Chapter 6

Tuesday, August 26, 2007

Anastasia Storm

Dan picked me up at my house.

"Any luck with Slick?" I asked him.

"None at all. And I've found out one of her Star Tricks friends is planning on asking her out."

"You don't want to get in their way?"

"I'd feel like a cad. This girl is almost a complete social outcast, except for the Star Tricks thing. If I seduce her and then disappear as soon as the mission's over, it may very well break up the social group. God knows what will become of her then."

"You know you've killed men in cold blood before, tortured them, broken God knows how many laws..."

"But with a clear conscience. This girl's a civilian, she's not to blame for any of this."

"True. Is there any other way to get inside?"

"We could try breaking in..."

"Talk to Michaels about it."

"This is the house."

We pulled into Nolan's driveway and knocked on the door.

His mother answered. "Hi, you must be Anastasia, please come in."

We entered their living room. Dan walked around, pretending to admire various family photographs and objets d'art while surreptitiously checking the dosimeter in his watch. I made small talk with Professor Nolan.

Clay came bounding down the stairs, his erection leading the way.

"Hi, Anastasia, I didn't realize you were here already."

"Are you about ready to go?" his mother asked.

"No, Beth's hogging the shower again."

Professor Nolan rolled her eyes. "She's been in there more than 30 minutes."

Clay looked at the clock. "Don't worry, if we leave now I'll have time to shower in the locker rooms."

We drove straight to school, where Dan and I stripped off in accordance with the custom that had developed around The Program. Clay headed for the showers.

"Would you like me to come with you?" I asked.

"I have to use the girls' room, and you have to use the boys', remember?"

"Aww ... shoot." I pouted.

Instead of following him, I went straight to my first class of the day, pausing only to take the requests which the other students so enjoyed making. When Clay got to class, hair still wet, I repeated my performance of the day before. Once again, both Clay and the rest of the class obviously enjoyed it. In second period I showed him how to return the favor, delighting the rest of our class. I saw a few boys taking notes. It's always nice when you can help people out like that.

Clay was particularly animated at lunch, eagerly anticipating the activities we had planned for last night. When he went to use the bathroom, I leaned in and spoke to Dan.

"Where the hell is Slick?"

He nodded toward a table at the back of the cafeteria, where Liz Slick was sitting alone, stark naked with her head buried in an extremely thick book.

"Is that a school book?" I asked.

"I think it's one of the King of the Rings."

"Have you spoken to her today?"

"I invited her to eat with us."

"This is bad."

"Yeah, but I have a plan."

"Ok?"

"Remember the boy I was telling you about."

"Yeah."

"His name is Rodney Harmon and he's in your gym class. Go up to him in the locker room and give him some dating advice. While you're doing so, slip this in his schoolbag." He produced a pencil from his backpack.

"What is it?"

"A dosimeter with a tracking device attached to it. If he takes in into her house, it will at least tell us if the radiation signals match Nolan's."