by Shawn Keys
Laura’s expression went hard. “That agent bitch hit me! I’m not letting that go.”
“What about your father?”
She shook her head. “I have a brother and a sister and a Mom. He can look after them. Better if he can just play dumb, like you said. He raised me to look after myself. So, I will.”
Danielle said, “Me too. Though my Dad’s abroad right now. He might get a few hard questions when he comes through customs, but he’ll be able to deny everything.”
Kyle nodded, glad to have their support. He didn’t want to drag them into the path of trouble, but… well, they might already be there. And at least this way it wouldn’t be quite as lonely a road. “In that case, Dazz, can you take care of their implants?”
She nodded. “Sure, but we’ll have to move fast. They were on top of my house within a few minutes when I did mine.”
Kyle hoped that wouldn’t happen again. “They can’t be covering the whole city. I mean, it’s the same two that keep showing up. They must have already been close to Dazz’s house. They couldn’t possibly know we’d be at this church!”
“Want to take that chance?”
Kyle shook his head. “No, not really. Anyway, I have an idea of where we can go after this to hide and rest a bit.”
Sadness still clinging to her, Dazz said with muted enthusiasm. “Great. Let’s do this.”
It took twenty minutes to set up the equipment, pre-preparing both girls so they wouldn’t be stuck waiting between them. They weren’t bothered; the church was open to all, but the chill in the air wasn’t bad enough to drive any of the few homeless from the streets and into the warmth sanctuary. They tended to respect the church and only squat inside when the temperature dropped into the deadly range.
Once the task was done, they packed up quickly. Slinging their packs, they jogged out into the night. Kyle aimed them toward a different part of suburbia than the one he inhabited. He didn’t need to pull out the address that was written on the card in his pocket. He had memorized it within seconds of receiving it.
Kyle kept to the back-streets and cut across backyards whenever possible to reduce the chance any late-night drivers would see them. They filtered down a city-owned pathway leading through a park, then hopped the fence and approached a decently-sized, old-fashioned brick and mortar house in one of the oldest sections of town.
Dazz was peering around, trying to figure it out. “Whose house is this? We don’t know anyone who lives here!”
Kyle chuckled. “I’m glad you think so. That means no-one else will guess that we’re here. But you do know who lives here.” He climbed the steps and pressed the doorbell. Knocking probably wouldn’t work, not this late at night. Unless she was a really light sleeper.
He waited patiently. A cat jumped up in the window to see and judge the person at the front door. That was some proof that the bell had rung inside. He was about to sound it again when a light went on in the hallway, followed by the porch light coming on to illuminate the space in front of the door. Kyle could see a shadow approach through the door’s frosted glass, so he stepped back to give her a little room. This… was going to be a bit of a surprise.
Given the late hour, it was no surprise Megan Clarke showed a little more caution when she answered her door. She cracked it a couple inches, only to open it wider when she saw Kyle standing in the porch light. Her smile went from one of confusion to surprise and finally hinting at a touch of delight.
Despite the danger they were in, Kyle felt his own surge of pleasure. Seeing her at all would be wonderful, but her current attire was perfect to remind him of their tryst. Megan was wrapped in a plush, dark-crimson bathrobe that extended to just below her knees. But the way she held it tight around her body suggested that she wasn’t wearing very much beneath it. Her hair was mussed, clearly just roused from sleep.
Kyle started, “Ahhmmm…” Damnit! Alright, she looks hot, but the blood is needed in your brain right around now!
Ms. Clarke graced him with a smile. “It’s always nice to know I can have that effect, once in a while.” She glanced around, taking in the small group on her porch. “I admit, Mr. Hutchings, I didn’t expect quite so much company when you decided to come around.” A small smile touched her lips. “You should have come earlier if you expected to have this kind of night.”
Kyle went paler as he realized what she was suggesting… and accepting!
Laura flat-out giggled, and gasped, “Why, Ms. Clarke!”
Danielle was flushed in the same way she had been when Laura started to mess around with Kyle in front of her, though also didn’t turn away.
Dazz just heaved a sigh at their antics, her own pain perhaps too fresh to flirt… though her eyes lingered on the shapely hint of bare legs she caught through a brief flash past the billowing folds of her teacher’s robes.
Kyle finally managed to choke out, “Oh, no! I mean, that…” He couldn’t finish that thought, so he tried again. “We need a place where no-one would expect us to be. But it had to be someone I trusted. Can we come in and explain, Megan?” He deliberately used her first name, knowing she would catch on to the sign that he wasn’t here for that.
At least… not right away.
Megan’s head tilted to one side, curious enough. She recognized the students of the school, so wasn’t all that scared of them since they weren’t strangers. She opened the door wider. “Come in out of the chill. I’ll put on some coffee and you can tell me what this is about.”
Glad to be under cover as much as for the warmth, the small crowd bustled in.
Kyle swore he heard Laura whisper, “We’ll have to find a proper way to thank you later, Ms. Clarke!” The undertone of sexuality the cheerleader put into the words couldn’t be mistaken.
Their teacher murmured back, “Such a dangerous game, you are playing, Miss Greene. We’ll talk later when it is more… appropriate.” Her tone was prim, and she didn’t offer for Laura to call her by her first name.
His life was getting weirder by the hour.
Within a few minutes, they were gathered in the living room. Steaming cups of coffee and a few blankets were providing them warmth. A large black cat had nuzzled onto Megan’s lap, while a tabby one had claimed a privileged spot on Danielle, who was happily petting the feline.
Kyle tried to make sense of what was happening. He recounted a very brief telling of the major events that had happened so far, then said, “I’m not only here because I can trust you, Megan. Or for… well, you know.”
Dazz mumbled under her breath, low enough only Kyle could here, “So that’s why you took so long in the classroom.”
Ignoring her teasing, Kyle went on, “If anyone might know what I’ve done to piss off the FDPC, it would be you. You seemed to know everything written about them, even the things that weren’t official. They killed Dazz’s parents and they would have killed us, too. I know it. Did I break some law I don’t know about? And… do they have that sort of power? Is it possible they think I’m a sex offender and are coming to put me down?”
Megan was struggling to believe what they were saying. She hadn’t been lying earlier; she believed in the social justice of what the government was doing, trying to keep their species alive and genetically viable. Hearing that system called into question wasn’t sitting easily with her.
But she had also been teaching these four younger adults for the last year. She had a sense of them, and a sense of who they were. Cooking up this sort of bizarre conspiracy on a lark wasn’t really in any of their natures. Doing her best to cram those two conflicting world-views together, Megan found herself at a loss. “No, it wouldn’t be that. The punishments for such things are severe, but due-process still exists. Courts still exist. Lawyers still exist. Unless you resisted violently, they couldn’t just kill you out of hand.”
Dazz added bitterly, “Not to mention my parents! Whatever we might have done, they didn’t do anything except be gullible.” Even in death, they weren’t totally forgiv
en for the lifetime of repression and bitter disapproval they had put her through.
Megan pursed her lips, deep in thought. “The only explanation is an error. Mistaken identity. They think you are dangerous, even though you aren’t. You need to find out and clear your name.”
“How do I do that when they are in ‘shoot on sight’ mode? Worse than that, they are on ‘shoot people helping me on sight’ mode as well!” Kyle scrubbed his hair, frustrated. “Can you think of any way where calling the police doesn’t turn into being hauled into the station for questioning? Because I think that scenario results in me being handcuffed to a table. And that results in me with a needle jabbed into my arm full of poison when those agents turn up.”
Megan frowned at him. “That’s fairly paranoid.”
He challenged her a little, “Don’t I have the right to be? Ask Danielle and Laura. They nearly got hurt, too.”
Megan turned to them. “Did you do something threatening?”
Danielle shook her head. “I guess we gave them a little lip. They knew we had been with Kyle, and we weren’t admitting it.”
Laura leaned forward. “Did we deserve a little punishment for mouthing off to them? Sure. The blonde agent was cute. She could have spanked me later. But she pulled a gun instead and whacked me on the face.” She turned her head, showing the bruise on her temple and cheek. “That wasn’t normal.”
Megan took a long breath. “They’re supposed to interview you. Warn you about doing anything stupid. Tell you about some of the potential health risks. Nothing like this.”
Kyle shrugged. “How well are they tracked? I mean, who are the watchdogs of the FDPC?”
“They have their own Internal Affairs division, like the police. Then there’s the Department of Justice, who monitors their behavior; and the police, who watch for any crimes. Even an FDPC agent would get arrested for murdering someone.”
Dazz snorted. “Unless they are the only witnesses.”
Laura pointed out, “They’re not. You’re still here.”
Kyle corrected, “The only credible witnesses. Dazz was aiding and abetting a criminal, remember?”
Megan looked uncomfortable. “I don’t know what else I can do. I know you all respect my opinion, and I appreciate that. But I’m a community college teacher. I’m confident you couldn’t have done anything to deserve a death warrant, Kyle. But that’s all I know. This has to be a mistake.”
Kyle smiled, covering her hand in a warm squeeze. “We appreciate this, really. Can we stay here for a little while? With our implants burned out and our phones gone, there’s no way the agents will be showing up at your door. Let us think this through. That’ll be more than enough.”
Their teacher nodded, smiling back. “That much I can do. I promise, I won’t turn you in. I need to think about this myself.” She glanced around the room, counting them. “This is a three-bedroom house, but there’s a pull-out couch in the basement. Sheets and pillow in the closet at the bottom of the stairs. Want to take that, Dazz? If you want a little time alone?”
Bobbing her purple-haired head, Dazz struggled to find her smile. “Thanks, Ms. Clarke.”
“If you need to talk, just knock on my door. I’ll sit up with you.”
“No, I should be fine.” Dazz grabbed hold of her bags and shuffled off toward the stairs down.
Megan said to Laura, “My office is next to my room, at the end of the corridor. I keep a futon masquerading as a couch in there. I can come up and help you transform it into a bed.”
The red-head sounded happy enough with that. “Lovely.”
Megan shifted to Danielle. “You win the lottery. My guest room is right at the top of the stairs. There’s a queen-sized bed in there, and the sheets are already on it. You alright with that?”
She nodded. “It’s great.”
Kyle looked around the living room. “That leaves the couch here for me?”
Megan favored him with a long, lingering look. “Why don’t you go take a shower? There’s a beautiful rain shower in my ensuite. I’ll go help Laura set-up her futon before I turn in. I’ll let you decide where you want to put your head down after that.”
Danielle and Laura gawked a little, and not just because of the open offer for Kyle to stay with their teacher if he wanted. Rather, they realized Megan had read the lingering sexual tension between Kyle and the two cheerleaders as well, and was giving him permission to go to one of their beds if he wanted, no questions asked.
Flushing red, Kyle took up his bag. “I do think I need a shower right about now.” A cold one. He hastened from the living room, scaling the steps and searching for Megan’s room. The house was tasteful, though there was nothing of excessive expense anywhere. It was clearly furnished on a teacher’s salary, and from local markets since she hadn’t had the time or money to travel anywhere. A nice, pleasant, solid home with a few personal touches. It was clean; he couldn’t even smell the cats on the air, even though she had a pair of them.
He walked into her bedroom and took in the wide, king-sized bed. The lamps were all shaded in red, giving a rustic and somewhat sinful allure to the place. She had chosen a deep red comforter, accenting the warm paint colors and natural wood colors of the furniture. He felt like he had walked onto a Persian movie set, but for the lack of gold due to lack of budget.
Carrying on, he stepped into the ensuite and locked the door, more to ensure his privacy for a little while than anything. Later, he was going to have a hard choice: sneak out of the room fast, or let his gaze stray toward Megan’s bed. He had a sneaking suspicion if he looked that way, he wouldn’t be leaving the room.
Stripping off his clothes, Kyle heated up the water and stepped in. This might be a ploy to get him naked and available, but there was no doubting that he needed the shower after an evening spent running around and dodging these predator agents. He felt some of the tension melt off his body. Encouraging the sense of relaxation, he spent a long time letting the pummeling shower head and the sprinkle of the overhead rain shower wash away his troubles.
He hadn’t found the fan, so the room was steamy when he got out. Wiping himself down, he located a towel that was large enough to cover everything he wanted. He didn’t have any spare clothes, so he would have to make an effort to clean the ones he had in the morning. That, or beg Megan to make a shopping trip. He then took the time to rewrap his injury so that it was fresh and clean.
While in the shower, he had cooked up a precaution before fully opening the ensuite door. He edged the door open and listened, hoping to hear the deep, resonant breathing of Megan asleep in her bed. Not that he wasn’t tempted with the idea of joining her, but with the others in the house… he wasn’t sure he was ready to start making choices like that.
With some surprise, he heard nothing. Huh. That is unexpected. A thread of disappointment passed through him. He mocked himself, What, did you think it would be that easy again? He slipped out into the bedroom, and dared a glance at the bed.
Empty.
Also unexpected, and also a little disappointing. Even if she wasn’t draped across the duvet in lingerie, seeing her sexy form filling out the sheets would have been a nice image to take to bed. He was not about to slip into her cold bed alone, so Kyle stepped into the corridor.
That’s when he heard it. The creak of wooden furniture. The panting moans. And soft, cooing words spoken too softly to be properly heard.
What the… Kyle stepped around the corner and looked into the office. He was totally not prepared for what he saw. Laura was on the futon. Rather than lying down, she was on her hands and knees. Her clothes had vanished except for the white bra that Kyle had already stripped off her once back in the storage-barn. Megan Clarke was behind her in a similar state of dress, though her breasts were far fuller than Laura’s own pert-yet-bouncy ones. While Megan’s panties were gone, there was a set of leather black straps in their place. From the way Laura was whimpering, Kyle could picture the large phallus shape protruding from Megan�
�s pelvis into her. Megan was giving soft pumps forward, rocking Laura on the futon. Not heavy yet. More like warming her up.
Kyle blinked hard. Nope. No change. He let out a strangled noise.
Megan heard him. Without breaking her rhythm, she arched an eyebrow at him while running her hands over Laura’s exposed rear and lower back. She gave a throaty laugh, and said, “This little minx tried to seduce me into sharing you tonight. Can you believe that?” She gave a slightly harder thrust, then brought her hand down with a crisp little spank on Laura’s butt. The cheerleader responded with a soft yelp, which devolved into a moan.
Kyle worked his mouth a couple times before he got out a sound. “Ay-ah… Ay… I mean… no, that’s… soo terrible…”
Megan… No. No, she’s in full Ms. Clarke mode right now… Ms. Clarke smirked. “There was nothing else I could do but teach her a little proper… respect… for… her… teachers!” She punctuated the last string of words with deliberate thrusts that had Laura crying softly, scrambling her hands frantically on the futon’s cushion to keep her balance. “Isn’t that right, you naughty girl?”
Laura tossed her lengths of red hair, gasping, “Y-yes, Ms. Clarke!”
Kyle leaned forward. He wasn’t sure he could join this. He had been with his teacher. He had been halfway to naked with Laura. But this… this was on a whole other level!
Ms. Clarke saw him waffling. Her right hand came up and waggled a finger at him. “Nuh uh, lover. I can’t wait to be with you again. But this is between me… and… her!” Once again, she added a couple harder thrusts that made Laura scream a little. Slowing down, perspiring a little from the effort of her continuous rhythm, Ms. Clarke suggested, “Why don’t you leave us alone to work this out. We’ll pick up ‘us’ next time. Maybe see how Danielle is doing? I sensed a little… unfinished business there.”
Kyle glanced down at Laura’s face.
The young woman fired a look that was equal parts lust and desperation. Kyle had the distinct impression the confident blonde might finally have gotten in over her head.
