Chapter 31: Marks of Binding

There were two things I learned about Master PC. One, the program was like any other computer language. It would take your entries and interpret them literally, which explained the graphical interface that allowed a non-programmer to use it as well. If I didn't know the proper term to use, it would try to interpret what I wanted and execute that. It took me several tries before I gave up and used the graphical interface to make my hair green again just to look over the code. I found out that not only did I use the wrong built in variables, but the program didn't use names in the command box to describe colors. I couldn't understand why someone would take the time to truly understand the inner mechanics of the program. It would take a long time since there weren't any books printed on this particular language.

The second thing I learned about the program was that it was far more invasive than I thought. A user could manipulate specific cells, particular organs, or the entire body in minute detail. The number of variables for just a person's lips topped somewhere around fifty. There was also the way the program altered associated body parts when using the graphical interface. The fact that my hair was green wasn't the only thing changed. My hair follicles were altered to make my hair grow with that color. I also realized that the particular change affected only the hair on top of my head. If I grew a beard, it would be my normal brown. Using the help feature, I found out that certain things that could affect the entire body were split up into sections. Hair and skin were the only features I thought of but cells, bones and muscles were split up as well. The only component that wasn't was blood. It almost made me sick to think what a person would do to their blood with that program.

After putting my hair back to normal, I started looking over the profiles for each of the girls. Other than certain ones being programmed to swallow me during sex, nothing had been changed. I also noticed that only a few of us had the code for sharing dreams. Everyone had been present the previous night, but Yvonne, Jeri, and the twins didn't have the code. How could they have been present if they didn't have the code? Was it me? Was I adopting those abilities and pulling them in? I systematically went through and deleted the sharing dreams code from all of us. If we still got together in our dreams that night, it would confirm my continuing growth of gifts.

Pulling up Renée's profile, I found not only her genetic additions, but a vast amount of code detailing the changes she had implemented before her abilities kicked in. Most of it had to do with looks, but there were also details on health. She couldn't contract a disease or virus. Her chances for what had to be every form of cancer were bottomed out. She would live a long healthy life, short of accidents. I copied that code and applied it to all the rest of us. It was a benefit everyone could use. No doctor's visits for the flu, no concerns of tumors or cancer. To not have to worry about nature creeping up and killing us was good.

As I added that code to the others, I noticed one more detail. Each of them, and I verified that even Renée had it, had a three character code at the beginning of their command box, even the ones who didn't have any commands at all. I pulled up my code and looked, but I didn't have it. Was it because they were female? No, that couldn't be. Why would women have additional genetic code that men didn't have? For the most part, both genders are the same. It had to be because of me. Each of these women bore my mark, the amber streak that hovered over their chest. They each wanted and shared me willingly. It had to be that. I was encoding them. I was affecting them as if adding code to their profiles. Only the code I added couldn't be deleted in the program. Just like the code Renée and I were apparently born with, it was not removable. It was too much. All the concern with how I affected them and that little bit of extra knowledge was too much.

Fortunately for my sanity, a knock at the door kept me from thinking any more on that last. My radio was playing a CD of Erin's that I found with a mix of different artists, but it wasn't the same one she had played the night we had dinner. Currently Christina Aguilera was singing "Come on Over". I knew that I couldn't feign not being home with the music beating away. I checked the time and found that two hours had passed since Renée and Erin left. Maybe there were other things they had to get. It was enough of an event when Renée took me to the mall the day before. I couldn't imagine what that would be like with two of them.

I got up and answered the door, it was Yvonne. Her long straight brown hair was pulled back in a low pony tail. It pulled her hair tight, giving the illusion that she wore her hair short. Her deep blue eyes sparkled in the brightness of the Texas sun. Her lips were a lighter shade of red and her smile lit up her face. Just like seeing any of my other girls, it made me feel good right down to my toes. Taking in her outfit with a glance, she wore a pale blue tank top that made her look like she had more of a tan than she really did. The shirt was tucked into a while skirt that was tight around her waist but hung loose around her thighs. Her legs were as shapely as I remembered and simple sandals showed off her painted toes. The red on her toes matched her lips, and for some reason I wanted to kiss them just as much.

"Hi," She said simply.

"Hello," I replied.

I held out my hand and she took it. Her fingernails also held that same shade of light red. I couldn't stop myself from kissing a couple of tips and then move up and kissed her knuckles. That good feeling intensified with our touch and I didn't have to pull her any closer for our lips to make contact. It still disturbed me that I had linked with so many women, but that soft, furry feeling of rightness and goodness just made it so much easier to take. Much like adding sugar to a spoonful of medicine, I was being force fed the fluid, but the hand consistently made it sweet enough to swallow without too much complaint. We pulled from the kiss simultaneously. She looked as good as I felt.

Our greeting had moved inside, but the door was still open and two bags were on the porch. After another scorching kiss I pulled from her long enough to grab the bags, bring them in and close the Texas heat back out.

Yvonne looked at one of the bags, "I only brought the one bag. The other was sitting there when I arrived."

I froze.

I didn't like that someone was dropping off bags without notification. Anything could have been in it. It felt like it was heavy enough for clothes, but it didn't move. I was pretty certain there wasn't anything alive in it.

I set the bag down gently and handed Yvonne hers. "Take your bag and wait in the bedroom." I started to point the way, but I thought of something else. "Do you have a phone?" She nodded. "Okay, watch from the doorway of the bedroom. If something happens, close the door and call 911."

She nodded and backed away. I watched her until she was holding the door open enough to see through but not enough for anything to get through before she could slam it closed.

I moved the bag to the center of the main living area, half-dining, half-living. I wanted plenty of room to jump back if necessary. Everything else melted away and I was only aware of the bag. It was brown leather overnight bag with two short half-circle handles. It was big enough to carry any number of possible items, and I was about to find out what.