Chapter 12

The wind tore at them as soon as they exited the limo, whipping strands of hair before their faces. Cassie's still neatly-coiffed curls suffered the least, but she too was constantly trying to toss her head to keep them out of her eyes. Melinda's long, straight hair suffered the most, and she softly cursed every few seconds. Diane finally handed her a hair tie, one of which she had already used to draw her own long hair into a makeshift pony tail.

"Thanks," Melinda said, though she muttered one last curse, since she hated ponytails.

"At least it's not raining anymore," Cassie commented, trying to prevent Melinda from complaining further.

Melinda squinted up at the sky. Clouds sailed past, bits of blue appearing and disappearing among the white. Occasionally the sun broke through and brilliantly shone, only to fade quickly a few seconds later to no more than a hazy splotch.

Cassie returned to the limo. The window slid open as she approached. "Harry, the girls and I will be spending some time in the park. Feel free to go on break for an hour if you wish."

"Thank you, Miss Kendall," said Harry with unfailing politeness. "Please call on the cell phone if you need me."

Cassie nodded and stepped back as the window closed. Harry pulled away from the curb and drove off.

Heather stared in disbelief, then looked at Cassie. "I thought you never could get him to leave."

"Yeah, he's always hanging around waiting for you," Melinda piped.

Cassie smiled. "This is the one section of town where my parents don't worry about me being alone. This is ... well, the upscale part of Haven."

"Jeez, you're not kidding," Diane said, looking around.

The street was lined with tall, majestic trees that glowed with autumn color, interspersed with stands of bright green pines and beautiful blue-tinged spruces. Huge facades of sprawling homes appeared in the gaps between the trees, surrounded by lush, perfectly manicured lawns and bushes, even this late into the season.

Just down the block was a low stone wall, broken by a wide opening with a soaring arch. Beyond it lay fitted-stone paths winding about gently rolling hills and thick stands of trees. An inscription atop the arch read "Mesa View Park". Well beyond the park on the other side of the river soared the distinct flattop of Haven Mesa.

"Oh, wow, what a view!" Melinda said, pointing.

"You should see it from there looking back," said Cassie.

Melinda whirled around. "That's the mesa you live on??"

Heather rolled her eyes. "And how many mesas do you count, runt? Where else would she be but that one?"

Melinda frowned, but her cheeks blushed faintly.

"Cassie, why did you tell your driver we'd be going to the park?" Diane asked.

"Well, I had to have some sort of cover story," said Cassie.

"Oh, so we're not really going there?"

"We are, actually. We, um, have to come at the place from the back."

Melinda raised an eyebrow. "From the back? Why?"

Cassie gave them a guilty look. "I, uh, haven't quite told you everything about this. We better get going while we can and I'll try to explain..."

"Cassie, I asked you before if this was dangerous and you said no. You weren't lying to me, were you?"

"No, Melinda, I wasn't," Cassie said, though her cheeks glowed pink. "But I'm actually not completely sure about this place. Let's go, and I'll explain along the way..."

Jason pedaled as if he were chasing the devil himself.

The rush of air knifed the cold into him through his open jacket, and the sudden shift of the wind through intersections threatened to dump him onto the pavement. The breeze had scoured most of the moisture from the streets, yet as he approached the cross-street to Miss Davis' home, he sent up a spray of water as he plowed through a low spot in the asphalt.

Jason pulled on the brake and slowed to make the turn onto the other street. He was not sure this was the right thing to do, but he had no other options. She wouldn't listen to him at school, so maybe she would listen to him at home.

Cassie had reported that Richie had argued about something briefly with Miss Davis, and that she had appeared anxious and concerned. That had been a good sign that Jason had gotten through to her, though he was concerned that she would let it slip that he had talked to her. But if this had happened, Richie had given no sign of it on the bus ride home.

Cassie had not heard anything about them meeting after school. Jason had to assume that Richie was going to do so anyway, and that it would be at approximately the same time.

Jason shuddered to a stop at the fence outside Miss Davis' home. He paused to catch his breath before he dismounted. He looked at his watch. Richie would be along in twenty minutes if he kept to the same schedule. Jason had wanted to be here earlier so he could get away in time, but his mother had had another errand for him to run.

He sighed. It was now or never.

He chained his bike to the fence and hurried up the walk. He hesitated only a second before ringing the doorbell.

Jason heard running feet approaching the door. It opened, and Linda's slightly breathless voice began, "You're early, Richie, I only just finished..."

She froze in mid-sentence, her eyes wide, her mouth hanging open.

Jason stared as well, and was suddenly at a total loss for words.

Linda was standing there in nothing more than a thin robe of shiny, satin-like material. It clung to the shapely curve of her hips, the bottom edge swirling about her thighs as the breeze blew in through the open door. The wind picked up briefly, wrapping the robe around her slim waist. The cold made her nipples stand out against the fabric. The sash was loose, a narrow slit open nearly to her waist, barely hiding her breasts from view.

Linda huffed, yanked the robe closed over her bosom, and started to close the door.

Jason's throat finally unlocked. "Please, Miss Davis, let me talk to you for a minute! Please!"

Linda stopped. Her fingers tightened around the doorknob. She swallowed hard.

"You're expecting Richie, right? He's going to be here soon, isn't he?"

Linda drew in a deep breath and let it go as a sigh, part exasperated and part sultry. "All right, Mr. Conner, yes, he's going to be here. Are you satisfied?"

Jason was overcome for a moment and didn't know what to do. He felt uncomfortable looking at his teacher in this state of undress.

"You better go. I-I don't know if Richie would like you being here."

"Miss Davis, can I talk to you for a few minutes? Please? Then I'll go."

Linda's face appeared to run a gamut of emotions. Jason thought he saw anger one moment and desperation the next. Her eyes were unmistakable, though. They exuded a growing lustful anticipation. Jason felt vaguely ashamed to see it in a teacher.

He realized it was ridiculous. Teachers were human beings and had the same urges and needs as anyone else. But he had trouble wrapping his brain around the concept at the moment.

Linda gestured curtly and stepped aside. She closed the door behind him as soon as he was inside. "I don't see what this is going to accomplish, Mr. Co ... Jason ... What good is this going to do? Are you going to stand there and tell me this is wrong?"

Jason was not sure. He had not planned anything beyond getting her to talk to him. The rest he was making up as he went along. "Miss Davis, Richie controlled you a few weeks ago, didn't he?"

Linda drew her robe more tightly around her. She turned away from him and lowered her eyes. "How do you ... why do you think that, Jason? Why do you think Richie did something like that to me?"

"It was like I said earlier. It happened to other people, too. Mostly students."

"And ... a-and they did the same thing? Made people into slaves?"

"Yes, that's right."

Linda whirled around. "How? How did this ... supposedly happen?"

Jason didn't have time to go into a long explanation. "Miss Davis, I promise to tell you the whole story later. It's kind of involved."

Linda looked annoyed but nodded. "Is it still happening now?"

"No, it was stopped. I mean, at least no one is being completely controlled."

"And what does this have to do with me, Jason?" Linda asked, a trace of defiance in her voice. "If this was supposedly stopped, why come to me about it?"

"There may be some effect lingering afterward, Miss Davis. That's why I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to know if Richie is making you do things for him."

Linda's jaw tightened, and she fixed him with a hard stare.

Jason wanted to cringe. "Look, Miss Davis, I'm not making any judgments. If you and Richie are doing this because you want to, it's none of my business and I won't mention anything to anyone..."

"I don't know," Linda said.

"Huh?"

Linda placed a hand on her cheek and sighed slowly. "You asked me if I want this. I don't know. But he wants it. And ... when he wants it, I want it. That's all I really know."

"But when you're alone, do you still want it?"

Linda paused, her eyes shifting, a veil of embarrassment drifting over her face.

"Okay, you don't have to tell me that..."

Linda uttered a short, humorless laugh. "I might as well, Jason, I have very little modesty -- or dignity -- left."

Thanks to Richie, Jason thought, seething silently. Way to go, you asshole.

"I guess I do want it, in a way. A stupid fantasy. I was being ironic when I mentioned earlier about teachers that have sex with their students." She gave Jason an earnest look. "But I never did it, Jason. Not before Richie. God, I came close a few times. But I stopped myself. And then Richie ... h-he did whatever he did to me..."

"I'm sorry," Jason blurted. "I'm really sorry this happened. Maybe we stopped it sooner..."

"But how did he do it, Jason? How? How did he get that ... that power? And why is it still working on me? Do I really want it myself or is that what he did to me? I mean, I want it now. I'm ... I-I'm getting excited just thinking about it. About him. But I can't tell if they're my own feelings anymore."

"Do you want this to stop? Do you want him to stop?"

Stricken, Linda looked at him helplessly, her eyes glistening. "I don't know."

The more he listened to Miss Davis, the more upset he got with Richie. Did he not know what he was doing to her? Did he even care? Towards the end of the crisis with Nyssa, she had used the original four Harbingers like puppets. It had been a frightening and terrible experience for all of them. Had Richie forgotten so quickly what that was like?

This wasn't right. It wasn't fair to Miss Davis. Even if she did want this arrangement, she had to be allowed the right to decide for herself.

"Miss Davis, maybe we..."

The doorbell rang.

"That's Richie," Linda said in a voice of both fear and lust.

Jason looked towards the door, his eyes hard.

"I have to answer it," Linda said.

The doorbell rang. And again. And again.

Jason had made no effort to hide his bike. He had hoped to get lucky and get this conversation done before Richie had arrived. But now, in a way, he almost wanted the confrontation. His own anger and frustration had finally reached critical mass and had nowhere else to go.

"Go ahead and answer it," Jason said, an edge to his voice.

"Cassie, I don't think this ... ouch! ... this is such a good idea anymore," said Melinda. She rubbed the back of her hand where the sharp needles from a low-hanging spruce branch had grazed her.

"Oh, will you fucking stop complaining already?" Heather snapped. She wrinkled her nose as her sneaker sank into a patch of mud hidden under the blanket of spent aspen leaves.

"What the fuck, Heather?! This is the first time I've said anything!"

Heather sighed in exasperation. Melinda was right, but it was easier to be angry with her sister than deal with her other feelings. "Okay, fine, whatever..."

"I'm sorry, but I think Melinda's right, it's a mess back here," Diane said.

Cassie tried not to lose her nerve and continued plodding onward through the foliage along the edge of the greenbelt. There was a faint smell of moisture to the air as the wind blew off the river. "It's not going to be this way all the time, you know. It's only because it was raining this morning."

"Yeah, and when it snows?" Melinda piped. She tripped on a piece of deadwood and stumbled. In her anger, she spun around and kicked it, sending it into Heather's leg.

"Ow! You little idiot," Heather grumbled.

"Then pick up your big feet, bubblehead!"

"Big feet? Yeah, like yours are so dainty and ladylike, huh?"

"At least they're not as ugly as yours."

"And how would you know? You got some weird kink for feet or something?"

"I do not!"

Cassie rolled her eyes. She wondered if they realized how stupid they sounded. Or maybe they did, if they'd rather do this than address the real issue between them.

"Please, cut it out, all right?" Diane said in annoyance. "Melinda, stop being a brat."

"What?!" Melinda screeched, causing the others to wince. "Shut up, Diane! You can't say that shit to me anymore! You..."

Cassie stopped and turned. The others nearly ran into her. "Please, stop it. We're right behind the house next door to the one we're after. You want the neighbors to know we're skulking around back here?"

"Well, I didn't think we were going to have to sneak in," Melinda muttered indignantly.

"All I know is what's on the letter that Jason got."

"Why isn't he doing this? Why did we have to come out here?"

Cassie was going to repeat the line that she had used before, that she wanted to do a favor for Jason, but she realized that was wearing thin. Heather and Diane now looked expectantly at her as well. They all knew now that Cassie had some other motive.

She sighed. "All right. I wanted to talk to all of you away from the rest of the group. I have something important to discuss. Please, don't make me explain any more out here. Let's get to the house first."

The three exchanged a look. Melinda just folded her arms and sighed dramatically, but she said no further words of protest.

Heather exchanged one more look with Diane before she turned to Cassie. "Cassie, you've never steered us wrong before, so we'll trust you. Sorry I flew off the handle with the runt here."

Melinda glared at her big sister, but it quickly became more conciliatory.

Cassie relaxed. "Thank you. I promise to explain everything once we get there and check the place out."

They moved in relative silence now, save for the occasional curse or grunt of frustration from Melinda. Cassie felt a bit guilty. She was not worried about getting her clothes or herself dirty. With as many servants as her parents had, she would be cleaned, groomed, and once again perfectly coiffed before her parents saw her again. She knew the others didn't have that luxury.

A privacy fence rose up along the side of the greenbelt, smothered by thick vines. The leaves varied from dusky crimson to rust in hue.

"I'm not climbing that!" Melinda piped.

"I don't think you'll have to," Cassie said. "These places usually have a ... there it is."

There was a gap in the vines. As they approached it, they could see that it was a gate.

"It's closed," said Melinda.

"Thank you, Miss Obvious," Heather muttered.

Diane, the tallest of the four, stepped up to the gate and rose on her toes, peering over the top. "It's just a latch on the other side. There's no lock."

"Well, I think that means that whoever sent Jason the note was serious," Cassie said. "They usually keep those locked."

"To keep out the riff-raff from the greenbelt, right?" Diane said with a smirk.

"Well, pretty much. It's for the convenience of the homeowner to be able to walk right onto the greenbelt. Anyway, we need a way to unlatch that."

"I'll do it."

Then to everyone's surprise, Diane vaulted up the fence, scrambled over the top, and came down on the other side, seemingly in one smooth, liquid movement.

There was a click and a squeak of a wet hinge, and the gate swung open.

Diane blushed when the others stared at her. "I, uh, do a lot of hiking in the mountains with my parents during the summer. My Mom always prefers the really primitive back country trails."

Heather grinned. "No wonder you stay so thin."

Diane smiled, and tried to ignore the tingle in her sex. Heather looked into Diane's eyes for a lingering moment before awkwardly turning away, her skin flushed.

Melinda gave them an odd look. "What's with... ?"

"Let's get to the house," Cassie said loudly.

The back yard was nothing like any Heather, Melinda, or Diane had ever seen. A rather large marble fountain dominated the center. It had been drained of water, holding only what had collected from the rain. Golden aspen leaves littered the bottom. From either side a line of boulders marched with regular precision towards the ends of the property.

Cassie turned to the right and counted out to the third boulder. "Help me look for the key, it's supposed to be around here."

"Here it is!" Melinda called out a few minutes later.

Cassie took the key from her. She looked around. Tall junipers lined either side of the lot, hiding them from view from the neighbors. "All right, let's try to be quiet. I don't think anyone is really supposed to know that we're here."

She led them to the back porch. Melinda gawked at it with obvious envy. It was easily larger than the Sovert living room. Cassie walked straight to the back door and tried the key. It worked easily, the door opening for her. She bid everyone to enter quickly.

Like the porch, everything inside seemed obscenely huge. They stood in a kitchen as large as any that might grace a restaurant. As Cassie closed the door, an astonished Melinda turned to her. "Cassie, is your place like this??"

Cassie looked embarrassed. "Um ... actually, ours is larger ... Anyway, we better leave our shoes here, so we don't tread dirt everywhere."

"Shouldn't we check to make sure no one is home?" Diane said in a low voice.

"I think they would have heard us by now," Heather commented.

"Oh sure, she makes an obvious comment and you don't get on her case!" Melinda piped.

Cassie slipped out her shoes first and peeked into the dining room. The only sound was a gentle, mellow ticking from a large grandfather clock in the living room beyond.

"It's okay, I'm pretty sure we're alone," Cassie said.

Diane glanced nervously at Heather for a moment before going up to Cassie. "Are you sure no one can overhear us here? No one's listening in on us?"

"I'm ... pretty sure, Diane."

Cassie had done as much research as she possibly could after her phone call to Jason. She had found out everything there was to know about Reggie and his house. She even had her driver stop briefly by Reggie's office downtown just so she could get a look at some of his associates. Not one Aura was to be seen.

She even asked them about Reggie's trip. There was nothing suspicious about its purpose or timing. It turned out that she had seen him barely two days before he had left for his trip. She did not recall seeing an Aura on him.

As far as she could tell, the house was safe.

Diane looked back to Heather for a moment, who was arguing with Melinda again. "I just want to make sure anything that's said here ... well ... stays private."

Cassie nodded. "Yes, Diane, don't worry, please. I mean, even Melinda wouldn't..."

"Shut up, Heather, I want to see more of this place!" Melinda said, practically bouncing in her enthusiasm. She came up to Cassie. "I wouldn't what?"

Diane turned away as Cassie said, "Nothing, Melinda. Let's go into the living room and we can talk."

Jason watched Linda approach the door. Suddenly her walk became provocative, her hips swaying from side to side. He heard her utter a slow, lusty sigh as she reached for the doorknob, and her voice was husky when she spoke. "Richie, I'm glad to see you again. I'm already so wet for... "

Richie pushed past Linda, surprising her so much that she stumbled and nearly fell. Only by clutching the doorknob did she manage to prevent a fall. He barreled into the room, stopping just a few steps short of Jason. He stared at his friend in shock and anger, his mouth open. His hands curled into fists.

Behind him, Linda swallowed and closed the door. "Richie, I'm sorry. Don't be angry, please, he..."

"What the flying FUCK are you doing here?!" Richie bellowed.

Jason had not counted on any confrontation with Richie inside Linda's house. He had hoped if it happened at all that it would be outside. There was no reason to drag Miss Davis into the altercation.

And outside, he would have had a chance to run away if Richie became violent.

"This isn't what it you think it is, okay?!" Richie shouted before Jason could reply. "You don't know Jack SHIT of what's goin' on!"

Jason tried to keep his voice as calm as possible. It was difficult. As much as he feared Richie and what he could do with his fists, his sheer anger at Richie towered far above it. "Fine, maybe I don't," he said in clipped tones. "Enlighten me."

Richie frowned. "Huh? Talk normal for once, you fucking nerd!"

"Tell me your side of it. Tell me why you're doing this to Miss Davis."

"I'm not doin' nuthin' to her!" He spun around. Linda flinched. "Go on! Tell him! Tell him about your fantasy about me! Tell him how you frigged yourself silly over me!"

Linda's blushed scarlet.

"She did tell me, Richie," Jason said. "She admitted to me she had a fantasy."

"Then what's the problem? What's the big fucking deal?!"

Jason started losing his patience. "I've explained this to you before! Several times! Not all fantasies are meant to be played out. There's a reason they're called 'fantasies, ' Richie! They're not real!"

"Bullshit!" Richie screamed, spittle flying from his mouth, his eyes wild. "It's real! She felt it! She wanted it!"

"She doesn't know if she wants it, you made the decision for her!"

Richie balled his hands into fists and he raised them threateningly. Jason's heart pounded, but he did not back down. Richie slowly lowered his arms, but kept his hands tightly clenched. Without taking his eyes from Jason, he said, "Linda, you want it, doncha? You wanna be fucked nice and good, right?"

Jason blanched at the bluntness of Richie's language. Linda uttered another husky, needful sigh. One of her hands tried to slip under her robe. She withdrew it hastily, blushing again. "Y-yes, Richie..."

"You're horny right now. For me. Just for me."

Linda swallowed. "Uhhn ... yes..."

"You want me fuckin' that wet cunt of yours, right?"

Linda leaned against the door, panting. "Yes ... oh God, yes..."

"Stop it!" Jason shouted. "She's only responding to it because you're saying it."

"What the fuck, Jason?! You sayin' no girl can be turned on by me? You think all the girls go for is freaky nerds like you?! Not ever girl's as desperate as whiny Melinda!"

Jason nearly exploded, but managed to control himself. He reminded himself that Richie was just trying to bait him.

"Richie, please... please listen to me," Jason said, forcing himself not to shout. "You took control of Linda when..."

"That was before! I'm not... !"

"I know! Please! Hear me out! I'm not going to rehash that, okay? I'm just stating what happened. You took control of her, and then we all were freed from Nyssa. But remember what Nyssa said..."