"This time I think it's going to be the real thing," Jason said to the others the next morning in the parking lot, now an increasingly familiar sight to them. "She's going to take more students."

"And we have to find out who, right?" Melinda said.

Jason nodded.

"Same pattern?" Heather asked.

"Yeah. Nyssa seems to keep them right up to the end of the period. So we can catch them just they're coming out. I tried to assign you guys to cover it when you have a class that's really close to the nurse's station."

"What if I don't recognize who it is?" Cassie asked.

"Yeah, and I hardly know anyone here yet," Melinda lamented.

"Just go up and ask, I guess," said Heather.

"Assuming anyone will even talk to me," Cassie said in a forlorn voice.

"Just do the best you can," Jason said. "Cassie, your dreams telling you anything more? Anything about that silver stuff?"

Cassie shook her head. "No, which probably means it's not happening today. My dreams are not precognitions. I only dream about things that have happened or are happening now." Cassie looked over to Heather. "What about you? Are you getting a clearer Precog vision?"

"Um, yes, it's clearer today," replied Heather. "I saw another scene of someone with Nyssa in her examination room. I couldn't see who it was, I just had the strong sense that it was going to happen, and very soon."

"That combined with what Cassie didn't dream about probably means she's going back to taking people today," Jason said.

Heather paused and looked about to say something but subsided. Her sense was subtly different than that, but she couldn't put it into words. She felt like Jason's assessment was both right and wrong.

"So, are we ready?" asked Jason.

"Not really, but that never stopped us before, did it?" Melinda piped.

Jason gave her a wry grin. "We'll meet at the auditorium later like we always do."

The others nodded. Richie turned away first and headed quickly into the school. Jason hesitated a moment, then ran to catch up with him. "Hey."

Richie glanced at him and just nodded once.

"You okay?"

Richie shrugged. "Yeah, I guess," he drawled.

"You sure?"

Richie looked at Jason. "Huh?"

"You're just really quiet this morning. Hardly said a word on the bus."

Richie shrugged again. "Don't got nuthin' to say."

"That's unusual for you."

"Yeah, well ... I guess this is gonna be an unusual day, you know?"

Jason nodded slowly. "Nervous?"

Richie's gaze snapped to him and narrowed. "About what?" he demanded.

"Just about all this. Trying to find out who Nyssa is taking."

"Oh," Richie said, quickly appearing less defensive. "Yeah, I guess."

"I know, it's hard for all of us. We're not even sure we can do anything about it once we find out who it is."

Richie nodded. He appeared as if he were listening to some far-off sound. "Not sure I even know what the fuck I'm doing ..." he muttered.

"You?"

Richie blinked and looked at Jason. "Huh?"

"You said you didn't know what you were doing?"

"Oh. I meant 'we'. All of us."

Jason nodded again. He remained silent until they got to Richie's locker. "And ... there's nothing you want to talk about?"

Richie paused to open his locker before turning back to Jason. "Nah, man, I'm fine. In fact ..." He grabbed some books almost haphazardly and slammed the door closed. "I think I finally figgered out a few things."

"I hate to pester you about this, Richie, but does that mean you're going to be getting out of detention soon?"

Richie paused a long moment. He broke into a wide grin. "Yeah. Yeah, it does, in a way."

Jason thought that was somewhat oddly worded, but took it at face value. "That would be cool if you did, we ..."

"Yeah. Real cool. More than you can imagine, dude."

Richie's grin widened. Something about it sent a chill up Jason's spine.

"Marcie, you are looking simply wonderful," Laura said with a smile.

Marcie was standing somewhat sheepishly by her desk, wearing the shirt that Laura had bought for her. She managed a small smile, but her cheeks flushed pink.

Laura stepped up to her. "Now, no need to feel embarrassed."

"Miss Bendon, some of the students ... they ... they were looking at me!" Marcie said in a soft, scandalized voice, her eyes wide. "I mean ... really staring, Miss Bendon ... it felt ..."

"Good?"

Marcie paused. Her mouth worked a few moments before she finally said in a very low voice, "E-embarrassed, Miss Bendon. This ... this is not me ... I ..."

"Nonsense, Marcie."

Marcie lifted her gaze to Laura's.

"They were looking at you because they liked what they saw. They found you attractive."

Marcie swallowed. "Sh-should they be d-doing that, Miss Bendon?"

"Why not?"

"But ...?"

"After all, you are attractive."

Marcie stared. "I'm not ... I ... I am? Oh, but only because I'm wearing ..."

"This just brings it out, Marcie. You always were attractive."

Marcie paused. The corners of her lips started to rise tentatively. "I just ... I just never thought of myself that way, Miss Bendon ..."

"Then it's about time you start." Laura looked into Marcie's eyes again. "Isn't it?"

Marcie slowly nodded. "Yes ... yes, Miss Bendon."

"You're an attractive girl, Marcie. And that's why the boys look at you."

She nodded again, staring into Laura's steady gaze.

"And it feels good to be looked at."

"I ... yes ... yes, I guess it does, Miss Bendon, but ... "

"But what, Marcie?"

"Why have I never thought that before?"

"You're thinking it now, aren't you?"

Marcie nodded.

"Then that's all that matters."

"Yes, Miss Bendon," Marcie said softly. She let her breath go as a small, soft sigh as a small wave of pleasure washed over her slightly flushed skin. "You're right as always."

"Of course. And remember ... you'll always feel good about yourself around me."

Marcie shuddered as another wave of pleasure came over her. She swallowed. "Y-yes, Miss Bendon."

Laura smiled and turned away, heading into her office.

Marcie smiled dreamily for a few seconds before blinking rapidly as she snapped out of it. She placed a hand to her cheek, blushing. The next moment, however, she smiled and giggled.

She did feel good. She didn't completely understand why, but that didn't matter. Miss Bendon was right. Miss Bendon was always right. All Marcie had to do was trust her, and everything would be fine.

Humming a happy tune to herself, she started on her day's work.

Heather gave the others a stricken look when they met. "Oh my God. Becky Davis."

"You know her?" Cassie asked.

Heather nodded. "She's totally in love with Harold Gallan. I mean, they keep talking about getting married. Oh God. What if her fantasy involves someone other than Harold?"

Richie snorted. "Guess they shouldn't've got together in the first place, then, huh?"

Jason frowned. "Richie, I've been reading up on the psychology of fantasies. It doesn't work that way. Even the most devoted mates have fantasies about other people."

Richie rolled his eyes and shook his head but said nothing further.

Jason took a glance around them and withdrew a notebook. He opened it to the back, where he had a printout of all the students of Haven High and their addresses. He quickly scanned down the list. "Okay, she's not too far from where Frank lives, and it takes him only ten by bike to get to me."

Cassie peered and nodded. "If that's close to your own neighborhood, then you want to handle that one?"

"I thought the plan was to have you drive us around," Melinda said.

"Well, I could," Cassie replied. "But we'd get there early anyway and have to wait for the school bus to take them home. And if we have somewhere else in town to go as well for the next one ..."

"Oh, yeah, I hadn't thought about that ..."

"So we okay with doing it that way?" Jason asked as he looked up at the others. Melinda and Heather nodded. Richie just shrugged. "Okay, who else?" Jason asked as he made a notation next to the name.

Melinda sighed. "I saw someone else, but he turned down the other hallway as I saw him. He went inside a classroom before I could get close enough to find out who he was, dammit."

"What did he look like?"

"Tall and skinny. One of those weirdos that likes to wear his shoelaces untied. Or at least they looked like that to me. Sorta had a big nose."

"Wait," Richie said with a smirk. "Did he have a scar on one cheek?"

Melinda paused, then nodded. "Yeah, I think he did."

Richie snorted derisively. "So Nyssa went after ol' Ned the Nose. Shit, not even that can help that dude's luck with the girls."

"Last name, please?" Jason said in irritation.

Richie shrugged. "Dunno. Only know him as The Nose."

"Just look for someone with Ned as a first name, Jason." Melinda said.

"The names are sorted by last name, it would take forever. Richie, can you try to remember, please?"

"Gimme a break, Jason. You think I take the time to ... wait ... maybe it started with 'L'. Yeah, something weird like 'Lulabelle' or 'Lucifer' or something."

"Lussander?" Jason said as he looked up, his finger pressed against a name. "Ned Lussander?"

"Yeah, that's him."

Jason's eyes dropped. "Cassie's going to have to take that one, he's on the other side of town."

Cassie peered at the address and nodded. "Okay, I can do that."

Jason made another notation. "No one else?"

A shaking of heads. "She might be splitting them up," Cassie said. "Some in the morning and some in the afternoon."

"One more, anyway. If she's consistent with what she's done before, she'll do three. She has one more to take. Good job, everyone."

The girls managed small smiles. Richie just shrugged, looking bored.

"Okay, we'll meet in the parking lot after school. We'll figure out the third one, and then plan who goes where and how we'll report to each other."

The others nodded and the Harbingers separated. Richie followed behind Jason into the cafeteria. Cassie tagged along, but kept Jason between her and Richie.

"Nice going helping us pin down Ned," Jason said. "I really appreciate that."

"Whatever," said Richie. "Too bad, though."

"What's too bad?"

"Ned's only chance at some pussy and we're gonna take it away from him."

Cassie uttered a small gasp at hearing this, but said nothing. Jason stopped and stared. "I can't believe you just said that."

Richie grinned. "Then you don't know me as well as ya think, huh?"

"He's going to try and take away someone's free will!"

"Yeah, I know, all right?! I'm not stupid, I've been followin' along."

"Then why did you say something like that?"

Richie sighed. "Maybe ... as a joke?"

Jason glared. "Some joke."

"Aw, fuck, what did I tell you before? Lighten the hell up. Look, the Hair-bringers ..."

"Harbingers."

"Whatever ... will ride in and save the day, just like you want."

"It's not what I want that matters. It's what we have to do."

Richie was silent for a moment. Cassie glanced nervously between them. Finally Richie smiled. "Yep. You're right. We all gotta do what we hafta, don't we? Now, let's get some grub, I'm starvin'."

Jason and Cassie exchanged looks that were as worried as they were puzzled.

"Heather! Heather, wait up!"

Heather whirled around. When she spoke, her voice had a slight edge to it. "Hi, Diane. Can we talk later? I'm almost late for class."

Heather had been the one to see the third student that Nyssa took. It had taken her awhile to get the kid to tell her his name. Unfortunately he was a freshman, so Heather had no idea who he was just from sight. She had barely had enough time to fetch her books from her locker as the time crept closer to the hour.

"How much later?" Diane demanded. "After last class?"

"Ye ... no. Can it wait til later in the afternoon ... uh ..."

Heather trailed off. Only now did she see how stricken Diane looked. "I'm not sure if it can wait," Diane said gloomily.

"What is it, then?"

"Heather, I ... I can't explain this very well, but ... but it's like something really strange is going on."

Heather's heart skipped a beat. "What, you mean here in the school?"

Diane nodded quickly. "I just had P.E. with Sally Franner," she said hollowly. "Heather, what happened to her??"

"I, uh, I'm not sure I know what you mean."

"Have you seen her? Have you tried to talk to her? She's a total airhead! But just last week she was the smartest girl in school!"

"Oh, that. Uh, yeah, I've heard of that."

"And, Heather, my mother ... I know you said I shouldn't worry, but ... she's still acting really weird whenever I try to bring up the school nurse or the medical program. Yesterday afternoon, after I tried to talk to her about it, she was in her bedroom ... she was making these noises ..." Diane's voice lowered to a whisper, and she blushed. " ... s-sex noises ..."

Heather's eyes widened. Her surprise was not in what happened, but that Diane had managed to come out and actually say it. Diane was that distressed over it.

"What's going on around here?!" Diane demanded in an urgent whisper. "Why is all this happening? You know something about it, don't you?"

Heather fought a struggle in her mind. Keeping anything more from Diane was going to cause her a great deal of guilt. She had already strained their friendship to the breaking point as it was. She couldn't see herself doing this any more to Diane.

Anyway, Mara had said they should find allies. She didn't necessarily say that they had to come solely from the people they turn away from the Darkness.

Heather took Diane's arm and pulled her towards the lockers. She drew close and dropped her voice. "Okay, Diane, I'll level with you. There is something going on. Something pretty bad."

Diane bit her lip but said nothing, staring at Heather and waiting to hear more.

Heather glanced up at the clock, the halls now nearly empty. "I don't have much time to explain it to you right now. But Sally does have something to do with it. And some other students as well."

"Is it Debby Vance?? She's been acting really weird, too!"

"Yes, her, too. Look, I'm going to be really busy this afternoon with some stuff that has to do with all this."

"Can I come along?" Diane pleaded. "Please? This is starting to scare me!"

Heather sighed. "Diane, I promise, I'll let you in on everything I know, but it will have to be after I get done this afternoon. Let me call you this evening and we'll set something up, okay?"

Diane paused and then nodded quickly. "Let me just ask one more question, okay?"

Heather nodded quickly.

"Am ... a-am I in danger? Is something going to happen to me?"

Heather paused. "I hope not, Diane, if we can stop this."

"It has to do with the school nurse, doesn't it? She's not really okay after all!"

"Yeah, it does, Diane. So try not to get sick or hurt in school. Don't give her an excuse to try and examine you."

Diane nodded. "I won't."

Heather forced a small smile. She knew that this advice was hardly worth anything. Nyssa was calling students as she pleased, regardless of their state of health. But if it managed to calm Diane for a bit, that was worth something. She had never seen Diane this scared about anything before.

She wondered if other students were starting to put two and two together and realize that something was wrong.

"Okay, I have to get to class." Heather started away. "I'll call you!"

"Thanks, Heather. You're a real friend, you know that?" Diane called out with a relieved grin.

I'm trying, Diane, Heather thought with some chagrin. I'm really trying.

The Harbingers, minus Richie, met again.

"That's great, Heather," Jason said after Heather told him about the freshman boy, name of Steve Jarrow. After finding the name on the list in the back of his notebook, however, he sighed and looked up, making a face. "Though we've got a problem."

"Another one that's across town?" Cassie asked.

"Worse. He's across town in a completely different direction from Ned."

"Could we split up?" Melinda suggested. "Cassie goes after whichever one is the furthest from us, the rest of us split up for the other two."

"I think Steve is closer," said Jason. "But how would any of us get there?"

"I could drop you off," Cassie suggested.

"But then we risk not getting to one of them on time. Wait, I almost forgot, did any of them stay after school?"

"Not Becky," Heather said. "I saw her get on one of the other buses."

"Ned did, too," Jason said.

"And Steve?"

Several looks were exchanged. All shook their heads.

"So we don't know," Jason said. "Okay, I suggest we go after Ned and Becky."

"What, and forget about Steve?" Melinda piped. "I know him. He's a real nice guy. He told off some other guy that was making fun of me."

"I know, Melinda, but we can't ... wait, you have people making fun of you?" Jason said indignantly. "Who? Where?"

Melinda blushed slightly at Jason's sudden protectiveness of her. "Never mind that now," she said softly. "We'll talk about it later. But you can't just leave him!"

"We can't get everyone, Melinda," Heather said. "We have to go for the ones we can. What if we go for Steve and found out that he's still at school?"

Melinda sighed and stamped her foot in frustration. "It's not fair."

"Nothing about this is," said Jason.

"How about I have Harry stop in Steve's neighborhood before he takes me home?" Cassie suggested. "I mean, it may be too late by then to catch who he's going after, but at least it's better than nothing."

"You sure your driver will do all this for you, Cassie?" Melinda said skeptically.

Cassie gave her a wan smile. "My Mom would often give me a roll of money and tell me to go shopping. Anything I wanted. Anywhere Harry could drive me. He's used to me going on larks like that. He never questions it or reports anything back to my parents."

"Wish I had a setup like that," Heather commented with a small smile.

Cassie sighed. "Actually ... being left with very little supervision is not as nice as it sounds. Unless you like wondering if it's because they're just being permissive, or they really don't care what you do."

Heather's smile quickly faded. Cassie dropped her eyes.

Melinda threw an arm around Cassie's shoulders. "It's okay, Cassie," she said softly.

"Uh, anyway, we, uh, better get on the bus," Heather said awkwardly.

Jason nodded and turned to Cassie. "Have you got that address?"

"Yes, I have it. I know the neighborhood, actually. There's a few shops in that area that my mother likes to visit."

"Good. The rest of us can figure out our part on the bus."

Richie lingered at his locker.

His face held a troubled look. He arranged and rearranged his locker several times, as if trying to work out something in his mind. All the while, his mother's words from the night before echoed in his head. They both chilled him and excited him at the same time.

He remembered what Cassie had tried to do to him. He remembered what his friends had done to him when they used the power in the House. He remembered what Principal Bendon had done to his mother.

But above all else, he remembered when he had wielded the power. He remembered how it had felt to be on top of things, to have everything go as he wanted. It had felt so good when life was easy and predictable. He never had to worry if things would turn out right. He always knew that they would.

And the price to be paid? A chunk of someone else's free will. And a little of his own.

He slammed the locker shut with a loud bang that echoed through the now empty hallways. He had to decide if that was a fair trade-off or not.

Richie trudged down the hall. He was in no hurry. Yet it seemed like no time at all had passed when he reached the intersection. To the left was the corridor to the labs and his waiting detention. He snorted. Some detention! It was just the class he wanted to escape all over again.

Ahead of him was the corridor to the nurse's station.

He remained still for what seemed like a long moment to him, but in reality was only seconds. He headed down the corridor into the west wing and came to the door to Nyssa's office. He lifted his hand to knock and thought better of it. Instead, he simply turned the knob and allowed himself inside.

Richie froze barely a step across the threshold.

Behind the desk, Nyssa leaned back in her chair. She had one foot up on the desk, and the other delicately crossed over it at the ankle. She gave him a sultry smile and winked.

Richie stared. "Wow ..." he breathed.

Nyssa giggled. "If you would, Richie," she said in a husky voice. She lifted a foot and pointed it at the door. "Close the door behind you."

Richie's mouth dropped open as Nyssa's movement allowed him to see the shadowy triangle of her bare sex under her uniform. His heart thumping, a stiffness already forming in his jeans, he turned and closed the door.

When he turned back around, Nyssa had risen to her feet and started to walk towards him. His eyes flicked over her entire body, his breath quickening. He felt his own heart seeming to thud in rhythm with the clack of her heels.

Then some part of his mind snapped out of the awe in which it found her, and he saw it.

He visibly flinched and staggered back a step. He had never seen it so pronounced, so dark, so real on anyone else before. It was one that he simply could not ignore.

Yet ... he hesitated. It was all Nyssa needed.

She stepped before him, and with a single finger, gently raised Richie's gaze to her own.

It was too late by the time he remembered. He shuddered, then whimpered softly as he felt himself drawn into Nyssa's eyes. His cock strained hard against the inside of his pants.

"You have such lovely, wonderful eyes," Nyssa cooed softly. "Has anyone ever told you that?"

Richie panted lightly. He was unable to respond. His body quivered. It was like Cassie all over again. But ... not quite ...

Nyssa took another step towards him. She let the swell of her breasts lightly touch him. Richie shuddered and moaned as pleasure suffused his body. She felt Nyssa's hand on his belt, tugging playfully at it. She slid a single fingertip down his crotch, the lightest of touches against the bulge in the denim. His cock strained hard, like it would just before the point of orgasm but past the point of no return.

Yet he did not cum, and Nyssa removed her finger.

"I won't take you, Richie," Nyssa purred. "Not now. Not here. It's too soon. And you have detention."

Richie moaned out the words, "But I don't want ... I don't want detention if it's with ..."

Nyssa grinned wickedly. Like Jason before him, he felt at the edge of the crevasse but never fell in. Yet the hold on him was light and tenuous. She could let go of him at any time and send him forever into the abyss.

And again her hand played at his belt.

"I know exactly what you want, Richie," Nyssa whispered, her hot breath brushing the skin of his face. "It is so obvious with you, I barely need to do anything else."

"Do ... d-do what ...?"

"That's not important now, is it?"

Richie swallowed. He was panting hard. "N-no ... "

He moaned again as Nyssa brushed one of his legs with her bare calf.

"I know what you want. More importantly, I know who you want. She's irresistible, isn't she, Richie?"

Richie nodded, never breaking eye contact with Nyssa.

"It's hardly your fault ... It's hardly under your control ... besides ... she started it."

Around Nyssa's body, the Darkness retreated. Richie was not sure why he would have seen it in the first place. There was nothing wrong with this. Nyssa understood. She was the only one that really understood him and what he was feeling. Richie felt vindicated.

"After all, Richie ... you simply want what's your due ... she lured you with unspoken little promises ... you just want to hold her to those promises ... is there anything truly wrong with that?"

Suddenly the cold in Nyssa's eyes was inviting rather than terrifying. He would gladly do what she wanted of him in exchange for finally granting him what he had wanted ever since the House let him have just a taste of the power.

Nyssa lowered her voice to a sultry whisper. "Especially when all you're doing is giving her what she really wanted in the first place."

Of course, Nyssa was right. Why would Linda have come on to him in the first place if she didn't really want it? He wasn't taking her will away from her if he were just giving her something that she had wanted all along.

Nyssa smiled in satisfaction. She dropped her hand and pulled back, letting her eyes slide from his.

Richie blinked a few times and shuddered. "Wow ..." he murmured again

Nyssa grinned at him. "Tomorrow, Richie. Come here tomorrow before your detention, and we'll take care of it. It won't take long. Not with such an eager and willing subject."

Richie slowly broke into a smile before turning and heading out of the room without another word.

Nyssa watched him go. When the door had closed behind him, she folded her arms, her smile fading quickly as she contemplated what she had just witnessed.

Richie wanted to give himself to her. He wanted to become Nyssa's pet, in exchange for his fantasy to be fulfilled. She had read the intent in his mind when he was still at his locker contemplating whether to make the decision in the first place.

And yet he was another Sensitive!

Not a very good one. His ability was weak and erratic. His own mind conspired against his use of it. But the point of the matter was this: he should not have had the ability in the first place.

One Sensitive was rare. Two was unusual. But three?

Yet the worst of it was the fact that these Sensitives had all but figured out what Nyssa was doing. Or at least one of them had. And where Richie's intelligence did not strike Nyssa as stellar, it could not have been him alone.

The conclusion was inescapable. Someone or something was working actively against her interests.

And yet, it was possibly too little, too late. With both Heather and now Richie about to fall to her, to be slaved to the Darkness as the others have, it would greatly reduce the threat. Yes, tomorrow would prove to be a most interesting day indeed.

Cassie wound up getting to Ned's house before Ned himself showed up. As she had hoped, Harry had not said a word in protest or questioned when Cassie had told him where to go. Now the limo stood parked just at the corner of Ned's block. Cassie soon wished she had been riding something a little less obvious. Several people walking outside lingered to gawk at the car.

Finally the school bus showed up, and dropped off Ned "The Nose" Lussander.

Cassie thought she might have giggled a bit at Ned's appearance. It was clear even from a distance how he had gotten his name. Instead, she felt a chill when she witnessed the aura around him.

Cassie watched Ned walk with long strides towards his house. He moved as if he had a purpose in mind. When she contemplated what possible purpose that could be, she felt a shiver down her spine.

Ned soon disappeared inside his house, and there was nothing more to look at.

So, now what? Cassie thought.

She had no idea what to do now. For all she knew, whoever he was after was already in the house. She could do nothing if that was the case, unless she felt up to knocking on the door and peeking inside. She wasn't sure she could do that.

Cassie watched the house for awhile. Surely he would emerge at some point and could be followed. Or he would call someone to his house and she could watch them arrive.

She caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She shifted her gaze towards an upstairs window of the house. Someone had drawn the blinds up and was sweeping the curtain aside. Now that same someone perched his head upon his hands and his elbows on the windowsill and appeared to direct his gaze across the street and down a few houses.

Cassie narrowed her eyes. She couldn't tell for sure, but it looked like Ned at the window. He appeared to be waiting for something. Cassie stared at him for five full minutes and he never moved. Had she not seen the movement in the first place, she would have thought it a cleverly arranged mannequin.

So Ned was waiting for something? Or someone?

Cassie settled back in her seat. She would wait with him for awhile.

The bus ride back home seemed agonizingly long for Jason. He realized only after they got to their neighborhood that he was the only one of the three that had no quick transportation to Becky's neighborhood, and he got off the bus last.

Jason got slowed down again when his mother stopped him and wanted him to run an errand for her. If it had not been for having to listen to her mother go off on tangents as she explained what she needed for him to get at the store, he would have thought the opportunity fortunate. He would at least have an excuse for going out again.

Jason hopped on his bicycle and peddled fast over to the Sovert household.

"Okay, I can take one of you," he panted at their door. "And this thing is not exactly built for two. Melinda is smaller and would be less likely to fall off."

Melinda grinned. "Yeah, and I get to wrap my arms around you, too. But that never entered your head, did it?"

Jason blinked in surprise. "Actually, it hadn't." He slowly smiled. "But now that you mention it ..."

Melinda rolled her eyes but blushed lightly.

"Melinda, you know what she looks like, right?" Heather asked.

"Yeah, yeah. Tall, brown-haired, and bubble-headed."

Heather made a face. Melinda made one right back.

"C'mon, let's go, the bus will have let her off already." He grabbed Melinda's hand and practically dragged her out of the house.

"I've never ridden with someone on a bike this way before," Melinda said nervously as she tried to make room for herself. She could just barely get part of her butt on the seat.

Jason tried to slide forward a little. "Try that ... okay, now put your arms around me ..."

"Yeah, I knew that was coming," Melinda said with a smirk. Her arms slid around his waist.

"Well, unless you want to fall ..."

Melinda giggled. "Shut up and drive. Or whatever you do with this ... aieee!"

She let off a shrill little scream as he burst into motion, pedaling the bicycle as fast as he could. It rattled and bumped over the pavement and then the blacktop when he had enough room to swing over.

Melinda's arms tightened around Jason, making him breathless for a few moments. "Ack, Melinda, ease off a little," he wheezed.

"Not until you stop!" Melinda cried, her eyes closed tightly. "Remind me never to ride with you when you get a driver's license!"

Jason rolled his eyes but grinned in amusement.

Cassie sighed. She was beginning to think this was a wild goose chase. She was considering abandoning this and heading back to see if she could find Steve instead.

She glanced down the block. Since she had been there, she had seen several people come and go, either on foot, or by bike or car. Of the few that had stopped and gone into the houses that lined the street, not one appeared to mean anything to Ned. He continued to remain exactly where he was, still as a statue, watching and waiting. Cassie thought it a bit creepy the way he was always in that exact same position every time she looked.

Finally someone approached from the distance that made Cassie take notice.

It was a young woman in a smart business suit. The bottom piece was short, covering her legs to about mid-thigh. Her legs were a sculptor's dream. They were beautifully shaped, enhanced by her dark stockings and high-heeled shoes. Her hair was long and as black as her stockings. As she grew closer, Cassie could see she had a distinct Asian heritage. Glasses graced a face fixed in a small scowl. Her whole manner exuded seriousness as much as it did sexuality.

Cassie thought the woman rather attractive, though likely not in the same way any guy watching her would.

As she watched, the young woman stopped and turned with almost military precision down a walk leading to one of the houses. She quickly unlocked the door and ducked inside. Cassie took her eyes from the house and glanced back towards Ned's. She nearly did a double-take when she saw that the upstairs window was now empty.

Not long after, Ned appeared at the front door.

Cassie felt her stomach twinge in anxiety as she saw him taking long strides across the street, heading directly for the house into which the young Asian woman had disappeared.

"Harry, head down this street. Just a little. Park over there, past that red car."

"Yes, Miss Kendall."

Harry pulled the limo into the street and turned the corner. Cassie immediately slid over to the other side of the car and looked intently out the window as Harry pulled the car to a stop. She had a view almost directly behind the boy now. Even through the miasma of the Darkness surrounding him she could tell that he appeared to be fairly sure of himself.

The door opened and the Asian woman appeared. Barely a moment later she tried to close the door. Ned thrust out a hand to stop it. Cassie peered, narrowing her gaze. The young woman looked rather irritated as she slowly reopened the door. There was also confusion in her face as well.

Cassie sorely wished she could hear what was going on, for the more Ned talked to her, the more drastic a change came over the young woman. Her irritation turned to surprise. Surprise turned to complete astonishment. Astonishment turned to fear and it appeared she tried to retreat into the house, but it was as if her body were reluctant to respond. Fear turned to longing, and she seemed to stagger a bit. And then longing turned to pleading.

Cassie gasped when the young woman abruptly dropped to her knees before Ned.

She swallowed as the young woman clutched at Ned, her body trembling badly and her movements suggesting that she was gasping for air. She looked up at him with an expression that Cassie could not read at first. It was like one part lingering fear, one part anticipation, and one part raw lust.

Ned took her hand and drew her to her feet. She appeared very flustered, shifting her weight constantly. He ran a hand up her arm, over her shoulder and to her neck. The woman appeared to shiver at his touch, though lingering confusion on her face told Cassie she was still questioning what was happening.

Cassie's heart was pounding. She only realized now that she was actually witnessing the first phase of someone being taken over, of her mind being taken away from her. She shivered violently.

Ned finally parted from the Asian woman. The woman gave him a lingering, longing look before ducking back inside the house. Cassie watched as Ned crossed the street and disappeared back into his own house.

Cassie swallowed. She didn't know whether to be scared or elated. Either way, she felt emotionally drained watching that scene. She was not in the right frame of mind to try to find the other one.

"H-Harry, take me home," Cassie said in a hollow voice.

"Right away, Miss Kendall," replied Harry dutifully.

He followed the directions he had worked out in his head. He avoided getting within eye-shot of Frank's house. He didn't think Nyssa was using any of those that she took as spies, but it didn't hurt to be careful.

As they came to the street where Becky's house was located, Jason brought the bike to a sudden, shuddering stop that made Melinda surge forward, pressing her against his back.

"Oh my God, that was horrible," Melinda whined. "That's the last time I ..."

"Shh!" Jason hissed back at her as he leaned forward and peered down the block. After a long pause he said, "I see Becky's house but no sign of her."

"We passed a school bus going the other way a minute ago," Melinda said shakily. She shifted around in her seat, looking to dismount.

"Yeah, I know, unfortunately ... no, don't get off yet, Melinda."

Melinda sighed. "My butt hurts!"

"I'm sorry about that, but ... damn, I hope she hasn't already left."

"Maybe she's calling someone over to her place?"

"We may have to risk going up to the house and check it out ... no, wait ..."

The door to the house had opened. A pretty, brown-haired, teenage girl stepped out.

"There she is ..."

Melinda sighed in frustration as Jason had not advanced far enough onto the street for her to see around the building at the intersection. She fell silent as Jason watched who he assumed was Becky turn and start down the block in the opposite direction.

"She's walking away," Jason said softly.

"So now what?"

"We follow her, that's what."

Jason waited until Becky was a fair distance away and started slowly onto the street, trailing her. Melinda uttered a short gasp as she craned her neck to see. "Ick," she muttered.

"Yeah, I see the aura, too," Jason said softly.

As soon as she turned down another street, he raced to catch up, then slowed down to avoid getting too close and have Becky somehow sense she was being followed. At the corner he caught sight of Becky again and repeated the same. He did this once more before finally turning a corner and seeing Becky walk into a supermarket.

"A supermarket?" Melinda asked dubiously.

Jason sighed. "She may be just getting groceries." He pedaled fasted and skidded to a stop outside. "We better trail her inside just to make sure."

He quickly secured his bike and the two of them dashed inside. Neither could see her immediately.

"Okay, you start from that end of the store," Jason said, pointing to the right. "And I'll start from the left. Meet back at the door."

Melinda nodded quickly and scampered off.

Jason found her first. He had traversed only three aisles and was headed towards the back of the store on the third when he heard someone giggling. He crept along to the end of the aisle and peeked out. A few moments later he heard it again. It was coming from an open door against the back wall of the market that had the sign "Employees Only" in red above it.

Jason glanced about and crept towards the door. He heard a murmured voice, but couldn't make out what it was saying. He clung to one side of the door frame and peered around the side.

From the large shelves and boxes it appeared to be the storage room of the supermarket, at least for the non-refrigerated items. There was Becky, swimming in the Darkness of her aura, rubbing her body seductively against a rather strikingly handsome stock-boy. The young man was backed up against the shelves, looking at her with a mixture of desire, fear, and confusion.

Becky leaned forward and whispered something in his ear. He shuddered and moaned. Becky giggled, and playfully teased his crotch with a light touch of her fingers.

Jason swallowed and backed away. He headed quickly towards the doors, where a frustrated Melinda was waiting for him.

"I couldn't find her!" she whined.

"I did," Jason said. "She's going after one of the employees here. Some really buff guy working the stockroom."

"Let's get out of here, Jason, okay?" Melinda said with a shiver, giving him a pleading look.

"Yeah, let's go. We got what we came here for." He sighed and shook his head. "Tomorrow is going to be a really interesting day."

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