Chapter 18: Seeds in Dreams

It hadn't hurt when he did it, but hours after the five-second procedure, Logan's ear still stung. They were zipping over winding roads with Dr. Henderson. It was bizarre. He could barely feel the small nick left in his earlobe, but it felt like a large spike had been driven through. He couldn't stop rubbing it.

"Stop that, you're making it worse." Lauren had repeated those words a half-dozen times already, but he couldn't stop. The only relief he got was to massage it a bit.

The drive was bizarre, as well. Henderson drove them in a large SUV filled with monitors and displays, blinking and steady lights over the dash and along the center console.

He also drove through the darkness without headlights. The man wore goggles he claimed let him see 'just fine' in the dark. It was a bit frightening, especially when they encountered other vehicles on the road. Henderson just chuckled, assured them they had nothing to worry about.

They'd spent the day gathering some clothing and other things the man had insisted they bring before eating a large dinner of lasagna and olives. They'd been on the road for a couple of hours, setting out after darkness had fully taken hold. Wherever they were going, Logan just wanted to be there. He was tired of running from place to place. Every time they found a safe place, it was destroyed in one way or another. The adventure, the heroic dream he'd played out in his head, was becoming a drag, one which left him tired, and more and more frightened.

As the miles passed, he pushed the images of Lauren back into his thoughts and smiled. He loved that memory, the one he'd enjoyed just that morning, the way her pubes glistened, the way her fingers looked sticky and wet. Sitting in the backseat with Lauren sleeping beside him, he wished he could see it again. His dick grew hard and he idly rubbed himself through his pants.

Logan forgot about Henderson and Finch up front and unzipped his fly, pulling his fourteen-year old cock out, hard and throbbing. He looked at Lauren, saw she was sleeping soundly, and rested his other hand on her thigh. He started to masturbate, running his fist over his shaft, a delightful tingle starting from deep inside him.

She was warm. So warm and wonderful. He let fingers trail into her crotch. The baggy sweats she wore didn't help him explore, but he didn't need everything. It was enough to know it was under there. He rubbed her lightly between her legs, felt himself swelling as the excitement grew. Logan wanted to see it again, wanted to touch her flesh. He considered trying to slide his hand into her pants. Precum bubbled out of his cock as his excitement rose and his body grew tense.

Logan missed the signs of his sister stirring, only coming back to himself when her hand grabbed his wrist. He froze. There was just enough light to see the shocked expression on her face. She hadn't moved his hand, his fingers still pressed onto her genitals, her mouth open in surprise. Lauren mouthed a voiceless shout. Logan ... What the fuck!

He felt bad suddenly. He knew he'd done wrong, tried to yank his hand back. Lauren held firm, unwilling to give up control of the arm which had moments before been pawing her crotch. Logan saw her glance down. His penis was still out! He quickly stuffed it back in his pants and did his best to look defeated. He'd been so close to orgasm that a steady stream of fluids drooled out of his dick as it shrank and tried to hide in his pants.

Finally, she let him go and leaned away from him, closing her eyes. Logan didn't know how to read that, but he felt as defeated as he looked. He zipped up his pants and tried to ignore the way his stomach turned over.

Lauren could not believe what had just happened. She'd been asleep. The dream was still vivid and difficult to ignore. She saw Finch's cock again, spurting endless semen into the air, onto his stomach. Onto her. And not just her arm. She dreamed she was masturbating while he came on her stomach, some of his cum splashing onto her pubic hair, onto her fingers, dripping down onto her pussy.

In her sweats, she knew her snatch was sticky and wet. She wasn't sure why she'd been so aroused by the dream. Waking to find Logan fondling her and jerking off was quite a shock, but she wasn't sure which she was upset by more, her diddling, fondling brother or the way she'd been so turned on by the dream. Lauren let out a long breath and did her best not to think about either, despite the way her clit stayed hard and her pussy drooled into her panties.

Minover. There it was again, that word. Gene had just drifted off to sleep when the word screamed in his mind.

Minover. Why can't I remember what that means. They'd spent the morning touring the facilities, then the afternoon getting a briefing on the latest news, nothing they could act on directly just yet. No Limits was still dark. He was asked again if he could think of any reason they wanted him dead.

Minover. He sat up with a pounding headache.

Holly was inches away, staring at his face. Gene jumped, surprised. "Goddammit, Holly! Were you watching me sleep?"

"Yeah."

"Well ... don't do that!"

She shrugged, leaned back, then in again. "What's Minover, Gene? You mumbled that a few times in your sleep. Something seeded in your dreams?"

Pain lanced his brain and he laid back. "I ... I don't know. It means something. Every time I think of it..." His face contorted in pain and he panted heavily, sweating.

Holly watched a moment before leaving him alone. Gene tried to calm his head, rubbed his temples until his skin was raw. The woman returned with an ice pack and placed it over his forehead.

"I think, Gene ... I think maybe we're finally on the right track. I don't know who or what Minover is, but you display a classic case of the Mantis's work. Him, or someone like him."

"What?"

"Guy who fucks with people's heads. We've tracked him for years. Independent who'll work for anyone with eight figures to spend. Playa's been using him heavily for months. He can make memories disappear, and force confessions to pour out in explicit detail. Not someone I ever want to meet."

Gene knew on some level that she was on to something. The headaches and trying to remember Minover and the last few weeks he spent at Whitehead were closely tied together, and though he was sure the details were still there, trying to get at them caused too much pain to remember.

"If so, I doubt we'll get the truth out of you without some help. Anna might know someone." Holly kissed his cheek. "Here, swallow these." She held out two small pills.

"What are they?"

"Painkillers. For the headache."

Gene tossed them back and sipped the water Holly offered. He rested his head again and tried to stop the room from spinning.

The SUV rolled through the electric gates of a sprawling farm complex as the near-full moon shined overhead. Lauren had stirred moments before, still confused by Logan and the dream. She turned back and watched the gate close behind them as they moved steadily up a long drive and parked near a long one-story brick home.

Henderson shut off the engine, said, "well, this is home. Come on. Help me grab the things in the trunk."

Lauren stretched after getting out, then grabbed a big cardboard box. She and her brothers followed Dr. Henderson to the door, which opened automatically as he approached and closed behind them once inside.

The interior was nothing like the underground living quarters they'd left behind. Light blue walls, cedar browns, and deep red splashes were everywhere, on vases, paintings, and furniture. Lauren was stunned by how beautiful it was inside. The hallway led into an open floor plan, kitchen on one end, large, recessed living area taking up most of the rest. There were couches, chairs, tables of various shapes and sizes.

A woman swept in quickly and wrapped her arms around Henderson just as he sat the boxes down. The giant of a man would have dwarfed most anyone, but his wife's tiny frame looked like a doll next to him. No more than five feet tall, the dark-haired woman's body was round at the hips, boobs too large for her frame pressing out her robe despite the looseness of its wrap.

"Sorry I couldn't call first, but you know that's how it is right now." She held on for several moments before finally breaking the embrace and kissing his lips. Henderson turned towards Lauren and her brothers, "long story, these three, but they need to stay here a while. Will explain everything. First, where are my other darlings?"

"Sleeping," the woman said.

"I'll let them sleep, then." He put his arm over his wife's shoulders, said, "Kids, this is my wife, Juliana. Jules, this is Lauren, the older boy is Finch, and their brother is Logan."

Greetings were exchanged and then Henderson had them follow him to set the boxes against the wall. "Would you be a dear and make some tea, Darling? Dying for a spot."

"Of course. You three thirsty? Hungry?" Lauren nodded. "Come with me, then, we'll find you something.

Lauren trailed the boys as they slipped into the kitchen while Henderson disappeared down a hallway.

After putting a kettle of water on to boil, Juliana looked at them studiously, measured, "you three must be in a big spot of trouble for Erns to bring you here. Big Spot."

Lauren started to explain but Juliana stopped her. "Not here. That can wait. First, let's get you something to eat. Afraid I don't have a ton right now, out of meat, tomorrow is grocery day. Like egg salad?"

Finch replied, "yes."

Lauren didn't care for it but she was too tired to say otherwise. Logan would eat anything. The siblings sat along the kitchen bar, quiet, something Lauren could never have imagined happening only weeks before. The flight from home, the terror, it had drilled out of them the constant fighting and chatter. That, and the strange sexual experiences they'd shared recently.

Within minutes the woman had taken hardboiled eggs and whipped them into something worth putting between slices of toasted bread. They ate in silence and each took a second sandwich when offered. She made hot tea for everyone and led them back to the couches with a platter of small, sweet biscuits.

Henderson had returned, smile on his face. "Just wanted to look in at them sleeping. I miss them terribly."

Over the next half-hour, Henderson explained the situation to his wife. Juliana accepted that they had to stay, agreed to see after them so long as they helped around the farm. "Don't have any livestock, well, except for a couple of milk cows, mostly just keeping up appearances and such. The kids will walk you around tomorrow and explain things."

Logan glanced around, seemed excited by the idea. Lauren wasn't so sure she wanted to live on a farm, but for a while, not running in terror every day or two would be a nice change.