_Chapter 4: New Friends, Old Friends, and Trouble on the Horizon_
 
 
 
          The next few days were more hectic than Ron would have preferred for
his Christmas holiday.  The next day, Social Services showed up to claim the
girl.
 
          "Hello, my name is Heidi Gallagher.  I am here to pick up little
Karen."
 
          "Please, come in.  Karen is with Ron in the living room."  Sandra
led her in, and introduced her.  Sandra sat down in a chair, but Ms. Gallagher
seemed to be in a hurry.
 
          "Come, Karen.  We need to go."  Karen, startled, backed up behind
Ron, who had risen upon Heidi's entrance.  "Come now, we have no time for
this."
 
          "Ms. Gallagher," Ron interjected, "You have all the manners of a
barbarian, and no interpersonal skills at all."  Ron was re-reading some of
his psychology, and had picked up quite a bit of the lingo.
 
          "Excuse me, young man, but I am a very busy woman.  I don't have
time for this childish nonsense."  She huffed.
 
          "But, ma'am, she *is* a child.  And it isn't nonsense to her.  She's
terrified of you."  Ron replied reasonably.
 
          "I won't go with her!"  Karen screamed.
 
          "Oh, you don't have a choice, young lady."
 
          "Yes, she does."  Karen moved in what would have been an aggressive
motion, but Ron stopped her.  *<Let me handle this.  I will protect you.>* 
Karen nodded.  Ron turned to the woman.  "What would you do with her?  Stick
her in an orphanage?"
 
          "That is where she belongs."  Heidi snapped.
 
          "No, I don't think so."  Ron engaged the woman's eyes.  "You will
draw up and bring back here the papers to put her in our custody.  You will
handle any necessary court details."  Ron released her, and, without a word,
she left.  Ron turned to Karen, who nearly strangled him with a hug.
 
          "Thank you!"
 
          "Honey?  I know we've got the room and all, but do we really want to
take on another person?"  Sandra asked.
 
          "It's our duty, Mom.  We don't have a choice.  I interfered with the
police, so that makes her my responsibility.  If I wasn't going to make sure
she was okay, I never should have stepped in to begin with."  This sounded
reasonable enough to everyone, and the matter was dropped.
 
 
 
          Over the next few days, a small army of people came to interview the
family in the house.  Ron had to make adjustments to just about everyone, but,
in the end, the paperwork was signed and filed.  Karen Pritchart, newly
orphaned, was now a ward of the Chaffey extended family.  Ron had just one
more issue to handle.
 
 
 
          Mike showed up on January 3.
 
          "You said you had a minor emergency, Ron.  I can't imagine much that
you couldn't handle alone."  Then they entered the living room, where Karen
was sitting.  "Oh.  Hello, I don't think we've met."  Mike introduced himself,
and Karen nodded sheepishly.  "So, what's up?"
 
          Ron answered, "Well, it's Karen here.  She's a psionic."
 
          "Oh?  New to the area?"
 
          "No, she's been living in the house across the street for the past
four years now."
 
          "Curious.  I'll have to check and see who surveyed this area last. 
So, I guess we'll need to sign her up for CAMP, hmm?"
 
          "Well, that is up to her.  I have only vaguely discussed it with
her, since I'm not cleared for recruitment procedures.  I'll leave you two to
it, I've got something to look after."  Ron went to leave the room, and as he
did so, noticed the worry on Karen's face.  "Don't worry, I'm not leaving. 
I'll be in the kitchen, or upstairs.  I'll be back before he leaves.  He won't
bite.  Much."  He said the last with a grin, and at least got a small one in
return.
 
          After checking in on family members, handling some personal things
that others couldn't do for him, and getting himself something to eat, he
re-entered the living room.
 
          "No."
 
          "So, you don't want to be a member of CAMP?"
 
          "That's not what I said."
 
          Mike threw up his hands in exasperation.
 
          "What's up?" Ron asked.
 
          "She won't go to CAMP, but she won't refuse membership, either. 
We've never had anyone this... stubborn."
 
*          <What's the problem, Karen?>*
 
*          <I don't trust him, or the guys he's talking about.>*
 
*          <But, Karen, I* am* one of the guys he's talking about.>*
 
*          <You're different.  You saved me.  Why can't you teach me?>*
 
          "No."
 
          "What?"  Mike, not being the rude type, hadn't been following along
on the mental conversation that just went on.
 
          "Why not?"  Karen wanted to know.
 
          "I'm not qualified."
 
          "You're teaching Michelle."  She had stopped by a couple of days
ago, and so the three had a little get-together of the minds.
 
          "Karen, I'm teaching Michelle like, really basic stuff.  I can't
teach the big, important stuff."
 
          "Why not?"  This was from Mike, who had finally caught on, and
couldn't resist a perfect opportunity to get Ron involved in something he was
perfectly suited for, but would resist strongly.
 
          "C'mon, Mike!  I'm still learning this stuff myself.  I'm no
teacher."
 
          "We're all still learning, kiddo.  And you're as good as any
instructor we've got at CAMP.  If she's willing to learn at your hand, that's
just fine by us.  Just use the handbook."
 
          Karen was satisfied.  Mike was satisfied.  Ron was terrified.
 
          "What if I screw up?"
 
          "What if you do?  We all do, sooner or later.  It's just like
teaching any other subject.  The really important stuff, you won't slip up
on.  The rest, if you don't explain it right, well, it just won't work, that's
all.  Then you can explain it again, and then maybe you'll get it right."
 
          "Ron?  Please?"  Karen was pleading with him.  She was 12, and she
was really good at pleading.  Ron had been good at pleading at that age, too. 
He hated it when girls pleaded with him, because he could never say no.
 
          "Oh, okay.  But I'm gonna regret this."
 
          "Nah.  No worries, Ron.  Okay, if we can just get her parents to
sign these forms....then...we........what?"  Ron and Karen were looking at him
with one of those expressions.
 
          "She doesn't have any parents."
 
          "What happened to them?"
 
          "Well, let's say they took an early departure into the hereafter."
 
          "I killed them!"  Karen was rather more direct.  Mike just sat,
stunned.  "Ron?"  He was looking for an explanation.  Ron took pity on him.
 
          "Her parents were abusive, and so she finally took matters into her
own hands.  Probably what awakened The Ability so early.  The police were,
shall we say, more interested in closing the case than her safety, and so I
had to come to her defense."
 
          "I see.  Well, then, who is guardian?"
 
          "My mother, officially."
 
          "In other words, you."
 
          "You could say that."
 
          "Sign here."  Mike indicated all the places.  It wasn't legally
binding, as such, because Ron was underage.  However, CAMP rules forbade
allowing the follower of a member to sign binding forms.  "Well, that takes
care of that.  What about her schooling?"
 
          "She goes to the junior high.  She will continue to do so."
 
          "Very good.  No problem there.  Good day, and good luck to you
both."  With that, Mike trotted off to his car.
 
          "Thank you."
 
          "I'm going to regret this..." Ron knew he wasn't going to like this
arrangement.  He was wrong.
 
 
 
          Weeks went by, and Karen's skills started to improve.  As did both
her appearance, and her confidence.  They had taken her shopping to get her
new clothes, and had gotten her all those nice things that girls like.  Ron
did not accompany them on that trip:  he couldn't bear the thought of watching
women wading through clothing.  But, she put on a fashion show of sorts when
they got back, and he couldn't say he disapproved of their taste.
 
          Finally, in mid-February, The Day arrived.  It was time for Dawn to
lose a little weight, and Ron and Sandra took her to the hospital.  It wasn't
a long labor, only about 45 minutes or so.  Amazingly easy for a first, his
mother said.
 
          Ron and his Mom stepped in after the birth to see them both.  It was
a brand new baby boy.  His eyes were a startling blue: he realized that they
were the color of Kumiko's eyes.  Most babies are born with blue eyes, of
course, but Kumiko apparently had never lost that brilliance in hers.
 
          "Ron?  We never talked about what to name him."  Ron thought for a
second.
 
          "What would you like to name him?"  He asked.
 
          "I don't know.  Mom?"
 
          "I really hadn't thought about it, Dawn.  I assumed you two had
discussed it."
 
          They hadn't, but Ron came up with a name quickly.  "Nathan Conrad."
 
          "That's pretty.  Why those two, Ron?"  Dawn inquired.
 
          "That names him after each of our grandfathers."
 
          "Oh.  I didn't know what Grandpa Miller's name was.  Nathan Conrad
Chaffey."  And so, a new life emerged into the world. 

*          I wonder if he'll have my gift?  Better for him if he doesn't.  It
puts an awful lot of responsibility on you.*  Ron didn't know the half of it,
yet.
 
 
 
          One of Ron's jobs, as field agent, was to routinely scan the latents
in his area, to see if any were ready for contact by Mr. McGavin.  He had yet
to find one, but he really didn't expect them to be springing up like they
were already.
 
          He was on the trail of one now.  He was a 19 year old college
student.  Ron looked older than his age, but there was no way he was passing
for a college student.  He meandered about campus, trying to look
inconspicuous, and working to locate his target.  He thought he'd found him,
when a little trouble arose.
 
          "Get off our campus, kid."  This was some jock.  *Probably here on a
football scholarship.*  He was big, mean, and ugly.
 
          "What?"
 
          "I said get off our campus.  No squirts or pipsqueaks allowed."
 
          Just then, a clean-cut boy with black hair walked up.  He was 5'6"
tall, thin, not muscular, pretty much a bookworm type.  "What's up, Bruce?"
 
          "Stay out of this, dickweed.  I'm gonna pound this little dude."
 
          Just then, Bruce found himself lying on his back.  *Huh?  Wait, I
didn't do anything...*  He realized that Bruce must have been knocked down by
the other guy.
 
          Ron did a very quick scan.  *Okay, this is my target.  Right name,
address, there's the Ability Sphere, and it's ready for contact.*  Ron mumbled
a "Thanks," and quickly got out of there.
 
*          Geez.  What is this world coming to?  I can't even walk along
quietly on a college campus anymore!*
 
 
 
          It was April, and life was good.  Dawn and her baby were coming
along nicely.  Ron didn't pay all that much attention to the infant, not
really feeling much in the way of a paternal instinct kicking in.  He played
with the little guy, but not much else.  He left the less pleasant jobs to
more qualified, and less powerful, individuals, like Megan, Jess, and Dawn. 
He had taken some sympathy on his sister, by assigning Jess to infant duty
during the night.  That way, Dawn could at least get some sleep.
 
          Ron was wandering the halls after school one day, when he heard a
familiar voice coming from an office.
 
          "Oh, yes.  He's a wonderful student, too."  That was Mrs. Hayes’
voice, he was sure of it.
 
          "Well, he makes a splendid tutor."  And that was Linda!  Ron
couldn't pass up the opportunity to find out what they were talking about.  He
walked in through the open doorway.
 
          "I couldn't help but notice you were chatting about me.  Is there
some reason?"  He asked in a playful tone that both ladies recognized.
 
          "Well, I just happened to notice that Mrs. Hayes there has a
beautiful necklace that seemed, well, rather similar to mine."
 
          "It ought to.  They're identical except for the stone."
 
          "Yes, so I see.  We were about to, um... compare notes, in a way."
 
          Ron stepped over and closed the door.  "Go ahead."  He smiled, and
winked.  "I don't mind."
 
          Nancy gave in first.  "I don't think just talking will do.  How
about you, Linda?"
 
          "No, not at all.  I think a visual display would be best."  The
ladies advanced on him, both already unbuttoning their blouses.
 
          Ron feigned fright.  "Now, ladies, please...  I'm fragile, I might
break."
 
          Linda ran her hand across his crotch.  "Oooh.  No.  You're hard, but
I don't think you're fragile."  She pulled his shirt off over his head.  Nancy
bent down to work at his jeans.  She got them off, then let Linda take over
while she removed the rest of her clothes.
 
          Linda pulled down his briefs, revealing his hard, throbbing dick. 
She licked her lips at the very sight of it.  "Oh, it's been a few weeks since
I've played with this."  She wrapped her fingers softly around his prick, and
started jacking as she sucked the head into her mouth.
 
          Nancy had undressed fully now, and was massaging Ron's chest as she
kissed him passionately.  Both women seemed on fire.  Ron wondered if he ought
not to have them over for a weekend sometime.  *I'm not sure I could survive
both for that long!*
 
          Ron rearranged people a little.  He laid Nancy across the desk, and
dove right into her muff, licking and sucking with wild abandon.  Linda
returned to his cock, taking more of it into her mouth now.  Nancy was moaning
from the attention.
 
          Ron was close to coming, he knew that.  There was no stopping it. 
He increased his pace on Nancy's pussy.  She started the little shudders he'd
come to recognize as a small orgasm, just then he came himself, pouring his
seed down Linda's throat.  She took it all, and sucked him hard again.
 
          It was only fair that Linda get some attention now, as she was the
only one who hadn't come yet.  Ron bent her over the desk, just over Nancy. 
Linda started eating out Nancy, and Ron pushed his rod into Linda from
behind.  She gave a deep moan, and pushed back.  Ron pulled out so that just
his head was in, then plunged back in.  Slowly, in and out, in and out.  He
worked as slow a pace as he could handle.  Linda was eating Nancy's pussy,
licking up and down the slit, then taking her clit into her mouth and lightly
nipping it with her teeth.
 
          Nancy was shuddering constantly now, and the spasms were becoming
more and more violent.  Linda was fucking back at Ron with some force, and Ron
was pushing into Linda faster and faster.  Just then, Linda went rigid, and
let out a yelp.  She strangled it as much as she could, for there were other
people in the building.  Her orgasm lasted for almost a minute.  Ron pulled
out of her, and pulled her into his arms.  He kissed her softly, gently,
sensuously.
 
          "It was good for me, too."  She responded breathlessly.
 
          Ron gently helped her into a chair.  She had always been kind of out
of it after good sex.  But he still had to please Nancy.
 
          Nancy reached out and took his cock in hand.  He had softened just
slightly, so she sucked him until he was good and hard again.
 
          "Now I want you inside me, lover.  Make me come!"
 
          Ron plunged into her now well-lubricated hole.  She wasn't
interested in slow today.  She wanted it hot and fast.  She wrapped her legs
around his ass and pulled him into her as far and as fast as she could
manage.  Ron started massaging her wonderful tits.  He squeezed and twisted
the nipples, and she mewled in pleasure.  She loved it.
 
          Quickly she started to climb to her orgasm.  She pummeled him into
her faster and faster.  Then, as she was about to come, she pulled him down to
her and kissed him.  As she climaxed, she screamed into his mouth, still
wrestling with his tongue.
 
          They remained like that for some minutes, both of them coming down
from one of their better performances.
 
          "Oh... Damn...that was....just wonderful!"  Nancy said.
 
          Ron felt a soft body behind him, that embraced him in a glorious
hug.  "We were also talking about something else, Ron."
 
          "Oh?  I don't think I'm up to any more today!"
 
          "No, not that.  Both of us are single.  Both of us live in a fairly
expensive apartment.  Both of us wish we could spend more time with you...." 
She trailed off, hoping Nancy would continue, but Ron picked up for her.
 
          "So, you were wondering if there was room at the Chaffey house for
you two?"  Both women nodded.  "Well, we do have two bedrooms left, but I did
want to have a guest room..."  He was teasing.  They knew it, but they also
worried that, just maybe, he wasn't.
 
          "We'll share a room!" insisted Nancy.  "That's not a problem. 
Neither of us has much stuff!"  Linda agreed.
 
          Ron just shook his head.  "Ladies, you're impossible.  Of course
you're welcome in my home, so long as you live by the rules, and you
understand who's in charge."
 
          "Why, you are, Ron."  Nancy said.  Linda nodded agreement.
 
          "See?  You know the most important rule already.  You can move in
over the weekend, if you like."
 
*          Well, if I don't survive, at least I'll go out happy!*
 
 
 
          It was late May, school was out, and life was fine.  Little Nathan
was a healthy, growing boy.  Dr. Brown was out to see him every couple weeks. 
She didn't normally do house calls, but Ron hadn't given her a choice in the
matter.  He was still torturing her unmercifully, making her wet and excited
anytime she was near him.  She couldn't understand it, she wasn't attracted to
him at all.  On Ron's part, it was just a fun diversion.
 
          Karen's skills were really coming along well.  He had gotten her to
master all of the defense techniques early on, and they practiced on each
other regularly, and on Michelle, whenever she would stop by.  Right now Karen
was mastering the art of telekinesis, moving all sorts of things around the
house.  The rest of the family had gotten used to these lessons, and no longer
complained that their stuff wasn't where they'd left it.  One morning, Ron was
teaching Karen about levitation, when he got a strange sensation, as if he
were being watched.  He knew that was impossible; there were at present three
telepaths in the house, since Michelle was visiting, and any telepathic
communication, send or receive, would have been instantly noted.  Still, the
feeling was there.
 
          "Hang on a second, Kar.  I need to check on something."  Ron went
upstairs to his room.  He had made some modifications to the window in his
room that allowed him to look out, without anyone outside being able to tell. 
*I really ought to just install cameras.  It'd be easier.*  Sure enough,
across the street, was a tall man dressed in a black trench coat.  *Trench
coat?  In May?  Talk about conspicuous.*  He knew the man was not scanning
him, but, since he did not know if the man was a psionic or not, he wouldn't
risk a scan of his own.  He studied the man for a few minutes, until he moved
off.  Ron filed the incident in the back of his mind.  *Strange.  Very
strange.*
 
 
 
          Over the summer, this event was repeated many times.  Ron began to
wonder if someone were watching him because they knew, or suspected, what he
was.  *Or, maybe* he thought, *it's an inspector from Social Services.  No,
that's nuts.  Why would they bother doing it like that?*  Finally, in early
July, an event occurred that solved the matter for him.
 
          It was late morning, around eleven, when the doorbell rang.  Nikki
went to answer the door, and nearly bolted back into the living room, where
Ron was reading.
 
          "What's up, Nik?  Who's at the door?"  Then he saw past Nikki to....
*No, I must be seeing things.  I can't possibly be seeing who I'm seeing.* 
But he was.  Standing in the doorway, in clothes that hung from her body, torn
and even bloody, stood Marinda.
 
          "Ronnn....."  Was all she managed, before collapsing to the floor.
 
          "Shit.  Okay, Nikki, go get Kumiko, Mom, and Linda."  Nikki ran to
do as she was instructed.  Ron walked over and closed the front door.  Then he
examined Marinda without touching her.  She moaned, but refused to wake up
when he shook her.  His 'counseling team', as he'd taken to calling them, came
in just then.  They all gasped at the sight of her, but neither Kumiko nor
Sandra would approach.
 
          "Get her out of here, Ron!"  screamed Sandra.
 
          "Chill out, Mom.  She can't hurt you.  Heck, I can't even get her to
wake up.  Help me move her into the spare bedroom."  He finally convinced them
to come over and move her.  "Kumiko, I'm going to put you in charge of caring
for her."  He continued in a whisper to her, "Use the necklace if there's
trouble, and send someone to get me when she wakes up."  Kumiko nodded, Ron
told Linda to stay with her, and then he took his Mom out of the room.
 
          "I don't like it, Ron.  She could be trouble."
 
          "Mom, you don't understand.  James got rid of her powers.  She can't
hurt you anymore.  And, even if she did still have her powers, James told me
before that it was my fault she could get to you, because of some things I
hadn't done.  Well, I've done all those things now.  It'll be fine, but I need
to know why she came here, even after I ordered them not to."
 
          Sandra didn't argue, but was not happy about things.  Ron could
tell, but there was nothing he could do.  He needed to know what Marinda
knew.  "So, what's for lunch?"
 
 
 
          She was being chased.  They were getting closer, closer, reaching
out for her.  She turned to fight them off, only to find she had no hands. 
She opened her mouth to scream, but emitted only a whisper.
 
          "You might as well give in.  You're powerless... powerless..."
 
          Marinda bolted upright in bed, startling the others in the room. 
Quickly she looked about.  Three feet from her was a familiar face, though she
couldn't put a name to it.
 
 
 
          It was late afternoon when Marinda awoke.  Kumiko was still at her
post, but Megan was sitting in with her now.  Marinda sat upright and scanned
the room.  Kumiko was uncomfortable to be this close to the woman, but she had
her orders.  Even this woman deserved some sympathy, or so Ron had decided.
 
          "Please be still.  You will not be harmed here."  She hoped she
wasn't lying, but really didn't know.  "Master Ron has told me to look after
you.  Megan, please go get Master Ron."  Megan left the room to go find Ron. 
"Would you like some ice water?"
 
          "Yes, please."  Marinda croaked.  Her throat was parched, and she
had some difficulty swallowing.  By the time she had finished the glass, Ron
had entered the room.
 
          "Good evening.  Megan, you can go now."  He motioned Kumiko to a
seat away from the bed.  "I am going to assume you have a good reason for
coming here.  Your condition would seem to indicate you have been in some sort
of fight.  Are you feeling up to telling me what is going on?"  

          "May I use a restroom, first?"  Ron nodded, and Kumiko showed her
the way, then brought her back.  She sat down on the bed, and began.
 
          "First of all, I do remember what you are.  I know you are far
stronger than I ever was.  I have come to terms with what my life has become. 
Unfortunately, I have a problem that I don't know how to resolve, and there is
something that you need to know.  Actually, two somethings."
 
          "Okay, what are they?"
 
          "First off, your father, my Master, is dead."  Ron nodded, and
Kumiko bowed her head.  "Secondly, you are right.  I was in a fight that got
your father killed.  Two psionics came and broke into our house.  I'm still
not sure if they were after him or me, but, without my powers, there was
nothing I could do."
 
          "Who were they?"
 
          "I don't know, but they weren't speaking English."
 
          "Did you recognize the language?"
 
          "No."
 
          "May I scan you?"  This was not unexpected.  She knew he didn't
trust her.  She figured he wanted to make sure she wasn't lying to him."
 
          "Yes."
 
          Five minutes later, he looked over at Kumiko.  "Russian."
 
          "How do you know?"  Marinda asked.
 
          "You may not recognize it, but you still remember it.  I've heard
enough languages to be able to recognize regions, at least.  That one is
definitely Russian."
 
          "What does it mean, Master?"  Kumiko queried.
 
          "I don't know.  Marinda, you will remain in this room.  You may use
the restroom.  Until I decide what to do with you, you will be our... guest is
the polite term, but prisoner will do.  I don't trust you yet."  Ron knew that
scans could be faked, but only by a real expert.  He would do a really
in-depth scan on her after dinner.  Nobody could fake that.
 
 
 
          His further scan confirmed that Marinda was, indeed, telling the
truth.  She had come to Ron because she quite simply didn't know where else to
go.
 
          The death of his father didn't upset him any.  The man was a shit,
and everyone knew it.  The scan showed his theory to be at least somewhat
accurate, in that his father had finally managed to hold a job for more than a
month and a half at a time.  He had been a security guard at a bank when he
died.
 
          "So, what happens to me now?"  Marinda asked of Ron.  They were
alone in the guest bedroom.  "I have no skills, I can't get a job.  What do I
do now?"  It was awkward.  She was fully aware that she had no real cognitive
ability.  Unlike most stupid people, who are blessed with ignorance of their
ignorance, she was quite aware that she was no longer capable of living in the
real world.
 
          "Don't worry about that for now.  I'll think of something.  Now, I
need to look you over, and make sure there are no serious injuries.  Sit
still."  Ron ran his hands lightly over her body.  She shivered at his very
touch, still aware of the Power that ran through the person examining her. 
She was also becoming highly aroused by his caresses, though they were much
softer than what she had grown accustomed to at his father's hands.  Ron took
note of her state.
 
          "Feel good?"  He asked mischievously.  He hadn't had a shot at
Marinda that night, leaving her to James.  And, besides, her body wasn't
exactly ugly.
 
          "Yes, it does, sir.  Very good."
 
          "Would you like me to continue?"
 
          "YES.... uh, please, sir."  Apparently her father either hadn't
thought of or didn't like 'Master'.
 
          "Very well.  Stand up."  She did as requested.  Ron held her gently
for a moment, letting his eyes rove her body.  She was wearing what remained
of a very nice outfit, a light yellow blouse and a tan skirt.  It reminded him
of some outfits he'd seen Linda wear.  Their wasn't much left of it now,
however.  He gently undid the fasteners and removed her outer garments, so
that now she wore only underwear.  He embraced her to remove her bra.  She
seemed to like that a lot.  While he was there, he gave her a kiss.  He had
meant it to be quick, but it lingered, neither of them really wanting to let
go.  But, alas, the bra came loose and Ron pulled back, dragging the confining
lingerie off her shoulders and down off her arms.
 
          Marinda was in ecstasy.  She had not felt pleasant caresses such as
these for a very long time.  Ron's father had been a brutal man, and he'd
treated her like shit.  Her life forced her to accept it, but it did not make
her like it.  She could still remember fragments, mere tidbits, of what she'd
been once, and you never lose the memory that once you were a powerful
individual, one with The Ability.  Knowing that was gone was the hardest thing
for her to take.  Mike's beatings hadn't made things any better, though.  She
was aware that Ron was directly responsible for her losing The Ability, but
there was nothing she could do, even if she'd wanted to.  *At least he's
gentle.*
 
          Ron had removed her panties and stockings, so that she was totally
nude now.  He stood back to examine her form once more.  He could see the
discolorations of faded bruises, as well as the fresh black and blue
splotches.  *Why is it,* he wondered, *that I seem to see a lot of women this
way.  There's got to be some way to stop maniacs from doing this shit.*  Ron
moved back in, and gave her another quick kiss, this time keeping it short.
 
          He moved behind her, and noticed the striped welts from a severe
belt beating.  *Damn, what did I sentence this poor woman to?*  Then he
recalled what she had done to his family.  *Well, maybe she got what she
deserved, and then again, maybe she's paid enough.*  He decided to talk it
over with the family later, but he was feeling sympathy for her now.
 
          He reached out and massaged her shoulders.  They were tight, tense
with the day's activity.  She relaxed into his grip, letting tension drip off
her body.  He couldn't effectively do more than this with her standing, so he
had her lay down on the double bed in the room.  He spread his ministrations
out, expanding to cover her back, and eventually her ass and legs.  He spent a
considerable amount of time just relaxing her body.
 
          Eventually, she turned over to face him.  He had been doing some
healing work while he was rubbing, and she was feeling a lot better now.  She
thanked him with her eyes, but with her mouth, she said.  "You will hurt me,
just like your father did."
 
          "No, I won't.  I may pass you to someone who might, but I will not
personally cause you any physical pain."  He made himself very specific on
that.  He wasn't into sadism, and didn't understand how anyone could do that
crap.  "Look, I punished you for what you did to my family.  At the time, I
swore if I ever saw you again, I would kill you.  Now, I've scanned you, and I
know what you've been through in the last year.  Maybe you've paid enough. 
I'll have to talk to the rest of the family to see what we'll do about you."
 
          Marinda wasn't sure whether or not to believe him.  She wanted to so
badly, but the last year had taken most of her hope and stomped on it.  "What
will you do to me, then?"
 
          "I think, for right now,  I'm going to screw you."  Ron said
matter-of-factly, and started to undress himself.  This surprised and pleased
Marinda, for she figured if he wanted sex, he wouldn't beat her up first. 
Mike never had.  She couldn't understand that Ron wouldn't do any of the
things to her that Mike regularly did, so destroyed was her mind and spirit.
 
          Ron lay down on the bed, and had her start sucking him.  She licked
around the head, teasing with light, swift strokes of her tongue.  Then she
ran her tongue from the base of his cock all the way to the tip.  Finally, she
brought his prick into her mouth and started sucking.
 
          Ron enjoyed this, but it left him with little to do.  He formed his
extension into its snake-like shape, and started to rub it across her tits. 
She froze for a moment, then realized it must have been him doing it, and sank
into the wonderful sensation it was causing in her.  She resumed her sucking,
vowing to make him come first. A few minutes later, she knew it was going to
be a close one.  He moved his extension down to start rubbing across her
clit.  She was sopping wet down there, and steamy hot.  She was writhing on
the bed, having a hard time focussing on the task at hand.  Finally, she gave
in, humming on his cock as her pussy contracted repeatedly, sending shivers up
and down her spine.
 
          Her humming, however, sent shivers up and down Ron's cock.  He'd
been doing okay until then, but her humming was just like a vibrator.  He
couldn't hold back any longer, and gushed a load of sperm down her throat. 
She swallowed it all, an amazing feat considering the orgasm she was still in
the middle of, and kept sucking.
 
          When he was hard again, he retracted his extension, and she sat up. 
Ron indicated to her that he wanted her on all fours.  She complied, lifting
her ass way into the air and laying her head on a pillow.  Ron pushed into
her, marveling at how hot she was.  He established a steady pace, not too
fast, but enough to keep them both breathing a little heavy.  He reached
around and fondled her breasts.  They were big, and soft, with very large
nipples.
 
          He tired of this position, and had her roll onto her back.  The
tricky part was that he didn't pull out of her, and barely stopped fucking her
long enough for her to do so.  He renewed his thrusts, even faster now. 
Marinda was thrashing about in the midst of another orgasm below him, but he
refused to slow the pace.  He kept up his thrusting until she came once more,
and then changed positions again.  This time, she was lying on her side, with
him behind her, holding up one of her legs to help with access.  Similar to
the position he used with Dawn, but more aggressive, he wasn't slowing down
for anything now.  Finally, he felt he was nearing a time when he would be
ready to come.  He decided he wanted her ass.  He rolled her onto her stomach,
and he pulled her up to her knees.  He aimed his cock at her rosebud, and
pushed.  She grunted loudly in protest as his cock entered her ass.
 
          "AAArrggh!  Oh, shit that...."  She stopped, because she could no
longer determine whether it hurt really bad, or felt really good.  Ron didn't
care, either way.  He inserted himself all the way in, then set up a slow
stroking.  As her bowels loosened up, he increased the tempo.  Soon, Marinda
was grunting and moaning continuously, murmuring things that he mostly
couldn't make out.  Occassionally, he'd hear, "Oh, yes!  More!  please More!" 
and he'd increase the pace just a little more.  He felt his own climax
approaching.  He reached down and played with her clit as he fucked her ass. 
She screamed in orgasm and slammed back into him, squeezing his cock with her
ass.
 
          That set Ron off, and he shot his load deep into her bowels.  He
continued his thrusting until he was completely spent.  Slowly, his cock
started to shrink inside of her.  He bent over and embraced her.  "I don't
know what we're going to do about you, Marinda, but that sure was fun."
 
          Ron climbed down off the bed, and started to dress.  Marinda had
rolled to her side, but otherwise wasn't moving.
 
          "Diane."
 
          "Hmm?"  Ron replied.
 
          "My name.  Marinda was something I made up.  My real name is Diane. 
Of course, if you'd prefer to call me Marinda, sir..."
 
          "No, I'd prefer Diane.  It's shorter.  Very well.  You may use the
bathroom, and the small lounge next door.  There's a TV there, and some
books.  Someone will be here with you all the time, until I decide what to
do.  Don't worry, at worst, I'll simply have you leave the house, in the
company of someone who can appreciate your talents.  I'll see you in the
morning.  Good-night, Diane."
 
          "Good-night, sir."
 
 
 
          Ron called for a family meeting the next morning.  Megan, not having
any say in the matter at all, was excused to keep an eye on Diane.
 
          Arranged around the room were all Ron's girls, Kumiko, Sandra, Dawn
holding little Nathan, Nikki, Tammy, Jessica, Linda and Nancy.  Ron sat for a
moment and stared.  *You know, as much as I sometimes hate having to deal with
everything that comes up, to look around and see all these girls, and they all
answer to me!  That's gotta be worth the trouble.*
 
          "Okay, I've called this meeting for the obvious reason.  We have a
new guest in the house, one who has, in the past, been a danger to this
Family.  I need to decide what to do about her, and I'm looking for opinions. 
Feel free to voice yours now."
 
          Sandra immediately spoke up.  "I don't want her here.  She's a
danger to us all.  What if she still has her powers?  What if James didn't do
his job right?"  James would have had a coronary at that thought.
 
          "Mom, I've scanned her, okay?  She's not dangerous anymore.  Most
importantly, she cannot live on her own.  We either keep her here, or I find
someone who wants her."
 
          "Ron, as much as she isn't physically dangerous anymore, I think she
may still have a strong emotional hold on those who were here during the
attack."  Linda was speaking like her teacher-self now.  She continued, "I
wasn't here, thankfully, when the Family was attacked.  My life in this house
has been very pleasant.  I'm not sure that would continue to be the case if
this lady were allowed to remain."  There seemed to be a general consensus of
opinion.
 
          "Alright.  I'll accept that the Family doesn't want her here.  That
only makes me ask another question:  What do I do with her?"
 
          Nobody seemed to have an answer to that one.  A couple of ideas were
bandied about, but nothing sensible or practical.  Killing her was out of the
question, and he couldn't just release her like a wild animal, either.  Then
Ron remembered something he had seen once, when Bill had taken him to dinner. 
He had seen an older man sitting with a beautiful young woman, in her mid or
early twenties.
 
*          "Who is that guy, Bill?"*
 
*          "That's a big oil-man.  Why?"*
 
*          "Great looking wife."  Bill laughed.  "What's so funny?"*
 
*          "That's not his wife.  That's his mistress.  She hangs around him
because he's got money."*
 
*          "Doesn't his wife object?"*
 
*          "Not if she knows what's good for her.  That guy's divorced three
other wives because they complained too much about his affairs."*
 
 
 
*          I wonder...  I'll have to call Bill in on this one.*
 
          "Okay, I have an idea, but I'm not sure it will work.  I will find a
way to remove her from the house within the next few days.  Thank you all for
your help.  Dismissed."  As the group broke up, Ron had Jessica tell Megan to
bring Diane down.  He waited in the living room.
 
          Diane and Megan entered together.  Diane looked much better now than
she had yesterday.  "Thank you Megan, that will be all.  Please, sit down,
Diane."  Diane sat quietly on the sofa, wondering what would become of her. 
"We have just held a family meeting.  As you might expect, the rest of the
family doesn't want you around."
 
          "I understand, sir.  What will you do to me?"
 
          "I haven't figured that out yet.  I'm going to talk to a friend of
mine later today.  He may be able to find you a good home.  Please return to
your room, and wait for me there."  Diane nodded and left.  Ron walked to the
phone.
 
          "Hello, Mr. Chaffey to speak with Mr. Simmons, please....
Regarding?  A business arrangement.... Yes, I'll hold."  Ron tapped his foot
to the music for a total of about 5 seconds.
 
          "Ron, boy!  How the hell have you been!"
 
          "Just fine, Bill, just fine.  How are you and your wife?"
 
          "Great, great!  Hey, I just got one question for you."
 
          "Shoot."
 
          "I don't suppose there's anything you can do to make her get her
tubes tied, huh?  I mean, I don't want them snipping around on me, and we
don't want any more kids, but she won't get it done.  I don't guess there's
anything you can do, is there?"
 
          "Maybe I can, Bill.  Look, Bill, there's another matter I need to
discuss with you, but not on the phone.  Are you free for lunch today?"
 
          "For you, anytime.  Where is it this time?  The Remington again,
or..."
 
          "No, I need you to come out to the house.  It won't be a waste of
your time."  Ron promised.  Bill had never been disappointed yet.
 
          "Okay, no trouble.  What time?"
 
          "Whatever's good for you."
 
          "Around one?"
 
          "That's fine, I'll see you then."
 
 
 
          Bill showed up right on time, as usual.
 
          "Please come this way, Mr. Simmons."  Kumiko escorted him into the
formal dining room, where a meal had been prepared by Nancy and Sandra.
 
          "Boy, this looks good!"  Bill sat down, and Ron joined him.  Kumiko
and Megan provided service to the two men.  "Ron, you are living a charmed
life, m'boy!"
 
          Ron accepted the compliment, and both men started on their
appetizers.  "You said you were having trouble with your wife, not wanting to
'get fixed'."
 
          "Kind of a cruel term for it, but, yeah, that's the idea.  I don't
suppose you could make her?"
 
          "Bring her by this evening, I think I can do better."  Bill,
surprised, readily agreed to that.  "Now then, have we had any dissatisfied
customers?"  Bill was basically managing Ron's "reorientation" business for
him.
 
          "Nary a one.  Everyone's just pleased as punch."  Bill tended to
speak in clichés, and it was annoying, but Ron lived with it.  "So, what's
cooking today?"
 
          Kumiko served them their main dish, a Chicken Cordon Bleu.  "Thank
you, Kumiko.  You are excused."  Ron watched her go.  So did Bill.
 
          "Man, what I wouldn't give to have someone like that walking around
the house."
 
          "Exactly my point, though I hadn't intended to make it that way." 
Said Ron, "What *would* you give?"
 
          "Huh?"
 
          "To have something like that walking around your house, doing what
you told her, being there whenever you wanted her?"
 
          "What're you gettin' at, Ron?"
 
          "Megan, please go get Diane."  Megan left to do as she was told. 
"I'm talking about having...um,.... a pet.  Just one that walks on two legs." 
Diane and Megan entered the room just then.  "Bill, this is Diane.  Diane,
please greet Bill."
 
          Upon hearing the key phrase, Diane went over, sat in his lap, and
wrapped her arms around him.  "Hello, sir."  She said in a husky voice.  Bill
was having a very difficult time breathing.  The outfit Ron had chosen for
Diane wasn't concealing very much, and Bill was getting an eyeful.
 
          "Wow!  Ron, just what is going on here?"
 
          "Well, see Bill, it's like this.  Some time ago, Diane there tried
to hurt my family.  So, similar to what I've been doing in our business, I
made some modifications to Diane's personality.  Now, she is a completely
submissive slave to whomever is designated as her owner.  Nice idea, but, you
see, I already have enough, and the family doesn't want her around, she brings
back bad memories and such."
 
          "Well.  I don't think Mary would much care for me bringing a brand
new pet female home with me..."
 
          "That could be fixed, no problem, or, do you know someone you'd like
to owe us a favor?  Or someone who might be willing to pay the kind of money
Diane is so obviously worth?"
 
          "You mean... you want to... Sell her?"
 
          "Whatever works.  It's not like anything we've done together has
been, strictly speaking, legal, Bill."
 
          "Good point.  Can I make some phone calls?"
 
          "Absolutely.  Diane, let the man up."  Diane removed herself, and
Kumiko led Bill to the telephone.
 
          "How'd it go?"  questioned Sandra, after Bill had left.
 
          "I think OK.  He's making some calls now."
 
 
 
          In the end, it turned out Bill did have a friend who was looking for
a 'faithful companion' who didn't talk back.
 
          "He's willing to pay $2 million for her."
 
          *Geez!  2 mil' for a woman I don't really like anyway!  This could
be a really profitable business.*  "Sold.  When will he be able to pick her
up?"
 
          "First thing this evening, when he gets off work.  He wanted to know
how he should pay you."
 
          "However he likes.  I still pay taxes, just like everyone else.  No
need to tell them WHY he paid me, though."
 
          "Good show.  Alright, just one other thing: what does she have to
bring with her?"
 
          "Just a few sets of clothes, nothing else.  He'll have to provide
whatever else he wants her to have.  Oh, and there is one rule I didn't
mention before.  She is still my responsibility so, if he beats her hard
enough that she needs medical attention, I will reclaim her, without any form
of refund."
 
          "Understood.  I don't think he's that type anyway, but I'll tell
him."
 
          Ron and Bill shook hands, and Bill went back to work.
 
          Sandra, Nancy, and Linda were sitting in the kitchen having coffee
together.  "Well," said Ron as he walked in, "That's taken care of.  Now, we
just have to worry about dealing with whatever it is that's coming on the
horizon."
 
          "What do you mean, Ron?" asked Linda.
 
          "What Diane has told me leads me to believe that there is trouble
for our family, but I don't know when it's coming, or from where.  We need to
be ready."
 
          "How do we get ready?" queried Nancy.
 
          "I'm not sure, but we'll have to think of something."