Kevin Brown

When I let out a snort at Angel's eloquence, they turned their attention to me. That's when Sandy got involved, letting out a string of invective that I hoped made the spurned suitors tuck their tails and run. They left the restaurant and the other patrons let out a brief cheer before going back to their routine.

I didn't know we were under attack until Angel screamed. I evidently was the first target, being the guy, and went down hard. I was down, and the guy kicked me in the ribs. I grabbed ahold of his foot before he could land his second and brought him down to the ground with me. I rolled up with my fist cocked, aiming for where I thought his face was. My punch hit the ground, but my elbow hit something that resulted in a groan. There were hands on my shoulders, pulling me back, then something hit me on the back of the head. I didn't think I could see stars, but it was that hard.

***

I woke up in a uncomfortable place, straps holding me down. When I started to struggle, I felt a hand on my head and Sandy's voice telling me it was going to be alright. Sandy's cool hand was on my head when I woke up again. I could hear the sounds around me, it sounded like I was in a hospital. I hurt, my ribs and my head, and my pride. Being blind, I was unable to fight well, but it hurt that I couldn't defend them.

"Hey baby," Sandy cooed into my ear. "You're fine, just a cracked rib and a bump on the head. Your hand is a little scratched up, but you're good."

"Are you okay? The girls?"

"Just fine. We had some help for the other three, they came out of nowhere and took all those fuckers down. You remember when we were coming out of the movie and I asked you why the FBI was following you?"

"Vaguely," I reached up and rubbed my head.

"The women that helped us out, those were the same ones that were watching you. They handed over badges to the police, but admitted to us later that they weren't law enforcement. One of them mentioned 1uckydud3 and his magical fingers helped them get those credentials."

There was a brief flash in my head, back to when I was first learning programming. I had happened on a discussion in a dark group, one about encryption and prime number strings. I offered what I thought was help coding a hash sifter, the kind of anti-code that could be used to hack digital signatures.

Days later, somebody came back to me and let me know that I shouldn't share that sifter code. I agreed, and they gave me another posit. It was an algorithm, complicated and elegant. I offered a piece of a solution, an elite hacker named doth_vodr offered another piece. When I went back to see if the solution had been found, the group was gone. I tried to find it on other usenet providers, even the private text-only ones that didn't host binaries, and that group was gone from those servers as well.

The amount of power that it would take to redact an entire newsgroup and all the headers from all those servers wasn't government-level. That kind of power was 'elite' level hacking, something that governments themselves didn't have. I went back through the old messages that I did have from that group and found that they had been trying to break that algorithm for months. There were some vague references to 'the club' and others to 'the boots.' I wondered a lot about what had happened to that group, but I was too scared to pick around anybody with that kind of power.

"You still with me, Kevin?" Sandy asked.

"When you updated my computer, what did you do with the old components?" I asked.

"The movers just put all of it in bins in the closet. Why?"

"Old answers to new questions," I mused. "Where are Angel and Katie?"

"They were treated and released, probably home showering or getting it on, or both," Sandy replied.

"You don't sound like you approve," I observed.

"Those two? I certainly approve. I'll need somebody to take care of you during the week when I'm at the job. The weekends, I will be all yours. I have decided that you are worth the trip, baby, and I'm even going to push for the ability to telecommute for some of my meetings. I'll lay it all off on the pregnancy, of course, but my focus for the moment is the man who knocked me up."

"Knocking you up was in bad form," I admitted. "I should have been at least able to afford some condoms."

"Well, um, the doctor that prescribed me the birth control pills was surprised as hell because I took them religiously. I handed over the pills I had and the pack for the next month as well. I didn't need them anymore, you see."

"I understand. Is everything okay with you, and the baby? Did they hurt you?

"The one who was coming at me got a kick in the balls and a mouth full of knuckles. I don't know what would possess four men to come after three women and a blind man like that. Something is off, a little hurt pride doesn't cause people to do that kind of shit."

"Well, that's the D.A.'s problem now," I mused.

"Also, they pulled that stunt in the open and in broad daylight, almost as if they didn't fear repercussions even if they were seen," Sandy added.

"I cannot think of anybody that brazen, unless they were paid very well. They may even have access to law enforcement databases for all I know."

"No," Sandy said.

"Yes," I said. "If they have those police reports then they have our names and addresses, Sandy. I wish we were in Rockingham, I need my laptop."

"It's here. One of the women that intervened brought it up, I couldn't understand why until now." There was a rattle of the hospital table being moved and the 'thunk' of my laptop being set down on it. "This thing is ten times heavier than mine."

"Yours doesn't have a braille interface, either."

An hour later, all of our information was scrubbed from the Police Department's computer, their server telling me that our information hadn't been reviewed since it was input. I didn't take much comfort in that, because there were probably paper copies floating around somewhere.

The hospital wanted to keep me overnight for observation, but Sandy talked them out of it. The news of the attack was on the radio, a brief blurb that was worth mentioning because four men had went after three women and a blind man.

***

Sandy's dream was us in a bed, just touching each other. She was happy just being with me, and I was on cloud nine being able to see her. There was a flash, then another, and we were in the parking lot. Dream-me and dream-Sandy were observers to the assault, outside of what she had seen. In living color, I saw the man kick me in the ribs and the scene shifted to Sandy punting another guy's balls.

Then the rescuers came into the scene, four women with police batons making short work of the other two goons grabbing on Angel and Katie and finishing Sandy's job on her attacker.

Another shift, and we were in my bed. I could see, so I knew we were still asleep. We got as far as a kiss before both of us woke up.

"Was that you?" I asked.

"No. I was frozen in place and couldn't even speak," Sandy replied. "Has that happened before?"

"I have always been able to guide my own dreams. This was something else." I reached over to my clock, which told me it was half-past seven hours. "Care to take a walk, Sandy?"

"My suitcase has some athletic wear in it," she admitted. "I even brought some matching clothes for you."

Sandy and I had a good walk and breakfast before Angel and Katie made an appearance to check on us. They vanished after a few minutes, promising to be back later.

I gave Sandy a better look at the laptop, and she was impressed with its capabilities, especially with the TTS engine. I remembered one of the features, the speech engine could speak in any voice given enough phonemes, and Sandy gave them all. It took an hour to tweak the engine to get the conversation tones right, but Sandy didn't mind.

We made plans to go up Sunday afternoon and I would spend the week up there in Raleigh with her. When I asked her about Todd, she shrugged it off, saying that he would have to stay at his place from now on.

I was afraid of Todd. He was an asshole to me in high school because Sandy was my friend, an asshole in college for the same reason. What really got his goat was Sandy brushing him off to help me get my life back together. He tormented me every chance he got before Sandy finally told him off. I could imagine his reaction when he found out that Sandy had chosen me over him again.

I confessed this fear to Sandy, and she told me that Todd would not lay a finger on me, or there would be hell to pay. When I asked her why, she said that Todd would get his ass fired by the CEO himself if Sandy asked him to. Evidently he had taken an interest in her because she got the shit done; on time and under budget

Sandy also confessed that the Chief reminded her a lot of her dad, who actually did like me because I treated Sandy right when we were just friends. This assurance gave me hope that I might survive the week, unless Todd said 'fuck it' and beat me to death.

Saturday morning we went to get Sandy's hair colored and styled. Nadine snagged me and asked if I could do a customer or two even though I was on vacation. Jackie, the stylist, said her work would take about two hours and Sandy gave me her blessing with an oddly cheerful tone in her voice.

I went into my massage room, checking everything to see if it was in place, surprised that I couldn't even feel a speck of dust on my shelves. My guest came in five minutes later, smelling pleasant but feeling oddly familiar once she was on my table. "Annabelle?"

"Are you sure you're blind?" Annabelle asked.

"Yes, ma'am," I picked lavender oil to complement the perfume she had on already. "You don't really need a massage for pain relief, and I do hope you're not stalking me."

"No, just here for a massage and some chatting." She sighed when I started rubbing the oil deep into her back muscles. "Call it pleasure."

"I still don't need a dog," I decided to attack her feet first, women who wore heels loved that.

"Yes, I saw your girlfriends out front. Which one of them is allergic?"

"None of them," I admitted. "I was in a pissy mood because someone had followed to my home and ambushed me on my porch."

"I thought...umm...umm." I had started digging deep into the bottom of her feet, a guaranteed pleasure center. "I thought so."

"So, what is your interest in me?" I asked.

"I'd like to invite you...California...sight," she mumbled.

"Try that again?" She was all putty now, couldn't get a word out edgewise until I switched feet.

"I'd like to invite you out to California. My company has a procedure that may be able to restore your sight."

A dab of oil went into my palm and I put the other foot through the wringer before I replied. "Why are you guys bothering me about this?"

"Guys?" Annabelle tried to sit up, but her leg was still all mine. "Who?"

"Some hacker is offering me the same thing and won't tell me why she wants to help me either," I answered.

"Gwen Chase?" Annabelle asked.

"I only know her by her handle," I admitted. I switched legs and went for the calf next. "Does she work for you?"

"Um...oh...somewhat...will you stop...minute?"

"Ma'am, you are paying for a massage. I'm trying to make sure you get your money's worth." I stopped interrogating and just finished my massage. I'd have to talk this out with Sandy and the girls first.

After Annabelle was dressed, she slipped me a few bills and a card. "Call me, Kevin. This isn't about dating you, this offer is about life." There was a stumble in her step as she left the room.

Another massage later, and Nadine came in to give me her thanks. "What the hell did you do to them, Kevin?"

"Um, nothing they didn't ask for."

"Those two women left checks big enough to buy the damn store!"

"Huh? Who are they?"

"The first woman was Annabelle Andrews, Kyle Andrews the actor is her father. The second was Paula Zedek. She's also an actress, but she works for a mega-company called Brookstone Pointe which owns a bunch of beauty parlors and shit all over the US."

"Nadine, while I appreciate you talking to me like I can see, I don't keep up with movies and corporate structures. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"They're big-shots, Kevin. How do they even know you to ask for you by name?"

"I know Annabelle from Elmer's, she got a Kevin Special one day and evidently wants the whole package. The other woman, I don't know her."

"I'm just going to put these checks in the safe, Kevin," Nadine said. "Two and a quarter million dollars are here."

"Why put them into the safe?" I asked. "Why not put them into the bank?"

"Because in order to use them, I have to let you go," Nadine answered. "I should rip them up, but I'm going to keep them for a couple of days before I do that. You haven't been all here since you started, Kevin. I know you've had school and studying and everything, but you've been distracted. The girls here know why, all of the single ones have asked you out at least once. The why is right over there getting the finishing touches done on her hair. Now that she's back for you, are you really going to stick around here?"

Nadine was right, Sandy was back for me. I was going to be occupied with her and Angel and maybe Katie, would I have enough time for working? Sandy still wasn't all that enthusiastic about me working in a massage parlor, it had been the reason she had stayed away. Would she be happier if I quit? She would. "Nadine, you're right. Can I get some help packing up my stuff?"

"Sure, sweetie. They also did leave cash tips, in case you were wondering."

"Give the tips to Jackie. I can hear Sandy over here, and she's really happy with her hair. It's been a pleasure, Nadine."

"Yes, it has. I haven't been the same since you hit me with that Kevin Special, everything seems so much...brighter. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

I could tell that Sandy was happy that I had quit, and she swore up and down that he had nothing to do with the two women who had come into my room. Angel and Katie went their separate ways after kissing me and Sandy good-bye, saying they'd be back tomorrow morning.

***

Our shared dream that night was particularly disturbing. We started out on a beach, naked, watching the sun rise. Then we were in Sandy's place, a beautiful high-rise looking over a city.

Hands grabbed me and pulled me back, throwing me to the floor. It was Todd. He kicked me in the face repeatedly, and when I looked at Sandy for help, she was laughing at me. Todd picked me up and pushed me through a wall, and I landed in my bed.

Todd and Sandy were fucking beside me, and he was doing her hard and sloppy. She was screaming his name and telling him he was the best fuck in all her life. Then they shifted again. Sandy was on her knees blowing Todd and he has this monster cock. He took a step back and his cock was still in her mouth. Then he took another step and started cumming on Sandy, quickly burying her in a pile of cum. Then Sandy's snake of a tongue came out of the pile and cleaned herself off. The sound of her smacking of her lips snapped me totally awake.

"You have interesting dreams, Kevin," Sandy's voice came into my ear. "Is that what you are afraid of, that my being here with you is some big trick?"

"It's just at the back of my mind, the name change that you did, and you gave me up so easily, and then did the same to Todd just days ago!"

"My heart has always been yours, Kevin. Even when you were sighted you couldn't see that. I guess I was stupid for never showing you how I really felt. Maybe I was afraid of losing..."

"...my best friend. I wanted to kiss you so many times, but I thought if I did you would..."

"...freak out and never talk to me again," Sandy finished. "Wow, Kevin. I've heard of finishing each other's' sentences, but not like that!"

"So what about the dream? How did I take over?"

"I got pulled out, muscle cramp or something. When I came back in, everything was in black and white, and ewwwwy."

"You can't say I lack a vivid imagination," I chuckled. "But I'm scared, Sandy. I'm scared that I'll only be welcome until the next time you get mad at me and go back to seeing Todd."

"That's a rational fear," Sandy agreed. "Where do we go from here?"

"Forward."

***

I was the last one ready for the jaunt to Raleigh. Sandy and the girls were chatting in the kitchen when I stumbled in. There was some discussion about my half-hard pecker sticking through the front of my shorts, and Katie agreed to help me with it.

Katie admitted that she didn't want to be watched before locking my bedroom door. She got on her knees and pulled my shorts down. Before she took me into her mouth, she told me to give a tap on her head when I was getting ready to cum so she could prepare to swallow.

She didn't swallow all of my cum, saving just enough to coat the inside of my mouth when she kissed me afterwards.

I was pondering that taste in my mouth when Sandy led me to her Audi. Before I got in, Sandy gave me a kiss that tasted like Angel pussy and did her best to claim all traces of Katie's kiss.

We were halfway to Raleigh when the news announcer on the radio said that the four men who had attacked us were released on bail. Now I was worried. Those men knew where all of us lived, and if they were still intent on doing us harm, we were less than three hours away.

Sandy walked me around her place and was just getting ready to lock us in the bedroom when the entry door bell rang. Sandy was less than pleased when Katie yelled out that it was Todd at the door.

I followed Sandy the best I could as she stomped to the front door. I waited around the last corner before the entranceway, feeling very uncomfortable at their discussion. Either Angel and Katie were staying out of sight or Todd didn't see their presence as a threat. What he finally did see as a threat was my walking cane somewhere in the front room. Then he went off, or so I thought.

Todd's rant seemed forced, almost practised. He may not have been expecting me to be here in Sandy's house. Then Sandy told him to shut the hell up and to take his ring back. He told her that she was a slut and he wasn't going to take her back again. There was a door slamming and then some crying.

I went to her, crouching next her on the floor. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea for me to come here."

"I want you here with me I swear it," Sandy grabbed my hands, closing hers around mine. "This argument with Todd was going to happen sooner or later, and I am glad it wasn't in public or at work."

"That would be embarrassing," I admitted.

"Let's go out to dinner," Sandy said.

Sandy took all of us out to dinner, showing us her favorite foods, then took us on a tour of Raleigh. I sat in back with Angel, whose attention seemed to be more on fondling my crotch that paying attention to Sandy. When we got back to Sandy's condo, she took me aside and asked if I would have any problems with her spending the night with Katie. I told her that I didn't, but I would like to see what they did in her dreams tomorrow night. Sandy said she'd have to talk that over with Katie while Angel and I got ready for bed.

When Sandy came into the bedroom Angel and I would be sharing, she told me that Katie had agreed to my voyeuristic request, and would happily repeat anything they did with me. Sandy pulled me into a kiss, letting me feel her naked body all the way down to the straps she had around her waist, then pushed me back so I could feel her strap-on. I used it to pull Sandy back into a kiss, and then she was gone.

Angel came over and undressed me, taking her time pulling my underwear down so she could put my cock into her mouth. She swirled her tongue around my head, stopping at each turn to pop my head in and out of her mouth while creating a vacuum seal. I don't know how it happened, I didn't have any warning at all, but when she popped my head out, I started to have an orgasm. She tried to get my head back into her mouth, then settled for aiming my shots with her hand.