Episode 39 Presents (part 1/2) (Patreon)

Episode 39

Zoe Andersen Routh

The grip of her husband’s hand on hers was tight, but not enough to hurt her. She found it amusing that Jack was visibly uncomfortable using the driverless car as they headed to the airport.

“You picked the option.” She gave him a look.

“I didn’t even know a driverless car was even an option.” Her husband replied, his eyes never leaving the road.

She was nervous herself, since this was the first time she was using this technology, but seeing her husband’s reaction was a good distraction. She remembered this was exactly how he looked when they took that hot air balloon ride during their honeymoon, and she knew the reason.

Jack didn’t like not being I control of the situation, and right now, she knew he didn’t trust this new self-driving technology to bring them to the airport safely. They were going on another trip, and this time she was meeting Jack’s side of the family.

There was no hope for booking airline tickets at this time of year, and they were prepared to charter a private plane to get to their destination. She remembered how this simple meeting evolved into a group vacation for her and their friends.

“Taylor, how do you charter a plane?” Her husband asked as he painted a room in Liz’s new house. The actress’s new home needed some minor renovation, and she decided to surprise her friend when she came back by using her free time to help out their friend since she was currently busy filming for the Star Wars movie. She couldn’t wait to see her friend’s reaction when she returned home from London in a few days.

It turned into a group effort when Taylor heard word of her plan and immediately volunteered to help as well along with Nickolaj and Jessica.

“Why do you need to charter a plane?” The tall blonde asked while she cleaned her brush.

“We’re going to inspect a property that I inherited from my father’s family.” Jack explained. “It’s in Martinique, in the east Caribbean.”

“It’s a Villa, according to the Dutch ambassador.” She added.

“A Villa?” Taylor perked up. “Can I come? I don’t have any concrete plans for Christmas.”

“Same here.” Jessica added.

“And you can use my plane!” The pop star now looked excited. “I’m thinking of buying a property on a small island for a vacation house. I was thinking about Hawaii…”

“…I didn’t even consider the Caribbean.” Taylor looked thoughtful. “So, can we come along?”

She shared a look with Jack and knew they only had one answer to that. “Of course.”

The decision made sense anyway, and she figured they would have more fun with their friends when they visited the Villa.

“Approaching drop-off point.”

An automated message chimed in from the autonomous car’s speakers. She saw the moment Jack relaxed as the car slowed down and finally stopped. Her husband got out first and secured their luggage, four bags in total, from the trunk while she stepped off the vehicle and waited by the entrance to the airport.

Since Jack was familiar with where to go, she merely followed him as he carried their bags as he swiftly made his way through the security checkpoints. She was looking forward to her first time flying on a private jet. Taylor did mention that the seats could recline into full beds, and there was even a queen-sized bed at the very back of her plane.

They soon reached a private hangar where she recognized the familiar faces of Taylor’s security team. Jack handed their suitcases to one of them, who quickly started to load them in the luggage compartment.

The engines were already spooling, and she quickly climbed up the steps leading to the cabin to escape the noise, which was giving her a migraine.

She looked around and noticed they were the last to arrive. After a round of greetings from her friends, she sat by the aisle seat and checked the items she had prepared for the flight. Water, mouthwash, biscuits with cheese, and a book were what she deemed the most crucial for the flight.

She got hungry at random moments throughout the day, and she still vomited during the mornings. It was worth it, though, as she thought of the new life growing in her womb. She had planned many things, like reading, catching up with Taylor and Liz, but as the pop star led her to the back room as the plane reached cruising altitude, the temptation to take a nap on those expensive-looking silk sheets and fluffy pillows won out.

Taylor Swift

“Did she stay up late?” She asked her friend, who had just finished tucking in his wife.

“No, she takes short naps throughout the day.” Jack replied. “Thanks for letting her sleep on your bed.”

“It was no bother.” She waved Jack off. “Besides, she’s pregnant!”

“I have to warn you about Zoe’s habit of napping. It’s infectious.” Jack teased.

“Isn’t that an old wives’ tale?”

“You’ll see it soon.”

Jack was annoyingly right. While he took a nap beside Nickolaj near the front of the plane, she, Jessica, and Liz lazed about in her room, mindful of their sleeping friend who was curled up on one side of the bed.

“So how was the principal photography?” Jessica asked Liz, who had just flown back from London the other day. Their two days of renovating Liz’s bedroom were worth it when she saw the tearful smile on the brunette’s face.

“Halfway there.” Liz answered. “We will resume filming after the New Year. There were some complications when the studio executives passed by.”

“What complications?” She asked. She experienced the same thing before when she was still working for another label. She hated those times when they could dictate and influence her music.

 “Some VP had the bright idea of attracting a male audience by sexing up my character.” Liz rolled her eyes.

“It’s a Star Wars film. They don’t need to do that.” Jessica spoke up.

“That’s what’s in everybody’s mind.” Liz answered. “But the VP mentioned those bikini scenes with Carrie Fisher. I think that exec just wants an excuse to see my ass.”

“So what happened?” She asked.

“There was strong pushback, of course.” The brunette leaned back in her seat. “With that said, Edwards already framed some of the shots with my ass at the forefront, and I understand that need for the boys. The outfit I wore isn’t very forgiving.”

As Jessica started to share her own experiences with horny executives, her mind drifted to the proposal sent to her by her team. She always wanted to act in a film, but she was scared that it would bomb like Mariah Carey’s Glitter. She wanted something more real and grounded, like 8 Mile.

The studio certainly knew of her love for felines and took advantage of it by sending the script for the film Cats. She struggled to understand the studio’s vision for the film and decided to ask the two veteran actresses about it.

“Have you seen Cats, the musical?” She asked during a lull in the room.

“Yeah, I’m familiar with it.” Liz looked confused. “Are you going to try out for theater?”

“No, they plan to make a movie out of the musical, like what they did with Les Mis.” She answered. She didn’t miss the look the two actresses shared when they heard her reply. “What?”

“It’s just that I don’t think Cats the musical will be a good source material to use.” Jessica admitted.

“It’s designed for theater.” Liz nodded in agreement. “The plot is thin if you look at it from a filming perspective.”

She didn’t think about that.

“Les Misérables sort of worked because it was designed like a historical film, with central characters, and a clear ending, a failed revolution.” The brunette continued to share. “I really don’t see that with Cats.”

“That’s why I asked both your opinions.” She sighed in relief. “The studio was talking about a week-long cat workshop if I decided to accept the role offered to me.”

“So, is it like a furry seminar where you lick each other?” Jessica laughed as she dodged the pillow she threw at the redhead.

“And what will you wear to look like a cat if you accept?” Liz asked. “Prosthetics? Body suit?”

“That sort of thing takes hours for full-body prosthetics.” Jessica shuddered. “I can’t even imagine suffering through that, and I wore those space suits for the Martian for twelve hours a day.”

She didn’t even think about that. She smiled, feeling relieved at having her friends close to her. Now she felt more confident in her decision to reject the offer from the studio.

“I didn’t know you were interested in moving over to film.” Liz mused.

“I just want to try it out and see the process.”

“It’s not that different from shooting your music videos.” Jessica shared. “Are there other offers?”

“I got an offer for the sequel to Zombieland as a side character.” She revealed. “That’s my second choice.”

“I suggest you take that one over Cats.” The redhead advised. “Anything else?”

“I did hear rumors about a Jumanji film.” That got their attention, and she smiled at their surprised expressions. Her team had deep connections.

“That’s even better.” Liz looked excited. “You should take that one. It’s a safe bet.”

“What’s a safe bet?”

They turned to Zoe, who was rubbing her eyes.

 “They’re making a sequel to the film Jumanji!” Liz answered. “Taylor’s thinking of dipping her toes in Hollywood by accepting a role.”

“I liked the original.” Zoe yawned. “How long until we get there?”

“About eight hours more.” She answered after taking a quick look at her watch. “Are you hungry?”

Zoe was indeed hungry. She ate the clubhouse sandwich for four people in one sitting and used the bathroom three times in an hour.

“He must be keeping you busy at night if you’re that sleepy.” Liz teased. “Are you guys still active?”

“We didn’t stop at all.” Zoe admitted. She could see the faint blush on her friend’s cheeks. She knew from her friend’s stories that they were a very sexually active couple and leaned closer to hear more after checking that the door was closed.

“You still do it?” She whispered.

At Zoe’s nod, they all laughed, sharing teasing looks. Contrary to common belief, women were just as horny as men, and she knew her gender just hid it better.

“Jack must have an incredible sex drive.” Liz commented.

“He does.” Zoe replied. “When he’s really in the mood, that’s when things get really intense.”

“Intense how?” She couldn’t help but ask.

“Imagine all that strength and power and using that to take control.” Zoe revealed. “If he’s in the mood, our foreplay gets a little aggressive. It’s a fun game we do, and if Jack wins, which he usually does, I just hang on for dear life as he pounds me relentlessly. That man has incredible stamina.”

Fuck. She adjusted her top as she felt the room getting warmer.

“I’m not complaining, though.” Zoe continued speaking. “He’s very generous and patient. That man gives the best oral sex.”

“He goes down on you?” Jessica gasped.

“Oh yeah.” Zoe stared at each one of them in the eye. “And when I tell you his tongue goes everywhere, his tongue goes everywhere. Nothing is off limits.”

“Yeah, I need a drink.” Liz suddenly declared. “Do you have anything strong here, Taylor?”

“There’s a bottle in that side panel.” She revealed.

“Screw it, I’m getting drunk early.” Liz gave Zoe a teasing glare. “No wine glass for you. You just have to sit there and share your sex life while I drink and complain about the last time I got laid.”

That set off everyone in the room, with Zoe and Jessica laughing while she fetched wine glasses and a bottle of water for Zoe. They each shared their own experiences and realized nearly all of them were in a drought.

“Maybe we’ll meet some hunks on the island, enough for a good lay.” Jessica laughed.

“If only.” Liz sighed. “We couldn’t just afford the risk to get a male stripper for a one-night stand in our line of work.”

“Why don’t we set each other up?” Jessica suggested.

That was a good idea. She remembered that stern, handsome cop during the party on the yacht she rented. His face was familiar, and he looked yummy when he saw him lounging at the yacht’s Jacuzzi. What was his name again? James? Jim?

“Oh, you mean Tim?” Zoe looked amused when she asked the question.

“Yeah! Tim Bradford!” She remembered he was there with Lucy as back-up to Jack and Angela when they first met.

“I think he’s still dating a girl, I’m not sure.” Zoe shared. “You could ask Angela. Those two are close like siblings.”

“I’ll do that.” She nodded in agreement. The other girls laughed, and didn’t realize she was serious. She hoped Angela could help her out.

Angela Lopez

She needed help.

It was like her stomach had another mind of its own. It would grumble when she smelled something nice, and decide halfway that it didn’t like it, and force her to throw up. Being pregnant sucked.

Caradine still allowed her to follow up on cases, but insisted someone go with her in her condition. While they waited for the new batch of rookies to show up, Nyla was assigned as her temporary partner, which she was fine with.

“I was sure I cooked the chicken thoroughly.” Her boyfriend tried to comfort her as she heaved in front of the toilet bowl by rubbing his hand up and down her back. It wasn’t working.

She had just learned she was pregnant, and wondered if she and the captain had conceived at the same time. Everyone at the station was excited when she revealed her condition, and the captain even looked relieved when she heard her announcement during the morning briefing.

Captain Zoe Andersen Routh was very helpful, and even helped her get in touch with her own obstetrician and gynecologist. She was warned about morning sickness, and didn’t realize how bad it could be until today.

Her day started awful. The AC stopped working in the middle of the night, and she had a restless sleep as a result. Breakfast tasted like shit, and she got impatient waiting for the AC technicians to arrive.

Wesley assured her that the contractor he called was reliable, since they had worked on his own family home for nearly two decades. That assured her a little bit, but she was still uncomfortable about strangers inside her home.

She needed to get out while they were there.

“Where are you going?” Wesley asked after she pulled a sweater on and grabbed a backpack, and her keys.

“Rosewood.” She answered. “I’ll stay at Jack’s house. He left me a key while they’re on vacation.”

“We can stay at my mom’s house…”

“No.” She cut Wesley off. That would be too uncomfortable, and she needed peace and quiet. “Why don’t you watch over those HVAC guys and head to Rosewood after?”

“Okay.” Wesley gave her a kiss and a hug. “Don’t worry, by the end of today, the AC will be up and running.”

She gave a smile in turn. Wesley was truly a reliable man in his own way.

Thirty minutes later, she was standing outside of Jack and Zoe’s house. She opened the gate and hot in and immediately enjoyed the solitude and peace that the property gave off. She couldn’t even hear the sounds of the city, only the wind rustling the leaves of the tree above her.

Taking a dip in the large pool Jacuzzi sounded like a great idea in the backyard. With the weather turning colder, she tried to find the controls to turn on the heat, but after ten minutes of searching, she was stumped.

Thinking it was hidden by the bushes, she spotted a strange sight. One of the bushes didn’t have dry leaves beneath it, and looking closer, she realized it was a fake plant. She moved it over, and her eyes widened when she spotted a steel hatch, complete with a handle and a mechanical lock, and it even looked like it was just recently installed.

She wondered what it was for, but in the end, it wasn’t her business, and she placed the fake bush back on top of it. Still, she was curious about where that steel hatch led to.

She gave up and finally called the one man she knew could help her in this situation. Thankfully, Nolan picked up her call after the third ring.

“Hey, Angela.” Nolan’s voice came through her phone’s speaker. “Do you need something?”

“Yeah, I’m over at Jack’s house, and couldn’t find the controls to the Jacuzzi. I wanted to heat it up.” She answered. “I figured you’d know how.”

“You’re at Jack’s house?”

“I’m house watching while he and the captain are travelling somewhere in the Caribbean. My AC broke last night, and I decided to hang out here while Wesley waits for the technicians to arrive and repair the system. Can you help?” She asked.

“I should be able to figure that out.” Nolan answered. “I helped install their solar panel system. I’ll be there in ten.”

“You don’t have to rush.” She appreciated Nolan’s helpful nature. Now that he was a P2, she could afford to be closer to him.

“You have great timing. I was out shopping with Grace, and we’re in the area.”

“Hi Angela!” Grace’s voice chimed in.

“Hi Doc!” She greeted the pretty doctor.

“Take care of yourself. Just wait for us.” Grace instructed. “Okay?”

“I promise.” She answered.

She headed back out to the patio and opened the gate as soon as she spotted Nolan’s truck parked just outside.

“It should be here… aha!” Nolan turned on a switch to the water heater and some pumps, and they heard Grace confirm from the yard that the Jacuzzi had turned on.

“Strange.” Nolan looked confused.

“What’s strange?”

“There are new systems installed here that I’m unfamiliar with.” Nolan stared at the bank of large batteries and pieces of equipment attached to one side of the wall.

“Is there something wrong?” She asked.

“Nothing’s wrong.” Nolan still looked confused. “I thought this was just a solar panel to an inverter unit and batteries, but this has lines attached to what I’m guessing is a generator, a powerful one at that.”

“This is Jack and the captain we’re talking about.” She replied. She had a good hunch on why Jack’s house had better redundancy than their police station. She wondered what was inside that hatch. “Of course, they’ll have back-ups of back-ups.”

“It’s one amazing system. Even I’m impressed.” Nolan admitted.

The Jacuzzi felt like heaven, and she immediately felt better as she soaked herself in the bubbling hot water. Grace had joined her, the doctor having just bought a swimsuit with John when she called.

She closed her eyes for a bit and just told Nolan to get pizza for their lunch. When she opened her eyes, her skin was wrinkled, and she got out and wrapped a towel around her. She was surprised to see Lucy, Tim, and Nyla sitting inside the living room. What the hell happened? This was supposed to be a quiet retreat for her!

She looked at Nolan, who looked like he was trying to avoid glancing in her direction.

John Nolan

He wasn’t familiar with Angela’s choice and decided to consult with Lucy. It turned out it was a bad idea.

Lucy turned up, and she spread the word to the rest of their circle. Tim appeared first, followed by Nyla Harper. He could feel the glare behind his back and to a few chugs of his beer.

“Relax.” Tim tried to calm him down. “I’m sure Jack wouldn’t mind if it’s just us.”

“I’m not worried about him.” He replied. “Angela’s annoyed.”

The veteran cop glanced behind him and shook his head. “She’s just like that sometimes, and adjusting to her condition isn’t helping. This party will be good for her.”

“You sure?”

“Positive.” Tim nodded. “Look, she’s still talking with Grace. If she’s really mad at you, she’d be silent. That’s when you know that you should run.”

The party went well, and he even volunteered to do another food and drink run, eager to escape Angela’s judging eyes. Lucy had tagged along, and he found himself debating with his friend regarding the beer brands.

“But Lucy, they’re British!”

“And so are these!” Lucy held up the bag filled with Fish and Chips. “This will go well with the British beer you got.”

With the holiday season in full swing, the stock prepared by the stores had run out, and he had to pick imported beer since it was the only thing left. He hoped Fuller’s was good.

“I’m surprised you’re available.” He got in his truck as Lucy made herself comfortable in the passenger seat.

“Well, I’m alone in the apartment, and I didn’t want to feel like that on Christmas,” Lucy admitted.

“I thought Tamara’s with you?” He asked.

“She is, but she and her friends decided to take a trip to Florida for the holidays.” Lucy replied. “I really can’t force her to spend her time with me, and she’s 18 already. She can make her own decisions.”

“She’s doing well then?”

“Top marks all around.” Lucy looked proud. “She’s an amazing girl.”

“Did you check out where she’s going and who she’s with?” He had to ask.

“I double checked.” Lucy answered. “She gave me a copy of her itinerary and promised to call if she needs help.”

“Good.” He nodded. “You and I know how dangerous it is for girls at her age.”

Tamara Colins

“See? I told you it was a good idea!” Her classmate April squealed as the speedboat they were on skipped over the waves. They were supposed to go to a Karaoke and meet up with their classmates, but April wanted to meet friends she had made from last year.

Unwilling to let April travel alone, she accepted the offer to accompany her.

Overall, April’s friends seemed nice. There were three boys and two girls, all in college and studying at a local university. The pretty redhead was a cheerleader, and the athletic hunk with dreadlocks was part of the football team, and he was single.

Her eyes liked what they saw, but she didn’t like the dark clouds on the horizon.

“It’s fine!” Melvin shouted over the wind when she pointed that out. “This baby can outrun anything, just like me!”

She really wanted to trust Melvin, she really did, but they were so far out now.

The storm came faster than they expected. The waves became choppy, and her grip tightened on the handrails. The speedboat was struggling, and they were taking in water.

April was panicking, while the boys tried to and argued among themselves as the winds grew stronger.

Bill, the one with the steady girlfriend, was trying to call for help using the radio. She tried her phone, and her heart beat faster when she saw there was no signal. She didn’t want to die here.

The engine died, and suddenly they were at the mercy of the elements. They nearly capsized twice, and it was a good thing the speedboat survived the relentless assault from the waves. Melvin was trying to start the engine when she saw lights in the distance.

“Look!” She screamed out. It was a ship. A large ship, moving closer to them.

“We’re saved!” April sobbed.

She thought so too, until she spotted details from the large vessel that seemed unusual. It was rusted, with faded blue paint. There was no flag she could see, and the men on the deck didn’t seem like they were sailors.  

Then there were the guns. She didn’t know if he was the only one who noticed this as her friends continued waving their arms at the vessel.

Their speedboat stabilized as the larger vessel moved beside them, its bulk giving them shelter from the winds and rain.

A rope ladder was thrown to the side, and her friends did not hesitate as they started climbing up. She was the last to go, and while her friends abandoned their belongings, she tucked her phone inside her shorts and followed after April.

The deck was filthy. She hoped this was a fishing vessel, but she didn’t see any nets at all. It was just men, in mismatched clothing, with a bunch of guns in their hands, and they were all smiling at them.

“Looks like we got a bonus!” A heavy-set Hispanic man with a beard laughed.

Fuck. She hated it when her gut instinct proved her right.

A/N: Merry Christmas!