Still Episode 22
Zoe Andersen Routh
She was annoyed.
Life with her new husband was passionate and exciting for the first few months. They rarely argued, and most of the time they settled their differences amicably and there was that. No hard feelings and move on and be better.
Now, the honeymoon was over, and usually the first big spat usually heralded the end of that passionate period. Her husband annoyingly didn't back down, and they spent the early morning in a chilling silence as they prepared to head to the wedding reception. One of her very few close friends was getting married and they did not have a good wedding gift to give.
It was all Jack's fault. Well… maybe hers too.
Her annoyance with Jack slowly vanished, bit by bit when they arrived at the venue. Jack was helpful setting up the decorations, while she organized the final layout with Reese's help. She took care of the catering staff and directed them where to set up the table and food stations, where they could wash up and how the seating should be arranged.
Everything was going well, until it wasn't and they couldn't do anything about it.
She watched as the entourage waited and waited, becoming more impatient by the minute. Some were hungry, some were tired. The adorable twins that were their flower girls were complaining to their parents that they were hungry, and the mother had to step in and feed them some appetizers she got from the catering.
Pam was slowly losing it, and she had to team up with the groom, James, to calm her down.
"Everything will be fine, Pam." She tried to reassure her best friend. Maybe they could have asked someone to play a music list from their phones, but the venue didn't even have a sound system to connect to. It was all dependent on the band and the DJ who were travelling together with the equipment.
She spotted Jack stepping out to and talking to Reese. Her other best friend seemed to perk up at something Jack said as he went back inside. Then she realized her stubborn husband had stepped in when it looked like the event was starting to become a disaster.
The music he played was hauntingly beautiful. Her husband was amazing. And this, this was an even better gift than her original plan.
She realized her husband had not eaten anything at all since that morning, and he was playing amazing background music as the wedding guests ate deliciously prepared food while they enjoyed the atmosphere of the venue. So she headed to the buffet line and picked what she were Jack's favorites. Ribs. Mashed potatoes. Roasted chicken. Some asparagus and broccoli with butter and garlic. Then she grabbed a few bottles of beer.
"Hey." She headed to Jack just as he finished playing a song. A good number of guests clapped in appreciation at his performance.
"Hey." Jack replied. He was staring at her with a questioning look. It was the first time they spoke today.
"I figured you'd be hungry and thirsty by now." She held up the plate and put down the bottles on the piano.
"Thanks, love." She knew he didn't mean to include the term of endearment at the end, but they had been both using that for so many months now it had become second nature. It was also adorable to see Jack flush for a moment when he realized what he had said.
"Scoot over." He did without hesitation. She moved to sit beside him at the piano bench and took up a fork and gave him a small smile. "I'm feeding you. I don't want your clothes getting stained."
"Yes love." Her smile grew wider as Jack leaned over and opened his mouth. Cute. She served him a spoon full of mashed potatoes first.
The rest of the event went smoother compared to the start. It seems like Jack and the catering staff were making up for the incompetence of the music band and DJ they hired. She heard numerous comments from the guests that the food was fantastic, and the music amazing while they ate.
"It was like eating joy at a concert in heaven." One of the bridesmaids made a poetic comment.
She was pretty sure she and Jack had made up. Jack had his arm around her waist while she leaned her head against his chest as they sat in Pam and James' table. Then the flirting started, his hand on her thigh, her brushing her hand along his crotch accidentally. She was pretty sure she was the one that instigated it by challenging her husband to play a spicy, sexy song that could drop panties.
She knew she had already lost before even Jack stood up to approach the band. If anyone could play a song like that, Jack could. She wondered if he would use one his other songs he played in private for her. Some of them were able to make her hot and horny for Jack anyway.
She had no idea what she had unleashed.
Jack was staring at her as he sang, fingers dancing on the keyboards as he talked about taking off her Versace dress and getting naked with her. Damn, his voice and the note and pitch he reached, and those runs. She was pretty sure her panties were soaked.
She looked around, and many women, even Reese, were blushing or biting their lips as they listened to her husband's performance. She grew a bit jealous as well, but she could use that later, when they get home.
Fuck.
She was horny. She clapped when Jack finally finished his song and she immediately pulled him for a kiss once he got in front of her. She heard wolf whistles but she didn't care.
"I'm not mad anymore." She whispered to him.
"I know." Jack replied with a grin and leaned closer to whisper to her ear. "What do I get for winning?"
She didn't comment on the hand that was groping her ass and gave her husband a heated look.
Pam and James quickly came over once they finished their brief but passionate kiss. The bride looked incredibly happy and gave her and Jack a quick hug.
"Thank you! Thank you! This is the best gift ever!" Pam gushed.
The band played another tune, this time one of the guests decided to sing a popular song by Taylor Swift which she found amusing. With Jack's performance, more people had decided to dance on the floor. The atmosphere of the reception had changed and it was more lively and full of energy.
"So that's it huh?" She leaned in to whisper in his ear. "You use your talent to make me horny if I refuse you sex."
"Did it work?" Jack asked.
"Almost." She leaned back and crossed her legs as she drank a bottle of cold beer. She had to remember that they had made up from their first major fight. "Good try though."
She knew she was lying to herself since she attacked Jack the moment they stepped inside the door of their house. She was feeling aroused, and the possessiveness in her increased when she saw some of the blatant flirting by the other bridesmaids made to her husband. Soon their clothes were scattered around the floor, and she gasped as Jack finally went inside her.
"Fuck! I missed this cock!" She stared at her husband's face with a heated gaze. She grabbed his hair and pulled him closer for a deep kiss. She moaned as he thrust up in her. Then again. Stronger and rougher than the last one. More. Harder. She howled and scratched Jack's back as her thighs shook in a sudden orgasm. The build up to her climax was so quick it surprised her.
Jack didn't care and continued fucking her. She didn't care as well and locked her ankles behind his ass encouraged her mate to go deeper.
Make-up sex was amazing.
It was more of a battle in that regard, unlike before where she usually surrendered herself to him. She knew they were both in a sex crazed trance right now. She heard something break as she sat on her husband, but put it in the back of her mind. He fucked, then she fucked him, straddling over him and forcing her mouth on his and then he would flip them over and it was her turn to get railed.
All the while his cock continued to pump inside her cunt as their lovemaking reached another climax.
She reached her orgasm first, and when he finally spilled inside her she gently combed his scalp with her fingers as he twitched and moaned, slowly pumping his softening cock inside her. As always he turned them both around, so that his weight wouldn't press against her and they both lay on the pleasantly cooled tiled floor of their home, regaining their breaths.
"I think it was both our fault." Jack finally whispered in her ear after a minute of silence.
"We both forgot about it until it was too late." She replied. She found it amusing that their most important moments in their relationship were always after a good round of lovemaking, with his cock buried inside her.
"I'm sorry I lost track. I assumed it would still be there." Jack added.
"And I'm sorry I forced it on you to pick up the lamp. Pam's my best friend. I should have done it myself." She replied. She raised herself up, and smiled as Jack's eyes dipped to her exposed breasts. "I should have bought it the moment I saw it, but I didn't have the cash on hand. I should have been prepared."
"We just both lost track of time. We were too focused on our responsibilities."
Her husband shifted, and she heard the sound of broken glass. They both sat up, and she laughed when she saw the square tile beneath Jack's butt had cracked.
"We didn't fuck that hard, did we?" She asked, feeling amused at the situation.
Jack looked confused as he slowly pried off the broken pieces of the tile from the floor. They both stared at what lay underneath it, a part of what looked like a wooden hatch. Jack carefully removed the broken pieces of the broken tiles, finally revealing the metal hatch with its light green faded with a circular steel handle.
"What do you think that is?" She asked.
Jack answered by turning the handle and then pulled it, causing the whole latch to swing open with a groan of rusted hinges. She could see how heavy it was since she heard Jack grunt and his muscles flex with effort. It must have been at least four inches thick, possibly more. Once the hatch was fully open, she found struts attached to the frame that could be extended so that the hatch wouldn't suddenly close. She pulled them and locked the hatch in place so that it wouldn't suddenly move and hurt them.
She looked inside but couldn't see anything. Jack used the phone that was in his discarded pants and used its flashlight function to give them better visibility. The light revealed what looked like a large underground chamber. The air smelled stale, but from what she could see at least it was dry.
"It looks like an old cistern converted into a bunker. It's pretty huge down here, I can't see the other end of the room." Jack observed as he looked further inside. "It's meant to collect rainwater for storage, but I can see the pipes on that wall were repurposed for ventilation. Someone spent a lot of time and resources converting it. Look, there are wires running through here."
"Interesting." She mused. She instantly had an idea to make use of this newly discovered part of their home.
Without bothering to wear any stitch of clothing, the two of them descended down the chamber with the help of a ladder from the garage. Jack came down first, with her holding the ladder secure at the top, and then she followed after with Jack securing the ladder from below.
It was bigger than they expected, and they found another sealed hatch leading to what Jack guessed was the lawn at the backyard. The walls mere made of concrete painted with light green paint. Wires ran at the upper half of the wall to multiple bulbs covered in steel basket.
"We could use this as an emergency bunker, and an armory." She suggested with some excitement. They only had handguns stored at home, afraid that burglars would be able to break in their hidden gun safe if they bought higher caliber firearms.
With this new discovery, she could finally buy the rifles she wanted, along with the scopes and custom upgrades. She could even store ammunition.
"I was thinking that as well." Jack looked excited at the prospect of a hidden underground space. "We can hide the entrance to the kitchen by extending the island to this part. It will be easy to run wires since they already have lines running around and fix the ventilation as well."
"Good idea. We can plant some bushes to hide the latch leading to the lawn, but we have to refurbish these hatches." She added. Her mind was full of ideas, from adding steel ladders, upgrading the utility lines, there were so many possibilities.
She occasionally watched those doomsday preppers showing off their bunkers in TV shows, and she always wondered what she would do when she had her own. Now she was presented with an opportunity to realize that dream, and it was already fully built!
She gasped when she felt Jack's hands grab her hips and felt his hardening cock tease her lower lips.
"We haven't fucked here before." Jack told her. "I think it's time to fix that."
She laughed and placed both of her hands flat on the cold smooth concrete wall to brace herself while spreading her legs at the same time and soon Jack started to fuck her from behind. Her moans echoed loudly inside moments later as she lost herself in pleasure.
Taylor Swift
Someone had created a Youtube channel, and within it an album containing all of the known performances of her friend Jack Routh.
CutieBlairWitch's subscriber and view counts were rising by hundreds every week because of it. Even she was surprised by the quality of the posts. There were recorded videos of Jack's every known performance and the view count of each video were easily in the hundreds of thousands. She scrolled down the webpage, and selected a video with a title she was unfamiliar with.
The video began to play, showing Jack in a piano in what looked like some rustic farm type restaurant, singing to his wife who was sitting beside him.
Sunday morning rain is fallin…
Steal some covers, share some skin
Clouds are shrouding us in moments unforgettable
You twist the mold that I am in.
She closed her eyes for a moment as she let the music relax her. It was working, and a smile started to form on her face.
That maybe all, I need.
In darkness she is all I see
Come and rest your bones with me
Driving slow on Sunday morning
And I never want to leave
Damn. The lyrics and his performance were incredible. The song ended too quickly without her realizing it and tapped the screen to play the video once again.
She scrolled down the album list and realized it was not just music, there was a video of Jack giving a lecture in his class. She selected one and showed Jack in a classroom teaching about the history of fans in the Georgian court of ancient times.
She heard the giggling of his mostly female students as he demonstrated the subtle language of fans for the nobility and upper class with what she recognized as the blonde she met in the hospital when she visited Jack.
What was her name again? She couldn't remember, but it was something short and common sounding. She remembered that strange Sheldon though.
The next video showed Jack just playing the piano, in what looked like a wedding reception. He looked dashing, in a tailored gray suit. The video was quite good, as it was high in resolution and the sound quality acceptable.
It was able to capture the sounds of the piano somewhat and she leaned in to listen to the unfamiliar theme as the procession of bridesmaids and groomsmen entered the reception area in pairs.
The last pair before the bride and groom were two women dressed in similar styles of dressed and more elaborate compared to the earlier bridesmaids. She recognized Jack's wife, looking absolutely gorgeous in a dove grey off the shoulder dress.
Then the unfamiliar melody picked and she was enthralled once more with Jack's musicality. Where did this amazing melody come from? How did he create it?
The latest video looked like it was from the same event. Jack was playing the piano once more. She was pretty sure the one holding the camera was Zoe, since her friend kept looking straight into the lens.
Then he started his performance. It was a slow but beautiful melody, and she was immediately mesmerized.
Let's take our time tonight, girl
Above us, all the stars are watchin'
There's no place I'd rather be in this world…
Your eyes are where I'm lost in
Fuck. She adjusted her pajamas and pressed play once more as she bit her lip. Jack was showcasing his incredible vocals, and she knew this song was deceptive. It looked to be easy to sing, but in truth she knew it was very difficult.
Underneath the chandelier
We're dancin' all alone
There's no reason to hide
What we're feelin' inside
Right now
She felt goose bumps form on her skin as Jack easily reached notes and making it look sexy. Those runs. Fuck.
So baby let's turn down the lights
And close the door
Ooh, I love that dress
But you won't need it anymore
No, you won't need it no more
Let's just kiss til' we're naked, baby
Versace on the floor
She but her lip and felt herself get turned on. It didn't help because of the… seductive lyrics and Jack looking straight into the camera, as if he was singing directly at the viewer. Damn. Damn you Jack Routh.
She reached for her special friend hidden in a drawer and replayed the song from the start and selected it to play over and over again and relaxed back on her bed. This was embarrassing as hell but it was just too much and she was alone in the privacy of her room.
Twenty minutes later she knew the chorus by heart and she needed to change the sheets and her pajamas and made a note to replace the batteries of her friend. She wondered how she could look at Jack in the eye since she was planning to invite him to her party.
When her breathing finally returned to normal, with her hair and makeup fixed, that she gathered her courage and called Jack via video call.
She released a quiet sigh of relief when she was answered on the fifth ring.
She was at first confused when she saw a masked man looking at her from her phone, and then he pulled down the black mask showing Jack's handsome and sweaty face.
"Hi Taylor, you called?"
She pushed the pillow closer to her chest to hide the twins since they were still a bit stiff from her recent… climax. "Did I call at a bad time?"
"No, I just finished responding to a call and we've just stand down. I have to remain here though for the follow up investigation and that will take time with us doing nothing, so your timing is perfect." Jack replied.
"What happened?" She asked.
"Someone got swatted." Jack used the opportunity to show her where he was. It looked like an average neighborhood, with several police cars and an ambulance flashing their lights. She spotted a blonde woman on the lawn and she saw the girl immediately perked up and started screaming.
"Is that Taylor Swift!?"
"Oh my GOD is that TAYLOR!?"
"You know Taylor? Of course you do! Oh my god it's Taylor! I love you Taylor!"
She was impressed at the woman's lungs. She even had to pull back the phone away from her face.
She smiled as Jack tried to move away, and then explained that he needed some privacy to the girl.
"Tell her I love her too." She piped up as she smiled.
That caused more screaming.
A few moments later Jack moved further away from the house now looked like he was inside a police vehicle.
"What's swatting?" She asked.
"It's when someone prank calls 911, telling them that there's a gunman shooting people in this house or taking hostages." Jack explained. "Of course they think it's a prank, but it's actually very dangerous."
"Why would they do that?" She asked. "One wrong move or misunderstanding and someone could get shot."
"There are different motives. The house that we responded to, are full of online streamers, and they have thousands and thousands of viewers. They try to hide the address, but some are smart enough to figure out where they actually live. Some sick or bored viewer can easily swat the streamer if they get annoyed or for some other reason." Jack explained.
"It was a good thing I responded to this call, since I was able to recognize the woman earlier when she opened the door. We were ready to go in guns blazing, since the 911 call said lives were in imminent danger."
"That's terrible!" She couldn't believe there were people cold hearted enough to willingly put innocent lives at risk.
"It is." Jack nodded. "Since I was able to recognize her immediately, we were able to de-escalate the situation, assess the actual danger threat level and prevent causing trauma to these victims. Of course I had to make sure every room was safe before we stood down."
"Thank God you were there." She shifted on her bed and focused on why she called. "I wanted to invite you to my party this coming weekend, and maybe hang out for a bit. I know it's on short notice, but I really could use my friends around me right now. It's on Sunday afternoon to evening."
"That should be doable." Jack replied after a moment of thought. "There's going to be good food right?"
"Of course!" She nodded quickly. "What's your favorite anyway?"
"Nothing fancy. Burgers, anything grilled like steaks and some mashed potatoes or bread." Jack replied. "I'm not picky. I hope there's good cold beer too."
"Great! I'll see you then!" She waved goodbye and gave her friend a warm smile, which Jack returned and soon the call ended. She immediately moved to review the plan her manager sent her of the caterers and the food they would prepared. She frowned and realized it was missing Jack's favorites.
The current menu was filled with a variety of Asian fusion food, sushi and salads and some handmade artisan pizzas cooked right there on the spot according the customer's specifications. Then there was an assortment of fruit shake selections, mangoes, to grape and even watermelon. She made sure everyone who came would be able to eat and leave with a full stomach.
She quickly sent a message to her manager that she wanted to add a grilling station as well, along with a selection of beers.
The party was in full swing in her L.A. mansion.
All of her close friends and staff working for her had arrived. Friends, fellow musicians, artists, technicians and PR teams were invited. She threw a small party to celebrate the success of her tour and of latest album, Reputation.
It was a relatively small group of 60 people compared to the parties she usually had. She kept it that way, and insisted that there shouldn't be press, plus ones, agents or industry players invited. She wanted the people she saw in her party to be people she personally knew, worked with and maintained a good working relationship. This was her team's time to celebrate their hard work.
Security was tight, with several layers. She wasn't taking any chances since the kidnapping attempt.
She walked around, moving from group to group as they shared stories and laughter. She kept a sharp eye for the friend she was looking forward to meeting to the most, but she couldn't see him.
"Looks like he's not coming." Her friend Selena observed.
She narrowed her eyes and checked her phone. She didn't want to appear demanding and so she resisted calling or texting Jack since the party started.
"Ohhh! That smells wonderful." Selena murmured when they reached the corner of the expansive yard where a food station was.
She noticed the line at the grilling station was unusually long. Weren't some of the people she worked with proclaiming they were vegans now or limiting the meat they consumed because of some sort of diet? She made her way there and her eyes grew wide open.
Behind the grill, wearing almost the same exact clothes as the catering staff in a white shirt and jeans was Jack Routh.
"Oh mama. Me likey!" Selena giggled.
"Jack! What are you doing back there?" She asked.
The people around her noticed her arrival and moved to the side.
"No one was manning the grill station and I was hungry." Jack explained. "So I decided to make a burger for myself and soon others started to ask as well. The burger patties are pretty good. Where did you get these?"
"That's not your job, Jack. You're a guest." She exchanged grin with Selena and beckoned Jack over. Her guest turned cook dropped the tongs and took a burger he had previously made with him along with a bottle of beer.
"Jack, right? I'm Selena." It seems like her best friend was not wasting time.
"Nice to meet you." Selena's smile grew wider as she shook hands with Jack. She knew her friend had been eager to meet Sugar in person for real this time. She had missed her chance for a proper introduction when he was wearing his police uniform.
She had to intervene before Selena did something inappropriate. "How's Zoe? I hope I get an invitation to your wedding reception."
She noticed Selena glance quickly at the ring on Jack's finger and smiled.
"Of course you'll get one, but we're still in the planning stage." Jack replied. "It's hard to organize two wedding receptions."
"Why two?" She asked.
"One is small, for close friends and family. We want it to have an intimate and relaxed atmosphere." Jack replied. "Like this party you have thrown here."
She wondered how Jack came to that accurate conclusion.
"The other is for VIPs. The Mayor and the Chief of Police wanted to attend."
"Make sure you give me an invitation to the first one." Taylor stated.
"Hey Jack, why don't you have any social media presence?" Selena asked unashamedly. "I tried to look for you online, but you don't have any presence at all. Youtube, Facegroup, Cliptok, Instargram… nothing. Do you have secret accounts?"
"Nothing." Jack simply replied. "I'm not really into sharing my private life for the public. I highly value my privacy, and my wife shares in my beliefs. I prefer seeing and experiencing the world through my own eyes, and not through a screen."
"But your music…" Selena took out her phone and showed Jack the many videos of him performing. It included covers of other artists, some even famous, of his songs.
She smiled at seeing the frustration on Selena's face. She went through that feeling before when she first met Jack, but then she came to a realization after some thinking.
By not committing himself to a big corporate label, he had freedom. Jack Routh, Sugar established an image of authenticity and independence. He was the unicorn, where every performance and appearance was treated with excitement since he was so unpredictable. Nobody knew what he was going to do next, even her. That only added to his appeal, since his performances were so amazing.
She even noticed that his fans were different compared to others, even her own Swifties. They were more… protective of their music idol. They formed fan groups which she is a member of one, compiled his works and even created fan videos that she was even impressed with because of their creativity in their editing.
There were also galleries, pictures of the elusive Jack Routh. The popular ones were of him in his police uniform, though the one where he was wearing a suit was quickly rising in popularity.
Now here he was, wearing a simple white shirt and jeans. That look should be illegal. She sighed, wondering if she would ever meet someone like Jack. She tried, dating someone with a similar build and height. It didn't go well, and she later found out he was cheating on her.
"Taylor? Is something wrong?" She looked up to see Jack and Selena looking at her with concern.
"I want your help." She wanted to perform a song in an upcoming concert that would convey her frustrations about her past relationship. It was a concert with the purpose of raising awareness for mental health. Several famous artists were set to perform in the three day event, and she was set to be one of the last to perform on the third day. She wanted to perform a song that was new to her fans.
The three of them ended up inside the music room where her piano and several instruments were displayed.
"I should visit more often." Jack joked as he walked around the large room.
"You should." She told him. She had this space remodeled for the sole purpose of not renting a studio anymore whenever she recorded her music.
"So what's the story about the breakup? What did he do?" Selena asked, taking a seat on one of the couches that ran the length of the room. She was glad Selena was smart enough not to mention his name since it would only ruin her mood.
"He manipulated me. I thought he was loyal and committed to our relationship." She began to tell her story. By the end and several minutes later, she was trying hard not to let her tears fall. It was hard to be made a fool of, and to be betrayed.
"In the end he was still hung up on his ex, and I think her ex found him desirable if he was dating me."
She turned to Jack, who was listening intently to her, with a slight frown in his face.
"I have an idea, a song that's perfect for this, but it's unconventional." He shared.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"For one, the concept is about a song about a couple that had just broken up, so it has to be a duet. If you're going to perform this, you need a male singer to sing with you." Jack replied.
She stared at her friend, wondering what his concept was. "Can you perform it now?"
"Sure, but you have to sing the other half with me. You also need to sing some back-up vocals at the end." Jack replied. "The songs builds up in emotion, so you have to convey some… anger."
She shared a look with Selena. Her friend had that glint in her eyes. She had told Selena many times how amazing Sugar was and even made her listen to his songs. Now she too was seeing it first hand at her house.
It took thirty minutes to get ready. Jack spent the time writing the lyrics, and then coached her on the back-up vocals, casually displaying his mastery of pitch and tone.
When they were done Jack sat in front of her piano while she sat across from him with written lyrics with detailed notes in hand.
"Ready?" Jack asked.
She gave a nod and Jack started playing. It was started by a series of notes, joyful at first, but soon descended into a more somber beat. She watched his hands skillfully dance across the keyboard.
Her gaze shifted to his face as he started singing.
[Somebody I used to Know- Gotye]
Now and then I think of when we were together
Like you said you felt so happy you could die
Told myself you were right for me
But felt so lonely in your company
But that was love and it's an ache I still remember.
Jack had already explained the concept of the song, but she was still getting used to this new style. Jack sang the song with in a somber tone, his vocals matching the feeling the lyrics wanted to convey. He played a few high notes from the piano once more.
The melody remained in that somber beat, with crisp haunting high notes to add a sense of previous, happier times.
You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness
Like resignation to the end, always the end.
So when we found that we could not make sense
Well you said that we would still be friends
But I'll admit that I was glad that it was over
Jack continued playing while singing, an impressive feat on itself. But then he displayed the true range of his vocals, catching her off guard.
But you didn't have to cut me off…
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love...
But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
She realized her mouth had partially opened it amazement and closed it once more. This performance of Jack had totally blown her away. She needed to focus, her part would start soon.
No, you didn't have to stoop so low…
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though…
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Now you're just somebody that I used to know…
Now you're just somebody that I used to know…
Jack's hands continued to play the piano magnificently. She wished someone was recording this entire thing so that they too could see the real talent her friend possessed. Those lyrics, and the way he sang it, Jack warned her that she might get triggered, and she had to admit that it did a bit. But she knew it would only make her own part more impactful. She shifted in her seat, listening intently and watched as he gave her the signal. She shifted in her seat and started to sing.
Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over
But had me believing it was always something that I've done.
And I don't want to leave that way…
Reading into every word you say…
You said that you could let it go,
And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know!...
She maintained the last note as Jack started singing once more, their voices blending beautifully.
But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
No, you didn't have to stoop so low…
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Somebody….
That I used to know
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
I used to know… somebody
Jack continued playing the melody and abruptly stopped. She was smiling, clutching the hand written lyrics tightly in her hand. It felt good, letting out her emotions through this song. She had also enjoyed proving the back-up vocals while Jack sang the chorus.
He was right with his advice and she used some of her anger as she delivered the vocals, and some frustration and jealousy at not having this magnificent man before her for her own.
"How was it?" Jack asked.
"Holy shit you guys." Selena clapped. "That was fucking amazing!"
She smiled and turned to Jack. "I'm 100% sure. No 1000%. We're playing this at my concert."
"We?"
"I don't think anyone else can do this song justice." She replied. "Please Jack?"
"It's not really in my power to decided my schedule." Her friend admitted.
"Don't worry about that." She replied. If she had to, she could use her resources and influence to align Jack's schedule with hers.
"Do you want a playback?"
She looked back at the sound engineer's booth, and noticed several people inside. It seemed like their impromptu music session was recorded. Perfect.
"Yes please." She nodded eagerly. Filled with emotion, she couldn't help it as she lunged at Jack and hugged him tightly. She was a much taller than average woman, and so this hug felt wonderful to her. Her head was tucked just under Jack's head, and she could feel his chin on her scalp. She discreetly smelled him, hints of smoke from the grill earlier and his own unique and manly scent reached her nose.
The party progressed and they moved outside once more to watch the sunset. She drank her champage with Selena on the balcony, watching the guests below. Jack had to leave since he needed to spend time with his wife. She watched with a bitter smile as Jack started his bike, put on his helmet and leave through the driveway as the gate swung open for him.
"I'm sorry."
She turned to Selena and held her friends hand tight. "Thanks."
Jack Routh
The discovery of the underground bunker sparked a desire within him to protect his home. He consulted with Nolan and researched what was needed, but he decided with Zoe to make it a personal project for the two of them. Not only that, but he decided the security of their house was in need of an upgrade.
Then there was the problem of emergency power and he decided on solar generation and batteries. Luckily the panels wouldn't be visible from the street due to the slope of their roof, so it wouldn't be too much of an eyesore.
"What have you got there?"
He looked up to see his wife was looking over his shoulder, staring at the rough plans he sketched out.
"It's a rainwater collection system." He replied. "I realized it's more complicated than I thought."
"You can blame LA's pollution for that. Treatment of rainwater has to go through several stages to make it safe for drinking." Zoe observed and then pointed to another sheet. "What's this?"
"A solution if there's a power interruption." He replied.
"Solar panels, inverter and batteries." His wife nodded in approval. "Good thing we didn't join the homeowner's association."
He nodded in agreement. He knew joining HOAs meant needing their approval for every little improvement he would do in his own property. A HOA representative first came by when they had just moved in and Zoe politely rejected the invitation to join no matter how insistent the HOA chairwoman was. They continued to receive letters but she just threw them to the bin as soon as she saw the logo in the envelope.
"And what's this?" His wife asked, pulling up a flyer tucked under his phone.
"A silent diesel generator." He replied. "It's supposed to be as quiet with sound proofing panels, barely making any noise above 50 decibels."
"Makes sense with a generator." Zoe mused. "With the drought, we'll be expecting blackouts in the future. Let's get quotes from reputable solar power contractors and electricians, but I want to finish most of the upgrades ourselves."
"You're right." He turned to his wife and pulled her over so that she could sit on his lap. "It's better if it's just the two of us who know of the bunker's existence."
"You also forgot your wife worked for the military before." Zoe added. "I might able to acquire things that no else could, like shall we say a generator that fits your requirements, that's durable and can accept multiple types of fuel?"
"Does the military have that kind of generator?" He only knew of the standard type used in military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan from Jack Reacher's memories, and those were always too loud for this type of neighborhood.
"Only the noisy ones." His wife replied. "You'd be surprised how often our own intelligence forces need generators quiet enough to not attract attention that can be set up quickly and durable for long use."
"Great, how long can you get one?" He asked, eager to see these specialized equipment.
Despite their busy schedule, the two of them were able to make substantial progress in their renovation. With helpful tips from Nolan and a good amount of watching DIY internet videos, progress on their secret bunker was coming along nicely and ahead of schedule.
He was able to hide the entrances and upgrade them first, by refurbishing the thick steel hatches by sanding them down first and then spraying them with anti rust, followed by primer and then gray paint.
His wife's creative eye was a big help in concealing the entrance to the yard by using a fake bush to cover the entrance since it was near the wall and the bushes were surrounding it. It was basically invisible even if one was standing on top of it.
The hatches could be locked inside, and with some WD40 and grease, even Zoe could open the hatches with little effort. Working with his wife was fun, as they brainstormed ideas to properly hide the hatch in their kitchen by creating a fake island extension.
In the end, with a pair of hinges and ordering online a cabinet that matched the design of the existing kitchen island, they were able to make it work. Their camouflage was both functional and secure and it acted as a door that could swing away if they needed to open the hatch.
The hardest part was upgrading the electrical lines into the bunker, and it was giving him a lot of trouble. It took him an entire afternoon, and after just using the old wire as a guide rope to pull the new, thicker wires through the utility pipes until he finally connected them to their circuit breaker.
"I'm eager to decorate the bunker." His wife stood beside him as they both watched the progress they made. There were now two LED lights hanging overhead, illuminating their newly discovered space.
He had just installed the narrow steel stairs that barely fit through the hatch and finally secured it in place using thick bolds and drilling through the floor and walls. On the other end of the large underground area, a steel ladder was now installed below the backyard hatch.
"I'll want the whole wall here for our weapons and ammunition." Zoe added.
He turned to his wife and knew what she was thinking. They had just watched that movie last night after all.
"Like those preppers in Tremors?" He asked.
"Just enough, not quite to that level." Zoe returned his teasing stare. "What about you?"
"Furniture." He replied. "It will be nice to have a couch that turns into a bed, in the event that we need to stay here longer due to some emergency."
"What else?" His wife asked.
"Utilities, but that's a bigger task, if we want to keep all of this a secret." He replied. "I'm no electrician or plumber, so it will take time and plenty of research to make sure everything's safe, up to code and functioning."
"At least we're halfway there." His wife replied. They had plenty of plans in mind to beef up the security of their home, and discovering the bunker seemed to have ignited a fire for the two of them to make their property as safe as possible.
"The diesel generator should arrive soon." His wife reported as he followed her back up to the kitchen.
"And it's really that quiet?" He asked.
"It's supposed to be less than 50 decibels, less if we add a shed around it. It's as quiet as modern car engine running on idle. We would not be able to hear it inside the house." He looked around their small yard and pointed at the corner. "You think that's a good spot for it?"
"It's the best spot." Zoe nodded in agreement. "It's time for lunch, and we've been working all morning. I want to spend the rest of our afternoon relaxing before we get back to work tomorrow."
"Yes dear." He opened the fridge and looked at the available ingredients. He looked at his wife and briefly admired his Zoe's figure as she relaxed on the couch and decided to cook her favorite. She had been working as hard as he was every step of the way since they started their secret project. He finally pulled out the whole piece of frozen chicken and decided to make her favorite.
He had just placed the tray of the prepped and seasoned chicken in the pre heated oven when he heard Zoe's phone ring. His wife looked confused and then answered the call. She observed from afar and noticed her face grow from neutral to frustrated and finally resignation.
"Who is it?" He asked.
"That's the Chief." Zoe leaned on the island, her face looking conflicted. "I thought I left that bullshit behind in the Pentagon."
"What happened?" He asked.
"That black ops agent that visited us? The organization they came from is the Department Intelligence and Combat. They took care of the homeless man that stumbled into their operation. I don't even know what that means. This happened within my station's jurisdiction and they wanted to give me a head's up." Zoe looked frustrated. "Now they want me to look the other way, once more. This is bullshit!"
"What can we do?"
His question had seemingly sapped the strength in his wife as she sat back on the stool in front of the island. "Nothing, love. From my experience, even if we went to the media with this, nothing will come to pass. They're too valuable, what they do protect our nation's interest."
"And what if one the officers stumble into their group?"
"Warn them off." She replied. "But should they ever hurt my officers, I'll have to fight back."
"We'll have to fight back." He reminded her.
They were roused out of their thoughts when they heard the sound of a horn. They both left the kitchen and saw a truck with a large crate on the back and a crane attached behind the cab. He opened the gate and allowed the truck to back up into their courtyard. The passenger side door opened, revealing a large man he had seen before with the crane's control remote in his hand. The card he was given told him the man's name was Norman Jangus. No rank. Just a number.
Once more the man had a smile on his face as he greeted them.
"Major Andersen, Officer Routh." Jangus greeted them cordially while the driver extended the truck's additional supports as it prepared to transport the heavy load on its flatbed to the ground.
"What are you doing here… Mr. Jangus?" He asked.
"Norman would do." Jangus replied. "I just saw the order from a common friend of ours, Major Andersen. So I told him I'll deliver this personally to you, free of charge. One wonders what your plan is with this bad boy."
"The city's suffering blackouts, we just want to be sure." Zoe replied. She gave the large man a cool look as she crossed her arms.
"Of course. Admirable attitude." Jangus smoothly used the crane to transfer the crate with a hand pallet jack strapped to it from the bottom.
With a built in crane in the truck , he had finished unloading the wooden crate within a minute.
"I even included this pallet loader to make moving this beast easier." Jangus added. "Farewell now. Please contact me if you need any assistance at all. Thank you also for your discretion on the other matter. I know you understand."
With a nod, the strange man and the truck quickly left and soon the gate shut behind them.
"He still gives me the creeps." Zoe muttered. "Damn spooks."
"He was unusually helpful and friendly." He observed. He eyed the wooden crate and sighed in relief. It looked like it could fit through their wooden double doors at the front and the sliding doors at the back. He just had to move a few pieces of furniture aside as they transported their new generator to the back.
"He did say he owes you one for saving the city." Zoe replied. "Seeing him made me realize I want to upgrade our back door to the yard and bedroom."
"We could replace it with steel doors with those clear windows inside it." He suggested. He's been watching those HGTV shows with his wife and remembered one particular owner with a love of everything steel that he made his house out of cargo containers.
"That will be perfect." Zoe turned to face him. "It can still let the light in but now increase our security!"
"And better than that, we can ask Nolan for help with this." He added.
"Let's do that, but for now, it's time to pull!"
"Yes dear." He grabbed the handle of the pallet loader and started to pull it towards the entrance of their home.