Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 11:54:31 -0700 (PDT)
From: JMH <trandar2002@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: The Mark/The Tor 10
Well as the last chp hinted at, James and Jason finally make their return.
This chp also acts as a lead in for what will be the third book in the
series so pay attention LOL.
Again, this is a story about gay relationships with a SF twist so
1. if you are breaking the law, underage, or just hate gay stuff don't read
any further. The World Wide Web is a big place so you can find something
else. 2. As this is a SF story everything is a big lie. The story is not
based on any real person place thing, or another person's idea. So any
similarities are pure chance. 3. Since this story is of my own creation,
I have the copyright to it. No other postings, except at nifty, are
allowed. Nor is the selling of the story to others permitted. Any
questions about the above, please write.
Enjoy
JMH
trandar2002@yahoo.com
***************************************
The meeting included all the Morgan's, their husbands, and the heads
of all the clans. The issue before them was what to do about the vampire
hunters and the rumors of another lost Morgan son. The room was like the
throne room that most of the people there were married in except that in
the central circle there was now a ring shaped desk with chairs all around.
Only two people were in the room at the moment, the two patriarchs of the
family sitting on the thrones.
"I'm sorry it has come to this James I really am." Jason told his
husband from his chair.
"So am I Jason...so am I. Is war really necessary?"
"They are killing us faster then we can reproduce. If things don't
change soon we will all be gone. It is time we join forces with the clans
that are fighting the military."
"Many will die."
"Many are dying already. James you know what your gift is capable
of. You fear what would happen if we unite our two halves together. My
telepathic talent with your empathic skill combined..."
"Is the new atomic bomb." James finished.
"No, it's the next step of evolution. You know what's coming. You
feel us changing. Since our marriage we have become stronger but we have
also begun to change. We are becoming "Other" James. We have a choice
either to accept this change or to fight it. I'm willing to accept it. You
want to fight it."
"I'm sacred Jason. I know you see me as the stronger person in the
relationship but I'm scared of the unknown. I still want to be human."
Jason left his throne and went to James holding his face with both
hands. "Love, regardless of what happens to us I will always love you.
Even if we loose our humanity I'm certain that this fact will never change.
"And I will always love you Jason... "
"..."
"If it's to be war, so be it then." James finally decided with a
heavy heart.
With that they gave each other one last kiss as human beings. It was
long and sweet but as it progressed their skin turned gray as did their
green eyes. James hair turned from brown to black while Jason's hair went
from his charcoal black to white. When the kiss was done they were "Other"
"How do you feel?" James asked Jason when they had both caught their
breath.
"I still love you!" Jason laughed.
"Same here!" James agreed.
"I know! I can feel it!"
"You're an empath now!"
"I guess that's what you'll call it. Man, was I missing a lot. I
think you empaths get the better deal if this is how your gift works."
Jason said, drunk on the love he felt.
"It has it moments." James agreed
"Well are you now a telepath."
"Let see, you never told me when you were born so if I say 1016 and
get that right I guess that means I'm a telepath."
"You bastard! You know how I feel about my age."
"Yes I know but don't worry dear I won't tell a soul."
"I guess we can let the rest of the family in now." Jason decided.
"Yes I think we have left them hanging long enough."
James got up from his chair and together the two of them opened the
large metal doors to let in the crowd that was waiting inside.
"DAD!" Chris shouted when he saw his father.
"Hi son. I decided to try out a new look!" James joked but it
seemed that the clan heads took their new appearances differently as they
went on their knees.
James looked embarrassed by this act but Jason took it all in. "We
need to be impressive in order for them to listen to us." Jason mentally
sent James.
"I know, well lets get it over with."
************************************************************************
The meeting's goal was to concentrate the power of the different
Clans into an organized resistance a move that would take them away from
the individual resistance people like Michael had been fighting. They were
to use their considerable talents as telepaths to take over the Group of
Five and the two military governments, NATO and the Asian Alliance. Steps
had already been taken in gaining control of the resource and technology
sectors.
Chris, David, Josh, Philip, and Logan were all military officers and
had already began to create a plan to convert entire military bases to
their cause. It had been discovered long ago that if a very small blood
kiss was given to a normal human, that person would become a sort of pack
member of the Vampire that did it, making the vampire in a way a Tor except
with greater control over those he kissed. Chris, David, and Josh had
already converted their entire command staff to pack members and were now
expanding into the enlisted men. Logan and Philip as military doctors were
leading inspectors and brought many of the telepaths they had found to
their cause as full vampires.
Robert, now COO of MEXTEX Resources was next in line to be named CEO
when the old one retired next year. With Chad, the CFO of the company
helping him, they had moved people sympathetic to their cause in key
positions.
Sam, also a doctor, had gotten lucky and was now head of blood
supplies at GenCorp. He could supply the clans with the blood they needed
so they could walk in sunlight.
The twins, the horndogs that they were, had gone into the
entertainment industry, which during these hedonistic times was about 70%
adult entertainment. They had started out as a pair of porn stars, meeting
the incest and twin fantasy fad at the time. From those meager starts they
now controlled 20% of the entertainment industry composed of movies,
television, music, news media, and publishing. From their position they
could shape public opinion to a more favorable view of vampires.
The last part was of course the Clans. They were needed to increase
the number of vampires not to terrorize but to make them a large enough
portion of the population that they could not be ignored. If every family
had one vampire relative, the theory went, it would be harder for people to
shout for the killing of them. To achieve this aim, there was to be
well-organized attacks on the cities. Cases of vampirism were to hit a
city by infecting hundreds of people in one night. In the short term this
would lead to more vampire hunting but as society had to deal with the
issue of what to do with the victims, the clans hoped that the policy of
flat out extermination would be eliminated to something more humane. It
was this policy that James had the largest problem with.
"I feel like we are doing what reckless people did back in the AIDS
days, spreading vampirism like this." James complained.
"We are not spreading a dieses James." Chad defended. "Yes they'll
have to drink blood but as the people at the firm showed, it can be
controlled with donor blood."
"I don't want people to suffer, that's all. We are talking about
changing their lives here and in many cases ruining them."
"What do you want us to do then James." Jason asked. "We are dying
out there. If no new vampires are created, those in this room will soon be
the only ones left."
James thought about it for a long time before he answered. "I want
this to be restricted to the sick, old and dying."
"That makes sense," Chris agreed. If vampirism were seen as a gift,
as a way to heal a person it would gain more acceptance then by picking
random victims. Who knows we might actually start getting hospitals to
invite us in."
"James that is a great idea!" Jason followed suite before giving his
husband a kiss. "Do the clans agree?" Jason said with a tone indicating
that they better do so.
"We do prefer healthy victims." One of the clan heads disagreed.
"Its hard to give the blood kiss to a dying wrinkled old prune."
"We will do as you say." All the other clan heads said at once when
they saw Jason's eyes darken to an almost black light.
"Do YOU still disagree Clan Newen?" Jason said in a serious tone,
making sure that his now gray eyes gave off an ominous glow.
"No, I bow to the wishes of the Others."
"Good, meeting adjourned."
The clan leaders left the room but the family stayed behind.
"So how does it feel dad to be "Other". Nathan begged his dad
"And will it happen to us." Landon added.
"I don't feel any different other then my skin itching a bit and the
new tan and hair color. As to your question Landon I don't think it will
happen to Nathan and you. It might happen to Chris and Logan though since
both of their husbands are of Clan Vox."
"Well how do you explain that, I thought that the original vampire
was Vox, the founder of clan Vox? Shouldn't all vampires be of clan Vox
then?" Robert asked.
"That's a long story that had many holes in it before James showed up
but I think I can tell the fullest version yet." Jason said. "Back in the
time of the first husbands, Vox and Tor lived quietly by themselves, but
for some reason after many years Vox and Tor had a disagreement and left
each other. I think it was that time that Tor had a child. That would
explain how the Morgan family came to be. Vox, on the other hand needed
blood now that his husband was gone but felt guilty in killing his victims.
This led him to giving them the blood kiss, creating his own children. Vox
now had his family but missed Tor and went looking for him. It took many
years but eventually Vox did find his husband but he was by then old and
near death. Vox took Tor back home and began to feed him, to restore his
youth and health. Whatever the disagreement was had been long forgotten
and the two became a family again but there was trouble. There were no
other brides at the time and the jealousy of the children of their father's
relationship with Tor grew. Only one son of Vox remained loyal to his
father and warned his father to flee with Tor before the children turned on
him. Before Vox and Tor left into the unknown Vox declared the one loyal
son his true heir and gave him a second blood kiss, making him stronger
then any of his brothers. With their father gone the brothers began to
fight amongst themselves but none could challenge the one loyal son who was
now called Vox in honor of his father. Eventually the family scattered
each brother taking on a name of his own and so the different clans and a
tradition was born. When a head of a clan retires, he gives a second blood
kiss to the person he chooses as his heir. The other children are then
given the choice at to remain with the clan or going out to form their own
clan. Early on there used to be thousands of clans but due to the
advantage of numbers, very few now leave their clan when a clan head
retires. This has lead to larger but fewer clans just as it is today."
"So what ever happened to Vox and Tor?" Saul asked when Jason
finished his story.
"We don't know but it's rumored that they returned to Antarctica and
live in the ruins of the Other civilization."
"Has anyone gone looking for them there?" Logan asked.
"No," Philip replied; "Antarctica is forbidden to us according to our
traditions. For the crime of killing the Other's, even if it was an
accident, we dare not return to the place of our origin."
"Almost like a ghost story, scary isn't it." Nathan laughed.
"Stop it, you're going to give me nightmares." Landon complained
"Well I have a solution for that." Nathan said with arched eyebrows
"You two still act like horny teenagers," Chris complained to his
brothers.
"Hey, it got us three Oscars." Nathan defended
"Yeah, for the best on camera couple." Chris retorted.
"They never change do they?" James moaned in seeing his kids return
to their adolescent state."
"They will James, just give them another century or two." Jason
laughed. "But I also have something in mind...Like see how our new bodies
function in bed!" Jason said with a tone of seduction and a drop of blue
sweat forming on his forehead.
"That's the best thing you've said all day, after saying you loved me
that is." James laughed while the smell coming off Jason began giving him
an erection.
"Well," Jason started while looking at the tent forming in James's
pants; "There's the shower just off in the side room"
"Yes I think a good rinse is what we need." James said as he lick
his lips. 'Bye kids!"
"Bye dad, have fun!" all of the men shouted after the happy couple.
*************************************************************
As soon as they were in the bathroom, James pushed Jason to the wall
and licked that spot if blue sweat that had built on his forehead. "Gosh I
like you're new smell." James exhaled.
"Same here." Jason agreed as he did the same to James's cheek.
"Almost as good as that old one you used."
"Gentleman's Attraction." James remembered.
"Yes that one."
"I think I can still get it if you want. The store was one of the
first things the twins bought when they got that movie contract." James
said, making small talk as Jason began unbuckling his pants.
"No need, whatever your body is giving off, it's really doing the
trick."
"Same here." James said as he began to pull off the tie.
As soon as they were naked they began to examine each other's bodies.
Their skin was now an unblemished creamy silver gray that had its own sheen
to it. Whatever body hair they once had, except for their crotch, fell off
with their cloths. What was left on their crotch was the trim job they had
last done to each other except that the hair was straighter.
"I think I might want to go completely smooth." Jason commented as
James ran his hands over it.
"You can trim it more but at least keep something, I like a little
hair down there." James disagreed. If nothing's there then I'll have
nothing to starch my nose with when I take you in my mouth."
"Well, since you put it that way, I'll keep it just for you."
"Thanks love. But I love your face, it feels so much softer to touch
now."
"You were always smooth. I swear that you could go a week without
needing to shave." Jason added.
James didn't say a word but instead took Jason's ear lobe into his
mouth and began to suck on it.
"Oh that feels good!"
"Want me to do the other."
"Yes!"
"I would ask you to do the same but I'd most likely end up with a
pierced ear."
"I don't know about that!' Jason laughed as James started on the
other ear. "You haven't noticed your teeth yet have you?"
"What?" James said looking Jason in the eye.
"You got FANGS now baby! Don't you remember that Other's were also
blood feeders."
"Oh no!" James exclaimed as he went to the mirror to look at
himself.'
"Don't worry about it James. Actually I rather like it. I can
finally live out a fantasy of mine."
"Which one. What depraved act have we not committed in bed yet."
James laughed.
"Well, you've never bitten me before. I would like to play the part
of the helpless victim seduced by the evil vampire at least once." Jason
mentioned with false shyness.
James was touched by Jason's earnest request. He pulled Jason in to
a tender kiss letting his finger run down Jason's willing throat. Jason
then raised his head up, exposing more of his neck to James. James lowered
his kissing to that neck, licking between each pressing of his lips. Then
when the hunger became too much, James bit, allowing his new sharp teeth to
break the skin, allowing the rich blue blood to pour out. Jason felt
himself pouring into his love's throat. He felt his legs weaken and almost
collapsed but James caught him around the waist and supported him. Jason
felt he was now a real part of James and it made him happy.
When James finally released his mouth from Jason, Jason had a tired
but content look on his face. James stared at Jason with his glowing gray
eyes for several minutes as he held Jason up with one hand and stoked his
face with another. He then lowered the weaken Jason to the ground and
climbed on top of him.
"I love you Jason." James whispered.
Jason was too weak to reply but he was able to nod his head just a
fraction to show that he understood. James smiled in return and then he
gave Jason his first blood kiss. Instead of feeling that he was flowing
into James, Jason felt James pouring into him. It almost the same feeling
Jason got when he fed off James but this time it was more intimate.
Instead of taking, he was being given love. He almost came to the decision
that he would never feed again but be only fed by James, almost. He still
loved the hunt and taking James's blood the old fashion way still had its
own thrills but now he could look forward to something else as well.
With the blood, Jason's strength returned. He raised his head to
press his lips tighter against James.
"Thank you for this gift." He mentally sent James.
"Thank you for letting me give it to you." James returned.
"I feel more complete now."
"Same here."
"Lets get back to bed James. I really want you to make love to me
right now."
"Sure thing love." James agreed and with that he lifted Jason up in
his arms and carried him back to their home where they further explored
what these new feelings meant to each other.
************************************************************************
For the whole week Alex had been watching out for Scott in
replacement of Carl. Since Scott had forgiven him, Carl had avoided ever
coming face to face with Scott. Alex, who had been demoted to the role of
personal servant when Carl took over, enjoyed being around more friendly
company.
"So how are things at Steward Finance?" Scott asked when Alex came
in to help him out of bed.
"You wouldn't know it was still Steward Finance the way people are
talking." Alex complained. "While the signs on the buildings remain the
same most people on the street are already calling the company Vassar
Finance already.
"Carl has really taken over then."
"Well no one has been fired if that's what you mean. Fred and Lance
now have Chuck's and my job but I think Carl did that for you and not to
shake things up. The main reason people are calling it a take over is
because of who Carl is or better yet who his father is. You told me that
Carl had arranged this take over by himself but I just can't believe that
knowing how ruthless his father is."
"Trust me Alex, Carl did this to fight his father, not to help him."
"And I'll say again, I don't understand how you could of forgiven him
for what he did. He even sent your children to that mad man."
"Alex even if I was around to make those decisions I would have
agreed with them. I still am in no shape to take care of the kids. Ryan
and Jacob could do the job while I couldn't. I do not see how Carl's
decision hurts me."
"That's because you don't know what kind of man Gordon Vassar is."
"Actually I think I know better then most people Alex. I know how he
has affected Carl, his own son, more then I think Carl knows himself."
"Well you're the empath here not me." Alex agreed. "I still don't
see why you need me to help you out of bed. Can't you just float yourself
out?"
"I could but then my body would just get flabby. Already being in
bed this long has flatten out my abs."
"You're so vain!" Alex laughed.
"No, I'm a married man. I have to look good when Chuck gets back."
"I think Chuck would just be glad to see you again." Alex said while
not mentioning his fear that Chuck would never return from Gordon's lair.
"I'm glad Chuck found you. He was a lonely as a kid even though he was
very popular."
"How so?" James asked.
"Well as you know Chuck is more of an empath then a telepath.
Empaths are rare, very rare, only one for every 3000 telepaths born. They
are also seen as the best lovers, husbands, fathers, you name it. After
the plague and when telepaths and empaths were discovered, Chuck was one of
the few found. He was offered scholarships to the best private schools
GenCorp set up. He was like having a star football player. The school
could sell itself by saying come to this school and you might be able to be
in the same room as an empath except the kid is only 6 at the time. They
even offered his family money to let their son go to these schools. So of
course they sent him off. I don't believe Chuck has seen his family even
ten times after he left for school. I later learned that the school he
went to paid extra if Chuck spent the holidays there so his family almost
never let him out."
"I wish Chuck would have told me this." Scott said sadly.
"He probably didn't because it would bring up sad feelings and he
knows better then almost anyone how that would affect you having
experienced it himself."
"I guess you're right."
"Well, Chuck went to these schools and he was at once the most
popular kid there. Not only was he an empath but he also has a great
personality. Yet, it was hard on him. Kids would lie to him in order to
flatter him and if there is one thing an empath hates is a liar. More then
a telepath, an empath KNOWS when someone is lying to him. Chuck would tell
me that it would leave a bitter taste in his mouth. That's why he always
carries some hard candy with him."
The mention of candy triggered a memory in Scott. He remembered the
first time he met Chuck and he had told him his name was Scott Gannon not
Scott Keller. Scott also remembered Chuck offering him a piece of candy
right after he had said that. This learning of the secret life of Chuck
just made Scott miss him more.
"I lied to him once. I told him my name was Gannon and not Keller."
Scott confessed.
"Hey, don't feel bad about it. Everyone lies. Even Chuck has lied
before. You were just being careful that's all. Chuck knows that."
"Let me see if it has the same effect on me, tell me a lie."
"It doesn't work that way Scott, it is the intent to be deceitful
that causes the bitterness not the lie itself."
"Oh alright, so when did you first meet up with Chuck."
"In detention. I had been late for several classes and Chuck had
blown up the chemistry lab."
"Doesn't quite seem like equal crimes."
"They weren't but Chuck, being who he was could get away with murder
before they would punish him. This of course just made Chuck mad so he
went to great length to force them to punish him but still detention for
destroying the lab was a very light punishment."
"Sounds like it."
"Well," Alex continued; "we were stuck in detention cleaning out the
classrooms when Chuck began asking me questions."
"Why are you in detention?" Chuck had asked.
"I was late for English seven times in a row."
"Wow, did you do it on purpose?"
"Well I ignored my alarm clock to sleep in so if that qualifies as
intending to be late then I'm guilty." Alex confessed.
"No what I meant was... You didn't get into trouble just so you
could have detention with me?"
"What, spend five hours reorganizing the files you blew up, no way
man."
"Cool!" Was Chuck reply.
"What I didn't know until the next day was that I had passed some
sort of test with Chuck. I had been honest and I didn't get into trouble
just so I could hang around him. It was at the next day detention that I
saw how miserable Chuck was. The day before there had only been us two now
there were seventeen people in detention and all of them fawning over
Chuck. I felt really sorry for him when he would ask them to leave him
alone but they would only continue to nag him. It was then that Chuck
attached himself to me. I was the first person to ever feel sorry for the
position he was in. All the other kids either worshiped him or were
envious. The leader became the follower when it came to me. I quickly
learned to always tell him the truth no matter what even if it meant
deflating his ego. Things changed when we left college and went to work
with Hal. Chuck was always the brains between us and he helped me out of a
lot of trouble I managed to get myself into." Alex explained to Scott.
"Did you two ever..." Scott just had to ask.
"Sleep together no. Back in school Chuck would use me to keep other
boys out of his bed but that's all we did, sleep in the same bed. Chuck's
not really my type."
"What is your type?"
"Well if you haven't guess, Ryan is my type, the very cute and almost
helpless type. I seem to have a weakness for the down trodden. I guess I
just like saving people. Chuck on the other hand is handsome and is more
likely to save me then for me to save him. Outside of friendship I never
felt that Chuck needed me. I guess that's why you are so perfect for him
cause he NEEDS you."
"Thanks."
"No problem."
************************************************************************
From the security room Carl had watched and listened to the whole
conversation. While he couldn't yet be with Scott face to face he still
could not go without glimpsing at him from time to time. "I need you too
Scott." Carl whispered before heading to another meeting.
**********************************************************************
Ryan was back home and back where he belonged his brother felt.
After John, Ryan had been the only man he really ever loved. He knew Ryan
did not share his feelings but only loved him as a brother but Gordon still
hung on to what affection his brother still gave him. He had been so
focused on Ryan that he didn't even noticed that his old guard Jacob had
returned and quickly vanish into Travis's labs. He forgot the children and
the reports that his eldest son was spending an abnormal time watching over
a Steward employee. All he cared about was Ryan and wanting to be loved by
him.
As soon as Ryan arrived Gordon had him moved to his old room, which
was directly connected to Gordon's by a side door. Gordon had allowed Ryan
time to settle himself in before he began leaching on to him.
Ryan took his brother's attention with a weary acceptance. Ryan had
changed. Loosing his sister and being a parent and his relationship with
Alex had changed him. He was no longer the stuttering, nervous young man
he once was. He was confident now that someone other then his family could
love him, did love him. He just needed Gordon to see the same thing but
whom did he know who could love his brother. Scott's name quickly came to
mind but Scott was needed to help Carl. Jacob, well Jacob could have if
they didn't already have a bad history between them. The children, no way!
That just left Hal and Chuck and between the two there was only one choice,
Chuck. Chuck was an empath just like John and Scott. Chuck had a kind
heart and a forgiving personality. Chuck was also married to Scott and
they really loved each other but if anyone here could teach his brother
about love, Chuck could. Now how to introduce his brother to a comatose
man?
Ryan's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his side door. "Come
in Gordon." He didn't even need to use his gift to know it was his
brother.
"Hi Ryan, like your old room. I left it the way it always was."
"It brings back a lot of memories." Ryan said in an attempt to be
nice. It brought back a lot of memories all right. It brought back the
days when Gordon was his hero, his best friend, his only other friend
besides his sister. Gordon has always been willing to stop whatever he was
doing to play or listen to him. The room also had the bad memories of his
brother trying to freeze time. The room was still decorated as a nursery
with child size furniture and toys on the shelf. The only thing Gordon had
ever allowed to change in the room was the size of Ryan's bed.
"I'm glad you like it."
"But I was think of changing it a bit."
"Why, I like it the way it is. It reminds me of when I raised you."
"Yes brother but I'm older now. I've even started raising kids of my
own."
"Oh..." Gordon thought as that realization hit him.
"I think I need a grown up room now Gordon. We can use the stuff
here for the children."
"Do you want the kids to move here... Wait a minute. Where are the
kids?"
"They're with Jacob right now." Ryan said quickly. "You remember
how good he was with kids. You use to tell me all the time about it."
"Yes, Jacob was good with kids but I wasn't good with Jacob." Gordon
said sadly, his old guilt returning.
"Brother please don't get sad and go to that mausoleum of John. He
forgave you remember. Those were his last words, his forgiveness of you.
He wouldn't want you to still be begging him."
Gordon was surprised by the boldness of his brother's statement.
"You're right brother, you have grown up. You can change the room to
whatever you want, just ask the drones to help you." Gordon said before
heading back out of the room.
"Brother please don't go. Please don't go back there!" Ryan begged.
"I... I have to go and apologize, I'll see you tonight." Gordon said
in a near trance as he left and closed the door.
Ryan looked at the closed door and began to cry. "Please recover
Chuck and save my brother from himself." Ryan prayed.
************************************************************************
Captain Weston Teel had just arrived at his new post as the official
telepath to serve under the bases chief engineer Col. Josh Brewster. He
was fresh from officer training and only had his rank due to his gift as a
telepath but he wasn't looking a gift horse in the mouth. He was glad he
gotten this post verses being a combat psi on the front in the Ural Mts.
The first thing that surprised Wes about his supervisor was that he was
also a telepath and a strong one from what he could sense, Why did they
need two telepaths to work in the same post? It wasn't like telepaths were
easy to come by. They were still rare and many of them had to have their
contracts bought off from GenCorp. Another thing that surprised him was
how young the Col. looked. His file read that he was 38 but he looked like
a fresh shaven youth from boot.
"Captain Weston Teel reporting sir." He saluted.
"Your papers?" The colonel asked.
"Here sir." Wes handed them.
"Good, I've been waiting for another telepath for some time." You
can relax now captain its only us here.
"Sorry sir."
"No problem"
"May I ask why I've been assigned here."
"Yes you may. The reason you are here is that we are replacing all
the normal Tor's here with psi trained ones such as yourself."
"Why sir? From what I've been told there's not much difference
between a psi Tor and a animorph one."
"Well where do we get all our animorphs from captain." Josh asked as
if the Wes had missed the obvious reason."
"From GenCorp sir."
"That's right from GenCorp and only from GenCorp. Do you think we
can trust GenCorp?"
"I only know them by reputation sir."
"And?"
"They are sneaky bastards sir."
"Yes they are, so why do you think we are replacing all of our
GenCorp animorphs."
"So we can trust our own men."
"Good, I knew you had a head on you're shoulder. Now I'm going to
let you in on a secret."
"...Yes sir." Wes asked nervously when the colonel didn't continue.
"We've found a new supply of telepaths that GenCorp doesn't know
about. What do you think about that?"
"Where sir?" Wes just had to ask.
"Well its not like GenCorp doesn't know of the supply it's just never
occurred to them to use it." Josh said as he moved closer to the captain.
"What are they sir."
"I'll tell you captain as soon as I give you a kiss." Josh said with
red glowing eyes.
************************************************************************
Old man Larson, head of United Industry, was as old fashion as he was
old. He was the last of the CEO's of the big five who wasn't a telepath.
Just last week the head of MEXTEX Resources resigned and Robert Morgan, an
empath, became CEO. No, Larson had no use for telepaths and their games.
He remembered the old days before the plague when a man's word was just
what is was and you could still lie though your teeth without getting
caught. Now even the military purchasers were telepaths and always
checking to make sure you didn't cheat them on a deal. How was an old
fashion capitalist to get ahead these days. Or better yet, how was he
going to continue his legacy.
Larson was a capitalist but he was a hard working one. When the
plague stuck and nearly wiped out his family he worked for every dime he
could get his hands on to save their lives but the only result was a son
who has been on life support for the past 30 years. It was still in
question who would live longer 83 year old Larson or his slowly dying 60
year old son. That's why the offer from a man named Vox was so intrigued
him. It gave him one last chance to save his family.
Philip Vox was a military doctor of good standing and high reputation
and had called offering to heal his son on certain conditions. Larson also
knew that Philip had to be older then the 42 years on his record. Larson
had meet many charlatans in his quest to heal his son but never one as
shrouded in secrecy as Philip but in the end what he found was a record of
a doctor Philip Vox who once worked in San Diego. But for Philip to be
that person he would have to be as old as Larson was now, no the very fit
mid-aged man that sat across his desk at this moment.
"What you are offering is intriguing Dr. Vox but your price is also
very high."
"Not when you look at it. We are offering to heal your son and to
keep you alive so that you can watch over him while he runs the
company. Even if you could find another person to heal your son I doubt
they could also allow you the time to spend with him."
"You're right of course but I want details. Everything is made up of
the details I believe."
"Of course. We are setting up a new corporation that will be made up
of the three smaller Group of Five, MEXTEX, Macrohard, and hopefully your
United Industry. As separate companies you three have survived on the
conflict between GenCorp and Steward Finance. Now with Steward Finance
under Vassar control, it wouldn't be too hard to see that Gordon can squash
you at his leisure."
"Yes I know all of this. Get to the reason why I should join the
other two losers in fighting off GenCorp's advances."
"Because while Steward finances and GenCorp have a strangle hold on you
three, you three together control the military."
"...Yes you're right. The military depend heavily on GenCorp for
their medical supplies and telepaths but not much else. Steward Finances
provide supply transport but the military have their own supply units they
can use if they needed them. What the military can't do is make the food,
fuel, bullets, and technology needed to function. If we three did join
together we would have the military by the balls."
"I'm glad you see my point." Philip smiled.
"I also know that you are doing this for your own species
survival... vampire."
"Does that bother you that I'm a vampire?"
"No, not really. It just proves that you can save my son's life.
Give him a new life actually and give me time to watch him enjoy it!"
"Then you agree to our deal."
"Why the hell not. The board is just looking for a reason to get rid
of me. They're thinking of adding a health clause to the forced retirement
rules. As soon as my son is cured I'll transfer control to him. Lets see
how the board handles a boss who will never die, Hahaha!" The old man
cackled.