The end of the term was rapidly approaching, and while Maddie, Rosa, and I should have been concentrating on our studies and preparing for our finals, we were far more concerned about how we would go about capturing one of our sinfully delightful threesomes on film. It wasn’t going to be easy unless we switched back and forth between who was filming and only shot two of us on tape at once.
Saying it like that makes us sound kind of humorous, right? I mean, most people in our shoes would be focusing on their courses and putting in the time and effort to do the studying for final exams, but here we were, worried far more about shooting a homemade porno instead of academia. I’m not going to say I was ashamed in any way, though. Hell, what guy in his right mind would care more about a history exam when he could be thinking about sowing his seed all over two gorgeous women at once? Screw the schoolwork…I wanted to concentrate all of my attention on what mattered in life and uncover a creative way to make the idea we had for our dirty movie into a reality.
With less than two weeks left of class, we finally devised a plan that we thought would work. We scripted a short plot and decided we’d film our naughty behavior like a documentary. Rosa would be behind the camera the most since she was the most experienced, but we would switch back and forth in order to obtain as many perspectives as possible. We also wanted to approach it like a “real” event. While our previous videos had been treated like Maddie and I didn’t know the camera was there, this flick would be different since there would be no imaginary line between us and our “audience.” We wouldn’t be breaking the fourth wall by talking to the camera because we’d be well aware of its existence. It would be similar to a reality show, but actually real…and no disrespect meant to anyone who enjoys such shows.
As with most of our mischievous flicks, we took an entire afternoon and evening to shoot the movie. We started out simple: Rosalind filmed Maddie and I walking down the hallway of the girls’ dorms toward the blonde woman’s room at the far end, and partway through, she turned the camera toward herself so she could smile and wave. We then continued our march in glee since we knew what awaited us upon entering the room.
From there, it was hours of all-out action as Rosa enjoyed two orgasms and Maddie and I each reveled in one as we shot quite possibly the greatest amateur porn flick of all time. I think our cinematic masterpiece could’ve won quite a few awards due to our adroit performances. Hell, if we had been willing to show our production to others, I dare say we would’ve each been offered contracts to join the adult industry…but of course, our dirty movie was something we were strictly keeping between the three of us. It was for our eyes only.
We didn’t tell other people about what we had been doing, but I know my roommates were slightly suspicious and knew that something “odd” was going on. They noticed that my skin had tiny scratches here and there from where the girls had passionately clawed at me, but when they asked about them, my only answer was a smile. I proudly wore those tiny scars as badges of honor earned by inflicting satisfaction on two of the most stunning women I had the pleasure of knowing.
After Rosa did a little editing, the three of us decided to sit down one night and cuddle up together while watching the masterwork of film in Maddie’s room. We went all out and had popcorn and sodas at the ready as I sat between the girls with my heart racing. It was one thing to watch myself bang two of the most beautiful women I had ever seen on film, but I knew as the movie progressed, the chances were fairly decent that a little real action would begin to unfold with those same two females in the present…
Both Rosalind and Madelyne latched onto my arms as our homemade production started. The three of us watched as our past selves exuberantly made our way down the hallway to the destination where the magic would happen. I popped a piece of popcorn in my mouth and saw the beautiful Rosa appear onscreen as she turned the camera to catch a shot of herself…and as she waved, I noticed something else that I hadn’t seen before.
At the opposite end of the hallway, a man in a suit stood watching the three of us as we made our way toward the blonde woman’s room.
“Whoa,” I spoke up as I sat forward and nearly knocked the bucket of popcorn on my lap over. “Did either of you see that?”
“See what?” Maddie asked. “How hot Rosa looked that day?” She then smiled as she leaned across me so she could reach over and tap the blonde to my left. “You were looking gorgeous, Rosa!”
“Thank you,” the blue-eyed beauty said with a hint of embarrassment in her voice. She was appreciative of the compliment.
I felt like an ass for ruining the moment, but I asked who had the remote and if we could rewind the scene. Maddie didn’t seem to think that what I had noticed was a big deal, but she did as I asked and replayed the opening of our movie. I hastily told her to pause it when the man popped up again. “There!”
“What of it?” Madelyne asked since the suited figure was barely visible behind Rosa. Since he was at the far end of the hallway just standing there, she didn’t think much of him. “It’s just a guy in a suit. You can hardly even see him.”
Unsure of how to air my grievances, I finally asked, “Doesn’t that strike you as kind of…weird?”
Maddie shrugged while saying, “So the guy’s a little dressed up. What’s the big deal with that?”
“Maybe he was taking one of the other girls out for a date or something,” Rosalind chimed in.
I turned my attention back to the paused scene. Even though he stood a good distance behind the smiling and waving Rosa, it was plain as day that he was staring right at us. My female cohorts may have thought the odd figure was nothing more than a visitor to the girls’ dormitory, but I was convinced that he was something far more.
It suddenly hit me that this wasn’t the first time I had seen the man.
I racked my brain trying to recall where I had seen the suited figure as Maddie started the video back up. She was obviously feeling randy and wanted to see the action begin, and even the innocent blonde to my left made a few comments about looking forward to particular scenes. I didn’t want to interrupt the women’s merriment, so I kept my mouth shut as the video commenced.
I hate to be that guy, but the entire time the movie was rolling, all I could think about was the damn stranger in the suit. My mind should’ve been on the hot, uncontrolled intimacy going on in front of me, but that stupid bastard in the fancy getup was first and foremost on my mind. He was definitely ruining the moment for me.
Maddie suddenly waved a hand as she announced, “Oh! Here’s the part where Marcus titty-bangs me!”
Rosa seemed somewhat down as she replied in a low voice, “I wish I had breasts for him to do that to me.”
I felt bad for not responding since I was sure the blonde beauty was fishing for a little validation, but I was so lost in thought that I wasn’t really paying attention to my surroundings. I’m not sure why it took me so damn long, but I had finally realized where I had seen the man before.
I jumped off the bed and started pacing as I announced, “On the campus grounds! Between Emry and Pruitt Halls! That’s where I saw him!”
Both women exchanged glances before Maddie looked right at me and informed me, “You should sit back down. I was just about to dig your cock out and give you a blowjob like nothing you’ve ever experienced before.”
Again, I felt horrible for brushing Maddie’s words off this time, but I was fixated on figuring out what was going on. “That’s not the only time I saw him, though! There was also a time recently when I was standing in my kitchen looking out the window and I saw this black car drive by…”
“Who are you talking about, Marcus?” Rosa asked. She went back about ten minutes in time as she queried, “Is this about the man you saw in the video?”
“Yes!” I exclaimed. I directed my next comment at the beauteous blonde as I told her, “And as crazy as this sounds, I saw him last year also! But it wasn’t here…it was back in our hometown!”
Maddie let out a sound similar to a grunt as she flatly said, “The fact that you can remember spotting a guy one time and remembering his face all this time later is nothing short of remarkable…but did it have to be now? I was just getting turned on…”
I stormed back over to the bed and tried to convince my female companions that there was something more going on. “Don’t you two see? I think this guy is…spying on me!”
Rosa had a mild look of concern on her face, but Madelyne simply laughed it off as she giggled, “Oh, come on, Marcus! Plenty of professors around here wear suits! Maybe the guy just looked similar but was someone completely different on all those occasions! Maybe you’re mixing him up with someone else…”
I turned my attention to my blonde friend as the look on my face showed just how serious I had become. “Rosa, I’m not going to pretend to know much about how you’re able to edit and manipulate film, but if we were to rewind the tape to the beginning, could you zoom in on the man…”
“Are you kidding me, Marcus?” Maddie interrupted. “You’re watching a hot-ass tape of two women fucking the shit out of you, but you’re more concerned about rewinding so you can scope out some guy in a suit?”
Rosalind tried to take my side as she glanced over at our silver-haired friend and told her, “It would only take a few minutes, Maddie…”
“Whatever,” the horned-up starlet groaned as she pushed herself off the bed. She made her way to the door of her dorm room as she told us, “I’m going to run over to the cafeteria and see if they have any of those strawberry milkshakes left. You two do what you have to do, but don’t watch any of the gooey scenes without me.” She then left us alone.
My eyes went to those of Rosa as I did my best to smile and thank her for her help. She told me it was no trouble as we rewound the tape and started it over. On the VCR we were using, she wasn’t able to do as I asked, but just before she went to pause it, I made a comment about a detail I recalled about the man…and when she did manage to freeze the frame, I’m pretty sure she let out a small gasp due to what I had pointed out.
There was a small scar on his right cheek, and although it was hard to see due to the videocassette quality, it was certainly there.
Rosa covered her mouth with a hand. Much like myself, she was no longer riled up about the rest of the video because she was more focused on the mysterious individual we had picked up on our footage. She visibly trembled as she asked me, “Marcus, who do you think that man is?”
I shook my head as I replied, “I have no idea. Honestly, I wouldn’t have even remembered him if not for the scar. I guess it was just a noticeable feature, and when I saw him earlier this spring, it didn’t even occur to me that I saw him last year.”
“Where and when last year?” Rosa inquired with concern in her voice.
I scratched the back of my head as I responded, “Do you remember a girl who was a year younger than us named Harley May?”
Rosalind nodded. “Yes. She was a sweetheart. Quiet girl who wore glasses. Blonde…and very pretty.”
“She’s the one,” I said. “Anyway, last year, Harley and I…went on a few dates. I took her to a movie one night and we noticed this creepy guy in a suit sitting not far from us. Harley kept pointing out how he kept staring at me all throughout the movie, but every time I looked over at him, he would look away.”
“And this is the same man?” Rosa asked with dread in her voice. “The same man who had a scar?”
“Same guy,” I muttered as I faced the paused TV screen once again. I studied the man standing behind my blonde friend as I tried to understand why he was there.
“Marcus, this is kind of creepy. Maybe you should tell someone about this. Maybe you should go to the dean…”
“What could he do, Rosa?” I inadvertently cut the blue-eyed woman off. “It’s not like this guy has done anything to me. He hasn’t attacked me, approached me…hell, he hasn’t even spoken to me!”
“That doesn’t matter,” Rosa voiced her opinion. “The fact that he’s been spying on you the last couple of months is off-putting enough, but for him to be doing the same thing last year in a completely different city…”
I hadn’t really thought about it until Rosa mentioned it. It was one thing to have him following me around on the campus, but for him to actually know where I hailed from…
“This could all be a strange coincidence,” the beautiful blonde then broke into my thoughts, “But for the time being, I think it would be safer if you maybe crashed with Madelyne or I.”
I smiled since I thought the offer was sweet, but there was no way I could jeopardize either of the wonderful women. “I appreciate the kindness, Rosa, but I think I’ll be okay at home. I have both Justin and J-Bone back at the house we’re renting, so it’s not like I’m alone. And besides, I could never put you or Maddie in any kind of danger. I would never forgive myself if something happened to either one of you.”
Rosalind tried to smile in return as she hugged her arms across her chest. It looked like she had just become very cold, so I stepped over and hugged her to warm her up.
“I’ll be all right,” I told my blonde friend. “You’re probably right: This could just be one big coincidence and is probably just my overactive imagination playing tricks on me.” I did my best to laugh as I added, “With all those fantasy stories I like to write, I’ve probably just created some boogeyman I’m not even aware of!”
Rosa laughed as she returned my hug.
I hadn’t given it much thought before, but it finally dawned on me that my blonde friend may have been a little one edge and thinking that the man could have also been stalking both her and Maddie. I decided to put her at ease by saying, “I’m just glad he only seems to be interested in me!”
Rosalind tried to maintain a semblance of positivity as she glanced up into my eyes and suggested, “Maybe we should join Madelyne for one of those milkshakes. What do you say?”
“I think that sounds great.”
*
Even though it was getting late, the cafeteria was abuzz with activity. Many of the students gathered around the tables had decided it would be nice to grab a bite to eat in between studying for finals, and some of them even brought along their books and were quizzing each other at the tables. It was almost nice to know that there were actually some students taking their studies seriously in this day and age.
Normally, I would’ve counted myself amongst the other young men and women who valued their education and wanted to make something of themselves, but that ship had long since sailed. Sure, I still wanted to have a bright future, but as I so ardently pointed out earlier in this tale, I had only wanted to attend college to learn about the lifestyle so I could include such details in the stories I wrote…and I had done that in spades thanks to Maddie and Rosa. I learned things I had never dreamt possible thanks to the two of them.
It didn’t take long for Rosalind and I to locate Madelyne. We each had a vanilla milkshake in our hands when we found her chatting with a few other females toward one of the wide entries to the cafeteria. Upon making our way over to her, I could see a few of her friends looking in my direction and flashing me some wide smiles. I wondered what exactly the silver-haired fox had told them, but decided it wasn’t important.
“Hey, you two!” Maddie energetically announced as we made our way closer to her. “I wasn’t expecting you guys! Decided you needed a little snack?”
“Yeah,” I answered for both of us. I didn’t want to interrupt Madelyne, so I pointed to a table in the distance and told her, “We’ll be over there if you want to join us when you’re done talking.”
“Sounds good,” Maddie responded. “I’ll finish up here and be right over.”
“Oooh, ‘finish up!’” One of Madelyne’s friends replied in a playful voice. “Bet you’ll do that with him later! Lucky you, Madelyne!”
I hadn’t always been the most observant guy growing up, but the more I was around the fairer sex, the more I picked up on. As Rosa and I made our way toward the table I had pointed out, I did my best to hide my smile from her…because even though I would never do anything with any of Maddie’s friends other than Rosa, I was well aware that my silver-haired compeer had probably shared a few details about me. I won’t lie: Knowing that she had more than likely told her friends how formidable I was in the sack was a huge boost to my ego.
When we reached the table, I pulled out a chair and offered it to Rosa. She thanked me while having a seat. I then pulled out the chair directly to her right and sat next to her.
The two of us sat there and talked while enjoying our milkshakes for only about two minutes until we suddenly heard a commotion behind us…and when I turned around to see what it was all about, I was absolutely horrified.
Rosa had been talking to me and I was captivated by what she had to say, but I couldn’t help but pick up on a burly voice a few feet away from us suddenly taunting, “Have a nice ‘trip,’ midget!” Shortly after the proclamation, the loud clatter we had heard had us both turning our heads.
A big ox of a jock had apparently taken note of Maddie walking by his table…and then stuck his foot out and tripped her. He had all of his cohorts in an uproar as they laughed at my shorter friend, but thankfully, not everyone in the cafeteria was as primitive.
A few girls who had been close to the incident made their way over to check on Madelyne and make sure she was all right, and Rosa and I quickly joined them as our silver-haired compeer told us she was fine. She was obviously more embarrassed than anything, and she was quick to point out that she wanted to go back to her dorm. Rosalind completely understood, and she placed a hand on Maddie’s back to help her along. I’m fairly certain my blonde friend turned to see where I was…but what met her eyes wasn’t at all what she had been expecting.
As the large lummox howled in delight at the pain he had caused, I suddenly saw red. I was not a violent person by nature, nor did I enjoy seeing pain inflicted upon others. I wasn’t the type to throw myself into any kind of scuffle, and I had always believed that most disagreements could be solved with words. However, when I saw the hurt in Maddie’s eyes when she had been helped to her feet, something deep inside of me abrasively snapped…and as I just stated, I saw only red when I eyed the cloddish oaf who had taken such joy in tripping my friend and making a spectacle out of her humiliation.
I don’t think anybody in that cafeteria – whether they knew me or not – saw my next action coming. Hell, I don’t even think I did. Somehow, I lunged across the area and grabbed the offender’s head with a handful of hair…and slammed his face down into the plate of food in front of him. I’m not an overly large man by any stretch of the imagination – and it was a sure bet that the fellow student I was attacking had a good sixty or seventy pounds on me – but I threw caution to the wind as I didn’t even think about him retaliating. Had he managed to get his hands on me, he more than likely would’ve broken me in half…but I wasn’t going to allow that to happen.
As a stunned crowd watched on, I smashed the ogre’s face down again…and again…and again. I must’ve driven that oversized noggin down a good six or seven times before finally releasing my hold on him, and when I snapped back to reality and finally looked around, I was met by a sea of astonished eyes. I believe some of the students gazing directly at me were genuinely impressed…while others were repulsed and even showed signs of fear. If an unsuspecting student like myself could so readily snap…
I turned to look at both Rosa and Maddie. I could see a hint of fear in Rosalind’s beautiful blue eyes, but beheld a smile spread across Madelyne’s countenance since she was stoked to have someone standing up for her. I wondered what both women would have to say to me once we returned to Maddie’s dorm room.
We left a hushed crowd behind as the only sounds that could be heard coming from the entire chamber were the footfalls of the three of us leaving.
*
I was a little surprised that no one tried to stop me on my way out of the cafeteria. I was even more surprised by the silence that had fallen over everyone when I had left the area. There must’ve been at least fifty students present for my outburst, yet not one of them had stepped forward to stop me from thrashing the contemptible lummox as I slammed his face down into the plate and table. I would’ve thought that of everyone present, someone – especially one of his chums – would’ve tried to prevent me from lashing out. Maybe everyone had just been too stunned since everything had happened so quickly…
Perhaps the person who had been the most stunned of all had been myself. I stated it before and I’ll do so again: I’m not nor have I ever been a violent person. Sure, I’ve watched my share of professional fights on TV and taken sides on many occasions, and I have no problem writing about violence in my fantasy stories. I’m by no means some pacifist who would preach against pugilism, but I’ve never been involved in a vicious altercation such as the one I had just partaken in. I have to admit that while it was a little exhilarating, it was also a tad bit frightening to witness what I had been capable of.
“That was fucking awesome!” Madelyne announced as we entered her room. She no longer needed Rosa’s help as she walked over to one of her closets and pulled out a clean shirt. She took off the one she had on since it still had some strawberry milkshake residue on it and put on the fresh one. “The way you put that asshole in his place…!”
“It was…intense,” Rosalind gave her opinion. She crossed her arms and looked at me as if she no longer knew who I was. “I…wouldn’t have imagined you capable of such anger, Marcus.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond. On one hand, I was proud of what I had done. I had stood up for Maddie and shut the mouth of some dumb brute who thought he was better than everyone else due to his intimidating size and status. He had it coming and deserved everything I dished out to him.
On the other hand, though, I saw myself in a whole new light. Much like Rosa, I was a little rattled to even look at myself in Madelyne’s mirror. Sure, I had become overtaken by anger due to the fact that Maddie had been hurt, but to lash out so uncontrollably…it was a side of myself I had never seen before. It was a little nerve-wracking to know that I was capable of such ferocity.
“That dickhead deserved it!” Maddie exclaimed as she walked up to me and gave me a hug. “I’m so sick of people treating me like I’m beneath them just because I’m short! It sucks being the butt of everyone’s jokes and constantly being belittled because of my size! I hate being called a midget and a dwarf!” After ranting, Madelyne gave me another hug and thanked me for standing up for her. She then looked to Rosa and tried to find the right words as she asked, “Would you maybe be able to give me some time alone with Marcus tonight, Rosa? I don’t mean to hog him or anything, but after all, he was my knight in shining armor just a few minutes ago. I’d like to ‘reward’ him in a befitting manner…”
Rosalind responded by first looking at me and then Maddie. She finally nodded her agreement before walking toward the doorway and telling us goodnight. She also told Madelyne that she was glad she was okay, and she informed us that she would see the two of us in the morning.
I stepped forward and mentioned that she didn’t have to leave just yet. I wasn’t trying to shoot Maddie’s idea down, by any means: I was certainly more than willing to collect on a reward from the silver-haired fox. I just didn’t want to see Rosa go yet. Besides, I felt that I owed the blue-eyed beauty an explanation for my erratic display back in the cafeteria…
Rosalind made a small motion with her head and told me it was all right. She again informed me that she would see me in the morning before telling me to have a good night.
After the door closed behind Rosalind, Maddie reached up and grabbed me by the shirt. She had a devious smile on her face as she pulled me toward the bed and beckoned, “Come on, big boy…it’s time for a chivalrous knight to seize his reward…”
*
That night with Madelyne was unforgettable…as was the morning that followed. Unfortunately, the coming dawn wasn’t nearly as satisfying as the previous twilight.
I was promptly summoned to the dean’s office…and in no more than two minutes, I found myself expelled from the university. There was to be no further conversation or debating…I had been kicked out of college with only one week of classes left. That entire term had been flushed down the drain.
The moment I stepped out of that office and into the ironically bright sun, I had planned on heading to the girls’ dormitory so I could tell both Maddie and Rosa about what had happened. I figured they both had the right to know, but I quickly remembered that after seeing the clock in the dean’s office, they would both be in class for at least another forty-five minutes. Telling them would have to wait.
I went back home for the time being and decided to have some breakfast. I made sausage and eggs, and after pouring a tall glass of orange juice, I had a seat at the small, kitchen table my roommates and I had against the wall and just stared at my plate of food. I didn’t touch it for the longest time as I thought about what I would tell not only Maddie and Rosa, but also Justin and J-Bone. I also thought about my parents back home and wondered how they’d react to the situation.
I kept telling myself that I had done the right thing. My father had taught me many lessons in my youth that still stick with me to this day, but one of the most important that I recall is the treatment of the fairer sex. He had taught me to properly respect women, and he told me to always be a gentleman around them. He coached me on the ways of chivalry, and he emphasized standing up for them during rugged situations. He educated me on how to be appreciative of all females because they were one of the most important things in life.
He had been right, too.
I didn’t regret what I had done. I didn’t care that I had crushed that lummox’s nose. I didn’t care if his family came after me with the righteous fury of the law behind them. That ungrateful lowlife had laid his hands on a woman; a wonderful woman who never did anything to him. He had deserved everything I had done to him…and more.
That wasn’t me talking. Sure, I didn’t regret anything I had done, but something in me almost sounded like it wanted to get out. It almost seemed like there was more welling up in me than I had imagined possible. It was almost like there was another person trying to claw his way to the forefront…
The doorbell suddenly rang and made me jump.
Get ahold of yourself, I chided myself. I had wished that either Justin or J-Bone had been home so I could talk to one of them about my plight, but I assumed that whoever was at the door was either Rosa or Maddie and that one of them had rushed right over after hearing about my expulsion somehow. I realized I only had moments to come up with a proper explanation for what the dean had told me. I knew Madelyne would understand, but Rosa would be a harder sell…
I made my way through the den and living room toward the front door. I pulled it open without hesitation…and stared at two men dressed in suits. I had never seen one of them before…but the other had a small scar across his right cheek. He was obviously known to me.
“Mister Veovin?” The one I had never seen before spoke in a loud enough voice for me to hear through the thin storm door separating us. “May we have a word with you for a moment?”
I couldn’t even begin to explain the mix of emotions coursing through my body in that instant. I think my motor functions took over and did the work for me as my brain tried to comprehend what was going on. My right hand shot forward and pushed the door open so I could step out on the small porch.
The man I didn’t recognize stuck a hand out for me to shake. “Good morning, Mister Veovin. My name is Stevens. My fellow operative here is Talenos.”
Again, my body acted on its own volition as it accepted the hand of the first man. My eyes then went to the one I had seen a few times too many as my brain tried to accept the term “operative.” Who the hell were these guys? Operatives of what…?
“Good morning, Mister Veovin,” Talenos took his turn greeting me as he also placed a hand out for me to shake. “I hope we aren’t interrupting anything.”
The two strangers before me could best be described as the typical secret agent types. Both men looked to be in their late thirties to early forties, and they were clad from head to toe in black. They had white button up shirts beneath their suit coats and of course the requisite black tie. Both of them had on dark sunglasses, and they both had dark hair…well, at least Talenos did. Stevens’ hair was more of a brown, but it was still pretty dark. Talenos, on the other hand, not only had a five o’clock shadow, but surprisingly enough, he had mutton chops that I wouldn’t have expected any kind of secret operative to have. Then again, maybe these guys weren’t exactly “secret” since I had seen one of them plenty of times before…
Since I wasn’t responding to Talenos, Stevens took over once again and solemnly said, “I apologize for our timing, but we’ve reached an impasse and could no longer wait. We needed to approach you now, and given your current situation with your schooling…”
“What?” I finally spoke up. How the hell did these guys know about what had just happened? That was no more than an hour ago, and they had been nowhere in the vicinity…
I felt like a complete putz when I realized what they both were. They had probably been watching my each and every move all morning. Geez, for all I knew, maybe they had somehow been watching me when I had been intimate with Maddie and Rosa…
“You’re important, Mister Veovin,” Talenos took over for his partner. He was certainly the more imposing of the two…not to say that Stevens wasn’t as well. Both men were at least six feet tall, and both of them easily tipped the scales at two hundred plus pounds. Their suits fit them the same way a tight pair of leggings looked on Rosa, so I could plainly tell that they were all muscle. Making any kind of derogatory comment would not be in my best interest.
Stevens nodded in agreement as he added, “Very important, Mister Veovin.”
The way they kept referring to me as “Mister Veovin” sounded downright goofy to me, but again, I wasn’t about to say something that would piss them off. Who was I to correct them?
“What do you know of the world around you, Mister Veovin?” Talenos suddenly asked me in a nonchalant manner. “What do you know of governments; monarchies, oligarchies, dictatorships…?”
I responded in the only way I could think to do so. “Huh?”
“Mister Veovin, you are a vital part of our world’s future,” Stevens suddenly told me in a firm voice. “You may not know it yet, but you have the makings of a great hero within you.”
I stood in stunned silence. I had no idea what to say. My world had been turned upside down. It was one thing to start the day with being expelled from college, but to have two secret agent types standing on my front porch in broad daylight and spouting off vernacular that would’ve been better suited for a fantasy novel…
What the hell was going on? Who exactly were these guys? Were they some kind of government spooks gathering intel on me? Were they even associated with the government in any way? Was there a chance that they were some kind of elaborate act to draw me out for some reason…?
But why me? What was so special about me? I was a nothing in the grand scheme of things! I was nobody special and it made no sense why they would be monitoring me. What was all this talk about being important to the future of the world? And why would they call me a hero? I may have stood up for Madelyne, but there were a hell of a lot more people in the world who had done far more significant things than I had. I certainly didn’t understand anything that was going on.
Talenos was obviously getting a little antsy. “Come on, Stevens. He’s not listening to a word we’re saying. Let’s cut to the point.”
The operative with off-black hair apparently agreed with his companion. He suddenly reached into his suit…and I was convinced that he was about to draw a pistol or something from a hidden holster beneath. It was amazing how my life had gone south so quickly…
Stevens pulled out a manila envelope. He broke the seal at the top and pulled out some documents and a few photographs. He then turned them toward me so I could actually see what was on them as he said, “This dossier should tell you everything you need to know.”
I could see that a few pages were paper-clipped together…along with a photograph of Maddie and Rosa together at the front. In the picture, they had some textbooks clutched to their chests and looked to be walking toward Emry Hall on their way to class. Both of them looked happy…and completely unaware that they were being photographed.
Stevens then shifted the stack of papers behind another paper-clipped bundle…and on the top of that bunch was a second photograph. I think my heart nearly stopped when I saw another woman from my past in the form of the charming Harley May. She was a quiet, spectacled girl with long, straight blonde hair who I had dated before going off to college…and there wasn’t a day that went by in which I didn’t miss her. She was a good person with a huge heart, and the fact that these guys knew anything at all about her scared the shit out of me.
“We need your help, Mister Veovin. We need you to come with us so these women don’t get hurt.”
Hearing those words lit a fire under me. Stevens may have had sunglasses on, but I stared directly into the orbs they concealed as I snarled, “What the hell is that supposed to mean? Are you threatening them?”
“We don’t want to see these women hurt,” Talenos stepped in as he shook his head, “But if you don’t come with us, the lot of them – along with many other people – could be hurt in unimaginable ways.”
My angry spheres went to the slightly larger of the two operatives. Again, I felt like he was threatening the women I cared about more than life. To hell with everyone else…I wanted to know why they had information on three out of five of the women I had at one time had intercourse with. Why would they even mention three of my greatest loves…?
“There are dark days ahead, Mister Veovin,” Stevens once again took over as he shoved the documents back into the envelope. “The world is about to see a great many changes not just in the current hierarchy, but also in a systematic upheaval that could throw the future into unprecedented chaos.”
“And what does any of that have to do with me?” I asked as my heart raced. All I could think about was the safety of the women I cared for.
“Come with us and you’ll see for yourself,” Talenos told me. “Together, we can show you what the future holds…while protecting those you care about most in the process.”
It was in that moment that I realized that I was being blackmailed. For what reason, I couldn’t even begin to explain. Why did these men think there was anything even remotely special about me? If anything they spouted had any kind of truth behind it, what did they possibly think I could do to help them?
“How familiar are you with your family history, Mister Veovin?” Stevens asked me out of the blue. “What do you know of your lineage?”
“I know enough. Why?”
“Do you?” Talenos spoke up with a bit of sarcasm in his voice. “Do you know where your family comes from?”
I wanted to answer just to shut the know-it-all up…but I opted to keep my mouth shut.
“Come with us and discover the truth about yourself,” Stevens told me. “You may not understand everything right now, but once you learn more about where you came from…”
Instead of taking the cordial approach like his partner was trying to do, Talenos cut right to the thick of things as he grumbled, “Listen. You have two choices: You can either come with us and keep these women who are so near and dear to you safe, or you can choose to stay here and take your chances with what could happen. I shouldn’t have to explain the former is the wisest decision you could possibly make if you truly care about any of these females.”
I was on the verge of snapping again. I knew that the two men standing before me could more than likely have me on the ground with a few broken bones before I had a chance to throw a punch, but I still considered taking some kind of action. I knew it wasn’t bright on my part, but all I could think about was what mattered most to me.
Madelyne.
Rosalind.
Harley May.
I couldn’t help but think about the other females from my past who still meant the world to me. I knew there was a very real possibility that the two spooks had information on some of the other women I still loved as well…
“Mister Veovin,” the more amicable of the two operatives spoke up, “We don’t want to see anyone get hurt. That’s why we’ve come to enlist your aid. You have no way of knowing this right now, but the key to the very planet’s survival lies within you. I know this probably sounds incredulous right now, and I certainly can’t blame you for being cynical of our presence. All I can really tell you is that we mean you no harm…and we have no desires to see any ill will befall these women you care so much about.” As he spoke his last sentence, he shook the manila envelope in front of me.
I wasn’t exactly sure what to think…or even what to believe, for that matter. The fact that these guys had files on both Maddie and Rosa didn’t seem like much of a stretch if they had been following me around on campus for the last few months, but it was truly chilling that they had any kind of information on Harley. As previously mentioned, I wondered if they knew about some of my other long, lost loves.
“Well, what’s it going to be, Mister Veovin?” Talenos asked with an edge in his voice. “We don’t have all day…and we can’t tell you everything you need to know at this time.”
“If I go with you, will you let me see Rosa and Maddie before we leave?”
Stevens regretfully shook his head. “Unfortunately, they can’t know anything about what’s going on.”
“What about my roommates?” I asked. “They’re going to wonder what the hell’s going on if I just up and vanish!”
“That will all be taken care of,” Talenos ominously answered.
I turned my gaze toward the larger of the two operatives and pressed for further answers. “What do you mean by that?”
“They won’t be hurt,” Stevens interjected with a firm promise. “Talenos doesn’t always speak with the most tact.”
I could believe it. What I couldn’t believe was the fact that I was actually considering following these two spooks to wherever it was they wanted me to go.
I knew I didn’t have a whole lot of time to make a decision. In the moments I did have, I thought about everyone I cared for. I thought about my family and friends back home, along with some of the people I was closest to. Of course, the first and foremost people on my mind were Madelyne and Rosa. It probably sounds weird to say, but I was truly in love with both of them. I couldn’t even begin to explain how much the two of them had come to mean to me over the last few months. I could never let anything bad befall the two of them…or Harley May, for that matter.
“If I go with you,” I spoke up, “Do you promise that Maddie, Rosa, and Harley will be safe?”
Stevens nodded as he told me, “I’m not exaggerating when I say that their safety – along with the survival of the very planet – lies in your hands, Mister Veovin.”
This had to be a mistake. This sounded like the beginning of a bad movie…or maybe a good one depending on the taste of the consumer. Still, I couldn’t deny the fact that I was partially intrigued…but of course, my main reason for coming to the decision I made was because of my lovely ladies who meant the very world to me. For whatever reason, I could tell that the two men standing before me were telling the truth and that disappearing from my normal, everyday life would keep the women I cared about safe. I finally said the only thing I could when I answered, “I’m in.”
Stevens smiled as Talenos threw his hands up and grumbled, “It’s about time.”
I wasn’t crazy about climbing into an automobile with either of the two men…especially Talenos. He didn’t exactly seem like a good time. I was already having second thoughts, but when my mind circled back to the safety of my girls…
“You’ve made the right choice, Mister Veovin,” Stevens told me. He then turned to walk down the path leading through my front yard, but stopped when he noticed that I wasn’t following. “Mister Veovin…?”
“I have stuff in my house,” I said as I motioned back toward my rented dwelling with a thumb. “I need to grab some clean clothes…”
“You’ll have everything you need where we’re going,” Talenos told me. “Clothes, food, a roof over your head…”
Stevens nodded to confirm what his partner had told me. “You’ll be taken care of, Mister Veovin. Besides, your survival means the world’s continued survival.”
It still blew my mind that these guys actually believed what they were telling me. It sounded ludicrous, but they sincerely believed everything they were saying.
“Before we leave, can I make one last request?”
The two operatives glanced back in my direction.
“Stop calling me Mister Veovin, okay? Mister Veovin is my old man. Call me Marcus…or if you absolutely have to, just Veovin, okay?”
The two operatives nodded and then led me to their black automobile. As I climbed into the backseat, I was more than a little surprised to see that Talenos was climbing in the back with me…and that was because the passenger’s seat up front was already occupied. An auburn-haired woman who looked to be in her early to mid-fifties was seated there and glanced back at me with dark eyes. “Ah,” she somewhat chortled as she looked me over. “So, this is Marcus Veovin, huh?”
I was about to ask who exactly she was and why I hadn’t been told about her, but I thought better of it. As Talenos situated himself next to me, he simply grumbled, “Yup. This is the guy.”
The mysterious woman gripped the back of her seat with one hand as she glanced back at the operative sitting directly behind her. I think she was trying to be funny in order to put me at ease as she told him, “Ah, quit coming off as such a sourpuss, Talenos! You know, some people would say you’re not the most sensitive of guys…”
“Some people?” Stevens also somewhat jested as he made himself comfortable behind the wheel.
Talenos simply grumbled as he crossed his arms and turned his gaze out the window to his right.
The auburn-haired woman continued to smile as she turned her attention back to me and examined me for a few more seconds. “Anyway,” she went on, “It’s hard to believe that after all these years, I’m finally meeting you in the flesh. I knew you existed even when others didn’t believe me.” The enigmatic third member of the inscrutable triad then turned to gaze through the windshield of the automobile as Stevens started the vehicle. She didn’t bother looking at her fellow operative to her left as she marveled, “Simply unreal.”
I thought I deserved to know who the mysterious woman was, but I figured it was best to let the trio of operatives tell me on their own time. Even though I trusted everything that was going on for whatever reason, I was still a tad bit shaken. I’m not afraid to admit that.
As Stevens pulled away from the house I had been living in for the last several months, I took one final glance at what normal life looked like. I had no idea where I was off to, but I knew things would never be the same again. It may sound outlandish, but I somehow knew that what I was doing was right. Leaving with this trio was my best course of action even if my heart was nervously racing in my chest. I couldn’t help but wonder if I would ever see any of the women I cared so much about ever again.
While my main reason for up and disappearing was being utilized in order to protect Maddie, Rosa, Harley, and possibly many others from a fate I couldn’t even begin to understand, I couldn’t help but wonder if Stevens’ words didn’t have a little bit of truth to them: Maybe I did have the makings of a great hero within me…
END OF MADELYNE’S TALE
