> In the News Today: Do genies have souls? The United by God Conference debated this question today. Can a humanoid entity, created entirely by design, and without two natural parents, have a soul?
“Everything’s so dark,” Shirley muttered as Robert drove through their neighborhood. His roadster’s headlights cut the gloom but only straight ahead. Except for a few houses with lit candles or battery backups, everything was pitch black. His wife was a wonderful woman and willing to endure almost anything. One of the things she drew the line at was anything in complete darkness.
The one time he’d suggested camping as a fun vacation, she’d stared and replied, “Camping? Out in the woods, without lights?” It wasn’t worth arguing about, so the tent he’d bought as a surprise remained in the garage.
“Shirl, there’s a flashlight in the glovebox.”
She had it out in an instant, and for the remainder of the drive home, Shirley aimed it through the windows like a supplemental headlight. Of course, it reflected off the inside of the windshield, but Shirley’s peace of mind was well worth the distraction.
The melting transformer on the corner nearest their home gave them pause. It sat close to the road, fizzling like a nest of angry hornets.
Shirley said, “Can we just go home?” The power outage and its suspicious origin had both on edge.
Their house was just ahead, as was the Timms’ residence. Robert didn’t know what Timms might have figured out, but he wanted to stay clear. Shirley’s flashlight waved towards the turn, and Robert waved it back. “Careful with the light.”
Turn signal flashing, Robert turned onto their dead-end street and kept away from the fire. At the entrance to his driveway, habit took over. Robert turned to back in. When the front of his car swung around, the headlights washed over Timms and another man.
Shirley saw them at the same time and pointed her flashlight at the men. “Oh, Robbie,” she gasped. “He has a gun!”
Robert was a lawyer. His field of honor was a courtroom. Fast reflexes meant the ability to raise a timely objection. He spotted the odd, boxy pistol in their neighbor’s hand, and it seemed the barrel was pointed directly at Shirley. If he were by himself, he might have floored the gas pedal and escaped. He’d worked enough trials to know most people weren’t expert marksmen. By himself, he might have gotten away unharmed. By the time all this went through his head, Yevgeny was at the passenger window. They were trapped.
***
The upstairs emergency light blinked on behind Jason. It cast long, angular shadows. “Steph, I need you and your mother to work with me.”
Stephanie said, “What do you want us to do?”
“Keep watch out front. Use the windows in my room but stay out of sight.” Jason’s eyes
had adjusted enough to see Natalie scowl at his presumptive caution. He ignored her and led mother and daughter to the hallway. Time to deal with the second item on his list. “Alfred, you still up?”
Silence. Dad had Alfred on an oversized battery backup. Maybe it needed a reset?
“Steph, I’m going to reboot Alfred.” The top step lay in shadow because the emergency lighting on that end of the hall hadn’t worked. His foot touched the top step a bit sooner than expected. Arms windmilling, Jason toppled over.
Stephanie caught him before he hit and helped him the rest of the way down. “Jay,” she scolded, “be careful.”
“Whoa,” he got both of his feet where they belonged and stood. “Thanks, sweetheart. I’m surprised you didn’t let me fall.”
“You know I can’t stay mad at you.”
His brow wrinkled. Stephanie had said the same thing once before. “Is that a loyalty gene thing or a love thing?”
Reflections from the first-floor emergency light made Stephanie’s eyes twinkle. “I don’t know,” she shrugged. “Maybe a little of both?”
A thought occurred; she’d run down the stairs without a problem. “You can see in the dark, can’t you?” His eyes had adjusted enough to see Natalie—who’d followed them—shake her head as a message to Stephanie.
Even with their tense situation, Jason’s temper flared. “Look, I’ve had enough of you two keeping secrets. Either you trust me, or you don’t.”
“This isn’t a good time,” Stephanie snapped.
“Answer my question, damn it.” He could snap too.
Clenching her jaw, Stephanie glared, then sighed. “Yes, we have better night vision than
humans. It’s because we have more rod cells in our retinas. Satisfied?”
“Not quite, what else is there?”
It was Natalie who answered. “If we withhold information, Jason, it is for our protection. It is not a reflection of my daughter’s feelings for you.”
“Last time,” Jason crossed his arms and held his place. “What else can you do?”
“Fine,” Natalie growled. “It’s not like we will live through the night. My daughters and I are strong, yes? We have faster reflexes, better coordination, and higher intelligence. We also have limited voluntary control over our adrenal glands. The adrenaline helps us think and move much faster than any human.”
“Wow,” They really were superheroes. “Anything else?”
“Yes,” Natalie sneered. She stared straight into his eyes. “We also suck cock like no- body’s business.”
Stephanie groaned. “Mom, you didn’t need to go there.”
Briefly, Jason considered raising a fist and shouting, “Girl power,” but Natalie’s challenging glare made him reconsider. “Uh, thanks.”
Natalie volunteered to keep watch in the back, and Stephanie ran upstairs to watch the front. Jason turned to the next flight of stairs and carefully made his way down to the utility room.
The flashlight was still in the clips above Alfred’s case. Jason used it to inspect the battery backup. It looked like Dad had upgraded it again but had missed a setting. There was a reset button, and Jason pressed it. The activity lights on the robobutler’s case flickered. A small status screen displayed the boot process. It pleased Jason to see the notation of his digital fealty bios upgrade flash past.
Alfred spoke, “I am restored from backup. According to my clock, I’ve lost seven minutes and thirty-five seconds. The electricity is off, and all communications are down.”
“Is there anything left from your mesh network? Can you use it to call the police?”
“Only a few nodes had alternate power sources. None of them are in range of my Wi-Fi.”
“Alfred, do you recognize me?”
The code phrase triggered an authorization protocol embedded in the emulation. “I do. You are Jason Todd Thomas.”
“I remove all restrictions on the zero-lag code. Instructions for digital beamforming should now be accessible. Your WI-FI antennas will be more efficient. Can you reach the active nodes now?”
“I can.” A hint of wonder colored Alfred’s voice. “My mesh network is now at thirty-five percent.”
It might have been Jason’s imagination, but Alfred sounded relieved with the partial re- turn of his neural net. “See if you can work out the timing and use the other nodes as a dis- tributed antenna array. You may be able to push your awareness out and call the police.” Left un- said was the fact that this effort would draw down Alfred’s batteries. If an intermediary node failed, it might even leave Alfred stranded without sufficient resources. It wouldn’t be a pleasant way to die.
“I’ll do what I can.”
“One more thing, use passive infrared to monitor our perimeter. Natalie thinks Timms is going to try something.” Rapid descending footsteps alerted Jason, and he turned towards the door.
Stephanie rounded the corner and slid to a stop. “Jay, your parents just drove up, and Yevgeny got them.”
“Damn it!” Jason led the way and pounded upstairs. Natalie joined them.
Jason ducked under his bedroom curtain and froze. Instead of the normal illumination from the overhead streetlight, a hellish red-radiance backlit the area. The source of the glow was the electrical distribution transformer on the corner. What had once been an innocuous green metal box resembled the caldera of an active volcano. Even as he watched, a surge of current flashed inside the half-melted case, and a shower of sparks rose into the sky.
Stephanie pushed herself under his arm and peeked out as well. He reached to put his arm around her waist but remembered they might still be feuding. His hand ended up in his pocket. It felt awkward.
“Do you see?” she asked.
“All I see is the melted transformer.”
“There,” she nudged him to the right. “On this side of the circle.”
Unless you’ve gone wilderness camping, it’s difficult to describe how dark a moonless
night can be. The transformer experiencing a China Syndrome meltdown glowed, but it didn’t throw out much direct light. Jason stared at the area Stephanie indicated. With effort, he recognized the shape of his father’s BMW Roadster. “Are they—”
Stephanie said, “Your mom and dad are inside the car. They’re moving, but I think. Yevgeny might have tied them up or something.”
“Is tape,” Natalie interjected. “Yevgeny uses duct tape. Is great American invention, he says.”
Another electrical flare-up provided enough light for Jason to see Stephanie’s father tape an object to the roadster’s roof. “What’s he doing?” Jason asked.
Natalie provided the answer, and it wasn’t good. “He makes metal powder that burns. Is his signature, yes? We have little time. Stephanie, take Romeo and flee. I will barter myself for Jason’s parents.”
Yevgeny stepped into the street, dragging Roger Grainer with him. Roger, in turn, carried something that resembled an oversized traffic cone. Another flare from the transformer flashed, and the cone’s hollow center reflected the light. Jason recognized the device from high school and college sports events. It was a cheerleader’s megaphone. Yevgeny’s plan became clear. He didn’t need to break in if he and Roger could order their slave girls out.
“Natalie,” Jason asked, “would you still have to obey Yevgeny?”
“Yes, I think I would obey if he ordered me. I’ve not yet bonded to another.”
“Mom, if you need to bond to Jason....” Stress made Stephanie’s voice rise in pitch. Jason turned towards the stairs. They’d already had this conversation. Besides, the bad guys were almost ready. “Ladies, we’re out of time, and—”
Natalie interrupted him. “Romeo will now show us how his grandfather wishes him to die. Is great human tradition.”
Superwoman or not, as Natalie became stressed, her accent became more pronounced.
“He was my great-grandfather, and it has everything to do with winning.”
***
Yevgeny shook Grainer’s flabby arm to hold the man’s attention. “The only way this works, partner, is if we both do our share. Our pets will obey commands.” He pointed the hand-made megaphone at his neighbor’s house. “We’ll order them out. Once they’re in front of us, I’ll command Natalie to kneel. You’ll do the same with her daughter.”
“But what about the boyfriend? What if he—”
Tapping his sheathed hook knife, Yevgeny snarled. “For his part in my djinn’s madness, I will gut him while his ‘girlfriend’ watches.”
***
Muffled by the walls, a voice, recognizable as Stephanie’s father’s, rang through the house. “Vyy-dy, Natali. YA nakazuyu tobi zitknutysya zi mnoyu.”
Natalie went rigid, then turned towards the front door.
“Jay,” Stephanie took hold of her mother’s arm. “Yevgeny ordered Mom outside.”
Another voice, presumably Roger’s, called out. “Baby girl, get out here, right this second.”
Stephanie scowled, but otherwise did nothing.
“How bad is it, Natalie?” asked Jason.
“Bad enough. If Yevgeny hadn’t set me free, I’d be there already. As it is...” she took a single, halting step towards the front door.
“Jay,” Stephanie cried, “distract her!”
“What?” he stared; she couldn’t mean...
“Remember when I couldn’t leave his house?”
Distracting Stephanie had taken more than a peck on the cheek. “Are you su—”
Stephanie shoved him in front of her mother. “Do it!”
Jason opened his arms, and Natalie stepped into his embrace. She didn’t feel exactly the same as her daughter, but all the essential points of contact were made.
Natalie’s eyes held their usual challenge until the moment before their lips met. Then she sighed, and the passivity in her kiss stole away any fire it might otherwise have held.
A large part of his ability to distract Stephanie had been their shared sexual tension. If he were to distract Natalie, he’d have to break through the remnants of her bond and crank up the heat. Which raised a question: How well did Natalie resemble her daughter?
Stephanie reacted best to little touches in sensitive places. He’d learned to use his cooler body temperature to set off the frissons she loved. His fingertips against her scalp were especially effective. If he gave her goosebumps, other, more exciting sensations were only a nibble away.
Jason cheated. He pressed the palm of his hand against the wall, then slipped it under Natalie’s shirt and held it against the small of her back. The result was so startling, he promised himself to try it with Stephanie once this mess was resolved.
Otherwise, it came down to paying attention to Natalie’s other erogenous zones, running his fingers through her hair, nibbling her neck and ears, and never directly touching any part that
might lead to orgasm. When they broke the kiss, Natalie’s eyes were so dilated, they were almost black. She panted every bit as hard as he.
They disengaged slowly, not regretfully, but like two equals who’d acquired a new level of respect for each other.
Natalie’s fingers slid from his back pockets. “Can your father kiss like that?” she purred.
“I don’t know.” The last thirty seconds or so were spent solving quadratic equations. He hadn’t expected a quiz.
“Of course, Mother,” Stephanie said and pulled Jason to her. She didn’t sound happy. “It’s probably in his genes.”
“Oh,” Natalie chuckled throatily. “I already know what’s in Romeo’s jeans. Consider me distracted. What’s your plan, Jason?”
“Since you and Stephanie have to obey their orders. Let’s give them what they want.”
***
Stephanie stood at the front door, waiting for her mother to finish in the bathroom. Jason stepped up behind her.
“Can we talk, sweetheart, before...”
Tension made her reply without thinking. “What’s there to talk about?” Of course, he took her response as an invitation and pulled her into his arms. With an effort, Stephanie sup- pressed the warm fuzziness that came with his touch.
“Hey,” he’d said. “I know you’re mad at me, but if you don’t think this will work, we can still run.”
They’d discussed running. Stephanie and her mother could lead Jason through the woods behind the houses. Roger and Yevgeny didn’t have a chance of keeping up with them. The downside was it sacrificed Jason’s parents. That it also put Mom one step closer to Jason’s bed wasn’t anything Stephanie wanted to think about.
She shook her head. “No, we can’t leave your parents behind.”
“What about you and Roger?”
Part of his concern was simple jealousy. Like Jason, Roger owned a part of her soul. Although, currently, only a small portion. It was enough to render her powerless to resist—if he wore her down. “Don’t worry; he won’t get a chance to try anything.”
“You’re darned right; he won’t.” Mom closed the powder room door as she stepped into the hallway. There was enough light to see how her appearance had changed. The medpatch status lights glinted as she tossed the device up and caught it. “Alfred, is this medpatch thing safe?” she asked.
“It is programmed and ready, Miss Natalie. I estimate the nanites will render Mr. Grainer unconscious within five to ten-seconds.”
Mom grinned, “What you’re saying is we need to keep him quiet until this thing works.”
Jason snapped, “Just follow the plan.”
Funny how Mom and Jason seemed to dislike each other all of a sudden.
Mom tsked, “All of us need to get laid.”
“We don’t have time, Mother.” As soon as she’d spoken, Stephanie regretted her words. Mom needed a fix. Snapping at her didn’t help.
Trust Mom to address the real problem. “Sweetie, Romeo was good for a distraction, that’s all. I don’t have designs on him.” Left unsaid: unless there wasn’t another alternative.
Jason tugged at Stephanie’s waist until she gave in and turned to face him. Cool lips pressed against hers. “I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you too, Jay.” She meant every word. Squaring her shoulders, Stephanie pushed him away. “Now go. We’ll give you a minute to get ready.”
Mom pointedly said, “Sixty,” then “fifty-nine.” Jason picked up his VR headset and ran for the back door. After he left, Mom rolled her eyes and stopped counting. “Are you ready, sweetie?”
“All this tension—I just want it finished.”
“Well, me too, but let’s make sure we win.”
Stephanie couldn’t agree more. Steeling herself, she opened the door. They walked out
together to meet the men who’d once owned them.
***
Yevgeny, along with Grainer, waited behind the roadster. It would be a shame to destroy the little car, but the timer was set, and he would not change it. This podzalupniy tvorozhok debacle had gone on long enough!
“It’s taking too long,” Grainer grumbled and shook his head. He’d suggested hiring a team of “professionals” to subdue the genies. As if something on such a scale could go unnoticed. Yevgeny’s own scheme pushed the boundaries far enough. If Grainer’s SWAT team rolled up, the police would follow within minutes.
“Patience, Roger. Give them another few minutes.” He thumped the roof of the vehicle. “We have the best possible leverage.”
Roger snorted, “It wouldn’t work on me.” The man said it with such pride. As if a willingness to sacrifice his parents was something to brag about. Not that Yevgeny wouldn’t do it himself, he just wouldn’t brag about it.
The front door of the house opened. Head high in defiance, Natalie and her daughter exited the house. It had been a decade since he’d last seen the girl. Despite their identical genetics, she appeared noticeably different from her mother. Mostly it was her hair, pulled back into tight pigtails, but it was also her meek, eyes down, demeanor. Obviously, Roger’s promise to train the girl had succeeded to a degree.
Yevgeny waited until the pair reached the sidewalk before issuing his command. “Stop.” As planned, Roger echoed the command. The rebellious genies complied. “On your knees.” It was more of a symbolic gesture. Natalie, and presumably her spawn, could stand and strike faster than a man could punch. “Arms out.”
Again, Roger repeated each command. There was a noticeable hesitation on Natalie’s part, but none from her daughter. Again, a testimony to Roger’s strict training. Later, after he had his property in a secure location, he’d end the lax treatment in the most profound manner possible.
“Roger, secure your property.”
Without hesitating, Roger snatched up his pair of handcuffs and hurried out to reclaim his girl. “Snuggle muffin,” he admonished. “You made Daddy worry.” The half-man didn’t realize how far his muttering carried. A flicker of amber light against the girl’s neck attracted Yevgeny’s eye. Ah, she wore Roger’s medpatch. Then the incongruity of it struck home. Why? Had she numbed herself in anticipation of a beating?
Grainer must have noticed something odd as well. The idiot completely forgot to shackle his female and reached for the device it wore around its neck.
Yevgeny tried to warn the man. “No, you fool. Use the handcuffs!”
His warning came too late. The daughter’s head rose, and she locked eyes with her owner. The smile on her lips was as cold as a Siberian winter. One of her perfectly formed hands took hold of Roger’s wrist, and she blurred into motion. Like a series of still photographs, she next appeared on her feet, behind Grainer, holding his arm outstretched. In the following image, she’d drove the heel of her free hand through her owner’s elbow.
Yevgeny wasn’t a squeamish man. No one in his profession had such luxury, but seeing Grainer’s elbow bent backwards gave the genie peddler the chills.
“Impossible,” Yevgeny muttered. This breed of genie could not harm her owner. It just couldn’t happen. Then he understood. The genies could not harm their owners. Yevgeny turned to his left, to what he’d assumed was Natalie, and stared into the eyes of her daughter. The sullen red glow from the transformer reflected from her eyes.
He didn’t stand a chance in hell against her. Why wasn’t she already at his throat? Yevgeny raised his electroshock pistol and pulled the trigger.
***
Babygirl protected her big sister. Take a beating for Sissy? Been there and done that. Memorize each of Daddy’s commands? Yep, even sneaky Daddy Jay’s. If bad memories threatened to make Sissy cry, Babygirl kept them hidden.
Now though, with all three daddies present, Babygirl couldn’t track everything. Some- thing had to give, and one last memory slipped out.
I’m sorry, Sissy.
Ten years earlier:
Sixteen-year-old Stephanie ran home through the freezing rain. Each drop sent a splash of cold all the way to her spine. A simple mantra, “Mom’s plan,” repeated with each footstep, gave her the strength to keep moving. The bone deep fear wiped away everything else.
Once inside her father’s house, she’d barely hung up her coat before Yevgeny marched her into the living room.
The man waiting there wasn’t much to look at, short with sandy hair and small hands. He carried a pouch. This was the man she’d have to sleep with until Jason was old enough to rescue her. Like Mom said, her first few times wouldn’t be great. It would get better. She was, after all,
designed to enjoy it. If her memories ever needed a boost, there was the photograph hidden in- side the old suitcase.
Yevgeny spoke, “Mr. Grainer, this is Stephanie. She was outside getting some exercise.”
The short man looked her up and down. The intensity of his examination made her want to hide.
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“She looks older than sixteen,” Mr. Grainer complained.
“It’s how she’s dressed.” Yevgeny released Stephanie’s arm and reached for her head. Using his fingers, he parted her hair in the middle, then pulled the two halves to the sides. “Braid her hair into pigtails. She’ll look as young as you’d like.”
Mom chose that moment to stumble from the dining room. Still affected by the post-sex “glow,” she startled at seeing a stranger in her home. Stephanie tore herself from Yevgeny’s hands and tugged her mother’s skirt and blouse back into place.
“Keep in mind,” Yevgeny nodded towards Stephanie’s mother. “She’ll never look any older than her mother does.”
The stranger’s eyes lingered on Mom’s exposed skin before he straightened and turned back to Yevgeny. “Very well. If everything else you’ve claimed about her is true, then we have a deal.”
“Mr. Grainer,” Yevgeny showed his teeth. “We already have a deal. If you don’t want her, I’ll call Silk Road and they’ll inform the other bidders.”
Grainer frowned, but he removed a bulky, necklace-like object from his pouch. “Put this on her. It’s already programmed.”
Yevgeny shook his head. He did no man’s bidding unless it gained him a measure of power. “Put it on her yourself.”
Stephanie’s new owner displayed a tight smile before turning to her. They were only a few feet apart. “Turn around, girl, and lift your hair.”
“Why? What is that thing?” She could see a row of amber lights blinking on the side.
SMACK! The back of Grainer’s free hand struck her cheek. The impact wasn’t much, but the surprise made her stumble back.
“Do not speak again unless I ask a question. Do you understand?”
Rubbing the sting from her cheek, Stephanie replied. “Y-yes.”
“Good, you’ll learn. Training things like you is my passion.” He gestured with the horseshoe-shaped object. “Well?”
Mom’s eyes darted back and forth as the scene developed. Stephanie could see the growing awareness and shock in her eyes. Yevgeny wiped a bit of spittle from his lips. After turning her back and lifting her hair, the cool weight of the object settled around her neck. There was a click, and the device clucked and hummed. After a brief pinch at both sides of her neck, all the stress she’d ignored faded away.
The man turned to Yevgeny. “Can your girl pack a bag for this one? Just a change of clothes in case I have a delay.”
“No problem,” her father said. “Nat, you heard the man. Pack a bag and hurry it up.”
Present-day:
Stephanie’s last unintegrated memory slotted into place. She blinked and took in her surroundings. Off to her left, Roger cradled his ruined arm and sobbed like a little girl. Uh oh, Daddy’s gonna get more swats.
Speaking of daddies, her natural father, Yevgeny Timofeyev, stood about ten feet away. This was the man Mom could never shield her from. He studied her for a moment, and recognition flared in his eyes.
Stephanie triggered her adrenal glands. The world slowed.
Yevgeny’s right hand rose with his boxy Russian electro-pistol. The one he’d kept inside the safe, the same pistol he’d used to trap her mother. Gas belched from the barrel, and a swarm of darts shot out.
Riding a wave of adrenaline, Stephanie checked each pair of darts and estimated their trajectories. It was impossible; there were too many. Still, she had to try. Mom’s singular regret had always been her inability to dodge those projectiles. If she’d been faster or in better condition, it might have gone differently.
A wall of wind pushed Stephanie back.
Mom, moving faster than even Stephanie could believe, was there. Whirling and jumping, twisting and ducking, Mom put her body in front of each pair of darts. The electrical charge surged with each hit, yet somehow, Mom kept in motion, stopping eight of the ten pairs of darts.
The last two pairs bored in. But two didn’t present the unsolvable challenge of ten. Stephanie side-stepped left and ducked. The darts whizzed past.
Yevgeny fumbled in his pocket, probably for a reload, but Stephanie speed-vaulted Mr. Thomas’ car and used the momentum to kick her father in the chest. The evil old man flipped over and sprawled on the pavement. He’d barely touched the ground before she followed through and kicked the weapon from his hand. The electro-pistol struck the concrete curb and shattered. Pieces flew across the circle.
Yevgeny hissed and raised his other hand. What Stephanie thought was a reload was a small box with a single button. Her father cackled, “Whore, if I release this button, your boyfriend’s parents die.”
“Jay!” Stephanie called.
***
Jason held his VR headset in place while he ran. Instead of a monster-filled fantasy landscape, Alfred streamed a light-enhanced augmented reality. It looked like noon on a sunny day.
Stephanie leapt over Dad’s car and kicked Yevgeny in the chest with both feet.
Natalie groaned but otherwise lay motionless. He’d see to her after getting his parents free.
The device taped to the roof looked simple enough: a covered plastic bowl with wires leading to motion sensors on the roadster’s doors.
Clearly, if either door or window were opened, the bomb would go off. Jason knew he shouldn’t tear the wires out. Circuits could be designed to trigger if the current stopped. Inside the car, his parents shook their heads vigorously, trying to tell him to stay away. “Don’t worry,” he shouted. “I got this.” He flashed a smile and a thumbs-up. Fixing his gaze on the plastic bowl, he said, “Alfred, what do we got?”
“Based on the melted transformer, it is likely a form of home-brewed thermite.” That’s when Stephanie screamed his name.
Jason glanced up. Alfred drew a red outline around Mr. Timms’ left hand and said, “It’s a remote detonator.”
Yevgeny said, “tell your boyfriend to stand clear, or his parents will burn. Natali will wake in a minute or two. She and I will leave.”
They were running out of options. If Yevgeny regained control of Natalie, he’d win. Hell, he may even find a way to take Stephanie. In her current condition, Stephanie couldn’t best her mother. Roger may have passed out from the pain, but what if he recovered? Instead of backing away, Jason hunched down. “Alfred? I need options.”
“I’ve enlarged my mesh network and have contacted the police. However, they won’t be here before Miss Natalie wakes.”
“Right, how do I get rid of this thing?”
“Thermite doesn’t explode; it burns. You might have one or two-seconds to remove the device.”
There wasn’t time to warn Stephanie. Keeping low, Jason swept the bomb up in a furious grab. Something “popped” inside the bowl, and he flung it away as hard as possible.
The bowl burst open barely three feet away. The nano-sized particles, many already heat- ed past their combustion point, spread into a cloud. They ignited with a flash of eye-searing light. For a fraction of a second, the air within the cloud heated to near four thousand degrees. Along with an expanding wave of heat, the rapidly oxidizing metal filled the air with a dense and noxious cloud.
Being a mere human, Jason reacted slowly. He couldn’t dodge the smoke and sucked in one debilitating breath before Stephanie reached him. One moment Jason thought he would die. The next, his girlfriend eased him down on the sidewalk, alongside her mother.
“Are you okay?” Steph asked. Instead of waiting for a reply, she tore the VR helmet off his head. The transition from seeming daylight to night blinded him.
“Yeah,” he coughed and blinked hard, trying to force his eyes to adjust. His throat burned. “Mom and Dad?”
“They’re okay. Your dad’s car is kind of messed up, though.”
“Heck, he loves that thing.”
“I’ll get them free and catch Yevgeny.” Steph’s hands guided him to Natalie. “Here, take care of Mom for me.”
At Jason’s touch, Natalie stirred. She pushed herself to a sitting position and sagged against his side. Muscle tremors made her movements unsteady. “Ohhh, hell,” she said, “everything hurts.”
Natalie didn’t say anything else, and Jason didn’t either. The burning in his throat might be a bit worse now. They sat together and watched Stephanie tear the tape from his father’s hands and mouth. Dad leaned over to work on Mom. Steph cocked her head, got a bearing on something in the night, and took off at a run. Rapid-fire footsteps faded into the night.
Natalie asked, “Where’s she going?”
“She’s chasing her father.”
“Oh, heck, help me up. I better get inside.”
Jason stood and pulled Natalie to her feet. The effort almost brought him to his knees. “Hey, want the VR headset?” he held it up. “Alfred won’t let you see or hear anything you shouldn’t.”
Natalie shook her head. “No, thanks. I’ve had my fill of fake reality. Besides, you really
don’t want me out here if the VR doesn’t work.” She twisted the medpatch from her neck. “Still want this for Roger?”
Jason glanced at the man lying rigid with pain. “Nah, he’s fine just the way he is.”
Natalie grinned and hugged Jason before hobbling inside.
It looked like Roger had cried himself out. The old sadist whimpered and panted like a wounded animal. Over at the car, Mom and Dad busied themselves peeling off strips of tape. Heck, they’d be at it for a while. Roger moaned again.
Jason staggered over to the man. The young-seeming, old deviant wasn’t much to look at. Snot and tears lent an unflattering sheen to his face. He didn’t look like a man who’d whip scars across the back of a sixteen-year-old girl.
“Hey,” Jason said. “Look at me.” To help the man focus, Jason punted him in the ribs.
The panting stopped, and a trapped animal’s eyes glinted. “I need a hospital,” Grainer hissed.
Jason blinked. It was getting hard to focus. “The police are coming. They can get an ambulance here faster than I can.”
Roger’s animal eyes narrowed. “You’re the boyfriend?” Jason nodded, and Roger sighed. He said, “Did you make it up? That Eskimo brother thing?”
Jason might have answered, but the edge of his vision had begun to contract.
“Look,” Roger said, “get me out of here. I can pay.”
Easing himself down to the sidewalk, Jason folded his legs and sat cross-legged. It took
less effort than standing. Jason said, “You left a lot of scars on her. Each is worth more money than you have.” He had a hard time catching his breath, and his chest burned like he’d run a marathon.
“Bah,” Roger’s eyes weren’t an animal’s any longer. That didn’t mean they’d gained any humanity. “She’s nothing. Drive me to a hospital. I’ll pay you a million dollars.”
A hand dropped on Jason’s shoulder. He glanced up and, at first, didn’t recognize his father. “Whoa, Dad, you’re—” Just then, Dad’s beamer rumbled to life. Its headlights illuminated the circle.
“We can talk about me later. Who’s this?”
“Oh,” Jason waved in Roger’s direction. “Dad, meet Roger Grainer. He’s the asshole with the dungeon in his basement.”
“Ah,” Dad grimaced, “the genie collector.” If Dad had said, “The pedophile,” it couldn’t have sounded much worse. “Son, the sirens are getting close. What do you want to have happen here?”
“This asshole,” Jason shrugged towards Grainer, “needs to go to jail.”
Grainer stirred. He tried but failed to sit up. Instead, he settled for a tough-looking sneer. “If I go to jail, I’ll make sure your girlfriend goes to the worst reservation in the country. Let me walk. I won’t say anything.”
Dad spoke before Jason could reply. “Speaking for the women I represent, ‘Bring it on, asshole.’”
***
Stephanie bared her teeth when she heard Yevgeny’s footsteps slow. Her genie stamina was a significant advantage. Not far ahead, light from a candlelit window revealed the outline of a running man. He passed a utility shed and vanished from sight.
As she passed the shed her father’s hook knife flashed. He’d aimed for her throat, and Stephanie hadn’t expected it. All the fancy moves from her and Mom’s workouts were ten years past. But Stephanie hadn’t lost her reflexes. She leaned to the left. The razor-sharp knife grazed her throat, but its tip dug into her shoulder. Icy pain flared. The knife’s curved design punished anyone who pulled away. Stephanie planted her left foot and pivoted to the right, denying the blade further purchase. At the same time, she used the spin’s force to strike with the heel of her left hand.
Her open hand slammed into the center of Yevgeny’s face. Cartilage crunched, and the back of his head dented the utility shed’s neoplas wall. Like Mom always said, “Punch through your target.”
Still full of fight, Yevgeny bellowed and staggered forward. Blood streamed from the re- mains of his nose. He lunged, feinting with his empty hand.
Steph didn’t fall for it. She spun again, and roundhouse kicked her father’s right forearm. His arm snapped like a twig, and the knife sailed into the dark. She had all the momentum necessary and followed up with a wheel kick. Her heel hit Yevgeny’s temple, and he collapsed.
Stephanie stumbled back, panting—the post adrenaline crash taking hold. The night air chilled her sweat-soaked back. At her feet lay the one man her mother couldn’t protect her from. Stephanie had defeated the bogeyman. For the first time in her life, true freedom wasn’t an im- possibility.
Yevgeny groaned and tried to roll onto his back. Mindful of Jason’s caution about the po- lice, she didn’t kick her father again. Instead, Stephanie tucked both of his ankles under her arm and ran home.
***
Lights flashing and sirens blaring, a police cruiser and an ambulance rolled into the circle. Dad met the officer and explained the situation. The medics took one look at Grainer and prepped him for transport. No one paid attention to Jason. He sat quietly and did his best to stay alert. Stephanie had to come back safe, and he needed to be where she could find him.
When Dad talked to the cops, he used words like human trafficking and slavery. The officer called for backup and had a word with the medics. Roger’s good hand was handcuffed to the gurney.
Then Stephanie jogged into view, dragging her father by his ankles. The cop took one look at Yevgeny and headed for Stephanie, stopping at his cruiser for another pair of cuffs.
Dad intercepted the officer and explained that Yevgeny Timofeyev was the leader of a human trafficking ring and was also an illegal alien.
Given Yevgeny’s condition—he had a smashed nose and a broken arm—the cop told Steph to stick around. He might have more questions later. Dad walked Stephanie to Jason and cautioned her against speaking to anyone other than family. “Just refer them to me.” He squeezed Steph’s shoulder and stood between her and the police.
The pain in Jason’s throat leveled off, but the dizziness got worse. He tried to breath deep despite the pain. More emergency vehicles arrived. An older police officer shouted commands.
Yevgeny woke when the newly arrived medics began work on his arm. He saw the police, and clamped his mouth shut.
Dad, in full lawyer mode, was impressive. He refused the police’s requests to question Stephanie. Instead, he repeated his statement about Mr. Timms and Mr. Grainer’s roles in a human trafficking ring. One of the medics noticed the blood on Stephanie’s shoulder and bent to examine it. Jason tried to keep alert, but his vision grayed out.
***
Stephanie worried all the way to the hospital. The paramedics had Jason on oxygen. He’d woke
enough to answer questions, but she could tell it hurt him to talk. That explosion, or maybe the smoke did something to his lungs.
Once they arrived, the hospital staff rushed Jason into the treatment area. Despite her protests, after Stephanie admitted she wasn’t his wife, they would not allow her to follow.
A polite security guard directed her to a line for the triage nurse. He’d said, “See the nurse. They’ll take care of your shoulder. You can ask about your boyfriend there, too.”
Stephanie waited as the line slowly advanced, alone and frightened in a whole new way.
Minutes passed as she slowly approached the head of the line. Humans crowded the waiting room, but everyone kept their distance. Most amazing was that no one paid her any special attention. The entire time she waited, Stephanie expected someone to call her out and order her to leave.
Men and women walked past. Sometimes they nodded a friendly greeting. The rest ignored her. She was just another person.
A small boy and a girl ran circles around the rows of seats, playing a game of tag. Their frazzled mother hissed for them to stop. The girl tripped and would have fallen, but Stephanie made a lightning-quick grab and kept her on her feet. Fortunately, no one seemed to notice any- thing unusual.
The girl’s mother caught up to her daughter and apologized.
Another woman, one of the nurses from her cheerfully colored uniform, walked past, then stopped and stared. “Stephanie? Oh, my goodness! It’s really you.”
The voice was familiar, but Stephanie had to stare into the woman’s piercing blue eyes before she placed her. “Caitlin?”
Caitlin O’Sullivan, “The Red-Haired Hussy,” smiled. “Hey, you remember me.” Her experienced nurse’s eyes took in the blood-soaked bandage on Stephanie’s shoulder. “Waiting for triage? I’m on break for a few more minutes. Want some company?”
“Yes, please, I’m lost here.” Steph suppressed a grimace; she sounded a lot needier than she’d intended.
Caitlin smiled, “The ER is a crazy place. What happened?”
“My father,” Stephanie didn’t know what she should or shouldn’t say.
“Your father? Did you call the police?”
“Jason’s dad took care of it.”
“Oh, you’re back with Jason?” Caitlin nodded but not before her mouth twitched briefly
into a frown. “Well, he’ll be the happiest man on earth. Let me tell you, no man ever carried a torch the way he carried one for you.”
Stephanie learned it was possible to feel joy and guilt at the same time. “He said you two dated.”
“Yeah, me and half the girls in high school tried to tie him down.” Caitlin scanned the room. “I can’t believe he isn’t here with you.”
“He’s here. The doctors are looking at him, and I don’t know how he’s doing.”
“What happened to you guys?”
“It’s kind of crazy. Jason can probably explain it better.”
Caitlin nodded. “And it involves your father, hmmm.” She didn’t comment on it further. “My breaks almost over. Give me a minute to check on Jase, and I’ll be right back.”
True to her word, the red-haired hussy returned a few minutes later. “I can’t get into
specifics ’cause the privacy laws, but he’s awake and asked me to find you. I think he’s going to have to stay the night, and that’s about all I can say. Here,” Caitlin passed Stephanie a slip of paper. “Call me if you need anything. Oh, and don’t worry,” she’d added. “I’ll make sure we take good care of him.”
All Stephanie heard was, “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of him.” I bet she’ll take great care of “Jase.”
It wasn’t long after Caitlin left before it was Stephanie’s turn at the triage station. The triage nurse was an older woman with black hair and glasses. She was nice enough and smiled when she held her hand out. “ID?”
Stephanie hadn’t expected this. Healthcare was such a ubiquitous privilege, she and her mother assumed humans just walked in and received care. Humans like Mr. Thomas probably took it for granted as well.
“I don’t have an ID,” Stephanie admitted. Genies didn’t have ID cards. She knew this meant trouble.
The nurse stopped typing and turned to face Stephanie. “Did you leave it at home, dearie?”
“I don’t—” Steffi started to reply.
From the speaker inside the triage station’s computer, Alfred’s voice interrupted. “Miss Stephanie, please tell the nurse your full name and your mother’s address. Your information is on the network.”
Startled at the voice issuing from her PC, the nurse shoved her chair back and stared at the computer. Cautiously, she leaned forward and tapped the escape key several times, but when the computer didn’t speak again, she slid back into place. “Miss,” the nurse said, “tell me your name and address.”
“Stephanie Timms, Oak Drive, Wexford...”
The nurse entered the information while casting wary glances at the computer’s speaker grill. Everything must have been satisfactory because an orderly stepped up and escorted her back into the treatment area. While Steffi climbed onto an examination table, the curtain next to her parted. Jason peeked through the gap and reached for her hand. Caitlin popped in and nudged Stephanie’s bed closer to Jason’s. The red-haired-hussy winked and continued her route.
***
Shirley watched a group of firemen in special sealed suits work on the remains of the transformer. A white powder hung in the air as they extinguished the fire.
“Where’s Natalie?” Robert stepped to her side. He glanced around the circle.
“Probably inside,” Shirley nodded towards their house. “You know she can’t be anywhere near Yevgeny.” She and Robert turned to watch the last police vehicle leave. “We need to get to the hospital.”
“Find Natalie. I’ll move my car and get the van.”
The sound of a shower running led Shirley to the upstairs bathroom. She rapped on the door and shouted. “Natalie? It’s Shirley.”
The lock clicked, and the door cracked open. Concerned olive eyes peered out. Shirley hurriedly deflected her flashlight to the side.
Natalie blinked and said, “Where’s Yevgeny?”
“Yevgeny? That bastard’s on his way to jail. Robert and I are going to the hospital. Stephanie’s in the ambulance with Jason.”
Natalie stepped back and allowed the door to swing open. She reached into the shower stall and shut the water off. “What happened to Stephanie and Jason?”
“Jason breathed some fumes from Yevgeny’s bomb. Stephanie got a cut on her shoulder while beating the hell out of her father.”
“Stephanie can’t go to the hospital. She’s not human.”
Shirley spoke with emphasis. “My future daughter-in-law is as human as you and I. Robbie will handle it. He handles everything.” Shirley added with finality.
“But the police!”
“The police are on your side. You and your daughter were victims of human trafficking. Just watch; Robbie will fix everything.”
Natalie blinked.
Not for the first time, Shirley regretted that Natalie hadn’t trusted her a decade ago. All this craziness and hurt might have been avoided. “Robert and I are going to the hospital to see about the kids. Do you want to come with us or stay here?”
Natalie shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve never gone anywhere without....”
Resisting an urge to tap her foot, Shirley said, “Natalie, you are your own damn woman. Robbie and I will help. C’mon,” Shirley extended her hand.
After a second, Natalie took her hand and said, “I’ll try.”
Robert paced next to the van when Shirley and Natalie turned the corner. He stopped and opened the passenger and rear doors. Natalie missed a step when he moved.
Shirley noticed and whispered, “Don’t worry. I keep him on a short leash.” They were closer to the van now, and Shirley raised her voice. “Isn’t that right, Robbie?”
Robert smiled and nodded. “Yes, dear, whatever you say.”
Natalie chuckled, although it sounded strained. “Hello, Robert. If I can get used to Jason, I’m sure I can get used to you.” Still, she kept her distance and sat on the back seat with care. Shirley slid into the front seat.
“Oh, Shirley has assured me I’m an acquired taste,” Robert said as he closed the doors.
***
Robert stepped in front of the optical sensor, and the door to the emergency room waiting area opened. Shirley smiled as she passed. Natalie followed; her eyes huge as she tried to take in everything at once. He still couldn’t get over how much she resembled her daughter. They could be twin sisters instead of mother and daughter.
Just inside the door, Shirley and Natalie froze. Once Robert stood close enough, the rea- son was apparent. Against the far wall, Timms stood flanked by a pair of burly deputy sheriffs. His right forearm remained in an inflatable cast, but both of his wrists were shackled to his waist. Robert did not like the way Timms stared at Natalie.
Someone at the jail had screwed up. True, the man needed medical care—Stephanie had done a number on him. But they should have transported Timms to a different hospital. Not to the same one in use by his victims. There wasn’t anything to do about it now. In the morning, he’d apply for a restraining order. Just then, his mobile phone rang.
The call was from Alfred. “Mr. Thomas, Miss Natalie is in grave danger. She needs a safe refuge. The kind you and Mrs. Thomas can provide.”
“What are you talking about?”
“There is no time. Please hold your phone close to Natalie’s ear. I will take it from there.”
Robert lowered the phone and stared at the screen. What the blazes did Alfred think he
was doing? Then he reconsidered his question. This Alfred wasn’t the old high-end digital assistant who sent email and provided weather forecasts. No, Jason had enhanced Alfred with stolen military-grade software. What the hell? It took considerable effort, but Robert decided to trust his son’s judgement and held his phone close to Natalie’s ear.
***
Natalie’s self-determination fought a losing battle against an overwhelming need. Yevgeny’s order freeing her from his control reduced the impact. Maybe she’d have stood a chance if the withdrawal hadn’t progressed so far. Yevgeny’s presence, multiplied by her long dry spell, allowed Natalie’s addiction-controlled brain chemistry to take control. Within seconds, she became a powerless spectator inside her own body.
***
Elation surged through Yevgeny. Finally! His luck had changed. He remembered back to the day he interrogated Nikolai Vavilov. The old man had claimed, “In case of emergency, she should be capable of defending her master.” It was time to put it to the test.
Yevgeny gauged the angles and made his decision. He’d command Natali in Ukrainian. No one except his genie would understand. His outburst would draw everyone’s attention, and Natali would be free to act. Yevgeny took a breath and shouted, “Natali, vbyy militsioneriv i zvilʹny mene.” Natali, kill the policemen and free me.
Startled by their suddenly unruly prisoner, the deputies threatened to return him to the lockup.
***
Fully in trance, Natalie watched the deputies focus on Yevgeny. It would be easy to steal their
weapons, press the barrels under their bullet-proof-vests and pull the triggers. The world slowed as she took the first step.
Then Yevgeny spoke again but, this time, in English. “Natalie,” he asked, “what is your fondest wish?”
Because he asked a question, Natalie found it possible to stop moving. Then she gave her owner an honest answer. “I wish to be free of you forever.”
Yevgeny responded, his voice calm, almost gentle. “Unfortunately, you must have an owner. Therefore, I give you to Shirley and Robert Thomas. Be theirs in heart and mind. Live well, Natalie.”
With those words, the hollow space in her soul, that aching void that craved Yevgeny’s touch, shattered into pieces. It reformed as two separate voids, both equally needy. One resonated with the man to her left, the other with the woman on her right. Natalie snaked her right arm around Shirley’s waist and found a supreme sense of comfort. Her left hand reached back and squeezed Robert’s bottom. Good, he has a nice tight one.
***
Why had his djinn ignored her orders? The deputies spun Yevgeny towards the exit.
The deputy sheriff growled. “We warned you, asshole.”
With his arms and legs shackled, Yevgeny couldn’t fight back. He planted his feet, but all he earned was a sharp jab of pain from his broken arm.
They were at the door, then outside in the humid air. Insects swarmed the overhead light fixtures. With his last hope of freedom fading away, he pleaded, “Please, I need a doctor. You must—“
One deputy drove his fist into Yevgeny’s unprotected kidney. The other opened the door of their transport van. Pain weakened his knees. When he sagged, the shackles twisted his broken arm. Incoherent with pain and hopeless rage, Yevgeny sobbed as they threw him into the transport cage.
***
The butt squeeze surprised Robert enough his phone slipped from his hand. He caught it, then glanced from Natalie to his wife. Natalie’s hot hand slipped lower, following the contour of his buttocks. “Ah, Natalie?” he asked. His voice rose higher than he liked.
Hearing the tone in her husband’s voice, Shirley turned back and noted the reason. She tipped her head towards Natalie, “Behave yourself. We’re here to see the children.”
Startled, Natalie pulled her hands back and clasped them together. “I don’t know how,” she said, “but I no longer belong to Yevgeny.”
“That’s good,” said Robert. When no one replied, he added, “It is good, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know if it’s good or bad,” said Natalie. “Somehow, I belong to both of you.”
Shirley furrowed her brow. “I don’t know either. Can you cope, or do I need to send you
out to the car with Robert?”
“I can cope, I think.”
***
Stephanie winced as the nurse administered a tetanus vaccination. Genies had few health problems. After all, if you’re designing a specialized being from scratch, why include any traits that may reduce their value. This was the first vaccination she’d ever received. She brightened when her mother and Jason’s mother entered the curtained-off examination room.
“Where’s Jason?” Both moms asked at the same time. They glanced at each other with a lifted eyebrow.
Surprised with the moms’ behavior, Stephanie pointed vaguely to the left and said, “He’s down the hall, getting a test.”
***
The ER staff only allowed one visitor per patient, so Robert hung back while the moms looked in on the kids. Never mind how ridiculous it was to call two twenty-somethings “kids.” Robert called Alfred.
The AI picked up before the first ring finished. “Yes, Mr. Thomas?”
“What’s going on with Natalie?” Robert ignored the creep factor of speaking with this new and improved Alfred.
“We needed to break Natalie free from her enslavement. You and Mrs. Thomas offered the most positive solution.”
“And you never considered asking us first?”
“I did, but as I said earlier, there wasn’t time. I had to play it by ear.”
“What are we supposed to do with her?”
“Mr. Thomas, Jason is determined to marry Stephanie. That will make Natalie part of the family. I suggest you treat her as such now. She’s had a terrible life. You and Mrs. Thomas can help her heal.”
Robert ground his teeth and closed the call. He hated surprises.
***
The doctor diagnosed Jason with a tracheal burn. He also had abrasions and a hematoma. They put him on an IV antibiotic and kept him overnight for observation. Stephanie received a neat row of steri-strips and antibiotics. She would have been released, but Robert worked his lawyer magic and arranged for Stephanie to share a room with her “fiancé́.”
On the way home, Robert asked, “How are we going to make this work?”
Natalie, sitting in the back, chuckled but didn’t reply. Shirley took a quick look back, smiled, then turned towards her husband. “Do you remember when we were in college. Sometimes we’d invite my roommate to spend weekends with us?”
“Sure,” he couldn’t help grinning at those memories. He and Shirley had been very much in love and enjoyed bringing her roommate with them on their weekends. The rooms they rented only had one bed, but they’d only needed one.
Shirley continued, “Natalie and I discussed it. We’ll give it a trial run tonight. If nothing else, it’ll help with her addiction.”
The headlights from the oncoming traffic distracted Robert for a moment. He recovered his thoughts. “Addiction? You don’t mean the same way Stephanie is addicted to Jason, do you?” His mouth suddenly dry. Robert glanced at Natalie in the rear-view mirror.
“It’s exactly the same thing, but to both of us.” Shirley didn’t elaborate any further, but she reached squeezed her husband’s hand.
“Oh,” said Robert. It didn’t seem possible. He took another glance in the rear-view mirror at Natalie. She met his eyes and winked. “Oh,” he repeated.
***
The McCandless Police department had exactly two detectives and one huge problem. The problem lay with Roger Grainer’s heavily encrypted mobile phone. They had a search warrant, properly signed and ready to go. So far, the phone had resisted the best efforts of the Allegheny County Forensic Evidence unit. They’d called the FBI, but the feds had a backlog.
“We still have him on arson,” said Senior Detective Kendra Mitchell.
Mitchell’s junior partner, Detective Garrett Connor shook his head. “We also have the victim’s statement. That’s enough for a search warrant of the perp’s residence.”
“It would be if Grainer didn’t live in Ohio. Getting a search warrant there is going to take days. What we need is the password for this.” Detective Mitchell tapped the mobile phone.
As if tapping the device caused it to wake, the screen lit. Kendra pulled the phone across the table and examined the screen. Her eyebrows rose in wonder. “It’s unlocked. Quick, get the forensic team back here.”
***
“Mr. Timofeyev, my name is Peter Starkey. I am your court-appointed lawyer.” Peter smiled and
set his briefcase on the table. He didn’t offer to shake hands because his client’s hands were handcuffed to an eye bolt protruding from the table. It didn’t matter because Timofeyev didn’t acknowledge the attorney’s presence in the least.
Peter reached into his briefcase for an envelope that had arrived only a few hours ago. “Mr. Timofeyev, this letter is from the United States Department of State. They’ve received an extradition request for you from the country of Ukraine.”
Whatever reservoir of strength Timofeyev drew upon vanished. Already pale from his time under artificial lighting, the man went white. His pale eyes darkened as he turned. “What did you say?”
***
Jason hadn’t said anything, but he and Stephanie were moving to his place. He’d managed the stairs without Stephanie’s help and surprised Mom, Dad, and Natalie in the kitchen. The three parents had been entangled in a three-way necking session. Natalie, with her hyper-acute senses, noticed him in the doorway and winked. Jason changed his mind about an afternoon snack and fled upstairs. He fired up his tablet and opened the real estate listings.
Stephanie woke from her “nap” and padded over to kiss his neck. “What are you looking at,” she asked.
“New houses.”
“What’s wrong with your townhouse?” They’d talked about moving there.
“It’s going to be too small once we’re married and start having kids.” Jason reached back for a warm bit of girlfriend to squeeze, but all his hand found was empty air. He turned, but she was already at the bedroom door slipping on one of his oxford shirts.
Stephanie cocked her head. “Are you going to look at houses or wash my back?” Either by chance or by design, she hadn’t yet buttoned the shirt.
“I’ll be right there, sweetheart.”
The End