Chapter 38: Buildups and Tear Downs

The rest of that first week of school quickly established a number of patterns. It started that night when Jason and Letty arrived home just after eight. Both were smiling. Neither one was willing to fully explain what had occurred over the dinner they had with Jana, however, the conversation that evening was interesting.

It started when Jason knocked on the door at the top of the basement stairs. Ashley, Lenore, Angelique and I were downstairs playing a game of Chutes and Ladders. I had been concentrating on how to help Angelique win and was a bit surprised when Ashley jumped to her feet.

"Someone's at the door," my blond love said.

Angelique looked up as Ashley darted to the base of the stairs. "Where's she going Mommy?" the girl asked.

Lenore smiled indulgently. "We have a visitor. You can see them, but you are supposed to be in bed."

"But the game," Angelique said with a pout.

"We'll play again tomorrow," I said.

"Promise?" Angelique whined as she climbed over her mother and into my lap.

"I promise," I replied as I ruffled her dark hair.

Angelique smiled and gave me a hug before climbing out of my lap and running to the small room that had been set up with a bed for her. Ashley admitted that it had once been a walk-in closet, but now it served to give Angelique a private place to sleep. Lenore put her arms around me as her daughter left the open area where we had been playing.

"I love you," Lenore whispered in my ear. "Ashley loves you too."

"I love both of you," I whispered back. "I hope you never feel any doubt about how I feel about you."

Lenore laughed merrily. "Oh Mark! You try too hard sometimes. I know you love me. Despite how young you are, your caring makes me feel safe."

"And he's darn good in bed too," Ashley said with a giggle.

I turned to look at my love. She was walking into the room as Jason and Letty stood at the base of the stairs. Jason had a pleased smirk on his face. Letty had a glow about her, but her forehead was creased by a worried frown.

"I see you brought company," I said to Ashley.

Jason stepped into the room. "Dude! You never told me that two women is four times as fun as one!"

I sighed. "I try to avoid making comparisons like that," I replied. "And I'm guessing that you reached an agreement with Jana."

Letty snorted, I watched her shake her head as she stood on the bottom stair. Jason did not see this as he walked into the room and sat down on the floor. "She's incredible. That woman does things with her tongue that."

I held up a hand. "Jason, I can see you enjoyed the night, but I don't need to know. One thing I've tried to avoid is comparing Ashley and Lenore that way."

"Dude! But Jana was amazing. Seriously, she knew positions I had never thought to try," Jason continued.

I looked over at Letty. The frown had grown as she listened to her man speak. "And did Letty agree with how you felt? She was there as well."

Jason shrugged. "She was screaming with pleasure. I can't imagine that she was all that upset by the whole situation. Why?"

I looked Letty in the eye, I could see the sorrow and pain in her eyes. "Look Letty in the eye. I can see that while her body might have responded, she is definitely troubled by something."

"What?" Jason asked.

Letty nodded. "I can't deny that Jana was skilled and gave me more orgasms than I ever expected. The problem is that where did she learn to do that? Jason, she told us nothing about who she is."

"She's our German teacher," Jason said. "She turned up to our class late because she was finalizing some paperwork. What more do you need to know?"

"The full story about that paperwork might be nice," I pointed out. "Jason you do have to be careful. I was very lucky when Ashley and I offered to have Lenore join us. She's turned out to be the perfect partner."

Jason frowned. He glared at me for a moment, but then nodded. "I understand. But part of that is just how things work. Jana is unbelievably sexy and made me an offer."

"Have you made any promises?" I asked.

"We have an understanding," Jason replied. "Tonight was her proving that she can definitely deliver the sex part of any bargain."

Letty sighed. "And I can't." I could see tears starting to form in her eyes.

Jason rushed over to Letty and took her in his arms. "Don't think that! Letty what Jana offered was sex. Yes it was primal and passionate, but it's just sex. I know she doesn't love me. You do. You show it in every touch. Every time I look in your eyes I can see the love pour from them. Only a fool would fail to realize that what you offer is worth thousands more than the sex I can get from someone like Jana."

Letty starting sobbing. She wrapped her arms around Jason and clung to him as loud wails burst forth. Her whole body seemed to collapse against my friend. He bent his knees lowering both of them down until they were kneeling on the floor as she cried.

Ashley walked over and put a hand on my shoulder. "What should we do?" she whispered.

I nodded toward the bedroom. "Let's leave them here. Once they calm down I'm sure Jason will take them upstairs."

Lenore put her arms around both of us. "That's the best idea," she said. "But Mark, I just want to cuddle with you tonight. When I heard about what happened with Letty it ruined the mood."

I nodded as I hugged my two loves. "That I can understand."

Ashley and Lenore giggled as they led me to the bedroom and a night sleeping in their arms that night.

The next morning started the clear changes. The news that Jason, Jessica and I all had CAP scores high enough to allow us to take others had spread through the school. Several students tried to sit near us and engage us in conversation. These conversations almost always turned risqué, with barely veiled offers being made.

For the first couple days we found refuge in the quiet courtyard during breaks and lunches. Maurice and Constance knew we were there. At first that did not seem to be having an effect, but by the fourth day of classes, it was clear that our hiding place was not a secret.

At first the only change was that a couple of the students who had been attempting to talk to us in class started appearing in the courtyard during lunch. They gathered at the other table in the courtyard and looked over at us. It was on Friday that Kathy finally spoke about it.

"It's getting a bit frustrating that we have all these others joining us," she said while nodding toward the other table.

To my surprise Millicent shook her head. "It's very understandable. The uncertainty of what might happen if you don't leave Earth has to wear on them."

"It's only been a few months since the announcement," Kelsey said. "The announcement said we have years before the Sa'arm arrive."

"Do you think anyone is thinking about that?" Millicent pointed out. "In some ways that will make it worse for those kids. The people they know who might be able to take them are already starting to be picked up. Now they have to deal with the possibility that they might never get selected or that they will end up having to go through something like what Dean put his girls through in that televised special."

Jessica giggled. "You might like that."

Millicent whirled to look at Jessica. The face of Millicent was white in shock and fear. "Do you really think that way about me?" she whispered so softly that at first I was unsure that she had said anything.

Jessica turned and pulled Millicent into a hug. My blond friend gasped. "Never! Millie, I was teasing you just a little. You've always been so eager when we got together with Eek and Ook."

Kathy giggled nervously. "Jess, it's not like Millie or I can safely refuse. We both fear that if we do you'll drop us."

"Do you think so little of me?" Jessica asked.

Matti climbed up on the table and glared at Jessica. "Don't you get it? They think the world of you. They aren't afraid because they don't know you, but because they keep thinking you'll decide they aren't worthy of remaining with you. That's why they obey any request and never tell you that they aren't happy about something."

"I know you think me worthy," Ashley said as she leaned over and nibbled on my neck. "But your sister there did knock it out of the park. The big problem for any concubine is the question of if it will all go away suddenly because of something they did or did not do."

Letty joined in. "I know that so well after this week. You could hate what you're involved in, but you're just terrified of what might happen if you refuse."

Jessica leaned back against the table. Her mouth opened and closed twice as she sat looking at everyone surrounding the table. "You mean, I've been forcing Kathy and Millie to do things they didn't want to do?"

Millicent giggled. "Oh no. Jessica, I won't say I would seek out an orgy if I was at a party."

"Not that you'd ever be invited to one," Kathy interrupted cheekily.

"My brother would invite all of us in a heartbeat if he had any clue about our recreational activities," Millicent replied with aplomb. "However, that wasn't what I was talking about. Jessica, you haven't really been forcing me to do it. When you're there I really do enjoy it. You always end up with this wild fire in your eyes when you watch two men taking Kathy or me. You end up so happy at the end and cuddle so nicely. I live for those moments."

Kathy was giggling. "The orgasms we used to get from Eek and Ook were just bonuses. The big goal for both of us was to make you cum as many times as possible."

Jessica blushed. "You always do that."

Ashley giggled. "They need to hear that often. And that's part of why we have the gathering over at that table. The people there see that you, Jason and Mark treat us well. You don't use your power to make us do anything we really don't want to do."

"But I did," Jessica said. "I encouraged Kathy and Millie to participate in orgies."

"So that means you aren't going to introduce me to the security squad at the factory?" Millicent said with a sexy purr. "Jessica dear, I don't want to do one of those every day, but I don't mind the occasional orgy."

"Can we stop talking about those?" Jason suddenly pleaded. "I have a need to..."

Letty jumped up and then moved to sit in his lap. She faced him as she straddled him. "Anytime," she promised Jason. "If you want me bent over this picnic table I'll do it right now."

"That might get us in trouble Lovey," Jason said.

"Yes, but I don't mind being in trouble if it brings a smile to you face," Letty said.

"How about if it brings his sperm to your face," Kathy asked with a giggle.

"Silence wench!" Jessica commanded sharply. The blond woman sat up and looked stern for a moment. Kathy actually shivered as Jessica looked at her. I was reaching out to touch Jessica's shoulder when the woman spoke again. "Or the next time I arrange a night with some men I'll make sure the first cum for each of them is in your face."

Millicent, Matti and Kelsey burst out laughing as Kathy looked down at the ground. The young brunette was shaking. I worried for a moment, but when she looked up it was obvious she was just barely holding in laughter.

"Good one!" Matti said. "I almost believed you were angry."

Jessica sighed. "At you, never. I will have to be a bit more careful though. It's clear that I haven't always thought about Kathy and Millie's feelings when I organized some of our evening activities."

I put my hand up. "Jessica, I think they understand that better than you realize. Just don't let them get hurt and remember to reassure them that you won't be dumping them. That has to be their biggest fear. That after all this time you'll decide they aren't worth it."

"Worse can happen," a scratchy female voice said, breaking into our conversation.

We turned to look. The speaker was a student none of us recognized. She had an attractive figure, with some lush curves, but at the same time her skin was white as paste and seemed almost lifeless. Her green eyes had a haunted look as she stared over our heads at the buildings bordering the courtyard. The look was made even more outlandish by the bald head covered by a green scarf.

"Who are you?" Ashley asked gently. "I don't recognize you."

"No reason you should," the girl said in a monotone. "I moved here just a week before school started."

Jessica frowned. "I can't imagine anyone moving that close to the start of the school year."

"It wasn't entirely my choice," the girl said. "I needed to get away from my past."

"A past that appears to relate to pickups," I noted as Kathy and Millicent shifted on the bench, opening a spot between them for the still unnamed girl to sit down.

The girl moved robotically as she approached the table. She was wearing tight jeans and I noticed that Ashley perked up a bit watching the girl walk. "She's got a hot body," Ashley whispered in my ear.

I pretended to be unaffected as the girl stepped over the bench and sat down. "Thank you," the girl whispered. "I haven't received many acts of kindness recently."

"Who are you?" Millicent asked.

The girl stared at the table. She seemed unsure of herself. Kathy and Millicent both put arms around her. "I'm sorry," the girl whispered. "I forget that the reason I moved was because none of you would know. My name is Cassidy Crenshaw."

"Are you a junior or senior?' Letty asked.

"Junior," Cassidy said quietly. "If I can keep my mind on my studies. That's another part of why I moved here."

I was sitting across for the girl. She had her head down so I was looking at the green scarf she used to cover her bald head. "You got caught up in a pickup didn't you," I asked gently.

Cassidy's body shook with sobs. "It was horrible."

"She's been through a pickup?" Kelsey asked.

Cassidy nodded. "I guess you wouldn't know. In my home town the pickup was major news. Within a week everyone knew not only who had been picked up, but who had been left behind and there was endless speculation as to why."

Kathy gave Cassidy a one-armed hug. "I'm nervous just thinking about what a pickup might be like. I'm guessing it wasn't very pleasant."

Cassidy snorted. "Understatement of the century. That's like saying that World War Two was a minor squabble."

"Compared to what we're told is coming, it is," Jason interrupted.

Letty smacked Jason in the back of the head. "Sorry," she said. "Jason's a wonderful man, but there are times he turns his brain off and allows his mouth free reign. He's not normally quite so rude."

Cassidy giggled. "At least you have some control. I found out that concubines have none."

"Um..." I said as I raised my hand. "Letty is the concubine."

Cassidy sat up in surprise and turned to look at Letty. "But? How can she smack him like that? I saw classmates rejected for less."

"I'm not an idiot," Jason murmured. "Letty wants to be with me for bigger reasons than my CAP score. That counts for a lot more than her smacking me when I let my mouth run."

Cassidy stared at Jason. "That's impossible. I've seen how volunteers act when a pickup occurs. They don't accept any backtalk. Even the slightest hesitation will ruin your chances. They won't tell you that right away, but you'll never be selected by them."

Ashley sighed. "Well, in this case we all have already been promised that as long as we are present, we will be taken. And we work to make sure that the bond we have now grows stronger. At least I do with Mark."

Cassidy looked around the table. "So how many of you are sponsors?"

Jason, Jessica and I raised our hands. "Just us three," Jessica said.

"But..." Cassidy started counting the others at the table. "So what are the pairings? I'm confused.

Letty shook her head. "Not everyone is here. Mark gets four, but has only filled three slots. Jessica has two slots, but three people she's hoping to take. She's going to test again on her birthday. Jason has me and one other, but she's not here."

"One of my ladies isn't here either," I said.

"Ladies?" Kelsey screeched out playfully. "Did you hear that Matti? Your brother called me a lady. Do you think it's a lady of quality?"

"More like lady of the evening," Millicent said with a giggle. "Or you will be once you test."

"Test?" Cassidy asked.

"Matti and I aren't fourteen," Kelsey said. "Which means right now we don't really have a promise from Jessica or Mark. They care deeply for us and will take us if they can. Of course they are willing to spend as much time as possible near us to maximize the chance that we get picked up with them."

"But you can't be a concubine," Cassidy said mournfully. "You aren't old enough."

"Concubine?" Jessica asked.

Cassidy nodded. "That's the term used by the marines at the pickup."

"The one that caused you to move here?" I asked.

Cassidy nodded. "I guess I need to tell the story. But..."

Jason smiled. "Don't worry; none of us is going to judge you. We sit here because we're trying to avoid the abuse that too many high CAP scorers seem to want to rain down on the desperate."

"Abuse and desperate is accurate," Cassidy said tartly. "Fine, my therapist says I should talk about it. They say it might help me exorcise my demons or something."

Cassidy leaned back her eyes closing. "I won't name the town I'm from. Many of the reports from there are inaccurate and say I did things I never did. When the announcement about the whole pickup process came out no one in the town seemed to notice. Sure we had several people with scores in the high six or low seven range, but everyone said that they were too busy to really look into the nonsense. Life was just going to go on as normal."

"Reasonable," Jessica said. "The only reason we do something different is that we found someone we wanted to take with us. Well, that and in my case I just don't want to test drive hundreds of people. Millie and Kathy are as cute, cuddly and loving as I could want. Why spoil a good relationship?"

Kathy giggled. "We taste great too."

Millie just shook her head. "Says the girl who is usually dressed in a Victorian gown."

"They're cute!" Kathy affirmed. "You just hate that you haven't lost enough weight to wear one."

Cassidy watched this. The two girls seemed ready to continue when Jessica put her hand on Kathy's head. "Hush! I want to hear the rest of the story."

Cassidy giggled. "Well, as I said, there was nothing like your group here. Everyone just went about their usual lives. For me things were fine. My father was a bit proud since he was one of the few men in town with a score above seven. I didn't realize what that might mean until Memorial Day."

"And this pickup?" Ashley asked. "Don't tell me."

Cassidy covered her face with her hands. "Several families had turned Memorial Day into a big festival. We'd take over a park for the entire day. It was a huge event with family contests, crafts and sports. The climax was always a huge dinner held in the barn of the richest farmer in town. We had all just sat down when the gray fields went up, blocking the barn from the rest of the world."

My friends and I sat silently as Cassidy shook her head. "I hadn't even thought about it. The marines explained what was going on and said they'd call the names of the volunteers who could select their concubines. That's when I first heard the term. They hadn't even started calling names when my father put a hand on my head. He was holding me down as he whispered in my ear that I was his first choice."

"Ouch," Matti said. "If my father tried that, I'd attempt to castrate him."

"Don't," Cassidy said sharply. "Heck, never even think that way. One of my childhood friends was unhappy when his father made a play for his long time girlfriend. Steph hadn't even said she was willing and the man was pawing at her clothing. My friend tried to defend his girlfriend's honor and spent the next hour lying on the ground twitching after the marines shot him with some beam weapon. His father kicked him in the balls more than a dozen times before the pickup was over. The marines just watched."

"Fuck me," Jason whispered. "That's cruel."

"No," Cassidy said. "That was normal for the pickup. I grabbed my father's hand and threw it off my head telling him that I'd never be his toy or plaything. He stormed off when the marines called his name. When the pickup started he ignored both me and Mom as he sought out people to take with him."

"That doesn't sound too bad," Matti observed.

"It doesn't end there," Cassidy said. "Now, life might have remained calm in town, but everyone talked about the possibility that the Sa'arm were real. Like most of the teenagers I wanted to avoid that if I could, so I joined the pool of potential concubines once the volunteers had all gathered. That's when my problems started. There were fifteen volunteers in the barn that night, along with more than two hundred others. Six of the Volunteers came over to me and began to talk as if they were considering taking me."