Clark and Lois The Lost Years Matchmaker Chronicles Vol 3 17/46
By Ken Janney
This version is rated PG-13
* denotes emphasis *
< denotes thoughts >
[ playback of a recording or TV Commentary] / telepathic communications /
(#) footnotes
As always comments are welcome. (ken.janney@kjanney.com)
Reminder:
Universal Locator Designation
Alpha 023 x Gamma 004 x Tau -120 - Canon Lois and Clark universe also called – Prime
Alpha 023 x Gamma 025 x Tau 036 – Canon Alt Clark universe also called – Alt 1
Previously –
“I think five hundred would be acceptable. I will guarantee two weeks and he can start tomorrow night.” Charlie reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of bills. He counted out the appropriate number of franc notes and then added one more. “Here is his fee in advance for two weeks and five hundred francs for your trouble. If we are longer than two weeks we’ll pay the balance when we return.”
With a very happy grin on his face the marina owner rolled up the bills and placing them in his pocket said, “You can count on my brother-in-law. It’s a pleasure doing business with you.”
Before Lois and Charlie returned in the dingy to the Ubuntu they went to one of the local eateries and had a meal. This gave Charlie a break from cooking and gave them more time to talk without the distraction of working at meal preparation.
Lois, for a change, had been telling one of her tales of getting and important story. Wrapped in her tale, she at first didn’t notice Charlie’s expression as he looked across the table. When she really looked at him, she realized the best description of his expression was ‘besotted’. She realized,<So he really does enjoy my company, like me, or dare I think, love me. This could be a good relationship.>
After their meal they returned to the Ubuntu and weighing the anchor pulled her into the slip and put out the spring lines and bumpers.
They still spent the night on board. Before retiring to their respective cabins they spent some time cuddling. Clark noticed Lois was wearing her wedding band. She really didn’t need to when they were alone. Hope sprung in his heart at that small gesture.
And now –
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 17 – Time to Start Hiking
May 16, 1992
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It was time to start hiking. Making up a couple of backpacks with their necessities, Charlie insisted on carrying most of the extra equipment. Altogether they were going to have to carry the supplies necessary for a two week hike covering about two hundred kilometers round trip through the jungle.
Charlie had purchased a backpacker’s two person nylon dome tent and two sleeping bags with ground mats. To this was added canteens and dehydrated foods and backpacker’s stove. By the time they finished packing Lois’ backpack was little larger than a daypack with her clothes, some food and her sleeping bag while Charlie’s looked like something a strong man would have trouble with. He had the balance of the food, his sleeping bag the tent and stove and other supplies as well as his clothes. He also carried a machete. Neither of them carried any firearms.
“Before we set out, let me show you on a map where the pier is located.” He pulled out a map and laid it out on the table. He pointed out to her the spot where he believed they would be off loading the cargo. “The pier is located about here, which makes it about ten kilometers or six miles upstream. It’s north of town so we need to set out, on foot, to get into position to watch as the cargo is unloaded. Don’t expect it to be easy going. The ten kilometers that we need to cover is through light jungle growth. We will have to make our own path and this can take time. We will need to exercise additional caution as we get nearer to the pier since we can’t afford to make much noise.”
“What kind of growth do you expect we will encounter?
“There should be a lot of ferns and short undergrowth, taller trees, some palms a lot of hanging vines. Be careful, some of those hanging vines might just be alive.”
“What do you mean by that? Most vines are alive, aren’t they”
“I should have said that not all the vines are vegetable in nature. Something that looks like a hanging vine could be a boa constrictor or one of his cousins.
“Oh, great, hanging vines and hanging snakes. Does it get any worse?”
“No, that’s about as bad as it gets as long as you don’t count the insects.”
“Okay, give me the bad news. What is it with the insects?”
“Well, if you see what looks like a brown or red carpet and it looks kinda like it’s moving, get out of the way. It could be army ants. They devour any living matter in their path, plant or animal. That carpet is usually several million ants.”
“Ug, that gives me the shivers, just thinking about it.”
“Oh, it gets better. There are millipedes and centipedes that have poisonous stings.”
“Do we really want to do this?”
Laughing Charlie replied, “Those are really kinda rare. I don’t think we need to worry too much about any of those. The main problem would be at night and we should be safely zipped up in the tent.”
“Okay, as long as you’re sure. I’ll trust you to keep me safe.”
When they left in the morning they secured the Ubuntu so that it wouldn’t be taken.
They shouldered their packs and headed out. Just as Charlie had predicted, it wasn’t easy going. Even with as difficult as it was they both noticed that the farther they got from town the noisier the jungle itself became. Eventually they could hear seemingly hundreds of species of birds calling each other.
Lois said in a hushed tone, “Listen to all the racket. I’m afraid to talk too loud because I might scare them, but if I don’t raise my voice, you won’t hear me. These birds are incredible!”
There was also an increasing amount of sounds, similar to the bird calls, yet somehow quite different.
“Look up there. See that? That’s a monkey swinging along. There’s another! Hear them? They’re talking to one another.”
There were several species of monkeys swinging around in the trees above their heads. When they finally arrived in the vicinity of the pier they found that the river boats had managed to dock and that they were unloading the first boat as they got into position. They watched for a while to try to get an idea as to how long it would take them to finish. Charlie said, “Okay, it looks to me like they will take another hour at least to finish unloading. They’ll probably set out immediately. If we are to get ahead of them we should start now.” He pointed in a North Westerly direction. “Let’s head off in that direction.”
After making a meal of granola bars and water they headed out so that they would be ahead of the cargo as the bearers brought it up the trail. From their observation post they cut diagonally through the jungle until they reached the main trail out of sight of the pier. The cargo bearers made up a rather large party. The cases were slung under poles which, depending on the weight of the case, had either four or six bearers per pole. Even so it would be slow going for them.
Names or IDs of some of the rebels responsible for the receipt of the arms were their objective. In order to get these they decided that they would need to shadow the shipment until they could get pictures as well as names. Considering that the crates were quite heavy they determined that the bearers would only be able to make ten kilometers or less a day. That would mean at least ten days in transit.
Accordingly, before the last of the crates was unloaded they had started their trek. In that way they would be ahead of the cargo train. In order to make time they decided to stay mostly on the trail since that would be easier than trying to hack their way through the jungle growth. The trail was of hard packed earth and there had been no rain in the last week, so they weren’t too worried about leaving tracks. Tracks could alert the rebels to their presence. The pace they were able to maintain was greater than that which could be equaled by the bearers and were several kilometers ahead of them when they stopped for the night.
When it was still over an hour before sundown Charlie said, “Let’s stop for the night. Take the next trail you come to on the right. We’ll go about five hundred meters and then leave the trail.” With Lois leading the way they took one of the side trails for about half a kilometer and then moved off the trail a hundred meters and set up camp in a small clearing conveniently close to a small stream.
Charlie was setting up the tent and they would lay out their sleeping mats and bags once it was up. Charlie had already explained to Lois the importance of using the tent rather than sleeping ‘under the stars’ when he had been teasing her about the critters. He reemphasized the need for that protection since first there were disease-bearing mosquitoes that the tent would keep out. Secondly there were other biting and stinging insects that with their sting could possibly kill. Thirdly and most importantly he again emphasized the problem of constrictor snakes which could grow to gigantic proportions.
After the camp was partially set up Linda said, “Would you mind if I did some kata? It’s been a couple of weeks and I don’t want my Tae Kwon Do to get too rusty. You never can tell, we might run into a situation where I might need to use it.”
She kicked off her shoes and did some stretches while Charlie looked on interestedly. When she had finished stretching she took up a relaxed ready stance and commenced the movements of the kata. When she had finished a couple Charlie asked, “Could you teach me some of those moves? I was taught some things by a Viet Nam vet, but I haven’t had any, what you would call, formal training.”
“Sure, I can do that, but, it would be best if, after we get back you take a regular class. Okay, here are some of the basic moves …” She started with basic blocks and strikes. She could see by how readily he picked up the moves just how much he had been taught and adjusted what she showed him accordingly.
After about half an hour she said, “I must say, you were telling the truth when you said you had picked up a few things along the way. Based on what I have seen here you would be on your way to a blue belt, easily. We just need to refine your technique and you need to master some kata. Here, let me go through a simple one.
Automatically she assumed the tone and stance of an instructor and said, “Kata are forms that mimic actual situations. This one is designed for a situation where someone is coming at you with a weapon using a downward stroke trying to hit you in the head.” She moved through the routine. “Now you try it.” Charlie stepped through the kata with her correcting technique as he went through, but not very much correction was needed. He was good and she was impressed. After a couple of runs through they went through it together, facing one another. When they finished she said, “You’ll do! That was very well done! I think we could do a little each night. It would be good for me to be your Sensei and it won’t hurt for you to learn. Teaching you will stretch me. Based on what I’ve seen it won’t take long for you to be able to test for a belt.” With a very satisfied tone in her voice she said, “By the time we are back in the states you should be ready to test.”
When they had finished up he cautioned her to be very careful any time she was going to be out of sight to let him know where she was going to be so that if he was needed she could call and he wouldn’t be delayed by a search. While he was finishing setting up the camp Lois took a collapsible shovel and some tissue and after telling Charlie what direction she was headed went into the brush to take care of some personal business.
When she returned she found Charlie out in front of the tent washing up to get the grime of the trail off. He had an improvised basin sitting on top of his backpack, which was standing on end in front of the tent. She emitted a soft gasp and dropped the shovel as she saw him. For a moment in time all she could do was stand there and stare.
Lois thought <Wow! This is unexpected. What a sight to greet me when I get back to camp! I have to admit that I *like* what I see!> Just as a moth is drawn to the flame Lois was irresistibly drawn across the clearing to Charlie.
Charlie had heard her gasp and the sound of the shovel as it hit the ground when she saw him and had heard her heartbeat speed up. Not knowing the cause or what she was going to do, he continued with his ablutions.
Lois, walked almost as one in a trance she approached him. When she arrived she gently placed her hands on his shoulders and started running them down and around, all over his back. She asked, “Charlie, do you mind?”
When he felt her hands on him he stopped moving and gave her some time to explore his back. As soon as he felt her touch he could feel that familiar tingle, but it was much more intense. It felt like her hands were leaving trails of liquid fire on his skin wherever they touched him. He replied, “No, not at all. I like it.”
“That’s good because I want to feel all of you. Wow, soooo strong. You must work out a lot.”
As soon as her hands touched his back she could feel her hands tingling so strongly it felt like the sensation was extending up her arms. Her eyes were closed as she gave herself over to the sensations of her hands on his body. <Is this what Charlie felt when he was applying the lotion to my body? I hope he loved the feel of my body as much as I’m loving the feel of his. When I was applying the lotion to his face and arms it wasn’t quite as intense as this.> “Charlie, do you feel that tingle? I feel it whenever we touch. Do you like it as much as I do?”
In a low, husky voice, Charlie replied, “Yes, I do.”
“Did you feel it when you were putting my lotion on me? Was it this strong for you? I know that what I felt was very strong.”
“Yes, I felt it very strongly. I liked it very much. That was only one of the reasons I liked putting your lotion on you.”
Her hands seemingly of their own volition moved over his back until she had thoroughly explored every square inch and then he turned around. When he did she opened her eyes to take in the view and then her hands were exploring all of the peaks, valleys, ridges and ripples as they moved slowly over his pecs, chest and six-pack abs and as they did she got a very dreamy, almost mesmerized, expression on her face as she watched her hands move on him.
Her hands moved up again to his shoulders. “Ohhhh, Charlie.” Her hands continued up and around his neck to the back of his head and then she buried her fingers in his hair and slowly pulled his head down for a kiss. This kiss was second in intensity only to *the* kiss at Pointe Noir. It started off gently but quickly escalated to soul shattering proportions where all conscious thought ceased for a time. When they came up for air they were both panting and flushed. Charlie pulled her into his arms and simply held her for a while planting light kisses on the side of her face and neck until both of their heart rates had returned to some semblance of normalcy.
Slowly the bird calls were dying with the fading light and the monkeys as well were seeking their nightly refuge so the jungle was becoming more and more quiet with the passage of the sun.
Finally Charlie cleared his throat and said softly, ”We should get something to eat. Preferably something hot to…ah…keep up our energy.” With great gentleness and also great reluctance, he gently pulled Lois’ arms away from his neck. Seeing the distressed but resigned look on her face, he squeezed her hands in comfort and a promise.
As they listened to the fading jungle chorus they made a meal of reconstituted beef stew from their hiker’s rations. Lois was convinced that she was eating some kind of meat that she didn’t recognize. She didn’t really think it was the beef that was advertised. It was rather tasteless and non-descript but it was filling. Chuckling she said “They should have called this Mystery Meat Stew. I’m not so sure that it’s really beef.”
After they cleaned up they retired to the tent. “The next few days will probably be just like this one. We will stay on the trail and ahead of the pack train. How are you handling the walk? How are your feet? No blisters I hope.”
“No, I’m doing okay. No blisters, these hiking boots are old friends. We’ve gone many miles together.”
They settled in and composed themselves for sleep. After all that had been happening today and most recently the memory of her hands on his body and that kiss, it was a while before she fell asleep.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Lois was standing in their tent. She had removed her shirt and shorts so that she could do a wash-up using a basin of water. It had been a really hot day and it felt good to be out of the heavy clothes and to feel the cool, well relatively cool anyhow, water as she ran the wash cloth over her body. She had finished washing her arms and face and was proceeding with her abdomen when Charlie walked in unexpectedly. She was not embarrassed by this at all as she sensed more than saw him enter and said to him, over her shoulder, “Would you scrub my back?”
Charlie stepped up in back of her and she handed him the cloth over her shoulder. He started up high, at the back of her neck. As he did she reached around behind and unhooked her bra and removed it as she said, “Let me get this out of the way.” Her voice was low and had a sultry tone.
As he proceeded to wash her back, one of his hands stole around and he laid it across her abdomen. She felt him kissing the back of her neck, softly, slowly. She took his hand in hers and slowly moved it up until it cupped her right breast. He began to caress and knead that soft globe and pinch the nipple until it was hard and erect. He then moved his hand to the other breast to give it equal attention. As he was touching and kneading her right breast she leaned her head back into his chest and emitted a low moan. When he moved his hand to the left breast her moans had increased and she had twisted her head around so that her lips were presented to him for a kiss.
She then turned completely around and unbuttoned his shirt. Sliding her hands under the shirt she moved them up over his pecs to his shoulders and then pushed the shirt down his arms. She then moved in so that her bare breasts were very pleasantly crushed against his naked chest, skin to skin. He reclaimed her lips in a soul wrenching kiss which escalated as his tongue sought and she allowed entry to her mouth. Their tongues performed a gentle and quiet dance, each tasting the other.
Enjoying the feel of her breasts on his chest she started to move her torso from side to side, raking her breasts and especially her hardened and distended nipples from side to side across his chest. Every time her distended nipples came into contact with his nipples they each would emit a moan of desire.
While still rubbing her breasts across his chest she reached down and unbuttoned his shorts. She pushed them down and they pooled on the floor and he stepped out of them. Then she pulled him by the hand over to her sleeping bag where she laid down and pulled him down beside her. His mouth left hers and she felt abandoned until she felt his lips on the side of her neck then he left a trail of kisses down to her collar bone and further onto her breast where he began gently sucking on and nibbling her nipple which was hard and erect. After a few minutes she felt him pull away and then he blew on the nipple causing it to cool as his saliva was evaporated. He then performed the same ministrations to the other side.
As he had been doing all of this she was becoming more and more excited. Her lower back muscles had been clenching rhythmically and a heat had been growing in her.
While she did this his hand moved slowly down her body, starting at her face, to her throat, down across her shoulder to her breast where it briefly kneaded the soft globe and then down across her abdomen.
“Make love to me Charlie, please! I want more. I want you. I want you so.
Then commenced a period of intimacy.
Suddenly, Lois woke up with a start and a gasp. She sat up in her sleeping bag and looked over at Charlie. Apparently he was sleeping peacefully. She just sat there watching him for a few minutes while her heart rate and breathing slowed.
<Where did that dream come from? Wow! Could it be because of what happened earlier today? I walked into the clearing and he had his shirt off. He was washing off from the morning’s exertions. Dressed just in his shorts he was a sight to behold. The muscles and sinews moving like snakes under that perfect skin of his back. That well defined chest and abs. That sense of barely controlled power in those rippling muscles. When I saw him that way I was shaken and I just had to put my hands on him. I couldn’t stop myself. I don’t think I would have even if I could have. Why? I’ve seen him before, touched him before, but, this was different I just *had* to get my hands on him.>
Lois was surprised to think <I guess I’m now looking at him as a possible lover. There’s just something about him that’s disturbing in an exciting way. I can’t exactly put a finger on it but he affects me in a way that no one else ever has. All that power, that strength, yet when he puts his hands on me there is an infinite gentleness. It’s almost like he’s afraid that if he wasn’t careful he would break me like a porcelain doll. And yet, it’s not just that. There’s almost a reverence in his touch. When he was applying my sun tan lotion I could feel it. He makes me feel *so* … *special*. I have a hard time understanding why, but he does. I have to admit I’m strongly attracted to him and it feels good. It also feels *right* somehow. I’m going to have to let things happen and just see what occurs naturally.>
Lois didn’t know it but the acceleration of her heartbeat and breathing had awakened Charlie. Initially he didn’t know if she was having a dream or a nightmare. He had considered awakening her but when she started to moan in apparent pleasure he knew that it was in fact a pleasant dream and he had been loath to disturb her. When he heard her calling his name he smiled to himself but he quickly replaced that smile with a neutral expression as he pretended to be asleep. After she woke up he thought <She doesn’t know I was listening. I can’t tell her what I heard. It would probably embarrass her. She obviously was having a pleasant dream; that was sure no nightmare. She was moaning out loud as if she were having an orgasm and then calling my name and almost shouting that she loved me. I’m pleased that she is thinking about me that way.> He had to fight to keep that smile off his face as he pretended to be asleep so that her possible embarrassment would be lessened.
With the return of daylight, the jungle chorus was slowly returning and provided a backdrop to their thoughts as they prepared for the day. Charlie was remembering what he had heard when Lois was dreaming and how she had been calling his name. He noticed that Lois was watching him and she had a different expression on her face while she did. If he had had to classify it he would have to have said that it was one of anticipation or speculation. He had a good idea as to the cause – that same dream. <I wonder if she’ll ever tell me about that dream. I wonder exactly how far we went in that fantasy. I hope that at some time she will feel that she can tell me, but that probably won’t happen until our relationship has moved beyond where it currently is. Realistically, she might not tell me until our relationship has gotten to the same point that we reached in the dream.>
While Charlie was finishing up on repacking his backpack he outlined the plan for the day.
“We don’t know what time they’re starting. As we approach the main trail we need to keep an ear out. The bearers will probably be singing as they go. Like the military when it marches it helps to pass the time but it also helps them to keep the cadence. If they get out of step it could cause the crates to start swinging uncontrollably.”
“So, once we are on the trail, if we start to hear them we need to pick up the pace?”
“That’s right. Actually I can’t tell just how far ahead or behind we would need to be. If this was a normal military patrol they would have advance scouts or an advanced guard. They would also have a trailing element. I just don’t know how worried they are about their security since we’re basically on their home turf.”
“I’d rather be on the safe side. Let’s stay as far ahead as we can. If I start to hear them, I’ll start moving faster, but, what about you? Are you going to be able to move fast enough with that load you’re carrying? I don’t think, no, that’s not correct, I know I couldn’t handle that huge pack.”
“I can handle it okay. Don’t worry about me. I do want you slightly in front of me though. The trail should be easy enough to follow, but if one of their lead elements were to start catching up with us I want to be between you and them. I could delay them until you can get away.”
Lois, with a very determined look replied “Nothing doing. Okay, I’ll walk in front, but if you think I’m going to abandon you, you had better think again.” She held up her left hand so that he could not help seeing the wedding band that she refused to remove then she brought up her right hand and folded it over her left and pulled her clasped hands in until they were touching her breast. She surprised herself with the emotion in her voice as she finished, “We’re in this together and we’re going to stay together. If one of us gets caught we both get caught then we can escape together.”
Charlie was startled at her strong response and was starting to feel more than a little frustrated. His main objective was to keep her free. He knew that he would be able to get away if he detected the slightest lack of vigilance on their captors part if it came to that. He didn’t want to have to worry about her being injured.
He tried another tack, “How about this, if I get caught and you don’t, you could shadow us and help me get free.”
“Nope, it won’t wash. If we're caught we're caught together then we work at getting us both free.”
With an exasperated sigh he gave in, “Okay, but let’s try to *not* get caught. That is infinitely preferable to escaping afterword.”
Lois, seeing that he was ready to shoulder his pack, moved around in back to help lift it into place. Once this was done she moved around in front of him and gave him a kiss. “Okay handsome, let’s go.” She turned and started retracing her steps back the way they had come the previous night. Because she had turned her back she didn't see the sloppy grin that split his face after that kiss and comment.
When they hit the main trail they could faintly hear the bearers singing so they set off at a rapid pace to get some more distance between them and the cargo train.
comments go here To be continued in Chapter 18 – Captured
