Chapter 14

Heather felt restless. She could not sit still, shifting in her seat as if unable to get comfortable. She shivered as waves of cold seemed to flow over her body, growing worse as the bus crawled towards the intersection with Canal Street. The bus lurched every now and then as it struggled to get through the bottleneck at that intersection.

She glanced across the aisle, but only briefly. The aura around Frank was too much for her to bear this close to her. Despite Jason's inability to see it, she wondered how Jason could just sit like that and jabber away with him as if nothing were wrong.

She occasionally exchanged a look with Melinda. Melinda was looking a bit pale and put out. It was obvious she was upset with Jason for choosing to sit with his fellow geek rather than his girlfriend. Melinda's look to Heather was cool as well, as she felt that Heather was not being much of a comfort to her either.

Heather sighed and looked out the window. The feeling of dread was horrible, like a suffocating blanket over her senses. She felt more and more like they were missing something.

Up ahead, the light turned green and the traffic inched forward. Heather blinked as she was momentarily dazzled by sunlight reflecting from glass. She recovered just in time to see the tail end of a long, black car complete the right turn at the light.

Heather's mouth dropped open. Wait, was that Cassie's limo?

Heather abruptly gasped. An image had seized her mind so powerfully that she briefly panicked that someone had taken control of her. It was as clear and precise as the imagery had been that day she talked to Diane in the mall. She saw Cassie, heading down a hallway in the school and pausing at the door of a classroom in the lab area of the school. A few moments later, she was joined by a mousy-looking woman she recognized as Marcie Fuller.

"Heather? Heather!"

Heather blinked rapidly. "What?" she said absently.

Melinda stared at her. "You okay?"

Heather swallowed as her face paled. Her heart thumped hard.

"Heather?" Melinda said again, the growing panic in her voice now evident. "What's wrong?!"

Heather leapt out of her seat and stepped over to the driver. "Mr. Bradley, stop the bus!" she cried. "I have to get off!"

"Huh? Whut? Git back in yer seat!" old man Bradley grumped.

"No, I have to get off now! I... I left something back at school. I think I dropped it in the parking lot. It's important. Please!"

Melinda's mouth dropped open. She exchanged an equally perplexed look with Jason.

"I ain't goin' back to the school!" Bradley growled.

The traffic ahead of them began to clear. "You don't have to!" Heather shouted as the intersection fast approached ahead. "Just let me off and I'll walk back and have my Mom pick me up. Please!"

Bradley muttered darkly under his breath and flipped the red blinkers on. He proceeded through the intersection before bringing the bus to the curb with agonizing slowness.

"Thank you!" Heather cried as the doors snapped open.

Melinda bolted up. "I'll help her!" she piped, bounding after Heather.

"Uh, me too!" Jason said awkwardly, following Melinda.

"Aw, fer the luvva..." Bradley grunted after them.

Jason had barely stepped onto the sidewalk when the door closed behind him. The bus pulled out into traffic with a roar and a teeth-chattering grind of the gears and a belch of black diesel smoke. Jason coughed and waved his hand before his face to clear the air. "Heather, what was all that about? Heather? Wait!"

Heather had already started walking quickly back in the direction of the school, forcing Jason and Melinda to jog to catch up with her. "Something's happening back at the school," she said. "We have to get back there. I think Richie is in trouble."

"But Cassie left in her limo..."

"She's doubling back! I think I saw the limo turn at the intersection. It doesn't matter, I... I saw it. I saw her."

Jason looked nonplussed. "You saw it? What are you talking about?"

"I can't explain it, Jason, and even if I did, you'd just tell me I was crazy!"

"It sounds almost like you're telling me you had a precog or something," he said dubiously.

Heather rounded on him, causing him and Melinda to stop abruptly. "See? I can hear it in your voice! Fine, don't believe it then. You said yourself you didn't want to be the leader of this group, so I don't have to listen to you if you don't want to head back."

Jason sighed. "All right, all right. Anyway, I've got no choice. I'm not about to walk home from here."

"And neither am I," Melinda said. "We planned to stay after anyway, so what difference does it make? Let's get going, it's already something like five blocks to the school from here!"

All three turned and headed across the intersection and back towards school, breaking into a run on the other side.

Richie smirked slightly as he entered the lab ahead of Marcie. As he had expected, it was especially messy, more so than could be accounted for by normal classroom activities. Something had been spilled somewhere that caused an acrid odor in the air.

He had expected this. Lab cleanup was a prime detention activity, and by now everyone knew Richie Gardner had detention again. So the senior class made a point of making lots of extra work for him. It was a "tradition" that had started the year before after Richie's fifth stay in detention.

Marcie wrinkled her nose. "Well, get to work, Mr. Gardner," she said in a somewhat more confident voice than she had used the day before. "And... ugh... clean up whatever is causing that smell, please."

"Yeah, I'll find it, Miss Fuller."

Richie advanced into the lab, dropping his backpack on a reasonably clean table in the front row. He heard Marcie slide out the chair from behind the desk. When he turned, he saw her extract another trashy romance novel from her purse.

Richie grinned at this, but it was subdued. As he set to work, he glanced anxiously towards the open door.

Part of his mind knew what was going to happen that day. Part of him was still confused over why he expected anything to happen. Yet when he thought of it, he felt a dark thrill pass through him, sending a tingling sensation up his spine.

He thought about Cassie. He was not sure why. It excited him nevertheless, and he felt a gentle stirring in his loins, as if in anticipation.

"Wait here for me, Harry," said Cassie through the driver's side window. "I don't know how long I will be."

"Not a problem, Miss Kendall," replied Harry dutifully. "I will need to inform your parents if it is excessive, however."

Cassie just nodded. She didn't care. Her parents wouldn't care either. So long as she was safe, they let her do as she pleased. As it should be. She was going to finally claim that right to have or do whatever she wanted.

She turned away from the car and headed into the school. She smiled to herself at her cleverness. She wasn't sure how she had sensed that the others would follow her, but she knew that it was not something she wanted. After all, she needed her time alone with her new boyfriend.

And he was going to be so much more than a boyfriend to her. She was going to get what she really wanted. The very thought of this made her pussy damp. By the time she reached the end of the hall where Richie's classroom lay, she was panting lightly in her excitement, her cunt hot and steamy. She knew it was going to be a moment of pure ecstasy for the both of them.

She peered inside the classroom, lips curling into a conspiratorial grin. "Psst!"

Marcie looked up immediately. She turned her head and smiled gently to Cassie. After a brief glance towards Richie, she stood. "I'll be right back," she told him as she walked across the front of the room.

Cassie stepped back eagerly as Marcie slipped out of the room. Marcie smiled at her. "You'll be very glad to know that Principal Bendon did not mind one bit you coming to see your boyfriend yesterday."

"Oh, wonderful!" Cassie gushed. She giggled. "Though it was cute when it was a secret between us girls."

Marcie giggled as well, delighted. "You want to see him again? You need some time alone?"

"Oh, yes, please, Miss Fuller, if you would?"

"Okay." Marcie paused, then raised a finger in mock admonishment. "Now... no funny business."

"Is kissing okay?"

Marcie blushed even at this and giggled again. "Of course it is."

"Thank you! I promise, I only need about, oh, twenty minutes?"

Marcie nodded. "No problem. Just come get me in Miss Bendon's office when you're done."

Cassie nodded eagerly. She grinned and waited until Marcie had retreated down the hallway before she advanced on the door. With no hesitation, she stepped into the room and closed the door behind her, not bothering to be quiet or clandestine about it.

Richie looked up. His breath caught in his throat, eyes widening. He slowly straightened up, his heart thumping. He swallowed, his body trembling slightly. A tingling warmth spread through his body and concentrated in his loins.

Cassie licked her lips and curled them into a glistening, hungry smile. "Hello, Richie," she said in a deeply lustful voice. "I've come to see if you had any... interesting... dreams last night..."

"Wait... stop... have to... catch my... breath..."

Heather doubled over, her hands on her knees as she panted hard, her lungs and her legs aching badly.

"You're... out of shape... you big... bubblehead..." Melinda said, though she was panting as hard and clutching at her side. She looked over to Jason with some alarm. "You okay?"

Jason was looking pale and wheezing badly just from the effort to draw in enough air to compensate for the exertion. His legs felt like rubber and his throat was raw from breathing through his mouth so much.

They stood just at the edge of the parking lot. This was as far as they could get before they had to pause. Heather had set the pace. She had gone faster and faster until all three had been tearing down the street.

Melinda looked up and swallowed, dry throat clicking. "Look!" she cried, pointing.

Heather forced herself to stand. She and Jason now were looking at Cassie's limo. Just like the day before, the driver had a newspaper spread open across the steering wheel.

Jason's eyes were wide in astonishment as he turned back to Heather. "Holy shit. You were right."

"Come on, we have to get inside!" Melinda cried shrilly. "We have to find her!"

"I think I know where she is!" Heather exclaimed. She winced and staggered a bit as she forced her stiffened legs to move. "Come on!"

Soon the three of them were breathing hard again as they pushed themselves to continue on at a fast pace into the school. Pure adrenaline soon compensated for any fatigue or pain they felt. Heather's heart hammered in her chest as they grew close to what she feared was coming to pass.

She feared that the Harbinger Four was about to become Three.

Richie stood with his back to one of the tables. He trembled, though not in fear. If anything, he never felt as excited as he did that moment. His breath was a ragged pant, his eyes fixed and staring into Cassie's.

Cassie ran her hands slowly down his sides, drawing another shudder and long sigh of anticipation from him. His cock strained hard against the inside of his clothes. His lips were parted slightly and his eyes were half-lidded.

"Yes, you know what I want now," Cassie said in a voice that was little more than a hot and moist seductive breeze upon his quivering lips. "You know exactly what I want."

"Yes..." Richie breathed. "I... I know..."

Cassie closed her eyes briefly and uttered a slow, sultry moan. Her own pussy strained for release as much as his cock did. "You're going to give it to me... you're going to give yourself to me..."

"Please..." Richie moaned. "Please... d-do it..."

Cassie giggled softly. One of her hands played with the waist of his jeans. "You want me to do it?" she purred. "I'm not just taking you as my boyfriend, Richie..."

She hooked a finger at his waist, right at the button above his zipper. Richie moaned deeply. His cock was thick and hard, pulsing with his heartbeat, inches from Cassie's fingers.

"I want you to always know exactly what I desire..."

She flicked her finger and popped the button open. Richie whimpered and shook until the objects on the table behind him rattled.

"I want you to hang on my every word..."

She began to pull his zipper down, a slow and excruciating task that made Richie's lust soar to levels that made any logical thought impossible.

Cassie's own excitement rose to a fever pitch. "I want you to adore me..." The zipper was halfway down. "... I want you to obey me..." The zipper came down completely. "... I want you to be my slave..."

She drew the nail of one finger slowly up the bulge in his briefs. Richie gave a desperate, agonized whimper as his cock strained hard.

"Oh, no, not yet..." Cassie cooed. "Not until I kiss you... a kiss and you can cum... and then I will cum... and then you'll be mine..."

She gazed deeply into his eyes. Richie gazed helplessly back, unable to think of anything except the pleasure that would come with his total submission to her. He wanted nothing else. He wanted her in control of his wants and desires. He wanted the blissful feeling of being relieved of his responsibilities for his own emotions.

It was just a kiss away. His body wanted it so badly it was almost painful.

Cassie uttered a slow, lustful sigh and her eyes burned with desire. "Yes... you've submitted... you're a good boy again... now... kiss me..."

There was a burst of noise behind her.

Her eyes slid closed and her head tilted to one side. She leaned forward, her body pressing against his, feeling his quivering need for release. She drew in her breath as her lips were about to touch his.

Cassie was yanked backwards violently. She gasped in astonishment, eyes flying open as she and one other person crashed to the floor. There was a shout as a table was shoved across the floor with a loud rattling noise. Glass shattered in crystalline report.

"What?... What did you... ? No... Nooooo!" Cassie screamed.

Richie stood as if paralyzed. Jason raced over to him and shook him. "Richie! Richie! Wake up, dammit!"

His eyes blinked and slowly un-glazed. "Huh... ?"

"Let go! Let go!" Cassie shrieked as she fought both Melinda and Heather. "Let... let... uhh... what... ?"

Cassie's voice slowly trailed off. She drew in a deep breath and let it go as a rattling sigh. Her eyes took on a dazed look, her mouth dropping open. Her struggles ceased.

Melinda winced at the pain from the jarring thump she had taken on her backside when she had fallen to the floor along with Cassie. Yet now this was forgotten, her eyes widening as she stared at Cassie, still holding one of the girl's arms. Her gaze swept Cassie then looked up at her sister, who held Cassie's other arm. Heather nodded slowly, looking just as nonplussed, silently confirming what Melinda had seen. Or in this case, not seen.

Cassie's aura of darkness was gone.

"What the hell..." Richie groaned. He stared at Jason. A look of horror came over his face. He looked past Jason and it was as if he had seen the devil himself. "Keep her the fuck away from me!!"

Cassie gaped at him, then at the others as Melinda rose to her feet and brought Cassie with her. "I... but... I just... oh my God..." Tears welled up in her eyes. "How did I... let go!"

She wrenched her arms from Melinda and Heather's grip. They released her, backing up a step in their own confusion. Before anyone could say another word, there was another burst of noise from the door.

"What... what is going on in here?!" cried Marcie, her eyes wide. "What are you all doing in here? Cassie? Are you all right?"

Cassie's face screwed up in anguish and tears poured from her eyes. "No, I'm not," she choked. She bolted, shoving Melinda to one side hard enough to make her flail and stumble. Melinda fetched up hard against a metal cabinet with a cry of pain as the handle dug into her hip. Jason rushed forward to her just as Cassie ran sobbing from the room, shoes crunching on broken glass.

"We need to go after her!" Jason cried, ignoring Marcie's presence.

"What the fuck for?!" Richie cried, his voice cracking badly.

"Mr. Gardner!" Marcie gasped, flustered. "Your language!"

"No, Jason, it's okay!" Heather said. "She's okay. She doesn't have it anymore."

"But she's upset!" said Melinda. "She was in tears! We should... !"

"And we need to find out from her who... !" Jason began.

"Look, man, I told you that girl is totally fucked in the head!" Richie shouted. "Don't bring her anywhere near... !"

"Quiet! Quiet! QUIET!"

Everyone abruptly fell silent and looked towards Marcie in surprise.

Marcie swallowed, looking just as startled at her own boldness. "Look, what is going on here? This is supposed to be Mr. Gardner's detention."

"Richie is not feeling well," Jason said loudly when it looked like everyone was going to reply at once.

"Huh?" Richie said in confusion. Jason shot him a look. "Oh, yeah, I'm sick."

Marcie looked stricken. "Sick? Oh dear... o-okay... um, I'll take you to the nurse..."

"NO!" Heather, Melinda, and Jason exploded at once.

Marcie flinched as if someone had just goosed her, a hand fluttering to her breast.

"We'll see him home!" Melinda piped. The others chorused agreement, including Richie, though his response was slower and still just as confused.

Marcie knew this was likely against the school rules. But where her boss had praised her for taking actions on her own, and she was rather wary of the nurse herself, she felt it was an acceptable risk to the alternative. She just nodded quickly and made a shooing motion towards the door.

The four scrambled out of the room. Richie made a grab for his jeans as he realized the zipper was still undone. Marcie gasped at this as Richie passed, her cheeks flaring bright red. After they left, she staggered to the desk and fanned herself with her book.

The Harbingers had to meet.

The four rode home with Richie's Mom. Sandra arrived in a sulky mood, having had to go down to the school earlier than she had expected. Her mood grew darker when she discovered only after arriving that she had three other passengers to ferry as well, as Richie had not told her when he had called her. She said barely two or three civil words to them the whole trip, eying them suspiciously in the rear-view mirror.