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ExplicitNovelsAudio novels of human relationships and fantasies. Author: Steamy Stories
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Quaranteam Down Under: Part 2
Saturday, 3 January, 2026
Quaranteam Down Under: Part 2Aussie soldier learns what it means to Quaranteam.Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Just off the East Coast of Australia, October 21, 2020, 11:05 PMTalia Becker had gotten no rest since Grace's last contact with Tiberius. Not that she'd tried. Learning that Ty had been exposed to something had set her on edge, but it was the message that had managed to arrive a few hours later that had her truly worried. Even though she knew they'd arrive in time to help him, she couldn't help it; she wasn't there now. After everything else, she couldn't afford to lose him.Tiberius had swept into her life relatively early in her career, in 2017, and the maelstrom the Australian had left in his wake had left her reeling. Her father appeared one morning at their training grounds, smiling, and simply told them that they were about to embark on a survival exercise over the next seven days. Talia's unit was to hunt down and capture Tiberius, who would evade, and in return attempt to 'kill' his hunters. Talia thought it would be a simple task.It took all of three days.In just a mere three days, every member of the unit found themselves back at base, 'killed', and to a man or woman, had never actually seen their adversary until it was too late. He appeared again as they were gathered in a training classroom and began to explain where each member had gone wrong and why they had failed. Talia never even had the opportunity to look at his face before she'd been killed, late on the second day. He had simply melted back into the environment after his training knife had appeared across her throat.For the first time she could recall since joining the IDF, Talia was interested in a man. It wasn't an attraction. Not exactly. Not then. Curiosity, perhaps. He showed up at Talia's dinner table that night, a guest of her father. The easy-going demeanor, even in the presence of her father, was utterly foreign to her. Even her mother, usually quiet and withdrawn among her father's guests, was smiling and telling stories. A sort of charm, she'd supposed. A natural charisma that drew people in and made them feel comfortable. She looked at him again and it clicked. He was like an oversized teddy bear. Large, occasionally imposing, but ultimately a comforting presence. The only comforting male presence aside from her father, she realized.Until that point, the men in Talia's life, aside from her father, had come in two varieties; those openly attempting to get close to her to use her father's influence, and those who were lying. Every single one had been repulsive; if not physically, then mentally. She wasn't simply a means to an end to them; she was just a trinket to acquire on the path. To them, she didn't matter, and that infuriated her. She rarely dated men as a result, spending her time with her female cohorts. It had gotten to the point where she almost believed she couldn't be attracted to a man and was trying to figure out how to explain that to her parents, when Ty's appearance made her reevaluate herself once again. Even though he was eight years senior to her then age of 24, Tiberius had never made her feel insignificant or unimportant. When they spent time together, she felt like was the center of his universe. He wasn't overbearing and he never pushed her for intimacy. She realized it when Ty escorted her during her parent's 40th anniversary party a year later; it wasn't that she couldn't date men; it just had to be the right man. She had asked her father if he would be open to that idea, and he had seemed thrilled. Then they had learned of Tiberius' injury, and her father had asked her to wait until he was healed.Talia was furious. She believed her father was acting the same way towards Tiberius as all the suitors had with her; interested in Ty until he was no longer useful. But Ezekiel denied that instantly. It wasn't that her father was reluctant to have a potentially crippled man as her husband, but that he wanted Tiberius to be able to recuperate without the added pressure of a long distance, potentially political relationship. Zeke actually kept in constant contact with the younger man and admitted to Talia that both he and her mother already loved the man like a son. Zeke had planned to ask him to visit Israel again at the start of 2020, when COVID had slowed travel and then DuoHalo had shut the world down entirely. Now, when Talia finally had a chance to be with him, the man she wanted more than anything was in danger of dying. She couldn't help herself and paced up and down the aisle of the plane."Talia, your pacing isn't going to get us there any faster. You're just wearing yourself out and you're going to want that energy." Grace opined, a wry smile on her face.She understood the Israeli woman's feelings; after all, it wasn't that long ago that she had shared a similar longing for the affable Aussie. Now that she had her own partner, though, she was content. She looked over at Ben, currently curled up under a blanket alongside Theresa, their Team's newest addition, both asleep. Ben was a doctor, and while he was someone Grace had never expected to get along with before, Oracle had them matched at around 93%, and it showed. She'd been through a lot of short-term relationships in the past and had never found anything that really clicked, except Tiberius, and now Ben. With Tiberius, it had been a whirlwind thing, and they both had known that it was temporary, what with their relative roles. With Ben, it was slower; more organic. She connected with Ben far more deeply than she'd anticipated and she found that he brought her a sense of comfort and peace that she'd never realized was missing from her life. Grace hoped that Talia would find the same peace with Tiberius that she now had with Ben. God knows she liked the young woman enough.Her thoughts were interrupted by the copilot sticking his head into the cabin. "Captain, we're back in communications range."She nodded at him and pulled her tablet out, expecting a barrage of messages to hit. She wasn't disappointed.No, she was now very worried.The Valiant sisters had sent updates on Tiberius' condition, and it looked to be bad. From one of the earlier messages, they said he'd already started to have trouble breathing. As if that wasn't bad enough, the most recent, however, said that he'd been trying to hide a bloody nose. The Valiants had informed her that they, along with a pair of Chinooks, would be waiting at the Point Cook airbase and she began to prepare her team."Do we have the results back from the Oracle tests we asked for?" Grace called out to one of her lieutenants."Yes Captain. All three results are above a 93% match. You almost couldn't ask for better."Talia smiled. "I knew it would be fine. He is the man I chose, after all."Grace laughed. "You were planning to ignore the results anyway. What does it matter?""Because it's always better to know that you will mesh with your partner, right? If we are to be bonded, I would prefer it to be in both heart and body." Talia blushed, and Grace laughed."You're definitely right. Ben, did you get a look at the bloodwork analysis they sent?"Ben, a slight man of around 5' 9" nodded, keeping his expression neutral, but it was clear he wasn't happy."Whoever made this was a complete and utter bastard. This variant has had all of its characteristics, aside from its transmissibility, jacked up to 11. They clearly had to tone that down since it wouldn't survive otherwise. Grace, this isn't a bioweapon; it's a murder weapon. It's made to kill individuals, not communities." He paused, looking at the data again. "As for your guy here, it's not good. If you're telling me that he's already had at least one bloody nose, then it's working faster than anticipated. He's got maybe; six hours before his internals start to go. It's a good thing you got a few partners lined up for him. One shot absolutely will not be enough. I recommend you inject all the prospective partners immediately. It's the girls coming to meet us and the Major here, right?" Grace nodded in the affirmative and he continued. "Good. We can use the time it takes us to load the helicopters and get the teams on boarded to get the ladies prepped and injected. Then the flight time to monitor for abnormalities. That should save us a bit of time on the back end. Major; Becker, right? Are you absolutely certain you want to do this?"Talia nodded vehemently. "That man is the only one to whom I would consider being bound, Dr. Morgan.""Very well then. Grace, I recommend we begin the inoculations as soon as we land."Quarantine Lab, Victoria Barracks, Victoria, Australia, October 22, 2020, 1:35 AMTy was actually really enjoying his book. Admittedly, he'd glossed over a few things the first time around; and the second. But this time, it had caught his interest. Maybe it was just a little deeper than the other entries? Or maybe his impending mortality had given him a different perspective. He knew his senses were beginning to dull. The metallic taste from the blood he'd begun to cough up occasionally had faded, telling him his nose had stopped doing its job. He gave it no thought, choosing instead to contemplate the literary work before him. Before any further thought struck, Tiberius was startled out of his focus as the intercom buzzed and Baz's voice boomed into the room."Ty, they're almost ready, mate. How are ya holding up?""Like someone punched me in the chest a couple dozen times. Pretty sure all this coughing has bruised a rib." Ty chuckled as a thought struck him. "Hey Baz, with all this shit that's happening, can I claim hazard pay?""Get fucked, mate.""I'm about to, ya old bastard. And no, you can't watch." This set Ty off even more, causing him to laugh uproariously before it devolved into a coughing fit. "If I don't spit up a lung first, that is."Baz sighed in relief as his friend regained control and his phone beeped. Looking down at the text, he nodded towards Ty."Alright mate, I'll unseal the door now. Can you suit up and make your way to the officer suites in block B? One of those is set up for you for the night. I've already made sure the corridors are cleared, and that entire building is empty, aside from you."Ty hesitated as the door opened. "Baz. Is this the right thing to do? This vax. The whole binding thing? Are we jumping headfirst into a mistake?""It's proven to work. It may not be the best solution, but it's the one we got. They want this. All three of them. They want to save your life. Your job will be to treat those girls right after the fact. They deserve nothing less than your all and you damn well know it.""That part still doesn't feel real, you know. Three, including the twins;” Ty coughed, and his face flushed."Get over yourself, you lucky bastard. If I wasn't head over heels for Sophie, I'd have killed to be in your shoes.""How does she feel about sharing? You do realize that's going to be a thing, right?"Baz blanched. "Fuck me. I hadn't thought about that; I'm a fucking dead man.""Not like you had anything to do with the situation, Baz. She'll get over it eventually. Or I'll get your job after the funeral." Baz threw a glance at Ty as he walked out."Cunt. Go on. And don't come back until you're well again."His chest tight, Ty made his way towards the officers' suites and was met along the way by a familiar face. Grace and her Team were waiting for him just inside the building. She looked concerned but tried to smile as he approached."You looked better this morning, Ty. You can remove the suit. We're safe.""Felt better too, Grace. Good to see you. I don't think I've met most of your friends here?""There's time for that later. I just needed to introduce you to Ben, and he's going to take a small blood draw from you. He's a doctor. Is that okay?""Sure thing. Nice to meet ya, doc. I'd shake your hand, but I don't reckon that's in anyone's best interest right now."The smaller man smiled broadly and reached out, taking Ty's hand and giving it a solid shake, much to the big soldier's surprise. What surprised him more was the small blue pill he'd left in the bigger man's hand."Nonsense! I'm safe, and Grace has been very worried about you, so I know you must be a good friend and a good man. It's a pleasure to meet you, and I look forward to getting to know you. Let me just get my souvenir, and we'll send you on your way." He leaned in close as he was preparing to draw blood and mumbled under his breath to Ty. "Take that right now. You're going to need it. It'll kick in by the time you're ready to rumble, so you'll be able to go all three rounds without having to worry. After the serum kicks in in your own body it won't be necessary, but this first time, with you under the effects of this monster strain of Duo? There's no shame in it."Ty liked him immediately. The man was pleasant and clearly easy to be around. He turned his head and faked a cough, slipping the pill into his mouth. Ben had a fresh bottle of water within arm's reach and handed it over to Ty, winking. He glanced at Grace as he drank and she nodded, blushing slightly. Another woman tapped her on the shoulder and whispered in her ear. Grace laughed and nodded, taking the proffered clipboard and stepping up to Ty."I'll need you to sign this for me. I forgot that it's procedure for handing off partners."Ty looked at the form, immediately confused by the header on the page. Army and Army National Guard Oracle Program Delivery Form. He glanced over the form, seeing that it really was just a simple asset handover confirmation before he got to the admin code at the bottom of the page. DA 6969-R. Some bored paper-pushers must be getting their jollies on that one."Grace? This says National Guard."The grin on her face threatened to reach her ears. "And?""You're Air Force? And the 'assets' aren't even in your jurisdiction? Why am I signing this again?"Her grin continued to grow and he rolled his eyes as they both spoke at the same time. "Bureaucrats."He shook his head and waved as they departed, before turning back around and looking at the key Grace had left in his hand. Beyond that door, everything would change. His life, their lives, would be forever intertwined. He felt the tightness in his chest fought back another cough, knowing that even if his time was limited, he needed to confirm their willingness and understanding one last time for his own peace of mind.He stepped into the room and was met with a sight he'd probably never forget. He'd seen the twins in swimsuits more than once, but lingerie; that was an entirely different beast. Lottie had let her hair down and was sitting at the edge of the bed, luscious D-cup curves enshrined in a black set of lingerie, complete with a garter and stockings. Ty had never known she wore those, and he felt the blood surge towards his cock. He gulped, shifting his gaze towards Lettie, who was dressed in an almost identical set of garters and stockings, but instead of the bra, she had on a black bustier. He let his eyes linger there for a moment too, drinking in the twin goddesses before him, before the third goddess in the room commanded his attention.It had been nearly two years since he'd last seen Talia and the young woman had truly grown into her own. Raven black hair, pulled into a long braid that stopped just shy of her pert ass. Here and now, her lovely olive-skinned frame stood tall and willowy at 5'10", all grace and sensuous power coiled into that fit package. A package shielded from the world by only a pure white teddy. Even through the garment, he could see the pointy tips of her C-cups, rock hard beneath that sheer fabric. If Ty had been semi aroused before, he stood at full attention now; a respectable seven and a half with solid girth. They all smiled as he adjusted himself and Talia took his hand, pulling him further in."Getting uncomfortable there, Tiberius? Come, sit. I know you will wish to talk before we do anything. It will do for us as well, though I think the three of us are quite ready for you." She paused for a moment and Ty realized that the scent of female arousal was permeating the room, strong enough for even his currently diminished nasal capacity to detect. "Doctor Benjamin did say that the serum would 'rev our engines', but I think he rather understated just how much so."She spun as he reached the edge of the bed, pulling Ty's head down and into a ferocious kiss. Ty was lost in it, hands running up and down her sides before she pulled away to look him in the eyes."Finally. For two years I have wanted to do that. I wish only that the circumstances could be different, but this will suffice. We will make it work. I will have two wonderful new sisters by my side for the journey."Ty was staring into her eyes when a pair of pale hands pulled at his face, Lottie drawing him in for her own hungry kiss. The repressed passion asserted itself clearly here, and the lovely redhead molded her body into the big man's, her thigh grinding wantonly against his straining bulge. Ty lost track of time in the kiss, his hands roaming unconsciously. When they eventually separated, he was unsure if it had been a few seconds, or several minutes. He wasn't entirely sure he cared. At some point during the kiss, Lettie had slipped in behind him and had begun undoing the buttons on his uniform."She's not wrong, big guy. Though for us, I think without this, we'd have danced around one another forever. I do wish it hadn't taken you nearly dying for it, but we'll take it."Lettie now stepped in from behind her sister, gently nudging her out of the way before making her best effort to devour Tiberius' lips and tongue. Once again, he lost himself in the sensations of her body, stopping only as he realized that Talia and Lottie were busy sharing their own kiss.He was gob-smacked. Oh, he knew the twins were bisexual. He'd been around them for more than long enough and seen plenty of their dates firsthand. He just hadn't realized that Talia was too. Her father was fairly traditional in some ways, so he had never suspected it would be a thing for her."I didn't realize you swung that way, Tal.""Before I met you, my love, the men in my life were trash. Savages and schemers, save my father. My closest companions were women, and in them I both sought and found solace. I had not been with a woman since you and I met, though it struck me that in this situation, it would not be a bad thing. I was discussing it with these two when they told me that they too were bi. It does not hurt that I find them very attractive. Do you disapprove?""Hell no! Two of the three hottest women I know making out not two meters away from me wearing damn near nothing? I'd love an encore!" Ty was certain he'd have managed to stay at full attention even without chemical assistance under these circumstances.Lettie kissed him again but gave him a stern gaze. "One very important detail, big guy. While Lottie and I might play with you together, we won't ever be playing with each other. Our focus will only ever be you or another girl.""You know damn well that I'd never ask that of you. What's happening in front of me right now is already crazy hot." He paused, the lopsided smile falling from his face. "But while we're being serious, I need to confirm it from each of you one more time. Last chance. Are you all certain this is what you want?"Three heads turned to face him and nodded in the affirmative. Ty took a deep breath and nodded back, the smile now back in place on his face. "I'm glad the three of you make it so easy to love ya. So, how do we want to do this?"The three women giggled and dragged him onto the bed, rapidly pulling his uniform off his body while showering him in kisses. Ty, for his part, managed to divest the trio of their undergarments in short order and planted his own kisses on their newly exposed flesh. Lettie giggled as she pulled his boxers off."Well, that's a big winner, sis. We had always wondered how; endowed you were, Tiberius. Those board shorts you insisted on wearing whenever we went to the beach never let us get much of a look.""Well, I sure as hell wasn't going to put on that pair of budgie smugglers you got me that one time. Even if they weren't like two sizes too small, they were bright fucking yellow!" Ty laughed, remembering the too small swimwear clearly. The present had been a joke, and they'd never actually expected him to wear it.Ty kissed all three women again and then shuffled up the bed. Lottie was nearest to him as he lay back, and she let out an adorable squeak as Ty picked her up, planting her legs firmly on either side of his head before letting his tongue go to work. That squeak rapidly transitioned into a moan, before being muffled by a kiss Talia, who perched herself on Ty's chest, playing with his nipples while he reached up and teased hers in kind. Lettie, in the meantime, had begun stroking Ty, kissing her way up the shaft until she reached the tip, parting her lips before taking him in as deeply as she could.The moment the first drop of pre-cum touched her tongue, the fireworks went off in her brain and she let out a guttural moan from around the shaft as she shuddered and bucked in what Ty realized must have been an absolutely immense orgasm. He vaguely remembered reading about this, but his thoughts hardly had time to coalesce before Lottie had her own orgasm, nearly drowning him as she gushed.Lettie pulled off his cock for a moment as she regained control and shuddered for breath. "Oh. My. God. That was the single most intense thing I've ever felt."Talia laughed. "Leticia, Grace was saying that the real thing is even better. That first one is just known as 'priming'. I am certainly looking forward to it. That said, Charlotte, would you switch with me please?"They shuffled a little, Lottie replacing Talia on Ty's chest and Talia straddling his head, though in reverse so she could continue to kiss and grope Lottie and Lettie. Lettie, after making sure Ty's cock was nice and wet, raised herself and straddled his hips, pointing him at her opening before guiding him into her. Her moan of pleasure was punctuated by the words she'd held back for years."I love you, big guy. Fill me. Claim me.""I love you too, Lets."Ty was seeing stars as she enveloped him fully, and he knew it wasn't going to be long before he blew as she ground into him. He was breathing heavily, somewhat hindered by the effects of the virus within him, but like the good soldier he was, he fought through it. To be honest, it actually felt like it was getting easier with each breath. His body and brain went into overdrive in the next few minutes, drowning in the sensations, and a couple of orgasms from Talia, as three women straddled him, each now lost in their own desires. Talia had swapped back into the middle, and was now alternating kisses with both sisters, clearly maddened by lust. Ty had fingers buried in both Lottie and Talia, rubbing away both inside and at their clits. It all came to a head as Ty groaned, pulling his hands away from the other two and pinning Lettie's hips down onto him as he fired off round after round into the younger twin. Lettie immediately seized up, body going completely rigid, her voice peaking as the orgasm crested over her in a tsunami of sensation before she fell limp, completely unconscious. Talia and Lottie caught her as she crumpled, laying her gently down as she began to mumble almost imperceptibly."Imprinting; Imprinting;”Ty on the other hand felt an immediate surge of something as his own orgasm hit him, sending a wave of endorphins through his body. More importantly, he felt that subtle weight in his chest genuinely begin to clear, and the light fog that had begun curling around his senses dissipated, bringing with it a renewed sense of lust as all the smells stimulated his primal instincts. With just a glance to make sure that Lettie was safely tucked to one side, he picked up Talia and Lottie both, repositioning them before taking his still hard cock and pointing his hips towards the absolutely soaked nethers of his Israeli princess. He leaned down past Lottie, whispering in Talia's ear."You came here thinking to make me yours. Well, the tables have turned, my dear. I am going to. Make. You. Mine.""Please! Yes! Do it!" Talia warbled the last, overwhelmed as Ty's domineering words drilled their way into her consciousness.Still wet with a combination of love juices and semen, he slid in smoothly, triggering Talia into another orgasm, stronger than any she'd experienced before, courtesy of the priming phenomenon. He reached down, taking a hold of Lottie's head and pulling her up sharply, sealing her lips as she once again squeaked in surprise. This time, she was positioned above Talia's head, and the younger woman wasted no time once she'd recovered from her orgasm and began devouring the voluptuous redhead between gasps as Ty pounded into her. He was careful not to be too rough with them, but his instincts said that this was fine for these two, and he'd always trusted his instincts.He flipped Lottie around and the pair kissed again, breaking apart only as Talia screamed her pleasure into Lottie's mouth every few minutes. The first release had allowed him some leeway, and since he was no longer on edge, he was able to take long, powerful strokes for several minutes before the urge overtook him once again, and he hilted himself before the inevitable explosion. Talia's back arched wildly as it happened, and Lottie was nearly bucked right off before Ty caught her and held her tightly to him. He nuzzled into Lottie's neck from behind as he deposited his load into Talia, finally clearheaded enough to hear the words being uttered by Lettie and now echoed by Talia."Imprinting; Imprinting;”"Well fuck me. They weren't lying;”He pulled his still-hard member out of Talia, wondering briefly if he'd made a mistake in taking the pill given him by Ben. As it slipped out from Talia, it slapped Lottie between the legs, prompting her to release another squeak of surprise. Nibbling at the lobe, Ty whispered in her ear."You and I, for once, share a secret, don't we Lottie? One you never told Lettie about." His hands were still wrapped tightly around her, and he shifted them now; one to cup her mons and other wrapping gently around her throat. All the while he was rubbing his erection between her legs. "Would you like to explore that lightly now? Your sister is out, and there is no audience. She won't wake while we do this. So, shall we have some fun of our own, pet?"Lottie shivered in his arms, almost achieving an orgasm simply from the words. A few years ago, she'd developed a curiosity towards the BDSM scene and had asked Ty to go to a club with her so she could observe it. She'd known that Ty would be the safe option, instead of her sister, who had expressed disinterest in the whole thing beforehand. They had gone, and while neither of the pair had been unable to take their eyes from the scenes of domination and submission, both had been looking at different things. Lottie had asked to speak to one of the participants after, and the three of them had a long discussion about the subject.She loved the idea of relinquishing control to a trusted partner; letting them own her fully, at least during that intimate moment. Her inner heart, betraying her head, had Ty in that position of power. She had known she would become aroused at the thought but hadn't anticipated completely flooding the liner she'd put in earlier. For Ty, he was naturally drawn to the dominant side. The responsibility, the control. The fact that his partner would need absolute trust in him to leave herself at his mercy. He felt a little bad that it was Lottie who appeared in his mental images, but here that only served to arouse him further. Now, they could act on it, and it seemed to Ty that she was still a fan of the idea as she replied, her voice barely above a whisper."Yes, sir."Chapter 3.Melbourne CBD, Victoria, Australia, October 22, 2020, 5:43 AMPing! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! The rapid stream of incoming messages cut through the silence, soliciting a groan from the room's two occupants."Ray, if that's Annabelle I swear to God I'll cuntpunt the bitch. It's not even six." The feminine voice carried no small amount of irritation as she nudged her bed mate.Rayne hated it when he was roused from sleep by Discord. It was never a good sign. He mumbled something incoherent as he reached over and grabbed his phone, squinting at the bright screen as he attempted to read.Problem. Big Problem!Someone's been hijacking our research.They weaponized it. It's bad. Really bad.The military is putting a stop to it, but they want us to shelve our research and do something else.Call me ASAP. This isn't a joke.Rayne sat bolt upright, almost throwing his girlfriend, Stella, clean off the bed. "Holy shit!""What happened? What the hell does she want, hun? She knows we were up crazy late yesterday." Stella sat upright herself, running her hands over Rayne's muscular form as she tried to look at the screen over his shoulder."Belle's saying somebody weaponized our research, babe. We need to call her."Stella's eyes widened at the news. The pair worked for a think tank called BioWorks, affiliated with one of Australia's biggest pharmaceutical companies, CSL. With his biochemistry and pharmaceutical background and Stella's expertise as a virologist, they had been busy researching and breaking down the individual aspects of the DuoHalo virus. They were looking for clues to help create a vaccine, and for someone to willingly take that research and weaponize it was a gross violation of ethics."What do we do?" She got out of bed, stepping over to the dresser to find some clothing."Have a quick shower. Get coffee. Call Annabelle. In that order."Rayne's gaze swept over the 5'6" blonde, eyes dancing over her naked double Dees as he stood to follow her. Matching his own age of 28, Stella Andersen would never be a supermodel, but Rayne found her completely gorgeous and she almost never failed to turn heads. Blue eyes, pale skin, perhaps a little heavier than the average, but not fat or obese by any means. They had been together since before the pandemic, though they'd worked together for almost a year before that. They'd been lucky. The lockdowns and stress had never gotten the better of them and had served instead to bring them closer together. She was brilliant, funny, generous and capable and everything he wanted in a partner, and to the best of his knowledge, she found him adequate as well. He was ready to propose, but he'd wanted to wait until they were past the pandemic. He'd long since sourced a ring; it was sitting in a drawer Stella never went into, safe. He turned on the coffee maker and followed Stella into the bathroom.They showered together, normally a very sensual experience, but right now they needed simply to be clean and awake for what was likely to be a very awkward call. The couple dressed swiftly, heading into the kitchen without any delays.Armed with mugs, Rayne sat on the couch and called Annabelle. She answered on the first ring, clearly expecting him. Annabelle Periera had worked with Ray and Stella for their entire time at BioWorks and was one of their closest friends. If Stella was amply curved, Annabelle was petite and slender. Where Stella was pale, Annabelle's caramel skin tone gave her an exotic look that matched perfectly with her ebon locks and chocolate brown eyes. She was fire and passion, compressed into a 5'1" frame. Annabelle clearly hadn't slept and gave the pair a tired smile before Rayne launched into the conversation."Belle, what the hell happened?" No time for pleasantries; they needed info."Hi to you too, handsome. Morning, Stel. Sorry to wake you guys. It's just like I said. Someone at the lab was messing with our research. They used it to create a weapon out of Duo.""What do you know about it? How bad is it? Characteristics? Transmissibility? How fast does it spread?" Stella was furious. She'd lost her parents to the pandemic and it was still raw for her."It's not a spreader. It's a killing tool. The thing is completely fucked up, Stel. It's super accelerated. 24-36 hours from infection to death. There's no phase where it can just spread undetected. I don't understand the point of it, but someone in the lab made it, using our research to figure out where to twist it.""How did the military learn about this before us?" Rayne had plenty of respect for the military, but this was out of their wheelhouse, so his curiosity took hold."It was yesterday evening. Apparently one of the officers went loopy and attacked another. The crazy guy had a syringe with this; I don't know what to call it. Assassin Variant? Jesus, that's a horrible concept. Though, there is one really bright side to all of this though.""How the fuck is there a bright side here, Belle? That poor bastard has barely a day to live!""Slow down, Ray. I also learned that there's a vaccine. The US has apparently got one working and is ready to mass produce. I've been told they were already on their way here and the military wants us to head up production since they don't trust the people in the labs right now. Your name came up."Stella and Rayne sat there, staring. A vaccine. So many months of horror, watching friends and loved ones die. Watching an entire generation of children succumb with no hope. Stella had tears running down her face. "How can receiving a vaccine after infection help him? That doesn't make any sense!""I honestly don't get it either, Stella, but they say it works. We're gonna have to trust it for now.""What do you need from us?" Rayne's voice took on a hard edge. It was a habit learned from a friend when it was time to get serious."They didn't supply us with any details yet. Can you call your family for answers? They'll be in the know, I bet. If we can get a head start, it'll be to our credit.""I mean, sure, but I don't know how much either of my sisters is going to tell me, or even if they know, for that matter. It's still crazy early, so let me get back to you when I have something, okay?""Sure Rayne. You two be careful. If this is legit, it means the end is in sight. First thing I'll do once I'm vaxxed is hug the two of you, so don't get sick on me before that."Stella smiled through her tears. "Love ya, Belle. You be safe too."They hung up and Rayne pulled Stella into his arms. This was big news, but it left them with a sense of bitter defeat. If only it had come a few months earlier, so many lives could have been spared. Stella sobbed, the grief now overwhelming her. She had been numb to the loss of her parents, detached from reality since there had been no hope at the time. Nothing they had tried had shown merit and all she could do was watch her parents pass. She wasn't even allowed to organize a funeral. Rayne's parents had died in a car crash several years ago, leaving him and his older sisters devastated. For a few months, they had all been in a fugue, supported almost entirely by a family friend; his sisters' best friend, Tiberius, to be exact. He'd organized everything and kept them all going. Rayne loved him like a brother and often wished that one of his sisters would marry him. He'd never understood Ty's hesitation to date them. Rayne decided to call him too, later today, and tell him to get off his ass and finally ask one of his sisters out. Get a ring on her, so he'd actually be his brother-in-law.Get a ring on her. The irony of that thought struck him all at once. He needed to practice what he was preaching. Rayne knew he was ready. The timing could be better, sure, but they were about to be swamped with work. If she said yes, and Ray desperately hoped she'd say yes, they'd be able to go into this thing comfortably knowing they had each other, and he'd have great news for his sisters too. He took a deep breath and steeled himself."Hey babe? You know I love you, right?" Rayne kissed the top of Stella's head as he spoke, taking in her scent. "More than anything and anyone. You're beyond amazing. How a guy like me got lucky enough to land you is something I've never understood, but I'm not looking the gift horse in the mouth here."Stella turned her head up to look at him, wondering where he was going with this. Rayne knew he wanted to do this better, but something in his heart told him that this was right."I love you too, you big dork. And I'm the lucky one. You don't really know how many of the girls at BW are hot for you, do you? You could have any of them, but you wanted me. Why all of a sudden?""Because, I felt that this was the time to say it. I don't want anyone else. You're my one and only, and with this news, our lives are going to become really hectic and I don't want to miss the opportunity. So, I'll say it." He released her and stood, stepping over to the side table where he'd hidden it. He stepped back in front of her and dropped to one knee, holding the ring box out. "The time I've spent with you has made me happier than I've ever been and I have realized that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Stella Annika Andersen, would you marry me?"Stella just stared, her jaw dropping open as she saw the ring. She had hoped for this, prayed for it, even. Rayne Valiant had been a beacon of light in her darkness. He'd won her over from the first goofy smile he'd sent her way almost two years prior, at the induction party for the new hires. He'd been making conversation with some of the higher ups in the company, and she'd spotted him when she'd looked over and seen his nearly 7 foot tall body and deep red hair towering over the others. He'd seen her looking and he'd smiled her way, breaking off his conversation to come speak with her.In her own mind, she was, if not fat, chubby at the very least. She'd had a hard time with it in high school, and though it had gotten better during university, she was no model and had no confidence in her looks. She was the introvert who only had her big tits going for her. Boys were all too eager to try and cop a feel, but actually have a relationship with her? 'Nah, no thanks' was the general consensus. Even the few girls she'd been with had left her feeling used. It was almost enough to make her quit dating entirely. But Rayne never thought of her in those terms. After all, he'd been a gangly science nerd in school, one step from being bullied. It was only his association with Tiberius that had seen him get interested in fitness, and since he'd stuck to the training regimen that had been made for him, he filled out and became less of a target for the bullies, and more of a target for the ladies. No one had ever thought to tell the young man that the regimen Tiberius had devised was harsh even by military standards. In his own head, however, he was still the gangly science nerd. He'd spotted Stella from across the room, looked into her eyes and was smitten.The next instant was a keystone moment in his life, to be sure. He went and spoke to her.Lightning struck. Sparks flew. Lives changed.For him to hook up with a woman as beautiful as Stella, and Rayne had no doubts that to the general public, Stella was considered beautiful, was a dream come true. He knew most of the women around that day were absolute knockouts and he appreciated their looks, but he never expected them to have any actual interest in him, and now, genuinely didn't care even if they did. But Rayne and Stella clicked. It just worked.So, for Stella, this proposal only ever had one answer."Yes!" She dove into his arms, tears once again flowing as she kissed Rayne all over his face. "Yes! Yes! A thousand times, yes!"They cuddled for a few minutes, right there on the sofa and Rayne slipped the ring onto her finger, smiling broadly."I promise I'll do right by you." He kissed her again. "We can start thinking about wedding stuff soon, but for now, shall we call my sisters and tell them the news? I can see what they know about this vax business too."Stella nodded, her eyes wandering down to the ring now securely on her finger. It wasn't some enormous rock like some celebrities showed off, but it was hers.Rayne had dialed his eldest sister, Charlotte, but the call rang out, eventually going to voicemail. He tried again on Leticia's and got the same result. That was odd. Both of his sisters should have been awake by now, and even if they'd been indisposed, one of them should have tried to call him back immediately. Slightly worried, he set the phone to speaker and called the base directly, something he only did in an emergency."Brigadier Davis' office. How can I help?" Rayne immediately recognized the voice of the Brigadier's assistant, his wife, Sophie. She sounded tired, but he attributed that to the early hour."Colonel Davis? Sophie? It's Rayne Valiant. How are you?""Hello Rayne, I'm doing well. It's nice to hear from you. Is something the matter?""Actually, I can't reach either of my sisters. Do you know where they could be? If they're out on some operation, they forgot to let me know they'd be away."There was a pause on the other end as Sophie spoke to someone else in the room, before she let out a small 'oh!' and returned to the phone."I'm sorry Rayne. We forgot to tell you. They, along with Tiberius underwent a medical procedure. They're entirely okay, but it was something of an emergency situation.""They're okay? And why is Ty there? Wasn't he discharged? Hang on, does this medical emergency have something to do with this problem happening at CSL?""How do you know about that?""I'm part of the team that is breaking down the virus. It's our research that was subverted. Was the victim really Tiberius? Is he really okay? Does that mean the vaccine is real?"There was a shuffling on the other end of the line and another voice came on."Rayne? It's Barry Davis. I assume you were informed of events by Miss Periera, so I'll give you the short version. Yes. It was Tiberius that was the victim. He should be okay now. The vaccine; well, your clearances are up to date and you're going to be brought onto the project later today anyway. Yes. It is also real. He was already slated to be the first in our pilot program for the vaccine but the timeline got moved up thanks to this fiasco. Right now, he and your sisters are probably asleep; an aftereffect of the serum. You'll receive an explanation later today, and your people will be among the first to get treated, probably in the next few days, once an actual shipment of the vaccine arrives. Just understand that there are some very unorthodox aspects to this, okay? And don't get mad at Tiberius, he was unsure about the whole thing until the very last moment."Rayne frowned at that. "What does that mean, sir?"The sigh that came back was heavy with frustration. "We're sending all members of your team an info pack soon, but I'll have Sophie forward it to you right now. Read it all, and you'll understand." The Brigadier paused, as if considering something. "I can't recall, was your relationship something long-term? I don't remember you being married.""Uh, yeah. I, uh, actually just proposed. I was calling my sisters to let them know and find out what they knew about this bad business.""Oh! Congratulations! But, uh, shit, this might make it a little awkward for you, Rayne. Read the paperwork and talk to your partner. I mean really talk to them. What you'll learn today might irrevocably change the dynamic between you and it is imperative that you go into this thing with both eyes wide open. You hear me, son?"Rayne's confusion was growing, but if info was on its way he'd hold off on further questions."And my sisters? They're going to be fine, right?""Perfectly. They underwent the vaccination process with Tiberius. Again, read the paperwork and it'll make sense. Ok, we've got to go, Rayne. Too much to do. Sophie's sending the info now. I'm sure your sisters will be in touch when they wake up later today, so don't worry. We'll speak in the afternoon."The call ended, and Rayne just stared at his phone for a moment. The Brigadier was usually very laid-back, but today he seemed so; frazzled."Stel, I'll go get my laptop. That info pack is probably already in my inbox, knowing the Colonel."Rayne retrieved his laptop from the condo's small study and returned to the dining table. Stella had refilled their mugs and they pulled up the documents that had arrived from Colonel Davis.Rayne could feel the world closing in around him as he read. What was being asked of women was already hard to accept, but he had literally just proposed to the love of his life. This was unacceptable. Stella seemed to believe the same as she gripped his forearm."Ray;”"No. There's no way I'm doing it. I won't betray you like that. You're all I need. I'll just be careful."Stella looked conflicted. "But it says the protection isn't strong enough with just one person."Rayne was furious, almost yelling. "I will not let the first thing I do after proposing to you be to accept that I need to sleep with and; what is it? Bond? Other women. I won't start our life like that!"She threw herself at him, burying her face in his chest. It was beyond unfair. She had worked so hard to get him, to make him hers and hers alone; terrified that at any time, he could fall for another, prettier woman and leave. She hated the idea of sharing but losing him forever scared her more. But there was also the part of her mind that whispered to her; said that this was better. She could be bound to him forever, and even if he had other women, he was stuck with her. It wasn't like she was 100% straight anyway. She squeezed Rayne hard, and he spoke, cutting off her own words before she could utter them."Don't. Don't you dare even think it. It's not me that's stuck with you, it's you that's stuck with me. The only woman I want is you."She flinched. She hadn't expected him to read her so cleanly, but she knew she'd have to make her position clear. She leaned up and kissed him, looking him in the eyes."Ray, you have to. The documents; the research is clear. One partner isn't enough. Don't be stubborn. I; I know I'll still have you. I just have to learn to share. It scares me that I could lose you, but I do understand why this is. It all makes sense anyway. There are far fewer men around now. The ones left are a resource. And good men like you are going to be a rare and sought-after resource. So, within this new 'Team', I'm going to be proud to be your first. Just promise me you won't lose sight of me. There's a lot of women in your future. It's what men dream of."Rayne was nothing if not stubborn."I don't want a lot of women, and my dreams are filled by you.""And you have me. Now and forever. But you also get to have others. Don't be stubborn. I'm accepting this. I don't like it, sure. But there's nothing to be done for it. DuoHalo has changed the world and we're left to pick up the pieces." Stella giggled as a thought struck her. "You know, I think you and your friend Tiberius are just about the only men I've ever met who would complain about getting an entire stable of women for themselves."That startled Rayne. "Oh shit! That's what the Brigadier was talking about! My sisters bonded to Ty with the vaccine! Both of them!" The thought of his older friend's face as his sisters laid down the law left him with a smile and he couldn't help himself; he laughed. "After all that fuss about not picking on his part, they probably forced the issue. I'll have to ask him how he's going to cope."Stella, looking over a few files, pointed towards a few lines and charts. "Ray, I think this explains why they used the vaccine as treatment; the antibodies created when a woman is injected are extremely aggressive towards the virus. When it transfers over to the man they go to work immediately. There's also this thing about healing, or regeneration. I have no idea how this can happen. Babe, we need to study this! I bet that's what they're going to ask us to do."Rayne nodded, thinking now. "That, on top of having us manage the manufacture of the serum locally, like Belle was saying. The military won't want us permanently reliant on the US for supplies of the vax, so I suppose they'll have us make use of CSL manufacturing sites. Stel, let's work from that basis and figure out a plan. We can present it later today if it turns out we're right. If we're not, then we can put a pin in it and work on it on our own time later or present the idea ourselves."It was just around 11 AM when Rayne's phone rang, and he answered the video call to the somewhat sheepish faces of his sisters."Hey, baby brother; Stella. Have you two been good?" Lottie gave them a wink.He smiled at the pair, noticing that they kept the camera from turning further into the room as they spoke."Oh, just grand. I should ask you that, to be fair. Have a guest, I take it? Though that doesn't look like your place, so should I ask a different question?"His sisters made a quite reasonable attempt to have their faces match their hair color and he couldn't help the laugh."Don't worry. We heard from the Brigadier. You finally got him huh? Ty okay? I've heard some of the details, but not enough to say I'm satisfied.""The big guy's going to be okay. He has to recover from; well, us, as well as Duo, so he might be out for a few more hours. He's going to be just fine though. Now let's put that aside. I can see that Stella is positively bursting with excitement, so what's happened?" Lettie grinned as she spoke, a blush creeping into her cheeks for a moment.Stella raised her left hand and flashed her ring. The twins looked at it in stunned silence for a moment before they let out ecstatic squeals."Congrats! Oh my God, way to go, baby bro!" Lottie was bouncing up and down, overjoyed. Lettie's grin got wider and she gave him a thumbs up. They'd met Stella many times and knew she was a great match for their little brother. Rayne noticed motion behind and was stunned to see a third woman come into frame wrapped in a towel and little else, clearly having heard the commotion."Is something the matt, oh my, that's a beautiful ring!" The raven-haired beauty gazed at the screen over the twins' shoulders. Rayne could hear the accent in her voice but couldn't place it. She was clearly of Mediterranean descent, but he couldn't imagine why she'd be there of all places with this timing. "I take it some congratulations are in order, then? Charlotte, Leticia, would you be so kind as to introduce us?"Lottie smiled at the newcomer and spoke. "Talia, this is our younger brother, Rayne, and his girlfriend, excuse me, fiancée, Stella Andersen. Ray, Stella, this is our new friend Talia Becker, from Israel. She's a long-time friend of Ty's, and now a part of this; uh Team?"Rayne's mind went into overdrive. Was he supposed to take that to mean that all three of them were partnered to Tiberius, and not just his sisters?"Uh, nice to meet you? And seriously? All three of you? At once? That's; um; wow. I guess I need to speak to him when he wakes up. I have some questions; and I suppose some things to say.""I; I wouldn't have taken Tiberius for that kind of guy. He always seemed so strait-laced." Stella muttered, but it was clearly heard by the trio on the other end, because Lottie spoke up immediately."Ty was very reluctant, Stella. And even then, he made sure again and again that this was what we wanted. In the end, all three of us convinced him that we were doing what was necessary to get exactly that."Lettie laughed. "Let's be fair. He had no choice in the matter once we learned what was required. Even if he hadn't been infected with DuoHalo, we were going to claim him. Though we didn't know Talia here was out to do the same."Talia laughed and stepped back out of frame, but Rayne could hear her as she spoke. "There's quite a lot to tell of my relationship with Tiberius, but we can save that for another time." She reappeared, buttoning up her uniform top. "I would like to offer the two of you my sincere congratulations and, though it may not be my place, a word of advice to you both. Being the younger brother of these two, I can surmise that you are a young man of good character. I believe that you will understand when I say the times ahead will be trying for you both. Speak openly to one another about what you are experiencing."Rayne nodded at her, wordlessly and Stella voiced her own agreement, before they made some small talk and signed off, the twins promising to have Tiberius call him later that day.While they had been distracted by the call, they'd received a message in their company's Slack channel, informing them of the meeting to take place at 4 PM. The pair spent the time spit balling ideas, working out plans and contingencies, right up until the meeting began. It was as they connected via their individual terminals and the video feeds smoothed out that Rayne felt a shudder go down his spine.He couldn't place it at first. Stella greeted the room, followed by himself, but it felt almost as though the gazes on him lingered. But that couldn't be right. It was a screen. There should have been no way to feel a gaze through a screen. But he did. Most, if not all of the others in the call were staring at him, and he could tell. A quick glance through the various feeds made Rayne acutely aware of the fact that by now, he was the sole surviving male member of the think tank. He felt his face become ashen as the thoughts slammed into place.I'm the sheep among the fucking wolves. This is bad.Annabelle cleared her throat, breaking the silence and drawing everyone's attention. Rayne could almost feel the fangs retreating from his neck as she began speaking."I know most of you have spent the morning reading up on this serum and have plenty of questions. Hold onto those for the moment. I'll also take a moment to formally introduce the members of the military who will be our points of contact for this project. Colonel Sophie Davis will be the officer in charge of the project. All of our reporting will end up on her desk and she'll, for lack of better phrase, give us our marching orders. We also have another contact, whose name you might find familiar. Captain Charlotte Valiant, who will be acting as our liaison for just about everything else. She's currently acting on behalf of her partner, Lieutenant Colonel Tiberius Marshall, who has as of this morning been made the head of Australia's vaccine rollout program. He is also one of the pilot 'Teams' for the vaccine itself, and it has been determined that we, or most of us anyway, will be a part of another pilot Team."Rayne couldn't help himself. "Oh, fuck."A chorus of giggles could be heard over the call and every eye turned back on him, even as Annabelle's wry smile filled his screen. "You aren't wrong, handsome. You're the central pillar for this."The others in the call could see Rayne's face going through a range of expressions before he turned his head and looked directly at Stella. "I; I have to decline. I've only just proposed to Stella. I can't possibly do this to her! I'm sorry, but please, find someone else."His objections were lost in the cacophony of gasps and shouts as his words hit home. Rayne stood up and left the room, locking himself in the bathroom for a minute as he tried to rein in his emotions. He knew what Stella had said, but that didn't necessarily translate directly from what she wanted. He was more than happy with just her. Why did this have to come in -The ringing of his phone interrupted the downward spiral of his thoughts, and he looked at the screen. Tiberius. Interesting timing, or it would be if Rayne hadn't guessed his sister had told him. He picked up, figuring it would probably be better to get it sorted sooner. "Hey Ty. How's things?"The snort of laughter from the other end was unmistakable. "Really? With everything you've already heard, and that bomb you just dropped in the meeting, that's how you greet me? I'm alive, cobber. Nearly wasn't. Still feeling' a bit crook, but it'll get there over the next few days, I reckon. I guess congrats are in order, but damn if you didn't pick your time poorly.""I know, I know. It just felt right. And cobber? Who even says that anymore?""All of the old diggers do." Rayne could clearly hear the grin on his older friend's face."And now you're messing with me.""Sure am, mate. I spend a lot of time with the old buggers in the brass, a few of whom actually were diggers. It rubs off. Look, let me get to the point. We need you and yours vaxxed and sorted. I know you're not happy about having to take on multiple partners. I wasn't too enthralled with the idea myself, but damned if the ladies gave me much of a say in it, and I've come to the conclusion that if there was ever a way to prevent any of them from being hurt, this was it.""I don't know Ty. How do I handle having to take on other women after just proposing? That feels like I'm cheapening my feelings for Stella."He sighed, knowing neither of us would like the response. "I understand you met Talia earlier. I actually had a chat with her mum just after I woke up today about just that sort of thing, and she gave me a bit of advice I don't think I'll ever forget. She said, 'There's no limit to love'. It isn't something finite, it's something multiplicative. The more you have, the more it can grow. She said she was giving all her love to her husband before she had Talia. But once she gave birth, she found she didn't love her husband any less. Miriam just found she had more love to give to her daughter. It struck me that I was already in the same situation. I don't care for your sisters or Talia any less because I've got all of them with me. The love and care they've shown me has only grown my own for them. So, you box up those doubts and carry on, mate. I gotta do the same. But look on the bright side. We're family now. Stella's a wonderful girl and I know the two of you are strong enough to get past this. But when you have doubts, you'd do well to remember those words. But if you're still struggling, you ring me and we'll talk. I'll do what I can to help my lil' bro. The same goes for Stella."Rayne could feel the smile pulling at his lips. "You're not exactly my brother yet. You gotta put a; some rings on 'em first.""You think that wasn't one of the first thoughts to jump in my head when I got up? Only one problem. 'Straya is still not particularly fond of bigamy.""And mister bigshot military man doesn't think the rules are about to change in the face of all this new info?"Tiberius chuckled over the line. "Too right. Don't reckon I envy the poor bastard who's gotta tell the mob, but I suppose that'll come soon enough, right? Anyway, I've got to get back. I'm only partially listening to the meeting since that's Lottie's domain, but you need to get back. They're gossiping and you probably want to stop it before it gets out of hand. Again, I know you don't like the situation but there's nothing to be done. It's the way forward unless you and yours can crack the code and pick this serum apart. The best I can offer is that Stella will be your first, and we'll try to not overwhelm you. Much.""Much? Ty? Much?" Rayne knew from experience that Ty's idea of overwhelming was completely different to his own. Even now, almost ten years down the line, the trauma of having a high school boy undergo years of grueling military-grade physical training spoke for itself.The man's raucous laughter as he hung up rang in the bathroom and Rayne just groaned, defeated, but couldn't help the smile that formed. He felt better, if only because he knew he'd have an understanding ear nearby. When he returned to the table, there was still a ton of chatter going about the engagement, and Stella was bright red. All of that chatter died down as he returned, leaving a strange silence in its wake."What'd I miss?" Rayne asked, kissing her cheek as he sat down. If it were possible, Stella turned even redder and made some flustered motions as the other participants just watched.It was a voice that rarely spoke up at these meetings that was the first to break that silence. "Stella was telling us about how good of a lover you are. Possibly to give us something to look forward to?"Rayne just sat there, somewhat dumbfounded. He glanced over at his bride-to-be, only to find her with her face in her hands, steam almost visibly coming out of her ears. The speaker, Doctor Hasumi Saegusa, giggled at his expression and continued. "Oh come off it, Rayne. You've read the documentation. You know you need multiple partners and there are only so many of us left. Just enjoy the attention." Hasumi had joined the company at the same time as Rayne and Stella, a recent graduate of her own Doctorate program. A first generation Japanese immigrant, she had naturalized and earned her citizenship after leaving her homeland behind. She didn't speak of it much, simply citing issues with her family, but Rayne had heard the story from her directly once, when she'd been struggling with depression and loneliness.The issue, it seemed, stemmed from her disability. Hasumi had been in a car accident when she was in middle school and had lost the use of her legs from the knee down. She had told Rayne that there was still a lot of discrimination towards disabled people in Japan, and she had sought international study as a way to escape it. She had escaped the discrimination, certainly, but then it was loneliness that plagued her. Her family had basically disowned her after they discovered she was not only disabled, but bisexual. Rayne had done his best to be her friend and she was a regular visitor to their home, but since he'd already been seeing Stella at that point, he also tried to introduce her to others and set her up with some coworkers. Once or twice, she'd take them up on it, but they just never seemed to stick around long-term and Hasumi would never give him a clear reason for why.Rayne took a deep breath, bringing his expression and emotions in check. "Ok, let's table that particular discussion for the moment. Have we made any progress in discussing the project?""Considering we were waiting for you to have your little tantrum? No, handsome." Annabelle was laughing as she wagged a finger at the screen.Rayne frowned. "So, you're going to blame me for wanting to be loyal to my fiancée instead of thinking with my dick or succumbing to your lusts? Fuck off, Annabelle."She dismissed his words with a wave. "It is what it is, Rayne. So given that we're now behind, I would like to turn the meeting over to the Colonel and Captain." Rayne glared at her, but she ignored him.Both the Colonel and Rayne's sister had been mere spectators until then, seemingly bemused at how the situation had been playing out. Colonel Davis waved her consent and Lottie launched into her explanation."Please understand that your discretion in this matter is paramount. No one outside of this meeting can learn about this project just yet."After watching everyone nod their assent, Lottie took a deep breath before she continued. "So, basically what we've gathered you here for, is to discuss the mass production of the Quaranteam serum, as well as the research and breakdown of that serum. Right now, we're relying on the data provided by the Americans, but we need our own. Trust, but verify, as it were. We are going to ask the eleven of you to split into two teams; one focused on production, and the other focused on picking this thing apart and trying to figure it out. We will be assigning a second team to this down the track; that team will have no access to your research and conclusions, so as to give us blind data from multiple sources."She paused, manipulating something on her end and sharing her screen. On it appeared a small list of items, as well as a web address."As you have all likely read, the serum pairs men and women through sexual contact. Yes, it's not ideal. That is part of what we'd like for you to attempt to address. The Americans have been looking at it for some time, but we're a fresh set of eyes. Maybe we can spot something they missed. In the meantime, however, to protect you, we are going to ask you all to form a Team. That is now the official name for the family pod created as a result of the serum."Once again, Lottie manipulated something on her computer, and a series of soft pings could be heard from the various participants' devices."If you will all check your emails, a link similar to the one on screen has been sent to each of you. We would like for you to fill out this questionnaire as soon as possible and be utterly and brutally honest. You needn't fear, no human will ever see it. The questionnaire, as you might surmise, is part of the Oracle system mentioned in your paperwork. It will allow us to get an idea of how compatible you will be within this family unit. It will also tell us if we need to introduce additional men into the mix and split the Team into two or more. If there is a specific man that any of you would like to be paired with, please respond to the email you just received with the individual's name, affiliation and contact details. We will need to vet any non-military personnel before introducing them to this project. In this case it's 'don't trust; verify.'"There was a nervous titter of laughter and Rayne once again felt the weight of all the gazes in the meeting on him.To be continued in part 3. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts, for Literotica.
