Cracking the Tower of Sin

Chapter 2

Four days later Nate and Eliot had themselves buzzed through the enormous and impenetrable gates of Beauty's mansion. They were led by her major domo through the living room, conservatory and atrium to the courtyard where Beauty swam. Both men were overwhelmed by her beauty in the water. Her wet skin and hair glittered like a mermaid's might. The major domo introduced himself as Alexi and offered drinks and a snack while she finished her swim. They agreed, never taking their eyes off the angel in the pool. She finished her final laps and walked out of the pool with the water sheeting off her body. She wrapped a large towel around her barely covered body, and grabbed another towel, spray conditioner and a comb to work on her hair while she visited with her guests.

"I'm glad to see you both again. I am surprised you are the only ones who came. I'm sure curiosity must be high." She waited for Alexi to finish pouring her tea and nodded to him in dismissal. "So what is to be the verdict? Will you help me?"

The two good looking men looked at each other and back at her. "We will help you. Sophie is still very reluctant, but I am not sure there is anything you can do about it. I think she is more terrified of getting trapped in the sex palace and used in such a way than anything else."

"No one gets trapped, no one gets left behind."

"Ok. So here is our plan. Sophie and I go in as a rich married couple looking to sex up our love life by joining the kinky side of things. Hardison will kill off all their cameras and other communications. Parker breaks into the door by where the kids are chained. You may need to use your mojo to get in. There are no door handles on either side. We don't know how it opens."

"I can do it. Parker can get them all out?"

"Parker can get anything out. Eliot is going to be our muscle. The only trouble is the tower is too tall for him to be with Nate and Sophie at the top and you and Parker at the bottom."

"I have Parker and I covered. He needs to be dressed as your bodyguard. An unarmed bodyguard won't raise any suspicions. The best possible solution would for you to get the leader of this cult to bring you all down to the lower level. I can go in and make us all disappear, leave through the lower door and then drop the towers and turn everybody in that building to dust."

"You can really do this? It all depends on your magic."

"Not all, but a lot. And yes, I can bring the whole thing down. Hardison has to keep all of us on the com, connected. If someone gets lost in there, we need to know it. I need to know everyone is clear before I bring down my wrath. We need one limo and two ambulances. I'll have a private hospital set up at the house, shrinks, doctors, the works. Those kids are going to need long term medical and psychological help. I'll take care of all six until they are ready to return to their parents. Oh, and one more thing," she looked first at Nate and then at Eliot. "Bringing down the tower is unlikely to kill me, my power is great. But I will likely be unconscious, so someone will have to be sure I am not left behind. I will have no need for the ambulance. Alexi will know what to do. Just take us all home."

Eliot spoke up quietly and his voice was full of emotion. "I will watch over you, I will make sure you are not left behind, and I will help care for you."

Nate was shaken by Eliot's words as much as Beauty. "Beauty, you should come to the office, or we should come here to go over the plan in detail. What would you prefer?"

"If Hardison can make my super screen work, then I would prefer we work here. It is safer. You could bring everyone back this afternoon for swimming or pool or whatever, we can grill steaks, and then begin work. Sophie may decide I am not the big bad wolf."

"She does not see you as the big bad wolf. She is truly terrified of this marble tower, but as for you, perhaps a bit jealous but nothing else."

"Jealous? What on earth for?"

The two men looked at each other and smiled. "Sophie has traveled the world, stolen some of the world's greatest artwork, and pulled off the greatest of cons. She is beautiful, self assured, and rich. But so are you. It is rare that she meets a woman who is also beautiful, self assured, and rich. You have secret powers, you are dangerous in many ways, have more money than God, and can steal the most difficult of items."

"And she has been in love with you Nate a long time and is afraid that she will lose you to me."

Eliot snickered, "And that would be the bottom line."

"No worries Nate. You are charming, but obsessed and damaged in a way I think only Sophie can heal. She is your savior, don't let her slip away. On the other hand, if Eliot ever wanted to clean up his man-slut ways, I might just be interested in him. But I am a serious, serial monogamist. But the benefits can be amazing."

Eliot smiled shyly at Beauty and in all seriousness, "I think I just became a reformed man heading towards serial monogamy. I assume there would be a time frame to prove my complete reformation and honest intentions."

"Yes, but don't forget I can smell truth on another. I will know if you fail, and there are no second chances." She smiled sadly at him. "I think your challenge may be as difficult as Nate's forgiving himself and allowing Sophie to save him. Nate, why don't you plan to bring everyone here around 3:00. We'll swim, relax, Paolo will grill some steaks, and then we will get started. It is likely this will go down tomorrow, everyone should plan on staying here. There are plenty of private rooms with baths. And Alexi and Paolo make a wonderful brunch."

"Sounds good. I'll have everyone bring extra clothes just in case."

Beauty stood, readjusting her towel around her, and started walking them to the door. "Thank you all for agreeing to help me. I'll see you this afternoon. She stood outside the porch watching Eliot and Nate get in the bright red Tesla. A little flashy for her taste, but then of course she wasn't having a mid life crisis.