Chapter 15

"Gosh Pete, when you say it, well, it just makes total sense," explained Eric, a large football player and Chad's right hand man. "You are such a great guy and doing such noble work that we'd all be more than happy to help keep you safe. But when Chad suggested it, I don't know, it just sounded ... stupid ... I can't remember why." His face was clouded by a puzzled look.

"I suppose Chad just doesn't have a way with words ... you know ... like I ... have way ... I guess."

"Yeah, that must be it. Don't worry buddy. You'll be as safe as in your mother's arms."

"Thanks, Pete." Sighed Chad. "So do you want to go talk to the rugby team now?"

"Actually," said Pete looking across the courtyard, "I think we can pass on and other teams though I do want to meet your brother's fraternity tonight. Right now I have someone else I need to talk to." He stood up with a dismissive wave goodbye to the football team and headed over towards Johnnie and his leather and chrome covered crew of metal heads.

Just before reaching Johnnie's table he was intercepted by one of the newer members of Johnnie's bunch, Tommy.

"Where you goin', nerd?" he sneered derisively.

"I just wanted to talk to Johnnie for a minute."

Tommy put his hand on Pete's chest; normally this would have had Pete pretty scared since these guys never stopped with merely touching someone. "Well he don't wanna ... gack!" The thug's curt observation was cut short by a meaty hand that snatched him up by the scruff of the neck.

"Sorry, Pete." Said Johnnie calmly, staring daggers at his lackey. "I guess not everyone got the word - you are strictly hands off from now on." He emphasized his words with a few quick shakes and then tossed the kid behind him.

"So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"You know the deal we have?"

"You mean the one where I keep folks off your back and out of your pocket and your hot-ass sister gives me a blowjob every Friday? How the hell could I forget that?"

"Yeah, that's the deal. But, what would you say if I told you I could include all the cheerleaders, not just Megan?"

"All of them? Hot damn! What would that take?"

"You make your crew part of the deal, and I guarantee Megan brings in the rest of her ... well ... crew."

"Hmm ... would they get blow jobs once a week too?"

"Of course - that's the deal isn't it?"

"What about fucking?"

"I won't rule it out for the future, but for right now, I'd have to say don't push it."

"Okay," laughed Johnnie, "You can't blame a guy for trying. I just got to thinking about that bitch, Carla. Man, I'd put more meat into her than my momma puts in a pot a collard greens."

As they talked, Pete was sending the appropriate alterations to Johnnie's crew. He didn't have to do anything to Johnnie - the hypno-juice commands were firmly in place. For the rest of the thug's however, he simply mirrored the same things Johnnie had been programmed with, with the addition that they would always be loyal to their leader and there would be no more fighting amongst themselves as they vied for position within the gang. Just as he was finishing he had a thought.

"One other thing."

"What's that, Pete?"

"You guys all got some pretty cherry street rods, right?"

"Fastest things in this school - shit, this state."

"I might need some secure transportation and, from time to time it may involve some fast and evasive driving."

Johnnie's eyes narrowed suspiciously, he hadn't just fallen off the turnip truck - a lettuce truck a few times, once off a logging truck, two busses and a motorcycle, but never a turnip truck.

"Say, just what are we getting involved in? Not that I care, I'm still in, regardless, but I would like to know what I may find myself up against."

Pete considered just zapping the big hooligan into agreement, but he kind of liked the way their relationship had been going. So he decided to share his story one more time with the stipulation that Johnnie demand secrecy from his boys - just like he had with Chad and his team.

"Let's take a little walk, shall we?"

By the time they returned to the cafeteria Johnnie had been thoroughly briefed and had agreed that his gang would transport Pete and his entourage wherever they needed to go. In the event the Sonarians ever entered the picture, they would provide security as well. Pete had offered to procure weapons for them but Johnnie just scoffed.

"And where do you think you'd get 'em? We'd need guns that are off the radar, you'd have to get them from us anyway. Well, my guys or my cousin's. Come to think of it, you may want to talk to him anyway."

"Who's your cousin?"

"He's the local chapter president of the Heaven's Devils Motorcycle Club."

"Heaven's Devils? Don't you mean..."

"No!"

"But it seems it's just an opposite rendition of..."

"Well it isn't."

"Are you sure it's not..."

"Look, unless you want to take a chance on a bunch of large dangerous bikers with extensive criminal records, lots of lethal weapons and nothing to lose, tracking down a particular amateur author in the middle of the night to not-so-gently explain their interpretation of fair use just because a certain silly story popped up on a google search, I suggest you stop thinking in that direction."

"What do you mean, "a certain story'?"

"Never mind - just trust me on this."

"Oh ... then Heaven's Devils it is."

"So anyway, if you want mobile security, he's your man."

"Can you arrange for me to meet him?"

"Depends, what kind of deal can you get for them? I don't think he'll be interested in a bunch of high school cheerleaders, especially if they are getting used by me and my guys."

"What do think he'd say to a bunch of hot college sorority babes?"

"I think he'll call you tonight."

By then, they had returned to the cafeteria. Pete left Johnnie there and headed to his next class with a light heart and a spring in his step. Today was probably the best day of his life. He had gotten revenge on that bitch of a teacher, he had spent a good part of the morning in the girls locker room broadcasting that he was invisible (he didn't actually do anything since he planned on saving himself for the sorority tonight - you didn't miss anything) and his security was shaping up nicely. The only thing on his 'to-do' list remaining for today was going with Penny this afternoon to find an Ob/Gyn to look after the girls. Skip didn't think it was necessary since Maunakean fetuses were extraordinarily robust, but Pete was thinking more about the girls than the offspring.

Yes, it was certainly looking like everything was coming up roses.

That was when he felt a little tickle in the back of his mind. Like those little kitten claws doing a gentle spider-walk through the beehive that was his brain. Instantly he blocked it, just as Skip had showed him (they found some time to do some training while you weren't paying attention - let it go). He spun around trying to find the source, class was in session and there was nobody around but the other new janitor, Mr. Smith. He sent a probe in his direction but was met with a mental brick wall. That was when Mr. Smith looked up and Pete saw his eyes widen in surprise. No doubt about it, Mr. Smith (if that really was his name) was the Sonarian agent!

Suddenly the mental brick wall pushed back at him and the kitten claws became saber tooth tiger fangs tearing at his defenses. Pete drew back his probe and with all his hypno-juice empowered might he hit the phony janitor with the mental equivalent of a haymaker and saw the man stagger under the attack. Pete hit him again with as much power as he could summon and felt the agent's defenses shred so he followed up with a telekinetic shove and Mr. Smith flew backward down the hall. Before Pete could follow up again the more experienced agent ducked around a corner. Pete ran as fast as he could and by the time he made it to the other hallway the man was gone.

He scoured the scene looking for a clue and saw the door at the end of the hall, the one on the right, was just closing. Adrenaline surged through his body and Pete used that to further boost his heightened powers and pushed against the ground as hard as he could. His feet hovered a few inches above the tile floor and by leaning forward and continuing to push Pete literally flew the length of the hall only to realize he hadn't given any thought as to how to stop and he barely had time to throw up a telekinetic shield to cushion what otherwise would have been at the very least a debilitating, and more likely a fatal, impact. He rebounded off the wall rolled to a stop.

After picking himself up he found that he only had to run half the length of the hall and when he tore open the door he had seen closing, he saw a small office and the Sonarian agent on the phone!

" ... no, he's to powerful to be the breeder, but they're up to somethi..."

Pete lashed out with his mind and smashed the phone to a million pieces. Following up with an attack to the man's mind the air between the two crackled with energy as the veteran telepath fought back with everything he had. So focused on the battle was Pete, that he forgot his primary vulnerability. The man leapt across the short distance separating them and punched Pete right in the face, sending the slight teen sprawling.

By the time Pete had regained his senses and gotten up off the ground, the Sonarian was long gone. Feeling beaten and far more subdued than a few moments previous, Pete headed to class.

"I definitely think you should tell Skip everything when we get home." Said Penny, turning into the parking lot of the women's health center. Pete had related his story during the short drive from the school. "I'm afraid it sounds like your anonymity is shot."

"I'm not so sure, mom, he didn't seem to think I was the breeder because my powers are so strong. So the Sonarians know something's up, but not what. We'll have to see what Skip thinks."

They exited the car and headed into the clinic to make the appointment Penny had made with a Dr. Muffy A. Kooter, Ob/Gyn. Pete went along because, while it wasn't hard to find a doctor willing to take on a couple extra patients, taking in up to a hundred would require his talents.

After a wait of about fifteen minutes they were finally seated in the doctor's office waiting for her to finish with her last patient.

"Okay," said an attractive brunette woman, her hair pulled back in a tight bun and sporting a long white lab coat, as she came breezing into the office distractedly, "I understand you wanted to talk to me about..." she stopped short upon seeing Pete. Her eyebrows shot up over big brown eyes, which were nestled beautifully into her finely sculpted features. "Do you really think his presence is appropriate? I know you're not here today for an exam, but I will have to ask you some ... sensitive questions."

"Besides the fact that I have no secrets from my son, I'm not here to discuss me. Well, I am in a way, but it's more than just me."

"Whom else might we be talking about?"

"There are my two daughters."

"So I'll be taking on the three of you?"

"Then there are my daughters' friends, Carla and Wendy."