Chapter 11: Time with the Boys

February 23rd - March 6th, 1987

When I arrived at Joey’s for Spaghetti Monday, I sat outside in my car for a few minutes trying to figure out what to do about the situation I found myself in. Not only did I look like shit, had scratches on my face and was wearing clothes that were obviously not mine, but Suzi and her parents were in there. I was conflicted about how to explain my appearance to them.

Joey thankfully sensed me and read my mind. He brought out some clothes I kept there for when I stayed the night like that night.

As Joey handed the clothes through the window, he said, “You look like you had a fight with a flock of chickens. Why is your face so scratched up?”

“I’m not actually sure. I had to dive into the basement through a window, though there wasn’t any glass in it. I think I scratched it up when I landed. Leanne has some scratches too.”

As I undressed, I asked, “How’s it going in there?”

Joey said, “Fine. Great even. They’re all talking about the ... trip in April.”

I froze when he hesitated. He almost said vacation, not trip. I didn’t do vacations. This four day trip to Arizona was sounding more and more like a vacation to me.

Joey said, “Just because our vacation to Florida five years ago was fucked up, why do you think all vacations will be like that? We’re flying in your dad’s plane, and there’s no way we can get separated.”

As I pulled on my jeans, I groaned, “Don’t say things like that. The plane will probably crash now.”

Joey let out a patient sigh and said, “The plane isn’t going to crash and we’re not going to get lost. We’re going to be sleeping under the stars with Suzi and the twins for three nights.”

I pulled my shirt on and said, “I bet it rain’s every night.”

Joey exclaimed, “In the desert?”

I said, “Yes. It does actually rain in the desert once in a while. It’s a desert, not a wasteland. How do you think cactus and other plants are able to grow?”

Joey said, “Well, it’s not going to rain all three nights.”

I opened my door to get out and said, “You’re probably right. We’ll just get attacked by coyotes the second night and spend the third night in the hospital.”

Joey groaned, but then caught my grin and said frustratedly, “You’re fucking with me?”

I said, “A little, yes.”

Joey put his face in mine and said, “Just remember that tonight when I return the favor.”

My butthole quivered from seeing the look in his eyes.

As we started heading for the house, I asked, “Didn’t you get enough of that earlier with Dawn and John?”

Joey shrugged and said, “Brad and Sheryl too. Sheryl was moaning about how she hasn’t been fucked for nearly a week. I nearly had Brad talked into fucking her ass, but he chickened out again.”

As we entered the house, I said, “Stop pushing him about it and he might just do it on his own sometime.”

At that point, I smelled the spaghetti sauce and all other thoughts were vanquished from my mind.

Suzi and the parents were already sitting at the table waiting on me, so I hurriedly washed my hands and joined them.

I ended up telling them most of the truth about what happened at the farmhouse. I spun it making it sound like Leanne and I were working on a genealogical project together and we wanted to get some pictures of the house. They all knew about my independent study program so it wasn’t that difficult to explain how I was able to do that during school hours. Leanne was acting as my advisor.

I got some heat about not going to the police right away, but the fact was I couldn’t have known they were growing marijuana in my grandfather’s equipment shed. They had expanded the shed like they had the house. They used the tea machines as a simple way to extract the chemicals from the plant remnants. They then froze the tea for later consumption. There had to have been some other shit in it too to cause the hallucinations.

I received some light ribbing from Joey’s parents and my mom about how I had experienced my first “trip”, and that I was still having the munchies from how I had a third bowl of spaghetti (we ate spaghetti in bowls instead of on plates). Suzi’s parents weren’t as amused by it, but my negative reaction from the others’ joking I hoped helped alleviate their fears I’d start smoking pot or something.

While I was sorry to see Suzi leave with her parents, it was a bit of relief when they and my mom left. I ended up going to bed early.

I was still feeling a little out of it when Joey woke me up around eleven that night getting in bed with me.

I asked him, “Is something wrong?”

Joey said gently, “No. I just wanted to sleep with you. Just go back to sleep. I’m not trying to start anything.”

But then he pulled me up against him, spooning me. I felt his hardon against my butt cheek through our undershorts, but after he gave me a peck on the cheek, he relaxed and didn’t press it against me more.

I fell asleep shortly after that, but awoke again when Joey rolled away in his sleep. After feeling my back cooling from the lack of his warmth against it, I rolled over so I was on my side facing him then snuggled up to him as best I could. I woke up in the morning when Joey left to sneak back into his room before his parents got up.

For the next few days, I focused on my schoolwork in order to catch up from all the time I had spent with Leanne the past three weeks. Thursday, Suzi, the twins and I went together to Brad and Joey’s last basketball game, then with John and Dawn, we went out to celebrate afterward at Steak n Shake.

Friday night, Joey, John, and Brad came with me and my mom to Marlfield for another working weekend.

That night while John and Brad were deep in trance from the twins’ efforts, Joey brought up in front of my dad how he had yet to figure out how Katie - one of my dad’s girls who went to our school - had no recollection of ever being with my dad.

My dad said, “Joey, that’s something I’m afraid I can’t share with you.”

Joey asked, “Then what about Tim?”

I groaned, “Joey...”

Joey said to me, “I’m just asking the question. Don’t you want to learn how he does it?”

I refused to look at anyone. I didn’t know why Joey felt he had to push the matter. My dad already knew my mom had told Suzi.

Joey said softly, “He already knows.”

My dad said firmly, “I made him give his word not to share it with anyone, not even you. Don’t blame him for keeping his word to his own father.”

Joey sighed and said, “No, I don’t blame him. I can’t even blame him for not telling me he knew. I mean, I had figured as much for months now.”

I asked, “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

Joey shrugged and said, “I guess I didn’t want to believe it.”

I said, “I’m sorry. He didn’t want me to tell you until after I was finished learning about it.”

Joey nodded and asked, “Was it worth it?”

I shrugged and said, “I enjoyed spending the time learning it from my dad more than actually getting any use out of it. I don’t really have a need for it right now.”

My dad said, “Joey, it’s not that I don’t trust you. But you can’t protect your mind like Tim can.”

Joey took it better than I expected. But I wasn’t the least bit surprised when he brought it up again when we were alone in my bed that night.

Joey said, “I don’t understand why it’s such a big secret. I mean, how long did it take you to learn it? A couple of months?”

I said, “What I did was pretty basic. Look, I know you’re more interested in the hiding of memories aspect. What I spent most of my time on didn’t involve that directly. But you have to understand you can really fuck a person up using it. You can break them in such a way you can’t fix them. That’s how powerful this shit is.”

Joey sighed and said, “Okay. I get it.”

I snuggled up to him and said, “The share link doesn’t drop as much as it used to. Maybe someday you’ll be able to maintain it indefinitely and then my dad will let me show you.”

Joey said confidently, “By that time, I’ll have figured out my own way of hiding shit. I’m just being selfish. I hate having to bother you whenever the link drops. And I wish it would stay up when you are at home. It’s always dropping when I least expect it to.”

I said, “I still can’t believe you re-linked with me while I was way out in the middle of nowhere on Monday. That had to have been at least twice the distance to my place from yours. Why did it work there and not when I’m at home?”

Joey said, “Maybe it was because you were high or something.”

I said, “I didn’t feel high. I just felt ... off. Did you feel high after linking to me?”

“No. I guess I didn’t.”

After a minute of silence passed, Joey turned, looked me in the eyes and asked, “Are there any other secrets you’re keeping from me?”

That hurt, but then I guess I deserved it.

I took a moment to think before saying honestly, “I don’t think so. Unless you want shit like my ATM pin.”

When Joey continued to stare, I said, “1660.”

Joey frowned and said, “What?”

“My ATM pin. 1660.”

Joey chuckled and said, “Shit. I don’t care about that.”

“Then what?”

“How would you know if you’re hiding something if you don’t remember it right now?”

I shrugged and said, “Because I’m not hiding anything else from you. You don’t understand how difficult it was for me to agree to that. I ended up asking Suzi for permission and then wiping her memory of the conversation. Twice.”

“And she was okay with it?”

“Not really, but she agreed that you and she really couldn’t know about what I’ll be facing in the future temptation wise like my parents do.”

Joey surprisingly dropped the topic at that point.

Baseball tryouts started Monday and part of the reason we were all at the Marlfield mansion together was to make use of the batting cages at my dad’s rec complex. We hit the gym in the mansion first thing that morning for a workout, John being surprisingly in good shape to keep up with us. Of course, that was partially due to he and Brad running together in the mornings and working out together in the evenings. I was happy to see I was able to keep up with them during the run. I had been running laps up and down my mansion’s halls.

I was looking forward to playing with them again. I had copied Brad’s and Joey’s experience into John and myself earlier that week. We spent half the morning working on integrating come of that experience by hitting balls to each other with the help of a few of my dad’s people who played recreationally.

Joey was getting nearly as fast with the programming work as I was. I knew he used some of the ring slaves to practice on, but there was only so much he could practice using them that way.

My dad still checked both our work after we finished someone, and he always had a few tweaks to make. Most of them were fairly minor and personally, I thought they were probably unnecessary. But sometimes he did catch something that needed to be fixed.

The persona modifications we installed were really basic in the sense they didn’t hide any memories, just altered what was stored. Joey and I thought that was pretty powerful stuff when we first learned it, but after I had experienced how powerful the hybrid persona was, I saw why Joey was so interested in it. Joey didn’t try to hide his probing of those living at the mansion with their hybrid persona active. Joey was mystified how the hybrid worked. You simply couldn’t access its inner workings without knowing how to access the enslaved persona which only my dad or Carol could do.

After our work for my dad was done, Joey and I rejoined John and Brad for the rest of the day. We ate before heading over to the rec center to hit up the batting cages. We also did some new calisthenics recommended to us by one of the guys we had hit balls with that morning. We all felt the results the next morning in the form of sore muscles.

But we didn’t complain that much as we had expected it. Sore muscles meant we hadn’t been exercising them before. We did our running and workout, then Joey and I did our programming work through lunch before we hit the batting cages again. Then we went home.

The twins came home with me wishing to watch our tryouts. I was a little nervous all day Monday, and when the last bell rang, I really started to feel the pressure. I really wanted to make the team, but I was afraid I wouldn’t as the competition was a lot fiercer at the JV level. However, learning Coach Erickson was the JV head coach and Coach Haps was the pitching coach, I was comforted to know I at least knew some of the coaches.

In fact, when I got out on the field, Coach Haps personally called me over and asked me, “Brandton, you wouldn’t happen to be trying out for pitching, would you?”

“Pitching coach? I haven’t thought of it. I’m used to playing infield.”

“That’s a shame. We don’t have any strong pitchers this year for JV.”

Thinking of John, I asked, “What about catchers?”

“Based on what we had last year, we’re okay on catchers. I thought you said you were infield.”

I said, “I am. I was thinking of my friend John Whitman. Joey Conner, Brad Redmond, John and I played in Jr. High and were pretty good together. We finished our last season with only one loss. Our best pitcher started at St. Joe’s last year.”

Coach Haps grunted his understanding and said, “I won’t keep you then.”

I thanked him and moved on. Joey met up with me and asked, “What was that about?”

“Haps was just asking if I pitched. He says we don’t have a strong pitcher for JV.”

Joey said, “We didn’t have anyone decent last year either, remember?”

I shrugged. I hadn’t seen any of their games last year as I had to stay away to break his and Suzi’s addiction the three-ways had caused.

Joey said, “You know if you were to copy the pitching knowledge from the varsity players...”

I cut him off, saying, “I am not doing that to give our team an edge like that.”

Joey said, “How is that an edge? You’re just filling a position we need filling.”

“And taking it from someone else. I want to make the team honestly. Well, as honestly as I can.”

Joey said, “The only reason you made the football team was because you showed a natural talent that had no connection to what you copied from the varsity players. You don’t have that in baseball. At least not without your abilities helping.”

I said, “You don’t think I can make the team.”

“No, I’m saying unless you show something special, you’re less likely to. I say you should plan ahead and copy Roddenberry’s pitching knowledge after practice just so you have a plan B.”

I said, “I’ll think about it. But I think I’m better suited as a shortstop.”

Joey said, “Only because that’s what you’re used to playing.”

Brad interrupted by joining us and saying, “Man, there are a lot of people showing up. I’m starting to wonder if any of us will make the team.”

Joey groaned, “Fuck Brad. Don’t say that. John’s already nervous.”

Looking around, I said, “He’s not the only one. Shit. Now I’m wondering if I shouldn’t give all of us a boost in knowledge.”

Joeys said, “No way. You know how it can mess you up until you integrate it. But you copying pitching won’t affect your performance in other ways.”

Brad asked, “Are you going out for pitcher now? That would be awesome.”

I cringed. My confidence - or lack of - was fighting my desire to not cheat in that way.

I asked, “Do you really think I should?”

Brad said, “We really do need a good pitcher.”

I said, “But what if I’m too good and end up on varsity?”

Joey laughed and said, “Now, you’re too confident. You’re too green and the varsity has a couple of decent pitchers.”

I said, “I’m not confident at all.”

I looked around for Coach Haps but then saw John approaching and helped direct his attention towards us. I then found Coach Haps but waited for John to reach us.

I said to John, “We’re worried we might not make the team without getting a little edge. Do you still want to play catcher?”

John said, “I don’t know what else I’d play. You know I don’t have much experience playing any other positions.”

I said, “Haps said that based on what we had last year, we’re okay on catchers. You’re going to need an edge to make the team.”