Teaching Her a Lesson Pt. 04

"Hey, guys!"

I nearly leapt out of my socks from the proximity of the voice that addressed us. It was Candace Salata, newest addition to the social studies department, assistant volleyball coach... and Louisa's girlfriend.

"Candace!" I squeaked. Oh shit, don't let her look over at Officer Barbour. "Hey, we-- I mean, I didn't expect you! Good to see you. Having a good weekend so far? End of the year is crazy, right? I know I've been just slammed. Assigned an essay in May like a complete idiot. Now I'll be grading to graduation day to get it done. This time of the year is always BLALALA, ya know? But hey, this weather... can't beat it right? Good time to sit out on the patio and get some work done in the fresh air. You ever do that? I love it. Do you? Um, do that?"

Smooth. So smooth.

It did have the desired effect, though, keeping her eyes on me and off of the glassy-eyed slack-jawed stare of her girlfriend. I estimated maybe two, three seconds of close examination before anyone looking at Louisa realized something was wrong. As it was, if we sat here for very long, total strangers would begin noticing. I'd been banking on them not being intrusive enough to say anything before I could usher Louisa out of here, but now...!

"Uh, yeah. Sometimes. Wow, what're they putting in the coffee today, huh?"

I laughed, and this time it wasdefinitely crazy sounding. "Yeah, guess I'm a little tweaked, huh. Haha! Good stuff though. What's your drink?"

"You buying?"

I was babbling so fast that I almost said yes -- which would leave the two of them alone at the table. As it was, her eyes were still threatening to roam that direction. "Hey, you know what they pay me," I joked. "Tell you what, you may wanna hurry up and get in line, though. I think I just saw an SUV pull up full to the brim. Don't want to get stuck in the back of that line, right?"

She glanced away from us.SMILE!I mouthed at Louisa.SMILE, DAMMIT! "No, I guess not," said Candace. She looked over to Louisa, who donned a dippy grin with no time at all to spare. It was enough to pass muster for the momentary glance. "Don't go too far into things without me, OK? If you're talking about Taylor Stern, I want to be in on it. Girl's turning my hair gray!"

My laugh was marginally less ridiculous-sounding this time, but I didn't say any more words. Nothing that would keep her standing next to the two of us for another second. I waited until she was in line, and to my incredible relief, she seemed to be actually studying the menu rather than look back at us.

My brain was going a hundred miles an hour. What was I going to do?! No way Candace wouldn't notice Louisa's mental state almost instantly. As things stood, at best, she'd think I tried to roofie her girlfriend. No talking my way out of it. And as was becoming all too familiar an instinct these days, my thoughts went immediately to the eyedropper in my pocket and the few drops still in it. I'd made sure to bring more than enough in case some of it dribbled out in my plastic-wrap-lined pocket. At this rate, I was going to have to start lugging the whole canister around to keep up with all the collateral damage I was causing.

And how had I started using itthis casually?!

I could agonize about the ethical ramifications later. Right now, there was no other choice. How, though? Candace was second in line now; no, they called her to a second register. Tick tock. I raised up and struck down options in my head like mental whack-a-mole. Intercept her order when they called it? No way. Too weird, and too much chance she'd catch on to Louisa even if she let me. Dribble it in once she sat down? Too conspicuous. What if someone else saw me? At the counter, I'd been able to do it with my body in the way, but right at the table? Impossible. But what if I caused a distraction? Sneeze and pretend to knock my coffee across the cafe. No. That meant apologies, clean-up, delays, all the more time for Louisa's behavior to tip people off. How how how?!

By the time Candace picked up her order, I'd put into motion the only plan I could come up with. Dammit, this had to work. If I were religious I would have been praying, but my fortune these past few days had done nothing if not confirm that if there were a god, they were clearly not on my side.

Candace took a moment to grab her own accoutrements and returned to the table, taking a moment to set down her purse and windbreaker over her chair. "So what did I miss? Isa told me all about what Taylor did to you. Over a chapstick! My god, that girl. I can't believe she would mmf...!"

Louisa did as I had commanded. As her girlfriend sat down, she leaned forward, seized Candace by the back of her neck, and kissed her.

It was hot. Really hot. Louisa was an exotic beauty, very well put together, and while Candace might not have the curves I generally preferred on a woman, she was undeniably very pretty and took excellent care of herself. She was the object of countless crushes by her students. Faculty too, as I could once have attested to.

There was a brief squeak of surprise and alarm, even some a little squirming to get out of it. It was one hell of a sexy kiss, and right there in the crowded cafe... it was not the sort of romantic impulsivity she evidently preferred. But Louisa kept it up until, I fervently hoped, the deed was done.

My colleague wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Isa! Why would you...!" She glanced at me, blushing. "I'm sorry, I don't know what..." She smacked her lips, frowned. "Is that your mocha? Because I gotta say, it's... it tastes like... um... we..."

But whatever verb might have accompanied "we," I wasn't going to wait for it. That kiss had attracted more than a little attention, lookie loos on all sides. We needed to get out of here five minutes ago.

I leaned in. "Louisa? Candace?" Candace looked up. Louisa needed me to say it a couple more times before her eyes focused. "When I stand up, I want you to follow me. Bring your things, and say anything. Understand?" It was hard, keeping my voice soft enough to discourage overhearing but loud enough for both to hear my words clearly. But when I stood, they stood. When I walked, wishing I could sprint, toward the door, they followed.

Moments later, we'd made it back to my car. I'd done it! Done... something anyway. But I was handling things. I wasn't laying down and letting this blackmailer push me around like some weakling.

I am not a pussy.

This was still a high traffic area, both cars and pedestrians, so I drove a short ways off into the abandoned lot by the old Kmart. There, good and private. Even if somebody could see us from the road, they wouldn't recognize us. Not that I had reason to be paranoid about people watching me or anything.

Fuck me. What did I do now? I'd been ready for Louisa. But now!

Hmm.

It occurred to me that one of the primary hazards in my original plan had been the possibility of Candace discovering I'd done something to her girlfriend. So much for that. Maybe... maybe this was a blessing in disguise?

I looked to the two women in my backseat, heads lolling about like a couple of bobblehead dolls. Definitely under, bigtime. I wasn't coming any closer to getting a baseline for the necessary minimum dose for efficacy -- and had a few concerns about what might happen in case of an overdose -- but so far, they didn't look too bad.

"Louisa? Candace? Can you hear me?"

"Yes," they answered in near unison.

Good start. I had not turned them into vegetables. That was the bar for good news of late.

I supposed there was no huge rush. They'd be like this for hours, it seemed; no sense acting hastily. Man, they were a hot couple. I frowned at the wayward thought. This was not going to be a repeat of what had happened -- accidentally! -- to the Sterns. Yes, these women were attractive, and yes, they were at my mercy, but I wasn't some serial brainwasher on the prowl for fresh minds.

You could, though.

I shook my head. No.Come on, Canon, do like you planned with Louisa, at least. "Louisa, I have some instructions for you. All right?"

"OK," she mumbled.

"Good. Now when I give you those instructions, I want you to repeat them back to me."

"Repeat them."

"Then, I want you to say them in your head a hundred times. The whole thing. Understand?"

Regrettably, I'd left my pad of paper back at Starbucks, so we'd have to modify my previous method. I reckoned the writing-it-down aspect of things was probably unnecessary anyway. After all, some things had sunk in for Taylor and Abbie despite them only being said once. This should work just fine. Louisa confirmed that she did indeed understand.

I took a breath. "I am Mr. Canon's protector. My top priority is keeping him safe and preserving his freedom."

The choice of words was somewhat hifalutin, but I'd put thought into it. I would be "safe" in prison. The inclusion had been necessary. Louisa murmured the words verbatim. Her lips kept moving, and her fingers counting up the repetitions. Good. It was working.

"Now, what to do with you," I said, looking to Candace. She wasn't looking back. Hmm. Maybe you had to get their attention first? It might explain why Abbie had cherry picked what details she'd seized upon. A blessing, if so. It'd be easier to micro-target my messages for their intended audiences. But what did I want to tell her?

I didn't feel good about it, but honestly? My first impulse was that least ignoble of desires. Candace was in my backseat, the assistant volleyball coach dressed for the part in black spandex shorts and a pink t-shirt with the sleeves and most of the sides cut off, a sports bra partially visible. It matched the shorts. Probably on her way to the gym after coffee, or maybe had already been. She was definitely pretty in a natural kind of way, less made over and conformed to societal beauty standards like Taylor and Abbie. Dyed black hair with a faint streak of purple in it, edgy for a teacher, but this time last year she'd been a sorority sister with a nose piercing, and it seemed the adjustment was still in progress. Fit, trim, tight and perky.

And sexiest of all, her mind wide open for anything I might want to do with it.

I had to remind myself that it wasn't pussy behavior tonot make her like the Sterns. Just because I was horny as hell and she was attractive and vulnerable wasn't a reason to take advantage. But I couldn't let her go like this, obviously. I had no idea what she'd remember, but there would be more than enough cause for suspicion to land me in all manner of trouble.

Say. That ought to do it, right?

"Candace," I said. After a moment, she looked up at me, eyes slowly locking on mine. Her pupils were wide. Beside her, Louisa was still subvocalizing her new mantra. "Candace, in a moment I'm going to say something. I want you to repeat it back to me. All right?"

"I want you to repeat it back to me, all right," she monotoned.

"Uh, right." At least she was listening. "Now again, only this time, say, 'I will never do anything to cause Mr. Canon trouble or disrupt his plans.'"

"I will never do anything to cause Mr. Canon trouble or disrupt his plans." I supposed I could have used my first name with these ladies, but my title seemed less ambiguous.

"That's good. Now I want you to repeat that to yourself a hundred more times. Those same exact words. Go ahead." I watched for a moment while she got started, and soon, the women in my backseat were both assiduously drilling my programming into their heads. What I wouldn't give for students who complied with my instruction with that kind of devotion.

Well, I suppose I had that now, too, but... not in that sense.

Each of them did a hundred more repetitions when they finished, in case this was less effective than writing it down. Abbie had been done in by mere off-handed comments, so it was likely overkill anyway. I wasn't about to keep trying this on people until I had actionable data. If I had my way, I'd never use it on anyone again.

Meanwhile, I sat there stewing in guilt. I wasn't stupid. I knew those commands would do more than simply cover my ass, help me with my blackmailer. But I had to preserve the secret. I will not let anyone find out about my relationship with the Stern sisters. Overkill was an unfortunate necessity. I'd probably have to tell Louisa about it all, sure, but I owned her loyalty now. She could no more spread the word than if I wrote it down on a piece of paper and stuck it in my pocket.

They went back to their vacant staring, waiting, taunting me to do more to them. But no. Jesus, I already had two gorgeous young women ready to do anything I might want to do with these two. They were lesbians to boot! That fact might not matter to the Serenex in their blood, but it mattered to me.

All right. Enough with the violations of basic morality and the natural order. Back to work.

The original plan had been to take them back to my place. Since the blackmailer could well be a nosy neighbor who might still be watching my house, Louisa would have to hide in the trunk, Taylor style, so nobody would know I'd recruited help. Now, though?

"You two have a place together, right?"

Candace massaged her forehead. "Just so I understand you correctly, to summarize: you bought a riot control chemical to make Taylor Stern let you tutor her one on one. You got caught with it, so you used it on her and her sister to stop them from telling anyone. Then you say you wound up brainwashing Abbie to be your 'fantasy slut...'"

"Accidentally," I emphasized in response to her accusatory tone.

"At which point she kidnapped Taylor and brought her to your house, tried to seduce you, and when you so very stoically resisted, she dosed you, making you feel like it would be wrongnot to take advantage of these two teenage girls. Then when you woke up yesterday morning, you found out that somehow, despite your overwhelming abundance of caution, someone had discovered your activities and wants twenty-five thousand dollars to keep quiet. So you thought instead of confessing or using the help you already had, you'd come and enslave my girlfriend. And lucky me, I just happened to be standing in the path of what let's affectionately call the Canon ball."

I sighed. "That's the bulk of it, yeah."

"You know, for a man who netted himself a pair of nubile sex slaves without even trying, you sure have yourself quite a martyrdom complex about it all." She sneered.

"What do you know about the duration of the effect?" asked Louisa, sipping at a fresh and untainted cup of coffee she'd brewed in the kitchen to help clear their heads. Unlike her partner, her voice was devoid of judgment. She was approaching this analytically, a professional through and through. It was a welcome reprieve from Candace's judgment, valid or no.

There was a question I should have asked myself a long time ago. Serenex was only a chemical, after all. Surely it would wear off eventually. Shit! Why did my hindsight never reveal any good news?

I supposed if it wore off on the girls, it would wear off on me not long after. Of course, I'd be in handcuffs or buried in the Sterns' back yard by then. Not much of a consolation.

"Not entirely sure. I first dosed Taylor Monday, and she behaved herself well enough all week that it had to be the Serenex. That was a pretty weak dose, only whatever she got from licking her lips. Abbie's been on the slut warpath for going on forty-eight hours now and showing no signs of slowing down." The text I'd gotten while waiting here at their place had left no doubt of that.if i dont get some dick in me soon, ima come find u and spray that shit up yo ass. It had been accompanied by a shot showing her raised fist clenched defiantly, though the wrathfulness was clouded by the bared breasts behind it.

Still no word from Taylor, but then, there wouldn't be. There didn't need to be.

"Well there's one of our first concerns. If we're going to maintain security of information, our biggest potential liability is that one of us will snap out of it. Not much question that any of us would bring you down first thing if we could."

"Who, me? What about me leads you to think I'd object to a teacher drugging and raping his students?" groused Candace.

I was unconvinced any of this could constitute rape to begin with considering the tangled web of who had brainwashed and compromised who, but there was no point arguing semantics. The point was, Candace was going to let me do what I wanted to do, which was good enough.

Louisa patted her girlfriend's shoulder consolingly, but she wasn't deterred from her consultancy. "So that's really the thing. The blackmailer isn't the problem. It's the sheer number of people with knowledge they shouldn't have, that person or persons among them. We need to figure out what we're dealing with here. I'll see what I can learn at the department, if we have anything in the database about side effects of Serenex ingestion. Better give me your phone, too. In case the number isn't enough, we might be able to run a trace with the phone itself."

"Can you do that without anyone reading it?"

"No worries, I'm friends with the tech. I'll buy him a coffee and dose him with the Serenex. Twice the manpower, that way." It wasn't only Candace who looked at her aghast, but Louisa soon cracked a grin. "I'm kidding, geez. Relax, you two. I'm trained on the software myself. Comes up all the time at school, kids sending threatening messages, cyber-bullying, that kind of thing."

"Oh. Well that's good, I guess."

"In the meantime, you two need to be thinking about what you're going to do to keep Candy and I from blabbing if or when it wears off."

"You know I don't like it when you call me that in front of people."

But Louisa merely bent down and kissed her forehead, fuzzing her hair. "Tell me you love me."

Her eyes darted to me resentfully, but she gave in soon enough. "I love you. For some reason."

Louisa tucked my cracked phone in her hip pocket and headed out the door. "And then there were two," I said dryly.

"Look, I was on my way back from the gym when you caught me this morning, so if it's all the same to you, I'm going to clean up and get dressed and then... I dunno, hide in my room and pretend you're not here. No offense." I had a hard time believing she didn't intend at leastsome offense.

"What about what Louisa said?"

Candace rolled her eyes. "Isa. Nobody calls her Louisa except at work."

"Candy and Isa, eh? Shows what I know." I donned a cheesy high-pitched voice. "Isa me! Candy-o!"

"Don't do that. Oh god, don't ever do that."

I allowed myself a smirk. "Anyway, what about what she said, about a contingency plan? She has a point. Seems pretty certain you'll report me the second you're able."

"Maybe. I don't know, seems hard to imagine doing anything to cause you trouble. I would never do that."

"Let's hope it stays that way."

Paradoxically, for all her naked disdain for my conduct, Candace nodded sincerely. "Yeah, let's hope. If I start to feel like anything you shoved in my head is coming loose, I'll warn you ASAP, OK?"

"Yeah. That's, uh, great." Huh. Guess she preferred keeping my plans intact to having her mind back in one piece.

Well that shouldn't turn me on.

My hostess retreated to her bedroom. I tried not to think, as I had been for most of those seemingly interminable hours when I'd been waiting for them to come to, of what I could get away with. Spending this much time in close quarters with the two of them had only made me more keenly aware of what their respective work uniforms had allowed me not to ignore. Candace's athletic build might not command the same attention as classic bombshells like the Stern girls, but as I watched those spandex shorts glide down her hallway, it seemed unjust. There had been a good reason I'd been attracted to Candace back then.