Chapter 6

Christmas Eve

We were at the Mall doing some final Christmas shopping. I had slipped her the new commands while she was examining a possible present for her mother.

Jake is very attractive in a sexual way. You want to make love with Jake.>

She began standing closer to me while we shopped. I caught her taking sidelong glances in my direction. I could hardly contain myself. She was acting towards me the same way I had always acted towards her!

I was bit disappointed when we decided to split up so we could each try and find one more gift for the other person. But it did give me an opportunity to try and really impress her on Christmas day. I had already picked up a few things, but I suffered badly from 'lam-o-gift' disease. I was in the process of trying to decide if she would like a crystal sphere with a rose laser-etched inside, when I felt an odd tickle in my mind and suddenly I had the strongest feeling that there was something wrong with Samantha.

I couldn't tell you what it was or even if it was real, but with my abilities still largely unknown I wasn't ready to gamble. If I were wrong then the only risk I took was seeing her buy my gift and spoil the surprise, but if I were right, she could need my help. The trouble was I didn't know where she was.

I was trying to decide where she might be when I had an urge to go to my right. It was better than nothing, so following my instincts I quickly made my way through the mall. I realized I was heading towards the area that housed all the offices. The urges led me through the rent-a-locker area and I found myself in front of the bathrooms that were so far off the beaten path hardly anyone used them. I felt drawn to the men's room. Approaching it cautiously I gently put my ear to the door.

" ... called the cops on me not to mention that you spend time with that dork! And here you've never dated one of us! Well you arrogant little bitch, today you are going to date all of us!" I heard the loud smack of flesh on flesh.

The door resisted much harder than it should have so I pushed forward with both my arms and my mind and the door flew open. The first thing I saw was a jock named Matt sliding across the floor and slamming into the wall opposite the door. Then I took in the rest of the room – all concern about using my talent for violence disappeared as I quickly surveyed the nefarious tableau.

Samantha's jacket was lying on the floor; Gary was holding her arms tightly at the elbows, pulling them cruelly back. Her shirt had been ripped open exposing her bra-encased breasts. Two other creeps, Eddie and Stan were standing to either side. Her left cheek was glowing bright red from where Thad had slapped her. He was standing in front of her and had one hand on her throat. She was glaring at him, obviously scared but still defiant.

"Jake!" shouted Samantha the instant the door opened, "Run, get help!"

I stood my ground while the door swung shut behind me, Thad turned. There was something odd about his eyes.

"Speak of the devil. Stay right there dork, and wait your turn." It was only then that he noticed the unfortunate Matt who was crumpled up against the wall, not moving. "Oh, you are going to pay for that – get him."

Eddie and Stan, being the only ones not preoccupied with Samantha started towards me. Stan got to me first and he must have been expecting I would let him grab me, a reasonable expectation considering my past. As he neared all he did was reach out towards me.

I punched him dead on the nose and, due to the telekinetic boost I added, his feet flew up as he flipped backwards onto the floor. He rolled to his knees moaning, blood was pouring through the fingers of the hands clamped to his face. Eddie didn't make the same mistake and assumed a guarded position as he approached. Thad was starring at Stan. I'm not sure what Samantha and Gary were doing though I could hear her ordering Gary to let her go.

Eddie tried two quick jabs but I dodged both of them and swung a right at his head. He was quick and ducked my blow moving in to take me to the ground. We landed hard with him on top. In no time he was straddling me and angrily firing rapid lefts and rights to my face. Without my armor I would have been in big trouble, but, since his blows didn't hurt me in the least, it gave me a few seconds to figure out what to do.

I bucked my hips and used telekinesis to throw him over my head where he crashed heavily into the sinks.

Thad faced me warily as I jumped to my feet – apparently no worse for the wear even after the pummeling I had just received. Gary shoved Samantha roughly to the side and she fell to the cold tiles with a squeal. Thad started moving to my left, Gary stepped toward me but fell flat on his face as Samantha kicked out and tripped him.

That distracted Thad for a moment and I did what I had dreamed of doing since the day he made me eat dirt for not bringing him home during kickball in the third grade. I kicked him right in the balls. I didn't add any boost, but I kicked him just as hard as I could. With my armor over my foot it must have felt as though I were wearing steel toed boots. It was great! He dropped like a rock.