“Boogah! Boogah!” Janine’s face popped up on my screen, nearly scaring the water out of me. I jumped, and banged the back of my head against the headboard.
“Ouch!” I reached back to check my head for a lump, or any blood. Thankfully, I didn’t have either.
“Sorry, I just thought it’d be funny to surprise you, but…what the hell are you watching?” Janine turned around inside my computer screen and began laughing uncontrollably as “Scarecrow” and “Tin Man” both groaned with their release. “Oh my God DD, you are such a perv. Ha-ha-ha-ha, I love it. So do they follow the yellow brick road, or do they stroll along the Hershey highway?”
“I was investigating.”
Janine laughed even louder, “Oh, so that’s what they call it now?”
“No, I mean it. I was tracking the feed. These are from cameras in the hotel. Almost every room has a camera in it. I was tracking the feed so that we might be able to follow it back to its source later.” Yeah, use the tech stuff to distract her from your obvious lies.
Janine shook her head, “That might have worked if I hadn’t been in here when you were watching Niki and Danika’s wild ride. I know you could have done all the tech-geek stuff on one of those sleeping people. You are such a pervert…admit it.”
I turned three shades of red, and finally just shrugged. It isn’t like I could hide it now. “Just please don’t tell them. I know I shouldn’t have been watching, but I just couldn’t help myself.”
“Hey, you’re preaching to the choir here, sister. Why do you think I didn’t say anything then? If you would have changed the channel, then I would have had to just wander down to their room to watch it anyway. I was tempted to see if they wanted a third.”
“What? Wouldn’t they get kind of mad?”
“Nah, listen to Danika talk about time out with the pack, and you learn real fast that for her, sex is more a bonding thing than a couples thing, or hasn’t she ever explained to you about werewolves and full moons?” Janine laughed.
I knew a little about it, but I’d never really pried. I know that Danika had to give herself to her wolf on a full moon, and that that wolf would do whatever it had to in order to make sure that its needs were met. I also know that werewolves often search for their mate on that night. I know that while Niki is Danika’s lover, Grim is her actual mate. When we were training under Elizabeth, Danika would spend her time chatting on the phone with Niki, and then snuggle up to Grim in the crazy attempt to get something resembling Niki’s scent. Over time, her wolf accidentally bonded with Grim, and they became a mated pair, as far as the wolf was concerned. Luckily, since Grim and Danika are both sterile, the wolf really hasn’t been been trying to raise a litter of puppies. Otherwise, it might be kind of awkward if every full moon Danika’s wolf tried to breed with Grim. It certainly would put some stress on the siblings. As it is, every full moon Danika changes, and demands Grim spend quality time with her snuggling. Niki usually picks some movie, and they all snuggle up on the couch and watch movies until Danika’s wolf gives back control. I explained what I knew to Janine.
She laughed, “Two words. Werewolf orgy.”
“What?”
“Yeah, on a full moon the unbonded Weres get together, and…well, they get together. Think of it as a pornographic werewolf version of Tetris. They get in a pile and rut each other until morning. Even the mated pairs sometimes get in the act once they’ve taken care of their needs. Of course, there are a few that just go off and mind their own business, but trust me…Danika is no stranger to three ways, and Niki may be many things, but she’s definitely no prude. She’s beautiful and confident in herself. She’s a mini-Grim with tits. As long as you make it very clear you are just there to have some fun, then Niki is pretty open to whatever. Of course, if you even hinted that you might be trying to get something more than a fun romp with them, then Niki would beat you down like you owe her money.” Janine smiled.
I’d never really considered it. I mean, would they really let me just join in? It must have been painfully obvious on my face because Janine laughed, “What? Haven’t you ever heard the expression that it never hurts to ask? Seriously, you just need to go ask them sometime. They’ll have you cross-eyed and drooling before you know it. It’s just like Penny and Grim. Give them half a chance and they’ll have you screaming their names just this quick.” Janine snapped her fingers. “Oh, and you might want to buy a lozenge because your throat will be so sore from screaming, but oh God, is it worth it.”
“They’re that good, huh?” I tried not to sound too eager, but considering the time I’d just spent with Penny, I really was looking forward to the possibilities. Penny’s little nibble earlier may have just been a precursor to the end of my sexual dry spell, and if that kiss was any indication…Penny was just as interested in ending my celibacy as I was.
“Even on an off day I can’t say I’ve ever been left with any complaints.” Janine smiled.
The lights flickered for a second, and then cut out. I actually heard Penny scream, “No-o-o-o-o!” from her room. I mean these walls are pretty thin for what we’re paying, but that was still pretty loud on her part. The lights were out, and I lost the feed to the cameras, but since I was on a battery my laptop was still on, and Janine was just standing there on the middle of my monitor like she was my screensaver.
“Wow? She’s got a set of lungs on her.” Janine laughed.
“Hey DD, could you go check on her. I would but…blargh!” Grim retched and vomited some more, if this kept up, the big guy would be hollow.
“Don’t worry, Grim, I’ll send Janine. She’s in here.” I looked down at the monitor and said, “Hey, can you run over to check on Penny?”
“Sure.” Janine moved like she was going to step through the monitor itself, but nothing happened. “Well, that’s odd.” Janine tried again, and this time I actually felt like the laptop was being lifted off my lap. “Okay, I’ve never had this happen before.”
“What?” I asked.
“I’m kind of stuck here. This has never happened before.” Janine sounded nervous. Her brow furrowed in concentration and she strained to leave my computer. If I hadn’t had a hold of my laptop, then it probably would have been jerked off my lap and then maybe broken against a wall or the floor, but finally Janine flickered off my screen, and then appeared beside the bed.
“Something is very wrong.” Janine whispered. She wasn’t really talking to me. It was more like she was talking to herself. Her voice was emotionless, and with no inflection at all.
“What?” I said.
Janine looked at me and said dully, “Something is wrong. I don’t know what it is, but I don’t feel quite like myself.”
Janine moved to float through the wall, and then crashed face first into it. “Ouch.” Again, her voice had no emotion. It sounded almost robotic. “This is very strange indeed,”
She was starting to really freak me out. “Janine? Are you okay?”
Suddenly I heard Janine’s voice in my earphones, “Yeah, but what’s going on? I hear you, but I can’t see you.” I looked up at Janine. She was floating around the room with a dull expression. That was creepy enough as it was, but her lips hadn’t moved when I heard her in my earphones.
“What’s going on?” I heard two separate Janine’s ask me the same question.
“Okay, how did you do that?” I asked.
Janine said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She sounded almost mechanical. There was no spark of life in her at all.
At the same exact time in my headphones I heard her say, “Do what? I haven’t done anything. DD, what’s going on?” Janine’s voice was desperate, and afraid.
“Okay, this is beyond weird. You’re standing in the room, but I can also hear you on my headphones. It’s like there are two of you.” I said. Janine shrugged her shoulders in disinterest.
Meanwhile in my headphones it sounded like Janine was having a nervous breakdown. “Why is it so dark? DD…help me
please!” She was crying, and it was breaking my heart.
I racked my brain, and then a thought flickered inside my brain. It was one of those crazy thoughts that you know can’t possibly work, but you still try it anyway. I turned on my web cam.
“DD! Oh, thank God. I can see you. How’d you do that, and why can’t I turn my head?” Janine was almost hysterical.
“Okay, somehow you’re still stuck in the computer, but your body is out here.”
“What?” Janine screamed into my headphones.
The body of Janine shrugged and made her way to the door. She twisted the door knob, and then walked out. You’d think she would be at least a little concerned, but instead she just wandered off. It was like she didn’t care. Then it struck me. It wasn’t like she didn’t care. Janine’s body really didn’t care. It was her ghostly form, and considering that she didn’t seem particularly confused, I would assume it had Janine’s memories as well, but whatever spark that we all have…she was missing it. Meanwhile that spark, or soul, was sitting there trapped inside my computer. I don’t know how, or why. I could probably spend years studying this, and probably never really understand what just happened. I know science, and whatever just happened…it had nothing to do with science.
Chapter 20
Thankfully, the power was only off for a couple of minutes. It flickered on, and I checked for the camera feeds. They were dead, but at least we now had power, so I didn’t have to worry about the computer’s battery going dead. I pulled the flash drive out.
“Janine?” Nothing. She didn’t make a sound. I called for her again, and nothing. On a hunch I plugged the flash drive into the computer.
“Do…not…do…that…again!” Janine sounded ready to start beating me with heavy blunt objects.
“Sorry, I didn’t know you were on the flash drive.”
“I’m on a what?” Janine screamed.
“Flash drive.”
“I’m not flashing anything.” Janine yelled, and so I turned the volume down.
“It’s a flash drive, a tiny little plastic thing that plugs into a USB to save information.”
“Okay, I understood plastic, and tiny. Care to explain the rest of it in English?” Janine’s voice was too quiet now, so I turned it back up.
“It’s like a notepad. I plug it in and it keeps a record of all the information. I thought you’d know how to use a computer.”
“Why would I learn to use a computer? I just use them for audio books, watching funny videos on the YouTube, and of course porn.” She said that last part so matter-of-factually that it almost snuck past me.
“Porn?” I laughed.
“Oh, do we really need to discuss my choices of entertainment? Maybe along the way you can explain your Wizard of Oz gang bang?”
“Never mind. So you’re really stuck in there, huh?”
“It looks that way. I guess you better go get a hold of everyone and tell them what just happened.” Janine sighed. She was already getting frustrated.
I went to the bathroom, Grim was leaned over the toilet. He looked pale, and really sick.
“I think I might need a little help.” Grim tried to get up off the floor, but his legs just gave out, and he fell right on his booty. “Ouch! Dammit!”
I tried to lift him up, but he’s just too darn heavy. “Wait right here. I’ll get Penny.”
“Oh God, no! She takes one look at me like this and I’ll be able to add a crushed pelvis to this. Get Danika, and have Janine go get Penny. She’s the only one Penny won’t be able to molest.”
“Yeah, about that…we have a problem.” I explained Janine’s situation, and to my surprise Grim didn’t even bat an eye.
“Okay, so get Danika. Then warn Niki that Penny is probably going to be excessively frisky. Have her go get Penny, and then you and Danika need to go get Katy. Bring everyone back here. It’s late, but we have to discuss this, and I’m going to need some help getting back to the bed.”
I went to Danika and Niki’s room. They weren’t exactly happy to be interrupted from their cuddle fest, but Danika followed me to Katy. Niki went off towards Penny. We made our way to Katy’s room. When she came to the door, it looked like she’d been sleeping. I convinced her to follow us back to Grim’s room.
Danika helped Grim up and practically carried him to the bed. “You’re heavier than you look.”
“All an elaborate illusion, in reality I’m much lighter.” Grim tried to laugh, but it was weak.
A few minutes later Penny and Niki stepped into the room. Niki looked flushed, and her clothes were disheveled. If I had to guess, then I’d say she just spent the entire walk back to the room fighting off Penny’s advances. Penny took one look at Grim, and went into full predator mode. She wasn’t just looking at him, she was practically staring a hole into him. Danika was smart enough to step between Penny and her intended target.
“You really don’t look so good.” Niki leaned over and touched her brother’s forehead. “Oh man, you’re burning up. We need to get you to a hospital.”
“No.” Grim groaned.
“But-“
Grim interrupted her, “No. I’m pretty sure I’ve already been poisoned. If they can get me somewhere as random as a restaurant, then how much easier a time would they have getting me at a hospital.”
“Poisoned?” I screamed. “Grim we have to get you to the hospital now. You could die.”
“No! They shouldn’t have been able to just get me at the restaurant like that. I didn’t even know where the date was going to be until the last minute. If they knew that, then what chance do I stand at a hospital? I’d be stuck in a tiny room with no way to defend myself. I’m still not sure how they did it. It’s driving me batty.”
“I think I know. I found feeds to security cameras. They are in every room in the hotel. The feed is dead now. When we lost power I think it fried the cameras.” Everyone was staring at me patiently. I guess they wanted more information, but I really didn’t want to admit that I’d been watching Niki and Danika, or the really bizarre Wizard of Oz.
“Why would it fry the cameras? The lights came on, so shouldn’t they just come back on too?” Niki asked.
“Cameras are more sensitive than the lights. So whatever shorted everything out killed the cameras. We have a bigger problem than that, though.”
“What could be bigger than someone spying on us?” Danika asked, and I tried to avoid looking guilty.
“Janine is trapped in the computer. Well, the flash drive actually, but for all intents and purposes it’s the same thing.” Everyone looked at me like I was talking crazy, and I guess to some extent, it was definitely justified.
“What do you mean, Janine is trapped? I just saw her wandering the hallway?” Niki asked.
“That’s not Janine…well, it is, but it’s not completely Janine. I think that is just her ghostly body. It’s got her memories, but everything that makes up the essence of Janine is on that flash drive. It’s like her soul and her ghostly form got tore apart.” I stood there just hoping nobody would expect an in-depth explanation.
“Okay, you’re jerking us around, and it’s not funny.” Katy snapped.
“No, seriously, I’m not kidding. Janine! Janine! Say something before they send me off to spend time in a padded room…oh sorry, Katy. I didn’t mean to be insensitive about your parents.” Great, they think I’m nuts, and a jerk.
“Could someone please turn me around? This really sucks.” Janine grumbled.
Everyone’s head snapped around to look at my computer. “Janine?” They all asked nervously.
“Yeah, now someone turn me around.” Janine yelled out over the speakers.
Katy spun the computer around. “Are you really in there?” She said.
“Yeah, you can’t even imagine how badly this sucks.” Janine groaned.
We explained everything that happened. When I finished, I couldn’t even look at Danika and Niki. I felt my face burning with embarrassment. I wouldn�
�t have blamed them if they were mad at me. I was ready to crawl into a hole and never show my face again when Niki laughed, “So, did they get my good side.”
“Please, you were naked. When you’re naked there is no bad side.” Danika snorted. Niki blushed, and gave Danika a quick peck on the cheek. They were just adorable. Then Grim groaned in agony and that got everyone’s attention.
“Grim, we have to take you to the hospital.” Katy’s tone was demanding.
“No, I haven’t lost consciousness, and anything that was in me has been thrown up by now. I still feel like I got hit by a bus, but I started feeling a lot better after I threw up. I just need time to rest and recuperate. That being said, we need to try and find Janine.”
“I’m right here.” Janine yelled out over the speakers. She sounded incredibly frustrated, but I suppose I’d be frustrated too, if I couldn’t move without someone picking me up and carrying me around. To make matters worse she could only look where the webcam is pointing, and that had to be infuriating.
“I mean your body. We need to find your body. We can’t just have it running around here doing God knows what.” Grim explained.
“Sorry, this situation is practically intolerable.” Janine sighed. Her voice had a distinct edge to it. She was fighting to keep it together, but it was pretty obvious this sudden change in her circumstances had her ready to crack up.
“Then what? She’s a ghost. Well, the body is. I mean how exactly are we supposed to keep her body here? She’s intangible when she wants to be. It’s not like we could toss a net on her.” Niki said.
“She’s got a good point.” Janine said. Only this time it wasn’t from the speakers. It came from behind us. We all turned around, and Janine’s body was staring at us. “I mean, it’s not like you could just tie me up somewhere.”
“Give me back my body!” Janine screamed at Janine…oh God, this is so confusing.
Janine seemed almost bored, “Why? I like it like this. No nagging concerns about right and wrong, no guilt over any of my mistakes. I’m…free.” For the first time since Janine’s body separated from her soul, the body smiled. It was cold, almost hateful. “Now if one of you will please hand over the EMF pump then I will wander off into the sunset.”
Midnight Squad: The Ties That Bind Page 34