Jason waited until Heather had disappeared backstage in hopes that Ms. Bendon would be otherwise occupied, then looked around to ensure that Ms. Hollis was nowhere in the vicinity.

The temptation was to run to the door. Since accepting his role as the Harbingers' leader, he had done some reading in psychology. He had learned it was better to walk at a normal pace in a situation like this. A running figure always drew attention.

Nevertheless, he broke into a run once he had entered the main hallway. He found Seeger in his office. Seeger emerged as Jason approached. "Is everything all right, Mr. Conner?"

"I'm not sure you really want an honest answer to that, Mr. Seeger," said Jason.

"Then can you at least tell me how Miss Sovert fares?"

Jason did not want to go into the sordid details of Heather's predicament, but it was obvious to him that Seeger cared about her. "Ms. Bendon is not making things easy on her, let's put it that way."

Seeger's brows knitted together as he frowned. "I find this unconscionable. Laura is making a mockery of her position as Principal. This gross violation of trust is absolutely heinous."

"As much as I would agree with you, I have other things to worry about, and I need your help."

"Yes, anything."

"I want you to call Terri Hollis away from the party."

"For what purpose?"

"Invent something. Maybe you need to speak with her on some important matter. Then put her in a room alone and we'll do the rest."

Seeger frowned. "And just what is it you intend to do, Mr. Conner?"

"I would really prefer not to tell you, Mr. Seeger."

"I am sorry, but I refuse to be party to secrecy in this school any longer. If you wish my help, you will explain your plans."

Jason sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He wanted to invent a suitable lie, but his emotions were too chaotic. He was fighting against both time and panic.

"All right, but please realize I don't have time to give you every detail," said Jason. "We're going to have a sort of confrontation with Victor Mann. Ms. Hollis is his accomplice. Before we do anything, we need to turn Ms. Hollis away from Victor so he can't call on her as a resource."

"Is this school to be a battleground, Mr. Conner?"

"Actually, no." As much as I would have preferred that, Jason added in his head. "It will be outside the school grounds. But if we don't stop Ms. Hollis here, we won't get anywhere."

Seeger's face was etched into a mild scowl. "And by 'turning' Ms. Hollis, what exactly do you mean?"

Jason said nothing. He could not bring himself to form the words. He gave Seeger an earnest look.

Seeger's face darkened. "Can I assume by your stunningly unreassuring silence that you do not intend to perform this action by simple persuasion or debate?"

"Mr. Seeger, Ms. Hollis has been screwing with Heather -- in far more than a figurative sense -- for more than a week. Anything we have planned for her would be far less hurtful than what she's already done to Heather. At least we intend to make it temporary."

"You are asking me to condone the act of several students mind controlling a faculty member!" Seeger boomed. "My God, my own words sound insane to me!"

"I'm not asking you to condone anything, just don't interfere with it. Just get her to a room and leave her there."

"And if I refuse? Will you control me as well? Does anyone who does not follow along with your machinations receive that treatment?"

Jason frowned. "No. We don't do things like that. My own record at this school should be proof that I wouldn't do that sort of thing. I hate the fact that we have to do it to Ms. Hollis. If I had intended to do what you suggested, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Seeger let out a windy sigh, and his shoulders slumped. "Forgive me, Mr. Conner, my words were spoken in a moment of anger. I am frustrated by this 'ends justify the means' mentality."

"So am I, and if I had any other course of action, I would take it."

Seeger gave Jason a hopeful look. "If I agree, would this fix everything that's going wrong at this school?"

"Not by a long shot," said Jason. "But it will remove Victor Mann, free Gina Caligano from his control, and curb Terri Hollis. It will likely do nothing against Ms. Bendon, though."

Seeger nodded. "I fear I will have to deal with her myself eventually."

Jason wanted to warn him against the idea, but he had no time. He gave Seeger an expectant look, having no more words of persuasion.

"All right, Mr. Conner. I will summon Ms. Hollis to my office and then claim I need to use the rest room before I can speak with her. Would that be sufficient?"

"Try closing the door when you leave," said Jason, the relief obvious in his voice. "It will help us sneak up on her. And wait about ..." He looked at his watch. "... another fifteen minutes before fetching Ms. Hollis."

"Very well," said Seeger. "And, Mr. Conner, if you intend on taking Ms. Hollis away from the school when you are done, I would ask that you use the west entrance. I do not wish to see what you have wrought upon her."

"No problem, Mr. Seeger," said Jason.

After his initial encounter with them at the door, the Harbingers ceased to be a factor in Victor's equation concerning Gina.

Victor strolled near the refreshment tables, chatting with faculty as if he were no more than another self-appointed chaperon for the party. Many of the faculty had come in colorful costumes. He had not; he refused to pander to the modern concept of the Halloween holiday.

Victor understood his advantage, however; since others ignored the true nature of Halloween, they failed to discover any latent psychic talents they may possess. When odd occurrences happened on Halloween, they were dismissed as pranks, "ghosts," or drunken stupor.

Victor reasoned that this was where his mistake lay with Stephanie. He had been far too lenient and far too worried about her budding abilities. If he had pushed her harder, he could have achieved mastery over her will before her psychic powers could have come to the fore.

Victor turned towards the students dancing in the middle of the auditorium. He caught only a glimpse of Gina through her gaggle of admirers, but he saw her crystal clear in his mind. She moved not to the rhythm of the music, but of her own sensuality. Sweeping rolls of her hips, boldly strutting steps, generous shakes of her bosom, and the occasional toss of her head drew others to her as well as if Victor had reached into their minds himself.

Victor smiled. Slavery worked both ways. The owner was as trapped as the enslaved. Once acquired from Victor, a slave was rarely traded or sold. Victor never suffered for a return or a complaint. Only creating the slave was the difficult part.

Gina represented a new approach that would eliminate much of the work. Bred slaves would never acquire psychic powers. There would never be a repeat of Stephanie, never a failed enslavement, never a candidate that needed to be passed over because of some unsuitability.

Lydia's final disposition would have to wait until after Halloween. Charles had yet to follow his orders, but he refused to let his anger distract him. Victor would deal with Charles at that time as well. He would pick fresh, young blood for his next Prophet.

Victor turned to refill his cup from the water dispenser when he caught a flicker of gray out of the corner of his eye. His gaze turned in time to catch a glimpse of someone in a suit and tie vanishing into the throng.

One eyebrow rose. Was that Seeger?

Before he could pursue the question, the current song came to an end, and thunderous applause rose from the circle that had gathered around Gina and Brad, along with a few wolf-whistles. Seeger was of no concern to Victor. Everything was going right with Gina, and that was all that mattered.

Terri had scrutinized the Harbingers ever since Heather had returned to their midst. Her suspicion grew when she noticed Jason was absent and Laura was nowhere to be seen. A short time later, she spotted Laura alone near the stage, and Jason rejoined the Harbingers from the opposite direction.

She wanted to believe Laura's reassurances. The Harbingers had never moved against her in strength when she played with Heather in class, so why would they be capable of anything more now?

Terri had convinced herself that Richie was a fluke. Heather had mustered the same defense with the assistance of her friends. Terri realized she had been too overt; she had all but called her attack and gave Richie time to prepare. If she had persisted, she believed, she would have pushed him back.

Terri grew tired of the fruitless surveillance. She thought to discuss with Laura the arrangement concerning Heather once more. Laura was still getting more than she deserved; she intended to insist that she get Heather for two weeks in a row in compensation for relinquishing her claim for Halloween.

Terri was startled by a gruff voice right behind her. "Terri, I wish a moment of your time."

Terri gave Seeger a curious look. Seeger's face was locked in a scowl as his eyes glanced in annoyance at the stage and then at some of the students dancing nearby. Terri smirked. "Why, Seymour, I didn't think school parties were your thing."

"They are not," Seeger declared. "If I had any choice in the matter, I would be anywhere but here tonight. As it is, I am here, and an important matter needs your immediate attention. Please come to my office."

"Oh, you can't be serious!" Terri cried, uttering a laugh that was only half in jest. "It's after normal school hours. Try me again tomorrow."

"This cannot wait until tomorrow."

"Oh? Why not?"

Seeger hesitated. "Do not question me here in public. The matter is sensitive enough that I do not wish to discuss it among the students. Come to my office now."

"This is ridiculous. I will do no such thing."

"Terri, kindly stop being an ass and go with Seymour," said Laura as she walked up to them.

Terri spun around. "And what's this to you?"

Laura smiled. "Perhaps the fact that I'm the Principal. Seymour is the Vice Principal. We both outrank you, and we both want you to go to his office."

Seeger's eyebrows rose, but he said nothing.

Terri folded her arms. "Oh, and that's not suspicious at all, is it?"

"Really, your paranoia is getting on my nerves. If I had to guess, I would say this was about the obviously false accusation that was raised against you concerning inappropriate contact with a student." Laura looked at Seeger. "Isn't that right, Seymour?"

Seeger's eyes burned. "Yes, that is exactly what it is," he said in a low voice.

Terri's mouth dropped open. "Wait a minute, what?!"

"Stop panicking," Laura snapped. "This is to clear that accusation. Seymour just has to take your statement, that's all."

"And that can't wait until tomorrow?"

"I must finish the paperwork this evening for tomorrow's outgoing mail," said Seeger. "I do not want to risk missing the deadline."

"Surely you don't want your name appearing on any nasty reports sent to the Board, do you?" Laura said.

"I think this is utterly stupid," said Terri. "Laura, this better not be some underhanded move to ... Laura? ... Laura!"

Laura had walked away, and responded to Terri's tirade with a dismissive wave of her hand without turning around.

"Bitch," Terri muttered under her breath. She gave Seeger a sharp look and marched towards the auditorium entrance.

Jason jogged up to the other Harbingers. "Okay, I just saw Ms. Hollis heading towards the exit with Mr. Seeger. We wait about a minute, then we go to Seeger's office. That's where she'll be."

"Okay, Jason, but what exactly do we do?" Melinda asked.

"Yeah, I was wonderin' that myself," said Ned. "We ain't got the Bounteous Book o' Bedazzlement with us. Ya left it in the van."

"I know," Jason said. "We're going to take the direct approach: our will against hers."

"What, you mean we all just think at her?" Heather asked.

"Something like that, but not all of us at once. Besides being clumsy, we might hurt her. I don't want to take any chances that we'll do some sort of damage to her mind. So we start off with one of us and then keep adding the others one at a time."

Ned nodded. "Yeah, I gotcha. Okay, who goes first?"

Jason hesitated a moment. "Cassie should go first."

Cassie's eyes widened. "Wait, what? Me? But what can I--?"

"Because you can affect her emotions."

"Only in theory, Jason, I've never tried it. If anything, I avoid trying it!"

"Well, you're going to have to try tonight."

Cassie sighed. "What emotion do you want me to give her?"

"Something to make her subdued. Feelings of submissiveness, maybe."

"That's really vague. I'm not sure I can do it."

"Just try, Cassie, please." Jason turned to Heather. "You go next."

Heather looked surprised at first. "Wait, I think I get it. You want me to make her horny, don't you?"

"Yes, but don't pour it on all at once. Work in tandem with Cassie."

"Fuck, man, this is the greatest plan I've ever heard," Richie said with a grin. "C'mon, dude, get to me, what do I do? I want a piece of her, too!"

"Actually, that's where you come in, Richie," said Jason. "You're the only one of the group that can directly control people. You get to lead the final charge. You try to get control of her while Cassie and Heather turn it up a notch. Hopefully she'll be too overwhelmed to fight back."

Richie balled a hand into a fist and drove it into his other palm. "Oh yeah, I'm all over that!"

"Richie, be careful!" Cassie said. "Don't push too hard or too fast!"

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry, okay? I ain't gonna harm a single blonde brain cell of hers."

"But what's left for me, Ned, and Diane?" Melinda said.

"Yes, Master, what do you wish me to do?" Diane asked.

"And Debby," Cassie said. "What about her?"

"She's back in the van," Melinda said. "How's she going to help?"

"Distance doesn't matter over the link."

Jason turned to Ned. "Ned, you work well with Richie. Help him if he needs to push harder. Melinda, Diane, you two are on defense with Debby."

Melinda gaped at Jason. "Defense? Are you fucking nuts?!"

Jason flinched, but managed not to allow doubt or uncertainty to show in his eyes. "What's the matter?"

"I'm the one who they took, remember? How the hell do you expect me to stand up to that again?"

Jason heard the panic in her voice. He was sure she had visions of becoming Terri's sex toy. He had not anticipated her reluctance, but he had no other role for her. He decided he had to reveal his ace-in-the-hole.

To Melinda's indignant sigh and stamp of her foot, Jason shepherded the Harbingers out of the auditorium. Once they were in the hallway, Jason turned to the others and lowered his voice. "Debby has the ability to resist Victor's power."

"What?!" Melinda cried.

"Jesus, Melinda, shut up!" Heather hissed.

"Why the fuck didn't you tell us this before?!" Melinda whisper-shouted at Jason.

"I didn't know until tonight, and I thought up this plan only after we arrived at the party," Jason said. "But she's not sure she can hold out against a real attack, so that's where you and Diane have to help her. I'm hoping we get Ms. Hollis subdued fast enough that she can't really hit us that hard."

"Okay, but how do we tell Mrs. Radson?" Melinda asked.

"She should sense it over the link," Cassie said. "At least I hope she does."

"Heads-up!" Ned said.

Seeger marched towards them, a deep frown creasing his face. "I have done what you requested of me," he said, passing them without stopping or looking towards them. "Do not come find me anymore tonight, I do not wish to know what you have wrought."

They watched until he disappeared down a side corridor. A door slammed shut a few moments later, echoing in the empty halls.

"Well, ain't he a ray o' sunshine," Ned muttered.

"All right, let's go do this," Jason said. He started walking towards the faculty area, the other Harbingers falling into step behind him.

Terri sighed and spun herself back and forth in the chair before Seeger's desk, her witch hat askew as she propped her head against her hand, the elbow perched on the hand rest. She stopped after a few minutes and crossed her legs as she glanced at the closed door.

She looked at her watch. As she tipped her head, her hat tumbled from her head. Muttering a curse, she snatched it before it could fall to the floor, motioned to put it back on her head, and instead threw it atop Seeger's desk. She ran her hands through her disheveled hair to free her matted locks.

Her hand thumped to the top of the desk, and she stood up. "I've had enough of this, he can do his own damn paperwork," she muttered, and was to the door in several long strides.

Her hand gripped the doorknob but did not turn it. She glanced back at the desk. Seeger was her superior, and she would be defying him if she left. That would not sit well with him at all.

Terri frowned. He did not have any control over her despite his title; her command of Heather's reality was proof. But she did not need any trouble with the school board.

Her hand loosened and fell away. She marched across the room and fell into the chair, folding her arms. "Fine, I'll give him a few more minutes."

Terri spun herself in the chair again, and some of her anger faded. She wondered if she were making a big deal over nothing. It was her duty to follow the school regulations, including the paperwork.

She glanced at the door again, her eyes less icy and impatient. She did not have to get back to the party anytime soon. She had already submitted ... relinquished control of the party to Laura. Laura was the Principal. She was in control, not Terri.

She stopped turning the seat. Her hips shifted to one side.

She wanted to remain angry with Laura for taking Heather from her for the night, but she supposed it was for the best. It had let her get away from the party, so she could properly obey ... follow the school regulations ...

Terri squirmed and blinked. What was she just thinking?

She crossed her legs again, and her pussy flashed hot, moisture squeezing from her folds and into her panties. Why was she aroused? It must have been her thoughts about Heather. That would be enough to make anyone horny.

Terri looked at her watch again and uncrossed her legs. She hoped Seeger would return soon to command ... to tell her what to do. With the paperwork.

A long, husky sigh passed Terri's lips. Her thighs spread, almost of their own accord as if unable to contain the sudden heat trapped between them. Terri took a deep breath, both mystified and embarrassed at her abrupt surge of lust.

She struggled to control herself. Seeger would not be at all pleased with her if he saw her like this. No one had told her that she was allowed to get so excited, and she was not supposed to masturbate without permission ...

Terri snatched her hand from her crotch. Her teeth clenched, the lust in her eyes clouded with growing fury. Her pussy aching and wet, she trembled as she rose from her chair and started for the door.

"You little bastards," she growled.

She lashed out with a tidal wave of altered reality to whatever minds were beyond the door, though she could guess. She began to see them in her head. Heather was indeed the one behind her sudden lust, but not in the way she had thought. Terri pushed hardest at her, believing Heather to be so weakened by Laura's mind-games that she would collapse first and bring the rest down with her as she forced them to accept her reality.

The pressure eased. She let out a shaky sigh as control of her senses crept back to her. Another push and she would have them groveling at the door, begging to be her slaves. She let loose another sweeping attack ...

... and suddenly felt something push back.

Terri was so shocked that she staggered back from the door. She reached for the doorknob as she fell away and missed. Damn you, Victor, you didn't make me strong enough! she screamed in her head. I need to SEE them!

A renewed wave of lust dropped her to the floor, where she squirmed and whimpered until she pushed it back enough to keep her wits about her. The pressure was enormous; it was taking all her willpower just to hold them at bay.

A thought came to her: why was she trying to hold them at bay? Wasn't it so much easier to surrender to their control?

"Uhnn ... n-no!" Terri cried. "I have ... I h-have to ..."

Terri gasped and shuddered. Her pussy was so wet and needy. And it felt so good, the pleasure rising as if she were having a really good fuck. When her hips began to pump for her phantom lover, she realized her own fingers were thrusting into her cunt.

"G-God, no ... uhnn ... s-stop ..." Terri gasped. When she tried to push at them again, something else waited in the wings, exuding a vicious, vengeful glee; she shuddered in fear for the first time.

She clenched her teeth and pushed back the feelings of submission, but at the expense of letting herself be consumed by lust. Her fingers fucked her cunt hard, her body tingling and buzzing with desire. A breast worked its way out of her costume, and she caught it with her free hand. She played with the nipple until shock waves of pleasure crashed through her body.

"Uhhn! ... no ... s-stop ... uhhn! ... OHHH!!"

Her orgasm smashed her concentration. She cried out in both pleasure and surrender as thoughts of total obedience saturated her mind. Her pussy throbbed so hard that she gasped for breath.

The door burst open, and feet scuffled around her. As her orgasm faded, something shifted in her mind. Her thoughts, feelings, and motivations of just a few minutes ago dissolved into a fine mist.

She heard voices through the thick miasma of her mindless limbo: "Richie, stop! Stop, we got her already! We--"

"I'm not finished yet, dammit!"

Now other things faded as well, concepts and knowledge receding and blurring into insensibility. If she really strained hard, she could discern them again, but that was too much work. Besides, new ones had just popped into her emptied head. They were so much easier to understand, and a whole lot more fun, too!

Who needed any of that silly old stuff anyway? How did it even get there? She didn't care; it only cluttered up her poor little brain. Maybe some nice person who knew stuff could tell her how all those things got in there.

Her eyes blinked open. She stared up at the Harbingers, eyes wide. She looked at Richie and let out a high-pitched giggle.

"Hiya, master-type-person!" Terri cried in a squeaky voice. "Wanna fuck?"

Debby lay slumped over the steering wheel, panting, her body quaking. Her pussy still buzzed in the aftermath of Terri's failed counterattack. For a few frightening seconds, she had thought how wonderful it would feel to be Terri Hollis' total sex slave. Still aching from the lingering sensations from Heather's ordeal, her pussy had almost cum on its own. She was sure she would have succumbed if her pleasure had consummated.

Pushing back had been difficult. Resisting Victor's brand of mind control was like using a muscle she only just discovered she had. It took time to learn how to use it. She feared she had burned through too much of their pool of energy just learning how it worked.

She moaned as she drew herself up straight in the seat. The other Harbingers had gone quiescent over the link. She reached out to them, fearing that she had pulled back too soon, and they were all artificially happy slaves. A ragged sigh of relief greeted the confirmation that their wills were quite intact.

Debby lifted her hands from the steering wheel. They were still shaking. Just that small brush with Victor's power had rattled her. Her heart ached for Diane once more, and she blunted a spike of anger. She redirected her ire towards Victor, and gripped the steering wheel again as she settled back into another maddening wait.

"No costume, Victor?"

Victor gave Laura a wide, pleasant smile. "I could ask the same of you."

Laura smirked. "Me? I loathe Halloween. Simple as that. I wouldn't be here if I didn't have other reasons. You?"

"Let's just say that -- while I don't follow the modern celebration of the 'holiday' -- I do see its advantages."

"And, of course, you're not going to explain what that means even if I asked."

Victor maintained his smile and said nothing.

Laura stepped closer. "Maybe you're not so unlike me as you think."

"Oh?"

"We both have other reasons for being here. We both have someone we're interested in."

Victor's smile faded a touch. "I hope you are not under the delusion that the importance of your business is on par with mine."

"How can I, when you never really told me what it was in the first place?"

"And I have no intentions of--"

VICTOR!

"--d-doing so now."

Laura raised an eyebrow. Victor coughed.

Victor! Terri Hollis has been taken!

Victor's eyes flashed. Laura tilted her head. "Something the matter?"

"Not at all," Victor said, his voice stiff. "I just remembered something I need to do. Good evening to you." Victor rushed away, Laura casting a speculative gaze in his wake.

What the hell are you talking about? Victor thought to the Darkness.

I told you the Harbingers were planning something! Thanks to you dragging your feet about the Book, I don't have enough power to break her free!

Victor froze. His thoughts stopped, as if he were contending with his own breach of reality.

Victor, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?! The Harbingers have--

I understand, thought Victor. "Dammit."

Laura Bendon was in on this, the Darkness seethed. That bitch. I let her have her fun with Heather because it took a Harbinger out, but now she collaborates with--

ENOUGH. Victor drew himself up and squared his shoulders back. He marched into the throng of students, elbowing them out of the way. His hand fell on Gina's shoulder.

"We're leaving for the church," he said. "Now."

The other Harbingers stared as Richie wore a huge grin on his face. "Okay, now I'm done."

"Cassie, don't blame Richie, okay?" Heather said. "I'm the one that fucked up when I pushed her too hard. I just never had to use this power so delicately and ..." She trailed off as she finally turned her gaze to Terri.

Cassie did not appear to be paying attention to Heather. She stared at Terri along with the rest of them. "Um ... Ms. Hollis? A-are you all right?"

Terri giggled. "Yeppers! I'm all okey-dokey!"

Ned suddenly snorted and turned away.

Melinda's mouth dropped open. She gaped at Terri and then Richie. "Richie, what the fuck did you do to her?"

"Can you stand up?" Cassie asked.

"Huh? Stand? Oh, silly me, I'm, like, still on the floor!" Giggling, Terri jumped to her feet. Her vapid eyes widened, and her hips jerked once. "Ooo, I, like, had a leftover cumming or something in my cunnie."

Ned clamped a hand over his mouth.

Richie smirked at Terri. "Yeah, bet we made you cum real good, huh?"

"Oh, yeah, wow!" Terri bubbled. "That, like, totally blew my mind!"

Heather frowned. "Richie, are you making her say that? Because this is seriously freaking me out!"

"Nah, she's doing it herself," Richie drawled. "After I messed with her head."

Cassie rounded on Richie. "Define 'messed with!' What did you do to her?!"

"Hey, is it, like, kinda chilly in here, or is it just me?" Terri piped. She blinked and looked down at herself. "Oh, that's why! I got a booby hangin' out!" She looked at Richie. "You think I should, like, put it back in?"

Ned grabbed the corner of the desk, his knees buckling as his body shook.

Jason finally broke out of his shock. "Richie, just what did you do?" he asked, his voice both alarmed and fascinated at the same time.

Richie smirked. "I sorta let her have some of her own medicine."

Terri moaned. She pawed at her breast, rubbing the hardening nipple. "Uhnn ... this is, like, making my cunnie all warm and squishy again."

Ned collapsed against the desk and howled with laughter.

"This is not funny!" Cassie exploded.

Heather's lips twitched. "Actually, Cassie, I think this is fucking hilarious."

Terri put her hands on her hips, sliding her feet apart as she turned to Ned. She leaned forward, her free breast dangling and jiggling. "You big meanie, laughing at me like that! You're, like, making me all pouty now!"

"Holy shit," Melinda said. "Richie you ... you bimbotized her?"

Ned let out another peal of laughter and struggled to stand up.

"Hey, don't worry about him, 'kay?" Richie said to Terri. "Just go play with yourself."

Terri beamed at Richie. "Okey-dokey, Master!" She plunged a hand under her panties and masturbated, her other hand playing with her breast. What little intelligence had remained in her eyes clouded over with lust and mindless pleasure.

"He used Terri's own power against her," Jason said.

"You got it in one, Mr. Nerd," said Richie.

"This ... this is just ..." Cassie sputtered. "Richie, did you have to do this?! Couldn't you have done it some other way?"

"Look, get off my back!" Richie snapped. "All of you kept bugging me about how much we have to save our energy. You want me to burn it keeping this bitch under control all the time?"

"But did you have to turn her into this?"

"She fucking deserves it after all the shit she did to Heather."

"You can change her back, right?" Heather said. "I mean, look, if anyone here wants revenge on her, it's me, and I don't want her like this forever."

"It's all right, Heather," Jason said. "Richie can just make her stop believing she's a bimbo. At least I think he can."

"You think?!" Cassie cried, aghast.

"Cassie, Victor's goons were able to change me back," Melinda said. "Stop getting so uptight over it."

"This is exactly what I was afraid would happen, that we'd start using this power without any sort of constraints. And none of you are helping by condoning it!"

"Babe, c'mon, please," Ned said, forcing his mirth under control when he realized just how frazzled Cassie was. "Look, I'm sorry I laughed at it, it was jus' the whole idea of a teacher suddenly talkin' like--"

"I know, I know," Cassie snapped. "Stop justifying it."

Ned sighed. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at Terri. She leaned against the desk, her legs spread as her fingers squished in her wet slit. Little moans and squeals rose from her lips. Ned cleared his throat to choke down a chuckle and wiped his face with his hand. "Okay, um, Richie, mebbe ya should back off a bit."

"I'm not doing shit," Richie said. "Let her stay like this for awhile. Melinda, you remembered everything that happened to you, right?"

Melinda nodded and shivered.

"So maybe if she remembers what we did to her, she won't bug us anymore when this is over."

"You're still trying to justify it," Cassie said. She looked at Terri. "Goodness, can she even think at all like this? I mean, don't we need her to be able to think at least a little?"

"No, we don't," said Richie. "We just tell her what we want her to do."

"Uhnnn!" Terri cried, her body shuddering. "Oooo! ... oh, gawd ... oh yeah ... mmmm ..."

Richie grinned and stepped over to her. "Feel all better now?"

Terri giggled. She pulled her fingers from her pussy with a wet popping noise. "Yeah, that was fun! Gawd, my cunnie is just sooo hot."

Ned cleared his throat again, and the corners of his mouth twitched. Cassie glared at him.

"Can I, like, play with it some more, huh?" Terri squeaked.

"Nah, maybe later," Richie said.

"Aww..."

"You gotta do some things for us first. If you're a good girl, maybe I'll give you a nice, hard fuck later."

"Kewl!"

Heather snorted. "I'm sorry, but this really is too funny."

"This isn't any better than what the cult did to Melinda," Cassie said in a low voice.

"Oh yes it is!" Melinda declared. "We're not going to make twenty different people fuck her."

"You're not?" Terri said. "Aww..."

"I didn't mean it that way, Melinda," Cassie said. "I just ... I ... oh no!"

Ned was at Cassie's side, all trace of amusement gone. "Babe? What is it?"

"It's Gina. New Gina, I mean. She just told me that Gina's leaving the party. And I just sensed something from Debby. She just saw Victor leave with Gina."

"Goddamn," Ned muttered. "Was hopin' mebbe he'd come get us here once he--"

"He wants to confront us on his own turf," Jason said. "Where he can call on his entire cult to support him. Cassie, this is it, you have to get Gina ready to break away from Victor."

Cassie's eyes widened. "But what about ... a-all right ... but I'm going to fall into trance when I do it. I have to have someplace I can sit or lie down."

"She did it in the van last time," Ned said. "She can start when we're goin' over ta the church."

"Shit, do we have to go over there?" Melinda said, her voice quavering.

"Melinda, I said we're not going to let them have you again and I meant it," Jason said. "And we don't have any choice. We don't get to pick the battleground this time."

Ned slapped his fist into his palm. "Then let's stop talkin' about it an' jus' do it."

"All right, let's go," Jason said. He glanced at Terri. "And, um, Richie?"

"Yo," Richie said.

"Have her put her breast back in her costume please."

"Aww," Terri said, pouting as she played with the errant boob. "You're, like, no fun."

Charles closed his cell phone and pounded his fist against the stone pillar. He looked down the main aisle leading to the altar at the head of the chamber. Red-robed cultists were still setting up the ornamental metal poles that would hold the ceremonial candles. The packs of incense were still sitting in their unopened plastic wrappers on a small work table. The altar itself had not yet been adorned, the chains still sitting in piles to one side.

"Kelly!" Charles shouted.

Kelly turned her head and nodded once. She finished giving orders to three other cultists before approaching Charles. "Yes, Prophet?"

"I've just spoken with the Glorious One," Charles said in a flat voice. "He is on his way with the girl."

Kelly blanched. "Prophet, we are not ready yet."

"I know that!" Charles exploded. "Don't you think I told him that?!"

Kelly folded her hands before her. "My apologies, Prophet."

Charles let out a windy sigh and shook his head. "No, it is I that should apologize. Kelly, we need to get everyone moving faster. He may tolerate a small delay once he gets here, but--"

"I must apologize again," said Kelly in a louder voice. "But surely he does not intend to start the ceremony this early. It must be closer to the midnight hour, as it is written."

"I believe he has other business before that, and he needs to make an impression."

"On whom, Prophet?" When Charles did not respond right away, Kelly's face betrayed shock. "Not the evil ones that he did battle with at the school?"

"Yes, Kelly, he is intending to ... defeat them here."

"Is that not unprecedented?"

Charles did not know what to tell her. Of course it was unprecedented! So was everything else that happened that year. "You must trust that the Glorious One knows what he is doing," said Charles, though his voice was tense.

Kelly nodded. "As I always try to do, Prophet. I will have everyone redouble their efforts."

Charles nodded. As he watched Kelly walk away, it dawned on him that Victor had not called him to task for failing to sedate Lydia. Victor must know of his disobedience by now, yet it had not occurred to Victor to ream Charles for it.

That Victor was overlooking such details was more reason for Charles to fear for their success that year.

New Gina stepped back from the door to the Dreamverse and let out a small sigh.

"Did you contact her?" said Stephanie behind her.

"Yes, I think so."

"Is she coming?"

"She promised she would." Gina turned around. "I just don't know when."

Stephanie nodded from where she sat on the edge of Gina's bed. Gina swept her gaze around the room, a look of curious wonder on her face.

"What is it?" Stephanie asked.

"The room. It's different."

Stephanie looked around, not sure what she was expected to see. It still appeared as Gina's room, though now it seemed more familiar. "I'm not sure what you mean, Gina."

"Well, the carpet looks more blue. And I don't remember that tear in the wallpaper near the door."

Stephanie stood and approached the half-foot long rip, flecks of wallboard adhering to its ragged edges. "Wow, that does look familiar. Oh, wait, I remember. I got into a really nasty argument with my mother once when I was fourteen and threw something at the door after she left. It hit right here."

Gina stepped forward and stared at the tear. "But why is it here? Did you do this?"

"No! I mean, not directly." Stephanie looked at the tear again, and then the carpet. "I shouldn't have come in here. I think I messed something up!"

Gina shook her head. "It doesn't matter what the room looks like. It can change into anything it wants if it means I have a chance to get free of Victor."

Stephanie nodded, but her eyes were clouded. She looked towards the door to the Dreamverse. She could still feel Lydia's mind slipping away. Once it was dead, what would become of her? Would she be snuffed out along with it, no matter where she was? Or would she exist only as a disembodied Presence until her energies waned? She shivered at the thought of such a slow, agonizing decline into nonexistence.

"Stephanie, are you all right?" Gina asked.

Stephanie forced a smile. "I'm fine. I think you're right. Cassie will come help us before long. We just have to wait."

Stephanie had no idea how much time remained to her. She agonized over the possibility that she would vanish just short of Victor's defeat. The fear of death did not disturb her as much as the specter of unfinished business. Once Gina was freed and Victor denied his prize, she could accept whatever happened.

She swallowed and blinked as her eyes blurred. Twenty-one years was long enough to be denied life.

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