Desperate Actions free porn video

DESPERATE ACTIONS By Geneva Simone, a middle aged woman, comes into possession of a magic book. She uses it to foil a gang that tries to stop her geologist husband's work, but finds she has to take steps to keep the book secret. This story is a kind of sequel to my earlier stories, "Mrs. Braithwaite, parts II and III" and refers to events in these, where Simone was a main character. START The drive really didn't take that long. Once I had got onto the A1 the scenery passed by quickly but then I cut across to the A 68 to avoid Newcastle and the long curve of the road into Edinburgh. Besides, I was more familiar with that route. I'd often taken it when I visited Martha in earlier times. Unfortunately she now lived just to the north of the city centre in Edinburgh but I made it to her place by noon. Alan and I had seen her and her husband James a fair number of times since the early days. After all, James was Alan's uncle, a younger brother to Alan's father. I enjoyed our visits and I was pleased when she contacted me, suggesting another visit. Martha opened the door wide and hugged me. "Thanks for coming to see me, Simone. It's a year or so since you were here, was't it?" She beckoned me into her flat and to a bedroom where I plonked down my case. "How about some coffee before you unpack? Sit down," she offered. "I've a lot to talk to you about, but first though, how are the family?" "It's great to see you again, Martha," I said. "Alan is keeping well. He's still involved a lot with work, I mean his classes, and his research group is still active. Actually I'd be happier if he cut back a bit on that. He still likes getting out for field work too, as he calls it, and he's still in good physical condition but, you know, he's getting on for sixty now and he really shouldn't be going out on any strenuous expeditions. He needs to leave that part to his graduate students. He should be thinking of retirement, at least in some years." I shook my head. "I wish he would, but he loves his work. "The family? Well, Fiona is now half-way through medicine at the university. She's got a steady boyfriend too. Stewart will be going into second year at university doing engineering and Jen will be finishing school. She's talking about university science or engineering but we'll see. "And how are your twins?" I asked. "Mollie is still working as an artist. She tells me is doing well. She's had a succession of boyfriends. With some of them I just had to keep my mouth shut but the latest looks like a keeper. But I really think she is still struggling to make a living as an artist so James and I are encouraging her to think about art teaching. She's good with people and children. "Maggie is now a lawyer. Her and Jacob are doing well. They're ridiculously busy but they must be both well paid as they can afford to have a maid cum housekeeper to help look after their two boys. "James is retired now, but he's off seeing his sister in Australia. He wanted me to go with him but I've had a little problem with blood pressure so travel insurance is a bit iffy and I suggested he go on his own." "But that gave me an excuse to get in touch with you. And I really want to thank you for coming." "I'm glad to be here, Martha." "Simone, I wanted to discuss certain things with you, going back to when we first met and things after that. As you very probably remember, a certain little book was involved." My face must have shown a wry expression. "Yes, I remember. All too well!" "You also remember, I was in a... women's group and I took advantage of you." I burst out laughing. " Martha? Women's Group? it was a coven of bloody witches! And it did all sorts of stuff, as I know, and that book was simply pure magic!" Martha's face reddened slightly. That in itself was very unusual as Martha is one of the most self-possessed people I know. "Sorry, Simone, maybe as I get older I get more embarrassed by these shenanigans of my younger days. I used you ruthlessly, like a tool, to subvert evil in the coven." "Martha," I said firmly. I took her hands in mine. " I've forgiven you for all that happened. It was a long ago. In fact I thank you. I've had, I have, a very happy life as a woman and probably happier because of what you did. The coven had inflicted the body of a woman on me, but one that was beyond ugliness. But when you used your book I became another woman, a beautiful one. Then you guided me into a wonderful womanhood. I was able to go to university. I met my husband there and we have three wonderful children.That was a great effect that the book had and the good looks I got from your spell have kept with me. I want to hear no more about it." I was gratified when Martha wiped a tear from her eye. "Thank you, Simone. But the reason I wanted to see you was because of that book. As you know too it was through you I met Alan's uncle James and we hit it off and got married. I left the coven and I've had little more to do with it other than a few years ago when I helped them investigate a spot of plotting and intrigue. Since then I've had less and less contact. My best friends in the coven were Sue and Dora but both of them have died too. It's a totally new generation in the coven now." "You still have your own copy of the book? I know you gave a copy to the coven." "Yes, and that's why I wanted you to come and see me. Simone, I've decided I need to pass the book on. Both of my girls, bless them, I love them dearly, but I don't think either of them is suitable for passing it on to. Mollie's life is still unsettled, and Maggie is too straight- laced. That's why I thought of you. You certainly experienced it's effects. You've got your head screwed on right so you'd use it carefully. I could destroy it, but I'd like you to have it. It's very powerful and it has a potential for good so I don't think it should be destroyed and, you never know, you may be able to use it sometime, or want to pass it on to any of your girls." "Well, that's a surprise, Martha." I stared blankly at her wall, wondering at the implications. "I suppose I might get into in a situation where I could use the book but there's the one spell in it I don't dare use, of course. I mean the reverse one. I've had a wonderful and satisfying life as a woman. It's still a good life and I would definitely not want to change back to being male. I've probably forgotten how to behave as a male. Besides, that would have a very devastating effect on my family and my family is the most important part of my life. "Now, passing it on to my children? I'd have to think carefully about that." "I know you'll be careful. I hope so, Simone." She became very serious. "Remember, you must do all you can to keep the book secret. That may be a dilemma sometimes." I nodded. "I will. It's quite a responsibility." I eased myself out of the armchair and walked over to the window. The day had turned dull and windy. Martha's flat was on the top floor of the building and had a view to the north where the grey waters of the Firth were whipped into waves by a strong west wind. Martha came to stand by me. "I love that view. The sea is forever changing. Today the wind's got the sea all into white horses, tomorrow it could be blue and placid. I like the view of the Fife hills over there, well, when you can see them on good days." "That was a nice place you had near Peebles." "Yes, I miss The town and my garden but Edinburgh has more going on in it.That's why we retired here. We have that great view, being on the top floor." She laughed. "But it's a good thing the previous owner splurged and put in a lift when they were renovating the place. I wouldn't fancy climbing the stairs up to here on the top floor. "So you're happy about me giving you the book?" "Well, not exactly happy but I'll do it. Did you ever tell James about it?" I asked. "No, nothing at all, nor much of my past life before I met him at your wedding. I did tell him I'd been married before." "Oh yes, Alan used to say how good you were for his Uncle James." "He was awfully good for me too." Martha laughed. "Otherwise I might have ended up as an old crone on the Yorkshire moors." "I haven't told Alan anything about my past history either. A far as he knows you were just my guardian after I was orphaned." "And some guardian I was! I used you.You were mutilated, enslaved, abused, exploited!" I looked at Martha, just a little severely. "I told you, Martha, I forgive you totally and unreservedly. Anyway, Martha, I think I will take the book." Martha hugged me. "I'm so glad. You'd better have a look at it. I've got it hidden away in my financial stuff. I know James would never go snooping in there but there's the girls. That's why it's buried in my financial stuff. They wouldn't be interested in that." She shook her head."Some wives we are, keeping secrets like these from our husbands." "I think it shows the love we have for them that we shield them from these goings-on." My heart was pounding with the memories when she brought the book out. It really was a disreputable thing, a few stained pages between some stained leather covers. I carefully flicked between the pages, looking at the old, unusual Gothic script, along with some German, French and Italian comments written in the margins. It gave me a strange feeling. Martha took it from me and turned to a page near the end. "That's the one I used on you, when I made you into the the beautiful woman you are now. I changed you from that awful hag." I blushed a little, but it was true. I knew I still turned heads when I entered rooms. Things like that are good for a woman's spirits. I remembered the exhilaration I had felt after Martha had used the spell on me. The pleasure of having a lovely supple body and a pretty face, the fun of experimenting with women's clothing styles, the joy of just being female. Before that, the evil witch Dierdre had changed me to a woman with a horrible body and given me slavery. With Dierdre dead and her influence gone, Martha's spell had completely changed that. She had advised and guided me. Possibly because of her influence I had copied her slightly conservative dressing style, with mainly classic skirted outfits, girdled even, with stockings and modest heels. It had served me well. "It was certainly an improvement over what the coven did to me!" I admitted, shutting out the memories of the horrible trauma I had endured. " Well then, past days." Martha had been biting her lip and it was time for another hug. "The spell did us good, Martha. Look at us. We both look like we're ten years or more younger than our real ages. We could make a lot of money if we ever set up women's' beauty salons. No, just joking, Martha, " I said when her eyebrows went up. We had a good long chat, talking about old times and memories too then after Martha made a late light lunch we walked up into the city centre to have a stroll in the gardens and finally we had dinner in a restaurant just off the High Street. "Did you have a good visit with Martha?" Alan asked as I unpacked some nights later. I was feeling mixed reactions, happy that Alan was interested enough in my trip, but worried that he might catch sight of the book. I had put it away in a cloth bag and folded it into one of my sweaters.The sooner it was secreted away in a drawer the better. I'd have to work out a more secure place for it later. "Yes, catching up, talking about old times, walking around the city and we took in a couple of performances too. I think she's happy they made the move. I would have liked to seen Uncle James though. But he was off in Australia. He's taking advantage of his retirement to do a lot of things." I looked at my husband. "Alan, that brings me to us, but don't you feel you should be planning a bit more for your own retirement, I mean." He gave me a half exasperated look. "Yes, yes, I know, I really like what I'm doing. I like my job. Yes, I don't like marking and committee work but I love teaching, trying to get the students interested, seeing their enthusiasm growing. And my research is going quite well too. I really like that part. "Look, Simone, I've an idea. You know I've been collaborating with a group in America and we've found these transition fossils, in Mexico., in the Yucatan. Actually they've been finding all sorts of interesting stuff there, but we've been looking at some of the smaller organisms. A couple of my collaborators are there just now but I want to go there myself to look at the stratigraphy better. It would help for planning future digs. That would take me a couple of months or so but then you could join me and we could take a holiday afterwards in the area." "Alan, you said a couple of months? That means you'd be away all that time!" "Yes, I'm sorry, but I've been away before." I glared at him. "That doesn't mean I liked it!" He took my hands, kissed me and hugged me. "Look, I need to do this.You're welcome to come, of course, but you'd be bored. You could come for a just a day or so earlier to see what we're doing but then, I promise you, we'd make a holiday. You've always wanted to see these old Mayan ceremonial sites. Heck, I've wanted to see Chichen Itza and there are other fantastic Mayan places too. So how about that? I promise to forget about the geology fo a week or two." I felt my annoyance disappear. "That would be wonderful! When would we go?" "It's April now, but it would take a bit to arrange things, and then in the Summer it would be hot and I know you don't like heat. So how about we plan it if I go in September and you can join me late October?" I was absolutely thrilled and I immediately started planning. I thought of the family. Fiona was away at University so our trip didn't matter for her. Stewart would have started university again too but he was a capable lad anyway. Jen was more of a problem. It would be her last year of school but she had a good friend, Emily Rutherford and I felt sure she would be delighted if Jen stayed there while we were away. Emily's mother Audrey was a good friend too and there would be no problem there. But just in case, the very next day I checked with Audrey and she was enthusiastic and pleased for me. "Lucky you, Simone, I'm a bit jealous. I think our holiday this year will be in Spain, as usual, among all the other holidaying Brits. It would be nice to have a change." Her husband Henry was an accountant with a small chain of garages. "Simone?" Alan asked one night a week or so later. "I'm thinking of having a kind of social get together with my students, like one of my group meetings but a bit extra." Alan usually held bi-weekly meetings with his group. "There's a couple of new students in my group you should meet too. "Oh yes, you won't have to cook anything. I want to keep it informal so we can just order some pizza, get some beer, and they can all give little talks on their research. Do you mind if we have it here, rather in the department? It would be less formal that way and you can get to know them a little bit better." "That's all right, as long as you don't expect me to listen too closely." Alan was a palaeontologist. My own degrees were in biology. "Are you going to include Stewart and Jen?" "I'll tell them they're welcome, but whether they come is up to them." "Anyhow, the reason for this is that the two new students will be going with me to Mexico, so it would be a good idea if you got to know them a bit better." "I meant to ask, Alan, this trip won't interfere with your teaching, will it?" "A little, but nothing that can't be handled. My classes only start in October. But I can ask Jim Smollet to do them for me. He owes me for that spell I did for him when he was off in Norway." It was a couple of weeks later when Alan and I managed to get his group over to our place. There were five of them, all in the Ph.D. programme. One was about finished and was writing her thesis. There were another two, about half way through their work but, as Alan had said, there were a couple of new students, the ones who would be going to Mexico with them. By this time I had got our travel plans well underway. The university had a contract with a travel agency who would make the travel arrangements to and from the actual research site but I wanted to do our holiday part through a company where one of my friends worked. Both of us would fly to Campeche in the Yucatan, but at different times. There, we were to be picked up to get to a small town much nearer the sites that would serve as a base. I had met some of Alan's students before, but only in passing and I enjoyed getting a chance to speak to them. Their enthusiasm reminded me of my own studies. The most senior one, Sandra, had got to the stage of writing her thesis and was looking forward forward to getting finished. She had a job lined up with an oil company. Mike and Pam were both about half-way through. The two newer ones were Ranbir and Phil. I was secretly amused at Ranbir. His strong Yorkshire accent contrasted with his brownish face. He was outgoing and confident, always joking and laughing. Phil was quieter and more introspective and, I couldn't put my finger on it but his manner seemed slightly off. He was darker skinned too, but that was his family background. He told me his parents had been Trinidadian but of mixed background. It wasn't until the day after that I talked about him with Alan that I could put a finger on Phil's manner. I thought it was very likely that he was gay. "Actually, I haven't thought about it," Alan said when I mentioned it to him later. "But I think you're right." He gave a dismissive gesture. "Still, if he's gay or not doesn't matter. As long as he does the work. He's got excellent grades in his first degree and his references said he is hard working. There's no reason why he shouldn't continue." I was browsing at a bookstore and I was bending down to look at a lower shelf when I accidentally bumped into someone behind me. "Oh, I'm sorry!" I exclaimed, turning around, then I recognized who it was. It was Phil. "Oh, hello, Phil, you getting some reading material? Geology stuff?" But his sudden embarrassed manner gave him away. "Yes, I mean, no, not really," he stammered. Maybe I should have respected his privacy but the poor lad seemed so confused and embarrassed that I felt I had to do something. In fact he was holding a book on homosexuality. He tried to hide the title but he knew I had seen it. His face flushed. I tried to be reassuring. "It?s all right Phil. I understand. I don?t mind. Are you trying to understand your feelings?" "Yes, I .. I was trying to read about it." "Look Phil, there?s a cafe over the street there. Why don?t we go and have tea or coffee if you want." I held up my hand. "No objections! My treat!" I was still wondering if he resented my intrusion. In retrospect maybe I should have shut my mouth and kept my nose out of it but I had now committed myself so I tried to be as casual and understanding as I could. Eventually he calmed down and when we talked for a bit it confirmed my earlier deductions. He spoke softly, hesitating at first, and looked round. "I?m not sure what I would be called. From when I was young I?ve wanted to live as a girl. I used to try to dress as one in my sister?s clothes but I kept getting guilty spells too. I tried to fight it but it kept coming out. My parents were angry with me and they more or less threw me out after I?d finished school. An aunt was sympathetic and she took me in. She even supported me through university. Maybe it?s good I split with my parents. I don?t think they appreciated me. "I?ve tried to suppress my feelings but," he sighed. "I?m losing the battle. Or maybe I?m winning it. You see, I?ve become more and more convinced my male body is not right for who I am. I think I?d like to be a woman and live as one. Maybe I?d even like the company of a man, sexually I mean. Sometimes I even fantasize about being a wife, with children," he sniffed. "Of course, that can never happen." My heart went out to the poor lad. "Phil, I have more errands to do but I want to talk to you again. Suppose we meet here next week. I want to help you." "How could you help me!" It was a statement, a denial, not a question, but he agreed to meet me again. ..... "How?s that new student of your?s, the one called Phil, doing?" I asked Alan that night. "He?s bright enough but he seems distracted. He?s upset about something." "Do you know about what?" I asked innocently. "Well, the other day you thought he was gay. Maybe that?s the reason. But it?s none of my business." I tossed and turned in bed that night wondering about Phil. I had come into the possession of a book that could give him what he wanted, but was it wise to use it? Did I dare risk it? It would totally change his life and that would mean all sorts of problems in him setting up a new life but I wanted to help him. When my own life was changed I had first been rigidly controlled, a slave even. Then afterwards Martha?s spell had given me a lovely female body. Also, I had been given complete support and friendship by Martha, Sue and Dora. Should I do the same for someone else? At last I decided. When I met Phil again I made the offer. He just stared at me, incredulously. "Mrs. Bain, what you are suggesting? That power you say you have, it?s against all reason. It can?t be!" "Phil, I know it sounds impossible, but I assure you, I could do it." He shook his head. "Even if I totally believed you. I"m not sure. I?ve been trying to distract myself with keeping busy at my work and I?m not ready to try anything like that. I would want to finish my degree anyway. It would raise awkward questions if I suddenly became a woman." He was right. I hugged him. "Then good luck to you, Phil!" I still thought about it later that night, wondering if I had been too open. Could I trust Phil to keep his mouth shut? Martha had advised me to keep the knowledge of the book and its power as secret as possible. Was I being careful enough? Maybe I was worrying too much . Possibly he thought I was only teasing him. Maybe he thought I was just a silly middle-aged woman slipping into dotage. Another two weeks later I saw Alan, Ranbir and Phil off on their flights. They were flying first to Mexico City then they would take a flight to Campeche where they would be picked up by Alan?s collaborator George Summers. I left the airport feeling a bit left out but I buried myself in reading about the Yucat?n and the Maya. It was some weeks later when I was packing for myself that I wondered if I could have a difficulty. I knew that my daughter Jen, much as I loved her, had a strong curiosity streak, or maybe it should be called nosiness. I remembered how my own nosiness had led me into trouble all those years ago. Jen was not averse to going through my clothes and borrowing them. Maybe I should have objected more strongly but she was my daughter, after all. Even though she was to be staying at the Rutherfords? I wondered how much she might snoop around our own house, getting into my wardrobe and drawers where I had secreted the book. I had actually wondered about getting a safety deposit box for it, but I had never got around to it, so currently the book lay at the bottom of my lingerie drawer. I took it out and studied it, then pushed it into the bottom of my suitcase. It would keep it out of Jen?s way and, one never knows, I rationalized. I might need it. The flights went without hitch and I was picked up at Campeche by Alan and George Summers. I was surprised when I saw Ranbir and Phil there too but Alan had said he was giving them a break from the exploration. All was going very well and in fact they were just about done with the field part. George was actually a New Yorker, a professor at one of the New York State universities. He was about Alan?s age and they had been friends for years. They had met at some conference in Brussels and when they had found they had similar interests they had started collaborating on research. They had a kind of mini bus waiting for me so we piled in with my luggage. As usual, I had more stuff than men carry. On our travels Alan usually managed with small cases but I needed more outfits to be appropriate for the situation. And then I had hopes of some romantic nights-out on our holidays. I had packed two evening dresses and a pretty new nightdress. The driver was Mexican. The men got to talking generally but it did not take long before the conversation degenerated, if that is the word, into geological talk about the sites and the strata and the progress and discoveries. Ranbir was an outgoing lad and he appeared to be unfazed by the two professors and, I am not a geologist, but I thought his comments and suggestions looked appropriate and enquiring. Phil was different. He was following the conversation right enough, but adding little to it. It was as if he liked studying things and people, assessing them. I had little to offer either as I was looking out the windows at the jungle, the small clearings and the occasional Mexican villages. It was all so totally different from England. Our destination was a small town, more like a village, but big enough to have a hotel that actually could accommodate the dozen or so geologists. I was told it was a former hacienda. The hotel was adequate, certainly not five star, probably not even four star, but it had clean beds and showers and we were to be there only for a week or so. I had booked better places for the tour we intended to do later. I was looking forward to the touristy part especially. I just hoped that Alan would appreciate the ancient civilization?s monuments and not just the geology. After I had unpacked and had a quick shower George picked us all up to go to a local eating place. The food was fairly basic, Eyeing the menu it looked like a mixture of simple international fare like hamburgers but with some offerings of the local dishes. I supposed it was modified for what they thought was an international taste. I was unfamiliar with some of the offerings so to be safe I ordered a small sized steak with rice. When it arrived I looked at my plate in dismay. There was a lot of other stuff on it. "I?ll never finish this!" I exclaimed. It was good and I made a valiant effort to eat it all but I had to leave some. For drinks there were only beer or spirits so I settled for Mexican beer, and I enjoyed that. I should have expected it when the conversation quickly changed to talk about the work so I let my eyes wander over the rest of the restaurant and it?s clientele. Most of the geologists were in American type clothing, jeans in various states of war and repair, casual shirts for the men and often similar garb for the women. I am not sure what was traditional dress in this Mayan region but other men were wearing loose shirts and some women had very pretty embroidered dresses or fancy blouses. I briefly wondered about getting one for casual wear but then I wondered what opportunity there would be to wear them in England. Still, I felt a bit dowdy with my tan slacks and plain blouse. I got the impression we had been noticed too, probably because we were strangers, and obviously foreigners by our accents, certainly by our clothes. The locals were studying us as well. I hoped they didn?t mind us. I could not tell from their eyes. George took us back to the hotel. "Is your work going well?" I asked Alan as we were getting ready for bed. "Yes, very much. It was good to get up and close to see the site and I can get a better idea of where to extend it. Ranbir and Philip are learning a lot as well. They?re good students. "What about you?" he asked. "I know it?s not your thing. Will you be okay for another week or so." I took his arm and kissed him. "I?m happy because it?s what you like doing. I?ll go with you tomorrow to the site and see what?s happening, just for curiosity, but you?ll forgive me if I leave it at that. This country is quite different from England so I?d like to see more of the area. No, not too far. I could catch up on my reading too." I was jet lagged, but it had been weeks since I had seen my husband and that night we made satisfying love. I was still on the pill as I had not gone through menopause yet. I wondered if that was another effect of Martha?s spell. George led us to the dig the next day to show us around. "My God, look at that jungle around us," I exclaimed. "I wouldn?t like to get lost here!" "Yes, we were lucky we found this place," George added. "It took a lot of work just to clear it." The site was on a gently sloping hillside with some spots that looked as if they were gradually getting eroded away by a small river underneath. Alan explained the erosion was what had exposed the fossil beds originally. In the cleared area various small groups of palaeontologists were working at various dig sites. A number of tents were set out close to the river. "We use these for closer examination of the stuff. It?s more comfortable if we?re out of the sun and the wind," George explained. "And we use it to get the specimens ready to take them back to the labs, you know, encasing them in plaster and canvas to stop them from getting broken. They?re quite fragile. And there," he added with a grin. "There?s the most important, the food tent. We take our lunches there. And we keep the water and beer there." It took me a full morning to see fully around and Alan couldn?t keep the enthusiasm out of his voice when he showed me a specimen Ranbir had unearthed just a few days before. "This is a good one." He pointed at some tiny detail. "I think it?s going to establish a connection between two groups we already know." When I mentioned my plans for doing some exploring on my own to George his mouth twisted and he took what looked like a minute, as if he was deciding what to say. "Okay, Simone, you don?t have to get a car. Take one of our small trucks. It will be better for the roads. It?ll depend on where you go but, I should advise you, you?re not familiar with this area and we?re away from the main road so the roads are only tracks, and maybe," he hesitated."You should know, there are some areas you should keep away from. "This country is not your English countryside. Or people. Some of them here are very protective of their lands and suspicious of strangers. Some of the locals may think you?re intruding on their old temple sites. So, whatever you do, don?t stray out of the main roads. They won?t be aggressive, but they could let you know that they look on us as trespassers. "If you run into any of trouble, just back off and get going the other way. Some people won?t be any trouble if you leave them alone. But others can be very distrustful and suspicious." "You?re making me a bit apprehensive." He made a face. "Nah, you?ll be okay. Maybe I?m exaggerating it. I suppose there?s parts of every country In the world where you have to be careful, but look, maybe you should have company too. Suze there," he pointed to a young woman sitting in a tent and reading. "I don?t think she?ll mind showing you around a day or two. She?s one of our research assistants but she sprained her wrist and I?ve told her to take some days off. "Hey Suze," he called over. "You got a minute?" Suze was a tall, pleasant faced woman. Her face was tanned with the sun and what I could see of her neck and arms they were tanned too. She had short blonde hair tied back in a short ponytail. She looked fit, but fairly scrawny. George introduced us and outlined what I wanted to do. "I hope you don?t mind, Suze. I don?t want to take you from your work!" I was concerned that Suze was being imposed on as I knew Alan hated any distraction from his own work. "No, not at all, Simone. I really need to rest my wrist. I was going to use a few days to write some stuff up but a little sightseeing sounds more fun. You fancy heading to the coast?" "Would you be okay driving?" "Oh, sure. No problem! The wrist is just about okay but I still need to rest it." The roads away from our site were little better than tracks in the jungle, sometimes rutted and often very bumpy. I was glad we were in a truck. Suze handled it very well. I had wondered about her wrist wth the demands of driving but the truck?s transmission was automatic. We decided to head west to the Gulf. The scenery changed little but the higher areas to the south became more noticeable. I preferred it to the flatter areas to the north. We stopped at another small town cafe for lunch. It was like a smaller version of the restaurant where we had eaten the previous night and it had an even more limited menu. Once again I could feel eyes going over us, recognizing us as strangers. I began to think I should get a pair of jeans and a check shirt like Suze was wearing. Suze was easy to talk to. She was from Atlanta with a definite Southern accent but she confided that it had been changed a lot. "It?d be likely you wouldn?t understand me much at all if I spoke in a real Georgian accent." She laughed. "Two years of California have smoothed it out a bit." "You?ll be thinking i have an accent too!" "Yeah I do, but it?s easier tones understand than that of these two young guys your husband brought," We got chatting and she told me about herself. She had a Ph.D. and kept herself solvent by working at a hired assistant for digs such as this but she confided she hoped to eventually get a job with some university or museum. She said she wasn?t married. She ran her hands down her rather straight body. "Well, I like men and I?d like one in my life but maybe I need a few more curves to attract one." She laughed. "My name is Bottomley. Guess what they called me in school? Bottomless! I can eat like a horse and it still doesn?t show on me. Running about over landscapes and digging probably burns off a lot too." In return I told her about myself, that I had a degree in botany, and another in plant cell biology but had given up my career in an agricultural laboratory once I was pregnant to be a homemaker and mother. "Yeah, I?d like to have kids too," she said. After a bit we reached the coast. What we could see of it was very attractive, with the blue water of the Gulf and white sandy beaches alternated with rocky headlands, palm trees and the small villages, but as we were coming back along the road near the research site we saw a man standing in the way of the truck. Suze had to slow down but she kept the windows rolled up as we approached. After a stream of some language, which did not sound welcoming at all, the man thumped his hand on the side of the truck but stood aside and let us drive on. "Some disgruntled local? Not exactly courteous, was he," I muttered. "I wonder what he was annoyed about." "Mostly they just look at us as we go by. Sometimes it?s difficult to read their faces. Something funny about him too. He wasn?t dressed like the usual peasant. Anyway, we?re just about back. Where do you wanna go tomorrow?" Suze asked. "Maybe we?ll go the other way. I?d expected we?d see more today but that thick jungle hides too much. Maybe we?ll see more if we?re in higher ground, if that?s all right with you." "Sure, I?m having fun and it?s great talking to you. When I got here I was keen to get started so I jumped right into the work and I haven?t see much of the country either." We had just got back to the site and I was telling Alan about our day and the experience with the native when there was a sudden explosion. It was more like feeling the pressure wave before I was aware of the actual sound of the explosion. It was followed immediately by a rumbling sound and the staccato of rocks hitting the ground. When we rushed out of the tent we saw a cloud of dust covering most of the dig site. Men were shouting and women screaming. Alan, myself and those nearest to us rushed to the digs. I was relieved to see what looked like most of the workers appearing although they were staggering out and coughing as the dust cleared. George took command immediately. "Fred, Mike, Al, come with me. The rest of you stay back. Alan, can you start taking a roll call? There?s a list of everyone here in the admin tent." When the dust settled, literally, and we took an inventory, we found we had been very lucky. Nobody had been seriously hurt. The worst was a bad bruise that one of the American graduate students got when a rock hit his shoulder. "I shudder to think what would have happened if it had hit his head," said Alan. George held a council that night. All of the workers were there except the one who had got the bruises. He had objected to being away, but George had firmly told him to stay in the small hospital that night. We also had the local government administrator and his assistant with us. George held up his hand for quiet. "Listen folks, we?ve all had a shock today. It looks like some kind of sabotage. Officer Boregas here says it looks like someone set off dynamite or some explosive above us. It blew a big hole and made a lot of rock and dust fall into the digs." He held up his hand to quieten the sounds of protest and anger. "This is a puzzle. We?ve got full permission from all levels of the government and we?ve done all the paperwork and gotten permits all the way up." "Maybe some of the locals are a bit paranoid," someone suggested. It got some nervous laughs but I wondered if there were some truth in what he said. There was no logical reason. Or maybe the locals simply did not want strangers around. I thought of the man Suze and I had seen when we were out in the truck. "There are no sacred ruins or anything around here, are there?" someone asked. "Well, this is an area the Maya built a lot of temples in. That little town we?re staying in even has a small one but as far as we know there is nothing of any major archaeological significance near us here. "We?re lucky that we?ve only had minor damage. Yes, that?ll mean we?ll have to clear out all the rubble and dust, but I think we?ll find the fossil beds we?ve been working on won?t be damaged. The doc says Terry will make a good recovery. The dig sites, we can clean them out and that will take a day or so. However, the bad news is we?ll have to have some professionals look at the land above us to make sure the ground is safe and stable. We can?t be working in a unsafe conditions. "Oh yes, I want everyone to make sure to wear hard hats now." He waited for the groans to subside then he gestured to the man by his side." Officer Boregas here is the local administrator, and he?s called in other investigators. In the meantime, we?ll just need to take a break. I?m sure there?s catch-up work we can all do." There were more groans, but most were nodding their heads. "Senor Boregas, I?ll leave it with you." The administrator went on a bit and then he and George fielded questions but it was obvious the explosion was a puzzle to everybody. All agreed It was probably an attempt to stop our work but no one could think of any reason for that. A couple of days later we had a visit from some state investigators and maybe they were being cautious but I got the feeling they had no idea either. Alan and George agreed with me when I commented on it. With the enforced vacation until the hillside above could be investigated, most of the group decided to catch up on their writing, either in the tents or in their quarters back in town. With the hint of possible trouble I decided that any more touring in the countryside was not a good idea either. But I had an alternative. "Suze, do you fancy some more sightseeing with me? But we?ll just do it here in town. There?s an old church I wanted to look over, and there?s some old ruins at the end of the street. Some company would be good. My husband has his nose stuck in some fossils." I grinned, to show I was joking, sort of,. "Sure, Simone. Say, how did you get the French name? Do you mind me asking?" "My mother gave me it. Maybe she?d been reading a French novel," I said. The truth was a little different. Once upon a time I had been Simon. We were about to leave for the town when I spotted Phil. "Hello, Phil! What are you doing?" "Nothing much, Mrs. Bain. I thought I?d catch up on some reading." "I?m going with Suze here to look around the older buildings in town. You look bored. Do you want to come too ?" We were poking around the old ruins when Senor Boregas strolled up to us. He tipped his hat. "Good afternoon, Senora, you are finding something of interest to occupy your time?" "Yes, very much so." I gestured to the ruin."I know this is in bad condition and it?s small but still, it must have been very impressive when it was built. My husband and I are intending to visit a number of sites like this. I can hardly conceive of how their societies built these. "What were they for, I mean, what part of their religion?" "Maybe nothing religious at all, Senora. Some people think they were used merely as landmarks in the jungle! If they were religious, who knows what their religion wanted? Perhaps it was to honour their gods so then the gods could be persuaded to do magic. They used human sacrifice, you know." "Magic?" I looked at him to see if he was serious but he was giving nothing away. "Yes, Senora. Perhaps people made wishes and if they were sincere enough the gods would grant them. Maybe the gods would live there and interact with people. Maybe there is still some trace of the gods? influence in there!" I gave him what I hope was a skeptical look but he just gave me a faint smile back. I had no idea if he was joking or really believed what he was saying. I pointed to an elaborate figure carved on a rock. "Is that one of the gods? It is very elaborate. Perhaps they could do elaborate things." Still that faint smile. "Well," he tipped his hat, "I have some work to do. You know how it is. Enjoy your visit!" Actually the sightseeing did not take as long as I expected. I hoped it would be good for Phil and he would open up a bit, but it was as if he had something on his mind. Our touring over, the three of us went to a small tavern in the town and ordered a beer each. It was quite pleasant just sitting and relaxing and watching life in the small town go by. "This is all very well and pleasant," said Suze, "but I think I better get my butt moving back to the hotel. I have some emails and other correspondence I should be doing. If you?ll excuse me . I?ll see you later." That left Phil and me sitting there and I decided to be bold. "Phil, how about yourself now? What are your feelings now about yourself? You seem quiet." "I think I feel much the same, Mrs B. Maybe when I get back to the UK I?ll start making plans." "I offered something to you that I thought could help you. But I take it you?re not interested?" "You know, Mrs B. I thought you were having me on. It was just so far- fetched." "Not at all, Phil. I mean, the offer is genuine." "It sounds like magic. That guy Boregas. I?m not sure whether he believed in Maya magic or he was just having us on too . But your offer is tempting. It would make life easier." He sat and thought for a bit. "The trouble is, it would have very wide ranging effects on my life." "Look on it as getting away from some situation that?s giving you distress and would give you many more opportunities. I agree there would be difficulties but at the end you?d be happier." "I?m still not quite sure. I have some difficulties, but I have the ability to do well." I put my hand over his. "Well, I?m here if you decide to do it." "Why are you offering this and how does it work?" "I?m offering it to you because I feel you need it and want it. It works, uh, by some force changing your body externally and even internally. You?d get breasts, a slim waist, and wider hips, a woman?s shape. You?d lose height and weight. You?d lose your penis and testicles. You?d lose a lot of your body hair. Internally you?d get a vagina, uterus, ovaries, you?d start menstruating and be able to conceive and carry and birth babies. You could nurse them if you wanted. I?m sure it works at the cellular level and even the molecular level. It must rewrite your DNA. And don?t ask me how! "One thing is strange. The mind lags a bit behind. I think that must be because of the amount of male habit and conditioning by our society that needs to be overcome by the female hormones you?d start producing. But from just talking to you I think your mind is already to accept being female. I think in your case you?d feel it like a cloud was lifted from you. You?d fall into femininity almost seamlessly." "Yeah, I think I could do that easily." He gave a strange smile. "Mrs B, you speak as if from experience. Did that happen to you? And where did you get that book?" I was suddenly suspicious. A sneaky look had flashed briefly across his face. " I?m not going to tell you about these things. For my offer, just look on it as if you?d like the changes to be completely natural." I looked at my watch. "All right, time we got back to our hotel then I?ll have to decide where we?ll eat tonight. Much as I like Mexican food, I feel like something a bit different tonight." But I was interrupted. "Hello? I wonder what?s going on?" Four military vehicles suddenly roared through town. I had barely got back into the hotel and had a shower in the tepid water when I heard shouts and screams. Worse, I heard gunfire and when I heard bullets hit the hotel side I threw myself on the floor. Then the shots died away. I lay there for about half an hour, terrified. I did not know what was going on but eventually I dragged on my clothes. Outside I heard jubilant cries and more shots and when I peeked cautiously out of the window I saw a group of men, obviously celebrating. They were all armed, but none were in military uniforms. Some were firing into the air. They looked a rag-tag bunch but ominously, at the end of the street there were a couple of bodies lying on the road. After alarmed shouts downstairs I heard boots clumping up the stairs to my room. The door was pushed open without knocking and two scruffy- looking men looked at me. I was terrified but I did not want to show it. "Who are you?" I cried. "Cierra la boca!" I gathered they wanted me to be quiet. They motioned for me to go out and I was almost pushed down the stairs into the hotel lobby. It looked like the men had herded all the guests there. I saw Phil and Suze and another woman I recognized as one of the American geologists. There was a stream of Spanish and the other guests dropped to the floor, sitting there. A man and one of the geologists were not fast enough and one of the men clubbed them down with his gun. I did not understand the Spanish but I dropped too. There was one who appeared to be in charge. He slowly walked round, inspecting the group asking questions until he got to me and Phil. "You!" he spoke in English. "You are Americans?" "No, we are British," I said. He eyed Phil?s brown skin suspiciously. "Yes, I am British too," Phil said. The man?s eyes narrowed. "Then what are you doing here?" "My husband is a palaeontologist. A geologist," I added when I saw his face was puzzled. "What is going on? Who are you?" "Just be quiet, woman!" And he waved his pistol in my face. "You will do as we tell you." There was a lot more shouting in Spanish and the other guests were herded out leaving me with Suze and the other female American geologist. Phil was taken away with another man. The leader of the gunmen glared at us. " We have been watching you. Your party is not welcome here. We did not want you here at all. We tried to frighten you off with explosives earlier but you ignored our warning. You stayed so you must accept any consequences. You will now do as we tell you." Suze glared at him. "I am one of the geologists but we had no idea why anyone would set the explosion. We had no warning. Besides, what we are doing is a threat to no one. We are doing scientific research into very ancient things." "You are in the way, " the man almost screamed. "The government and my group are fighting.They try to stop us so we are at war. Now we have driven the soldiers out and we take control. So, now that you did not leave we will keep you and the others hostages in case the army attacks us." "Where are the others?" I asked. "They are still at the site. We have isolated them but we will capture them all tomorrow." ?Isolated? sounded dangerous. The geologists had some food and water, but not a lot. Alan would be frantic about my safety and would be wanting to know how I was. The man waved his gun at us and pointed to Suze, me and the other American girl, "Move upstairs, women, back to your room!" and we were herded upstairs. I hoped Phil would be safe. They pushed us into the room. "In there! Stay there!" one gunman ordered in very accented English. We must have been all white faced with fear and tension. Suze was looking grim and the other woman was crying softly. Then, Suze, more practical, immediately went to the window once the door was closed on us. "Any chance of escaping out there?" I asked. She was looking out. "No, there are gunmen out in the street, two or three of them, and they?re armed. Besides, this is upstairs. It?s too far to drop down even if we got out of the window. We?d get hurt." "This is a mess" I said. The other American girl looked at Suze and with big wet eyes. "I?m Simone Bain," I said. "I?m not sure if we?ve met." "I?m Melanie Spezak. What do we do?" "Stay as safe as we can. I don?t know who these men are, maybe some sort of revolutionaries, maybe drug traffickers, or any kind of anti- government group. Who knows!" I opened the door slightly to peer out and immediately it was slammed shut on us and an angry command barked out. "I guess they want us to stay in here." Suze was biting her lips. "I don?t want to be a fucking hostage. The Mexican army may have retreated but they won?t accept this and they?ll counterattack. We could get caught in the crossfire if they try to rescue us." "I wonder what?s going on?" Suze was looking out the window. "They?re putting the men in that building across the way. So they?ve separated us. I don?t like the sound of that." A light went off in my head. "So we?re women only here. I?ve an idea." Our room must have been searched when we were downstairs. My cases were all opened and my clothes strewn about the floor. They had missed my passport in a hidden part of my case but my jewelry and all my money were gone. At least my jewelry was fairly cheap stuff. I still wore my wedding ring and I had left my engagement ring at home. At the bottom of my case I found what I was looking for. I pulled the book out and breathed relief. But then, it did not look like much at all. I doubt if the gang had paid it any attention. "What the hell you got there?" asked Suze. "An old book?" "A little old black magic. Sometimes it can be white magic. But it can have wonderful effects." Suze stared at me. "Lady, Magic? You flipped your lid? I?m worried about you, Simone!" "No, desperate times call for desperate actions. Patience!" I opened the book at the spell I wanted, strange little twinges running through me. It was years since I had experienced its effect, although Martha had shown it to me when she gave it to me. "Here goes, ladies!" I went to the door and cried out the spell as loud as I could. I knew there were two guards there by their low conversation. "What did you just say?" asked Melanie. "I didn?t understand any of it at all." "I think it?s an ancient language. Just wait!" I told the others. There was pounding on our door, probably the men objecting to my loud speaking. At least it showed they had heard me. "You two, Suze, Melanie, in a minute you?re going feel a bit ill and have some aches. You may want to sit down but it will pass quickly and I think you?ll like the results." They looked at me as if I were mad. "Please tell us what you are doing!" asked Melanie. "A little patience. I don?t have time to explain." I didn?t want to either. "Now be quiet. I need to hear what?s going on outside!" It did not take long. Five minutes later I heard grunts and gasps, scrabbling and the sounds of distress from the other side of the door but I waited until things were quieter. Ten minutes would be enough. Suze and Melanie were looking both puzzled and worried but when I opened the door there was no reaction or objection from the other side. In fact the two gunmen were lying on the floor shaking. The only noise was their feet trembling against the wooden floor. Neither was in any condition to stop us. Further down the corridor there was another man in equal distress partly propped against a wall. "What the hell did you do?" asked Suze. "Let?s just say I?m giving them a chance to reassess their male lives. I don't think they will bother us now and we can escape." "Simone, can you just wait a bit? I don?t feel well," complained Melanie. "Neither do I," said Suze. I looked at their faces. They both looked a little white, and Suze was shivering slightly. "What I did is having an effect on you too. But wait a minute or two and it?ll pass. Trust me! I actually think you?ll like the final effect it?ll have on you. Now I?ve something to do first. I want you both to wait here." "What about those men?" "They?ll not trouble you. They?re going to be unconscious more than a day. When they wake up I don?t think they?ll be in a mind to be any trouble either. They?ll have much more on their minds. But I hope we?ll be gone by then anyway. Get their guns!" I padded slowly and carefully along the corridor in my bare feet, stepping around the three men. By now all were unconscious and they would stay that way for a day and a half. I could hear men?s voices in the room downstairs. I tiptoed down the stairs to it. The door was shut and it opened outwards so I quietly pushed a chair under the door handle so that it would jam if anyone pushed it then I screamed out the spell again and ran back upstairs. Behind me I heard the door rattle then there were loud banging noises as the occupants tried to force it open. They must have managed to push it open as next I heard their cries of alarm when they found the three unconscious men. I had closed our door and jammed it the same way with a chair. Luckily this door opened into our room. I heard them pushing at our door and I watched warily as it gradually began to move inwards but then the cries and talking faltered and changed to sounds of stress and gurgling. I waited another five minutes but as I expected when I opened the doors there were another three men lying there. They were shivering so much that their bodies were almost uncontrollable. One tried to raise his gun to us but Suze clubbed his arm with her gun and he dropped it. He struggled to retrieve it but before he could grab it again he sagged back, unconscious. The first three had started the shaking part of the spell and soon the other three joined them and in minutes all of the men were totally unconscious. "This is incredible," breathed Melanie. "How do you feel now," I asked her and Suze. Suze flexed herself. "Much better." She beamed at me but I could see the question coming on her face when she looked at Melanie. "Something?s changed with Melanie!" "Yes, why don?t you go into the bathroom and look at yourself in the mirror," I said. She did so and I heard a squeal. "What have you done?" Her hands were at the side of her face, holding it in shock. She tested her cheeks and lips. She squealed in delight. "You like it?" "Yes, but..." "Do you want to stay that way?" I was hoping she did. Otherwise I would have to give her the reverse spell to read. I did not dare read it myself. "Are you kidding? I?m changed and I like it. But people will know and they?ll ask questions." She wiggled torso. "My body feels different too. It?s like my bra is tighter, and my pants are slacker at the waist! Not at my hips though. I?ve got curves." "Same with me!" cried Melanie. "You?ve changed us! This is great!" "Suze, Melanie, I?m sorry, I need you to hide these body changes for a bit from the other geologists, temporarily. So just let your hair down and hide your face a bit, smudge yourself with a bit of dirt. Oh yes, wear looser clothing for a week or so. Men will soon notice you?re good looking, but try to hide it at first. Eventually you can gradually become more open about it and you can change your clothing to suit your new body and your feelings as you get more confident." Suze?s eyes were wide. "I can?t believe this. What?s happening to these men?" "They are asleep. When they wake up, more than a day from now, they will be women, completely." "Do you want to tell me the background of what you did?" "No, and you need to stop admiring yourself for a bit. We still have something serious to do. I mean, rescue the men." Suze grinned. "Well, now we?ve got some firepower.There?s all the weapons these men dropped." "Sorry, I don?t know how to handle guns or even shoot." "Something?s been lacking in your education, lady! I do! I grew up with guns in rural Georgia. I guess I?ll have to give you both a quick lesson." So, a few minutes later we sidled out off the room carrying a pistol each. Suze looked confident but I didn?t. I was trembling so much I doubted if I could have shot anything smaller than a door. Suze had given me and Melanie a quick instruction on the use of the pistol. "Hold it straight, point it at anyone who threatens you and pull the trigger!" she?d said. Easy for her! The gunmen had put the men in a room in another building across the street and it was also on the ground floor. We sidled to it, keeping away from any windows and listened carefully but there was no sound from it until I heard a voice that sounded like Phil and a barked command. I motioned to Suze to position herself so she wouldn?t be seen as the door opened. Ready? I mouthed and when she nodded I knocked on the door. I heard a question from inside but it was in Spanish and I didn?t understand. "Can you open please? Por favor?" I said loudly and something was said on the other side. When I repeated the door opened slowly. I saw the man?s surprised face then the door swung wide as he recognized me. He lunged at me but he was barely out the doorway when Suze stepped from behind the door and stuck a gun behind his ear. "Drop it !" she commanded. He must have understood the command even though it was in English. Obediently he dropped his own gun but there was another man still in the room guarding Phil and another two men. He swung his gun to me but before he could fire Suze leaned round the door jamb and shot him through the heart. He fell back into the room. The first man started scrambling to get away but I hit him hard on the head with my own weapon and he collapsed on the floor. Phil and another two men were being held in the room.They cried out in relief when they saw us. "You?re all right?" I asked, keeping my eyes away from the dead man on the floor. "Yes, How did you get free? Where?s the ones who were guarding you ?" "Uh, they?re out of the picture. I?ll tell you later what happened. But where are the rest of the gang?" "I think they went out to our camp to capture the men there. We?ve no idea where they are or how many there are." But the decision was not ours. Maybe the local residents were more careful than us but only a few of them were beginning to show their faces as we ran to the police office. Two men were there, one obviously dead but the other was still breathing. When we checked him his eyes flickered open and he gasped and tried to stand but one of his arms was hanging loose and his head was covered in blood. "I?ve got some first aid training. I hope it?s enough," said Suze. We some water and washed the blood off and checked him for bullet holes. The worst was a wound right through his shoulder. It appeared to have missed his lungs. I was in a dilemma. I could have used the book on him to fix his wound, but that would raise questions. There would be enough questions about my own escape. I decided not to do anything. He would be in severe pain, but I hoped that we could get help soon if we could contact the army I was relieved when his eyes flickered open and he tried to get to his feet. "Senora Bain, gracias!" he muttered and but gasped with pain. "We escaped from the gang," I said. "They?re unconscious or dead. Can you call for help?" "I will try, Senora. Give me some help." WIth us supporting him he staggered into the back of the office to a radio. We were lucky. It had not been damaged and I heard a five minute excited conversation. When he lurched out, he had relief on his face. "I have called the National Guard. They will be here soon." We had another tense hour until several trucks arrived filled with National Guard. I had found some pain killers and Suze had given the chief a dressing for his wounds but I was getting my own story ready too. There were several awkward things that I would have to either explain, deny or plead ignorance about. When the police chief and others had been taken to a larger town for treatment Boregas and two assistants began to interview us. "Senora Bain, I thank you for your help. You played a major part in foiling this rebellion. We are still investigating but we think there may have been drug dealing involved. These men were foolish. It looks as if they were trying to spark an insurrection, but as far as we can find out, their numbers were far too small. Nevertheless some people were killed and there were many, like you, who were put in danger. "But we need some information, Senora. We need to know how you were able to escape? What happened to these, you say men, who were guarding you?" I gave him an exasperated look. Practised. "I cannot help you, Senor Boregas. I did not see anything. I and two other women were in a room and the door was shut but something must have incapacitated these men so that they could not guard us and we were able to get out. We found the same downstairs. It was only when we rescued the men that we needed the guns we had taken off the men upstairs." "Senora Bain, I am very puzzled how this happened. One gang member said you were being held by his compatriots, all men, yet we found only two men, one dead and one unconscious. Surely you are aware that there are no other men there, only several women but they are in men?s clothes. And they are deeply unconscious. Why would this be so?" "Women?" I feigned incredulity. Suze, Melanie and I had decided to pretend ignorance and I had sworn them to secrecy about the book. "I cannot believe that. Perhaps they were not men, but women in disguise?" He took a long drag on his cigarette and blew out the smoke. "I think that is unlikely. Our information on these gangs is that they are composed entirely of men. If there are any women their roles are quite peripheral." "Well then," I said as if I was losing patience. "We are in the Yucatan perhaps it is ancient Mayan magic! You apparently believe in strange phenomena! Didn?t you tell us that the gods in the temples could do magic? I was hoping for rescue . Maybe the old Mayan gods heard me." "Senora, please do not try my patience!" "?Your patience??" I cried out. "I am a visitor here. I have been held against my will by criminals. My life and the lives of my party have been in danger and you criticize me?" I was not sure if my bluster had the right effect. His face certainly got red but I needed to change the topic. "What about the geologists at the camp? My husband is still there. Are they safe?" "I have sent soldiers to your camp. They are well armed and they will be able to overcome any resistance." I was a little sceptical. I had seen how they had fled when confronted by the gang earlier. I knew the bandits were well armed and I assumed there would be several dozen of them so I was worried about Alan and the rest and I spent several more tense hours. At last the army commander called me. "Senora Bain, your friends are safe. My men had a skirmish with the rest of these criminals but they have disappeared into the jungle. We have helicopters out searching for them." I was overwhelmingly relieved when a convoy of trucks arrived and Alan climbed out of one. I ran to him hugged him. We were safe but the experience had put the whole expedition in question and George called a meeting to discuss the situation. Some were for leaving but both Boregas and an army representative gave strong assurances that we would have no further problems. Eventually the general consensus was for the work to carry on because the army had assured protection. Personally, I wanted well away from anyone questioning me on how Suze, Melanie and I were able to escape. One other person at least must have been wondering about it too. Phil came to see me. "I?d like to thank you, Mrs. B. You rescued me but I?ve been wondering how you managed to get out of that room past these gang. It was your doing that was the most important. The thing is, some people are saying it looks like men were changed to women. Do you know if that?s right?" "That?s what they tell me." "Now, men changing to women, that?s a coincidence." "What are you trying to say, Phil?" "I was sceptical about what you said you could do something for me. Now I?ve seen it in action. You did it, didn?t you?" "And?" "I?m now convinced it works." "I already offered you it?s use, and I?m still willing to let you do it but maybe we should wait quite a bit." Phil looked at me, a small smile playing on his mouth. "I don't suppose many people know about this. You?d like to keep it quiet, wouldn?t you." I did not like how he said it and my suspicion increased. "Yes. It should be kept confidential. But it is not the place or time to use it here." I was thinking furiously. "You know what I mean, Mrs B. I can take care of myself, but think you?d be willing to help me out in the future in all sorts of ways to make sure I?d be extra careful not to let slip what you can do." The threat was out but I was pretending I did not really recognize it but his meaning was clear. The ungrateful heel intended to blackmail me. There was another thing too. Back in England, well away from the Yucatan, it might be possible to deny all of what I had done but any breath of the book?s existence, however slight, was bad. I remembered Martha?s warning. I let my eyes lower as if he had got the better of me. "Then back in England, yes, I?ll see to things." With the turmoil I had lost any interest in a major holiday and Alan agreed. We would return to England but take only a few days holiday in Campeche. There was the question what to do about Ranbir and Phil and their research. Apparently Phil had enough samples and data and had wanted to go back too, but Ranbir was not satisfied with what he had and wanted to stay on for a little longer so Alan made arrangements with George to supervise his immediate work. I had heard that Suze and Melanie were about finished their field work too and were going to return to America so, an idea developing, I went to see the two of them and we had a good talk. "Simone, I owe you an awful lot. Not only for saving me, but the other things." She gave a happy grin and ran her hands down her body to emphasize her figure. "I was like a beanpole. Now look at me. I?ve got a figure. Life?s going to be fun," she laughed. "I?ve already had guys trying to chat me up." Melanie was even happier. "This is great, Simone. Anytime I can do you a favour just ask." "Well yes, I do need your help in something." I thought of how ruthless Martha had been. "Here?s how." .... I contacted Phil and said that that I needed to speak to him and, as I had arranged, we had just arrived at a cantina just as Suze and Melanie arrived and I invited them to join us and have some beer together. I watched as Melanie began to flirt with Phil. She was very good at it. He was gay but I think he was amused or vain enough to think that a woman would show interest in him. The times I had been talking to him it had become fairly evident that although he had some conflict, he had a high enough opinion of himself so he was enjoying the back and forwards of the flirting. Because he was gay I did not think any relationship would develop very far. Maybe he hoped to get some amusement from the effect on Melanie when he finally rejected her attention. Size, Melanie and Phil were set to accompany us on our drive back to Campeche then we would all fly to Mexico City before heading our separate ways. We were packing up our clothes and other stuff when Alan broached the subject. "That lad Phil, I had thought he was gay, but I see him and Melanie hanging out together. They look rather friendly." That was the impression I had wanted to give. "Yes, I noticed that too. They seem to be together a lot." I pretended surprise. "Maybe I was mistaken about him, or wonders will never cease!" "Maybe Phil got a shock with the criminals and it reset his personality." Personally. I doubted that was possible but if Alan wanted to think so, it helped me. We were to stay at Campeche before flying out and in the three days we had a great time touring the old colonial city and looking at Mayan monuments. On the last evening I suggested we all go out for a meal with Suze and Melanie. We had a great meal, an appropriate finish to our trip, complete with even a mariachi band serenading us. Alan and Phil were relaxed, Suze and Melanie not so much. I was forcing light conversation but I had other things on my mind. We were finished and leaving the restaurant when Melanie and Suze took Phil?s arm. "Come on, Phil, a last experience of Mexico. I?ve heard of a good bar down the street." She looked at Alan and me. "Don?t worry. I?ll be sure to get him back later!" she laughed and she and Suze took his arm to lead him off. Then she hesitated and looked at Alan and me. "Oh, I?m sorry, Simone, Alan, we don?t mean to leave you out. Do you guys want to come too?" I was relieved when Alan shook his head. "Sorry, I?m a little tired and a little woozy. I want to rest." I had quietly put a little tequila in his and Phil?s beers. "But Simone, why don?t you go with them?" "Are you all right with that, Alan?" I asked. "Yes, fine. Have a good time!" I got back to our room about an hour later. I think Alan had been dozing in a chair. "Where?s Phil?" he asked. "We had another beer then Melanie and Suze took him off to yet another bar. He?ll be back in an hour or so, I suppose." I gave a yawn, only partly exaggerated. "Let?s get to bed. I?m tireder that I thought." "Actually Melanie and Suze seemed to have blossomed." "Yes, they do. I?m happy for them." We were having breakfast at the hotel before we headed to the airport but Alan was looking round nervously. "Where is Phil? I don?t see him." "Maybe he drank more than he should and he has a hangover." "I hope he?ll be ready to get to the airport." "Let?s check his room," I suggested. But of course when we knocked at his door there was no reply. "Well, well, well, maybe he had company last night, with Melanie, I mean," I suggested. " I wonder where they spent the night. But we?d better get to the airport. Phil can make his own way. He?s an adult. It?s his responsibility." But Phil never showed up at the airport. Alan kept fidgeting, looking at his watch, continually getting up and looking over the people in the departure lounge. Finally, when the call was made for passenger boarding Phil had still not shown up and Alan was very annoyed. "Silly bugger! I don?t see him here. He?s going to miss the bloody flight." He was still agitated, fuming, as we took our seats and the plane filled up and Phil had still not boarded. I took his arm. "Alan, he?s a grown man. Maybe he?s decided to go off with Melanie." "Why would he do that?" "Why do you think?" I breathed a sigh of relief when our plane was in the air. ..... We had been back in England a month and back to our usual routines when Alan made a comment over the dinner table. "I heard from Ranbir today. His work?s gone well. He?s just about ready to finish and fly back." "That?s good. What about that other one? Phil was it? Did you ever hear what had happened to him?" Alan sighed. "No, he?s just disappeared. I contacted George and in turn he contacted Melanie but she says Phil had left her and was rushing back to our hotel. I contacted our embassy in Mexico too about him but they?ve heard nothing either. There are no Mexican police reports. I don?t know what would have possessed him to abandon his studies like that." I was not surprised. With the two girls helping me I had put a fair bit of tequila in Phil?s beer and when he was half drunk we steered him into a washroom. Then, while the girls held him down, I read the spell and when he was unconscious we cut off his clothes, removed all of his identification then dressed him in some Mayan peasant women?s clothes. He was well into the change when we dumped him in an alley behind the bar. It looked like was going to make a very attractive young woman. I had kissed and hugged the girls but I put my finger to my lips. "Remember, the rest of your lives, not a word about my book!" I thought of how Martha had acted ruthlessly when her coven was in danger. That had contributed to why I had first been changed. Now I had acted ruthlessly too; I had played with a person?s life to preserve the secrecy of the book. In middle -age I had learned something about myself, and what I was capable of. I am not sure if that was a good thing. Perhaps I would bury the memories of what I had done in some far labyrinth of my mind. So Phil got his wish to be a woman, but maybe not as he would have liked. The woman he became would not have known Spanish and her English accent would be a mystery to anybody who found her but with her darker complexion, at first sight she would look like a Mexican peasant. I did not think the Mexican police would be too concerned about her to investigate further. At least she would bear no resemblance to who she had been and, with no ID at all, I expected she could be stuck in Mexico a long time. I would not care if it was forever. I should say too that Alan still knows nothing of the book nor my history and I want to keep it that way. I feel some slight guilt over my actions. I had offered to help him but Phil had been preparing to blackmail me and I could not allow that. When, if I offered to use the book again on anyone I would be a lot more circumspect. There was one happy effect. Some months later I had an email from Suze saying she had returned to the States to work on another palaeontology contract, but with her pretty face and her willowy, tall figure she had got the attention of a modelling agency and on one of her assignments she had met a man and had become engaged. There was another ironic but fortunate effect. The gang may have intended to it frighten us off but the explosion exposed many fresh strata rich in fossils which would supply material for many years more of research. That gang that set it off did the palaeontologists a big favour. END