Chapter 3: A Long Day in Memphis (Part I)

The next morning Alex woke feeling disoriented, he wasn't used to only a couple of girls in his bed. Glancing around he noticed two girls clutching him, but there was still another spooned up against him and he instantly knew it was Cate, his sister. The night before, after Alex, Tina and Amy had exhausted themselves, Cate had quietly slipped in amongst them and curled up naked behind her brother, the same way she'd been sleeping with him for the last several weeks. It had gotten to where she was almost addicted to his energy, unable to be away from it for very long. She hadn't thought about it much, but she was afraid she'd be unable to function once they had to separate. That moment was approaching. For one, Alex had a very short timetable hanging over him. From what Cate had been able to determine, it appeared the energy coursing through Alex was killing him. It wasn't apparent, since the selfsame energy also healed anything wrong with him, but the sheer volume of energy coursing through him was straining his body too much for it to manage.

Beyond that, Cate arranged to alternate taking care of Alex on this road trip with her other sisters. They had specifically asked to accompany him for part of the trip, afraid he may not live long enough for them to spend much time with him. Now that Cate and Melinda had reconciled, they were anxious to taste what Cate was already enjoying a steady diet of, not only sex with Alex, but simply the chance to spend time with him and appreciate what this new version of their younger brother was.

However, Cate was scared that once she separated from Alex, she may be unable to cope without the daily dosage of the energy she drew from him. But she also knew she'd have to learn to cope without it. That was the reason she'd agreed to alternate with her sisters. If she couldn't deal with a short separation from him now, she'd never survive the long term separation his death would cause. The very thought of it made her shiver in fear.

Cate's mini-terror got Alex's attention, and he turned and pulled Cate even tighter to him than she was already clutching him. The movement also got Tina and Amy moving as well.

"Good morning, Alex," Amy said, smiling cheerfully but sleepily. "Oh, good morning too, Cate," she responded in surprise.

"Hi," Tina told them both. "Couldn't sleep on your own?" she asked. They'd both suspected something was going on between Alex and his sister, but neither was forward enough to ask. Besides, they'd also been told the story of how Cate had been quietly absorbing his energy over time, and they were both familiar with just how sexy it was feeling his energy flow through them, tingling their senses and making them feel more alive than they'd ever felt in the past. Thus it was only a short leap to assume she'd at least sleep with him regularly, even if they didn't regularly create the beast with two backs, as Plato had called it.

'It's about time you got up, ' Alex heard Gail's voice in his head.

'You've been waiting?' he silently asked her.

"Yeah, I've been sitting here watching the four of you sleeping," she replied out loud, surprising each of the naked foursome. They turned and saw her sitting on the desk chair, which she'd dragged past them so she could sit between them and the door. "It's very reassuring to see you so relaxed and comfortable with each other, despite the threats you constantly face. I think just watching you can fill someone with calm, confidence and energy. As I keep saying, if I could bottle a little bit of you, I'd be a very rich woman.

"Anyway, it's time we all got up and got moving. There are several people expecting to meet with us for breakfast, and you've got a full day of trolling for new followers today," Gail concluded.

"All right, I'm up," Alex complained, as he moved to the end of the bed, trying not to disturb the girls on either side of him. "Do we have enough time for a communal shower?"

"Ha, not if you have to be somewhere. If we have anything to do about it, you'll be busy in there for quite some time," Tina assured him.

"All right," Alex conceded. "It wasn't overly hot yesterday, and I freshened up last night. I'll skip a shower this morning and just do a quick wash up. Let's get moving. The rest of you can take your time and meet us downstairs if you want. I'm anxious to get down there early so we can watch for anyone who entered the hotel looking for me last night or this morning."

The girls protested they could get ready quickly if necessary, but Alex assured them it wasn't necessary as he'd be fine with Gail to protect him. So Gail and Alex headed downstairs, leaving the other three to finish their morning preparations.

As soon as the door closed, Tina and Amy started pestering Cate to tell them more about what Alex was like. When she started in with some generalities they interrupted her, asking for specifics about what he was like in bed with her.

"It's got to be different than it is with us, and I'm sure it's different with the Seers as well," Tina said. "Is it different for everyone, or is it as wonderful for everyone?"

Cate blushed, and after a hesitant start she finally relaxed enough after they goaded her to give them the more personal details they were after. They each finished dressing and prepping as they listened to her description of her and her brother's relationship, and her details of how he related to the many others he fooled around with. They'd suspected she knew a fair amount of all of his sexual encounters, so they also asked her about his two girlfriends and what they were like.

Cate told them they were both wonderful, and as dedicated to him as any of the other women, despite the lack of any biochemical inducements. Surprisingly, they were both pleased by that. Although it was nice to focus on their own private community, they wanted Alex to be able to enjoy some normal moments of life and were glad he got to achieve his share of normality.

Despite the initial shock, Cate found she wasn't disturbed at being 'found out', since she considered Tina and Amy part of Alex's stable of girls from back home. But she told herself she'd be even more careful about revealing things in the future. The women Alex would be meeting each thought the world of him, and it wouldn't do for them to think his sister was a sex starved slut. No, she realized everything she did reflected on Alex. It was important, despite her still young age, for her to act like the scientist and advisor she played the role of for Alex. He depended on her for her advice, and she couldn't embarrass him because of her actions on the side. If she had to do without getting any attention from him for several weeks, it was simply something she'd have to put up with. But even as she said it, she realized she couldn't keep from spending time with him, or from sleeping with him at night. The well-being he filled her with whenever they slept skin-to-skin was simply too much to surrender. But she could at least put a better cover over it.

Yes, that was it. She'd stick to the story that she absorbed his energy, but not let on to anyone there was any more to it than that. That should be enough to keep from embarrassing him in front of his new followers. After all, she didn't mind sharing her brother, but she wasn't about to give him up entirely.

The conversation continued as they finished dressing and all the way down to the dining room, and covered many other topics as well, as they asked about his attitudes on many things. They both seemed fascinated with how he approached life and how he decided things. They were appreciative he seemed to take in everyone's opinion, but impressed that his decisions were always final. They were also touched he was so nervous about making mistakes, and always asked for honest advice since he had so little experience with a lot of things.

When Alex and Gail reached the dining room they found Sarah and Emma holding a table large enough for everyone. They greeted each other and ordered breakfast just as the Otts came down. As Kelly headed for the seat besides Alex, Henry squeezed in between them, which Alex didn't think was a good sign. However Kelly just waved it off and sat across from him. Jenny sat next to her mother, but as close as she could get to Alex.

"So, we've been talking," Henry began.

"Henry, let me handle this," Kelly told him. "Alex, as much as I'm thankful for what you've done for me, I feel I'm too tempted to flirt with you. I don't think it's very healthy, and I think I'd better keep my distance, so we're going to return home a little early."

Alex was surprised, since this was the first time a woman he'd activated hadn't thrown her current life out the window and followed him home. "Are you sure? You don't have to do anything, in fact after breakfast we're going to head over to the Emporium Shopping Center. We figure we'd encounter more people there, since it's downtown and between the ballpark and the FedEx Forum. I won't even be around. I'd hate to mess up your trip."

"No, if you're that close I'll be able to feel you nearby. I'd be distracted and Henry and the kids would notice."

"Well, if you feel it's necessary, but you should still stop by New Orleans. I'll be there a few days, but I'll probably be pretty distracted, what's more I'll be gone by ... how long are we scheduled to stay in New Orleans, Gail?"

"You'll have to ask Cate. I'm not really sure. I think we're scheduled to stay for three days, though."

"There, so you'll be free to travel to New Orleans in another several days, and it should be completely safe after a week."

"I don't know, from what Cate said last night there are people talking about you all over there. I'm not sure it would be any better."

"Look, anyone with these abilities is going to be familiar with me by definition. They only got their abilities because of me. You can't ignore who you are just because you're uncomfortable with me. I'll tell you what, forget me, forget New Orleans, but take the number for the Angel Vision Foundation. Give them a call and talk to some of the people there. Tell them I told you to call to make sure you talk to the right people. They'll tell you everything you need to know about what being a member of the community involves."

"All right, I'll do that much, but my family is everything to me and I'm not about to abandon them just because you breezed into my life," she replied with a flippant wave of her hand.

"That's fair, Kelly, and I believe in family, so I think you should do whatever you're comfortable with. Just be aware I probably won't be around if you change your mind," he warned her.

"Oh come on, you're laying it on a bit thick, aren't you?" Henry scoffed, giving him a dirty look. It looked like he thought this was just a come-on line by Alex.

"Actually it's true," Cate said, coming up behind him. "Sorry, but I just overhead the last of the conversation, but Alex is sick and only has a short amount of time left. Like everything about Alex, what he's suffering from is as new as the rest of this is, so we have no idea how long he has. That's why this trip is so important. We're trying to reach as many people as we can."

All the girls, including the two who just came down with Cate, started commiserating with Alex, but Henry looked unconvinced.

"Come on. You've got to be kidding me. You're young, you look healthy, you have women all over you, and it looks like you're used to getting your way all the time. It's a little extreme to pull a fake sympathy card to get your way. Personally, I resent how manipulative you are about this whole thing. Maybe what you told Kelly and Jenny is true, but the way you're taking advantage of it is practically criminal."

Alex just looked at him for a moment, taking his measure. Everyone else froze, they weren't used to people telling Alex off, although Gail was prepared to throw herself between the two if it proved to be necessary. Kelly looked especially ill at ease, and Jenny looked even more upset than her mother, looking like she was ready to cry. But she was biting her lip, trying to prevent it.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Henry. I'm not after your wife, but I suspect you're going to feel paranoid about me even after I'm gone. I'll do you a favor and promise I won't contact your wife, but I don't think that's going to make you any happier. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm afraid I may have broken up just what you are trying to preserve by leaving. I'm sorry to have done that. In retrospect I guess it was a mistake being honest with you. I guess I'll chalk it up to experience. But I'll tell you what, we'll pay the bill. Tell the waiter we're sorry but we couldn't stay. We'll leave so you won't be distracted as you pack. I'm really sorry we couldn't have gotten along since it doesn't hurt me, but it will impact Kelly and Jenny."

With that Alex stood up, waited for each of the girls to stand as well, and escorted them out as Gail hurriedly laid out enough cash to cover the expense of breakfast. She then hurried to catch up with Alex and the girls. She heard Jenny crying behind her as she left the dining room.

When Gail caught up to Alex and the girls, he was angrily stalking away. As much as he claimed it didn't, it still bothered him when one of his girls couldn't learn what she needed to because a guy in her life took exception to him. He knew it was likely to occur, but it remained hard to deal with personally. He also recognized he wasn't used to rejection and wasn't quite sure how to handle it. He knew he was overreacting, but he had trouble putting it aside. He was afraid he'd hurt both Kelly and her daughter because of his inability to deal with males once again. Thus much of his anger was directed internally, though it wasn't immediately apparent to those around him.

Cate was busy trying to console him, while the other girls followed along behind him. Gail reached Sarah and pulled her aside, asking her to watch the lobby for new followers while Gail escorted Alex to their room to get whatever they needed to leave the hotel. Alex overheard her, and walked back, telling her he didn't want to stay long enough to affect Kelly negatively.

"I'll head over to the Emporium," he told her, turning to the other girls. "The rest of you can catch up when you're ready. I think each of you can find me easily enough, but I think it's important for me to leave the hotel as soon as possible."

They all assured him they were ready to leave then as well, so they headed out of the hotel. Gail had wanted to alert the hotel staff to keep an eye out for anyone who looked like they were searching for someone, but didn't have time if she wanted to keep up with Alex. As always, her first priority was watching out for Alex. Whatever else might need to be done, his security was paramount, and he wasn't particularly good at staying out of trouble, as the encounter in the dining room just proved.

The short walk to the shopping center was quick, since Alex appeared to be walking off his anger and frustration. Gail thought that was best, as it allowed him to get it out of his system so he'd be more collected by the time he met anyone. The girls had to hurry to keep up with him. Gail's long legs and good physical condition allowed her to do so easily. She continued to scan ahead of Alex, though, always on the lookout for trouble. Her years of being a cop had ingrained habits which took over, even when she wasn't aware of it, but she found them especially useful now that she was protecting the most important person she'd ever been responsible for.

Entering the Emporium, Alex pulled up short and tried to regain his emotional bearing as he took in his environment. He saw a directory so he headed over to figure out what was nearby. The girls caught up as he was selecting the best location for them to hang out, trying to calculate out traffic patterns, ease of access, and whatever else could impact their meeting as many people as possible. Gail continued watching for trouble. Alex found a nearby coffee shop near the South end of the center, close to some of the biggest and most popular shops. He situated himself and began to calm down a little more. Cate, being familiar with his tastes, walked to the counter to order them all coffees. She was well aware their little encounter had cost them their breakfasts, so she made sure to order something to eat as well. She knew Alex ate like a horse due to his body processing the energy he generated. It was one of the things which alerted her to the fact he was actually much sicker than he appeared to be.

Sarah came up to help her carry her booty. They'd only had a couple croissants, so she'd gotten some banana bread and some biscotti's as well. It wasn't much of a breakfast, but hopefully it would carry them until they could find something more substantial. The food court was nearby, but Cate knew Alex had picked the most visible and accessible place in the shopping center, and it would be hard getting him to move. He knew he drew people to him, so he liked to remain in one place so they would have time to find him.

When they got back and handed out the drinks and snacks, Cate turned to Alex.

"You know, I think that's the first girl that's ever said no to you."

"What do you mean? There have been lots who have. Why, it took me forever before—" Alex started to argue.

"Yes, we're all familiar with how much of a loner you were before. But since New Orleans you've had women seeking you out. Between the Seers, the Watchers, and all the girls at school, you've never been rejected. Now, not only has someone refused to sleep with you, but she doesn't even want to have anything to do with you. I don't want to make this personal or make a big deal out of the rejection, but I think it's significant because it may finally put the whole mind control nonsense to bed.

"If you were controlling anyone, they wouldn't refuse you. What's more, it would impact people more or less equally. Instead you have people who want to thank you for what you've done for them, and the only way they can think of doing it is to make love to you. That isn't mind control, Alex. I think Kelly's actions, just like Sarah and Michael Grant's yesterday, prove all these women are perfectly capable of making their own decisions."

"You know, you make a good point. The girls at home certainly were never in a hurry to agree with me," Alex said, considering the idea while he sipped his steaming latte.

"I think Cate makes sense," Gail said, as she joined their table to get some food. She'd been looking forward to breakfast when Alex had stormed out this morning. "The reason why everyone follows your directions isn't because they have to, but because you are the equivalent of a CEO. You are leading this movement of yours, and so your decision counts. You set everything in motion, it's your ideas which everyone follows. You give everything you can to others, but you also listen to each of them. They've got every reason to listen to you and they willingly follow your lead. You've got to stop being so paranoid about this."

"Yeah, Dad mentioned that mind control nonsense because he was teasing you," Cate explained, continuing this train of thought. "I don't think he ever expected you to take it so seriously. I suspect he didn't object to your subsequent ruminations simply because he was so surprised when you took them seriously. The fact so many guys are jealous of you proves you have no mind control abilities, and the fact everyone has such strong individual opinions shows that you hardly control everyone's thinking."

"I agree," Amy said, offering her opinion, even though she had never discussed the theory before. "Tina and I never felt compelled to make love with you, but with everything you've achieved, you are just one damn sexy hunk. What more could a girl want? You have power streaming from you, you have to fight off the women, you are leading a movement, you're decisive, attentive, and a good listener. Face it, girls like you just 'cause you're sexy."

As everyone around the table began agreeing, Alex found himself sinking lower behind the table. What started out as an object lesson was descending into a cheering session, which was the last thing he needed, especially since he didn't want to attract attention or to intimidate anyone approaching. However Cate recognized his distress and came to his rescue. She told everyone firmly they'd made their point and they should let it drop. She then started issuing marching orders, even though the others knew what to do. The fact they snapped to attention when told what to do, illustrated to Alex just how much everyone liked having a purpose and a specific role in the organization.