Escape of the clone. (closed for slut in white and myself)

[Niceandbrutal]

Alex was completely lost in the moment. He had never imagined anything remotely like the sensations coursing through him. He felt himself sliding in and out of her, felt the vaginal folds tickling him, felt himself grind against her, sometimes hitting the uterus. They moaned and sighed contentedly, the moans giving way to screams as the pace increased.

And then they came in unison. It was squirmy and slick and warm, and Alex felt like he emptied himself completely inside her as his hips shot forward again and again. His mind blanked for a few moments out of sheer pleasure. When he came to, he was still inside her. They were both gasping for air after a short and hectic but oh-so-sweet joining of groins.

Alex looked down at Abby. She was more beautiful than ever. Her face was flushed and slick with her sweat, hair streaking across her eyes as she moaned in the post-orgasmic aftershocks. He leaned down and kissed her, a wild kiss filled with love and desire. They all but devoured each other with the intensity of that kiss. Alex gently pulled out of her, gasping and giggling while still trying to kiss Abby. His penis was very tender post-orgasm, and the slightest touch sent jolts of raw, almost painful pleasure through him.

He lay down beside Abby and pulled her to him, never breaking the intense kiss they shared. They grasped each other's heads, not being able to express what they felt except by kisses and touch. And so they snuggled and kissed and touched and moaned and giggled for the longest time as they gently came down from their orgasms.

After a while, their breath calmed and the kisses grew less frantic. They had started shivering, so they had pulled the duvet over them. Alex looked ay Abby. "I want more" he said, kissing her nose playfully. "Much more. But we're all sticky and sweaty." He got an idea that was immediately arousing to him. "Maybe we can take a shower together?"

 

[slut_in_white]

Abby took a long time to come down from her orgasm. Giggling and lazy-happy, she was perfectly content to lie in his arms as they regained their breaths amidst kisses and laughter. She couldn't remember being this happy before.

Her whole face lit up at his suggestion of a shower together and she nodded, grinning brightly. "Yes! Let's!" She slipped out of his arms and stood, holding her hands out to him. She let him toward the bathroom and went about turning the water on to a steaming, pleasantly hot temperature. Then she stepped, nude, into the shower, the water streaming down her body, and held her arms open for him.

"Alex," she murmured, motioning for him. "Come join me."

 

[Niceandbrutal]

He loved watching her walk around naked. Her pert bottom seemed to smile at him as she led him to the bathroom. He felt a new twitch of arousal in his penis then, a lazy horny smile spreading across his face. He watched her prepare the shower, watched her squeal as the initial cold water hit her and how it made her nipples stiffen. He was fascinated by how the water gently trickled down her body like a soft caress. He loved the way small amounts of water pooled between her collarbone and shoulder muscles until she straightened her arms and the water ran down her breasts like floods from small dams.

"Alex, come join me."

Alex snapped out of his admiring gazing and stepped into the shower with Abby. "Yes please," he murmured as he embraced her and held her for a little while, resting her head on his chest. His penis was already at half mast, nudging her between her legs. But Alex didn't have quite the same sense of urgency now. He grabbed the shampoo and administered a dollop on top of her head, making her jump in surprise when the cold soap hit her warmed skin.

Alex proceeded to wash her thoroughly. After a few corrections from her, he washed her gently, getting to know her gorgeous body even more intimately. He had to kneel to wash her feet and privates, bringing his mouth level with her privates. He wahed her groin area thoroughly, fascinated by the sight of his semen dribbling out of her.

Alex didn't know what impulse seized him then, but he leaned in and gave her labial lips a gentle kiss. And another. The sounds she made encouraged Alex to continue.

 

[slut_in_white]

Abby loved the adoring look on his face when he joined her in the shower, and became immediately aware that they were very likely to run out of hot water if they continued their slow, affectionate washing at this rate. Only, she really couldn't bring herself to mind.

She still gasped at the feeling of the cool soap on her head, and then looked up, eyes wide with surprise, as Alex started washing here. There was something almost vulnerable in its intimacy about having someone else wash your body like this. She blushed, feeling like she didn't quite deserve the almost worshipful way he massaged the sweet-smelling soap into her scalp and skin. And when he knelt in front of her to even wash her feet, her heart twisted in her chest and she nearly demanded that he stand up again because it was just too much.

Only then, on an apparent whim, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her labial lips, and she gasped. The warmth of his mouth and the slightest touch of his tongue against her extremely sensitive skin... it was powerfully arousing and she gasped, her hand shooting out to catch herself on the wall of the shower.

She almost asked him to do it again, but her mind reminded her in a rather timely fashion that the hot water wasn't going to last, and they would be in for an extremely unpleasant surprise if they did anything besides wash. So instead, she cupped her hand around his chin and lifted his face to hers, pressing a fiery kiss to his lips, and when she was finished, she poured a dollop of the soap onto his head with a smile. "I have something to show you when we're done here, but the hot water really doesn't last long enough for us to play in the shower," she informed him, the regret apparent in her tone.

She scrubbed his head, then slowly down his body - admittedly paying a little more attention to the length of his cock than she probably needed to - and soon both of them were wonderfully squeaky clean. And it was a good thing, too, because she could feel the water beginning to cool.

Turning off the water, Abby stepped out of the shower and tossed a towel to Alex, then rubbed off most of the water from her body in a hurry, anxious to continue the oral exploration Alex had started in the shower. She seized his hand the moment he was ready, and tugged him along into the bedroom after her. "I want to try something," she informed him, her eyes sparkling. Then, without another word, she pressed a kiss to the center of his chest, his stomach just above his belly button, then again just below, and then one just above the little patch of hair above his penis. Then she paused, looking up at him to make sure he wasn't uncomfortable. Apparently, she saw what she needed to, because a moment later, her tongue darted out to lick the head of his cock.

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Being washed by Abby was a sensation he wouldn't soon forget. Her small hands explored every inch of his body. It was an experience of deepest intimacy, and he loved it. She found a few ticklish spots and she playfully teased him as he squirmed and giggled under her loving hands. It did not escape him that she paid more than good attention to his length, and before long it was again proudly erect and throbbing patiently. The feel of her small hands and soap on his penis was a luxuriously arousing sensation, making him moan and gasp in appreciation.

Before long, the water started cooling down, a most unpleasant sensation. He'd wanted to towel her off, but she shook her head, indicating she was in some hurry. What she had to show him was probably the cause of her urgency, he thought. She had that eager and hectic look again as she led him to her bedroom.

"I want to try something."

And without further ado, she started kissing her way down from his chest to his belly to his pubic hairs and ... she stopped and looked up at him, an enigmatic and arousing look in her eyes. And then she licked the tip of his cock, and Alex's knees buckled and he hissed as he drew in a sharp intake of air. He understood now her reaction when he kissed her privates in the shower. There was an intimacy to this act that was both touching in the trust she showed him and deeply arousing. The thought of doing something similar to her sent a new surge of lust through him. She continued licking and stroking him, giving him that enticing look still. And then she engulfed him with her mouth. And he gasped with pleasure.

As she continued lavishing oral attention on him he sat down on the edge of her bed. It was almost too much for him to be the passive recipient of such delights. He stretched out on the bed, relishing the sensation. But he felt guilty. It was egotistical of him to just receive. And if she kept this up for much longer he might orgasm again.

"Abby, please stop. I want to make love to you again. And I want to try to kiss your vagina first." He gently grasped her head and pulled her off of his length, his penis leaving his mouth with an audible *pop*. Giggling at the sound, he pulled her face up towards him as he leaned down to meet her. He gave her a short but fiery kiss before he gently but firmly placed her on her back and placed himself between her legs. He stretched towards her face, his cock now poking her labial lips. Then he mimicked what she'd done to him.

He kissed her breasts and nipples before kissing and licking his way down her midriff and belly. He loved the way she responded as he teased her with kisses and licks on the top edge of her pubic hairs. And then he was at her vaginal lips. The scent from her was clean and wildly arousing, and he gave her a tentative lick. And another. And another. And then he was all over her mound with his lips and his tongue, eagerly lapping and sucking under her direction.

 

[slut_in_white]

Abby nearly lost herself in the pleasure of giving pleasure. He tasted musky, and the drops of precum leaking from his tip really only served to encourage her further. She wanted to taste his seed....

Only then, Alex's strangled request that she stop made her pause, and he told her he wanted to make love to her again. And as much as she wanted to bring him to completion with her mouth, how could she deny such an arousing and affectionate request? She let him pull her head up off his cock, and followed his direction as he encouraged her to lie down on the bed so he could follow a reflection of the path of kisses she'd taken down his body.

It seemed that, for a man with such little sexual experience, he was a natural talent, and his enthusiasm and desire for her more than made up the difference. It wasn't long at all before Alex's mouth had her panting and crying out with pleasure. She'd entirely forgotten that he wanted to make love after, and soon, she was racing towards the edge, and came for him with a strangled cry while her juices gushed out over his face.

As she came down again, she reached down and tugged gently on his hair, trying to draw him up towards her so she could kiss him. But when she saw his face, she saw something... some kind of distress? Disappointment, maybe? And she remembered, suddenly, that he still wanted to make love to her. And naturally, he would think that, since he had to wait before he was capable of intercourse after cumming, she would, too.

She offered him a dopey smile and caress his face. "It's alright, Alex. Women can orgasm more than once in quick succession. We don't really have a refractory period. We can still make love now, there's no need to wait."

 

[Niceandbrutal]

She tasted GOOD! Her juices were salty and had a delightful smell and he loved the slick, viscous texture that made his tongue slide even easier around her mound and into her vagina. He figured out that variety was the key to arousal as far as giving her oral pleasures was concerned. And so he licked, sucked, and stroked and probed with his fingers until she was gyrating against him, moaning with lust.

Her movements grew more hectic and she lifted her behind from the mattress as she egged him on with a strangled voice. And then she came. Loudly. Alex watched her. The sight was arousing. Her body bucked and heaved under him, and Alex felt his length throb in longing for her. And then it hit him: if she was anything like him she couldn't make love for a while now.

He was a bit upset that she hadn't stopped him. And when she pulled him up for a kiss he couldn't hide his disappointment. Her face, so blissful after climaxing, frowned when she saw him. And then she explained, and Alex couldn't stop grinning as he told her how lucky he thought she was. She just smiled back, a horny seductive smile. And she advanced on him, kissing him as she gently pushed him on his back.

She straddled him and leaned forward, kissing him and stroking his skin as she slid back and forth on his stomach, leaving traces of wetness on the trail of hairs between navel and pubic hairs. And then she stopped and just looked deeply into his eyes as she raised her buttocks and slowly, deliciously, torturously slow, sank down on his pole. Alex moaned and rose up to meet her as her warmth slowly engulfed him.

He probably looked kind of funny if her giggles were anything to go by. But he hadn't entertained the notion of other positions to make love in and as she started moving on top of him his fevered imagination wondered if there were any other ways they could make love. "I like this," he said between kisses and moans. "Are there other ways we can make love?"

They had found a rhythm again, their bodies slapping loudly and the bed creaking as they fell into a good and steady pace.

 

[slut_in_white]

Abby found herself smiling at Alex's pronouncement that he liked this. She did too, and she particularly liked the fact that he'd hadn't yet been influenced by society enough to feel shamed into hiding his preferences. Too often, people felt either that they didn't deserve to have their desires met, or they engaged in confusing guessing games because they weren't allowed to be assertive enough to simply say what they wanted... Alex didn't do anything of that, and his honesty was unexpectedly refreshing.

Abby rested her hands against his chest as she began to bounce faster, tilting her head back with pleasure. He asked if there were other positions, and she opened her eyes, looking down at him with an impish grin. "Oh yes, lots. We'll have all kinds of experimenting to do..." she informed him, the promise apparent in her voice.

 

[Niceandbrutal]

"Oh yes, lots. We'll have all kinds of experimenting to do..."

Her tone of voice made it obvious to him that she was looking forward to it as much as he did. She was getting into it now, placing her hands on his chest for leverage as she bounced up and down on his penis. He met her with upwards thrusts, and she was clearly enjoying being on top. She varied between moving up and down and grinding back and forth. He wasn't really sure, but he thought she had a few smaller orgasms on top of him. Her breasts bounced perkily, and he reached for them and played with them while she set the pace.

After a while, however, she started to look really flustered and winded. By now their hands were intertwined, and she used his hands as support when she bounced up and down. Alex had an idea. He stretched his arms out, bringing her forward. He leaned up and kissed her, then he whispered: "I like this position, but I don't think we're going fast enough for me to climax. Do you know any positions that will help me?"

She smiled and eased his length out of herself. Then she got on all fours and told him to get behind her. When he did he was initially confused. She didn't want him up her anus, did she? But then her small hand reached between her legs and grasped his penis before guiding him to her vagina.

He sank most of his length inside her in one thrust, making him groan in delight. He started moving in and out of her, increasing his pace slowly but surely. He was aware how much larger than her he was and he was afraid he'd hurt her if he used too much force. But to his delight, she egged him on with moans and words until his pace was like a jackhammer.

To see her in this position was an unexpected treat. Her behind smiled up at him between his hands, which he used to hold her steady as he pounded into her. She lay down, her bottom the only thing jutting up to meet him, and her face was a mask of raw lust as she tossed her head back and forth on the mattress. Her back arched as she moved against him, and pearls of sweat formed and dripped off of them both.

Alex felt himself approaching a powerful orgasm, and he lifted her face up to his so he could kiss her as his thrusts reached a crescendo. And then he howled as he again emptied himself inside of her, fireworks going off inside his head as he blacked out from sheer enjoyment. He slowly collapsed over her, bracing himself with his arms so he didn't squash her into the mattress. He rolled to the side, pulling out of her in the process.

Gasping for air still, he told her: "I think ... that's my favourite position ... so far!" And then he gently clasped her head as he moved close to her and started tenderly kissing her.

 

[slut_in_white]

When Alex slid into her from behind, Abby hadn't meant to drop down onto the bed like she did, but the pleasure of it was so great that her arms gave out and she collapsed. And, once down there, she found that his cock pressed into her at just such an angle that it made her see stars.

She was crying out with unimaginable pleasure with every breath she took and soon, she felt his penis twitching and growing in those last moments before his orgasm, and the feel of it drove her over the precipice alongside him. She bucked back against him, burying her face into the pillow to muffle the noises she was making, her body milking him for every drop as he spilled inside her.

She couldn't quite tell which way was up for a moment after they were finished, and i wasn't until Alex pulled her into his arms and started kissing her that she managed to right herself again. She giggled. "Mmm yes, me too!"

They simply held each other for a while as they recovered, enjoying their after glows. And afterwards, they each got dressed and returned to their usual schedule of cooking, reading, surfing the internet, watching movies and making out, but now with he rather large difference of having most of their make-out sessions end in sex. By the time the week was out, they'd managed to make love on just about every surface in the Cottage, and they showed no signs of slowing any time soon. Alex was becoming a shockingly adept lover, for someone with so little experience, and he was learning to play her body in a way she'd never experienced before. She too was learning the specifics of his body, and it was almost becoming a contest to see who could arouse the other first, and then who could make the other cum the hardest.

 

[Niceandbrutal]

The weeks gradually turned into months, and to Alex's everlasting delight, winter turned into spring. He'd seen enough nature films on the internet of course, and he was deeply fascinated by them. But to see the changes up close, to feel the air gradually turn warmer as the snow receded seemed almost magical to him. He went on strolls through the forest and told Abby about his new discoveries each day. One day the ice had gone from a nearby brook, another day he'd found new shoots on trees. He told about large bird migrations and squirrels and snowhares and all the other things he'd discovered. To him, Siberia in spring was paradise.

But he liked it best when Abby came along and walked with him. She was so knowledgeable! She patiently and sometimes mirthfully corrected his mistakes and miscomprehensions as they walked and talked in a wilderness slowly coming to life as the days grew longer.

Back in the cabin Alex did as much as he could to help Abby, be it household chores or helping her with basic tasks connected with her work. He spent time on the internet, studying as much as he could about the world. The more he learned, the more intrigued and curious he became. They spent many evenings discussing concepts like war and peace, politics, laws, entertainment, work ... EVERYTHING! Sometimes the discussions could go on well into the night, other times he threw his arms up in frustration because he just didn't understand what she was trying to tell him. But they never had any serious arguments, although the discussions became heated from time to time.

And then there were the films. Alex found that he loved cartoons and animated films. He loved several other genres as well, but animation fascinated him. Drawings that came to life! It never ceased to amaze him.

As spring advanced their libidos grew, and sex became more frequent and delicious. They woke each other up with caresses or oral sex, they made love outside several times as the weather grew warmer, the breeze caressing their semi-clad bodies a sensual treat, and they explored every position they could google. They were insatiable. Alex would remember these months as the best time of his life.

One evening, Abby sat down next to Alex and told him she was about to go home. They had discussed this at some length. She had contacts (a concept whose full meaning was still lost on him) that could help her get him into the United States. It was the same contact that had upped the ration quota so they wouldn't starve. Bur she seemed serious and nervous now, and Alex grew apprehensive. He loved it here and he wished he could stay forever. At the same time, he was curious about the world.

"I love this place, Abby. It's where you helped me become me and not "it" and "this one". You have showed me so much and you have helped me with everything and I- I love you. I can't imagine being with anyone else. I hate to leave but I'm anxious to see the world at the same time. With you."

 

[slut_in_white]

Abby's contact, as it turned out, was her supervisor at NASA. She'd been terrified to tell him about Alex, but she'd had to, largely because they were running out of food.

His name was Will, and he'd been the one she turned to first because not only was he someone she generally liked and trusted, but because she'd also managed to urge him into a conversation about human rights one night over email, and it left her feeling like he would find Alex's treatment at the Compound as abhorrent as she did.

Still, she was almost sick with nerves when she told him, and nearly cried when he responded that of course he'd help - which had prompted Alex to pull her into his arms, wanting to know what was wrong. It had been an amusingly difficult concept to explain that she could cry from relief and happiness rather than just sadness.

She'd been busy the past few weeks, needing to do as much work to get everything ready for Alex to come into the United States as she had actual work for NASA. She bought him a fake identity from a vendor of such illegal goods on the web. She had Will send them a few boxes of hair dye in their last supply drop, and she had Alex start growing his hair out, long and shaggy, with a beard - Brent Matthews was always relatively clean-shaven and his hair cropped short, so she hoped that it might help for Alex to look as different as possible, if they were going to pull off hiding him. Between the long hair, the fact that Alex didn't go tanning regularly and the hair dye, Abby was hoping people could avoid recognizing him.

When she finally sat down to tell him what was coming, she'd realized only after she heard his response how nervous she'd been. Instead, he seemed to look positively on both their time here and their future together out there.

I can't imagine being with anyone else.

But there it was again. Abby tried to quash the sense that he only felt that way because he'd never met another woman before - he'd seen enough movies, read enough books and surfed enough of the internet to know what he was missing, more or less. But she had to admit, it felt very odd for her to think that he'd willingly pick her over every other woman in the world. Because, without a doubt, he could have whichever woman he wanted.

She gave her head a shake, instead willing herself to focus on the phrase just before that: I- I love you.

She smiled, held his face between her hands and kissed him softly. "I love you, too, Alex. Come on, we should finish packing."

It wasn't much longer before they had to leave. A helicopter came to pick them up, which had resulted in Alex panicking (and Abby feeling terrible that she hadn't thought of that and warned him beforehand). Eventually, though, she'd calmed him enough that they could go out to meet the pilot, who took them back towards the nearest town. It was going to be a very, very long trip - a small plane from the town to Moscow, then a flight from Moscow to Los Angeles where they connected to another flight back to Cleveland, where the Glenn Research Center was located. Will had sent them the basic stuff that Alex would need in order to fly back to the US, and he'd be waiting in Cleveland with the rest.

Abby was most worried about Los Angeles. If anyone was going to recognize him, it would be there. She hoped the beard and long hair would be enough. Maybe she'd buy him some sunglasses when they arrived or something... Strapped into the helicopter, she squeezed his hand involuntarily as she considered what else she might be able to do to keep him safe. The fact was, she was terrified of losing him, and if someone recognized him, there was no way the people at Constitution Biotech wouldn't figure out who and what he really was.

 

[Niceandbrutal]

"I love you, too, Alex. Come on, we should finish packing."

Leaving the cottage made him sad and tearful. It was the first real home he'd stayed in. But Abby's time here was up and he neither couldn't nor didn't want to be left behind with some stranger. Still, it was very scary.

Scarier still was the actual departure. It was bad enough that he panicked and hid when he saw the helicopter, thinking the guards had returned. Sitting inside that noisy vibrating machine and suddenly seeing the ground disappear beneath him as his head felt light was so bad that he shut his eyes in terror. He was only convinced to open them when Abby shouted to him that he should look outside and see the scenery. He reluctantly did so and was immediately awestruck. Flying lower than the plane he'd been on, the richness of the siberian taiga spread out before him.

Gone was the fear, and only a childlike joy and awe remained. He spent the rest of the flight eagerly pointing out things to a patient Abby. The flight lasted for half an hour, and by the time they landed, Alex wondered why he'd been so afraid. He knew the answer, of course. But he'd found himself asking that question many times when he'd been afraid of something. It was a coping mechanism.

The local airport was a disappointment. It consisted of a small tower on top of a barracks-like ramshackle building, staffed by surly locals that barely glanced at their tickets and much less the passengers as they were waved through. Abby and Alex were of course seated next to each other, and Alex was given the seat by the window. As the massive old russian turboprop plane lifted off the ground, there were two smiling faces on board: Alex, watching the ground disappear rapidly beneath them, and Abby looking at Alex's childish smile.

As they reached cruising altitude, clouds appeared. And so he leaned back in his seat and started practising his name. Alex Johnson. My name is Alex Johnson. They had practised for the last couple of weeks. Since he hadn't had a proper name before, it was easy enough for him not to be fooled by other names. I am Alex Johnson, he thought with pride as he drifted off to sleep, holding Abby's hand. She was his everything, his lifeline.

He slept until his ears popped and woke him up. They vwere landing, and Alex saw the cityscape of nighttime Moscow below the plane. It was as if someone had taken the siberian sky and turned it upside down. He gasped with reverent awe! "Abby, look! Look at all the lights! It's so beautiful!"

 

[slut_in_white]

Abby was actually pleased at how calm Alex was - in general - during their flights. He was afraid, at first, when the helicopter first took off, but that was certainly to be expected. She was just glad that he managed to recover and enjoy himself after those first few tense minutes.

Once he opened his eyes and looked outside, the fear was gone, replaced with wonder, and Abby couldn't stop smiling at just how happy he seemed. She was reminded, again, of how wonderful it was to see the world through fresh eyes like this. His joy was a reminder that there really was wonder in even the little things.

They stayed hand-in-hand for almost the entire time, only separating when they had to because of security checks or the handful of other times it was simply unrealistic to hold on to each other. But she was happy... until they reached Moscow.

While Alex was busy staring out the window at the beautiful lights below, Abby felt like she was going to be sick. Not from the motion, but rather from the growing nerves and fear about walking into a large, public place with Alex. His hair had gone from brown to black, and he was bearing a well-trimmed beard (which, to be honest, Abby quite liked), and he was dressed differently from his doppleganger, but that didn't stop her from being afraid that someone would recognize him anyway. She couldn't even bring herself to form words, instead just smiling whenever Alex looked over, though she knew the expression looked tense and didn't reach her eyes.

When they disembarked, Abby's hand got almost painfully tight when they entered the terminal and she kept sticking to corners and empty hallways and other out of the way places without even meaning to. They had some time before their next flight, and she was contemplating buying him a hat when a young woman - maybe a year or two younger than Abby - approached them.

Abby panicked. She almost set off at a run, but she didn't know where to go, and there was a tiny thread of rationality left inside her brain that reminded her that running would only draw more attention. But when the woman reached them, smiling, she ended up asking Abby - in broken English - where she bought her purse. Abby blinked, uncomprehending for a moment, since she'd been so certain that the woman was approaching for an autograph, and then laughed.

"Oh. Oh! Ha, um, I got it from a website, actually, I can write it down for you if you want?" She tore a slip of paper off the notebook in her purse and scribbled down the name of the site. The girl thanked her and went on her merry way, offering Alex a smile as she went.

Once she was gone, Abby looked sheepishly up at Alex, biting her lip. "I'm sorry, I'm being paranoid, aren't I?"

 

[Niceandbrutal]

"I'm sorry, I'm being paranoid, aren't I?"

Alex shook his head 'no'. He'd feared a confrontation as well. But the girl had been on her merry way without a second glance at Alex. The disguise was working! He sighed with relief, smiled, and gave Abby's hand a reassuring squeeze. There were some glances directed their way, but that was as much men admiring Abby's elfin form as it was women checking him out.

The passport check for entering the area for international flights was a brief but nervous affair. The militiaman gave him a hard searching look before he abruptly waved him through. The second big hurdle was passed. They had some time to kill before their flight back to the States, and Alex could hardly contain himself. There was so much to see here, so many people, so much to taste and do! And most people around him were totally blasé about it. It seemed almost inconceivable. There were shops and eateries and newsagents and small displays of art. And music everywhere, it seemed.

Abby had to poke him in his ribs a few times because he couldn't contain his awe at all the impressions assaulting his senses. In the end, they swept through all the stores, sampled all the samples, listened, and watched. It took them the most of two hours. In the end, they sat down at one of the cafés where Abby treated Alex to chocolate cake. His first mouthful made him almost extatic. His whole face lit up as he took another bite, and another. And another. He managed to control himself long enough to insist that she tried a bite as well.

Soon enough their flight was announced, and after standing in line and waving (to Alex) meaningless bits of paper they were safely and snugly seated side by side in economy class of the intercontinental flight to Los Angeles. The stewardess came on the PA system to alert the passengers to be ready for the safety announcement. The stewardesses lined up with all the paraphernalia for the demonstration, and a pre-recorded message started going through the minutiae of what to do in case of a mishap.

Alex froze, then paled. Cold sweat broke out all over his body and his stomach lurched. ... and make sure your own oxygen mask is securely fastened before helping children or disabled persons with their masks ...

He started fidgeting with his seatbelt. He had to get out!

THAT WAS MOTHER'S VOICE ON THE PA SYSTEM!

 

[slut_in_white]

Once they started moving through the crowds and no one reacted to their presence, Abby started relaxing properly. They were fine. The longer they wandered, the more people who walked blindly past Alex, the more relaxed she got. And by the time they made it to chocolate cake, she was grinning again, her hands fidgeting still, but this time in excitement as she thought of all the amazing things she was going to get to show him!

Once they were on the plane, though, it became clear that this time, there was something wrong with Alex. Abby wasn't even pay attention to the safety presentation - she'd already seen it a dozen times - so it didn't even occur to her that something about it might have disturbed Alex. All she saw was him stiffen suddenly, panic crossing his features, and then he started trying to undo the seatbelt. Eyes wide with worry, Abby reached over to seize his hands, then pulled them up to kiss each of them quickly, trying to calm him. "Alex, relax. Everything is fine. You're safe. What's wrong?"

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Alex barely registered that his hands were removed from the seatbelt buckle. But Abby's voice, that calm and light and lovefilled voice of hers got through to him and took the edge of the panic.

"Alex, relax. Everything is fine. You're safe. What's wrong?"

"That voice. It's mother! IT'S MOTHER!"

He raised his trembling voice, making passengers in nearby seats turn around and look at him. All his instincts screamed to him to either get up and leave or seek out Mother and ask for her forgiveness. She was on this plane! Did she know he was here!? Had she tracked him down like one of the clever predators he'd seen in the wildlife programs?

Trembling still and crying pathetically, he turned towards Abby; "How did she find me!? Us!" It was so unfair! He was on the verge of discovering the whole wide world only to be stopped when he'd almost made it! He should spare Abby and-

Is everything okay, Sir?

One of the stewardesses, a young woman with much makeup and more perfume stood in the aisle by their seats, looking back and forth on him and Abby.

That was it. One of Mother's agents had found him. He was sure of it. He reached for his belt buckle again, preparing to go with the severe-looking young blonde in the airline uniform.

Sir, you need to keep your seatbelt on, she said with practiced patience. We're about to take off.

Alex slumped back in his seat, defeated and weeping like a small child who'd just found out that Santa Claus was a lie.

"It's not fair," he whispered as the stewardess talked with Abby.

 

[slut_in_white]

Abby found herself growing more and more distressed as Alex did, not only because she hated to see him in pain, but because his reaction was drawing attention, and she didn't want people looking that closely at him - not when they had hours to stare and decide that he looked too much like Brent Matthews for it to be a coincidence.

When Alex explained what was wrong, she was actually relieved. That was easily explained. He'd be fine once she told him... and then a stewardess showed up. It was nice of her to check up on him, but Abby needed her to go away before she could explain to Alex that everything would be fine!

The stewardess looked taken aback when Alex began to weep, and looked at Abby, her eyes wide with alarm.

Abby smiled apologetically at her, her mind wheeling as she searched for a viable lie. "It's okay," she whispered. "He's just stressed out. He suffers from PTSD." That probably wasn't even a lie, when she thought about it. "He'll be alright in a bit. I just need some time to talk to him."

The stewardess looked at Alex again with sympathy in her eyes and nodded. "Okay, well, if you need anything, just let me know, okay?"

"Thank you," Abby answered, actually feeling genuinely touched by the stewardess' concern.

Once she was gone, Abby leaned towards Alex to press a soft kiss to his check, then brought her hands to his face to wipe away his tears. "It's alright, Alex, she hasn't found us. We're safe here. The voice you heard isn't hers. Most announcements like that are made by women with very similar styles of speaking. The woman from the Compound was probably hired for her voice, for that reason. It's very unlikely that it was the same woman. And even if it was, she isn't on the plane with us, anyway. Those announcements are mostly pre-recorded." She pressed her hand to his cheek and turned his head so he could look at her. "We're safe. It's alright."

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Littile by little, she got through to him. And little by little, he calmed down. He felt a little bit silly, but this was one of many adjustments he had to make when entering into the world. But Abby was there. He hoped she would always be there. He pulled her close to him. He needed the comfort of her touch. He leaned his head on top of hers, pushing her head to his shoulders while simultaneously clasping her hands. He turned and kissed the top of her head and whispered: "Thank you."

---------------------------------------------------------

The teen girl in the seat in front of them had turned at the sound of the grownup man crying. She thought it embarassing for him that he was so afraid of flying that he wept. She prepared to give him her most condescending and scornful look when she stopped and turned around. It couldn't be! She reversed the camera on her phone and pretended to take a selfie while the stewardess spoke to the weeping man and the woman accompanying him. She filmed the conversation, but audio was bad because of the noise from the plane's engines. She plugged in her earphones and turned volume to the max. She was certain. That was Brent Matthews or she was no Brenthead!
The audio was bad, but she picked up the words 'traumatic stress' and 'compound'. She waited until they were airborne before she used the plane's wifi to post the video on the "Brentheads" groups on Youtube, Instagram, and Facebook. She'd supplied all pertinent data as to the where, when, and how. It spread like wildfire.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Abby's supervisor Will was making his rounds at the Glenn Research Centre in Cleveland. He'd gotten a few interns from college to work here during summer break, and he made a habit of getting to know them with casual chatter and work-related topics both. He happened on one of the girls taking a break at her desk. She was staring at the computer screen with her headset on, and he smiled indulgently. She was a hard worker and a bright kid, if a bit ditzy. He squinted at her screen. If she wanted to spend her breaks watching Youtube movies, that was fine by- Will's coffe mug tumbled out of his hands as he saw a familiar face on the screen. That was Abby! The title of the film was "Why is Brent crying ".

Oh dear God, no! Not when they were this close! He rushed to his office and mustered up the video. That WAS Abby. And there was Alex. His secret was blown. He rushed off an e-mail to Abby, hoping she'd switched her phone over to the plane's wifi.

------------------------------------------------

Somewhere over the North Pole, Alex slept.

 

[slut_in_white]

With Alex calmed, Abby realized just how exhausted she was, and happily fell asleep next to him shortly after the plane took off. She had no idea what the girl in front of her had done. No idea that they had been blown.

She only woke because her phone was buzzing so insistently that she ended up having a dream about it. It was a good thing she'd left it in her pocket instead of stashing it in her purse. Blinking blearily awake, she pulled it out and saw, to her dismay, 8 emails - 6 of them marked urgent - all from Will. What the hell?

Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach when she opened the first one. No. No, they were so close! How had this happened?!

Gripping the armrests tight, she forced herself to take several deep breaths. She felt like she was going to be sick. But she had to do something. Her mind racing, she let Alex sleep for a little while longer, and then came up with a plan. His identity was out in the open - there was no question that they weren't going to be able to keep his presence a secret. But Constitution Biotech knew where they were, which made it incredibly dangerous for them to just wander into LAX. They'd get snatched. Or they'd be killed in a "random" shooting once they got outside. Or... shit, she'd never considered herself to be a conspiracy theorist, but suddenly, she was finding it terrifyingly possible that they might plan some kind of "terrorist attack" on LAX to take both of them out before their secret was revealed.

No, they would need to get off the plane and leave under the cover of secrecy. And she knew the best way to do that. She undid her seatbelt and got to her feet, being careful to climb over Alex without waking him, then went to find the lovely sweet flight attendant who had been so concerned earlier. She would help - Abby was sure of it.

She spotted the woman standing near the back of the plane, preparing some drinks for various passengers. She smiled when Abby approached, but seemed to recognize that she was the pretty girl with the traumatized man, and concern flashed over her features. "Oh, is everything alright with your... um, boyfriend? Husband?"

Abby nodded. "Oh, yes, he's fine. For now. It's just... Listen, I was hoping maybe we wouldn't get recognized, but the man I'm traveling with is Brent Matthews."

The attendant looked taken aback. She looked like she didn't quite believe it.

Abby pulled out her phone and drew up one of the few pictures she had of herself and Alex together. It was a picture of him, standing shirtless in front of the stove, cooking eggs. She'd taken it because she'd been utterly taken in by the pure pleasure on his face because it was the first time he'd cooked anything on his own. She'd come out of the bedroom to find him making breakfast, and he was so pleased that he could do something for her... Of course, to anyone else, it just looked like a picture of her lover at the stove, grinning for the camera. But, more to the point, it was taken before Alex had started growing out his beard. He had some stubble in the photo, but that was it. "See? You recognize him now?"

The stewardess blushed and nodded. "I had no idea..."

Abby looked grave. "Listen, we were hoping we might be able to travel back to the US without being recognized, but it seems like someone on the plane recognized him, because there's a video of our conversation about his PTSD circulating on the internet already."

The attended looked horrified. "Oh! Oh no, I'm so sorry!"

"No no!" Abby cut her off, smiling. "I'm not looking for an apology. You were just doing your job! It's okay! And really, he appreciated your concern. The thing is, the video contains information about when and where we're landing, and fans and paparazzi are going to be all over us the moment we step out into the terminal, and after everything that's happened, he's just not going to be able to handle it. So, I was wondering if there's a way we might be able to get off the plane without going through the terminal? We have another flight to Cleveland after this, but it seems like the person who took the video doesn't know that. If we could get to the plane without going through the terminal..."

The attendant pursed her lips. "I think we should be able to do that. I'll check with the pilot, and we'll see about having some security people who can escort you across the tarmac to your other flight, okay?"

Abby grinned. "Thank you!" And, with that, she returned to her seat. She was still nervous and terrified, but now, at least, they had a plan. She sent a note to Will to let him know what was happening, and then, she woke Alex.

Leaning toward him so she could whisper into his ear as he came awake, she hugged him. "Alex, we've run into a little bump in our plan. I need you to stay calm, because we have a plan, but it might mean things get a little weird for a while, okay? Someone on the plane recognized you as Brent Matthews, and now there's a video of us up on the internet. I've told the nice flight attendant that you are Brent Matthews, and that we want to avoid the crowds in the terminal of people who want to come see you, so she's going to have someone take us directly to our next flight instead of us having to go through the terminal. We should be just fine, but people will probably be calling you Brent or Mr Matthews for a little while, okay?"

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Alex awoke as Abby shook him. He smiled and greeted her with a dreamy "Hey Abby," but he faltered as he saw her face. As she filled him in, his face sank. He steeled himself and looked her straight in the eye. "I can do this if you can, Abby," he whispered back. "Can I see the video?" Abby was reluctant, but Alex insisted. It was embarassing to see himself crying. But he'd been genuinely afraid. He thought he would be brought out of the plane and back to the Compound.

He studied the angle of the film to figure out who had sabotaged his and Abby's happiness. When he'd figured it out, he had to resist the urge to start yelling and dressing down the selfish idiot that thought it was okay to spoil other people's happiness. From what he could tell, it was a teenaged girl who was a big fan of Brent Matthews. He poked his hand through the seats and prodded the girl. She stirred, then gasped when she saw who had woken her. Alex leaned forward and gently whispered: "Thanks for ruining everything, you little brat. I'll remember you." She teared up and looked away, clearly frightened. It wasn't the best or smartest course of action, but Alex was angry.

The rest of the flight went as fine as could be expected. He and Abby were quietly upgraded to first class, free of charge. When they moved forward in the plane, he cast a look at the girl. She looked upset still, with tears streaking her face. Alex felt bad then, but he felt there was little he could do about it now.
They tried to get some rest, but he couldn't sleep. So he simply sat and held Abby with closed eyes, his mind going a mile a minute. The kind stewardess that at first had frightened him looked in on them regularly, asking if there was anything they needed. With grateful smiles they assured her that they only needed rest.

Over the months, Alex had come to realize just how fortunate his meeting Abby was. The odds of him being free if he ventured into one of the small russian communities was small. And Abby was only stationed at the cottage for a limited time. Not only had she saved his life that night, she hadn't tried to take advantage of the situation in any way either. He remembered trying to put these feelings into words one evening. He'd started to grasp some rudimentary knowledge of human nature and behaviour. For people to act as unselfish as she did was rare. Add to that that she was clever, resourceful, and beautiful, and the odds of him finding someone like her the way he did became absurdly low.

He'd looked up from the internet then and looked at her. She was sitting at the dining table, concentrating on some work related forms. She was dressed in jeans and a black loose-fitting knitted wool sweater. A low afternoon sun was highlighting a little bit of the black wool along with a strand of her hair. Her brow was furrowed as she cross-checked some numbers from earlier forms. Alex sat watching her quietly, love filling him completely as he watched her work. There was a strand of hair that kept sliding down in front of her left eye which she absentmindedly kept pushing away. Alex rose and went to the bathroom. He returned with a bobby pin. He poured her a fresh cup of coffee and made a small plate of biscuits for her. He placed the treats and the pin in front of her, and she looked up. Her voice was filled with warmth as she said simply: "Thank you Alex, that's very sweet." And words had failed him completely. He'd wanted to say something poetically romantic at her, but he ended up blurting out: "Abby, you are one in seven billion!" At first she looked confused, then she giggled a little before she caught the conviction in his eyes. Comprehension filled her then and she got up from the chair and simply hugged him. She'd understood what he was trying to say.

He repeated the phrase to her now, unsure if she was asleep or not. That memory and other memories from their time in the cabin brought him both strength and hope. They would get through this, one way or another.

The passengers slowly woke up to a late evening sun setting in the Pacific, and the captain soon enough announced final approach to LAX, bringing a certain amount of déja vu to Alex. The landing was uneventful enough, and they arrived at the gate with no fuss. At debarkation, the kind stewardess and two of her colleagues cordoned off Alex's and Abby's seats with their bodies. There was some ogling and rubbernecking and some even tried to take their picture, but people were rushed brusquely along by the kind but strict stewardesses and steward.

They had a few minutes inside the airplane alone with the crew. Alex didn't really know what to say to them, leaving Abby to field most of the questions. It was only when the co-pilot shyly and earnestly asked for his autograph for his Brenthead daughter that Alex turned to Abby and asked: "Should we tell them?" He didn't like lying to these kind people.

 

[slut_in_white]

Abby was uncomfortable with being distanced from the crowds. The special treatment was weird, but all it took was a quick glance at Alex to be reminded that it was worth it. She took his hand and squeezed it, as much to reassure herself as it was for him.

When the plane emptied, the co-pilot came up and asked "Brent" for his autograph, clearly making Alex uncomfortable. Abby winced when he asked if they should tell the truth. "I... I don't know. I don't like lying to them either, but they may refuse us special treatment if we admit that you're not really Brent," she whispered in response. "We can't risk it. I'm so sorry, Alex..." She pressed a kiss to his cheek, trying to reassure him and trying to suppress the guilt she was feeling.

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Alex sighed. How could he NOT tell them the truth. But then, that might endanger THEM. There was sound reasoning in their deception, he decided. So he grabbed the proffered pen and pad. "What's your daughter's name?" he asked, like he'd done it a million times before. "Alison," came the reply. And so Alex wrote a whole message to her:

"Hey Alison. Apologies for the dodgy handwriting, but my hand is recovering from a sprain. I'd normally say no to an autograph, but your dad is such a nice man that I couldn't say no. Best wishes from your friend, Brent Matthews."

And then he posed for shots with the entire crew, feeling like a dirty despicable liar as he did so. But they were overjoyed that he took the time to do so with them. When the last picture had been taken, airport security were waiting to drive him and Abby to the Cleveland flight. One of the security officers greeted Alex like he'd seen him before. A quick glance at his nametag was all Alex needed. "Hey Luis. What's new?" That set off a barrage of information that kept them occupied all the way to the Cleveland flight. They got to know all about Luis's family, his dreams for his children and his plans for retirement. From the way Luis talked, it seemed that Brent Matthews was an approachable guy in private. That was handy to know.

At the back oif his mind, Alex wondered at how easy it'd been for him to assume the role of Brent Matthews. Maybe it was simply a part that came naturally with the genes? For all he knew, the original Brent Matthews was just like him, easily assuming that role in public.

He didn't get a chance to talk much with Abby during the short drive between the planes, but his hand sought out hers for comfort and he gently squeezed her hand while he listened attentively at Luis's verbal barrage.

They said goodbye to Luis with hearty handshakes and well-wishes and climbed aboard the Cleveland plane. They'd been allowed to board before the other passengers, and they'd been seated furthest back in the fuselage. Alex willingly posed on photos with the crew before seating himself next to Abby.

As the other passengers boarded, Alex started relaxing. He turned to Abby after they'd switched on the engines and whispered to her: "I honestly don't know why it was so easy to play Brent Matthews."

 

[slut_in_white]

She was surprised by the ease with which Alex slipped into the role of Brent Matthews. He smiled and interacted with the various people who approached him, acting graciously and kindly to everyone, without losing the sense that this was something he was used to. It was incredible to watch.

And as they had Luis cart them across the tarmac to their next flight, Abby couldn't help but feel better about their deception. After all, they weren't doing any harm. They were saving themselves, and a bunch of people were having a better day because of it. Was it really a bad thing, when she thought about it in those terms?

Once Alex was seated - after taking another set of photos with this crew, again, graciously and kindly - she kissed him quickly, smiling. "I'm sorry about that, love. But if it helps, we won't have to keep the charade up for too much longer. I was hoping that maybe Constitution Biotech might have assumed you'd died in the snowstorm the night of your escape if they couldn't find you, but now that they know you're alive, they're going to come after us, and it's very dangerous. The best thing I can think of is to go very public, very loudly, as quickly as we possibly can. Reveal to the world what they're doing. Show everyone that the clones are real people, and they're being murdered when they're harvested. That's the only way I can think to keep you safe," she whispered, squeezing his hands again. She was nervous and she knew it would change her life, too, but it was the only way she could think to keep Alex safe. And it didn't matter how much she would have to give up - the most important thing for her now was to keep him safe.

 

[Niceandbrutal]

"I'm sorry about that, love. But if it helps, we won't have to keep the charade up for too much longer. I was hoping that maybe Constitution Biotech might have assumed you'd died in the snowstorm the night of your escape if they couldn't find you, but now that they know you're alive, they're going to come after us, and it's very dangerous. The best thing I can think of is to go very public, very loudly, as quickly as we possibly can. Reveal to the world what they're doing. Show everyone that the clones are real people, and they're being murdered when they're harvested. That's the only way I can think to keep you safe,"

She was right, of course. Deep down he knew that he'd be recognized sooner or later. But how to go about doing the revelation? They knew that Constitution Biotech were powerful. And by now, CB knew that he was alive and in the USA. They had dodged the bullet by allying themselves with the aircrews and lying about his identity. But interviews with the intercontinental flight crew would reveal his name and where he was headed. And this time CB might be prepared for the VIP treatment. They discussed this and more on their way to Cleveland, Ohio.

The flight took several hours, but when they landed it was still evening. For Abby and Alex it felt like early morning. They were severely jetlagged. Like in LA, they were held back on the plane while the other passengers debarked. Unlike LA, the security guys stopped and had a hurried and quiet discussion with the flight crew. One of the stewardesses looked over at Abby and Alex, a nervous look on her face.

The man from airport security came over and told them: "The airport is all but surrounded by Brentheads and TV crews. How do you want to play this, Mister Matthews? Bear in mind that we have little control over the crowds. It could turn ugly." Alex didn't like the sound of that, but he turned to Abby. "Do it now or wait?" he simply asked her.