Brad Weston looked himself over in the mirror, grinning as he turned his body to the side. He spotted some wrinkles in the dark blue uniform near his waist and tucked the shirt further into his pants until they were more or less smooth. He polished the badge with the side of his fist until it gleamed faintly and the black letters forming the word "POLICE" jumped out at him in the mirror.

"I still say you would have looked good in fatigues, Brad."

Brad dared to let a small sigh escape from his nose before he executed a crisp turn to face his father. "I had my eye on this costume for awhile, sir."

From the door, a broad-shouldered man with a chipped granite face stood with his massive arms crossed over his chest. His steel-blue eyes gazed at his son from under short-cropped hair. His eyes roamed over Brad's costume. "No gun?"

"They wouldn't let it in the school, sir."

Ronald Weston frowned. "Not even a fake one?"

"No, sir."

"Ridiculous. I swear, every time I turn around, the damn school system in this country gets softer. We'll be churning out a bunch of purse-carrying fags instead of men."

Brad said nothing. He had heard this rant so many times he could follow along in his head. It was better to wait it out.

"And you're sure you don't want to change your mind?" said Ronald. "I have an old uniform that would fit you if your mother takes it in a bit."

"I don't have time, sir. My date will be here soon."

Ronald scowled. Brad again did not react. His father was still upset that Brad was not interested in a career in the military. He wanted to go to college upstate to take up something in engineering and try out for football.

Ronald drew himself up straight and unfolded his arms. Brad held himself erect, as if at attention. "How late will you be staying out?"

"For some time, sir. I want to take her somewhere after the party is over."

"Where?"

"Just around the town, maybe hit a movie, get something to eat. That sort of thing, sir."

Ronald his fingers against the door frame. "Don't act stupid tonight, boy. I don't want to hear you've been trying to buy booze or getting that date of yours knocked up."

Brad's cheeks glowed. "No, sir."

Ronald nodded, though his eyes were dubious. "You're to be back here no later than twenty-three-hundred. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"How are you getting over there? You didn't ask me or your mother for a ride."

"Gina's, um, father will be picking me up in a short while, sir." Brad had no idea what the relationship between Victor and Gina was. He hoped his father would just accept it and not insist on meeting the man.

Ronald sighed and waved a hand. "Fine. Go."

Brad nodded once and edged past his father.

"Shh, babe, it's okay," Ned whispered. He held Cassie as she cried into his chest. "Yer safe now."

Cassie sniffled and lifted her gaze to his. Two worried eyes looked back. "It's not me, Ned, I'm okay," she said in a shaky voice. "It's Stephanie."

"Stephanie?" Melinda piped. "What's she got to do with this?"

Cassie wiped her eyes as she drew back from Ned. "I met her just now. Everything around her little cage has vanished. Even the cage itself is starting to disappear. I think she's been kept away from her own mind for too long and now ... n-now it's dying."

"What?!" Melinda cried.

"Cassie, are you sure?" Jason declared.

"Yes, I'm sure, Jason!" Cassie snapped. "Please, don't push me to give you facts and figures, just accept what I said!"

"I didn't mean ... " Jason trailed off and glanced at Diane for a second. "Yes, of course I believe you. Is there anything we can do about it?"

Cassie shook her head before Jason finished speaking. "No, she's too far gone. I don't think even Victor understood what would happen."

"I could have told him that," Debby said in a solemn voice. "It's not something I've experienced personally, thank the Goddess, but I know that if you keep a person's spirit separated from the body for too long, the body eventually withers. I know this isn't manifesting in exactly the same way, since her physical body is intact, but the principle is the same."

"All right," Jason declared. "We can't worry about the past. Unfortunately, that includes Stephanie. If she's that far gone, we can't waste time or energy on her."

Cassie forced herself to take a deep breath when her eyes threatened to tear up again. She knew he was right, but it was difficult to accept when presented in such cold, practical terms.

"Shit," Melinda said in a small voice. "If Victor's goons had kept me longer--"

"Melinda, don't panic, please," Jason said. "They didn't, and they're not going to."

"I'm all right, Ned," Cassie said in a softer voice when Ned squeezed her arm. "I just needed to let that out. Jason's right, we can't do anything for her. We have to focus on Gina. At least now I know I can access my power when I'm awake."

"Yeah, ya jus' hafta go inta that trance ta do it."

"Was I really that deep under?"

"Limp as a wet rag, babe. We better not let ya do that when yer by yerself."

Jason looked past them to Debby. "I think we can continue on to the school."

Debby nodded and turned towards the steering wheel.

"I'm sorry about Stephanie," Ned said as Debby pulled away from the curb.

"I just wish I had realized what she was trying to tell me all those past years," said Cassie. "Maybe if I hadn't been such a coward about--"

"Hey, don't do that t'yerself. You'll only drive yerself nuts. Besides, ya didn't have the power ta help her back then."

Cassie nodded and settled back in her seat, but all the explanations in the world would not help her feel any better about abandoning Stephanie.

After only a half hour, Richie was impatient and fed up.

Ever since Ms. Bendon took Heather behind the stage, Richie kept glancing that way, wondering exactly what was happening. He considered running over there to see for himself. He could sense a few things over the link, but discerning individual emotions always escaped him. He sensed only that the Principal was messing with her mind in a big way.

Fuck this, Richie thought. Why can't Heather just push the bitch back? It can't take that much energy.

Richie yanked the next tablecloth from the pile and hurtled one edge towards the end of the table. He dumped the rest at the other end, gave the closest side to him a single perfunctory tug, and stomped over to the next table.

"Mr. Gardner."

Richie spun around. Terri stepped up to him, his gaze sliding over her legs as she approached.

"Eyes up."

Richie flicked his gaze up and stared at her bosom.

"Higher, Mr. Gardner."

Richie lifted his eyes to her face. "Thought you were the one all hot and bothered about me worshippin' you or something."

Terri folded her arms. "Laura has seen fit to prohibit that," she said in an irritated voice. "For now. Since I am forced to treat you as any other student, you will treat me as a teacher. Is that clear?"

"Yeah, whatever."

"Yes, what?"

Richie clenched his teeth. "Yeah, whatever, Ms. Hollis."

She pointed at the table that Richie had just left. "Kindly tell me what you call that?"

"It's a table, Ms. Hollis."

"Try again. And this time remember that Laura does not control what I do outside of this school."

Richie narrowed his eyes. "Is that a threat? No wait, lemme guess: it's a promise!"

"Take it as you will. If I am forced to deal with you, you will at least do your assigned task correctly. I do not have time to--"

Richie's gaze wandered from Terri. "Heather!"

Terri turned her head. Heather walked at a brisk pace through the auditorium, heading towards the main entrance.

Richie frowned. His ability to see the Dark Auras was enhanced as well, and Heather's trailed behind her like a cloak. Richie turned away from Terri. "Heather, wait up!"

Terri grabbed Richie's arm, but he yanked it out of her grip and set a murderous gaze upon her when he spun around to face her.

"She's of no concern of yours," said Terri.

"Like hell she's not," Richie retorted. "Ms. Hollis."

"All right, Mr. Smartass. That just landed you a week's worth of detention."

Richie snorted in amusement.

"With me."

Richie gave her an icy stare.

"And I assure you, by that time Laura's edict against interfering with the students will be lifted, and I will do what I want with you." She smiled. "And you can be sure you'll love it as if it was your idea all along."

Richie's hands clenched into fists. Power throbbed and swelled over the link and sang to him like a siren's song. He could tap as much of the Harbinger's pooled power as he wished and -- so he believed -- snap Terri's will like a twig.

Don't do it, you shithead. Think about the others for a change instead of just yourself.

Richie slowly unclenched his hands. "Fine, Ms. Hollis, whatever," he said in a lower voice.

Terri thrust a foot forward, as if daring him to stare at her body again just for the excuse to land him in more trouble. She pointed to the table again. "Go back and do it right. Another week for every table that you don't do correctly."

"Yes, Ms. Hollis," Richie hissed through his teeth as he turned away. After hearing her shoes click off into the distance, he added under his breath, "You push-up braed bitch."

Heather smiled at the first arrivals to the party, a boy and a girl both dressed as vampires. She guessed they were freshmen, as she did not know them and they looked young enough.

"Good evening," she said in a soft and breathy voice. "I'm your dancing harem girl. Welcome to the party."

The girl giggled. The boy eyed Heather. "Huh."

"Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you to help you enjoy the party."

The boy flicked his lascivious gaze over her body and snickered. "Yeah, I'll, uh, keep that in mind."

The girl pouted and tugged his arm. "Um, hello? Remember me?"

The boy blinked. "Huh?"

The girl rolled her eyes and pulled on his arm. "Come on."

Heather watched them rush past and let out a small sigh of relief.

Two more couples arrived. She delivered the same lines, and again watched them pass without another word. Heather allowed herself to relax a little.

A few people arrived in a loose group. Her greeting was met by several giggles, lascivious looks, and one whispered lewd remark that she overheard. Her pussy burned with longing even as she flushed with embarrassment.

Then a boy arrived alone, a freshman whose normally high level of geekness was exacerbated by the Einstein costume he wore. "Good evening, I'm your dancing harem girl. Welcome to the party."

The boy stared at her as if he had never seen a girl in his life.

"Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you to help you enjoy the party."

The boy slowly smirked. "Heh, I guess you could dance for me or something."

A husky sigh passed Heather's lips as silent music filled her head. She raised her arms and balanced her body on the balls of her feet. With ease and grace she spun around once, her costume billowing around her. She slid a leg forward, drew herself up and spun on her foot, leaning back and gyrating her hips as she pirouetted around the stunned boy.

Heather's skin flushed and her pussy ached, pleasure rising with each graceful movement. When she took a step, an invisible tongue played at her clit. When she spun, an unseen cock slid into her. When she leaned over or back, her nipples were sucked by phantom skilled mouths.

She came to the end of her dance at the same position where she had started, trembling just short of orgasm. Her pussy strained for another few seconds before it retreated from the edge. Behind her, she heard applause and one wolf-whistle.

Heather smiled at the boy. "I hope that was to your satisfaction," she said in a shaky voice, her cheeks glowing.

The boy gaped and slowly nodded, sporting a rather obvious bulge in his pants. New arrivals nudged him out of the doorway, though some of them had caught the tail end of her act and also stared. Heather greeted them, but none requested a repeat performance. She was both relieved and disappointed.

When the doorway was clear, Heather let out a tremulous sigh. She looked up and froze when Seeger stared back at her from the hallway. He cast a sympathetic look at her before he turned away and headed back down the hall.

There's nothing you can do for me, Mr. Seeger, Heather thought. There's nothing anyone can do right now.

Victor smiled at Brad as he climbed into the back of the car. "Brad, I daresay you fill out that costume rather well. You just about look the part."

Brad grinned as he pulled the door closed. "Thanks, Doctor ... um, Victor." He looked in the seat next to him, and his grin widened. This time Gina was not wearing her coat over her costume. She appeared in her full, fishnet-and-leather, high-heeled glory. "Boy, you really look nice in that, Gina."

"Thank you, Master," said Gina.

Brad glanced at Victor for a moment, but realized he should have no qualms whatsoever with Victor overhearing them. He was a cool guy who knew the score. "Heh, I guess I did pick the right costume. Maybe I can be the cop that just busted you for prostitution."

"She'll do whatever you want of her," said Victor. "Remember that."

Brad grinned. "Oh, yeah, I'm countin' on that a little later."

"That's the attitude, Brad. Very good."

Brad beamed at the praise but wasn't sure why. It just seemed so natural to him to have this much rapport with Victor, like he was just another one of the guys. "Hey, Victor, you think you can give us a lift later?"

"To the old church?"

Brad smiled. "So she told you? Cool!"

"Sure thing, Brad, no problem," said Victor. "In fact, I will be at the school this evening keeping the party on track. Just come find me later when you're ready to leave."

Brad lay his hand on Gina's thigh. She squirmed and uttered a tiny moan. "You lookin' forward to this, Gina?"

Gina smiled at him with sultry, half-lidded eyes. "My pussy is wet just thinking about it, Master."

Brad's lips stretched into a huge smile. He felt like a little kid on Christmas morning. Gina was going to be the best lay ever.

Heather's pussy felt drenched, and her legs quivered. Yet she delivered the same line with the same pleasant smile and soft, sultry voice. "Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you to help you enjoy the party."

Two boys stood before her, both sophomores, one short and broad and the other tall and lanky. The short one mumbled something to himself and started inside. "Hey, hold up!" the tall one said. He looked at Heather and grinned. "I think I know you. Heather Sovert, right?"

Heather nodded without uttering another word.

"Yeah, I heard about you." His eyes flicked over her body. "Heard you like a good time."

Heather wanted to roll her eyes. God, how fucking lame can you get, she thought. But it was another trigger, and she gave him a smile that oozed sexual promise.

"Heh, yeah, maybe you can do something for me," the boy said.

"Your dancing harem girl only wants to please," Heather said. Promise had turned to certainty, each response in accordance with Laura's script and ratcheting up her lust.

Now the other boy took interest, watching with a tiny, unnerving smirk. The tall one rocked back on his heels, looking thoughtful. "Dancing harem girl, huh? Well let's see y -- unhf!"

The boy sprawled backwards from the blow to his midsection, thumping against the side of the auditorium entrance.

"Let's not, and you'll keep all your fucking teeth, asswipe," Richie growled.

The tall boy blinked, then charged and pounded his fists into Richie's chest, knocking him back. "Yeah, who the fuck put you in charge, huh?"

Richie recovered and barreled towards his assailant, teeth bared.

"AHEM."

Richie skidded to a stop just a hand's width from the boy, who looked up and held his breath as his companion scurried away.

"Problem, Mr. Gardner?" said Seeger. A small queue of new arrivals had formed behind him. Seeger turned his head towards the tall boy. "Mr. Reynor?"

"Not unless this guy's got one," Richie said.

"Uh, n-no, no problem at all!" the tall boy said.

Richie grinned at the boy's quavering voice. "Wimp."

The boy glared at him but said nothing.

"Then go about your business, the both of you," said Seeger.

The tall boy nodded and fled. Heather gave Seeger a grateful look, then felt even more relief when she saw who was behind him.

Seeger gave Richie one last stern look before stepping aside. Jason and the other Harbingers, minus Debby, appeared.

"About fucking time you guys got here," Richie muttered.

"We, uh, got delayed," Jason said. "I'll tell you about it later. Did Gina and Victor show up yet?"

"Good evening," Heather said, unable to alter the script even for her friends. "I'm your dancing harem girl. Welcome to the party."

Melinda raised an eyebrow. "What the hell?"

"Just shut up and let her finish, okay?" Richie snapped. "And don't anyone even fucking think of answering what she says next."

"Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you to help you enjoy the party," said Heather. She let out a sigh. "Fuck, I hate this party."

The Harbingers stepped across the threshold and gathered just off to the side of the door. Jason's eyes roamed over the edges of Heather's body. "Ms. Bendon programmed you to say all that, didn't she?"

Heather stared in amazement. "You can tell that just from looking at my Aura?"

"I can see in the patterns. You'd have to dance if we asked, right?"

Heather nodded. "The dancing makes me feel like I'm going to cum but I don't. I-I've had to do it six times. It's driving me fucking insane."

"Lemme guess," Ned said. "Bendon's dressed up as the Wicked Witch of the North, right?"

"Nah, that's Hollis," Richie said. "Gotta admit, man, she's smokin' in that outfit. Gonna be nice to make her--"

"Ixnay on the lanspay, dude."

"Yeah, announce it to the world, why don't you?" Melinda snapped.

"We're not going to do this for anyone's sexual gratification!" Cassie hissed.

Richie frowned. "Listen, if you heard some of the shit she threatened me with earlier, you'd--!"

"Arr, matey!" Ned suddenly drawled in his pirate voice. "A foine, foine party this be! And what a lovely little wench ta greet us, too! And shiver me timbers, it be the fair Ms. Hollis! Ahoy there, my foine witch! Arr!"

"That's quite enough," said Terri. A grin curled her lips as she looked over the group. "The whole gang is here, hmm? 'Harbingers' I believe is the name you chose for yourselves."

No one spoke. Jason remained still and returned a level gaze, keeping his face as neutral as he could muster.

"You're distracting Miss Sovert from her work," said Terri. "I am sure you don't want Ms. Bendon upset with you all."

"I'll get back to the door at once, Ms. Hollis," Heather said in a subdued voice.

Melinda gave her sister a worried look and appeared about to blurt out a comment. Heather glanced back and shook her head. Melinda sighed and folded her arms.

"You have something to say?" Terri said.

Melinda's eyes shimmered. She shook her head and squeezed her legs together.

Terri smirked. "Personally, I don't care if you cross Ms. Bendon, but if you do, you're likely to get in my way as well, and I will not take kindly to that. You all know exactly what I can do, so unless you have plans to be my happy little sex toys, you'll keep a low profile."

Richie looked at Cassie and mouthed the words "See what I mean?"

"Mr. Gardner."

"Yo."

"I distinctly remember telling you to inform me when you had finished putting out the refreshments."

"What, you walked past them yourself not two minutes ago!" Richie said. "You got eyes!"

"You assume that was your last task?"

"What the hell else is there to do?"

"There are a few more decorations in the back room. Go get them and hang them from the edges of the table."

Richie clenched his jaw. "Yes, Ms. Hollis," he growled as he stomped away.

Terri took one last look at the rest of them before she departed.

"Oh, man, something stinks in here," Ned said. "An' I think it was that pile o' manure that jus' walked away."

"There's no way she has enough power to do that to all of us!" Melinda piped. "Right, Jason? Please say I'm right!"

"No, I don't think she does," said Jason. "But she probably doesn't know how much we've found out. I think she's still in the dark."

"I really hope so, Jason," Cassie said. "We can't use too much energy when we try to ... you know."

"I wish Mrs. Radson could have come in here with us," Melinda said. She could not bring herself to call Mrs. Radson by her first name. She did not want to feel that much familiarity with the woman.

"Having her in here with us would raise suspicions," said Jason. "She's just outside if we need her."

"So now what, kemosabe?" Ned asked.

"We try to enjoy the party until Gina arrives."

"Huh. Yeah, fat chance," Melinda muttered. She uttered a small gasp just before hearing a spate of applause behind them. The Harbingers saw Heather by the entrance of the auditorium. She staggered and trembled as she finished her dance, her intense unrequited need saturating the link.

Cassie let out a short, husky sigh and closed her eyes. "Th-that's going to be hard to filter out," she breathed.

Melinda shivered. "Tell me about it."

Victor's avatar inside Lydia was distressed.

No matter how hard it pushed at the edges of its kingdom, the borders continued to shrink. Its control over Lydia was like a large spiderweb stretched across the psychic landscape, the strands taut and sticky, capturing and holding any stray thought until it expired.

The outermost of those strands had snapped and unraveled. When it sought to replace them, it extended itself into nothing.

This was confusing. There had to be something beyond its reach, for something was contesting it for control of Lydia's mind. Or it would sense a barrier, erected by the erstwhile Stephanie as she sought to regain control. There should be something to push against, to attack, to invade. Otherwise, it was simply Lydia's mind unraveling, and minds do not do such foolish things.

The avatar was finally taxed beyond its ability to understand. It needed help. It had to contact its Master.

Victor's avatar inside Gina was suspicious.

It had sensed something, like a flare of thought without form welling up from the core of Gina's psyche. It discerned no shape or purpose to the thought. It was little more than raw mental energy, like a bubble of gas rising through the water and bursting at the surface.

It sensed no sign of defiance or resistance to Victor's will. None of Gina's thought patterns had shifted from where Victor wanted them. The mind energy had done nothing, yet it should not have been there.

Its source was too curious for the avatar to ignore. A small kernel of Gina's mind had yet to be claimed, though this was expected. All of Victor's slaves were in a similar state before they were finally taken. The ceremony would claim it, and Gina would be a slave in heart, mind, and body for the rest of her life.

The avatar examined it again. The core pulsed with a renewed strength, but it simply sat and seethed with no obvious direction.

Such things could be considered normal. Some slaves-to-be experienced one last measure of resistance when that remaining kernel realized that the end of its existence was near. However, Victor had been concerned that someone would attempt to interfere with his work. The avatar had sensed that his concerns had relaxed, but should it ease its vigilance?

It would not take any chances. It would contact its Master.

"I take it you like Gina in that costume, Brad," Victor said with an easy smile as he drove the car through the final intersection before the school.

"Oh, yeah, it looks great on her," Brad said. His voice was quaking with excitement. "Wow, do you think they'll even let her in?"

Victor grinned. "Why? Would you prefer her naked?"

Brad laughed. "Heh, well, maybe a little later, you know? I kind of want to show her off."

"That's the spirit. You have a right to show her off. She's yours, after all."

"Man, everyone's gonna be drooling over her."

Victor's eyes glanced at the rear view mirror. He adjusted it so he could see Gina. "And you, Gina? Do you have something to say?"

"I'm looking forward to everyone seeing me at the party," she said in a breathy voice. "I want to present myself properly, like I should."

Victor nodded, scrutinizing her face as he pulled into the parking lot behind the school.

"They'll all want to have sex with me," Gina said, her breath a soft pant.

Victor smiled. "Calm down a bit, Gina. I know it's all very exciting for you, but you're Brad's slave this evening."

"Yes, of course." She slowly smiled. "I'll love having Brad fuck me again."

"This party is gonna be so cool," Brad said.

Victor turned off the engine. He exited the car and watched as Gina emerged. The touch of the cool air did little to calm her; she still appeared in a heightened state of sexual arousal. He sensed her pussy steaming in the confines of her costume.

Gina came around the back of the car. Victor's eyes traced the sweep of her legs and swing of her hips, each foot placed in front of the other to maximize the sensual gyrations of her body. She was a picture-perfect portrayal of feminine sexuality and desire. She did not simply look the part of her costume but was the part. Each movement was fluid and natural.

Brad stared as well, grinning from ear to ear. "Shit, you really are horny right now, aren't you?

"Yes, Master," Gina said, her voice somewhere between a pant and a moan.

Victor stepped up to them. "Let's get inside so everyone will have a look at you."

He escorted them around the side of the school towards the west entrance. As they climbed the steps, Vice Principal Seeger scowled back from the top of the stairs.

"Good evening, Seymour," Victor said, smiling.

"Good evening, Doctor Mann," said Seeger in a stiff voice.

Victor continued up the stairs, Gina and Brad just behind him, as if Seeger were not there. Victor was forced to stop when Seeger stepped between his entourage and the door.

"Is there a problem?" Victor asked, his voice still pleasant and casual.

Seeger turned to one side and gestured. "Miss Caligano, kindly step forward for a moment."

Gina obeyed. She stepped away from Brad and stood on the top step, one foot thrust before the other.

"Do you believe that costume to be at all appropriate for a high school function, Miss Caligano?"

"Of course it is appropriate, Seymour," said Victor evenly. "Why would it not be?"

Seeger's eyes narrowed and flicked between him and Gina. Without a word, he stepped to the side.

Victor smiled. "Thank you, Seymour. I was glad we could clear up that misunderstanding. I'll be around the school this evening, if you need me for anything."

"You will not need to trouble yourself. Laura and I have things under control."

"As the school counselor, it behooves me to be here to see that the students are having fun. It's good for morale and school spirit. I'm sure you would agree."

Seeger paused, then waved them inside with a snap of his hand.

"Thank you once more. I will join the students in the auditorium once I have made a quick trip to my office."

Seeger said nothing, but glared at Victor and his charges as they passed.

Victor stopped at the intersection with the hallway to his office. "Please head to the party and enjoy yourselves. Come find me when you are ready to leave."

"Sure thing, Victor," Brad said. He took Gina's arm and led her down the hall, the click of her heels echoing in the empty hall.

Victor marched into his office, flipping on the lights and throwing the door closed behind him in a single movement. He yanked out his cell phone and flipped it open, thumbing the speed dial.

"Yes?" answered a harried Charles.

"I want status on Lydia."

"One moment, Victor, I'm in the middle of--"

"Right now, Charles."

A pause. "Is there something wrong?"

"I would suggest for the benefit of future conversations that you obtain a dictionary and determine what the word 'now' precisely means."

"Yes, yes! One moment, I'll have to put you on hold, I'm at the church right now!"

There was a soft click. Victor let out a breath he had been holding. His chest felt tight, his body tense. He paced as the silence on the phone grew intolerable.

Another click. "Well?" Victor demanded.

Charles sighed. "It's worse, Victor."

Victor frowned. "Worse? What's worse?"

"What I told you about before, or were you really listening to me?"

"I have no patience for histrionics. Are you speaking of her alleged unresponsive state?"

"Alleged?" A pause. "Do you believe I lied to you?"

"No. I believe Lydia was lying."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Something pulled at Gina. It had little power to do anything, but something happened when nothing should be happening that I have not dictated."

"I assure you, it was not Lydia!"

"And how are you so sure?"

"Because she is practically catatonic. I'm really worried about her, Victor! I've never seen her like this. I'm worried ... I'm worried that--"

"Charles, I do not have time for--"

"I'm worried she's dying!"

Victor remained silent and still as a statue for a few long seconds. "Preposterous," he finally said in a toneless voice.

"But--"

"No one has ever died as a direct result of my power!" Victor shouted. He took a single, deep breath and lowered his voice. "Even the one person that did die was not by my hand. Or by my mind. I do not kill."

"Then her mind is dying."

"That's even more ludicrous. A mind is not a physical being. It cannot die any more than snow dies when it melts. This must be Stephanie attempting to regain control. Order your servants to sedate her."

"Victor, no! I can't do that! It could send her into a coma!"

"Sedate her, Charles. I will brook no argument."

"You ... you have no idea ... " Charles sputtered. "Go see her for yourself before you--!"

"I do not have time for such diversions! I must focus all my attention on other matters! Sedate her. And if I have to give the order one more time, Charles, it will be to your staff directly, along with other orders concerning your disposition as my Prophet."

Dead silence settled over the line.

"Do I make myself clear?" Victor said.

"Very clear, Victor," Charles said in a near monotone.

Victor snapped the cell phone shut. As he slipped it into his pocket, an unwelcome voice made its presence known once more.

You are a fool, Victor.

Victor blocked his thoughts from the Darkness. Yes, he was a fool for listening to Charles and granting Lydia leniency. He was a fool to think that Stephanie would ever give up thwarting him.

The Harbingers have power, the Darkness said. I can feel it through the two lines that run near the school. The only reason Heather is enslaved to Laura tonight is because she LET herself be enslaved!

"It will not last," Victor said, too unfocused to relay his words by mere thought. "The confrontation will come at a time and place of my choosing. I will have the upper hand. Their power is meaningless." He turned to the door.

There is another in their ranks. There is a new Harbinger.

Victor paused with his hand on the doorknob. "Who?"

I do not know. The newcomer is just beyond my ability to sense.

"One Harbinger more or less means nothing," said Victor. "I will have the power of the entire cult behind me."

The Darkness fell silent. Victor twisted the knob and yanked open the door.

Debby pulled her coat tighter around herself as the warmth seeped from the van that sat dark and silent by the curb just within sight of the west entrance of the school. The chill that settled over her, however, was far more icy than the cold of the late fall night.

The presence of the Book seemed to suck up the remaining heat in the van. Jason had left it behind, and Debby had agreed to guard it. She had been as reluctant to play warden for the Book as she had been to remain outside, though she realized as Jason had how suspicious it would have looked to have had Debby accompany them inside.

With her heightened abilities, Debby sensed the Book's energies pulsing with obscene power within the magical weave. The Book was not inherently malign, but it seethed with the psychic residue of those that had used it prior to the Harbingers. She could tolerate this, however, as its current owner was someone she could trust.

What had rattled her was the vision of Victor Mann and his charges walking into the school.

Despite the distance, their psychic auras had stood out like beacons. Poor Gina was enslaved far worse than Diane. The boy that accompanied her had similar telltale signs that his mind was under some outside influence.

Yet nothing had prepared her for the sight of Victor's aura.

It had repulsed and fascinated her at the same time. The band that represented the dominance of his will was swollen to grotesque proportions. The band representing his compassion was faint and shriveled like a dried orange peel, supplanted by intellect and cold calculation twisted together into a warped sense of "honor" that was little more than rationalization for his sociopathic exploits. Perhaps Victor believed he adhered to a sense of ethics, but they were built upon a foundation that bore little resemblance to what Debby would call human.

Jason had suggested that Victor had stopped aging. Debby could believe it now. His intellect bands overlapped his life bands, something she had never seen before. With a force of will that powerful, he could "think" his body into near immortality; he perceived himself as ageless, therefore he was.

Debby had seen past it. The parts of his aura that retained some semblance of his humanity bore his true age, somewhere in the lower to mid seventies.

Debby tried to calm herself by drawing on the link for emotional strength, but this made her aware of the cacophony of sensations from the other Harbingers. She felt Heather surge towards sexual release, only to be frustrated once more. She shuddered as her own pussy became warm and damp in sympathy.

She felt Diane's malignant perception as well. As much as it repulsed her, Debby could study it and understand how Victor operated. She now realized that Victor had left a piece of his consciousness inside Diane's mind. He had likely done the same to Gina and to anyone else he controlled. The one in Diane was rather amorphous, but it bore the same taint, and it was still linked to Victor. Diane was not just a victim, she was a danger to the whole group.

Debby had refrained earlier from excising this terrible mental cancer from Diane's spirit for fear of destroying Jason's plans. Now she had to be ready to remove it to save them.

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