A piercing buzzing sound snatched them out of their kiss. “It’s the alarm. Oh my god, it’s starting. I’ve got to go.”
Michael’s protective instincts kicked in, “Where are you going?”
“As much as I’d love to stay here with you, duty calls. My team needs me in the control room.” Téa hopped off of the bed, put on her combat boots, grabbed her tactical gear, and ran out of the door.”
The instructions coming through the intercom was asking everyone to return to their rooms. But, Michael wanted to be with Brian. Just as he was about to find his brother, Brian walked into Michael’s room with Brigitte.
Brian saw Téa running down the hall. He tried to catch her to see if they’d heard anything from Jessie, but she was too fast for him. The alarm was so loud they had to yell over it, “Do you know if they’ve heard anything about Jessie!”
“Not yet.”
Brian raked his hands through his hair, “I can’t sit here and wait. I’ve got to find out what’s going on. Do you know where Téa went?”
Michael yelled over the alarm, “She said something about the control room.” Brian looked desperate and he understood, “I’ll take care of Brigitte while you find out what’s going on.”
Brigitte looked from brother to brother, “Wait…no I want to go with you Brian!”
It was too late. Brian had already left to find that room.
*****
It was all hands on deck in the control room. Only the elite members were allowed there. And it was controlled chaos; however, the MEGA-AX1 team was in place, Max, Téa, Tony, Gray, and Jake. Although Jessie wasn’t there, Max had left her chair empty. He would not sit in it as long as there was a possibility she was still alive.
Instead, he stood in the center of the room where he could see what was going on no matter where he turned.
Téa and Jake had the monitors up and running. Jessie had uploaded them the video and report so that they had an idea of what the coming attack would look like. They each had one of the six quadrants on the monitors.
Tony and Gray were monitoring the compound from the outside. Making sure they were ready for anything that might come their way.
There was a commotion outside the door. Somehow, Brian had managed to find the control room and was trying to get inside.
Against his better judgment Max signaled to the guards to let him inside.
Just as he was asking Téa about Jessie, “When was the last time we got anything from Jessie’s plane?”
“Nothing from her in the last half hour. I’m still trying to get eyes on it from the satellite.”
Jake bellowed, “Oh…shit. Monitor three right over France!”
Everyone turned to look at monitor three. It was unbelievable. It was like a ball of fire was churning through the land like a tornado but it was everywhere all at once. It engulfed everything it came into contact with. If you ever had an image of hell, this was it on earth.
Gray was incredulous just like everyone else, “My god. No one who is above ground will survive that.”
Tony responded to him, “Hell, we don’t know if anyone who is below ground will survive it either.”
Max started calling out orders, “Tony and Gray seal the compound right now!”
Téa pleaded, “Can’t we give just a few more minutes?”
Tony and Gray waited for Max’s response…hoping against hope.
“You don’t think I want to wait? To give Jessie more time…I understand what this means but we can’t take the risk. I’m responsible for all the lives down here. We’ve got to seal the compound right now.”
Tony and Gray’s fingers started moving on their keypads. They needed to type in the codes at the same time.
“Alpha”
“Alpha”
“One”
“One”
“Beta”
“Beta”
They were one code away before they got sound from the corresponder. “MEGA-AX1 this is Bravo and Command. It’s hot as hell out here and our instruments aren’t working. We need you to guide us in for a landing.”
At first the room was in disbelief before everyone erupted in cheers.
Téa’s fingers started moving like lightning trying to pull them up on the monitors, “I’ve got ‘em. I’ve got ‘em. I switched monitor six to analog.”
Everyone could see and hear them on the monitor. Max was newly energized, “This is Control. We hear you. Can you here us? Over.”
“We hear you, but the heat is on our ass. Waiting on instructions. Over.”
Max yelled over to Jake, “Move your ass. Guide them in here.”
“I got it. They are locked in for a landing. Tell Bravo to switch to auto. He won’t be able to tell from the air, but we’ve got them.”
Max gave the order. Bravo followed instructions. The plane was coming in hard and fast. “Slow them down Jake.”
“Hey, they said the heat was on their ass. I’ve got this. I know just when to slow it down.”
Max pointed them out, “Tony and Gray, be ready to seal this place as soon that plane is on the ground and on the airlift to bring them underground.”
Téa got in on the action, “They’re hot because that heat is moving at an incredibly fast pace. Monitor two.” Téa put the ETA of the fire cloud on the screen.”
Everyone who wasn’t working on bringing Jessie in safely looked at the cloud of fire that started to engulf North America.
Jake slowed the plane down for the landing. Time seemed to stretch on forever before the plane finally touched down onto the runway. “They’re down and rolling into place to be brought down into the bunker.”
There was a lot of back-slapping and celebratory shouts going on inside the control room.
Téa couldn’t sit in her chair any longer, “I hate to break up the party but we’re not out of the woods yet. We’ve got four minutes, Jake before that fire ball is right over us. It’s going to take two minutes alone to seal this place up!”
“I did my part they’re down. Twenty seconds to the airlift. They are on the air-lift and descending.”
Téa voice was elevated, “Three minutes.”
Max yelled out, “Seal it…NOW!”
Tony and Gray got back into action. They’re fingers were moving furiously.
“Alpha.”
“Alpha.”
“One.”
“One.”
“Beta.”
“Beta.”
“Tango.”
“Tango.”
Téa gave the time, “Come on! Two and a half minutes.”
“EXECUTE!”
“EXECUTE!”
Gray wiped the sweat from his brow.
When it was done, Max walked over to them and patted them both on the back, “You did the best you could. Now we just have to hope and pray that Jessie is going to get her money’s worth out of the design of this compound.”
All monitors were switched to all the areas of the compound that were being sealed. One by one each monitor was showing sealed. Until finally they got down to the last area in the compound.
There was thirty seconds left to impact when the last monitor finally showed ‘SEALED’. As soon as the final monitor showed that the compound was completely sealed, everyone hauled ass to get to the air lift and Jessie.
Téa grabbed Brian’s hand as he stood still in disbelief. “Where are we running to?”
“I’m taking you to Jessie.”
Jessie was just getting off of the aircraft when she heard all the whoops and hollers. Max was the first to get to her. He picked her up and spun her around and then passed her on to Jake, Gray, and Tony. Once she was on her feet it was Téa’s turn to give her a bear hug. After everyone stepped to the side…there was Brian.
She started off slowly walking toward him at first, but then just ran into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her so tightly and didn’t want to let her go. He pulled back slightly just to look into those beautiful eyes before
following his heart and kissing her deeply on the lips.
There was as ungodly roar from above and rocks and dirt started to fall on them. The rumble and screams from above was terrifying.
Max still was directing traffic, “Let’s move this party out from this hangar and further into the bunker.”
Chapter 23
Brian and Jessie walked arm in arm following everyone back into the control room. Téa switched the monitors back to the six quadrants. Nothing was visible yet just clouds of fire gobbling up everything in its path.
She asked, “How long is this supposed to go on?”
Jessie shook her head, “I have no idea. This technology was unstable to begin with. It may have already exceeded what they expected. I don’t know how they plan to rebuild a society when there’s going to be nothing left.”
Max clapped his hands together, “I’m pulling a power move. I want Jessie, Gray, Tony, Téa, and Jake out. Especially you, Jessie. I’m going to stay and monitor what’s happening with Elite Team two. Go spend some time with your loved ones.”
Jessie kissed him on the cheek, “Thank you. I couldn’t have asked for a better second-in-command.”
Nobody had to tell Brian twice. He pulled her towards him and out the door. Then, he followed Jessie until they reached her suite.
Once inside, neither of them could hold back any longer. Brian pushed Jessie against the door, wrapped his hands around her waist and kissed her deep and hard. He’d wanted to do that for so long that the power of his feelings scared him.
Jessie closed her eyes. She wanted to savor how good it felt to have Brian’s lips finally kissing her with abandonment. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back just as hungrily. When she opened for him, his tongue eagerly slid inside. Their dueling tongues mimicked what was sure to be an explosive lovemaking session. Jessie lifted her knee up to Brian’s hip, and he grabbed it forcing Jessie to wrap both of her legs around his waist. Finally, they didn’t have to pretend.
They continued to kiss passionately. Jessie pulled his t-shirt out his pants. All she wanted to do was touch him and feel his naked skin underneath her fingers. Jessie got her wish. She ran her hands up and down his back. His lips traveled down the side of her neck, and when his teeth grazed that soft spot, Jessie couldn't help but dig her fingernails into his back.
She automatically pressed her body into his. They were so close but nowhere near close enough. Brian managed to take off her jacket and it fell to her feet. He was just as on fire for her as she was for him. All he wanted to do was drive into her over and over again. He somehow managed to unbutton her shirt. It went tumbling to the floor, too. Jessie felt the cool air on her hot skin.
Brian pushed her bra straps down her arms, continuing to move her bra down until it was low enough that her smooth caramel breasts were completely exposed to him. His kisses travelled lower until the next thing Jessie knew, Brian had taken a nipple into his mouth. The sensation was so incredible it made her want to jump out of her skin. He kneaded one naked breast while he hungrily devoured the other. Jessie wound her fingers tightly into his hair and pulled him even closer to her.
Jessie was feeling sensations within her body that had been dormant for way too long and now she was ready to explode.
The second Brian touched her she felt her inner walls pulse and clench. That dull ache turned into a raging throb. It wouldn’t take anything for her body to explode. She was so wet that her lacy panties were virtually useless. They were soaked.
When Brian moved to love on her other breast, Jessie released his hair and managed to slip her hands inside his pants and past the barrier of his briefs. She wrapped her hands around his steely naked flesh and gently squeezed. His tongue stopped swirling and pulling on her nipple for just a moment to catch his breath. This was heaven.
Jessie squeezed him again and began to stroke him as if they were making love. He pressed into her hands as if he were buried deeply within her womanly walls. His pre-come spilled all over her hands. It was too much for him. If he didn’t stop her, he’d release all over her when he’d rather spill his seed inside of her.
“Mmmm…this feels so good. Finally, please make love to me.” Her voice broke him out of his sexual haze. He’d only intended to kiss her. It took everything within him not to take the two extra steps, lay her down on the bed and make love to her until they couldn’t breathe. But he couldn’t. God he wanted to, but he couldn’t hurt Brigitte. He pulled away. Both of them were breathing hard.
“Jessie, I would give anything to make love to you right now. But, I can’t…we can’t.”
She looked confused, “Why not?”
“Brigitte is here. I can’t do this to her.”
Jessie felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. She blurted out what had been on the tip of her tongue for a long time, “I’m in love with you.”
Brian touched his forehead to hers. He wanted to yell out to her that he was in love with her, too. But, instead he stayed silent. Then, he kissed her forehead, “Jessie if things were different. If I’d made different choices there would be no space between us…emotionally or physically.”
Jessie started to unwind her body from his. Her legs felt boneless and wobbly.
He bent down to give her the shirt that had fallen to the floor. She’d laid her heart and body out for him and he said…no. Brian saw the pain in her eyes…and the tears.
He raked his hands through his hair, “Jessie, I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”
Jessie hid her body behind her shirt and she whispered, “You should probably go.”
She couldn’t look him in the eyes as she stepped away from the door. Brian didn’t want to leave her like this. He reached out to her and her voice broke, “Please leave, please.”
Brian was dying on the inside, too. How was he supposed to fix this? He looked at her one last time, opened the door, and walked out.
This was the first time Jessie thought maybe it would have been better to not have made it back to the compound.
Chapter 24
Brian was back in his room. Luckily Brigitte was still in Michael and Téa’s room. He needed a minute, not just to clean up because he knew he smelled like sex. But also to process what just happened between him and Jessie. How was he supposed to pretend like his world hadn’t just been turned upside down?
He cared for Brigitte but he loved Jessie. He knew it with everything within him. All the barriers and everything he tried to erect to keep from hurting her didn’t work. He still ended up hurting her and still might end up losing the one thing he was the most afraid of losing….their friendship.
A half hour later, Brian still hadn’t figure out a way to fix his problems with Jessie. He was drained but it was time to head over to Michael and Téa’s and get Brigitte. He knocked on the door and Michael answered it with a huge smile. “I wasn’t expecting to see you until quite a bit later big brother.”
Michael’s smile quickly faded. “You okay?” It was obvious that things hadn’t gone well with Jessie and that Brian was in pain.
“I’m fine.” He walked past Michael into their suite.
Brigitte ran up and hugged him, “I was so worried about you, Brian.”
Brian couldn’t even muster up the energy to hug her back. “I’m fine…considering. I hope that we have escaped the worst of it. Brigitte, we should probably get going and head over to our own room. I’m pretty beat.”
Brigitte gathered her things “Thank you guys for keeping me company until Brian came back.”
They said their goodbyes and walked out of the door.
Téa didn’t miss any of it, “Do you think they will be ok?”
“Who Brian and Brigitte?”
“No. Brian and Jessie.”
“I hope so.”
*****
As soon as Brian and Brigitte entered their suite, she turned around and slapped him hard across the face.
“You don’t think I can smell her on
you? You told me that you were only friends!”
Brian took the slap. He deserved it. “We were just friends.”
“What until tonight? It must be hard to still be ‘friends’ after you’ve screwed each other’s brains out.”
He didn’t answer because even though he didn’t fully make love to Jessie he’d cheated on Brigitte in every way imaginable.
Brigitte paced the floor basically talking to herself, “Okay we can fix this. You’ve just had a little indiscretion. I’m sure you will make sure this won’t happen again. Ughh…I can’t wait to get out of this place and get back to my life. First thing I’m going to do is fire my agent.”
“You do realize we might be here for a very long time and life as we’ve known it before is over.”
“He’s the one who thought this romance between us would be good for our careers.”
“Wait…what?”
“Oh don’t act all surprised like you didn’t know this was part of the plan.”
Brian took a step closer to her, “I didn’t know, Brigitte. So, you’re not in love with me?”
“Well…apparently you don’t love me either.”
“I just broke the heart of the woman I love because I’d made a commitment to you.”
Brigitte whipped around, “I knew you were in love with her. I could tell the moment I met her the first time.”
“I’m sorry. You don’t deserve this and I never meant to hurt you but I love her.”
“I can’t believe I’m saying this. I like you a lot and I’ll definitely miss the sex, but if you truly love her, then you shouldn’t be here with me.”
Brian was surprised that Brigitte was being so reasonable. He kissed on the cheek before walking over to grab his duffle bag, “Thank you.” And walked out of the door.
Although she put on a front that Brian leaving her was no big deal…it was. Brigitte didn’t take rejection well. No, she didn’t love him but he left her for a woman who thought couture was a pair of sweatpants.
When Dr. Sheitz wanted her to get close to Brian after seeing his pictures in the tabloids with Jessie, Brigitte couldn’t imagine that she would be in this situation or in this compound. Brian breaking it off with her stung her pride but his guilt over his treatment of her put Brigitte in a much better position.
MEGA-AX1 The Inferno Page 11
