Chapter 449

The Retreat

After breakfast was over, Jeff told Kayla that Ship wanted to talk to him. (Although, they had reached the point where Ship and the Prime could mentally converse while he was still in the Retreat, it was tiring for him if the conversation was an extended one.)

Kayla was helping the other wives clean up after breakfast, but Diana gave her a smile and a nod, having overheard what her husband had said.

“I’m going, too,” Arlene said

Arlene also received a nod from Diana. “We have plenty of people to clean up,” the Clan Queen said, then lightly kissed her husband before turning back to her work.

When the three entered the inside garage, Jeff reminded Kayla that he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, and, even if something did happen in the very short trip to Ship, he would feel better if she and all his wives were well away from any danger.

“My job,” Kayla insisted.

“And mine, too,” Arlene added just to see her father/husband frown. Giggling, she grabbed his arm and pushed her left boob against it. “You can’t get rid of us, so just grin and bear it.” Then, with a grin spreading across her face, “We might find time while we’re out there to do a little fucking,” she said, again teasing because she knew he didn’t like his women to use vulgar language – unless they were having sex. Then, he seemed to be turned on by it.

“Arlene, I...”

Kayla injected, “She’s teasing you, Baby. She wants to get you pissed so you’ll screw her brains out.”

“Well, it just might work,” the Prime growled as he swatted Arlene on her butt. “Now, get your pretty asses in the Escalade so we can see what Ship has for us.”

What Ship had was a crew ready to leave in one of the scouts.

“But...” Kayla began before remembering that the academy’s subjective time, while the pilots brushed up on their scouting abilities, had probably been months long. “Uh, sorry,” she said, instead.

“We would like to see them off,” Jeff advised Ship.

“The first team is in their scout and awaiting your order,” Ship informed him.

A few moments later, they stood on the flight deck as Jeff, Kayla and Arlene saluted the scout when it stopped in front of them. It flashed its clearance lights, then glided to the port. Seconds later, it turned its nose skyward and was gone.

“Which team did you choose to be first?” Jeff asked Ship.

“The most cautious, of course, Maxwell and Cotton,” Ship sent back with a mental chuckle.

“Hmmm. Male and female team. Good choice.”

“They very well understand that there will be dire consequences if they are discovered by the aliens. You do realize that fighter personalities do not necessarily conform well with days of waiting and watching, but I agree that there is a need for the aviators to personally experience the alien craft. As I fathom human psyche, which I readily agree is not as complete an understanding as I hope to have in the future, the personal experience of secretly watching the aliens should allow the situation to become more ... real to the aviators.

“I have endeavored to make the alien crafts and their abilities in the simulated combat as real as my limited knowledge of the vessel and the aliens have allowed, but by the time each aviator team spends time surveilling the threat, they should have a more thorough knowledge of the reality of the situation.“

“Shit,” Jeff muttered aloud. “If we just knew what the aliens’ intentions were, we could have a better plan. But if we come out with guns blazing and it turns out that the thing is some kind of family ship and the Paladins are just part of their protection ... And, yeah, I know that’s not likely, but dammit, remember; they’re aliens. We can’t expect that they will think the same way we do. But that big ass ship got here from no telling how far away. It goes without saying that their technology is many, many years ahead of Earth’s. If it weren’t for you...”

“But I am here and will defend my Prime and his family,” Ship said, also switching to verbal communication.

“And that includes Earth,” Jeff stated.

“And that includes Earth,” Ship agreed.

From Arlene and Kayla’s expressions, Ship had also included them in the mental conversation, because Arlene said, “Well, now that’s behind us, shall we adjourn to our suite?”

“Well, I...” Jeff said, trying to appear hesitant.

Arlene plastered herself to him and attacked his mouth with hers while Kayla reached around him from behind to fondle his already growing cock.

“Well, I guess we do have time,” he teased as they all, with arms wrapped around each other, headed for their suite aboard Ship.

After breakfast, Mike Hall sat on the couch in the sitting room of his suite worrying. Much to his disgruntlement, Marie, his fiancée, had to work a double shift yesterday, and when he was finally able to talk to her, he decided that she was far too tired for him to hit her with his news. Instead, he told her to get some sleep and he would call back the next day, which would begin her off-week from the hospital – seven, twelve-hour shifts, then a week off.

He knew she would be up by now, and probably expecting him to call, so he picked up the phone and dialed.

More alert this time, she noticed the strange number and answered with a hesitant, “Hello.”

Mike gave a chuckle.

Recognizing his voice, she responded, “Caller ID says, ‘Matthews Retreat.’ Where are you, Baby?”

“Oh, so you can recognize my laugh now,” he teased.

“Well, of course I do, but you haven’t answered my question. Are you at a resort or something?”

“Well, I suppose the ‘or something,’ pretty much nails it down. I’m at the owner’s home a hundred yards or so from the tunneling site. His home is a massive and quite beautiful, three story ... well, Retreat,” he finished for lack of a better word.

“And why are you there and not using the SAT phone you usually call on?”

“It’s ... complicated,” he said with a sigh. “You have time for a lengthy conversation?”

“Sure,” she said as she finished fixing a cup of coffee and headed for her favorite chair in the living room of their shared apartment. “This is the beginning of my off-week – as if you didn’t remember,” she teased. “So,” she asked with a giggle, “are we going to have phone sex?”

“Uh, well ... that could come later, but I might even have a few days off before too long, then again, maybe not,” he answered mysteriously. Without thinking, he abruptly asked, “If I should have to move, would you go with me?”

“What?” she exclaimed. “What’s going on, Mike? Why should you have to move? I thought you liked Seattle. Has something...”

“Please, Baby,” he interrupted, “just answer that one question and I’ll tell you everything.”

“Well, of course I would if you have to move. You’re the guy I’m going to spend the rest of my life with, but ... I have a good job and I would certainly prefer to live here in Seattle.” Then as her voice became even more serious, “What’s this about, Baby? You’re starting to scare me.”

“That’s all I need to hear, Hon. Get comfortable, this is going to take a while. Don’t worry. I have a job, and I’ve been guaranteed that it will pay more than the assistant job at the boring company. It will also have better benefits. So, anyway, here’s what happened...”

Marie was intelligent and curious. When Mike tried to summarize, she made him start at the beginning and tell her everything. When he finally managed to explain the situation in enough detail to satisfy her, and she was out of questions for the moment – most of which he had been able to answer – she said, “Since I’m an intensive care nurse – and a good one – I can find a job anywhere in the state. If we move to another state, though, I’ll have to go through the certification process there. Depending on the state, that could be anything from a little paperwork to taking a short certification course.” With her voice brightening, she went on, “Heck, some hospitals are paying a very lucrative sign-on bonus, so I might come out ahead – financially – in the end. But ... do you think you can trust these people? I mean...”

“Baby, remember, this guy crawled under a machine that could have crushed him any second, and he did it for someone he had never even met before. Carlson would be dead had it not been for Mr. Matthews. I’m certain of that. And, Baby, I wish you could see this place...”

Marie let out a sexy chuckle. “Remember my schedule, My Love. I’m working one week on and one week off. I have a week, Mike. I could be on a plane...”

He was stunned, but only for a second. Then, his spirits soaring, “That’s a great idea, Baby. Listen, I need to check on something, but I’m almost positive it will fly. Let me call you back. Just sit tight in the meantime ... No, better than that – call an airline and see if you can get a flight to Denver today. I’ll rent, beg, borrow or steal a ride and be there to meet you. I have to talk to Mr. Matthews, but with all he’s done for me, I’m almost positive he’ll say it’s okay for you to come visit. Hell, I know this place would cost a bundle to stay in, but I’ll pay whatever they ask. Call you back as soon as I can,” he finished with his voice reflecting his enthusiasm.

“I’ll get on the computer and check out the airline schedules,” she promised, and with a “love you,” hung up.

“Yes!” he exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air. “I’m going to see my Baby,” he chortled as he shut the phone off and returned it to its cradle.

Jeff, however, wasn’t to be found, but when Mike asked Diana, she picked up on the urgency in his voice. “My family refers to me as the Clan Queen. I run the household. What can I help you with?”

“Well...” Hall said, now wondering if he wasn’t asking too much.

Diana, seeing his hesitancy and beginning to put things together, reached to take his hand. “Is it your fiancée? Can I help in some way?”

“Uh, she’s a nurse, and she’s off for the week. Oh, crap, I had this hair-brained idea...”

Diana turned to the counter and reached to grab a set of keys from the rack there. “Here, these will fit any of the Escalades in the inside garage. Pick one; it’s yours as long as you are here. There are gas pumps behind the outside garage, but if you need gas while you’re out, there’s a credit card in the glove compartment. I expect you to use it. If I find out that you have used your own money for that gas hog, I’ll be upset. Your fiancée lives in Seattle, right?” At his nod, she went on, “Get her on a plane to Denver and go get her.”

When Mike took the keys, Diana looked at him with a grin. “Should we prepare a double suite for you two, or...”

“We’re a couple. We’re going to be married as soon as we can manage it.”

Diana’s grin got bigger – a whole lot bigger. “Do you have your birth certificate with you?”

“No. It’s at our apartment.”

“Tell your fiancée to bring both of them so you can get your marriage license. If she’s agreeable, the living room makes a beautiful venue for a wedding. Relatives?”

“Unh uh,” he said shaking his head. “We don’t have any living, but...”

Diana motioned to the phone on the kitchen counter. “Get her on the phone and let me talk to her. You’re sure the two of you are ready to be married?”

“We were putting it off until we could save up enough money for a nice honeymoon. I gave her an engagement ring, and I have the wedding band with me.”

“We have had many weddings here at the Retreat, and, as far as we are concerned, there is no better place to have one.” Then quickly going on, “The road to the visitor center at the top of the Rockies should be open by now, and there are tons of things for newlyweds to do around Winter Park and Denver. Talk her into it, and we will see to everything else. Wedding dress?”

“We just thought we would get married at the court house. She said she didn’t want to spend all that money on a dress that she would wear only once. She’s a ... very practical person.”