Chapter 7

Knox didn't come home until the next day. I had slept in the dungeon with Tiffany but sleep didn't come easy. Somebody kept running their lips down my body and attaching themselves to my clit. I had to retaliate and usually got Tiffany to shoot.

When I was summoned to see Knox the next morning she seemed to be busy with paperwork. I just stood like a soldier awaiting orders from her commanding officer.

She didn't even look up when she said, "So you seduced her?"

"It appeared to be the easiest thing to do."

"The tests came back that she has chlamydia."

I wracked my mind about this disease. Many people had it and it was contagious. I figured it could be cured but I was stupid not to wait for the next medical report on Tiffany. I tried to think of a way to use this situation to my advantage but I came up short.

Knox said with an angry tone of voice, "Not only did you have unprotected sex with the woman but you kissed Sam. He may now have this disease too. The addition of antibiotics may skew the experiments."

In my own defence I said, "Preliminary tests said that Tiffany was clean."

"You should have waited for the second series of tests to be completed."

"I'm still twelve and got horny. I had a job to do and I wanted it done quickly. My objective was to make friends with the woman and I think I did that. Antibiotics should cure or prevent the disease from forming in Sam or myself. I only see this as a small problem. My talks with Tiffany shows that she wants to continue with the regimen because of the power it gives her. If she is not lying then she is not about to leave. If she is this cooperative then she could be used to extract data now."

"She could run at the first opportunity."

"Give her the antibiotics only. She'll revert back to her former self. We can all observe her and see if she really misses the effect of the drug. Then you have to assess her to find if she wants the drug more than a limited amount of freedom."

"I've already come to that conclusion. The antibiotics will be administered later. I want Sam to go with us to pick out some pups."

"I'd like to make a few suggestions."

"What are they?"

"Set up a double blind and bring Tiffany to see the dogs before she is fully off the drug. If she tries to run you will be able to intercept her. This will tell you whether she wants more drug or more freedom.

"If she passes take Sam and Tiffany off their medications. Bring some dogs to the house. Let Sam and Tiffany play with them while still under the last influence of the drug. We will learn something I'm sure. You suggested before that Sam should go to his father's birthday when the effects have worn off. In six to nine days we should find that he is probably not exhibiting any effects. At that time we take him or them to a kennel so he can pick out the dogs. One of the dogs should tie Tiffany to us even if only slightly."

"This double blind is a good idea. But you can't go see her after coming up with this idea."

"Then I have been called away. Perhaps some dogs could be loaned to somebody you know. Tiffany can make her decision tomorrow."

"She will know that you set this trap up the next time you see her."

"She knows that she will be tested all the time. She knows I'm aggressive but fair or at least I hope she does."

The plan for Tiffany was a simple trap and I had discussed these ploys with her already. She didn't strike me as stupid but like all of us she could be foolish. I'd like to warn her but I saw no method. All I could do is send a message saying I could not visit for a few days. This had to be simple so it would not be dissected for hidden messages.

My other suggestions were nebulous so Knox had to chose her own methods if she wished to follow any of them. Sam and I were called to Kelly's office and we received some azithromycin. We were told that usually one dose was enough.

I went back to studying for the next three days. When I returned to Tiffany I called out, "Smile when you see me and then read my mind and show anger." This was repeated at least twenty times until I came to the door to Tiffany's area. Then I added, "Don't admit to reading my mind, until I'm close to you." She was very ladylike and asked, "What happened to you, Piper. I missed you."

"There was a minor infection to cure."

"Why didn't you send a message?"

"I did send a message."

She looked into my thoughts and then blew up. "Maybe you did but you tried to trap me." She came across as very angry and I even stepped back half of a step."

She said, "How could you do such a thing? I thought we were friends."

"Miss Knox has to be sure of your motives. It was an easy test. I seem to be on the outs with her myself. I was not told if you looked like you were going to run."

She hotly said, "I didn't try to run."

"Then you passed the first test. Were you told about your infection?"

"I'm clean now but don't believe me. Talk to your Miss Knox."

"In fact I have to. Not because of your word but there may be restrictions I have to follow."

"So I'm not clean enough for you?"

"I said I have to check for restrictions. What's so hard to understand?"

Tiffany seemed to cool down and in a milder voice said, "I thought you were my friend and a friend doesn't try to trap people."

"You told me once that your friend left you with her boyfriend and came back to check. You joked about that."

"This is different."

"Yes, it is. This is much more serious. You want access to a drug that will change the world. The rewards are enormous and the risks are as well. We just have to be sure. If you were in our shoes, you would do the same thing."

"I would not."

I stared at her and now blocked my mind. In a moment her shoulder's slumped and then she started to cry. I moved in and she held me to her. I barely came to her chin but I supported her. In a moment I moved her to her room and set her down on the pads.

"Are you feeling a bit better now?"

"A little."

I used the corner of a sheet to wipe her eyes and said, "You had to pass a test to even start. I warned you when I was here before. You didn't strike me as a foolish woman. So I risked a small easy test for you to pass."

Tiffany took the sheet corner from me and wiped her eyes better. "Why didn't I get the message."

"I can only think that Miss Knox wished some conflict now. You can read my mind to see that I wasn't to blame."

"Why would she do that?"

"Since you would find the truth, she knew you would side more with me."

"I don't like her for doing that."

"There had to be a test."

One of security opened the main door and walked to our room. She gave a weak smile and said to me, "Miss Lish is to be instructed in how to act in the main house so she will not upset the students. She will be introduced tomorrow morning."

I asked, "Do you know about Tiffany's medical?"

"I wasn't given that information."

When meal time arrived, only one tray came and that was for Tiffany so I took the hint and went to the main house to eat and look for Knox. She was conveniently away. Kelly was nowhere to be found.

Sam was coming down from his ESP high and I was careful to make sure I mentioned his faked abilities so he would not be caught.

Sam was happy to see me but somehow deflated because his abilities were leaving. I said, "This is only a medical test. Is your thinking deteriorating?"

"Not that I know of."

"You don't sound that way. Just do more tests until you get to zero or nearly so."

I brought Tiffany to the house the next morning. She already had a school uniform. The students clustered around her like flies on meat but I might be being mean by saying that. Sam was nearby but not in this crowd. When he and Tiffany met it was like everybody else ceased to exist.

This could be dangerous and I brought Sam close so the distance to communicate wouldn't be beyond their faked range. The two just looked at one another and I actually put Tiffany's hand in his. There must be an awful lot of communication going on but I wasn't part of it.

The rest of the students just looked at them until they understood what must be happening. I introduced the students to Tiffany and said that she was like Sam in that she could read minds.

It was nearly a half hour for the two to look around and I started the introductions again. Tiffany's hand was still in Sam's.

Knox made an entrance and Tiffany was polite. Knox took the girl aside and brought her to her office. I called out my warnings about range and traps and I hope Tiffany was able to follow the guidelines for the faked results.

I turned to Sam. He was following Tiffany with his eyes until she disappeared. I asked, "What do you think of her?" It took a while and a slap on his belly to get him to respond.

"She's wonderful. I don't really know what to say. She's the first person I knew so well. It isn't love I feel but it's close. It's as if we knew each other for a hundred years and then met again after a long vacation."

"How good is your range?"

"I can feel her but not read her thoughts. I can still hear her easy. Even at my current power. I could understand her thoughts at maybe a hundred metres. When she learns to transmit it will get better."

"Did she read how to transmit?"

"Yes, I offered this to her and also how I can visualise something on the other side of a barrier."

"Neat."

"Yes it is."

School was nearly cancelled as tests were done on Tiffany and then on her and Sam together. Sam was used to faking the results and Tiffany was a fast learner.

Two days later Kelly, Tiffany, Sam, and I went to visit his family. The father was having a big birthday bash. The strattera was ready but not needed by either of the two.

Sam's family was amazed at the change in him. Some had visited and talked on the phone but now he was in his natural setting. Those that hadn't had time to see him were more shocked than simply amazed.

Sheila was paranoid but still trusted Sam enough not to talk. Kelly was openly his nurse and had orders to sedate him if there was trouble. Tiffany was listed as a fellow sufferer and this allowed her to be sedated more logically if the need arose. There were two cars nearby with two people in each with orders to apprehend Tiffany if she made a break for it. They were outside Sam and Tiffany's stated range.

Tiffany stayed close to Sam and Sam held her hand. This was seen as cute. The family knew of Sam's neuromuscular problems that were leading him to an early death. They were concerned as were the rest of us but it was inevitable.

Matthew, the father, stood with a glass of mineral water and asked, "Piper, I doubt if you're one of the people in the study. Why did you come to this party with strangers?"

"I was Sam's number one girlfriend until Tiffany arrived. I got pushed down to number two pretty quick."

There was quiet around me then Matthew laughed. "I can see that you care for him. Are you one of the students at Miss Knoxs' school?"

"Guilty, I'm afraid. I'm learning business and I was trusted with some important projects. I have to treat each of the projects as if I were within a large corporation. When Sam came to us, my sister and I were asked to help and I took on the responsibility."

"You're so young for such a job."

"I'm twelve. I'm told my IQ is actually a hundred and sixty. My mind is in a very small body. I'm also one of those people that just have to learn. One day I'll be almost as important as Miss Knox is now."

"That would be quite an accomplishment."

"It gives me a goal to work hard at to get to."

The party was much nicer than the ones we had in Knox' place. I felt threatened all the time there. It was as if Knox could suddenly reach critical mass and we'd all die.

We were nursing plans to escape but a lot of goals had to be achieved first. Sam — well, Sam had to be of no use to Knox so he was out of the question because we couldn't take him with us. He had difficulty walking sometimes and we couldn't care for him the way he needed.

We needed money and information. Sam and I had been gathering this for a long time. We planned on siphoning off some of Knox' money into our own off shore bank accounts. We were even told that we could get a debt card drawn on one of those bank accounts and use it in any ATM. We could go to any bank and use their facilities to draw cash from those same accounts for a point five percent charge.

Knox changed her passwords all the time. Since her IQ was so high it was obvious that she had a great memory. We considered siphoning off some cash but embezzlement was not my forte. It would be better to do it all at once just before we made a break for it.

Tiffany could drive and we were simply going to take a car. There were lots of sets of keys around though none were in the hands of the students. Sam told us where they were and we just had to hope that they would be available when we needed them.

Tiffany was from Edmonton and it was logical that she would want to go back. Knox would know this and search that city extensively. We had to pick other areas and chose Montreal. It was better to hide in a large city.

Paperwork was necessary but we could only hope to purchase that from some criminals someplace. All this hinged on getting enough money to get started. Tiffany told us all she learned on the streets and I could add only a little. I was not about to live in alleys but I would be content to try to blend in with the great unwashed majority of the country. Tiffany could be called my older sister.

Kim was happy where she was. I couldn't leave her behind but she may not come willingly. The best plan we had was to slowly clue her in to what Knox was really like just before we left. I'd like to take the rest of the girls but there were too many of them. None of them knew much about how Knox really was even if they had seen her angry. They wouldn't want to leave their comfortable niche. The time to start this part of the plan would be when we had an idea when our escape would happen.

Sam had picked up the names of a lot of her enemies. Some were former friends and some were former partners of hers. She dealt with crime figures to sell her dope. The last group found both students and now subjects for her experiments. Some of those she cheated but they didn't know it. She was currently screwing Stethbridge. To put some spice to it she was trying to screw her major competitor in the company. From what Sam said he was just a male version of Knox.

We had the chance to pick up enough data on those people that we could tip them off to some ways to get even with her. This would cause a great diversion when we left. She might have so many court cases to fight off that she wouldn't have too much time left to look for us.

Sam went to show Tiffany his room and he came back very happy and Tiffany holding him even closer. His parents saw the glow and I was sure they knew the reason.

We left the party after only two hours. Sam was losing his balance and had to be supported on two sides. Still, he was happy and so were his parents.

We visited the Humane Society on the way home just to allow Sam to meet some of the animals. Knox was not going to allow a mutt to come onto her property. Sam and Tiffany studied the dogs a great deal and I was the one that wanted Kelly to supposedly buy me a doggie. Tiffany didn't have any of the ability now but Sam still had a tiny bit.

That night Sam and Tiffany were given the drug. Both were given a new cocktail using focalin. This replaced the amphetamine that helped the Abicore break through the brain barrier. This time it was Abicore-M instead of Abicore-L that was used.

I stayed up with both of them as they went through their pains. Sam's were not harsh and only lasted a short time. Tiffany's troubles were less than Sam had suffered before so this was an improvement.

The next day we began the experiments. The results were not good and it was easy to see the reason. Sam and Tiffany were usually focussed on each other. Knox had them separated enough to leave the property to test their range. I knew it must be hard for them to be apart this way. I also felt very sorry for Tiffany. There would be a gaping hole ripped out of her life in the next few months.

Tiffany left her bed in my room and went to live in Sam's. Kim had been moved out and placed in a larger room with two other girls. I was alone again and it hurt.

Dogs were brought and put in the kennels. Tiffany and Sam made reports to Knox of what they saw in the dogs. Knox stayed at the far end of the gym doing needless tasks to keep herself out of what she felt was their maximum range.

Sam said, "Dogs don't think like us. In fact it took a half hour to even find a way to read them. They think of only the present. They use images but also sounds and smells. We stink but a dog accepts us anyway."

Tiffany said, "When I was young the next door neighbours had a dog. It was a nice dog but it was treated like a baby. I think it was neurotic. We have to find out more about dogs before we get some."

Knox said, "Why do you say that?"

"You want to experiment on them. That means you have to have a starting point. The tests you give us won't work on the dogs. Sam and I are the best people to find a way of evaluating them. We studied what the trainer thought but we could only get her surface thoughts. We can't just vacuum all the facts up. We need time to retrieve and store what we find. We could talk to experts if we get a day or so and we can check the net or books. I think the animals have to live in a natural environment some of the time and in a situation where they can be mentally and physically stimulated."