Message-ID: <36703asstr$1023189004@assm.asstr-mirror.org> Return-Path: <news@newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net> X-Original-Path: 1debc1e1!not-for-mail From: wouldna.you@liketa.no (Ice Phoenix) X-Original-Message-ID: <_QTK8.1199$Vz5.493@newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net> NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 03 Jun 2002 17:28:42 PDT X-ASSTR-Original-Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 00:28:42 GMT Subject: {ASSM} STORY: Justice 7, episode 2 (teen, inc, reluctant, mf, ff, Mf) Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 07:10:04 -0400 Path: assm.asstr-mirror.org!not-for-mail Approved: <assm@asstr-mirror.org> Newsgroups: alt.sex.stories.moderated,alt.sex.stories Followup-To: alt.sex.stories.d X-Archived-At: <URL:http://assm.asstr-mirror.org/Year2002/36703> X-Moderator-Contact: ASSTR ASSM moderation <story-ckought69@hotmail.com> X-Story-Submission: <ckought69@hotmail.com> X-Moderator-ID: dennyw, IceAltar Hey, everyone. It's Ice Phoenix again. Well, it's time for the second episode of the Justice Seven series. This episode is called "Cry of the Nightingale". Claire Bullok can help you, but who's going to help her? It seems that everyone around her wants something from her, and she just doesn't have the ability to say no. Then Lukie Anderton and Lori Darlington show up in her life, and everything gets more complicated. Story Codes: teen, inc, Mf, mf, ff The first episode of this story can be found at http://www.ewpub.org To give feedback on this story, please go to: http://www.ewpub.org and use the Forum there. You can also take the time to look around for my other stories, and at the other authors at Electronic Wilderness Publishing. I hope you like this episode, Ice Phoenix Justice Seven: Episode 2: Cry of the Nightingale by Ice Phoenix "Why does he keep doing this to me?" Andie cried to her friend. "I didn't even do anything!" Claire walked over and closed her bedroom door, then sat beside her friend. She wrapped her arms around Andie and said, "You know why. He wanted a boy, and didn't get it. And when he's drunk..." Andie nodded, her short blonde hair bobbing with her head. Andie buried her head in Claire's shoulder, and wept. Claire continued to stroke Andie's hair as she tried to control her own emotions. *The fucking pig.* Andie and her family had lived next door for three years now. For the last two, Claire had been Andie's best friend, and the one she went to whenever this happened. The real trouble was that the beatings were becoming more frequent, since Andie's mother had found out, and not done anything to stop them. As Claire's hands moved down over Andie's back, she felt the familiar tingle of energy leaving her hands. Her power moved through Andie's body, and started the recovery process. The first time that Claire had done this, she'd been scared of what Andie would think. Ever since, the two had been inseparable friends, sharing everything. Andie felt her body's pain easing, and her sobbing lessened to sniffles. She looked up at her dear friend, and tried a smile. Claire smiled back, warmly and with concern for her friend. Claire wiped at Andie's eyes, drying the tears and bringing a brightness back to them. It was easy to see that she had eased Andie's bodily pain. Now it was time to ease her mental stress. Besides, it had been a while. Claire leaned over, and Andie readily accepted the kiss. As their lips touched, their bodies pushed together, and then they fell back onto the bed. Andie's tongue found its way into Claire's mouth, and their tongues started a passion dance. Claire's hands continued to caress Andie's back, but Andie's hands moved up to cup Claire's ample tits. Claire moaned at the feel of it. She wasn't wearing a bra, and Andie could feel Claire's nipples through her thin T-shirt. Eventually, Claire's hands found their way around to the front of Andie's body, fondling her slightly smaller, but very firm breasts. Andie was not allowed to wear bras, and her nipples, too, were already firmly erect from their touching. Finally, they broke their kiss. The two stripped off their T-shirts, and then embraced again, now rubbing their tits against one another. Claire moaned softly. "Oh, Andie, God that feels good." Andie laid Claire down on the bed, and then began to finish undressing her. She unbuttoned Claire's jeans, and pushed her hand in, feeling the heat between Claire's legs. Slowly, she worked the jeans down off her hips, and then pulled them completely off. Claire had not been wearing any shoes, which made this much easier. Andie wasted no time in also pulling off Claire's panties, and now Andie looked down at her lover, completely naked. Claire's curly black pussy hair invited further exploration, and Andie dipped her face down to inhale the sweet aroma of an aroused woman. "Andie, c'mon, no fair!" Claire whined playfully. Andie knew what she meant, and so stood up to finish removing her own clothes. Quickly, they were both nude, and then Andie crawled back onto the bed. Claire reached for Andie, and soon the two were embracing in a sixty-nine, each savoring the scent of the other. Claire's tongue reached out first, and at first contact with Andie's cunt lips, Andie groaned in pleasure. Claire didn't wait for Andie, but went right to work, lapping at her friend's pussy and driving her wild with her tongue. Andie, finally regaining her senses, would not be outdone. Soon, her tongue was worming its way into Claire's tight hole, sending shivers up the older girl's spine. Their tongues danced across each other's twats, and their muffled moans filled the room. The two rapidly drove each other to the heights of ecstasy, and it wasn't long before they were thrashing about on the bed in the first of many orgasms that afternoon. When Andie finally went home, which was after dinner that night, Claire sat down at her desk to write her diary entry. Dear Diary: Andie was over again today, and I had to use my power on her. Her father really worked her over this time, but luckily it wasn't anything serious enough that I couldn't fix. I don't know what that fucking cocksucker's problem is about having a girl instead of a boy. I mean, dammit, Andie could be so pretty if he'd let her have long hair, or wear makeup. And she's gonna have problems sooner or later if she doesn't start wearing a bra. I wish there was something I could do for her, but what? I'm a healer, and that's apparently all I can do. I mean, I'm really glad that I can make Andie feel better, but who is going to stop the asshole from beating her up next time? We made love again today. It's been a while, and God, it felt *so* good. She's better at making me feel good than that jackass, Kevin, was. He was fun for a while, though. Dammit, just thinking about her makes me horny again. I've got to get a steady, good boyfriend to take care of these urges. Anyway, school starts tomorrow. I'm not sure if I'm excited or nervous. New school, a whole bunch of new kids to get to know... maybe some really cute boys? :) We'll see what happens. Talk to you later, Diary. Claire shut down her computer, and then got undressed. She lay on her bed, and let her fingers begin to roam. They inevitably roamed to her favorite spots, and soon she was squirming on the bed in her first small orgasm of the evening. There would be many more before she wore herself out. Claire Bullok had turned fifteen only a month ago. She was starting in tenth grade the next day, and she was a little nervous about being around so many kids. Claire did her best to hide her ability, which she had developed a couple years ago. One day, she'd been playing on top of the apartment building next door, and she'd fallen off the roof. It had been a stupid mistake, and she was cursing herself before she even hit the ground. When she did hit the ground, she was still cursing, but that was from the pain. She had snapped her ankle, and the pain was radiating well past her knee. As she moved her hands slowly down the leg to find exactly where the break was, she felt a strange tingle leave her hands, and enter her leg. The leg straightened before her own eyes, and the pain faded away in seconds. There was an odd discomfort in the ankle for the next few days, but it supported her weight without a problem and without additional pain. When she'd insisted that her step-father take her to the hospital to have it x-rayed, she was astounded to find that the x-ray showed a perfectly healthy bone, just as strong as it could be. It was then that she realized the power she had. Several more minor incidents confirmed it: she was a healer. How had she gained this power? She had no answers, and she didn't worry greatly over it. They say that with great power comes great responsibility, and she believed that. But she also knew it was next to impossible to abuse a healing gift: what was she going to do, *not* heal those around her? Mostly, she had used her power on her family. Her step-father, Mark, had once sprained his shoulder, and she'd eased that pain away almost instantly. She'd passed it off as the hot shower he'd taken doing the job, and he'd bought the story. Her step-brother, Rob, had once had some cracked ribs from a rough and tumble game of football with his friends, and she'd healed those, too. She got along well with her family. As a matter of fact, since her mother had abandoned them five years ago, Claire had taken over most of the motherly duties in the house like cooking, cleaning, the laundry, and other general organizational duties. She got up every morning before six to make her step-father's lunch and see him off to work. She would have to be home after school quickly, so that she could make dinner and have it ready for him soon after he got home from work No one had forced these responsibilities on her, but someone had to do them, and she was the one best suited to the tasks. Tomorrow was coming fast, and she figured she had better get some sleep. She'd need it for her first day of high school. ...===<<<+>>>===... Claire was wandering through one of the city's largest parks. Mornington was proud of its green areas, and had dedicated considerable acreage to them. This park had paths that were miles long, and some ran through what could only be called a small forest. She was wandering one of these paths for relaxation. She had been in high school for nearly two weeks, now, and it was a struggle, at times, both to keep up, and to get used to all the people, and how impersonal it had all become. She'd gone to a private junior high, but she'd wanted to give public high school a shot. Now she was wondering if that had been a bad idea. Her old friends were enjoying smaller classes and more interaction with their teacher. Her hope had been that she would learn to better socialize in the larger environs of a main city campus, but so far, she hadn't made any real friends. She was ambling along the path when she heard wheezing off to her left. She looked, but didn't see anything at first. Her natural curiosity and concern for others got the better of her, and she moved off the path, trying to find the source of the sound. She was well aware that one day such behavior could get her killed, but she couldn't fight it, at least not today. Pushing aside some bushes, she saw a boy sitting there. He looked to be about her age, but she couldn't see his face. His head was slumped down, and he was rasping for breath. It was apparent that he had run well beyond his means. She wondered if he had been trying to escape someone. Leaning over, she put her hand gently on his shoulder. He didn't even have the energy to flinch. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked. Her energies poured into him, and she could feel the desperate state he was in. He looked up at her, and as he did, it almost seemed to her as if his face was changing right before her eyes. She blinked a couple of times to try to make sure, but by the time she'd focused on his face again, it was a normal boy's face. "Yeah... I'll be... okay," he wheezed. "Just... gotta... catch my... breath." Taking several big gulps of air, he said, "Thanks... for asking... though." "You in trouble? You need help?" His face darkened for a moment, but then it cleared. He was slowly but surely regaining his breath. "Only from my own stupidity," he answered in gasps. She smiled at him, and tapered off her energy flow. She didn't want to strain herself if he was going to be all right. "Well, okay. I just wanted to make sure you were gonna make it. You sounded pretty bad." "Yeah, I know. Not an athlete, as much as my dad wants me to be." Claire immediately understood the context of what had happened, and frowned. She didn't like the sound of that, but she couldn't even save Andie, let alone people she didn't even know. "Look, I gotta get going. If you don't need any help..." He shook his head. "Nope. Thanks." He stuck out his hand. "Paul." She took his hand and shook it, helping him to his feet. "Claire. You should take it a little easier." He gave her a baleful look. "That would defeat the purpose," he said sourly. "Thanks for your help. You go to Highlands?" She shook her head positively. "Maybe I'll see you 'round." "Okay. I'll see ya." She walked off, leaving him resting against the tree. She could have sworn that his features had changed as she touched him, but shook her head in annoyance. *Just because you're weird doesn't mean that everyone is. Get off it, Claire.* As she left the park, she saw a man and a woman standing as if they were waiting for someone. The woman was ordinary enough, but the man had the look of the military type. Claire knew this was Paul's father. "Excuse me, Miss," the woman said. "Did you see our son on the path while you were walking?" Claire made a snap-decision. "No, ma'am. I didn't see anyone on the path at all." He had, after all, been about fifteen feet *off* the path. "Sorry." As Claire walked away, she heard the man say, "I told you the pansy couldn't make the run. He didn't even try." She walked more briskly, before she turned and told the man what she thought of his parenting technique. *Some people don't deserve to have kids.* ...===<<<+>>>===... It is so often a small, seemingly insignificant event that turns life completely upside-down. Claire's step-father, Mark, was a structural engineer. He spent long days working on high-rise office buildings and making sure that the plans were followed by the workers. He also had to spend his time around city inspectors, fire inspectors, city councilmen, and other sundry bureaucrats that grated on every nerve in his body. Each morning, Claire would rise before he did, first to make him breakfast, and then to make his lunch while he ate. He was out the door before six-thirty most mornings, and that still gave her plenty of time to get herself - and usually her brother, Rob - ready for school. This morning was no exception to the pattern, and she rose at quarter to six to prepare Mark's breakfast. When she'd started making eggs and bacon for breakfast, she'd initially been surprised that Rob had not found his way out to mooch a free meal out of it, but she'd since learned that he could sleep through quite literally anything. Today, she made pancakes and sausage, just to be different. Mark grumbled his way out of the bedroom shortly after six, but his mood was normal, and he never directed his grumpiness at Claire. She set his breakfast before him, and set about making lunch. They didn't speak in the mornings; neither of them much cared for this earliest time of day, and so they suffered together in silence, both wishing they were back in bed. Claire completed his lunch, and packed it in his cooler, setting it with his thermos of coffee so that it would be ready when he left. Then she set about making her own breakfast, which was, of course, pancakes and sausage. Mark left for a few moments to make his final preparations for work, and then he returned to the kitchen to grab his lunch. "Bye-bye, Sweetheart," he said. She turned her head to respond in kind just as he tried to kiss her on the cheek. His lips caught the corner of her own mouth, and they both froze for an instant. The instant seemed to drag on, but Claire could no more resist the urge of her body than she could stop breathing. She turned her head, but it wasn't away from Mark, but rather *toward* him. Their lips were now fully engaged, and they kissed. Neither could have guessed that it lasted only a few seconds; to both of them it seemed like a lifetime. Finally, Mark broke the kiss, a little breathless, and his face an embarrassed pink. Claire tried to shrug off the tingles she felt. "Have a good day at work, Mark," she said calmly, turning back to her breakfast. "Uh, take it easy at school, Sweetheart. See you tonight." As Mark walked out the door for work, she still felt the tingles all the way down to her toes. Claire settled down as she ate her breakfast, and by the time she'd finished, the tingles had died away to a low ache. She never understood how her body could get so hyped about little touches. She was forever fighting sexual urges. Well, there was no time to consider them now, she had to get ready for school. As much as she hated mornings, Rob despised them. Getting him out of bed some mornings was like pulling teeth. She went into his room on her way to take a shower, so that he could wake up and have breakfast before they left for school. Shaking him on the shoulder, she nearly hollered, "Get your ass up, Rob." Rob grumbled and rolled away from her. Sighing, she took hold of the covers and yanked them all the way down off the bed onto the floor. "Shit!" Rob yelled. "It's cold in here!" He was wearing his usual pajamas, but they were thin, and they did keep the house rather chilly at night. "Time to get up. If you aren't ready on time, the bus ain't gonna wait for you." She walked out of the room, and down to the shower. It was a typical morning routine. *Well, except for that kiss.* The tingle was back. ...===<<<+>>>===... Dear Diary: Oh, God. I can't believe what we've been doing. A couple of days ago, Mark accidentally kissed me - on the lips! - when he was leaving for work. Admittedly, I didn't stop him. Hell, truth be told I think I encouraged him. Boy was he encouraged! Yesterday, he waited until I was fully facing him, and then kissed me. No explanation, no big fuss, just a warm kiss and a 'see you tonight' like usual. But this morning... oh my God! When he left this morning, he pulled me into his arms and kissed me *hard*! *WITH TONGUE!* Oh, shit. I should have stopped him. God knows what he must be thinking... and what will he do from here on out? I don't have the will to stop him, whatever he tries. Dammit, my body betrays me at every turn. I spent fifteen minutes in the shower friggin' myself after he left this morning! Fuck. At least he doesn't work tomorrow. Maybe things will settle back down to normal over the weekend. I sure as hell hope so. Otherwise... well, let's not think about that. Wish me luck, Diary... ...===<<<+>>>===... "See you guys in a couple hours," Rob said as he headed out the door. "I'll be over at Jay's." "Okay, buddy," Mark replied. Claire was a little nervous. They were alone now, and she wasn't sure what would happen. Mark, however, seemed engrossed in the ballgame, so she figured she might be safe. "I'll be in my room," she said, keeping the quiver out of her voice. "Uh-huh," Mark replied, fully absorbed in his sports. She headed for her room to do some homework and try to get her mind off of what was coming - maybe. It was less than fifteen minutes later when Mark called. "Sweetheart, could you come out here a minute, please?" His tone seemed fairly normal, she noted. Maybe he just wanted her to get him something from the kitchen. Getting up from her desk, she tossed her long black hair back over her shoulder, and strolled out to the living room. "Yeah, what's up?" Mark motioned her to sit on his lap. She hesitated, but he'd done this before. It was the way he preferred having private conversations with her. She settled down onto his knees, and looked into his eyes. She wasn't very good at reading people, and his look seemed blank to her. "Baby, there was something I missed this morning." *Uh-oh.* She didn't have the will to protest as he pulled her into him. Her body was already reacting. *Dammit, this isn't right! I should be fighting this!* As their lips met, her mouth opened automatically to admit his tongue. She had no ability to resist him at all. Their tongues danced, and she moaned against him, already aroused fully by this. She wasn't entirely surprised when she felt his hand slip down onto her ass, pulling her closer into him. When his hand slipped back up, however, it was underneath her T-shirt, and his fingers drew small circles on her skin. His hand slipped around front, drawing those same lazy circles on her belly. Claire was hot, and wet, and she moaned again, her will be damned. Finally, Mark broke their kiss, his tongue giving a final lick across her lips. Before she could say anything, he pulled her T-shirt up and off over her head. As usual, she was not wearing a bra around the house, and he now had a full view of her gorgeous tits. Her nipples were already fully erect, and it wasn't from the sudden coolness running over them. Mark groaned at the sight of them. "Mark, I-" Claire started to say, but her words cut off when she felt his hand softly cup her tit. He leaned over, and brought the nipple to his mouth. His tongue snaked out and rubbed across the erect button, and Claire shuddered. Her mind was awash with pleasure, and she couldn't help but mewl as his tongue sent tingles throughout her body. He switched breasts multiple times, making sure each of her nipples received equal attention. Claire was squirming in his lap by the time he came up for air. "Baby, ever since your mom left, I haven't been getting any. And you walk around here like a goddess, beautiful and sexy, especially when you wear these damned shorts. After the other day... I just gotta have you, Baby." Claire's mind was so fogged with lust that she barely registered his words at all, and was certainly in no position to respond to them. Mark took her lack of response as an acceptance of the situation, and pressed forward. He returned his lips to her tit as his fingers began to undo her shorts. Once he got them unfastened, he crudely shoved his hand into them, until his fingers were pressing between her legs. There, he felt the heat and moisture of her arousal, and that drove him crazy. Mark stood them up, and then roughly yanked down Claire's shorts. He was more gentle about pulling off her panties, but just as quick about it. Now, she was standing before him completely nude, and he could barely contain himself. He yanked his shirt off over his head, throwing it down onto the couch. He kicked off his sneakers as he unbuttoned his jeans. Claire stood glued to the spot he had left her. She could easily have run to her room; he was in no shape to stop her, but she couldn't move, her legs merely quivered in anticipation of what they knew was coming. Mark shoved his jeans and boxers together down his legs, and then stood back up. Claire's eyes were riveted to his hard cock. It wasn't large, but it was thick. He saw the look in her eyes. "You want it as bad as I do, don't you, Baby? Well, I'm gonna give it to you." Mark's words sounded cruel and condescending, but his voice had an awed tone to it, as if he were worshiping in her presence. Still, Claire would not resist him, *could not* resist him. Running his hands over her skin, Mark moved against Claire. She could feel his hard dick poking against her leg, and she spread her thighs to allow it to slip between them. It rested comfortably against her pussy lips, her juices coating it, and preparing it to invade her cunt. "Oh, God, this is going to feel so good," he groaned as he mauled her ass cheeks, pulling her tightly against him so that her tits were crushed into his chest, her nipples boring into his flesh. Their lips met again, and their tongues were once more doing their love dance. Finally, Mark broke their kiss and turned, not-so-gracefully guiding Claire down onto the couch on her back. Her legs parted naturally as he climbed between them. She waited in what she freely admitted was eager anticipation of penetration. Mark's cockhead touched her pussy lips, and he cried out. Uncontrollably, his hips thrust forward, and he buried himself in her cunt. It was only a second later that his cum burst forth from his balls, washing her insides with his sticky seed. "Oh, fuck, no!" Mark cried out in horror at what he'd done. He was very nearly in tears. Claire, however, was well aware of what she was capable of doing. Her energy poured into his body through his softening dick, and the surge of power quickly brought him back to life. His cock restrengthened, prepared for a new round. All the while, Claire's pussy had been massaging his prick. As much as Mark really wanted to fuck her, she was now in dire need of release, and she'd do whatever it took to get her there. Mark looked down in startlement at what his own body was doing. He was shocked at his renewed vigor. He was determined to make use of it, however, and his hips immediately began thrusting, sliding in and out of Claire's warm, wet twat. As his hips continued to buck, his hands reached down and mauled her breasts, seeking out her nipples and repeatedly tweaking them, then twisting them until she gasped at the sensation of pleasure-pain. It wasn't long before Claire was engulfed in her first orgasm of the afternoon. The couple changed positions several times, toying with each other's body and enjoying the pleasure they could give. Finally, Claire was leaning over the arm of the couch, her heavy tits swinging as Mark rammed into her from behind. Each thrust caused her to grunt, and her hair flew about her head as she bucked back at him, trying to shove him deeper into her cunt. Mark's hands were gripping her hips, using them for leverage to rut into her. She knew he was close, and so she reached down and frigged her own clit, bringing herself right to the edge. Finally, Mark peaked, and her own fingers made sure that she went with him. As his seed spilled into her, she screamed out her final orgasm of the day, collapsing onto the couch, not having the energy to support herself any longer. Mark finished his orgasm and pulled out of her. He looked down at his step-daughter, and wasn't really sure what emotion he felt. He didn't feel guilt or elation; satiety, certainly, but was that all? Well, it would be enough for now. Claire was exhausted, and she was happy. The burning in her body was, for the moment, quenched. It would be a few hours before she would feel any horniness at all, and that was okay. So what if he *was* her step-father? He wasn't the greatest lover she'd ever had, but hell, at least he'd be readily available. Neither of them spoke as Claire finally got to her feet, and then bent over to collect her clothes. They didn't converse before she left the room to go back to her bedroom. She felt the need to shower not because the act was unclean, but because she had sweat like a pig, and she hated feeling sticky. For once, she took a shower without the need to pleasure herself. ...===<<<+>>>===... Not all that far away, and at roughly the same time, Lori Darlington and Luke Anderton were sharing a warm embrace. Earlier in the day, they had each learned of the other's power. Luke, a memory reader, and Lori, a super-fast, super-strong human. Luke found that she was also super-curvaceous, and super-sexy. They lay together in her bed, having spent a good amount of time in her Jacuzzi, and then in the living room, the kitchen, in the shower... Now, sated and exhausted, they lay together on her bed quietly, simply holding each other. Luke considered what had happened during the day, and he was glad that he'd gotten involved. There really hadn't been much choice for him; he didn't understand his initial attraction to the girl, and he didn't even begin to approach understanding even her current attraction for him, but he wasn't going to question it. It seemed to take a great deal of effort for Lori to raise her head from his chest to look him in the eye, but she did. It was accompanied by a very warm smile, which he gladly returned. "You know," she said in a soft and peaceful voice, "as I'm lying here thinking about it, there might be at least one more of us out there." "Oh?" Luke asked with interest. They had discussed, earlier in the day, whether or not they were the only two people in the world with power. "What makes you think so?" "Do you remember the big city-wide track meet at the beginning of the summer?" Luke nodded affirmatively. "Well, I was in that meet, and during the long jump... I could have sworn that I'd busted my ankle. I landed wrong, that was for sure. I heard a pop in my leg, and I couldn't stand on it. My God, was the pain intense! Anyway, this girl came along... at least, I think it was a girl. She was built like a girl and her voice was feminine, but she kept her face turned away from me. She knelt beside me and told me not to move. She reached down and touched her hand to my leg. There was this tingling sensation, and I felt... this is weird, but it felt like the bones in my leg were moving, without my leg moving as a whole. She got up and left, and when the coach came over to check on me, well, I was a bit shaky, but I could walk just fine. I could have sworn that leg was busted." "Hmm," Luke said. "It could be. What did she look like? Hair, body, I realize you didn't see her face..." "It's hard for me to remember, really. I was kind of distracted, if you know what I mean." Luke hesitated, but figured it was the best way to get the information. "Can I... uh... 'scan' you?" Lori didn't even blink. "Sure." After a few moments, Luke was able to pull the memory forward. Not only did this give him a picture of the girl, but it also reinforced the memory in Lori's mind, and so now she could remember what details she had seen. "I think you may be right. We should try to find her." "That would be a good idea." "God, I'd love to stay here with you tonight, but my mom would have a cow." "I know. Mine would kill me if she found out, too." Lori kissed him warmly one more time. "Where the hell did I leave my clothes, anyway?" Luke asked. ...===<<<+>>>===... The next day, Luke decided it was time to talk to his sister about Lori, and them as a couple, as well as what he and Zoe had been doing together lately. He knocked softly on her door. "C'mon in," she called out pleasantly. "Zoe? Can we talk for a minute?" "Sure!" The pair had always gotten along, but the last few weeks, they had been inseparable. Luke wasn't sure she was going to be happy to have competition. He closed the door behind him, and then sat on the bed. Zoe was organizing the clothes in her closet, and she didn't stop when he came in. "Zoe, do you have a boyfriend?" Luke felt embarrassed to ask her this question, but he felt like the best way to have this conversation was to dive right into the meat of it. "Sure. Greg." She turned to him with a puzzled look on her face. "You didn't think you would be the only guy in my life, did you? I mean, it's not like I can date you, or have you take me to the prom, even if you were my age." Luke blushed, but shook his head. "No, that's not what I was thinking about, really." Zoe turned to face him, leaning against her dresser. Luke squirmed a bit, but pressed on. "It's just that, well, I've met this girl." "Yeah? Great!" Zoe seemed to be genuinely happy for him. "We uh... kind of... well... did it." "More than I needed to know, dear brother," she said with a chuckle. She could see he was bugged about something. "What's the matter?" After some further thought, she asked, "You're saying we can't, anymore." He looked up at her. "No, not exactly, it's just..." "Look, to me, sex is just fun, okay? It's not serious, it's not a commitment, it's just something to do. It's like going bowling, okay? Only a lot more fun than that, but it's just something you do to have a good time. You pick a partner that you think you'll have fun with, and you run with it. I mean, that's what it is to *me*. Obviously, you feel different." "I don't know *what* I feel, Zoe. I mean, you were the first girl I slept with. Lori and I, well, that's... different." "'Girlfriend' kind of different?" Zoe asked. Luke nodded. "Well, I can understand that. Look, I won't push, honest. But if you're still interested in me, you just say the word, and I'll be naked in seconds." She grinned at him, and finally got him to chuckle. He stood up and walked to her. He wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her to him. "Love ya, Zoe." She couldn't answer him, because he kissed her when she looked up. It did take her more than a few seconds before all her clothes were off. ...===<<<+>>>===... The next day at school, Luke learned that it all depended on *why* people were staring at you as to whether or not you enjoyed it. At lunch, he sat with Lori, at her insistence. He could feel the eyes on him, and he liked it for once. *Eat your hearts out, boys.* "Luke, how are we going to find this girl?" Lori asked him, interrupting his thoughts. "I don't know. We know she goes here, because the jacket she was wearing in your memories was a Highlands letter jacket. We know she *probably* is a sophomore this year, because the jacket didn't have a letter on it." "Maybe she's just not any good at anything?" Lori pondered. Luke laughed. "It's possible, but they nearly give letters for breathing these days." They shared a chuckle at that. "Okay, so that makes her our age, which means she should be in this lunch room right now, somewhere." "Oh, yeah. That only narrows it down to four or five hundred girls." "With long black hair." "Okay, now we're down to, oh, say a hundred and fifty girls." "Thin." "One hundred girls." "Okay, okay, so it's going to be a tough thing to do." "Yep. We'll just have to keep our eyes open, and see if we can spot her." "Yeah." They went on to talk about other things. Neither of them expected to find the young lady quickly. In fact, Luke had his doubts as to whether they would find her at all. The fact that she'd kept her head turned away from Lori meant that she didn't want to be known. This was entirely sensible to Luke, but not helpful. He figured he'd just have to start scanning girls and look for the one who was hiding something. The problem was that *everyone* was hiding *something*. He'd just have to hope for the best. One should be careful what one hopes for. It can arrive in strange and unpredictable ways. Luke was trying to get his books from his locker. It was only a few minutes before the first bell would ring to start school. He was having difficulties with the curmudgeonly lock on his locker, and so he was too intent on what he was doing. He knew there were at least three girls in this very hallway who would fit the image in Lori's mind, but was any one of them their target? He couldn't find out just now, because his locker wouldn't open. Just then, someone pushed him from behind. His forehead banged against the locker, and then he was roughly turned about, then slammed backward into the locker again. Standing before him was a rather large guy, about 5' 11" tall, with sandy blonde hair and a mean look on his face. Adam Childress was not happy. It was bad enough to have been rebuffed by Lori, but to see her getting chummy with this *geek* was more than he could take. "I'm only going to tell you this once, Anderton. Stay away from Lori Darlington, if you know what's good for you. You don't want to end up-" Adam's words were abruptly cut off as he was forcibly shoved into the locker next to Luke. Adam's head actually dented the locker, and the clang it made rang along the hallway. Luke stared at his protector, who was, of course, Lori. The look she gave Adam was murderous. She clamped her hand around his throat, which barely worked because, although she was strong, she was still a girl, and her hands weren't that big. "Now, listen to me, you motherfucking cocksucker," she hissed. Luke had never heard her talk that way, and his mind registered shock. His eyes, however, were sweeping the crowd. All three of the girls that he'd thought might be their target had stuck around to see the fight. They, like everyone else, were stunned to see a girl taking on Adam, who was a football player, and showed it. Lori continued, "if I want your input on who to hang around with, I'll squeeze your balls. If you touch *my* *boyfriend* again, I will put your goddamned ass in the hospital. Do you get me?" "Hey, I just..." Lori's fingernails dug into his neck. "*DO YOU GET ME?*" Adam just nodded, for he had lost the ability to speak, and could barely breathe. "Good. Now get the fuck away from us!" Lori didn't just release him, she slammed him - hard - against the locker and then flung him to the floor. Adam collapsed, unmoving, where he fell. Lori turned to Luke, and then slammed her open hand against his locker. It popped open with a creak. "Hurry, or we'll be late," she said calmly. Luke was a little stunned at her sudden change of behavior. "Atlanta?" he asked with some trepidation. "She's resting comfortably, now," Lori said with a sweet smile. Luke let out a breath, and grabbed his books, closing his locker to follow his girlfriend - and defender - to class. Claire was, of course, one of the kids in that hallway. The lockers were arranged alphabetically, and Anderton and Bullok were just too close together for them not to have been near each other. She saw the boy who, she freely admitted, had gotten what he deserved. Still, he was in pain and she couldn't leave him like that. She waited until most of the students had moved off, and then moved to his side, kneeling next to him and placing her hand on his shoulder. She felt the energy pour into him, and she ignored the world around her. Luke had not gone very far before he turned around. He'd thought that perhaps one of the girls might have been his target. What he saw made him grab Lori's arm. He knew that anyone else doing that would get hurt, but she stopped instantly for him. He motioned her to look down the hall, and she did. What they saw was a slim, raven-haired girl leaning over Adam, her hand on his shoulder, and a look of concentration on her face. "Is it her?" she whispered to him. "I think it is." "Find out who she is! Quick!" The range was a little far for him, but he concentrated, and soon he had her name, address, and telephone number. He also found her mind pulsing with energy and thoughts of healing others. He saw the scene at the track meet, only from Claire's point of view. That was all he needed to see. "C'mon. It's her. Let's go, before we're late." "When should we approach her?" Lori asked as they got walking again. "I think tomorrow, before lunch." "Okay, that works for me. See you at lunch," She kissed him before traipsing down the hall to her class. He walked into his own class, whistling a tune, just as the first bell rang. ...===<<<+>>>===... Luke and Lori talked over lunch about how to handle Claire, but neither of them had a clue as to what the best approach would be. The next day, they talked before school, and neither of them had come up with any good plan for this conversation. Still, they had to get it over with, and maybe it would not be as bad as they feared. When lunch came, they both rushed to the cafeteria, hoping to catch her as she entered the room. For all their worrying, they almost missed her, for she was in a group of kids. Lori called out, "Claire!" She saw the girl's head turn to face her, and Lori beckoned her over. Claire's face took on a puzzled expression, but she walked toward the pair standing off to the side, in a little niche so that they wouldn't be overheard. "I don't know you," Claire said. This wasn't entirely true. She recognized them from the day before, but she didn't know who they were. "I'm Lori Darlington. This is my boyfriend, Luke Anderton." No handshakes were offered. "Okay... what do you want?" She noticed that both of them started to squirm a bit. Finally, Luke said, "Look. We, um... we know what you are." Claire took on a puzzled expression, and her instant suspicions caused her to take a step backward. Trying to put some strength into her voice, she said, "And what am I?" Lori's voice was nearly a whisper. "You're a healer." "A what?" Claire asked, trying to sound incredulous, but her voice trembling even so. How could they know about her? "You can heal people with your mind," Luke said more forcefully. "Yeah, right," Claire said, her voice shaking badly. What would they want from her? They could destroy her life! "Look, we *know*, okay? Let's get past that. How we know is a little complicated..." "Look," Claire interrupted, "I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but I'm no 'healer', I'm just a hungry kid wanting to eat my lunch. Now... you two, just stay the hell away from me!" Claire backed away, keeping her eyes on them until she made it to the lunch room. She felt she'd be safe in there, with all the other kids. She knew they'd seen right through her bluff, but she just couldn't deal with this. Not now, and certainly not *here*. Lori looked over to her boyfriend. "That didn't go very well." "About as I expected, really," Luke said, surprising her. "You didn't think we'd get it right?" "Let's just say I had my doubts." "Now what do we do?" Luke shrugged expressively. "Eat lunch, I guess." Together, they walked into the cafeteria. They made sure to sit on the other side of the room from Claire. She studiously ignored them while she ate. They talked through lunch, unsuccessfully trying to think of a better way to approach her. Nothing was decided by the time the bell rang. ...===<<<+>>>===... Dear Diary: Oh, God. I don't know what to do. Today, these two kids came up to me. What were their names? Oh, yeah, Luke and Lori, like they were named to be together or something. They said they knew about me, about my power. How could they know that? I've never told anyone except Andie. I can't even think that she would have told anyone. Maybe that Paul guy? I did tell him my name. But you'd think, then, that it would have been him approaching me, wouldn't you? Maybe I shouldn't have helped him. I couldn't just leave him there, though... Who else might know? Well, Mark and Rob might be able to figure something out. Then there was that one lady at the grocery store... oh, and the girl at the... the track meet... Oh, God. It was her, wasn't it? I mean, I never got a name or anything, but looking at her... oh, shit. It had to be her. I can't imagine there are all that many girls with a body like that in this city. But she never saw my face! And how would she know my name? What do I do? I can't ask anyone about this... Oh, fuck, I don't know what to do This is all way beyond me. Why the hell did I have to be different? And what do I do about it now??? I need help, Diary. ...===<<<+>>>===... Claire had come to enjoy the morning kiss good-bye. Mark gave her the usual passion in his kiss, but her attention was divided over her troubles, and her response was only half-hearted. He noticed. "Something wrong, Baby?" His question startled her. "Uh, no. Nothing important, just a little tired. See you tonight." "Okay. Take it easy, Sweetheart." Mark breezed out the door, in a mood sure to piss off all his coworkers for its happiness. *What do I do? Who do I talk to? Mark? He wouldn't understand. Rob? No way, he'd blab it to everyone. Could I talk to Andie about it? But she's got her own problems...* Claire was so lost in thought that she never made herself breakfast. By the time she noticed what time it was, she needed to shower. She headed down the hall for Rob's room, to wake him up. As usual, he was still asleep, or so she thought. When she shook his shoulder, he rolled over away from her, not budging from the bed. He wasn't always this recalcitrant, but lately it had become more frequent, and she was getting sick of it. Claire grabbed the covers and, instead of just dragging them down off the bed, she flung them from where she stood. They fell to the floor at the end of the bed, but she didn't notice. Her eyes were... elsewhere. Rob had turned over onto his back when she had flung the covers off. Normally, he was wearing at least pajama bottoms over his briefs, but this morning, he was wearing nothing at all. His cock, hard as iron, was standing fully erect. He saw the way that Claire's eyes were glazed, her stare locked on his dick, and he knew he was going to have his way this morning. "Rob... what..." she tried to say. "Oh, c'mon, Claire. I know you've seen one before. Hell, I nearly walked in on you fucking Dad the other day!" Claire blushed crimson. She had not known that he had seen them, although intellectually, she should have known that, as often as the two of them had done it in the previous several days, Rob had to have heard them at least once. She watched as Rob's hand glided slowly over his shaft, her eyes riveted to the sight. Rob's other hand moved to a spot just behind Claire's knee. She shivered at his touch, but couldn't move. The very sight of that hard shaft had her wet, and eager, and there was nothing she could do about it. She knew what was coming, and half of her welcomed it as Rob's hand slid up her leg, slipping underneath her short robe, and coming to rest on her ass. Rob squeezed her cheek, and she gasped at the feel of it. Rob knew he was in charge now. Two years younger than his step-sister, he was nevertheless in full control of the situation. He'd had fantasies about Claire for a couple years, but he didn't figure there was anything he could do about them. Then, when he'd seen her and his Dad screwing like rabbits last Saturday, he figured he could blackmail her into it. When he'd seen the look on her face, he'd known that even that wasn't necessary. It was time for him to take what he wanted. "C'mon, Claire. Bend down here. I want to know what it feels like to have your mouth on my dick." Claire tried to resist, but his hand continued to rub her ass, and her body was betraying her at every step. She knew this was wrong, but she was so aroused, in such need of release, she'd do almost anything to feel climax. Even suck off her step-brother. Slowly, she climbed onto the bed. Rob kept her ass within easy reach, so he had something to play with. Claire's hair fell around her head as she leaned down, her lips only inches from his prick. She hesitated, not sure she could go through with it. She had only given head twice before, and wasn't very fond of it, but this was what he wanted... "Hey, get started! We ain't got all day!" Rob flipped the bottom of Claire's robe up, exposing her panty-covered ass to his view. His hand groped the flesh there, causing Claire to shudder with the sensation. Her mouth descended, and her lips touched the tip of his dick. Rob groaned at the feel of her soft lips on his prick. His fingers faltered as her lips slipped further down onto his cock, sliding past the head and down the shaft. He grunted at the feel of it, trying to control himself. He concentrated on what his hand was doing, and he slipped his fingers onto the soft mound her panties were covering. He could feel the wetness and heat of her pussy, even covered by the soft cotton. Claire's mouth continued to slide downward until she had taken his entire prick into her mouth. He wasn't very big, and it wasn't a struggle to take his entire length. His hand, however, felt quite good on her cunt. She tried to focus her thoughts, but her mind was out of sorts, fully aroused and unable to think clearly. Her mouth moved almost of its own accord on his shaft, her tongue licking along the side as she sucked. Rob was in ecstasy, Claire's lips sending tingles of pleasure throughout his body. His hand rubbed along her clit, and he noticed the shivers it sent through her. He continued to rub, even as his hips started to buck up against her mouth, trying to drive his cock further into her throat. Claire gagged at one point, but Rob took no notice, his body driven by its own desires. His fingers reached under her panties, and rubbed against her swollen pussy lips directly. Claire groaned at the sensation. That vibration on his cock was all that Rob could take, and he blasted his load down her throat. Claire, not having much in the way of choice if she wanted to breathe, swallowed it all as he continued to buck his hips up at her. She continued sucking, and his fingers, spasming as they were with his orgasm, were massaging her cunt in a most pleasant manner. Rob expected to go soft. He always had before. On the other hand, he'd never been sucked off by a girl before. Claire's energy also poured into him, without her conscious input this time. It wasn't long before he realized that the cock slipping from between his step-sister's lips was still fully hard. Claire sat up, trying to move away from him, but she still ended up turning to face him, now kneeling by his knee. He looked up at her for perhaps five seconds before sitting up. She thought to move away from him, but he was too fast for her muddled thought processes. He grabbed for her waist, and dragged her, unresisting, to him. He looked up at her, seeing how glassy-eyed she was with lust, her body still unfulfilled. He took one hand and untied her robe, watching as it fell open. It didn't quite fall away from her tits, but that was okay with him. His hands reached inside her robe, pushing it open as they grasped her firm breasts, groping them harshly. "Oh, yeah. I've wanted at these babies for a while!" he cried. He pushed her robe out of his way as his hands mauled her tit flesh. She gasped as his mouth came down on one of her nipples, sucking it in so that his tongue could slide across it repeatedly. He switched his mouth over to the other breast, not wanting to miss any part of her. He wasn't absolutely sure he'd get this chance again, though he would sure as hell try, and he wanted to make sure he fulfilled all his fantasies about her. Claire wasn't resisting, but she wasn't helping, either. Her hands hung limp at her sides, though her head was thrown back and she was moaning in passion. She couldn't stop him, didn't *want* to stop him, but she could not bring herself to participate actively. It was obvious that Rob simply did not care. After several minutes, Rob pulled himself away from her tits. Turning himself on the bed, he pulled her so that she was lying on her back, her head on the pillow. He stood up for just a moment, so that he could easily grab her panties. He yanked them down off her legs, which then flopped open enough for him to have a nice view. Rob reached down and stuck his middle finger deep inside his step-sister's cunt. Claire gasped at the sensation, and was moaning as his finger started to work in and out of her rapidly. A second finger joined the first, and she was soon bucking on the bed. Just as she was about to reach orgasm, Rob pulled his fingers out. She cried out in frustration. Rob, having the opportunity, jammed his fingers into her mouth. "Suck on 'em," he ordered, and this she did, licking all of her juices off his fingers before he pulled them from her mouth. Rob climbed on the bed between her knees, placing the head of his cock at her waiting cunt. He paused, and got an evil thought. "Beg me, Claire. Beg me to fuck you, or I won't." This was a stupid lie; he'd never fucked a girl, and wasn't about to pass up this opportunity, but he knew that she was so far gone that she would worry he *might* not. "Oh, God, no! Fuck me! Fuck me hard, Rob! Stick that big cock of yours in me and fuck my brains out!" The 'big cock' part was a total lie, but she knew, even in her lust-induced haze, that it was what he wanted to hear. "You'll have to do better than that..." "Please, fuck me like the slut I am! Use me, play with me as your toy! Just please, fuck me now!" "Okay, good enough." Rob plunged into her depths in one forceful stroke. He screamed out in pleasure at the feel of her hot, tight cunt wrapped around his newly de-virgined dick. Claire screamed as well, the feel of a cock, *any* cock, inside her triggering her body to new heights. Rob immediately set to ramming into her, his instincts taking over his body. Claire wrapped her legs around his hips, helping to push him deeper, harder into her. She was crying out with every thrust, her body quickly approaching orgasm. Rob watched in fascination as her tits rolled on her chest, and her hair flew about as her head thrashed from side to side. He saw the beginnings of her orgasm, and felt it wash over her, as her pussy clamped down on his prick. She bucked and screamed beneath him, but he continued to ram into her throughout, sending her even higher. When she finally came down, he slipped out of her, and pulled her up off the bed. She was almost limp, but was recovering quickly. He sat in his chair, and pulled her down onto his lap. He'd read about this in a magazine, and wanted to try it out. As she came down into his lap, he positioned himself, and penetrated her cunt with his cock as she sank down the final way onto him. He clamped his lips onto a readily available nipple, and started to move his hips in small circles. It didn't take much of this before Claire was hot for action once again, her body revving back up as her powers rejuvenated her own body this time. Soon, she was riding him for all she was worth, her legs pumping her up and down with abandon. Rob's hips were slamming up to meet her, and they each cried out with each contact. Rob got tired of this position quickly - it was not as much fun as it had sounded like - and so he stood up, holding her to him to keep his cock inside her. They stepped together to the desk, and he hoisted her up onto it. Having her in position, he started to pound her once more. He enjoyed watching her tits bounce, enjoyed listening to her cries of passion. These, almost more than the sensation of her tight, wet cunt gripping his prick, sent him to the heights of bliss. He was soon past the point of no return, and he slammed into her harder the last few times, blasting his cum into her with what felt like the force of a rifle shot. As he finally started to come down, he kept his dick inside of her. Claire looked at the clock and blanched. "We're gonna be way late for school, Rob. We've gotta stop this!" Rob reached down and lightly twisted a nipple. The sudden change in Claire's expression told him what he wanted to know. "What makes you think I'm done?" he asked. Claire's body betrayed her again, her energy giving him the stamina to continue to torture her mind and pleasure her body. Neither of them made it anywhere near a school that day. ...===<<<+>>>===... "Have you seen her at all?" Luke asked. Lori shook her head. "And I spent a few minutes walking around the room, in case I'd missed her." "Oh fucking shit," Luke breathed. "Just how badly *did* we screw up? Did we scare her right out of town?" She put her hand on his arm. "Maybe she just needed some time to figure things out. Let's not jump to conclusions just yet." "Yeah. I guess you're right." ...===<<<+>>>===... Claire was in a bit of a daze. Rob had finally grown tired of fucking her, but it had taken five hours for that to happen. She'd showered, once again not needing to pleasure herself. But her thoughts were even more muddled than they'd been. She certainly couldn't bring herself to hate her step-brother for what he'd done. She *had* enjoyed it, after all, and she'd done nothing at all to stop him. She'd even begged him to do it. *What am I turning into? First Mark, then Rob... am I going to start fucking guys off the street next?* She knew that her body controlled that part of her psyche, and there really wasn't much she could do about it, short of getting psychiatric help, and she *wasn't* going there. Her mind turned itself to her other problem. She had no answers about what to do. She had decided that the only thing she could do was talk to Andie about it. Andie already knew what Claire was, from Claire's own lips. She'd immediately professed not to care, and promised to keep the secret until the day she died. *But now the secret seems to be out. How do I deal with that?* Maybe Andie would know. Claire certainly didn't. ...===<<<+>>>===... Andie came over after dinner, beckoned by an upset-sounding Claire on the telephone. Andie could tell that her older friend was, in fact, very upset about something. Claire closed and locked her bedroom door. This was something Andie had never seen her do. "What's the matter?" Andie asked, her voice full of concern and worry for her friend. "Andie... I know you promised, and I really *don't* think you've broken that promise, but I *have* to ask. Have you told *anyone* about my power?" "Of course not, Claire! I told you I'd keep the secret, didn't I?" Claire understood the slightly offended tone in Andie's voice. She slumped down onto the bed next to her. "I didn't think you had. But... Andie, two kids approached me yesterday. They said they knew about me, about my power." "What did they say, exactly?" "They said they knew I was a healer, that I could make people well with my mind. They weren't fishing, Andie, they came right out and said it." "Damn. How could they have found out? Who have *you* told?" "Just you. I think that one of them was a girl I helped once... but she never saw my face, so I don't know how she could have figured it out. I mean... Andie, what if they tell someone? What if they call the newspapers? What kind of life will I have? The government will want to pick me apart to find out how I tick!" Andie put her hand on her friend's arm. "Shh, shh. Calm down, Claire. We'll figure this out. Okay, I guess it's really not important how they know, is it? The point is that they know." Claire nodded, agreeing with that assessment. "And figuring out what they're going to do with that knowledge." "Right. What did they want, anyway?" Claire blushed. "I...uh, didn't wait around that long to find out. I told them to leave me alone, and got the hell away from them. Andie, I was scared!" Andie hushed her friend again, trying to keep her calm. Andie owed so much to Claire, she figured it was time for a little bit of payback. "Okay, okay, not a big problem. Do you know who they were?" "They told me their names... Luke and Lori..." "Last names?" Andie prompted. "They said them. Give me a second to come up with them... Lori... Darlington, I think she said it was." "And the guy?" "Luke... Luke... Anderson? No, Anderton!" Claire was proud of her memory, and Andie thought it was good to have distracted her like that. "Okay, so they weren't hiding who they were from you. Maybe that means they're not threatening you, after all." "Oh, but Andie, how can I know?" Andie shook her head. "The only way to figure that out is to ask them." "I *can't*!" "Claire, you're going to have to. You need to know what they know. You need to know what they want. If you don't find out now, you'll be looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life. C'mon, you've read all those fugitive-type stories, you know how this works. You have to know what you're up against if you're going to fight it properly." "I know you're right, but... dammit, I don't think I can do it." "Look, find a way to meet them on neutral ground. Not at school, 'cause you don't have that many friends there. Find someplace away from home, away from school, and... someplace you can run from." Claire looked at her friend, understanding the sense of that comment. What she wanted to ask was selfish, but she *needed* right now. "Andie... will you go with me?" Andie did not hesitate. "If you want me to." Claire nodded, and they hugged for a long time. Finally, Andie pulled back from her. "Now, before you chicken out, let's set up a meeting." "How? I don't know their phone numbers or addresses or anything..." Andie rolled her eyes, then she walked over to the desk, picking up the directory. "We call this a phone book. Inside, you'll find the phone numbers of people, arranged by their last names. Something which you happen to have." Claire giggled at Andie's rather melodramatic performance. "Okay, let's start with the girl." They looked, and were disappointed to find over twenty listings for Darlington, and none of them L. or Lori. "Shit. Let's try the guy. Anderton, you said?" "Yeah." Luckily, there were only three Andertons in the book. Luckily again, Barbara Anderton was the first one on the list. "Hello?" a female voice asked. "Hi, can I speak to Luke, please?" "May I ask who's calling?" the voice asked politely. "It's... Claire." "Just a minute." The voice obviously belonged to Barbara Anderton, who was apparently Luke's mother. There was a long pause on the other end of the line, before Luke picked up the receiver. "Hello, Claire. Playing a little bit of turnabout on me?" Claire wasn't in the mood for humor. "We need to talk. Not on the phone. We need to meet. Not at school, either." "Pick a time, and a place, and we'll be there," he said calmly. "Tomorrow night. Seven o'clock. At..." Claire thought for a moment, then had an idea. "Highlands Park, the fountain." It was an area with paths leading in eight different directions. They couldn't cover them all, could they? "We'll be there. And Claire?" "Yeah?" "Try not to panic this time, okay?" Luke hung up before she could respond. "I'll be ready," Andie said, without waiting for Claire to say anything. Andie laid her head on Claire's shoulder. "It'll be okay, Sugar." It was a name that Andie only used when they were alone, and only when she was ready to be playful. Claire was hardly in *need* of such activity, but... *Oh, what the hell*. ...===<<<+>>>===... Claire had purposely not gone to school the next day. She didn't want to chance running into them during school until she knew what was going on. It was six-thirty, and she and Andie were in the park, sitting together on the fountain, waiting. They didn't speak, not only because they didn't want to say anything that might be overheard, but because there really was nothing left to say. Until they knew what this was about, there was no way for them to properly cope with the situation. Just before seven, they could hear a couple of people walking up one of the paths behind them. Claire turned around to face them. When they cleared the turn in the path, she saw that it was them. From where they were, however, they could not see Andie. *Good. Advantage, me.* The couple seemed to be talking calmly between themselves, although Claire could not hear what they were saying at this distance. When Luke looked up and saw her, he motioned to Lori, and they fell silent as they entered the fountain clearing. They continued to walk around the fountain, keeping their distance from her, but they stayed together, which she would not have expected if they meant her harm. "Claire, I'm glad you decided to show up," Lori said. "I'm sure we - who's she?" Finally, they had seen Andie, who looked at the two newcomers with something close to venom in her eyes. "This is my friend Andie. You didn't think I was going to confront you two alone, did you?" Luke fidgeted a bit. "Um, Claire, her presence is going to make this a little harder than it needs to be." "Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of her. She's my best friend, and I'd trust her with my life." "Maybe, but what makes you think I want to trust her with mine?" Luke said automatically. The comment took Claire by surprise. Lori considered the matter more closely. "Luke, I think she's liable to tell this girl anything we say, anyway. Might as well just be out with it." Luke looked at his girlfriend for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right." Turning back to Claire, he said, "Okay, I sort of tried to prepare a little speech that I hope will answer most of your questions. If you don't mind, could I just, like, get that out of the way?" Claire looked over at Andie, who shrugged. Claire turned back and nodded. "Okay, thanks." Luke took a deep breath. He and Lori had worked this out, but Lori had insisted that he do the talking. "My name is Luke Anderton. This is Lori Darlington, and you are Claire Bullok. We are each fifteen years old. We each attend Highlands High School, here in Mornington. Those are not our only similarities. "You, Claire, are a healer. You've been given the power to mend people with your mind. I don't know how long you've had this ability, nor how you got it." He could see Claire tense, and so he hurried on. "I know this about you because I, too, have a special ability. I have been given the ability to read, and it turns out, write, a person's memories. I saw your power in your mind. Also, some time back, you cured Lori of a broken ankle at a track meet. She didn't see your face, but we put together enough clues to figure out it was you, when I saw you helping that prick Adam at school this week. "Lori, also, has a special strength, and that strength is, well... *strength*. And speed, agility, flexibility, and... a few other things." Lori blushed at that, and Claire wondered what that was all about. "The two of us only recently found each other, and so it was kind of a surprise that we located you so quickly." "Why were you looking for me? What do you *want*?" Claire said, interrupting. Luke took a deep breath, and looked at Lori. Lori nodded, and stepped toward Claire, but in a friendly way. "We just want to be your friends. Look, we're all weird here. Well, except for *her*," she said, gesturing at Andie, "but that's okay. I don't know about you, but I've been living with my secret for over a year now, and it's not a lot of fun. You never have anyone you can talk to about it, you can't ever slip up. You worry about people finding out, and what they'll do if they do find out. I got lucky; Luke found me, and in fact saved my butt from just exactly that. There was... actually, I guess probably still *is*, a reporter after me. And if he finds out about you, he'll be after you, too. And he doesn't just want to reveal our secrets... he wanted to..." "Sleep with her," Luke finished. "He's a real sleezeball. His name is Matthew Purvis. If you run across him, be very, *very* careful." Claire nodded. Luke and Lori looked at each other. Their prepared remarks were finished. Luke said, "Anyway, that's what we wanted. I'm sorry we scared you the other day. How do you approach someone with something like this? Neither of us had a clue, and obviously we fucked it up. Sorry about that." Luke's grin broke the tension, and Claire finally smiled, and then laughed. "You did nearly scare the piss out of me! Damn, I was scared shitless!" Claire looked over at Andie, to see if she had read the situation the same as Claire had. Andie was smiling, and gave her a wink. *So, she thinks they're real, too.* "I really am sorry," Lori said. "I wish we'd have been able to do a better job of introducing ourselves." Luke was more interested in Andie's reaction. "So. You now hold three lives in your hands." His voice wasn't menacing, it was merely a matter-of-fact statement. Andie considered for a few seconds, and then hopped down off the fountain. She walked over to Luke, and looked up at him. Then she stuck out her hand. "Andie Miller. Nice to meet you." Luke shook her hand in amusement. Claire was right behind her, and shook his hand, too. Then Lori came over, and hugged both of them. The tension drained out of them, and there were a lot of happy smiles. "Just one thing," Luke said lightly. "Lori and I agreed never to refer to our powers, even to each other, in public." "That makes sense," Claire said. "We also each have a special name that we call ourselves... it's kind of like our nickname or our... oh..." "Secret identity?" Andie offered helpfully, with a chuckle. Luke smiled at her. "For want of a better term, yeah. I am Mimir." Seeing the look, he answered, "He's from Norse mythology. She is Atlanta. Do you have a special name? Something that you've called yourself? I mean, I've used Mimir as an online name for years, and she's been fascinated by Atlanta since she heard of her. Do you have a... 'secret identity'?" They were surprised that it was Andie who answered them. "Nightingale." Claire looked at her friend, in shock, and nodded. "How did you know?" Andie rolled her eyes. "It's not like I don't *know* you..." The group laughed. As they all started to walk out of the park, Lori said, "Claire, we're trying to find out if there are any more like us. It's really weird that there are three of us in the same city. So, we're trying to find out how many of us there might be. If you see anything weird or odd, you'll tell us, won't you?" Claire was silent for several moments. She was thinking about her encounter in the park last week. "I think I might already know of one." ...===<<<+>>>===... episode 3 coming soon... ...===<<<+>>>===... Proud to be an EWP author! http://www.ewpub.org Visit the EWP official chat room! irc.inteliinternet.com Port 6667 Group name: #EWP (chat program like mIRC required) ...===<<<+>>>===... Proud to be an Electronic Wilderness Publishing author http://www.ewpub.org Please submit all feedback to the EWP Forum ..===<<<+>>>===... -- Pursuant to the Berne Convention, this work is copyright with all rights reserved by its author unless explicitly indicated. +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | alt.sex.stories.moderated ----- send stories to: <ckought69@hotmail.com> | | FAQ: <http://assm.asstr-mirror.org/faq.html> Moderator: <story-ckought69@hotmail.com> | +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Discuss this story and others in alt.sex.stories.d, look for subject {ASSD}| |Archive at <http://assm.asstr-mirror.org> Hosted by <http://www.asstr-mirror.org> | +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+