Episode 27
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Taylor Swift
Jack Routh was a jerk.
First, he backed out of performing a tour with her, and she was forced to perform their songs with a guest singers. They were good, but singing Somebody I Used to Know did not have that same amount energy when she performed it with her original partner. Second, Jack begged off from going with her to Pennsylvania. Didn't he enjoy her private jet?
Now, she was surprised to learn that he was participating in a reality survival show!
"Ha! Take that mister survival expert!" Her father was watching the two hour highlights of each day that the show runners published with that Bear Grylls narrating.
"What's happening?" She asked.
"The first group voted for a new leader." Her dad replied. "Fred was being a know it all. No wonder Jack left the same day he met him."
She was too late to watch the first day, and so she had to catch up. She really liked this new format, it felt like she could check up on Jack at any time through the video stream.
What's this? They could vote for items to be sent to their favorite participants? She eyed the selection and she zeroed in on one object. Perfect. She took a screenshot of the object she liked and quickly made a post in instargram.
@Please vote to send this to our favorite Sugar! #BearGrylls #7DaysIslandSurvival #Sugar
She watched as the number of likes and engagements steadily increased. Perfect.
She sat beside her dad and leaned on his shoulder. She wondered why they were talking about a snake in the comments.
"What's happening now?" She asked.
"The first group's trying to fish with the fishing rod they got." Her father explained. "Second group is still lost in the jungle, but they're trying to make their way to the first group."
"I mean what about Jack?" She asked.
"Oh. He made an amazing breakfast for his girls."
His girls? She quickly opened her tablet to watch the feed for Jack while her father continued to watch the recap for the first day and put on her headphones.
She immediately screamed and took off her headphones.
"Honey! What's wrong?"
"There's a dead wild boar in there!" She couldn't believe what Jack just did. He killed a wild boar!
"It's an invasive species, just like the snake." Her father replied as he leaned over. "You're over acting sweetie."
"Still! It's a wild boar!" And Jack killed it with a spear through the eye. The dying screams were horrible.
"What are they supposed to eat then?"
"I don't know! But that's still… ughh." It was hard to explain. She did not like to eat her food that reminded her that they were alive before. It was just not done.
She stayed on the couch and spent the rest of the day just watching Jack. She was a bit jealous of Liz that she now had so much alone time with him. Well not alone, there was the blonde tomboy. She couldn't believe she was a firefighter.
Their camp was coming along. Who knew bamboo had so much uses? And it looked pretty too!
The next morning, she was excited to see that her plan from yesterday worked. The producers visited Jack's group from a speedboat and delivered the items. Liz got a feminine care kit, the firefighter got a metal jerry can and Jack got her ukulele!
She spent the day in various meetings with her agency but her mind was still mostly on the new show. Their numbers were up, way up. Her new songs, along with her new masters were outselling her old album, essentially making the label that she was previously under slowly lose one of their most valuable IPs. They didn't want to sell? She would make her old songs incapable of generating income for them.
Somebody I used to know was everywhere, and Unwell was everyone's favorite introvert song. There were many covers already popping up, some from famous artists. They were nothing though compared to the original video with the two songs back to back that had now crossed into a billion views and was still rising.
Ariana was really pushing for a collaboration with Jack, but too bad for her, she held all the keys and had already placed all the locks on the doors. No one was getting Jack, his elusiveness added to his branding of a simple police officer who sings and create songs for a hobby. She needed to maintain that appeal, the rebel who didn't do it for money or fame but for the love of music itself. It was something she could deeply relate to.
Attaching herself to his name brought in those who were into the less mainstream scene and preferred indie music. She got home late at night and decided to check in on Jack. It was late now, and with the time difference that should mean they were at around sunset.
Jack was sitting on what looked like a newly built bamboo bench. She couldn't see him, as it was from the point of view of his camera, but she did see the gorgeous sunset on the island. It even looked like they were filtered by a golden color. Not satisfied and wanting to see Jack, she shifted the stream to Liz's and turned up the volume.
Oh wow. He looked gorgeous with the golden rays hitting his bare torso and face. Hello old friend in the sock again later and she started to screenshot the image for visual aid. She badly wanted to run her hands along his arms and chest. Good thing she already brought extra batteries.
"...the music?" The blonde firefighter asked. "I mean how can you come up with such interesting lyrics? Do you like brainstorm the words with a group or something?"
"You read, you get out, and experience life to the fullest." Jack replied. As she suspected, he also knew how to play the small instrument. Her gamble paid off. He was playing her ukulele, once again producing beautiful notes from it.
"But a song doesn't need elaborate lyrics to make it great." Jack explained. "Anything can be an inspiration."
"Like this amazing sunset." Liz added. "This wonderful amber color."
"See? We can make a song about that." Jack replied and leaned back against the pole of their bamboo hut.
"Like… you're singing a song now?" Liz asked.
She sat up. She could recognize that look on Jack's face, the smile, the far-away look in his eyes. He was cooking something… did she dare to hope?
"Let's call this one, Amber." Jack stated and started playing the ukulele. A set of new notes started coming out of the instrument. It had a relaxed, almost lazy quality to it.
[Amber – 311]
Brainstorm, take me away from the norm…
I got to tell you something…
This phenomenon…
I had to put in a song…
And it goes like…
Whoa! Amber is the color of your energy…
Whoa! Shades of gold displayed naturally…
Holy shit. Jack was creating a song just from a simple conversation. She pressed the volume button up, and almost screamed in frustration that she wasn't there in person in that secluded beach to see a once in a lifetime performance.
You wanna know what brings me here... oh…
You glide through my head, blind to fear
And I know, why…
Whoa! Amber is the color of your energy…
Whoa! Shades of gold displayed naturally…
Jack started playing a solo, and she watched with an open mouth as her fellow blonde on the beach started using the empty jerry can between her legs like a drum with her hands. This… this was such a random, unexpected moment. This was Jack's appeal, and what made his songs precious and unique. She heard her phone ringing and she quickly pressed the ignore button.
What other instruments can he play? He was as good at the ukulele as he was in her guitars.
Whoa! Amber is the color of your energy…
Whoa! Shades of gold displayed naturally…
The ukulele produced such pure and relaxed notes that she had to smile. This… this was the perfect sunset song. Her phone rang again.
"Stop calling!" She buried it under her pillows.
You live too far away
Your voice rings like a bell anyway…
Don't give up your independence
Unless it feels so right
Nothing good comes easily
Sometimes you got to fight
Whoa! Amber is the color of your energy…
Whoa! Shades of gold displayed naturally…
Launched a thousand ships in my heart, so easy
Still, it's fine from afar and you know that..
Whoa! Brainstorm, take me away from the norm…
Whoa! I got to tell you something…
Jack stopped playing and the blonde stopped the beat with the jerry can. They were silent for a moment before the two women erupted in applause.
"That. Was. Amazing!" Liz exclaimed.
No shit Liz. That was probably the greatest musical moment you might have experienced. Okay, she was jealous that she missed out and only got to see it from a screen. The annoying buzzing sound reminded her of her phone and she fished it out from her under her pillows.
"What?" She asked as she answered the call.
"Taylor, thank god you answered! We already typed the lyrics! Copyright?" One of her staff asked.
Right. That must be taken care of. She knew better than anyone about protecting intellectual property. "Go ahead, and thank you. Please rush this."
"You got it. Good night Taylor."
"Good night."
She wished there was a replay button, but unfortunately it was a live stream. Damn. She needed to listen to it again. His impromptu performance transported her to that very beach for those few minutes. She suddenly had an idea for Jack's surprise and started messaging Angela. She was sure a boat would have a better view of that amber sky.
Zoe Andersen Routh
There was a deeper meaning to the lyrics. While the rest of her guests discussed her husband's latest musical performance, she fell deep in thought.
Don't give up your independence
Unless it feels so right
Nothing good comes easily
Sometimes you got to fight
Was it his subconscious that made those words pour out of his mouth? She had no idea, but it fit perfectly, another piece to the complex puzzle that was her husband. She tried to recall some of his songs, their lyrics and the deep meaning behind them. From See you again, to Payphone and now Amber. Some of his lyrics spoke of almost a past life that was far removed from where they were now.
Mother told me, yes she told me
I'd meet boys like you.
She also told me stay away,
You'll never know what you'll catch
"Wow! Go Liz!" Jessica cheered.
She focused back on the screen and realized that her friend could also carry a tune. She was singing a song that sounded vaguely familiar, but it sounded like it was from the 70s or 80s.
Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright
They just seem a little weird
Surrender, Surrender
But don't give yourself away, hey, hey!
"What's she singing?" She asked. Mommy. Daddy. Jack's parents… they were the key.
"Surrender, by Cheap Trick." Jessica replied. "She changed a few words though."
"They're goofing around." Pam observed. "Still, I'm somewhat jealous with their vacation."
"It becomes more evident when you compare their small group with the other two." Reese added. "The rest are suffering from starvation and thirst, while they're literally having a musical session with their bellies full."
"You husband's carrying them." Jessica glanced at her.
"It helped that Liz and that… Lucy are team players." She replied. The two women clearly recognized her husband's contributions and were trying to be helpful in return.
"So, are you packed yet?" Pam asked. She noticed both her best friends were interested in her upcoming vacation. She wondered if they were planning a trip in the future to Hawaii, since they kept asking her for details about her trip. Where will she stay, the itinerary and even her flight.
"Nearly there." She replied. "I just need to add some last minute purchases."
That was the price Jack demanded when she asked him to join the survival show. She hoped her husband will appreciate those wicked weasel bikinis she had in store for him. Everyone on the station was in vacation mode. Despite her best efforts, even Gray was less strict with the men and women of her division who couldn't stop talking about their Hawaii trip even during their working hours.
She would meet Jack in Honolulu, since he was already in the area. She couldn't wait to see him again. Watching him anytime she wanted, 24/7 did ease her worries a little.
Edward Michael "Bear" Grylls
The show was even better than he expected. The prototype body camera they were using was a game changer. What he didn't account for was the need for more editors to review footage from all 24 participants.
There was so much drama, that they were barely able to submit a final cut for the first episode. Another problem that cropped up was the disproportionate amount of interest from the public that was focused on the smallest group in the island.
Who knew Jack Routh, celebrity cop and musician, was also a survival expert? He was even blown away by the larger man's competency and adaptability. Then the man started performing what looked like a brand new song, as the interns informed him.
There was a sudden surge of votes for the ukulele to be delivered to the celebrity cop. He realized Routh's fans were more organized than he expected.
"Here are the latest figures." His producer handed him a report, containing all sorts of metrics.
"These are in the millions?" He asked.
"Several companies are sending representatives to negotiate product placement." The producer grinned. "We made bank, Grylls."
He focused on his medical team after reviewing the report and observed as they carefully monitored the individual streams.
"How are they doing?" He asked.
"Some are dehydrated." The medic reported. "If it goes on like this for a few more days, we might have to intervene."
"I doubt it." One producer replied. "Weather forecast says it's going to rain extensively tomorrow. They'll have enough water with that."
"They might have to switch over to the spare cameras." He remarked.
"Battery should hold out." His technician explained. "They do go on a low power mode when the participants are sleeping."
"What about the splinter group?" As of the second day, Two large groups have formed with the two camps within sight of one another. Karen and Fred did not get along, just as he predicted. He did not anticipate Routh breaking off and establishing his own camp at a more remote beach on the other side of the island. There were talks among some of the participants about reaching out to the trio that left, but he doubted if anyone could find them through the dense jungle and into their secluded area.
"They're eating well." The medic replied. "Routh did just catch a pig after all. That should last them a couple of days before it goes bad."
"He also killed a large python." His producer added. "Those three are in a vacation."
"And their hut is coming along nicely." He observed.
Being so close to the source, he was not surprised that they had the best accommodations. They had a raised, bamboo floor, a mosquito net and a roof. Every hour the trio of Jack, Elizabeth and Lucy were continually adding more material to their temporary shelter, with sturdier supports and roof. They had even stacked dry wood inside their hut, and he had to applaud Routh for his foresight.
Despite Jack being the primary provider, the two women were pulling their own weight. Their only issue was a regular source of water, since not every bamboo stored enough liquid to properly hydrate the trio.
He can confidently say that the three would last the longest out of all the participants.
"See if you can put an angle with Winstead and Routh. Let's see if that will attract more attention for the edit of Episode 2." He ordered. "Highlight the shots of them frolicking on the beach with her in a bikini and him in just his shorts."
That would prove irresistible to the public. A budding affair in a deserted island with a known home wrecker and an attractive, married younger man. It was a pity Lucy had to join them, but they can edit the teaser in a way that there was a growing attraction between the two famous celebrities. The public would eat that up.
Jack Routh
The morning of day four started out with clear blue skies. They just had to smoke the remains of the boar for food. He continued to reinforce their bamboo hut while the girls started in their own project.
Lucy decided that they needed a better fire pit and she and Liz had been collecting large rocks to serve as a base and perimeter. He humored the two after his own task of adding braces to the support poles was done and started on creating a small roof to cover their firepit.
What started as a relaxing morning turned frantic after their mid day lunch of smoked boar meat and mussels. They all saw the gray, ominous clouds forming over the horizon and heading their way.
It was a frantic push to finish their tasks after that. He quickly finished the roof of the fire pit and stocked on more dry wood inside their hut. Everything was finally prepared and they spent the time resting while watching the clouds come closer. The wind grew colder, forcing the girls to wear their windbreakers once more.
"We're like stranded pirates." Lucy had tied a shirt around her head and waved her walking stick like as sword. "In a deserted island with buried treasure like Captain Jack Sparrow! The only thing missing is the booze."
"I did enjoy the movies." Liz replied. "What about you, Jack?"
"Pirate movies are fun, but not accurate." He watched with amusement as Lucy started fighting with an imaginary foe. "They romanticized the idea of pirates."
"Romanticized?" Lucy asked.
"Pirates during their height were hated." He explained. "That's why they were hanged or executed by firing squad. You can say they're the terrorists of their age."
"What did Captain Sparrow say again? Raid, Pillage and Plunder?" Liz asked.
"That was in the movie?" He asked. He never watched the pirates of the Caribbean movie series before, though he did hear of Johnny Depp playing that iconic character whose costume became popular with kids during Halloween.
Seeing the nods from the two he continued speaking. "They probably changed that line to make it sound tamer. Pirates raped, pillaged and plundered. These are the worst of the worst men. I find it amusing that we have romanticized them, to the point that we're calling sports teams pirates and little kids wearing their costumes pretending to be one."
"Now that you explained it like that, it is disturbing." Liz commented.
"Time changes views." He shrugged. "Who knows, maybe two hundred years from now there will be a sports team called the Los Angeles Terrorists and stores will be selling trick or treat costumes of suicide vests. Their parents will think it's cute, not understanding what we had to go through.
"Can you tell me more about pirates?" Lucy asked.
With nothing else to do he decided to indulge the blonde.
"The word Pirate came from the Latin word Pirata, which came from the Greek word Peirates. The word Peirates means anyone who attempts something. Pirates are a constant presence even in ancient history. They just came to prominence in the 1700s at the age of sail. Then in 1724, a writer gathered information of known pirates of the day and wrote a book about it. He even wrote under a fake name, Captain Charles Johnson to make it appear that he knew what he was talking about, but he didn't."
"So this man published that book called A General History of Pyrates." He continued speaking. The wind grew colder and he felt the two girls shift closer to him. "He invented things about those pirates, literal fan fiction, but it caught on. Hidden treasures, secret pirate bases, pirate lore, it all came from that book. It even came with illustrations so it became widely popular."
Using his stick, he drew a rough drawing in the sand that everyone recognized. A skull with crossbones at the back. "This, the Jolly Roger, came from that book, and look how widely recognized it is today."
"All from one book?" Lucy asked.
"You could say that book is the bible for pirate enthusiasts, and completely ignored historical accuracy and facts." He replied. "It became so popular that it birthed modern works, like Captain Hook from Peter Pan and that movie Treasure Island from Disney."
"So who would you say is the most successful pirate?" Lucy asked.
"Some would say it was Edward Teach, also known as the Blackbeard." He answered. "But I would argue that Bartholomew Roberts is the most successful. He pioneered the flag that would later inspire that author to create the Jolly Roger. He raided over 400 ships and attacked coasts from the Americas all the way to West Africa. He was so well known that he was called the Great Pyrate, and sometimes the Black Bart."
"He also inspired the character Dread Pirate Roberts, if you're familiar with the character." He laughed at the surprise in his two student's faces.
"No way!" Liz grinned. "I love princess bride!"
"What's that about?" Lucy asked.
As the two women talked about the book and the movie, he got up and took one last look around their hut. The cordage he made from the thin strips of bamboo looked to be holding well, adding strength to the slotted notches of the bamboo frame.
A crack of thunder caused him to look up as he felt drops of rain on his bare shoulders. It looked like their water problem was answered for the time being. Now he just needed to collect enough of it to last for three more days.
The rain grew stronger and lightning flashes lit up the cloudy sky. He knew it was late afternoon, but it felt like the sun had set already with how dark the sky was. He angled Lucy's metal jerry can and their water bottles to collect the rain water dripping from the roof.
The girls had run inside the hut to stay dry, and he could hear them shout for him to get in. He set up the last few improvised water containers from bamboo to collect rainwater as well and hurried inside.
"You stubborn idiot." Liz handed him his dry shirt. "I don't want you to get sick."
"It's a good opportunity to collect water. We were running low." He explained. His own water bottle was nearly full and he took it inside and quickly emptied it. Refreshed, he put it back outside and it started to collect water once more from the roof.
Liz and Lucy copied his actions while he checked the fire. It looked like the logs were still burning, and the roof high above it was giving it some protection from the rain.
With nothing else to do, and with spare materials around him, he decided to make a fish trap. It would do to have some variety in their food for tomorrow.
"What are you doing?" Lucy asked.
"I'm chopping thin strips of bamboo for the basket I'm making." He answered.
"What for?" He felt Liz look over his shoulder.
"It's for a fish trap."
"Can I help? I want to learn that." Liz asked.
He explained his process, and once he had more than enough strips, he started teaching the two women about the first few steps in making a basic frame. They spent the rainy afternoon making baskets and the two quickly got the hang of it.
"Let's deploy it." Lucy suggested. The blonde was eager to see her trap at work. "I can't wait to have fish for breakfast."
"Let's look for a chance when the rain stops or weakens from this downpour." He answered. "It's too dark outside."
"I'll prepare some torches." Liz added and started stripping off bits of cloth from her shirt.
Lucy Chen
"Okay, I'm officially jealous." She stared at the TV screen, using her namesake Lucy's stream for the moment since it provided a nice view of Jack's bare back. "24/7 beside a shirtless Jack Routh? I should have signed up for that."
"You would just starve." Rachel replied.
They were having a watch party at her apartment. Tim couldn't come, but Tamara had shown up at the last minute to her delight.
"I still can't believe he sang in my dorm room." The teen sighed. The girl had a massive crush on her fellow rookie ever since he agreed with her request.
"What are they doing now?" Rachel asked.
"They're deploying the fish traps, I think." She replied.
"Smart." Rachel replied. "They're so different compared to the other group."
"That Karen was so annoying." Tamara shared. "They haven't even figured out their food situation. Those two other groups are barely surviving. They hadn't had a decent meal since day 1."
"Did you have survival training like that in the academy?" Her best friend asked.
She kept her eyes glue to the screen, watching as Jack weighed down the three traps with rocks in the shallow waters in the dark while the two women held up their torches.
"No." She finally replied. "We're cops, not rangers."
"So how did Jack learn how to do all that stuff?" Tamara asked.
"I don't know." She'd ask him in Hawaii. He'd surprise her many times since he arrived at Mid-Wilshire, but he didn't look the part of a survival expert. He made it look so easy, but she was sure anyone else in their division would struggle when placed in a similar type of environment.
She made a mental note to ask her fellow rookie for wilderness survival lessons if she ever gets the chance. Those skills he displayed could be the difference between a life of comfort, or misery as she watched another feed of one of the two groups on the other side of the island.
They looked miserable, cold and wet. The fire they struggled to keep alive had died, and she knew they would have a challenge to start one again, with how wet and damp everything was.
Jack and the two girls with him had gone back to their sturdy looking hut. They were dry, warm, comfortable, and most of all, insect bite free thanks to the actress' mosquito net. Their skins were smooth and tanned, unlike the other participants who had numerous small red bumps from being feasted upon by mosquitoes and other insects.
That translated to better quality of sleep, and more energy for the day. It was starting to look like Jack had been given an unfair extra one week of vacation. No matter, she would soon join him soon in Hawaii.
"I'm so jealous." Tamara confessed as the conversation turned to her upcoming Hawaii trip. Rachel was coming since she was invited by Tim and her best friend had shown her photos of what she would be wearing throughout the trip.
"You have classes, Tamara." She told the teen. Maybe she'd meet a nice, handsome guy on the islands. She made sure her bikinis were attractive enough to catch their attention.
"I know, but Hawaii?" The girl looked wistful and then gestured to a shirtless Jack whose body was illuminated by torchlight. "Seven days, with that guy?"
"You do know he's married, and his wife is my boss." She replied.
"I can look. He's basically eye candy." Tamara replied.
She was surprised by the laughter that came out of her and Rachel had joined in, leaving a bewildered looking teen who was staring at the two of them in confusion. That comment was so appropriate.
"Okay girl." Rachel put a hand over the teen's shoulder. "Let me show you a particular website."
"Website?" Tamara perked up.
"Rachel!" She hissed at her best friend, but she was ignored. She knew what website she was talking about. "That's inappropriate!"
"Chill Lucy, it's only looking!" Rachel replied as she fiddled with her phone for a few moments and then handed it to Tamara.
"Oh my god." The teen's eyes widened with surprise.
She didn't have to look. She had seen the website herself many times, and it contained high quality pictures and gifs of her fellow rookie. She may have saved a few of them, but it was not like she had a secret folder for both Jack and Tim on her phone containing her favorites, sorted and renamed according to date and location.
She definitely did not download a fake calculator app with a secret password which was her old school ID number, containing that folder that she sometimes used whenever she was feeling a little… stressed. And she definitely did not have secret fantasies about those two men, or even about both of them taking her together in a passionate warm night.
Nope, she didn't do that at all.
Jack Routh
Breakfast that morning wasn't what he expected. He wanted fish, but the three baskets contained mostly crabs, shrimps and even hermit crabs. Those he let go, they were too small to have any nutritional value anyway.
"Anything good over there, Captain Jack?" After his quick lecture about the history of pirates last night, Lucy for some odd reason started calling him with that nickname.
As the initial awkwardness between the three of them vanished, they gradually became more comfortable with each other. Lucy, it turned out, was a bit of a tomboy and she had a pretty dirty mouth along with a wicked sense of humor. The woman did not possess a filter whenever she spoke.
"Some crabs and shrimps." He replied. "Good enough for breakfast for the three of us."
"Awesome! Seafood buffet! The guys will be jealous." The blonde turned the camera on her chest and leaned over it. "Sup, Losers!"
"You always talk like that with them?" He asked, suppressing a smile.
"Of course! I'm just like one of the guys over at the fire station, except prettier." Lucy sniffed her armpits. "I smell better too."
"Do you also have a rivalry with your police department?" He couldn't help but ask.
"Who doesn't?" Lucy replied with a grin. He watched as the blonde climbed a few more rocks, trying to look for mussels. "Everyone knows cops are jealous of firefighters. We're cool, the public thinks we're awesome and they really hate that."
"You do know I'm a cop, right?" He gave her a playful smile.
"Meh." The blonde scrunched up her nose. "You're not a cop cop, you know? The ones that have sticks up their asses? But your ass is nice."
He wondered how many people were watching their conversation right now as he struggled not to laugh. The blonde was a hoot, and she certainly made things lively around their camp.
"Hey, what's that?" He heard the blonde ask and he turned around only to see his companion disappear out of sight, obstructed by the rocks as she waded deeper to one of the smaller tidal pools.
"You okay there Lucy?" He asked. The blonde appeared to be digging in the sand.
"Look! Do you think this might be useful?" Lucy appeared, holding what looked like a gray colored piece of pan. It had two handles on each side, and it looked battered and bent in some places.
Upon closer inspection, he realized it was an old frying pan, made of aluminum.
"It's very useful." He replied with a happy nod. Cooking would be much easier from now on. "What you found will speed up our cooking process."
"Tacoma F.D. represent!" Lucy cheered, waving the pan around.
He gave detailed instructions to the blonde on how to clean the pan with saltwater and sand. It needed some scrubbing on its surface so that it was clean from foreign contaminants stuck to it's surface as he secured the third fish trap. This one had more yield, with a particular large crab with massive pincers and a few more shrimp.
Liz had arranged the fire for cooking as they arrived, with the coals hot and ready for their food. She even had bamboo plates and utensils prepared. Watching the actress doing the chores that Zoe did when they had late mornings made him think of his wife.
He really missed Zoe and more specifically having sex with her. He hadn't been able to have any release due to the lack of privacy. It didn't help that the two women with him were gorgeous in their own right, and he did have to adjust his shorts occasionally whenever his eyes glanced at their tight bodies in their bikinis tops.
Elizabeth had a more slender body than Zoe, but she had a toned body, and developed muscles in her arms and legs, slightly similar to his wife. The actress' bikini bottom sometimes rode higher, showing off her nice ass, but he knew his wife's was better.
Lucy on the other hand had more curves but broader shoulders, and she had a considerable pair of breasts that constantly bounced due to how energetic the blonde was. His wife better prepare herself when they get into their hotel room.
"Look at what Lucy brought." He gestured for the blonde firefighter to show off what she found.
"Nice!" Liz smiled. "Now we can see if the food is ready rather than just by guessing it."
That was one of the difficulties in using bamboo to cook food. They really couldn't see how their food was turning out, and he mostly focused on the smell and the time it spent in the fire with the water boiling inside it.
He quickly prepared their catch for breakfast, and with some fresh water on the aluminum frying pan, he dumped their catch and watched as the shrimp and the crab's shells slowly turned to orange. Perfect, no more overcooked shrimp.
"That smells really good, but I wish we had coffee with this." Liz sighed as she poked the coals with a stick.
"Tell me about it." He replied. What he would do for a steaming hot cup of coffee. Island life was not too bad, but he did miss modern amenities.
They quickly ate their portions of the day, and he had to admit he was left wanting more. He wasn't exactly hungry, but he knew he had room for more food.
"Why don't we go and explore more of our surroundings?" Liz suggested. "I need to walk off what we just ate."
It was still early in the morning by his estimate, and he agreed with her suggestion. They headed to the path where he made the pit trap and quickly fixed the cover that the rain from last night washed away by throwing old leaves over it.
They went on a curved path, keeping the sound of the waves crashing into the beach to their right while he made marks on some notable trees so that he could keep his bearings. Around half an hour on their hike, Liz suddenly stopped and stared at a tall plant to their left as they reached a clearing.
"What is it?" Lucy asked.
"Is that familiar to you?" Liz pointed to the plant. It wasn't very tall, and it had thin branches and what looked like round red berries growing from it in clumps.
He observed the leaves, they were long and had ripples around their edges. It did look familiar based from the orientation the producers of the show gave them before they set off to the island.
"I didn't have anything else to do on the flight so I read up on the survival guides they emailed me on the way to Honolulu. That looks like the Kona coffee plant, and it's ripe."
He suddenly grew interested upon hearing the magic word, aside from sex. He plucked one of the red berries and opened it easily, revealing the familiar shape of coffee beans inside the flesh, but these had a light cream color. They just needed to be roasted, and that couldn't be done on bamboo. Luckily, Lucy had found the aluminum pan just a few hours ago.
"You two are scaring me." Lucy stated as she stared at the two of them. "Guys?"
He realized he was wearing a wide grin on his face, similar to the one on Liz's.
"I could kiss you right now." He told the actress as he held the precious in his hands.
"Just on the cheek." Liz replied as she laughed. "Or else your wife will strangle me."
They quickly collected as much of the round red berries, leaving the green ones behind. He and Liz took off their tattered shirts, and used them as makeshift sacks to collect their loot. After an hour more of exploring without finding anything of interest, they headed back to their camp.
On the way back, they heard strange noises. He heard rustles in the vegetation and prepared his makeshift spear and quietly listened as he held his hand up for silence.
"What is it?" Liz huddled behind him. Lucy was right beside her with her own spear in her hands.
"It sounds like… pigs. Something has fallen in our trap!" He couldn't be happier. They found their lunch and dinner.
As they reached the pit, he looked around and saw the mess around the now broken cover. It looked like a group of wild boar had wandered the area and a good sized piglet was left behind. It was panicking as it ran around in circles inside the pit and trying to jump out.
"Jack! No!" Liz grabbed his arm as he prepared to thrust his spear. "It's still a baby!"
"It's an invasive species." He replied, giving Liz a confused look. Why was she preventing him from securing their lunch?
"But it looks so cute!" Lucy cooed at the wild animal as she perched on the edge of the pit. That only made the piglet panic even more and it let out loud frightened squeals.
This could be problematic. The longer the two women stared at the piglet, there was a big possibility that they could get attached to it and treat it as a pet, and even giving it a name like Wilbur. He decided to take drastic action.
"It is cute." He grudgingly admitted. "But we can also have coffee and… bacon, now that we have that pan."
"Bacon?" Liz perked up while Lucy's eyes widened.
"The boar already has natural fat within it." He replied. "Imagine sizzling, crispy strips of bacon with roasted coffee for lunch. What do you think about that?"
He observed as the two shared a look, as if they were communicating silently with one another. They gave one last look to Wilbur and stood up. Success. Mission accomplished.
"Okay, we'll head to the camp." Liz took his makeshift sack made out of his shirt from him and marched towards the direction of the beach. "We'll prepare the beans for roasting."
"Bring home the bacon, Captain Jack." Lucy gave him a mock salute and followed the brunette down the path to their camp.
He shook his head and prepared his spear.
"Goodbye Wilbur." He whispered and made a quick thrust. There was a loud cry from the boar as he hit its brain. Its little legs still moved, trying to run away.
Edward Michael "Bear" Grylls
He stared at the 3 in 1 mix he had on his hands and looked back at the screen showing the coffee the splinter group was having. Based from the expressions on their faces, it looked like their coffee drink was superior to his. Unbelievable. This group was so resourceful... and it wasn't just Jack Routh. His two girls were proving how invaluable in they were for their small camp.
He stared at the other bank of screens, showing the stark contrast between the splinter group and the rest of the participants. Karen was wailing on the shore, talking to her camera and complaining of hunger and thirst.
Fred was forming a core group of men that included the lawyer and the plumber, and they were making noise about sharing the fish they caught with the others. Meanwhile, their shelter still leaked, and no one made any attempts to patch it up or add support to make it more durable. He knew a forecast of rain was arriving that afternoon, so what the hell were they doing blabbering about and wasting time? Surely they could see the ominous dark clouds forming in the distance.
He focused back on the now dubbed splinter group. Even their makeshift bamboo mugs looked much nicer than his paper cup. He had to wet his lips as the strips of very fresh bacon sizzled on the aluminum pan found by the blonde firefighter. He had dry and overcooked spam that morning with eggs. Those three were eating better than he was.
They were really in a vacation.
"Think we can visit their camp? That looks tasty." One of the editors joked, causing a round of laughter in the production room.
"I'm more interested with that coffee they made and how it tastes." One of his producers admitted.
The ratings were through the roof. His production team had been getting phone calls from sponsors nonstop for product placement in future seasons and networks for the syndication of his show. He smiled in satisfaction. He knew he had just changed the game of reality TV forever.
His success was two-fold. First was that the real drama and conflict at the main group showed rival shows like Survivor what true reality survival TV was supposed to be, thanks to their prototype cameras. The ability to focus on individual streams in real time meant nothing was missed by the audience. Every word spoken, every action and facial expressions were captured and streamed in high quality resolution.
The second was thanks to the splinter group. Jack, Elizabeth and Lucy's exceptional performance and teamwork on the deserted island gave him credibility. They would see that because of his training of the participants, when applied correctly, they could lead to what they were seeing now with the smallest group. If they simply put aside their agendas and differences and just cooperate and work together, they could have a sturdy, elevated hut, upgraded fire pit, traps, coffee and even bacon. The island was abundant with wild game, if they weren't picky with where their food came from.
No one would doubt him now and call his production fake.
"You think they'll have extra beans by the time it's over?" His producer asked. "I can almost smell that coffee from the screen."
Now that was an idea. Bear Grylls coffee beans, as natural as it gets.
Zoe Andersen Routh
The TV on the wall behind the bar played a scene of the coming episode. She paused for a moment, wondering how her husband was. Her busy schedule prevented her from watching the stream and she instead waited for the edited episodes to keep up.
"I could kiss you right now."
Her heart skipped for a moment as the teaser for the episode premiered. That was Jack's voice, and it looked like he was talking to Liz. Then scenes showed them looking comfortable with each other. Was Liz cuddling next to Jack? Were they hugging? Her fears had finally come true.
"Relax." Jessica Chastain gave her a pat on the shoulder and she allowed herself to be guided to their usual spot at their favorite restaurant. "They edited it this way, I was watching the stream live."
"What happened?" She demanded.
"Liz correctly identified a coffee plant with ripe fruits, the perfect time to harvest the beans." Jessica answered. "Jack was so happy he blurted that out without thinking. Liz laughed it off and said just on the cheek, or else you'd strangle her."
Damn right she would, but just to the point of unconsciousness. Her heartbeat slowly calmed down and she took a deep breath.
That's how insidious show runners are if they don't like the character." The redhead explained. "They can take things out of context and edit the scenes in a way that will show the participants in a negative light."
"And with Liz's recent scandal, they must be using it for the shock factor, thereby attracting more viewers." She summarized.
"That's right." Jessica nodded. "Let me tell you about how they finally had crispy bacon and Wilbur."
"Wilbur?" She asked. Who the hell is Wilbur?
"It was the funniest thing." Jessica began. "Jack caught another wild boar, but this time it was just a piglet. Liz didn't want him to kill it."
She had to laugh at her husband's situation. Knowing Jack and his big appetite, he must have been desperate for food.
"So he had to bribe those two with promises of crispy bacon." Jessica continued. "He must have been worried they might get too attached to it and treat it like a pet, but in the end he gave it a name as he killed it."
"Let me guess? Wilbur?"
"Yeah. I was laughing all throughout that moment." The redhead replied. "You can see how Jack was really desperate not to waste the opportunity."
The show was an unexpected hit. It was all everyone could talk about wherever she went and even the Chief brought it up during one of the command meetings. She even caught Grey watching the show during his break time. With her entire division leaving for the airport in a few days, everyone was firmly in vacation mode.
Then Smitty's stunt of attending roll call in a Hawaiian shirt over his blues really set the tone for the rest of the week. She couldn't wait to see Jack.
She'd wait after their vacation was over to ask her husband about his past. She didn't want to ruin the mood by accusing him of falsifying his records. She firmly believed Jack had good intentions, she just felt hurt that he didn't trust her with his origins.
It's not like you shared your own past. An insidious voice whispered in her head. She couldn't, wouldn't. She was a coward to reveal that part of her to the man she loved.
Their love and affection for each other were real, but in hindsight, they really rushed their relationship to the extreme. It was attraction at first, then lust and then, finally... love.
Their physical compatibility could not be denied, to the point that she even gave him her entire body, every hole and basically gave Jack free reign to fuck her even when she was asleep, an extreme form of submission and intimacy.
But she allowed it to happen, because it was her choice to submit this time and she was not forced or coerced like before. And she trusted her husband completely. There was no doubt about it. But now both their pasts were catching up to their whirlwind romance.
She forced herself to focus on Jessica's retelling of Liz's antics on the show, glad to listen to the distraction instead of dwelling in the dark thoughts inside her head.
Fred Grabowski
The week of hell was nearly over.
He watched his companions, previously attractive individuals when they arrived in Honolulu now looking like homeless people. Hair tousled, skins riddled with insect bites… the list went on and on. It was a nightmare to work with all these individuals, and he vowed never to participate in these reality shows ever again.
That other big guy, the celebrity L.A. cop was right to have left the show on day one. If he had only known it would turn out like this.
Everyone always questioned his decisions or outright refused to cooperate. The feminist group was his biggest headache as they were forced to share the meager food they caught or collected, or else he would look like an asshole on national TV.
Every step was a struggle, from the trek through the jungle to building a fire. The afternoon rains were terrible, as it made things ten times more difficult. After it passed, insects came at night and he hadn't had a good night of sleep the entire week. This naturally affected their moods and everyone's tempers flared. Every perceived slight caused another argument.
The only positive thing they experienced was when the staff arrived and delivered items voted by the fans for them to receive.
He got a pack of beef jerky, and that gave him enough energy to start fishing for the group. But then some of the women were picky eaters. He wanted to strangle the vegetarian and shake her head to ask why she participated in the show. And the animal rights activist. Who weeps over a god damn crab? It was ridiculous. He was sure the woman survived because of the sack of rice they received from viewers.
The worst of the lot was Karen. She was the instigator. She had the nerve to come up to their tent and demand he fix their poorly built leaking roof while her group stayed in their dry hut.
As he spotted the boat from the horizon that would pick them up, he gave one last glare at the woman. She must have felt his gaze since she returned his look with a smirk. He really wanted to slap that bitch and wipe that smug look on her face. Or push that botox filled face deep in the sand and listen to her muffled screams as she slowly suffocated.
"We're here!"
He was distracted from his dark fantasies when he heard laughter behind him. He turned to look at the noise and was shocked to see the cop burst out of the thick vegetation, with the two women, the pretty actress and the curvy blonde female firefighter right behind him.
They had attracted the attention of the rest, but the trio looked unbothered by all the attention.
"You're still here?" He couldn't help but ask.
"We made camp at the other side of the island." The big guy replied and pointed his thumb back behind him.
"It was fun!" The curvy blonde added while Mary Elizabeth Winstead, god what a mouthful, nodded behind her with a smile on her pretty face.
They did look like they had fun. He eyed the newly arrived trio and noticed their tanned, smooth bodies, literally free from insect bites. They looked like they did not lose weight, and had a healthy glow to their features unlike the rest of his group.
They really stood out, with the LA cop and the girls looking like they stepped out of a magazine shoot. With Routh shirtless and the two women in bikini tops and shorts, they attracted every eye.
"I don't believe you." Karen made another snippy comment. "You must have been secretly escorted back for the last day after you quit on day one. What blatant favoritism."
"You do know we are all wearing body cams, right?" He asked the bitch.
"Hmpph! You don't know what you're talking about."
That had been her usual response whenever she was losing an argument. Still, he couldn't believe that the trio managed to survive on their own, and by the looks of it, they had a better experience that they did.
"Is that drinkable?" The cop asked, pointing to the metal pot full of steaming hot water that was freshly boiled on top of their dying fire pit littered with coals.
"I have water if you're thirsty." He offered his bottle.
He had plenty of time to think on the island, struggling to stay dry and keep warm. He had to admit after some reflection that he didn't start off in the right foot with the others, causing three of them to leave his group. This was his way of a silent apology for how he treated him.
"No, it's fine. I'm craving for coffee." Routh replied.
Coffee. That was the magic word. Every head turned to the large man as he fished out a bamboo tube that was apparently sealed with what looked like a bamboo end cap. The celebrity cop opened his makeshift container with a pop, and even from a few feet away he smelled it. A most heavenly scent.
"You… you have coffee?" He asked.
"Jack, you already drank two cups today." Winstead complained.
"Where did you get that?" He eyed Routh as he squatted down beside the pot and started to put measured portions of what looked like freshly ground coffee beans to the steaming water. The effect was immediate and the smell of brewed coffee surrounded the camp. There was a mad scramble for mugs and anything that could hold liquid as Routh started to stir the metal pot with a stick.
"I found a Kona coffee plant during one of our hikes on day four." Winstead shared. "And Lucy here found an aluminum pan that washed up in the tidal pools. With those two things, we were able to roast the coffee beans and grind them into powder."
Damn. He wished he joined the trio on day 1. If he hadn't been acting like an ass hat he wouldn't have to suffer for a week in miserable conditions.
Routh generously started pouring coffee to waiting containers. His hands shook when it was his turn and he quickly took a sip. Marvelous. He felt warmth spread inside his body. He wanted to cry. Someone else did, with tears streaming down the vegan's face as she took a sip. The sight would have made him laugh out loud if he didn't feel the same way.
He kept an ear out as Lucy shared her own experience.
"Yeah, food wasn't that much of an issue. Jack killed a python on our way to our new campsite. He stripped its skin and made a kebab out of it." Lucy shared with the other women that gathered around her and Winstead.
"Wild boar bacon was good too." Winstead added. What the hell? Bacon?
"How did you catch a wild boar?" He asked the trio.
"Jack dug a deep pit in the middle of what he identified as a game trail." Winstead answered. "We caught two boars in total, one an adolescent and another a piglet."
"The three of us also made fish traps by weaving baskets." Routh added as he joined them. "Food was never an issue."
He noticed that the man had put out the fire and coals, a task they themselves forgot to do since they were so eager to hop on the boat and leave the island. He felt ashamed to be called a wilderness survival expert as he heard more and more stories of the smaller group.
More of the participants asked questions about the trio's life on the separate side of the island, and he noticed that the answers they heard made them quiet. He knew they were comparing their experiences with what the trio's stories, which to him honestly sounded like the perfect vacation.
An elevated hut with a sturdy roof, a mosquito net, the perfect building material right at their backyard, an upgraded fire pit and a reliable source of food. They were playing music with a ukulele, even singing, and generally having a great time.
Why didn't the producers pick that location as their suggested base camp? He wanted to punch someone.
Bear Grylls finally jumped off the boat, and he didn't really pay too much attention to the man's elaborate and flowery speech. He was praising their tenacity and adaptability through harsh conditions. Hah! One more week and he knew for a fact that most of them would have died. The stark difference between them and the trio could not be clearer.
"You should all be proud." Bear continued speaking with a camera man right behind him. "You've triumphed over adversity, harsh weather and managed to work together."
He watched as the host turned to look at the camera with the participants behind him with their camp at the background. "I know for a fact, that if I return a year later, they will be all thriving."
Yeah right. What a load of BS.
Lucy Chen
She was sure that they turned many heads and raised many eyebrows by now. They were a large group, dozens and dozens including their families and partners. The airline had even opened a counter just to receive them and process their boarding tickets and luggage. They were noisy, and too loud, and it seems like she was the only one that was embarrassed by their actions.
"Relax! We're on vacation!" Rachel told her as she leaned forward.
She was seated in the middle row, an aisle seat with Tim in the middle and Rachel on his right.
"But we're too noisy!" She whispered.
"Nearly all of the plane's passengers are from Mid-Wilshire division." Tim spoke out while he kept his eyes closed. "Relax boot."
"Please don't call me boot while we're on vacation." She replied.
"You haven't graduated from the FTO yet, Chen." Tim reminded her. "And we're not on vacation, we're attending a law enforcement conference."
"In Hawaii, right." Rachel giggled. "Don't be too serious Tim. Relax."
"I should have paid extra for business class." She complained. The Captain and Sergeant Grey were seated at the front, and she could tell it was far more peaceful there. All the kids and teens and their families were around her. "I won't be able to sleep this way."
"You're planning to sleep on the way to Hawaii?" Tim asked.
"I wasn't able to sleep last night." She admitted as she stared at her lap in embarrassment. She must have emptied and filled her three times as she debated what to wear in Hawaii. "I was too excited."
"Let's hope those earplugs are effective." Her T.O. replied. She put the earplugs on and yeah, they mostly muffled out the noise around her as she leaned back. She closed her eyes, but then the little kid behind kicked the back of her seat, jolting her awake. Just great.
With nothing else to do, she started pushing buttons on the screen in front of her. To her delight, Bear Grylls' show was on. It was the second to the last episode, and she was curious to see what happened since she missed the last few streams due to her work schedule.
She plugged in her earphones to the port and adjusted the volume while the intro credits began playing. Jack was featured prominently, often shirtless and wet as he waded back to the beach from the ocean. It looked like it was Liz's stream that was used for the footage. The scene shifted to the other side of the island where arguments and crisis were shown.
The other group looked miserable, and she couldn't believe they were on the same island. Bear Gryll's voice came over as he started to narrate when the earpiece on her right ear disappeared. Tim leaned closer to her and put the piece on his own ear.
"Rude." She gave her T.O. a look.
"I'm bored, and I want to see if Routh caught anymore food." Tim simply replied.
She didn't complain, although she felt a bit flustered feeling Tim's face so close to hers. She focused back on the screen and listened to the quick recap.
Jack was of course, giving history lessons on an island. She smiled as she listened in. He looked so content, grinding coffee beans using smooth rocks as he shared his knowledge about the significance of the drink. Who knew it was a goat herder that first noticed that his animals had more energy after eating coffee berries?
The episode shifted to the problems of the other participants on the other side of the island. They were fighting for resources and allocation. She shook her head in disappointment. They could have used the time arguing by doing something productive, and now thanks to the wasted time it started raining and their shelters were still inadequate to protect all of them.
Thankfully the scene shifted back to Jack's small group. It looked like they were having fun, as the two women were having a…. snowball fight against Jack using clumps of wet sand as they played out on the rain. The combination of the happy idyllic scene and the music made her relax and she closed her eyes for a moment.
She woke up when she felt someone shaking her shoulder. She looked around and saw people were standing up from their seats, collecting their hand carry luggage from the overhead compartments while other people moved down the aisles. They had already landed.
"You were really out of it." Tim told her. She yawned and quickly stood up. Rachel had her bags with her, and she quickly stood up, eager to step outside and see Hawaii for the first time. Her week long vacation had started.
Jack Routh
It was not surprising that the three of them were quickly given clean bills of health by the attending physician when they arrived at Honolulu but a few had to stay in the hospital overnight for observation. Apparently, two women had suffered UTI due to their lack of proper hydration. Many had been given creams for the numerous insect bites they received.
The post-island survival challenge interview began, and he was glad they were gathered as a group as Bear asked them question after question. Liz and Lucy talked the most, and even answered a few questions directed at him. He could see the two women had enjoyed their week-long adventure and noticed that his celebrity friend even looked refreshed. It was like the stress weighing her down due to the negative portrayal of the media of her image was scrubbed off her shoulders.
He answered the easier questions, providing detailed explanations about his goals during the week. Bear Grylls constantly gave compliments to his survival skills and he mostly attributed it to conducting research before stepping foot on the island.
When asked about the reasons why he left the main group, he gave a quick but simple answer that was echoed by Liz and Lucy. He didn't want drama and wanted to focus on the survival challenge, but he didn't expect that he would enjoy the experience that much.
"I guess this is it." Lucy turned to him. Behind her, the shuttle was waiting, ready to fetch her to the airport with the other participants. "You have to visit my station in Tacoma."
He watched as Liz and Lucy hugged tightly, and he knew the two had formed a genuine friendship.
"You're not going to the airport?" He asked the actress.
"No, I need a few days to rest." Liz replied. "They're arriving today, right?"
"In a few hours." He replied. "I figured I'd check in ahead of time at the hotel so that Zoe doesn't have to wait in the lobby."
"Such a thoughtful husband." Liz grinned. "Where will you be staying?"
"We're booked at the Hyatt." The department might be footing the bill, but that didn't mean they would get to stay in luxury five star hotels. Most of the hotels were fully booked due to the massive international conference, and there were several small conventions going on as well. He didn't mind their location since it was close to the convention center.
"What a coincidence." Liz took out her phone and started swiping. He looked over and noticed she was using it to book a car. "I have reservations there too. Let's check in to our rooms, and get something to eat. I know you're craving some real food."
He was. The simple fair they had that was prepared by the production team after they left the island was bland and the portions too small. The front desk generously allowed them both to check in early, and after storing their luggage, he feasted at the hotel buffet. Beef bulgogi, rib eye steaks and roasted chicken were demolished.
An hour later, he was drinking his plain black coffee, happy with the full meal he just had. Liz looked like she was about to go into a coma with the amount she ate. She was just picking on her half-eaten slice of chocolate cake.
"I ate too much…" Liz groaned. He raised an eyebrow as the actress unbuttoned her jeans. "That's better."
"You were impressive to keep up." While the actress didn't eat the sheer quantity of food he consumed, she matched him plate for plate in trying the different options. It seemed like they were both craving flavors, after eating mostly boar meat and shelled seafood the entire week.
"Remind me never to eat with you in a buffet." Liz groaned as she stood up from her seat. He watched with amusement as she slowly made her way back to her room. He checked the time and decided to head to the airport early. He could easily wait at the terminal, and even explore the surrounding area.
Exploring the airport, he bought a pair of cheap shades and settled on a seat, watching as more and more people filled the arrivals section. People from all sorts of nationalities were trickling in, and he caught some speaking in the languages he was familiar with. A welcome banner hanging at the lobby informed him that there's a RIMPAC exercise that was about to start, and that explained the numerous naval uniforms of different countries that he spotted in the airport.
Then he saw the Mid-Wilshire group arrive next. They were noisy, clearly excited as they pushed their respective trolleys. He saw familiar faces arrive with their families or partners, and he started looking for the familiar shoulder length hair of his wife.
There. She finally arrived with Grey and his wife. She was wearing shades, and had her hand carry on top of her luggage that she was pushing through the polished marble floor. His wife looked elegant in her loose white pants and light blue shirt.
He stood up from his seat, and smiled in approval as Zoe noticed the movement. A pretty smile formed on her face and she quickly rushed to his direction.
"Jack!" Zoe let go of her moving luggage and jumped to his waiting arms. He hugged her tight and smelled the familiar scent of her shampoo and lotion.
"I missed you!" He felt Zoe hug him tight and he responded by squeezing her tighter and lifted her off her feet.
"I missed you too!" He replied.
His wife laughed as he twirled her around once. Their passionate kiss was interrupted by a cough and they both reluctantly stepped back.
"Now that's a reunion." Sergeant Grey stated with a smile. "Good to see you, Routh."
"Sergeant Grey." He gave a polite nod to the veteran police officer and gave a quick greeting to his wife, Luna who had just joined them. Soon all the other officers started to congregate around them and he endured the numerous greetings with a smile.
He decided to join the fleet of shuttles provided by Hyatt as they made way back to the hotel. He kept an arm around Zoe's waist the entire time, the both of them giving looks to each other as they were unable to hold a proper conversation with how noisy the shuttle was.
When they arrived, the Mid-Wilshire group crowded the main lobby, and he guided Zoe to the elevator banks.
"Jack, we have to wait for the…"
"Here's your key." He fished out one of the keycards and handed it to his surprised wife.
"I tried to see if I could check in early, and they agreed." He had to pose for selfies with the reception staff and sign some hotel stationary, but he knew it was worth it to skip the chaos on the lobby.
"Smart thinking." Zoe pocketed the card and gave him a smirk. "Did you do that because you're a considerate husband or you just want me alone in our hotel room?"
"A bit of both." He replied and squeezed his wife's ass while the elevator doors closed causing her to stiffen and then give him a heated look.
They didn't speak as they walked along the long carpeted hallway, but as the door closed behind their room, they didn't have to. He didn't know who moved first, but his lips were upon his wife, their tongues battling for dominance. Their clothes flew, literally as they attacked each other. He heard ripping sounds, but didn't focus on that. He just wanted to see Zoe naked once more.
He had been sporting an erection ever since he spotted Zoe arriving with the Mid-Wilshire group and he couldn't contain his desire for her any longer. A week was too long.
He felt her bite on his shoulder as he moved his hips, his cock once more buried in her wet cunt.
"Fuck yes! More! Harder!" Zoe growled.
He felt her legs wrap around his waist while he intertwined his fingers with hers above her head. This was the best feeling in the world. She was tight, she was wet and she was hot. He came after a few minutes, but he was ready for more as he stared at his wife's eyes.
They didn't have to speak, she gave him a nod and he resumed moving inside her once more. She watched the expressions on her pretty face, and it felt like they were in a trance as they maintained eye contact for round two. It was slower this time, nd more intimate in a sense. Her fingers trailed across his face as he slowly ran his hands on her breasts, feeling her hard nipples underneath his palms. They kissed as he came inside her and he felt her thighs shake in what looked like a powerful orgasm.
The third round continued after they rested for a few minutes, both their bodies soaked in sweat despite the cool temperature of the room. Zoe was more dominant this time as she rode him hard and it continued on to the shower where he ate her out, his tongue teasing her folds and ass underneath the spray of warm water.
They both soon fell asleep after, legs intertwined, his cock once more inside her. He finally felt complete. He woke up before Zoe, and spent the quiet moment wishing Zoe was there on the island with him. They would probably end up making love, and wondered how they would set up their cameras so that they could have privacy.
The idea of having sex with Zoe on a deserted island gave him a thrill, and his cock hardened in response. This woke up Zoe, who moaned sleepily on top of him.
"Again Jack?" She rubbed her eyes and stretched. "Later, I'm a bit sore."
As much as he wanted to stay in the room the entire day and make love to his wife, Zoe was hungry and she didn't want to order room service.
"Save that for tonight." Zoe caressed his cock for a moment and gave him a peck. She then turned around and started to rummage through her luggage for her packed clothes. "Let's have an early dinner and then let's go out. The conference starts tomorrow at ten, local time."
He once more enjoyed the buffet spread. While they ate, they received many messages inviting them to dinner, but he decided and Zoe agreed with him to reserve today for just the two of them.
Instead of dessert, he ordered a nice cold bottle of beer while Zoe picked a cocktail. They decided to move to the beach area and finish their drinks there.
"I can tell you enjoyed the week, but what was the hardest part?" Zoe asked him.
"Honestly, it was the lack of privacy." He replied.
"I bet." His wife smirked. "That must have been difficult. No wonder you took me like that once we got into our room."
"There's more tonight." He promised as he ran his hand on her thigh. "Another problem was boredom. I was getting restless at times and I wanted to explore more of the island, but I couldn't just leave the girls alone for a night."
"Then there's the constant worry for food and water." He continued speaking. "It was very humid and hot out there and we could get dehydrated easily."
He had to control his instincts to roam around and explore the island further. He couldn't do that during the entire week since he had to make sure he wouldn't expend too much energy in trivial things when he had to catch his food first before eating.
Slightly buzzed after a couple of rounds of their drinks, they decided to walk down the beach.It felt nice to walk along the sand barefoot holding hands. Zoe looked beautiful in her sleeveless top that showed some cleavage and her tight shorts showed off her smooth legs.
He decided to wear a simple shirt and khaki shorts, just perfect for their environment. They stumbled upon what looked like a commercial area by the beach they soon started hearing sounds of high-pitch screaming.
Dominating the immediate area was a slingshot ride. The occupants inside the basket were the source of the screams, two teenage girls who looked like they were having the time of their lives.
"That looks fun." Zoe observed.
"You want to try?" He asked. He had never ridden a slingshot before, and the most that he had experienced was in a boring and slow Ferris Wheel.
"It's been ages since I've been in one of those." Zoe replied. He looked at his wife, and noticed that she had a faraway look on her face, as if remembering something from her past.
"Have you ever tried the slingshot?" Zoe asked.
"I haven't even sat on a roller coaster." He admitted.
Zoe started dragging him to the ride. "Then we must try this! "
There was a short line, and they spent 15 minutes until it was their turn. The operator had informed them that there was a contraption on the basket frame that would allow them to put their phone in there if they wanted their reactions to be recorded.
Zoe seemed eager and put in her phone on the slot, locked it and then turned the video recorder on.
His wife turned to him as their harness locked in place. "You're going to love this."
He wasn't sure about that. He gripped his wife's hand and gave it a squeeze, feeling anxious about what was to happen. The basket was being lowered and slowly rotated until he could see his feet. He watched as the tension increased on the ropes that would fling them in what looked like a couple of hundred feet into the air.
The operator gave them a final look and then pressed a button.
He felt his body being pressed into his harness. He tightened his grip on the handlebars as Zoe screamed beside him. Then he felt like he was falling, and he instinctively clenched his core muscles.
He could barely make out the sky as their basket constantly rotated and moved so he decided to look at Zoe so he wouldn't get dizzy. His wife was breathing hard, and his gaze drifted to her chest. The sight was beautiful.
As the basket bounced back and forth her breasts did amazing, gravity defying things. One moment they were threatening to spill out of her top, and the next they were pressed flat against her torso and he could make out her nipples poking through the fabric. He was glad he was able to convince her not to wear a bra, his argument of it being in danger of getting ripped out once they were back in the room had somehow convinced his wife.
He didn't even care about the ride anymore. He just smiled and looked at Zoe screaming and her tits bouncing around.
"Are you having fun?" Zoe shouted at him.
"This is great!" He shouted back. So squishy.
"Good!" Zoe replied. The bounces were slowly getting weaker and but it still did amazing things to her breasts.
"You're doing great for your first time!" Zoe added. "You didn't pass out!"
"I have great focus!" He replied and returned his wife's grin as his eyes finally met hers.
It took him a few moments to regain his footing. Zoe looked adorable with her messy hair. They wandered a bit more around the commercial area where his wife discovered shaved ice dessert with ice cream at the bottom and fruits on top.
"This is so good!" Zoe took a bite. "This is just perfect for the weather."
It was just okay, but he really wasn't a big fan of desserts to begin with. They were sitting by the beach when they spotted a few familiar faces from Mid-Wilshire, Lucy, Angela and Rachel. Wesley Evers and Tim Bradford were walking behind the group, each man carrying shopping bags.
"Captain!" Lucy waved eagerly. "Jack!"
"Good evening." Zoe greeted the group with a relaxed smile. "Enjoying yourselves?"
"You should have joined us for dinner, Captain. There was this nice seafood place." Angela stated. "What did you two get up to?"
He allowed Zoe to talk to the women and joined Tim and Wesley.
"Routh." Tim patted him on the shoulder. "I wasn't able to talk to you earlier, but good work on that survival show. I would have done exactly the same."
"Thanks, Tim."
"My office is swamped with calls." Wesley greeted him with a handshake. "All thanks to you. I had to hire Camille just to keep up."
Wesley did inform him of Angela's cousin taking care of his representation. He had spoken to her briefly a few times through calls, and he was satisfied that she mostly followed his instructions. No interviews, no product endorsements and no collaborations. He had emphasized that what he did with Taylor was mostly out of friendship and he wasn't willing to waste his time with others.
"I still have to do work despite being here." Wesley informed him. "Read up and research about my clients' cases. Angela wasn't happy when he saw me packing casefiles and my work laptop."
"You're still here, and that's what matters." He replied. "I'm sure you can find time to have fun."
"Jack took his first ever ride in the slingshot." He heard Zoe talk to the three other women. "I even recorded it, want to see?"
"Routh making funny faces? Count me in Cap!" Angela quickly sat beside his wife. The other two women leaned closer, watching as Zoe held out her phone and pressed play on the video recording.
"Oh! This will be good!" Lucy clapped her hands. "I always wanted to ride one, but I'm scared I might pass out!"
"Look! The poor boy looks so scared!"
He knew they were just having fun, and he tuned out the girls. He was speaking to Tim about attachments to Zoe's newly purchased AR-15 and comparing prices of different brands when he noticed that the giggles and laughter from the women behind him turned silent.
"Jack."
He paused midway in his conversation with Tim and looked at his wife. They were all staring at him, with varied expressions on their faces. Zoe was giving him that look, which meant she wasn't happy with something he did. Angela was grinning at him while Lucy and Rachel wore complicated expressions on their faces.
"Unbelievable." His wife shook her head. He could see the blush on her cheeks. What did he do?