Sheila n eskew, p.31
Sheila N Eskew, page 31
Ainu had that same inscrutable smile that Xerxes wore when she spoke of her parents. She liked Ainu but found that smile was becoming infuriating and was glad the reception had concluded.
“My love,” Xerxes came to her. “Did you have a chance to speak with Pericles’ squad of “Marines” that were on your dig?” he pointed them out to her, grouped together, as they always were, around the bar.
Jessica smiled, “No, and I would like to. Excuse me Ainu, it was nice to talk to you again.” Jessica walked over to the squad of Atlantian/Marines she had become close to and knew better as Marines.
“Well, Ainu, what news do you have?” Xerxes inquired watching his shapely wife walk away.
“Xerxes, Mr. and Mrs. Carter are on the island you and I did training on as children. Their sailboat encountered a small tropical gale the day before yesterday. Their radio is out. Their cell phone went deep six but their food supply is intact, as are all their other necessities and some luxuries. I’ve placed several guards to secure their safety and that of the island. Bring your wife when she is ready.”
“Thank you brother, I owe you.” Xerxes hugged his brother.
“I know, make it soon, that beautiful smile of hers is hiding a sad heart. You should tell her tonight - don’t make her wait. She is a woman of action. I can see that, she won’t wait long before she does something herself; especially after she sees the latest newscasts about their disappearance the military released that this afternoon to the press. Her love for you will not hold her here if she finds out. Are you sure, Xerxes, she hasn’t seen the news on television?”
Xerxes looked at his little brother, “Her love for me?” Xerxes centered only on that part of what Ainu had said, not about the news release.
“She loves you, Xerxes, didn’t you know?” Ainu asked seriously.
“She hasn’t said it.” Xerxes established.
“And she won’t until this is solved. Nevertheless she does or she would not have waited this long. Xerxes, you are my older brother and a great ruler but at times a bit dense. Watch your wife carefully; can you not see her pain? Look in her eyes she has been crying. She may have already heard about them missing.” Ainu went aboard his transport craft and was gone, headed back to his City of Pacifica. “Tell her Xerxes,” he said before he left, “if she has heard they are missing she will take matters into her own hands.”
Xerxes turned to look at his wife, she was talking to one of Pericles squad she had known from the surface, Merk. He watched her closely, Ainu was right her eyes were teary. He walked in her direction remembering her earlier behavior he had observed unnoticed.
*
Ms. Simon had not considered Jessica or Bruce her friends, they were her responsibility but had earned her respect. Their weird dive experience and Jessica’s disappearance left her angry and suspicious. She knew the exotic-looking man in the Boxster had something to do with it just as he had something to do with Jessica’s rescue from the Aztecs. Ms. Simon interviewed Bruce and he claimed memory problems that she wasn’t totally convinced were genuine. Today she was going to look for clues again. She knocked on the door of Jessica’s parents’ home where Bruce was staying.
She didn’t wait long. “Ms. Simon.” Bruce said, his manner cordial, standing aside to allow her to enter.
“Mr. Lance. Have you heard anything from Ms. Carter?”
“No, and I wish I would. No way do I believe she has drowned.”
“Nor I!” Ms. Simon agreed.
“What’s say we go on a dive together?” Ms. Simon asked her eyes taking in his lack of attire. He was dressed only in swimming trunks.
“I didn’t know you dove?” Bruce said, surprised and crossed his muscular arms over his equally muscular bare chest. Ms. Simon had interrupted his daily workout and he glistened with sweat.
“Oh yes, I have for years. Do you think the same boat Captain could find the spot where you and Jessica were separated?” Ms. Simon asked hopefully.
“I’m sure he could, if he were available.” Bruce told her as he slipped on a tee shirt.
“Why isn’t he available?” She asked trying not to be too obvious in her appraisal of his physique.
“Beats me,” Bruce shrugged. “I called him when I got out of the hospital. He’s gone. I’ve known Jessica for about four years and him for three. It seems after our little difficulty he’s moved.”
“Really, where to?” Ms. Simon was immediately interested and suspicious.
“No one seems to know.” Bruce told her with a shrug.
“I’ll look into it.” She said with a determined air. “Can you remember the coordinates?”
“No, Jessica gave them to the boat Captain. Sorry.” Bruce apologized.
Meredith had the feeling he knew and wasn’t talking. “Okay, let me know if you remember anything.” She parroted the same lines the General and the police had when they left, finally. She couldn’t blame Bruce for not being forthcoming with what he knew, neither agency had done their jobs to protect either one of them or safeguard the artifacts they risked their lives to excavate. She left Bruce alone in Jessica’s family home.
Chapter Twenty
Xerxes stopped by his security office and finalized the plans for a snare he set to trap Marcus should he attempt to leave the City. He knew by Marcus’ recent sullen, quiet behavior that he was planning his next move. Catching him leaving the City without clearance would give him reason to revoke his Councilman standing and confine him to prison. His plans would no longer matter. Jessica and the artifacts were safe in Atlantis, he had a possible replacement for his archaeological position on Council and Xerxes was tired of playing games with Marcus. He could take his wife to see her family then get on with his life. Finished with the plans, Xerxes went back to his suite.
“Jessica.” Xerxes called going into their bedroom to find it empty, his heart skipped a beat until he caught sight of his wife going toward their bath, “Jessica.”
“In here, Xerxes.” Jessica had been listening to the news hoping for a report about her parents when she heard her husband enter their bedroom. So she headed for the bath, donning her bathrobe, and missing the report.
Xerxes heard the report, relieved Jessica was not in the room. “Honey,” he called after her, “in the morning we are going to explore Atlantis a little more thoroughly. There is also an underwater archaeological site I think you will want to explore, but day after tomorrow we are going to Pacifica to visit with Ainu, we have a surprise for you.”
“So that explains that inscrutable smile you two were passing. He’s in on your surprise too.” Jessica accused, returning wearing her terrycloth bathrobe.
Xerxes didn’t know, but Jessica hated surprises. “I would like to go to Pacifica tonight, but security reasons prohibit us going until the wedding guests have all left. Because of this traitor, I must stay close to Atlantis while it is unsecured - I hope to have him cornered by tomorrow.”
“I understand.” Jessica said rather remotely, her parents persistently on her mind.
Xerxes pulled her close, “Jessica,” stopping her to gaze deeply into her eyes, “you will like this surprise, and it will make you happy. No more tears, my love.”
“Okay.” She smiled as a child caught in a lie, rather amazed he had noticed her tears.
Xerxes knew the smile was for his benefit, he could see behind it. Remembering Ainu’s warning, he almost told her. He laced his hands through her long hair and drew her mouth to his, tasting sweet response, her arms pulling him yet closer. Ending their kiss, Xerxes held Jessica, enjoying the smell of her and essence of her held tightly in his arms. This feeling went past sexual desire, which was there and highly arousing, but the closeness of her held to his body produced a feeling of oneness Xerxes had never known. He hoped she felt the same.
“Come wife,” Xerxes said, “tonight I’ll scrub your back,” he smiled “if you’ll scrub mine?”
Jessica smiled, “Of course husband.” Xerxes lifted her off her feet and carried her to the swirling waters of their huge shell tub.
Morning came in Atlantis and Jessica still had not gotten accustomed to the lack of the sun. It was as bright as the upper-world’s day but there was no actual sun. She questioned Xerxes about this phenomenon of where their light source came from the second day she had been in Atlantis and he explained it came from the sun.
“When the sun rises,” Xerxes told her, “the Vortex Stones magnify the energy they receive from that powerful source and illuminates the City, recharging massive solar batteries that power the City at night. This is not a byproduct of the powerful protection grid, only one of the features of it. The laser passes through the sapphires and continues to do so day and night. When clouds and storms shroud the sun, the City’s hydroelectric power plant generated from the Desalination Water Plant that provides Atlantis’ fresh portable water then provides illumination also. That power comes from the steady power of the currents of the ocean itself. Wastewater is highly processed and used to irrigate the plants under the Domes. Jessica everything in Atlantis works on a cycle and has backups. We shall tour these things when we return from Pacifica,” he promised.
“How do you understand the way things work in such detail? I would expect you to know general things…” Jessica asked.
“Unlike many upper-world leaders,” Xerxes explained, “our father required us, my brother, sister and I, to spend several hours during summer school breaks on each of the many different systems that keep Atlantis functioning. In that manner we would understand the way our World worked.” Xerxes smiled, “We were not always the most cooperative about it,” he grinned remembering how he hated working when his friends were having fun, “but now I see his wisdom.”
“Your father must have been a good leader and a good father.” Jessica said and her voice betrayed her concern over her absent parents.
Xerxes continued to explain knowing she must know these things hoping too that it would occupy her mind until he could get her to Pacifica. Jessica did not fully understand she would rule Atlantis with him and teach their children to rule also.
Jessica’s, amazement by the advanced systems that kept the fifty square mile City running smoothly confirmed what he had suspected. “What do you think of our technology, wife?” Xerxes asked proudly when they settled themselves back in the yacht-sub.
“It is fabulous. Are all the citizens of Atlantis employed just keeping the City functioning?” Jessica asked.
“Of course not,” Xerxes answered slightly piqued. “I’ve taken you to the shopping plazas. We’ve eaten out in the restaurants. Some of our people are teachers. Our University may be small compared to the University you attended but our students have the advantage of teachers from other worlds and the opportunity to attend their Universities,” Xerxes smiled. “I have a degree in Engineering from Alpha-Centauri.” Then he laughed at the shocked look on his wife’s face. “Did you think I spent all of my time rescuing beautiful scuba divers?”
“No!” Jessica said, punching him in the arm.
“Now there is one more thing you need to see today,” Xerxes told her, “and that is the archaeological site that was the exit to the long entrance of the Pyramid you found in Lake Okeechobee.”
“What do you mean?” Jessica asked quickly, curiosity keen in her eyes.
“Had you and Bruce gotten to the bottom of the last chamber, the last one you found the day we collapsed your dig, you would have found a sarcophagus style submarine that would have taken the voyager through a many miles long tunnel to this site. When the Pyramid was built, my ancestors had constructed this end all but the last several hundred feet, and then they went to the Pyramid and completed the link. Those Egyptians thought my ancestors were gods. Had they not disobeyed the Lords of Atlantis and used slaves to construct the Pyramid they would have come back to use the entrance and thought of it as a voyage to the underworld of the gods. Your world history would have been much different from the way it is, had they not used slaves to build the entrance. But we humans are all the same,” Xerxes shrugged.
“That does explain why the entrance was never used, we could not understand that,” Jessica told him. “When we found the slaves’ graves, it saddened us.”
“As it did my ancestors,” Xerxes told her, “We abhor slavery as we do killing. What few slaves remained after the construction of the entrance became residents of Atlantis. I will show you the scrolls concerning that after the Antiquities Department has been set in order. Marcus has made a shambles of his department,” Xerxes explained.
“Today’s people,” he smiled at his highly intelligent wife, “you - would have known it for what it was. That is why we could not let you uncover it.” Xerxes explained finally answering some of the questions he knew Jessica had not found answers too.
He hoped Jessica would enjoy the sunken exit of the entrance she had discovered. Xerxes thought this would interest her enough to keep her mind occupied until he could take her to Pacifica to be with her parents.
It remained in flawless condition over the centuries awaiting use; any Archaeologist would consider such a site a fabulous find. At a depth of two hundred feet, the exit, built to resemble the doorway to a temple of ancient Egypt, presented two statues of Anubis, one on either side. Each statue had glowing green emeralds for eyes. Cartouches of intricate artistry explained what the function of the underwater structure was.
As Xerxes had hoped, Jessica became spellbound. “This does explain why there was a Pyramid in the lake,” Jessica said quietly. “I wish I could explain it to Bruce.”
“As I mentioned to you earlier, my love, we are going to need a new Antiquities Director perhaps he will fit the position.” Xerxes told her.
Using the opportunity to take his new wife in his arms, he tasted her sweet lips and caressed her breasts unbound beneath the sheer silk blouse she wore. He teased her nipples with the palms of his hands until they hardened under his touch. His tongue played with hers and hers fenced back, with a promise of more than play. Deftly his fingers undid her buttons to reach inside and more conveniently fondle the flesh of her breasts, warm and soft except those hard, taunt nipples. Jessica’s cool hands held his head to her breasts, her head back in rapture of the pleasure he gladly brought her, a sigh of her pleasure, his reward. Her hands caressed him in the ways of remembered dreams he had yearned for, and for long times never dared to hope for. Eagerly, it seemed, she pulled his shirt from the restraints of his shorts, her sweet hands smoothed over his bare ribs and he looked into her flaming brown eyes as she unfastened his shorts.
Xerxes knew paradise when her lips covered his, and she pushed him back onto the couch of their sub to lay full on top of him. He encircled her in his arms to hold her body to his as her hands explored him, and he found no will to stay her pleasure with his body. At last, when he could stand no more of the sensations she sent through him, he rolled her over beneath him, as she caught the treasure of his hardened staff in her cool hands he pushed her skirt above her waist. Her thong underwear put up a small barrier until Xerxes took the thin strap crotch and broke it between his strong hands with a lusty grin to kneel between her thighs. His fingers gently caressed her mound, his fingers bringing her immense pleasure, causing a flush to come over her face, Jessica groaned in pleasure. He stopped only to position himself between her thighs and suddenly join with her adored body. She gasped at the suddenness of his actions and reveled at the intensity of passion on his face.
“The nights I wanted you,” he said softly leaning forward with their bodies united, “especially after the night at your tent and then the night of the hurricane.” He delighted when her arms surrounded him, though he saw just a little fear of him in her eyes so fierce was his ardor. His mouth covered hers heatedly, his tongue thrust deep inside her mouth as he kept rhythm with her body. He heard her moan. “The thoughts of you after I bought those things for you at the mall about drove me crazy,” he whispered and his plunges increased almost to a punishing level.
“Xerxes,” Jessica gasped. “Please!”
“Please?” Xerxes asked hoarsely and his rhythm increased. Jessica’s body responded by meeting his intensity as fiercely. “You are mine now!” his arms clasped her to him in powerful possession. In the wordless minutes that followed, only their labored breathing, coupled with moans of passion broke the silence of the sub, muted by the surrounding fathoms of ocean water, until both found the depth of their lovemaking followed by the crest of the wave that brought their mutual climax.
Clasped in the other’s arms, joined as lovers for long minutes afterwards, Xerxes studied Jessica’s beautiful face in the low light of the submersible until finally they drew apart. With a laugh, Jessica picked up the remainders of her thong and turned an accusing eye on Xerxes. He smiled without apology of his passion for her.
“Underwear is cheap,” he said with a laugh and taking the controls of the sub turned back toward Atlantis and their home.
Jessica watched her husband skillfully handle their yacht-sub. He was full of surprises, just like Atlantis. Xerxes showing her the exit-entrance to the Pyramid was like a sign. Her discovery had come full circle, completed. Jessica’s thoughts turned to her parents. As intrigued with Atlantis as she was, not being able to communicate with, or see her parents, was taking a toll on her and quickly becoming more than she could tolerate. Jessica came close, more than once to telling Xerxes, she knew they were missing. She wondered if he knew, and feared telling her. She had to admit, if only to herself she did not trust him fully. Would he prevent her from leaving to find them? She wondered. She longed to ask his help to find them, but Jessica knew she would take the situation into her own hands, no matter the cost to herself. When it came down to it, she now felt responsible to Atlantis too, and Atlantis needed Xerxes here with her.
Jessica studied her husband, knowing with certainty she loved him. However, a storm raged within her she could not ignore. Somewhere on another ocean, her parents were missing, possibly marooned. Until she knew their fate, Jessica would know no peace. Her very soul hurt.
