“Yeah man I was discharged a few years back,”

  “Ah, that’s tough. Hey, I can’t believe you’ve not met my wife yet,”

  Meanwhile Anna was lagging behind with her hands stuffed into her pockets. She worried about who the new guy was and why he was suddenly an addition in their runaway plan. Feeling like a third wheel, she let the guys get on with their catching up.

  She watched from behind at the way the new guy walked. A mean swagger propelled him forward with his arms swinging wildly. Anna thought he looked more animal than man especially with the shock of fair, curly hair that swung in the wind. And she couldn’t decide what look he was going for. Giant leather boots with huge metal buckles travelled halfway up his legs and a baggy, black coat covered the rest of him. He must have been part of some type of subculture but Anna hadn’t been exposed to any of them.

  Chuck pulled a big set of keys from his inside pocket as they approached a warehouse somewhere on the edge of the city center. Anna immediately didn’t like the look of it. The building was dark and tall with bricked up windows and barbed wire covering the perimeter.

  “What’s with all the secrecy?” she asked Chuck.

  He tapped the side of his nose. “Shhh…. I’ll tell you once we’re inside,” and he looked nervously to a delivery truck that drove passed innocently.

  Anna thought he was insane or at least paranoid. She watched as he rolled up a metal shutter. The noise made her jump but Carl squeezed her hand. He looked down to her.

  “It’s ok. I’ve known this guy forever,”

  “Why didn’t you tell me about all this?” she was angry and whispered through gritted teeth.

  “I just… just wasn’t sure it would pan out,”

  “Whatever,” she let go of his hand and crossed her arms in a huff.

  “This way guys,” Chuck spoke softly and led them inside the building.

  From what Anna could see it was a warehouse and as he rolled down the shutter behind them she jumped again.

  “Welcome to my humble abode,” Chuck bowed dramatically and laughed.

  “Still good to see you’ve got the operation up and running,” Carl walked over to a large piece of metal equipment.

  Anna didn’t know what it was and she joined him, running her hand over the smooth surface.

  “What’s this for?” she asked.

  “It’s a printing press,” Chuck explained. “You never seen one before?”

  She shook her head.

  “Well there’s a first for everything,” he smiled and moved in closer to her.

  Anna edged herself away. “What do you print? Like newspapers?”

  “Almost…. Magazines,”

  “About what? Why is it all so hidden? What’s going on?” she looked up to Carl angrily.

  He moved next to her and kissed the top of her head. Taking hold of her hand again he looked into her eyes and then nodded at Chuck.

  “Well I guess it’s time we brought you up to date,”

  ~

  Through the back of the warehouse was a large industrial kitchen, but it had been made homely by Chuck and his wife Mathilda. She was a thin, ethereal blonde with a doll’s face peppered with freckles and a penchant for the rockabilly style. She brought plates of food over to the table as she smiled through her vivid red lipstick.

  “Here you go guys! Vegan lasagne and gluten free bread rolls,” and she sashayed away.

  Anna looked to her plate and realized how hungry she was. She hadn’t eaten a proper meal in days and she dug her fork in eagerly.

  “You OK baby?” Carl asked as he ran a finger through her hair.

  She nodded as she chewed and Carl thought she looked beautiful despite her cheeks becoming fat as she stuffed them with bread.

  “So,” he continued. “I think it’s time I officially introduce you to Chuck. This guy here is one of my best buddies,” Carl outstretched an arm to his friend. “Known him since my old Navy training days,”

  “Yup! Except I was never cut out for a life in the military,” Chuck chuckled as he mopped up sauce with a piece of bread.

  “So what did you do instead?” Anna asked.

  There was an awkward silence across the table before finally Mathilda sat down and answered.

  “He illegally prints an anti-government conspiracy magazine. Don’t you sweetheart?” she kissed him on the cheek and he blushed.

  Anna wasn’t sure she heard right and stared blankly at Carl for more of an answer.

  “What’s an anti-government conspiracy?” she eventually asked.

  “Hey, it’s not as dirty as it sounds,” Chuck interjected. “I mainly write about aliens, the moon landing hoax, hybrid human-animal creations you know, stuff like that.

  But she didn’t know what he was talking about and asked, “What moon landing hoax? And how is that ‘illegal’?”

  “Oh God, don’t get him started,” Carl smacked his old friend on the back.

  “So what are we doing here? I mean, no offence Chuck,” and she looked to her plate nervously.

  “Well this good man has a side business and is somewhat of a master of printing,”

  “Well if you say so,” Chuck winked. “But yeah I can print anything you can think of. And I think I can guess what you’re looking for……Hmmmm… Would it be ID by any chance?”

  “Bingo,” laughed Carl.

  “But why? What’s going on?”

  “I won’t bore you with the details,” Carl began. “But we need my… friend over the border in the next twenty four hours and she doesn’t have a passport,”

  “Ooohh bummer,” smiled Chuck. “But yeah, that’s no bother. Anything for a friend,”

  ~

  Dinner passed slowly with the two men regaling the girls with tales of their Navy days. But after a while Anna started to feel her eyelids grow heavy. A clock on the kitchen wall read midnight and more than anything she wanted to go to bed. She looked around behind her into the warehouse and couldn’t imagine where the couple slept.

  “You tired sweetheart?” Carl placed a hand affectionately on her back and rubbed her gently.

  “Urgh… yeah,” Anna yawned and rubbed her eyes.

  “Well I’ll show you where you can stay,” Chuck stood up to clear the table. “Just give me two minutes,” and the eccentric couple disappeared over to the sink.

  Meanwhile Anna and Carl shuffled back into the warehouse area and found a dark corner.

  “I don’t like this,” Anna fumed once again. “What the hell is going on? You knew we were coming here the whole time didn’t you?” she pushed him in the chest.

  “Woah, calm down,” he held her by the shoulders. “Don’t get all worked up. I had an idea that perhaps he could help us out if we ever got to San Antonio. I promise. I wasn’t conspiring against you or something like that. He’s here to help us. He’ll get you a passport,”

  “He’s a freakin’ wackjob Carl…and a vegan. Plus he runs an underground, illegal alien magazine. That’s completely insane,” Anna felt as though she was about to tear out her hair.

  “Look I can understand that you’re on edge. You’re tired, stressed, terrified I get it ok. But we’ll be outta here in the morning and on our way. I’m here for you, you know that?” he held her under her chin and lifted her face to look him in the eye.

  She nodded sheepishly.

  “Yeah I know,” she sighed.

  Carl smiled weakly, “It’s just to get you a passport, then we’re done,”

  “I dunno. There’s still something that’s really creeping me out. How do you know this guy? And why does he owe you a favour?”

  “I told you, we trained together. Well… there’s something else but I’ll wait until we’re in bed until I tell you,”

  “And where exactly is this bed?”

  Anna huffed again and leaned against the wall. Despite the mild temperature the building felt cold and damp. She’d never wanted out of anywhere so much in a long time. Why did a married couple
live in a converted warehouse. Something just seemed so crazy. And Chuck… she imagined him going to sleep wearing a tin hat.

  “Hey guys, hiding in dark corners I see. That’s the spirit!” Chuck laughed heartily as he found them. “Now let me show you to your room,” he gestured with his hand for them to follow him.

  And he led them to a flight of stairs that looked as though it plummeted into total darkness.

  “I’m not going down there,” Anna was adamant.

  “I promise it’s not as bad as you think,” Chuck grinned as though he were onto a great secret.

  Carl squeezed her hand and dragged her down the stairs as Chuck lit the way with a torch. Once they reached the bottom they found themselves in the entrance to a vast, echoic basement. It looked like a scene from a horror film and came complete with the sound of indeterminate dripping.

  “What is this place?” she grimaced.

  “Ah this is just for storage. But don’t worry it’s not where you’re sleeping,”

  And Chuck jogged about forty feet into the center of the basement before resting over a manhole cover. He bent down and pulled a screwdriver out his back pocket. Unscrewing the cover carefully he placed the screws in his back pocket and lifted off the lid.

  “We’re not sleeping in a sewer are we?” Anna asked aghast.

  “Don’t worry, there’s no alligators down here,” Chuck smirked at Carl.

  “Come on,” Carl whispered.

  As Anna looked down into the manhole she was surprised to see there was no sewer. But rather what looked like a fairly ordinary room. Chuck bent down again and reached his hand under. Reaching a light switch he illuminated the room and Anna and Carl gasped as they were confronted with a beautiful bedroom.

  “Ladies first,” Chuck ushered Anna down the ladder.

  “Hey this is great!” she beamed up at Carl.

  She looked around and couldn’t believe that such a place existed. The room must have been about twenty feet long and came complete with a four poster bed, a mini bar, a large television and several computers. Pushing open a door at the end of the room Anna saw a bathroom that was as pristine and white as the one in their penthouse in Austin.

  “This place is like a spa,” she giggled to Carl as he jumped down.

  “Wow, I wonder what your own bedroom looks like if this is for guests,” Carl looked to his friend.

  “Ah, we have the whole loft space converted. It’s a real humdinger. But this place is just in case we get tipped off you know,”

  “Sure thing,” Carl nodded albeit with a sceptical look on his face.

  “Anyway I’ll leave you to it,” and Chuck disappeared up the ladder. “If you need me just ring the bell in the corner,”

  And the couple looked over to see a big, black box housing an oversized red button. Anna thought if she punched it a superhero might turn up.

  “It leads to the loft,” Chuck explained. “Anyway, see you in the morning and we’ll get that passport sorted. That’s when the printing presses are up and running. Anyway, you kids stay safe,”

  And finally the couple were alone.

  “This is…. Crazy,” Anna jumped into Carl’s arms now they had their privacy.

  “Sure is. I bet you’re glad my plan worked after all ain’t ya?”

  “Well….. I guess,” she laughed and bit her lip.

  Jumping onto the bed she jokingly pulled all the curtains closed so she was encased.

  “Hey,” Carl pulled one back and jumped in after her. “This is kinda sexy ain’t it? Enveloped in a four poster bed, just you and me hidden away somewhere safe for once.

  Anna ran a hand down his chest and kissed him.

  “It’s the most romantic thing ever,” and she leaned back to run her hand across the bed’s curtains.

  They were dark, red velvet and felt so soft she wanted to rub them across her face. Flinging herself back on the bed she felt how comfortable it was, so soft and big. She wondered why Chuck needed such a luxurious bed.

  “So I believe you have a story to tell me,” she traced her fingers along the side of Carl’s leg and he leaned over closer.

  “I do,” he held her hand and moved it to his groin.

  He was already hard and he breathed heavily as she cupped him in her hand.

  “Urrhhhhh…. I could just devour you right now,” he leaned in and kissed her biting at her lip playfully.

  “But aren’t you going to tell me how you know Chuck?”

  “Can’t I kiss you some more?”

  “No Carl,”

  “Fine,” he pulled away. “For a very short while I worked in a special forces unit. Chuck and I were close at the time but he eventually got discharged long before I did. That’s it,”

  “But special forces? What’s that?”

  “I can’t tell you. Or rather I might tell you some other time,”

  “Carl! I wanna know more. So you guys met in like… a super-secret spy job?”

  Carl didn’t want to answer any more and rolled on top of her. He pushed his hardness onto her and pinned her arms behind her head.

  “If I fuck you, will you stop asking questions?” he smiled.

  Anna could smell the heat from his body mixed with sweat. It was intoxicating and she rose her hips up to meet his. Breathing heavily she held her lips close to his and whispered.

  “I’d do anything for you,” she whispered.

  He moved his tongue into her mouth gently and felt her yield to his touch. Reaching his hand down, he pulled back the top of her shirt and let a nipple pop out. Holding it in his fingers he rubbed it firmly and felt it go hard in his hand. Sucking on it he longed to taste every part of her body and he pulled away to tear her clothes off.

  Exposing her breasts as he lifted off her top he grabbed them hard and held them to his face as he licked hungrily at her. Anna loved watching him so turned on, the way he moved and the way he gasped as he wanted more of her.

  Spreading her legs for him she placed her fingers on her clitoris and was surprised to feel how wet she was. Rubbing herself in small circles she made a little gasp that sounded like a whimper as she felt the start of pleasure throb inside her.

  “Is that good? You like that?” Carl asked as he unzipped his jeans.

  He pulled them down to reveal his penis that stood so erect it reached up passed his belly button. Gripping it firmly he began to pump it into his closed hand with his hips moving steadily. Even though he was pleasuring himself it had never felt to intense as he kept his eyes on Anna who’s fingers were moving slowly.

  She felt herself opening up to him as she ground herself on her hand. More than anything she wanted to feel him inside her. But as they looked into each other’s eyes there seemed to be an unspoken agreement as if they knew to hold off.

  “I know how much you love to be teased,” Anna winked as she bit her lip harder.

  “Oh yeah…. I just love to watch you,” he moved his hand faster.

  Within a few minutes he was close to orgasm and he pulled his hand away. He lay in between Anna’s legs and buried his face in her eagerly. She screamed as she felt him latch onto her and quivered as she felt the flick of his tongue. Gripping his hair hard she held onto his head as it moved quickly up and down. Then Carl began to suck and pulled at her clitoris with his lips. Feeling as though she’d cum at any second she pushed his head away.

  “I want us to cum at the same time,” she gasped.

  Carl leaned forward and affectionately swept away the loose hair that was clinging to her forehead. She smiled at him to signify she was ready and he eased on top of her. Kissing her sweetly he felt her breath tickle his lips. The warmth from her breasts touched his chest and he held them tight as he gripped her tighter.

  “What are you waiting for?” she asked.

  “I just wanna take my time,” he leaned into her neck and whispered.

  It sent shockwaves of goose bumps down her body and he giggled.

  “Come on… I need you right now,?
?? she breathed.

  “You don’t have to tell me again,” and he pushed her hands into the bed.

  Holding her in place he inched his way inside of her and felt her hot wetness caress him. He immediately felt a wave of pleasure and shook slightly as he tried to control himself.

  “Fuuuck,” he gasped as he slid in and out slowly.

  “Oh God, I’m so wet. Can you do it harder,” Anna moaned.

  And of course he obliged. Gripping her hands tighter he began to quickly thrust into her. He lifted himself up onto his knees so he could see her better and relished the site of her breasts moving in time to his thrusts. He stroked her body and traced his hands down the centre of her navel. He loved the feeling of the sweat on her skin and the way it made her sticky yet slippery.

  The more wet she became the more he wanted to be deeper inside her. Lifting up her legs he placed her feet against his chest and moved faster. She instantly began to scream.

  “Oh God! Oh GOD!” she cried out but she wanted more of him.

  She reached out her hands next to her hips and he grabbed onto them tightly to hold her in position. And she loved that he was in control and took charge of her body as if he owned it. She started to whisper something and Carl stopped moving. Crawling back on top of her he listened intently.

  “Carl…. Fuck me like an animal,” she rasped.

  He felt his heart race at hearing her words. Holding her by her sides and pushing her onto her front he held her by the hair and pulled back her head. She loved the roughness of it and the way the pain stung her scalp.

  “Now show me that ass,” he ordered.

  And she pushed it up in the air with her head still pushed into the pillow. He rammed his penis inside her hard and she moaned loudly. Her screams were so loud that Carl was petrified they could hear them upstairs, but he stopped caring the second he felt himself reach climax.

  “Urrrhhhhhh…. I’m nearly there Anna, I’m nearly there,”

  “Cum for me baby,” she yelped as she turned round to make eye contact.

  Seeing the look on her face was too much and he came hard and fast into her. Anna thought his groans would never stop as she felt him fall exhausted onto her back. As he lay on top of her she felt the contractions in him against her thighs and she smiled as she grabbed hold of his hand.

  “That good baby?”

  “Urghhhh fuck yeah,” he was still out of breath.

  She kissed his hand.

  “You’re so sexy when you cum,” he gasped into the back of her head as he felt his sweat mix with her hair.