Vinn sat on the couch and watched TV as Hyde stomped his way past and towards the weight room.
“Woah, hold up. Vinn hollered.
“Where’s Jack?” Hyde growled.
“I don’t know, why? You look like you’re about to start something.”
“I am, he’s sleeping with my wife in the tunnels. I’m gonna confront him and kill him.”
“Okay, right there, I’m gonna stop you. First off nobody’s in the weight room except Silverback, and you got no beef with him, secondly you go after Jack like that you’re gonna get yourself killed. He’s not the kinda guy who steals your wife. He IS the kinda guy to beat your ass for accusing him of it. Trust me, I’ve been there. And nobody here is gonna let you start that shit either. So chill your tits and talk. What the hell?”
“I have sources that say he’s been sneaking out around the time Evee keeps vanishing in a rather small place to hide 2 people. She’s been distant, and we’ve been growing apart.”
“No shit Sherlock, but that just means you guys are in a bad spot, doesn’t mean she’s cheating, and it definitely doesn’t mean with Jack. And what sources? We’re 9 people in a box, you don’t even have friends. Is it Dee? You can’t trust her, she’s probably yankin your chain for the fun of it.” he chuckled. Hyde’s eyes widened at the irony.
“I need to hear it from Jack.” Hyde said darkly.
“You know what. I think you’re just paranoid and freaked out because you and Evee are fighting, and you just don’t like Jack. Of course, he sneaks around, he’s a damn hitman, that proves nothing. So if you want, I’ll go check the tunnels.
“He’s locked the gate…conveniently. And Only Jack has the key.”
“Nope. Spare key, right on my keychain.” Vinn smirked.
“How did you get that?” Hyde puzzled.
“While he was sleeping, I made a copy of the key he keeps chained to his wrist and hand filed the…dude, how the hell you think I got one? He gave me one. We’re best friends and my wife has a tendency to go into those tunnels…he thought me having a spare was a good idea.”
“Give me the key.” Hyde demanded.
“Shit No. I’ll go check and find Jack. If he’s down there, for whatever reason Gizzy has him down there, he could use the backup, and I’ll just ask him. If he’s banging Evee, which he’s not, then you got every right to be pissed, and you can go ahead and get yourself killed over it. Mkay?”
“Fine."
“Gonna tell you right now he’s not havin sex in those nasty tunnels and Evee sure as shit isn’t with him. Bet you a hundred bucks on that.”Vinn sighed.
Jack raised his visor, whispering a signal for someone to hide, as he waited for the hoof steps to get closer. He readied his gun, in case they were the wrong hooves.
“Jack, you got some renovation situation going on here? Impressive, but probably easier to have help."
“Is Nicole missing?” Jack inquired.
“Nah she’ fine.”
“I specifically told you not to go in here unless under my orders, or if Nicole was missing, and we suspected she was down here.” Jack groaned.
“Yea well Hyde was gonna saw the door open and hunt you down. He’s lost his shit, and he thinks you’re going in here to have sex with Evee. I stopped him by saying I’d come down here. So obviously you’re doing a Gizzy mission, clearing the tunnels by yourself… or with a friend.” He said noticing the shape in the shadows.
“Classified mission, you better head back." Jack insisted.
Figured, I’m just gonna grab a water real fast," he said, checking the gear bag. “So... those are condoms…” he said, looking perplexed.
“It’s not what it looks like.” Said a familiar voice from the darkness as one of the Nicoles stepped out, and Vinn was really glad he checked his Nicole before leaving.
“Yea, that looks bad. So uh, what is it exactly? I came down here to prove you weren’t having sex in the tunnels and down here with Evee. And you're down here with Evee and condoms, bro."
“Fallback position, we’ve been compromised…it’s Vinn.” Jack said into the headset. Vicki came through the plywood door up ahead, closing it behind her, strutting her stuff in full tactical gear.
“Dude, you’re rockin a 3 way in the tunnels? With Evee? You’re down here getting your double sex on?”
“No…” Jack said. “Well kind of. Let me explain.”
“Yea, please, I’m all ears and Nicole says I got big fuckin ears.”
“There’s no Gizzy mission. She doesn’t know I’m down here, or any of us. I have no construction work, no illegal wet-work, no missions, I can’t get out, I gotta babysit the clan all day, so I’ve been taking back the tunnels. Bug hunting, unwinding, distressing, getting the itch satisfied. I had to do something. I'm cooped up. Then, Vicki found out, immediately, she wanted in on the action. And yea, it turned into a sex thing. Look at her. How would it not turn into a sex thing, the adrenaline, the communication, working as a team, the gear, the danger. But the sex part was just between us two. Evee on the other hand kept trying to get into the tunnels because she…well, you know how they are. They can't stay out for some reason. She won't take no for an answer, and frankly she can see in the dark without goggles, and she knows the tunnels by heart, so I figured it was safer to bring her, than to find her down here alone. I’m not screwing Evee. I’m screwing Vicki, and we’re 3 player clearing the tunnels sometimes. Sepperately. You want in or can you keep the secret.” he asked.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
“I don’t want in. If I’m in, Nicole’s gonna get in, she loves shooting games, and she can see in the dark too. I don’t want her in here, and I don’t wanna be in here. Frankly, Hyde wants to kill you, I suggest I take Evee back and explain it.”
“I’m not going back. He can come get me.” She said defiantly.
"I'm afraid he might try." Vinn shrugged.
"I hate to say it..." Jack sighed. "But this one is a little more monster than yours is, and she may be a better bug hunter than we are. We are THIS close to clearing up to the college basement. If we can get a line to there, free of bugs, that frees up a ton of options.
“Plus… The arcade.” Evee sighed.
“You’re risking your life to get to the arcade? Wow, just wow" Vinn sighed as if disappointed.
“It just happens to be on the way to the college, and it does have supplies.” Jack sighed too. “Think of it this way, there could be staff at the college cooped up and going nuts or low on supplies, there could be injured people with no way out, there could just be a ton of moving space for us all to explore so we don’t start eating each other. We’re losing it cooped up here. To hell with quarantine, we can handle this, mission approved or not.”
“So your word, you’re not doing Evee?”
“Vinn. On my life. On Vicki’s life, I’m not doing anyone but Vicki.”
“Good enough for me. I'm out."
Hyde slammed the weights on the rack and looked up at Vinn as a hundred backs landed on his stomach.
“So hear me out.” Vinn started.
“I’ll kill him.”
“No you won't, it's technicality money. Jack is banging Vicki in the tunnels like some kind of couple spy retreat, and you gotta keep that secret because it’s off the record and unapproved by Gizzy. But he is going to the tunnels to have sex, so I owe you 50 bucks. Also, Evee is down there right now, but she’s hunting bugs with them, and not cheating on you. But technically that means I owe you the full hundred. So chill out. Your wife’s not cheating on you, she’s just avoiding you…and I kinda get that. That makes sense. She’s a free spirit man, they both are. If you don’t wanna be part of their life, they’ll live it without you and wait for you to join in.”
“I let her do whatever she wants, and I tag along.”
“Bro, you follow her around, but you don’t participate. She likes the same stuff mine does, and she just wants you to TRY and play along. I know you think it’s silly nonsense, but yea, it is. It’s goofy, playful fantasy, and it makes her happy. In fact, it’s kinda fun if you give it a real try. War’s over man. And Jack isn’t your enemy, but he IS clearing a path to the arcade and you better realize both Nicoles are gonna be camping that shit once it’s running, so you either need to go with her, or accept that she’s gonna find someone who will eventually. And you’re lucky I got mine because if not…Just sayin someone is gonna swoop in on that. It’s just never gonna be Jack"
Melody jumped as Dee barged into her room and regretted it immediately as she bobbed topless in her hot tub.
“Sorry.” Dee said, turning her head.
“Door was open.” Melody shrugged.
“Yea I’m still just…sorry. You’re never gonna believe this. We just confirmed Jack is cheating.”
“Oh bummer, do tell.” She said floating forward.
“Well my sources say they’ve been clearing the tunnel of the bugs to get to the arcade.” She said, smirking as if proving her point.
“So?” Mel shrugged.
“Nicole is an arcade junky. They both are. Why would Jack risk his life in the tunnels to clear a tunnel nobody gave him a mission to do, unless he was doing it for the Nicoles. He’s charming the skirt off her with her kryptonite. Video games. She’s pissed at Hyde, vulnerable and open, and he just decided to go into the creepy tunnels only Nicoles like to go to, and clear a path to the arcade? Which would be abandoned, and creepy, and totally open like a playground for those girls. Now Good Nicole hasn’t been missing, she’s so in love with Vinn it’s gross, but so is Evee, and she doesn’t have a Vinn, She’s done with Hyde and moved on to the gentleman alpha male who would kill a half mile of aliens to get her to her dream date. He’s working the Jack charm, and you know they’ve already done it down there.”
“Poor Vicki though.” pouted Mel.
“Get this…she’s down there too. He’s not cheating on Vicki, they’re running a 3-way situation. That’s why Jack isn’t holding back. Their perfect couple status isn’t so perfect, they’re adding some Evee to it. If anyone, poor Hyde. He’s the only one getting screwed by NOT getting screwed. He’s getting megacucked by a rival human AND Vicki. Everyone cares about everyone’s feelings except Hyde.” she barked.
“Are you defending the guy who tried to kill us?”
“That was a different person. He’s changed.”
“You’re doing Hyde aren’t you?”
“WH-!!??
“Dee, ever since the Delmarian stripper show, you’ve had a fascination with the fancy penis. I told you that was a bad idea.”
“Well it doesn’t matter now, Evee bailed on Hyde, nobody gives a shit about him, and Silverback dumped me. So why not?”
“You think he dumped you BECAUSE you went full cowgirl behind his back?”
“I don’t think he even knows. I feel bad for both of them. They both got cheated on by stupid dumb bitches, and I’m one of them. I can’t run to them both and try to make it right. Silverback is done with me. And honestly that’s been going on for a while, the cheating just sorta proved that it was over for me too.”
So you’re doing Hyde, Jack is doing Evee and Vicky, Vinn and Nicole are basically merged into one person now, Can I have Silverback? I’m really horny, and he’s gotta be broken up over it.”
“Do what you want. He’s single now. He’s probably all alone in the weight room crying and miserable"
"Oh poor baby, he needs love." she said, still pouting.
Silverback flopped back on his bed, a big smile on his face and breathing heavy. Evee plopped down beside him, smiling back and raising her eyebrows.
“I wasn’t too rough on your old bones was I?”
“Wouldn’t complain if you were.” He wheezed.
“You really are a people pleaser, aren’t you?” she sighed.
“Well, I’m not the strongest buck anymore, or the toughest, I’m just the most experienced. I got one goal and one goal alone, and that is to put a smile on your face. And for once in a long time I can tell someone actually appreciated the effort. That’s my real kink. I like to be appreciated for my work.” he said gruffly.
“I don’t think that’s a kink, I think that’s just basic human rights."
“You know what, just let him kill me. I can’t do this secret shit. I wanna show you off, brag about you, spoil you. I can’t do that like this. This, half a relationship isn’t enough. We deserve what everyone else has. If Hyde wants to kill me for it, let him do it. I’ll die proudly and happy.”
“Nathan, you’re not gonna die for it, we just can’t go public. Not without risking everything. Everyone will either think you’re the bad guy or I’m just confirmed to be Evil Nicole who screws around with everyone. Let’s just wait. Let Dee simmer down and miss you a little, realize she screwed up. Let Hyde get sick of me and dump me. I’ve been denying him sex, he can’t hold out without regular sex, so any day he’ll snap and demand sex or break up with me. Then he’s the asshole, Dee learns her lesson and we can be together. Can you keep a secret?”
“Obviously, that’s why I’m here now and not dead.”
"Vicki and Jack have been clearing the tunnels, and I joined them recently. We’ve almost cleared the tunnel all the way to the arcade near the college. My birthday is coming up. Maybe you could take me to the arcade. Maybe we could find an abandoned room on the campus and get away from everyone. From Hyde, from Dee, from the general drama. From spybot Gizzy. Just escape for a while. Explore and be together.”
“Sounds perfect.” Silverback smiled. Just gotta pretend to be miserable a little longer.” He smiled as the door flew open and Dee walked in, freezing in amazement at his complete lack of shame and the Nicole draped over him.
“Oh now I see.” Dee said.
“You don’t see shit.” Silverback said calmly.
“I get it now. You were cheating on me too, and you just dumped me as an excuse to make this look okay.”
“Dee, first of all, Evee and I didn’t have sex until AFTER I dumped you, secondly, what do you mean I 'cheated TOO' exactly?” He asked, raising an eyebrow and looking very unsurprised and unfazed.
“Well…” she said, crossing her arms and opening her mouth to speak, locking up and saying nothing.
“I think it’s time we had a little group meeting.” Silverback said. "In fact, I insist"