Sun filtered through the blinds as Robyn sorted through digital paperwork at her desk. The computer screen was filled with all sorts of messages, most of them reminding her of current and new patients entering the hospital. She tapped the documents on the digital desk and slid them over to the computer to be filed away for later. After sorting through a few more documents, a message appeared in the corner of her computer screen and flashed red until she clicked on it.

“A reminder to the gala event,” she whispered to herself. “Great. I still don't have a date.”

She rolled her eyes and dismissed the reminder, feeling slightly relieved when it had disappeared from the screen. With a sigh, she stood from her desk with her touch pad and stepped from her office, closing the door carefully behind her. The halls were bustling with nurses and other attending physicians, the quiet lull of white noise machines filling the hall. A chill crept up her back and she tightened her coat around her shoulders.

She stopped at a nearby door and then looked down at the touch pad in her hands. As she stepped inside the room, her heels clicked against the tile. The corner bed was occupied. She approached it carefully and leaned over the edge of the white hospital bed. In the center was a young woman with a plastic mask over her nose and lips, the soft whoosh of breathing coming through the vents on either side. The monitor on the mask was lit in a light green, alerting the onlooking doctor of the woman's vitals. With a gentle smile, Robyn tapped the vitals into the touch pad and then patted the woman's arm.

“Hang in there, sweetheart. You're getting better,” Robyn said.

A lock of red hair fell over her face as she stood and walked to the door, her heels clicking against the shiny tile as she walked into the hallway.

“Good morning, Robyn,” said the attendant from the desk.

“Good morning, Gloria. How's our inventory going?” Robyn asked.

“It's going well. We'll be done just in time for lunch,” Gloria replied.

“Splendid,” Robyn said with a smile.

“Oh, there's also two men here from the Breathe Free Corporation. They're just down the hall delivering more Pocket Oxygen,” Gloria said.

“Thank you, Gloria. I'll go find them in a moment,” Robyn said. “Do you have the files for room 305?”

“Yes, ma'am. I'll upload them to your touch pad now,” Gloria replied.

“Great. Let's get 305 on the schedule for a lung replacement. The new organs arrived this morning,” Robyn said.

“Very well, ma'am,” Gloria said. “Do you have any plans for this evening?”

Robyn sighed.

“Well, I have this gala event to attend for the Portsworth Doctors Association. It's supposed to honor our hard work over the past year,” she replied. “We can bring guests, but I have yet to find a proper date.”

“Why don't you take Max from the ICU ward?” Gloria asked.

“You mean Mean Mug Max?” Robyn asked. “Yikes, no. I'd hate to make such a poor impression in front of such polite company. Besides, he's involved with Peggy over in micro-imaging.”

“I suppose there could be worse things,” Gloria said

“Like what?” Robyn asked.

Gloria shrugged.

“I'm not sure. I just hear people say that when there are no other options left,” she replied grimly. “I mean, you're a gorgeous woman. How hard can it be to find a man to take on a date?”

“You'd be surprised. The dating website I'm using is just useless for this sort of thing. I don't understand why there aren't any decent men in this town,” Robyn replied.

“Those sites are nothing but trouble,” Gloria said.

“I think men are just intimidated by me,” Robyn said.

“Why's that?” Gloria asked.

“I mean, I'm a medical doctor with a dozen minors in different fields. Intelligence is intimidating,” Robyn replied.

“I don't think it's that bad,” Gloria said.

“That's easy for you to say. You're not the one dealing with fragile egos,” Robyn said with an eye roll.

“Well, that just means those men aren't right for you. If they can't handle your intelligence, then that's their problem,” Gloria commented.

Robyn sighed and tapped her pink nails against the counter, setting her touch pad down for a moment while she stared above at the digital clock.

“Something has to give eventually,” she groaned.

“Eventually,” Gloria agreed. “Those two men down the hall are quite attractive and they're engineers. They won't be intimidated. Maybe you could snag one of them.”

“Do you think they're single?” Robyn asked.

Gloria shrugged.

A racket came from down the hall and the two women turned to see a tall man with a cybernetic leg fumbling with a cart. It was wobbling on one unstable wheel and had skidded into the wall, the shorter man behind him quickly grabbed the cart before it decided to barrel away. Robyn grinned.

“Two for one special,” she whispered slyly.

“You mean both of them?” Gloria asked.

“One can hold the door and the other can hold my bag. It's the perfect date,” Robyn joked.

“You're ridiculous,” Gloria giggled.

“I'm just kidding,” Robyn said. “But wouldn't it be a treat to have two gentlemen instead of one?”

“I don't think I could handle all that,” Gloria replied.

“There's no harm in asking at least,” Robyn said.

“Fair,” Gloria said. “Just be careful. More than one can be a dilemma.”

“Well, I heard Vicky up on the fourteenth floor had a similar arrangement,” Robyn whispered.

“You mean that ménage à trois? She was married to Phil at that point. I don't think it was the same thing,” Gloria explained in a hushed voice.

“It could be fun regardless,” Robyn whispered.

“Well, be careful with that, Robyn,” Gloria said. “I don't want you getting hurt like you did with Neil.”

“Neil was a complete jerk who didn't know what he wanted. Besides, this is just for tonight. I don't think it will turn into anything serious,” Robyn replied.

Gloria shrugged and then looked down at her computer, tapping the touch screen desk rapidly.

“Looks like 315 needs another calming injection,” she announced.

“I'm heading in that direction. I'll take care of it,” Robyn said. “See you later.”

“Good luck,” Gloria called. “And be careful.”

“I have some rounds to do. I'll be back.”

 

***

 

Her voice was like silk. It drifted across the corridor and caught his attention immediately, turning him around mechanically to face the beautiful red-headed woman standing near the desk. The silky tones came like waves over oceans, sounding just like a siren enticing him down into the watery depths to his demise.

Charles was hooked. Like a fish, he had been caught.

“I have some rounds to do. I'll be back,” she said smoothly.

She started walking towards them. Heels clicked in their direction, echoing off the sanitized walls, and signaling her approach. Charles straightened up and tucked a hand into his pocket as she drew closer, watching her red hair bounce on her shoulders. When she looked up, she offered a polite smile, those green eyes sucking him down even further.

Now he was drowning.

As she passed, Gabe turned abruptly and bumped into her shoulder, causing her to stumble a few steps in the opposite direction. In one smooth and swift motion, Charles caught her arm and helped her remain upright, lest she need the hospital herself for some nefarious injury.

“Oh, excuse me,” she said quickly.

“No, excuse me,” Charles said. “My friend here is a bit clumsy.”

“That's quite alright. I don't think he saw me coming,” she said with a sweet smile.

“My apologies, ma'am,” Gabe said.

“You two must be new. I haven't seen you here before,” she said.

“Oh, we're not new. We run the technology lab just across the way. We engineered Pocket Oxygen,” Gabe explained.

“You're the creators of Pocket Oxygen? I can't tell you how many times that has helped us rescue our patients,” she said. “I'm impressed. It's so wonderful to finally meet you.”

“And it's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am. My name is Gabe,” he said while holding out his cybernetic hand.

The sweet woman accepted it and then turned to Charles. The goofy grin over his lips prevented him from speaking, an effective gag that forced him to step back and then gesture nervously.

“I'm Charles,” he finally said. “It's lovely to meet you, Mrs…”

“Dr. Atkinson,” she replied. “But please, call me Robyn.”

“Robyn,” he repeated.

“That's a lovely name,” Gabe chimed in.

Robyn stood curiously before the two men, her eyes switching mischievously between the two. She cracked a smile, red lips outlining the pearly whites that slowly parted to allow words passage.

“Would you…? Forgive me, this is rather forward, but I have a dinner event this evening that I'm particularly dreading,” she began. “It's a gala ball honoring the most prestigious doctors on the east coast and many of them are a bit...well, smug. It would be lovely to have two esteemed gentlemen at my side.”

Electricity crackled between them as her eyes danced from Gabe to Charles and then back to Gabe again. Her eyes sparkled with wonder.

“Would you two care to join me?” she asked.

Charles laughed nervously.

“Us both?” he asked.

“Yes,” she replied confidently.

“Is that a trick question?” Gabe asked.

“Not at all,” she replied smoothly.

The two men exchanged curious glances, Charles raising an eyebrow as Gabe gave a slight shrug and then returned his gaze to the beautiful woman next to him.

“Yes,” he replied.

Charles looked wide-eyed.

“We'd love to,” Gabe continued.

“Fantastic. Let me give you my card,” she said while reaching into her white coat. “Give me a call around 6:00 PM. That's when I get home from work.”

Charles blankly accepted the card and held it between two fingers, the bright white standing out from his tan skin.

“We look forward to it,” Gabe said.

Robyn smiled sweetly and hugged her touch pad to her chest, squeezing past them.

“See you later,” she said.

Her heels clicked away, diminishing the further she went down the hall. Charles stared with wonder at the red hair falling down the back of her white coat, his goofy smile returning.

“Earth to Charles,” Gabe said sternly.

“What?” Charles asked.

“Are you okay? Hello? Did you not just hear me?” Gabe asked.

“No, I suppose I didn't,” Charles replied.

“I said she's hot,” Gabe repeated.

“Oh, I would venture to say she's more than that,” Charles said. “I'd say her beauty is beyond what words could capture.”

“Ah, the poet,” Gabe joked.

“What?” Charles asked, tucking the card into his pocket.

“You're always doing that poet thing,” Gabe replied.

“Well, I can tone it down a bit,” Charles offered.

“No, keep it turned up. I think she's one of those hopeless romantic types. She was eyeing you pretty hard, but she kept looking at me. And a gala? Wow,” Gabe said.

“Yeah, wow,” Charles repeated.

“I can't believe she asked us both to join her,” Gabe said.

“Well, maybe it's innocent,” Charles pondered aloud. “Maybe it's just a friendly invitation because she doesn't want to be alone.”

“Dibs on top,” Gabe said quickly.

Charles punched his arm.

“Hush, Gabe. Don't start acting like a fool,” Charles warned.

“Sorry, I was just kidding,” Gabe said. “But I wonder what would happen if she wanted us both.”

“Yeah,” Charles said. “What a wonder that would be like.”

As he watched her walk away, she turned briefly with her curious green eyes and dragged him down further into the depths of the ocean. Surely, he was drowning.

And he did nothing to stop it.

 

***

 

“Figures I would choose the ones who would say yes and really mean no,” Robyn grumbled while tapping her heel against the concrete.

Behind her, the building was teeming with life, most of the guests having already gone inside with their lavish outfits and smug noses. Her own nose was powdered well, her pretty face done up, and her red hair was hanging in curly ringlets from a fancy bun. Little jewels decorated her hair and her neck, trailing down into her dress to become a shimmering mermaid gown. Her usual marvelous smile was hidden behind a grim, flat line from waiting, her fingers curling around her digital pocket book that held her invitation.

A black car pulled up to the curb. The sight caught her breath and she stood firm on the sidewalk while waiting patiently for the car door to open. A leg appeared and then a gloved hand, a top hat announcing the figure that stepped from the vehicle.

With a sigh, Robyn slouched in her dress.

It wasn't Charles. The pale man with the top hat passed her wordlessly, his cane creating dull echoes from the lackluster concrete. She turned around as the man passed and started walking up the steps, clutching a fistful of her dress while mumbling to herself.

“Hello, Robyn.”

Her green eyes darted up the steps. Above her stood Charles and Gabe, clad in simple, yet elegant, tuxedos with matching green bow ties. They were a lovely emerald green, almost the same shade as her eyes, so close that she dared to think they might have even done it on purpose. As she climbed the steps, she smiled wide and then extended her hand. Charles took it without hesitation and kissed her knuckles, Gabe bowing as she looked between the two.

“You two look stunning,” she said with a grin.

“And you look fantastic,” Charles said while squeezing her hand gently. “No star could possibly shine brighter than you tonight.”

“My friend—the poet,” Gabe joked.

Robyn giggled and looked down for a moment, a lock of red hair covering her face. A hand appeared and tucked it behind her ear. She smiled.

“Are you ready to go inside?” she asked.

“Absolutely,” Charles replied.

As he held out his arm, she took his and then hooked her free arm around Gabe. The three of them walked up the rest of the steps and approached the door where Robyn procured her digital pocket book. The usher scanned her invitation and then opened the door, allowing them inside.

The entire lobby smelled like fresh roses and sandalwood, the aroma as intoxicating as the jeweled ceiling. Digital lights softly covered the velvety carpet, leading all the way to the enormous ballroom that harbored a collection of people circling the dance floor. The tables were covered in decadent gold cloth and each table held its own miniature bar.

Taking her dates by the arms, Robyn walked proudly to an empty table and sat down with her shoulders pulled back and her fingers gently folded over each other. She picked up a glass of champagne from the rotating miniature bar and held it up to her lips, carefully taking a sip. The other guests would soon notice her appearance with the two gentlemen, and whispers would quickly follow.

Disregarding the hum of rumors, Robyn turned to Gabe and asked, “So, where are you two from?”

“Here in Portsworth. We were raised in the same schools and then became engineers in the same company on the military base across from the hospital,” Gabe replied.

“Really?” she asked with intrigue.

“We've been developing new technology with each passing year. Our efforts have been both globally and universally recognized,” Charles explained.

“That's incredible,” she replied.

“And we've also taken to dominating the deep-sea diving field,” Gabe added.

“Adventurous, I see,” she commented.

“Oh, beyond,” Gabe chuckled. Pointing at Charles he continued, “This one has been a deep-sea diver ever since we developed the technology to withstand the pressures of the ocean. Because of him, twelve new species were discovered beneath the surface.”

“Gabe, stop,” Charles said with a shy grin.

“He's being modest, but he's quite the intellect. He even took the Queen of New Terrace diving with him for her fiftieth birthday,” Gabe went on.

“How marvelous and daring,” she whispered. “And what about you, Gabe?”

“I'm a bit of a board fanatic. Ocean waves, air, snow-covered mountains—you name it, I've done it,” Gabe replied.

“Is that how you hurt yourself?” she asked.

Gabe raised his eyebrows. Flushing a bit, Robyn gestured towards his cybernetic hand that was glowing with blue lights around the joints. He raised it with a slight grin and chuckled lightly, shrugging.

“Oh, this?” he asked. “This was my own doing. A bit of a fluke with some alien technology I was attempting to mimic.”

“That's what you get for not being original,” Charles joked.

Robyn giggled nervously.

“What about yours?” she asked Charles.

“Mine was a careless accident while sky surfing,” Charles replied. “I lost control of my board and lost my leg due to the fall.”

“How awful,” she commented.

“Well, with a friend like Gabe, nothing is too awful. He created both of our enhancements himself,” Charles said.

“Can that leg dance?” Robyn asked with a grin.

“It can do much more than dance,” Charles replied slyly.

“Gabe, would you care to dance as well?” Robyn asked.

“I'm afraid I'm not that talented,” Gabe replied. “You two go ahead. I'll take the next one.”

Smiling, Robyn stood from the clothed chair and held out a delicate hand for Charles to take. The two glided across the room and landed on the edge of the dance floor, gently rocking side to side while picking up the rhythm for the waltz. When the violins lifted, the two slid seamlessly over the floor and joined the collection of couples dancing.

They waltzed in circles around the edges of the dance floor, their shoes clicking over the lush scenery that appeared on the digital dance floor beneath their feet. Robyn marveled at the colors changing, watching the hues of pinks turn into purples as she stepped over different squares.

When the violins slowed to a halt, Charles gave a slight bow and then winked as he took Robyn by the hand and led her back to the table. Gabe was sitting contentedly in his chair, a smile glued to his lips as Robyn approached.

“You are light on your feet, my dear,” Charles commented.

“And you are quite talented, Charles,” Robyn replied.

“That was a superb waltz,” Gabe said while clapping.

“Well, I'm not just a doctor,” she said with a wink.

Gabe flashed a debonair smile and looked down at his glass of champagne, tracing the rim with a finger. He looked incredibly devious. Something was turning the gears around in that magnificent brain, the engineer devising something pleasurably sinister. Robyn was intrigued by them both, her eyes switching between the two as they exchanged silent glances.

“What are you two talking about?” she asked.

“What's that?” Charles asked, shaking his head a bit.

“You two look like you're holding a secret conversation,” Robyn replied.

“I suppose that comes with years of being so deeply connected,” Charles said with a slight chuckle.

“We were just wondering what such a beautiful woman would want with two simple engineers,” Gabe said.

“Simple?” Robyn asked with a giggle. “I don't think either of you are as simple as you appear.”

“I think that's a rather astute observation considering the situation,” Charles said.

“The situation?” Robyn asked.

“Oh yes,” Gabe replied. “It's not as simple as it appears either.”

“Indeed,” Robyn agreed.

“Can I ask you something, dear?” Charles asked.

“Absolutely,” Robyn replied.

“What in the world would you want to do with two engineers?” Charles asked.

She grinned, her red lips curling up into a mischievous smile as her fingers ran along the edge of the cybernetic hand attached to Gabe. Her green eyes curiously slid over to Charles like a cat hunting for her prey. Her grin dipped as she bit her lower lip and studied his features.

“Why don't you come to my place and find out?”

 

***

 

The sheets of the bed rustled as Robyn rolled over, curling her leg around Charles and hugging him in close. Gabe was lying behind her with his hands positioned over her hips, trailing his fingers over her curves and up to her breasts to cup them gently. Her moans fell over the sheets as he stroked her nipples, taking them gently between his fingers as she leaned back into his chest.

Charles decorated her shoulder in kisses as her hand came down to stroke his budding erection. His cock twitched as she wrapped her fingers around it, stroking fervently to bring him to full mast. The stroke of a hand between her thighs caused her to buck, her eyes opening to find him tracing the outline of her vulva. His finger parted her entrance and slipped inside, inspiring a moan to surface from her lips as she pressed them to his chin.

“Take me,” she whispered.

Without hesitation, Charles turned her over and positioned her hips in the air. His hands remained fixed to her thighs as he pressed his cock against her entrance, sliding it eagerly over her wet vulva. She pressed her lips to Gabe, sucking his lower lip into her mouth while her inquisitive hand stroked his cock. A grunt erupted from his lips as she gripped his shaft and ran her thumb over the head, fluid seeping from the tip that she readily used as lubricant.

Robyn kissed her way down his chest and to the center of his pelvis, stroking him tenderly while positioning her lips on the tip of his cock. She licked the fluid away gingerly and then slipped him into her mouth, moaning as she swallowed his entire cock.

Behind her, Charles ran wet fingers over her vulva and then slipped his cock inside, his fingers remaining pressed over her clit as he parted her entrance. His girth filled her inch by inch, pressing deeper with each slow thrust. Muffled moans echoed from her occupied mouth as she continued to suck, the thighs pressed against her buttocks tensing the further he pushed.

Slow thrusts transformed into heated pumps, rattling Robyn as she sat up to replace her mouth with her hand. She stroked Gabe into fits of moans, his eyes fluttering as his head pressed back into the pillow. With a grin, she coated his shaft with her tongue to lubricate the skin and then continued to stroke with a heated vigor as her tongue remained fix to the tip. Her lips encircled the head and then slid over the shaft again, dipping down before returning to its original place.

“How's that?” she asked.

Gabe moaned and spoke with great difficulty, incapable of putting together a proper sentence. A chuckle and another moan prefaced his reply, “Amazing...please, swallow me.”

His hand circled the back of her neck, encouraging her mouth to swallow him once more. His fingers tangled into her hair and guided her lips down while his hips bucked up. The tip reached the back of her throat and she gagged, but didn't waver, continuing to suck the vulnerable skin as he trembled beneath her. Shivering hands remained tangled in her hair, guiding her talented lips faster along his shaft.

Charles continued to pet her vulva that was soaked with nectar, fingers fondling the folds of skin as her muffled coos filled the air. His free hand slid up her back and hooked over her shoulder to thrust deeper, groaning as he crowned her bottom with his hips. She could feel his cock throbbing inside her, dancing around the edges of explosion as her vulva twitched underneath his stroking fingers. With heated gasps, she bounced against his cock as her stomach and thighs tensed. Each thrust forced her to contract, her free hand gripping the satin sheets in an effort to keep herself steady.

Her eager lips sucked dutifully on Gabe's cock that muffled her crescendo of moans. The sound vibrated through her lips and forced him into a passionate shiver, one that signaled the approaching release of his delicious come into her mouth. Fluid coated her lips—he was nearly there. His fingers gripped her hair and forced his cock deeper into her mouth, trembling as his groans increased to frantic grunts.

The bed squeaked. Charles continued pumping into her beautiful entrance, pushing rapid moans with each impassioned thrust. His grip on her shoulder tightened and his free hand smacked her bottom, groaning long and loud as she bounced back into his thrusts. The supple skin was tensing again. She was getting close to her own private elation, the coil in her gut tightening further and further. The sensation was overwhelming, her hips rolling hard against his hand that continued to pet her clit.

Gabe spoke heatedly, “I'm coming... Oh, I'm coming, coming, coming…”

With a loud and primal grunt, he bucked up into her mouth and released his warm come. Fingers gripped the back of her head and he tensed hard. She welcomed the creamy come hungrily and swallowed the warm fluid as her body vibrated with pleasure. The cock inside her was pulsing, thrusting harder now that Gabe had exploded. It shattered her control and caused her to blossom, releasing the cock from her lips as a moan erupted.

“I'm going to burst,” she cooed.

Come dripped from her lips and she braced herself against the bed, her hands gripping the satin sheets hard to keep herself from falling off the bed.

Gabe sat up and cupped her face tenderly. He pressed his lips to hers before pulling away to whisper, “Come on, Robyn. I've got you.”

Her elbows buckled and she nearly collapsed to the bed. Gabe held her up by her shoulders and kept her torso steady as Charles railed into her entrance. Gabe reached down to find her swollen clit, carefully rubbing the bud in circles until she was bucking uncontrollably.

“That's it,” he whispered. “Come on.”

His fingers rubbed her raw and caused her to seize, a loud cry filling the bedroom while her torso contracted.

Charles thrust hard into her, shaking her body as she rattled with intense bliss. Her orgasm came in drugging waves, each one sending her further and further down into utter ecstasy. As she shivered, a grunt signaled his release and his cock pulsed as it erupted inside her, heavy pants replacing the heated growls that came from his lips.

Spent from their passion, she collapsed completely into Gabe who leaned back into the pillows. Sweat covered his chest. She dragged her lips over the wet skin and rested them against his neck, still shivering with aftershocks from her orgasm. A giggle followed.

“Well,” she whispered.

A hand landed on her back and she rolled over to find Charles gasping for air, a smile plastered to his lips as he sank into the silky cushions.

“Your sweet flower,” he whispered, “is utterly delectable.”

She giggled again and pulled him into her bosom, dragging a panting Gabe down into her neck.

“You two are delicious,” she replied. “Double the fun.”

“Is that so?” Charles asked.

“Absolutely,” she replied. “I'm surprised I could even keep up.”

“You certainly set the pace for us,” Gabe added. “I'm surprised I was able to keep up. I didn't think I would last for very long.”

“I'm honestly surprised your hand didn't have a vibration setting,” she joked.

Gabe erupted with laughter, wrapping an arm around her shoulders lovingly.

“Sweetheart, you didn't ask,” he joked. “If I had known, I would have prepared for it.”

Robyn and Charles tittered simultaneously.

“My friend here is such a joker,” he said.

“I like it,” Robyn said. “I like you both. It's wonderful to be worshiped by two fine gentlemen.”

“I could certainly get used to this,” Charles said.

“Unconventional, but exhilarating,” Gabe commented.

“Well, then stay,” Robyn said. “Maybe we can do this again in the morning.”

“And be spent before work? You drive a hard bargain, darling,” Charles said.

She giggled.

“Well, if you sleep, then you'll be able to handle me in the morning,” she teased.

“Fair enough, my dear,” Charles said.

While curling an arm around them both, she released a contented sigh and snuggled deep into the satin sheets.

“Good night, my darlings,” she whispered. “I'll see you both in the morning.”

 

***

 

An alarm beeped from the bedside table, stirring Gabe from his slumber. He rolled over to greet the sun trickling through the blinds and rubbed the sand from his eyes. The alarm continued. With a grunt, he dropped his head back into the pillow.

“Snooze,” he grunted.

The beeping continued.

“Snooze,” he repeated.

Shuffling came from behind him and he sat up, turning to find a rustling Robyn who was stretching out over the sheets. Beside her was Charles, sleeping soundly as his chest rose and fell rhythmically. Gabe shook his head and chuckled quietly.

“Snooze,” Robyn called from her spot on the bed.

The beeping stopped.

“Good morning,” Gabe said.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” she whispered.

“I'm sorry. I thought I was at home,” Gabe said. “But I'm glad I'm not.”

He reached over to stroke her face, his head pulsing a bit from the champagne and early morning light. As Robyn sat up, she snapped her fingers and the blinds mechanically opened, nearly blinding him as he raised his arm to shield himself from the rays.

“Ugh,” he groaned.

“Sorry,” she whispered. “The sun helps me get up. Could you hand me my phone?”

“Yes, it's right here,” Gabe said while reaching for it.

He handed her the slim device and then rested into the pillows as she leaned against his chest, her hair smelling like roses as it fell over his shoulder. He smiled warmly while running his fingers through her hair, images of the night before filling his vision. It caused his stomach to flip. He wanted it again.

As he leaned down to kiss her forehead, she sat up quickly.

“Looks like the hospital needs me right now,” she stated while climbing over him.

“You can't stay for a few more minutes?” he asked while tickling her stomach.

She giggled as he pulled her into an embrace, running his fingers over her bare skin while tracing her lips with his tongue. Their movements caused Charles to wake and he scooted over to wrap his arm around her. With a squeak, she plopped between them and curled her arms around their necks.

“I guess a few more minutes wouldn't hurt,” she whispered.

“How did you sleep?” Charles asked.

“I slept like a baby. Probably the best sleep I've had in a while,” she replied.

“Same,” Gabe said.

“Can't say I've ever participated in communal cuddling before,” Charles commented.

“Nor have I,” Gabe agreed. “But this is nice.”

“Absolutely. You both did a great job last night,” Robyn whispered.

Gabe smiled, burying his face deep into her neck. When her phone started beeping again, he groaned.

“Tell them to call someone else,” he whispered through her red hair.

“I'm afraid I can't. I'm their best on-call doctor,” she replied glumly. “But I'll be back in a bit. You two can stay as long as you like, get any food from the kitchen. Just lock the door on the way out.”

“Are you sure?” Charles asked.

“Yes, it's perfectly fine. I have cameras set up in here,” she replied.

“Saving memories for later, I see,” Gabe teased.

Robyn giggled and sat up from their warm cocoon, tousling her hair before sliding over Gabe to get dressed. She went about the room and pulled on her clothes while listening to the beeping continue.

“Alright, alright,” she grumbled to her phone while slipping it into her white coat. “I'm on my way.”

“Have a good day,” Gabe called after her.

After leaving the room, she returned immediately and bounced over the bed, covering Gabe and Charles with kisses. The giggles coming from her were infectious, causing Gabe to become aroused instantaneously.

“I can't wait to come back,” she said.

“We'll be waiting,” Gabe said.

With a hesitant grin, she left and shut the door, plunging the room into silence. Gabe turned to Charles who was pensively looking at the ceiling, his fingers tapping the sheets barely covering his torso.

“So?” Gabe asked.

“So what?” Charles asked.

“This is interesting,” Gabe replied.

“It's puzzling,” Charles replied.

“How so?” Gabe asked.

“We've had many adventures, my friend, but this one seems to be a little too foreign to me,” Charles replied.

“Is that such a bad thing? I think she's rather charming,” Gabe said.

“She is absolutely stunning, and incredibly talented in many ways, but I'm a bit timid here,” Charles admitted.

“I can understand that,” Gabe said.

“It makes me nervous to fall for someone the same as my best friend. You're like my brother. I could share anything with you, but a woman...” Charles trailed off.

“I mean, if it makes you uncomfortable, we can stop,” Gabe said.

“No, it's not that. I just worry about how this is going to work,” Charles said.

“It could be fun,” Gabe said.

“It has been,” Charles said.

“Then, what's wrong with wading out deeper into the waters?” Gabe asked. “You've been in the deepest parts of the ocean without any fear. What's so different?”

Charles sighed as his jaw tensed, staring intently at the ceiling. He offered a shrug as a response and then rolled over to face his best friend.

“Promise me this won't come between us,” Charles said.

“I mean, she already has,” Gabe joked.

With a silent chuckle, Charles shut his eyes and hugged his pillow.

“I'm serious, Gabe,” he said.

“Alright, I promise,” Gabe said. “Now, I'm hungry. Let's get something to eat.”

“I'd feel bad eating her food,” Charles commented.

“We can always treat her to dinner later. She seems like the type to go dutch,” Gabe said.

“She's quite a woman, honestly. I've been overwhelmed by her,” Charles added. “Beautiful, intelligent, sweet, and talented in many ways.”

“Indeed. And it's not as awkward as I thought it would be. You seemed to be enjoying yourself last night,” Gabe said.

“I have to admit it was an exhilarating evening,” Charles said.

“See? It's not a big deal,” Gabe said.

Charles shrugged with a grin while pulling his briefs up. He waited for Gabe to get dressed and then walked out to the kitchen. As he rummaged through the fridge, another beep came from the bedroom. They exchanged glances.

“I'll get it,” Gabe said quickly.

He jogged to the room and grabbed his phone from the pocket of his pants, pressing the green button for the call. A digital voice responded.

“Emergency code 546. Affected areas: Green District; Blue District; Yellow District. Acquire Pocket Oxygen from distributing drones. Retreat into basement bunkers and remain alert.”

Frozen in shock, Gabe covered his mouth and slowly stood from the ground. His eyes were hooked on the phone. Nothing else came from the phone except the same message repeatedly, an alarm blaring in the background.

“Gabe? What's going on?” Charles called from the kitchen.

“We're under attack,” Gabe whispered through his fingers.

“What?” Charles asked, walking into the bedroom.

“I said, we're under attack,” Gabe said. “We need to go right now.”

 

***

 

A wailing alarm echoed between the buildings as Charles led the way towards the main engineering building on the military base. Drones filled the air, most of them passing over and heading north towards the general population. As he sprinted, his phone continued to buzz in his pocket. His fingers covered it, but didn't retrieve it from its place lest he accidentally drop it on the sidewalk.

Inside the main engineering building, military personnel ran from office to office, shouting incoherently over the alarms blaring. Charles ran up the stairs to the office where their boss, Steve, was sitting in a chair while staring at the window. The images appearing across the window were horrifying, leaving Charles standing stunned in the entrance of the office.

Drones were being shot out of the sky. A large ship had penetrated the atmosphere, beams shooting down into random pockets of the city. The footage switched to street views where people were falling over on the sidewalk in fits while holding their throats. They were suffocating.

“It's the Dytrusk,” their boss said sullenly. “Someone sent an attack on their government and they think it's us, so they're doing this.”

Charles shuddered as he took a deep breath, fingers reaching up to cover his mouth.

“What can we do, Steve?” Gabe asked.

“We have been deploying drones to pass out Pocket Oxygen, but the Dytrusk keep shooting them out of the sky,” Steve replied. “We have to open Project X and release the technology you developed.”

“You mean the one that made me lose my hand?” Gabe asked, raising up his cybernetic fingers and wiggling them.

“Yes, Gabe. That technology. We have to use it,” Steve replied.

“But that virus is unstable. We wouldn't be able to control its direction. It would go out of control and cost hundreds of lives—even more than that,” Gabe explained.

“It's what we must do,” Steve said glumly. “We must save the rest of our city.”

Shaking his head, Gabe left the office. Charles stood in the corner of the room as the screen continued to change, showing people all over the city collapsing. It was horrifying to watch. His eyes darted away, but quickly returned as he could not contain his curiosity and shock.

“What are they doing?” Charles asked.

“They're targeting heavily populated areas and surrounding them with pockets empty of oxygen,” Steve replied. “It's terrible.”

“It is,” Charles uttered.

The computer on the desk crackled with life, a voice coming over the speakers that hurriedly asked for help.

“Sir, we need to deliver another few boxes to the hospital. We can't reach the people inside with the drones and they can't come outside,” the voice said.

Steve turned around and pressed a key on his computer.

“We'll send our best that way,” he replied.

After releasing the key, he looked up at Charles.

“We need you and Gabe to rush oxygen over to the hospital,” he said. “You're the only two who can make it through.”

“But sir, you have military personnel at your command,” Charles argued.

“Don't question my command. Those personnel are doing their best with the people out there. We need you to get to the people inside the hospital,” Steve said.

“I'll do my best, sir,” Charles replied.

“Find Gabe, tell him to activate Project X, and then get to that hospital,” Steve instructed. “You're our last hope here. We can't do this without you.”

Charles nodded and then turned to exit the office, making a left to head down towards the end of the hall where the elevators were located. He held his hand to the security screen on the wall and it flashed red twice before turning green. The metal doors slid open and revealed an empty elevator that he boarded. From next to the screen, a digital voiced spoke.

“Clearance verification,” it said.

“Level 12. Engineer operative number 003,” Charles replied.

“Cleared,” said the screen.

“Take me to B7,” he said.

The elevator hummed as it descended, moving rapidly down through the layers of the earth to the lowest point of the building. As the doors opened, Charles found Gabe sitting over a set of computers, pulling up three-dimensional outlines of the city. He tapped the screen, manipulated the picture, and flipped it around. After a few more turns, he rested his head in his hands and released an exasperated sigh.

“I can't do this,” he said.

“Yes, you can,” Charles responded.

“It's too dangerous. This could seriously kill a lot of people while trying to shut down the Dytrusk technology,” Gabe explained.

“How high is the risk?” Charles asked while approaching.

“It's in the red at the moment. Thousands could perish due to this being launched. It will cause power outages all over the city. The hospitals would get shut down. Even the Pocket Oxygen would be affected,” Gabe replied.

“That's not good,” Charles said.

“We have to find a better route,” Gabe said. “We need to get on board the Dytrusk the ship. If we could inject the virus straight into their system, it would attack it instantly and relieve the people caught in those pockets.”

“But how would we get on the ship?” Charles asked.

“I don't know,” Gabe said. “I simply don't know.”

With a grim expression, Charles stood behind his best friend and studied the plans of Project X. The project itself was genius, having been created to shut down all manner of technology in a predetermined radius. However, the creation of the technology had been traumatizing for Gabe. The poor man had lost his hand while messing with alien mechanics because he hadn't fully understood its capabilities. As a result of the small explosion, it had created the virus, but it had been dangerous to keep on hand due to its potential hazard to the people of Earth.

“We could hop a drone and get up into the ship,” Charles suggested.

“The drones don't fly that high in the atmosphere. We wouldn't be able to make it,” Gabe replied.

“Well, we have to do it somehow,” Charles said. “Keep that on hold and help me transport some things to the hospital. Steve says they need more oxygen.”

“I can't even move,” Gabe groaned.

Charles shook his friend hard.

“You have to move, Gabe. We have to get to the hospital. Think about the people there right now. Think about Robyn,” he said sternly.

“I hope she's okay,” Gabe whimpered.

“She's fine. She's a doctor. She's helping everyone stay safe,” Charles said. “Now we need to do the same. Let's go.”

Gabe stood from his chair and tapped a few keys, turning the screens off. He took a small flash drive from the computer and set it inside a tiny compartment of his cybernetic hand.

“We need to change,” he said. “Get the spare clothes from the lockers.”

Charles went to the lockers located across the room and dug through some spare clothes, tossing them over to Gabe. They changed quickly before heading back to the elevator and taking it up to the main floor.

The main lobby was still in utter chaos with men sprinting between rooms while tapping glass computers. It droned on as Charles and Gabe went to the metal doors guarding the warehouse, entering their clearance codes before walking in to gather the Pocket Oxygen boxes they would need.

After the metal boxes were loaded on two trolleys, they each rolled them out to the front. A small portion of the alien ship was visible in the sky. They both exchanged glances and then nodded. Charles bent down to press a button on his cybernetic leg, effectively cloaking him and the cart from being seen. It was the only way they would make it across the chaotic yard, and they had to hurry. By the minute, the ship sunk further over their city, looming like a black cloud that covered the sun.

Within moments, the entire city was plunged into darkness.

 

***

 

Despite the chaos inside the main engineering building, the entire courtyard was eerily quiet. Charles and Gabe left the raucous behind and quickly darted across the yard with the carts. The wheels squeaked as they moved. They kept their heads low while keeping their eyes on the sky. A round metal orb appeared and hummed as it hovered close by.

“Turn off your body heat,” Charles hissed.

“I'm trying,” Gabe said.

“Try harder. It's getting closer,” Charles whispered.

The orb rotated and a great digital eye came into view, the pupil darting around the courtyard that was predominantly empty. This area hadn't been affected. The orb was likely scouting more places to target.

Charles darted underneath it with ease, his body heat having been turned down to a numbing cold that nearly stopped him from being able to move. It was tasking pushing through the icy feeling that overwhelmed his limbs, making it difficult to keep control of the cart. The great eye was looking down at them. He could see it wavering over where they were moving, almost following them instinctively.

A warble came from the orb. Within seconds, it dove down towards them and Charles increased his speed to make it to the hospital. The cart teetered on two wheels. With great effort, he took the handles hard and maneuvered the cart back on track. After regaining control, he turned to see Gabe being shot by the orb.

“No!” Charles cried.

The figure of his best friend dissolved instantly and the orb took off into the air, likely heading back to the ship.

“Where are you taking him, you bastards?!” he cried.

The cry was futile. It didn't stop the orb where it flew, becoming a speck in the sky that quickly faded into the rest of the darkness. Silence resumed in the courtyard, the warbling sound of the orb long since gone. Charles turned around and squinted to find the hospital doors. They had been reinforced with metal. A digital voice came over the speaker outside and he felt around to find the screen.

“This is Engineer Operative 003 with Pocket Oxygen for delivery,” he said into the speaker.

His voice had cracked. Somewhere between losing control of the cart and losing Gabe, his voice had gone with it. The doors quickly opened and flooded him with light as he hauled the load inside, parking it next to the doors.

“Where's Dr. Atkinson?” he asked the guard standing in the lobby.

“She's on the tenth floor,” replied the guard.

“Thank you,” Charles said as he ran for the elevators.

Heart racing, he boarded the elevator and instructed the screen to take him to the tenth floor. It zoomed up, but it didn't seem fast enough, his hand gripping the rail as it escalated. As soon as the doors were open, he darted from the elevator and ran to the main desk.

“Dr. Atkinson, please,” he said hurriedly.

“She's busy with a patient. You'll have to wait,” replied the attendant.

“This can't wait. You need to call her right now!” Charles shouted.

“Sir, I'm going to call security if you don't calm down,” she said.

“You think we should be calm at a time like this? You must be ridiculous,” Charles spat.

“Fine. Have it your way,” she said firmly.

As she pressed her finger to her ear, a hand came from across the desk and pushed it down.

“Thank you, Gloria. I'll take it from here,” Robyn said.

“Robyn!” Charles cried while taking her in his arms. “I was so worried. I need your help.”

“With what?” Robyn asked. “And where's Gabe?”

“Gabe was taken. An orb came down from the ship and took him. I think they're going to do something horrible,” Charles replied.

“What?” she blurted.

Her eyes instantly welled with tears, disregarding the touch pad that fell from her fingers.

“We have to figure out a way up to the ship. We need to get back to the engineering building,” he said.

“I can't leave...you don't understand,” she said. “They need me here.”

“We need you more. There are people dying everywhere and we need to plant the virus in the ship and rescue Gabe,” he explained.

“What virus?” she asked.

“Gabe developed this technology by accident. It effectively shuts down any operating system within a certain radius, but it hasn't been properly tested. We were instructed to detonate it here on Earth in order to prevent the Dytrusk from attacking further, but it would have also shut down the hospital,” Charles explained. “And every functioning Pocket Oxygen in the vicinity.”

“I don't understand,” Robyn said.

“You don't have to. Gabe has the virus with him, but he's going to need help uploading it to the ship. I have no idea what those Dytrusks are going to do to him,” he said.

Robyn looked over at Gloria who wore a horrified expression, her hand still hanging between the desk and her ear.

“Alright,” Robyn said. “What do we do first?”

“We need to get up to the ship,” Charles replied.

“How?” she asked.

Charles thought about it for a moment. “With a military pod. They have cloaking devices on them that can sneak us up on the mother ship. After we board, we'll have to find where they're keeping Gabe,” he replied.

“The military won't let us just board their ship,” she said.

“No, not with my clearance,” he said. “But I know how we can sneak by.”

“This sounds incredibly complicated and illegal,” she said.

“It's not complicated, but it might be illegal,” he said with a sly grin. “Just trust me on this, okay?”

Robyn huffed and crossed her arms, squinting at Charles.

“I don't know, Charles. This worries me. Boarding a completely foreign ship and engaging with aliens who are trying to kill us right now... It sounds bad,” she said.

“It will only get worse if we don't do anything,” he said. “Please, Robyn. We must do this together.”

He took her hand gently and held it to his face, pleading with his eyes.

“Alright,” she agreed. “Let me grab a few things before we go.”

“That's fine. Meet me back here in fifteen,” he said.

“Promise me something,” she said before walking away.

“What's that?” he asked.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed her cheek to his, radiating warmth and the scent of roses.

“Promise you won't let us die,” she whispered.

“I promise,” he said. “I promise with every fiber of my being.”

 

***

 

Gabe struggled to open his eyes. A flash of light crossed his vision, causing him to wince. The garbled sound of a foreign language came in waves as a stinging pain hit the base of his skull. He could hear the faint sound of drilling. As he finally gained control of his vision, he saw a metal ceiling with a dozen lights scattered across it. A greenish brown limb came into view and set something on his head.

“Good evening,” said a digital voice.

Gabe looked up to find a gnarly creature holding a digital device to its throat with several wide eyes gazing down at him and blinking simultaneously.

“Welcome to our ship. I hope you have found our accommodations to your liking,” said the Dytrusk.

Gabe croaked. He had the words sitting in his throat, but he was unable to speak. Even his limbs didn't respond to the signals from his brain. He could feel the pulses desperately trying to get him to move, but they were frozen.

“You see we've advanced. We no longer have to bind you to the chair. Now it's simply a matter of deactivating the pulses directly from your brain,” the Dytrusk explained.

“How...” Gabe croaked again.

“Do not try to speak. It will only cause you pain. Think about what you want to say instead,” the Dytrusk replied. “There is a needle inserted at the base of your skull. This prevents movement while keeping your brain intact. We wouldn't want to fry it just yet.”

He chuckled and set the digital device down on a metal plate, reaching for something that was out of Gabe's vision. A different device appeared and the Dytrusk pointed it at a screen across the room. It pulled up the surveillance of Earth and showed the hundreds of people lying still on the ground.

Bastards, he thought.

The Dytrusk raised the digital device to his throat again.

“Indeed,” said the Dytrusk. “Your people have wronged us. We made a peace treaty 123 years ago and yet you still dared to violate our trust in your government and your despicable people.”

It wasn't us, Gabe thought.

“But it was. We tracked the exploding drone you had sent our way right back to these exact coordinates, to the very planet that boasts acceptance of all life. What hypocrites you creatures have turned out to be. You've never even accepted your own people, your own races, and you dare to repeat such ghastly things to us,” the Dytrusk explained.

I swear I would have known if it was us, but it wasn't, Gabe thought.

“You did. It was you who sent the disgusting drone in our direction. Your little projects were the ones using our technology, taking advantage of our scientists, and then wreaking that havoc on us as if we were your beloved lab rats,” the Dytrusk went on.

We don't even use rats anymore, Gabe thought humorously.

“Don't mock me, human. You're the one we want. We've been seeking your genius mind and now we have it to suck every last bit of intelligence that's left. When we're finished with you, you'll be nothing but a drooling idiot who can't speak,” the Dytrusk said huskily. “And your people will become our servants.”

The Galactic Federation would never let that happen, Gabe thought. We have an agreement. We intend to hold that agreement. Why don't you talk to our government?

“They're useless. They have allowed the slaughter of our people for centuries before finally agreeing to protect us. We're low-life citizens to you and to the Federation. Negotiating with our own oppressors would only feed them more power. We refuse to participate in such a disgusting system any longer!” the Dytrusk cried. “We're taking your brain whether you like it or not.”

You can't get away with this. You simply can't. I haven't done a thing to you. My allegiance is to my people. You're putting me in a delicate situation, Gabe thought.

“Your allegiance means nothing. Your people will soon be as mindless as you and we will reap the rewards of your earthly technology. Seeing as much of it came from us, we're merely taking back our own,” the Dytrusk retorted.

Torn, Gabe stared in horror at the screen. Before, he couldn't open his eyes. Now he couldn't close them. Something kept his attention fixed on the screen and it was maddening. His gut churned as he studied the blue and purple faces and his eyes twitched as he recognized their lost humanity.

Oh, Robyn, he thought sullenly. Robyn and Charles. My sweet life. My beautiful creations. All of my friends and co-workers…

“Yes, that's right, Engineer Operative 002. You will lose everything, just as we have,” the Dytrusk said. “Think of more. We'll capture all of your memories soon enough.”

Memories, Gabe thought. That's it.

As the Dytrusk stepped out of his vision, he was able to shut his eyes and rest. Something lulled him into a black haze, into a dark abyss, where nothing but his memories waited to be reviewed. They started in flashes of light, but soon became full visions that filled him with joy and pain. He saw his work station. As he started typing, he imagined the screen as a television displaying all his most sacred treasures that he kept hidden.

There was his dog from his childhood running towards the screen. The smoke in the background from a fire that once broke out in the gymnasium. A tall building holding colorful windows for a festival. Bits of paper crumbled up in his hand from his ex-wife. A letter sitting in the other about his acceptance into the engineering program. His most recent encounter with Robyn. The way her skin felt against him, how his moans filled the room, and the way their bodies had melted together in a beautiful heap of passion.

He thought of everything he possibly could to thwart the invasion of his brain, the wonderful pulsing organ that held all manner of engineering knowledge. A grunt came from the distance and his eyes opened, blinking rapidly against the bright lights shining down.

“Stop fighting!” cried the Dytrusk.

No, Gabe thought. I will never stop fighting.

 

***

 

Robyn shuddered as she followed Charles outside of the metal doors guarding the hospital. The air was deathly quiet. Most of the drones had retreated and the courtyard was dark with dim lights lining the sidewalks, enough for them to see the path that lie ahead. She took his hand and squeezed it.

“Do you trust me?” he asked her in a low voice.

“Yes,” she replied.

“As long as you're holding onto me, they won't see you, okay?” he said.

She nodded quickly, her eyes watching the sky intently as she took a hesitant step forward. Her shoes clicked against the concrete, each step causing her to shudder nervously.

“Don't worry,” he whispered. “I have us cloaked. They can't hear us.”

“What if we can't get on the ship?” she asked. “I don't even see any around here.”

“There's one on the other side of the engineering building. They are boarding now,” he said.

“How do you know that?” she asked.

“Whenever Gabe worked on my leg, he added a few minor technical advances that included being able to read information without having to see it,” he replied. “It sends the information up into my brain where it registers as a memory.”

“That's fascinating,” she whispered.

“We can also send each other messages silently,” he added.

“So, you do have a secret language,” she said with a grin. “Is he saying anything now?”

“I can't tell...he's too out of reach,” he replied grimly. “But once we get up there, I can locate him easily.”

“You two should be in the military with how much you've evolved,” she said.

“We've considered it. However, fighting really isn't our style,” he said.

“But your brains are incredible. Surely they can be useful,” she said. “Especially now. We wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for your brain.”

Charles remained silent as they quickly sprinted around the side of the building. Up ahead, a military pod was boarding with a few soldiers who were wearing Pocket Oxygen, their laser guns strapped to their sides. Charles firmly pulled Robyn towards the entrance and slipped on board while the gate was closing, pressing themselves against the wall. The door hissed shut.

As the pod took off, Robyn gripped the wall, her stomach doing flips as the pod sped up through the atmosphere. It was nauseating and she found herself gagging while gripping Charles by the hand. He squeezed in response, a sort of subtle way of offering support. The pod lurched suddenly and she nearly vomited as it steadied.

“Nearing destination,” said a digital voice.

Her eyes remained locked on the door, waiting for their moment to sprint out. The pod lurched again and then plunged into darkness. Red lights flashed and an alarm blared as the miniature pod shook. When the doors opened, Charles darted out with Robyn in hand, diving between Dytrusk soldiers in order to get to the doors. They dove into the hallway and paused for a moment, Robyn leaning up against the wall to catch her breath. She adjusted the Pocket Oxygen over her mouth.

Her heart was racing. She placed two fingers over her wrist to check her heart rate, eyes widening at how alarmingly fast it was beating. Charles took her hand again.

“Let's go,” he said.

With a grunt, Robyn followed and tried to keep his pace. Her heels were clanking off the metal floor and hurting her ankles with every step. The pain became overwhelming and she stopped for a moment to remove them, noticing the small collection of soldiers behind her.

“Charles!” she cried.

He turned and darted in front of her to block them, raising his leg to pull a miniature laser gun from the cybernetic attachment. A few shots took the first one down, but the other two kept running, their bulky feet thunderously hitting the ground. He shook the laser gun.

“It won't fire!” he cried.

“Watch out!” she yelled.

Charles ducked and a red shoe went flying over his head, landing in the center of the hallway. The confused Dytrusk soldiers paused and stared with confusion at the shoe. It gave Charles time to fix the laser gun and shoot again, knocking them over from their positions. He turned around and planted a kiss on her lips.

“Good thinking, darling,” he said.

“I try,” she said.

“Let's keep going. We're almost there,” he said.

A few doors down from where they were standing was a blue door, one that was guarded with digital security. Charles fiddled with the screen.

“I hate technology,” he grumbled.

“You only hate it because it's not working for you,” Robyn joked.

“Hush,” he groaned. “I'm getting there.”

As Robyn giggled, the doors slid open and she jumped back. A Dytrusk stood on the other side, offering Charles a puzzled expression as he laughed nervously.

“Fixed it,” he said in a low voice.

“Duck,” she groaned.

The other red shoe went flying through the air and whacked the Dytrusk in the face, causing several of its eyes to cross. It teetered for a moment and then stumbled forward to the ground. Charles regarded him with curiosity.

“Oh,” he said. “Well, that worked.”

Robyn shrugged.

“I didn't think it would,” she said.

“You're just more amazing by the minute,” he said while taking her by the waist.

“There's Gabe!” she cried, pointing.

In the center of the room was a medical chair. Gabe was lying motionless on top of it, his skin as pale as a bedsheet. A metal bowl rested over his forehead with wires attached to it that looped around the back of his skull to a large needle. It was drilled into his neck, the wires exiting and curling around the bottom of the chair to a computer across the room.

“He looks terrible,” she whimpered while approaching his motionless body. “What have they done to him?”

“I haven't seen this in years,” Charles whispered. “It's a mind control technique that a distant hateful race of aliens developed back in 2218. It was immediately banned by the Federation before Earth joined the Universal Peace Force.”

“I don't understand why they would do this to him,” Robyn said, running her fingers over Gabe's pale cheek.

“It's to suck memories from his brain while keeping him immobile. The program effectively wipes each memory and stores it in a database for later viewing, almost like a personal movie archive,” Charles explained.

“Dreadful,” she whispered. “Utterly dreadful.”

“This is the most horrific way you can kill someone,” Charles commented.

“They're killing him?!” she cried.

“Unfortunately, yes. I'll have to counteract the program before releasing Project X. It'll kill him if we can't get him off the machine,” he said.

“What can I do?” she asked.

“Talk to him. Try to coax him out of that hypnotized state,” he replied.

Taking a deep and shaky breath, she rested her soft fingers against his pallid cheek. He was ice cold. The usual vigorous warmth of his skin had been replaced with ice and his eyelids were barely open, the edges of his lashes coated in miniature icicles. She did her best to brush them away and then cupped his face while resting her lips to his ear.

“Hello, darling,” she whispered. “It's Robyn. I know we haven't known each other very long at all, but last night was one of the best nights of my life.”

Computer keys clicked in the background and Robyn could hear Charles grunting. Screens clicked and beeps erupted from the massive computer lining the wall, the lights above them shining bright and then dimming suddenly.

“You have been such a kind person. Everything I know about you is only superficial, but I feel like I've known you and Charles for the longest time. You two are incredible. I could have never imagined having two lovers, but this has been such a beautiful experience that I couldn't imagine having it any other way,” she went on.

“Gaining consciousness. Keep going, Robyn,” Charles said.

“You're amazing. Your mind is amazing. Don't let it go to waste, darling,” she whispered tearfully. “Come back to us, please. We can't go on like this without you. What a horrible world it would be without your amazing spirit.”

“Just a few more codes,” Charles groaned. “Come on!”

Robyn turned to see him smacking the keys while grunting. He rested his head against the computer screen. When she turned back to Gabe, his eyes were fluttering.

“It's working!” she cried. “Come on, Gabe. Come back!”

Her fingers shook as she held his face, tears blinding her vision as she leaned down to press her cheek to his icy skin. Her lips quivered as she rubbed them against his pallid cheek, dragging them over to his frozen lips.

“Come back,” she whispered.

With a heavy heart and a clenched gut, she pressed her lips to his as tears rolled down her face. It was her last effort to pull him from that horrible hypnotic state, to yank him from the depths of his demise.

And she hoped hard that it would work.

 

***

 

A croak came from the lips Robyn was kissing and she jumped back with a squeak.

“He's breathing!” she cried. “Charles, come quickly!”

Within seconds, Charles was at her side and helping to detach the horrible needle from the back of Gabe's neck. Robyn did her best to remove it with minimal damage, tossing it to the ground as soon as it was pulled out. She removed the helmet and then dug through her coat pocket for her miniature patching kit.

As Gabe groaned, she carefully dabbed the wound with a moist disinfectant wipe and then applied an adhesive medical patch to it. A hiss came from his lips, almost like an elongated sigh.

“These gel patches always come in handy in emergencies,” she said. “The inside layer is coated with fast acting pain killers to keep him from getting a massive headache.”

When she was done, she stood and held up a tiny light over his eyes.

“Gabe, can you hear us?” she asked while flashing the light over his pupils.

He groaned as his pupils dilated, squinting against the light. Robyn sighed with a smile and planted a kiss on his nose. She wiped away a few rogue pieces of ice and then pulled a warm pack from her pocket.

“What else do you keep in there?” Charles asked with a grin.

“Half the hospital,” she replied jokingly.

When she applied the warm pack to Gabe's neck, he shot up from the chair and wailed. She quickly laid him back down and patted his shoulder.

“Hey, it's okay. You're fine now,” she said.

“Huh?” Gabe asked, his eyes rolling around the room. “Where am I?”

“On the Dytrusk ship. You were taken and they were trying to steal your brain,” she replied.

“I feel like I've been hit by a ship,” Gabe groaned.

“You're going to have a headache for a few days. I'll get you some medicine from the hospital when we get back,” she explained.

“The virus,” Charles blurted. “Gabe, I need the virus from you.”

“What virus?” Gabe asked.

“Give him a few minutes. He's suffering some minor memory loss,” Robyn said.

“We don't have a few minutes. We need to shut this down immediately,” Charles said firmly.

In one swift motion, she turned to Charles and pressed her finger to the center of his chest. He immediately stepped back as her face flushed red.

“Do you want him to completely lose his memory?” she asked heatedly.

Charles shook his head.

“Then, hush,” she spat. “Because he needs a few minutes.”

“I'm sorry,” he whispered.

Robyn softened her gaze, lowering her green eyes to the ground. Her toes were bare against the cold metal floor, her warm skin growing colder by the second the longer she stood without shoes. She raised her gaze.

“I know you care about us both, but we need to be careful or else he might have permanent brain damage,” she explained. “I'm sorry I raised my voice.”

“No, you had every right to get angry with me. I'm sorry,” he said.

With a faint smile, she stood up on the tips of her toes and planted a kiss on his lips before turning to find the medical chair empty. Her panicked eyes darted around the room until they found Gabe standing at the computer. He held up a flash drive in his cybernetic fingers.

“Eat this, you bastards,” he groaned.

He slipped the flash drive into the computer and then collapsed to the ground. Robyn rushed to his side and cradled his head to her bosom, stroking the brown hair away from his eyes.

“You just couldn't rest, could you?” she joked.

“Never. Not until these jerks are defeated,” he replied. “They rattled around in my brain and tried to take all of my beautiful memories. They can suffer for it.”

The computer beeped rapidly as the screens became a colorful mess of pixelated shapes. While the computer continued to beep, the lights above them flashed. Within moments, the entire room was plunged into darkness and Robyn pulled out her little flashlight from her pocket. She waved it around the room.

“What's happening?” she asked.

“It worked,” Charles replied. “It actually worked.”

Robyn coughed.

“Gabe, you are such a genius,” he went on.

She coughed again and squinted in the darkness, her flashlight shaking.

“I think something is wrong,” she croaked.

“Charles, reset the system...” Gabe whispered. “The oxygen tanks are failing...”

Robyn uncontrollably heaved forward, her hand pressed to her stomach. The flashlight had fallen from her fingers. An eerie cold crept over her neck and down her chest as her lungs began to burst from a lack of oxygen, she clawed at her throat while trying to take deep breaths. It was no use. She croaked again and fell to her side while her eyes blinked rapidly.

No vision registered. The sounds around her were fading quickly as her head rested against the cold stomach of Gabe. He wasn't breathing either. She remained frozen in place while computer keys clicked, walls hummed, and the lights flashed back into place.

But she continued to drift away. She kept falling down into the dark, even with the bright lights shining above.

 

***

 

“Robyn...” whispered a distant voice.

The darkness was deep. She wasn't sure where she was or how she had drifted that far down, only that a cold weight was pressed against her chest while intermittent bits of warmth pressed against her face.

“Robyn!” cried the voice at full volume.

With a gasp, she popped up from the ground and grabbed the first body sitting in front of her. It was Charles. He rubbed her back and pressed his nose to her ear.

“It's okay,” he whispered. “You're okay.”

“I thought I was falling,” she whimpered.

“We are, darling. We're falling,” he replied.

“I know it's fast, but I'm honestly okay with it,” she said.

“No, we're actually falling right out of the sky,” he said.

“Oh,” she whispered while looking around.

Gabe was standing at the computer while pressing the keys.

“This is too much. I got the air and power running, but there's no way to reboot the engine. It must have been damaged,” he explained.

“Let me try,” Charles offered.

He released Robyn and stood from the ground, standing confidently over the keys of the computer. The screen fluttered for a moment as he typed. Gabe sat back down on the ground and took her hand, squeezing it as the ship tilted forward.

She hiccupped and covered her mouth, closing her eyes while feeling the entire ship shudder and quake. The nausea left her feeling light-headed and she squeezed Gabe's hand hard.

“Almost there,” Charles announced. “I just need a few more drones.”

“What are you talking about?” Gabe asked.

“We're low enough in the atmosphere for the drones to attach to the ship,” Charles replied.

“Talk about genius!” Gabe shouted. “That's a fantastic idea, Charles.”

Robyn smiled warmly and nodded, her fingers remaining fixed over her mouth. As the ship steadied and stopped shaking, she sighed with relief and then relaxed against Gabe.

“We disabled all the airless pockets in the city. Military personnel are going to surround the ship. We need to send them a warning that we're here,” Charles said. “Shouldn't take longer than another few key strokes.”

With a long sigh, Robyn looked up at the blond man tapping away at the computer. She smiled and bit her lower lip as her thighs twitched. A familiar tickling sensation settled in her pelvis as she admired his profile, absorbing every detail of his determined gaze and strong shoulders.

She turned to Gabe with the same smile and admired his tired eyes, the slightly emaciated face, and the thin lips that were quivering. They quickly curled up into a smile.

“What?” he asked.

She shook her head.

“Just looking at you two,” she replied. “You're beautiful.”

“You really think so?” he asked.

“Absolutely,” she replied with a grin.

“I heard everything you said. It made me feel warm with hope, like I was going to come home no matter what,” he said.

“That was my intention,” she whispered with a tearful gaze.

“You know I won't let anything happen to you, right?” he asked.

She nodded while shivering, leaning her head back down to his shoulder as the ship steadied again and then halted. The walls hummed. The sound died down as the lights flickered and Charles knelt next to her.

“We're going to get out of here,” he whispered. “You don't have to cry, Robyn.”

“I'm not crying because I'm upset,” she said.

“Then, why are you crying?” Gabe asked, rubbing her arm gently.

“I'm just happy I made it through with you two,” she replied.

Charles smiled warmly and held out his hand for her to take. When she was comfortably on two feet, she took Gabe by the hand and then led them both to the doorway. The hallway was lined with various Dytrusk soldiers, most of them lifeless. Green goo covered the ground. She grimaced as she stepped over it and squeaked when some of it touched her toe, wrapping her arms around Gabe to be lifted.

“The main doors should be just up ahead,” Charles announced.

He pointed to the large metal slabs that were slowly parting. On the other side was a soldier wearing a mask. He held up his laser gun.

“Halt, state your clearance,” he yelled.

“Engineer Operative 003 with Engineer Operative 002 and a civilian,” Charles replied.

The soldier lowered his weapon and waved them over, helping them down from the collapsed ship. Behind the soldier stood a crowd of military personnel and soldiers who immediately erupted into applause. It startled Robyn and she hid behind Gabe who chuckled while wrapping an arm around her.

“We're heroes, darling,” he said reassuringly. “Don't be scared.”

With a nervous giggle, she stepped from behind him and then wrapped an arm around Charles as they walked through the crowd. A balding man who was huffing approached and shook hands with each of them.

“Steve,” said the man to Robyn. “Owner of Breathe Free Corporation here on Portsworth Military Base.”

“This is our boss,” Charles said.

“We're elated that the three of you could save the city. Though many were lost, it was you who saved the rest of the world,” Steve went on. “The Dytrusk had been planning to expand throughout the world and we stopped them right in their tracks.”

Robyn blushed.

“I'm just a doctor, sir,” she said.

“But you helped me get to the room where they were keeping Gabe,” Charles said.

“And you patched my wound,” Gabe said while pointing to his neck.

“You've done much more than you thought,” Charles added. “You should be proud of that.”

“And for that, we thank you,” Steve said while shaking her hand again. “This mission couldn't have been accomplished without your combined efforts. As a token of our appreciation, we would like to invite you to a dinner held in your honor and to give you each a yearly stipend for the rest of your lives.”

“Yearly stipend?” Robyn asked. “But I already work as a doctor.”

“You don't have to work if you don't want to,” Steve replied.

“I love what I do, sir. As much as I appreciate the gesture, I'd like to remain a doctor,” she said.

Steve nodded and smiled warmly.

“You are a humble woman. Charles is lucky to have you,” he said.

“And Gabe,” Charles added.

“I'm sorry…” Steve trailed off.

“We're involved with each other. A triad, if you will. I don't think we would have it any other way,” Charles explained.

Steve raised his eyebrows and nodded reluctantly, looking between the three of them with some curiosity as Robyn looped her arms around the two men on either side of her.

“I like them both,” she said with a grin.

“Well, then,” Steve said. “I'm happy to hear it. Anyone who makes my boys happy is always welcome.”

Robyn smiled warmly and nodded, her eyes welling with tears again as she listened to the crowd chanting around them. It was infectious energy, the giggles in her gut bubbling up her throat and into the air. The sound of people cheering brought her a sense of joy and accomplishment.

“I'm glad we made it out of there. I need a drink,” she commented.

“We have meals waiting for each of you. I'm sure you're famished,” Steve said.

“Thank you, sir,” Robyn said.

When Steve stepped aside, the three walked through the rest of the crowd and into the main lobby of the engineering building. A table was set up with fresh food and chairs, most of the soldiers having already sat down to eat. When they noticed the three walking in, many of them stood to offer their places at the table. Robyn sat down between Gabe and Charles, taking a long gulp of water that left her feeling hungrier than before. She eyed the food lining the table.

“This is more than I could ever eat,” she commented.

“I'll help,” Gabe offered while reaching over to grab a baked chicken leg.

Robyn giggled and started scooping food into her plate, inhaling the wonderful smell that filled the main lobby. She looked around at the smiling faces. It felt surreal compared to the dim and ghastly appearance of the ship. This was much livelier, much more human.

“We should take a vacation,” Robyn commented.

“Where to?” Charles asked. “I think we can go anywhere with what the Portsworth Military is about to give us.”

“How about a trip across the galaxy?” she asked.

Charles dropped his fork and stared at her with wide eyes. She burst into giggles and shook her head, wrapping an arm around him.

“I'm joking,” she said. “Let's go somewhere extra warm.”

“I hear Mars is nice this time of year,” Gabe said.

“Or maybe a beach outside of the Milky Way,” she replied.

“That far?” Charles asked. “Why so far?”

Robyn sighed.

“I need a vacation,” she replied. “And I need it to be as far away from this place as possible.”

 

***

 

Robyn smiled as she tilted her head back and bathed in the warm sun, closing her eyes against the bright sun shining down on her. The sand under her fingers was warm and welcoming, a light breeze kissing her cheek. She sighed contentedly. The gentle sound of waves crashing against the shore filled her ears and she smiled again while digging further into the comforting sand.

“Happy, darling?” asked a husky voice from above.

She opened her eyes to find Charles holding up a blue drink.

“Absolutely,” she replied.

“Good,” he said while sitting down. “This is for you.”

“Thank you, sweetheart,” she said.

As she took a long sip, she heard the sound of jazz approaching and turned to find Gabe stepping carefully over the sand with his phone.

“I hate the feeling of sand between my toes,” he commented.

“But it's so nice out here. How can you hate it?” she asked.

“I hate the sand. The view is very nice,” he replied.

“Isn't it?” she asked.

“Indeed,” he agreed while sitting down. “It's wonderful.”

“I can't believe they gave us a two-month vacation,” she said.

“I can,” Charles said. “We did a lot. We deserve it.”

She giggled.

“I mean, I didn't intend to stay this long, but I'm honestly becoming addicted,” she added.

“We can stay even longer if you want,” Charles said.

“Would they allow that?” she asked.

He shrugged.

“We saved the world. There's nothing we can't do now,” he replied.

“I do miss my work,” she said. “I'm nothing without being of service to my patients.”

“I'm sure they'll be fine for a little bit longer,” Gabe said.

“Besides, we have this entire island to ourselves. We should make the best of it,” Charles said.

“I was thinking about hiking later this afternoon,” she said.

“Yeah? We could do that,” Charles said.

“That definitely sounds like a nice idea,” Gabe chimed in.

“Then, let's go,” she said while standing.

“But I haven't finished my mojito,” Gabe complained.

“You can save it for later. We have plenty,” she said. “I want to go before the sun sets.”

“Alright, fine,” Gabe said while standing. “But it's going to cost you.”

“And what exactly will it cost me?” she asked with a shy grin.

“Three kisses,” he replied, smiling.

“You'll have to catch me first!” she cried.

Giggling, Robyn sprinted for the trees next to their beach cabin and darted behind a few palms. She could hear Gabe and Charles calling from behind, but she disregarded their teasing while searching for the perfect place to hide. Beyond the cabin, there was a small grove surrounded by trees that seemed to be hidden from the main path. She ducked down beneath the plants and calmed her breathing while planting her feet firmly in the ground.

She watched Gabe sprint by with Charles following, the breeze rustling the leaves she was hiding behind. She giggled silently to herself. When they were out of sight, she rose from the bushes and then carefully stepped out. She eyed the path curiously and then turned to sprint in the other direction, colliding with a strong figure that blocked her path.

“Nice try, baby,” Gabe said mischievously.

“I can still run,” she retorted.

While attempting to turn, Gabe tackled her to the ground and covered her giggling face in kisses. Charles ran up behind them and leaned over while panting.

“I'm really losing my shape by staying on vacation,” he said between gasps for air.

“I guess I haven't been doing a good job of keeping you in shape,” she joked.

“I guess you haven't. We ought to do something about that,” he said while lowering himself to the ground.

With a grin, he kissed her lips and stroked her shoulders. She tittered with delight at the sensation, cupping his face as his tongue danced inside of her mouth. The gentle kiss slowly turned into one of primal hunger, deepening the more she ran her fingers through his hair.

Gabe trailed kisses all the way down her torso, pausing just above her bikini while his hands smoothed between her legs. Instinctively, she parted her legs and moaned as his lips pressed to her inner thighs, tenderly tracing her bikini line while curiously poking a finger beneath her bikini. She bucked as he carefully outlined her clit, his lips shortly following to devour her wet entrance.

Charles decorated her neck with his lips, leaving a trail of moans behind as he pulled aside her top to reveal two vulnerable pink nipples. She shivered as he took one into his mouth and sucked gently, the other stimulated by his devious fingers. Her chest heaved when he sucked harder and she whimpered while he tickled her sensitive breasts.

With lips parted, Robyn writhed on the soft soil as moans filled the air. She could hardly contain the excitement in her stomach, fluttering with each and every stroke from the men worshiping her body. Charles cupped her breasts and returned to her lips for another taste, moaning as her curious hand reached over to stroke the budding erection beneath his shorts.

She pulled his shorts down eagerly, revealing a hard cock that was leaking with fluid from the tip. Hungrily, she pulled him by his hips and swallowed him whole. A groan erupted from his lips and he bucked into her mouth. Her tongue slid up and down his shaft while her hands gripped his thighs, pulling him deeper and deeper into her throat.

A muffled moan surfaced as Gabe lapped at her velvety vulva, tracing circles around her clit with his tongue. He inserted one finger and then two, pushing deep into her soaked entrance that begged to be pleasured. As his fingers slid in and out of her, she cooed and bucked, whimpering as his lips caressed her clit once more.

The cock in her mouth was throbbing as more fluid seeped from the tip, salty cream coating the surface of her tongue. Charles groaned above with each thrust into her mouth, his hands cupping her face as she sucked. He stroked her cheek and tucked a lock of red hair behind her ear.

“You're so beautiful,” he whispered.

She smiled and licked the head of his cock, watching his face contort from distress to pleasure in the same instant. It encouraged her to lick more, to open her mouth wider, and to suck him down harder. Their eyes locked for a moment as he bobbed in and out of her mouth, his throbbing cock teetering on the edge of exploding. When she pulled him from her mouth, she whimpered.

Gabe was rapidly sucking on her clit, the slurping sounds matching her heated moans that came in rapid succession. She bucked hard into his mouth and wailed while gripping his hair, brows knitted together as the electrical pulse in her pelvis radiated up into her chest. She tensed. Each fervent lick caused her to swell, the electricity crackling in her solar plexus until it reached a crescendo and burst from her lips.

With a smile, Gabe sat up and pressed his hard cock into her wet entrance, slipping easily inside. His girth filled her instantly and she wailed, arching her back to better accept his cock. His fingers danced over her engorged clit, rubbing her into heated fits that caused her to shake.

Her senses heightened as she gripped Charles’ cock, stroking him closer and closer to his release. She opened her mouth and welcomed him again, pulling him by the hips as her body rocked to the rhythm of her sucking. His thighs tensed hard and he growled, grabbing a fistful of her hair while shoving his cock deeper. As her eyes rolled up, he grunted and increased his speed, thrusting faster as her tongue and lips sucked the creamy fluid from his cock.

In between her thighs, Gabe pounded furiously. Her legs went numb as blood rushed to the source of pleasure, pooling in her pelvis and warming her torso with electricity. It was building faster. The more she fought off her climax, the more it crackled like lightening in her stomach. Each thrust forced it to pulse vigorously, pushing her straight over the edge and down into the convulsive depths of absolute bliss.

Holding on to both men simultaneously, she erupted with tremors, her wailing rising over the three bodies so intimately intertwined. Gabe quickly followed her cue, his thrusts increasing the more she cried out. With a growl, he thrust once more and then bucked forward, collapsing over her spent body. Charles took control of his cock and stroked it fervently, pressing the tip to the edge of her lips while vibrating with excitement. His groans signaled the release of his creamy come that coated her lips and fell on her neck, his hand vigorously rubbing until there was nothing left.

Panting, he collapsed against her breast and chuckled, wiping the sweat from his forehead. She rested her weak arm over his chest and rubbed his cheek lazily.

“Well,” he said. “That was quite an afternoon workout.”

Robyn giggled and traced his bottom lip with her numb.

“That was incredible,” she whispered.

Gabe rested lazily against her left breast, heaving as he tried to catch his breath. The sweat covering his forehead was trickling down to her chest and she cupped his face with her free hand.

“Looks like we might need a nap,” she said.

“Shower first,” Gabe groaned.

Robyn giggled and nodded.

“Yes, shower first. My back is covered in dirt,” she said.

“We could just dive into the ocean,” Charles said.

“Or we could jump in the hot tub,” she suggested.

“That sounds even nicer,” Gabe said. “Let's do that.”

Robyn waited for the two men to peel themselves away from her chest and fixed her bikini, holding her hands out to be lifted. Charles and Gabe each took a hand and hoisted her up from the moist soil. Her back was covered in dirt. With a chuckle, Charles brushed some of it away and then wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

As they walked up the path back to the cabin, the sun trickled through the trees and warmed her face. She looked up and greeted the sweet rays with a warm smile, resting her head against Gabe's shoulder as they walked with their arms linked together.

“Another beautiful day in paradise,” she whispered. “Let's stay here forever.”

“I thought you wanted to go back,” Gabe said.

“I mean, it won't be paradise back home,” she replied.

“Yes, it will,” Charles argued.

“How?” she asked. “It won't be warm and sunny like this.”

“Everywhere is paradise with you,” Charles replied. “So long as we are together will always be paradise.”

 

THE END