Chapter 5

Elizabeth was focused on the road ahead of them, as the group made their way to her house. Amy and Eva were busy chattering about what their game plan was, now that they’ve left the house and the life they had. Jason was on his cell phone, talking to his friend on the other end of the line.

She had to take a deep breath as she kept her eyes on the road. A lot was happening fast, and it was making her head swim. It was one thing to finally have had the woman she’d been chasing for a while now. Having that woman and her mother in her car, helping them make it to a place away from their male relations, was another entirely.

“All right. Sounds good, man. I’ll see you in twenty,” Jason stated, just as he hung up the phone.

“Everything all right?” Elizabeth asked.

“Yeah, it’s all good. Just have to meet the man at a Timmies about fifteen minutes away. He’ll meet there to help out with the laptops,” Jason informed her. He gave the location and Elizabeth nodded.

“I know that Timmies. I go there sometimes when I go to visit my mom,” she told him, making the course correction needed. Soon, they were in a more urban locale of the city, with houses and townhomes dominating the streets. They pulled into a small shopping plaza, where the Tim Hortons was located. Jason looked around and didn’t see his friend’s van anywhere, so they had little choice but to wait.

“While we’re waiting, I’m going to grab a couple of coffees. You ladies want anything?” the redheaded man asked.

“Large peppermint tea, please!” Elizabeth told him.

“Café Mocha please!” Amy told Jason, with Eva echoing her request.

Smiling, Jason went inside and got in line. He only had to wait five minutes before he could put his order in, and he also ordered a dozen assorted donuts. He figured some pastries would be welcomed by the women. Another five minutes saw him with his order in hand and he walked outside with it.

Just as he made it to the car, Jason saw Luke’s nondescript brown van pull into the plaza. He smiled and was grateful for Luke’s timing. He knew Luke liked his coffee obscenely hot and hoped that he’d get there before it got too cool. Jason waved, flagging him down, and he pulled up next to Elizabeth’s Impala.

“Jason, my man! How you doing, bro?” Lucas’ baritone voice crowed as he got out.

Lucas Barton was a solid looking man, who stood at five foot eleven with a slightly thick frame. His dark chocolate skin and tightly packed, short hair spoke volumes of his Congolese heritage. Unlike most men of African American bloodlines, he didn’t have brown or black eyes, but green eyes. He possessed a wide, flat nose like most black men, but sported a beautiful smile.

He was a little husky, but it was something he was slowly turning into muscle at Jason’s insistence. Luke’s posture was indicative of too many days spent at the keyboard and not enough on his feet. His dress sense marked him as a complete nerd, as he wore pendant shaped like a wolf’s head, much like Geralt of Rivia.

He also wore a green Triforce T-shirt underneath a short sleeve button up, which was completed with khaki pants. The pockets of said pants were festooned with various tools and wires that Luke always kept on him. The final touch of his look was the ratty red high-tops he wore and the black horn-rimmed glasses that sat on the bridge of his nose.

“I’m doing all right. Got you a coffee, just the way you like it,” he said as he offered him his drink.

“Sweet! Black, four sugars and a shot of caramel?” he asked.

“And scalding hot. Plus, I grabbed some donuts.”

“Dude, you are awesome! So, where are the laptops you want me to fix?” Lucas asked as he took a sip of his coffee.

“Just a sec,” he said as he gestured for the ladies to come out of the car. They did so reluctantly, but they trusted Jason and his judgement. Both Eva and Amy had brought their computers out and held them in their hands. Luke looked at all three women and his eyebrows climbed up his brow, as Jason introduced them to his friend.

“These ladies are having serious issues about being followed by ... men who they don’t want to be found by. They would like to be sure that their hardware is clean, as it’s the only thing they figure is the culprit,” Jason explained.

“What kind of men?” Luke asked, already standing on their side of the matter.

“The kind that are like that sanctimonious little shit I gave a shower to all those years ago,” Jason told him.

“Oh! Assholes like that, bothering fine ladies like this? Consider it done!”

“Thank you, Lucas!” Eva said thankfully.

“Please, Mrs. Marston, call me Luke,” he replied. “Shouldn’t take me more than a couple of hours to handle this. Jay, I’m going to need you to come with.”

“No worries, man. Ladies, you head on off and get yourselves safe. I’ll be along as soon as Luke is done with the computers,” Jason told the women. Elizabeth and Amy gave him a hug before he left and they exchanged cell numbers with him, so Elizabeth could text him the address when he was ready to stop by.

He then hopped into the driver’s seat of Luke’s van while Luke hopped in the back. They left first, so that Luke could get a good start on the laptops. Unlike some people who did work like this, Lucas had his entire workshop in the back of his van. It was one of his oddities and quirks that he worked best when he was mobile. It also helped that if anyone wanted to try to find him, they would have a tough time locking onto his signal.

Jason took a long and winding route that ran through several of the nearby suburbs. Having done this for Luke on several occasions, Jason knew roundabout routes were best. Especially if there was tracking software or hardware involved. Lucas went through the hardware first, to make sure there was nothing hidden there.

“Looks like you were right, Jay! Just cracked open both laptops and there are tracking bugs in them,” Luke said from his lab.

“I hate it when I’m right. Are they anything exotic?” he asked his friend.

“Nah. Nothing too fancy or flashy. Just generic shit you can get from Amazon or eBay and easy to install. Shouldn’t take me long to remove it all,” Luke replied.

Nodding, Jason continued on the suburban route, heading further east and south, away from the direction of where both men lived. Jason could hear the clattering and tinkering of various tools and hardware, and Luke went about his work. Soon enough, the sounds ceased, and Jason wondered if Luke was finished yet.

“Nah, not yet. Still have to go through the software and run proper scans on everything, just to be sure that there’s nothing there,” Lucas responded.

Luke then booted up the computers and did quick diagnostic checks on them. He found a veritable plethora of bugs and viruses that were monitoring and recording everything. Every site that was ever visited, every keystroke that was hit, nothing was missed. Whoever these jokers were, they weren’t playing around and wanted to know everything about what the women did digitally.

Growling at the archaic mindset of these men, Luke ran his cleaning programs and wiped out each bug with extreme prejudice. He smashed through them all, the bugs no match for someone of his experience and skill set. Once he was done with those, Lucas then went through each program that was loaded on each laptop.

His search yielded no less than three such programs that were designed to track and listen to the user of the computer. As he located them, he deleted them, leaving no trace behind, wiping the computers clean. Once that was done, Lucas shut down the laptops before rebooting them, making sure they were clean. The systems check he ran came up green and the protection programs he ran came back negative.

“Job’s done. The computers are now clean,” he announced to Jason, who was still driving.

“Good! My ass is getting numb sitting here all the time,” Jason responded.

“Well, you’re going to have to stay put for a few more minutes. Just loading some protection and anti-spyware programs into the machines,” Luke told him.

“That’s an unexpected bonus! What is the fee for that?” Jason asked.

“Telling me how you nailed that hottie, Amy. I could tell by the way she looked at you, that you two have a had a tumble or two,” Luke said, grinning.

“Was it that obvious?”

“For her, yeah. You know I’m not really getting any myself these days, so help a brother out?” Luke pleaded.

“Fine, I guess you deserve to know that much. How are going to handle those chips?” Jason wondered.

“Simple. The Barton special,” Luke said, holding up the chips which were now attached to a taped cluster of C cell batteries. He then placed them in a double bagged ziplock container, before taping it up. Once the package was airtight, he had Jason stop by the side of the road. Hopping out, Luke meandered around until he found a water drain that led into the sewers.

As nonchalantly as he could, Luke walked up to the drain, dropped the package and kicked it into the drain. Now that the tracking chips were in the sewers, it would throw off whoever was monitoring them. With that business done, Luke walked up to the van and had Jason move over to the passenger seat. As they drove off back the way they came, Luke pestered Jason about how he snagged Amy.

“Well, I would tell you that, but that would also have me include how I nabbed Elizabeth at the same time,” Jason told him.

“What?? Tell me you’re yanking my chain! You got both of them??” Luke asked incredulously.

“Yup. But I won’t talk about it here. I need some food in my stomach before I can start jabbering about that,” he said to his friend.

“That’s fair. How does Priest sound?” Luke said by way of offering.

“That sounds like it would hit the spot! I could use a good burger right about now!” Jason enthused.

Using his smartphone, Jason laid in the directions to the nearest Burger Priest. They arrived there shortly and placed their orders. Jason got a Vatican and Stern Fries, while Luke ordered a Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and chili fries. Once they got their food, they sat down and dug into their meal.

As they ate, Jason divulged how he had had both Elizabeth and Amelia while he was off camping. He left out the Druidic part of things though, as he wasn’t sure where Luke truly stood on some things. He was a good friend and Jason trusted him, but he was on his long list of people he could trust, not on his short list.

“Wait, a second! Are you telling me you not only nailed both women, but got to watch them dyke out, and join them during said session?” Lucas asked disbelievingly.

“Yup. Though it isn’t completely responsible for my luck. Climbing and the benefits it brings, helps,” Jason told him. Luke then took a moment to properly see his friend and noted that he was really cut and ripped. More so than usual, and if climbing had this much of an effect on the man, then he was going to look into some classes for sure!

“The ladies must love it when you’re shirtless,” Luke joked.

“You should see how they get when I’m naked,” Jason said with a wink.

They both guffawed at the remark, their mirth being looked at like a couple of crazy guys. They didn’t mind the looks because as far as they were concerned, society could kiss their asses. Both men continued to chat away for a little, before they finished with their food and left. Luke offered to give Jason a lift to where he was going, which he graciously accepted. He was sure that Amy and Eva were going to be happy to have their laptops back.

Both Eva and Amy were busy getting their clothes unpacked and set up in their individual guest rooms. Elizabeth hadn’t been lying when she said that she’d had the room to accommodate them both. The house was a two story type, with a finished basement and a two-car garage. It was located in an older part of the city that was considered upper middle class, if the neighborhood was anything to go by.

When Amy asked her about it, she had replied honestly, telling her she was gifted the house. There was an elderly couple that she was looking after in the hospice house where she worked. They had long lost their independence and had no choice but to move into hospice. Though they could have done so, there was no reason for them to sell their home, as they had saved a sizable amount of money.

They were a sweet couple, taking the time to get to know Elizabeth and helped her through some of her anger issues. Even though she was the one looking after them physically, they had helped her mentally and she had finally found herself in a good mental place just before they died. After they had passed, she found out that they had left her everything they had possessed, as they had no children and no living relatives left.

She had not only inherited the house, but everything that had come with it. The house was old and well cared for, but desperately needed some proper upgrades. The electrics, appliances, heating and plumbing had been redone and was up to code. The rooms had also been upgraded redone with a more modern feel, as had the basement. The garage, however, was a right mess, one which Elizabeth hadn’t yet tackled, but would in the coming months.

“Hey Amy, are you OK with me ordering up some pizza? I don’t have much in the way of food in the house right now,” Elizabeth said from the doorway.

“Did I hear the word ‘pizza’?” Eva asked from the next room, poking her head out of the doorway.

“Yes, Mrs. Marston. Just wanted to make sure that it’s OK with you and Amy, since I haven’t had time to do any grocery shopping,” Elizabeth informed her sullenly.

“Are you kidding?!? I love pizza! It’s been ages since I had any!” she enthused.

“Really?”

“Yeah! The church is ... was very strict on what we were allowed to eat. Fast food of any kind was a big no no. So, whenever Wayne and Darren were away, Amy and I would order a pizza and eat it ourselves. Though the amount of times that they were both away was rare, so we had to savor it every time we could get it!” Eva told her.

Amy also voiced her assent, asking specifically for a Hawaiian pie, while Eva asked if they could make it half meat lovers. Elizabeth giggled and told them both that they’d get their own pies, as she dialed the pizzeria and placed an order for three pies. Elizabeth shook her head in shock at how these two beautiful women with kind souls had allowed themselves to be repressed like they were.

Out of the blue, there was a knock at the door, which startled Elizabeth. Amy and Eva also yelped, wondering who could be at the door at this hour. Had the Marston men found them so quickly? If they had, how had they done it? Was there some way of tracking them they didn’t know about? After a quick look through the peephole, Elizabeth relaxed and told her guests that it was only Jason and they visibly relaxed.

“Well, I see you got my text, Jay. Come on in!” Elizabeth told him as she opened the door.

“Thank you, Liz!” he said as he took off his jacket and shoes. He had both laptops under his arm, which he gave to both Amy and Eva, who took them gratefully.

“What made you decide to knock? Gave us a bit of a start there!” Amy asked him, after checking her laptop over.

“This is Elizabeth’s house, isn’t it?” he asked.

“Well, yeah.”

“Even though we are very good friends now, that doesn’t give me license to stroll on in like I own the place. Even though it was just me and my dad growing up, he taught me proper manners,” he explained.

“Your dad raised you well,” Eva commented as she walked into the living room to sit with Amelia. They were busy watching a TV movie, as Elizabeth gestured for Jason to join her in the kitchen. The moment he was in the room with her, she started up a conversation with him.

“So, we need to talk about Eva and Amy. What do you think is the likelihood that Chad will keep looking for them? What about their male relations?” she asked.

“I can’t speak for the husband and brother, but I got a distinct impression from this Chad character. He doesn’t seem to be the type who would just give up the chase unless they were dead. There’s also what Amy told us about how her dad and brother are, and they are likely of the same mentality. We’ll have to be careful and keep our eyes peeled,” Jason told her.

“Sounds like it. We will have to find a way to deal with them, one way or another,” Elizabeth said thoughtfully.

“Well, even though they are hiding at your place, it won’t be just you who have to deal with them. You’ve got me backing you up,” Jason said solemnly.

“Which I appreciate! It’s kind of weird,” she said, making a face.

“Weird? Weird how?”

“How I had consigned myself to never needing to rely on anyone for anything or needing anyone in my corner. And now, here I am, with a guy who is ready to back me up with whatever I need. It feels ... good!” she said.

“And, it’s not the only things that feel good,” she admitted bashfully.

“That is something that we can definitely agree on! What you are capable of, puts straight girls across the world to shame! They need to step up their game if they hope to match you,” he said earnestly.

Blushing fiercely, Elizabeth couldn’t help but hug and kiss him at that moment. Though she was sure that she liked girls more, his words had just set her off in a way she hadn’t expected. Jason kissed her back as she pressed herself into him, letting him feel just how much she loved hearing that. They broke apart, a bit breathless, and took a beat to catch their breath, before smiling at each other.

“Well, I think that settles the fact that there is a mutual attraction between us. If there wasn’t, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t have just attacked me like you did,” Jason said, winking.

“I never thought I would ever be attracted to a guy in my life! I mean, I find women more appealing than men and always have. But you are ... different. It’s like you emulate all the qualities I am looking for in a woman and aren’t a shady asshole, like most men I’ve met. That and the sex is ... wow!” she confessed.

“It’s good to know that I’m someone you genuinely like, as opposed to someone you are just using. Unlike most straight and single ladies out there,” Jason grumbled.

“Sounds like we both have our own demons,” Elizabeth said, understanding his stance. “But there is also something you need to know about me. It’s something I’ve been thinking about the entire drive home.”

“Oh?”

“Let’s just say that there is a side of me that is now awake. A side I had heard other women speak of, but never would have guessed that I had it too,” she mumbled.

“A side of you? Like another facet of your personality?” he wondered.

“Exactly! And this other side of me is quite ... hungry,” she told him with a lust-filled gaze.

“Oh!” Jason exclaimed, realization dawning on his face. “Like an inner, kinky side?”

“More than just a kinky side, Jason. It would best be described as an inner ... succubus. A side of me that has been deprived for too long and has a lot of lost time to make up. And, she needs to be ... fed,” she said more boldly than she felt.

“I see! So, do you have anything specific you are needing right now?” he asked with a smirk.

“Well, we discussed some things, but not in complete depth like we should have. I just want to know if it is cool that I have a go at Amy if you’re not around,” she wondered tentatively.

“That’s more than OK, Liz! Just like I’m sure you’d be cool with Amy and I having some fun if you’re not around,” Jason replied. “Besides, it’s not like we’re going around screwing strangers.”

Elizabeth smiled beautifully and nodded, confirming that she was all right with it. This new relationship they had entered into was unconventional, but it was exciting. Besides, it’s not like they were treading on thin ice. All three of them were keeping the lines of communication open, so that no one was left out of the loop.

“I know for a fact that Amy’s inner succubus is fully awake now. You thought that bit we had at the hot spring was something? Wait until it’s just you two! She is very ... vocal and ... demanding,” Jason informed her.

Elizabeth’s eyes and smile widened as carnal thoughts tumbled through her head. She bit her lip as some of them were so appealing that she was getting turned on just thinking about them! She looked up at Jason with a look of profound gratitude, now that Amy was within Elizabeth’s reach.

“I’m glad that we are seeing eye to eye on these things, Jason,” Elizabeth replied.

“As am I, Liz. As am I.”

The doorbell rung and there was a knocking sound at the door, followed by a male voice announcing that pizza had arrived. Instantly, Elizabeth was out of the kitchen and was at the door. Grabbing some cash from her purse, she opened the door and paid the delivery guy, tipping him generously. He handed over the pies and bid her a good evening, heading back to his car.

“You hungry?” Elizabeth asked Jason as she headed into the living room with the pizza.

“I could eat a slice or two,” he admitted.

At Elizabeth’s instructions, he grabbed plates, napkins and drinks that were in the fridge. Walking into the living room, he saw the ladies had already dug in. Jason had no idea why he was hungry like this, having eaten at Priest not even an hour before he came here. Still, after he had doled out plates and drinks, Jason helped himself to at least one slice from each pizza.

The conversation that followed was lighthearted and full of playful banter. All three women were in good spirits and buoyed by the fact that they had done a good thing. Even though both Amy and Eva were a bit shell-shocked by leaving so abruptly, it felt good to assert themselves like this. A feeling which they conveyed to Jason and Elizabeth, who assured them that this was natural.

“Trust me, Mrs. Marston, it’s better this way. I know it’s scary, but it’s also exciting too! The possibilities are endless now!” Elizabeth said to her.

“That is very true, Elizabeth! Without any restrictions, there is nothing we can’t do! And please, both you and Jason can call me Eva, if you wish,” she responded.

“All right ... Eva,” Liz said with a smile.

“As much as I’d like to keep on with this conversation, I do need to get going. I have a shift in the morning and as a landscaper, I’m going to need my rest,” Jason said, standing up and stretching.

“Did you need a lift home, Jay?” Liz asked.

“No need to trouble yourself, Liz. My apartment building isn’t far from here and I can catch a nearby bus to get there. Though, I need my gear from your car,” he stated.

Nodding, Liz went with him outside so he could grab his pack. Once he had retrieved it, he then gave both Amy and Elizabeth a hug goodbye and bid Eva a fond farewell. He walked over to the nearest bus stop and boarded it to head on home.

Elizabeth closed the door behind herself and locked it. Between the four of them, they had polished off nearly two of three pizzas she had ordered. Eva was busy packing away the collective leftovers while Amy helped her out.

“Ladies, I was going to do that!” Elizabeth told them.

“Even though we are guests in your home, young lady, we will pick up our share of the slack. It’s proper manners,” Eva told her matter-of-factly.

Grumbling silently, Elizabeth picked up what little mess there was left before adjourning to the kitchen. Both Amy and Eva had already put away the pizza and were washing the dishes. They were done in the span of several minutes and the Marston women turned back to their host.

“So, now that the handsome young man is out of the house, I am curious; just what is the relationship that you have with him?” Eva asked, addressing both younger women in front of her.

Both Amy and Liz blushed at the bold question that was posed to them. The tone of Eva’s question was one that was born of curiosity, rather than malice. Seeing little point in hiding it, they answered as honestly as they dared.

“Well, we have started a relationship with him, which is ... unconventional,” Elizabeth admitted.

“Judging by the way you were all looking at each other, I would say so!” Eva replied.

“How did you... ?” Amy started.

“Amelia, I have been around the block in more ways than you can imagine. I know the look of someone who is in a new relationship,” she responded without missing a beat. “Just be careful that you two aren’t charging headlong into something where he could take advantage of either of you.”

“Well, on that at least, you don’t have to worry. In fact, he’s the one who should worry about us taking advantage of him,” Amy proclaimed to her mother.

“AMY!” Elizabeth blurted out, embarrassed by her audacity. Eva simply reacted with a quirk of an eyebrow and a sultry smile on her lips. She then shook her head and chuckled, saying one thing that surprised both young women.

“To be young again!”

Then Eva turned around and headed upstairs to finish getting settled in before turning in for the night. Liz and Amy stared open-mouthed at her retreating form, stunned at how she just rolled with that new information. They both looked at each other before Elizabeth voiced a thought that just popped into her head.

“Is your mom a closet freak or something? She took that way too well to just let it be!” she stated.

“Not as far as I know!” Amy said, equally startled at what had been said. They then retreated to the living room to chat a little. Elizabeth informed Amy of Jason’s stance and was happy to hear that they had discussed things properly, as they agreed to. The topic then steered towards what Amy was going to do, now that she was free.

“Well, I need to find a job because let’s face it, you can’t be expected to feed all three of us on your own,” Amy said.

“I make enough to be able to do that, since I don’t have to struggle much to keep my bills paid,” Elizabeth started before Amy cut her off.

“Still, as my mom said, we should pull our own weight around here. So, as soon as I can find something, I’ll be contributing to how things are in the house,” she told her new friend.

“What about everything else you were involved in? I remember you telling me about the community you were a part of. You know you can’t go back, or they’ll find you again,” Elizabeth told her.

“I know. Even though a part of me wants to go back and formally end things, I know that it’s too risky. I think just ghosting is the best way to go, rather than giving them any more of my time,” Amy resolved.

“A clean break. A sound idea and plan, as long as we both stick to it,” Eva said as she walked into the living room. “And I stand with Amy on us, pulling our weight around here. Because you are generously allowing us to stay here rent free, we will handle the groceries and the meals around here.”

“Eva, it’s all right. I know that you two don’t have much in the way of money and I can’t...”

“You can and you will, young lady. I will have no more arguments out of you on this, so that’s it,” Eva finished in an authoritative tone.

“Are you sure you aren’t related to my mom? You two use almost the exact same tone and wording that makes me think twice about arguing,” Elizabeth said petulantly.

“It’s a mother thing. Once you become a mom, then you’ll understand,” Eva said with a wink. Looking outside, Eva noted how dark it was and was astonished at this.

“Looks like time has really flown these past few hours,” she remarked, seeing that it was night outside.

“We probably should get some shut eye then. I have shifts at the hospice for the next three days,” Elizabeth yawned. Both Marston women were right behind her, the events of the day having taxed the both of them. They too felt it was time to retire and headed back upstairs to their new rooms.

Eva had slid into the unfamiliar bed and nodded off, heading off to the blissful oblivion of sleep. She was out for all of an hour before she woke back up with a start. She’d had another nightmare again, this one just as bad as some other ones that had plagued her. Though she couldn’t remember it, she had an eerie sense of something with her being wrong.

She couldn’t put her finger on it, but Eva knew it was something she struggled to identify. It was as though some part of her had been taken, an important part which she knew was gone, but couldn’t tell what. She sat up with a huff and tried the breathing exercises that the doctor had told her to do in times like this. Eva lowered her breathing and heartbeat but was still wide awake.

She grumbled as she lay back down to fall back asleep, but couldn’t. Eva knew that she would have to get a drink and maybe do some reading before she would nod off again. She was padding down the hallway quietly, so as not to be heard. She had spent years moving in and out of bed quietly so as not to wake her husband. Wayne would often get really cranky when he was awakened in the middle of the night.

She moved with all the sound of a wraith, gliding down the stairs and getting herself a glass of water from the fridge. Eva downed the whole glass, before filling another from the reservoir of filtered water. She took another sip before moving back upstairs as quietly as she had before. She was glad to have mastered the art of moving silently, as it often made ... doing things and meeting certain ... needs, easier.