Chapter 4: Senior Year

Ever have one of those trips that you shouldn’t have taken? Where you crashed the car before you got out of the garage. This one started innocently enough.

Backing the J-10 Jeep down and out of the driveway once Cindy was sitting in the passenger seat, I dropped into drive and away we went toward my home away from home. “Pick what you want to listen to, Cindy, I don’t care.”

A few moments later, NPR’s Classical music channel came over the speakers. Serious classical music? Really? “Wow. I never figured you for a classical music person.”

“Why, do all blondes have to be airheads?” She replied.

“Ok. Minefield. I guess I just have no ideas of what you are like and anything and everything is a surprise. So, what is else on the table? Cooking? Fine wine? I know you support team sports. What else is in the Cindy orbit?” I replied.

“Sorry, Hank. I guess I am sensitive about things. I support the team sports because it looks good on the class resume. Activities count a lot for applications to college. What I don’t like is the typecast of being Blonde and automatically being seen as a decoration. But there are brains inside of this head, and I like to have fun besides being seen as a blonde first.”

“OoooKaaay. So no blonde jokes. And You like classical music. Any other kind?”

“My mom is a John Denver addict. And Harry Chapin. Acoustic guitar, and piano are her real addictions. I have to admit that I like songs that tell a story. Some rock groups try to do that as well. I am not into protest songs, or hard rock, with some exceptions when I am dancing. We went out last weekend and did some, and I didn’t realize how much fun I could have dancing to some of the covers that the band was doing. Moving without thinking was fun. I just don’t do it often.”

“Wow. Well, I am glad I never typecast you. So, what are your expectations for this weekend?”

“Surprise me. Make me feel that I made a good choice by coming here.” She said with a smile.

Nothing like a challenge first thing in the morning. And this was all before my second cup of coffee.

Traffic was light, all the way to Augusta, and I spent a lot of time listening to Cindy talk about the music we were listening to. I didn’t know all of the different pieces playing, but she seemed to know all of them. The riding commentary was totally engaging, and the hour flew by. I learned more about music composition then I ever knew existed. Music evidently is an audible art form. “I’m not good enough to play professionally but I do know what works and what stinks.” Cindy stated with authority.

I pulled into the garage, parked and we walked across the street to the rear door. And walked right into Ogrenaut along with Chief Hotawa who were manhandling our transport arch into the large storeroom at the rear the building. They had evidently taken it down the stairwell from the conference room and were moving it into the rear of the storage room.

“Guys, are we moving this here for??”

“It work better if it’s out of sight. Going to move material mainly and so the term point is better here. Besides, all stores on this floor, and freight that has to go out through the freight door is right here. And I can sleep in the lounge to keep an eye on it.” Orgenaut said while he was walking backwards.

“And this level is closer to the power source, so the crystals won’t be nearly as taxed to provide constant power when we bring stuff in from Brazil” Chief Hotawa said. “We have a lot of furniture coming in for the Fae Furnishing and art store. Oh. Hello” Hotawa said when he realized that I wasn’t alone.

“Awkward. Cindy, these are two of my best friends and partners, Orgenaut and Chief Hotawa. Gentlemen, this is my guest, Cindy Taylor, who is visiting with us this weekend. She’s new. VERY new. A total virgin to all of our activities.”

You ever see horizontal stop lights? One shining red (Chief Hotawa). And one shining green (Orgenaut) as the geas slipped. Only for a moment. But it was long enough that Cindy saw it.

“Guys, we’re going up to the girls room, and get some late breakfast, brunch. We’ll talk later?”

“Do you think she saw me?” Orgenaut asked.

“I don’t know. Do you think she heard everything I said?” Hotawa asked.

“I don’t know. Do you think Hank will be angry?” Orgenaut asked.

“Maybe. But who with? Or both of us. “Hotawa said.

“Maybe we shouldn’t have started all of the projects so quickly.” Orgenaut said.

“Well, too late now. Let’s see how and what the Power Wizard wants to do.” Hotawa said.

“So” after the elevator door closed. “Do I make like that never happened? Or do you care to give me a fuller explanation?” Cindy asked me while I was standing there.

“It’s a long story. Boring and kind of wanders around a bit. Do you really want to hear it?” I asked.

“We have all weekend. Yes, it sounds interesting, and yes, I want to hear all of it.” The cute blonde replied.

Thinking on how detailed she was when she was talking about music, and art, as well as the biological sciences she was taking, I figured I had to either build a memory blind or take a chance. Well, one way to find out.

“Let’s get into the condo and we can talk about that.” I said.

The door opened, but we weren’t on the fourth floor. We were on the second, and standing there was Arno (the Fae Elf King) talking with Martin Bujold (The Mage Council treasurer) and a Gnome. All were in the middle of an intense conversation about exchange rates and about tying currency value to gold. And where and how that storage was to be calculated. I had forgotten that we had these meetings scheduled for today. And I wondered why these people were standing in the public hallway arguing.

“Good morning. Hello. Guys, this is my friend, Cindy and why are we all in the hallway?” I asked. (I wondered what other surprises were going to pop out. Maybe a few trolls?)

“Hank. Glad you are here. We stepped out while Natalie and Paula were bringing in some white boards after Chief Hotawa and Orgenaut carried the transport arch downstairs. You really must set up a second arch here for people to transport in and out. There is no reason to have all of them go through the warehouse” Martin said.

“Oh. And hello, Cindy. Pardon my manners.” Martin continued. “Anyway, Hank, we must have some time in the conference room to talk about the transition function between the banks. There is a lot of money going to be moving around and Paula has done an excellent job of financial management, but we do need controls to keep the feds off of us. Let’s not give them any reason to want to know more”.

“And, Hank, I want to know if you really intend to set Orgenaut up in this building renovation business. He’s all excited, and some of his relatives are already thinking about stone crafts for building and construction. Dwarves and Ogres have been doing that for centuries, and I’m afraid that every stone mason in Althear will want to emigrate once they hear of things starting up.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see almost no change of expression on Cindy’s face. I got a lot of explaining to do.

“I’ll tell you what. Let me get my luggage up to my apartment, and get Cindy settled down in the Girls condo, and I’ll come back, and we can and go over all of this. In detail. And Paula and Natalie can do their quarterback stuff to coach us all through the game. And yes, we will get another arch up quickly.”

And the elevator doors closed.

“Those weren’t costume masks, were they” Cindy said sweetly.

“No. They weren’t.”

“Did you know that my father is a Pentecostal minister?” Cindy asked.

“I don’t suppose you could forget all of what you saw and heard in the last thirty minutes, could you?”

“Not on your life, Buster. You got some explaining to do.” Cindy said with a hint of a smile.

The remaining trip to the top floor was uneventful. However, the floor was not empty. Carla was there directing traffic into the guest condo which was loading more furniture as a showcase for visitors, guests, and potential clients of the goods being imported. “Oh, Hank. I am glad you are here. Dinner last night was fantastic, I never had turkey before. Abigayle was too cheap. Anyway, since we closed the offices, I figured I could do some other things. Besides Natalie and Paula are doing all kinds of stuff on the second floor. And Peter is out of town with Grace so there isn’t anything going on. And the girls are out getting some carbs to eat when they get back.”

Carla was kind of a motor mouth. Very polite, but when she gets excited, she talks faster and likes to run on sentences. Her outside phone manners were above reproach. And she was as organized as Paula. I didn’t like talking with her too often because she also compiled “Hank-to-Do” lists.

“Thanks. We need to get things settled. I take it the girls moved into my condo for this weekend?”

“Yes. All their stuff is laid out. I’ll get yours when you go to get brunch with the rest of the ministers.”

After the door closed, Cindy dropped her suitcase and backpack on the floor next to the couch. Turning to me she said “Okay. Hank, shall we start with the simple stuff. Are you an archangel, Demon, devil, or none of the above. And let’s get definitions down first. OK?”

“How do you feel about Witchcraft?” I asked.

“I think it’s a tool. Any tool can be used or abused. I think that narrow minded people do damage without studying the effects and that my history and bible studies are kind of slanted. My dad and I have this argument all the time.”

“Ok. Now, I must go back downstairs to a meeting.”

“I guessed that. And I’m going with. I’ll take notes on the questions I will have for you later when we come back up here and then we can get all this organized. Right?” Cindy said that while reaching into her backpack and pulling out a cute little six by nine-inch notebook and two pens.

She said with a tone that would have no insubordination. How is it that all these women are suddenly my mom in many forms? I got to talk to Peter and figure out how to get control over the women controlling me. Life was so much simpler when it was just Pat.

Taking Cindy (and her notebook and pens) with me, we went back to the elevator to the second floor, and wandered into the conference room, where Paula and Natalie were holding court (and the markers). And spent the next hour and a half going over invoice, shipping bill of ladling, and financial payment strategies for the movement of goods to Augusta, and from Augusta to the rest of the world, and the “shipment” into Augusta without the use of any freight services, or shipping companies, all of which was being done via “Magic Transportation, Inc”. We hammered out trade agreements on common unit of value (One ounce of Gold Bullion) which would be marked and cast in Brazil. The American Dollar was to be pegged against that (for value from our side) and the Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, and Ogres and Trolls would be pegging their value against that from the Brazil side. Arno was going to take charge of the treasury for issue of currency there, and we would ship Gold as value against purchases of goods from there.

The key sticking point was (of course) Power. Joules of Power weren’t measurable. It’s not like putting a electric meter on a house. So, transport via the arches was a free item. The great thing about that was that Chen Zhiwei was in key touch with the manufacture of gemstone artifacts which Pat and I had already established a price floor for, and which we could use to get gold to ship to Brazil to use as collateral for purchase of goods from the Fae in Brazil and Europe. Cindy did an excellent job of keeping up with the drawings, asking that Paula and Natalie freeze at different points so she could transcribe what was on the board to clean up later with her computer.

“Just remember, Cindy. This is our corporate work product, and we have agreement to share it with the Mage Council and Arno’s people in Brazil and elsewhere. So, we kind of must maintain copy security on it.” Natalie said.

“And thank you for the transcription work, Cindy. You saved me a bunch of work” Paula said.

“Hank, do you have a drafting table I can work with to render this stuff into a decent looking diagram set?” Cindy asked. “I want to get that done today while you go over explanations with me.”

“Sure. We can come up with some stuff. Right guys?”

“OK. Paula and Natalie, you draft up the agreements, Hank you sign but Peter and Natalie you have to countersign because of Hanks’ age, and let’s get the gold purchase agreements to South Africa and Brazil so we can start to build the treasury for the Fae.” Martin Bejold said.

“We already have some gold as currency backing” Arno said. “That’s what we use for payment to the artisans. But we need to get shipping started Monday, to get payment back to Hank, or his balance will be exhausted.”

“Paula, what’s my reserve with the Jewelers at this time?”

“One point nine five Million U.S. Dollars. And the Bank of Brazil shows our account there at roughly nine hundred thousand. So, we have some leeway.”

That was the only time I saw any sign of Cindy’s face looking shocked. I don’t think she knew up until then what kind of money this business this really made.

And with that, Paula said “this meeting is closed. I’ll get copies to each of you for review as soon as Cindy is finished, and we will either reconvene or handle by magic Mail.”

And Cindy spent the next thirty minutes talking with an Elf, a Gnome, and an Ogre and two Mages, and two slaves about what she was doing, how she came to hitch a ride here, and what she was going to be doing this weekend.

Walking down the hall to the elevator I looked at Cindy and said “Well, is this what you expected this weekend?

“It looks like for the next couple of hours, I’m going to be working. Hank what are you paying me?”

“Dinner?”

“Oh yea. A lot of dinner, Dining, and some great conversation. At the least. And when I get this typed out and the drawings added, you can then explain how I came through the looking glass.”

“Is that another of Hank’s partners?” Martin asked the group at large.

“I think she is now.” Paula answered. “And gentlemen, if you don’t mind, I have a date this evening myself.”

“Have fun, Paula. And do whatever you feel you want to do.” Natalie said.

“I will. Hank told me to.”

After Paula left, Martin grasped Natalie’s shoulder “I thought that Paula was a slave that had been transferred to Hank.”

“She was. But we have been taking her baby steps to appreciation of being a freed woman. It’s been slow but so far no failures. She’s dating an FBI agent tonight. This is their third date.”

“Isn’t that a bit of a risk?”

“Somewhat. But Peter Gill, me and Hank are all aware of the actions. And we must leave the door open some. Otherwise, the young woman will never break free of the geas that was placed on her family. And Peter popped a “To tell the truth always” spell on the young man about all items relating to Lambert when he came by last week, so we have things well covered. She’s dumbstruck by him, and we are taking care to make sure she’s not damaged.”

“You know that Hank’s only seventeen. I am not sure that his judgement is all that mature”. Martin remarked.

“True. But so far, he hasn’t made any mistakes. I think we will just have to give him his lead.”

The object of that discussion, some five hours later, was contemplating an early evening return to her home, with a tall young man as company for the evening. San’s clothes. Paula had never lain with a man. This was not on her own decision but a declaration of her mistress who intended to have control over her deflowering. That this was not the case anymore made this experience both exciting and frightening.

Meantime, Cindy and Hank were in a deep discussion on the structure of the upcoming partnership between a nation of humans and one of Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Ogres, Trolls and Gnomes. And working to ferret out how to distribute the goods for both sides of the economic equation. As well as Cindy getting a crash course in Hank’s history and the history of Hedge witches, Mages, and Wizards and the world of Slaves. All wrapped around the use of Magic in the real world. Obviously, there was some proof needed on some places to help sense the reality of what was going on.

So, I gave my little demonstration of a light show. “Here. Hold this for me, will you?” I said to Cindy while as he put a golf ball sized sphere of light into her hand and walked away.

“Hank” Cindy screeched. “What’s this?”

“A little light. No heat. Just light. Sitting in your hand. You can wave it around. Throw it up and it will drop back to you. It’s not burning you, is it?”

“No. No it’s not. But it’s fire, isn’t it?”

“No. It’s light. Now I can add heat, but you don’t need that, now do you?”

“What do I do with it?”

“Set it on the coffee table. It’s harmless. Just make sure it doesn’t roll off.”

“How do I do that?”

“Put it in something. There, that ashtray works.”

“But how?”

“Sometimes I have believed in as many as six impossible things before breakfast” I said.

“Alice in Wonderland. By Louis Carroll. Through the looking glass. Those are my favorite books” Cindy said.

“Yes. I thought you would grab that” I said. “Look, there are some things that are outside of what we consider the norm of the world. I happen to live just over the edge of that norm. Now you can see it. The question is do you want to see more?”

“And how did all of this happen?”

“I lost my virginity under an enchanted waterfall.” I said with a straight face.

“You have got to be shitting me.” Cindy said. “Do we have anything to drink here? I need one.”

“Are you old enough?” I asked with a straight face.

“Hell yes. What do you have?” Cindy asked.

“Scotch, Bourbon, Vodka and Gin. A full bar.”

“Bourbon, straight, rocks if you have them.”

“Double shot, bourbon, on the rocks, for the lady”.

“So. Let me get this straight. You lost your virginity under a waterfall, with your older sister’s friend, and that released in you the ability to store, shape, and control Lay line magic? More so than most people.”

“Actually, more so than any person on earth. So far, I am the preeminent Power Wizard. I not only can control, but I can also store it, use it to shield myself or others, and as I grow more competent, I will probably be able to use it in conjunction with spells I modify to do a lot of different things. For instance, that arch down in the warehouse. It’s kind of a magic portal that goes from here to the Fae colony in Brazil. Anything that they put in from their end, instantly comes out here. The ultimate fast freight. And it’s powered by two large stones at the base of the arch that are repowered by the wellspring that’s on the first floor longue. Instant shipment of goods.”

“What else can you do?”

“Lots of things. Transformation of objects. Provide Light, or heat. Take a piece of paper and transform it into a book. I have several textbooks that list all kinds of spells. Most of the ones I have that relate to power usage I have mastered.”

“Make people do things?” Cindy asked.

“There are spells that do that. But I don’t use them. I am not interested in powering people. I want to give people power. Like weak Mages that do artistic things with paints or sculpture. The power they put into their art depletes them, so I want to give them artifacts that will allow them to power their creativity without exhausting them. You will meet one of them tomorrow.”

“That’s why you are so interested in art. You want to enable the creators.” Cindy said with awe in her voice.

“You got it in one.” I told her. “It has benefits for me and my friends too.”

“What?” Cindy asked sulkily.

“Ok. For one thing, I have a spell that, if you practice it carefully, will allow you to remember completely any book you ever read. As if it’s embedded in your mind. Once you know what the books say, then questions about them become simple.”

“That’s how you do so well in class. Isn’t that cheating?”

“Is a trained memory cheating?” I asked.

Taking a sip, Cindy looked into the glass again, and looked up again. “I guess it’s not. You just get there faster. What else do you do?”

“Some things with my body. I don’t get sick. I don’t do a lot of sports because it’s not fair. My sexual partners never worry about pregnancy from me. I keep the little wigglers inert. And I am a monogamist. If you are with me, you are with me only. When you go with someone else, you are with them, and never with me again.”

“Interesting. Do you have proof of the inert wigglers?”

“You can ask the women who came up here with you last week. They are out shopping right now, but they will be back later.”

“So, you expect me to talk to them?” Cindy slyly asked.

“Well, you could ask them for confirmation. Or you could venture your own experimental means of making a decision.”

“Are you sure you are only seventeen? That’s awfully polished for a kid.” Cindy said. “So, what are your expectations of this weekend?”

“I have only one. I wanted to satisfy yours. I think that we got off to a great start, and that I accidentally exposed you to a lot more then I intended to. But possibly the exposure will pique your interest in further exploration. But there are conditions attached to any relationship with me.”

“Such as.”

“No physical relationships, no intercourse, with anyone other than me. Females don’t count. Men do. And complete honesty in relationships. And most important, what happens in the family stays in the family.”

“And who is in the family?” Cindy asked getting another sip.

“Right now, Lynn, and Bernie. Before it was Maggie and Carrie.” I replied.

“So, no to Carla or Paula or Natalie?”

“Carla and Paula are ten and twelve years older than I am. And Paula was a slave to a person in Atlanta, who is no longer here. I am the person she is attached to while she finds herself. And Natalie is my lawyer. She will tell you she does not fuck her clients.”

“Yet these women have extraordinary power over you.” Cindy said.

“Smart men always have smarter women in power over them. Stupid men don’t realize it.” I said. Feeling wonderfully smart.

“Let’s see how you do with me having power over you. With me being on top.” Cindy said as she set the glass aside.

Standing up, she walked over to me and reached up to grab my head and pull me down for a deep, soul reaching kiss. Which went on and on and on, while we both removed our tops, me her bra, and then our pants and panties. I had to do a hop skip to get out of my pants while she led me by my penis to the master bed. Where I immediately complied with her wishes and got on the bottom.

Cindy was an accomplished giver of oral sex. Her mistake was letting me get her turned around into a 69 position where she soon lost control. I do know how to give head. Four orgasms later she cried “ENOUGH”. And I moved on to show her that my wigglers were not a danger.

Shortly after midnight, I had a terrible itch in my head. It was like a scratching bug trying to get out.

Focusing on it, I saw it was something that had slid through my shields. Almost like Pat trying to get to me. Or Peter. Carefully, one at a time, I weakened the outermost shield, and the voice became clear. It was a man moaning in great pain. Or something.

Getting up, and grabbing a pair of pants and shirt, I went to the door and opened it. Walking into the hallway, it seemed to be coming from the rear of the building. I walked down the hallway and ended at the staircase. Going down each floor it appeared to be getting stronger with every floor. When I got to the second floor, it led me to the door to Paula’s apartment. I could hear the man’s voice rising to a crescendo, and then fading. I knew that crescendo very well. I wondered who Paula had with her?

Now was not the time to interfere. But the mystery was clear. There was a Mage inside with Paula. Someone new. Someone different.

Letting down my shields slightly, I heard the same noise as last night. So, whoever it was is getting a morning start. On one hand, I was very happy for Paula. On the other I couldn’t help wondering who this was?

After a few moments of silence, I reached out to Paula, carefully so as not to scare her. “Paula my friend, are you all right?”

“Oh YES, Hank. I’m magnificent.” She responded.

“Wonderful. Enjoy your Saturday” I replied.

“I am.” She spoke. Probably with a smug smile.

And with that, I closed the channel and went out to check on my other two scamps who were sound asleep, and so I wandered across the street to get some Beignets for the three women when they woke up.

I swear I was only gone for a short while. But when I got back, Cindy, Lynn and Bernie were all chatting like magpies. Bernie waved me toward the kitchen to get a plate, while she, Lynn and Cindy were all three were drinking coffee. (I hadn’t even had mine yet!)

I came back just in time to hear Bernie say “now you know you’ve been properly fucked. But there are some things you probably don’t know yet.”

ALARM BELLS. “Ladies, what are we talking about?” I asked, joining the conversation.

“We’re just helping Cindy understand all of what is going on, and how things make great opportunities. For her, and how it works for you too. Did you know that Cindy wants to go premed in college?”

“No, we hadn’t talked that much about her goals. We kind of got sidetracked.” I said.

“I’m sure” Bernie said. “You should have seen Hank at the Mage fight at New Orleans. It was all over in seconds.”

“Bernie, I’m not sure that all that history is good to dig into” I tried to derail this train.

“Hank, if I’m going to be a battery, I need to know what I am in for.” Cindy spoke up. “Now hand me a Beignet and be quiet.”

Again. Women were ruling my life. “I thought I was the Wizard” I said jokingly.

“You are. So go practice elsewhere.” Bernie said.

So, I did what any strong, resilient man would do in this situation. I ran like a thief.

The first floor was almost finished. H.A. Lambert, Jewelers was on the left, and the double doors nearest the front were hung with care in the wooden frames that Orgenaut dictated. The furniture and furnishings store across the way was almost finished, and the initial goods were on display. Beautiful furniture in dark Brazilian wood crafted by Elven and Dwarven hands sat among furnishings of all kinds of manufacture. It looked like a DC, New York, or London high end store, all ready for customers when nine o’clock rolled around.

Going into H.A. Lamberts, I turned right after I entered and walked back to the rear of the store. Orgenaut was at the entrance, smiling and gesturing me to the rear where the Diamond Exchange extension office was located. The office was still undergoing secure construction (Hardening the interior walls to prevent break throughs. The door was already hardened.

“We will be building the safe as soon as the door components get here.” Orgenaut said.

“Any issues with inspectors?”

“No. So far, we are far above code on everything. They were curious about what we were storing here so I told them it was items that people wanted to put into storage. I didn’t tell them it was raw diamonds.”

“Good. The less the better. Well, If you need me for anything, come get me.”

With that, I wandered into the Foyer of the building, and heard footsteps coming down the hall. What I didn’t know was that my time was about to become a lot more interesting.

“That was amazing.” Jeffery Gibbs said. “I think I almost died there at the end.”

“Don’t do that. I want more of you later.” Paula said. “A lot more”

“I’m starving. Are you starving? Do we have anything here that we can eat?” Jeff asked.

“I have coffee, but I usually go across the street for breakfast.”

“That means we have to get dressed.”

“Yes. And shower. And you get to do the walk of shame instead of me”.

“Tell me again why we came here instead of my place?” Jeff asked.

“We were closer to here, the neighborhood is quieter, my bed is more comfortable, and I don’t have to do the walk of shame coming in the door.” Paula said with a laugh. “And it’s always the lady’s choice.”