18 Months Later
Noah stood on the porch watching Edgar Birkenshaw come through the door of the wall that surrounded his home. It would be only the third time he had seen his editor and even in the warm climate of San Miguel de Allende, the man was dressed in a dark suit with a conservative tie. It seemed counter to the reputation of Ravenscroft & Lingwood Publishing Ltd., one that published some of the most critically acclaimed contemporary fiction and some of the most controversial. Never judge a book by its cover he mused as he watched Edgar approach carrying his old dark brown leather satchel.
He had sent them the manuscript for his novel over a year ago, wondering if the enticement of paying half his publishing costs would induce them to publish it. He had been surprised to hear back from them a week later asking him to fly to Manchester to discuss arrangements.
“Edgar, how was the flight?”
“Dreadfully long. We had a three-hour layover in…oh for the love of god, where was it; oh, it was Houston, Texas. What a god forsaken place,” he uttered as he came to the three steps up from the courtyard and came to stand before Noah. “And how are you?”
“I’m great. So, what’s bring you all this way. Clara wouldn’t tell me over the phone.”
Edgar smiled. “She is a tight lipped one, she. Let’s get inside and I’ll show you.”
Noah opened one of the French doors that led into the main living room, allowing Edgar to enter in front of him. They moved to the sofas centered in the two-story space, and Edgar stood at the end of the sofa looking around the room. He gazed admiringly at the art hanging on the walls and the statuary positioned in strategic places around the room. He turned to the large opening leading to the formal dining room, one framed by two old columns and two steps up to the tiled floor. He could see the huge heavy wood table lined with tall, straight back chairs and beyond, the focal point of the room, two large black ink drawings.
“Are those…” Edgar began, turning to Noah, “Wendell A. Jones’ works?”
“Yes.”
“They must be worth a fortune. Ever since his death, his work has tripled in price. Even Clara has bought two of his later works, pieces from the nineteen-eighties. Or was it the nineties.”
“Yes, I remember them hanging in her office, and they were from early 2001.”
“Really? Those two…I don’t recognize them. When were they done? Do you know?”
“Why, yes. They are from his college years while at Troy University.”
“His college years!”
“Yes.”
“How did you acquire them; they would be some of his most valuable works.”
“My uncles left them to me.”
“Uncles?” Edgar replied, then laughed good naturedly. “Have you considered selling them?”
“No.”
Edgar heard the sharp tone of Noah’s reply, and he smiled. “I don’t blame you. They are lovely pieces. Shall we get on with it. I have a flight to catch.”
“Seriously, you’re not staying until at least tomorrow?”
“Afraid not, I must be in Frankfurt the day after tomorrow. There is a writer we’re considering publishing but I’m to check him out, make sure he isn’t like the main character of his book.”
“That bad?”
“Bad isn’t the word I’d use. Twisted is more like it,” said Edgar as he sat on the sofa.
Noah sat opposite him in an armchair. He watched Edgar methodically unbuckle his satchel then reach in, taking out two books, laying them on the coffee table. Noah gasp, shocked and thrilled to see his book in published form. He knew the release date was drawing near but Clara and Edgar had been tightlipped about it. The cover was black along the foredge gradually lightening from dark grey to light grey, then pure white along the spine. Down the spine, the title and his name in a semi-bold Kelson sans font: Darkness Descends by Noah Armstrong. On the front in the dead center, a white square with the title and his name in the same font.
“You’ve released it?”
“No, gosh no. We’re just getting ramped up on printing it. These are some advance copies. We wanted to get you to look it over and we’re sending it out to a few book critics and other authors for some reviews.”
“Is that your book?” said Enrique, coming into the room from the dining room. He was dressed in white linen pants, so sheer his boxers and dark tanned legs were visible, and a white tank top revealing his muscular arms.
“Yes,” said Noah.
“Enrique, so nice to see you again,” said Edgar.
“It’s good to see you, Edgar. Will you be staying for lunch? I’ll make sure Juana prepares enough for three.”
“No, I’m afraid I can’t stay. I must get back for a meeting in Frankfurt.”
“Wow,” said Enrique as he came over to Noah and sat on the arm of the chair, leaning against him.
Noah knew the tendency for showing affection. To touch and kiss publicly, something Skip rarely would do, but Enrique wasn’t Skip and it was natural for him to demonstrate such affection. “What do you think?” said Noah, holding up one of the books.
“It looks good. I was worried it would be too stark.”
“Well, you do prefer vivid colors.”
“It’s part of my passion,” joked Enrique, making Edgar blush and look away.
“Edgar,” said Noah, “when do you anticipate release?”
“We’ve scheduled it for seven months from now.”
“Will Noah need to do one of those book tours? Maybe in Paris and Berlin or maybe Tokyo?”
“Let’s see how it is received first. Have you considered what you’ll write next?” said Edgar.
“OH, Noah is—”
“Working on some outlines,” interrupted Noah, not wanting Enrique to let Edgar know he already had over a thousand pages typed up and wasn’t halfway through the story he had outlined. He hoped to do a series, four, five, maybe even six books, but knew Darkness Descends had to sell and sell well before he dared submit the manuscript.
“Very good. Some authors struggle with their sophomore efforts,” said Edgar as he reached into the satchel again. He took out a folder and laid it on the table. “This is some press releases we’ve created and need you to review them. Just send Eilidh your comments.”
“Eilidh?”
“Oh, she’s Clara’s new executive secretary. She’s a lovely young woman but a bit blunt at times.”
“Just what Clara needs.”
Edgar grinned but didn’t reply to the comment. He began to buckle his satchel.
“Now the reason for this in-person visit. We have to consider a possible movie deal and we need to discuss what you would be wanting.”
“Movie deal? Isn’t it too early for that?”
“No, not at all,” said Edgar taking out three folders. “Clara believes this is exactly the kind of story a studio might want to turn into a movie. Let’s go over the legal issues, then some of the suggestions of what to ask for should a studio approach us.”
For the next hour, Noah and Edgar talked about the options, the legal issues, until documents were signed and Edgar was putting them into his satchel.
“I must get going. By the time I get back to Santiago de Queretaro I’ll have just enough time to grab something to eat before I board the plane.”
“Next time plan to stay a few days,” said Noah coming to his feet with Edgar.
“That would be nice. The city, from what little I saw of it, seems nice.”
“It is and the food is excellent,” said Enrique. “And I know a little boutique hotel that would be perfect for you to stay in.”
Noah smiled at the reference to Enrique’s Uncle’s hotel; one Enrique still worked at despite telling him he could quit. “Or you could stay here; we have plenty of guest rooms.”
Noah and Enrique stood on the porch watching Edgar slip through the door back to the narrow street. Noah wondered where he parked, for there was very little space for parking until you got to the cross streets at each end of the block.
“Can I have this copy,” said Enrique, holding up one of the books.
Noah nodded, smiling at Enrique’s excitement, which seemed greater than his own.
That night, Noah and Enrique were lounging on the porch off their bedroom, one that faced a small private garden at the back of the property. Empty glasses sat on the small table between them, an evening beer to end the day.
“Are you excited your book is about to be released,” said Enrique.
“Immensely,” said Noah. He looked over and smiled.
Enrique saw the look, one now familiar. “You’re horny.”
“Yes.”
“Well, come here.”
Noah stood and moved to Enrique who sat up leaning forward. He felt the hands touch the back of his legs, then slide upward until holding him by the ass. A pull to move forward a little closer and he watched Enrique’s face push into his crotch. He felt the mouth manipulating his cock making him respond. He ran his fingers through the curly black hair then gently held the head feeling its movement.
Fingers worked his pants undone and tugged them down until they lay around his ankles. His boxers followed and Enrique captured his hardening cock in the mouth, and he shivered from the feel of it. He unbuttoned his light linen shirt and let it fall from his shoulders and down the arms until he stood naked. He struggled to hold still as Enrique sucked, manipulating his cock until he wanted more. He stepped back and held out a hand to guide him to stand.
Noah tugged the tank top off, tugged on the drawstring holding up the pants, loosening them until they slipped down to the floor. He grabbed the crotch, feeling the cock respond, then kissed Enrique as he worked the loose boxers over the cock and round ass until they fell on top of the pants.
He took Enrique by the hand and led him through the French doors to their bed. They playfully fell across it and kissed and touched and caressed the other. Enrique pushed him to his back and moved over him. Rocking back and forth, Enrique rubbed his ass over Noah’s cock until both needed their fuck. Enrique rose on his knees and Noah watched how the ass lowered to his cock then stretched open taking inch after inch. He squeezed the ankles as Enrique settled on his cock, the two of them moaning.
Enrique began to move, to rise until the cock was about to slip free, then back down. He kept up his movement, working his ass on the cock. Gradually he increased his pace and soon Noah was pushing upward, unable to just lay still. Enrique leaned back resting on one hand and took his own cock in the other. He worked his ass on Noah while stroking his own. His pace continued to increase until his ass smacked down on Noah’s hips. He stroked with the same rough physical pace, slamming his hand down to the base of his cock. He moaned and shuddered and kept fucking his ass on Noah’s cock.
“Enrique,” Noah uttered.
Enrique raised his head and looked at Noah with lust and desire and slammed his ass down all the way and held still. Noah swelled thicker, stretching the ass even more, and came. Enrique shuddered and cried out then came, shooting a thick rope of cum up his chest.
Noah lay on his stomach, feeling Enrique pump cock into his depths. His own cock pressed almost painfully into the bed. He clutched the bed as the cock hammered his insides. He felt Enrique moving over him, undulating with such seduction, provocatively, working the cock all the way into his depths. Lips moved along his right shoulder to the back of his neck as a hand took him by the chin and turned his head up and around so they could kiss.
Enrique then laced their fingers together and held him down as he rose up and fucked harder. The hips repeatedly banged against his ass until the bed rocked and squeaked beneath them. Noah felt his own cock swell thick then ejaculate another load as cock continued to pump into his ass.
“Fuck: Noah!” Enrique cried out, shoved into Noah’s depths, and came.
It was four in the morning, and Noah stood on the roof terrace looking across the city, with La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel towering over it. He slipped the rectangular comm from his robe pocket and listened to the message from his home world.
Commander Hvela Luka noe, I trust you are still doing well. S tar Phae has a new president, ZuxL stepped down. Apzara has been elected to the office, and he has been pivotable in negotiations with Czerwona, to come to a peaceful treaty between our worlds. We have high hopes of President Apzara being successful. If so, you no doubt realize the threats against the Earth will end.
You should know Apzara also has sent out ten research vessels, going out to areas of the universe we have not explored. One ship, the Sukphaph, will be exploring near the solar system you are living. There is one nearby that they want to study. If you find a need for assistance, the Sukphaph would be the nearest to you.
We have discovered a means of researching different dimensions of space. It holds a lot of promise. Maybe we’ll see results within our lifetimes.
We look forward to your next communication.
General Jezena Dorevic.
A swipe in the opposite direction, Noah held the comm to his mouth to record a reply.
“General Jezena,
“It was good to hear from you and peace with Czerwona is finally possible after such a long time. It would be a relief to know Earth is no longer in danger. I don’t think I could endure an assault and take over for I’ve grown close to the humans.
“The research ship Sukphaph being in this segment of the universe is duly noted. Maybe we can meet at some point to see what they have discovered. The shuttle is still hidden away ready for flight. It will take some time to get to it, four or five vrema klic at least.
“I’m still in the Latin culture in a place called Mexico and it is intriguing how they are so affectionate, so physical, and I must confess to being enamored with one of them. I know sooner or later, Enrique will need to be told. It was so rushed last time with Skip, and I fear to have that happen again I would not be so lucky as to maintain our relationship. It is fascinating to have a relationship with a human, so enthralling to the point I find my days a pleasure.
“Forgive me, I’m speaking without end. I’ll close now and wait your next comm, hopefully with good news about Czerwona.”
A circular swipe and Noah knew the message was on its way across the universe. He looked up at the night sky, picturing the planets, then out into the vastness of space, with its galaxies moving outward, each with untold number of stars. And among them his own galaxy, the one his star and solar system move within out on its edge much like this galaxy.
He dropped the comm into his pocket and headed back inside to return to bed.
Early Warning
The house was quiet because Juana had taken a few days off to visit her family in Puebla and Enrique was at work. The hotel was only a few blocks away, but he wished Enrique would quit and stay home. It was a selfish desire and knew a bit of time apart was probably good thing.
A glance at his watch and he saw it was time for the news segment he preferred to watch. One that focused on the day’s events and had no opinion pieces or editorializing. Most of it was dull dreary bullshit and he couldn’t be bothered to watch it. He picked up the remote from the coffee table and turned on the television, wondering if they could get rid of it. He knew Enrique liked to watch movies and he did want to see the news, so keeping it hung on the wall was a small concession.
The screen came alive in the middle of a movie and Noah flipped it over to the news channel. A familiar face filled the screen talking about the conflicts in the middle east, the storm in the Pacific Ocean heading toward the Philippines, and an election in Thailand.
The woman looked off camera, took a piece of paper from someone, and turned back to the camera.
“This just in from our correspondents in China. There is a virus infecting people in China, with reports also of Thailand, and South Africa, that doctors believe first appeared two months ago in India, before arriving in China. It has just been diagnosed in Spain, with twenty cases, one of which had been traveling in India less than a week ago. The doctors are struggling to identify the strain of the virus and how it is spreading so quickly. So far, China is reporting between 150,000 to 200,000 infections, and India is reporting slightly less, but doctors in the country think that number is low, for the virus is spreading in the rural areas where data is lacking. At this hour, the fatality rate is twenty percent, but doctors warn that in this early stage, that might be a low ratio. Wait…I’m getting word infections have been reported in the United States and in Mexico along the border with them. There are no details at this hour on the number of infected and if there are any fatalities. We’ll update as further information--“
Noah shut off the television wondering what was spreading through the human population. He worried it could make it to San Miguel de Allende or spread in the United States until in areas he was familiar. He told himself he was worrying for nothing but then thought about the virus that had spread in his people a hundred years ago, one that decimated populations in rural areas before they realized how aggressive the virus was in spreading and how quickly it reached the point of fatality.
Human science was primitive, but their medical research was starting to make strives that if research continued, they could start wiping out many of the diseases that afflicted them. They just needed to focus on the research. A lot of nations were progressing, but some seemed to be going backwards, cutting funding to research and even the medical care necessary to maintain a healthy society. It was as if they wanted to hurt themselves.
He considered leaving for Alabama to get the shuttle. It had some capabilities in analysis the medical doctors did not have. Maybe he could isolate the virus to help find a cure. But he would have to travel through airports or drive through areas with high infections, and what if the virus could latch onto his system. Could the doctors save him or would the differences with humans be enough to leave him vulnerable.
It was just after dark, and Noah and Enrigue were sitting across from each other in a small restaurant four blocks from home. It was a slow night, that left the restaurant feeling intimate. Candles lit the table within the dimly light interior and Enrique smiled at Noah playing footsies with him.
“Let’s pay and get home,” said Noah as a foot slid up his leg.
Back home they wasted no time going up to their bedroom. They shed their clothes and fell across the bed. They kissed and touched and whispered in the dark. While they made out, eventually Noah on his back with Enrique pushing into his depths, he didn’t think of some virus spreading through Mexico and the United States to their north. He only thought of Enrique, the physical nature of him, masculine, sexy, physical, and he clutched at the bed as Enrique fucked him.
The Tourists
Lucas stood at the base of Palenque Temple of Inscriptions smiling for Julian, who took his picture. They had arrived three days before in Cancun where they enjoyed the beach and the warm waters. Now they were driving toward Mexico City visiting a couple of historical sites on the way.
“Let’s check out the palace then get back on the road,” Julian called out.
They crossed the site to the old palace ruins where they would spend an hour exploring. After a lunch sitting in camp chairs behind their SUV rental, they drove north to 180 then west toward Mexico City. Julian behind the wheel listened to Lucas talk about their plans in city, the places they planned to visit and which restaurant he thought they should try after checking in at the hotel.
They had first traveled in the states, going from Yellowstone National Park down to the Colorado, hiking in some of the parks, then going up Pikes Peaks and down into a basement gay bar in Colorado Springs. They continued, going to the Grand Canyon, Gila Cliff Dwellings and even a ghost town, an abandoned place, turned tourist attraction. Eventually they found themselves in Tucson, wondering if it was time to return home, a place on the outskirts of St. Helena, in the northern end of the Napa Valley.
Six months ago, the lives of Lucas Williams and Julian Garcia changed in a way they had never dreamed possible. Lucas was forty and Julian thirty-four and they were retired from the daily grind of their careers they had developed. Lucas had run a laboratory for medical testing, one he had taken over from his father and enlarged eight years ago, then again four years later. Julian ran a landscape business, one that started out as one just doing installations, but he grew to include greenhouses to grow some of his own plants, then the hiring of a landscape architect to do their own designs. He had worked all up and down the Napa Valley, work that at times kept him busy six or seven days a week.
Lucas had been approached by a medical group wanting to buy Asclepius Laboratories. At first, he balked, for it felt like selling out to a big corporation but over the last few years, ever since he did the last expansion, it felt like the company was no longer in his control. The paper trails required by each hospital or medical group had been maddening. There was another offer, this one increased by over fifty percent and Julian told him he would be a fool to turn it down.
Julian went so far as to seek a buyer for his business, telling Lucas it was an opportunity for them to live free of the daily grind that they had been enduring. The long days, sometimes into the night for Lucas, the expenses and payrolls they had to keep track of and the accountants and attorneys and regulations.
What will we do if we sell? Lucas had asked.
Nothing. Travel. Relax. Julian had added other things they would do, but the initial response had been enough. The laboratory was sold and less than a month later, the landscape business to a large architecture firm out of San Francisco seeing an opportunity to expand up the Napa Valley with a business that would compliment their architectural design and construction services.
There was enough money put away to support them for the rest of their lives if they were not careless. After their initial travels their plan was to find a place to settle down, some place that would be new and more importantly, relaxing. A place they could call home, at least for a decade or two.
Julian and Lucas strolled back toward the hotel after dinner at one of the nearby Mexican restaurants. They walked side by side, brushing hands or bumping shoulders playfully. They smiled back and forth while talking about their plans for the next day, but both really thought about what they wanted to do once back at the hotel room.
Julian opened the door and let Lucas enter first. They moved to the end of the king-size bed and kissed. Then they began to remove the other’s clothes. Shirts were dropped on the floor, pants and boxers stepped out of, then Lucas led Julian to the bathroom. Slipping under the warm spray they kissed and touched and caressed each other. Hands took cocks stroking them to full erection. Julian guided Lucas to turn to the wall, and he pressed his body against him. He pumped his cock along the top of the ass and when Lucas stepped back and spread his legs, he put it to the opening and gently pushed through its tightness. He held the waist and slow fucked. Full penetrations and tugs outward, until he couldn’t hold back. He leaned against the back, kissing between the shoulder blades as water cascaded down the back and around his face.
Fucking with an urgency, hips smacking against ass, Julian kept up a steady pace. The familiar feel of his cock inside Lucas was too much. He wanted to bury it inside him and cum. He fucked to do so. He fucked until nothing mattered except Lucas and their fuck. He pushed inward all the way and shuddered with his release. He jammed his cock into Lucas with each ejaculation until finally spent.
Water droplets still clung to their bodies as Lucas led Julian to the bed. He moved over him, worked his cock between the ass cheeks, then pushed down to the opening and slowly, gently, entered him. He fucked with a slow pace, feeling every inch of his cock slid through the tightness of Julian’s hole.
Lucas felt his arousal increase, and he increased his pace, fucked harder until his hips smacked against the round ass. Julian moaned and begged him to fuck harder, and he increased his pace, fucking with a brutal pace until covered in sweat and it rained down on Julian. Then he came, shuddering and jerking with release.
Five days later, Lucas drove them into the heart of San Miguel de Allende where they wanted to explore the old historical city. They had reservations at a boutique hotel in the Centro district. After struggling to find a place to park, Lucas and Julian made their way back to hotel, looking into shops and restaurants along the way. They found the entrance of the hotel and were surprised to find a courtyard beyond the double front doors. It was lush, the pathways narrowed by the vegetation until they came to a sitting area to one side and up two steps, a peristyle ran the length of it. They walked up the steps and through the open French Doors in front of them into a lobby area. Behind the check-in counter, a young man with black curly hair.
Lucas looked at the name tag then up into the smiling face. “Enrique, we made reservations for a week. Lucas Williams.”
“Yes, we’ve been expecting your arrival. Let’s get you all checked in and up to your room. I think you’ll enjoy it, for it overlooks the courtyard but is at the back where it is quieter.”
“Sounds great,” said Julian stepping up next to Lucas.
It Arrives
Ana, one of the women on staff, came rushing into the lobby. “Enrique, there is a problem in room 9.”
“What’s the problem?” said Enrique, assuming it would be a plumbing or electrical issue.
“Mr. Williams asked for a doctor. Mr. Garcia won’t wake up and is burning up with a fever.”
“He won’t wake up?”
“No Enrique. Mr. Williams is very distraught. What should we do?”
Enrique pulled out his cell phone and dialed 9-1-1.
“Take them to Hospitals MAC,” said Enrique to the emergency tech climbing into the ambulance with Julian Garcia already loaded up and Lucas Williams sitting to his side. He closed the back doors to the van and stepped back as it pulled away.
“Will he be alright?” said Ana.
“He should be fine once a doctor looks at him,” said Enrigue.
Ana nodded and the two of them went back into the hotel as the crowd that had gathered around out of curiosity moved away.
Enrique entered the lobby to the television still on. “…there have been outbreaks reported in several cities in Mexico, the worst in Tijuana, Mexicali, and Ciudad Juarez. Reports indicate—” Enrique shut the television off so he could concentrate. None of the other guests seemed to have contracted the cold or flu Julian Garcia was suffering, but he felt uneasy for if it spread to others…it was something he didn’t want to think about.
At six, Regina came in for the evening shift, and Enrique gathered his things and moved to the side to let her take over.
“Anything I should be aware of,” Regina asked.
“One of the guests in room nine got taken to the hospital.”
“Oh no. Is it serious?”
“I don’t think so. Probably the flu.”
“Have you seen the reports of that virus?”
Enrique looked at Regina, knowing what she was suggesting. He didn’t want to consider it. There was no way a virus outbreak had reached the small city of San Miguel de Allende. “Yes, but those are north of us along the border.”
“There are reports in Mexico City.”
“Really? Well, there are a lot of people traveling to that city and through it, so I’m not surprised.”
“I hope you’re right. We still have room three and two available?”
“Yes; no, room three was booked this morning. They’ll be arriving in the morning.”
“So, no one showing up this evening.”
“No, so it should be quiet around here. I’m leaving, for Noah is cooking dinner.”
“Must be nice,” Regina replied, smiling at Enrique.
Enrique came into the kitchen to the smell of dinner cooking, and Noah moving about with his bright yellow apron on.
“Dinner is ready,” said Noah without turning around. “Grab some plates and we’ll prepare our plates from the range and sit at the island.”
For a few minutes they ate in silence, each lost to his own thoughts. Then Enrique turned to Noah. “We had a guest taken to the hospital this morning.”
“Really? Is it serious?”
“I think it might be the flu. But…”
“But?”
“Regina asked if it could that virus that is spreading around.”
“In San Miguel de Allende? No…you think so?”
“No, it couldn’t be…right?”
“I think not.”
When they finished, Enrique cleaned up the kitchen, then went in search of Noah. He found him on the small roof terrace off the second floor sitting room. It was the most isolated roof terrace, not visible to any of their neighbors and seemed lush with the treetops from the courtyard rising above it. Noah was lying on a chaise lounge and Enrique went to him, dropping one article of clothing after the next until he was naked and going to his knees by Noah.
“You want to mess around?” said Enrique playfully.
“I think I could be tempted,” said Noah, sitting up and kissing Enrique. He lay back and raised his ass to let Enrique pull his pants and boxers off. He unbuttoned his shirt as Enrique toyed with his cock. With the shirt open, a hand moved over his chest and stomach as Enrique sucked his cock. He grew aroused, cock thick and hard, and Enrique rose to his feet, took him by the legs and tugged him down until laying flat on his back. Then Enrique pushed his legs over and down, thighs tight to his chest. Cock penetrated him and he moaned as it sank into his depths.
Enrique didn’t tease him, instead he fucked. Fucked with long full strokes, pushing into Noah’s depths until hips pressed against ass. He fucked until not even the cool nighttime air could keep him from sweating. Then he buried his cock in Noah and came.
Enrique slipped out of Noah and stood by the chaise lounge, hand held out to help Noah to his feet. “Shower with me.”
Noah knew it would be more than a shower. Enrique loved to get fucked in the shower, warm water cascading over their bodies as he fucked him. He smiled, took the hand, and let Enrique lead him inside.
Noah woke with a start. Something wasn’t right or so he initially thought. He looked over to see Enrique’s side of the bed empty. Probably on a morning jog or downstairs making coffee. He stretched, climbed out of bed, and slipped on his robe. He opened the curtains and looked down in the courtyard, then out over the city. It looked serene. He crossed the room and entered the dressing room, then the bathroom.
“Enrique!” he cried out.
Enrique lay on the floor by the tub. He was sweating with hair matted to his face. Noah rushed to him. “Enrique! Wake up.”
Enrique mumbled something then fell silent. He felt hot, burning up with a high fever. “Fuck,” Noah exclaimed, then he rushed back to the bedroom to get his phone.
Fifteen minutes later the ambulance pulled up in front of their home and loaded Enrigue onto a stretcher.
“Let the doctor know I’ll be there as soon as possible,” said Noah, who then closed the door to the ambulance and watched it pull away.
He rushed inside replaying the night before when Enrique talked about the hotel guest getting sick and having to be taken away by ambulance. It was the virus, he knew it. The sickness was too quick in developing. He rushed to his study knowing he had to get answers, and the only way to get the answers he needed was to retrieve the shuttle craft from Alabama. He knew he should wait until nightfall, but he was worried that it would be too late. He went to the painting over the small side table and swung it out revealing the safe. He pressed his hand to the screen and unlocked it. He pulled out the device given to him when he got the shuttle so many years before. He went to the window and looked out at the blue sky. He was taking a huge chance to engage the homing device during the day, but he saw no other way. He rubbed his finger along the white device, then the motion showed to him for engaging it.
A Tributary of the Tombigbee River
Leroy guided his fourteen-foot fishing boat along the slow-moving waters of the tributary. They had passed Round Island and three houses. How people lived in such a remote place he didn’t know. He knew his place over in Little River wasn’t close to Mobile or even Monroeville or Atmore, but to be living between the Alabama River and the Tombigbee in the low-lying floodplain was too much even for him.
“Buster, could you live out here?” Leroy asked.
Buster cast his lure near the edge of the grown-up bank and began to reel it in. “Hell no. You’d have to drive so far for everything, even to get a beer,” he joked.
“Katy says they’re crazy,” said Leroy referring to his oldest daughter.
“She’s probably right. Leroy let’s move on down to that place where the river widens into that large circular area. We’ve had luck there before.”
“Where that stilt house is located,” said Buster, referring to a house built out over the water.
“Yes, that’s it, and speaking of crazy, can you imagine living out over the water.”
“Probably better than under the trees. You know the goddamn mosquitoes would tote you off.”
Leroy pulled up the electric trolling motor and started the 20 HP motor. The old motor idled roughly at first, pumping out blue smoke then settled into a smooth idle. Leroy engaged the propeller and eased forward making their way south.
The river meandered to the right and Leroy followed it until they came to the place where the river widened, and he shut off the motor and let the boat coast. He was lowering the electric trolling motor, when he heard Buster moving around carelessly and looked up to see what the old fool was doing.
“What’s the matter, Buster?”
“Leroy, look out yonder,” said Buster pointing toward the middle of the body of water.
The surface was rippling as if agitated by something below. Fish began to jump out of the water as if trying to get away from some predator. Then there was a slight swell of the surface, then a black object broke through it, slowly rising.
“What the fuck is that?” said Leroy.
“I don’t know, but get us out of here,” said Buster.
Leroy fumbled around for the key in the starter and eventually had the old motor running again. But before he could get them moving back up river, the black object was hovering over the water. It was over a hundred feet long and shaped like one of those alien spaceships he had seen in a movie his daughter had watched a few times.
“Son of a bitch,” uttered Buster as the craft went from black to the colors of the sky beyond it and if they hadn’t seen it rise out of the water they might not have noticed it, but they could see the slight distortion along the edge of the craft. It hovered for only a few seconds, then rotated around until facing southwest and rose higher. It rose until they couldn’t make out its distortion of the sky. Then they heard a sound like rushing air.
Buster sat staring at the sky and Leroy looked around to see if another boater or someone at the stilt house was there that could confirm what they had seen. No one would believe them. Would call them crazy or make fun of them as just two more dumb hicks who were seeing things if they told of the black craft that rose out of the waters.
“Hey Leroy, pass me a beer will ya,” said Buster with a dead tone.
“Sure thing. I think I’ll another one too,” said Leroy opening the cooler to take out two Budweiser cans.
Buster took the can, popped the top, and took a long drink as he faced forward. Without turning around he spoke up again. “Well, I have never…”
“You never what?”
“For a hot minute, I thought I saw a spaceship rise out of the water. Did you see it?”
“No, I didn’t see anything.”
Buster turned and looked at Leroy, then laughed. “You goddamn liar.”
The Virus
Noah was on the east side of the city in an empty lot, one prepped for some construction, probably a residential project. He was looking up into the sky for the shuttle. His monitor showed the shuttle drawing near. He looked for the shuttle, looking for some distortion in the sky.
He wanted to be at the hospital to be with Enrique, but if Enrique had the virus, he needed to act quickly to find a cure for it. He was taking chances, doing numerous things that could expose him, but he didn’t care. He had to save Enrique.
He heard the shuttle before he saw it. His monitor showed it was coming in from the northeast and he watched the sky until he could see the distortion of the sky that revealed the outline of the shuttle, and once he saw it, he was able to follow it all the way to the ground, where it landed in front of him. The stealth mode powered down revealing the black shuttle. The rear door lowered, and he ran to it, up the ramp, and inside. He rushed to the lab, stopping in the middle of the room he had not been in for a very long time. He looked at the equipment, slowly turning until he saw what he was looking for. It wasn’t large, not much larger than a shoebox, but he knew its capability was far beyond anything the hospitals or their labs had. He grabbed it up, ran back to the rear of the shuttle and down the ramp. As he crossed the lot heading toward his Land Cruiser, the ramp closed on the rear of the shuttle, the engine came back online, and when he climbed behind the wheel, the shuttle lifted off. He had it programed to go out over the Gulf of Mexico and set down. Someplace close and less likely to be stumbled upon, and at the bottom of the Gulf waters, no one should do so.
Driving recklessly, too fast, Noah rushed back into the city heading to the hospital. When he came into the city, the traffic its usual congestion, he took alternate routes working his way across the lower half of the city until he was pulling into the parking lot and sliding into a parking space.
He rushed past a security guard into the lobby seeing others waiting with terrified or worried expressions. At the front desk, he stopped, finding himself breathing as if out of breath.
“I’m here to see Enrique Garcia. I had him brought in about an hour ago.”
The woman on staff looked at her computer monitor then pointed toward double doors to Noah’s right. “Down the hall to the ICU. Someone there can show you which room he is in.”
“Thanks,” exclaimed Noah rushing toward the doors.
It wasn’t far, and Noah found himself standing at another counter. “Enrique Garcia?”
“You’ll need to put on a gown and mask,” said a nurse coming out of a side room before the one at the counter could reply.
“Yes, whatever it takes.”
“And what is that?” the nurse asked pointing to the box. “No food allowed—”
“It’s not food. It’s…”
“Okay, good,” the nurse replied before Noah could make up a lie.
Wearing a mask and gown, Noah entered one of the ICU wards, finding there were four beds in the room, all occupied. As he passed the first two, he glanced at the names on the clipboards hanging off the foot of the beds. Isabella Alvarez on his left and Julian Garcia on his right. As he neared the next two, Enrigue in the left bed, he noticed an Englishman in the right one, and he glanced at the name out of curiosity: Lucas Williams.
The virus was spreading in the city and Noah felt helpless, afraid, and looking at Enrique, like something was about to be taken from him. Something precious that he loved very much. He rushed to him, seeing how Enrique looked comatose. He set the box on the bed, opened the end of it and slipped the left hand into it. He started its analysis and waited. Would it know how to address human biology he wondered when the screen that became visible on top lit up blue, then red. He read the S tar Phae language as best he could, realizing the machine stated: no known cure.
Noah was holding his breath because if he breathed, he would cry out or simply cry. He turned and looked at the others, deciding to try again with one of them. He went to Lucas Williams and slipped the left hand into the device. A minute later, the same message appeared. “No,” Noah uttered. He picked up the box and stepped back trying to work out what to do. Then he rushed out of the room.
Noah found a stair and hoped it would go up to the roof, where he could be alone. He rushed out the door at the top of stairs onto a white roof where roof top equipment sat scattered around its area. He moved to the parapet that allowed him to look out over the front grounds of the hospital and pulled out the comm device.
It took a minute, but Commander Svshada came on. “Commander Hvela Luka noe, I can tell immediately this is not a social call. Something of an urgent nature?”
“Yes. I used the medical analysis device from the shuttle, but it came back with no known cure. Can it not solve the problem of a virus spreading here on Earth?”
“The device is for medical emergencies that a shuttle may encounter and it’s not programmed for medical analysis of unknown viruses or diseases, especially for a new species.”
“Then I have no hope.”
“We have that capability on the Sukphaph.”
“But how far out are you? We are fast running out of time. This virus is aggressive and fatal in a large number of people.”
Noah heard the commander speak to someone but away from the comm and he couldn’t understand him. Then the voice came back clear, directed into the comm. “We’re plotting a course to Earth, arriving in…eighteen Earth hours.”
“Oh, thank you, Commander. I hope you are in time to save Enrique.”
“We’re accelerating to maximum speed now. Turn the Kar machine back on so we can retrieve the data from it and start analyzing what we’re dealing with.”
“I’m turning it on now,” said Noah. “Let me know when you arrive and I’ll meet you somewhere outside the city.”
“Once in orbit, we’ll assess the situation and notify you.”
Noah stood for a minute wondering if they really could get there in time or if he would lose Enrique. Humans were so fragile and yet…he had come to love them. He thought of Skip and the long life they shared. He thought of Enrique wondering if such a life would be taken from him.
Noah left the cafeteria having placed his tray with a barely touched meal on it onto the conveyor belt. He moved down the corridor, until back into the ICU. He saw the worried looks of nurses, a doctor rushing out of one room and into the next one. He came to the room Enrique was in and found two men in white putting Isabella Alvarez on a stretcher, the white sheet pulled over her head. He choked and staggered, catching himself on the wall. He moved to the side as they wheeled her out of the room, their faces concealed by masks, but he could see the terror and fear in their eyes. He looked at the two men across the room seeing both were comatose and sweating profusely. He moved to Enrique sitting by the bed. Enrique was pale, sweating profusely, and shivering.
Noah glanced at his watch. It had been nearly seventeen hours since his communication with the Sukphaph. The ship should arrive in one hour, an hour Enrique may not have. He sat back and stared at him, his mind unfocused, no clear thought about anything happening. He felt a tear trickle down his cheek, and he wiped it away. Was this how it ends for Enrique and him?
A commotion in the corridor and he looked up in time to see through the narrow window in the door two nurses rush by. He looked at his watch again, then back to Enrique. The only sound in the room, the soft beeping of three monitors.
An alarm sounded, and Noah jumped looking at Enrique, then his monitor. But it was normal, the soft beep of the heart rate and for a second, he felt relief it wasn’t Enrique. Then he realized it was Julian Garcia who had stopped breathing. Death had come for him, and Noah didn’t know if he could endure it, sitting in a room where people were waiting to die. Then Enrique’s monitor started alarming.
“NO!” Noah cried out, jumping to his feet. He put his hand on Enrique’s chest seeing the look of death coming over him. “No, not like this,” Noah uttered.
“Stand aside Hvela Luka noe, let me get to him.”
Noah turned and saw the white hood and suite, one like humans wore in hazardous conditions. The suite concealed someone who was very different from humans. He saw them place a small cylinder to the neck, then place a blue square on the chest. It glowed blue, then red. Enrique jerked, then lay still. The square glowed blue, then red again. Enrique gasped for air and opened his eyes.
“Enrique!” Noah cried out and leaned down close.
“He’ll be fine. I’m Doctor Chi Zak of the Sukphaph. I cannot remain here, so you much help the others. This is the cure and this is to revive those just deceased,” holding out the cylinder and blue square.
“Help the others,” said Enrique in a barely audible voice.
Noah grabbed the two devices and rushed across the room where a nurse had just arrived for Julian Garcia. He didn’t wait to explain, repeating the sequence Dr. Chi Zak had performed on Enrique. The cylinder to the neck to release the drugs, then the square on the chest. It glowed blue then red.
“What are you doing,” cried the nurse reaching for the comm.
Julian gasped for air, and he opened his eyes. The nurse, her hand hovering in space toward the comm, looked down at him, then back at Noah.
“I don’t have time to explain, but this will stop the virus. Can I go to the others?” said Noah.
The nurse looked down at Julian, then over to Enrique who was sitting up. She turned back to Noah and nodded yes.
Noah went to Lucas Williams and injected the drugs into his neck, then he rushed out of the room to go treat the others in the ICU.
Noah treated those at the hospital then rushed up the stairs to the roof top. He came out into the darkness of night and saw Dr. Chi Zak waiting. Behind the doctor the lights of the city glowed but were distorted and Noah knew a shuttle was hovering over the roof in stealth mode.
“I don’t know how to thank you,” said Noah.
“I’m a scientist and doctor and it is my duty and desire to help those in need.”
“What about those in other hospitals; in other countries?”
Dr. Chi Zak held out a small device. “This is the data on the drug the humans will need to make. It is a simple thing, something they should have no trouble duplicating.”
“If it is so simple, why haven’t they found it.”
“It’s a trickly little concoction to get the ratios just right. Too much of certain components, and you’ll kill the hosts and not enough, it’ll make the virus’ spread speed up. For those here in the city, use that,” said Dr. Chi Zak pointing at the cylinder in Noah’s hand. There is enough in it to treat everyone in your city’s hospitals.
Noah smiled, then looked over the city. “I wish you could experience this place as I have. It is a beautiful place.” He turned to the doctor and held his hand out, palm down, and watched the doctor hold his hand over it palm up. Then the doctor moved toward the shuttle as the rear ramp lowered allowing him to step up on it. Within a few seconds the distortion that showed the shuttle’s outline rushed upward into the night sky.
Four Days Later
In what Noah considered an overabundance of caution, the hospital still had Enrique in their care. He wasn’t sure if it was to make sure Enrique was truly well, or to get samples from him to determine how the drug worked in his system. All Noah knew, it meant he was home alone another day.
He had gotten stir crazy and was strolling down the street heading to the small taco restaurant on the corner. When he entered the cool dimly lit interior, he saw everyone at the bar watching the latest news report.
“…the United States has reported a decline in cases of over seventy per cent and in Europe and China, similar statistics. It should be noted the CDC has pushed back on the use of this new drug by saying it can’t be safe, but so far doctors across the nation have been ignoring them. There are no reports of any adverse reactions to the drug. The cure is reported to come out of San Miguel de Allende, a small city in Mexico, not known for any research laboratories, so there are many scientists questioning how they could accomplish what they did, or even if the cure came from their city. Scientists from…”
Noah moved to the dining room, tired of the reports on the virus.
“Noah, what can I bring you?” the waiter asked.
“Three tacos al pastor and a beer.”
“Coming right up,” the waiter replied as he turned to head back to the kitchen.
Noah sat back and reflected on the last few days. The relief of Enrique well again, even the others at the hospital. Enrique had befriended the two men across from him and made plans for everyone to have dinner together once released from the hospital.
When this over, he would take Enrique to Rio or maybe New Zealand for a vacation. The relief he felt gave him such happiness. His cellphone beeped with a message.
We were going to hold off on publication until next year, but with the virus under control, look for a mid-October release date. Edgar.
Noah texted back his thanks as the waiter sat his lunch down in front of him. “Thanks” he said to the waiter who asked if he needed anything else, then excused himself to let Noah enjoy his meal. Noah took a bite savoring the tender meat. He chewed slowly, taking his time, for he had nowhere to be.
A shadow fell over the table and Noah looked up. A young man stood by his table with a grin and Noah was shocked to see someone from his long ago past. “Prvi Kovek? What brings you to…the neighborhood.”
Pri Kovek had been his first officer before his mission to Earth, and to see him in San Miguel de Allende was a shock. Pri Kovek motioned to the empty chair opposite.
“Yes, sit,” said Noah.
“I was in the…neighborhood, as you call it, and wanted to see my old commander.”
“Are you on one of the research missions?”
“Yes. We’re flying out to what the humans call the Andromeda Galaxy to help the Sukphaph with their studies of the planets around one star. It seems there is one is in an early evolutionary stage, but it has a promising atmosphere, much like our own, and it could be an outpost for us for our explorations.”
“That close. The people here would be surprised.”
“They still looking through telescopes watching the stars?”
“They have made some progress, putting them into orbit.”
“So, just two or three generations and they should be ready for space exploration.”
“More like six or seven…or more,” said Noah, thinking of the shorter lifespans.
“Is that eatable?” said Pri Kovek, pointing to Noah’s food.
“It is delicious. You should try it. Waiter!” Noah called out, summoning his waiter to the table. “My friend would like the same and to drink…” Noah looked at Pri Kovek and grinned mischievously, “a beer.”
With the waiter gone to the kitchen, Pri Kovek turned back to Noah. “Commander Sushada said they had to give assistance to you. Something about a virus.”
“Yes. It was a nasty one. Not extremely contagious but it could materialize in one’s system quickly and after a few days, it was fatal for far too many.”
“Your partner was saved?”
“Yes, thankfully.”
“Good.”
They sat in the small restaurant for nearly three hours, enjoying lunch, then a few beers as they caught up then discussed Pri Kovek’s mission. When they finally came out of the restaurant, it was the hottest part of the day with the sun blistering.
“This place is as hot as Vatrena Plana.”
“No, it’s not,” Noah replied playfully.
“Yeah, nowhere is as hot as that place.”
“How long can you hang around?”
“I must be going, but it is good to see you, old friend.”
“Where’s your shuttle?”
“I’ll never tell,” Pri Kovek replied with a smile. “But it’s not far. You take care of yourself, and if you need assistance, call me. I’ll be on the Okrice.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, and when you come back this way, please stop for a visit.”
“I’ll do that. Now I must be on my way.”
Noah watched his former first officer as he walked down the street to the next intersection and turned left. He pictured what was along that street, remembering there were three empty lots on the far end, wondering if Pri Kovel would have dared to set down so close.
Good Times
Noah ladled the soup into the large serving bowl as he listened to Enrique tell Julian and Lucas about their plans to go to Brazil in a month. He smiled at the excitement he heard in the voice. He had reconsidered Brazil, wondering about taking Enrique to New Orleans or Key West, but with troubling news about the situation in the United States, he had no desire to go back.
Turning to pick up the lid for the bowl, he saw Lucas coming into the kitchen.
“Can I help with something?”
“Sure, the bread is in the oven. If you can put it in that basket, you can bring it to the table,” said Noah pointing to the basket with a white cloth draped over it. He covered the soup and headed to the dining room as Lucas opened the oven to take out the bread.
Bowl set in the middle of the table, Noah took his seat next to Enrique as Lucas came back, set the basket next to the soup, and took his seat next to Julian.
“Let’s eat,” exclaimed Enrique.
For the next hour they enjoyed dinner and conversation, Julian and Lucas telling of their travels, first in the states then in Mexico, and Enrique and Noah talked about life in San Miguel de Allende and their plans to go to Brazil.
When a pause in the conversation fell over the room, it was Noah who spoke first, turning to Julian. “You mentioned finding a new place to live, somewhere outside the states. Have you considered San Miguel de Allende?”
“Since arriving here then getting sick, we have not discussed it further, and I don’t know what Lucas thinks, but I would love to live here.”
“Me too,” said Lucas as he squeezed Julian’s shoulder.
“I know a real estate agent,” said Noah.
“What about the place over on Arboles?” said Enrique.
“I don’t know what it looks like, but it is in the Centro district.”
“It would be similar to your place?” said Lucas.
“I think it is only a two-bedroom house, but my uncle said the courtyards are lovely.”
“Sounds perfect,” said Julian. “We don’t need a six-bedroom place, like this.”
“Neither do we,” said Noah. “I just fell in love with the courtyards and how the living and dining rooms open up to the main one.”
“And it has room for his art collection,” said Enrique.”
“It is quite a collection, especially those two pieces,” said Lucas pointing to the black ink drawings over the sideboard.
“Those are special to me,” said Noah, then wanting to change the subject, “shall I call Ramon so you can look at that place on Arboles?”
“Yes,” said Julian.
The house was quiet, their guests turned in for the night in one of the guest rooms, as Noah and Enrique moved against each other on the bed. They kissed and touched and caressed until both were achingly erect. Enrique rolled Noah to his back and sat over the hard cock. He rocked his hips back and forth, rubbing his ass over it, feeling its girth. His own cock hovered over Noah’s stomach, so erect the foreskin was pulled back revealing the dripping wet head.
“Oh…Noah…” uttered Enrique as he kept moving, the undulation of his body so sensual, so erotic, Noah clutched at the bed to keep from shoving upward against it.
Enrique rose on his knees and held Noah up. He worked his ass over the wet head, back and forth, stroking Noah’s arousal until he felt him push upward. He centered his opening over the cock and let his weight carry him down. Slowly, he stretched open taking the head, then inch after inch of the thick shaft. He eased down until over half of it was inside him and he held still adjusting to the penetration.
Noah held Enrique by the ankles trying to control himself. He slowed his breathing and fought the urge to push upward. He wanted to feel Enrique’s depths around his cock. He wanted to feel the ass against his hips. When Enrique began to move, he shivered with the feel of the ass moving on his cock. He looked at the lean muscular body, how it moved, such a temptation to his desires…to his sex. He watched as Enrique moved up and down taking more of his cock until finally coming down on his hips. Then he threw his head back, closed his eyes, and focused on the feel of their fuck.
Enrique moved up and down the full length of Noah, rose until the head nearly slipped free. He moved with a steady rhythm, feeling his arousal increase. He held his arms up and behind his head, stretching his torso as he worked his ass on the cock. He moved sensually, feeling his sex and the need to please another.
Enrique increased his pace, worked his ass up and down with increased urgency. The bed rocked beneath them, and the room seemed to close in around him, nothing in focus except Noah and the cock he was moving on. He grew hot, sweat trickling down his face, chest, and back. He felt this heat, this loosening of his body, and he moved with it.
“Enrique!” Noah exclaimed.
Enrique knew Noah was close, too close, and he stopped, cock buried in his ass. He leaned forward and they kissed with such desire and passion it left them breathless. He felt Noah’s hands rub over his sweaty back down to his ass holding each cheek.
“I love you,” whispered Noah.
“I love you,” Enrique whispered in reply.
Enrique sat up and worked his ass on Noah’s cock. He moved with an urgency. His own cock drooled on Noah’s stomach and as he increased his pace began to smack down on it. It pushed his arousal until he was gasping for breath. He leaned back until resting on one hand, taking his own cock with the other. He stroked his dripping cock until his cock was wet and slick in his hand as he worked his ass on Noah’s cock. He moved faster as his arousal increased. He moved with such physicality that soon his ass smacked down on Noah’s hips and the bed rocked beneath them.
There was no holding back this time. Enrique fucked to cum and to make Noah cum. He fucked until his body glistened wetly in the dim light and his breathing was ragged. He moved until his muscles ached and his cock became so sensitive he shuddered and jerked. Then he came, cock erupting with a thick wad of cum that hit his chin and roped down his chest. And his cock kept erupting with wad after wad, covering his chest and stomach.
Noah saw Enrique grew close, the telltale signs of a man about to cum. Then he saw the white cum land across the chest up to the chin, stark against the dark skin. He felt Enrique’s release, how the ass spasm around his cock, and he fell back and stiffened as his cock swelled thick locking Enrique in place. Then he came, erupting in Enrique’s depths, pumping out wad after wad until finally spent.
Lucas leaned on the small roof terrace parapet off their bedroom feeling the warm night air over his bare skin. He was naked, bent over, taking Julian’s fuck. He felt the hands holding his waist, lips touching the back of his neck then move across his shoulder. He felt the cock pumping into his depths, moving in a steady rhythm.
Since their release from the hospital and getting most of their strength back, they couldn’t get enough of each other. They clung to each other in private moments, kissing with passion and desire and love. When around Noah and Enrique or out in public, they touched and caressed and were playful. And when they had sex, as now, they fucked with such passion it made them breathless.
A hand moved up his side, up his neck, until it was cupping his chin and it turned his head to the side so they could kiss. The other hand moved around his waist and took his cock, stroking it until the hand and it were slick. He shuddered and pushed back on Julian’s cock. He bent forward, hand braced on the parapet and spread his legs, and thus his ass, giving himself to Julian’s fuck. Hips banged against his ass with a steady fast pace.
“Lucas…”
“Yes,” Lucas replied, knowing everything Julian meant with the utterance of his name.
Rocking with every shove into his depths, Lucas moaned. He sucked air through his open mouth. He struggled not to cry out aloud.
“Fuck…fuck me; fuck me,” said Lucas through clinched teeth.
Julian fucked. Fucked with a near brutal pace, hips banging against ass. He fucked until sweating and gasping for breath. He shoved into Lucas’ depths, over and over. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against the sweaty back. He licked at the salty skin. Kissed it, gently, in sharp contrast to the pace of their fuck.
“Lucas; I’m going to cum.”
“Do it; pump it in me,” said Lucas.
Julian stood straight, held Lucas by the waist, and fucked. Fucked hard and fast, smacking against the ass. He fucked until his toes curled, his grip tightened, and he shuddered with release. He slammed into Lucas’ depths and jerked and shuddered and tried to jam into him deeper as his cock shot wad after wad.
Lucas had not come, and his cock stuck straight out and dripping. He guided Julian to the chaise lounge and down on his back. He took Julian’s offered legs and held them to his chest, pulling him down lower on the chaise lounge with ass pulled up for his cock. He moved to it and penetrated it. Julian was still loose and wet from their first fuck, and he pushed inward all the way. He buried his cock inside him and fucked. He fucked with a steady pace as he watched Julian stroke his own cock. He watched him get fully erect, pleased with how quickly Julian was aroused again. He took the legs behind the knees and pushed forward, then down, folding the lean body in half, and he fucked harder, desperate for release. He fucked until Julian was moaning and pleading with him to fuck even harder. He fucked until the sound of hips smacking ass seemed to echo in the air around them, then he shoved into Julian’s depths and came.
Lights were turned out, and the house in the heart of San Miguel de Allende grew quiet. The four within drifted off into an exhausted sleep, each couple snuggled together relishing the other’s warmth as the nighttime grew cooler.
Two Years Later
Enrique stood next Noah, looking in the sky for what, he wasn’t sure. The story Noah had told him was outlandish. Crazy talk that made him question Noah’s sanity. There was no way any of it was true. It had to be Noah fucking with him, like he had done about the Pulpo Frito served a few days before, telling him it was chitlins. But he stood in the isolated landscape south of the city, looking up into the sky for something Noah called a shuttle, which sounded like a normal airplane to him.
“There, coming over the ridge,” said Noah.
Enrique looked where Noah was pointing about to tell him it was bullshit. He hadn’t seen anything in the clear blue skies, then he saw it. Some distortion that seemed to have a shape. It grew larger, quickly, until hovering over them and he heard the rush of air off it. It eased down, blowing up dust, then grew quiet. The reflection of the surroundings faded, and a black craft became visible. It was no airplane.
“What the fuck,” uttered Enrique.
“I know everything I told you sounds crazy. Sounded like some sci-fi story I made up, but…there’s the shuttle that brought Skip and I back to Earth.”
“It can fly into space?”
“Yes.”
“Out to the edge of the solar system and back?”
“Yes.”
“You could take me to Saturn and back?”
Noah heard how the questions went from complete disbelief to a questioning tone. He opened the rear ramp. “I can take you there and back before dinner.”
Enrique scoffed, laughed as if he were losing his sanity, then he looked at Noah, the man he loved more than he could put into words. “Okay, take me there. Let me see for myself.”
Noah smiled. It was progress. “Come on, let’s get on board.”
In the flight deck, Noah took the central seat and motioned Enrique to take the seat to his right.
“We don’t need flight suits?”
“No, of course not.”
Enrique sat down as Noah closed the rear ramp, then engaged stealth mode. He checked the status of the fusion drive, cycled it up, then checked to make sure the shuttle was properly sealed.
“Okay, let’s go. It could be a bit bumpy leaving atmosphere.”
“Right,” Enrique replied still not sure he believed it.
Noah turned on the screen showing the landscape in front of the shuttle. He lifted off, and the landscape fell from view leaving only the blue sky. They could feel the angle of ascent as they flew higher.
Enrique was holding his breath as the sky began to darken. Within seconds it became black.
“Okay, we out of Earth’s gravitational field,” said Noah. The moon was to their left and before them deep space. “I’ve plotted a course to Saturn.” The shuttle sped up, noticeably, pinning them in their seats. “We’ll be at half acceleration for about fifteen minutes.”
Saturn with its rings was before them. It filled the screen and kept getting larger as they drew near. Moons came into view and the rings cut across the screen, their extents too large for it. Noah maneuvered them closer, swung around Titan, then between the planet and the rings. He swung the shuttle over the rings, and they looked so close Enrique imagined reaching out a window and touching them. Then they flew closer to the swirling gas giant, the colors not as uniform up close.
“What do you think?” said Noah.
“It’s beautiful,” said Enrique, no longer sounding skeptical, but with childlike wonder.
Noah orbited the planet, then swung out to Enceladus, one of the other moons, using it to slingshot back toward Earth.
“You’re really from another world?”
“Yes.”
“And you’ve been here since…1957?”
“Yes.”
Enrique grew quiet, staring at the screen as they flew toward home.
“How long…I mean…you don’t have to go back anytime soon, do you?”
Noah heard the tone, one that sounded scared. “What? No, I’m not leaving you.”
Enrique smiled. He sat back and relaxed.
“There’s home,” said Noah, when Earth came into view. “I’ll swing around the moon, then back home.”
Enrique saw the moon come into view then it filled the screen as Noah maneuvered to do an orbit around it. The surface was as Enrique’s science classes had taught him, but then again, it was so much more detailed and interesting. The shuttle pulled away and soon Earth was growing larger in the screen. Enrique saw darkness spread across the Atlantic as the Earth spun around its axis. Mexico would be in the last half of its day, just as Noah had promised.
They entered the atmosphere and Noah engaged stealth mode as they descended to the place they had taken off.
“Can we go back up some day?”
“Yes, we can go whenever we want.”
“And visit all the planets and…” Enrique didn’t know what was out there to ask to see, but he wanted to see it, everything they had time for.
“Yes, of course. Should we invite Lucas and Julian?”
Enrique considered the question as Noah set the shuttle down and shut it down. He considered what Noah had shown him, just him alone, and it seemed important. Some shared thing between them.
“No, let’s keep this to ourselves.”
Epilogue
Julian and Lucas sat in a small bar, one Enrique had recommended. They sipped margaritas just killing time. A television behind the bar was showing a football game between Mexico and Brazil giving the place a lively festive feel. Then the broadcast was interrupted, and a news report came on with a reporter standing outside NASA.
“…reports are coming in that an unidentified flying object has entered our atmosphere somewhere over the Gulf of Mexico north of the Yucatan peninsula. NASA has refuted reports it was a secret military mission and have suggested the object may have been a meteor entering our atmosphere and probably crashed into the gulf.
Commercial and government flights over the Gulf at the time reported no sightings of a meteor or a craft. It appears…”
“Julian, we should buy a bottle of wine to take to Noah and Enrique’s tonight.”
“There’s a wine shop a block over. Let’s go after we finish our drinks.”
The game came back on, Mexico leading by one, and everyone in the restaurant cheered.
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