Chapter 14

I was still jet lagged and hazy, but what I was watching made no sense. When I came down the stairs, Amy and Jeremy were standing over the Barista whose name I should probably learn soon. She was still tied up and they were flogging her every so often. Did the Loyalty program fail that bad? I should probably go find the Device and give her the full treatment. As soon as I turned though, I heard an awful moaning sound, so I turned back to see Kristen tied up there as well. Amy was shouting at her while flogging her with all of her strength. “You let it all fall apart, you let him think there was a way out of this while regaining his Honor!” I had to stop this, Amy had no right to say or do that. Only I was the Master and I had told them to obey her.

I couldn’t move though and in trying to, I stumbled and fell next to Kristen. Jeremy started yelling, “You took it all away from me! I could have had all the women!”

I was just aware enough to know I was dreaming before I suddenly woke up, holding Kristen who was mumbling the words to her own nightmare. As my heart slowed back down and the fear sweat dried on my skin, one word stood out in the syllables she was uttering, “Master.” I held her a little bit tighter until she quieted down, but I didn’t go back to sleep.

The sun was just about to rise when I left Ashley’s room. My room was empty and it looked like they had cleaned everything up and even changed the comforter and made the bed. I went downstairs to find the house empty. Growing concerned, I walked back through the kitchen to find my phone when I saw the note on the refrigerator: “Jeremy gave us a ride to Brenda’s house with our friend. All is OK, house is locked up. Back in the morning.”

For the first time in what felt like a lifetime, it was just Kristen and I in our house. I went upstairs, picked her up and took her to our bedroom to sleep deeply and peacefully.

Bacon. I felt Kristen waking up next to me and as we looked at each other, we both took a deep sniff and licked our lips. Someone was making bacon and life was good again. Kristen did the thing she’s done ever since we started living together and had to wake up at the same time, she pushed me with her foot to go in the shower first so she had more time to sleep.

I held Kristen’s hand as we went into the kitchen. Ashley was standing next to the table preparing two settings. Brenda was over by the stove cooking the bacon. There was no sign of the Barista, but I didn’t really worry about it. It would take care of itself.

Brenda asked, “What would you two like to eat for breakfast? I can make almost anything, so ask for your favorite.”

While I thought about what I wanted, and why Brenda didn’t call me Master, Ashley jumped in with a “Good Morning! I hope you’re both feeling a lot better.”

Kristen paused, then answered Brenda, “Blueberry pancakes please. There should be...”

Brenda interrupted her, “Don’t worry dear, I know where everything is. Sit down and let Ashley and I take care of you two.”

I asked Brenda, “Same for me please, thank you.” Turning to Ashley, I asked, “I’m assuming you have everything under control.”

Ashley nodded while saying, “Yes.”

“Great, then thank you both for this, we both needed something normal, and this is pretty close to it.”

Kristen and I sat while Ashley helped serve us. We relaxed and enjoyed the slow leisurely brunch. Brenda was a wonderful cook and we thanked her for it.

Afterwards, Ashley and Brenda cleaned up before getting ready to leave.

Ashley came up to us, and kissed us both softly. “I’m going to stay at Brenda’s until you two are ready to tell us what’s next. The Barista’s name is Juliana and she’s over there with Susan watching her. She’s called in sick and won’t be missed until tomorrow, so come over whenever you like today. I put our entire network on alert last night, everyone is ready to drop everything for you. Tell us what you need us to do, which I know isn’t what you wanted to hear, but that doesn’t take away from the truth of it. I love you both, you’re like family to me, please talk to me or any of us when you’re ready.”

That was a heartfelt speech, but I’m not sure I was ready to hear it. I thanked both Ashley and Brenda before they left the house.

As soon as the door closed, Kristen put her arms around me, squeezed me tight and said, “Go get your boots, you need to go for a hike and I’d like to join you if you’ll let me.”

We held hands the entire time we walked around that nature preserve. When we were alone, we spoke about the things that could happen and what we wanted to do. It was mostly Kristen grilling me, but she helped shape my thoughts and fears. I was terrified of giving up the slaves and have it all becoming public. I liked to think of myself as a good person, but I had clearly done very bad things or allowed them to be done in my name. I had come very close to having the same thing done to me, but was that really an excuse?

After our hike, we went home and cleaned up before heading over to Brenda’s. None of them would care what we were wearing or how we looked, but I felt it was important for us to be clean and look our best.

I knocked on Brenda’s door, knowing that she had told us to treat it like our own, but deliberately drawing the line. Sally, Brenda’s daughter, opened the door and smiled with joy at seeing me, then getting more formal, pulled the door wide open. “Please come in, this house is your house as well.”

Brenda came rushing up and gave me a big hug before moving to Kristen and doing the same. “Welcome, Welcome! Please sit and I’ll go grab the others”

“Others?”

Brenda turned back to me, and said as if to a small child, “Your chosen brain trust is here, for you. They would have waited a lifetime if necessary.”

Seated in the same living room where we had several of the early gatherings, both the business committee as well as the technical team were asking Juliana all sorts of strange questions. The Loyalty program had been changed pretty dramatically. It now reinforced the need to protect the Secret, and to generally want to help each other. While they would always be more respectful of Kristen and myself, someone with the Loyalty program did not view every one of our utterances to be the word of command.

Juliana herself seemed composed and willing to answer questions. I didn’t really know her, our coffee line interactions did not give me much of a baseline, but she appeared to be much as I remembered. She didn’t keep staring at me, hoping I would pay attention to her. That’s what stood out for me like a blazing beacon compared to everyone else in the room. Everyone else always kept one eye on me, and always ready to do whatever I asked.

“Enough.”

Everyone looked at me and instantly complied, Juliana stayed quiet, but didn’t look like she had just clamped her jaw shut at my command.

“Juliana, tell me what you are.”

Juliana had a puzzled look on her face, “What I am? Do you mean what do I do? I am a Barista as you know.”

“Who am I?”

She smiled, “Double Cappuccino or iced tea, depending on the temperature outside.”

I wanted to see what happened if I was outrageous, “Take all your clothes off.”

She did not instantly comply, nor did she overreact. She paused, and then said, “I don’t think I want to do that, sorry.”

Let’s try a different tact, “What if someone outside our group asked you to do that?”

“I’d tell them to get lost and that I’d call the police if they asked anything else like that again.”

“So why didn’t you get bothered by me asking for it?”

“I greatly respect you, and I guess I work with you on keeping the Secret. Everyone who works together on doing that gets the benefit of the doubt, always. You’re special though, you and her”, indicating Kristen, “are very important. I want to do more to help you if I can.”