02: First Night in Town

The three travelers managed to find the hotel easily enough. It was a nice place in a nice neighborhood, though it was a little older, but all Alex was interested in right then was getting out of the car, eating and getting some rest. Stopping and starting, getting in and out of the car at every exit along the route, and worrying about whom they were meeting and what it might entail, was tiring. He realized he had to work on his interpersonal communication techniques if he was going to be doing this all summer long.

Checking in, the hotel staff was very cordial.

“Your friends are already checked in next door. They’ve been anxiously waiting for you,” the receptionist told Alex with a bright smile. “They keep checking by to see if you’ve shown up yet.”

“Our friends?” Alex asked.

“Oh, yes, there are two—”

“Alex! Alex, it’s so good to see you again.”

Alex spun around not knowing who to expect, when he was enveloped by two beautiful young girls. It took him a minute to figure out exactly who they were.

“Tina? Amy? What are the two of you doing here?”

“Patricia told us you were staying here on your way down, and since I spend much of the year here at the University of Mississippi, I figured I’d drive up and show you around,” Tina Shaw told him. “When I mentioned it, Amy asked if she could come along. Since we’ve been spending so much time together working on the sorority, we’ve gotten to be really good friends,” she added with a suggestive wink, although Alex wasn’t clear on what she may or may not be implying.

“We’ve been waiting for you all day,” Amy Ray said. “We were afraid to wander around much, since we were both so anxious to see you again. Hurry up, we’ll get your bags and carry them up to your room for you.”

“Go ahead,” Gail told her charges, “I’ll finish checking in and meet you up there. The rooms already paid for, so I don’t think the hotel will have a problem providing you with the room key. We can get some dinner in the hotel restaurant afterwards. That way we can stay in one location in case anyone, uh, feels drawn to the hotel.”

Alex shot her a quick warning glance, but relented when he noticed no one was nearby and the receptionist wasn’t paying any attention. Tina and Amy grabbed the bags—there really weren’t that many—and trudged upstairs.

The two girls told Alex and Cate about what they’d been doing since they last saw him at SIU several weeks ago. They’d been working to get their own schools to accept a new sorority for the fall term. There was a lot of resistance from the Administrations, but Amy’s school, Tulane University, located in the heart of New Orleans, folded quickly given the amount of young girls attending the school who insisted on it. Tina experienced more resistance, but got an agreement to hold an open house in the fall, to be followed by a vote by the Administration afterwards. Given the circumstances and their late start she thought that was the best they could do. However both were quite excited about getting the sorority started, as they each felt it was their personal mission to do this for Alex.

Amy opened the door for Alex, insisting she do it for him despite her having to drop the siblings’ bags in order to accomplish it. As she held the door open, Alex and Cate entered and looked around. It was just a basic hotel room, nothing overly fancy, but it was clean and well lit. There was a nice big TV screen, but Alex doubted they’d ever have a chance to watch it while they stayed in Memphis.

Alex and Cate quickly stored their gear, including Gail’s, and hurried back downstairs. Alex had already spoken to Gail and told her to meet them in the dining room, so she had a table waiting when they arrived. All five of them sat down and Alex and Cate told the many tales about what had happened to Alex since they’d been together only a short time ago. Their two friends were surprised so much had occurred. They were horrified Alex had come so close to being killed several times over, but they were relieved and captivated to hear just how he had managed to defend himself. They were quick to remind Alex how risky it was to everyone involved to take such chances, though. Alex didn’t think then was the best time to try to defend his actions, so he accepted their warnings graciously.

While they were talking and eating, two girls nervously approached. Alex noticed them, smiled and stopped eating, turning to face them.

“Excuse us,” said the first, a very outgoing redhead with a bright smile and a fairly impressive chest, though Alex hardly looked at it, instead looking each girl in the eye, measuring their responses. “We saw you sitting here and were wondering if we could get your autograph?”

Alex smiled, imagining the two girls assumed he was famous, figuring a common person wouldn’t ‘feel‘ so important and imposing. He knew they didn’t understand what they were feeling, so he proceeded to sign his name to the sheets they supplied. However he was cautious, only signing it “Alex”, not writing his last name just so no one could trace him through any act of carelessness by either girl.

“Do you have any idea who I am?” Alex asked the other girl, a young brunette with dark eyes and an equally pretty smile. She had shoulder length straight hair and wore a blue sundress. Her friend wore a red plaid dress which matched her hair.

“No, but we can tell you’re important. We’ve never felt more certain about it, despite not recognizing you. Whoever you are, even if you aren’t important now, we’re both sure you will be soon,” the brunette replied.

“By the way, my name is Alex. This is my sister, Cate and our friend who’s traveling with us, Gail, and these two girls are friends who drove up to meet us from New Orleans. Their names are Tina and Amy.”

“Oh, I’m Sarah Hamm, and this is my friend, Emma Burks,” the redhead told him.

“You know, what you’re feeling is a bit strange,” Alex told them. “The reason why you can feel these things about me is due to a genetic anomaly which gives you an ability to perceive emotions in others. We’re traveling the country, teaching girls like you what these abilities mean to them and how they can use it. However it’s unusual two friends would both have the same trait, since it’s not a very common occurrence.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Emma said, blushing slightly. “We’ve been friends for a couple of years. As far as I know we’re not related, but maybe we should ask our parents about their wilder younger years.”

“It certainly isn’t unheard of for two friends to have it, but it’s a fairly rare occurrence. Cate, maybe you could take over the explanation. I’ll get some chairs. Gail, could you get the waiter to bring over some additional plates?”

“Oh, we’re sitting over at the side. Give us a second and we’ll bring our plates over,” Sarah said.

“Nonsense, what Cate has to tell you is much too important to be interrupted,” he told them, getting up and pulling a couple of chairs from nearby tables. “You were very lucky to have met us here, as we’re the only people who can tell you what you need to know about yourselves. We’re growing a community of similar people, but it’s a slow process.”

Gail managed to flag a waiter who brought over their plates while Cate and Alex began explaining what being a Watcher was all about, but Alex turned the explanation over to Tina and Amy, since he was anxious to learn what Patricia had been telling the people they identified as Watchers. Tina gave them a very good explanation, filled with a lot more personal detail than Cate ever managed to supply. They also spent quite a bit of time talking about how it affected relatives, and how you could tell if your relatives had similar attributes. Sarah and Emma were fascinated.

“My mother, sister and aunt sound like likely candidates, but we’re just visiting Memphis,” Sarah told them. “We actually live in Springfield, Missouri. We’re visiting my aunt and uncle who smoke like chimneys, so we don’t like to sleep there. I have asthma, so it’s hard to breathe when we visit.”

“That’s OK,” Amy assured them. “They don’t have to be here now. We have a large contingent in New Orleans, and there’s a foundation dedicated to helping us which you can contact in Carbondale, Illinois. The only restriction is if any of them are Type 1s, or ‘Seers’. In that case, Alex is the only one who can activate their abilities. If either one might fit into that category, you should try to ensure they get down there in the next few days. We’ll give you some numbers you can contact if necessary.”

“I’m not sure any of them would qualify as a Seer, based on how you’ve described it,” Emma told her, “but I’m sure they’d like to find out about this, since it sounds like it will affect them and their families. Plus I’m sure they’d love to meet Alex. I know you said we aren’t supposed to be able to feel much, but I feel tingly just being this near to him.”

Alex and Cate were impressed with the presentations given by Tina and Amy. Apparently Patricia had really done her homework and had made some major strides in identifying Seers and Watchers without having to meet them. They based it on a series of questions and answers, which was important when they’d meet new followers on the road, since they could evaluate whether they’d have to contact nearby families as well. That could further complicate the whole process, but it was still a useful tool in their arsenal.

After they got through most of the information, Tina and Amy started to focus on playing up to Alex, while Cate and Gail continued to talk to the two new girls. It soon became clear they were interested in a rematch with him, even though there was no pressing need requiring it. Alex glanced at his sister with an inquisitive glance, and she, recognizing it, simply nodded, giving him her blessing. Alex excused himself, telling Gail he needed to discuss some issues with Tina and Amy. Gail didn’t need an explanation, knowing intimately the desire of Alex’s followers to get naked with him to express their thanks.

Alex didn’t have any compunction about abstaining from sleeping with Sarah and Emma. After all, he’d only just met them, and he didn’t feel any obligation to sleep with everyone he met. He’d slept with Tina and Amy before, but that was so they’d have the benefit of increased abilities when they undertook their assigned tasks for him. If Emma and Sarah ever took on a similar assignment then he’d consider doing something similar for them, but for now he had no desire to be jumping from bed to bed, especially since Tina and Amy had been waiting so anxiously for a reunion with him.

“We’ll stick around here, and then hang around the lobby,” Gail told him. “I figure if there’s anyone else around here they’ll be drawn to the hotel, so it makes sense to watch for anyone walking in the door.”

“And we’ll stick around and keep them company,” Sarah offered happily. “We’re interested in hearing all the gossip about Alex, and spending time with you is much more fun than spending it with my Aunt and Uncle.”

Alex and the two girls got to his room with a lot of giggling and playful banter. The girls thought the world of Alex, even though they knew they could only have a smidgen of his time. They recognized he was too big for any one person to hold. But they knew from experience that being with him was unlike being with anyone else, and the sex they’d had with him previously, when he’d boosted their abilities, had been phenomenal. They were both afraid they’d always compare any future sexual experiences with that, which they knew was unfair, but it was hard not making comparisons.

They slowly stripped off their clothing while they played and kissed each other. Alex used his experience making love with multiple women to switch off between the two girls, never allowing them to feel slighted, not that either one ever would, each feeling grateful for any attention from him at all. Alex had gone down on Amy, but Tina was currently trying to get him to make love to her instead, each knowing the added benefits of full body contact with Alex. His energy managed to course through a person, and the more exposure you had being naked with him, the more intense the stimulations you received from him were.

Alex was kissing his way back up Tina’s body, intending to kiss her a little more before he did anything further, when there was a knock on the door.

‘Gail, is that you?’ Alex asked.

‘No, why? What’s going on?‘ Gail asked in response, immediately alert to any sign of trouble.

‘There’s someone at the door, ‘ he informed her.

‘We haven’t noticed anyone entering the hotel, and the other entrances are generally locked at night, so it must be another guest. That’s strange, though, as usually anyone would be drawn to you much earlier than this, and the Watchers generally wouldn’t be so forward to intrude on your privacy.‘

‘That’s how I’m interpreting it, ‘ he told her, as he stood up and began searching for his pants.

“Sorry, girls, but duty calls. This could be another follower,” he told them as he noticed the hotel’s robes hanging on the bathroom door. It was a nice touch the hotel offered, and even better, it was between him and the door.

“Don’t worry about it. We understand,” Amy assured him. “You’ve got a mission, and that always comes first. I just hope you don’t mind if we stay a little antsy during the interview,” she told him with a light laugh.

‘Alex, are you sure it’s a good idea to deal with this yourself?‘ Gail asked. ‘I could get up there in a little while and deal with whatever it is.’

‘Sorry, Gail, but no can do,’ Alex responded as reached for the door. ‘It would take too long, and it isn’t likely to be anyone looking to hurt me since no one I know would be looking for me here. Don’t worry, I’m sure it’ll be fine,’ he assured her, although he also felt skittish about the likelihood of trouble.

Wrapping the robe around him, Alex cautiously opened the door to reveal a tired looking young woman with blond hair hanging down to her shoulders, wearing a simple smock and a purple housecoat. As soon as Alex opened the door she looked into his eyes and her head jerked back. Knowing what was happening, Alex threw the door open and grasped her in order to keep her from falling. Amy, seeing the trouble Alex was having, rushed up dressed only in a shirt she’d thrown on without having time to button it. As they tried to carry the surprised woman inside to a chair so she could recover, Alex noticed an older woman peeking at them from just inside another room, watching as Alex and a nearly naked young girl were escorting an older woman into their room. Alex could only imagine the stories she’d tell once she returned home, but he tried to ignore it while he focused on the new woman before him.

The woman began to recover before they reached the bed, but she allowed them to seat her as she looked around her with wonder in her eyes. Tina closed and locked the door as Alex addressed the woman.

“I know what just happened is a bit of a shock, but what you are experiencing is perfectly natural. What you are seeing is a form of energy which supports all living things. Your new vision can tell you a great deal about people, and it’s a furtherance of your current ability to feel how people around you are going to react.”

Just then there was a knock on the door. When Tina opened the door, Cate entered to help with Alex’s explanation. The four of them were ready to provide a quick rundown of what her new life would entail.

“My name is Alex, what’s your name and how did you end up here at this time of night?” Alex asked.

“Oh, my name is Kelly Ott,” the woman explained. “I’m staying in the hotel, and I could feel you as soon as you arrived, but my husband was having a business dinner with his boss so I couldn’t leave the kids. I was really tempted to drag them along with me, but I didn’t think you’d appreciate it. When my husband, Henry, came back from his dinner I dumped the kids on him, told him I had to see someone about something important, and left without any explanation.”

“Wow, that’s something we haven’t encountered before. How old are your kids?”

“I have three kids. A five-year-old, a three-year-old and a little baby boy. I hated leaving them behind, but I didn’t even look back as I ran out the door. I just knew meeting you would be the most important thing in my life, and I couldn’t afford to miss the chance to see you. As you said, I’ve always known to trust my feelings about people, so I knew enough to trust what I was feeling about you.”

“Well, what we’re going to tell you is going to impact your whole life, including that of your family. Also there’s a very good chance your kids may be impacted by me as well. It seems there’s a particular genetic trait which allows people to notice the energy I generate. Since it only affects women and seems to require a gene on both the X chromosomes, I think it’s safe to assume your daughters, if you have any, would at least be what we call ‘Watchers’, which is a lesser form of what you have. Essentially they may not have the visions, but they can feel the energy I give off.”

“Well, I have two girls. As I said, the baby is a boy.”

“Then I think it’s important to get your family here. What room are they in?”

“Room 412,” she told him without hesitation.

‘Gail, you were right, it’s another Seer. We’re talking to her but she has family in another room, so we’re going to be moving around the hotel. Leave the two girls to watch the lobby, and you come up and run interference for us. The woman’s room is on the fourth floor. I’m sending the girls to get her husband and kids.‘

‘Husband, huh? That sounds like potential trouble. I’d better be there when they confront him. I’ll meet them there, ‘ Gail informed him.

“OK, Cate, take Tina and Amy and collect Henry and her kids. Try to explain that he needs to come along to learn what his wife is doing, but try not to reveal too much. I’d rather only explain it once, and I don’t want him making any assumptions based on partial information.”

“Yes, sir,” Cate responded, smiling at him before she turned and ran out, the two girls trailing her after glancing nervously at Alex, not sure if they should leave him alone. They’d been quietly dressing while Alex and Kelly were talking.

Once the room was empty Kelly glanced around the room.

“I take it I interrupted some fun, huh?” she asked.

“Yeah, you did. But don’t worry. This is important. We can have sex anytime, but you’ll only experience something like this once. Well, there are a couple of other highlights, but none are quite as intense as the initial activation,” he informed her.

“Why are you so bright? Why can’t I see what you look like anymore?” she asked.

“Let’s hold off on that as I’m sure your family is going to want to hear the same answers. It’s difficult enough telling it once. I’m not looking forward to going through it multiple times with multiple people. Besides, your family needs to see your reactions and that, while you’ve been changed, you’re still OK.”

She simply nodded and they waited for the others to return.

“So, Kelly, tell me a little about yourself?” Alex asked, trying to keep her engaged.

“There’s not much to tell. I’m a young mother, so I’m completely occupied with my three kids right now. Henry works in an office so I don’t get much relief during the day, but my mother helps. I always wanted to be a mother, but it wears you down eventually,” she explained.

‘Alex, we’re on our way, ‘ Gail told Alex telepathically. ‘Henry, the woman’s husband, was a bit alarmed when I said that something had happened with his wife. I tried to calm him down by saying nothing physically happened to her and that she just learned something about herself which is unsettling. He’s still a bit concerned. I hope I handled that OK.’

‘I’m not sure there was any better way of handling it, Gail. Difficult situations call for difficult decisions. How’s he reacting to everything else?’