, and Annette and I would be husband and wife within the agency. I was growing more anxious as the clock ticked, and I wanted to get through the nuptials before Annette's heart stopped beating. Unfortunately, there was an annoying prerequisite.

The colonel began his dissertation. "I imagine that you both didn't bother to read the material concerning agency marriage in your training documents." Annette and I looked at one another and shook our heads. "Well, I need to explain how agency marriage works."

I interrupted, "Sir, could we perform the ceremony and then discuss the particulars?"

The colonel was agitated by my request. "Agent White, this will go a whole lot faster if you don't interrupt me." I apologized, and he continued. "Agency marriages do not get registered with any branch of government. As agents, you do not receive paychecks, pay taxes, own property, or have any legal assets that would need to be divided if you ever divorce. The agency recognizes your marriage, and married couples are never separated by projects. Therefore, this will guarantee that you two work together from now on. Unlike conventional marriages which end upon a spouse's death, your agency marriage will continue until you divorce. So, if either of you should pass away, and the survivor decides to marry again, it will be necessary to file the divorce proceedings with the agency."

Suddenly, an aide burst through the door to tell the colonel that he had an urgent call. The colonel reprimanded the aide. "Can't you see I'm in the middle of something important? Surely, the phone call can wait a few minutes until I finish this ceremony." The aide apologized and excused himself from the room. The ceremony was simple. "Agent Annette Marceau, do you take Agent Jasper White as your agency husband forever and always?"

Annette smiled and gazed into my eyes. "I do."

The colonel then turned to me, and asked, "Agent Jasper White, do you take Agent Annette Marceau as your agency wife forever and always?"

"I certainly do," I responded.

"Then by the power invested in me through the agency, I pronounce you husband and wife."

I grabbed Annette and kissed her long and deep as the aide stepped into the room again. "Sir, it's the Department of the Treasury, and they demand to speak with you immediately." The colonel took the phone from the aide.

Annette gave me a puzzled look as I grabbed Joey's hand. In an instant, the colonel's face turned red as he ordered, "Arrest these people."

I took one step, and we were on the golden highway. Annette looked up at me in desperation. "Jazz, what the hell is going on? Why does the colonel want us arrested?"

"Well, I have an idea, but I need to talk with Yvonne first."

Just then, Joey screamed and grabbed her abdomen. Annette exclaimed, "Jazz, I think Joey's in labor. What are we going to do? We can't go to the villa or my place in Cannes. It's the first place they will look, and they have agents everywhere. We can't go to an agency clinic or a hospital. Our faces will be in the recognition system within the next few minutes. No sooner do we get married than you do something to end our lives."

Joey's water broke right on the golden highway. I was frantic. "Annette, we're going to have to deliver the baby ourselves. Let's find an empty hotel room somewhere that we can use for a few hours."

We didn't have much time. After searching several places, we picked an expensive hotel in Rome hoping that one of the more elite suites would be unoccupied. We entered parking mode and found an excellent room. We stepped in and put Joey on the bed as we removed her clothes. She was definitely in labor. I needed to talk to Yvonne, but I couldn't summon her in front of Joey. Annette looked between Joey's legs and exclaimed, "I can see the baby's head."

"Annette, I need to splice time right now and go talk to Yvonne, but I have to leave the room. I'll be back in the next second."

"Don't leave me here all alone to deliver this baby! Damn you, Adriel, don't go!"

As I stepped out the door, I heard Joey ask Annette, "Adriel? Why did you call him Adriel?"

As I closed the door behind me, Yvonne whisked me away to the golden highway and stepped us into parking position at the villa. I was shocked. Annette was right. The place was crawling with agents already. I turned to Yvonne and yelled, "What the hell is going on?"

"OK, don't get upset. Just like you, I make mistakes. I can explain. There are some things that I haven't told you about our capabilities. The gold has been transferred to a remote location."

"Yvonne, this makes no sense. First of all, you said that you couldn't do anything without my permission. Secondly, we discussed this, and you said that we were going to take the gold later. How could you do this without me?"

"That's what I need to explain. You did agree to this. It's just that you can't remember it because I spliced time in the future instead of the current time. We already took the gold in the future. What I didn't realize is that your wedding would get delayed."

"Hold on! What do you mean that you spliced time in the future?"

"Well, when we splice current time, it is all contiguous to you because it is all present time. I never showed you how to splice future time. You and I decided to take the gold in the future and splice your time back to the present. Because it was future time, and I returned you to the present, you have no memory of it."

I was livid. I just married Annette, and our lives were already ruined because the United States federal government and the agency were now feverishly looking for us. "What else did we do that I don't about? My life is ruined!"

"Calm down. We can fix this, and yes, there is more. We sold one hundred billion dollars of the gold bars to the Russian Federation for fifty cents on the dollar. We opened several bank accounts around the world in different aliases that you can access. All of the information is here at the villa."

"What are you talking about? Good lord, Yvonne! These agents are combing every inch of my villa. They will have all of that information. If we sold over one hundred billion dollars of the United States government gold, how in the world can you say that we can fix this?"

"Well, I explained all of this to you in the future. I now need to catch you up on our plan."

"OK, but we need to splice current time because Joey is in labor."

"Yes, I know that, and we will be there for the birth. Just bear with me." I was so angry with Yvonne that it was difficult to focus on her explanation. "You should know that we can get the gold back. We just need to tell the colonel that we need a little more time, and the Treasury Department will have all of the gold returned."

"So, you're telling me that we are selling the gold and stealing it back?"

"Precisely, because we have the ability to sell it to other nations and then go steal it back and return it to the United States. We will have countless billions so that we can be autonomous because believe me, you're going need it."

"So, we're stealing the gold from the U. S., and then we're selling it to steal it back again. Isn't there a moral problem here?"

"Well, if you want to split hairs, we just stole the gold from Turkey. What's the difference who we're stealing from as long as we can posture ourselves for the horrendous task of dealing with Joey's baby? You have no idea what mankind will suffer if we don't contain that child. Trust me, it's far worse than that nuclear war that you prevented between Pakistan and India a couple of years ago."

"This is insane! Why am I supposed to be in the middle of all of this turmoil?"

"I told you already. You negotiated enough for three lifetimes. Buckle up because you're in for a wild ride."

# **CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

# **_HERMAPHRODITUS_**

****

****

Hermaphrodite was an older term that pertained to persons having ambiguous genitalia among other attributes. In later times, these conditions were referenced as intersex. Yvonne explained to me that Joey's child, whom I decided to name Hermaphroditus, would have no ambiguity in genitalia by sight. Rather, he or she would appear as the opposite sex to anyone who viewed it. It would also appear to be so intensely attractive that no one would be able to resist its sexual advances. Fetuses produced by this race would develop in a fraction of time that humans do. Not only could they impregnate women and be impregnated by men, but they could breed with one another at an even more rapid rate. They would eventually subdue mankind and replace our race with their own. They have no souls or counterparts on the golden highway, and in essence would become much like any other animal population on our planet. It would quickly usher in the annihilation of the human race.

About two years ago, Yvonne was allowed by her superiors to restore my memory of my existence before I was born on this earth. I remembered interacting with millions of other souls over billions of years. We watched the creation of the three-dimensional universe and saw the first man formed from the dust of the earth. I recorded a more detailed account of this experience in my first publication entitled _False Antichrist_. Many of us watched as we saw the first of us descend to the earthly plane. That was our first inkling that we were going to have a chance to live in this realm. It caused excitement, confusion, fear, and dread among many of us. However, some of us saw it as an opportunity. As we watched, we began to realize that those who had descended ultimately died to this realm and moved on to another. My first publication also describes some of the anxiety and choices that others made.

Although we were allowed to watch what was happening upon the earth, we had no concept of pain or emotion, and much of what we saw people do made no sense to us. I remember the earth being flooded with water, but I never knew the reason for wiping out nearly the entire population of the earth. None of us had known that counterparts had descended to the earth to take women as sex partners. Their offspring began to subdue the earth. One man named Noah and his family were the only ones after one hundred twenty years who had not been infected by the offspring of the counterparts from the golden highway. Whether he and his family were immune or just had a higher moral code is unknown to me. Noah and his wife, along with their three sons and wives entered the ship that they built, and the earth exploded with water from below and torrential rain from above. The only way to rid the earth of the blight that the offspring were using to blot mankind from the earth was a method of mass annihilation.

The counterparts who were responsible for this cross breeding of mankind were apprehended and placed in a holding cell in the realm of the golden highway, and this had now happened to Annette's counterpart. Annette had been adopted by Yvonne now that she and I were married. I had yet to explain all of this to her, and we were getting ready to deliver Joey's baby, who would threaten the existence of mankind in like manner as they did many thousands of years ago. Life and death choices were not ours to make. We had to preserve the child's life and prevent it from destroying mankind. All of us would be overcome by its sexual magnetism, and we didn't stand a chance against it. I had no idea how long it would take before it would begin reproducing. I had already felt the effects of the attraction when I took Joey's hand to navigate the golden highway. There was no way to relate to what we were about to experience. Yvonne and I needed to establish a plan quickly, but before we could do that we had to correct the situation where the agency and United States were desperately seeking us.

We were now splicing the present time, and that gave us ample opportunity to assess our predicaments and make plans. We decided to pay a visit to the colonel to try to neutralize our situation. Yvonne and I stepped into the colonel's office in parking mode to be sure that we had enough opportunity to explain. Unfortunately, we were aware that he would call security as soon as he saw us. Yvonne had a frightening idea. We were going to kidnap the colonel and take him to the golden highway. We stepped into the room behind him, and Yvonne quickly grabbed his hand before stepping onto the golden highway. The colonel turned to me in a state of shock and drew his sidearm. He shoved the muzzle of his weapon under my chin. "Get me back to my office immediately, or I'll blow your head off, Agent White."

Yvonne quickly intervened. "Colonel, if you discharge your weapon in this realm, it will kill you instead of Agent White. You need to listen to what we have to say. Please holster your weapon." It took several seconds before the colonel withdrew his pistol from my chin and put it back into his belt. Yvonne continued. "We will be taking you back to your office shortly, but you need to understand that the federal government has failed to comply with our stipulations."

The colonel was seething with anger. "Your stipulations were not part of the contract, and the Treasury Department is demanding payment to be returned to them."

"That won't be necessary. We will be returning all of the gold. However, we need a short time before we do. There are several things afoot which I cannot explain at this moment, but please bear with us. I assure you that the Treasury Department will get all of the gold back. Call off your search for us, and notify the others that we have an alternate problem to solve. We will let you know soon when the gold will be returned. Otherwise, if you apprehend Agent White it will be impossible for us to get the gold back."

"I don't take orders from others outside the agency and the government."

"You honestly don't have much choice if this is going to be resolved. You need our cooperation. I'm sorry that the timing was poor and that none of this has been explained, but we need to finish our task at hand. We need your cooperation."

"I'll give you twenty-four hours to return that gold before I unleash hell on Agent White."

"Colonel, we need at least three days. Please give us that or there will be a devastating effect upon this world. I promise to explain later."

The colonel conceded and allowed us three days to return all of the gold. We stepped back to his office and released him. Once we returned to the golden highway, I noticed sweat dripping from Yvonne's brow. We hadn't done anything physically taxing, and I inquired about her perspiration. Yvonne took a deep breath and gave a long sigh. "We just narrowly escaped death. The colonel was seconds away from pulling that trigger."

I was confused. "I thought you said that it would kill him, not us."

"I was bluffing. He would have killed us both and ended up back in his office."

We needed three days of splicing time to sell enough of the gold, secure the proceeds into foreign bank accounts, steal the gold back, and come up with a plan for Joey's baby. We still weren't sure how to handle Hermaphroditus. We decided to deal first with the gold. Splicing time was like pressing the pause button on a remote control. Annette and Joey would still be in the same moment when I returned as they were when I left. Yvonne disclosed the plan to me in more detail. Apparently, we had determined which countries we would approach to buy the gold at half price. Due to the political ramifications, I cannot disclose the other countries that were involved in the sales. It would be too damaging to reveal the global dynamics that we exploited to execute our plan. In addition, it would require a level of detail that would encumber this publication. Suffice it to say that what we did with the Russian Federation was identical to the other parties involved.

By splicing our time, we were able to make all of the sales on the same day. Yvonne and I had split the gold into different allotments for each government by placing them on various remote islands. This gave us the opportunity to transfer each allotment from a different location so that we didn't duplicate ourselves in the same place at the same time. This protected me from destroying my paradigm of time and space and causing possible irreparable damage to my ability to function on earth. It took two days to get the proceeds transferred to my bank accounts. Once the money had been deposited, we shifted it to other secret accounts around the world making sure that our trail was untraceable. It was time to steal back the gold. We had used parking mode to determine the locations of all of the repositories that were used by the governments to protect the gold shipments. They had no idea that we knew where they had hidden it. Simultaneously, we took back each of the gold deposits from the countries where we sold them. We transferred them back to the remote islands. Needless to say, there were several governments in this world who sought unidentifiable bandits and no idea where to find them. The money trail was cold, and they were out billions of dollars with nothing to show for it. So many people in this world wanted to end my life, so it was business as usual.

I turned to Yvonne. "I don't get it. Why did you splice time in the future with the Russian Federation and not the other countries?"

"That is what we originally intended to do, but you kept nagging me about marrying Annette before she died. I couldn't go against your will, so I took you back to complete your marriage. I didn't have time to explain the rest until after the ceremony. If you would just listen to me, things would go a lot smoother. Although, my timing was a bit off this time." Yvonne bit her lip. "I'm sorry about that."

We assessed our situation with Hermaphroditus. The only reasonable solution that we could determine was to somehow cage it so that no one could get close, and it couldn't get free. Several problems existed. Hermaphroditus would need to be contained in a remote place where no other people lived. The problem was that the sexual magnetism it would generate could reach far distances. It could cause people to visit that region without knowing why they were drawn. In order to prevent its contact with anyone else, it would have to be double caged. An inner cage would contain Hermaphroditus. An outer cage would keep others away from it. Otherwise, it would have sex through the cage if it could get close enough to anyone else. This presented another problem. The material for the cage would have to be impenetrable. Otherwise, people would breach the cage to get to Hermaphroditus at all costs. This presented a further problem. We would need to feed it to keep it alive. We weren't going to starve it to death. However, if I showed up to throw food in the cage, I would be so overwhelmed that I would never leave. It reminded me of the story of Odysseus and the Sirens. He had his crew plug their ears and tie him to the mast of his ship before they passed the island of the Sirens. The Siren's song would drive sailors mad with desire, and they would dock on the island, never to leave again.

Our first task was to find the appropriate material for the cages. It had to be something that was impossible to cut or destroy. Unfortunately, in order to build a cage in my realm, it would have to be built out of material that could be forged and shaped into a structure for the cages. That meant that it was somehow vulnerable to earthly tools. Yvonne was aware of material in other worlds that would be impervious to earthly implements and elements. However, that would require a construction of the cages within that world and not our own. We would then have to transport the cages across worlds. Not only would the transport be difficult, but finding someone in another world to construct the cages was unlikely. It was beginning to appear impossible, but Yvonne assured me that nothing is impossible. I was already exhausted, and we hadn't even begun. Yvonne took me to a private place for a healing session and a long nap. I desperately needed both.

After I awakened, I asked Yvonne if Hermaphroditus would be able to step onto the golden highway from inside the cage. She explained that the human aspect of its genetic code would not allow that. Humans couldn't step onto the golden highway alone without a mate or counterpart. I wanted to be sure that once we had it contained, there was no way that it could get out or anyone could get in. Yvonne knew that we needed help. She was reluctant to take me into another world. She was unsure what effect it might have on me, and she wasn't willing to risk creating any more problems. I suggested that we deliver the baby, lock it in a room somewhere and then find a way to create the cage. Yvonne warned me that we had hours or maybe minutes before it would have to be incarcerated in the impervious cage. If the child developed too far, it would overcome us with desire, and we would be helpless. The cage had to be done before the birth. Yvonne couldn't leave me, or I would end up back at the hotel room with Joey and Annette.

She had another idea. We stepped back onto the golden highway, and she tried summoning Laszlo, Joey's counterpart. It didn't work. I had to be physically closer to Joey. Yvonne was going to have to return me to Joey and Annette in order to summon Laszlo. Once he was present, she could come back to get me. Yvonne left me outside the hotel room door so that Joey didn't see her. I stepped into the room long enough to see Joey start pushing. Annette was screaming, and I rushed over to support the baby's head as it exited the birth canal. Another push brought the baby out onto the bed, and I instructed Annette to find something to tie the umbilical cord. As she searched the hotel suite, I watched as the placenta emerged onto the sheet. Annette was frantically looking for something to use to tie the cord, but she wasn't finding anything. I grabbed a lamp and used the cord to squeeze off the blood flow through the umbilicus. I was wasting valuable time. I explained that I needed to step out of the room for one more second.

Annette vehemently protested as I exited the room, and Yvonne quickly snatched me to the golden highway where Laszlo was waiting. She had been explaining our situation. He was well aware of the danger that threatened the human race. Joey wasn't going to come to the golden highway for any healing sessions because it would require Yvonne or me to bring her here. Either way, she would see Yvonne and get her emotions back. So, Laszlo volunteered to help Yvonne secure the help to create the cage. I was relieved, except that Yvonne explained that I would have to go back and deal with Hermaphroditus while she and Laszlo found help. I was very uncomfortable with that arrangement because I had no idea how long it would take them to find someone to build the cage. I didn't have much choice. Once I returned to Joey and Annette, we would be running out of time. I had not yet explained to Annette the dangers that Hermaphroditus posed to the human race. Neither did I have a chance to explain that we had three days to transport the gold back to the repository in the United States. My head was spinning as I asked Yvonne if she and Laszlo could splice time so that they would return with the cage in a matter of seconds. She had no answer because she didn't know anyone who had ever done this. To make matters even worse, if I were within Joey's sight when Yvonne and Laszlo returned, she couldn't come get me. We had no way of communicating.

I had an idea. I had been able to splice time with Annette. If I could take Annette to the golden highway and splice time with her, we could essentially freeze time with Joey, let Yvonne and Laszlo complete their task, and return to the newborn baby and Joey in a few seconds. Yvonne approved of the idea, and she returned me to Annette who was still frantic. "Jazz, what are we going to do? The baby won't stop crying."

"She's hungry. It looks like Joey's breasts are ready to explode. Hand her to Joey and let her nurse."

"Her? It's a baby boy. Good heavens, Jazz, look at the size of his genitals."

I realized that the baby's appearance was already working on us. I picked Hermaphroditus up from the bed and handed it to Joey. She put it to her right breast as I took Annette's hand and stepped onto the golden highway. Annette still had not calmed down, and I began to explain to her that we needed to splice time. I had so much to explain. It took me over two hours to get Annette up to speed on what our challenges were and the current situation with the colonel. I also explained about her counterpart's imprisonment and Yvonne's adoption of Annette. We still needed to return all of the gold to the repository, but we first needed to contain Hermaphroditus. Annette was so confused that it took a considerable question and answer period to clarify everything in her mind. Yvonne and Laszlo were assumed to be looking for ways to get a cage constructed that we could use to isolate Hermaphroditus. If you are confused at this point, then you can relate to how Annette was feeling.

Once Annette stopped asking questions, Yvonne and Laszlo met us on the golden highway. They were able to splice their time in our world, and they were waiting for Annette to finish her questioning. Yvonne had a sample of the material that was to be used for the cages. She handed me a sheet that appeared to be like aluminum foil, only it was a bright golden color. She asked me to try to tear it. It was too strong. It looked flimsy and was light as a feather, but it was made of molecules that were impenetrable. She explained that I couldn't even drive a nail into it. That was the material that was being used to construct the cages. They had found a forger who agreed to help, but they would owe him a favor. The favor was yet to be disclosed, and it made me uncomfortable, but we were desperate. The cage wouldn't be ready for a few days. We couldn't return to Joey until Yvonne and Laszlo retrieved the cage and brought it to the golden highway.

As we waited, Yvonne began to explain the construction of the cage. The forger was using the indestructible material to construct bars as thin as fishing line. The bars were impossible to bend in our world, and they would be spaced six centimeters apart. The outer cage was constructed identical to the inner cage and supports in the eight corners would suspend the inner cage in the middle of the outer cage with a distance of two meters apart. The inner cage would be large enough to house a stature of three meters. A floor was going to be placed on the bottom of both the inner and outer cages that was as thin as foil but solid as steel. There would be no way to open the cage once it had been closed. The tops of the cages would be open upon delivery, and we needed to be careful not to close them until Hermaphroditus was safely inside. The cage was dangerous to humans because the bars were so thin that they could cut one's flesh if pressed too hard against it. We needed to handle the cages from the bottom to prevent injury. Positioning the cages should be simple. The estimated weight of the entire structure was around four hundred grams.

The next question was when we would place Hermaphroditus in the cage. We needed to wait until it could feed itself, but before it became able to reproduce. I wasn't sure how we could determine that. There was no indication in the archives of any such stage of development. Based on the rate of growth, I estimated that we had days before we needed to incarcerate Hermaphroditus. It all sounded so inhumane, and it was especially difficult because it looked so human. I needed to keep reminding myself that it was more like a Tyrannosaurus Rex than a child. However, the child appeared attractive and the magnetic aspect was already working. If Joey were feeling emotion, it would be impossible to get Hermaphroditus away from her. Feeding it was also going to present a problem. I didn't know whose responsibility that would be, but I didn't see how a human could be exposed to it without suffering irresistible attraction. We needed to establish a plan.

Hermaphroditus would have no counterpart on the golden highway. I asked Yvonne if she could possibly feed it, but she explained that counterparts suffered attraction and desire just like humans. That's what caused this problem in the first place. I asked if an Overseer could be in charge of feeding it, but she rather doubted it. They did not entangle themselves with mundane matters. That's what our counterparts were supposed to do. I began asking Yvonne if there was a way that we could devise a conduit across the golden highway that could allow us to supply food and water to the cage without actually being there. She liked the idea and said that she would give it some thought. We had about two days left before the cage would be ready. We needed to catch up on healing, sleep, and Annette and I wanted some time to make love again.

I was far more accustomed to splicing time than Annette. I couldn't get her to the plateau of extended orgasm because she was too apprehensive about Joey and Hermaphroditus. She had a difficult time relating to the fact that they were essentially frozen in time. I remember that consternation during my agency training. I had spliced multiple fragments of time by overlapping intervals that equated to a one year training period. It was extremely confusing, but I was desperate to accomplish it. Nevertheless, Annette achieved double digit orgasms as usual. I, on the other hand, was able to enjoy the plateau for over an hour. That state is the most incredibly addicting experience that I have ever had. It took hours to recover and got my mind off of the frustrating problems that we faced.

As I continued to enjoy Annette, Yvonne and Laszlo went to check on the progress of the cage. When they returned, I could see that Yvonne was disturbed. I didn't inquire, but instead let her explain that the cage would be ready in a few hours and how we would transport it. If she wasn't disclosing her concerns, it was probably due to Annette's presence. I returned to indulging Annette as we awaited the completion of the cage. I felt sorry for Yvonne that she no longer had the opportunity to enjoy Annette's counterpart as I enjoyed Annette. My relationship with Annette was unique to me. I had never loved someone on so many different levels as I did her. Even during her days of homosexuality, I always felt complete when she was around. Now that we were lovers and marriage partners, it was the perfect union of friendship and love. Although I knew that she would allow me to have other women, I would never want to do such a thing. I wouldn't think of marring our relationship in any way or inhibiting our ability to reach the plateau of extended orgasm. I was so wonderfully overwhelmed with her.

It was finally time to retrieve the cage. Annette and I watched as Yvonne and Laszlo stepped off of the golden highway to the world where the cage had been forged. They returned in a few seconds and placed the cage on the golden highway. It looked so fragile, and yet it was indestructible. It glowed with a golden aura, and it was breathtakingly beautiful. The tops were hanging open awaiting the placement of Hermaphroditus into the center cage. I wasn't sure how we were going to transport it, but I assumed that we would be stepping it across the golden highway. We had chosen a deserted island with a consistent climate to locate the cage. Laszlo's work was finished, and he departed as Yvonne turned to me. "We need to take Annette back to Joey before we place the cage on the island."

Annette gave me a pleading look, and I knew that she was afraid to go back to Joey without me. I needed to buy a little time for Annette's sake. I knew that Yvonne wanted to talk to me alone. "Yvonne, we still haven't determined how to feed Hermaphroditus. I think we need to resolve that before we proceed."

Yvonne agreed, and we all sat down to discuss possibilities. It seemed unreasonable to burden ourselves with the unending task of feeding it forever. If we let it roam the island to feed itself, we risked the possibility of someone being attracted to the island that would start the breeding process. I didn't want to suffer the consequences of causing its death. Only the Creator had been the one to do such a thing in the past. He had that authority, but I did not. Once we placed it in the cage, it could not be removed. We saw no other alternative. I asked if there was a way to feed it from parking mode. Yvonne considered the possibility. Parking mode allowed us to view an area without actually physically being there. She thought that it might be possible to be in that position without suffering the fatal attraction of Hermaphroditus. It was somewhat risky, but feasible. I was willing to risk it, but I wanted to experiment first. The three of us held hands and entered parking mode in the hotel room where Joey was nursing Hermaphroditus. As we observed, Annette exclaimed in shock. "Oh my god! He's not a boy or a girl!" My suspicions were correct. Hermaphroditus had no power over us when we were in parking mode. We now had a plan.

I explained to Annette that Yvonne and I were going to continue to splice time while we took the cage to the island. Annette would only be alone with Joey for a second or two. Once Annette realized that we would return almost instantly, she began to calm down and agreed to stay with Joey while we positioned the cage. Yvonne and I took her to the hotel outside the door to the room and then stepped back to the golden highway. The cage was light enough to handle without the risk of injuring my hand. I picked up the cage, and we stepped over to the remote island. We chose a shady spot to securely position it, and then Yvonne turned to me with concern. "The man who built the cage wants a favor, and I can't refuse, but it concerns me."

"What does he want?"

"He wants to see Hermaphroditus."

I was confused. "So, let him see it. What's the problem?"

"He wants to see it after we cage it, which means that it will have its magnetic sexual attraction. No one should be exposed to it once that happens."

"So, are you supposed to transport this man to the island to see it?"

"Yes, but if he's affected, I'm afraid that either he won't want to leave, or he will want to return."

"Can he return without you?"

"I really don't know. I doubt it, but I'm not familiar enough with his world. I'm just concerned that if anyone else knows about this it could cause trouble."

"What if you refuse to take him to see it. What's he going to do?"

Yvonne looked very uncomfortable. "It's not that simple. I have crossed some lines in order to find someone to build the cage. I'm out of my realm, and I have pushed the limits of my influence. It would be like you getting something from the Mafia, and they wanted a favor in return. It might not be the best decision to refuse them."

"Are you telling me that you have been dealing with undesirables to have this cage constructed?"

"I didn't have much choice. There were a limited number of places I could go to find the material and expertise to build what we needed. The elements in that world are far different from yours. The people are also very different, and they possess a much higher intelligence than those on earth. The fact that I could even approach that man enlightened him to realize that navigation across the golden highway was possible. I have no idea of what he is capable."

I gave a sigh. "I'm sure it will create another nightmare, but I can't worry about that right now. I need to get back and deal with Annette, Joey, and Hermaphroditus."

Yvonne once explained to me that telepathic communication was universal no matter where she was. This overcame language barriers in any environment. She used that universal language when she allowed me to read the thoughts of others and insert thoughts into their minds during my first project. She and Evelyn's counterpart first used telepathy to communicate with Evelyn and me. Yvonne later used language to communicate in order to break down the barriers of fear and the isolation that I felt. However, all dreams and premonitions that she provided to me were telepathic. I knew that was how she had communicated with this man who had built the cage. The advantage to telepathic communication rather than language is that there can be no misunderstanding nor deceit.

We returned to the golden highway to bring me back to the moment when Annette stepped into the room with Joey. We had now entered the most difficult and unknown part of the process. We had to determine when to put Hermaphroditus into the cage. As Annette and I entered the room, we could see that Joey was in a considerable amount of discomfort due to the aggressive nature in which Hermaphroditus was nursing. Joey's breasts were huge and flowing with an abundance of breastmilk. She had been nursing it for less than a minute and needed to switch breasts. Milk was leaking from both breasts at a rapid rate, and Hermaphroditus was sucking wildly as he gulped it down. Annette stood in shock as she witnessed the scene with Joey nursing the child. She turned to me in amazement as she whispered, "Jazz, I know you can't see what I see, but that child has huge male genitalia, and it's always erect. This is frightening. How long do you think it will take before it's time to transport him?"

I shook my head and whispered back, "I have no idea, but we need to have some food on hand to be ready when it can feed itself. Once we determine that, we need to get it into the cage as soon as possible. If we wait too late, all is lost."

Annette and I needed to get Joey out of the hotel room. If any of the hotel staff came in, it would be disastrous. The bed was covered in a mixture of amniotic fluid, blood, placenta, breastmilk, feces, and sweat. There was a slight problem. I could transport Annette and Joey, but not an additional person. We needed to leave Hermaphroditus to take Joey to the villa and then return to pick it up. Annette and I stepped onto the golden highway and into parking mode at the villa. The agents who had come to apprehend us were gone. We returned to the hotel room, and Joey pulled Hermaphroditus from her breast. He screamed so loudly that we decided to transport him first and return for Joey. It would only be a matter of a short time before the hotel staff was alerted that there was a screaming baby in the room. Annette picked up Hermaphroditus, and we stepped across the golden highway to the villa as the screaming increased. We set it on the bed and returned for Joey. We then stepped her back to the villa where she could take a quick shower and get settled in with the baby.

When Joey climbed into the bed and put it to her breast again, I winced as I saw the aggressive sucking action. Joey wasn't suffering any emotion, and I was glad. Annette began to explain to Joey that we needed to take her child to another location. As much as we had wanted to avoid disclosing the truth to her, we knew that it was time for her to realize that she had not made love to Adriel Chevalier, but Annette's counterpart instead. At least it wouldn't be an emotional injury to her at this point. We just needed to be sure that Joey never saw Yvonne again. I wanted Annette to accompany me to go get some food before she explained everything to Joey. We could save time by using the golden highway. In addition, we could go anywhere in the world to get what we needed. We could also splice the time so that we didn't miss the right opportunity to cage Hermaphroditus.

Annette and I decided to buy a variety of baby food, fruit, bread, cheese, and ground meat. We returned within minutes after we had left and put the food in the kitchen. As we walked into be bedroom to check on Joey, we could see that the baby had already grown considerably. Suddenly, Joey let out a scream and pulled Hermaphroditus from her breast. Her right nipple was bleeding considerably, and Annette attended to Joey as I checked the baby. It already had eight teeth and was biting as it screamed. I ran into the kitchen to get the baby food. I returned with a spoon and some strained peaches. I couldn't shovel fast enough to keep up, and Annette went to get some fruit. It got crazier. We were giving it food at such a rapid rate that it was like throwing scraps into a garbage disposal. Annette looked over at me in alarm, and I decided to get the ground meat. I didn't have time to cook it, and I put it on a plate to offer it to Hermaphroditus. By now, it had grown even more, and it buried its head in the plate as it gnashed at the meat. This got more frightening by the minute. We needed more food.

Annette's explanation to Joey would have to wait. The growth was far more rapid than we anticipated. Annette and I stepped across the golden highway once again to splice time and buy some serious meat. We returned with twenty pounds of beef. I began cutting the meat into manageable pieces as Annette fed Hermaphroditus the last of the food that we had already bought. I heard her yell to me from the bedroom as I piled the meat onto a plate. When I entered the bedroom, I was shocked to see that it had doubled in size, and Annette said that its testicles were moving around. I was afraid that it was now developing sexually, and Yvonne and I needed to get it into the cage soon. After it devoured two full plates of meat, it finally fell asleep. We gave a sigh of relief, and Annette continued her explanation to Joey as I went out to the patio to summon Yvonne. I felt like I was in the middle of a horror movie, but what I didn't realize is that it was about to get far more appalling very soon.

Yvonne appeared and took me to the beach in case Joey started roaming around. She had come to realize a few things that we hadn't considered. We had overlooked the idea of creating a portal on the island using a solar powered rechargeable battery. We could portal stack from the villa to put food directly into the cage. Hermaphroditus wouldn't have the knowledge of stepping aku to enter the portal. This would make it safer and more convenient to feed it. I liked the idea, and Yvonne and I spliced time to buy the necessary components and place the portal within the cage. We already had a portal at the villa. I thought it was a brilliant idea at the time. Later, I considered it a fatal mistake. We returned to the beach, and I walked back to get Hermaphroditus.

Luckily, it was still sleeping, and Annette had continued her explanation to Joey. I couldn't believe my eyes. I picked it up, and it weighed at least forty pounds. I was hoping not to awaken it as I carried it back to the beach. It appeared to me as an absolutely beautiful young girl, but still prior to puberty. I was hoping that we hadn't waited too long, but so far I didn't feel any irresistible magnetism. However, I knew whenever that happened it would be too late. Yvonne and I placed the sleeping child in the cage. We hadn't needed the open doors, but we didn't know that at the time that she gave the builder her requirements. We closed the cage doors and returned to the villa. We decided to place the rest of the raw meat in the cage as Annette continued to explain everything to Joey. I wasn't sure how often we needed to feed it, but I thought that once we determined its needs we could visit once a day.

Annette, Joey, and I were completely exhausted. We all ended up showering together before we climbed into bed. We took a couple of towels to place under Joey because her breasts were leaking like faucets. They were huge and wagged back and forth as she walked. I knew that she was experiencing a lot of discomfort, and I hoped that they would dry up soon. Within minutes, we were all fast asleep. I had so many dreams, but I was thankful that I couldn't remember them. After what we had experienced, I doubt that any of them were good. I awakened before Annette, and Joey was already up. I was afraid to be around Joey alone because I had been feeling an elevated level of attraction to her, and I was afraid that I might cross the line like I had done before. I began gently kissing Annette until she started to awaken. I descended to her pelvis to give her a great start for her day.

Afterward, Annette and I wandered out to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. Joey had already made a pot and was enjoying a cup out on the patio. She was sitting on the loveseat with a towel under her breasts to catch the dripping breastmilk. We had all been so preoccupied with Hermaphroditus, but I explained that Yvonne and I needed to return the gold to the repository. It had to be there by tomorrow, or the colonel was going to launch the search for us once again. Joey was now aware of the effect that Yvonne would have on her, and she knew that it was Annette's counterpart who had impregnated her. She also understood the ramifications of her offspring and the threat to mankind. She handled it extremely well, and I knew that she wanted to get back to work. We still had some loose ends to tie, but I hoped to have a team meeting within the next week.

I asked Annette to accompany me to the golden highway so that we could check on Hermaphroditus in parking mode. It had consumed all of the meat. Annette was surprised to see what it looked like without the effects of Hermaphroditus appearing to us in sexual form. It was now the size of a young teenager. We needed to return to the villa and buy more meat. As we stepped back to the golden highway, Yvonne met us. She had gone back to the archives to do more research. She explained that this would be the last time that we put raw meat into the cage.

I was confused. "Aren't we going to continue to feed it to keep it alive?"

"Yes, we are, but from what I have found you will spend most of your time feeding it, and you won't have time to do much else."

"So, how do you plan for us to feed it?"

"Well, I have found a mountainside with hundreds of wild goats. We need to drop about five of them into the cage per week."

"Wait a minute, are you saying that we are dropping live goats into the cage?"

"Yes, and it will kill them and eat them as needed."

"What about the leftover bones? We would need to extract them, and we can't do that without being exposed to it."

"From what I understand, there won't be any bones left."

I shuddered, but I definitely wanted to witness it. As I turned to Annette, I saw that her jaw had dropped open, and she was speechless. I laughed and shook my head. I still wasn't certain that I wasn't in the middle of a dream. This was just too bizarre. We needed to move the portal from our villa to another location if I were going to be sending live goats into the cage. We decided to find a place on the mountainside where the goats lived. We needed to splice time once again because we had to get the gold returned soon. What happened next took me by surprise. Yvonne took Annette and me by the hands and undressed us on the golden highway. She hadn't been with Annette since her adoption. She began our healing process in a threesome that was absolutely incredible. Yvonne worked us as Annette and I enjoyed one another sexually. Out of everything that I had experienced up to this point in my life, this was the most unique and wonderful experience that I had. Yvonne promised that it would get much better, but we needed more time. We had to get back and transport gold. Then we were going to transport goats.

I notified the colonel that we would be returning the gold bars to the repository. It would take minutes once we had the apparatus operational. He was pleased to hear that we had accomplished our tasks, and we promised to brief him as soon as we had everything under control. I wasn't sure how he would take the news about Hermaphroditus, but he already knew that Joey had been pregnant. There was so much about my world that the colonel didn't know, but he was about to become aware of the most bizarre. I left Annette with Joey and returned to Yvonne on the beach. Our bank accounts were secure. We had an excess of seven hundred fifty billion dollars strewn all over the world in over one hundred banks. Yvonne wasn't disclosing everything. I could tell, but I didn't press her for the knowledge. I knew there was a reason that she wasn't telling me at this time, and frankly after what I had just been through, I was glad. Annette and Joey didn't know about the bank accounts. Yvonne had instructed me to keep it a secret. I had a fairly good idea that it involved hiding from the agency, but I would have to change my face again if that were ever the case.

We had a lot to do, and once again we were exhausted. I was still thinking of Yvonne's comment that our healing sessions were soon to get much more pleasurable. I couldn't imagine what that meant, but I had an idea of how we were going to do it. I was eager to try. However, we had pressing business to attend, and we went to work transporting the gold. It took much more time to capture the goats and transport them through the portal. I would soon become rather adept in my ability to lasso them and push them through into the cage. Yvonne and I went to the cage in parking mode to observe. If I had any confusion that Hermaphroditus was human, it was now completely squelched. It was a ravenous beast that slaughtered live goats in a fury with its teeth. It leaped upon them and used its hands to break their limbs. It bit into their throats and spilled their blood which it licked from the bottom of the cage. Yvonne was right. The bones served as its dessert as it ground them between its teeth and ate the entire carcass. I had never seen anything like it in my life. Not one shred or drop remained that would indicate that a goat was ever in that cage. We transported five more goats, and I went back to the villa. We would check back in the morning.

Joey was recovering from childbirth, and she grew more seductive by the day. I was fearing that Hermaphroditus had somehow affected her. It was becoming obvious that she was arousing me, and I knew that Annette was concerned. I tried to explain to her that I thought it had something to do with the pregnancy and birth. I suspicioned that she might have been infected with some of the sexual magnetism that Hermaphroditus possessed. I promised not to be around Joey if Annette was not present. Annette was certain not to leave Joey and me alone for even a second. I even followed Annette to the bathroom these days. We never wore clothing at the villa, but I wasn't sure that mattered. Just looking into Joey's eyes had a profoundly provocative effect on me. Annette made sure to engage me at every interval of my arousal which was often in front of Joey and usually six or seven times a day.

Annette was apprehensive about being asleep when I was awake, but I let her know that I never left the bed without her, and I awakened her if I thought I was vulnerable. It had been quite a day, and I was the first to fall asleep in her arms. I awakened very early the next morning. I wanted to go make coffee. Joey and Annette were still sleeping, and I decided to slip out of bed to go make coffee. I suddenly realized my risk because if Joey awakened and came out to the kitchen while Annette was sleeping, I wouldn't stand a chance. I gently shook Annette to get her to accompany me to the kitchen. She didn't want to awaken, so I carried her to the couch in the living area. I then made a pot of coffee and went to the patio to wait for it to brew. That's when Yvonne appeared.

She was troubled, but we stepped across the golden highway in parking mode to check on Hermaphroditus. Two live goats were still in the cage, and Hermaphroditus was sleeping. We were getting a better understanding of its appetite. Yvonne returned us to the beach to talk. "I need to take the developer of the cage to see Hermaphroditus. I have a terribly sinister plan, and I'm ashamed to disclose it to you."

I took Yvonne into my arms as she pressed her head against my chest. "I can't imagine that you would be embarrassed to share any thoughts with me. You have known about every woman I have ever wanted to fuck and every man I have wanted to kill."

"Yes, that is true, but I'm doing more than thinking about this. I am fully intending to do it."

"So, what's this horrible thing that you think you're going to do?"

"If I take the developer of the cage to the island, he is going to either kill himself trying to get into the cage, or worse, he may want to return with the implements to breach the cage. He might even tell someone else about Hermaphroditus. If I put him inside the cage, Hermaphroditus will fuck him to death, and that's what I'm thinking about doing. He won't be able to return to tell anyone."

"Yvonne, I'm surprised that you haven't thought this through to the end. If Hermaphroditus fucks this man, it will conceive, and then it will fuck its offspring and on and on. The cage will fill with its kind until there is no more room. If we're going to kill them that way, what's the difference if we took its life now? We can't do that. You can't put that man inside the cage."

Yvonne hugged me tightly. "I never thought I'd see the day that you had more moral scruples than I do."

I laughed. "So, if you drop him off outside the cage, does he expect you to return him to his world? That would require you to be exposed to Hermaphroditus, and you wouldn't return. Have you explained that to him?"

"No, I haven't, and I don't think he understands just what Hermaphroditus is."

"So, if you make sure this man does not have the implements to open the cage, and you drop him off on the island, my guess is that he won't even want to return. Just tell him that once you take him there, you can't bring him back."

"If I tell him that, he will be sure to take what he needs to get inside the cage."

"OK, I have an idea. Tell him that he will have thirty minutes to observe Hermaphroditus. Then he must travel to the southern part of the island where you will pick him up."

"But then he will want to return later to open the cage."

"No, he won't because he'll never leave the cage. He'll never make it to the south side of the island."

Yvonne squeezed me once again. "You are as devious as I am."

"Well, maybe more so because I want to watch him in parking mode when he sees Hermaphroditus. When do you plan to transport him?"

"Within the hour. I wanted to talk to you first, and I'm glad that I did."

"OK, I'll go back to the villa and get a cup of coffee. Then I'll go down to the beach to wait for you. Once you drop him off, come get me immediately, and we will enter parking mode at the cage. I have to see this."

Yvonne returned me to the beach, and I trudged up the rocks to the villa. My curiosity was morbid. Joey and Annette were still asleep, and the sun wasn't due to rise for another half an hour. I grabbed a cup, filled it with coffee, stirred in a spoonful of stevia, and headed back down to the beach. I enjoyed the sounds of the surf as I sipped my coffee. About fifteen minutes had passed when Yvonne appeared to take my hand. She stepped us to the golden highway and into parking mode at the cage. I saw no sign of the man. I gave Yvonne a confused look. She explained. "I dropped him off about half a mile from the cage. I told him to follow his instincts, and that he would find her. I gave instructions that I would pick him up in the same place that I left him a half an hour from now. He should arrive at the cage momentarily."

After a few minutes, I saw the man running across the sand. He had a very muscular form. His stature was short, and he was very hairy. He ran as fast as he could toward the cage. He began screaming in a language that I didn't understand. He stripped off his clothes and flung himself at the outer cage. Hermaphroditus screamed back and pushed against the bars. Both of them were bleeding and pleading at the same time. The man was aroused to the point of pain, and I could sense his longing to plunge himself into Hermaphroditus. They both continued to push against the bars as their bleeding increased. I couldn't see what the man saw, but I could tell that he was consumed with desire, and he wouldn't stop until he had her or he breathed his last. His desire had driven him mad, and pieces of his flesh were now lying on the sand as he continued to press against the bars while they sliced him to ribbons. It was a most gruesome sight, and the wailing was difficult to endure. Finally, he collapsed at the foot of the cage, and his blood stained the sand. Hermaphroditus turned on the last living goat and began to fuck it wildly and relentlessly as it gnashed at the goat with its teeth. Yvonne and I looked at one another in utter shock, and we returned to the beach.

I had heard of people getting sucked through airplane windows at tens of thousands of feet above the ground. The horrifying image of that man being slashed to shreds in the heated passion of sexual desire would forever be tattooed on my memory. I wept as Yvonne slowly made love to me on the beach. I needed her healing more than ever, and I regretted telling Yvonne to take that man to the island. I don't know what I thought I would see, but it was something I would never forget. The horrible wailing of the harmony between the man and Hermaphroditus would haunt me till the day that I died. There were powerful forces in this universe that I would never comprehend, and Hermaphroditus was one of them. As a woman, she would fuck a man to death as she enveloped his seed to produce her offspring. As a man, he would drive his seed hard into a woman's belly to fertilize every egg she had available. I shuddered to think what would happen if Hermaphroditus was unleashed on the world. No wonder this earth had been completely flooded.

# **CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

# **_TERMINATION_**

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****

It had been the wildest years of my life. Evelyn had urged me to write a book about my experiences with Eddie as we intervened in a crisis to prevent a nuclear world war. We had remained below the radar of the media, and I didn't want to publish something that would expose us all. It took months to devise a way to disclose what we had experienced without naming the persons and places involved. I had agreed to publish the work as a fictional novel. Otherwise, I wouldn't have done it. No one can prove what we have done, and I am content that we have so far been successful in eluding recognition. I was confident that the governments involved would never want to reveal the truth. However, it has become somewhat of an addiction. The more that I learn and experience, the more I have a desire to share it. I just need to be extremely careful to remain undetected. However, if I don't share what I have experienced it will die with me. I think that much can be gleaned from the things that I have seen. It was time for me to brief the colonel, and I was faced with the same dilemma. Would I really disclose to him my capabilities and what peril threatened the world, or would I analogize it all into something that he could swallow? Let's face it, if I told you what really happened, it would shake your soul to the core to the point of despair. That's why I need to soften it so that others can enjoy it without suffering the stark fear of the truth in reality.

"Good morning, Colonel. Thank you for meeting with us on such short notice. First, I want to apologize for the consternation that I put you through over the gold. I want you to understand that due to pressures and limited timeframes, I really didn't have the ample opportunity to clear everything with you before I needed to act."

The colonel studied my eyes for a moment. "Agent White, I appreciate what you have done for the agency. However, you are somewhat of a rogue, and that gives me great concern."

"I can understand that," I agreed as I nodded.

"Normally, I would put you on probation. However, I have come to realize that chastising you probably isn't the right path to follow. I don't need to tell you that you possess qualities that I have never found in another agent. It's not just your capability of travel, but your choices too. Nonetheless, you need to understand that the agency requires complete compliance. We can't afford to have an agent take matters into his own hands and act on his own will. That puts me between a rock and a hard place. I like you, Agent White, and I have a tendency to trust you. However, I answer to others who don't know you. They know what you have done, and they have grave concern. You know that the agency's motto is consistency, which is an attribute that seems foreign to you. I don't like where I stand. Do you know what you do with a six hundred pound gorilla?"

"No, sir, I don't"

"Well, you let him do what he damn well pleases. As much as I believe that philosophy, my superiors do not. They want to cut you loose from the agency." The colonel stopped speaking to assess my reaction. I have never been one to be intimidated. Even in my profession, I knew that I possessed talent far beyond anyone else whom I had ever met. I know that sounds arrogant, but if you asked anyone who had ever worked with me they would tell you the same. I always held all the cards, and I will admit that at times I was a real asshole because I knew that I did. I'm not proud of that, but I will admit it. I had learned over the years that I could be insufferable due to my abilities and arrogance. I didn't want that to happen now.

"Colonel, I sincerely apologize for not following protocol. I am aware of the infractions that I have accrued. More importantly, I am sorry for the position that I have put you in, and I am willing to do what I can to make amends. Please understand that I would never have done what I did if I thought that there was any other way."

"That's part of the problem, Agent White. You never conferred with anyone. Did you discuss your direction with Agents Marceau or Nyari?"

"No, sir, I did not."

"Damn it, White, give me something I can work with. They want to cut you loose."

I wasn't sure what to think at this point. Did Yvonne see this coming and have us load our bank accounts with fortunes? Was I supposed to humbly bow out and go my way? Should I fight for my position within the agency? If I were out, then Annette was surely out. What would become of Joey? Yvonne once explained to me that I had become selfish at one point. Her advice was to serve others and not myself. I needed to take the focus off of myself. "Colonel, the world is in far more trouble than anyone knows. I have been faced with a problem that hasn't reared its ugly head for tens of thousands of years." I could see the doubt in the colonel's eyes. "This isn't a fabricated plea for understanding. It's a warning that something evil is afoot in this world. I have defrauded several countries to debilitate them from executing their plans. They thought they were doubling their money, but in reality they were losing it. I have bought this world some time, but in a matter of a few years they will regain their position, and when they do, even the agency won't be able to stop them. The United States will be ruined without warning, and it will happen seemingly overnight. If you cut me loose, I will still do what I need to do to prevent this from happening, but if you don't we stand a better chance together of preventing it."

The colonel sighed and shook his head. "Agent White, I need specifics. I can't go to my superiors with the ambiguity that you have just given me. If you know of a specific threat, you also know your obligation to disclose it to me. Either tell me the truth, or I will have no other recourse than to let you go."

"Colonel, we agents trust the agency to provide for us in every way. We sign no contracts, and we give undying devotion. We own no property. All that we have, and all that we are is trusted to the agency. Why is it that the agency can't trust us in like manner? I have delivered more than any other agent. What makes them think that they can afford to cut me loose? If I end up in someone else's service by force, do you have any idea what will happen?"

"Agent White, they don't know what you can do. I won't disclose that to anyone. Do you have any idea what would happen to you if they knew? Let's buy some time. I'll go back and tell them that you're willing to work with us."

"I am willing to work with you!"

"No, Agent White, you are not. If you were, you would disclose the particulars to me, and you're not willing to do that."

"Colonel, I can't right now. I need to do more research, and if I disclose things that are false it could be disastrous. I need more time."

By now, you probably realize that either I am playing the colonel for my own purposes, or I haven't been totally transparent to you. My apologies, but the latter is true. "Look, Colonel, do what you need to do, and I will do the same. Please understand that if the United States is taken out, the world doesn't stand a chance."

My old nemesis was back, and I needed to regroup. Unfortunately, neither Annette nor Joey believed in the world that I was fighting. My enemy thought that he could deceive me and lure me into a diversion like a magician who got the audience to look elsewhere as he executed his illusion. However, he overlooked my studies over the years, and I realized what his plan was to destroy mankind. Hermaphroditus was the leak in the dike that held back the water. The little boy stuck in his finger to prevent a further breach in the dam, but the enemy set the city afire behind him while he concentrated on containing the leak. What my enemy had not anticipated was that I had learned to watch the perimeter during my first encounter with him that I detailed in my first publication. I knew his wiles, and I knew that no one would believe me when I told them who he was and what he was doing. I had referred to him as the black hole in my first book because I could not read his thoughts. I had come to realize that he was known as the Prince of Darkness, and he was far more dangerous and treacherous than anyone could imagine.

In my younger years, I had a recurring dream about a witch who could transform herself into any image. She had deceived all of my friends, and one by one they were eaten by her. However, I could always recognize her, and I tried to warn everyone against her, but she still overcame them. I alone was left. I sought to destroy her. She lived in a wooded area near my home, and she glowed in the dark as she slept. I would make the trek to her abode during the night about a half mile away, but she had a protective shield around her property that I couldn't breach. She couldn't deceive me, and I couldn't overcome her. I now knew that it was Yvonne who gave me that dream as a child, and I also knew that it was a prophetic dream that foretold my situation this very day. My fight would be one of a solitary nature. Just as I could not persuade my friends in my dream, I knew that I could not get Joey nor Annette onboard with my quest to defeat this enemy. Only by faith could I endure, but that was a concept that I needed to execute in action. I had miles to go.

Annette had been speechless during the entire conversation with the colonel. She was afraid that anything she might say would either misrepresent the truth or incriminate me further. We left the colonel's office and headed toward the elevator. We decided to have lunch in D. C. before we returned to the villa. I could see that her mind was racing over the possibilities for our future. I smiled as she looked up at me. Once the elevator doors closed, I pulled her in for a tight hug. I knew she was worried. She still didn't know how much money I had. I was waiting for the dust to clear with the agency to see which direction I was going. Once I had a clear indication, I would disclose everything to her, even the things that I knew she couldn't swallow. We had lunch at a sidewalk cafe on fourteenth street. It had French cuisine, and Annette loved to criticize French restaurants in the U. S. We later walked into a hotel and found an empty hallway to step onto the golden highway. We returned to the villa to find Joey reading on the patio. The sun would soon be setting in Milos.

I excused myself to go down to the beach to summon Yvonne. We needed to check to see if any goats remained with Hermaphroditus. Yvonne and I stepped onto the golden highway and then into parking mode at the cage. We had left five goats two days ago. Three remained. However, my blood ran cold as I realized that Hermaphroditus was missing. Yvonne and I looked at each other with wide eyes and open mouths. We stepped back to the golden highway and then attempted to step toward Hermaphroditus. We went nowhere. That meant that he wasn't currently upon the earth. I suggested that we go back in time to see what happened to it. Previously, Yvonne had been reluctant to take me into the past due to my grief over Mia. However, I was over the pain that I had suffered due to my loss, and I was currently committed to Annette. The danger to my emotions was gone. Yvonne stepped us into the past at the point where we had left the five goats. She adjusted until we saw three goats with Hermaphroditus. We waited and watched until finally we saw an arm reach from the portal toward Hermaphroditus. It could not possibly have been human or have any ability for reproduction, or the sensual magnetism would have hurled them into a sexual frenzy. Hermaphroditus took the hand that was extended and was pulled into the portal.

We returned to the island with the cage. I wanted to free the goats, but we were afraid that if Hermaphroditus returned as unexpectedly as it had disappeared it would be disastrous. The remains of the man who died at the edge of the cage were practically nonexistent. Animals had dragged the carcass away and other scavengers had cleaned the area. It was too dangerous to stay, so we stepped our way back to the beach at my villa. Yvonne instructed me to use Annette to take Joey to Cannes and then return to our villa. She wanted to give us a proper healing session, and Joey needed to be elsewhere. She explained that we should be comfortable in our own bed for this experience. I knew she was referring to the healing that she had mentioned earlier, and I was eager to experience it.

After our late dinner, I told Joey that Annette and I were taking her to Cannes for the night. We wanted to be alone together and enjoy one another. She readily understood, and Annette and I left her by the pool at the resort in Cannes. When we returned to our bedroom, Yvonne was waiting for us. She was sitting naked on the bed and invited us to join her. She began to explain that she would be physically making love with us as she also initiated our healing process. I had never experienced this before. I was beginning to understand that just as I was very good in my profession, Yvonne was outstanding as a counterpart. Yvonne began kissing Annette and me, and Annette and I kissed one another. Annette gently stroked me to arousal as Yvonne stimulated erogenous zones on both Annette and me. We were panting and breathing heavily as Yvonne instructed Annette to lie on her right side. She then had me enter Annette's vagina and push through the left to bury myself deeply. Annette moaned with delight. I was the only man to ever reach those depths.

Yvonne had me pull Annette's left leg across my body to face her as she rolled over onto her back. This rotated me within her vagina, and the sensation was incredible. Annette let out a screaming moaning sound as she convulsed in a long, intense orgasm. Her vagina tightened and sent me into ecstasy. At that moment, Yvonne reached under my scrotum and into my anus to find my zones. Within seconds, I was on the plateau of extended orgasm. She removed her hand from my scrotum and put a finger into Annette's anus. Annette had now joined me on the plateau. This was the first time that we had experienced the plateau of extended orgasm simultaneously. Words cannot describe the sensation. There was far more to come.

Once Annette and I were consumed with one another's love, Yvonne began the healing process. We soared to new heights together. We saw with the same eyes. We heard with the same ears. We tasted one another with the same tongue. We smelled the aroma of our love with the same nose. Our genitals reverberated as one, and the thrill of a thousand orgasms engulfed us as a symphony of sensual pleasure. It kept building and building as we moaned and screamed with delight. It reached a crescendo where we were bathed in pure white light. We felt the energy of the Creator pulsating down our spine and through our extremities. Annette and I were one. We had one body, one mind, one soul, one love. The experience was impossible to retain with memory. It was like pouring a gallon of precious liquid into a one quart container. There was no way to retain the experience to relate it later. It wasn't meant for that purpose. It was meant to draw us together in this bliss again, and again, and again. From this day forward, I would never view my love for Annette or my sensual experiences with her as I once did. It was far greater than I ever imagined possible, but I knew there was no limit.

Annette and I awoke at dawn together. We couldn't remember what happened after our experience. The last recollection that we had was of utter bliss in that incredibly bright, white light. Within seconds, we embraced and began making love again. We went through the same sequence that Yvonne had instructed us. Tears were streaming from our eyes as we totally succumbed to our lovemaking. It was noon before we rolled out of bed and stepped into the shower together. We spent the next hour caressing and washing one another. We stimulated one another to more orgasms, and lay in the shower making love as the water sprayed down upon our bodies. Our lovemaking would never be the same. We both instinctively knew what to do to drive one another wild with passion.

The stories of life are never tied up neatly with a bow, and neither are mine. My saga continues until the day that I leave this realm for good. I had been called to find a gold mine for my previous project. I didn't know why or how I was chosen for that task. It never made sense to me as I was searching to no avail for gold that I wasn't sure existed. It was Yvonne who found the gold, and it wasn't the gold that my client expected. It was far greater. I began to laugh as I recalled my frustration that I had suffered during my search. I should have known that it wouldn't be accomplished by my own wit and power. I was now relying on Yvonne to uncover a mystery for me. There was something terribly sinister brewing, but I didn't know exactly from where it was emanating. Just like the gold deposit, I didn't know where to look.

The United States Treasury had the gold. The agency had been paid. The project to deliver the gold was now complete. We were finishing the paperwork, and we still needed debriefing sessions. I suspicioned that would be my last task with the agency. The colonel was wise enough to keep my abilities a secret. As much as he didn't want to lose me, he had to follow the orders in the chain of command. The agency was carefully organized so that agents didn't know those above their superiors. This was my problem. Just as the chain of command reaches upward in Yvonne's realm to the Creator, so does the chain of command within the agency. Someone was at the top, and I didn't know who it was, but I feared that whoever it was now suffered the influence of the evil entity that I had encountered during my first project.

Joey was still in Cannes, and I took this opportunity to disclose everything to Annette. She learned about Yvonne and me stealing the gold, selling it, stealing it back, and returning it to the U. S. She learned about Hermaphroditus, and the fact that it was now missing. She knew about my bank accounts and the estimates of my fortunes. We knew that we would soon have to leave our residences and find another. I suggested that we start looking for a place to live. Annette didn't want to leave the Riviera, and I was very agreeable to finding another place along the southern coast of France. We loved the sunshine and warm temperatures. We enjoyed the freedom to be naked and make love at home and on the beach. We had the ability to go anywhere at anytime, so our residence did not have to have all of the elements that we enjoyed.

I asked Annette what she thought about Joey and how she fit into our future. "Adriel, I dearly love Joey, but you know how apprehensive I am to have her around you. I don't know if her sensual magnetism will fade or not, but you two have a history that makes me uncomfortable. I'm still afraid that if you made love to her, much like Hermaphroditus, you would leave me and cling to her."

"Annette, at this point I can't see myself ever forsaking you, but I have come to learn not to trust myself. I love Joey too, and it would disappoint me to part company with her. If she decides to stay with us after we leave the agency, she could live close but not with us."

"That would be acceptable to me. We need to continue to keep her from Yvonne. If Joey ever got her emotions back, it would destroy you and me."

"It's hard to believe that statement, but you're probably right."

I won't bore you with the searches that Annette and I did up and down the coast of France. In the end, we decided to build a villa on Îles d'Hyères, just off the southern coast of France. Annette enjoyed working with the designers, and I left it up to her to design the house and landscape. She had great taste, and I was easy to please. We paid a handsome sum for the property and the builders. We had them working around the clock to finish it as soon as possible. I had to take Annette to the site frequently as she inspected the construction. I would giggle as she ranted with the foremen over some of the most trivial things. Progress was being made at an acceptable rate, and I had finished the paperwork for the project. I decided to have Yvonne escort me to the colonel's office to submit the final reports and perform the debriefing. I was fairly certain what awaited me. I left Annette to handle the construction of our villa.

No one on our team could be reassigned until the project was complete. This was our final meeting, and I knew that normally we would get our next assignments immediately. However, that didn't happen. We finished the formalities, and as we concluded the meeting the colonel told me that I was terminated with the agency. He was also terminating Annette because she was my agency wife. I hadn't spoken with Joey yet because I wanted a final answer on my status with the agency. I shook the colonel's hand, and Yvonne and I stepped back to the island to tell Annette. We had one week to vacate our residences with the agency. I didn't have much to move, if anything. I was leaving Mia's books. I had some personal items and clothing that I could easily replace. It wasn't worth the effort. Annette had several things in Cannes that she wanted to keep, so we decided to move them to storage until our villa was finished.

Yvonne was still searching for the answers that I wanted. I desperately wanted to talk to Joey. I was hoping that she would stay with us, but now that she suffered from Emotional Detachment Disorder again, I wasn't sure that she would leave the agency. Annette and I met her at Cannes to tell her that we were moving and terminated from the agency. As usual, she showed no emotion. I let Annette do the talking. "Joey, this could be the last that we see one another. If you decide to stay with the agency, our paths will probably not cross again. I know that the agency will keep you extremely busy, and you wouldn't have much opportunity to see us. That's why I want to extend the offer for you to come work for us."

Joey looked over at me to see my reaction. She turned back to Annette. "What would I be doing for you?"

By now, Joey was well aware of who I was. Annette continued. "Adriel has a project that involves another global conspiracy, but I can't disclose the details. First, you would have to agree to work with us, and secondly we have some unanswered questions."

Joey nodded. "I'll think about it." That was the best I could hope for at this point. At least she didn't decline.

We spent the rest of the week moving Annette out of her residence. She once retained five other places around the world, but had since relinquished them because she never had time to spend there. She took one last look around before we stepped onto the golden highway. We both had a lot of memories in that place. Some were too painful for me. We decided to book a suite at the Hotel Ritz in Paris to await the completion of our villa. Annette wanted to show me the real Paris, not the tourist version. We spent the next three weeks enjoying the sights and sounds and smells of the City of Lights. It was a delightful time. She insisted that we make love in the middle of the night on the Champs de Mars. She wrapped us in a blanket behind a shrub, and we made love just to say that we did. I was nervous, and it was more like an event that I experienced in college than the fireworks that I usually had with Annette. Nonetheless, she was satisfied.

It was finally time to move into our villa. It was a jaw dropping experience. The place was absolutely gorgeous. Annette had spared no expense, and it was a lavish villa with a swimming pool, gardens, fountains, and landscaped walkway to the beach. I couldn't believe my eyes. There were five bedrooms, two of which were ours. She had the builders blast into a small cliff that was about thirty feet high. Our summer bedroom and exercise room were several steps down below the ground under the rock to keep it cool. The winter bedroom was at ground level. It had several rises and falls throughout. The entire villa was about the size of an American football field. The Spanish tile roof was absolutely gorgeous, and the entire structure was made of stone. Granite and marble provided tables, counters, garden perimeters, and even contained several wine racks. There were plants and trees and flowers throughout the entire villa. The patio had a marble hot tub that had several gradual steps from all sides. Three levels of water jets ran the perimeter. The swimming pool was Olympic size, and it was adorned far more with shrubs, trees, and plants than her place in Cannes. Winding stone walkways meandered through the gardens and down to the beach. Every path was lined with shrubs and flowers. I couldn't believe my eyes.

She had even hired a staff of three women to care for the grounds and the house on a full-time basis. Annette had provided a small villa about two hundred meters from our house where they would live. It was a hundred times more than I needed, but I wanted her to be happy. She spent the next week training the staff pertaining to her expectations. She had a regimented schedule for them to keep and made it clear that we wore no clothing at home. Much of their duties would be performed while we were sleeping. I felt sorry for them because Annette was extremely demanding. It was like watching a choreographer of a ballet badgering his dancers. However, Annette was very effective. As we lived at the villa, I seldom saw any of the staff that cared for our surroundings. Annette exclusively dealt with them, and I had never been close enough to engage any one of them in conversation.

We hadn't seen Joey in over a month. I assumed that her absence meant that she decided to stay with the agency. I was disappointed and relieved at the same time. As much as I loved her and enjoyed having her around, the temptation that accompanied her could often become exhausting. Annette's demeanor was different. I think that she was replacing her responsibilities with the agency with her iron fist over the house staff. She was very hard on them, and she justified her strict treatment with the fact that she was paying them each the equivalent of a half million American dollars per year. I encouraged her to lighten up, or she would be vetting more potential employees in the near future. I suggested that we reorganize their schedules and give them more time off. I also encouraged her to add some perks to their jobs to make it more fun for them. I wanted to maintain the same regimen that kept them away during times when we were making love at the pool or the beach. Within two weeks, the attitudes had greatly changed, and I scheduled weekly meetings with the staff and threw them a party once a month. We got to know one another well, and we became more like family than an employer. Annette's attitude improved as well, and I was pleased to see her return to a more relaxed state.

Yvonne had been visiting on a regular basis for our healing sessions. It was a tremendous time. One evening as Yvonne was getting ready to leave, I walked through the gardens with her to talk. I asked if she had been able to get answers to my questions. "Adriel, you do realize that in addition to recording everything that you think, say, or do, I now have to do the same for Annette. Luckily, I don't have to sleep, but I usually use your sleeping time to provide dreams and catch up on the recording. I had a backlog of recording to do for Annette, and I have recently caught that up to the present time. I have been looking for your answers, but it's like finding a four leaf clover." I remembered that my sister used to hunt through patches of clover to find one with four leaves. It astounded me that she usually did. She was always determined and wouldn't give up until she was successful. I have found a few in my life by accident, and I was afraid that was how Yvonne would ever get my answer.

Annette and I met during the early evenings to discuss opening our own agency. She knew countless operatives around the world whom she thought would be willing to work with us. It sounded like an administrative nightmare, but I knew that we needed a well oiled machine at our disposal to perform the tasks necessary to prevent the disaster that was brewing. The agency had offices and medical clinics all over the world. I didn't want any brick or mortar to deal with if we were to have an agency, but we still needed immediate medical facilities in order to operate with a staff of agents. We had a lot of details to work out, but we kept a log of items in two categories, resolved and unresolved. We had the funds to start the agency, and we knew how to generate large amounts of income with our services, and our assets were increasing by the day due to interest. Joey was a principal asset to the agency, and I knew that nearly all of it was due to her ability to assassinate people. That was another contention; I didn't want to kill anyone. Annette thought that I was being childishly unrealistic.

Annette had designed our villa to look much smaller from the air. Nonetheless, she was apprehensive about our safety and decided that we should fence the perimeter and hire guards to protect ourselves and our villa. I thought that she was being unnecessarily paranoid, but I knew that her feeling of security was important. If we were to continue experiencing the escalating plateaus of extended orgasm, it was essential that Annette was not encumbered with any emotional discomfort. I had found it amusing that the three young women whom she had hired to care for our home were all homosexual. This solved two problems. They wouldn't be attracted to me, and they could enjoy one another at the property where we kept them. This was important to Annette. As much as Annette and I were in love, and we shared a lot of common attributes, we were very different in some areas. She was ruthless, and I was not. She was materialistic, and I was not. We negotiated the first, and I accepted the second.

Annette acted as though she were preparing for World War Three. However, I knew that preventing the impending disaster was not going to be accomplished by power, might, and skill. I had one weapon, which often appeared to be elusive, and that was faith. I still needed for Yvonne to disclose what we were dealing with because until I knew my target I did not know how to proceed. I found it more difficult to deal with waiting periods in my life. When I was in the thick of danger or the need to act quickly, it was far easier to rise to the task than wait for answers. I was taking advantage of this time to enjoy Annette, and we celebrated our love several times a day. I had no idea what our next project would entail, but I wanted to enjoy every opportunity that I could at the moment.

Annette kept wanting to structure our agency much like the one she had been serving for years. I encouraged her to break out of the paradigm of that model and think more creatively. Our abilities gave us the opportunity to travel anywhere instantly. That greatly reduced the need for conventional travel. We could even take others with us. We still needed a way to provide medical facilities, but we didn't need to have clinics all over the world. We only needed one because we could be there in an instant. Although we agreed that we needed to maintain our training and exercise, we should seldom, if ever, need to defend ourselves. We could simply disappear. This raised the question whether we ever really needed Joey. Every time Annette said that we needed something, I rebutted with our ability to navigate. We didn't need fake identities or passports. We didn't need residences around the world. We didn't need a private jet. Our negotiations sometimes became heated, but in the end we came to a resolution. Besides, Annette was fun to argue with. She would jump on top of me in frustration and begin wrestling, which always ended up in the bedroom.

One morning as Annette and I were recovering from another trip to the plateau of extended orgasm, we heard a clap from outside our bedroom. We had no doors at the villa. Each bedroom and bath was designed with turns and angles to prevent anyone from seeing directly into the room. So, instead of knocking, someone would clap to get our attention. It was Gianette, who was one of our female staff members. This was surprising because the girls always gave us our privacy. I grabbed the sheet, and Annette gave her permission to enter. Apparently, we had a visitor awaiting us in the patio garden area. We weren't expecting anyone. I grabbed some shorts, and Annette slipped on a long shirt. We hastily made our way to the patio to see who it was. I broke into a smile as I saw Joey sitting on the loveseat with a cup of coffee and two suitcases at her feet. She put her cup on the table and stood as Annette rushed over to give her a hug. Annette gave her a kiss on her lips, and Joey looked over at me and back at Annette. "Can I come work for you?"

Annette hugged her tightly. "Of course you can work with us!"

I walked over and hugged Joey tightly as a tear formed in my eye. It felt good to hold her again. I was so happy that she was back. I took her bags to one of the bedrooms while Annette got a cup of coffee and sat to talk with Joey. I knew that we had discussed not having her live with us, but I couldn't imagine not giving her one of our rooms. I hadn't seen Annette excited like this in quite some time. It felt like the old days, and I was delighted to have Joey with us. She had left the agency. She had been back to performing assassinations, and she was bored with the work. She said that working with us was far more entertaining, and she hated conventional travel. We laughed as she described life without us. I suddenly realized that Yvonne could no longer come and go at will. We had to keep her from Joey. I had easily forgotten how cumbersome it could be to our lifestyle having Joey around, but I wasn't going to bring that up with Annette. It would gradually dawn on her.

Tonight was party night for the staff, and I knew that our staff would be overwhelmed with Joey's beauty. I was sure that Gianette had already told the others about her. We had planned to have roasted pig with a pineapple sauce and rice pilaf with vegetables. The caterer was due to arrive at six o'clock, and it was going to be an evening of eating, drinking, swimming, talking, laughing, and now reminiscing with Joey. Annette spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon getting Joey settled into her bedroom. She gave her the farthest room from ours, which I appreciated. She explained about how we clapped instead of knocked, and she familiarized Joey with the layout and where everything was located in the kitchen. I found this to be a great opportunity.

I walked down to the beach to summon Yvonne. We sat in the sand and talked as she began to explain what she had found. She had finally been successful in determining who was the highest in command at the agency. It truly was like the four leaf clover at my feet. During my second project, there had been several organizations and governments who either wanted to prevent me from finding the gold or force me into their service. Although they were aware that I possessed certain abilities, they did not know specifically the extent of what I could do. The danger had escalated to the point that Joey had to remain attached to me at all times. Attempts had been made on my life that necessitated her continual grasp on my body. This obviously led to several physical challenges between her and me, and in time I grew accustomed to doing absolutely everything with her holding me in some fashion. When the project had been completed, the danger to my wellbeing had still not subsided, and it was essential that we faked my death to mislead those who sought me.

Yvonne began her discourse. "Adriel, I told you before that I had much to show you. With knowledge and ability comes great responsibility. I once gave you the ability to read the minds of others and plant thoughts in their minds as well. Those were the tools that you needed to successfully complete your first project. Once that project was complete, I removed those abilities. Those were not things that you learned, but they were bestowed upon you. What I am about to teach you will stay with you for the rest of your life. I am only allowed to show you what you need for a project. You are graduating to realms of difficulty that will require more ability. Remember, I told you that you had negotiated enough for three lifetimes with our Creator. This is just another step in the agreed negotiation. I need to teach you more steps onto the golden highway."

During my second project to find the gold mine, Evelyn and I had done a lot of experimenting on the golden highway. We had done several things wrong without knowing it. One of them was having me stand on the left rather than the right when we navigated. This caused Evelyn to have to direct my steps for navigation. We would tie our right feet together, and I would be completely submissive as she made the appropriate step. Later, we found that by switching positions with one another it was no longer necessary to bind our feet. Yvonne produced a rope which she used to bind our right feet. This was the method that she was using to teach me the new steps. We worked for about twenty minutes as she guided my foot to step onto the golden highway. Over and over again, she took me from the beach to the golden highway and back. These were two new steps that I was learning. She had many more to teach me from the golden highway, but that would have to wait for later. We wouldn't have the time today. She just needed for me to learn these two steps for the time being. She removed the rope from our feet and asked me to take the step by myself. I stepped, and I was immediately standing on the golden highway alone. I had never experienced this before. I took the second step, and I was back on the beach. Yvonne had now taught me how to navigate the golden highway by myself.

She then sat me down on the sand to explain what she had found. Eddie had manipulated me into our second project by disclosing my identity to the United States government. He had a chance to land a lucrative contract with them due to a service that he had been hired to perform during our first project. I had successfully stayed under the radar of the federal government, but he used the disclosure of my identity to get a contract to find a hidden gold mine known as the gold of Ophir. I refused to sign a contract or receive compensation for the project. I begrudgingly agreed to look for the gold, but I didn't want to be involved in any legal capacity. In the end, I was able to give the United States Treasury Department the coordinates to the gold, but they couldn't access it. They were refusing to pay the agency for the contract. During our search for the gold, we had met an intimidating man named Avarro. He later went to arbitration with the Treasury Department as he represented the agency and my friend Eddie, who did sign the contract to find the gold. What Yvonne had discovered was that Avarro was actually the head of the agency.

During my first project to prevent a coup in Pakistan that threatened to escalate into a nuclear war with India, I maneuvered through several undesirable individuals to find who was responsible. It was a seemingly endless chain that sometimes appeared to travel in a circle. I was finally able to locate the one in charge of the coup. He had orchestrated the devious plot to take control of Pakistan, then India, and the rest of the world. He had operatives in every major country at influential levels. I began to expose his operation and helped organize the project to take him down. However, he was too elusive and escaped. I used to call him the black hole because I couldn't read his mind. What I later found was that he was powered by a Prince of Darkness, and my suspicion was that same dark entity had now found his way to Avarro. If Avarro controlled the agency, he would have personnel at his disposal in every part of the world. That meant another world threat was imminent.

Movies and novels have too often given people the wrong impression of evil influence in this world. It makes a good story of zombies, demon possession, vampires, monsters, devils, and the like. However, the reality of it is much different. No one would consider a black hole to be evil. However, unlike the sun which gives light, energy, and life to our planet, the black hole sucks everything inwardly and gives nothing. It is a very destructive force of intense gravity that epitomizes the essence of selfishness. Selfish people, who seek their own desires and their own will, gravitate toward this evil without even realizing it. Narcissism and greed are among the attributes of evil. In fact, every characteristic that is not like the Creator is truly evil. The attributes of the Creator are eternal and cannot be done to excess. They encompass love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, meekness, gentleness, self control, encouragement, faithfulness, forgiveness, sacrifice, understanding, compassion, support, and others that are of great benefit. We even have a tendency to personalize the Creator which has the same effect. We see him or her as a separate entity, just as we often view a personal devil. These paradigms are crutches that we use to relate to Truth. Just as there is not a physical golden highway or shrubs with precious jewels, the reality is difficult for us to comprehend without imagery. The problem escalates as we don't see those influences in our daily lives. The only way to have any consistency in reflecting the attributes of the Creator is by exercising our faith in his or her character, will, and nature.

It's difficult to describe my enemy because he isn't really a person. He's an influence of self serving attitudes that destroy mankind. If Avarro truly is at the helm of what I suspect, I will have to take down the agency, which is more vast, rich, and powerful than any nation in the world. In fact, it feeds off of the nations and plays both sides of the fence. It puts presidents in power, controls trade agreements, removes unwanted people, regulates the world economy, controls dictators, affects inflation, scarcity or abundance of goods, and a host of other controlling factors in this world while remaining unseen. It has been a saving factor for the sake of this world, but if Avarro is controlled by this selfish entity he will unravel the fabric of mankind to the point of destruction.

Yvonne and I had spent a considerable time at the beach, and I needed to get back to the villa. I agreed to meet with her later for another session while the party was under way. When I returned, Joey and Annette were in the pool, and we were back to abandoning clothing. Annette asked me to join them, and we stood and talked in the pool until about an hour before the party. We all donned robes while the caterer set up the tables for the food. Annette now had a couple of bottles of wine in her, and after the caterers left she called our staff to the party. She instructed them to leave their clothes at home. It was reminiscent of our days in Cannes during my second project. However, instead of making love to Evelyn, I was with Annette. Needless to say, the staff got to know us all a whole lot better and vice versa. Everyone was free and uninhibited. The girls even got Joey to join into some of their antics as Annette I enjoyed one another.

The party was finally winding down as it neared midnight. I had forgotten to go down to the beach to see Yvonne. The girls were filling containers with food to take back to their residence, and I slipped away while Annette helped them package the leftovers. I needed to find a way for Annette and I to get our healing sessions with Yvonne. If Joey were now going to be living with us, we needed a way to schedule time with Yvonne. The residence in Cannes was no longer available. The golden highway was no longer an option because our healing sessions were now different and included actual physical sex which required a bed. I was considering the possibility of buying another place just for Annette, Yvonne, and me to have our healing sessions. Joey could still live with us, and we could step across the golden highway at any time to the other place. Yvonne thought that sounded reasonable.

We sat in the sand on the beach, and Yvonne turned to straddle me as I faced the surf. She began kissing me and teasing me with her tongue. As our tongues dueled together, suddenly Yvonne gasped and jumped up. I saw the surprise on her face, and she disappeared. The next thing I heard was Joey screaming, "Adriel!" I stood and turned as I saw Joey running toward me, and Annette frozen in place with a look of horror upon her face. I hadn't told Annette that I was coming to the beach to see Yvonne. Apparently, Annette and Joey came looking for me, and now Joey had seen Yvonne and gotten her emotions back. There was nowhere to turn and nothing to do except what I had just learned. I took the step and disappeared.
About the Author

Adriel Jacques Chevalier descended from a French family that migrated to the Netherlands before immigrating to the United States. His ancestors were jewelers and watchmakers for many generations. However, Adriel was never adept with handling the delicate parts of tiny machinery. Instead, he turned his interests to the software industry that was just becoming popular early in his adult life. He found that logic and problem solving better suited his skills, and he excelled in his field.

Adriel's elder sister had taught him to read and write at the age of three. Due to boredom suffered from structured learning, he sought to educate himself from his youth. He spent decades studying ancient history and various writings, mostly Christian and Judaic literature. Some of his studies he opted to conduct in the pre-translated, original language to gain a clearer understanding.

Always frustrated with the structure and politics of organized religion, he sought relationships according to the instruction of the Messiah, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst." Adriel recognized that the Messiah's name was synonymous with his authority, which is Truth, and that any group larger than three brought annoying problems.

Adriel and his fellows departed from the mainstream teaching of the established religions and embarked on a journey that led them on a quest for intrinsic Truth. Through many enlightening revelations and miraculous experiences, Adriel came to recognize that much of what is taught today concerning the Creator and his anointed one is rubbish. He forsook the erroneous cliches, rhetoric, and discrepancies of the religious culture and embraced Truth, which is available to any man, anywhere, at any time.

Although it was contrary to Adriel's belief system to share his findings in a rhetorical document, in his later years, he decided to envelop them into a work of fiction to be enjoyed by others. 
