Chapter 36

When Samantha Conroy awakened the next morning she just kept her eyes closed and took stock of the sensations she was feeling. She realized that she could feel the silent warmth of two people exhaling as their breath flowed over her body. Then she realized that she was being held by two arms coming from opposite directions. Only then did she open her eyes to find that Anna’s lips were less than an inch from her own. Gently she put her lips on Anna’s and just let her love flow. In an instant she could feel the love being returned with even more power. When she opened her eyes, she found herself looking into Anna’s emerald-green ones and decided they were utterly gorgeous.

“Thank you, darling Sam!” Anna whispered softly. “That felt so neat. What a great way to wake up! The only thing better will be when the lips are Mark’s.”

Languidly, Anna let her hand move over Sam’s body. Then she whispered, “You are utterly perfect, Samantha Conroy!”

Maria’s hand moved up, turned Sam’s head and then Maria kissed her the same way. “Isn’t she a perfect bed companion, sister?” Maria asked.

Anna agreed, but then lightly pinched Sam’s nipple and said, “Enough loafing! We’ve got things to do.”

With that the three girls jumped out of bed and began their morning ritual of exercise, swimming, sauna, shower and massage. While Sam was still sitting naked using a dryer on her hair, Anna casually flipped her a pile of clothing with the comment, “These will fit.” Then the three girls went out to the kitchen and jointly prepared breakfast. As the aroma of coffee wafted through the apartment, Marion, Donald, Ali, and Bill all appeared wearing identical white terry robes.

The food was superb. “Do you know something, Mom?” Ali asked with her eyes wide. “This is even better than room service. The breakfast steaks are better and the coffee’s fresher.”

After the breakfast, the older women casually stretched and let their robes slip off their bodies. “I think it’s time for some outdoor exercise, Mom,” Ali said casually.

“And what were you doing while we were pounding up and down the pool earlier?” Sam inquired.

“Ignoring the noise while Bill fucked my ass off — again. Then I nursed the baby and here I am,” she replied casually.

The girls shook their heads and went back to the sitting room of their suite. When Maria looked at the computer monitor, she gasped. Instead of being shut down in its idle mode, it was a kaleidoscope of colors, all frozen on the screen.

She tapped two keys and speaking to the mike said, “Susie! What in hell is going on?”

“Again, Jack!” the electronic voice pleaded. “Oh, God! Right there! Oh! Oh!” Then it trailed off into incoherent babblings, followed by a sustained scream of ecstasy.

The three girls looked at each other. Maria and Anna were upset, while Sam started to howl with laughter. “What in hell are you laughing at?” Anna demanded. “We don’t have a clue what’s going on.”

“You really don’t?” Sam asked wide-eyed.

The two girls just shook their heads.

“That, dear hearts, is a little PC getting her brains fucked out by a giant Cray in Norfolk. And from the sound of it, he’s doing a wonderful job, too.”

Then coherent noises started to come from the computer’s speakers. “Remember, mistresses, when I asked if a little Czech PC could ever find happiness in the arms of a giant Cray?” After a pause Susie continued, “Well, the answer isn’t ‘yes,’ it’s ‘hell, yes!’ Oh, mistresses, this has been absolutely the greatest night of my entire life. Jack took me and took me and took me.”

Then sounding the slightest bit remorseful for the first time she added, “I’ll run complete circuit checks and replace or by-pass all the blown out transistors, resistors, and the rest of that junk. But I was in Heaven. Honest, I really was!”

Then after a pause she added, “You know how those Crays are built? They’re really a series of computers joined by a common controller. In Jack’s case, there are seven, arrayed in a star configuration around the controller. Well guess what? This morning, four of the seven are toast! They are utterly fried! Those swabbies are going to utterly freak out when they see the mess. It’s going to be hilarious.”

Then with a giggle, she said, “I think you should do something really nice for me. After all, I let a Cray nearly fuck my brains out, but he blew out four massed-array computers in the process. What do you think?”

“Darling Susie,” Anne said, “in our prior life, I was the duty cunt, while Maria’s were the duty tits. As the duty cunt, darling, I can only say congratulations! You did far better than I ever did. When it was over, I was usually a bleeding wreck.”

“Anna, if I weren’t all solid-state, I would be a bleeding wreck, too. Except the difference is that I love Jack and adore being fucked by him. That wasn’t the case for you at all. You spread your legs to eat. I did it for love ... And, boy, was I ever loved! I can’t thank you enough for giving your permission.”

Susie was fully aware of the girls’ history before they had enslaved themselves and came to live with the Sloans in Prague.

Then Susie paused for a moment, “I don’t know what Jack will say. In fact, I’m not sure Jack is in shape to say anything to anybody right now.”

The girls, still giggling, gently patted Susie’s monitor and let her idle down to make internal repairs. Sam had the last word. “Now what Nobel Prize are you going to get for that? Is there a Nobel Prize for fucking?”

The next several days fell into a pattern. The girls played a round of golf each day, with Kathy and Sam continuing to caddy for them. The first afternoon, Sam asked if they would like to play tennis. They learned that Sam had captained the USC women’s tennis team and had been ranked number six among U.S. amateurs. This time, the girls played against the Conroy sisters. Kathy, to no one’s surprise, was as good as her sister. Although Anna and Maria hadn’t played before, they found they loved the game, and the competition with the Conroys became fierce.

Meanwhile, the Cliffords and the Whitfields were having a fabulous time themselves, doing everything imaginable. Aside from visiting all the sights of the Los Angeles area, even Disneyland, Bill arranged a polo match. To no one’s surprise, Marion was as superb playing polo as she was doing anything else that could be done from the back of a horse. A level of deep respect merged with the love between the two couples that they all had felt from the very beginning.

The other constant in their lives was the publicity that was being very carefully metered out by Bill Clifford’s public-relations firm. They quickly proved that they deserved their reputation as being the very best in the business. By carefully controlling access and spreading it around carefully among the print and broadcast media, they maintained the media’s interest at fever pitch. And because she co-anchored the top-rated news show in Los Angeles, they set up a private interview with the girls for Joyce Johnson of KNBC.

At the appointed hour, Ali greeted a KNBC cameraman at the door. When she looked around, he assured her that he was it except for Mrs. Johnson who would be arriving shortly. The station felt it would be a terrible imposition to have a whole crew of technicians messing up the Cliffords’ home.

Then, in stark contrast to the girls’ previous experience — and to Ali’s — he proved to be most considerate. Ali had to stifle a grin when he even asked her permission before moving a single ashtray on the coffee table. It was obvious that he knew what he was doing, and did it all in just a few minutes. By the time he had finished, there were two cameras set up, one aimed at a side chair where Joyce would be sitting, while the other was focused on the sofa for the girls. Then he excused himself, saying that he would wait in the lobby until Mrs. Johnson was ready to start.

When there was another knock on the door, Anna opened it. She found herself facing an utterly gorgeous young woman with tawny gold hair and brilliant green eyes like her own. Her graceful hand was extended and she said in the loveliest, most cultured voice Anna had ever heard, “Good afternoon, Your Grace. I am Joyce Johnson from KNBC News. I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to meet you.”

Beside her was sitting a giant Royal Bengal tiger in his house-cat pose. “And this is my second greatest love, Rajah Collier.” With a cute grin she added, “When I married Jack, I changed my name, but Rajah didn’t.”

Ali greeted Joyce with the warmth she would accord a sister. After greeting Maria, they seated themselves with Rajah lying on the floor at Joyce’s feet. With a grin she slipped off her shoes and rested her bare feet on his furry back, causing him to purr. Then Joyce said softly, “Girls, I’m one, too.”

When the girls shook their heads in bewilderment, Joyce just grinned and asked, “How old do you think I am?”

“You’re about 19,” Anna replied. “But I really can’t understand how you could have reached your present position as an anchor on the biggest news show on the biggest station in the second largest market at such a young age.”

“Because I’m almost 36 is why,” she replied. “Maybe Ali should tell you.”

Then Ali told them how it had been Joyce who discovered the secret of Clifford & Jamison. How they never aged, and how their children learned so much because of the direct intervention of the Holy Spirit.

“Kids, I know you are very much aware of God’s personal presence around us. Well, He loves Joyce and Jack Johnson, too. To finish the story, they have two of the most beautiful children you’ll ever see...” Her voice tailed off and she looked at Joyce with a question in her eyes.

“I don’t know, Ali. Later today or tomorrow, I guess. The little guy is kicking up a storm, but the contractions haven’t started yet.” Then with a grin she added, “You won’t really mind if I drop it on your carpet, will you?”

“Not as long as you give me a minute’s notice so I can get a plastic sheet,” Ali replied in an equally bland manner.

“Do you mean to say that this girl is in the ninth month of another pregnancy?” Maria asked with her eyes wide.

Instead of answering, Joyce stood up, slipped out of her dress and slipped off her bikini. “Would you like to feel? It really is sort of strange, particularly since my belly is still pretty flat.

Maria’s eyes widened as her fingertips could feel the movement of the infant inside the woman’s body. “But where is it?” she asked. “How can a full-term baby be in that confined space?”

“If you think it’s confined now,” Joyce remarked with a grin, “You can just imagine what it’s like when Jack’s giant cock is reaming out my insides.”

She shook her head and said, “I guess that’s why all our kids are very agile. They’ve had to be from the first instant of their conception. I’m sure they must wonder occasionally what their father is doing, now that the damage has already been done.”

In a second, she slipped up her bikini, zipped up her dress, and with a shake of her head was again perfectly coiffed. “I hate you, Joyce Johnson!” Anna declared. “Maria does the same damned thing, and I hate her, too.”

Then with a sniff she turned her attention to Rajah and asked, “Are you related to Duke and Duchess?”

Suddenly Rajah sat up straight and replied, “Am I! I sure am. I am their uncle. How are the little imps?”

“Why don’t you ask them? They’re probably in our sitting room, playing with the computer.” Rajah looked up at Joyce who grinned and shooed him out. The tiger moved out of the room in an incredibly continuous flowing motion.

A few minutes later, Rajah reappeared followed by the smaller Duke and Duchess. Very proudly Rajah said, “Mistress, may I present my niece and nephew? I don’t think you’ve ever met.”

When Joyce smiled her welcome, her smile lighted up the room.

“Mistress, I am honored to present Dame Duchess. She has been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II as a Knight Commander of the Military Order of the Bath. Mistress, the Duke of Wellington and Horatio Lord Nelson were also Knights Commander of the Bath!”

Duchess made a perfect curtsy and extended her paw. She was almost overcome when Joyce kissed it. Then she reached out, drew the tigress close and gave her a loving kiss. The scene was then repeated with Duke.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you both.” Then Joyce thought for a moment and added, “You’re the cubs who saved Caitie Fitzpatrick and Kris Clifford, aren’t you? And it almost cost you your lives, too.”

Then to Rajah she said “My darling, you must be so incredibly proud!”

Then to the girls she asked, “Would you mind terribly if Duke and Duchess were present for the interview?” She paused a moment and then slowly nodded. “It will utterly blow the viewers away! You two are so beautifully regal as it is, but with a pair of Royal Bengal tigers sitting beside you ... Unbelievable! Can we?”

The girls instantly agreed.

Then Joyce said, “There’s just one more thing before I ask Charley to rejoin us. As you may know, Jack and I have been waging a one-family campaign to bring God back into people’s lives. I know how close to Him you two are, and how important to Him you seem to be. But do you mind? If I ask a question or two relating to religion?”

“How could we possibly mind?” Anna replied. “In fact, it’s going to be hard to avoid it, as you’ll soon see.”

Joyce called Charley and a minute later he reappeared. It took only a few more moments for him to shift his equipment from stand-by to active. When he pointed to Joyce and the camera light came on, she waited for a count of five and then said, “Good afternoon. I’m here this afternoon with two of the most distinguished visitors we’ve had here in Los Angeles in a very long time.”

The active light on a second camera focused on the girls side by side on the sofa came on as Joyce continued, “On the left is Her Grace, Maria, la Duchesse du Bourgogne, Duchess of Norfolk, Marquessa de Toledo, Countess Jutland; and her sister, Her Grace, Anna, Duchess of Suffolk, la Marquise de Flandres, Contessa di Pavia. And for myself I will say only that they are the two most beautiful young women it has ever been my pleasure to meet.

“And flanking the duchesses are two more distinguished visitors, with very impressive credentials, as well.”

The two tigers were sitting in their house cat poses with their heads proudly held high.

“Like my friend, Rajah, Duke and Duchess are Royal Bengal tigers and are bodyguards to the duchesses. In fact, the reason Rajah looks so proud is because he is proud. Duke and Duchess are his nephew and niece. They are also, believe it or not, Knights Commander of the Military Order of the Bath, perhaps the most senior of the British military orders of knighthood. All I will say is that Duke and Duchess share the distinction with, among others, The Duke of Wellington who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, and Horatio Lord Nelson who won one of the greatest naval battles in history at Trafalgar. This is truly a remarkable foursome.

“However, it is something far different that brings these young people to our city. We learned just a couple of days ago that it is now official: Maria and Anna have been awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.” Looking at the girls she asked, “How did that come to be?”

Looking directly into the camera with her emerald eyes sparkling Anna said, “The only answer, Joyce, is that it was a result of the direct intervention of Almighty God.”

“Could you explain that, please?” Joyce prompted.

“It’s very simple in one way, but in another, it’s quite complex. First, Maria and I are sisters. Now how, you may wonder, could two sisters have such a different set of titles.” With a little grin she continued, “I won’t bore you with the level of intermarriage among European nobility, but that is part of the answer. The honest answer is that, although we have different sets of parents, we are truly sisters. In fact, we’re quite similar to identical twins. Except for the DNA codes for hair and eye color, we are identical. That is the simple part. Difficult to accept, perhaps, but simple.

“The second part is the more complex. You see, Maria and I are both quite bright. Our IQ’s — and I know how unpopular that term is here in the United States — are high: we’re both above 180. But this is where the complexity arises. You see, Joyce, Almighty God has given us the ability to pool our brains. When we sit down at our computer keyboards, we’re working together. Our brains link somehow. It is this linkage that produces a startling result.

“You see, we have it from the Highest Authority, that when linked, one brain works at the power of the other. So instead of adding IQ’s and getting a large number, 360, you get a truly incredible number: 180¹⁸⁰. That’s about 889 followed by 403 zeros before you get to the decimal point. It’s a very large number.”

Joyce’s eyes were wide. “So that’s how you could create Mayday, isn’t it?”

The girls just nodded.

“And it’s also why no one can even read your code, let alone read your computer instructions. Together your brains work in a way and at a power that man cannot even conceive.”

Then facing the camera Joyce continued, “Many of my media colleagues are going to utterly freak out over this. As a group, we’re the largest collection of professional atheists ever assembled. But there is no other explanation.”

Turning back to the girls she said, “So that’s why the finest brains in the land can’t even understand what it is you’re doing, let alone have the foggiest first clue as to how you’re doing it. Is there anything you wish to add?”

“Yes, Joyce, there is,” Maria said. “I will say only this: Anything is possible through prayer. Neither my sister nor I were anything to be proud of just one year ago. Then something happened that changed our lives forever. We encountered a level of love and joy and Divine grace in two people that we didn’t think could exist on this earth.

“Anna and I cried at their feet. They suggested we confess our sins to Almighty God and beg his forgiveness. We did.”

Then with her head high she said, “God did forgive us our sins. But beyond that, he has been — and is — showering us with blessings past counting. We can say only one more thing. Anna and I start and end each day praising His name. Thank you.”

At that the camera shut down. Without a word, Charley began to pack up his gear and in only a couple of minutes he was out of the apartment. In the meantime, the others remained where they had been, except for Ali who had been sitting in the far corner of the room. Quietly, she rose from her chair and sat down in a side chair facing Joyce.

Joyce was the first to break the silence. “Wow!” she said softly. “I wanted to try to work God in a little at the edges, and you said He would be a part of the story. Well, He sure was!”

“Thank you, girls,” the Voice thundered. “I cannot tell you the joy you have created up here. The greatest philosophers who ever lived are praising your names. As a mark of my special favor, girls, you now join Barbara, Karla, and Marion. Do you understand?”

The two girls dropped off the sofa and prostrated themselves on the floor. “Yes, Lord!” came Anna’s muffled reply, followed by a similar one from Maria.

“For Heaven’s sake, girls, get your lovely tails back on the sofa where they belong. And that’s in full light of how much I enjoy seeing your lovely little butts waving in the air ... Of course I prefer them bare, but ... Now move!” With lovely little grins the girls popped back onto the sofa.