FSOG

Strange day

GOD! DAMM IT! that bitch Eliana! How dare she talk to me like I'm still her submissive! Telling me to take back Susannah or else; I ended her contract close to six months ago. The last straw when Welch played the audio tape of her reporting to Eliana. Telling everything we did in my playroom. Everything she heard about my business. Today was the first time I've talked to her since I blew up about her betrayal.

Her bullshit excuses about needing the information to fine tune my profile for Submissive. That didn't explain the business info she demanded, or her sudden bumps in her bank accounts. I had Taylor work his black-art magic. She was selling insider information, at least two fail mergers. Millions and millions of dollars, she coasts me.

Then today cornering me at my mother thank-you luncheon to the volunteers and staff of Coping Together. Before today I've never hit a woman. She grabbed my arm to prevent me leaving.

"LET GO OF ME!"

"I MADE YOU!" She snarls at me. looking all Dom and in charge. "Submit, this bullshit you're a Dom done. You will always be my pet. SUBMIT NOW!"

Is she mental, in public? I jerk my arm away. She slaps me. SLAPS ME: all I see is me in the mirror in her torture room, the cane failing my ass and legs. The bitter pain in my eyes. the unhinged face of my tormentor. It flashes back and forth between her and the pimp. I have not moved one inch in my life from his laughter, burn flesh as he puffs she cigarette too now.

I snap awake as she slides into the potted plant. My arm hung out. the tingling of impact on my hand. I am stunned? I hit a woman? Is she a woman or a demon? I see her stunned face, the redness on her cheek. The morphing of her face and his. I feel Jason pulling me back. I see my mothers shocked face. I heave a deep breath. I am done with her and this lifestyle. I can't believe I let her into my life and control me.

I turn, leaving my restaurant the Mile-High Club. I glare down Taylor as I sit in my Audi Spider. I drive away, not caring where. I am a float with out sail or fuel. Rudderless in this ocean of life. I drive till the gas tank blinks empty. I tank up and head back to Grey House, checking my watch it's not yet two-thirty. I have that damm interview at three. Damm all these pushy women in my life. Damm them all.

The radio blares some sixties classic; it strangely fits my world today. I sing along

They're going to destroy
Our casual joys
We shall go on playing
Or find a new town

Strange eyes fill strange rooms
Voices will signal their tired end
The hostess is grinning
Her guests sleep from sinning
Hear me talk of sin
And you know this is it

Strange days have found us
And through their strange hours
We linger alone
Bodies confused
Memories misused
As we run from the day
To a strange night of stone ""Strange Days" by the Doors

Strange days indeed. The light is green, damm the light is green. And traffic is stiff. The arthritic rust bucket in front of me, should have been junked decades ago. Is creeping down the road, it takes nearly half a block to get up to fifteen miles an hour. The brown hair mop of the driver is dancing to music I don't doubt. I should blow my horn? But with traffic and parking there's not place to pass her sorrowful rusted, smoking VW ass.

The light turns red, just before Grey house. I see a big SUV charge from its parking space across the intersection. It bulls thru cross traffic and cross over to be in front of me. O" SHIT! Its going to hit her;

I throw the drive in neutral and stiffen for the impact. The impact goes in slow motion. I see the mop of brown, push against the door to bail out. the crunch of metal. The explosion of glass. The jarring impact to the spider. The VW hits and wedges up over the hood. Sparing it being shrunk to a suitcase. I feel the airbags deploy. Red mist hangs with the talcum power white. I shake my head. I see the brown mop hanging from her car, held by a seat-belt. I here sounds I can't understand. I get out of my wrecked car a move to her. It's strangely ethereal, the pull to her. I touch her hair, Aphrodite's is streaked in red. I see glass cuts to her brow. I hold her, releasing the seat belt. Taking her weigh, I turn to someone next to me.

Jason is firing a machine gun, screaming at me. I can't hear words or anything. I turn to where he is shooting. I see the wrecked SUV men are shooting at us. US? I feel an hand on my chest, blue eyes look at me, thru me. possessing me. she smiles and my cold stone heart breaks and beats for the first time.

"Duck." She says in a sweet voice, I don't hear anything, as I squat and duck walk to the rear of the spider, Sawyer sporting a bleeding shoulder, pulls us behind our SUV, which Jason and him followed me from. I look at my hands around her. She is smiling at me; blue eyes crush the world from us. I lean down and kiss her lips, sweet lips. She cups my check. I sit a just fade away to us, just us.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

John Tate-pov

I'm walking down the street arguing with my current girlfriend, a dizzy blonde in Grey house. She just dumped me; spouting nonsense about having a track to GREY. Like a billionaire guy looking like him, with money to burn would take her skank ass. I've been in Grey house, all those Stepford blonde's; the guy must have a thing for them. I have to get back to work at Schuster & Marlon. I see the SUV charge cross the intersection. I shoot video, weirdly the SUV crosses lanes and runs head on into an ancient VW Bug. Driving it into a chain reaction crash. It's wheel smoke as it tries to drive even further into the wreckage.

The doors pop open and four men with guns jump out and fire. I sweep to the wreckage. The VW is on top of a once sexy sports car. A SUV behind it is open I see two guys shooting back. WOW! I stand on the sidewalk across the street filming. Everyone else is ducking and running away. This is the McGruder film of Seattle. I could buy a house with the money this will bring.

Whoa! What the shit? A copper headed guys with bloody face gets out of the Sports car. He walks thru the bullets to the VW. I didn't notice the driver was hanging out the driver's door. Her brown hair frames a bloody face. He takes her in his arms. I can't hear what is said.

One of the guys behind him charges forward. Shooting I see two of the four are down. He's screaming at the copper headed guy. He is looking only at the girl.

Suddenly he ducks down and moves behind the sports car, the other guy back there, blond drags them behind the SUV. I see one gunman on the sidewalk, shooting at the SUV. he disappears behind the SUV.

I watch as he flays back into view. Going down on the sidewalk. I bet he's dead. The last gunman turns and runs. The big guy shooting at him, aims coldly and puts him on the ground. I watch as the wounded gunman tries to crawl away.

I see a Grey house Security guard charge over and disarm him. I pan back, the Copper headed guy with girl in arms walks thru the intersection. I see them enter Grey House. I look at my phone, the video shows four minutes have elapsed. I stop filming and call the firms PR guy, he can get me a good deal for the film.

I just get him on the line when I hear "That was 'the Christian Grey'" "Paul, John Tate. I just recorded the attempted assassination of Christian Grey, yea man! The Christian Grey gazillionaire. How much could I get for the video?"

I stare at the sky, screw the house, I could get a mansion. If we are quick. I skip the firm and head to his office, just a couple blocks away. Holding my cell phone with both hands. Its pure gold. I giggle at my good fortune.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Taylor-pov

I stand looking at the carnage; the dead and wounded killers for hire. I watch the last one, cry in pain as Sawyer hurts him. He spills everything. The damm Taiwan shipping company Grey bought, must be knee deep in nasty shit for this hit. What the frigging hell. Kidnap or kill mission. I need more men as the always late Seattle police creep up. scared the fight is still on. I am pissed off and confused.

Grey was holding the girl, not listening. She was touching his face and chest. What is with fate. He dumps the troll queen, hasn't had a sub in months. Now in the middle of a firefight he finds a new submissive, GOD what is wrong with you. I hand the weapons to SPD. Walking ignoring their questions and demands. Grabbing Luke, we head in.

Luke gets as far as the lobby, Before Fred, the Head of Security here, hauls him to the sitting area for first aid. I look about confused where is the sexfreak? "He when up with the girl."

"Any idea who she is?" I ask not expecting an answer

"Anastasia Rose Steele, 22, senior from WSU. The roommate says she was here to interview Grey." Says a uniformed guard, he holds up what I suspect is her purse and cell phone.

"That wasn't who was interviewing today?"

"Kavanagh, said she's sick with the flu. Sent her roommate to do the interview." I rub my aching eyes; the interview wasn't a problem because Kavanagh is blond, and very pushy.

"Phone." I ask, the guard named Parks hands me the cell

"Miss Kavanagh? What has Mr. Parks told you?" she replies just an accident, I need to correct that and get next of kin information.

"I'm afraid its worse than that. She got caught up in attempted assassination. They plowed her car into Mr. Greys at an intersection. It will be on the news within minutes. she is injured, we don't know yet how much. Who can we call, mother or father?"

I hold my ear away from the phone, got if she is this loud with the flu, she going to give Mia Grey a run for her money. When she calms down she tells me, number five on the speed dial to the cell in my hand. Her father Raymond Steele in Montesano. She will be there in three hours. Hanging up I give Fred the info for when they arrive.

Walking out of the elevator I find Andrea on the phone. Looking into Greys open office. I see Roz wiping his face, he looks ok, but shell shocked. I stare to walk in.

"Jason." Andrea says concerned voice; o' the ice queen has emotions. I turn to her. She looks shaken, more than I would have thought.

"I'm arranging a helicopter to take them to the hospital. I don't think an ambulance could get thru the mess downstairs. The girl has a head wound, dislocated shoulder, and both legs are broken. We have splints on them. Christian has a concussion for sure, glass cuts in his hair and three bullet wounds, just grazes."

I look at her, and then the cell phone in my hand. This is nuts. I walk in and Christian is talking to the girl, she is whispers back to him. Roz stands and lean into me. "They are talking like lovers, who is she and why have we not met her before?"

"Roz, he just met her. She was in the car that took the brunt of the crash. Honestly, I have no idea what is between the two. Look I have to call her father (holding up the cell phone and purse) I dread having to tell a father their daughter is hurt like this."

Roz nods and takes the phone from me. "Name? Number?"

"Steele, Speed 5"

She dials the phone. "Hello Mr. Steele. My name is Roz Bailey of Grey Holdings in Seattle. Yes, I understand this is your daughters cell phone. She was injured in an incident here in Seattle. Yes, she is hurt badly. I need you to be calm. I NEED YOU TO BE CALM! Calm, good now. I can send someone to drive you or better send a plane to bring you here. Yes, to Seattle. Annie is being taken to Seattle General. You need to calm down, she doesn't need to know her father killed himself driving to see her in the hospital in Seattle. She is awake but out of it. listen you will hear about the incident on the radio or TV. SO! Be calm. I will send a helicopter to the local airfield. Call back on my cell, got a pen. Good the number is ###-###-####. We are doing everything for them. Yes, I said them, our boss the target was injured as well. He pulled Annie from the wreckage and firefight. Protected her with his body. Yes…... I will see you soon. Be calm, she will need you."

She hangs up handing me the phone. "how did you know he protected her?"

"My office overlooks the intersection, I saw a good deal of the action." She says in her take no prisoner style. But I see the deep emotions she has for the boss. They need each other to be what they are. The best damm business CEO & COO in the world. I feel old and tired very tired.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

I wake on a gurney, loading into a Helio, flashbacks of Afghanistan. I'm not shot? Am I? the medic puts a mask on me. I feel a hand, looking over is Luke with a grin. I go back to sleep. I'm so tired.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Grace-pov:

I rush from my office. When the call about my son being medivac gets to me. I arrive at the landing pad. I see two gurneys and two teams. Why two team? I'm about to ask when the helicopter noise drowns out conversation. I watch as my son steps out of the copter with a bundle in his arms. he starts to walk, but several nurses and doctors argue with him. I make my way to them. The bundle is a girl, not much older than a teenager. He is whispering to her. She touches his chest. HIS CHEST!

He gentle places her on the gurney, then hustle her away. I touch his arm. "Christian? Get on the table. Please?" he looks at me, hugs me, really hugs me. I cry. He cries. I gentle get him on the table. He passes out. we rush to the ER.

Three hours later.

We move around the waiting room, the family and friends. I don't know what has happened today. First, he slaps Eliana at the luncheon, she refuses to tell me why my son hit her. I fear several things I know about her private life. I could overlook them as none of my business before, now I don't think I can.

Second, the assassination attempt and damage done. At least eight people hurt in the attempt. I'm numb, lost in the terrible scenarios playing in my mind. Christian was letting Anastasia touch him, really touch him. He just met her in the incident, how is any of this possible.

SLAMM! Startle me as my eldest son bounces off a wall. I see an older man Cary age in the door way. A look of anger and pain on his face. Cary moves to get him out of here. "STOP!"

We look at Roz, "Stop! Mr. Steele. Please come in, this is Mr. Greys family. Miss Kavanagh." He and strawberry Blond bombshell teenager walk in. They must be Anastasia's family.

"Please forgive Elliott, Christian older brother. We have had a couple of Paparazzi, try to get in here. This is Miss Steele father and best friend. Please sit, coffees over there." I am grateful for Roz, none of us are thinking clearly right now.

I watch Cary smooth the waters with Mr. Steele. Getting coffee, they sit with me. we quietly talk about out injured kids. I'm surprise Annie is his step daughter. I ask about the mother. He is very cold about her. Annie loves her mother, but won't trust her to get milk and bread. Speaks volumes about her.

I see Elliott and Kate Kavanagh talking deeply in the corner. I am glad it will take time for Mia to get here from Paris. The drama and tension is nearly unbearable. I try to relax in Cary's arms. but I can't my poor baby is hurt.

I startle when a doctor walks into the room two hours later. Tom looks good, not super sad, just concerned. That's a good sign. We gather around him, like a pack of hyenas.

"Alright. Good news first: they are both out of surgery. Both of Miss Steele legs were set, her left shoulder put back and lacerations sealed. She is sleeping peaceful. Mr. Grey is finally sleeping, his nose is fixed, and all four bullet rounds are sealed. We are observing do to the one that grazed his head. We reset his left wrist that was dislocated. Ahm questions?"

"BAD news?" ask Cary and Ray at the same time. Shit is there bad news, I see Tom sweat. He pulls his collar. SHIT! His tell for really bad news.

"It's not bad per-say. It's just neither would settle apart. So, they are in one room in the critical care unit. It's the only way to get their vital stable. So please just a few at a time for each. Grace, a word?" he asks. We step out in the hallways. I look. Security has cleared a good section, no one will overhear us.

"Tom?"

"Grace, who is this girl. I've never seen two people in sync like that. They know when the other is near. I know Christian is a very private person. But he nearly stroked out till she was next to him. Her vitals didn't stabilize till he was beside her, still out from the surgery. Who is she?"

"I don't know Tom. I think she is his one, his only one. I prayed to GOD he would send him a soulmate. I believe God works in mysterious ways" he nods, walking away. I lean on the wall. Thank you, GOD, it's been a very strange day indeed.

The end

* the john tate pov is a third person look at the narcissistic self centered people that now exist. he doesn't once feel empathy or civic responsibility. only how famous and how much money the video will fetch. he doesn't even think to give the police the video. I didn't use Roz because I wanted a character without a motive or emotion is describing the shoot-out. beside Roz on the twenty floor half a block from the incident would only have a vague blurry view of the scene. plus she would have had to be looking at the intersection to see the scene unfold; giving her a motive to see CG dead or out of the picture. So the third person one time character had to be the describer of the shoot-out.

*Spelling issues write to MSWord: Grammar well I try to catch with MSWord and proofing the text as best as possible. Reviews as anonymous guest that complaints about spelling and grammar get deleted. Put your name on it an most times I let it get in the reviews.

The following chapters deal with characters going back in the past to decision points in their lives. Knowng they had a choice, choose the wrong path. how that changed them to were they are now. Make them better or worse.

Tines are the point parts of the fork: "Tines in Time" is an old way (New England) of saying the paths we choose in the folks (key decision) of our lives.

I our lives we reach folks that will change our lives good or bad. We choose the path and fate rolls the dice. We reflect back on the paths we choose wishing may time in hindsight that we had chosen the other. but in choosing the other we would never arrive were we are now. The journey is what defines us, not the end of the road pot of gold.

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