Chapter 232 -- LFN Storyboard 2

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, [4], 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 00:10:15 04/19/12 Thu
Author: taurus2124
Author Host/IP: CPE-58-161-104-186.kybq1.win.bigpond.net.au / 58.161.104.186
Subject: Chapter 232
In reply to: taurus2124 's message, "Next 5 chapters of the Rising Dragons" on 23:42:03 04/18/12 Wed

Chapter 232

It was not long before Michael saw the path up ahead of them about a half mile off and slowed his speed in preparation for the exit. As he veered their car onto a deserted road the wheels sent up clouds of dust around them, partially obscuring the view. Slowing down he steered the SUV along a winding dirt trail caressed by tall willowy trees at a more leisurely pace. They travelled for some distance and it seemed they were going deeper and deeper into the wilderness. It was peaceful and quiet out in the open, with the only civilized sound being that of the SUV�s engine purring like the sound of a steady heartbeat. However, the wheels of the vehicle echoed loudly in the cabin as it crossed a wooden bridge over a meandering stream. Nikita could also hear the mating calls of the wildlife as they passed under a canopy of trees along the isolated track. The sun light was getting dimmer but they could still see well enough without turning on the SUVs� lights.

Michael drove along until he came to a clearing in the distance. With the rustic dwelling in sight, Michael slowed the speed of the vehicle as he drove closer. As he approached the clearing, he maneuvered the vehicle until he pulled the car up to a dark farmhouse nestled in the woods in a picturesque setting. It was a lovely two-storey house made from wood and natural stone with shutters on the windows and a verandah running the length of the farmhouse. Nikita took in her surroundings and also noticed a small stream positioned to the rear of the dwelling. It had a tranquil ambience about it and Nikita immediately fell in love with the farmhouse.

He turned off the ignition and removed the key. Michael got out of the car first then went around to the passenger seat in order to help Nikita out of the car, but she had already opened the door when he got there. She smiled at his gesture and leaned towards him, a wide smile on her face extremely happy with where Michael had brought her. His heart gave a little jerk when Nikita placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. She waited while he went to the rear of the car. Although the light was diminishing Nikita could still make out the surroundings and cast her eyes around the setting while Michael collected their belongings and supplies from the trunk of the SUV. When he returned Nikita looked at him with a broad smile on her face.

�It�s beautiful here.�

Pleased with her judgment, Michael took her hand entwining his fingers with hers, and led Nikita up to the farmhouse. Gravel crunched beneath their feet on the path leading to the front entrance. Standing on the verandah, Nikita inhaled the fresh, cold air as she waited for Michael to unlock the door. Dropping their belongings on the verandah first, he then went and opened the shutters on the windows. Once that was done he raised his hand and slid it along the upper edge of the window ledge until it touched what he was looking for. Placing the key in his hand, Michael looked at Nikita intensely before inserting it in the door. Stepping inside, he held the door ajar for her. As Nikita preceded him into the house, Michael placed their things inside then shut the door behind them. However it was more than just the act of shutting a door, it was shutting out their life at Section, a life they�d left behind for two weeks for one of normality without surveillance. Michael stood quietly by and watched Nikita closely waiting for her initial reaction.

She immediately looked around smiling liking what she saw very much. She glanced his way. �How did you find this place?�

�I saw it when we were doing aerial reconnaissance; I noticed it because it was over 50 kilometres from the population zone.�

�Who owns it?�

�I do.�

�Really?�

Her surprised answer solicited his proud reply. �And I bought the land around it � 100 acres.�

Walking around the main room they�d entered, Nikita took inventory of what was in the farmhouse while processing the information Michael had just proffered. She opened one door after another to find many different rooms as well as a secure garage leading off from the corridor. She turned to look at Michael who still stood quietly watching her actions with a little satisfied smirk on his face. �I like it.�

�I�m glad.�

Picking up the supplies from the entry, Michael removed his driving gloves. The heels of his boots thudded on the wooden floor as he walked towards an old cast iron stove in the kitchen while Nikita continued to explore the farmhouse like a child in a candy store. He placed the supplies on the bench and walked over to the stove where there was a variety of kindling and wood stacked in a box near it ready to start a fire. Michael looked around to see where Nikita was, but she was off looking around the farmhouse.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Nikita walked down a corridor off the main living room and discovered a small study with a cosy sitting room and a guest bedroom and bathroom. Returning to the front of the house was the open plan lounge with a comfortable couch and settee. She stopped momentarily in the dining/kitchen area where Michael was busily putting away their supplies in cupboards. Nikita noticed a staircase leading up to another landing. It was obvious that the main bedroom was located on the top floor as she hadn�t seen any downstairs. She bit her lip as butterflies suddenly fluttered in her stomach at the thought of the two of them being able to share a bed together. Nikita felt a rush of blood to her cheeks at what might transpire later. She glanced at Michael then turned away hoping that he hadn�t seen her reaction. Although she felt excited, nervous emotions of actually being alone with him suddenly rose to the fore. Trying to calm her nerves and feelings she moved over to the window alcove and peered outside. The light was diminishing but Nikita could still make out the surroundings.

�Oh it must be beautiful here in the summer.�

Michael stopped what he was doing and gave Nikita a piercing look but didn�t reply. He realised that he had made the right decision coming here. He was glad that he had brought her here to this sanctuary as far away from Section as possible. And now, here they were in his rustic farmhouse. They would live a normal life if only for a couple of days. They would make memories here to last them forever; they�d recuperate their body, mind and soul and � they�d make love.

�Do you come here often?�

Nikita wondered if Michael had ever been here in the summer or not. The likelihood of getting downtime away from Section One was rare, but even Michael needed somewhere to ease the burden of their lifestyle. The outside world wouldn�t want to know about the danger he and other operatives constantly faced. Perhaps this place was his refuge � his safe haven but one that he�d never utilised � until now. Perhaps he�d never had a reason to come here before and now he did.

�No � this is the first time.�

She gave him a shy glance as her thoughts had just materialised. �Oh.�

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Nikita turned towards him and watched as Michael began to set a fire in the stove. He seemed very much at home in the kitchen and appeared familiar with the old fashioned stove as he went about getting it alight.

He checked the chimney and opened the air vents then took some pieces of newspaper from the kindling box and scrunched them into loose balls which he placed in the centre of the firebox. Small kindling of dry seasoned pieces of firewood were placed on top of the paper material in a crisscross pattern to allow the oxygen to circulate and aid the ignition. After putting a few larger square pieces of kindling on top, Michael reached into the stove and lit the edges of the newspaper in a couple of places with a match. He waited until the smoldering embers soon caught the kindling and the wood began to burn steadily.

Once the fire was going well inside the stove he put some larger pieces of wood into the firebox and stoked the fire. He closed the door satisfied that the fire would burn well. Michael then placed a large flat bottomed kettle filled with water on the stove to have boiling water for a hot beverage.

After he was satisfied that the fire in the stove was underway he set another fire in the hearth in the living room to take the chill out of the air. Once alight he left the fire smoldering and went over to the kitchen bench to see what supplies he could use to whip up a quick meal for the two of them. He took out some vegetables to make a
Ratatouille and set about preparing dinner. He was famished and no doubt, so was Nikita. It seemed hard to fathom that they had been discharged from Med Lab and now they were here. It had been a long day of travelling and both of them were exhausted.

As he worked in the kitchen, Nikita knelt in front of the record player and rummaged around in his old record collection. Pulling out an album one after the other at random she glanced at the covers.

�These look like they've been around,� she called out.

Nikita studied the record jackets and finally selected a Francois Hardy recording knowing that the tune would please Michael. Taking the recording out of the record sleeve, she placed it on the turnstile adjusting the needle arm on the edge of the record. The lilting sounds of the French melody soon filled the air. Nikita then went and sat down on the couch and her eyes followed his movements as Michael busily prepared an evening meal in the kitchen. She was surprised and fascinated with his culinary skills. She watched him skilfully dice vegetables on the cutting board and place them into the Dutch oven he�d put on the stove to simmer.

�Do you need a hand Michael?�

He momentarily stopped what he was doing and looked over at her, and replied, �No � I�m fine. You rest, dinner won�t be too long.�

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Play on Text from �. Beyond the Pale

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies: