Caught in the Net (10 page)

Sighing, Rich sat back down, but kept his distance. 
“Not tonight.  Sam, it’s important that we tell Mike about this.  This is not
good.”

“No, we don’t.  He’ll be so mad at me and I don’t like
it when Michael gets angry.” 

Rich shook his head.  “I either tell Mike or your
parents.  Take your pick.”

“Then they won’t let us go out again!” she whined.

“Your choice.  Make one,” he said firmly, frowning.

“But Riiiiiiich…”

“Nuh uh, no whining around me, sweet cakes.  I’ll be
back in two minutes.  Please make your decision by then.”

Sam scowled, feeling the effects start to wear off
with the most recent conversation fresh in her mind.  What did she tell him? 
Oh damn, she must have spilled the beans.  Michael was going to tear into her
but good for this.  Rich returned, bringing some coffee for both of them.

“Here, see if this helps.  Well?”

“Thanks.  What exactly did I tell you?” she asked,
sipping the hot, slightly spiced beverage.  Rich repeated her statement.  “I
don’t suppose you’ll believe me if I tell you that was fictional and a product
of the swirls.”

“Next to rudeness, I find lying abhorrent,” Rich
informed her, a tone in his voice that she found frightening, yet exciting. 

She wisely decided not to test him.  “Michael, then. 
But you need to know what he’ll do to me when he finds out.”

“I would not be surprised if he delivered a rather
sound spanking to your disobedient little backside,” Rich grinned. 

She shook her head.  “I wouldn’t be afraid of that. 
No, he’ll switch me.  It’s awful.  Please, don’t tell him.”

“I’m sorry, but even you realized the danger that you
could have been in.  You had no ability to fight against it and it left you in
an intoxicated state.  What if you had fallen over the side?  Or been with
someone who would not have behaved like a gentlemen?”

“So?  Nothing would happen to me.  I can’t drown,
remember?  And our buddies may not have approved of someone else the way they
did you.  But I get your point.  Did I ruin your night?” she asked, worried. 

He smiled, pulling her lips to his.  “It is the most
memorable first date I will ever have.  And you are delicious,” he murmured. 
Even without the pulsating pheromones, he felt his body stirring.  She was
right; they were naturally compatible.  All the more reason to control himself.

* * * * *

After a brief kiss to Sam’s cheek, and saying good night
to the family, Rich left for the BOQs.  Sam plopped dreamily on the couch,
snuggling lovingly against her father’s arm.

“I take it you had a good time?” Dr. Quimby asked,
pulling her closer to him. 

“He took me on the dinner cruise and we danced on deck
under the stars.  He’s so wonderful.  And so much like you guys, without the
mean.” 

“Give him some time to know you better and that will
change,” Scott commented dryly.

Michael eyed her carefully.  “Did anything else
happen?” he asked suspiciously.  

She forced a laugh.  “Actually, yes!  I met a girl for
you.”  She quickly changed the subject, filling him in on Jen. 

“Okay, I’ll meet her.  Hey Dad?  Is it okay if we go
for a night dive?  Sam looks a little dried out.”

“She does?  I don’t see it, but yes.  Please be back
before high tide.”

“Yes, sir.  Get suited up, sis.  We’re going
swimming.”

His expression demanded immediate obedience,
indicating that he knew something was up.  Damn ‘twin powers’!  Once they were
out of surf range, Michael hooked himself on a kelp stalk to talk with his
sister.

“What happened tonight?  I sensed something weird. 
Were you in danger?”

“No, I was being kissed.  A lot.”

Michael shook his head.  “No, it wasn’t that.  It felt
like… Like when you got integrated.  What do you call it?  Swirling?”

“I never touched the water, Mike.”

“Okay, out with it.  You are being evasive and you
can’t lie to me.”

“All right!  Some of the dolphins, including yours,
swirled me when I was kissing Rich.  It increased the pheromones and made it
very involved.  If he hadn’t caught himself, I would have jumped his bones. 
Happy?” she snipped.

“How did it get to be so strong that they can get you
out of the water?  I don’t understand.”  He remained calm.

“It’s no big deal, Michael.  Let it go.”

“Samantha, I always know when you are lying to me. 
Don’t push it.”

“Fine!  I disobeyed you, okay?  I’ve been studying the
effects on and off on my own.”

Sam heard nothing but the sound of the water around
her.  The silence lasted ten minutes.

“I don’t need to tell you that I’m madder than hell,
do I?  Or that you will be paying a serious price for this.”  His voice held
that deadly calm tone that reminded Sam of their father before he blew his
top.  “I will ask you this one time, and one time only.  Why did you disobey me
and was it worth the cost of losing my trust?”

“Michael, please!” the girl cried out.  “I needed to
know what it was about and you wouldn’t let me.  You were right!  It’s too
dangerous and I never want to do it again.  It could have ruined everything
with Rich.  Not just with me, but with the family.  I’m sorry!  It was stupid.”

“When were you planning on telling me?”

“After what happened tonight, I was going to talk to
you tomorrow.  At work.”

“Where you know I would control my temper?  Do the men
know about this?”

“Not at all.  I swear.  I’ve kept it completely under
wraps.  All my data is in the system under the word ‘swirl’.  Michael, please
hear me out.  If you would only let me do what I need to do, then I wouldn’t
have to hide things from you.  You know I hate keeping secrets from you.”

“Don’t blame me.  I told you we would work on this in
a controlled setting.  We had the plans all figured out and were going to
execute it once we got Rich in the lab.  That was our agreement.”

“I know.  I guess I’m fired from the study,” she said
quietly.

“No, you are an integral part of this research.  I
just need to decide if I should inform our commanders.”

“You won’t do that.  It would scare them too much,” she
said softly. 

Michael sighed.  “Yes, I know.  They are going to the
club Tuesday night for a retirement party.  You and I will have some time
together then.  It will give me time to cool off a bit so I don’t really hurt
you.”

“Do you still love me?”

“Of course I still love you.  That won’t ever change. 
I’m disappointed in you, and furious, but that doesn’t change how I care about
you.  You, however, may not love me as much when we are done.  I will be using
a switch again.”

She was silent.  What could be said?

* * * * *

“Mike, we need to talk.”  Rich called his friend the
next morning.  “Can we meet for chow?”

“I’ll be coming over to engineering in an hour.  You
okay?”

“I’m fine.  Just some things we need to discuss,” Rich
said, fiddling with his pen.  He hated to bring up the problem, but this was a
matter of safety and in keeping the family’s trust.  He hoped he could
communicate it effectively to lessen the trouble it was going to cause his new
girlfriend.

Mike arrived an hour later, greeting his crew and
reviewing some information with them before approaching Rich.  “We’re going to
chow.  Please don’t blow up the place while we’re gone.  And DO NOT, under any
circumstance, allow my sister access into Rich’s office.  That’s an order.”  He
turned to his friend.  “Come on.  Chow hall or civilian?”

“Civilian.  How about Greek?”

“Sounds good.  You drive, I don’t have my car today.”

After ordering, Rich took a deep breath.  “Mike, I
need to tell you something and I’m not sure how to break the news.  It’s about
Sam.”

“Let me guess... the incident last night?”

“Why, yes.  How did you know?”

“I always know.  It’s our ‘twin powers’.  Plus, she
made a full confession when she got home.”

“Oh boy.  What’s gonna happen now?”

“Well, she and I are going to have a little
tête-à-tête tomorrow night after our folks leave.  She won’t be happy.  As for
the research, as much as I hate to admit it, it’s excellent and something we
should continue.  I just wish she hadn’t done it without supervision.  It’s too
dangerous.”

“I saw that and I completely agree with you.  Mike,
let’s talk about this.  Would you have really let her explore to the extent she
needed to, in order to understand this?  You told me to be straight with you. 
You’re a little biased.”

“I know I am.  But, even if it were another scientist
under my command, I would expect obedience to my orders.  She blatantly
disregarded them.  Believe me, this is an ongoing issue with her.  That was the
primary reason my family started dealing with her the way we do.  I was hoping
she would calm down a bit now that you’re in her life.”

“It sounds like she started this before we got
together.  Doesn’t she get a little reprieve for telling the truth?”

“Rich, do you think she would have said anything had
you not witnessed the event last night?  I can tell you, she would have kept
the secret until busted.  Her research technique and findings are the only
things that keep me from throwing her off the team.  I don’t know what to do
with her sometimes.  She’s too smart and too reckless.”

“Come on, Mike.  Give the kid a break.  No one was
hurt and we learned some interesting things.  Try to see this from a
scientist’s point of view instead of a big brother’s.”

“I will quote that back to you one day, my friend,”
Michael smiled.  “All right, I’ll think about it.  She’s still going to get
blistered.  I just won’t use a switch, okay?”

“I have no problem with using a switch, to be honest. 
However, I would probably use a nice, heavy paddle on that bottom for this.  I
was talking about your trust in her.  She is so afraid of losing that.”

“I trust her with my life.  I just don’t trust her
with her own,” Michael said quietly.  “Scientist to scientist, tell me what
happened last night?”

Rich laughed, launching into detail about his
experience with the swirls and the pheromones emitted.  He shook his head.  “I
know she’s your sister, but I have never experienced anything like that.  Like
I told her, she was intoxicating.”

“I got a taste of that when she pulled the dolphin sex
prank on me.  It was definitely amazing.  I’m warning you, though, whatever you
do, do not tell my parents!”

“Do you think I’m crazy?  They scare me.”

“And you haven’t even been on the receiving end of
their frowns yet.  I still feel like I’m five when they holler at me,” Michael
laughed.  “I’m wondering, would you like to come out with us on a swim?  I’d
like you to try the facial unit I use.  You might have some suggestions to
improve it.  It’s a little freaky, but the freedom is incredible.  I’m
finishing up a second one.”

“That would be awesome.  Would Sam come along?”

“She has to; she’s our protection out there.  Oh yes,
she is not allowed to play with the sharks.  Don’t let her tell you otherwise.”

“Sharks?”

Sam bit her lower lip as she watched her parents leave
for their party at the O’ club up at Camp Pendleton.   She felt her heart
pounding as she silently obeyed Michael’s command to go to her room once they
left.  He hadn’t spoken to her very much since Sunday and she found herself
terrified of their meeting.  It bothered her, she had never really been afraid
of him before.

The phone rang.  It was Rich.  “Hey, Sammi.  How’s it
going?”

“Hey.  I’m kind of waiting for Michael to come talk
with me about the swirl study,” she admitted, leaning back on the bed.  “Rich? 
I’m scared.  This isn’t like me.”

“Well, doll face, you should be scared.  I wouldn’t
worry too much, though.  I talked with him.  Don’t expect me to bail you out
every time you get into trouble.”

“Thanks.  I’m glad we all met.  You really fit in with
us.  And you kiss really well,” she whispered softly. 

He chuckled.  “I feel the same, on all accounts.  I’ve
never felt the way I did, kissing anyone else.”

“Do you have a lot of experience?”

“Why?  Jealous?”

“Not at all.  I don’t get jealous,” she snickered. 
“Now, answer me.”

“Yes, I have a lot of experience.  It was the only
activity I allowed myself to do for fun, besides martial arts and football. 
And I know your next question.  No, I’m not.”

“Not what?” Sam asked innocently.

“A virgin.  I’m getting to know you and how your mind
functions.  It’s refreshing.  It’s nice to meet a girl who doesn’t play head
games.”

“I keep telling you that I was raised by men and don’t
know how to do that female crap.  So when… Damn, Michael’s coming.  I’ll talk
to you later, okay?”

“Good luck.  Call me.”

“Who was that?” Michael asked, walking into her room
and sitting on the edge of her bed.

“Rich.  He told me he spoke with you,” she said
quietly. 

Michael nodded.  “He had some valid points that we are
going to discuss.  First, I’m not telling Dad or Scott.  We don’t need to worry
them needlessly, okay?”

“Absolutely okay.  Thanks.”  She looked relieved.

“Second, your research file.  As much as I hate to
admit, it’s perfect.  Your data, hypothesis, theory, variable factors… All of
it is impeccable.”

“Gee, thank you.”  The girl blushed.  This kind of
praise was something she was not expecting and meant the world to her.

“I’m serious.  I want to continue the path you
started.  However, I insist that it must be supervised.  That loss of control
is not something you should ever experience alone.”

“I agree.  Michael?  Can I confide in you?  If it
weren’t for fear of disappointing you, Daddy and Scott, I would have caved if
he pursued it.  I’ve never experienced that before.  I wanted to feel every
part of him everywhere.” 

Michael patted her knee.  “You’ve never had the
opportunity to be aroused before.  It’s normal and nothing to be ashamed of.  I
wish I could tell you that I’ve avoided temptation, but I won’t lie to you. 
Sex is a wonderful thing, but you need to be emotionally prepared for it.”

“How old were you?”

“16.  Remember that Russian language tutor you had? 
The one who got married and moved away?”

“Miss Stibbons?  She was OLD!”

“She was not.  She was only 30 and very experienced. 
She taught me a lot of stuff and helped me out of my awkwardness with girls. 
Dad would have killed her if he ever found out.”

“So Scott knew?”  The girl’s mouth hung open. 

“He thought it was funny.  You know, he’s a playboy,
and that gal was hot.  She didn’t move because she was getting married, she
moved because she was afraid of getting busted.  Scott came up with that story
to protect me from Dad.  He’s a little old-fashioned, you know.”

“I know how Daddy is, all too well.  How come you
never told me this?  I thought we don’t have secrets from each other.”

“It wasn’t really appropriate to discuss with you at
the time, baby.  You were only 12.  So, can we agree to continue with your
research, but under supervision?”

“Yes!  Thank you.”

“Sis, you’re an excellent scientist.  You just forget
to think of consequences when you get involved.  I told Rich something that I
need to tell you.  I trust you with my life.  I just don’t trust you with
yours.  If you hurt yourself because of something I could have prevented, it
would crush me.”

“I don’t mean to make you worry, big brother.  Not on
purpose.”  She looked at him with big, sad eyes.

He touched her cheek.  “I know, but this is where we
have problems.  You don’t think beyond what you want.  It’s selfish and
inconsiderate.  You were raised better than that.”

  She looked at the floor.  “I’m sorry.”

“I know you are.  I know your heart, and being selfish
and inconsiderate is not part of who you are inside.  It’s exciting to discover
new things and when others don’t appreciate it, it’s frustrating.  But it’s
also part of life.  You need to learn to adjust to it instead of telling the
world to fuck off and doing what you want.  You’re not alone, Sammi.  I’ve been
there.  I do understand.”

“But you’re never told ‘no’.  Everyone indulges your
ideas.”

“Is that what you think?  Oh my… Some of the worse
fights I’ve gotten into with Scott have been over my ideas and how I wanted to
carry them out.  I will also say that my worse mistakes have happened when I
failed to listen to his wisdom and experience.  He understands my need as a
physicist, just like Dad understands yours as a biologist.  We just need to
present your ideas so that they make sense and that the benefit outweighs the
risk.  I need to teach you how to do that in lieu of just telling you ‘no’. 
That’s my responsibility as the unit commander and I haven’t been very
supportive of you.  For that, I’m sorry.”

“I do make things hard for you at times.  I’m sorry
too.”

“Okay, so this is how things are going to go for now
on.  You will present a formal proposal to me with completed methodology.  I
want implications, pros and cons, known variables… The whole set up.  Give me
two days to review and plot a course of action, including possible funding if
needed.  We’ll conference and then decide how to proceed.  Sound okay?”

“Are you telling me that you won’t say ‘no’ to
anything I want to do?”  She looked shocked.

“That’s what I’m telling you.  There might be
conditions that I feel are important to incorporate that I expect you to
respect.  And we might have some conflict with two certain people at times, but
I will support your work.  It’s wrong for me to limit you because of our
relationship and my personal agenda.”

“I’m really surprised.  Thank you.”

“Rich pointed out to me that I am biased and as
stubborn as you are.  I would rather you take a risk under my supervision then
to do it behind my back.  Either way, you will do it, so I need to make it safe
for you.  However, little sister, if I do have to tell you ‘no’, do not ever
sneak.  You need to swear you won’t.”

“I swear on my honor, Michael, I won’t.”

“If you do, you lose my trust.  That will mean you
also lose our partnership.  Don’t risk that.  I don’t want that to happen.”

“I understand.”

“Good.  Rich also convinced me to show you some leniency
regarding your disobedience in this recent matter.  You can thank him that I’m
not having you cut me a switch tonight.”

“Honest?”  A look of pure relief sped across her face.

“Yes.  But, I will be using the paddle.  Go bring it
to me.”

Legs shaking, the girl went to her closet to retrieve
the paddle from the top shelf where Scott left it.  She handed it to her
brother and faced the floor shamefully.

“Remember that we agreed I would handle discipline as
it applied to the labs, right?  This is borderline because of your
disobedience, but I’m opting to keep the folks out of it.  I hope you
appreciate that.”

“I do, Mike.  I really do.”

“Over my knee.  I’ll have you know,” he said, pulling
her shorts down to her knees, followed by her panties, “that I really was angry
with you.  Good thing Rich intervened.  He did suggest I use the paddle
though.  You scared him.”

“I’m sorry.  I won’t do it again, I promise,” the girl
whimpered, clutching his leg as he positioned his small, rounded target.  She
hissed as the first stroke of the paddle landed squarely across her bottom. 
Another heavy stroke fell, a little lower, making her yelp in pain.  Michael
said nothing, quickly delivering another three sharp, loud smacks.  She started
kicking to escape, causing Michael to place his right leg over hers to pin her
down.  Tears flowed as he firmly applied five more swats, concentrating on her
sit spots.  She was wailing, begging forgiveness, promising good behavior as he
administered ten more solid smacks.  Her bottom was deep red with white
blotches, promising several hours of tenderness by the time he put the paddle
down.

“One hundred, with my hand.  You will remember that I
mean business,” he said, using the same words she had heard time and time again
from their uncle.  The slaps fell rapidly, peppering her already scorched
bottom.  Sam’s only recourse was to cry loudly and try to catch her breath. 
Finally, after what seemed to be a lifetime, he was done.

“Go stand in the corner until I tell you to come out,”
Michael commanded, standing her up and fixing her shorts.  Without a word, Sam
obeyed, sobbing into her arms as she leaned into the wall.  Michael handed her
a tissue and quietly left the room.

“That girl is getting a leather butt,” he grumbled,
rubbing his sore hand.  He picked up the phone and called Rich.  “It’s me.  We
shouldn’t have any major problems for a week or so.  I think she got the
message.”

“Is she okay?”

“She’s fine.”  Michael told him about their
conversation and his instructions regarding her research.  He also requested
Rich’s assistance in the project if he was comfortable.

“I don’t know how relaxed I would be with knowing my
kissing technique was being critiqued,” came the doubtful response. 

Michael laughed.  “If I’m not mistaken, and I rarely
am, by the way, once the endorphins are activated, you won’t care who was
watching.  I’ll give you two some privacy, though.  I could even set you up in
the boat as long as you promise not to go anywhere past the kissing.”

“Mike, you do know that you are tempting fate here.  I
was barely able to maintain the other night.  I don’t think this is a good
idea.”

“We don’t have to do it right now.  It can wait a few
months,” Michael teased.

“Very funny.  I will remind you that you are
discussing your kid sister’s virginity here.”

“Did I just detect some grumping from you?  Wow, it is
there!”

“You are as bad as she is.  Can I talk to her?”

“She’s got her nose in the corner right now.”

“You’re shitting me!” Rich laughed.  “Okay, tell her
to call me when she feels up to it.”

After Michael hung up the phone, he ventured back up
to his sister’s room and sat on the window seat overlooking the ocean.  He was
quiet for a while, watching her sniffling.  “Sam?  Come here, please.”  She
immediately obeyed, standing before him.  He took her hands in his and looked
up into her red face.  “Don’t make me keep doing that.  I love you.”

“I’m really sorry.”

“I know you are.  Come hug,” he ordered softly,
pulling her onto his lap and holding her protectively.  He rocked her gently,
enjoying her closeness.  “That’s my girl.  Rich wants you to call him if you
feel like it.”

“After you hold me for a while.  Did you ever talk to
Jen?”

“Yes.  We’re talking about meeting for coffee on
Friday afternoon when she’s done with her classes.  She sounds a bit nervous,
but seems sweet.  Do you want to come?  She asked about you.”

“Really?  You wouldn’t mind?  It might make it more
comfortable for you two.  I’ll call her and see what she wants.  Can Rich
come?”  She brightened a little.

“Sure.  We good now?”

“Always.  I’ll try harder.”

“That’s all I’m asking for,” he said, squeezing her
lovingly.  “I’m going to make some popcorn if you want to come down and watch
TV with me.”

“In a little while, okay?” she sniffed.  After hugging
her again, Michael left the room, closing the door behind him.  Sam went into
her bathroom to wash her face and inspect the damage.  Ow.  She was going to
have a few nasty bruises come morning.  Well, it could have been a lot worse
and she knew she deserved it.  Besides the switch, he could have told Daddy. 
She carefully climbed onto her bed and picked up the phone.  “Hey Rich, it’s
me.”

“Hi kiddo.  How are you doing?”  He sounded
concerned. 

She sniffed.  “Not great, but I’ll live.  Thanks for
standing up for me.  I owe you.”

“I did what I thought was right, that’s all.  I’m
bored.  Can I come over?”