Dan threw open the door. His dark hair was dripping wet, and there was a towel wrapped around his waist.
Belle took a moment, taking in his broad, bare chest before quickly averting her eyes. "Ugh, put a shirt on," she barked, barging her way past him and into the apartment.
What she saw inside did nothing to improve her mood. Fast food wrappers littered every surface and a thick haze of pot smoke hung in the air. Belle's heart sank. It was bad enough she was stuck with this guy, but did he have to be a stoner too?
"Sorry about the mess," he said, flicking an empty pizza box off the sofa, and inviting her to sit down, "Can I get you a drink?"
"We can drink when we get there. Get dressed," she snapped, "I don't want to be late."
Dan muttered something under his breath then disappeared into a bedroom to change.
Belle knew she was being a bitch, but she couldn't help it. Her blood had been up ever since her producer, Ron, had called her into his office to introduce the two of them. Belle had gone into the meeting thinking she was just going to meet a new colleague. The newest member of the "In Your Backyard" team. But within seconds of shaking Dan's hand, Ron dropped the bomb:
"I want you to take Dan with you this weekend," he said.
Belle bristled, "This is my story, Ron."
"And no one is trying to take it away from you, Belle. I'd just feel better if you walked into the lion's den with someone a little more experienced."
Belle raised an eyebrow. Experienced?
"Professionally, I mean. Dan's worked in some of the harshest, unpredictable places on Earth: deserts, warzones, jungles. If something should go wrong at this little shindig, I'm confident he can get you out in one piece."
Dan winked.
Belle laughed, "Ron, it's an orgy, not a military coup," she said, "I'll be fine."
But Ron was adamant, "You either take him with you, or I'm pulling the plug."
Not wanting to lose the story of a lifetime, Belle agreed to his terms. But she resented the hell out of them. She also resented Dan. All 6 foot 4 of him. Something she was determined to make known to him at every opportunity.
When Dan emerged from his room dressed in jeans and a gaudy Hawaiian shirt, Belle's heart sank.
"You're not wearing that are you?" she moaned.
Dan glanced down, "What? This? It's my lucky shirt," he said, smoothing down the creased fabric dotted with palm trees and hula girls.
"It's hideous."
"- but handy," he said, nodding towards a laptop on the kitchen counter.
On its screen, in crisp 4K clarity, Belle saw herself, or rather, she saw the back of her head.
"I don't think they're going to let us whip out our phones and start filming," he said, tapping at what looked like a button in the middle of his shirt, "so, I improvised."
Belle looked from his shirt to the laptop and saw Dan wave.
A spy camera, she marvelled. That was kind of genius, but there was absolutely no way she was going tell him that.
Then Dan reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver necklace adorned with what looked like a diamond pendant, "This is yours. HD, Wi-fi enabled, the whole bit," said Dan, "If there are famous faces at this thing, we'll get them on film."
He held the necklace towards her, but instead of taking it, Belle scooped the hair off her neck and turned her back to him, "Put it on," she said.
Dan moved behind her, fastened the chain around her neck, then lingered. Belle felt the heat of his breath on her skin and a flutter of excitement in her stomach.
Then she turned around to face him, stared into his coal black eyes and let her hair spill across her shoulders.
"Okay," she purred, "You've shared your toys. Can we go now?"
"Actually," he said, "I was wondering...what if they want us to, y'know?" his voice trailed off for a moment, "Are you okay with that?"
Belle was silent for a moment, then burst out laughing, "God no!"
Dan flinched, "I just thought -- "
Belle cut him off, "Let's get something straight," she said, pushing her index finger into his chest, "we're not going to this thing to participate. We're there to observe and report. Is that clear?"
"Crystal," said Dan, "Just thought I'd check."
"You've checked. Now let's go."
As they pulled up to the infamous House on the Hill a knot formed in Belle's stomach. She'd heard so much about this place and now she was about to experience it for herself. She was terrified.
Dan sensed her anxiety, "it's not too late to turn around," he said.
Belle bit her lip and cast her mind back to her meeting with the Judge. She thought about what she'd had to do to get the password. It wasn't as far as she could have gone, but she'd crossed a lot of personal boundaries to get to this point. If she backed out now, it would all be for nothing.
"No," she said, "let's do it."
Standing in front of the Mediterranean style mansion stood a statuesque blonde in a white Grecian-style gown.
Dan gave a low whistle of admiration and Belle felt a stab of jealousy and instant regret about her choice of outfit, a simple pencil skirt and silk blouse. She looked more secretary than sexual adventurer.
Belle gave the Greek Goddess the password and she introduced herself, "Welcome, I'm Etheria," she said, "I'll be your guide for the evening. Please, follow me."
She lead them through the main house, a bland open space with bare white walls and minimal furniture, to the garden.
A waiter, his identity hidden behind a mask, stopped by with a tray of champagne. Dan grabbed two flutes and handed one to Belle. She knocked hers back quickly, then reached for another hoping it would quell the rising panic building within her.
A large white marquee had been erected near the pool. Inside, diaphanous curtains hung down, segmenting the tent into individual rooms. Some were already filled with couples. Some, with triples.
"You're here because there is tension in your relationship," said Etheria.
You've got that right, thought Belle.
"Tonight, you will be shown how to move past that and into a higher state of love and understanding." She showed them to a bay and held back the curtain for the couple to step inside, "Please make yourself comfortable. We will begin shortly."
Dan and Belle stepped inside the space. Inside, was a massage table, a chair, towels, lube, and little else, Etheria dropped the curtain and left them alone.
Belle heard a rustling of clothes and saw two women in the space next to theirs, slipping out of their clothes. The gauzy curtains that separated the spaces gave the illusion of privacy, but in reality everyone in attendance was on full display.
As she gazed around she saw other couples, kissing, fondling, in full view of one another. Her stomach clenched and she was struck by a terrifying reality: they may not be able to just observe and report after all.
This fear was confirmed by a woman's soft voice over the PA system, "Friends," the voice purred, "please remove your clothes and wait for further instruction."
Belle froze, further instruction? Of what. She went to knock back her second glass of champagne, but Dan took it from her hand and placed it on the table. Then he before she knew what was happening, his hand was on the small of her back pulling her towards him, "Dan," she squeaked, "what are you doing?"
He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "We're being watched. Guys in suits at 12, 3 and 6 o'clock."
Belle's eyes darted around the marquee. Burly men in black suits stood sentry at points around the marquee. Their faces were hidden behind black masks, but their eyes worked the room, keeping a watchful eye on the participants.
Etheria was conversing with one of the masked men. He was tall, heavy set and he seemed to be staring directly at the two of them.
