The Reality Engine Ch. 09

Hi!

Thank you for reading my story. A couple of points to know:

I don't like writing wank porn. I want to write full-fleshed stories with plot, character, drama and tension. Events in this chapter pick up the morning after the events at the end of chapter 8.

Thank you for taking the time, and please be sure to vote and offer any feedback you can. If you like what I do, offering feedback is the best thing you can do to help, there is nothing which aids a writer more than seeing the story through someone else's eyes.

Note on edit: I have fixed tiny issues with spelling, grammar, and usage. Minor continuity error fixed, otherwise, Plot remains exactly the same.

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Chapter 9

Scott woke up the next morning, and looked to his left in bed. He saw Pepper sleeping soundly under the covers, and he felt a warm glow in his heart as he recalled how wonderful the evening before had been. Scott rose from bed, and checked the clock on her desk: 5:15 AM. He had to hurry, or he would be late for work for the first time since he had taken this life-changing job. He kissed Pepper goodbye, gathered his clothes in his hands, and dashed out of her room, careful to close the door behind him. Scott darted down the hallway of Maybe Dick Hall's second floor stark naked, with his clothing and shoes carried in a bundle under his arms. He managed to return to his own room unobserved, and from there, to open the door, shower, shave, brush his teeth, and make off for work was, with him, the work of about 20 minutes.

He arrived at the lab in Water Buffalo Hall at 3 minutes to 6 AM, just barely on time. Dr. Karlov was seated, and breakfast was already on the table. Dr. Karlov motioned Scott to sit and eat first, and that explanations and conversation could wait until Scott had refreshed himself.

"So, how did last night go for you?" Dr. Karlov asked, as soon as Scott had gotten some tea and buttered toast in his stomach, and felt up to a bit of conversation.

"Great," Scott said, and he told Dr. Karlov everything. About racing home, about finding Pepper alone in her room, and how they had hooked up.

"That's wonderful," Dr. Karlov said, with a wide smile. "I'm happy it worked out for you. You're a good man, my friend, who deserves a woman like her."

"Thanks, only, I," Scott said, pausing. The vision with the cheerleaders on his way to the LLA yesterday flashed back through his mind. If one vision had been accurate, what about the other one? "There's something I want to ask you about. You have to promise not to tell, because it's kind of weird."

"Alright, I promise," Dr. Karlov said.

Scott told Dr. Karlov about the vision he had of the cheerleaders, in as much detail as he could remember. Once he had told his tale, Dr. Karlov paused for a moment, scratching his chin, and lost in thought.

"Do you want to put your second vision to the test?" Dr. Karlov asked.

"Well, the first vision, of Pepper, had an obvious test," Scott said. "How would we test the second vision with the cheerleaders?"

"Easy," Dr. Karlov said, as he pulled out his mobile phone and went on the internet. "We go to the website of the University Cheerleading team. Let's see here now, ah, here it is."

Dr. Karlov showed Scott the website on his phone. He had gone to the page with pictures, names, and short bios for the entire team.

"Now then," Dr. Karlov said. "The Latina cheerleader you saw in your vision, stop me when I get to her profile."

"That one," Scott said, stopping Dr. Karlov on the image of a very lovely Latina girl. "That's her."

"Beatrix Morena, pretty name," Dr. Karlov said. "Now, let's go to the website of the Cheerleader's annual swimsuit calendar. The link is always prominently displayed on the Cheerleader's home page. Ah, here it is."

Dr. Karlov clicked the link, and scrolled through the pictures and order information provided on the website. He eventually found a directory of outtake photos from the cheerleader's calendar photo shoot. There were several photos of Beatrix in what Scott thought was a very pretty swimsuit.

"What are we looking for?" Scott asked.

"We're looking for this," Dr. Karlov said, as he stopped on a large image of Beatrix, and he magnified the portion of the image containing her right foot. "Specifically we're looking for the tattoo of the horseshoe you remember seeing on her right foot."

Scott gasped as he saw the enlarged image of Beatrix's right foot on Dr. Karlov's phone: she did have a tattoo of a horseshoe, exactly where Scott's vision indicated it should be.

"Okay, this just got really creepy," Scott said.

"Think, carefully," Dr. Karlov said. "Is there any way you could have known that she had this tattoo before-hand? The annual cheerleader calendar is very popular with the gentlemen on campus, and many dorm rooms have one. Did you see the tattoo she had on her foot from an image in the calendar somewhere?"

"No," Scott said. "If the vision I had is true, what were all those girls doing in that room naked?"

"No idea," Dr. Karlov said. "You mustn't come to conclusions before you have all the facts. There might be a very good reason they were all there. I think your suggestion that it was a hazing ritual, of some kind, fits the facts. However, there are many other perfectly legitimate possibilities. Many older gentlemen in the campus community donate to the cheerleading team, and help them with fundraisers, and things of that nature. A special performance, to show these elder gentlemen that their financial support is appreciated, would not be unusual. I have never heard of such a thing happening, but that does not mean it does not happen. Don't panic, it might just be a run-of-the-mill old man's fantasy."

"I never thought I would be hoping for simple lecherousness," Scott said. "That is a more comforting explanation than the dark ritual with human sacrifices that my imagination had come up with."

"You'd be surprised," Dr. Karlov said, with a chuckle. "Who even said it was the gentlemen's idea? Never underestimate women, and their willingness to use their sexuality to get what they want. If I had to bet, I would bet this little show and tell was the cheerleader's own idea."

"How do you figure that?" Scott asked.

"Budget dollars often run tight," Dr. Karlov said. "A little nudity, a little, shall we say, above and beyond attention, can ensure the team's top fundraisers always remain attentive to the team's financial position. It's an equitable relationship, as far as it goes. These older men you saw in your vision, they are probably high dollar donors or key fundraisers. This means they are probably prominent gentlemen in the campus community. I think some of them being professors or senior administrators is a good bet. They would not insist on a private show with naked cheerleaders if it was up to them, the risk to their reputation if it was known they coerced such a thing would be too great. Rather, it is more likely the cheerleaders proposed it themselves, as a thank you for all their help, and the older gentlemen, who absolutely want to see these girls in their birthday suits, nodded their heads and went along with the idea."

"That does make it a little better, and less scary," Scott said.

"Let me know if you have any other visions," Dr. Karlov said. "How long will you be here today?"

"I have to leave at 5 PM," Scott said. "I have to get home and get an early dinner, and then, I'm going to meet up with Cherry so that she can pay off a bet. Tonight is also the big night of Calvin's first date with Shauna, and I am really nervous about that. I hope it goes well."

"Don't have any fear on that score," Dr. Karlov said. "I will try to pop back in and check on you before you leave for the weekend, but if I can't manage that, then I'll see you on Monday. One other thing, I would check your phone before you start to work for the day, as I suspect you have a long number of text messages to answer."

"Oh, that's right," Scott said. "I got together with Pepper last night, so I wasn't answering my phone. Did you text me wanting something?"

"I just wanted to know if you managed to hook up or not," Dr. Karlov said, with a laugh. "Feel free to ignore the text I sent you, but you should reply to your friends. They are probably worried about you."

Dr. Karlov gave Scott a pat on the back, before exiting the lab.

7 hours of the day went by, and on the fourth floor of Water Buffalo Hall, Dr. Karlov was waiting in his office for an unusual visitor. Early that morning, he called Adol and asked him to call Elizabeth and Jessica, and ask the two girls to come to his office and to see him at their convenience. Dr. Karlov indicated he would pay each girl $100 if they would answer a few simple questions he had. Adol made the arrangements, and told Dr. Karlov the girls would swing by at 1 PM.

1 PM arrived, and there was a knock on the door to Dr. Karlov's office. Dr. Karlov opened it, and ushered Elizabeth and Jessica inside. He handed each of the two girls a crisp $100 bill.

"Thank you for coming, ladies," Dr. Karlov said.

"It's no problem, always happy to do our civic duties," Elizabeth said, as the two girls handed Dr. Karlov back the money. "An esteemed professor of such high learning shouldn't have to pay to speak to us. Keep your money."

Dr. Karlov insisted the girls take the money, for they could use it more than he could. Reluctantly, they put the money in their purses. As they did so, Dr. Karlov noticed what the girls were wearing: matching sun-dresses, with flip-flops, and matching black purses.

"What do you want to see us about?" Jessica asked.

So Dr. Karlov went over what he knew about the events at Buckley Manor from Wednesday, and he asked the two girls why they had denied Scott.

"I don't see what's so difficult about a girl exercising her ability to choose who she fucks," Elizabeth said.

"You two girls had sex with Trevor, my previous assistant, so why him and not Scott?" Dr. Karlov asked.

Elizabeth and Jessica exchanged a surprised look.

"What makes you think we fucked Trevor?" Jessica asked. "Yeah, he was absolutely hot, and yeah, he absolutely wanted to throw down with us, but Lizzy and I refused him as well, twice, I think, in fact."

"If you remember," Elizabeth said. "I refused him only once, the second time he asked only you, and you were the one who refused him twice."

"That's right," Jessica said. "In my old age, the memory is the first thing to go."

"Oh wait," Elizabeth said. "If Scott told you what happened at Buckley Manor the other day, then I can see how you would think we both fucked Trevor . We both sort of laid it on thick, when the subject of Trevor came up."

"Yeah," Jessica said, giggling. "I can see how Adol and Scott formed that impression, we were a bit liberal in praising Trevor. We can't help it, he's hot."

"Also with, frankly, the reputation you two girls have for spreading your legs, it's a fairly logical conclusion," Dr. Karlov said, figuring the time for niceties was over.

"Ah, well then, your logic makes sense," Elizabeth said, also giggling. "We're both really slutty, we think Trevor is hot, he made a move on both of us, so, it stands to reason, doesn't it? Yes, I can see how you all came to that conclusion."

"So, why the change in behavior?" Dr. Karlov asked.

"I suspect that what you really want to know is what Adol wanted to know," Elizabeth said. "When he reached out to us today, he made sure to give us another earful about rejecting Scott. You also really want to know why we turned Scott down, right? The truth is, if Scott had asked us last year, we would have done it with him. He's decent enough, nothing wrong with him. We would have figured, what the hell?"

"Then, the summer came, and our fathers were really pissed that Lizzy and I didn't graduate on time last year," Jessica said. "We failed a couple of courses, here and there, and while we're going to graduate at the end of the winter quarter, and only spend six extra months to get through college and finish a degree, our dads both felt we were partying too much, not hitting the books enough, and they wanted to make sure we took life a little more seriously. They punished us over the summer in the most inhumane way possible."

"They felt you were slacking off, were they?" Dr. Karlov asked.

"They did," Jessica replied.

"They were probably right," Dr. Karlov replied.

"Of course they were, but isn't that what college is all about?" Jessica asked. "Finding oneself, and figuring out what we're going to do with the rest of our lives?"

"Which you accomplish by studying," Dr. Karlov replied. "However, you were saying? How did your fathers punish you?"

"They made us get a job," Elizabeth said, as she shuddered. "Not a fun job, like the one I have at the museum on campus where I get paid just to sit around and talk on the phone all day. I mean a real job, where you have to get stuff done, and make deadlines, and things."

"It was horrifying," Jessica said. "How does anyone actually live like that?"

"Most of the world does," Dr. Karlov said, with a sigh. Talking to these girls was like pulling teeth, and he wished they would just tell him what he wanted to know.

"Well, good for most of the world," Elizabeth said. "Jessica and I did it for 3 months, and we've had enough of that for the rest of our lives. We both decided we had to make some significant lifestyle changes when we got back on campus. That summer job was a real eye-opener. It was time to get serious, and stop fucking around."

"So, you've decided to take your studies seriously, and work hard in school?" Dr. Karlov asked.

"What?" Elizabeth asked. "Hell no, why would we want to do that? The summer job was a lot of work, hitting the books to excel in school is also a lot of work. We both specifically want the most comfortable life with the least work possible. That's why, when we came back to school a few weeks ago, Jessica and I decided to get serious about finding a husband who was financially set enough to let us both live as housewives, and let us watch soaps all day, while he did the work of earning a living."

"No more causal hookups, no more one-night stands with hot guys," Jessica said. "We're serious about saving ourselves for marriage now. We'll still go to parties, but only ones like the party at Adol's, and at Buckley Manor, where we might meet wealthy guys who want to marry us."

"We've only got five months left to go, between now and the end of school, to find husbands," Elizabeth said. "That's not much time, so we both need to be focused and committed. No more sleeping around. If we haven't found a guy in the next five months, the alternative is unthinkable: we'll have to find a real job."

Dr. Kalov rolled his eyes, then, a thought struck him, "well, why didn't one, or both of you, try to fuck Trevor? He's got a terrific job, six figures guaranteed for the next three years, at a top employer."

"Only we didn't know that until Scott told us on Wednesday," Elizabeth said, a look of anger on her face, "so, we missed our chance. If we had known that about him before he left, we certainly would have made him an offer."

"As for Scott," Jessica said. "The trouble is that he's young, not making very much, and lives in a dorm. He's not financially set enough yet to take care of us, to buy us a nice house out in the suburbs, and things like that."

"Our ideal husband would be someone in his mid-to-late thirties," Elizabeth said. "Much older than we are, established, with a car, and a house, and a career, who makes enough to just let us be mommies, and talk on the phone, and watch soaps all day. That's the life."

"We'd be willing to back off those standards somewhat if he's hot, like Trevor was," Jessica said. "We've only got five months left, so there might come a time when we'll have to take the best offer we can get."

"Is that right?" Dr. Karlov asked, as his mind began to wander.

"You wouldn't happen to know anyone who fits that description, would you?" Elizabeth asked, hopefully.

"I might," Dr. Karlov said. "However, it's unlikely it would be the kind of man you young ladies would go for."

"It would obviously help if he was hot," Elizabeth said. "However, that is not required. This would be an equitable exchange. We get a comfy life, and everything provided to us to live our days free from worry. He would get a nice homemaker, children, and a hot meal when he comes home from work in the evening. So long as he can hold up his end of the bargain, it might be a match."

"You ladies can cook?" Dr. Karlov asked, snickering a little.

"Sure, we can cook," Jessica said. "We've learned a few reliable recipes over the years."

"Besides, cooking isn't even required much anymore," Elizabeth added. "How good a chef do you have to be to figure out how to use doordash?"

"Or to go online, and order some easy to cook meals with premeasured ingredients from any one of about a dozen websites?" Jessica asked. "Thank goodness men spent so much time and energy inventing ways to make the lives of housewives easier."

"You have a point there," Dr. Karlov said. "Are you both really serious about getting married?"

"Anything that avoids the hell of the working world," Elizabeth said, with a shudder. "We're not made for that, you know."

"I know some fellas who might be interested," Dr. Karlov said. "Your reputations do you no favors, but I can ask."

"Please do," Jessica said. "We must leave no stone unturned."

"Very well," Dr. Karlov said. "I shall ask, and get back to you."

"Thank you," Elizabeth said. "Now then, I know what you're thinking, and I know what your friends might think when they hear we're out husband hunting. Those gorgeous damsels? There's no way they'd fuck us."

"You know how some men can lack confidence," Jessica said, with a giggle. "They're big, and fat, and they smell bad, whereas we're angelic beings who poop strawberry yogurt. Kind of makes it hard for a fellow, doesn't it?"

"I suppose it does," Dr. Karlov said. "Do you have anything to suggest?"

"Yes, indeed," Elizabeth said, as both girls giggled, and lifted the hem of their dresses past their waist. Neither girl had on panties, and Dr. Karlov saw the velvety fold of their pussies.

"Fascinating," Dr. Karlov said.

"We knew you'd like it," Elizabeth said, as both girls let go of the hem of their dresses to cover themselves. "We took a bunch of pictures of ourselves in various states of undress, plus we created a few videos showing off our bodies."

"If you're going to go husband hunting, it helps to have all your advertising material set-up and ready to go," Jessica said, giggling. "You never know when you might run into an eligible bachelor, and if one does bump into you, you want to be prepared to make your case. Men care about having babies, and a man who marries wants to be sure the baby making machinery is in tip-top shape."

"I suppose you two ladies have these, ahem, promotional materials on your phones?" Dr. Karlov asked.

"Of course," Elizabeth said. "Could we send it all to you, so that if you meet any eligible bachelor, you could show him how good Jessica and I would be at having lots of babies?"

"For two ladies who are so afraid of working real jobs," Dr. Karlov said. "You both seem unafraid of having children."

"Lizzy is the fourth eldest of 7 kids," Jessica said. "I'm the third eldest of 8. We come from big families, and our moms always had kids, could never get a job because of perpetual pregnancy, and always had plenty of time for soaps each day. That's the life."

"My mom always told me, if you're going to have kids, do it when you're young," Elizabeth said. "She always said pregnancy after the age of 30 is so much harder."