CHAPTER 1
Have you ever woken up with the feeling that the day somehow had something special installed for you? Hmm, well, this morning felt just like that. But unlike other occasions when the promise ended by delivering up something good, this morning the sensation had a ring of apprehension about it. Don't ask me how I knew, that's just the way it felt to me right that minute, deep in my gut. I may not have all that many years of experience tucked in my belt, but those I have have taught me to heed my 'gut feeling', my intuition.
"Bugger!," I moaned to myself as I hauled my weary body from the rumpled sheets. The show must go on, time stands still for no woman ... clichés began scrolling across my mind's window. I cast a saddened glance at the empty bed then, following a few minutes of ritualistic stretching, I padded my way into the kitchen. Reaching into the refrigerator for the carton of pulp-free orange juice, so recently squeezed and shipped to me from the sunny south as announced proudly by the all too bright lettering, I leaned back against the cool granite counter and sipped the refreshing fluid, letting it slip down my throat while gazing out at a dreary grey day filtering through the warm wooden slatted blinds. My mind began its habitual scanning of the day's schedule, noting several staff and management meetings, lunch with a new client (promising?), yet more meetings, then the arrival time of your flight from the coast. A silky smirk of a smile drew itself across my lips and I ran the tip of my tongue around them savoring the juice glistening there. "Just you wait", I murmured to myself returning the carton to its place among the fully stocked shelves in the fridge. It's been way too long since I laid hungry eyes on you and a tingle of anticipation ripples through my body at the thought of having you here at home for several weeks ... all to myself.
I moved quickly out of the kitchen, its elevated position overlooking a jungle-lush dining and living area alive with stands of bamboo, exotic tropical plants flaunting their brightly colored flowers, and the ever-jubilant waterfall tumbling into the clear rock pool. Off to one side, entirely hidden behind a screen of thick, tall bamboo is the guest shower and facilities. My naked body threw a bouncing shadow over the stones ahead of me as I followed the path to the shower enclosure.
Minutes later hot water, steamy and luxuriating courses over my body and I can sense my whole being relaxing. Subdued lighting, sifted by the bamboo surrounding me, danced and sparkled on my glistening skin; wisps of steam swirled up from around my feet and the water gurgled down through the stone floor to the hidden drain underneath. A fragrant aroma permeated the air as I lathered the soap and began massaging my supple skin. I'm so glad I inherited a golden color from my mother otherwise I, like so many people, would be subjecting myself to the tanning booths chasing after that ever-so-youthful glow. And likewise, my hair is a midnight black blue, falling in luxurious thickness to pass my waist, another gift from my mother. Oh how I miss you, mum. A tear blended with the shower.
Nostalgia gave way to a strange sense of foreboding as I towelled off. What the hell is this about? Am I becoming paranoid or something? I haven't had this kind of feeling for ages, and never this strong before. I quizzed my pensive reflection in the mirror but no answers were forthcoming. Dark green eyes stared intently back at me, gold flecks like so much glitter swam in those two quizzical pools. Shit!! I don't need this ... not today! I poked a pink tongue out at myself and hurried off to dress for my first meeting. Being predictable is one trait no one could assign to me. As a young girl growing up in the wild highlands of Papua New Guinea, what had started out as a game between myself and my parents in order for me to keep them on their toes and for myself to maintain some modicum of control over my small world, I learned the secret of being ever-changing. In exasperation my mother would exclaim at least once every day that she "could never work me out"; that she couldn't tell from one day to the next what devious new ways I would devise to surprise both her and my father; be it a new game of hide-n-seek, new imaginary friends, etc. So now, standing before my full length mirror I smiled to myself as I ran a critical eye over my attire. My staff never knew what to expect me to wear to the office from one day to the next as they all regarded me as somewhat of an enigma as far as bosses go. I even suspected someone was running an office pool on what I may turn up in, or at least what my "color for the day" may be. And today I am determined not to disappoint them.
Black is my color for today. From head to toe I am clad in black semi-aniline leather. My preferred choice of clothing fabric, leather doesn't itch and it doesn't scratch when you put it on. Leather is first cool to the touch and then warms to your body temperature, forming to your shape, much like your favorite pair of jeans. However, nothing smells quite like leather. All leather has its own aroma that is unmistakable. The smell of new expensive shoes or boots ... the interior of a luxury car ... I love it. The pants were tucked into knee-high boots with stiletto heels, the jacket with collar turned up in anticipation of the outside cold accentuates my wide shoulder frame and is cinched in at the waist by a 3 inch-wide studded belt. Apart from the leather thong, I wore nothing else under my outer shell. To enhance the diabolic look my lips sported a glossy fire-red. Then to finish off my apparel I slipped my Glock 28 subcompact pistol into its concealed holster inside the jacket. After all, a girl can never be sure when a dinner date may become overly amorous and not want to accept 'no' as a directive. Satisfied with the overall look I turned on my heel and headed down to the subterranean garage.
The spiral staircase between the main bedroom and the kitchen delivered me into the garage. Sensors detected my decent and illuminated the spacious area with incandescent lighting. The focal point of the garage is the sleek black Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. My new pet is a sports car and supercar automobile codevelop by DaimlerChrysler and McLaren Cars. It is one of the fastest automatic transmission cars in the world. Most people presume "SLR" to stand for "Sportlich, Leicht, Rennsport" (German for "Sport; Light; Racing"), while it actually means "super-leicht, Rennsport" (super-light, racing). My 722 Edition refers to the victory by Stirling Moss and his co-driver Denis Jenkinson in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR with the starting number 722 (indicating a start time of 7:22 a.m.) at the Mille Miglia in 1955. The "722 Edition" creates 650 bhp, with a top speed of 210 mph and 0-60mph in 3.6 seconds. All in all a good match for my life-style ... besides, I just love the gull-wing doors. The inside of the SLR is as exotic as the Batmobile exterior, with carbon-fiber seat shells covered in fine leather and a cockpit built of contrasting colors and textures. Slipping on my leather driving gloves, I turned the stubby key, flipped a cover at the top of the gear selector, and thumbed the button that hid there to bring the 5.4-liter V-8 rumbling to life.
The whisper-quiet garage door cycled open and the sleek sports car, emerging like some black panther from its lair, slid out onto the cobblestone street now slick from a light drizzle and roared off into the misty grey morning. A shadow detached itself from an adjacent dark doorway and slit eyes watched as the car disappeared around a far corner then shifted their intent gaze to the recently vacated brownstone building.