Chapter 46: Law

I must have asked her four times, "You can see them?" and each time she nodded or said yes. I didn't think anyone else would ever see the marks that bound us all together, but Renée could. Not only the marks on Alexandria and Mandy, but those amber streaks of not-really-light all of us had.

"When did it happen?"

"I first noticed Alexandria's and Mandy's after you finished in each of them. Then I looked and found the same mark on each of us." She sounded as amazed as I felt. "You're abilities are still growing, still evolving."

I nodded. "And I'm now able to make others feel my thoughts." Renée looked at me. I explained the more subtle details of my encounter with Alexandria and what I had been thinking on when it just suddenly happened. I didn't feel any different for it. "It's more like an extension of my Charm or Empathy, maybe both."

"It could even be the dreams brought to conscious thought," she suggested.

I looked at her. I had been watching the other girls talking to our newest family members. It was interesting how quickly and easily everyone accepted the new additions. I had been worried about Mandy's reception, but they treated her just as readily as Alexandria. In fact, to some degree, she received a bit more attention. Her silky fur was difficult to resist. Occasionally, I had caught a look, a glance or a smile. They knew I was watching and some of them enjoyed that just as much as feeling me touch them. Renée's mentioning our recently shared dream had caught my attention. I had just been wondering what our shared dreams that night would involve.

"We'll know for sure tonight. Earlier, while looking over everyone's code, I removed that bit from those you had modified. If I've evolved, then so has our connection, and it may now include shared dreams." I watched the girls again too.

"What about Alexandria and Mandy? Vikkor is bound to have passwords on them."

"True," I glanced over to the curtain that led to her hidden exit. "I doubt she'll share them tonight. Tomorrow, when I return for Chloe, I'll get them."

"She's not going to just turn them over. You really pissed her off with all of this," Renée held out her hands to the mural rug to indicate the show that had finished only a few minutes earlier.

"She is correct," agreed a deep voice. Law had maneuvered around the crowd and stood a respectful distance away. Renée and I both turned as one to meet his eyes. As before, he bowed only his head with his eyes closed. I returned the gesture.

"You don't believe Vikkor will give up the passwords for Alexandria and Mandy?" I asked the very tall, very large man.

He shook his head solemnly. "She is prideful and very stubborn. Until today, no one has ever turned from her to take a new master. No one." He looked over to Alexandria. "You would do well to find a way to protect her with your abilities. If Vikkor has passwords for them, as you suggest, then your only course of protection would be to move outside her effective range of control." That meant getting Mandy and Alexandria at least a hundred miles from Vikkor's facility, probably further.

I didn't like that idea. I wasn't sure they would be willing to go and there was still the problem with our connection. There had to be a solution that worked. Mandy was supposed to seduce me and find out what modifications I had through the program. "Do you think Vikkor can be bought?"

Law's eyebrows creased. "She already has a small fortune and a business that allows her to travel easily. Money means nothing to her."

"What about code from Master PC?"

The big man looked thoughtful. "That may work, if it is something she can use. If you mean to turn over the code that allows you the same abilities as you've demonstrated, then she may accept it as compensation for taking her women."

"But would that get me their passwords?"

He shook his head again. "I don't know."

I nodded and held out my hand to shake. "Thank you."

Law looked at my offered gesture. "Alexandria was right. You gain something with touch." He was wary and considering the show he witnessed, I didn't blame him.

"I gain nothing but what you offer. I may have problems keeping them happy," I gave Renée's waist a squeeze, "but of this I am in complete control. Touching allows me to share memories and it is a two-way street. I look at it like asking personal questions, you don't have to answer if you don't want to. I can't force my way into your thoughts or anything like that, and if it happens you'll be aware of it." I looked at my own hand and back up to his eyes. "This is nothing but as it appears. I don't care for those games."

He listened, looked at my hand and finally enveloped mine with his. He could have crushed the tiniest bones in my fingers but he applied only the right amount of pressure for a solid hand shake. Nothing happened, just as I had offered. When we pulled back from the shake, he let out a breath. I was surprised.

"You didn't entirely trust me, did you?"

"I have been playing those games for a few years. Vikkor never lets up. It's how she does everything. Nothing happens without some ulterior meaning." Weariness crept across his eyes; I didn't need to touch him to know just how much those games affected him.

"Then why do you put up with it? You're a User, protect yourself and yours and ignore her."

Again, he shook his head. "Vikkor is far more accomplished at manipulating people. Currently we are in agreement to not affect each other or our subjects without permission. Even then, getting permission is difficult."