Thirty Four Minutes DEAD

by Kaye, Steve Hammond

  Denison had selected the passage from Revelation because he knew that the subject matter involved a visual register which couldn't possibly be locked into the 'main' visually determined section of Braddock's MC vault. If images were located, they would have to be his thoughts.

  As Levene started to approach the closure of her second reading, the atmosphere hanging over the exploration area was uniformly pensive. No one moved or spoke and all eyes were trained on the screen. As Levene referenced the horses for a third time, the wait was over.

  Braddock had envisaged the beasts of the Revelation passage to a level of visual clarity that equalled film with regard to the quality level. Occasionally images of Levene's face would become interspersed within the Revelation visuals and thus a bizarre hybrid of speaker and text existed. Braddock's mind had thus activated an image of familiarity amidst the chaotic narrative. One amalgamated image was particularly memorable in its execution.

  This particular visual featured Levene's face emanating through the flames, which were being exhaled by one of the beasts, and her eyes cast hatred down to the minions in purgatory below her. In Braddock's visual construction, Levene had thus become as menacing as the nightmarish creatures that destroyed mankind.

  The exploration arena went wild with excitement. The quality of the accessed visuals had been so good, that even the most optimistic expectations had been surpassed. The pessimism that had been generated by the death of Stowles, had with the exception of Carson, been replaced with euphoria. Project members back-slapped each other and shouts of triumph added a resounding crescendo. Levene’s reading of the short biblical passage had been visually translated by Braddock in a fashion which sent pulses racing and his subconscious insertion of Levene's face had been the crowning glory. Tavini found Vain amongst the celebrating project ranks.

  "Yo Greg, we did it man, we fucking did it! We're mind-readers now, buddy!”

  Vain replied in the same enthusiastic tone as his team member.

  "Dead right, Dave! I thought nothing could beat the Venison exploration but Fray was correct - this 'mindsight' raid was perfect, - short but fucking sweet. Let's go and see Braddock. That guy's going to go down in history you know - the first person to physically have their mind read!"

  The two men made their way through the project throng and eventually located Braddock, who was surrounded by some high ranking project members. One of them was Leif Denison, and when he saw Tavini and Vain approaching, he was ecstatic in his praise.

  "Congratulations, gentlemen. With Greg's excellent front-line team and this gentleman's vivid imagination we've taken our work into another dimension! Meet Mr Braddock, fellas. Forget Mr Armstrong, we've just taken one 'giant step for mankind.' These are the guys who exorcised your mental imagery, Matt!”

  Tavini and Vain were introduced to Matthew Braddock. They had seen his face before but as he was in Dwight Richard's security section, they hadn't had direct interaction with him. Vain took the lead after Denison's introduction.

  "Well done Matthew, you made a brave decision to be the first! Any problems with the sensory equipment?”

  "Not really, Gregory. I knew all about the 'laser side-show' that would take place in my head beforehand, thanks to Leif and so I didn't feel any apprehension or anything like that. I suppose the pads seemed bigger than they actually were at the time, because I knew what they were capable of doing - their capability seems disguised by their mundane appearance! I'm dying to see the re-run though. I heard you guys screaming and applauding but I was blindfolded, remember! Any chance Leif?”

  Denison quickly assured his young recruit that the exploration would be re-run for the remainder of the day in the demonstration area, directly after he had addressed the assembled project ranks. The project leader had been pinning a lot on successful vault-extension work because a forthcoming Washington event was in his eyes 'made' for grand-scale extension work. Once the euphoria had died down, Denison took his position on the speaker's podium.

  "I'm damn proud of you. This morning was a bitch, but this afternoon has been our greatest moment thus far. All of you have enabled our success and each one of you should feel proud of our collective achievement. Matthew Braddock was willing to let his brain be used for experimental research and this type of indefatigable commitment is typical of the unanimous spirit that drives our scientific research forward. It will soon be time to let the world know, my friends! We have formatted all our explorations that were performed on the dead and we have Mr Braddock’s ‘mindsight’ exploration. However, we need to amplify the 'seeing is believing’ ethos by carrying out vault-extension testing on a larger audience who are collectively ignorant with regard to their test involvement. We need a non-primed test audience to silence the type of individual who may argue our MC work is an 'in house' fabricated construct. In twelve days time, we will have the perfect opportunity at the Washington Peace Conference".

  The remainder of Denison's speech involved detailing what lay in store for the MC project team before their departure to Washington. Vein’s team would spend the duration completing the training of the 'junior' exploration team. They would collectively finish off their guidance surrounding both MC-vault work and vault extension explorations. The focus of the Washington Peace Conference was to instigate a ‘First World cradle’ of nations, which could be called upon to help Third World nations who were beset by civil wars, famines or military coups. The principles underpinning the event essentially involved the strong helping the weak, and whereas other Global forms of provision had debated this type of help before, the WPC aimed to be far more pro-active in it's attempt to erode Third World conflict. A proposition had been put forward by the French for a National mentor system that would involve powerful countries nurturing the development of impoverished nations, in terms of their political stability and their raw material utilisation. The idea would basically feature one 'dominant' country taking a Third World nation under its wing. The proposition did not necessarily hold that nations who entered into this type of 'sister' relationship would already have had previous colonial links set in place. The Washington Peace Conference was essentially trying to start from a 'clean slate' position that didn't want history getting in the way. This event was supposed to set into motion a 'new age' of commitment as far as Global alliances were concerned.

  TEN

  Leif Denison had several surprises for the MC project ranks when they arrived in Washington. On the third day, all 'key' front line personnel were moved out of the Washington Designation and into ‘The Connoisseur’ - a magnificent hotel within the 'Dupont Circle’ area of the city. He also gave staff a fair degree of freedom with regard to their movements as far as sightseeing 'DC was concerned. Denison wanted to take the accent away from the usual hard industry, to one that favoured therapeutic team bonding in the build up to the Washington Peace Conference. He also wanted to 'spread' the holistic project ranks, because the Chicago experience had unnerved him with regard to the complexities surrounding mass evacuation procedures.

  A series of stipulations had to be adhered to in the three days of comparative project freedom. All project members had to move about in groups or pairs. It was thus forbidden to move through Washington alone. No group or pair were allowed to journey into the ghettoised areas of the south-east and north-east districts because of the gang violence culture that abounded in both locales. Denison had installed a nightly curfew which commenced at 23.30 hours but this was relatively liberal when compared to the ‘lock-ins’ that had been a feature in both English and other American Designations.

  The MC project members had not been restricted as far as ‘social’ grouping was concerned in the three-day period, although most individuals mixed in groups which echoed their project work placement. Vain and his team did spend some time together as one social unit but Levene was also annexed to this main front line section, so she and Greg could meet to socialise on occasions to a 'legitimate' level for the first time, as far as project bonding wa
s concerned. Most MC-project members had already realised the mutual attraction shared between the pair, and with a lighter atmosphere temporarily hanging over operations, people talked more openly about the mutual closeness evident when the two were in a social project environment together - albeit amongst themselves and not directly to Vain or Levene.

  On the second evening of relative 'free-time', Levene and Vain explored the Georgetown region of the city together. Marcia filled her companion in on details surrounding their chosen destination.

  "This area was rejuvenated in the eighties, Greg. Some people found the change rather ostentatious in its effect, but I think that reaction basically amounted to envy in most instances. You see, this area of Washington offered opportunity to the bright young minds of America and challenged stilted archaic attitudes in the process. I guess we'll always encounter the bitter 'better than thou' attitude from some of the forty-plus generations when they see those in their twenties and thirties really letting their hair down - and the bright, upwardly mobile denizens of eighties Georgetown really knew how to party, Greg. I know, I was here quite often!”

  "Are many of your previous haunts still here, Marcia?”

  "Sure. Not all of them, but enough for us to recapture the atmosphere. One of them, ‘Alvettis’ wine bar is still the ultimate. I thought we could head there first".

  Vain quite liked it when Levene took the lead in social interplay. In his previous relationships or friendships with women, Greg had usually been the person who called the shots concerning where they would go and what they would do. His relationship with Tanya didn't fall into this type of passive acceptance category, but Levene's magnitude added a new dimension to his experience of women. When he was with her he preferred to be led. Thus far their relationship had been exciting without excessive physical intimacy, and because the couple had to resist temptation through project requirements and marriage commitments in his case, he had found the attraction he had for the woman growing to unprecedented levels of sensual feeling. When Greg was with Levene he was very much in her spell, and although he didn't fully realise this factor yet, his feelings toward this woman had been complicated since Chicago by the 'need' he had started to feel for her presence. It seemed a long time since Vain had been suspicious of Levene's presence amidst the MC project ranks. As the pair entered Alvettis Levene cast Vain a very 'knowing' glance. Her power was often reflected in her minuscule facial gestures, and when she playfully bit her bottom lip whilst offering a half-smile, Vain was 'hooked' on each occasion. This was her chosen gesture in Alvettis, and combined with her cold dark eyes, the overall look was essentially her winning formula.

  The pair found a table in a secluded part of Alvettis and Levene ordered two half bottles of the house red. The primary reason Levene found the wine bar attractive concerned the Art Nouveau type decor, which established the style of the venue, and this interior design factor also appealed to Vain. The chosen colour scheme of blue, purple and silver added a debonair quality to the place, as it ran through most of the fixtures and fittings, being broken only occasionally by black wood furniture. Alvettis also made good use of stained glass seclusion panels and the MC project pair effectively had their own 'glass menagerie' of privacy.

  As the couple conversed in their alcove, heavy rain started to hammer down on Georgetown. Hail was interspersed with the rain, and a cacophony of sound was generated as the stained glass windows of Alvettis were lambasted by the elements. Vain and Levene sat opposite each other, with a small round black wood table between them. Levene looked exceptionally elegant, wearing the dark suit she had favoured during her recitation role in the Braddock exploration.

  The key light source in their vicinity emanated from a small Nouveau designed lamp on their table, and the ornate patterns that were sunk into the glass lamp covering cast bizarre shadows on the faces of the couple.

  Vain moved closer to Levene, taking hold of the woman's left hand and gently pulling her towards him. In their dimly lit location, his project partner had a presence, which was almost supernatural in its intensity, and whilst Vain had noticed this factor before, the weak illumination given off by the table lamp accentuated her dark image to a degree some way beyond other occasions. As Greg looked into the depths of her dark eyes, she spoke in a whisper. There was a sensual urgency in her voice.

  "Feel me, Greg".

  She forced Vain's right hand under the table and directed it through the split in her skirt toward her thighs. Vain didn't need any encouragement as there had been sexual electricity inter-playing between both individuals for some time now, and he greatly wanted to explore her body on a more intimate level. This seemed like a fitting occasion to do just that, and the threat of detection from the table girls who brought drinks to customers heightened rather than diminished this feeling. Her second directive was a more specific instruction.

  "Trace me - every line, every fold. Let your fingers talk to me".

  As Vain's hand travelled upward toward the vaginal region, he inwardly marvelled at the smooth nature of her skin. She felt cool initially, but as he approached the favoured region he felt a heat pulse through his hand. The difference in temperature was uncanny and as his fingers contacted her briefs, Vain's libido was further charged by the dampness he encountered through the silken material. His forefinger crept inside the gusset of Levene's briefs and as he gently parted the material, his hand became wet from the woman. He didn't start tracing the curves of Marcia's outer labia immediately, preferring instead to gently knead her small pubic mound and the upper reaches of the areas of skin on her bikini-line. These were shaved with great precision and the underlying softness was a perfect complement to the spiked feel of her pubic hair. Vain's fingers started to work figure of eight patterns through the pubic mound, gradually diminishing the area of coverage in each successive stroke. As Vain's fingers got nearer to Levene's clitoris, the woman uttered a faint cry as she anticipated his touch on her most sensitive area. Levene bit down quite hard on her bottom lip and her eyes half closed when Greg finally touched her clitoris. This touch was the spur for the release of further vaginal juices, and Vain just managed to stop himself from ripping off the flimsy briefs and copulating with her then and there! Slowly, Greg's forefinger started to penetrate Levene, and her minuscule thrusting movements enabled him to get deeper into her. Levene had a compact vagina and yet her powerful vaginal muscles had a strength, which belied her graceful exterior. As Vain's hand became fully covered in her juices, he inserted his middle digit. She writhed to his movements, finding it hard to control her gasps as she neared climax. When Vain believed she was ready to cum, her eyes opened wide and whilst grasping Vain by the wrist of his active hand, she made her third request.

  "Taste me, Greg".

  "Go down on you here, Marcia! There's only so much we'll get away with you know!”

  Pulling Vain's face close to hers, she whispered a bizarre instruction. Her hands held Greg's face tightly, with her fingers spread from his temples to the point just below his chin. Her eyes pierced his, only a couple of inches apart.

  "Listen, Greg, you are going to bring me off big time, but I want this first one to be on my terms, okay? On our table there are two objects. The first is the Nouveau lamp which you've probably noticed by now - beautiful, with a vibrant silver, blue and purple colour scheme. The second object is one you probably haven't given a second thought to - the tiny bowl of black cherries. Alvettis pride themselves on their minutiae theme retention, and the cherries do indeed echo the favoured purple. I want you to taste me with one of the fruit Greg".

  "I've lost you here Marcia!”

  "Then I'd better nurture your imagination hadn't I, Mr Vain! Take one of the cherries and push it into me. Don't look into my eyes, don't worry about hurting me and don't talk at all. This will be our time, Greg, and I want you to taste the fruit once it's been in me, deep in me".

  Although Vain had naturally been quite taken aback at the unusual nature of the request, he was
more than ready to comply with her wishes. He was aching to ejaculate himself, but he was curious to see how Levene would 'recover' the fruit once it was inserted. He took a black cherry and he inserted it into her vagina. Her hands tightened on his face as the fruit was inserted and Vain shut his eyes as he envisaged what he was doing. Levene spoke.

  "Deeper, deeper - near the womb entrance".

  Vain pushed the fruit up Levene's vaginal passage as far as he could, using two fingers to guide the cherry toward the intended region. When she was satisfied with the positioning, she momentarily freed one of her hands from Vain's face and directed his fingers back to her clitoris. Then she kissed him, her tongue lashing around his mouth like a serpent rearing in the wind. Whilst Vain massaged her nether regions, Levene's tongue sank deeper into Vain's mouth.

  In a state of frenzied passion, she momentarily bit down on Vain's bottom lip. A small amount of his blood passed between their mouths, and a tiny residue trickled down Levene's chin. No one disturbed them, such was the sanctuary that their alcove provided, but the two would have been oblivious to an interruption anyway, due to the intimacy they were collectively experiencing. As Levene came, she placed her hands underneath Vain's shirt on his back and sank her fingernails into his shoulder blades. With shreds of Gregory Vain's skin under her nails, she moaned quietly into the side of his neck and as she did so, her powerful vaginal contractions forced the fruit down towards her opening. When Levene recovered her composure she looked into Greg's eyes and spoke softly into his ear.

  "Thank you, Greg. I guess you can taste me now".

  Vain felt inside Levene's briefs again and as he entered Marcia with his fingers, he soon encountered the cherry.

  "Taste the real me then, Gregory, but don't bite down or the fruit juice will blur my presence. Basically you've just got to suck to find my flavour, biting will only contaminate!”