Free Jason King: Agent to the Stars 1: The Enclaves of Sylox by T. R. Harris Page A

then the sheets moaned, and I realized the silky smoothness was that of Miranda’s skin against mine and not the sheets. I became aware of her head on my chest and the black mass of fragrant hair only inches from my face. I ran a hand over her smooth shoulder and felt a return caress from a delicate hand on my side.
    As the sleep left my brain, I fought to hold onto every ounce of memory from the night before. This was something I would never want to forget, and seriously doubted I could even if I wanted to. After all, one’s best night of lovemaking – ever – was something to be etched upon every synapse in the brain, if that was even possible. I didn’t really care if it was or not. I was in Heaven and that was all that mattered.
    As a gentleman, I won’t go into detail about what happened over the next hour, once Miranda also regained consciousness. Rest assured we were both willing and physically-fit participants, surrendering to our primal needs as naturally as breathing – if breathing meant shouting out to a variety of deities over and over again, for whatever reason I’ve never understood.
    Later I joined Miranda on the veranda, where she sat at a small table, wearing only a short white cotton robe.
    “You’re dressed,” she said with a pout.
    “I’m sorry, but I have a contract to write this morning for Mark and Jennifer. Besides, I want to get over to Belgon’s as soon as possible. I just checked my account and it seems I forgot to pay the restaurant last night.”
    She tapped the table. “Sit, have some coffee first. I know you’re not meeting with Mark and Jennifer until noon, so you have lots of time.”
    I sat down and began to make my coffee. The cup was already full of steaming black salvation, but I still needed to enhance it with non-sugar sweetener and cream. Miranda frowned as she watched me mix the concoction.
    “I like mine black.”
    “Sorry to disappoint you,” I said, picking up on her unspoken joke. We both laughed.
    “No disappointment at all, Jason. In fact, I know now why they call you King .”
    “Other than it being my name, you mean?”
    “Relax stud, and accept the compliment.”
    As I sipped my coffee, I looked past Miranda and into the great room of the apartment. I had sobered up by now, and my other needs had been satiated, at least for the moment. Yet my curiosity was still piqued.
    “Seriously, Miranda, how did you score this apartment? Don’t take this wrong, but you’re just an intern.”
    “I told you.”
    “So why don’t you just stay here instead of moving in with Jennifer and Mark?”
    “You know, these places are only temporary, although they have offered me an extension if….”
    “Don’t tell me!” I suddenly grew very angry.
    “No, that’s not it.” She smiled at me. “My hero, come to defend my honor.”
    “It’s just that I wouldn’t put it past some of the guys I know here. So if not that, then what?”
    “It’s complicated.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean? What do you have to do?”
    Her face suddenly turned serious. She took a deep breath before looking back at me. “I’ve been assigned to the intelligence department with the U.S. Consulate. They seem to think I have certain attributes that could be of value.”
    “I don’t understand,” I said, truly confused at this point.
    “Let me explain,” she began. “As you know, the Earth is still made up of hundreds of separate nations. Once the aliens came, we all thought the planet would unite as one race – the Human race – and stop being a bunch of bickering opponents divided by nationality, religion and skin color. Well that didn’t happen. Instead, the nations of Earth are even more competitive with each other than ever before, all vying for their piece of the alien economic and power pie.”
    “And how does that apply to you staying in this apartment?”
    “I’ve been told that if I can dig up any information that could be of value to American intelligence,