Chapter 1

FRIDAY MIDMORNING — SEPTEMBER 27

Cast of Main Characters

The Matthews Family

Jeff Matthews — 6' 3", 33, medium build, Alpha Prime, nice face, a little on the rugged side, brown hair, exceptional physical condition. Jeff is an electrical engineer and inventor. After selling his first major patent for an advanced type of radar, he moved his family to a former conference center/retreat high in the Colorado mountains. Jeff, now a major, is still grudgingly attached to a Black Ops unit at a secret military base that is experimenting with portals to another dimension. He discovered the Healer — or she discovered him — in an ancient, spaceship inside a mountain hanger on the other side of a portal. Jeff was shot by an alien sniper but survived because his Sergeant placed him in a healing chamber on the ancient ship.

The Retreat — a moderately large conference center set high on a fictitious mountain near Winter Park, Colorado. It was originally built by Wainwright Inc. for business use, but proved to be too easily isolated by winter snow. Wainwright threw it into the deal to seal the purchase for Jeff's radar invention. The retreat has been somewhat renovated for residential use by Jeff's large & still-growing family, and houses an increasing number of his friends and their families. Jeff is constantly improving it with large and small projects — a gun range, an underground laboratory and related shops for further inventions, etc. The driveway up to it is terrifying.

The Healer, named Little One by Jeff — a decidedly feminine alien artificial intelligence originally designed as a medical device for Alpha Primes. Looks like a lump of pale blue, almost translucent Play-Doh in her normal state, but she is far more malleable. She recognized Jeff as an Alpha Prime and adopted him on the abandoned spaceship. Fortunately humans are close enough to her creator species that she is able to heal them and make many improvements. She and Jeff have learned to communicate to some degree, but since she and her race are telepaths and humans are not, the struggle for proper understanding between Jeff and Little One continues. Jeff often carries her, well spread-out, on his back under his shirt.

Diana Matthews — first wife and Queen Bitch — 30, but now looks 19, 5' 5", brunette with auburn highlights, hair to her waist like her daughter, beautiful slim figure, high, long breasts that seem to defy gravity, regal, almost haughty appearance, stunningly beautiful, married Jeff when she was 14.

Arlene Matthews — Diana and Jeff's daughter — 16, a little shorter than her mother, hair to her waist almost identical to her mother's, although a little more wavy. Arlene seems a younger, slightly smaller version of Diana. Like her mother, she is exotically beautiful. She is Jeff's daughter-wife and another Queen Bitch, although this hasn't been brought out in the story, yet. She and Ann have near genius intellects.

Laura Billings — 30, although with the Healer, she looks younger now, 5' 5", short, red hair, freckles across her nose, large round breasts. Diana's best friend from childhood and now almost a handmaiden to Diana. Laura's older boyfriend impregnated her when she was thirteen, then left town when he found out, leaving Laura to raise Ann alone after Laura's parents were killed when she was eighteen. She was an IT manager in Atlanta, Georgia until her company sold and downsized. She is now Jeff's assistant and wife.

Ann Billings — Laura's daughter, 16, 5' 2", thick red hair below shoulder-length, some auburn highlights, a slightly pixie appearance. She, Jennie and Melissa were the girls that came for Arlene's birthday and stayed to be Jeff's wives. Ann was the classic "virgin with an armor-plated hymen." She talked Diana into letting Jeff be her (Ann's) first. She had been in love with him since she was thirteen.

Melissa Collins — 17, 5' 3", dark brunette hair, shoulder-length, breasts larger than Jennie, but not as large and shaped differently than Arlene's. One of the three girls that came to Arlene's party and stayed to be Jeff's wives. Melissa had seduced her father after several of the kids at her school had HIV. Not wanting to have sex with any of her classmates for fear she would contract AIDS, she chose Dad, instead.

Jennie Stewart — 17, dirty blond, about the same height as Melissa, best friends with Melissa in Georgia, slightly smaller frame than Melissa, slightly smaller breasts. One of the three girls that came to Arlene's party and stayed to be Jeff's wives. Jennie claimed that she had also seduced her father because of the HIV in the school. She will soon confess that she lied about this.

Helen Boswell — 45; although, she too looks much younger now, 5' 4", shoulder-length brunette hair, slender, breasts well proportioned to her frame, genius and polymath, retired principal, taught gifted students, and girls' swimming, now teaches Jeff's family, had a heart attack and was saved by the Healer.

Deputy Joyce Cramer — 23, 5' 6", long, full head of beautiful hair, really dark, but with auburn or red highlights, high breasts, long slim legs, small waist. Altogether, a knockout package.

Caitlin Hughes — 23, 5' 5", same age as Cramer, fiery red hair, cut short, and a temper to go with the red hair, medium breasts, slim figure, long legs, a sprinkling of freckles across her nose. Caitlin, a nurse, and Joyce were Caitlin's father's lovers. When he died, Joyce and Caitlin became lovers.

Ben Hughes — Caitlin's dead father.

Other Characters

Dave Henson — 6' 1", 38, dark brown hair, lanky frame but well muscled, the contractor who built the retreat. Although he and his wife, Evie, have taken a personal interest in the retreat and the Matthews family, he owns and operates a large construction company. After becoming project manager for Jeff's many improvements to the retreat and other endeavors, Dave turned the day-to-day operation of the company over to Korey who has become his vice president. Jeff has declared Dave and Evie family. Dave is able to play almost any musical instrument with ease.

Evie Henson — 5', 32, Dave's wife. Small blond, small perky breasts, very pretty, a hundred pounds with rocks in her pockets, but fiery and not bashful about working with the construction workers. Now acting as Dave's assistant, but like Dave, she still interacts with their construction company. She, again like Dave, will get her hands dirty in a heartbeat. Almost as good as Dave is with music. Likes to play classical music, much to Dave's consternation. They got together playing music at her church, then later at her parents' home.

Fred Wilson — Big man, over six feet, way overweight until the Healer caused him to shed weight and muscle up, mid-fifties, retired detective and Jeff's best friend and mentor in Georgia. He came to live with the Matthews when Fred's wife, Brenda, suddenly died of a heart attack. Jeff realized that Fred was probably going to end his own life, and talked him into going back to Colorado with them. He is now at the farm helping Carla and Jessica.

Brenda Wilson — Fred's deceased wife who seems to talk to him on occasion.

Frank Wainwright — 5' 10", late forties, graying hair, medium build, but has kept in shape, the owner/president of Wainwright, Inc., a company handed down to him by his father, and expanded enormously by him. Very rich, with a dynamic personality, believes in having the best people working for him and pays them accordingly. Owns outright, or a controlling interest in, many related companies spread over the continental U.S. Until recently would only fly when Bill was in the cockpit, but has now bought a helicopter and hired the pilot who helped to save Joyce's life. Years ago, Frank's mother and father were killed because of mechanical failure just after a takeoff, then Bill pulled him out of a crash of a rented plane just before the plane caught fire. While Bill was in the hospital after the crash, and later during skin grafts and cosmetic surgery from time to time, Wainwright commuted everywhere via limo. He hates to drive.

Margaret Stanford — 40, but she too is starting to look younger, 5' 6", shoulder-length brunette hair, slender build with medium breasts beginning to sag before the Healer took care of that. Vice President below Tingle. Frank's acknowledged lover, but would never marry him for fear of messing up what they have together. Although she is technically below Tingle on the totem pole, everyone knows that she speaks with Wainwright's voice, but she doesn't push it. Both she and Wainwright are workaholics, and very intelligent. They spent two weeks with the Matthews and now live at the retreat — at least on weekends.

Ray Tingle — Vice-president of Wainwright's major holding company, who is in charge when Wainwright and Margaret are out of town.

Captain Bill Madison — 6', 44 years old, has kept in shape by swimming and working out. He commands Wainwright's aircraft, and saved Frank's life after a plane crash.

Jill Madison — 5' 4", 38, blond, so gorgeous that people literally stop to stare, soon to be ex-wife of Bill Madison. For the last year she has distanced herself from her husband and daughter, her personality changing, and has unaccountably taken up with a scumbag doctor.

Linda Madison — 5' 3", 16, short, dark blond hair, pretty like Jill, her mother, but without the breathtaking impact. Captain Bill Madison's daughter, and engaged to be married to Dave.

Kathy Arnold — 5' 5", 26, dark brunette, shoulder-length hair, nice figure — flight attendant turned pilot, madly in love with Bill Madison, and engaged to be married to him.

Kimberly DeSantos — 5' 4", 18, below the shoulder, thick midnight black hair, medium breasts, slim, very pretty face, soon to be wife of Dave Henson.

Carmen DeSantos — Kim's mother, 5' 5", short black hair turning to gray, medium breasts, slim, pretty. The office manager at Henson Construction.

Joshua DeSantos — 5' 10", short-cut gray hair, muscular, a hard-working-man's build. Carmen's husband, and Kim's father. One of the supervisors at Henson Construction.

Carla Chalmers — 5' 7", 39, short, curly brunette hair, medium breasts, well muscled, but still pretty, owner of a farm Jeff saved from foreclosure.

Jessica Chalmers — 5' 6", 19, dark auburn hair, shoulder length, pretty, Carla's daughter. One year in college, but wants to go back and major in animal husbandry.

Sheriff Quinton Tate — 6' 3", 48, a big man, muscled from many years working out when he can find the time. Sheriff of the county where the Matthews live. Elected Sheriff now for several terms, he got there the hard way by working up through the ranks, then running for the elected position. Jeff realized through his own senses and those of Little One that Tate is an Alpha. Tate owns a small ranch not far out of town. The Olivers live a hundred yards or so from them on property given to them by the Tates.

Virginia Tate — Sheriff Quinton Tate's wife, 5' 8", 45, slim build with medium breasts, brunette like her sister, Elizabeth, dominant personality and has been extremely jealous of Quinton because she was not doing her "wifely duties." Virginia and Elizabeth, her sister, own an Internet business that is beginning to prosper.

Elizabeth Oliver — 5' 7", 40, brunette, slim like her sister, Virginia, medium breasts, widowed mother of Cindy and Rachel. She has an autoimmune disease with aspects of arthritis and lupus.

Cindy Oliver — 5' 5", 18, dark brunette, medium build, medium breasts, Elizabeth's daughter, and Rachel's sister. Madly in love with her Uncle Q. Cindy has enrolled in an online college.

Rachel Oliver — 5' 6", 17, light brunette, slightly more slender than Cindy, medium to small breasts. Like her sister, Cindy, she is in love with her "Uncle Q." Cindy has just started the twelfth grade and is home-schooled.

Alesha Turcott — Young woman who helped to save Deputy Joyce Cramer's life.

Deputy Jesse Goodman — Joyce's friend who helped to save her life when she was shot.

Denise, Connie and Jeremy — Construction workers from Johnson Erection that put in the silos at Carla's farm. Connie and Denise were the two women that Johnson hired and talked Lee, one of his foremen, into asking the women how they were going to react to the rough talk of the men on the crew. Denise talked Connie into moving in with her when Connie finally dumped her asshole boyfriend. The two women have been best friends ever since they came to work for the company two years before. Now they have invited Jeremy to live with them, planning to help him save his money for college so he can be an engineer. These two "bad girls" that really aren't, have fallen in love with Jeremy, but since they are both almost ten years older, don't quite know what to do about it. Jeremy, still a virgin, refuses to push forward with the relationship, waiting for the now-hesitant women to make the first move.

Edmond (Ed) and Jody Thompson — Older couple that own the farm next to Carla. Jeff has bought part of the farm, leaving the Thompsons with four hundred acres, their equipment and buildings. The old couple has arthritis and had to quit farming, but Jeff has plans for returning their health just as soon as he can figure out how to use the Healer on them without their knowing.

Ray and Allison Hodkin — Ranch owners that had Carla and Jessica's horses.

Cole Hagewood Sr. and Jr. — Junior tried to abduct Arlene. Senior came to his son's rescue, but met with Jeff the hard way. He has vowed to kill Jeff and his family. Since he has killed before and Sergeant Goodwin and the Sheriff say it is a viable threat, Jeff has tried to prepare his family for the worst.

Ted Wadsworth — Saint Louis lawyer that helped Jeff with his contract with Wainwright, Inc., when Jeff's three patent/copyright lawyers tried to fleece him.

Chuck Fontaine — Denver attorney who is a friend of Wadsworth. Fontaine was the lawyer that charged a dollar for his assistance in saving the Chalmers' farm.

Steve Sperman & Marcie — Retired couple that live about a mile down the mountain, and are the Matthews closest neighbors. They are the ones that recommended the snowplow and spreader, then gave Arlene and Jeff a recipe for heavenly home-baked doughnuts.

Jeb and Annie — Jeb is the retired marine who with his wife Annie were attacked in the parking lot of the grocery store.

Carmen DeSantos had packed two suitcases of Kimberly's clothes, plus her makeup case and a bag of shoes. She had double-checked that she had packed the few items from Kim's "hope chest" as Kim called one of her dresser drawers.

As they crossed the mountain East of Winter Park, Carmen sighed as she looked at her husband. Josh inwardly flinched knowing what that sigh meant.

"All right, out with it."

"Out with what?" he tried to stall.

"I want to know why you gave in to this so easily yesterday when Dave told you he was going to marry Kim."

"Look, Baby, we went over that last night..."

"Bullshit, Joshua. Don't give me that crap. You just danced around spreading fairy dust. You didn't expect me to believe that, did you? Now why did you give in so easily? I expected you to give in, but you just looked at him a second and said okay..."

"I did not."

"Well, I'm exaggerating a little, but not much. You balked some, but you sure didn't take much convincing. Now out with it. Something is going on that I don't know about."

There was silence for a couple of moments, then, "Josh," in the tone of voice every husband dreads to hear.

Josh glanced over at her for a second, knowing that he was between that old rock and a hard place. "Baby, I can't put it into words or I would have told you last night..." At a look from his wife, "All right. I'll try. But I warn you that it's going to come out sounding different than it really is."

"Just say it," Carmen answered, this time in a voice he loved to hear.

Joshua grunted down in his chest as if there were something bad that had to come up. "Uh, you remember last year when Evie almost fell off that scaffold?"

"You know I do. How could I forget?"

"Well, I was looking straight at her, like I told you, when she leaned back against that railing that wasn't secured properly. She caught herself and grabbed hold, but it was a near thing, and she was thirty feet off the ground..."

"Josh."

"Uh, Baby, this isn't going to come out right..."

"Say it."

"Well something went through my head for a split second as I saw that railing give ... Oh, shit, Baby, I didn't mean it. It's just something that you can't explain. Well, uh ... there was an instant there the thought crossed my mind ... that ... Kim could marry Dave if..."

"Oh, shit, Josh..."

"I told you I couldn't say it right. I hated myself for the thought, and I sure never meant it. It was just that I've been so worried about Kim. She's madly in love with Dave. It's not natural. I was afraid that she was going to do something. I mean, kids her age commit..."

"I didn't know that you realized how much she loved him," Carmen quietly said.

"Yeah, since I'm a man and don't notice things like that," Josh said, his voice hard.

"I didn't mean it like that," Carmen said putting her hand on his arm for a moment. "I just didn't think you realized."

"Well, I did, and besides, she talked to me over a year ago. I knew that she was infatuated with Dave, but she set me straight about that. She really got upset when I called it infatuation."

There was a pause for a couple of minutes. "So you felt guilty about the stray thought about Evie, and when Dave told you about wanting to marry Kim..."

"Yeah, it was that ... partially. I feel sick every time I remember what I thought. But it was more. Thinking about my daughter being so depressed. Well ... having Kim being a third wife to Dave ain't so bad. It's a hell of a lot better than not having our Kim at all..."

Carmen could see the glint of unshed tears in her husband's eyes, once again gleaning a measure of the humble, good man beneath the rough exterior.

Trying to brighten the conversation, Carmen chuckled, "Well, we certainly know who she's marrying. It's almost like two of our kids getting married."