The Angels of Destiny (3 page)

Vicki was physically fit and normally worked out at least three nights a week. Her 36-24-36 figure reflected the work she
’
d put in, and at five-feet nine inches tall, there was no doubt, she was appealing, even when she was exhausted.

McPherson sipped the freshly ground Colombian brew and felt his body kick-start.

Vicki held her cup; seemingly forgetting it was there.

"What exactly is the problem?" he enquired.

"The problem, is the encryption code we use to transmit the data to earth. It
’
s the military code used on all category 1-spy satellites."

"DGATE?"

"That
’
s right. It
’
s having to be upgraded, months before we had anticipated, because we believe China has cracked the code and could, in theory, hack into the data we
’
re transmitting back to Earth."

"But, that
’
s not your fault, is it?
”
interjected McPherson, sympathetically.

"You try telling Samuel that. He
’
s already giving me a hard time. He seems to get more irritable with each day."

"I guess he
’
s feeling the pressure, just like us."

“
Yea, I guess so."

"So what
’
s the next step?" McPherson enquired.

"I
’
ve been promised a new version this afternoon. It uses the latest encryption techniques
—
I just hope and pray it works."

"How long will it take to install?"

"Should be in within a few hours, Rob. The problem is actually testing the system. That could take another four or five days before we know if it
’
s any good or not
…
Fuck! I
’
m beginning to regret this job already," Vicky said, holding her head.

McPherson was beginning to think she was human after all.

"I think you need a break," he said, sympathetically.

"No time for that Rob, I
’
m afraid," Vicki replied swiftly.

"Have you used the gym at the complex yet?"

"No, and I
’
m sure as hell missing my regular workouts."

"Okay.... Tonight we meet at seven in the gym, after that I
’
m going to mix you a cocktail you just can
’
t refuse."

"But, I ca
…
"

"No buts, you need to relax." Vicki looked at him for a moment and gradually a submissive smile appeared on her face.

"Sure, seven o
’
clock it is then.
”

The phone in McPherson
’
s office was ringing as he walked in.
“
McPherson," he said, after hitting the
‘
visual
’
key.

Samuel Black
’
s face appeared on the screen, looking stressed.
“
Morning, buddy.
”

“
Morning, Samuel."

"I want to see you in my office at eleven o
’
clock," he said, abruptly.

“
Okay
—
What
’
s it about?" asked McPherson.

“
Delays
—
fucking delays." The screen went abruptly blank.

McPherson signed on to his terminal and checked his schedule. Sure enough the meeting was booked for eleven o
’
clock. It was an all-team meeting and he wondered if Vicki was going to be, thrown to the lions, or not. The smell of coffee was irresistible and he poured another cup before sitting down to read the rest of his emails

Vicki drove her 3 Series BMW up the ramp leading from the underground parking lot into the evening sunshine and headed up San Jacinto Street, before turning left, to pick up the Gulf Freeway 45 that heads south and ends on the Gulf coast at Galveston. The drive home to the secure compound, near the Ellington Air Force Base and the Space Centre would take about twenty minutes. The setting sun was to her right and low in the sky, forcing her to reach into the glove compartment for her sunglasses.

Red panel LED
’
s on the air-con section of the cockpit computer showed auto humidity control
‘
on
’
and ionized air
‘
on.
’
The red digital readout indicated an interior temperature of sixty-five degrees. Outside it was seventy-nine degrees and the air was heavy, and unusually humid, so early in the year. Vicki
’
s fingers nervously tapped the wheel as she drove.

With a sister and elder brother, she was the second eldest of the family. Her Mother and Father had recently celebrated thirty-five years of marriage at a family gathering in the Bay, where Richard, Vicki
’
s brother, lived with his wife Susan and two children.

As a child she lived with her parents in various European cities but the summers spent in the little stone cottage in southern England would always be amongst her most cherished memories. Her favourite place to play was the garden; she could still smell the scent of the roses and cut grass as
‘
Pops
’
drove them round on the big petrol mower, with Richard sitting on Pop
’
s lap, driving under instruction. It was a place where she played for hours with Emma, her younger sister.

Their Mom would cut them little sandwiches for their tea parties and bake little mouth-sized cakes that they ate far too quickly. She was always Doctor, being the eldest, and her sister was nurse
…

Suddenly, the sat nav reminded her that the required exit off the freeway was only four hundred yards away.

"I know, you smart ass." She responded, as if her coarse comment would be understood. How quickly she was back facing up to reality.

"This must be the worst day of my life," she said, speaking to the sat nav, half expecting some sympathetic response. Vicki realised Rob was right, she needed a good workout, she needed to release some of the built up tension. It was definitely time to visit the gym.

McPherson looked at his watch, downed the remains of his isotonic drink and made his way to the gym. It was now ten minutes to seven. Picking up his sports bag he closed the door behind him and walked down the corridor. A few minutes later he opened the gym door and was surprised to see Vicki already working out. Her body was wet with perspiration and her vest clung provocatively to her large breasts.

"Been here long?" he enquired.

"About ten minutes," responded Vicki, with a grunt, as she started another set of twenty sit-ups. "I
’
d forgotten just how much I love the feeling."

"Care to elaborate on that?"

"You know what I mean,
”
she said, blushing.

McPherson felt good after the forty-five minute workout and the power shower gave him a pulsating massage, which heightened his feeling of well being. He dried himself with a large white bath towel, shaved, brushed his hair and cleaned his teeth. He thought about Vicki and how nice she was, now that he was getting to know her better.

As he entering the cool lounge he felt refreshed and he poured a double white rum and ice into a long glass and downed a good two-thirds. Remembering Vicki would call soon he walked into the bedroom and donned a pair of white pants and a blue polo top. The music system had just selected Chicago
’
s 'If you leave me now,' when the doorbell rang. Quickly, McPherson hit a key selecting another CD.

Opening the door, he was greeted by Vicki, wearing a wide smile, red blouse and a short white skirt that enhanced her long tanned legs. Her hair was still slightly damp after a shower but she had taken time to put on light make up that made her look even more attractive. The smell of her expensive perfume was stimulating. McPherson wanted to say how beautiful she looked, but instead just gazed at her.

“
Well,
—
can I come in?"

"Yes, of course," he replied, with slight embarrassment in his voice. Make yourself comfortable and I
’
ll fix you that cocktail I promised you.

"Thanks, I need it." Vicki said, sliding onto the long soft leather sofa. She watched with interest as the cocktail of white rum, Malibu, lemon juice, Coke and crushed ice was created. Her eyes drifting towards McPherson
’
s firm butt. "That was enjoyable this evening, wasn
’
t it?
”
she said.

"I feel great. How about you?" He enquired, joining her on the sofa.

"I
’
m certainly more relaxed now, and tonight a message was left on my email from the department to say that the new encryption system appears to be shaping up nicely, although it
’
s still early days yet."

"That
’
s great news," he said excitedly, lifting his glass. "Lets drink to it."

Vicki took a long slug of the cocktail and pushed her head back into the soft leather.
“
Mmmm that
’
s wonderful, what
’
s it called?"

“
Heaven!
”

Vicki laughed for the first time in days and the cocktail was helping to relax her overworked body. "If I have another day like today, I think I
’
ll top myself.
”

"I felt sorry for you in the meeting."

"Let
’
s just hope things improve from now on."

For a few moments they remained silent. Then, with hesitation in her voice, she asked him the question he
’
d been half expecting. "I know it
’
s your private business and perhaps I shouldn
’
t ask but
…
. Are you okay?" McPherson knew exactly what she meant.

"I guess you
’
re referring to my break up with Amanda?"

"I
’
m sorry, Please don
’
t think that I
’
m prying."

"No, no, it
’
s okay," he said. "I haven
’
t talked about it to anyone and maybe I
should
get it off my chest."

"You can talk to me if you want to."Deep in thought he just stared into the glass he was clutching with both hands. Their break up was now common knowledge within the project team.

"I want to talk about it to you,
”
he finally responded. In his heart though he was deeply sad and he missed Amanda more than he ever realised was possible. For the first time in four weeks he was ready to talk to someone else about his personal problems.

Still looking into his drink McPherson started to talk in a slow, controlled manner. "You see Vicki, when it comes down to it, a relationship has to be worked at on a continuous basis. You know what I mean?
”
he said, looking at her.

"I
’
m not sure I
’
m qualified to answer that, but yes I
’
m sure you
’
re right."

"What happened was primarily my fault. I can see it now, but now it
’
s too late. Amanda loved me once, as I loved her. If I
’
m honest with myself I guess I still love her. The morning of my first interview here in Houston she told me she was leaving me for another man. She was crying, as if she was doing something that she really didn
’
t want to do. I know that sounds stupid. You see, Amanda took all the shit I dished out over the years
…
The late nights at work
…
the tiredness
…
the thoughtlessness." He looked at Vicki and she smiled back sympathetically.

"God, the times I
’
ve forgotten our anniversary or her birthday.
”
Tears filled McPherson
’
s eyes but he tried desperately to fight his emotions
… “
Complacency.
”

“…
In the end I guess she found what she was looking for in someone else," Vicki tentatively suggested.

"Yeah,
attention
, I suppose
—
Someone to love her, but, more importantly, to be
with
her. Someone who she felt wanted her more than anything."

"Do you have any children, Rob?"

"No, Amanda couldn
’
t have any. We knew that before we got involved though. I guess that
’
s why we never got married. She was always very honest with me, that was her way
—
until.
”
McPherson stopped talking and took a long drink.

"Are you sure there is no way to patch this up?" asked Vicki, offering her hand to McPherson as a gesture of support.

"No not now, there
’
s no way," he replied, ignoring her hand. "Amanda told me that she had fallen in love with this guy from New York. How she met him I don
’
t know and I don
’
t want to know either.
”
McPherson's voice became emotional for the first time.
“
She said that she was unable to go on with our relationship because I was living my own life, and that excluded her. She needed a closer relationship and reassurance that she was loved. Maybe she felt I had rejected her in some way because she couldn
’
t have children, I don
’
t know. We should have talked more; she should have told me these things before, not now, when it
’
s too late. I told her that I loved her and that things would change from now on but she only stared at me with tears running down her cheeks. I begged her to stay but she just said no, Rob, I
’
m leaving you
…
. It
’
s over
…
I love another man
”
Pausing, he took a deep breath to regain some composure. "It all seems such along time ago now, and I
’
ve come to terms with it." He wondered if Vicki would see through his lies. "Let me fix you another drink," he said, in a manner that suggested the subject was closed.

Vicki moved next to McPherson and put her head on his shoulder.

The feel of her warm body and the smell of her perfume ignited his senses and he became conscious of his beating heart. Almost subconsciously his hand began stroking her hair, as if she was Amanda. What was happening? What was he doing? He was feeling desire for another woman, an excitement he had not felt for so long.

Vicki responded to his caress and looked sensuously into his eyes. For a few moments they just gazed at each other, then they kissed, gently at first, as if fearful of each other, but then passionately and uncontrollably.

Vicki
’
s hand ran through his hair and then, opening his top she began to gently stroke his chest. Through her blouse her breasts looked firm and full and McPherson imagined her erect nipples. She groaned gently as he opened her blouse and caressed her firm plump breast with his fingertips. His senses exploded like fireworks, as he felt her hand move to between his legs. She slowly stroked his stiff penis and he couldn
’
t stop her, he didn
’
t want to stop her. His breathing was short and heavy as she continued to fondle him.

"I want you, Vicki."

She undid the buttons on her blouse and dropped it to the floor, then she held his head with both hands and pulled him invitingly into her breasts. The feel of her hard nipple in his mouth excited him even more. Instinctively his tongue teased her and he watched her becoming more aroused, making her wet. His gentle biting and licking seemed to drive her wild and he could smell her sexual excitement.

"Is this wrong, Rob? Should we feel like this?" In a distant corner of her mind a voice was saying no, stop this, don
’
t let it happen; but passion overtook any doubts that might have remained in her and the voice faded into silence. "Take me Rob...Take me.
”

With both hands he slid her skirt up to her waist and pulled her onto his lap. Eagerly she straddled him, and held his stiff penis, gently guiding it into her. Oh, how good it felt. She slowly lowered herself until he was deep inside her. She felt so wet, so wonderfully wet. He looked at her as her eyes rolled upwards and her head twisted from side to side. Vicki grabbed his shoulders; she was in control, she was riding him and he watched as her breasts heaved in front of his eyes.