Chapter 239

..."Check for the obvious," Jeff said.

A look of frustration crossed Selina's face. "My Prime, I have failed in my objective to communicate the full extent of my investigation. The object of my discourse is to obtain your assistance in exhausting the remaining possibilities. This daunting endeavor must be completed expeditiously. If I am present when Billy teleports, I can follow him, otherwise, his location is unascertainable."

The Prime smiled at Selina. "But there is another possibility, other than his using one of the rooms."

"Another?" the little genius replied, a frown crossing her pretty face. "He is unable to teleport to the outside, therefore he is depositing his excreta within the Retreat itself," she answered reasonably. Selina's face was still flushed. It was obvious she was barely holding the tears back as she worried about her kitten.

Diana hugged the genius child. "No matter what happens, you can stop worrying about losing your kitten. We would never force you to give him up; besides, we love him as much as you do."

"But if he is damaging the carpet..."

"Then we'll find a solution to the problem," Jeff offered. "If he has used the carpet, well, we have carpet shampooers, or we could have the carpet steam cleaned. If worse comes to worst, we can replace what he's ruined. There are several options. But ... he's part of the family, so he isn't going anywhere. As Diana said, you can stop worrying about that."

Jeff put Selina on her feet and stood. "Be back in a few minutes."

"Are you going to request assistance in searching?" Selina asked.

"Hmmm. In a way. You two just stay here. I'll be back shortly."

Jeff, Diana, Arlene and Selina were in the sitting room of Selina's suite. The tech had just finished installing the tiny camera in the six-year-old's bathroom. As the technician turned to the Colonel, Jeff shook his head. "Tell her," he said, nodding to Selina.

Jeff almost told the Security tech to treat Selina as an adult, but stopped himself, knowing that because of Security's intensive training, Selina would be every bit as familiar to the woman as anyone else in the family.

Motioning to the laptop on the coffee table, "Ma'am," the tech said, "the camera is motion activated. I have limited its transmission range to approximately fifty feet. In addition, the secure transmission can only be accessed by the program running in this laptop. The program is awaiting a password of your choosing. Please enter that now," she said as she politely turned away to give Selina privacy to enter it.

When Selina had finished, the tech handed the child a small remote. "Since it is a bathroom, this remote will offer you additional privacy so that you can turn the camera off when you choose."

After the tech had left with a cup of hot chocolate and a sweet roll in hand, Selina addressed her Prime. "I explicitly desire that your suspicions be confirmed, but attempting to envision a kitten using a commode is quite challenging for me. I have watched several videos on the Internet demonstrating cats using commodes, however, the cats were all adults. How could Billy achieve sufficient balance control to prevent falling in? He is tiny compared to an adult cat."

"Let's just wait and see," Jeff said as he hugged the child. "He learned to teleport. No telling what else the enhancement will do, or has done, for him."

Out in the hallway as the three Matthews started for their suite, Arlene questioned, "Do you really think Billy is using the commode?"

Jeff glanced at his young wife. "Selina has searched her suite and everything nearby, as well as all the open areas. It doesn't make sense that the kitten would teleport to a suite he's never been in to do his business. Cats generally don't stray far from their home, and home to him is probably Selina's suite."

"Too bad we can't teach Spike and Sugar to use a commode," Arlene commented, voicing her thoughts aloud as the three turned into the Matthews' suite.

Jeff grinned at her. "And who says we can't? Spike is already tinkling in my urinal when I come in from our run in the mornings. Well, he has three times, anyway."

"He has?" Arlene asked, an expression of shock on her face.

"Just so long as he doesn't do anything else in it," Diana remarked with a grimace.

"Yeah, that would be gross," Arlene agreed.

In short order, Arlene had her laptop open and was searching. After a couple of minutes, "Look at this," she said, turning the screen toward her parents.

"Toilet seat inserts for dogs," Diana said with a laugh.

They watched several videos of both dogs and cats using commodes. "Order several of those," the Prime said. "We can put one of the seats in the big bathroom just down the hall from the living room. One in here on one of the commodes, and one in Hope's suite for Sugar. Well, on second thought, make that Art's suite, since they'll be married tomorrow night. His is a double suite, so we should be able to use the commode in the other side. They're certainly not using that bedroom. Once the puppies are trained, no more having to take them outside in the cold."

Arlene frowned as she thought. "But how are the puppies going to reach the commode? They can't jump that high, and if they did manage to, they would fall in." Then, "Oh," as she realized what was needed.

"Yep. We need a step or two for the puppies. And ... we do have a contractor living here with us, so the steps won't be a problem," Jeff said with a grin. "We can set the door closure mechanism to leave one of the big hall bathroom doors cracked open for the puppies when they're not in their suites."

"If we can train them," Arlene commented.

"If Billy is using a commode – and I strongly suspect he is – we need to arrange for the puppies to be where they can see. We've already seen how smart they are. I'll bet they can learn just like Billy."

A little later, there was frantic knocking on the bedroom door. When Arlene hurried to open it, a grinning Selina came in with her laptop. Everyone gathered around as she quickly opened it on the bed and activated the video. It started with Billy standing on the commode seat, presumably having teleported there. He quickly turned around, grabbed the outer rim of the seat with his claws and positioned his rear over the opening in the commode. As he froze in place, Selina turned the volume up. They could hear a faint sound as he tinkled into the water.

A moment later, he walked around the seat and jumped for the flush lever. It took two tries to hit the handle just right. Selina hastened to turn the volume down as the magnified roar of the water filled the room. There was a "whap" of displaced air as Billy teleported away – mission accomplished.

"Well," Jeff laughed, "I guess you won't have to worry about changing cat litter any more."

The adults hugged Selina and congratulated her on having such a smart kitten.

"Now we need to get those commode inserts ordered and have Dave build some steps for the puppies."

"And ... figure out a way for the puppies to see Billy using the commode," Arlene added.

A Luxury Suite Not Far From Washington, D.C.

Hossein Madina, the diplomat, glared at his bodyguard. "I am growing impatient. There has never been a problem acquiring girls before. Why the delay?"

"But Sir, we have to be doubly cautious at present. We have discussed this several times and you agreed..."

"Yes. Yes, I know all that, but time has passed. The FBI has many things to distract them. There should be no problem with the disappearance of two young females. They are only females, after all."

"But Sir, you must remember, the people here value their females much more than we do in our country. We must proceed with due diligence lest we..."

"Nonsense. We will continue to be cautious, of course, but my cock grows tired of women. I need younger, virginal pussy. Are you saying you are unable to provide it?"

"No, no," Abassi hastened to say. "We have located two sets of very pretty girls who fit the profile, but so far the team has not had a proper opportunity to obtain two girls at the same time. Would you consider one of them?"

The diplomat was shaking his head. Then with a sigh, "I will wait for a while longer, but I want two young virgins, preferably sisters. Even now, I can feel my cock ripping their virginities asunder. I want to see their terror as I push against the membranes that guard their innocence. But if you do not produce..."

"It will be soon, Sir. It will be soon."

The Retreat

Well after dark, Jeff was again standing to the left of the outside range, near the tree he had broken in half. I need something to push with, but it shouldn't be like the snow blade, and the hand has too much gripping power – well, with my hit and miss control, anyway. I need the ability to finesse – to gently touch, to push like I did with the SUV on the way down the mountain, then maybe to grip, but gently. I need to, somehow, increase my ability to control. Practice, darnit, practice.

He tried to think of something large, yet both resilient and soft, with which to push against the tree. With a vague image of something like a big mattress, he pushed it mentally into the tree's limbs – very slowly. The limbs bent under the invisible source and he jerked his mental object back, allowing the limbs of the tree to snap to their original positions. Some snow fell off them.

Well, at least I didn't tear the tree in half, he thought. Now, let's see what I can do with just one limb. Control, he told himself, Control.

He continued to try to gently shake the tree. His control still varied, but was a little better overall. As he moved about, still looking up into the tree, he stubbed his toe on a rock that was beneath the snow. Irritated, without conscious thought of doing so, he brought the rock up with his mind, leaving the stone hanging in the air in front of him, ice and snow clinging to it. His right big toe still smarting, he cast the rock up the mountain with his mind. High acceleration and air resistance shattered the rock, the resulting gravel spraying the mountainside high above him.

Although there was some light from the security lights, he had been using his enhanced night vision to better see the branches of the tree. With that enhanced vision, he saw the separate impacts as the rock fragments crashed into the mountain. That triggered other thoughts.

The Prime turned to stare at where he knew the invisible Ship hovered. Almost as if he knew, he glanced back at the Retreat, then started toward the Ship.

Watching via one of the outside cameras, Diana felt the jolt as Jeff turned his gaze toward the Retreat and her. It's almost as if he knows I'm watching him. I love that man more every day, she thought as he turned and jogged toward the Ship.

Inside the Ship a few moments later, she spoke in his mind, "Kayla and Art are in the training facility."

"Training facility? I didn't know you had one."

"It is unseemly to have others using the command couches. For propriety, you, your Clan Queen and your Number One should be the only crew allowed to use them unless there is a dire emergency. I have placed the simulator facility a short distance down the corridor from the lounge. Kayla and Art are presently using the couches there to train."

A smile touched the Prime's face. "So, this afternoon wasn't enough for them?"

"They are both quite enthused," the Ship responded.

"I want to try out something on the range."