“The Catalyst” Series Book 6
		“Building a Legacy”
		Crumbly Writer All rights reserved © 2013
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06:  Paying for a New Religion

           

Walking into La Folie, Alex was glad they’d taken the time to get spruced up. The girls kept asking Alex just how formal this dinner was. While he didn’t know, he asked Patricia, who’d set it up.

‘It’s VERY formal,’ she warned him. ‘You’ll need to buy a very nice suit. Try the hotel, if they can’t get you situated, they’ll at least know who to contact. The girls will likely need new dresses as well.’

‘This is starting to sound like a very expensive dinner, especially considering I don’t know who I’m meeting or what it’s about. I don’t even know if it’s worth spending this much money. Can’t you give me some idea of what I’m about to walk into?’

‘Sorry, it’s not that I don’t want to, but you wouldn’t recognize the name if I told you and he specifically asked me to keep it quiet so you wouldn’t make any assumptions beforehand.’

‘All right, I’ll go into this with an open mind, but spending a fortune for a dinner I never asked for isn’t likely to warm me to whatever they’re fishing for,’ Alex warned before ending their conversation.

“What the hell are we supposed to wear?” Winona demanded when Alex gave them the news. “I didn’t bring anything fancy. Hell, I’m not even sure I own anything appropriate!”

Cate shot her an annoyed glance, but she never noticed it, only focusing on Alex’s response.

“We’re in the heart of San Francisco,” Alex argued. “Surely you can find something here.”

“Alex,” Kitty pointed out, “we don’t really have time to go shopping, and it would take forever to pick out a new dress, not to mention the accessories.”

“Yeah, we’ll need something more than we can find here in the hotel,” Cate said, joining the rising chorus for shopping that Kitty had just said they couldn’t accomplish. But Alex knew better. Having several sisters, he recognized when women were preparing themselves for some serious shopping.

“Still, we should touch base with the hotel,” Alex insisted. “Hopefully they can recommend the best place to pick something up on short notice.”

“Ha!” Winona answered in a condescending tone. “More likely they’ll send us to a relative’s overpriced boutique.”

“Don’t worry; I’m sure you’ll manage,” he assured them. “And don’t worry, I’ll get the Foundation to cover your costs. After all, this is an obvious business expense, even if I don’t know what it’s about.” Somehow, that seemed to make up for the imposition this dinner was causing.

When they reached the hotel, Alex was surprised by the hotel’s response. While they’d told him to come to them for anything he needed, he’d thought they’d simply list a variety of nearby businesses. Instead they took complete control of the situation. They called in someone who arrived twenty minutes later with a selection of fine suits. The man who’d brought them brought his own tailor along, who quickly made the necessary adjustments. He also had everything else Alex needed, like cufflinks for the French cuffs, ties and tie clips—actually tie stays, though Alex had never realized there was a significant difference between them before.

The girls were whisked off by a private ‘car’—actually a limousine—to a shop not far away where they got a similar treatment, but with a larger selection to choose from. As a result they were each appropriately attired, though they were no more prepared for what they faced, and the Foundation had been set back a significant amount for the honor. Alex, though, was feeling more put upon, putting him into a bit of a foul mood.

Alex and the girls had found a few new followers while out, but Alex fended them off after giving them his basic spiel, telling them he’d meet them later at the hotel. He had no idea whether he’d boost anyone or not. He’d prefer not doing so, but he felt they deserved more of his time than he felt comfortable granting them in public.

“Damn, where are they taking us?” Winona asked, whispering in Alex’s ear, pushing Chalise aside to do so.

“How the hell should I know?” Alex replied, upset over her treatment of his girlfriend. Cate, equally annoyed, simply dropped that much further back, quietly fuming to herself.

The restaurant was very formal. Though Alex was used to maître d’s, he was taken aback by the fact that everyone there was dressed in much better clothes than he’d ever owned before that evening. As much as they were impressed by the general atmosphere of the establishment, they weren’t led to a table in the exclusive main room itself. Instead the maître d’ abandoned his post to escort them personally through the restaurant to a private room laid out just as exquisitely.

While Alex had been steeling himself for a surprise, he was still unprepared for who his host turned out to be. Sitting there in the sumptuous private room, sipping champagne and wearing traditional western wear, was Akilah Asghar and her husband, the Arab businessman Alex had run across at the airport when they’d picked up Kitty and Chalise.

“Ah, welcome,” Ahmed Asghar greeted them in perfect English as he stood to shake Alex's hand, which seem strange given how they'd last met under very different circumstances. “I hoped you could make it. I hope I didn’t put you out too much. Were the facilities at the hotel sufficient? I’d asked them to treat you well for me.”

“No, the hotel treated us fine,” Alex replied guardedly, watching Ahmed as he helped Kitty and Chalise into their seats beside him. “But I’ve got to admit, I’m not exactly used to such extravagance, and I have no idea why you’d spend so much money on me when we’ve barely spoken.”

The man laughed lightly before responding. “Ah, I see you’re forthright. You’re right, our meeting at the airport was hardly very … amenable, but I’d like to make up for that now. I feel we should take the time to get to know one another,” he replied, waving his arm, beckoning Alex to his seat.

Alex sat, never taking his eyes off of his host. The table was laid out a little strangely. Ahmed sat at one end of the oblong table, forcing Alex to take the other end. Kitty and Chalise sat on either side of him, while Cate sat across from Akilah, whom she nodded to and greeted by name. Gini remained standing by the door while the other women filled up the correctly sized and outfitted table. Winona stood, expecting Alex to provide her a better seat, but when he glanced expectantly at her, she sighed theatrically and sat down.

“I have a feeling you already know more about me than I’m comfortable with,” Alex said. “I’m guessing from what you’ve put into this that you already know much of my story, while I know virtually nothing about you.”

“Yes, you probably feel I have you at a disadvantage,” Ahmed said, leaning back and sipping his champagne even as a waiter wearing a tuxedo filled glasses for Alex and the other girls, no one asking whether they were old enough to drink yet or not. “I’ll admit up-front my wife, Akilah, confessed almost immediately most of what she’d learned about you, though she was conflicted about it. I’ll also speak for her by saying she’d have confided in you, but was embarrassed by not knowing enough English. Your friend Sanaa has been most helpful getting her up to speed in remarkable time,” he explained, referring to Shanna by her actual name, rather than the American variation Alex used.

“I want to say … how honored I am … to be graced … by your presence,” Akilah said in fairly stiff language, bowing her head while fidgeting.

“You’re right, Sanaa has done an excellent job,” Alex told her, taking his eyes off of his host to address her. “Your English is perfect.”

“Thank you, Mr. Jennings. Sanaa says I should call you Alex…, but I feel uncomfortable calling someone … such as yourself … such a personal name … at least until you give me allowance to,” she said, having to break several times in the recitation, showing she’d either memorized it, or was being prompted on the spot in her delivery.

“Tell Sanaa I appreciate that, and I’ll talk to her later about it,” Alex said lightly, though his meaning was clear, even to those not present at the time. Alex then turned back to Ahmed. “Now, before we go much farther, can I ask exactly how much you know about me, how you plan on using that knowledge and exactly what it is you’re hoping to get out of me? I need to warn you, though, I’m not terribly trusting of authority figures, and excuse me if I’m making blanket assumptions, but the Saudis are not known as a ‘gentle people’ in their approach to getting what they want out of life.”

Again, Ahmed laughed, followed a moment later by his wife.

“I see you don’t pull your punches, although you know enough to phrase your insults delicately, like a diplomat. I’m impressed by that from someone so young. Before I begin, should we move the ladies to another room where they may be able to dine more … comfortably? As for your guard, my own security people are situated at a table just outside the door, if she’d care to join them.”

What Ahmed was suggesting was clear, and Alex didn’t think for a second his approach was either paternalistic or condescending, instead they were both aware he wanted to speak openly about what he knew were secrets Alex didn’t want to get out.

“No, I trust these women with my life, and they’d never betray me. As for Gini, as much as I value your offer, I’m not sure I trust you enough to let my … guard down, as it were,” Alex replied with a grin, pleased by his own little pun, though he wasn’t sure how well it translated.

“No, that’s fine,” Ahmed replied with his own reassuring smile. “I wasn’t sure how free you’d feel to speak with others present. As you’ll notice, all of my people are outside the room. Raffiel, you can go now,” he instructed the waiter. “Leave the champagne, we’ll serve ourselves. And could you send in the next guest?”

The waiter left quickly, backing out of the door, while everyone else continued to watch Alex and Ahmed, anxious to see where the discussion was going. Though everyone present was as curious about these events as Alex, they knew better than to interrupt.

“Akilah has told me as much as she knows about you, and it has been … shall we say, very surprising. But before I get into specifics, I have someone I’d like you to meet. I suspect I may be able to solve some of your recent problems.”

Alex wasn’t quite sure how to interpret that, though he didn’t doubt Ahmed could have discovered what the San Diego police were involved in. Alex had never been very impressed with the police’s ability to keep secrets.

Just as Ahmed said that, the door opened and a middle-aged woman entered, looking quickly between him and Alex.

“Mr. Jennings?” she asked. Getting a nod from Ahmed, she quickly continued. “Excuse me, but I’m Alice Winford, from the Disney Corporation, and I’d like to take this opportunity to extend the apology of the entire Disney Corporation for the embarrassment we put you though. Let me just say we’re conducting a full investigation of the affair, and we’re offering the young lady who quit her job back, as we now understand she did nothing wrong.”

This was not something Alex had been expecting. He didn’t know whether Ahmed was aware of his recent troubles with the law, or what it meant concerning his abilities. That he’d reached out to make amends via a large multinational corporation spoke volumes, not just about Ahmed’s reach, but also of his ability to effect rapid changes. While it was pleasing to hear the apology, Alex was cautious as it proved Ahmed a much more worrisome adversary.

“That’s OK, I understand how it looked,” he told her. “I don’t blame anyone; it was just a series of unfortunate events.”

“Well, I just want you to know anytime you wish to return, simply call ahead and we’ll arrange a private tour for you and your people. That way we can avoid another embarrassing scene,” Alice assured him.

“That’s quite alright,” Alex assured her in response. “While I appreciate it, I doubt we’ll be returning. My plans don’t entail heading back in that direction anytime soon.”

“Well, if you ever do, or if you desire anything else from us, please call me and I’ll make sure everything is taken care of personally,” she said, holding a business card out for him.

Realizing this was a moment for establishing himself, he merely nodded to Cate. Alice immediately stepped over to her, offering her the card, which Cate took, dropping it into her new clutch.

“Thank you very much, Ms. Winford. I’m glad you could help us clear that little misunderstanding up. Feel free to stay for dinner. I’ve reserved you a nice table in the restaurant, it’s the least I can do for your efforts,” Ahmed told her before Alice departed. Alex noted that, like him, Ahmed tended to say one thing, while meaning something completely different. He’d have to watch how the conversation unfolded, being on guard both as to what was said, but to Ahmed’s implications as well. Alex also knew his background in the quiet little Midwestern town of Shawneetown had never prepared him for this level of discourse or intrigue. He’d have to watch his every step.

“Now, getting down to the nitty-gritty,” Ahmed said, showing how comfortable he was with American idioms, “here’s what I know about you so far. You’ve got some interesting ‘abilities’ caused by some genetic anomalies which you wish to keep secret, for obvious reasons. Just so you know, I have no desire to extract those secrets from you. Simply knowing they exist is fine with me. However, as you know, Saudi Arabia has been graced with abundant oil, and while it’s helped our people, we’re also very aware it’s a short term gift, and we have been using the power it gives us to essentially buy ourselves a better position for when it eventually runs out. Alas, my country does not have a lot of natural resources besides our vast oil fields.

“As such, the fact you stumbled upon us, random strangers from a foreign nation in a crowded airport, seems to me to be a form of Divine guidance. As much as we wish to extend Saudi Arabia’s reach politically and financially, we’re also aware of other strategic concerns.

“Frankly, this is a wonderful opportunity for us. This chance meeting between you and my wife opens us up to not only future independence, but to the next wave of humanity, and we’d be foolish to pass up this opportunity.”

“Uh, excuse me for interrupting, but you keep referring to ‘we’,” Cate interrupted. “Just who are you referring to when you say ‘we’? Do you speak for the Saudi government, or for any other regional or governmental agencies?”

“No, I can assure you no one else knows what we’re discussing. Although I have close ties to the Saudi royal family, and can call in favors if I need to, I do not specifically report to them. However, since I’m also informed you live in fear of being exposed to your government, or others who may wish to take advantage of you, I’d like to suggest these connections might prove beneficial to you eventually. If such a thing did come to pass, I could arrange for you to seek asylum in my country under the auspices of the royal family. Something your government would have a hard time circumventing.”

Alex took a moment to consider what Ahmed was suggesting, and it was an amazing offer, one which would provide him an out if things ever turned sour here in the States, but Alex also knew he didn’t have long, and he doubted there was much he needed to fear as long as they could avoid attracting undue notice by either the government or other politically-connected groups.

“Thanks, but I’m actually less interested in protecting myself than I am in protecting those connected to me, the others associated with my … uh, ‘movement’.”

“I’m glad you brought that subject up,” Ahmed said, “as that’s the very issue I was hoping to address: your followers and this burgeoning religion of yours.

“As you know, women don’t currently have a significant role in our society. In fact, despite my position, Akilah here cannot even drive a car on our streets, and has trouble venturing out of the house without a male escort. That said, though, this ‘movement’ of yours provides our women, and her in particular, with some unique opportunities.

“As I said, I hold some sway over our country’s policies. While I’m not anxious to upset the current social/political structure, I think we can arrange for a special ‘school’ to be set up for select women. Each picked from across the country, bearing specific talents, who can be brought together, trained to use those talents, and who then can use those unique abilities to aid our country. As such, we’d be grooming the country’s future leaders, and giving them a direct connection, not only to the policy makers of the country, but with the business and community groups as well.

“I shouldn’t need to tell you a group of highly professional women who can quickly and accurately diagnose a variety of conditions would impress even the most skeptical of cynics. What’s more, the ability to evaluate an opponent’s words and motives would allow someone to go far in both our government and in the many businesses we’re growing. In short, by establishing your ‘movement’ in our country, you’d not only benefit the women of our country, you’d also give my wife Akilah here a wonderful opportunity to find her own outlet.”

Alex cocked his head as he contemplated this suggestion. It was hardly what he’d expected, and it would extend the reach of his mission onto an international stage, even if it wasn’t one he’d have ever picked himself. Still, it was an intriguing offer.

While Alex and Ahmed had been discussing these details, dinner had been quietly brought in, but hardly anything had been touched, as the girls’ heads kept swiveling from one end of the table to the other as they tried to keep up with the verbal sparring between the two men. While it had been mostly pleasant, they were all aware of the implications and the hidden power of the two men backing up their innocent sounding suggestions.

“Do you really think you could do much for these women, given the severe restrictions that women in your country face?” Alex asked, leaning back and studying his glass distractedly. He liked Ahmed’s ideas, but he needed to understand just how committed he was to the ideas himself.

“As I said, I never gave Akilah much personal freedom myself,” Ahmed admitted, glancing at his wife and shrugging, “but when she first proposed this idea to me it got my attention by showing me how much it could help me. If I have her sit in on delicate negotiations with me, it would allow me to know what was in my opponent’s heart of hearts, allowing me to identify what are real offers and what’s merely bluster. What’s more, I could send her to do business here in the states and know instantly what she was accomplishing, freeing my time and expanding our opportunities. While that may not sound like much, she could handle negotiations in a non-threatening manner, evaluate her opponent’s motivations and get my approval without having to stop to consult with me. Simply by including her in my business could bring me millions of dollars. That’s the kind of thing that could motivate many of my countrymen.

“Now consider that on a broader scale. If I put some of your girls in influential Saudi businesses, set some up in a few influential hospitals, and get some involved in government negotiations, each could rise to power and help convince important men throughout my country that women really do deserve a more active role in our daily lives. And as each woman flourishes, it would have a trickle-down effect, giving other women a role model and a justification for more freedoms of their own. Again, given my country’s history, it’s only a small step, but it could be an influential one.”

“While that sounds promising, much of what my people can do is limited by my own reach,” Alex tried to explain. “I’d love to establish an outreach in your country, and I’d appreciate Akilah playing a role in it, but without my meeting any of these women, I’m not sure how much they could accomplish, or how much of a role they could play in your ambitions.”

“That’s very likely true and it’s also something Akilah and I have discussed. We plan on returning home immediately after our meeting here. Despite coming here to invest in new financial opportunities here in America, I find this newest opportunity to bear much more potential. Akilah is going to immediately begin scouring our schools, searching for anyone who may bear these specific traits of yours, whether they be unactivated Seers or Seekers.

“Given that you think you only have a limited amount of time left, we plan to act quickly. As soon as we find some likely candidates, we’ll fly them here to the US to meet with you as you continue touring the country. We won’t need much of your time, simply enough to activate as many of our women as you can manage, and then they can return and help spread the word of your organization. We can also cover our work using your sorority. It makes for a handy explanation for gathering women together to commiserate and scheme together.”

“So basically you spent all this money, went to all this effort, just to tell me you support your wife?” Alex asked, suspecting there was yet more to it. “You realize you could simply have had her tell me this, without having to come to San Francisco and wasting your time.”

“Ah, still wanting to know the rest of my plans, huh?” Ahmed asked, smiling at Alex. “For someone without much experience, and no expertise in international relations, I really like you.

“Yes, I was building up to more. If you insist, I’ll get it out of the way now. As I said, I’m a financier. I come here to visit Silicon Valley looking for new startup opportunities to invest in, hoping to increase both our profits and our reach. But as I said, I think your promise of a new strain of humanity is worth investing in as well. After all, money might buy us influence in the future, but by getting in on this early, before the rest of the world does, we can assure that we, the Saudis, can play a direct role in the next millennium as well.

“As such, I propose assisting you. In exchange for helping us out as I’ve outlined, I’m willing to fund your operations.”

Everyone leaned forward, holding their breaths in anticipation, knowing this was important, but not knowing quite what it would involve.

“I see,” Alex said, peering at Ahmed from behind his steepled fingers. “And just what does this funding entail, and what would it require on my part?”

“To put it simply, I plan to donate five million dollars to your Foundation to be divided between your research efforts, your ‘outreach’, and your sorority funding. Your organization will have to document their expenses; after all, I’m not planning on capitalizing waste, but we both know what we’re dealing with. If you need to cover expenses of a ‘delicate’ nature, simply list it as ‘miscellaneous expenses’ and let Akilah know. That way you can pay for your rescue efforts, your attempts to avoid detection, and your recruiting efforts, but not any wild late night parties.”

“Wow, that’s incredibly generous,” Alex stated. There had been a collective gasp as Ahmed had revealed the number, but the women knew there was still more to come.

“Just wait, I’m not finished,” Ahmed warned. “I’d also like to invest another twenty million in establishing a temple here in San Francisco for your Alexandra religion,” he announced, producing yet another gasp from the women.

Alex, however, remained stoic until he learned more. “I agree with you, using a religious base for your operations provides a great cover, buys you some flexibility and protection against government persecution. Now, this money has some limitations. Work on this will only begin once you’ve left the area, as I don’t want it to be associated with you personally. What’s more, any followers you’ve collected here in California are not eligible to join initially. Instead I’d like to staff it with your people from either New Orleans or Carbondale. Basically anyone you think would be qualified for such an endeavor. Locating it here in San Francisco, the home of many outrageous religious movements, should prevent anyone from paying too much attention to what you’re up to.

“Your people here can join once it gets established, but I’m restricting them initially to protect both you and them. If you ever get exposed, I don’t want the temple to be involved, and if they are, I don’t want your followers here to be implicated.”

“That makes a lot of sense, and is just what I would have done,” Alex acknowledged. “You’ve obviously put a lot of thought into this.”

“Don’t worry, there’s more,” Ahmed told him. “I want to use it as a clearing house and an outreach center for the rest of the nation. I’d assume your followers will seek it out, just as they now do your communities in Illinois and Louisiana. The twenty million should cover the initial construction, with enough left over to fund support for an indefinite period in the future. But those funds will be for property and building maintenance only. You and your people are still responsible for funding your own operations. After all, money doesn’t motivate people, ideas do, so you’ve got to prove your people are able to carry their own movement.”

“That makes sense,” Alex told him. “But still, I’m stunned at the amount of money you’re throwing at us.”

Ahmed waved that concern away. “Meh! It’s really not that much once you think of it. Consider what I’d sink into the next Facebook, hundreds of millions, which may never result in a profit. Here I’m investing in a future people, and I’d rather those people include a few Arabs in general, and some Saudis specifically. As such, it’ll give Akilah a reason to travel here, bringing people with her, and it will establish her as a religious figure in both America and the Middle East.”

“Is there anything else?” Alex asked, still remaining skeptical of that much money.

“Yes, there is, and this may be more than you’re willing to swallow, given your history,” Ahmed said, looking Alex directly in the eyes. “I want you to boost my wife.”

He was right, Alex visibly swallowed at that proposal. “You realize what you’re asking, don’t you? What it entails?”

“Yes, I do. And don’t worry, Akilah and I have both discussed it. While I was a bit taken aback initially, she presented it in business terms I couldn’t object to. It will give both of us a tremendous advantage. It will allow her to communicate with you and your people whenever she needs, continuing her language lessons. What’s more, it’ll give me a major boost in my worldwide business dealings. The ability to communicate instantly across the globe, as well as being able to measure my opponents’ hidden emotional responses will give me a major advantage in my operations.”

“You do realize I don’t do what I do for profit?” Alex asked, just to get a feel for the man.

“Oh, I understand that fully. Akilah has explained about your restrictions, and I’ve asked around about you as well. I don’t expect you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with, well, except maybe in this one situation. My business dealings will be a side benefit, arranged between Akilah and me, and anyone else who may volunteer to join your organization. As such, it will benefit everyone involved, and it won’t compromise you, your organization, or anyone affiliated with you.”

“And what about you and your wife personally? Are you comfortable with letting someone else sleep with your wife? And is your wife comfortable with you ‘pimping her out’ so you can get some business advantages?”

Again, Ahmed laughed, enjoying Alex’s responses, both cautious and cleverly indirect. “I’m OK with it. After all, I know what it will mean to both her, her new role, and your mission in general. I figure it’s a small price to pay for a single night’s indiscretion. Besides, it’s hardly the first time either one of us has stepped out of our marriage bed. But it’s really better if you ask her yourself.”

And Alex did, though he never took his eyes off Ahmed nor spoke a word out loud.

‘Akilah, are you OK with this? Do you know what it entails and that this is a onetime only thing?’

‘Yes, Alex, I understand and have no problem with it. What drew me to Ahmed was his power and his ability to influence others and control others’ destinies. You represent an extension of that, and through you, I can play a role in it as well, instead of merely standing on the side watching everything happening around me,’ she explained in what Alex suspected was a practiced speech she’d prepared ahead of time just for this very situation.

“In that case, I can’t see any problem with it, but will you allow me to discuss it before I commit to it?”

“Absolutely,” Ahmed assured him, smiling widely. “But haven’t you already discussed it with whoever you need to?”

“No, actually I haven’t. I’m more interested in discussing it with my sister and my two girlfriends, as it will directly involve them and their evening. Also, since I’ve gotten stuck in this situation before, is there anything else I should be aware of? Do you want to be there, or do you expect some kind of reciprocity?”

“Heavens, no,” Ahmed laughed again. “I consider this a business deal between you, my wife and myself. As such, I trust you’ll live up to your end of the deal. I’m not concerned with you running off with her, as I know you already have more people chasing you than you could possibly keep up with. And even though I know she’ll always see you as some angelic figure, you won’t be there to rub my face in it once we leave. But feel free to discuss it amongst yourselves. Akilah and I will step out and visit the rest rooms, possibly stopping to examine the desserts. Once you’re done, just let Akilah know, and I’ll have another treat brought in. This time something we call ‘kunafa’, which I suspect your girls will enjoy, perhaps even your fearsome bodyguard who’s been watching me this entire time,” he teased, glancing at Gini with a winning smile. “Maybe its sweetness will sweeten her sour disposition?”

Alex didn’t even have to look to know Gini was blushing at that remark, and he laughed at the thought of her being caught out. He agreed, telling Ahmed it shouldn’t take them long to decide, as it was mostly a question of logistics. Ahmed wished them luck, helped Akilah stand and escorted her outside, leaving the others to discuss his generous offer privately.

“So what do you think?” Alex asked.

“Us? This is way over our heads,” Chalise responded. “You’re talking about millions of dollars, more money than my poor mind can fathom, as well as extending your mission into foreign lands you’d never be able to reach, and permanently establishing your fictional religion into reality. This is your ballgame, buddy. Whatever you decide is fine with me. After all, all I need to do is vacate the room for a couple of hours, while you’ve got to live with your decision, and your followers will be living with it for the rest of their and their children’s lives.”

“Hey, don’t worry about putting any more pressure me,” Alex teased. “But I was more concerned about how you wanted to deal with this. First I wanted to make sure you weren’t feeling insulted by this talk of a ‘business decision’, and secondly I wanted to know how you wanted to handle it.”

“Well, as pretty as she is, I doubt she’d want to participate in an orgy, and even if she did, I think she deserves her own time with you,” Kitty said, guessing that if she hadn’t qualified her remarks, Alex might very well ask her right then and there. “Just tell us how much time you’ll need and we’ll all go see a show or something.”

“You really can’t afford to pass this up,” Cate earnestly told him. “That’s a hell of a lot of money, and it would make a huge difference to your whole mission. By giving your followers the legitimacy of an actual organized religion, you can help not only shelter them from persecution, but also give them an ongoing basis for support, outreach and a meaningful explanation to describe what they’re doing. Face it, Alex, this is bigger than you are. You simply have to do it.”

“I agree,” Kitty told him. “There’s no way you can turn this down. Not only do you assure your people’s future and give yourself an out if things get too hot, but you also get a night with an exotic beauty out of it. Hell, I’d jump on it if I was in your place.”

“This is an amazing opportunity,” Winona told him. “You can’t possibly turn it down. Think of what you can accomplish with that much money!”

Alex smiled, and let his eyes glaze over for a few moments.

“Akilah guessed that’s what you’d think. It seems they’ve already made reservations at the Orpheum Theater for each of you. They also think they can include Robin and the others. It’s in a private box, just over the stage, so it’s probably a once in a lifetime opportunity. Besides, it’ll give you a great excuse to show off those gorgeous new dresses.”

“Uh, Alex, what about me?” Cate asked. “How does Akilah feel about having me there feeding you post-coital snacks?”

“She says to not worry about it. Apparently she’s already discussed it with some of the other girls, and they’ve already made arrangements with the hotel. They’ll have a virtual feast there, and knowing what to look out for, she’ll make sure I don’t overdo it.”

“Good. This is one time I don’t mind leaving you on your own. After all, I can sleep with my brother any day of the week, but it isn’t every day I can be seen by all of the San Francisco elite looking like a queen. Good luck, Alex, ‘cause your girlfriends and I are going to be living it up while you’re busy sweating it out under the sheets.”

The girls laughed at that, and continued even as the door opened and Ahmed and Akilah preceded the waitresses bringing in the wonderful but exotic looking kunafa. Once again, although Alex hated these kinds of surprises, they had a way of working out in the end. About the only one who didn’t seem pleased about the entire affair was Winona.

           

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