Lisa Ch. 06: Changes

"Yeah ..." Jessica said cocking her head to one side. "That is a little weird, isn't it?"

"A little?" Josh asked.

Jessica shrugged and reached out with her toe to pull the now forgotten soccer back toward her. She began to dribble it, turning in a circle.

"Weirder things have happened you know." She said as she picked up the pace of the dribbling.

"I don't think so." Josh countered.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure they have Josh ..." she said. "Roswell, Lochness Monster, Sasquatch ... "

"Jessica!" Jim said, "Stop dribbling that damn ball and tell me why you were thinking about them and me. You're freaking me out here ..."

Jessica looked up at the tone of this voice and the ball got away from her. Josh scooped it up.

"Answer his question." He said planting the ball between his hip and his arm. "Please." He added.

"Well, I was just thinking about how much my uncle and brother would have liked Jim. If they'd lived and gotten to know him." Jessica said. The pained looks on the mens' faces caught Jessica off guard. "I'm, I'm sure they would have liked you too Scott and Josh ..." she said in a rush, "it's just that they were a lot like Jim ... they had a lot in common."

"Jim." Scott said. "Has a lot in common with your brother and your uncle. How's that?"

"Yes," Jim said quietly, "How's that?"

"They all have vision." Jessica said and then corrected herself, "Had vision. My brother and uncle had vision."

"Vision?" All three demanded ... in the trees Riley and Angus had grumbled the same.

"Oh, not the kind you need to get checked ..." Jessica said quickly realizing too late that Jim might get upset about his target practices issues again. "But the ability to see things about a situation that others can't. The ability to see what the future could be if certain steps were taken. That kind of vision."

Silence hung in the air.

Angus pushed from the tree. He'd had enough of eavesdropping. As enlightening as it had been, he needed to be able to ask Jessica questions. But Riley grabbed his arm and shook his head.

Angus pointed into the clearing, as if the group standing there was explanation enough for why he couldn't stay.

"Not yet." Riley said, but he too was on the verge of crashing into the clearing and demanding to know the secrets, and why in God's name Jessica was thinking about her brother and uncle.

"Jessica. I don't have any more vision than these guys." He said indicating Scott and Josh, "And I highly doubt your brother and uncle have anything in common with me ... and I know they wouldn't like me."

"You do have vision. You got us here Jim." Jessica said raising her hands and indicating the men, herself, and the clearing. "You got us here and you even brought Riley and Angus along. That's what I call vision."

"She's right." Scott said. "You did get us here."

"What kind of visions did your brother and uncle have?" Jim asked, realizing to his surprise that Scott was right ... about Jessica being right.

Josh dropped the ball to the ground and sat on it.

"Well ..." she said, that huge smile coming back to her lips. She walked over to Josh and into his arms, lowering herself to perch on his leg. Josh pressed his head against her arm.

"Jeffery always had a way of getting us out of trouble. We'd do something stupid and our parents would get mad, and then he would just find an explanation about what we'd done that they just couldn't argue with. And ironically whatever he'd argued as a plus about what we'd done would come back and be proven to be true. It drove my parents crazy. They said he could swindle the devil if he put his mind to it."

Josh pressed his forehead harder against her and closed his eyes before he said, "I thought your parents never said no to you."

Jessica tilted her head against his.

"No ... if there was anything we wanted to try, they would encourage us. But they weren't too keen on us sneaking out of the house to go to cross country motorcycle races and stuff like that. Course on that one both Jeffrey and my parents turned out to be right. Jeffrey wiped out and broke his leg ... but the club did end up going pro."

Jessica sighed wistfully remembering details.

"Your parents didn't let you ride?" Scott asked surprised. It seemed her parents had a limit after all.

"Oh they did. We had our own bikes. But they didn't want us racing with the extreme clubs. They were late at night on week nights and there were no rules ... really."

"Figures ..." Scott mumbled.

"So how did they stop you from going?" Jim asked.

Finally the smile slid from Jessica's face.

"Eventually my parents shut the races down. They were illegal. Luckily the club began following regulations and had so many good riders that they went pro."

"By shut them down, do you mean busted them?" Jim asked.

"Yeah. We weren't very popular there after that. As you can imagine." Jessica said and sighed.

"Holy shit." Scott muttered.

"Yeah. It sucked." Jessica agreed.

Josh slowly slid his head left to right without losing contact with her arm. He was beyond being surprised at this point ... he was beginning to think that if they hadn't kidnapped her, something else would have got her. Something ridiculous like her space craft would explode while she was returning from colonizing Mars or something.

"What about your Uncle?" Jim asked.

"He wasn't really your Uncle, was he?" Scott asked.

"No, he was my God father ... but he knew my parents since they were kids. He was there for them ... and for me, always. That's how he ended up dying in the attack."

Silence ensued. Partially because there was a sadness in Jessica's voice when she had spoken. And partially because Peter Hartnett was not dead. At least he hadn't died in the attack.

Josh, Scott and Jim looked at one another. There was an easy way to alleviate her pain ... tell her the truth. But it was also one of the reasons Jessica wanted to stay with them. She thought she had no one left. Would she stay if she knew he was alive?

Riley and Angus watched and held their breaths. They couldn't believe that this was the same Jessica they knew. With Scott, Jim and Josh, she was a fountain of information. She seemed to say anything that came to her mind.

And like the others, they felt her pain. Felt the guilt that came with keeping the secret, but knew without a doubt that they'd never tell her the truth. The cleaner a break that she had from her family the better. And besides, Peter Harnett had gone off the map. For all they knew, he really was dead.

But the moment Josh decided to tell her, the men could all tell. They could see it on his face.

"Jessica, there's something we have to ..." he began. Both Angus and Riley took a step toward the clearing.

"Know." Scott said, interrupting Josh and glaring at him.

"Yes, something we need to know about your Uncle." Jim added, "What kind of visions did he have?" He continued when Josh opened his mouth again. Scott moved next to Josh and cuffed him on the back of the head when Jessica was looking the other way at Jim.

Josh shot daggers at Scott but then he seemed to give up and he lowered his forehead against Jessica's arm again. With the crisis diverted, Angus and Riley returned to their trees.

Jessica seemed to be thinking when suddenly her head shot up and she looked pale. Uncle Pete ... he had been the one to figure everything out.

"Jess?" Jim asked in alarm. She turned her face toward him but didn't seem to see him.

"Jessica ..." Scott said grabbing her shoulder. Josh had lifted his head and tightened his hands around her waist. "What's wrong?" Scott demanded.

Jessica shook her head.

"Nothing ... I'm just remembering. One of Uncle Pete's visions was about you."

"Us?" Josh asked.

"The clan. He figured out that something was wrong. That the arrests were too easy."

"What are you talking about?" Josh asked.

"There was someone on the inside." Jessica said turning to face him. "Someone who was setting the Clan up. Getting them arrested, and then killing them in prison. That was why he was with us. My parents were going to drop us off at home and then they were going with Uncle Pete to the prison. To move the clan members to a safe house."

Silence engulfed them.

"Why didn't you tell us this before?" Jim demanded. But he knew he wouldn't have believed her. He believed her now ... but had she mentioned it any other time he wouldn't have believed her. And Angus ... Angus would have beat her within an inch of her life.

"Okay ... forget that question." Jim said when she turned incredulous eyes on him.

"I can understand why you wouldn't have said anything at first. But now? Lately?" Josh asked.

"I ... forgot." Jessica said. "And, it doesn't make a difference anyway does it?"

"Right." Josh said. This was too fucking intense. He couldn't handle it and he was not sure Jessica could either. She seemed to be shrinking into his lap. It was time to do something different. Something fun. They could come back to this later.

"Well, I don't know about you guys but it's too damn hot to play soccer." Josh said. "Why don't we go to the watering hole? Swim a little?"

"Oh yeah!" Jessica said in excitement, clearly happy to change the topic also. "Can we ask Riley and Angus to come too?"

"We sure can." Jim said. "If they're back."

"Oh, wait a minute." Jessica said, her excitement fading. "I can't go swimming."

"Why not?" Jim, Josh and Scott asked in unison.

"Well, for one thing, I don't have a bathing suit. And for another, I need tampons, I'm still bleeding a little from yesterday." Jessica said her cheeks turning pink at the realization that they had all heard and maybe even seen her and Angus.

"Bleeding?" Jim asked, "You just finished your period, why are you bleeding?"

"He fucking hurt you didn't he!" Josh thundered when Jessica turned bright red.

"No ... no Josh," Jessica said patting his chest, trying to calm him. He looked ready to hunt Angus down. "I'm fine, really. We just ran two miles and target practice, and now soccer, if I were hurt I couldn't do those things ... it was just some ... stretching, that's all. Honest."

"Okay." Jim said feeling anything but ... Josh didn't look completely appeased and even Scott, who'd argued it was all normal, seemed surprised that she couldn't swim because of it. "Well, if you're sure, you can still go swimming ... First off, you don't need a bathing suit. In fact, given the way everyone reacted to your shorts and t-shirt you should never wear a bathing suit. If you want to swim, you can wear shorts and a t-shirt. And I'll run into town and buy you some tampons. No sweat."

"Really?" Jessica asked.

Riley grabbed Angus' arm and motioned him to follow him.

He led him back to the corral.

"Bastards ..." Angus grumbled. "They're keeping even more secrets! Let's go find out what they are! And what the fuck is this with Jessica's Uncle? Do you think it's true?"

"I don't know." Riley said trying to make sense of it in his mind. He thought back to when they'd got the info about when and where her family would be travelling. It had been sudden. Only a day or so before they ambushed Jessica's family. But that in itself wasn't unusual. Definitely not proof positive that someone within the clan was killing off members and had provided intel to Riley and his men just to stop Jessica's uncle and parents from exposing him or her. He shook his head to clear it. "It doesn't matter for now. But as for the secrets, we have to pretend we didn't hear anything they said."

"What?"

"They plan to tell us. In their way, in their own time. I have a feeling it's better that way. I don't want to fuck things up."

Angus curled his hands into fists but tried to think through his anger.

"I don't know if I can pretend I don't know." He said.

"Look, they want to go to the water hole ... and we have the TV and satellite to setup. There's plenty to distract us. We'll tell Jim, Josh and Scott that they have to take off tomorrow. I don't give a shit when the horsefuck is scheduled ... they're going tomorrow. Then they'll be back faster and we can see Jessica race. We should know everything in a few days."

"I don't think I can wait." Angus said.

"Fine. Fine. When those assholes are gone, maybe Jessica will tell us. She wanted to. You can make another one of your date meals ... it'll be just the three of us. I'm sure she'll tell us, and she should also be mentioning her Uncle."

"Okay fine. And then when they get back, I can't wait to break each one of their fucking noses!" Angus grumbled.

"You may want to rethink that." Riley said.

Angus looked at Riley like he was crazy.

"How do you think Jessica will take it?" Riley asked.

"Shit! Fine ... no broken noses."

"Hey good timing!" Scott said as he, Jim, Josh and Jessica appeared around the corral. "Everything alright?" he added when he saw the expressions on their faces.

"Fine ..." Riley said. But Jessica, Jim, Josh and Scott had slowed their pace and Jessica's smile faded. And when she looked at Angus she blanched. Riley followed her gaze and saw that Angus was slower at snapping out of his anger. Much slower.

"We're fine ... " Riley said taking a step closer to Angus and elbowing him. "Fucking smile. You're scaring Jessica." He muttered to Angus under his breath. Luckily Jessica and the others were still a good thirty feet away so his subtle elbow jab and muttered messages went unnoticed.

Angus managed to plaster something that resembled a smile onto his face.

"That's right." Angus said through gritted teeth, "Everything's fine."

Jessica took a step closer to them. She was watching them ... studying their faces. Riley elbowed Angus again.

"Smile better." He hissed.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Angus hissed back.

"You want to rip their heads off and it's obvious. Look at Jessica ... she knows something's wrong."

"Damn it." Angus swore to himself. Jessica looked really worried. He had to get a grip or he was going to scare her off again. Not what he wanted. He cleared his throat, remembered what she felt like against him, and worked really damn hard to look relaxed.

It must have worked because suddenly the men relaxed and Jessica seemed to skip over to them, leaving the other men trailing behind her.

Excitement twinkled in her eye as she asked, "Do you want to come swimming with us?"

She was just about to go into Angus' arms when she skidded to a halt.

"Um, I really stink. Maybe I should kiss you once I clean up?"

"I really don't care Jess. I'd like the kiss." Angus said.

"I'm serious Angus." She said as she moved into his embrace. "Plug your nose or something ... I'm really gross."

Angus grabbed her by her upper arms before she could move in to kiss him. His eyes bore into hers as he leaned in close to her and inhaled deeply.

"You always smell good to me Jessica." He said in a tone so guttural that Jessica caught her breath. Her body tingled everywhere. Angus leaned in closer. "And you taste even better."

Shivers ran up and down Jessica's body as Angus leaned in and fastened his lips to hers. He drew her closer, and slid his tongue into her mouth. He explored every part of her mouth ... her teeth, her tongue, the insides of her cheeks, her throat ... before reluctantly pulling back. "There will never be a reason that I wouldn't want to kiss you Jessica. Remember that."

"Jessica." Riley said as she pressed her body against Angus'.

"Hmmm?" Jessica asked and shifted her eyes dreamily over to Riley. "Oh ... oh ... sorry!" Jessica said seeing the hurt look on Riley's face. She moved back from Angus. She felt awful. It was her night with Riley and she was all over Angus. Her cheeks flamed red, she was so turned on and she could tell by the way Riley looked her over that it was obvious. She moved to Riley and melted against him ... bringing her lips to his.

How the hell was he supposed to compete with Angus' kiss? Intellectually he knew it wasn't a competition but emotionally he felt the need to surpass Angus' effect on her.

"I'm sorry man ..." Angus said quietly seeing how upset Riley was. "I shouldn't have done that. I lost control ..."

Lost control. That was the problem. Riley couldn't lose control.

Images from those hard core magazines flitted through is mind. If he were honest with himself he'd admit that he was more than a little interested in them. In performing the acts depicted on the pages with Jessica. The problem was, he was afraid. Afraid of taking the control required to be the master ... and afraid of how Jessica would react.

Would it be too similar to when they took her prisoner? Would she balk at the role playing, at being subservient, at being tied up and being violated by fucking machines ... in the pussy, in the ass and in the mouth?

God he was horny. And she was ... sore ... so he couldn't even try anything that night. The sound of the other men clearing their throats as they approached reminded him that this wasn't the time to try and find out how far she'd let him go.

He blinked. He'd have time for all of that. He'd figure it out. He knew he would, and he wasn't below asking Scott or Angus for advice. But right now ... right at that moment he had to follow Angus' kiss with one of his own, and unless he tried to take on the master role ...tried to live out his fantasies, he was going to pale in comparison.

"Fuck it ..." he muttered against Jessica's lips and taking her arms he pushed her hands behind her back, held them firmly with one hand and cupping her head he looked her in the eye and said "I'm not going to stick my tongue down your throat right now. Just kiss me on the lips and we'll move on. But know that I will get my full kiss. When you least expect it, I'll get it." He pressed his lips hard against hers and when he lifted his head Jessica was staring at him. Surprise was evident in her expression ... surprise and desire. She was pressing herself against him now and she flicked her tongue over her lip.

Damn, Riley forgot he was sporting a five o'clock shadow. There was definitely a little red rawness around her lips where he had kissed her. For a moment he felt bad about it but then he remembered the magazines. Stubble was the perfect masters' tool.

Jessica was breathless. And horny. Angus and Riley both seemed a little over sexed. Angus was no surprise really, but Riley ... and the way he was looking at her right then ... he looked dangerous. Not dangerous in the way he'd used to ... but bedroom dangerous. Suddenly Riley's already brown eyes seemed to go black as his body tensed against her ... and then they slid down to her lip. He leaned forward and licked her lip ... right where his stubble had scraped her.

"Jess, you okay?" Josh asked from beside her.

"Y ..y ..yeah." She managed.

And then, though Riley's eyes remained black, his lips morphed into a sultry half smile. He looked up at Josh, and then the others. Aside from Josh's never changing expression of concern, the others wore expressions that were hard to read. But it was his night with her. He had rights. Slowly, purposefully, Riley let go of Jessica, took her by her forearms and turned her around to face the other men. Then he pulled her against him, circling his arms around her and pressing his cheek against hers.

"You were saying?" he asked quietly in her ear.

"We ... we are going swimming." She managed despite the evidence of his desire pressed into her back. "Will you come with us?"

"Sure. But we have something back at the house for you to see first. It may take us a while to get it set-up so it's usable." Riley said.

"Really?" Jessica asked pressing her cheek into his. "Can we go see?" Her voice lost its breathlessness and excitement replaced it.