The following story is a work of fiction.  It contains scenes of an adult nature, so if you are under 18, stop reading now.  This story contains explicit sexual language and fantasies.  If you are offended by such activities, do not read any further.  This is purely a fantasy.  The author is not responsible for any damage resulting from reading this work.

 

Almost all characters in this story are purely fictional.  The part of Xanthos Pendragon is based upon what I believe I would do with this particular program.   ALL characters are 21 or older.

 

There is no sex in this story.  (Sorry, folks.)

 

This story may be reposted or archived provided the following conditions are met:

 

1) The story is not altered in any way

2) The story contains my name and disclaimer

3) You do not make money from the story

 

From the dictionary:

 

e-clec-tic

      adj.

1. Selecting or employing individual elements from a variety of sources, systems, or styles: an eclectic taste in music; an eclectic approach to managing the economy.

2. Made up of or combining elements from a variety of sources: “a popular bar patronized by an eclectic collection of artists, writers, secretaries and aging soldiers on reserve duty” (Curtis Wilkie).

 

      n.

One that follows an eclectic method.

 

Timeline: “A Scare” occurs between the end of “The Eclectic’s Edition” and the wedding mentioned at its conclusion.

 

The Cast:

      Xanthos Pendragon                Caucasian, 6’1”, 175 Lbs., Dark Brown Hair, Blue Eyes, 35 Years Old

      Melissa (Lis) Ruiz                    Hispanic, 5’8”, Black Hair, Brown Eyes, 25 Years Old

      Anna Su Li                              Asian, 5’10”, Black Hair, Brown Eyes, 25 Years Old

      Katrina (Kat) Kosonen           Finish, 5’6”, Black Hair, Emerald Green Eyes, 23 Years Old

      Laura Richardson                   Caucasian, 5’11”, Red Hair, 31 Years Old, (Formerly Sonya Lovewell)

      Angie (or Angela) Lovewell    Caucasian, 5’6”, Red Hair, 23 Years Old, Laura’s Daughter

      Sheila Tiffany (Tif) Jacobs      Caucasian, 5’8”, Light Blonde Hair, Blue Eyes, 29 Years Old

      Amy Lee Weaver                     Caucasian, 5’5”, Brown (almost Black) Hair, Amber Eyes, 29 Years Old

      Mei Lin                                    Asian, 5’3”, Black Hair, Brown Eyes, 31 Years Old

 

Note: Everyone's aging was slowed down by 80% 2 years ago, so everyone still looks 2 years younger than their present age.

 

Warning!  This story is NOT for the weak-of-heart!

 

 

Master PC: The Eclectic’s Edition – A Scare

by Xanthos Pendragon

 

 

Xanthos

 

Damn, these roads are long today.  I don't remember them looping like this either.

 

 

I'm... home...  Something's... wrong...

 

"Hi Stacy, Tracy," I say to my long-haired blonde and brunette girlfriends.

 

"Hi, love," one said, giving me a kiss.

 

"Hello," the other said, also giving me a kiss.

 

Something is wrong...

 

I see two men on the property with guns.

 

They don't belong here.

 

I feel very nervous.  I walk to a room on a branch of the extremely small U-shaped house to get one of my guns.

 

I feel fear.  One of the men is following me.  I grab my stainless steel Mini-14.  I can't find a magazine for it.  I hold the large, black, pistol case in front of where the magazine would go and turn to face the intruder.

 

"Back off if you know what's good for you," I tell him.

 

The bluff works.  He backs out the same door he came in through.

 

I see a laser entering the room through the window beside the door... searching... seeking...

 

I toss the rifle to the ground and back into the corner beside the window trying to avoid the laser.

 

I have to do something!

 

I open the pistol case containing the Glock 22 and the Redhawk.  I grab the Glock and a large banana clip.  The clip won't fit the gun, so I grab an adapter and force it onto the end of the clip and insert that into the base of the Glock and chamber a round.

 

The laser gets extremely close to me and suddenly the window breaks as a bullet passes through it.  Miss.  The laser keeps searching.  It's coming from below the window and to the left.

 

I have lots of bullets, so I turn the corner, squeezing off rounds as fast as I can, before I even see the source of the laser.

 

Must protect girls!

 

When I can finally see through the window, I see... the backs of a blonde and a brunette.  I squeeze off another round into the brunette's back before I realize that it's one of my girlfriends!

 

NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I hear from behind me, "I wouldn't worry about that."

 

It's one of the two men.

 

Then there's a flash as he shoots me...  and I awaken, sweating and screaming!!!

 

"WHAT'S WRONG?!?" the two women beside me ask, suddenly extremely concerned.

 

"Nothing.  It was just a nightmare," I gasped out; breathing hard... still panicked.

 

Tif and Amy... they look a lot like the girls in the dream...  Why did I call them Stacy and Tracy?  It doesn't make sense!  None of it made sense!!!  What does it mean?!?  Am I failing them all somehow?!?

 

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Six Weeks Later During a Business Trip to California

 

“Well Mr. Pendragon, it sounds like we’ve got a deal.  We’ll have the first shipment out to your office within 60 days, and more as you need them,” the manufacturer’s sales rep said.

 

“That sounds great to me,” I replied.

 

“Would you mind if I asked who did your designs for you?” he asked.

 

“Not at all.  I did the concept and the CAD models for the outer casings.  Other specialists did the electronics and programming.”

 

He raised his eyebrows a little bit.  “It’s just that the cases seem to be a bit thicker than you’d normally expect for something like this.  We can optimize that for you if you’d like,” he suggested.

 

“No thanks.  I intentionally wanted the cases to be more durable than what you normally encounter.  If someone’s going to spend $150 to $250 for a remote control, they aren’t going to want something that will break if it accidentally gets knocked or jerked off of a table.”

 

“Very true.”

 

 

We concluded our business and I headed out to grab some lunch.  Finding a nice little restaurant, I went in and found a table.

 

The Waitress

 

“You’ve got another customer in your area,” Tina told me.

 

“Thanks.”

 

“Wow!  What’s a Suit doing in a place like this?” she asked.

 

“Who knows?  Maybe he’ll at least tip well,” I replied, heading over there.

 

When I got to the table, I noticed the guy was fairly handsome.  Too bad I don’t usually attract guys like this...  “Can I get you get you something to drink while you look at the menu?” I asked him.

 

He looked up from his menu and said, “Sure, Dr. Pepper.”

 

As I started to walk away to get his drink, I thought I noticed his expression change.

 

Xanthos

 

No... It can’t POSSIBLY be her...  That was just a dream!

 

The Waitress

 

As I walked back to the table again, I noticed him staring at me with a look that was, as far as I could tell, a mixture of recognition and fear...  His face had turned pale, and I noticed that his entire body had tensed up considerably.  What was really strange about that is the fact that I’d never seen this man before in my life!

 

“Here’s your drink, sir,” I said in a pleasant voice.

 

His eyes studied my face intently, then jumped to my name badge before returning to my face.  The moment he saw my badge, his face turned absolutely ashen and his body started to shake.  This man wasn’t afraid, this man was TERRIFIED!!!

 

He took a deep, extremely ragged breath, then spoke with a trembling voice that revealed just how terrified he was.  “Do you know someone named Stacy?”

 

Stacy?  How does he know about her?  “Yes,” I carefully replied.  This guy was starting to scare me.

 

“Curly blonde hair, just longer than yours?” he asked.

 

“How did you know?” I asked, really getting concerned.

 

“Do either of you live in a small U-shaped house?” he asked, really quaking now.  Whatever it was, this guy was scared shitless!!!

 

“We both live together in one...” I replied, backing off a bit.  “What’s going on?”

 

He sat there shaking his head as his entire body trembled.  He pulled out a checkbook and started filling out a check.

 

I guess he’s not staying for lunch...

 

He handed me the check and his business card and said, “That’s for you and your friend to split equally.  Find someplace better – much more secure – to live!  Don’t squander it!  If you need ANYTHING, call me!  We can’t ever meet again!!!”  As he finished, he threw a five-dollar-bill on the table and literally ran out the door. 

 

It was only then that I took a look at the check...  It was written out to Stacy and Tracy.  When I saw the amount, my legs collapsed!  The thing was written out for three million dollars!!!

 

My God!!!  If this thing is REAL...

 

Several of the others ran up to me to see what was wrong, but it was a while before I realized they were there.

 

Xanthos

 

No matter how much I might have wanted to get to know Tracy and her friend, there was no way in hell I was about to let that dream become reality!

 

Some time later, I found myself sitting in a park with tears still running down my face from recalling that dream and what happened in it.

 

I answered my cel phone when it rang, and said, “Hello,” still quaking from the horror I’d been reliving in my mind.

 

<Xanthos!  What’s Wrong?!?>

 

It was Kat.  “Nothing...  Just reliving a nightmare...” I replied as the tears continued to flow.

 

<TELL ME!!!  WHAT’S WRONG!!!>

 

“If a Stacy or Tracy call about a check I wrote, tell them it’s good.  If they need anything else, do whatever you can to help.  Otherwise, I’ll take care of it tomorrow when I get back,” I said, ending the connection and breaking down into wracking sobs.

 

Kat

 

“XANTHOS!!! ... XANTHOS!!!” I yelled into the phone.  I hung up and started redialing his number as Amy came rushing into the front from her office.

 

“What is it?!?” she asked, panicked.

 

“Something about reliving a nightmare,” I replied, wishing like hell he’d answer his damned phone.

 

“Reliving a...” Amy said, her eyes widening.

 

There was no answer, so I tried again.  Still no answer.

 

“Damn it!!!” I yelled.  “He’s not answering!”

 

I picked up the line that Tracy was holding on.

 

“Tracy, he said the check’s good.  Please, I need to know what’s going on,” I begged her.

 

“Tracy?!?” Amy gasped in recognition.  She quickly ran back to her phone and conferenced herself into the call.

 

<I don’t know what happened.  He came into the diner where I work and sat down looking like he was going to get some lunch.  I asked him if he wanted something to drink, and he ordered a Dr. Pepper.  When I came back to the table with his drink, he had a strange look on his face... like a mixture of recognition and fear.  When he glanced at my name badge, that look changed to one of absolute terror.  I’ve never seen this guy before in my life, but somehow he knew me and my friend.  I’ve never seen anyone that terrified before in my life, and I don’t want to ever again!!> Tracy said.

 

“Tracy, this is Amy,” Amy said, breaking into the conversation.  “Is your friend’s name Stacy?”

 

<Yes, it is... but how do you two know that?!?>

 

“Xanthos had a very bad nightmare a few weeks ago, and it scared him so bad that he couldn’t sleep again for days after that,” Amy replied.

 

<But nightmares don’t mean anything...> Tracy replied.

 

“Xanthos said that his family has a history of premonitions during their dreams.  He said that it doesn’t happen often, but it does happen.  What else did he tell you?” Amy asked, still concerned.

 

<He asked if me or Stacy lived in a small U-shaped house, which we do...> Tracy replied.

 

“Then what?” Amy asked.

 

<He wrote out a check to me and Stacy for three mill and told me that it was for the two of us to split evenly.  He also told me rather forcefully to move to someplace more secure.  He also said that we could never meet with him ever again,> she replied.

 

“Jesus!  Tracy, Listen to me!  Find a house in a secured neighborhood and get the two of you moved in as soon as possible!!!  If you need more money, let us know, but do it!”

 

<Why?!?  What’s wrong?!?> she asked, panicking.

 

“It’s his dream.  Don’t ask me to go into it, but please get moved out of your house as soon as you soon as you can!”

 

Xanthos at Home – Five Days Later – Watching the News

 

“In the news tonight: Three more people were killed tonight in San Rafael, California during a gunfight with two others.  Police report that there’s evidence that the shoot-out was gang-related.  The names of the victims are being withheld pending notification of relatives.”

 

“No...” I said in a state of shock.  “I told them to move...”

 

I felt hugs coming from all sides as everyone broke down into tears.  Everyone had already been told about the dream I’d had, and they all understood what I was feeling at the moment.

 

Kat

 

The phone rang so I went to get it.  It was one of the company’s lines.

 

“Xanthos Industries,” I answered, kind of trembling.  “How may I help you?”

 

<This is Tracy.  Is Xanthos there?>

 

“But... but...  The news...” I stammered.

 

<That’s what I’m calling about.  I just heard about the shooting too and I wanted to let everyone there know that we’re alive.>

 

“Xanthos!  Everybody!!  Tracy and Stacy are both ALIVE!!!” I yelled to the others.

 

“What?!?” everyone started asking.

 

“Tracy’s on the phone!  She says that they’re both ALIVE!!!”

 

Xanthos ran to me and grabbed the phone.

 

Xanthos

 

“Tracy?  Is it really you?!?” I asked, desperately praying that it really was her.

 

<Yes.  We moved out three days ago – apparently just in time!>

 

“Thank God!!!  I just saw the news and recognized your house in their photo!  I thought you were both killed!”

 

<I don’t know how you knew, but Stacy and I both want to thank you for saving our lives.>

 

“I guess the dream was worth it then.  You’re welcome,” I replied.

 

<I don’t suppose it would be possible for us to thank you personally, would it?  I mean for that, and for making us both millionaires.>

 

“I... ... Give me some time to get over that dream first, and I’ll consider it again.  In the meantime, keep in touch.”

 

<Okay,> she replied, dejected.

 

“Just give me some time, okay?”

 

<Okay.>

 

Then Stacy got on the phone to thank me too.

 

A few minutes later, I decided to call it an evening.  The kittens all took turns helping me get over the scare.

 

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Xanthos.P@home.com