Oakswood 6

[Demandred]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Again, thoughts and comments appreciated. Lots of happenings in this chapter.

- Dem


I had never thought I would end up in a bed with a woman. But over the Christmas period, I don't think I did much else. Sophia was clearly an expert in the bedroom, something which her polite exterior didn't suggest. In fact, as I watched her and Kane between turns, I thought perhaps Kane just liked to be dominated by anybody in the bedroom. That explained why she didn't care for what he said to her outside; no matter how harsh he was, she could have him on his knees begging her to ?service? him (I watched, as proof). In fact, Sophia gave me all kinds of ideas for how to treat Kane, and he responded positively afterwards.

But it wasn't just hot, hot sex. I was in my room reading when Kane paid a visit ? by the door, of course. He thought to try teleporting in once, but I found myself getting pretty angry at that.

?Tp time? he said, offering me his hand.

?You just like saying that,? I replied as I got up. He took my hand, and sent me down that freezing helter skelter once more as we landed in... looking around, I realised it was the nurses' office.

?Christmas Eve, even she's not here.? I said thoughtfully. When I turned around, Kane was gasping for air and gripping the wall for support.

?Seriously dude, I think you're getting bigger. It doesn't get any easier with you.? I knew a little about how his power worked. It didn't matter about the distance, it was the weight he carried which tired him out. He could only go to places he had already visited, as well.

I didn't know how to answer him. ?Why are we here?? I asked instead.

?Just a fucking minute.? Kane wiped his brow and eventually got his breath back. ?This leads to the Sec's room. Not that I've been looking around at night or anything, but I know that's where the Headmaster keeps that book of people's powers.?

?Oh?? I asked, interested. ?So we can see if Colette's in there.?

?Yeah. And if she isn't, then the alarm bells can ring. Well, come on then.? He walked to a small white door and opened it; I ducked through the door as I followed, but then again even Kane had to watch himself. It was almost like the door wasn't supposed to be there.

The Sec's room was also empty, and freezing. A draft from nowhere raised the hair on my arms as we took in the small room. Shelves of strange devices stared back at us, and I got a bad feeling about the whole place.

?What the...?? Kane, in his eagerness to look through the guy's drawers, quickly found the most unusual device of them all. It was in a clear box, hardly the size of his palm, a bronze ball which glowed red.

?Put it back!? I hissed. Who knew what it would do? Kane did, and pulled out a sheet of paper instead. ?What's that??

?An inventory of the devices,? He said thoughtfully. He then pulled out a packet of what looked like supermarket-brand hot chocolate. ?There's dozens of these in here too.?

I went to look over, and jolted at the sound of a key unlocking the main door. Kane grabbed my arm, and we were out of there before the door even opened. Back in my room, I took the sheet from Kane before he could get his strength back to protest ? not that he could resist anyway.

?He has some strange names for half of them. What's an Electioniser when it's at home?? There was a physical description, but I was already onto the next item. ?The Inhibitor ? that's what stopped us from using out powers. Then there's the Burgundy Bracelet, which cancels the effects of the Inhibitor.? Kane seemed to have recovered himself enough to look. It wasn't what we were after, but at least it was a good read. ?The Supressor? What's the difference...?? I read on, and gaped like a goldfish.

?Shit.? Kane said, with conviction. He teleported away, and in moments he returned with Sophia in her tight nightie and Jennifer in a snug cotton set of Yummy Sushi pyjamas(tm).

?What is it?? Sophia asked. Kane locked the door and shut the curtains, before turning my music up.

?Read this!? I handed the sheet to Sophia and Jennifer. ?In the Sec's office, Kane found it. Look at the Supressor.?

The girls read through the inventory, their expressions going from interested to bemused. ?'Keeping the students' abilities at manageable levels?' So it's effecting our powers now?? Jennifer asked.

?Sounds like it.? Sophia said grimly. ?Making them less extreme??

?Sounds like it's not working for our killer,? suggested Kane.

?Or maybe it's because of the killer that this was made.?

So many questions! I sat on the bed, and picked up the packet of hot chocolate Kane had left on it. It was plain on one side, spare the inoffensive logo. The other side had an American address, and as I read on some of those questions were answered.

?It's the hot chocolate.?

?Eh?? The others looked at me.

?I said it's the hot chocolate. The Sec came up with something to control our powers, to limit their full potential or something, and he put it in our hot chocolate. Remember what we got when we got our powers and went to the office??

I got thoughtful looks all around.

?Did Colette drink any hot chocolate, I wonder...? Kane said out loud.

?This isn't enough evidence for anything.? Sophia said sharply. ?You should snoop around her room instead.?

?Maybe she has a diary,? Jennifer suggested.

?I'll look when she's in the shower? Kane promised. Lucky for us that we didn't seem to have many morals.

?Should we tell Kyle and Corey?? I asked.

?There's no point. Kyle's as good as a teacher, he's...? Sophia paused. ?I wonder if he knows about this??

?This is making my head hurt,? I said with a sigh. ?Can we forget about this until the day after tomorrow? It's Christmas Day and everything.?

?Yeah. I'll keep an eye on Colette, though. I'm a quick reader, I've read diaries before.? Kane wriggled his fingers.

?I'd hate to have you for an older brother,? Sophia said.

***

?Merry Christmas everyone!? Wendy squealed from the corridor. I opened my eyes and yawned, stretching my arms. We had already opened our presents from one another, but the others had presents from their family. I think Sophia actually waited until this morning to open hers; Kane opened his as soon as they arrived.

?Merry Christmas Colette!? Wendy said as I opened the door. Not to me, she wasn't that daft, but to the towelled figure that slipped past without a word to me. She was heading for the showers.

I rapped a knuckle on Kane's door, which he opened but two inches.

?Thought I heard you stomping around.?

I didn't stomp! Keeping my voice down, I told him Colette was in the shower.

?Oh. Right. Well, I guess I'll just go look then...? When I looked down, I realised he was naked.

?Hey Sophia, Merry Christmas? I called, to which I got a titter in reply. I wasn't jealous ? we kinda shared one another ? but Kane seemed irritable as he teleported away. I shut the door and went to get some breakfast.

?Merry Christmas, Nathan!? Wendy greeted me as I returned to the corridor with a loaf of bread and a jar of honey. I wanted to eat in my room in case Kane found something.

?Cheers Wendy. How've you been?? I asked. When I heard footsteps, I didn't expect to see Colette striding past in her dressing gown. Women were supposed to shower for hours, not minutes! ?Hey! Uhh, Colette! Don't go back to your room, stay and chat with us.? I tried not to raise my voice too much, but enough for Kane to hear and get his ass out of her room.

?Oh. Why do you have to be so loud?? Colette wrinkled her nose at me. ?And you're shirtless again. I can smell the sweat on you even more when you're topless.?

?Uh, is that a good thing?? I asked, resisting the urge to fold my arms.

Colette regarded me with a smooth expression. ?No.? She turned to go back to her room. Shit shit shit, she'd open the door and find a naked Kane in there, probably sniffing her underwear...

I took a deep breath. It was time to catch her attention in a different way. ?What's your problem with me?? I asked. It wasn't that I couldn't sleep at night because she was hostile, though if she was the killer... well... I was just going to have to keep one eye open.

Colette's melancholy frown glittered in a mirthful smirk as she looked at me, her hand on the doorknob to her room. ?Problem?? She repeated. ?There's more than one problem, Nathan.?

?That's not very nice,? Wendy said with her arms folded.

?I guess I just don't like guys who love themselves,? Colette said tartly.

?Whoah, hang on a second. This is the longest conversation we've ever had and you think you know what I'm like? You assume that I love myself? Why's that then??

Colette almost seemed to have practiced her choice of words. ?Because you go around as good as naked most of the time. Because you're always grinning at something. Because you know you're attractive, and you have a very intent gaze. Because when you have sex with Kane and Sophia, you're thinking of yourself.?

The eyebrows which had raised more and more with each point and the jaw which lowered with every comment both snapped back into place when she stopped talking. I didn't know what to say, I was too much of a mix between amused and angry to let myself speak. Colette opened her door, and slammed it shut behind her. That was when I realised what Kane had done, and I nearly broke the door down going into his room.

?Don't break the jar,? Kane said as I slammed his door shut and forgot about the bread and honey. ?Look, I found her diary.?

?You could have come out and seen me, instead of letting me offer my balls for her to chop off.? I said with as much patience as I could manage. I snatched the diary from him and looked at the black cover critically before flicking it open. ?1st of December... shit, does she do nothing but write?? There was a page for every day. ?I bet she has loads of diaries around her room.?

?Well this one's the most recent, innit.?

?So she'll notice when she wants to write in it. Smooth move, jackass.?

Sophia poked Kane's ass. ?Idiot.?

?Uhhh. I suppose I can just swap when she leaves her room.?

?Yeah. You go on lookout then.?

?No, we both can. No biggie. I need the company.?

?As long as you put something on,? I said.

?I don't think she'll care if I'm naked. You, on the other hand, love yourself so much...? Kane laughed, but it stopped short when he saw the look I was giving him. ?Come on man, you know I don't mean it. You didn't used to get so worked up.?

?I know,? I said with gritted teeth.

So we spent Christmas day loitering in the corridor. It wasn't unusual, we did it all the time when we were decently dressed. Kyle came out for a chat, and Corey stopped on his way to the kitchen. When Wendy finally left to go on her daily swim, I sighed and leaned against the wall. Colette hadn't left her room, not even once.

?Just keep waiting,? Sophia said quietly from the doorway to her room. When Jennifer put Britney Spears on in her room, I decided enough was enough. I was fed up, and consequently in the mood for something... I put my hand on Kane's shoulder, and he knew what I was after. Something Kane.

?You coming?? Kane asked Sophia. Catching a killer paled in importance when frisky times were on the cards. Besides, it was Christmas Day...

There was a scream from Colette's room, and I felt my heart jolt. She couldn't find her diary, and she was mad. Only, something didn't sound right. People didn't scream like that when they were angry... I pushed the door open just in time to see a black shoe disappear out the window after a pale leg, and Colette writhing on the floor. Her left arm was a mass of blood and burnt skin.

?Fuck!? Kane swore as he followed me in. Colette didn't notice us; she just kept screaming, her eyes rolling. Kane put the diary on the desk before helping her ? at least that was sorted, for the time being. Getting to his knees, he said ?Don't worry, I'll take you to the nurse. She has to be there.? The two of them disappeared in a cloud of smoke, and I turned to Sophia.

?The killer went for Colette,? She said quietly.

?Which means Colette isn't the one who killed Ivan.? The rest of the flat huddled in the corridor looking confused, mostly. I went back out there and closed Colette's door. I felt so damn stupid for thinking it was her. I was so certain, though... I guess I could be a meat head, sometimes.

The killer went for another person in our flat!? Corey snarled.

?Where's Wendy?? Asked Jennifer, worriedly.

?And Andy. I've not seen him for a few days...? Kyle said thoughtfully.

?Wendy went swimming. On her own.? Sophia bit her lip. ?What if something happened to her? Should we go out and look??

?I think we should stay here, in a group.? I said firmly. ?Kane can go around easiest without being caught or anything. He can go to the Headmaster and tell him what happened. And look for Wendy and Andy.?

We sat in the corridor, and waited.

?I guess they found out about Colette and decided to ask Kane a few questions. Or something?? Jennifer shrugged. ?Less people in the school. Less people with unidentified powers. Easier to catch the killer this time, maybe.?

?Maybe.? Kyle sighed. ?What a great Christmas this is turning out to be.?

We all got our covers from our rooms, and sat in the corridor. When I got mine, I paused at the hot chocolate packet which fell from the side of my bed. The stuff supressing us. Stopping me from getting bigger. The thought annoyed me more than I thought it did. I dwelled on it as I sat waiting for Kane to return, or Wendy and Andy.

Wendy arrived only moments before Kane, looking confused and a little frightened. ?I heard what happened,? She said in a quiet voice. ?The Sec...?

At that moment Kane reappeared in the corridor and nearly fell over his feet. ?The Sec's using the inhibitor at nine.?

?That's what I was going to say,? Wendy said with a pout.

?So? We'll catch the killer then.? Jennifer said happily.

?I don't want to be prevented from using my powers,? Kane said with a tired sigh. ?But it might be for the best.?

?I don't know how it'll help,? I found myself saying bitterly. ?They're already diluting our powers as it is.?

?What?? Corey asked sharply.

?Get the sheet, Kane, and the hot chocolate.? As he did, I told the rest of them what Kane and I had found. Kyle, who I expected to know at least part of what was going on, seemed surprised. Kane waved the hot chocolate about, pulling an annoyed face.

?That's not right!? Wendy insisted passionately, arm waving included. ?They can't hold you guys back! You know, maybe that's why I've not developed any powers!?

?It could be,? mused Kyle. ?But think about it, it's probably been used on people for years. If it was turned off, who knows what would happen to people here? Old students, too? Maybe it's to protect us.?

?By holding us back?? I asked, my fists clenched. It didn't matter, but telling myself that didn't help in the slightest. I wanted to get bigger, and the more I thought about it the more I wanted the thing destroyed.

?That could be stopping the killer from totally levelling the school,? Kyle replied calmly.

That he was probably right didn't help.

?I want that list,? I told Kane. ?Can we go back down and find it??

?No. Colette's in the nurse's room, and the Sec's in his office. I heard him say it takes a while to get the inhibitor charged.?

?Then we should-?

?Nathan, just drop it!? Corey snapped. ?It's none of our business! The Head will catch the killer, he has to be close. Why do you care so much??

?Because it's not right,? I insisted. I bit my lip, though. Was that a good enough reason? Maybe I was so sure it was Colette, I involved myself too much. Now I wanted to know who it was.

?You'll get yourself killed if you interfere,? Kane said.

The door to the corridor suddenly burst open; we all got to our feet as men in black uniforms blocked the way out.

?What the fuck...?? Kane asked, looking uncertain at their guns.

?Special orders, kid. Nothing personal... you know too much for Geoff to let you live.?

What did Geoff have to do with it, I wondered incredulously. Before I could even think to react, I was taken aback by Sophia; she rushed forwards, and from her hands a rainbow of fireworks flew at the men. The rain of multicoloured sparkles was soon the ostinato to a river of blood which spewed from the men, coating the carpet. As brightly as the corridor lit her, I never knew Sophia could be so dark.

The three men were dead, very burnt and very dead. Sophia let her hands fall and she brushed her cream skirt, the blood smothering and staining the material and coating her hands.

?Fuck.? Kane breathed. ?You just-?

?They want us dead because of you two!? Sophia pointed at Kane, and then at me. I thought she was going to throw fireworks at me, and held my hands up just in case.

?You know what the best defense is?? Asked Kane.

?I think I can guess,? I said.

?I'm not letting myself get killed for your interfering. We'll take that list down, and negotiate something with Geoff or the Sec or whoever. Kane, teleport me. Now.? Sophia held out a stained hand.

?I'm not fucking touching you when you're coated in a dude's blood!? Kane spat, revolted. ?You wait here. Me and the big guy can go.?

?Like you can teleport that guy anywhere now without passing out.? Sophia sniffed. ?We'll walk.?

?Who's gonna look after us non-offensive guys?? Asked Corey.

?Come with us.? Sophia said. ?I'll stay at the front. Nathan, you take up the rear. They won't get past you. Well?? She looked from one person to the other. ?It wasn't a suggestion. Move it!?

I let the others go ahead of me. Jennifer went last, looking at me worriedly. I tried to smile at her, but it wasn't happening. This wasn't because of me and Kane, surely?

Sophia set a hard pace through the school. Nobody came at us from the front; instead, they ran at us from behind.

?Pick it up at the front!? I told them, not too keen on taking on three men with guns. I don't think they were normal guns, otherwise I'd be holier than a vicar by now. They were burgandy, and probably a creation of the Sec's.

?Give me a piggyback, Nathe,? Jennifer instructed. I did as she said, and when she was up there I could hear clattering on the floor behind me. When I looked, I saw Jennifer was leaving a trail of hard, round sweets behind for the men to stumble upon. Lots of them, the colour of the tiled floor.

We stopped at the Sec's office, and Sophia seemed less certain than before. The fit of assertiveness which had taken her over seemed to have drained away for the time being.

?You have the inventory you took?? She asked. Kane held it up, and she tried the door. It was locked.

?Come here,? Corey said as he opened it.

The ginger Sec was sat at his desk, holding what I knew to be the Inhibitor in front of him. He looked up, and went a whole new shade of sickly.

?You're here to kill me?? He asked weakly.

?No...? Sophia took the inventory and held it out. ?We're here to discuss terms.?

?Terms?? The Sec held out his hand; Sophia handed the sheet over. ?You took this??

?No, I'm bringing it back. They took it.? A thumb jerked at Kane and I. ?And the hot chocolate too."

?Wait, you didn't know we took it?? I asked.

The Sec shook his head. ?No, I... but... you don't know, do you??

?Know what?? Sophia asked. I felt the hairs on my arms rise; he had no idea, none at all, what we knew. But Geoff did.

The Sec looked incredulous, then he began to laugh. Loudly. ?Oh, we're all going to die!? He said. ?I could have put this shield down, you know, given another hour. Now we know who the killer is, and we can't stop her.?

?What? You know?? Kyle asked, with wide eyes.

?It was when Colette was brought to us. She saw who attacked her. So now we know, and we're too late to do anything.?

?No we're not,? Sophia said. ?We can still catch this woman when you sort the Inhibitor out...?

?Oh, no you can't.? Wendy said softly.

The Sec was thrown back against the wall by an invisible force. Wendy looked calmer than I had ever seen her, and it freaked me out more than seeing the burning corpse in the bonfire. Her shoes... they were the shoes leaving Colette's window. I could see it now, and I was too late to do anything.

One by one, people were thrown away from Wendy. Sophia hit a bookcase, and it landed on her before she could lift her head from the floor. Kane smacked his head on the corner of the desk, Kyle tried to leave as a poodle but he was unceremoniously thrown out into the corridor. Corey was thrown into the wall opposite Sophia, and Jennifer was pulled out into the corridor as well.

It happened too fast to do anything about. Wendy looked at me and I knew I was next. I felt the force on my arms, my legs, my whole body. But then I realised I was resisting the force. I didn't mean to, but somehow my strength was countering her... what was it? Gravity?

?You make things so hard for me, Nathan!? Wendy snarled.

?Fuck you Wendy!? I found myself saying. ?What did Ivan do to you? That guy in the bonfire? Colette??

I heard voices from outside; the men with the guns. But the door swung shut on them, and I knew it wasn't going to open again.

?It was an accident, the first time.? I could feel Wendy putting more force against me; my muscles tensed against her. ?I was so afraid, when it manifested itself. Turned his skin inside out.? She gave a smile, and I saw her eyes were an angry shade of red. A dark red, crimson almost. ?But nobody saw. Nobody caught me. Nobody realised it was me, or detected my power being used. I call it force.? The strength upped another level, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead. I could feel she was trying to do to me what she did to the others. But my body still resisted, and it was starting to hurt.

?Do you know what different coloured eyes means, Nathan?? She asked. ?They mean you aren't the same person who arrived at Oakswood. I hate Colette for how rude she was, but she was right. You're not the same person who came here, the shy skinny guy who liked hoodies and alternative music.?

?So you're not the same person either then?? I asked, with gritted teeth.

?Not when I use my power,? was the stoic reply. Ditzy Wendy, a killer. It didn't make sense. I had to believe it was someone else, manipulating her. ?Damnit Nathan, why do you resist me? The others are so easy to keep down, but you just won't give up will you??

It wasn't like I had a choice. My muscles were scrunching and tensing at the force; it was like I was lifting the heaviest weights, only they were getting steadily heavier. I was sweating badly, and certain that soon she would overpower me.

But she didn't. I felt a familiar ecstatic feeling, almost enough to make me fall back, and when I looked at my body I saw I was getting more muscular. The resistance had to be giving me a killer workout, or something along those lines! I fought against the force Wendy threw at me, and my shirt stretched against my swelling chest. My shoulders tugged at the sleeves, making them fall back. This was supported by the biceps which were thickening, as were the forearms. My hands grew to stay in proportion, I found as I clawed my fingers. It was starting to feel like I was walking in a very strong wind, but I was starting to overpower the wind. As I lifted a leg, I realised I had filled my sweats completely, the material hugging against me. That one step forwards seemed to spur my body on to even more growth, I realised as my shirts split down the front.

?What ? you can't do this!? Wendy screeched at me, and I could tell she was throwing everything she had against me.

I reached out with my hand; the bulging arm tensed as I gripped at her throat. With that motion the force against me stopped, and I nearly fell over with the sudden freedom I felt. I lifted her up, holding the killer in front of me. But it was a set of blue eyes I was met with, not blood red.

?Nathan,? Wendy said softly. ?Your eyes... are like burnished gold.? Then her eyes closed, and I dropped her like a rock. She went so cold, so suddenly.

There was a shuffling noise from the desk as I saw the Sec get to his feet, slowly. ?Nathan,? he said calmly. ?Nathan. Don't do anything stupid.?

?What are you on about?? I asked, ?I just stopped her from flooring the whole school.? Then I looked past him, at the drafty window. Heck, if I saw myself just now I think I would have reacted the same. I ran a hand along my biceps, my mouth open slightly at the bulging muscles. My sweats were stretched over my massive thighs, and it was clear that I had a hard-on. I was too stoked to really get hung up on that, though. I was so broad, so thick.... and my eyes! Clear in the glass, they really were a golden colour.

The Sec was watching me very closely, but he seemed to believe that I wasn't about to beat my chest and holler.

?Holy shit Nathe,? Kane breathed from behind me. I wasn't any taller, but I was much wider, and Kane seemed all the more skinny for it.

?Sophia,? I realised. I lifted the bookshelf with no effort, shoving it back against the wall. Sophia groaned, but she was alive at least.

That was when the nurse bustled in, somehow summoned by the Sec it seemed. She looked up at me, then down at my body, then back up once more. ?Can you lift ? oh, of course you can. Bring her in, she needs a lie down somewhere soft.? So carefully I scooped Sophia up, holding her very gingerly as I took her through after the nurse. The door seemed even smaller, my shoulders brushing the sides.

?Put her here,? the nurse said as we approached a set of beds. I put her down as carefully as I could. Sophia seemed disorientated, but she had hit herself pretty hard.

?How's Colette?? I asked.

?She'll be fine, though she might have a few scars on her arm.?

?Oh.? With that I went back through to see how the others were. Kane, Corey and the Sec stood over Wendy's body.

?Is she dead, then?? Corey asked.

?No, she's just out of it.? The Sec clipped a burgundy bracelet to her. ?This will stop her from using her.... gift.? His mouth twisted as he returned to his desk. ?So, you found out about the suppressor, if you read this list??

?Well, yeah.? Kane said. ?Isn't that what Geoff wants us killed over??

?He doesn't know about this. I'm sure he has his reasons... but I'll talk to him.? The Sec waved the subject away like it was nothing. ?You can just stay here, I'll send a message.?

?The men were outside,? Corey muttered as he headed to the door. When he opened it, nobody was there.

?What happened to Kyle and Jennifer?? He asked, looking each way.

The Sec muttered some choice phrases as he picked up the phone. A moment later, he put it down looking relieved. ?Geoff apologises for the inconvenience, and your friends will be back in the flat when you get back.?

?Inconvenience?? Kane repeated, as Corey darted out the door ? probably to see if Kyle was alright. ?They tried to fucking kill us.?

?Yes... that's pretty bad,? Agreed the Sec. ?You did have a killer with you, though. I suppose they thought you knew, and went along with it. I'm sure it was all a misunderstanding. In any case, you stopped her.? The Sec sighed, and looked tired beyond his middle-aged years. ?Can I get you boys a drink or anything??

?Nothing to suppress me any more, thanks? I said drily.

?Hmm, yes, that hot chocolate.? The Sec grinned. Actually grinned! ?Not the best way to inhibit people, especially if they don't like hot chocolate.?

?Like Wendy,? Kane said slowly.

?Yeah. Luckily for us, the effects can be dissolved just by breaking this.? The Sec pulled out the strange glowing ball in a box.

?You're gonna break it?? I asked.

?Well, I'm going to have to. You found out about it, and the Headmaster doesn't know. The only problem is, it's not made of glass or anything. This wouldn't break if I threw it off the top floor of the building.?

?You're stood in the same room as a guy with superhuman strength,? I pointed out.

?True. That little display between yourself and Wendy was most...? He looked me over with a critical eye, ?Visual. Wendy's gravity manipulation and your seemingly exponential strength clashed.?

?If I could manipulate gravity I'd fly, I think. Not kill people,? Kane said sourly.

?If I could teleport I would stay out of other people's rooms,? The Sec pointed out.

I held my hand out. ?I'll break the suppressor,? I offered. The Sec handed it over, and I felt the weight of it in my hands.

?I wouldn't do it down here. People all over the country are going to feel pretty strange, and I can't count you boys out. After all, you had more than one drink didn't you.?

?I'll do it in my room,? I assured the Sec.

?It would probably be prudent if we never mentioned this to anybody. The killer was caught, and it was a happy ending for everyone.?

?Great. Now, let's go...? I began to leave, but the Sec called me back.

?Don't you want to know what the deal is with different coloured eyes?? He asked.

?Eh?? I asked, turning around.

?I want to know,? Kane said loudly.

?Then take a seat.? The offer was for me more than Kane ? after all, I was the one with the new eye colour. When I sat on the chair, it creaked dangerously. It felt too small, and as a result I tried not to move much. Kane smirked at me as he sat down, and crossed his legs on the chair. I used to enjoy doing that, when I could fit.

?Different eye colours, when it's boiled down, represent the soul of a particularly strong power. When it reaches a certain stage, your eye colour changes.? The Sec shrugged. ?Your power is always active, as we call it, so your change is permanent. If I was to use that bracelet on you, your eyes would return to their original colour. On the other hand, Wendy's power is one she decides to use, and how often. When she does, her eyes change for a while. That explains the change in her behaviour; she is Wendy, but she isn't the same Wendy when she kills people.?

?So if you got rid of the power she wouldn't be evil?? I asked hopefully. It was still hard to believe she could kill people.

?No, the evil has to come from somewhere.? The Sec looked tired again, and frustration entered his tone. ?There is a way to purge her of the power, and so the soul. But then she would be a normal human, and probably too miserable to function.?

?But that's what you're gonna do, yeah? Cos she's a nutty killer.? Kane pointed out bluntly.

The Sec smiled. ?We're just going to change the power somewhat. I need the Head's approval, but with the right conditions I can make her evil power a lesser one, more of a gift. Her eyes would remain one colour, and she wouldn't be able to hurt anyone. She'd be happier for it.?

I nodded at his reasoning. It was like taking someone who could fly, and making them hover like Harry. I just hoped they never thought to do it to me.

The chair I was sat on finally gave in, and I fell to the floor with a thud.

?Any questions?? The Sec asked cooly, ignored my new location.

Kane shook his head. ?We're done. Uhh. This doesn't go on our permanent record or anything, right??

?No, you didn't kill anybody.?

?Ah.? So much for Sophia then, I thought. Right then though I wanted to go back and break the suppressor. ?We Tping, or just walking??

Kane grabbed my arm. ?This is gonna knock me out, I can tell.? But then I was sliding up and down, the cold making me shudder as we ended up in the corridor. Kane instantly fell backwards; I caught him as he snored loudly at me.

?At least he's alright,? I supposed as I carried him to bed. As my shoulders brushed the sides of the doorframe I felt my cock jolt. It was such a rush, I wished Kane was awake.

I had stuff to do first, though. I looked in the mirror on my way past, startled by how alert and intent my gaze looked. I guess I had a pretty powerful power. I didn't feel anything taking me over, not like it had Wendy. Maybe the changes were subtle, and I was used to them? I flexed for the mirror image of me, the biceps peaking as my tense chest ripped at the shirt some more. Damn, just looking at myself got me hard! I adjusted myself to get more comfortable, but I found it hard to be self conscious. It looked ready to burst out at any moment, and it was obviously larger than it was before. It had to be almost a foot when hard. 11 inches, at least. When I walked, just the motion was enough to make me wince at the pleasure vibes.

I thought it best to explain to Jennifer, Kyle and Corey what was going on. I was surprised to see the lack of blood in the doorway as I made my way to Kyle's room. Suppressor in hand, I knocked gently.

?No need to bang the door down,? Kyle grumbled as he opened up. When he saw it was me, he gaped. ?Whoah Nathan. You got bigger.? He looked down, and swallowed. ?What can I do for you??

?Just got some news to share,? I said calmly. ?We should get Jennifer and Corey here too.?

Kyle smiled. ?Yeah. They're a little... busy, at the moment.?

?What? They are?? I asked, intrigued. I really wanted Kane to wake up right then.

Kyle, I realised, had moved closer to me. I was familiar enough with the situation to not be surprised as he put his hand down my sweats, letting my cock out. ?Come on in,? he said. The suppressor, Wendy, Andy's disappearance and what the hell Geoff had to do with anything were all forgotton as the hand began to move up and down. I lay down on Kyle's bed and he got on top, rubbing his hands against my pecs now. I had to make a real effort to see over them.

?Your eyes...? Kyle said gently as he worked his hands. ?You could hypnotise with those eyes.?

?Let's try it? I suggested. ?Kiss my neck.?

He did, but it wasn't really hypnotism. Kyle, bless him, he wasn't as skilled as Kane but he made up for it in effort. All I had to do was lie there, and he tended to my every want. The slim fingers worked their way down my abs like I showed him, but all the time I was comparing him to Kane. There was a half-tamed intensity in Kane, one which made his deference all the more exciting. Poor Kyle, he was more like a dog trying to please his owner. Not that I wasn't pleased, I was rather enjoying it, but it wasn't as much of a thrill as with Kane.

Not that I'm a selfish guy, with him feeling every sensitive part of my body. I reached over and put a hand to his tented trousers, giving him a good squeeze. That was when, and I kid you not, Kyle let out a bark.

I couldn't help it; I began to laugh. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't help myself. Kyle stopped moving his fingers around and sat up, waiting until I stopped laughing. He waited for some time.

?I think I'm gonna get something to eat,? he said stiffly.

?I'm right here,? I said without thinking. ?I'm sorry, it's just...? I couldn't think of what to say.

?It's alright... I should have warned you.? Kyle shrugged. ?Sorry, I'm just a bit. Er. Put off, now.?

?Oh, come on Kyle? I coaxed, but there was no changing his mind. I left with a heavy heart, and a raging erection I had to handle myself. Or so I thought; when I got back to my room, eager to sort myself, Kane was awake and sat on my bed.

?You feeling better?? I asked, stripping my sweats off and sitting on the bed.

?Yeah. Thanks for knocking me out, big guy.? Kane swung his leg over me, and put his arms around my neck. He nuzzled at my neck, reaching over for my throbbing member. Christmas Day wasn't so bad after all, I decided.

***

We met in the kitchen. Kyle sulked at the table, Corey and Jennifer looked at one another with dizzy smiles, and Kane was almost asleep in his chair. As for me, I couldn't sit down on one of those chairs without it breaking, so I leaned against the wall. We told the others what the Sec had said, and then discussed what to do about Wendy.

?I don't think I want her here. She killed Ivan, went for Colette, and she would have had you splattered to the walls earlier if you weren't super strong.? Corey nodded as if he had watched the whole time. "She lied to us when she knew she'd done the killing. I don't want her back."

?Even if she was normal? Like, not the crazy-eyed killer?? Kane asked.

?Crazy eyes?? I repeated, and I knew he could feel my eyes on his back.

?I like Wendy...? Jennifer said carefully. ?Why don't we meet up with her later and see if she's more... normal? We need to see Sophia and Colette as well.?

?And where the hell is Andy?? Asked Kyle.

?Should we report it?? Asked Jennifer.

?We can do it when we see the girls,? said Corey.

?And what about this suppressor then? When are you gonna break it?? Asked Kyle.

I just shrugged. ?When I'm in the mood to get bigger.? I liked the idea of waiting, as I had just unexpectedly gotten bigger.

?Like you aren't big enough already,? Corey said with an eye-roll. On the other hand, Kane and Kyle seemed to quite like the idea.

I risk getting bogged down with the particulars here. The next week was an awkward one, at best. Nobody knew where Andy was, and a slightly disorientated Sophia returned later in the week. She seemed genuinely startled that she had killed, and spent some time with the nurse about that. But I think I would have been the same. Colette returned as well, her arm smothered in bandages but otherwise almost fully functional.

Wendy was there, as well. The Sec had done exactly what he had told me and Kane; Wendy showed us how she could hardly push Kane over, and I could tell she was using all her power when she tried it on me. Whatever she had done to Colette, she couldn't repeat. The number of awkward moments decreased as time went by, but there was still the odd moment where Colette would look at Wendy with narrowed eyes. Those looks which screamed ?You tried to kill me and I don't think I'm gonna let you off, like, ever?. I just wanted everything to go back to normal.

It almost did, until New Year's Eve. That was the night I broke the suppressor.

[redkage]

whoo-hoo, killer caught. Somehow I had a feeling Collete was innocent. It's always the last person you'd least expect, though perhaps Wendy was a little TOO perky to be normal

Can't wait to see how much he grows without the suppressant.

[philat99]

I always enjoy a good anticlimax after a tingling climax. Wendy's now "normal" or at least weakened, but with no suppressor anymore what's to prevent even greater terrors to be unleashed? This could be a great ending or just the beginning of a long, long series. What lurks in that wonderful fantasy of yours? Only time and patience will tell. Thanks again for a great read
Mike

[F_R_Eaky]

I've got to say, I've enjoyed this story so much, I'd love to take it, and you, go to hollywood and have someone make a live action movie of it. I'm waiting for the next chapter with brain tingling to see what else happens and my (cough cough) tingling to see what else happens.

[MysteriousMist]

Oooo, gotta watch out for those split personalities. Hard to manage them correctly. Of course, now, the question is if Nathan's personality gets any stronger when the suppressor's broken. Chances are, if a stronger power can manifest itself as a personality change, then when you have a ton of people suddenly dealing with the increase, you're going to have more than your fair share of insanity. That's especially considering some people might not have had something like that happen in the first place, but will have it happen now then their powers surge.

Then again, I could totally be reading into it wrong and you'll do something completely different.

Regardless, it was a good chapter. It moved quickly and pushed the important points out into the open effectively. Now, it'll be interesting to see how some of them resolve.

[Jaypat]

That was an awesome chapter. The killer was caught on Christmas and there's going to be a big bang on New Years Eve. Sounds like a great party.

[chocomus]

Wendy???
I mean... Wendy?
No, really,... Wendy?


Will Sophia get over with what she did?
Will Wendy as well?
Will Colette stop being a bi@#%&?
Will Kane become a sex-slave?
Will Nathan's cock reach the foot mark?
And... where is Andy?
So many questions unanswered.....

Thanks for the wonderful story

[nj.]

Of course it wasn't Colette. She wasn't even there yet when Ivan was killed, right? 'Cos she moved into his room, if I recall correctly. Although that doesn't mean she wasn't already around the school

I like your 'harshness' when it comes to action. As in: don't save the main characters and kill off the less-important ones just because they're main characters, and it's also good to see that they are far from saints, haha.

Still enjoying it very much.

[tagsnola]

... the other posters have said the rest much better than I could. Thanks! This has been a fantastic read!

[Reeza]

This is one of the best stories I've read here in quite a while. The characters are great. I especially like the relationship between Nathan and Kane. Thanks for sharing your work with us.