Stand Still

Drew

15 Years Later

I just landed in Lisbon after a seven hour flight from New York and I'm looking for my rental in the airport's parking lot. I feel like getting a nice shower and head out for some mouth watering cot cakes and beer.

It's been years since I've been back here. Last time around was at the beginning of my stellar career as the youngest Interpol's Director in the U.S ever, something I soon figured was too much of a bureaucratic job for me. Needing some breathing room I recently took a step in a different direction so I'm now back in Portugal as an observer for Interpol, to help bust a cell recruiting for terrorist groups amongst college kids. Terrorism, the fucking plague of the century.

Anyway, I'm spending the weekend around Lisbon and I'm heading to Coimbra on Monday morning. Coimbra is a kind of medieval beautiful city, in the central region of Portugal, home to a 13th century university, one of the oldest in Europe. Perfect place for history buffs.

After I find my car, I put my suitcase in the trunk and pick up my phone to get GPS directions to my hotel in Parque das Nações.

Huh?

As I take my phone out of my pocket I stare at a pink post-it glued to it. Oh, yeah, the cute flight-attendant with the nice rack. Maybe I'm getting more than cot cakes and beer for dinner after all. I smirk.

I get to Coimbra on Monday, mid-morning and I get settled in my apartment downtown. The already furnitured two-bedroom apartment is quite pleasant with an industrial vibe to it. Grey cemented walls, marble floors, black window frames, some western hemlock wood walls and floor-to-ceiling windows. The fact the apartment is located in a 24hour security condo overseeing the river, offering several amenities like laundry service, pool, gym and restaurant, is a major plus.

I start to settle my office equipment in the spare room and after an hour I'm ready to get in touch with my contact back in the U.S.

"Hey man. Are you settled? Is the place suitable?" Jake asks in his usual unaffected good mood. We have been friends for most of our lives and through the years we've always tried our best to work together, because we know we can rely, having each other's back at all times. We have been there for one's best and worst moments.

"Yeah, I'm all settled. The apartment is great actually, perfect location and all." I replied.

"What about the bed? Comfortable enough for some action?" He laughs.

"Will you stop thinking with your dick, you dickhead?" Figures. I sometimes wonder if this guy ever leaves an untouched woman in his path. My ex-wife, hopefully. Never asked and never will because I truly dread the answer. "Let's go over Cubicone and everything I need to know."

"Right. But I won't be forgetting to spend a week over when you finish wrapping this shit. So, Cubicone is a research facility, founded by a MIT researcher now established in Portugal. Guessing he got himself some good portuguese action." He chuckles. Jeez, this guy's head half lives in pussyland.

"Anyway, Cubicone's association with some U.S. universities and major business labels, leads to 60% of it's researchers being american. So that will be your ticket in, thanks to your major in economics. University of Coimbra has a high profile association with Cubicone, meaning that many of its researchers are encouraged to share their expertise teaching some classes. You were granted a semester as Doctor Sheridan's wingman, assisting a couple of his projects but mostly teaching his classes. A couple of his PA's bailed out on him so the guy is swamped. You are kind of a gift from heaven right now. No one inside knows who you are, you'll be totally incognito. Oh, I did some digging and comes out that 90% Cubicone's administrative staff is female, the hot kind, so make sure to tap a few." He says in a kind of serious note.

"That course of action would be the fast lane to compromise this all operation. Anyway, tomorrow I have an early meeting with the CEO Sam Silva. Let's introduce him to Andrew Martin, the economics geek." I laugh. Diligently I've been brushing up on my Ivy League economics degree and my portuguese for the last few months.

"Ok. Check in after to let us know. And text me if you need me to place an order for condoms, with home delivery."

For fuck's sake. "Get your mind off the gutter Jake. I can buy my own condoms." I groan.

"That's my boy. Save me a few chicks. Good luck tomorrow man."

Next morning it only takes me a fifteen minute walk to get to Cubicone, getting there with ten minutes to spare. Coimbra is one of those cities where everything is at a walking distance, so I'm thinking I'll be pretty much leaving my rental at the condo's garage and enjoy the extra work-out going back and forth to and from work.

Cubicone's building is a five storey cubic building, all glass and steel.

Inside the building, in an almost empty lobby, I head for the reception desk, where a good looking brunette, in a navy blue sheath dress, gives me a head-to-toe look and greets me with a wide smile.

"Good morning sir, welcome to Cubicone. I'm Natalia. How can I assist you?" She says with yet another lip-licking smile. I'm used to the effect my emerald green eyes, dark brown wavy hair and ripped muscular body produce in women but this shit is getting old. Make no mistake, everytime the ocasion presented itself I've dropped more panties with those assets than I care to count but it never got me more than meaningless sex and there's only so much emptiness a man can take.

"Hi. I have a meeting with Sam Silva. I'm Andrew Martin, Doctor Sheridan's new research assistant." I say with a polite half smile.

"Oh, yes of course. Just a minute." She dials a number "Hi Maria, Mr. Andrew Martin for Mr. Silva. Ok. Thank you." She hangs up before looking back at me. "Please take the elevator around the left corner and go up to the third level. Out the elevator, turn right and go through the glass door. Maria, Mr. Silva's secretary will be waiting for you." She says while handing me a visitor's badge.

"Thank you." I take off for the elevator.

At the third floor I head as instructed for Maria who greets me with a flushed smile, while she discreetly tries to rush out three other women, all in navy blue sheath dresses, staff members probably. I'm pretty sure that Natalia lady shared more than my arrival info while I was on my way up. Deal with it ladies, this face will be around for a while.

"Hi. I'm Maria. Mr. Andrew Martin I suppose?" She speaks in a bit of a higher pitch than she probably intended.

Jeez, 90% female administrative staff? I'm so screwed.

"Yes. I'm Andrew, nice to meet you." I say as I extend my hand to formally greet her.

"Hum, yes, nice to meet you too Mr. Martin. Mr. Silva went down to one of the labs but he will be back shortly if you don't mind waiting."

"Of course." I smile back.

"Please take a seat in the waiting room." She says as she rushes me to the waiting room hidden by a frosted glass wall.

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