Borne Darkly

by Lee Perry

  “Tell your mama goodnight...” Rose parked him on her hip and when she walked around the highchair to hold him out for a goodnight kiss, Alex placed a kiss on her fingertips and pressed them to his cheek,

  “Goodnight…” she carefully enunciated, “little Julius.”

  She watched them leave before turning back to her empty dish and stood, taking it and her water glass to the sink, I’m just tired… she rinsed and placed them in the dishwasher, and I should have worked out today… I’m allowed to use the gym on the second floor as much as anyone else here…

  “Alex?” Anthony stood in the doorway and she started, “Jeez,” he apologized, “sorry, the carpets are thick in this hallway…” He motioned to her, a grin on his face, “Can you come to my office for a second?”

  “Sure…” she said a little too brightly, suddenly nervous.

  “I know you’re creating more secure email accounts for all of us,” he said as she followed him down the hall to the library, “I have code names for everybody I’d like you to use as, you know… user names.” He shut the door behind her and crossing to his desk, handed her a handwritten sheet.

  The urge to lick her lips nervously was overwhelming and she pressed them firmly together as she read the list:

  Augustus - Anthony Rossi, Boss

  Tiberius - Ed Coastanoa, Consigliere

  Octavia - Alexandra Sparrow, Associate

  Claudius - Stephen Scaroni, Underboss

  Antoninus - Louis Favuzzo, Caporegime

  Soldiers:

  Titus - Antonio Bersanetti

  Gaius Caligula - Joey Del Torro

  Nero - Fred Gallo

  Galba - Marc DeLuca

  It was clear Anthony was making no further concessions to the illusion that he and his “crew” were anything other than mafia and Alex fought to calmly swallow the bile that rose in her throat when she saw her name included just beneath Ed’s. Well, congratulations, Alexandra, you really are one of them now. The list was clearly a flow chart ranked from the highest first, Anthony, down to the soldiers, the lowest last. There it is… the Home Crew.

  “You read me right…” he grinned, parking his hands on his hips, “I have tried to model my life and the principles that guide my business to the Emperor’s of Rome… their principles and stuff… and I was honored when you renamed your son after Julius Caesar…” he gestured grandly, “truly one of the greats.”

  “Well,” she drew in a deep, calming breath and she smiled beatifically, “it was an honor to do so, Anthony.”

  “I got a surprise for you…” He went to the door and opened it, “come on in…”

  Three women dressed in business suits entered and Alex felt her eyebrows creep up her forehead.

  “I got the boys some company for tonight…” He shrugged as the women entered and lined up in front of Alex, each striking a pose, “They been good… so I also got some company for myself, Stephen and you for the evening.”

  Alex’s mouth opened and shut and she swallowed abruptly, unsure what her response should be.

  “Come on,” he snickered, “one of ‘em’s gotta’ be your type. Take whatever one you like.”

  “Oh, my…” she hurried to collect herself, “you continue to surprise me.”

  He chuckled and a woman Alex’s height stepped forward,

  “I’d like it if you picked me…”

  Alex regarded the woman with a small smile, regarding the long legs exposed between the very short skirt and high heels; she was tastefully dressed, given her profession, I’m assuming Anthony has these women checked for communicable diseases… “That sounds nice…” she replied, trying to affect a coolness she did not yet feel and the woman took her arm and led her from the room.

  Anthony chortled good-naturedly, “Enjoy yourself, Alex,” he patted her on the back as they passed, “you deserve it after working so hard.”

  Alex led the woman to her bedroom, feeling a distinctly pleasant tingle between her legs as they climbed the stairs. The woman on her arm said her name was Charisma, and Alex had laughed,

  “You certainly have that….” she grinned.

  Once in her room Charisma wasted no time stripping off her clothes and after tossing Anthony’s list onto her closed laptop, Alex followed suit, her hands shaking slightly in anticipation. Their clothes left in heaps on the floor, Alex climbed into her bed and the woman slid in next to her,

  “Thanks for choosing me…” she whispered as she slid under her, “I like being with women…” she husked, pulling Alex’s mouth onto her lips.

  Alex felt her head spin and her eyes slammed closed as their tongues entwined in Charisma’s mouth. Oh this is so nice… Alex moaned into her mouth and rubbed her length along the woman’s skin, Oh, and here I was too afraid to buy vibrators online… maybe now I won’t have to. She quickly straddled the woman’s thigh and began undulating, trying not to moan aloud.

  “That’s it…” Charisma husked, “oh yeah, baby, that’s it... come on me now.”

  Alex gritted her teeth and her body stiffened rigidly. She climaxed, jerking and grunting and she gasped breathlessly as the waves faded, “Oh my god…” she rasped, “oh sweet fucking Jesus that feels good…” She collapsed and slid to the side, breathless.

  “That felt nice?”

  “Oh yes…” Alex kept the thigh clamped between her legs, “Sorry I came so fast, it’s been a long time.”

  “Aw, that’s too bad…” Charisma whispered, tracing Alex’s areolas with a fingertip, “Can I make you come again?”

  Alex snorted and grinning, rolled on top again, “I’m sure you can, yes…” She bent her head, suckling a dark nipple in her mouth and began to move on the thigh again. She undulated with increasing abandon on the trapped limb, and when she released the slick, stiffened structure from her mouth, she captured the full lips with her own and plundered the woman’s mouth. She slid a hand between them, between Charisma’s legs. She smiled when the woman groaned in her mouth and she stroked the ripening folds with increasing pressure while her hips ground her center on slickened skin. Charisma cried out softly when she entered her, and Alex stroked inside the clutching inner walls until the woman panted and grunted in her mouth, climaxing quietly beneath her.

  Her hips still undulating, Alex grinned ferally, watching as the orgasm swept across Charisma’s features. Her fingers matched the speed and strength of the pleasurable waves that swept through the body beneath her and when they began to fade, she began to increase the tempo again, her thumb pressing and rubbing the small bundle of nerves teasingly.

  “Oh…” She felt a hand clutch hers, stopping her fingers and pulling them free. “Oh that was nice, thank you.” Charisma sighed, pulling Alex’s hand onto her breast, “It’s not often I’m with someone who lets me come too.”

  Alex’s brows raised, I know it’s been a long time but no woman has ever stopped me before… She shrugged inwardly, and who cares? “You’re very welcome…” she husked, smiling and rolled Charisma onto her stomach. She began stroking her center on the woman’s pert backside and inserted two of her still slick fingers into the woman’s rear channel and chuckled softly when she felt her grunt and stiffen beneath her. “Let’s see if I can make you do it again.”

  She stroked and undulated, and laying her full weight across her back, slid her other hand under Charisma’s bucking hips, her fingers seeking out the tight bundle of nerves again.

  “Oh that’s good…” Charisma husked and Alex grunted with effort, feeling another orgasm on rapid approach. Her body stiffened and trembled rigidly and her fingers plunged deep, rubbing hard.

  The body beneath hers stiffened and jerked and Alex’s eyes were dark as another climax gripped her, making her grunt gutturally. Breathless, her eyes closed blissfully as the waves faded and she rolled off to one side, her hands pulling free.

  Charisma rolled onto her side, “You really know how to fuck a woman…” she grinned and rolled from the bed. “The john’s in here?”
<
br />   Alex watched her shapely backside as she walked into the connecting bathroom and when she flicked on the light she slid from the bed, following. The woman was relieving herself on the toilet and Alex washed her hands in the sink.

  “Sorry,” Charisma shrugged, “I forgot to go before…”

  “That’s fine…” Alex looked at her reflection in the mirror, “How long are you here for?”

  “I turn into a pumpkin at midnight.” She flushed and trailed her fingertips across Alex’s bare back as she left the room. “The stretch is waiting for us downstairs.”

  Alex turned to watch her departing backside again then grinned at her reflection, “Excellent…” she muttered and followed her back to her bed. Charisma urged her to sit on the edge of the mattress and Alex felt her center tighten when she knelt between her legs.

  She certainly is good at that… Her head rocked back on her shoulders and she placed a shaking hand on the back of the woman’s head, urging her deeper. Of course she’s good at eating pussy, you moron… an inner voice mocked her, she’s a pro… For god sakes, Alexandra… she’s a whore. Alex’s breath had shortened and she was panting when her eyes opened and she regarded the head of dark hair between her legs, And why do I care? Her eyes fluttered closed and she slumped, grunting softly, It’s been a long dry winter… Anthony said it himself, I deserve this for working so hard… She gripped the hair, pulling slightly until Charisma pulled back and looked up at her expectantly, “Inside me… fingers too.”

  Alex looked at the clock on her nightstand, “Pumpkin time…” she muttered.

  “Yep,” Charisma said quietly, tucking her blouse into the waistband of her skirt.

  “How are you paid?” Alex asked, suddenly nervous she was expected to pay the woman for her services.

  “Don’t worry; I was paid before I got here.” She bent over the bed and placed a long, slow kiss on Alex’s willing mouth, “Maybe Mister Carna will have me back…”

  Ah yes, Mister Carna strikes again… Alex chuckled, “I’d like that.” She smiled and Charisma left, closing the door quietly behind her. Alex lay naked under the covers. I should get a great night’s sleep now… She got up from the bed and crossed the room to lock the door and turn off the overhead light. Her hand hesitated on the switch and turning, she headed for the shower, her thoughts suddenly unsettled.

  San Francisco, CA

  Shen left early in the morning to attend to the customers he had rescheduled and Catherine spent the day standing at the expansive window that overlooked San Francisco Bay. She had reread both Meditations and The Art of War and she stood near the glass, deep in thought. Throughout her life, she found problem solving the most effective when she had memorized the data and could simply sit, or in this case, stand and think.

  Endgame; there’s a break in the case… Jordan finds Alex and she brings Cameron to me… She lifted a shoulder unconsciously in a shrug, but if we’re covering more of the possible end-stage parameters then what if I find Alex first? Her brow furrowed, What’s the difference? If I find her… same thing, I tell Jordan and she goes and gets Cameron for me… Starting at stage one produced nothing, and now that I’m starting at the end and working back to finding Alex… why am I stuck on this one point?

  Sighing, she turned away from the view and sat on the couch. Staring down at her laptop on the coffee table, she powered it up and stared at the screen. She opened a browser and began typing in the address bar, Really, Catherine? You need a gun now? She stared at the results page and clicked on a calendar for gun shows. I have no idea how this will all go down… Alex is with the mafia… for all I know; realistically I might need a gun… I trust Jordan to lead the team when Alex is found, and the odds are certainly that a gun would be something I eventually give her because I have no need for it… But just in case…

  Her phone beeped softly and she could see the lighthouse icon fill the screen,

  “You have a message from Jordan.”

  “Jordan…” she typed, “I miss you.”

  “I miss you too. Just checking in, how are you?”

  “I’m still here, thinking…”

  “We are too. I got a new book, the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu… for bedtime reading.”

  Catherine smiled and another message appeared,

  “This guy was pretty smart, ‘Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.’”

  “I love you, Jordan.”

  “I love you, Catherine. Please don’t lose hope.”

  “I promise.”

  She placed an order online at Shen’s favorite restaurant then sent him a text telling him she was having dinner delivered. When he came in the door he gave her a thank you hug, hungry for the huge Chinese dinner Catherine had waiting for him on his dining table.

  “Oh thank you...” he beamed, “These are all my favorites!”

  “I know…” she traced, sitting across the table from him, “Dig in.”

  They filled their plates and Shen told her about his day and the simple quick fixes he provided his clients, “I have to say I’d have been bored by my customer’s problems when I was younger…” He chewed thoughtfully, “But… now it kinda’ tickles me that they’re so happy and impressed when I can fix a problem for them fast…”

  “It’s also good for business…” she teased.

  “Oh yeah…” he chuckled, “thank god.” He sipped at his water, “So… you were holed up here all day today?”

  She nodded, “I needed to think.”

  His smile faded and he nodded, “I’ll bet… although…” his brows arched, “you always figured out the most amazing solutions for the toughest problems…” his voice faded, remembering the extraordinary measures he used to take to catch a glimpse of Cathy in her private office at Symteck, deep in thought as she stared intently out her window. “So…” he wiped his lips with a paper napkin, “how’d that go?”

  “I need to borrow your car early tomorrow, there’s a gun show in Nevada I need to go to, but I’ll be back by tomorrow night.”

  Shen looked confused, “I’m sorry you what now?”

  “I found a gun show online being held in Reno.”

  “And uh…” He felt his mouth go dry and he took another sip of water, “and you’re sure you need a gun now?”

  “I’m sure of the possibility that I might need one, yes.” She traced matter-of-factly, “And I need someone who’s knowledgeable to train me.” Her head cocked to one side, regarding him, “Could Tommy train me?”

  He shrugged, “Yeah… I guess.”

  Darien, CT

  Sweat burned her eyes and she swiped it away with the soaking hand towel. I should have grabbed a bigger one… Alex stole a look at the clock on the wall then stared down at the treadmill’s console; focused only on the time elapsed. She had reduced the tension, needing to run on the treadmill and slowed her speed. These sprints are gonna’ kill me… she moaned silently. Grateful to find herself alone in the gym, she stole another look at the clock, Ten to eleven… Alright, ten more minutes…

  When she got up this morning she skipped breakfast and sat down to create the new email addresses that would route through a series of firewalls she had constructed in the mainframe at the warehouse. She wanted to automate the security via the home crew’s email accounts so she could stop spending time monitoring their Internet use for viruses and malware. She created a new email account for each member on Anthony’s list and when she finished she looked up Octavia on Wikipedia. The listings led to a labyrinthine series of references to Octavia the Elder, Octavia The Younger and endless references to the Octavii family of Emperor Augustus, founder of the Roman Empire and the first emperor of Rome. After reading several of the articles she decided she could safely assume her new code name and placement on the list should be considered a high compliment.

  She spent the remainder of the afternoon trying to hack her way into the Dark Warlords financial center and found she was unable to fi
nd a way to directly access funds like she told Anthony she could. You implied it was going to be as simple as reaching in and grabbing the money… She had started to run faster on the treadmill and forced herself to slow down again. She had tried for hours to hack her way in and each time she had to stop or risk detection. You are in way over your head, Alexandra… Cathy could have utilized an SQL attack, learned from it and found a way in within minutes… but you, my dear… simply do not possess what it takes to write code that can do that… You just had to open your big mouth before finding a way to the funds first… Cathy could have done it with one hand tied behind her.

  But Cathy’s dead.

  From the corner of her eye, she could see Anthony come in the open door and she nodded to him, stopping the treadmill.

  “You’re up late.”

  “Yeah,” she climbed off, mopping her streaming face, “I just needed to work off some of Rose’s great dinners…”

  He parked his hands on his hips, looking around the room at all the workout equipment, “Look, I know you’re under a lot of pressure with this new project…” Alex snorted. “I understand, but keep working,” he grinned, adding as he turned to leave, “I want access to those funds.”

  Yeah, she watched him go and turned back to the treadmill, you and me both. Climbing back on, she turned on the console and resumed running. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her breath and maintaining a steady pace. She tried to focus on an imaginary running path, In the woods… I’m in the woods and it’s peaceful… Her pace increased and she opened her eyes, Oh you’re in the woods alright, Alexandra… You got carried away and started to believe your own bullshit… She closed her eyes and slowed her pace again, You have to, she argued, running faster, that’s how sales works…. But this isn’t sales, you idiot! She found a weakness in the game site’s security early on, before Rossi entered her life, back when she was looking for a way to hack her way in so she could play without paying. However, hacking in for free play was entirely different from cracking a site to steal money; she knew they had smart and savvy IT designers in their employ whose job it was to look for that. She had been very careful while seeking out codes designed to detect theft, But you’ll never hack your way in because you’re not good enough… She pressed the sodden towel into the sweat that streamed from her face and hairline. Well, I fucking have to… She stifled a sob and slowed to a jog. That’s right… because you bought thousands of dollars worth of stuff on Louis Carna’s credit card… She sniffed loudly and cleared her throat, On the other hand… She slowed to a stop, It’s not like he’s actually paid me… she thought, breathing hard, Really, Alexandra, has he actually paid you for your services since you got here? She suddenly snorted in contempt and shut off the treadmill’s console, Since he brought you here? For all his talk of making a fortune with my services online, has he ever once talked about paying me for my services? He keeps saying we’re going to be rich, but there’s been no paycheck… no cash… no nothing!