Coeds 2
By
Julie O
Edited
By
Robert Arnold
Dedicated to Amelia R - Wherever you are; you are missed!
This story features characters from Fresh Start; Change of Course, The
Protector series, The Scholarship, and Corruption. I recommend you read
these stories first.
At the recommendation of many of my fans, there is a short summary of
the various characters and their related stories at the end of the
story.
Jennifer Stevens appears courtesy of Bob Arnold
Chapter 1
Jirra Reid stepped out of her bathtub and dried off her body. Before
dressing she stood before the mirror and examined herself.
Even though she had been a female for over a year and a half, she was
still slightly uneasy about her body. Yes, she was happy with her life,
which was a fact she couldn't deny, but there still a lingering sense of
feeling uncomfortable.
The feeling wasn't nearly as strong as it had been when she was first
transformed in a freak accident back at the spa in New Mexico. In fact,
most of the time she barely gave it a thought, but there were moments
when it all came to the surface. It usually happened when she was alone,
although it also popped up when she came across some unexpected reminder
of her life as Josh.
Jirra ran her hands over her large breasts as if to confirm her
femininity. Thankfully they had stopped growing and her bra size had
settled into 38-DD. Even though her lover Alexis felt that they were
perfect, Jirra still wished they were slightly smaller. She also didn't
like it when boys stared at them. Maybe it was some sort of cosmic joke
for all the times she looked at breasts when she had been a boy.
She had a good life at Penn, and had numerous close friends, but there
were times when she felt so alone. Her recent sense of melancholy came
on as she realized how much she missed Alexis, who was currently in
Boston.
What made matters worse was that Alexis was about to announce to the
world that she was a lesbian. Jirra wanted to be by Alexis's side, but
they both agreed that it would be best they stayed apart until the
hubbub passed.
Jirra's hands slid slowly down her tummy towards her vagina. While
having a vagina had its benefits, she definitely wasn't comfortable with
the idea that she was fertile. Yes, she was in a loving relationship
with another woman, and although she had no sexual feelings for men, the
possibility existed that she could become pregnant. If it was just the
biological aspects of it she could live with that, but there was the
growing desire to have a child.
Deep down she knew this was part of her transformation. The discovery of
the glyphs in the canyon back in New Mexico confirmed this. Her
transformation was tied to some ancient magic of the Anasazi, most
likely a fertility ritual.
Alexis agreed with her suspicion, but at the same time told her not to
worry about it as she would stick by Jirra no matter what happened.
Jirra remembered asking how they would explain her getting pregnant when
the cover story was that she was a transsexual. Alexis just kissed her
and said that they would worry about that if it happened.
Jirra looked down at her engagement ring and sighed. She knew how lucky
she was to have Alexis in her life. It helped her get through these
moments of indecision.
Jirra knew it was time to try and contact her spirit guide and try to
get some answers. The problem wasn't making contact with Killara, her
spirit guide; it would be getting a straight answer out of the little
rodent.
Chapter 2
Jirra sat cross-legged on a Navajo blanket that she had positioned on
the floor of her bedroom. The heat in her apartment was up high as it
was currently 22 degrees outside and snowing heavily.
The heat was necessary as she was totally naked with exception of two
pieces of jewelry. The first was her engagement ring, and the other was
the sliver chain that hung around her neck. Attached to the chain was a
simple red stone carved into the form of a leaping kangaroo. It had been
given to her right after her transformation and she rarely took it off.
Jirra closed her eyes and cleared her mind of all thoughts with the
exception of Killara. Hopefully he would grant her a visit.
"Hello, Jirra."
She opened her eyes to see a kangaroo rat sitting on a rock in front of
her.
"Hi, Killara," she replied as she looked around. Obviously she was no
longer in her bedroom back in Philadelphia. "Are we in the canyon?"
"Very observant," he replied as he began to scratch his left ear with
his hind foot.
She was back in New Mexico, or at least a vision of New Mexico.
Jirra then noticed that she was still naked; thankfully it was a very
pleasant day. The warmth from the sun felt good on her body.
"It must be early summer," she commented as she continued to look
around. She also did her best to fight the urge to cover herself up.
Then again, the only other being around was a talking kangaroo rat.
"Again, very good," he replied.
"Are we in the past?" she asked.
"Does it matter?" he asked.
Jirra shrugged her shoulders. "No, I guess it doesn't. Anyway, I have
more important questions."
"Of course you do," he replied.
Jirra wasn't sure but he looked like he was smiling.
"I saw the glyphs," she said. "What I don't understand is why men would
want to become women. Were they transgendered?"
"It's not as simple as that. It was considered a great honor. The tribe
that controlled this area was a matriarchy. If a man distinguished
himself and passed the appropriate rituals he was allowed to be
transformed," replied Killara.
"Oh," replied Jirra.
"As I told you before, your transformation was an accident...but that
doesn't make it any less special."
"Does that mean that there's a purpose to all this?" she asked.
"Of course, everything has a purpose," he replied.
"And you're not going to tell me what mine is, are you?"
"Again you're right, no wonder you're doing so well at Penn," he
answered.
In spite of herself, she laughed. "May I ask you a few more things?"
He cocked his head and made a movement that Jirra took for a nod.
"Am I like Jen? I mean, will I age normally?" she asked.
Jen was Jennifer Stevens, a celebrity that had visited the spa months
after Jirra's transformation. Jen was transformed into a woman by
lightning several years before Jirra's own accident. Jen's accident had
caused her to stop aging, her life span now potentially in the hundreds
of years although it wasn't public knowledge. Jen had settled into her
new life quite well and had started a successful career as a TV show
host and movie star despite the fact that her transformation was
headline news.
"While you share much with your friend...there are also many
differences. If it makes you feel better, yes you will age at a normal
rate," he replied.
Jirra let out a sigh of relief.
"That's odd, I've always found that humans want to live extremely long
lives," he said.
"Not at the cost of outliving my friends and family like Jen," replied
Jirra. "I...I don't know what...I mean how I could get by without
them...especially Alexis," she replied. She then looked off into the
distance.
Killara leaned over and nibbled on a leaf of grass. "You're carrying
around a lot of worry, my dear. Before you ask, about you and Alexis,
you have nothing to worry about. Things will work out."
Jirra turned and smiled. "That's a big load off my mind." She then wiped
away a tear with the palm of her hand.
"That's good to hear...you've had a lot to deal with, so let me remove
another weight; the threat that you've faced will be resolved soon," he
said.
"You mean Todd," replied Jirra in a relieved tone.
Todd Kelly had orchestrated attacks on several students at Penn,
including Jirra. He was currently on the run from the law after jumping
bail.
Killara appeared to be nodding. "He may cause some more problems, but
like a dark cloud, he too will pass. I can't tell you what will happen
to him, but it will be very appropriate."
"So... you can see the future," commented Jirra.
"Time as you know it is a very primitive concept. It doesn't flow in
just one direction," he replied.
Jirra nodded. "I suspect that doesn't mean just past and present."
Killara cocked his head as he stared back at her. "Go on."
"I'm not sure how to phrase this, but can time flow sideways too?"
"You're learning my dear," he replied. "Speaking of time, it's time for
you to leave."
"Wait, this is getting interesting!"
"That's all for now, my dear. See you again soon."
"When?" she asked anxiously.
"You'll know when," he said.
With that, Jirra opened her eyes and found herself back in her bedroom.
Chapter 3
"It's nice to hear that your spirit guide thinks things will work out,"
said Alexis.
Jirra had called Alexis right after she recorded her vision quest on her
computer.
"So when are you making the big announcement?" asked Jirra.
"In two days," replied Alexis. "We're going to do it on Ellen's show."
"Even though Killara said that things will work out, I still want to be
with you," said Jirra.
"I appreciate that, but I don't want you to be bothered by the press. I
don't expect this to be a huge deal...I mean I'm not the first to do
this, but I also don't want you to get harassed."
"Eventually someone will track me down," said Jirra.
"I know that, but by then my coming out will be old news. I shun the
spotlight as it is and I lead a pretty boring life up here in Boston. As
a celebrity I'm not very exciting, I mean I can go out to dinner up here
and most of the time no one knows who I am. Even when I'm recognized
they treat me with respect. While I love you intensely, and it would be
wonderful to have you by my side, I just want you to go on with your
life right now."
"I know you're just looking after me..."
"Jirra, I love you so much, but if you're with me, you'll have to answer
a whole lot of questions."
"About my gender," replied Jirra softly. "Damnit...this is such a pain.
I wish I was like Jen and not have to lie about my status."
"I know it's difficult for you, but there's no other logical way."
"What will happen if I do get pregnant?"
"We'll handle that when it happens, Roo," said Alexis.
Jirra paused for a moment. "I noticed you said when and not if."
"I'm with you whatever happens. I have a five year contract to do the
Erin Flynn show and after that I'm done with show business. By then
you'll be a best selling writer and we can live together in seclusion if
you want."
Jirra laughed. "I'm glad you're so confident in my writing skills."
"Faith thinks you've got real talent," said Alexis, referring to the
writer of the Erin Flynn series. "Oh, that reminds me, you'll be
receiving a package this week, it's the script for the show based on
your screenplay. Faith wants you to review it and send it back as soon
as possible."
The show would be taping an episode at Penn in March. The plot was a
fictionalized version of the attacks the previous fall. Jirra had
written the story and submitted it to Faith.
"Have you seen it?" asked Jirra nervously.
"Yes, it's excellent. The scriptwriters gave the story to Faith last
week and she made some minor changes, mostly regarding my
character...she's very protective of Erin," explained Alexis. "She just
wants you to take an active role...she also wants to meet you when we
shoot it."
"Cool...um how much does she know about me?" asked Jirra.
"She knows that we're a couple and that you're transgendered. If you
decided to tell her the rest, I suspect that it wouldn't make a
difference to her...she's pretty open-minded...just like Diana Bowie."
"Diana doesn't know the whole story about me," interrupted Jirra.
"I suspect you'll tell her soon and I know you can trust her," said
Alexis confidently. "From what Faith has told me, Diana thinks the world
of you."
"That's nice to hear," said Jirra.
They talked for another hour before Alexis had to go.
"I'll call you from LA," she said.
"Are you staying at Jen's again?" asked Jirra.
"Of course, she wouldn't let me stay at a hotel. In some ways, she's
like our den mother."
Jirra laughed. "I never thought of her that way, but it sort of fits."
"Take care, Roo, I love so you much."
"I love you too, Alexis."
Chapter 4
"I find your descriptions of your meetings with your spirit guide so
fascinating," said Beth as she sat cross-legged on the couch of her
apartment. "I mean I was kinda skeptical when you first told me about
them, but they are so filled with details."
"It's pretty amazing. I mean everything feels so real. I could feel the
sand beneath my feet and the sun against my skin," replied Jirra.
"I hope that Killara is right about Todd," said Celeste as she stroked
her dog Spirit's head. The large mixed breed dog was lying on the couch
between Celeste and Beth. "I know that I'll sleep better when he's
behind bars."
"Do they have any idea where he is?" asked Jirra.
Beth shrugged her shoulders. "I talked to one of the detectives at
Boudicca and they said that they have a couple of leads. They're pretty
sure that he's back in the country."
"With his family's money he could be hiding anywhere," said Celeste. "I
think he's the one who has been sending hate e-mail to the office of my
foundation. I was told that they got three more rants today. That makes
at least twenty in the last two weeks."
Spirit rolled over slightly to expose her belly and Celeste obliged with
a gentle belly rub.
"Are they all from the same person?" asked Jirra.
Celeste nodded. "They're all signed with the name 'Righteous One'."
"Have they been able to track down where they're coming from?" asked
Jirra.
Celeste shook her head. "My computer techs have discovered that they're
being routed through several different sites. The person doing it
obviously knows what they're doing as they've done a good job covering
their tracks."
"Have you asked Jen for help? She's pretty sharp when it comes to that
sort of thing. It used to be her job before her transformation," said
Jirra.
Celeste nodded. "Jen's been too busy to come out herself, but she's
spent several hours on the phone giving my computer techs some good
advice. She seems to think that whoever is doing it is using a computer
lab at a university...most likely in a large city; she says that this
would give them lots of systems to use...without drawing undo
attention."
"From what we know about Todd, he has the knowledge to pull this sort of
thing off," added Beth. "So he's probably hanging out at a big college
or university...in a large city, easier to blend in and not be noticed,
I mean what's one more person in a computer lab?"
"That sort of narrows it down," said Jirra. "If it is Todd, I wonder why
he hasn't sent anyone else hate email? I mean why hasn't he targeted me
or you guys personally?"
"Maybe he doesn't have our email addresses," suggested Beth. "The email
address of the foundation is on the website, so that wouldn't take too
much intelligence to find that."
"My techs say that someone has been trying to hack into the foundation's
database. So far they've been unsuccessful, mainly because we have some
pretty smart kids there. They keep an eye on our security," said
Celeste.
Beth rubbed her chin. "Maybe we should let the person break in, I don't
mean to the real database, but why not set them up? If this is Todd and
he gets what he thinks are our email addresses it might allow us to
track him down...right?"
"You're definitely going to be a good agent, Beth," said Jirra.
"Hey, my friend Ally uses the internet to catch people all the time, she
says that most of the people she catches think that they're smarter than
the average person, and she uses this against them," continued Beth.
"I'll call Jen and see if she has some ideas on how to do this. We don't
want it to look too obvious, I mean Todd's not an idiot," said Celeste.
"But he is bigoted...hateful...and cruel..." said Jirra as she counted
off her comments on her fingers. "And those are his good points."
Beth and Celeste laughed at Jirra's joke and added a few comments
themselves; Spirit was just content to get attention and ignored the
laugher as she drifted off.
Chapter 5
Just as Alexis had predicted there was little outrage over her coming
out as a lesbian.
"We've had some letters and emails sent to us stating that they will no
longer watch the show; but they've been outnumbered ten-to-one by those
that are supportive," explained Alexis.
"That's nice to know...what about the local reaction?" asked Jirra as
she adjusted the phone.
"It seems to be balanced between indifference and support," said Alexis.
"I'm scheduled to do a few more interviews than normal, but that too
will fade."
"I'm so relieved," said Jirra.
"That makes two of us. I was prepared for the worst, and am so happy
that it's pretty much been a non-event. I have been asked by reporters
if there's anyone in my life, and I've told them that it's not their
business."
"And have they bought off on that?" asked Jirra anxiously.
"They haven't pressed me for more details, but they obviously have seen
my ring," said Alexis.
Jirra held out her hand and looked at her ring; a match to the one
Alexis was wearing.
"So, do you think they'll try and find out about me?" asked Jirra.
"I'm sure someone will...if only out of curiosity. We'll face it
together if it does happen. Roo, I love you and I want us to be
together...I wish we were together right now, but that's not practical.
I have a job and you have your studies."
"I can go to school up there," suggested Jirra.
"I appreciate that offer, but I want you to get your degree at Penn, you
have no idea how proud I am of you," continued Alexis.
"What will happen when you're down here for the shooting of the show?"
asked Jirra.
"If you mean, will I hide our relationship...the answer is no...not
unless you want to do it," said Alexis.
"I just want to be with you," said Jirra.
"And if we're seen as a couple down there, are you prepared for
everything that comes with that?"
"I don't know...but I'm so tired of hiding...I mean I know that I can't
tell the world the truth about my gender...but I'm known as
transgendered by many of my friends here...my closest friends know the
whole truth and I suppose I'll have to live with that for now."
"Roo, you're rambling," kidded Alexis.
"Okay, but you know what I mean, right? I just want to be with you,"
said Jirra.
"I feel the same way. Oh, before I go, have you looked over the script?"
"No, I was too nervous about you, but I promise to go through it
tonight," replied Jirra.
"Good, as soon as you're done call me if you see any problems."
"I will," replied Jirra. "Well, good night...I love you."
"I love you too, Roo."
Chapter 6
Jirra read through the script completely before going back and looking
for specific details. Overall, the script followed her story's basic
plot pretty much verbatim. There were some plot twists added, but they
came from suggestions that Jirra had included. Most of the major changes
were in regards to Alexis's character Erin Flynn.
While the series was set in Boston, Jirra's story had Erin Flynn, a
private detective, coming down to Philadelphia at the request of her
cousin. The cousin was a student at prestigious university, not unlike
Penn, although in the story the university was called Benjamin Franklin
University, even though some of the scenes would be shot at Penn.
Alexis explained that while Penn appreciated the money they would get
for the shooting; they didn't like the idea of the real university
looking bad. Jirra found this sort of twisted as the university had been
so slow to act on the real assaults the story was based on.
The story included many of the real events that Jirra and her friends
went through, although the plot focused on gay and lesbian students
being attacked instead of transgendered students. Alexis suggested this
change as this way the show couldn't be accused of influencing the real
case. She compared it to what Law and Order often did, taking a real
case and changing it just enough to avoid actual legal problems.
Jirra didn't mind this change either, as she was a little worried how TV
sometimes portrayed the transgendered.
The story had a secret student group that was harassing gay and lesbian
students, gradually getting more and more violent. Another concession to
fiction was having one student murdered by the group.
Again, this was Alexis's suggestion. She explained that the producers
like to keep the show edgy. The student killed would be Erin's niece.
Jirra had written two plot ideas concerning the niece. In one plot, the
niece's lover kills the leader of the hate group, and Erin covers it up
to protect her. The second version had Erin about to kill the leader,
but deciding instead to let him live in shame, after Erin uncovers some
awful things about him.
To Jirra's surprise, Faith Collins, the creator of the series picked the
second version, saying it was very much in character for Erin.
Jirra had read most of the Erin Flynn books and had noticed that Erin's
cases sometimes ended in less than legal ways. Faith also wanted the
story to focus on Erin.
Overall, Jirra was very pleased with what they had done with her story
and didn't see anything worth changing. She then re-read the script
several times in order to better understand the mechanics of writing a
script. If she got another opportunity to do this sort of thing, she
wanted to write the actual script too.
Jirra called up Alexis and told her what she thought of the script.
"Good, thanks for the input. Oh, we have non-speaking roles for your
friends," said Alexis. "You sure you don't want a scene?"
Alexis promised that Jirra's friends would have small cameo roles in the
filming. She also offered Jirra this option.
"No thanks, but I would like to hang out and see how they shoot the
show."
"That makes sense," said Alexis. "I sort of figured you'd like to see
the production side and already have backstage credentials for you."
"Cool," replied Jirra
"I know that Faith definitely wants to meet you; she's very impressed
with your writing. She thinks you could have a real future as a writer."
"Really?" said Jirra.
"Yes," replied Alexis. "That would be a great career for you."
"I know that I would love doing it," said Jirra. "But, I'm no where
close to being able to doing it for a living."
"I disagree," countered Alexis. "Look, you've written a story that is
being made into a movie and another one is being made into a TV show. Do
have any idea how difficult that is?"
"Yeah, but does it really count? I mean Jen is a friend and it is your
TV show," said Jirra.
"Trust me, Jen wouldn't do anything that would hurt her career, if your
story stunk she would have told you. I've known Jen long enough to know
that she's painfully honest that way. The same goes for Faith. I've seen
her reject countless plots. Seriously, you've got talent and I think you
could definitely succeed at it."
"Thanks," replied Jirra.
"Well, I gotta run, we're filming a few scenes tonight. I love you,
Roo."
"I love you too, Alexis."
Chapter 7
The following Friday evening, Jirra, Celeste, and Beth were sitting
around in Jirra's apartment eating pizza. They were getting ready to
watch Jen's latest movie on DVD. Jen had sent Jirra a preview copy a few
weeks before it was to be released to the general population in
theaters.
"So, when are you seeing Jim again?" asked Jirra, referring to Beth's
boyfriend.
"Tomorrow night," replied Beth. "We're going to catch a concert."
"Who are you going to see?" asked Jirra as she reached for a slice.
"Stacy Black," replied Beth.
"Wow! How did you get tickets?"
"Jim has a friend who works for the company booking the show," she
replied.
"I really liked her last CD," said Jirra. "I also liked the song she did
with Band of Sisters."
(For more about Stacy Black and Band of Sisters, read the story Band of
Sisters)
"It's pretty cool that the writer of the song is one of us," said Beth.
"I know, but I'd like their music anyway," replied Jirra.
"Even though I'm not a big fan of rock and roll, I think I can get
tickets for them the next time they're in town," said Celeste. "My
lawyer knows their lawyer."
"That would be very cool," said Beth who let out a sigh. "I have to
admit that I'm enjoying college a lot more the second time around. My
first time through I was too serious."
"Speaking of that, Beth, have you ever wondered what your life would
have been like if you hadn't been changed?" asked Jirra.
"Not any more, I've had a good life since then... I have a great family
and lots of wonderful friends; yes I miss my original family, but
there's nothing that can be done about that," said Beth.
"Um, do you know how they're doing?" asked Jirra. "I don't mean to pry,
but even though some of my family has disowned me...I still like to know
how they're doing."
"My grandmother knows about me and she keeps me informed," said Beth.
"How did that happen?" asked Jirra.
"She used to be an agent...and she used to be a man too," said Beth with
a grin. "So, even though she adopted my father; I guess there are some
things that get passed down in a weird cosmic sort of way."
"Wild," said Jirra as she shook her head back and forth.
"You have no idea, Jirra. Her name is Andrea and she lives in New York
City. She transitioned to female during World War II when she was
working for the Danish underground," explained Beth.
"How did she manage that?" asked Jirra.
"To make a long story shorter, her name was originally Andy and 'he' was
born in the US. When WW II broke out he went up to Canada and joined the
RAF. He was assigned to a fighter squadron and was shot down over
France. Due to his small stature and acting ability he was selected to
participate in an escape from a German POW camp," explained Beth who
stopped to take a sip of her soda.
"She never told me all the details of the escape, but it had something
to do with getting another man out of the camp. Anyway, when they got to
Denmark, she decided to stay there as a woman. She told me that all her
life she had felt different and it was as a woman that she finally felt
whole. She also met her future husband, and my grandfather, while
working for the Danish resistance. After the war, they moved back to the
states and they both joined the CIA and later the Agency," continued
Beth.
"So how did you find out about her?" asked Jirra.
"Ally met her as part of a case and saw a photo of me as Ben," said
Beth.
"That's so amazing," said Jirra. "I mean it does make you think...I mean
what's the possibility of this sort of thing just happening out of
chance?"
"I know what you mean," said Beth. "There are a lot of strange things
going on out there...things that most people have no clue
about....things that I can't talk about."
Jirra wondered what Beth was talking about, but decided not to press the
point. "Fair enough...not to be nosey, but do you think you would you
have stayed in the service if you hadn't been changed?"
"Probably," replied Beth. "Not to brag, but I was a good officer. I was
due to go to department school and I would have made Lieutenant
Commander not long after that. I enjoyed being in the navy, but that
wasn't meant to be. I mean, I love my present life, I have a wonderful
family, I'm in an Ivy League school, and have a great future... and a
pretty cute boyfriend on top of it all."
Jirra laughed. "You make it sound so normal."
Beth shrugged her shoulders. "It is. You forget what I've been through,
I was abducted...twice, almost murdered...twice...almost turned into a
sex slave...all before I even graduated high school, trust me this is
the most normal my life has been since I was transformed."
"It must have been awful," said Jirra. "I mean, I was assaulted, but I
never felt that my life was in real danger...yet I still have the
occasional nightmare about Todd and the others. How do you cope with
it?"
"I don't dwell on the past, Jirra. I mean it's given me a great
background for being an agent," continued Beth.
"Do you still want to work for your friend Ally?"
"Part of me does, but there's another part of me that wants to be a
field agent. It sort of runs in the family," replied Beth.
"I know you were abducted as part of the case that involved Celeste, but
you've never talked much about the other things," said Jirra.
Beth picked up another slice of pizza. "It was all related to my
transformation. I've put most of it behind me."
"Most?" asked Celeste knowingly.
Beth smiled at her roommate. "Pretty much. I mean, even when Margo Simon
had me abducted I knew that I was being tracked. I knew that I was going
to be rescued. There are... other things that I wish I could forget. One
of the side effects of my transformation is an excellent memory...
granted it makes studying for tests easy...but there are things that I
experienced that I wish I could forget."
She took another bite of her pizza slice. "I wasn't the only one
transformed by the process developed by Dr. Martz. There were others who
were changed at the same time. Some people found out about the process
and tried to recreate it...that part involved using our DNA; it led to
several of the transformed being killed."
Beth shook her head softly.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry," said Jirra.
Beth shrugged her shoulders. "Hey, as much as you shared about your life
I guess it's my turn to tell some secrets. The good thing is that all
the bad guys who knew about the process are either dead or locked up in
a Super Max prison and will never be paroled. The ones who are dead got
off easy...as they did some really horrible things...things that you
can't imagine."
"We can change the subject, Beth," said Jirra.
Beth shook her head no. "I don't mind...it actually feels good to get it
off my chest." First she told them about being abducted and almost
murdered by Robert Wilkins. Then she then told them about his sister,
Paula Harkins, and what she had done to others in an attempt to recreate
the Martz Process.
(Read the Change of Course Series for the entire story)
"Compared to Paula, Margo Simon is a saint," said Beth. "I know this may
not sound nice, but I'm so happy to know that Paula is dead. I've never
killed anyone in my life...but I could have killed her without any
remorse. She was the closest person that I've ever know that could be
described as pure evil. Margo is perverted, and self-centered, but Paula
really enjoyed seeing people in pain."
Jirra shook her head in disbelief. "I feel sort of foolish for feeling
sorry for myself compared to what you've been through...actually both of
you," she said as she looked at Celeste.
"Don't feel that way, Jirra. In many ways, my transformation was so much
easier than yours. I mean, I love being female and have no desire to be
a guy," said Beth.
"And in spite of what happened to me, I got to be the woman that I
always wanted to be," added Celeste. "Actually, Jirra, I'm impressed
with how well you've adapted to your change."
"Thanks," said Jirra. "Look, I know I get a little moody at times... and
I appreciate you two putting up with me."
"Hey, who wants normal friends!" quipped Beth. "Normal is overrated."
The three girls began to laugh.
"One more question, Beth...how do you feel about the possibility of
getting pregnant?" asked Jirra.
"It freaked me out at first. I didn't react well to my first couple of
periods, but now...I don't know, it would be cool to have a family
someday," she replied.
"I wish that I could experience it," added Celeste.
"What about you, Jirra?" asked Beth.
"That's the strange thing...part of me finds it very appealing...I mean
I'm still not completely comfortable as a woman, but I sometimes find
myself looking at a pregnant woman and wishing it was me. I suppose it
has something to do with the fact that the process that changed me was
used in fertility rituals."
"What does Alexis think?" asked Celeste.
"She says that she would love to start a family someday....my biggest
fear is how do I explain it? I mean I'm supposed to be transgendered and
so far SRS doesn't include fertility," replied Jirra.
"Well, if you did get pregnant you could always hang out at the spa...I
mean from what you've told us I know that they would protect you," said
Beth.
Jirra just stared back without saying a word.
Beth glanced at Celeste and then back at Jirra. "Um, did I say something
wrong?"
Jirra shook her head. "No. That would work...should it happen. Jeez I
can be so dumb sometimes!"
"What do you mean?" asked Celeste.
"I've been so worried about what would happen if I gave into my feelings
and desires. I forgot completely about the spa!"
"Are the feelings that strong?" asked Celeste.
Jirra nodded. "I'm glad that I'm a lesbian. If I was dating a guy I
don't think that I could control it."
"Well, if it happens, you can count on us," said Celeste.
Beth nodded in agreement.
"I appreciate that...now let's watch the movie....I think we could all
use something lighter," said Jirra.
Chapter 8
It was later that week when Jirra told her friends that the dates for
filming the show had been finalized. She had called them all together in
her apartment.
In addition to Beth, and Celeste, Cat, TC, and Jill were there.
"They will be shooting here in mid-March. The official announcement will
be next week, so please keep this a secret for now," said Jirra. "Alexis
told me that they already have roles for all of you...they're non-
speaking parts, but she promises me that you'll all get in the show."
"That's so nice of her," said Jill, who was sitting on the couch with
her arm around TC.
Jill and TC had just moved into a vacant apartment in the building. They
were also very open about the fact that they were a couple.
"There will be an open audition for additional student roles," continued
Jirra.
"What about you, Jirra?" asked TC.
Jirra shook her head. "I prefer to be behind the camera."
"Jirra did help write the script," added Beth.
"I hope you're getting paid for it," said Jill.
Jirra nodded. "I've sent in the paperwork to join the Writers Guild."
"You mean that?" asked Jill.
"Yes. Alexis and Jen used their connections to help me through the
process. I might as well do this the right way, as I've now also helped
write a story for Jen. Alexis told me that I might start getting more
offers once this show airs."
"Damn, I'm so jealous!" said Jill. "Just kidding, I think it's so cool
that you're getting work."
"The big question is when will she get a write-up in the Internet Movie
Data Base," added TC.
"I'd hold off on that until I get a job for someone other than a close
friend," said Jirra.
"Hey don't put down nepotism....it's a great tradition in
entertainment," said Beth.
Just then, Celeste's cell phone rang. She pulled out her phone to see
who was calling.
"Excuse me, but it's from my foundation," she said as walked towards the
kitchen.
A few minutes later she came back in. She had a serious look on her
face.
"What's wrong?" asked Beth.
"We had some more hate email," said Celeste.
"Is that still going on?" asked Jill.
Celeste nodded as she sat down. "It's gotten worse. We put in some
additional security measures, including some ideas that Jen gave us, but
we still haven't found out the exact location of the sender. We do know
that it's coming from California, most likely from the LA area."
"That does narrow it down a little, but that's still a huge area," said
Jill.
"I'm going to let Boudicca know about it," continued Celeste, referring
to the detective agency that was looking for Todd Kelly. "I also want
you all to let me know if you start getting any hate messages. The last
email said that we would regret it if we did the show."
"What?" asked Jirra.
"Apparently the person sending the mail knows about the show," continued
Celeste.
"You mean Todd," said Jill.
"What exactly did the person say?" asked Beth.
"It was pretty vile," replied Celeste.
"I'm sure it was, but I'd like to see it...along with the others," said
Beth. "Don't forget, I have friends and family that can help."
"Okay, but my techs have sent copies to the police," said Celeste.
"No offense, but unless it's being sent by some locals the police
can't...or won't do a thing. It's also only a matter of time until we
start getting mail like this, I mean, if the person sending this knows
about the show, then they'll find out that we're involved," explained
Beth.
"So what happens if we do start getting harassed?" asked Jill.
"If that happens it will help us, as it increases the chances of
catching him," continued Beth. "My friend Ally uses a program that
analyzes email, she uses it to track online sexual predators for the
Agency, if we can determine that it is just one person... or a group, it
will make catching them easier."
"No offense, Beth, but this doesn't exactly sound like a federal case,"
said Jill.
Beth shook her head. "If the message is coming from one state to
another, it already is a federal case. But I'm not suggesting that we
turn it over to the feds, if we can find out where it's coming from we
have the girls from Boudicca track him down."
"You keep saying him...are you that sure it's Todd?" asked Jill.
"Who else? I mean, he's a fugitive who has a grudge against us. He also
as the skill to pull this off, but either way we need to build up a
case."
"So what will happen?" asked Celeste.
"We'll install the program on all of our computers, it's basically a
slightly changed commercial program anyway, and then we wait," explained
Beth. "Oh, since Alexis is part of this, I would suggest we install it
on her computer too."
"Makes sense," said Jirra.
"If this is Todd, then he's doing this for revenge. From what I've
learned from my family, people make mistakes when they're guided by
motives like the settling of old scores. Todd still sees us a bunch of
college coeds, we can use that to our advantage."
"Beth's right," added Cat. "As you know, my sister-in-law worked on
Todd's case, she said that he was shocked that we caught him. I also
think that it's up to us to catch him. He started initially with
harassment the first time and worked up to physical assault, he'll
probably do the same thing this time."
"Exactly," interjected Beth. "We need to set our trap to get him before
the show starts filming, as he might come out here and try to disrupt
it."
"And if we make a big deal about it, the show might get cancelled by the
university," added Jill.
"Wait a second, let me call Jen, she had an idea that might fit into
this," said Jirra. "Beth, can we get Ally in a conference call with
Jen?"
"Okay, I'll call Ally to set up the conference call and get the
program," said Beth.
"I'll get the emails sent down from my foundation," said Celeste.
"And I'll call the girls at Boudicca," said Cat.
An hour later, after many phone calls and emails, a plan was set.
Chapter 9
Part of the plan was to set up a 'honeypot' system at the foundation.
Basically it was a computer set up as an Internet server. The security
was fairly good, according to Jen it had to be to not tip off someone
breaking into it. To provide someone with a way to hack into the system
some older software with a few known security holes was installed on the
box along with any information that they wanted the hackers to know.
Some special email accounts were set up for everyone on one of Jen's own
servers and their addresses hidden in files on the fake server. The
object was to make it hard for someone breaking into the server to get
to the information. The longer they took the better their chances of
tracking where the hackers were. Jen had learned long ago that it was
best to not make it appear too easy for the hackers. The harder they had
to work to get what they were after the more they tended to believe that
the information they got was real.
Barely a day after the fake server came online the hackers were
attempting to break into it. Nearly six hours after they started the
system was compromised and the files with the email addresses were
transferred to another computer somewhere in Los Angeles. That much had
been confirmed by tracing the route that the packets took between the
server and the hacker's computer. The path wove through at least a half
a dozen other compromised systems, some at two LBGT organizations in
other cities and another at the headquarters of a gay and lesbian
magazine. Those break-ins very likely put the membership and mailing
lists of those organizations in serious risk. The owners of those
systems readily agreed to leave the systems partially compromised when
they heard of the plan to catch the hackers. All also agreed to
simultaneous prosecution of the break-ins to ensure some considerable
jail time.
If it was Todd that hacked into the foundation's fake server, all they
could do now was simply sit back and wait for the first of the
threatening emails to appear. The fake server would be left as it was.
Now that the hackers had a way into it, it could be used again to leak
any information they wanted the hackers to know.
Chapter 10
For the next few weeks Jirra devoted herself to the routine life of a
college student. There were books to read, papers to write, and exams to
study for. In a way, the everyday schedule was very comforting in its
normalcy.
She also worked on the school paper with Jill. Even though she was
hadn't been given an assignment yet, she was enjoying herself.
Jirra was positive that she wanted to write for a living; the problem
was that she was conflicted over what area she would enter.
The idea of being a reporter was very exciting, and she daydreamed about
traveling to different places to cover the latest world crisis.
Then, on the other hand, she found the idea of writing novels and doing
screenplays appealing. It was also a safer profession. She wasn't
worried about her personal safety; rather it was protecting her secret.
If her real gender and the way it had changed was exposed, she would
adjust. It wouldn't be easy, but she knew that she could survive, just
as she had when her dad had been killed and when she had become female.
No, she was worried about her mom, her friends back at the spa, and of
course, Alexis. They would be thrust into a spotlight of unwanted
publicity and it would be her fault.
If she wrote scripts and books, her privacy would be safer and that
would mean her friends and family would be safe too.
Deep down, Jirra knew she was being a pessimist and she tried to shake
it off. She remembered how Beth told her that seeing a therapist had
helped her. Jirra also remembered talking to Cat's friend Erika, who had
been sexually assaulted and had experienced PTST. And then there was the
staff that Celeste had at the foundation. They handled all sorts of
issues ranging from sexual assault to physical abuse.
Jirra had her friends and her spirit guide, but maybe it was time to
seek additional help. The question was, where would she find a therapist
who would understand?
Chapter 11
"Well, any ideas?" asked Jirra as she sipped her coffee.
She had just finished telling Beth and Celeste and her idea about seeing
a therapist.
Beth looked at Celeste who nodded slightly, as if to give Beth
permission to go first.
"We've been wondering when you'd get around to this," said Beth.
"Really?" asked Jirra.
"Sure, considering everything you've gone through, it only makes sense,"
continued Beth.
"So...can you suggest someone?" asked Jirra.
Beth nodded. "My therapist, Dr. Jenna Sullivan."
"Um, one small problem about that, you told me she works for the...um
government, there's no way I can see her," replied Jirra.
"Correction, she was working for the government. She's engaged and has
moved up here. Her husband has a practice in the suburbs and she just
opened her office up here," stated Beth. "Look, Jenna has heard a lot of
strange things and is also a great therapist."
"Oh," replied Jirra. "Do you have her number?"
Beth nodded again and pulled a business card out of her bag. She handed
the card to Jirra.
"Thanks," said Jirra as she stared at the card. "I hope she can slip me
in."
"Oh, that won't be a problem," said Beth.
Jirra looked at Beth, who was smiling.
"I took the liberty of telling her that I had a friend who could use her
talents," continued Beth. "Don't worry, I didn't give her your name or
tell her why."
"Thanks," replied Jirra.
Chapter 12
Jenna Sullivan's office was located in Lansdale, a suburb of
Philadelphia. Her office was just two blocks from the train station, so
Jirra took SEPTA out for her first visit, instead of driving. Besides,
Jirra always liked riding on a train.
Lansdale wasn't that far away from where Jirra had lived when her father
had been killed in Afghanistan. She remembered driving through the town
a few times with her parents.
Jenna's office was located in a two-story brown brick building that had
been converted from a residence into an office building.
It was a cold gloomy day; the sky was heavy with dark gray clouds and
the wind was picking up. Jirra looked at the sky and hoped that she
would get home before the snow started. The weather-guessers on TV were
predicting six to eight inches starting that evening as a nor'easter
moved up the coast. Boston would be getting the worst of it with some
freezing rain before it changed over to at least eighteen inches of
snow.
The warmth of the waiting area felt good as Jirra removed her coat. She
noticed a coffeepot on a table. There was a sign stating for clients to
help themselves. The coffee also helped to warm her up.
A few minutes later an attractive woman dressed in a wool suit stepped
into the waiting area.
"Hi, I'm Jenna and you must be Jirra," she said as she extended her
hand.
Jirra smiled back as she shook hands.
"Pleased to meet you, Dr. Sullivan."
Jenna shook her head. "My mother is Dr. Sullivan...even though she also
doesn't use her title either...please call me Jenna."
"I will...Jenna," replied Jirra.
"Good, now let's go into my office and talk."
Jirra didn't know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised to
discover that Jenna's office looked like a living room. It had a very
comfortable feel to it. There was a large window that overlooked the
small backyard.
There were several birdfeeders hanging from a large maple tree. The
feeders were crowded with a variety of winter birds getting in one last
meal before the storm. In addition to cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches,
and blue jays, there were two small woodpeckers on a suet feeder gorging
themselves.
"Please sit down," said Jenna as she pointed to a pair of lush leather
chairs. She then glanced outside. "Hmm, I better refill the feeders
before I go home today. I'm amazed by the variety of the birds I get
here. I don't know what half of them are."
"We used to keep a bird book by the window," said Jirra as she watched
the birds.
Jenna nodded. "I've been meaning to buy one. I wish I knew what type of
woodpeckers those are."
"They look like downy woodpeckers; we used to get them all the time at
our feeders." Jirra sat down and noticed Jenna's diplomas that were
hanging on of the walls. "You went to Brown," she stated.
"Yes, I was born and raised in Providence so it made sense," replied
Jenna. "And you attend Penn along with Beth; it's nice to meet a fellow
Ivy Leaguer."
Jirra nodded. "Beth and I have other things in common."
Jenna smiled back. "That seems to be a good place to start."
Chapter 13
An hour later Jirra was walking back to the train station. The first big
flakes were starting to fall, but Jirra didn't notice; she was too busy
thinking about her meeting with Jenna and how well it had gone.
It was nice to have a neutral person to talk to about the change and
everything that went along with it. They also agreed to start seeing
each other every two weeks.
What really got to Jirra was when Jenna said that change and transition
was something that everyone has to deal with; and while Jirra's change
was extreme; there were ways to handle it. Jenna went on to say that
Jirra had done many of the right things, in that she had surrounded
herself with people that loved and cared about her.
"I'm not downplaying what you're dealing with, Jirra, but you're on the
right path. You may never be totally comfortable with your situation,
but that too is normal," explained Jenna.
When Jirra go back to her apartment, she called her mom and told her
about Jenna and the initial session.
"I'm glad you're doing this, Roo," said Liz. "There are times when it
helps to just talk to someone."
"Have you ever done it?" asked Jirra.
"My, you're nosey, Roo," said Liz with a chuckle. "Yes, I have and trust
me it helps."
"Thanks, Mom," replied Jirra, without pressing any further.
"So, tell me, have there been any more problems?" asked Liz.
"I haven't gotten any of the hate email, but Alexis has, oh and Jill got
some at her work email address. Jen feels that it's from the same
person."
"And when does she think they'll find him?" asked Liz.
"Well, she has discovered that the person has been using some of the
computer labs at USC and several Internet cafes nearby. The trouble is
that he as been using different computers. We don't have enough evidence
to give it to the police yet, although Boudicca is sending an agent out
there undercover to see if they can spot him."
"You really think its Todd?" asked Liz.
"Yes, either that or it's a big coincidence," said Jirra. "In emails to
Jill, he referred to the attacks last year and in the ones to Alexis he
said that her show should avoid a campus that prosecuted the wrong
people, that the students who did the attacks were the real victims."
"Promise me that you'll let the police in on this," said Liz.
"We will as soon as we get more evidence. Todd's a wanted fugitive so
it's not like he's innocent or anything."
"What about the other ones who were helping him?" asked Liz.
"From what we've been told, they're all trying to make deals with the
DA. As they all come from rich families I wouldn't be surprised if they
get them," replied Jirra.
"I hope you're wrong," said Liz.
"Me too, but money does talk."
"Yes, but what they did wasn't some stupid college prank; they attacked
people and put several in the hospital."
"Well, Cat's sister-in-law is an assistant DA and she has been keeping
us informed on the case. The girl is getting probation for assisting in
the case. The two other guys are facing a lot of jail time, if
convicted. Their families are making offers of financial restitution and
community service."
"They can serve time and still make financial payments," interjected
Liz.
"I know that, the problem is that some of the victims don't want any
publicity," said Jirra. "Don't worry about me, I will testify, I want to
see them get what's coming to them."
"I never doubted that, Roo."
"The big problem remains Todd. As long as he's a fugitive, the others
can all blame him and maybe walk free," said Jirra. "Once they catch
him, the DA thinks the others will be more cooperative."
"What about Todd's family?" asked Liz. "They must be helping him."
"If they are, they're being very careful about doing it, but he does
have a lot of relatives and Boudicca can't check them all."
"Well, I think it will all work out," said Liz.
"I do too; after all, Killara said it would."
Chapter 14
"So, where is Celeste?" asked Jirra as she adjusted her scarf.
"She's out on a date with Sean," said Beth.
The two were out walking Spirit in Fairmount Park, who was enjoying the
snow.
"That's cool," replied Jirra.
A squirrel ran across the snow, catching Spirit's attention. The large
dog pulled at her leash.
"No, girl, the squirrel doesn't want to play with you," said Beth as she
reached down and scratched the large dog behind its ears.
"Would she actually chase it?" asked Jirra as she watched the squirrel
stop and stand up on its hind legs to look at them.
"Chase, yes, but if the squirrel stopped and held its ground I doubt
Spirit would know what to do," replied Beth. "Basically, Spirit thinks
the whole world just wants to play."
They continued walking in snow.
"Did Celeste say where they were going?" asked Jirra.
"They're spending the weekend together out in New Hope," said Beth with
a grin. "I'm so happy for her; she has needed someone in her life for so
long. She won't admit it, being the proper lady and all that, but she's
been so lonely since her husband died."
"She must have really loved him...all things considered," said Jirra.
"I know what you mean. Celeste was extremely fortunate to be...bought by
someone like him. It's amazing how things work out. Most of Margo
Simon's clients were disgusting perverts...or worse," explained Beth.
Jirra just nodded as she remembered the stories Beth had told her about
Margo Simon. Many of Margo's victims were still dealing with the
affects of their captivity and transformations.
"Changing the subject; how're you and Jim doing?" asked Jirra.
"Good. He's fun to be around," replied Beth. "I don't know where it's
all going, but we enjoy each other's company."
"That's good to hear," replied Jirra.
Beth then leaned close and whispered. "He's also a really good lover."
Jirra looked at her friend, who had broken out in a big grin.
"Oh, don't worry, we take all the necessary precautions, but we're both
adults," continued Beth. "Now, can I ask you a question, Jirra?"
Jirra nodded.
"Aren't you the slightest bit curious about what it's like?"
There was no need to ask what Beth meant by it.
Jirra shook her head. "No."
"That's it...no?" asked Beth.
"Pretty much, I only like women," replied Jirra. "That's one part of my
life that has stayed the same."
"I felt that way at first," said Beth. "Actually, at first I had no sex
drive as my transformation left me just entering puberty...again; the
feeling came later as I grew up...again."
"Do you still like women?" asked Jirra.
"I'd be lying if I said no. I haven't acted on my feelings, but every
now and then I see a girl that's catching my eye, and it brings up
feelings. Don't forget, I was a guy in my twenties when I was changed. I
had my share of lovers too. I was strictly hetero as a guy, but part of
my gender programming made me like guys. I guess that it was all part of
Martz's fantasy. He tried to recreate his dead daughter and I suppose he
wanted grandchildren."
"And you're okay with it?"
Beth shrugged her shoulders. "It feels natural now, as if I was born
this way. I mean, I've been living as a girl for so long now that this
is my life...if that makes sense."
Jirra nodded again.
"So, if you and Alexis decide to raise a family, have you talked about
how you'd do it?" asked Beth.
Jirra reached up to scratch her head under her hat. "A little, but
that's a long way off."
"Are you going to get a friend to...um, donate it, or will you go to a
clinic?"
Jirra laughed.
"I was just curious as Jill and TC are talking about it," said Beth.
"Really?"
"I don't think they're serious, it was at the party back in December.
They were talking to some of the other lesbian couples on how they did
it," said Beth. She then told Jirra about the conversation.
"No way! That's just an urban myth or something like that!" said Jirra.
Beth smiled back. "I've heard others talk about it."
"They really don't use a turkey baster," stated Jirra.
"I've heard that it's true," continued Beth.
Jirra tried to imagine what it would be like and just shook her head in
disbelief.
"Just don't use the same one for Thanksgiving," added Beth, who began to
giggle.
Jirra also began to laugh. "I can just picture our kid asking me a
question. Mom, is it true that my Dad is a chef?" She began to laugh
harder. "No, he's not a chef...he...he just works in a kitchen."
Both girls began to laugh uncontrollably. Spirit joined in by barking.
Jirra wiped tears from her eyes. "Too funny."
"Let's go home and warm up," said Beth who was also wiping away tears.
"How does some hot chocolate sound?"
"That sounds good."
Chapter 15
Two days later Jirra got her first hate email. There was no hiding the
fact that it was from Todd.
Dear Bitch; I suppose that you might have thought that I had forgotten
about you; but you're fucking wrong. I am going to make you pay for what
you did to me. Why couldn't you have just taken your beating and kept
your mouth shut like most of the others. Now I hear you're involved in
some sort of perverted fiction that will make me look like a villain.
You better listen to me; you freak of nature, you slut, you whore, you
evil cunt, I will get you and your friends. I will kill all of you, but
I will take my time with you. I will make you beg me to kill you.
Jirra immediately called Jen and left a message with her answering
service. Next, she called Nina Vasquez, one of the detectives from
Boudicca.
"Great, this will really help," said Nina.
"What do you mean?" asked Jirra.
"We've had a couple sites under surveillance and this message looks like
it came from one of those places. We can really narrow down our search
now," explained Nina.
"Um, do you think that he's serious about the threats?"
"Personally, I think he's still running solo and Todd doesn't strike me
as the type who will act by himself. We know he's still in LA and now
it's just a matter of time until we catch him. Still, just so you know,
we have your building under surveillance, along with some other places,
if he shows up in Philly we'll nail him."
"Thanks," replied Jirra.
As soon as she hung up, her phone rang, it was Jen.
Jirra told her what Nina had told her.
"Nina is pretty sharp, but I think it's time I called in a few favors,"
said Jen.
"What do you mean?" asked Jirra.
Jen laughed. "What? Do you want to spoil the surprise?"
"You sound just like Killara! Okay, I'll leave it up to you," said
Jirra.
"Don't worry, Roo; I promise that we'll have this bigoted little coward
behind bars before the show starts filming," said Jen.
"You sound pretty confident," said Jirra.
"Trust me, Roo, trust me."
Chapter 16
"What do you think she has in mind?" asked Cat.
They were walking across campus to the library.
"No idea, but knowing Jen, it won't be subtle," replied Jirra.
"Carla thinks that if we can tie all these emails to Todd, we can lock
him away for a very long time. Hopefully, he'll have his computer with
him when we catch him."
"That would be nice," said Jirra. "Oh, I meant to ask you the other day;
how's Matt doing?"
Cat's fianc? had recently entered the FBI Academy.
"He says it's hard, but he loves it," replied Cat. "I wish I was with
him, but I still have this last semester to finish."
"I thought Beth was trying to get you to join the agency," said Jirra.
"She has given me the sales talk several times, but I've already been
accepted by the FBI. Still, it will nice to know some agents there. I
met her parents and they are very impressive."
"What about her friend?"
"You mean Ally? Yes, I met her a couple of times. I admire what she
does, it sounds very rewarding to catch internet sexual predators.
Still, I'm excited about getting into the lab side of law enforcement."
"And Matt is going into what area?"
"He wants to be a field agent," replied Cat.
"Are you worried?"
"Maybe just a little, but I love him so much and it's what he wants to
do," she replied. "Oh, as soon as I get my class date for the academy
we'll set a date for our wedding. We want all of you to attend."
"I wouldn't miss it," replied Jirra.
"What about you? I mean, are you and Alexis going to get married anytime
soon?"
"Some day we will, but for now we're content to just be a couple,"
replied Jirra. "She's shifting her residency to Massachusetts and they
have legal marriage for same sex couples."
"That's right," replied Cat. "Well, I wish you all the best in whatever
you do."
"Thanks, Cat."
Chapter 17
Alexis called Jirra Saturday afternoon.
"Did I interrupt your studying?" asked Alexis.
"No, not really, I just finished my paper for literature. What's up?"
asked Jirra.
"Good news, I'll be down in Philly this coming week," announced Alexis.
A huge smile broke out on Jirra's face. "That's great."
"The show is sending down some of the staff to finalize places to shoot,
and they want me to meet with city and university officials to smooze
them and make things go smoother. I'll be on a rather tight schedule,
but we should have Saturday and Sunday to ourselves."
"I can't wait," replied Jirra. She felt a warm feeling sweeping through
her body. "I've missed you so much."
"No more than I've missed you, Roo," said Alexis.
"When do you get down here?"
"Wednesday," replied Alexis. "They have me jumping from one meeting to
another until the weekend. There will be a lot of interviews on local TV
and radio. I wanted to let you know before you hear it on TV. The press
release for the trip is going out tomorrow morning."
"Um, do you want to stay here?" asked Jirra.
"I have a better idea. Why don't we go to New Hope for the weekend?"
suggested Alexis. "It might be better for both of us and a lot more
private. If word got out I was staying with you we wouldn't have any
privacy."
"That would be great," said Jirra.
"Also, Faith is coming down and she'll be staying with Diana and Kari.
They want to have us over for dinner Saturday night," continued Alexis.
"Faith is anxious to meet you."
"Really?" asked Jirra. She suspected that Alexis was exaggerating
slightly, but it would be cool to meet the creator of the series.
"Absolutely," said Alexis.
"I'd like that, but I also want to spend time with you," said Jirra.
"We will have time Roo. I've already reserved a room for us at the same
inn," said Alexis. "I'll send you the info tonight."
"I can't wait," said Jirra. "I pretty much ahead in all my projects for
school, so taking some time off won't be a problem."
"That's good to hear; I want you to graduate with honors," said Alexis.
"By the way, I got a call from Jen today; she says that you're to watch
America's Most Wanted tonight."
"What?' asked Jirra.
"You heard me, watch it and then give me a call," said Alexis.
Chapter 18
Jirra watched the show with Beth, Celeste, Cat, TC, and Jill. They were
camped around the TV in Beth and Celeste's apartment. Spirit was also
there, but was more interested in the big bowl of popcorn than the TV.
While it wasn't the lead story, America's Most Wanted profiled Todd.
"How did you manage this?" asked Jill as she reached for the bowl.
"It wasn't me, this is all Jen's doing," replied Jirra.
"This is great, this will put a very big spotlight on that cockroach,"
said TC.
"I hope he doesn't see it, I mean that way he won't know that more
people will be looking for him," said Beth.
"If he's really in the LA area, then he won't see it for three hours. If
any of his friends here see it that will give them time to warn him,"
said Celeste.
"Do you really think that his family would watch Fox?" asked Jill.
"That's true," said Celeste, but I'm sure that someone who knows him
will see it. Don't forget, he had a pretty easy time finding people to
help him, not everyone is on our side."
"That's the truth," sa