Second Time Through - Book IIChapter 26: Because I Can free porn video
"There he is," Vickie said as Roger and I entered the Dining Car. "Let's ask him."
"Ask me what?" I replied, stopping at their table. Vickie and Adriana were seated across from Deedee and Abby.
"They want to ask us questions about you, but we didn't know if you would be okay with it," Vickie said.
"No gifts, talents, or abilities," I thought to Vickie. "And nothing before I woke up."
"Aw-w-w, that don't leave much," she whined.
"You can always talk about all the different ways I could punish you later!" I reminded her.
Her eyes widened and she smiled real big.
"Yeah-h-h, I guess I could tell them how good you are!" she replied dreamily.
I rolled my eyes and hurried to catch up with Roger who had already taken a seat in a booth that Karla had prepared for me and my three guests. Roger looked at the two empty place settings and felt a pang of guilt.
"I see now why you always let your wife handle her punishments," I said. "You're just a big softy."
"Yeah, I was never very good at doling out the discipline. I always depended on Janelle to do it. That's why it was so hard to ... wait a minute! How did you know that?" Roger asked, surprised.
"I told you, I'm an empath. I can sense your emotions and any thoughts or memories that are connected to those feelings," I explained again. "When you were thinking of what you thought you had to do, you also remembered about rarely having to discipline Jessica when she was growing up."
"That's amazing, Michael. I can see how you are going to be a formidable negotiator in the future. What am I saying? You negotiated a hell of a concession with me for a two week design delivery," Roger said, then he sighed. "I still don't think we can do it."
"I don't expect you to," I told him. "I never did."
"Huh? I don't understand. We shook on it," he exclaimed.
"I know," I told him. "But I was monitoring Steve and Jessica's thoughts throughout the process. As well as yours. I realized what they were doing, but I also saw your confidence in their judgment and abilities. That was their biggest mistake. They didn't appreciate your faith in them."
"So you set them up?" he asked.
"Let's say that I gave them enough rope," I said smiling at him.
Karla brought our dinner then, so I took the opportunity to introduce her to Roger. After she left, I continued.
"What they did, they did out of ignorance and immaturity. Not out of maliciousness. They're young, and they have worked and studied for years to be able to harness and utilize their artistic and creative talents, and forgot to hone the most important art, the art of dealing with people," I explained.
"I guess you're right," Roger said. "I assumed that because I did it every day, and she saw me do it, that she just sort of picked it up. And I was so busy being proud of her creative skills, I forgot to teach her about handling clients. You can bet I'm going to correct that oversight with all our employees, just as soon as I get back to Knoxville."
"I'm sure it will help your firm be even more successful," I told him.
"Yeah," he sighed again. "But I still don't know what to do with them."
"Roger, would you like to know why I decided to go with your firm in the first place?" I asked him.
"Sure. If you'll tell me how to get your business back while you're at it," he said with a tortured grin.
"I do believe you are under the mistaken impression that I am releasing you from our contract. I will remind you that verbal contracts are considered binding when made in five star restaurants!" I said with a laugh.
Roger gave a brief, forced chuckle, unsure how serious I was.
"Roger, I chose your firm because I immediately sensed that you were an honest man," I explained. "A man who really believed that integrity was more than just a word in the dictionary between 'integrate' and 'interrogate'. In a nutshell, I trusted you. Still do."
"But Michael, there's no way we can deliver on your timeline," he admitted, painfully.
"And as I said, I never intended you to. So we simply need to tweak the terms a little. I'm still in a hurry, but I also want it done right," I told him.
"You know? You seem to have been a step ahead of me throughout this whole process. So why do I get the feeling that you already have a plan, and you're just about to let me in on it?" Roger asked, as he began to see what was really happening.
"I don't know ... maybe you're empathic?" I ventured, with a grin.
Roger laughed a big, relieved guffaw.
"Okay, I'll bite. What's this plan and how much is it going to cost me?" he chuckled as he asked.
So I filled him in on my idea. When I got to the part about Twin Springs and my expansion plans, he became very serious.
"I don't know. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the idea," he finally said.
"If she's got the talent you say she does, I'm sure she can do it," I said. "But it's your call."
Roger was silent, thinking my proposal through, so I slid out of the booth, taking our empty plates and glasses with me.
In the galley, I asked Kip, "Have we got any decent whisky in here? I'm about to sign a two million dollar deal, and I'd like to offer my guest a toast."
"How about some Johnnie Walker Black?" he replied, hesitantly.
"Since I'm sure it doesn't belong to me, make sure I reimburse somebody for it," I told him.
"Thanks, Boss!" Kip said with relief. "Glasses?"
"Two," I told him. "And thanks."
I returned to the booth, setting the bottle and glasses on the table in front of Roger.
"Are you old enough to have that?" Roger asked.
"What do you think?" I replied. "Do we have a deal?"
"You may be right," Roger sighed. "A week at a clothing optional ranch might do her some good. It's obvious that she is not as mature as I thought she was. She was always so studious; I think I may have mistaken that for maturity. Heck, I was the same way. In college, my nickname was 'The Worm' because I was such a bookworm. Everyone was always coming to me for help with their projects and homework. And come to think of it, it was Luther who brought in most of the business when we first started."
Roger reached for the bottle and broke the seal, then poured for both of us.
"Here's to the future. I don't have any idea how this is going to play out, but it ought to be one hell of a ride!" he said, throwing back the large shot he had poured for himself.
I noticed he hadn't filled mine quite as full, but I didn't mind. It tasted good and it warmed me on the way down. But since I had a feeling I would need all my wits around me to get through this evening, a small one was sufficient.
"You ready?" I asked.
Roger nodded.
"Nicky? Would you do me a favor and go to Jessica's room and ask her to join her father in the Dining Car? Tell her it was her father's request. Then would you ask Karla to make two plates and bring one to Jessica and take the other to Steve in his room?" I thought.
"Okay. But you have got to fill me in later. It almost sounds like they've been grounded," she thought back.
"Thank you, Sweetheart," I told her.
I removed the bottle and glasses to the galley, picking up three iced teas on my way back.
By the time I returned, Jessica was sitting across from her father, so I slid in beside her. Her first reaction was to look at me with disdain. Until she heard her father clearing his throat.
I leaned back, throwing my arm behind her, careful to keep it on the top of the booth, and crossed my ankle on my knee. Then looking at them, I shrugged. "To quote a man I once met, it's your show," I thought to him. "Would you like to know what she's feeling?"
Roger took his eyes off Jessica to look at me, but gave nothing away as he thought to me in surprise, "You can do that? Will she know?"
"Yes, I can. And no, not unless you tell her," I replied as I connected Roger to his daughter's emotions. They were raw and ragged and slightly painful for someone not used to feeling the pain of other people's suffering. And Jessica had been suffering. Fearing the worst about damaging her relationship with her father, and then about the damage to the firm. Roger flinched inside when he felt her for the first time. But I'll give him credit, he didn't let it show.
He started with how disappointed he was in her actions and questionable ethics, reiterating how unacceptable it was. Being connected allowed him to know how truly sorry she was, so he didn't belabor the point, moving on rather quickly.
He then explained how he had discussed it with me and how I was giving them a 'second chance' at the contract, so he was going to give Jessica a second chance as well. But she now had to earn back all the respect that she had lost. Not only for herself, but the firm as well.
"You and Steve have two choices, Jessica. Mr. Wagner has graciously re-extended his offer for you and Steve to travel with him as before. Only now, you will stay with him until he returns to Knoxville on June 30th. When you arrive back home you will have preliminaries, approved by Mr. Wagner. You will then have thirty days to get all the mechanicals and electricals together."
"What about the civil?" Jessica asked.
"Steve will handle the civil engineering and site prep drawings. He will stay for a few more days to get what he needs, then fly home to start on the site survey," Roger answered. "Mr. Wagner has graciously given us, Bradley and Skinner, that is, until July 30th to present final designs. If you accept this assignment, it will be up to you and you alone to make sure Bradley and Skinner can deliver, even if it means working eighty hours a week until then."
"What if I can't do it?" she asked, with her best 'daddy's little girl' look she could muster. But Roger saw this one coming, and paused before answering.
"It's too bad he's so wrapped up in this, or he would really appreciate the complexity of the pattern of her emotions as they rise and fall with what she's hearing," I thought to myself.
"Well, there's always option two," he said.
"What's that?" she asked, her hopes rising. I couldn't believe how naïve she was.
"When we get to Houston, I put you both on a plane for home, still on suspension, while I travel with Michael and do the programing and preliminaries myself. I realize I'll have to get some more help out here and when I get back too. But you can bet your sweet bippy that Bradley and Skinner will deliver as promised on July 30th!" Roger said determinedly.
"Oh, no!" she cried, pulling back as she covered her mouth with her hands.
"Oh, yes!" her dad replied. "I'll figure out what to do about you and Steve, AFTER we deliver on our commitment at the end of July."
It was decision time for Jessica. And given my aversion to women and decision making, I quickly cut the connection and stood up.
"Mr. Skinner, I'll expect your decision on who is going to do the design work, in the morning," I said. "We should reach Houston by dawn, but we don't have to get stirring that early."
"Thank you for your willingness to continue with Bradley and Skinner. I can assure you that we won't let you down a second time," he exclaimed.
"I'm sure you won't," I replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll leave you to your own devices, and say goodnight. However, I will warn you about trying to leave the train. Don't!"
"Is he trying to keep us hostage?" Jessica immediately thought.
"No, Ma'am. We're traveling at an average speed of sixty miles an hour though. And if you try to get off, you could get hurt. Even worse, these freight trains don't usually go back to pick you up. They just send someone to bury the remains," I told her.
And on that note, I turned to go.
"Goodnight," I told them as I left the Dining Car.
I scanned to see where everyone was. Karla was still cleaning up in the galley. I noted she was reorganizing Kip's earlier stocking of the pantry. Kip was talking with Penny in the forward part of the Dining Car. I made a mental note to ask Catherine about redoing that area into a parlor area similar to the one in the Observation Car. As it was, it reminded me too much of the seats on a regular train.
Mikeya was in her room, asleep. That caused me to raise my eyebrows because she had told me last night that she wanted me to spend the night with her tonight.
Ileana was in the parlor, with the rest of the girls.
"Hi, beautiful," I said to her as I entered the car.
"Well, hello handsome," she said from her seat on the floor, in front of the chair occupied by Abby.
I bent to kiss the top of her head as I asked, "Is there something wrong with Mikeya?"
"She said she hasn't been feeling well all day, so she just went to bed early," Ileana replied.
I was concerned, so I scanned, looking for something to fix. My problem was, I couldn't see anything wrong.
"I'm sorry to disturb you," I thought to Catherine without checking to see if she was busy.
"Is something wrong, Michael?" she replied a little tersely.
"Mikeya's not feeling well, and I don't know what to do," I told her, realizing that I must sound just like a typical expectant father.
"Well, it's probably your fault," she shot back. "I'm on the phone."
"My fault?" I repeated. I should have known better, but come to think of it, I was a worried soon to be daddy.
"She didn't get pregnant by herself. Why don't you ask a doctor?" she said brusquely.
Obviously, Catherine was in a hurry to get rid of me.
"I'm sorry, Michael," she said as she realized she was being short with me. "I'm on a transatlantic call, trying to get entry visas for some of our people from some damned politician in Moscow. It's very frustrating, not to mention expensive."
"Have you tried speaking to Count Volkonsky? I'm sure he could be of some help in getting visas," I asked her.
There was dead silence for a moment, and I assumed her attention was elsewhere, until I began to feel her rising lust. Finally she said, panting heavily, "if ... only ... you ... were ... here..." Then she began to send me erotic images of exactly what she would do, if I were there.
I was immediately regretting I wasn't there, too.
"Michael!" thought Nicky and Vickie at the same time.
"Cut it out!" Nicky thought. "Not in front of company!"
I suddenly realized they were feeling our passions.
"You really are amazing. I don't know why I didn't think of that," Catherine said. "And I really do wish you were here."
"Me too," I told her. "So you think Mikeya is feeling sick because she's pregnant?"
"Did you scan her?" Catherine asked.
"Yeah, but I couldn't really see anything that looked 'wrong' not like when I scanned you, or David," I told her.
"Then my guess would be that she's feeling pregnant, which is not unusual, especially the first time. But you should probably get her checked by an OB/GYN to be sure," Catherine advised.
"Okay, I'll do that. Thanks," I told her. "Sleep tight."
"Goodnight, Michael," she replied. "But I don't know how well I'll sleep now."
"Abby, quit that!" Deedee told her little sister abruptly.
"But ... he did it to me!" she whined.
"What do you mean, he did it to you?" Deedee thought to her little sister.
"He caused me to ... to..." Abby stammered, embarrassed.
"I think it's time for me to explain some things to both of you," I told Deedee.
Roger and Jessica were coming through the observation car on the way to their rooms.
"Did she reach a decision?" I asked Roger.
"Jessica says she's willing to try as hard as she can. She's not sure she can pull it off, but I'm confident that she can. And we're going to provide her with all the support we can to make sure she succeeds!" Roger said with pride.
"Did you tell her about the ranch?" I thought to him.
Roger grimaced slightly at the quick change in communication styles, but didn't let on outwardly, "Uh ... not exactly," he thought back.
"That's okay. We'll see how she handles it when it comes up," I told him.
Based on her decision to stay, I asked them to have a seat, since they should probably hear what I was about to tell everyone else. Then I began to tell all of them about waking up from a coma, and losing my memory, but finding out that I had gained a wonderful gift.
As I explained, I gradually transitioned from verbal speech to mental speech. It was so smooth, only Vickie, Ileana, and Nicky caught it at first. Until I looked at Jessica and she realized I wasn't moving my mouth.
"Oh my god! How ... Oh my god, I could hear you in my ... my mind!" she said out loud.
"Tell her to calm down Roger," I thought to him.
Roger caught on quick. He immediately thought to his daughter, "It's okay Jess. It's actually kind of fun."
"Oh my god! Daddy? I could hear you!" she said almost screaming.
"Easy, honey. It's okay. Don't scream. Just think. Don't talk, just think," he told her.
"You mean you can hear this?" she asked in her mind.
"That's it, honey. Yes, I can hear you," Roger replied.
That began a dreary dialogue of testing and trying between father and daughter, as we all sat patiently waiting on them to tire of the novelty of it.
Finally, I interrupted them with, "Roger, since we're reading her mind, have you ever wondered about your daughter's sex life?"
"Eee-e-e-k! Don't you dare!" she cried out loud, covering her face with her hands.
"Jessica!" I said firmly, trying not to laugh at my tease as I waited for her to quit her wailing. "Listen to me!"
She stopped her whining, but wouldn't look up.
"Jess, honey. You're acting like a small child. Stop that and look at Michael. He's trying to explain something to you, and I think it's going to be important that you understand," Roger told her.
Jessica sat up slowly. She was sitting on the floor, with her legs bent under her, and her skirt covering her lap and legs, primly. She dropped her hands to her lap, but kept wringing them as she looked at me.
"Miss Skinner, I have other guests, and would like to continue, please."
"Then why did you ask my daddy if he wanted to know about my ... my ... life?" she said defiantly.
"Because I can. That's the whole point," I said.
Jessica looked at me like I had just kicked over her sand castle and ripped off her favorite baby doll's arm with that statement. And she didn't like it one little bit.
"Penny, would you bring me an unloaded pistol?" I asked her. "I need to prove a point, but not with a loaded gun, so make sure it's unloaded."
"This ought to be interesting," she thought to no one in particular.
"You think you can do anything you want, to anybody you want to, just because you can read minds?" she challenged.
I waited as Penny entered the car, handing me the unloaded revolver, butt first.
"Be careful, Michael. It's not a toy," Penny warned me.
I turned it around and handed the pistol to Jessica, again butt first, so that she had to grasp it by the handle.
"You now have a weapon. You're angry. And you can hurt me if you choose to squeeze the trigger," I told her. "So what's it gonna be?"
"You're right, I'm mad. But I don't want to shoot you," she said.
"Are you sure? Now's your chance," I prodded her.
"I'm not mad at you," she said. "It's just that I don't like the idea that you can ... er ... see, I guess you'd say, my private thoughts."
"I understand," I told her. "Uh, would you mind handing the gun to your dad? For some reason, it makes me nervous to have you holding a gun this close to everyone. Even if it's not loaded."
Jessica looked up in surprise. "I should have known," she said, as she handed the unloaded pistol to her dad.
"So what's your point?" she asked, much calmer now.
"My gift is like a loaded gun, in that it makes some people afraid. Either you avoid me, or trust me with it. Since you are going to be spending a lot of time with us, you can't very well avoid me. So you, Jessica, are in the unique position of HAVING to trust me. Or fail at your assigned task."
"Oh," she replied as I saw the gears turning.
"You also have one more option," I told her.
"And that is?" she asked.
"Agent Lane, the man on my right has a gun. I feel threatened, both for my safety, and the safety of my other guests. Do you have jurisdiction, as an FBI Agent, to arrest him and detain him until we reach Houston? And would you also check to see if he has a permit for it?" I asked her.
Penny looked at me only a moment, before she stepped in front of Roger and pulled her service revolver. I knew that it was loaded, and she knew I was trying to prove a point.
"Please, sir. Place the gun on the floor and raise your hands to touch your head," she told him. "NOW!"
Roger, startled at first, slowly complied. But when Penny whipped out her cuffs, he became worried.
"Daddy!" Jessica screamed in alarm as she watched Penny attach the cuffs.
"What are you doing, Michael?" Jessica asked.
"That's enough, I guess. Thanks," I told Penny.
I nodded to Penny, who stopped and removed the cuffs. Retrieving the unloaded pistol, she looked at me before heading for her door.
"Now do you understand?" I asked Jessica.
Jessica, holding tight to her daddy's hand, looked at me for a few moments, before answering. I could see she had puzzled it out, but she still need to verbalize it, if just for herself.
"You're saying I could call the authorities on you, and they would take you away, all because someone handed you a weapon, that you didn't ask for," she explained.
I smiled. "You're getting it," I told her, encouragingly. "And the only people that would be hurt, are the ones deprived of your father's or my presence. So now you understand that the trust I'm asking for is a two-way street. The only difference is I chose to trust you, thereby forcing you to trust me. And you can compare your dilemma, to the ones your clients face every day, being forced to trust you. Right Roger?"
"Hey, that's right. I see what you mean. When our clients choose us, they are forced to trust us to design their project correctly, or it could fail and cost them their lives, or the lives of their loved ones," Roger said. "So, when you chose us, you were forced to trust us. But when you demanded a faster time line, you were forced to trust us even more, and that's why you asked if we would keep your confidentiality. I see now." He repeated himself as he mulled it over.
Roger stood up yawning. "I'm going to say goodnight. You have given me a great deal to think about, young man. I will tell you that company policy is going to be absolute confidentiality with our clients from now on. We want to earn your trust, not command it," he finished like one of those commercials on late night TV.
"Goodnight, Daddy," Jessica said as she kissed his cheek. "I think I'm going to stay here for a while ... if they'll allow me," she said the last part to me.
"You're welcome to stay, Miss Skinner," I told her.
"Thank you, Mr. Wagner," she returned with a smile. "Or should I say Prince Michael?"
"I don't really care, as long as you say it with that gorgeous smile," I replied.
Jessica laughed. It was a gentle, yet sincere laugh, but it was the most honest thing I had heard from her yet.
"Would anyone care for a snack?" Karla asked as she came in carrying a tray of warm cookies. Right behind her came Kip with a pitcher of tea, and a bottle of milk.
Mother Nature picked that moment to start working on my bladder, so I got up and headed for the bathroom in my stateroom.
"Please excuse me for a moment, I'll be right back," I told them. "Security! Guard one of those cookies for me while I'm gone!" I told Kip laughing.
"Ah-aye, Captain," Kip said, going into a drunken sailor act, complete with a sloppy left-handed salute that made everyone laugh.
"You know," Jessica thought to herself when I left the room, "I'll bet he's a lot of fun to be around. And now that I think about it, he's been nothing but kind and polite to us. If he could read my thoughts now, I would really be embarrassed. Daddy's right, I was too quick to judge him. I thought he'd be like all the other sixteen year old boys I've ever known. They seem to act like idiots most of the time. Especially in front of girls. But he's smart and good looking, too. I guess he's what the magazines would call dangerously handsome when he smiles at me like that. Damn! My pussy's getting wet. I hope it doesn't leak through my skirt!"
"Don't we know it. Some days we change clothes three or four times. Just like tonight when he got started with Catherine. It just sends quivers through our pussies," Nicky thought to her.
"You heard that?" Jessica asked in alarm. "Are you one too?"
"Naw ... Michael is the only one in our family," Nicky replied. "So far."
"But, how did you know what I was thinking?" Jessica asked.
"Oh, we all heard you," Adriana thought to her. "I imagine that Michael even let Abby and Deedee hear as well. He's prone to just connect everybody and then walk out."
"He ... he can do that?" Jessica stammered.
"He can do that and so much more!" Amy chimed in. "Like when he's making love, just about every woman on the train can feel it! It makes me want to ... well, try it, maybe."
"A-MY!" Vickie cried. "I can't believe you! I'm so jealous!"
Amy blushed. I couldn't see her, but I could feel it. They seemed to be getting along, so I decided to jump in the shower. I was still sticky from this afternoon.
"You're jealous because she wants Michael?" Jessica asked.
"Oh, no. I'm jealous because she doesn't want me!" Vickie said, giggling immensely.
Of course, this caused Amy to blush even more.
"Well, I'm jealous," Nicky said. "Tonight was supposed to be my turn, but since Vickie has been acting out all day, Michael will have to take her instead. And now that he's heard Amy, he'll probably make me wait again."
"Wait! Isn't Michael your brother?" Jessica asked incredulously.
"Yep. He's the best brother in the world! Right?" Nicky asked Vickie.
"Well, he's not my brother, but he is the best at what you're referring to!" Vickie was giggling nonstop now. "Do you really think he'll punish me tonight?"
"Punish you?" Jessica asked, trying to comprehend our complex relationships.
Vickie just nodded as she and Nicky erupted in gales of laughter.
Hell, I was even chuckling as I thought about how much I loved my sister and Ileana and Vickie, and all the rest. I quickly ticked them off in my head as I sent them each my feelings of love. I didn't do it to interrupt them, or distract them from what they might be doing. Just a little reminder that I was thinking of them and that I missed them, and that I was so thankful for each and every one.
Abby was now giggling a little herself, while Deedee took everything in, her expression remaining neutral. That is, EXCEPT for when she looked at her little sister. Then Deedee became filled with happiness for her.
"Wow! I was reading her!" I thought. I was so amazed, that I lost contact with everyone else momentarily. I quickly realized that the power I felt, while not necessarily focused, was because of the love they were feeling for me.
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