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Soliloquy #1
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I let another one go. This one was not the right one either. Her skin was too light and she had a tattoo. The woman from my dreams was flawless. 'She' is perfect in everyway. 'She' is my soul mate. All of these girls in the endless stretch of women are only there to fill the void that was left by 'her'. Only she could feel the void. Not even my wife can fill the void. So, I prowl. Although, Ellie did cause me to start my prowl. She was with another man. That was my permission to be with other women. The more men that she was with, the more women that I retaliated with. I was an honest husband to her. I ignored the fact that I felt no love for her. I was only with her until I found out that she ordered her soldiers to service her. I am more than a member of her harem. I am not even the person she says I am. I know I am someone else. I know the actions that I take now are not me. I am someone that is kind and gentle, but in this life, I am crude, warrior-like, and harsh.

I am this way because of the way Ellie and Java trained me. After I awoke from my accident that left me without the memories before five years ago, I was a wimp compared to what Ellie told me of my past. She said I was a great conqueror and the General of the Techno army. Who am I to argue with my wife? She only demanded that I toughen up. That I did fast and now people tell me that I am too confident and too preoccupied with power. I guess they are right. I have to do as I am told to keep them from knowing that I am slowly gaining bits and pieces of my past back. I know that I do not belong where I am. I am from a city and a tribe. I also know that I am meant to be with someone else. She resembles Java. I believe she is Java from five years ago. You know, before my accident. There is only one way to test my theory. I have to attract Java to me. I have to make her seduce me the way she does in my dreams. I have to prove that she is the one. I have to make the woman from my dreams come back to me.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*
Chapter One
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She looked at me like I weren't going to leave her. She knew I would. I left them all. Every woman in the Techno Army knew of my activities. I would get exactly what I wanted and leave them. They were weapons in the war that Ellie and I waged against one another. "Don't look at me like that." I ordered pulling her hair from its confinement. It fell over my hands in a blonde waterfall. I seem to have a thing for blondes. They make Ellie the most jealous as she thinks that I am trying to replace her with them.

She looked at me with fear in her eyes. She must have remembered that I am what used to be referred to as a "playa". I don't care. I know she has had many men. I'm not taking anything valuable from her. Just giving her what she wants. I kissed her neck gently to reassure her that I wouldn't hurt her.

"Ellie has ordered me to stay when the army moves. I'm to govern this city." The blonde named Katalina stated. She was sad at that, not afraid of me.

I pulled my lips away from her skin to look at her. "That's good. I didn't want to have to deal with breaking up with you anyway." I stepped away from her. I turned and walked away.

She quickly followed me throwing her arms around my waist running her hands over my fit stomach. "Don't leave me unsatisfied." She pleaded. "You can't just turn me on and leave me."

I removed her hands before turning to look at her. "I can and I would, but I am already on to." I took her hand in mine and pushed it into my pants and underwear. She grabbed at me causing me to groan. I looked up at her to see a satisfied grin on her face. She thought she has the better of me? Oh, really? I pulled her hand from my pants and pushed her against the wall roughly. She gasped at the force of the blow. I pulled her arms above her head, clasping her hands against the wall. She smirked at me. I felt the anger and arousal in me begin. I kissed her roughly drawing blood to her lips before licking it away. I was right. I knew she would get off on that. "What do you want?" She didn't answer me. "I said, what do you want, soldier." Her body became rigid as the tone of a general entered my voice.

"I want you." She answered.

"What part of me?" I let go of her hands to allow her to take a hold on what she wanted. She rapidly reached fort he belt of my pants. She fumbled with it before unbuttoning and unzipping my pants. "Pushy aren't you? Who says I am going to give you what you want?" I took her hands again placing them in their former position. With my left hand, I pulled down the zipper of her top. "I'm the high ranking officer. You are subject to my every whim." I released her hands again. "To your knees." She did as she was ordered knowing exactly what I wanted her to do and she did it well.

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

Several hours later, I opened the door to my apartment to find Ellie waiting on me. She sat in the dark with only soft light illuminating her face. Anger filled the room. She already knew about Katalina. Well, Katalina is no longer needed.

"Where were you?" She asked walking over to me.

I brushed past her unzipping my shirt and throwing it on the couch. The heat was getting to me and I hoped to distract my wife. "Where were you last night?" I argued back.

She walked over to me touching a dark purple mark on my stomach. "Husband, if you wish to at least pretend that you aren't having affairs, you could try not to expose your marks."

"I could say the same about you, wife." I spat the last word out as if it were a curse. I roughly pulled her hair away from her collarbone. A larger mark than I had was on her.

"I order you to stop your affairs." She commanded in the tone she uses with her soldiers.

I laughed walking away from her to sit in the center of the couch. "Yeah. I see that happening."

"What if I promise to stop my affairs?" She asked walking toward me in a seductive manner. She kneeled before me the way that Katalina had before. She unzipped my pants taking me from my underwear. "What if I do all the things that they do for you? Would you be mine and only mine?" She didn't give me time to answer. She went to what she was starting. When she was finished, she looked up at me with a smile wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Was I as good as Katalina?" She asked with sarcasm.

I put myself in order as I heard a knock at the door. On my way to the door, I zipped up my pants. "Better, baby." She smiled at me confidently. I opened the door to find Java holding my sleeping son, Dal. "Hello, Java. Did you and Dal have fun riding horses?"

She placed the sleeping child in my arms. Just looking down at him, it amazed me that I created him. That he was the result of what I thought was love only four years ago. Now, he is a happy healthy thirty-nine month old child. It also amazes me how much he looks like his mother day after day. "He rode for hours. I had to wait until he fell asleep before bringing him back. He threw a fit when I tried to take him from the horse."

I smiled down at my tiny son. He lay softly breathing in my arms. When I regret staying with Ellie instead of looking for the place that I belong, I look at him and I know that he wouldn't be here if I did. If he is the only reason I stay, that is enough for me. "Thank you for taking him today."

She smiled at me before speaking. "Did you two have fun today?"

I looked back at Ellie. She sat on the couch looking angry at having been interrupted before I returned the favor. As if I would! "I did." Java's smile faded. She knew that I had been with another woman by the look on my face.

"I think I'll go now." She hugged me attempting to give me a kiss on the cheek, but I moved my head so that her lips fell upon mine. I deftly slipped my tounge between her lips gaining a gasp from both her and Ellie. Neither expected me to do this. I guess that is the reason I did. Java pulled away from me abruptly closing the door gently as she left.

"Why do you do that? Are you punishing me for something?" Ellie asked while watching me place our son on his bed in the corner.

I tucked him in. I took her hand leading her to our bedroom. She climbed into bed while I undressed. I slipped into the bed beside her. Then she laid her head on my chest. I don't know why, but I couldn't help but cut her with my words once more. "By the way, how did Katalina taste? I didn't get a chance to put my lips on her, but she was all over me. Seems as thought you got a good taste." Ellie pulled away from me.

"Get out of my bed. Get out of my apartment." She ordered. I did bother to take my clothes. I had actually planned on not needing them where I was going. I left her to sleep alone in the bed. Before I left the room, I looked at my son one more time. I locked the door behind me and moved down the hall to the door next to mine. I knocked on the door heavily. Maybe she wasn't asleep yet. If she were, I would just find another. She answered the door dressed in a long black silk nightgown. It was identical to the one in my dreams of the mysterious woman. My theory must be correct. She had to be 'her.' I leaned forward kissing her again. This time she let my lips and tounge linger longer. I ran my hand over her a.ss.

"How about we take this into your room, Java?"

*~~*~~*~~*~~*
Chapter Two
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I picked Java up wrapping her legs around my body. My hands caressed her silk covered thighs. I pushed up the fabric allowing my hands to run over her a.ss. It excited me to find that she was wearing a thong. Ellie never wore those. She was too country for something so sexy. Java's lips connected to my neck roughly sucking. I couldn't help but moan. The room filled with the sound of her name and I laid her back on the bed. She pulled me on top of her. I found myself drawn to the naked skin of her neck.

Her skin is the exact same color as my dream woman. Something seemed to be different. Java wasn't as loving as what I remembered. Her hands were much more rough. She tore and pulled at me. But I am enjoying it.

Suddenly, she stopped. "What's wrong?" She asked reaching up to touch the side of my face. She ran her hand along my cheek.

"Nothing." I quickly answered afraid that she might change her mind about me. I wasn't about to spend tonight alone in the hallway wearing only my boxers for all my soldiers to see.

She kissed me softly as if she actually cared about me. Maybe she does. She has been my closest friend since I could remember. "Are you sure? If you need to talk about something, I can listen."

"Java, I know that you want to help me, but right now, I only need some help in the bed. Okay?" I asked frustrated.

She laughed a little before running her hands down to my boxers. "I can help you."

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

I lay exhausted after my time with Java. She had her head on my chest breathing heavily. I ran my hand over her blonde braids. Her hair was the same, her skin was the same, and my name coming out of her lips was the same. Yet, she wasn't the dream woman. The dream woman was much different.

"Now, can you tell me what is wrong?" Java propped her head on her hands that rested on my chest.

I sighed deeply. I didn't want her to know that I was imagining her as another woman. "Nothing is wrong. I am just having some problems with Ellie. I think she is lying to me." She only looked at me with kind eyes. "I remember a woman that looks like you when you were younger. But you seem different from her."

"You remember something from before the accident?" She asked in shock. It was as if she didn't know what to tell me.

"Yeah. Are you going to tell me the truth? Or are you going to be like Ellie and lie to me?" My voice was harsh, but I only wanted the truth. No more of the games that Ellie plays with me because she knows my past and refuses to tell me about it. No more of the sex games that I play to get back at her. This time, I was going to put that behind me at least long enough to find out the truth.

"Okay. I’ll tell you the truth." Java thought for a moment as if she were trying to remember what she was going to say to me. "After the Technos took you from your tribe, you became a member of the army. I was the person that trained you, but we became more than just officer and soldier. Late one night, you asked me to go for a run with you. We ended up in a forest just outside the city. When we stopped to rest, I kissed you. Then we had sex all night long in the woods."

"We were a couple?"

"Yeah. But not for long." She feigned sadness. I knew she was good at manipulating people, but her acting skills are horrible.

I decided to test her. I remember thinking in one of my dreams that the woman is pregnant. If Java is lying, she won't have an explanation. " The woman was pregnant."

A tear fell from her eye. I reached out and wiped it away. "Yeah. That was right. I was pregnant. Turns out that our little training session was when we made our baby. I imagined that our baby would be beautiful. She would be seven now. Can't you see her? She would be tall and slender with my hair and your eyes. She would be so light skinned. She would be so beautiful."

Her tears were more constant now. I kissed them away. "I’m sorry. I didn't know. I didn't know."

"Well, now you do." Java answered in anger. She rolled over putting her back to me. I threw an arm over her body.

I caused her pain. I didn't think anyone could cause Java to cry. Yet, I did. I gave her something and then took it away. What if I did that again tonight? What if I got her pregnant again and then she had another miscarriage? I silently made a promise to myself not to play my games anymore. It finally became obvious to me that my actions had consequence. I know that at the age of twenty-three, I should already know that, but I've only been conscious of five years of memory. "I'm sorry."

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

Ellie opened her eyes slowly to find me holding her tightly against my body. She didn't struggle against me as if she were still angry. She just lay there. "I'm sorry, Ellie."

"I am too. You are only doing the same thing that I am doing."

"I think we should restart our marriage. We should renew our nuptials and then we can never do then things that we have done in the past ever again." I kissed the top of her head.

She sighed, turning her head up towards mine. She kissed me softly but took her time as if she were kissing me for the first time. "I agree. I will send men into the nearest city tomorrow."

"I’ll go with them. You said that city is dangerous. They will need their general."

"NO!" She jumped out of me arms and into a sitting position. "You will stay here with me and our son. I couldn't bear it is something happened to you."

I looked at her with confusion. "But I have conquered three cities alone in the last five years. What makes this city any different?"

She became sad at the mention of the city. "I was from this city. People can be disposed of quickly there. I don't want you to end up with the same fate." She touched me gently.

"I'm going and you can let me go, or I will go anyway. Will you stand in my way?" She shook her head no. She knew that I am hard headed and will do what I want. She finally lay back against me. "Let's get some more rest. I have a long journey tomorrow."

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Chapter Three
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I tied the string around the last packages. The few soldiers scurried around me to make sure that the truck was ready to depart from the city. We had gathered everything that Ellie wanted and needed. We had also gathered several other supplies that are needed by the army.

I ordered for the soldiers to board the truck just as my earpiece beeps letting me know that someone was trying to contact me. I tapped the receiver. “Go ahead.”

“Have you gathered everything?” Ellie asked in a happy voice. I could hear my son laughing in the background with Java.


“I have. I am about to send the men back with the truck.” I gestured from them to go on back to headquarters.

She told Java and Dal to be quiet before speaking to me again. “What about you? Aren't you coming back?”

I looked back to the city. I wanted to look around a bit more and get to know these people. They hardly seemed to be the monsters that Ellie said they were. But as I am beginning to learn, Ellie is keeping many things from me. I have to see the city for myself. “Not directly. I have to scout the city. I think it is the best location for a permanent headquarters.” I watched as the truck drove away. It was done. I would have to at least stay the night. It is too close to nightfall for me to travel home by foot tonight.

“No, you will get in that truck and come back to the headquarters. I told you that city is far to dangerous for me to take my family and my tribe to.” Ellie demanded with a strong tone.

I wasn't about to fall for her anger again. I can be just as angry. Especially since it seems as thought Ellie doesn't want me to see this city. There must be something that she doesn't want me to know. I know that I have to find out what that is. “No. I am staying here to look through this city not only for the Technos. I am also searching for my past. You have two choices. You can allow me to do this and I will come home to you. Or you can forbid me to do so and I will come back for my son and then you will never see my son ever again.” I paused for a moment. “What is your answer?”

She sighed heavily into her microphone. “You will do whatever you please whether I have you for the rest of my life or not. I might as well endure your adventure. When will you come back to me?”

“Give me two weeks.”

“Very well. I'll be waiting for you. I love you.”

“Bye.” I stated before hitting the receiver button on my earpiece again. The beeping came again. Ellie would no doubt be trying to reach me again saying that I forgot to tell her that I love her. I don't love her anymore, but I've learned that love has no place in a marriage. Love would make marriage a mess. What would a marriage of equals be like? No one would know what to do. I know what my strengths are and use them to stop Ellie from getting to strong, but she far out weights my strength with her power of manipulation. She's not going to win this time. I will know the truth and the people that called me by my name in the market will help me.

I quickly made my way back to the market. Along the way, everyone looked at me as if I were half man, half lion. These people know more about me than I do and I want to know who will speak to me about it first.

As if by fate, a small blonde child stopped me. “Excuse me, could you tell me how to get back to the mall? I seem to be lost.”

The girl was probably around the age of eleven or twelve. She pushed her long blonde hair behind her shoulder in a way that reminded me of someone although I can't think of the name or face. It just stirred something inside of me. “I'm sorry, I not from around here.” She looked as though she were about to cry. “Wait, I'll help you find the mall. What does it look like and what is the name.”

She smiled at me brightly. “Thank you. It is Centre City Mall. It is also known as the Phoenix Mall. It is three stories tall with a beige exterior.”

Her knowledge of such formal words was amazing to me. Even the older Technos that I had trained didn't have the vocabulary this child possessed. As we walked I complimented her of her knowledge of words. “Where did you learn those words in a world like this?”

She was eager to answer. “I learned them from my English teacher, Salene. She's really smart and her husband Pride taught me about the wilderness. Momma says that it is important that I know about everything this world has to offer.”

“Well, now that I know your education is in order,” I paused as she laughed. “May I know your name?”

She stuck her hand out to shake mine. “I'm Brady Elizabeth Fielding.”

“That is a nice name. My name is Jackson Jaymes Thompson.” The girl stopped dead in her tracks. “What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?”

“You're name is Jackson Jaymes Thompson?”

I laughed at the look on her face. She looked as if her heart had stopped. “Yeah. Is it not supposed to be?”

“Do you know who I am?”

“You're Brady Elizabeth Fielding.” I started to walk again causing Brady to have to run to catch up with me. I turned the corner to see lots of people dancing in the street in front of an old mall that met the description that Brady gave me. “I think you are home. I'll leave you here.”

She immediately took my hand in her tiny hands. “Please stay! You have to see my aunt! I think you would just absolutely love her.” Brady pulled me towards the group. Just as we were about to reach the dancing mass, a tall blonde woman pulled a short blond woman with braids away from a man that looked curiously like me. Maybe I had found me home. That was why Brady was as shocked as she was. Maybe Brady is my niece and that boy is my brother.

Suddenly the two women erupted with shouts. “EBONY!” The blonde screamed. “What do you think you are doing?” She pushed the smaller girl. Apparently the small one was Ebony.

Ebony turned to the blonde girl but also gave me a better look at her face. She was the woman from my dreams. Ebony is the one. She is the one with the answer. Then she spoke to the other girl. “I am dancing with my nephew. Is there a law against that?”

“Actually, yes. It is called incest.”

“He's my nephew by marriage! No blood, no incest. Plus, I don't even want him! If you've forgotten, I'm married!” She took a step away from the blonde and towards the man she had been dancing with.

It felt like a dagger was pushed through my heart when she said that she was married. I finally found the woman from my dreams, my memories and she is married. Brady looked up at me noticing that I had winced. “What's wrong, Mr. Thompson?”

“Nothing. What are they arguing about?”

“Well, it is complicated really.” She paused for a moment to see what the women would do next. They seemed to be staring each other down. “Aunt Ebony and Aunt Amber never liked each other. They always fought over Uncle Bray.” I looked at her oddly. I remembered what they said about incest earlier and began to wonder. “No... Aunt Ebony isn't really related to me. She's momma and daddy's close friend. Aunt Amber is only called my aunt because she had Uncle Bray's son before he died.” I nodded my head. “Anyway, they always fought over Uncle Bray and then Amber stole Jay from Ebony, but somehow, Momma ended up with Daddy in the end. By that point, Ebony didn't care anymore. She found someone better and she married him.” She ended the sentence in a way that told me that she was trying to hint at something. Maybe Brady does know me.

“You know me don't you?”

She was about to answer when the two woman began to shout again drawing my attention. “Amber, you can't just tell me to get away from a man that you want because you think you have claim. Jordan is only your friend. So, get a grip on reality before you come after me again.” Ebony started to walk away but Amber stopped her. “Excuse me, I have to check on my children. Maybe you should do the same instead of trying to ho yourself around this party.” Amber slapped Ebony who looked as though she were going to swing back, but the guy, I am assuming is Jordan pulled her away towards the entrance to the mall.

“Yes, I do know you and so does everyone else here. Some more than others. There are two that don't know you at all, but they would like to.” Her riddles were starting to make my head hurt. But I had no time to ask questions before she began pulling me towards a woman with long brown hair. “Momma, look who I found.” She stated as if she had found a lost dog or something. Maybe I am.

Brady's mother turned to look at me. Her eyes grew large then she began to laugh. It was a laugh that seemed to be more than just amusement. It seemed as if it were just a spontaneous overflow of emotions that she just couldn't handle anymore. “Jack! You're home!” She threw her arms around my neck as she began to cry. All I could do was wrap my arms around her waist and wait for her to let me go. Finally, she let me go, but the entire group collapsed in on me. Everyone chanting my name as it were holy liturgy. I didn't know what else to do but answer their simple questions. Well, the ones that I remember the answer to. I told them nothing of the Technos and Ellie. Maybe they were after the Technos and they knew of my memory loss.

Finally, the group was pushed away by a man in a Techno uniform. At first, I thought he was a defector, but I couldn't place him. Then it hit me. Java had pictures of this man. She told me stories about how great and honest he was. If Java even praised his honesty, something that she didn't like, I knew that I could trust him. “Jack, I think there are some people in the mall that you should see.”

He lead me away from the people and to the mall entrance that Ebony and Jordan had went to. We passed a set of stairs and then a Phoenix statue in the center of what was formally a fountain. He pointed for me to continue to a room that I could see was painted a dark red. When I turned to ask him why, he was gone. All I could do now was go to the room to see what my past had held, or so everyone that had greeted me before said was my past. These new people were ten times more eager to give me information about my past than Ellie and Java ever were.

I found myself leaning against the doorway to the room watching the woman from before reading to two small children. The children had the same skin tone as her. The little girl had braided hair and the boy had hair that was short and spiky. The children lay together looking as though they could fall asleep at any moment. The guy from before was sitting on the bed. I took another step forward causing him to look at me. His face turned from a look of joy and love to one of shock. “Uncle Jack?”

At the sound of his words, I too was shocked. This man that was my age or older called me 'Uncle.'

“Jack?” The woman's voice rang in my ears and I was brought back to my dreams when she had called out my name over and over along with vows of love. “You're alive. They told me you were dead.” She ran across the room forgetting about the children for the moment to take me in her arms. She pulled away only a little to stand on her toes to kiss me. She kissed me as if I were her lost love. Maybe I was. I hoped I was, because she is my dream woman and I am never letting her go. “I love you so much.”

“I'll leave you two alone.” The man on the bed walked over to the children and then took them from their bed perching them on his waist before walking out of the room.

“Jack, where have you been? Why haven't you come back to me?” She asked as tears fell from her eyes. Without thinking, I reached up to wipe them away. Only then did she notice my silence and that I wasn't the person that she thought I was. My touch was different or something. “What's wrong? Why are you being so quiet? It's me, Ebony. You're wife.” He voice was filled with frustration.

“I'm sorry that I don't know who you are. But you aren't my wife. I have a wife at home. She and my son are waiting for me.” I started to leave, but I could feel her heart breaking. I turned to see her pick up a picture frame.

“You had a wife here first. You have a son and daughter here too. I can prove it. Here is a picture of you and me after our first month anniversary. Look at the date on the back.” She pulled out the picture showing me the back. The date was March 14, 2004. Ellie said that she and I were married on March 14, 2004. That was a month before I lost my memories.

“But that is the day that Ellie and I were married.” I stated looking at the picture closely to make sure that it was truly me. It was and I was holding Ebony in my arms. She was wearing a beautiful white dress that she was about to pop out of. “Wait, I had a dream about this. A woman was eating dinner with me. She was the most beautiful person in the world. I couldn't stop staring at her. Then she came to me. She sat on my lap and we began to kiss. She led me to the bed but I couldn't get her dress off.”

She took the picture from me throwing it on the children's bed. “What did she do?” Her voice was playful and seductive.

I smiled at her. Something about her just drew me to her. I didn't want to be separated from her. I took her in my arms. “She told me to lift it from the bottom. It was the most important moment of my life.” I felt stupid admitting that I had fantasies about a woman that I never saw before in my life. Well, apparently I had seen her.

“Did you say that's the day you and Ellie were married?” She asked looking in my eyes.

“Yes. Do you know Ellie too?”

She took a few steps away from me. “Jack, what tribe did I lead when you met me?”

“I don't remember anything before April 17, 2004. Everything before that, Ellie and Java told me about.”

“Java?” Ebony asked as he voice began to rise. I couldn't tell who she was angry at, me or my wife and friend. “I cannot believe that Ellie would get my sister to manipulate you when you lost your memory. That *****! I'm going to kill her and the blonde *****!”

That was enough proof for me. Ebony did actually know these people. She knew that Ellie was blonde and I never told her. “How do I know that they are really the people you are talking about?”

“You've never described them to me, but I can show you pictures of them.” She reached under the bed pulling out a shoebox. She takes out two pictures. One of Ellie wearing an odd pink shirt and skirt with purple pants underneath. Then one of Ebony, Java and another girl that looked like the two girls. Java and the other girl were wearing Techno uniforms. “See? They are bad news. And to think, everyone thought Ellie was harmless.”

“She's far from harmless.” I mumbled under my breath.

“Are you going back to them?” She took me in her arms again resting her head against my chest. “Don't leave me again. I couldn't take it.”

I kissed the top of her head. I may not be able to fully remember her but I do know that she is the one that I am supposed to be with. I don't feel the every present guilt that I feel when I am with Ellie or any other women. With Ebony, it just feels right. “I have to go back to get my son. I also need to decide what I am going to do.”

“I understand. It's been five years. I’m a stranger. You don't even know me.” She began to cry again. “You don't belong with me anymore.”

“Don't cry. I'm not going to stay with her permanently; I need to get things figured out. You know, it isn't quite so easy to just show up ten minutes ago and find out that I am not actually married to my wife and I am married to another woman.”

“You forgot about having two more children.” Ebony added as if it wouldn't cause me even more shock.

I pulled away from her. “Those were my children?” she shook her head yes with a smile. “How old are they and what are their names?”

“They are five years old. They were born December 2, 2004. And their names are Jackson Jaymes Thompson Jr. and Dala Cerrid Thompson.” She walked over to the box of pictures taking a Polaroid photo of the children out. “We took this last week. You can take this with you. So you can look at your children while you are deciding things. I'm not trying to guilt you into staying with anything or me. I know you have another family now. Just do what is right for you. If you do come to me, I will take care of your son like he is my own. I'll love him no matter what. He is a part of you and I will love you for the rest of eternity.”

“I love you too.” I kissed her softly again. I didn't know why I was acting like this with her. Maybe my subconscious was telling me that I really remember her deep down. “Everything will be okay. I will be back and Dal will be with me. He will love you. I hope he does. He never took to his mother, though.”

“I'll wait on you.”

“That's later.” I moved her to sit on the bed before sitting next to her. “How about we just get to know each other again.” She nodded her head telling me to lie on the bed while she went to the door pulling the curtain shut.

Chapter Four

Ebony and me laid in silence for many minutes. I had no idea what to say. I don't know her. The only thing I know about her is that I have been frantically looking for her five years. All my sexual adventures were just an attempt to gain the feelings that I felt when she visited me in my dreams. No woman could make me feel as good while they tried to pleasure me as Ebony is making me fell at this very moment.

Maybe this feeling is love. I wouldn't remember because Ellie never gave me an inkling of this feeling. It's rather scary lying with a strange woman knowing that I was with her before I was with me "wife." Or to know that she and I created two happy and healthy children. In a world like this, healthy children are rare. I'm lucky to have three.

I know these people aren't lying to me. Something inside tells me they were once all my family.

"Jack, tell me about your new life." Ebony asked moving to prop her head on my chest much like Java had just two days ago. She's much different. Java is one sided. She only knows how to be manipulative. Ebony, on the other hand, appeared to be diverse. She was cutting to her ‘enemy’, protective of her nephew and loving to her children.

I ran my hand over her long braided hair. In my dreams she hardly ever had braided hair. “After I woke up, Ellie told me about my so-called past. She said I was from a city close to this one and that I am the general of her technological army. Then she told me that she was my wife. She showed her and me together in numerous photos. She also showed me one where we were kissing. I had to believe her. She even had rings on and I had a wedding band.”

Ebony took my hand to inspect my ring. “She didn’t even change the ring. I wonder if she changed the inscription.” She took the ring from my finger. I felt a fear rise in me. Ellie threatened me if I even tried to take the ring off while I was welding. “To my sexy intelligent boy, I give you my empire.” Ebony read quietly. “Love Ebony.”

“How did you read that? I could never make it out. I thought it was in another language.”

She placed the ring on my finger again before kissing the ring and my finger. “It is. I was born in South Africa. My mother made sure I knew how to speak her language. English refers to most all African languages as Swahili. I can’t read my ring either. But you told me what it meant.”

I reached out to take her ring off. Odd characters filled the inside of the ring. “What does it say?”

“It says “To my love, you are my everything, you’re my heart, Jack.”

“What language is it in?”

“Celtic. You’re family immigrated from Ireland during the potato famine.”

“Oh.” I replied replacing the ring and kissing it like she had done for me.

“Tell me about your son.” She stated with a smile.

I couldn’t help but smile back at her. She was so happy to know about the most important person in my current life. “He’s four years old and his name is Dal Emerson Thompson. He’s beautiful. He had blonde hair and brown eyes. He looks so much like Ellie it scares me. His actions are a lot different though. He prefers to make people happy and he is shy around people like me.”

“I can’t wait to meet him. He sounds like a darling child.”

“Yeah, he’s perfect, but I’m his father. I’m biased.” Ebony laughed telling me she does the same. “Tell me about your children. I mean our children.”

“They are twins. They’re five years old. I named Jackson after you and Dala after your best friend and her middle name is the Irish goddess of intelligence and knowledge. Do you remember Dal?” I shook my head saying that Ellie told me about him and named our son after him. “Yeah, Ellie wanted both of you. She could have had Dal but he was too loyal to you. He knew you were in love.”

“I could have never been in love with Ellie. She’s…”

“You were in love. You made me sick. You were surgically attached to her. Or at least it seemed your lips were.” Ebony’s jealously was raging and I could tell. She had an angry look on her face.

“Did she cheat on me with a guy with blue hair?”

“Yeah. How’d you know? Is your memory coming back?”

“I dunno. I dreamt of seeing him kiss her and then he showed up a year ago. They started an affair.” She looked at me with wide eyes. “You allowed it? But she said you are married.”

“It’s a political marriage.” I ran my hand over her hair again. She closed her eyes gently allowing a small smile to overcome her face. I felt her sigh against me. I committed this moment to my memory. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. She opened her eyes again willing me to continue. “She’s almost nice when we pretend that I haven’t slept with every high ranking woman in the Technos and she acts like Luke doesn’t exist.”

“Baby, you’ll be much happier here.” She confessed. “Everyone here loves you and I’ve not touched a man intimately since you became my friend, much less my lover.”

“Good. I’ve wanted a safe place to raise Dal. He’s not learning anything good from his mother. She is beginning to teach him things that are cruel. Can you believe that she is telling him that Martial arts is for more than self defense?”

“When you bring him here, do you want his fighting lessons to continue?”

“Yes. He needs to know how to defend himself, but I want him to know that it is not used to take control over someone.” She smiled at the thought of being able to fight again. “Are you a warrior?”

Her smile faded. “Before we became friends, I was the queen of the Locos. Zoot and I created and fought many battles. I was the greatest warrior in the city excluding Pride and Lex.”

“Why the past tense?”

“Jordan takes care of me now. The children made me give up my fight.”

I laughed remembering seeing her argue with the blonde. “You seemed to still have the fight earlier.”

She laughed with me. “Yeah. Amber and I have always fought over men. She thinks I’m after Jordan. She wants him bad, but because he is her friend, he is oblivious.” She paused in thought. “It’s weird though.”

“Why?”

“They are ‘friends with benefits’ and he can’t even see she’s in love with him. She wouldn’t just sleep with a guy because she hasn’t had any in seven years. She’s got it bad for our little nephew.” She shook her head at the absurdity of Amber’s game.

The mention of Jordan jump-started my imagination again. “Tell me about Jordan. How is he my nephew?”

“Well, all of your brothers were old enough to be your father. So, Jordan is your oldest brother’s died from the virus, he was left alone to look for you. His dad told him to look out for you.”

“Since I wasn’t here to take care of, he took care of you?”

“Exactly.”

“Remind me to thank him. I should have been here. I should have been more careful than to hit my head.” I drew here near to me. Every part of our bodies touched now. “I should have let you stay with my after the wedding.”

She sat up quickly. “You remembered!”

I sat up too. “Yeah, I did! Ask me some more questions.”

“Where did we go to when you learned how to braid my hair?”

I thought for a moment then it came to me. “The hospital. Pride, Ved, and Cloe were there, too.” She laughed.

“How are you remembering this?” She kissed me passionately. I could get used to this treatment.

“As you were talking, I realized what you were saying happened in my most vivid dreams.”

“Do you think you remember everything?”

“No. But if we could re-introduce things back into my life slowly, it might not take long.” I felt as if my face would burst.

“Let’s go tell everyone!” She jumped out of the bed running for the door. Then she noticed that I didn’t follow. “Come on.”

“How about you come back to bed? I remember something about you liking guys in uniforms.” I laid back putting my hands behind my head.

She came back to me jumping on the bed as if she were a child, full of excitement. “But you don’t have the uniform on!”

“If you help me, I won’t have this on either.” She giggled as she slid her hands underneath my hoodie. Her nails lightly scratched at my skin. It was a very different feeling from Java or Ellie’s nails. They tore, but Ebony caressed. She pushed the shirt up lowering her lips to my stomach. Her lips trailed up my body. I was glad that my five years as a general gave me a better body to show her. Then she pushed the shirt over my head. Her lips found mine. I sucked at her bottom lip as I pulled her tank top over her head. She sat up straddling my lower stomach just looking at me. Her hands ran up and down my chest. I quickly allowed myself to touch her again. I ran my hands from her hips all the way to her breasts taking them in my hands. Her eyes closed at the contact and her nails dug into my skin. “I love you.” I drifted my hands to her back pulling her against me for another passionate kiss. At that moment I had enough rage and passion running through me to kill Java and Ellie. They took me away from this heaven. They took me away from my angel. WOAH! Ok! Strike that. She’s a bad girl in a good way.

I looked down to see that she had undone my belt, pants and underwear and was not stroking me slowly. I heard myself groan and then Ebony giggle.

“I guess I still have it.”

“Baby, you more than still have it. It’s better. Come here!” She moved back up my body kissing at my neck and then sucking. I ran my hands down her unzipping her tight leather pants. I never understood why all of her pants unzipped from the back until I started dating her. They were specifically designed to be taken off by someone else.

Felling her pants loosen, she got off of me long enough for us to rid ourselves of the last of our clothes. She slid under the covers with me. “The last time we did this, I ended up pregnant with twins.”

I rolled on top of her. “Wanna try for triplets?” She laughed before I silenced her with a kiss

chapter five

I leaned back in the strait chair. This morning was the most beautiful morning since the one that Dal was born. Ebony was with me again. I was reunited with the woman of my dreams, or my memories as it turns out. After last night, I had no doubt about what I had to do.

Later, I will talk to Jay, Ved, and Jordan about going back to the Techno camp with me. I have a grand plan to bring Java and Ellie down. Okay, I’m not going to lie to myself, I have nothing, but Jay, Ved, and Jordan are more intelligent than I am. They will come up with something. Maybe we could take over the Techno rule and then disband that army before anyone notices. That would work.

“Jack?” Ebony said in a voice clouded from sleep. “Are you still here?’ She turned over to see me wearing my uniform. “You look so sexy. Come back to bed.” She smirked opening the covers a little to give me a peek of what she wasn’t wearing.

“You are such a little minx.” I laughed getting in the bed with her. I kissed her deeply. “But I love it.”

“I love you.” She moved her lips to my neck giving it a playful bite.

“Are you guys busy?” a man’s voice asked from the other side of the curtain.

“Yes, go away.” I stated turning my attention back to Ebony.

She pushed me away a little before answering the person. “No. Give me a second to get dressed.” She reached to the floor to grab a black nightgown slipping it over her head. “Okay, come in.”

Jordan pushed the curtain aside allowing the children to go past. They ran in the room jumping into their mother’s arms. “Momma, Jordan and Amber taught us how to sing a new song.” Dala announced pulling her brother back and telling him to get ready. She held her fingers up in a way to count. The two began to sing a song from my childhood. It was the song from the elephant show. “Skinner-ma-rinky-dink, skinner-ma-rinky-do, I…Love…You. I love you in the morning and the afternoon, I even love you in the evening underneath the moon. Skinner-ma-rinky-dink, skinner-ma-rinky-do, I…Love…You.” They even did the little dance that went with it.

All three of us applauded the children. “That was amazing. Are you guys professional singers?” I asked causing them to laugh. “I guess not.”

“Momma, who is he? He’s funny.” Jackson asked taking his sister’s hand. I could tell that he was trying to protect her from the ‘stranger.’

Ebony pulled them to her so they could look at me. “Do you remember that picture I show you everyday?”

“The one of Daddy?” he asked looking at me skeptically. “But he can’t be Daddy. Daddy has orange hair. This man has brown and blond hair.” He took after his mother. Always looking for a scam someone was trying to pass over them.

“Take a closer look.” Both the children did. Jackson stayed back but looked at me as if to take in every detail. Dala, on the other hand, walked over to me motioning for me to bend down and touched my face and hair. Then she put her tiny hands on my shoulders before looking in my eyes. This was something that I would do. I had to touch something to know it is real. There was no doubt that she was my daughter. She even looked more like me than I had thought on seeing her last night.

“It is him, Jackson.” She stated throwing her arms around my neck. “I missed you Daddy!”

Jackson shied away from me. “Jackson, I won’t hurt you. I’m your dad.”

“If you’re my daddy, why weren’t you here? I think Lex is right. You’re not my daddy, Jordan is.” With that the child ran out of the room.

Ebony looked at me and then at Jordan. “I’ll be right back.” She ran out of the room to find the child in only her nightgown.

“Sorry about that. He thinks you left us forever. I knew you would come back.” Dala explained climbing onto my lap when I sat on the bed.

“What do you think about me?” I asked watching as Jordan left the room. Maybe he was the one that took care of Ebony. Maybe he took care of all her NEEDS. If you know what I mean.

She thought for a moment. “I think you are tall, smart, handsome, and Momma likes you a lot. She talks about you all the time and sits outside waiting for you every morning. I sit with her too. But Jackson doesn’t want you to come back. He thinks you will make Jordan go away.”

“Why would I make Jordan go away? He’s your cousin. I love him too. You know, I am legally his guardian.”

“You’re what?” She asked raising an eyebrow.

I just laughed at her. “Nothing. It means that he is my son too. When a relative dies, like my brother did, you take care of their family. So, my brother’s son became my son.”

“Oh. I understand. That’s why momma tells him what to do, right?” I think I have my hands full with this one. She has more questions than I did when I was young.

“What does momma tell him to do?” I asked maybe she saw something that Ebony didn’t want her to tell anyone.

She moved away from me. She walked over to her bed and sat on it. “I dunno if I should tell you this.”

“You can tell me. I won’t tell anyone.” I felt guilty pumping my child for information about her mother.

She turned back to me quickly looking out the door to make sure no one was near. “Momma told Jordan to stay away from Amber. She said Amber is nothing but a bad word.”

There were a million words that could fill that spot, but at least I knew that Ebony was really waiting on me. But what is this about Jordan and Amber? Ebony told me about their “arrangement” of friends with benefits, but Jordan was fighting for her?

Ebony came back in the room with an angry look on her face and a rather large child on her waist. She sat him on the bed next to Dala before sitting next to me. “You’re not getting in trouble this time, Jackson, but next time, you are going to be in double trouble. Consider this a warning.” He looked at her defiantly. “And stop hanging around with Lex. He’s much too old to be your friend.” She added causing the children to laugh. Apparently, Lex has become more fatherly since I became missing.

“Now, you two, go on up to the café and get something to eat. Your father and I will be there shortly.” A smile came to her face as she said “your father and I.”

I waited for the children to leave the room before leaning over to kiss her smile. “They are beautiful and intelligent children.”

“Just like their father.” She kissed me quickly before picking up the pants that were discarded without thought last night and putting them on. “I could sit and stare at you for hours.” She then pulled on a tight green tank top.

She came back to me standing in front of me. I pulled her by her waist causing her to sit straddling me. “Why don’t you? I could take the chance to watch the woman of my dreams.”

She smiled at me cheekily. “And who is she? Do I need to kick her a.ss?”

I kissed her quickly before laughing. “Seriously, do you know that you are the one thing that kept me going the last five years?”

“I thought you couldn’t remember anything.”

“I couldn’t. You came to me in my dreams loving me and sometime hating me. All the times we ever spent together came back to me in my sleep. Suprisingly, the moment I dreamt of most was when you were going to kill me for spying on you in the hotel.” I laughed a little as the smile once again reached her face. She blushed deeply. “Don’t be sorry. I was scared at the time, but when I had time to calm down, it made me so hot.”

She stood up as if she were in dusgust. “Eww! You were like thirteen!”

“You were only fifteen!” I countered reaching out to grab her but she moved just out of my reach.

“But you were a baby. I was all woman. I was power. You know, I could have killed you that day.” She smirked.

I stood up and pulled her to me aggressively. “You wouldn’t have. Something inside of you told you to keep me around. You would have only broken my arm.” She tried to pull away. “You don’t want away from me just as much as I didn’t want away from you then.”

“Sure. Nothing is more of a turn on than life and death situations.” She muttered.

“Everything about you is sexy.”

She finally got away from me. “As much as I like this rough play, we have two children waiting on us in the café. Come on.” She grabbed me by the front of the shirt pulling me behind her.