Chapter Twenty Two-A Place of our Own
The waters off the coast of Cameroon were blissfully calm and the temperature a pleasant 80 degrees. The occasional clouds provided a pleasant backdrop to the otherwise bright blue sky. Piper thought it was lovely, and then felt guilty for feeling bored and slightly trapped. It just didn't seem right to complain about laying out on the deck in a bikini with a glass of chilled white wine working on your tan.
It had been four months since she had jumped parole and left the United States a fugitive. For two months she had remained on the yacht, staying below deck once for an entire week while Alex and her associates conducted business in Morocco. The Canary Islands provided a few days of shore rest and relaxation then they had departed for the West African coastal country.
"Como está o seu aprendizado de Português?"
Piper had to shade her eyes to look up from the lounger on the top deck to see who had spoken to her, although she recognized the soft male voice. How is my Portuguese?
"Estou aprendendo rapido." Piper responded quickly. "The language is straightforward, but I'm afraid my accent still sucks."
"I can't argue with you there." Antonio sat down on the edge of the adjacent chair which allowed Piper to lower her hand. "Portuguese is not too difficult, it just takes practice. I don't think you will ever sound like a native though."
Piper scowled slightly, then shrugged. "Why is it that Alex sounds perfect? And sexy I might add."
Antonio chuckled. "She has a gift for fitting in with people and situations, and that includes using their language. It is one of the reasons she is so successful at our business, she makes people feel comfortable. It is one of the things I have tried to emulate and that I will miss about her."
Piper swung her legs around to sit facing the younger man. "She is doing this for me, I know."
"Alex needs to get out. Her heart couldn't take another ten years in this profession. She would get herself killed or it would kill her." Antonio reached out and gave Piper's knee a quick squeeze. "I'm glad she found you and sorry it has to end this way."
Piper realized it was the first time Alex's business partner had ever touched her. He was such a quiet reserved man that the gesture and words meant a lot to her. "Thank you. For standing by Alex all these years, and for the language lessons."
"Now say it in Portuguese." Antonio smirked.
Douala, Cameroon was one of Alex's favorite cities. Tropical climate in a city filled with French-style patisseries and bistros and a mixed international population. It was warm, friendly and an easy place to go unnoticed if that is what you wanted. It was also a major port for the exportation of heroin from Nigeria and points further east, which is why she had visited several times.
Alex wished she could show Piper the city and take her to a nice hotel for the night, but that wasn't possible at this critical juncture. Antonio walked next to her and one of their men trailed half a block behind the two. She was concerned about her business partner's demeanor; he was even more reticent than usual. They had talked about this meeting for weeks, but Alex still wasn't sure exactly how everything would play out and she hated that uncertainty.
By the time they had been searched for weapons and escorted to the meeting room far in the back of a warehouse, Antonio was glowering. Alex had never seen him with such a dark demeanor. He barely spoke through the obligatory greetings and drinks before the group, which consisted of cartel higher ups and local dealers, sat down to negotiate and work out shipment details. They had a large load of heroin to move to South America.
As soon as Alex began to speak about getting the drugs onto the yacht, Antonio slammed his hand down on the table, rattling glasses and cutlery, and causing several of the men to slide back their chairs in alarm.
"My apologies gentlemen. I mean you no disrespect." Antonio's emphasis on the words 'gentlemen' and 'you' did not go unnoticed by Alex as the only woman in the room.
Alex slowly stood up from her seat and turned to face her younger associate. "So you have a problem with me?"
Antonio stood, his nose inches from Alex's face. "I do. Your reckless behavior and excessive spending on parties and women everywhere we go is costing me money and putting every delivery at risk. I am tired of covering for you and cleaning up your messes."
Before she could respond, one of the senior cartel members intervened. "This is not the time or place for this discussion you two! We will deal with internal matters later. For now, sit down and finish what we need to plan."
Alex nodded and turned her chair to sit, but Antonio continued to stand and glare. "Alex can take care of this, and I will deal with the other matters later." He backed out of the room, never taking his eyes off of Alex.
The tension is the room failed to dissipate following his departure. The remainder of the planning was perfunctory and Alex was not surprised when the senior cartel member, a man she knew only as Carlo, asked to walk her back to the dock.
"I have known Antonio since he was a small boy and have never seen him so angry Alex. Does he have reason to be upset? Is what he said true?"
Alex slowed her pace and let her eyes drift away from the older man. "There may have been a couple of unfortunate incidents, but you know I have always been loyal and have done good work for you and the others."
Carlo grasped her shoulder and gave a squeeze. "I am sorry to hear that Alex. I know this is a difficult business for a woman. It makes you vulnerable, especially with your, . . . proclivities." When he released her he began walking more briskly. "We will have to look into this Alex, I hope you understand."
"Of course." Alex tried to sound confident, but was secretly shaken. This was a dangerous man in a deadly business, and he had all but threatened her. In fact he would face no retribution for putting a bullet in her head right here, right now. She needed to get back to the yacht and make sure Piper was safely out of sight a.s.a.p.
Alex didn't go into the city again. She allowed Antonio to handle the transfer, knowing it would also give him the opportunity to report to Carlo. The two days it took waiting to finalize the deal and get underway were agonizing. Even Piper was doing her best to give her space in the suddenly cramped confines. But Alex couldn't stop the tension she was feeling. She was placing not only her own life, but Piper's in someone else's hands. Facing that fact left her in a panic she hadn't felt since Litchfield.
Alex stood at the rail watching the coastline shrink and then disappear over the horizon. They were in international waters now and would be in transit for the next several days. She hadn't realized she was still gripping the metal that surrounded the deck so tightly still, until soft hands ran down her arms and entwined with her fingers and she surrendered her grip and allowed her body to be pulled back and embraced.
"Hey." Piper spoke quietly into Alex's ear. "It'll be ok now, right?"
"I hope so. It's still a big risk." Alex ran one hand through her hair. "So many things could still go wrong."
Piper could feel the rigidity in Alex's muscles and knew how stressed she must be. She reached down and grasped one hand and began to pull her towards their cabin. "One thing I learned in prison; plan, dream for tomorrow, but live for right now." By the time Piper got the door shut and locked, she also had Alex's shirt unbuttoned. "In this moment you need a reminder of how lucky we are, to be together, to be so in love, and to have the rest of our lives ahead of us." She gave Alex a playful shove towards the bed. "Now lie down so I can give you a massage, your back feels like a rock. Then if you're good, I'll let you make love to me to make up for being such a bitch for the last few days."
Alex let loose a deep, resonant laugh. How was it that Piper knew exactly what she needed? Oh yeah, love of her life. She fell to the bed already feeling more relaxed. "Yes ma'am. One amazing orgasm coming up."
Piper looked at her with one eyebrow arched. "Only one?"
Three weeks later they were docked at the fringe of the huge port of Santos, down river from Sao Paulo, Brazil. After off-loading cargo, their attention turned to bringing on board a passenger and his equipment. Antonio set him up in one of the guest cabins and arranged for payment to his bank account. As soon as the 'doctor' had received confirmation of funds, he requested the first of his two patients be brought to him. Alex insisted she go first.
"Just prints? You sure you don't want any facial work?"
"I can take care of any appearance altering. Just get to work." Alex sat down and placed her hand palm up into a small custom-made cushion on the table in front of her.
As he strapped down each finger and then her wrist the doctor explained the procedure. "This is going to hurt. I can use some topical lidocaine, but the changes need to be deeper in the dermis of the skin. Unfortunately that is also where the nerve endings are located. You ready?"
Alex nodded just as the door opened and Piper stepped through. "No arguing with me." She pulled a chair up alongside Alex and wrapped her arms around her as best she could. "I have been hiding for months because I couldn't be with you while you worked. This we can do together. I'll hold you and then you can hold me." Piper looked at the doctor. "Make it quick."
"This is it Alex." Antonio was seated behind the desk in the cabin they used as an office on the yacht. "Finally we come to the end." He stood up and moved around behind the chair in which his soon to be ex-partner was seated. He took a deep breath and grabbed a handful of thick, soft black hair at the back of her head, making sure his grip was strong at the roots.
"It has to be done this way; you knew the price for your actions." Antonio growled into her ear.
"Just fucking do it already." Alex growled back, and then screamed.
Settled by European pirates and slave traders, Buzios is a picturesque fishing village with a burgeoning tourist trade on the coast of Brazil. It also contains several high security luxury home enclaves for the rich and famous from Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo as well as international visitors. Several cater to individuals who prize privacy and the secrecy of their presence and identity at all costs.
For the neighborhood, the house at the end of a quiet street was modest in size at 4000 square feet. But the entire back, including the kitchen, living room and master bedroom, faced the beach and the deck that ran the length of the house provided amazing views of the sunrise over the ocean.
The unknown two women who suddenly took up residence after three years of the house being vacant were barely noticed by the others in the community. A few locals were hired to help with the grounds, pool and cleaning, but the women kept to themselves and didn't cause a fuss. That was just fine to the resident elite.
Alex found that when the sun set it provided an amazing rainbow of colors that glowed from the hills behind onto the ocean waves. She loved watching the changes, so variable from day to day, but always beautiful. She smiled as she heard the patio door slide open and Piper slid next to her, holding out a glass of wine for her to take.
Piper had been putting the finishing touches on a diner dish for the oven and found herself staring at Alex as Alex gazed out at the Atlantic. She shook her head in wonder for the thousandth time at how events had brought her to this moment. Alex had done well by the cartel over the years, but more importantly she had invested the money from Fahri's off-book accounts and purchased this amazing home years earlier, with only the hope that the two of them would ever be able to enjoy this together.
All of the accounts were under their new assumed names with matching documentation including birth certificates and passports which had been delivered a week ago. It had taken several days for their fingertips to heal before new prints could be taken and sent to the document forger. The cost had been astronomical, but worth every penny. They had complete identities and by all appearances had owned property and investments for years which would go a long way in shielding them from unwanted inquiry. The remaining money would provide for them easily for life, even after several large donations to charity. Alex was a master at spotting good investments, and after years living out of a concrete box and single cabinet in prison, neither had expensive needs.
Piper filled two glasses with a delightful Argentinian malbec and headed out to join her lover. She still cringed at the small bald spot on the back of Alex's head, but the doctor had assured them it would grow back in eventually.
It had been necessary. The linchpin of the entire plan required the cartel to believe without doubt that Alex was dead. The meeting in Cameroon, Antonio's anger, Alex's 'admission' of misbehavior were all just staging for the big finale. Antonio had sent the bosses a message that he had suspected Alex was skimming portions of drug shipments for her own accounts and he had caught her red-handed in Sao Paulo. He had taken 'appropriate' action when the yacht was back at sea. Enclosed was the lock of Alex's hair, a symbol of her trademark technique for dealing with traitors.
It appeared to have worked. Antonio had dumped two large bags overboard late one night after a loud argument with Alex. He needed everyone on board to believe both women had been killed. They were actually picked up quietly by a small boat several hours later that took them to Buzios.
Antonio had said his goodbyes earlier in the afternoon. He had explained to Alex that he needed to convince himself that their bodies were going over the side to sink into the dark waters in order to move on with his life and his new responsibilities in the cartel. They could never contact each other again.
Piper pushed into Alex's side and smiled as Alex wrapped an arm around her. "Dinner will be ready in a half hour."
Alex nodded and gave her one of those soft smiles that melted her to the core before looking back out at the ocean. "Will you ever have regrets? Choosing to live this life? We will always be at risk, and somewhat isolated, though in a few years I hope we can travel some without too much fear."
Piper set her wine glass down and forced Alex to turn and face her, holding her tightly around the waist. "Nosso amor é inevitável."
That got a smirk out of Alex. "You're getting good. So our love is inevitable?" She leaned down and pressed her lips against Piper's, just kissing with adoration, not trying to deepen.
When Piper pulled back, it was only enough to look into the eyes that had captivated her from the first glance in that dingy pub so many years ago. "In any place, in any language, I always choose you." She expected the typical Alex argument or denial, but instead was rewarded with a confident nod and a gaze so full of love her knees started to buckle.
But just like she always had and always would, Alex was there to catch her and hold her tight, and never let her go.
AN-I hope you enjoyed my journey of Alex and Piper. It won't be long until we see what OITNB season two has to offer for story ideas! Thanks for all of your words of encouragement and support. As fan fiction writers, it's all we get!