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Alice and Jenny got up and around after hitting the snooze button a couple of times. They knew where Nodrog had gone with Sherman so they didn't have to worry about getting fully dressed until they actually were ready to leave the apartment for work.

Alice was mostly dressed when she answered the door. "Hello Samantha. What's up?"

"Do you and Jenny have a little free time?" Samantha asked.

"Always." Alice said and let her in.

Samantha was a little surprised how clean their place was, given the stories she had heard. It looked rather normal. However Sherman was right and Jenny came out of their bedroom only wearing blue jean capris and nothing else.

"Oh, hello Samantha." Jenny said and continued to the fridge.

"Must you flash everyone that comes over?" Alice asked.

"What, she is a girl, its not like she doesn't know what boobs are." Jenny said and had to laugh at the embarrassment Samantha showed.

"Well I guess Sherman wasn't lying about that. What are those scratches on your back from?" Samantha asked.

"They are from Alice." Jenny turned her back to Samantha. "She must have scratched me harder than I thought."

"Sorry about that, but that was pretty intense... Do you want something to drink?" Alice asked.

"Coffee if you have any. What did she do to make you scratch her like that?" Samantha asked as Jenny went back to hopefully put more clothes on. Alice handed her a cup.

"You never scratched a lovers back before?" Alice grabbed a second cup of coffee before sitting down on the couch. She giggled as Samantha quickly figured out what they were doing at the time.

"Oh wow that must have been incredible. I have never been with someone that good." Samantha said.

"That's a shame. So what brings you by?" Jenny asked as she pulled her hair back into a pony tail and had finished getting dressed.

"So I have heard a lot of things lately, about Nodrog and Sherman. Plus, I know I shouldn't be, but I really don't know what to think about you going with the two of them." Samantha said.

"So you want us to tell you more about them? Or is it something else?" Alice asked.

"I don't know what to say to put your mind at ease about our little trip later. Sherman is a great guy, and a gentleman, but that doesn't change the fact that he is a guy. I don't like guys that way." Jenny said and sat down next to Alice on the couch. "I'm sure we could prove just how much I don't like them."

"I don't think you getting in her pants would help solve any of her problems." Alice said.

"But it would be fun." Jenny teased and yelped when Alice poked her in the ribs.

"Bad kitten. So what is bothering you about Sherman and Nodrog?" Alice asked.

"Did they really go to another world?" Samantha asked.

Jenny and Alice looked at the other. "Are you afraid he his running off to do things he isn't telling you about.?"

"Yes, they did. Nodrog would have called Azule this morning to take them there. To speak with someone who can help Sherman understand what he is going through." Alice said.

"It's just so hard to believe." Samantha said.

"So then lets prove it to you." Jenny said and got up to get her shoes on.

"How are you going to do that?" Samantha asked.

"Yeah, how are we going to do that?" Alice asked.

"Easy, we call Nightrunner." Jenny hopped up from the couch. "Follow me."

Alice and Samantha followed Jenny back into their bedroom. Jenny pulled out a cloth paper and after looking at it, she drew some symbols onto the large mirror hanging on their closet door. They both freaked out a little as the symbols glowed and Nightrunner appeared in the mirror.

"Something I can help you with Jenny?" Nightrunner asked.

"Yes, we changed our minds and if it is all right, we would like to come and watch." Jenny said.

They heard Nodrog, Sherman and a third voice in the background. Nightrunner turned to talk with them before turning back. "Are the three of you positive?"

"Now is your chance. Do you want to go and see where he is and what he is doing?" Jenny asked.

"No, I. I. I believe you." Samantha said and was for the first time in her life actually scared. Alice grabbed her hand and took her back out to the living room as Jenny quickly told Nightrunner what had happened.

"Very well. We are almost done here anyways." Nightrunner said.

"Sorry for the interruption." Jenny said and reached up to erase the glowing symbols. She then headed back out to the living room.

"How did you do that?" Samantha asked.

"Easy, after the fight Sherman had with his father. Nightrunner gave me the cloth that has the special symbols to reach him via any mirror. It's rather simple magic anyone can use with very little effort." Jenny said.

"Why would he give that to you?" Alice asked.

"Because I can't do the telepathy thing you and Nodrog can. Plus it was in case something happened to Sherman when Nodrog was not around." Jenny said.

"I am so confused right now." Samantha said.

Alice put an arm around her. "Trust me, it takes a lot of getting used to. What he needs is for someone to be there for him."

"That sounds like the voice of someone who has been through it before." Samantha said.

"Because it is. We have been through a lot with Nodrog and even the strongest person needs someone who at least has their back. If only in a supportive role." Jenny said.

"Just because they have no equal in a fight, does not mean they can do everything on their own. That is why Jenny has to go with them later in the month. Sure they can kick ass and take names, but they cannot make deals for priceless artifacts." Alice said.

"So it really is not for the nightmare stuff." Samantha said.

"Nope. It's an expensive shopping trip. If everything goes well they will just be hunky body guards who carry the heavy stuff." Jenny said.

"Wait, you don't likes guys so how can they be hunky?" Samantha teased.

"Alice is bi, so I take her word for it." Jenny said.

"Hey, I am not the only one that thinks that. Most every straight girl in the building thinks that." Alice said and blushed from embarrassment.

"And your mom, the twins and Katie." Jenny added.

"You are not being helpful anymore." Samantha said.

"Sorry." Jenny said and while her face might show a little sorrow, her tail indicated otherwise.

"Why do I get the feeling it is someone else who is jealous and not you?" Alice asked.

"Cindy was a little upset the other day when you kicked her ass." Samantha said sheepishly.

"Yeah, I didn't handle that very well. However, I don't think you should worry about what either of us say about him. You have known him longer then the two of us." Jenny said.

"That is a good point. And he has been rather honest and up front about things." Samantha said.

The three of them jumped nearly a foot off the couch when Sherman spoke. "What have I been?"

Nodrog and Sherman were both standing in front of Azule. The giant shadow waved to the three girls. Alice and Jenny returned his enthusiastic wave, while Samantha's was much more subdued. Nodrog thanked Azule and he vanished into thin air.

"We had expected you both to be at work. That's why we came back here." Nodrog said.

"Samantha stopped by, so we haven't made it to work yet." Jenny said.

"Samantha?" Alice said and nudged her. "I think she fainted."

"We should get going, we are a little later the usual. You boys stay here for when she comes too." Jenny said.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Sherman asked.

Jenny turned from the front door to look at him. "Yes, because I might do something naughty."

With that, Alice pushed her out the front door and they headed down to the lab. Leaving Sherman and Nodrog to deal with Samantha.

"That wasn't very nice." Sherman said.

"At least she didn't do anything." Nodrog said.

"I suppose that is a good thing." Sherman said and gently shook Samantha's arm. "Hey Samantha."

Samantha came around and to Sherman's relief did not freak out or punch him. "What the hell was that thing?" She asked as she sat up.

"His name is Azule. He can instantly take you anywhere." Nodrog said and handed Sherman a pop from the fridge.

"Thanks. Are you all right?" Sherman asked.

"I think so, between Jenny using the mirror like a video phone and the two of you just appearing out of thin air... It has been an exciting morning." Samantha said and picked up the coffee cup Alice had given her.

Sherman looked at his watch, they had been gone from this world only a half hour, but had talked to Roland for three hours. Time was funny, and he imagined it would get funnier the older he got without aging. "That didn't take as long as I thought. I had planned on us being gone at least the two or three hours like the last time."

"Time is not as linear as most people think. It is warped in places. Or is nonexistent, Roland's castle is in perpetual dusk. The castle the council use, is in perpetual morning." Nodrog said and sat in the chair across from her.

"I find that hard to believe, time stops for no one." Samantha said.

"Unless you are outside of time." Sherman said and looked down at the floor.

"Then it matters not what time does. The No Life King, his castle is forever in darkness." Nodrog said.

"No Life King?" Samantha asked.

"Vladimir Tepes or Count Dracula which ever you prefer to call him." Nodrog said.

"I thought they killed him." Sherman said.

"Are you saying he is still alive." Samantha said.

"He is still alive, but has calmed down a considerable amount in the last few centuries. There are more true stories about monsters, angels and demons. Then there are false stories." Nodrog said.

Samantha and Sherman shivered at the thought. "So there are boogie men and monsters in the closet?"

"Always have been. The difference now, is we have progressed much further then you normals have. So there is little purpose in scaring small children or young adults." Nodrog said.

"I thought you were rather childish when you scared the shit out of Cindy and I." Sherman said.

"I never said we were above such things. Besides, it is fun." Nodrog said.

"So the two of you will never grow old?" Samantha asked. She didn't really want to think about the things that still scared her.

"I have not aged since undergoing my transformation in one thousand eight hundred and something years. The Vampire was thirty seven years old. The elf was twenty three and I was only nineteen when they fused the three of us together. Given how long all three can live naturally, we were very young. Also very naive and short sighted." Nodrog said and finished off his pop before eating the can.

"I can't even remember why we had agreed to it in the first place." Nodrog said.

"Probably the same reason I agreed to mine. To be stronger, to do what no one else can... A bunch of sugar coated lies in the end." Sherman said and finished his drink.

"Speaking of sugar, you should call your mom and let her know you are done." Samantha said. She was a little more concerned with Jenny's safety then the cat trying to get in his pants. And a bit embarrassingly, while the sex last night was great. It was not claw the hell out of his back incredible like Alice had with Jenny. Which lead to a few questions...

Nodrog accepted the invitation to come along with them to meet Amber and Jennifer. They had little to do until they had to leave for what Jenny now calls an expensive shopping trip. It was not like he had to spend all of his time with Alice and Jenny. He did leave them a rather short note, as he had learned from Jenny. 'Went out love you both' was the extent of it.

Nodrog stuck it to the fridge as Sherman and Samantha were standing by the front door.

"Aren't you a little old to be leaving notes?" Sherman teased.

"They always leave me one if they are going out. I thought it was something roommates did." Nodrog said and pulled the locked door behind him as they left.

"I wish some of my roommates did that once and a while. They would have been a little more than surprised if they had come home and found you getting ready to leave." Samantha said as they headed down to the jeep.

"How many roommates do you have?" Sherman asked.

"Three. Two of them are out with one of the medical teams. I think the other is at her boyfriend's place." Samantha said.

"I guess that means Sherman is the only one with a place to himself." Nodrog said.

"Lucky me." Sherman said a little on the sarcastic side.

"I would like a little more peace and quiet. I would think Nodrog would too." Samantha said.

"They are not as bad as people make them out to be. They do forget clothes, but they are rather quiet the majority of the time." Nodrog said. Sherman drove out to a little shopping complex Amber and Jennifer were at.

"I have seen that first hand, so now I believe you about that." Samantha said.

"So where are they in here?" Nodrog said as they got out of the jeep and walked into the entrance.

"Over by the fountain." Sherman said.

"It's over by the lingerie store." Samantha said and headed off in that direction.

"You own a dress and lingerie... How come I never knew that before?" Sherman asked as they walked.

"You just never got a chance to see them since you left." Samantha said.

"I know... I don't know how to apologize more then I already have." Sherman said.

"I guess your brother and I need to work on forgiving you... It seems your mom all ready has." Samantha said as Amanda and Jennifer called out to them and waved.

"You will find time does not heal all wounds." Nodrog said and the three of them put the darker discussion behind them. No reason to have his mother worry more then she all ready does.

With their work all finished by lunch time. Alice and Jenny went to their apartment to grab some lunch before Alice went to load the Viper into a trailer. They both thought the little note was cute. Kenny was going to drag it out to the track to meet with Joe and a small group of the officials to make the last arrangements for Saturday.

Jim was stuck in budget meetings, which he hated. Jenny went to the same meeting in Alice's place. Jenny hated them as much or more then Jim, but that was the price they paid to be in their positions. Sometimes they had to put the tools and artifacts aside to do desk work.

"Well, with Jim and Jenny taking care of the bore a person to sleep stuff. We can go have a little fun." Kenny said.

"I see you found us another trailer to use." Alice asked.

"I did, this is TJ's truck and trailer. She is going to prep the Viper for you. While the rest of us prep the Lotus for Jenny dressed as you." Kenny said. He unlatched the rear door slash ramp.

"I didn't know she owned a Chevy." Alice said and helped lower the ramp.

"I was more surprised by the lack of performance parts and custom work. This just has a basic three inch lift with 33x12 inch all terrains. A programmer, an intake and an exhaust are it for go fast goodies. Aside from the goose neck hitch and an aftermarket radio this is a pretty stock Chevy truck." Kenny said and folded the last section of ramp down.

"Maybe she just likes simple in her own vehicles." Alice said and got into the Viper.

"I might have to ask her about it. Just pull up to the ramp, we will pull it in with the winch." Kenny said.

Kenny guided Alice up to the ramps and they hooked the winch cable to a special tab built into the front air diffuser. The inside of the trailer was well organized and rather roomy. It had a sparse living area up at the front. A small seven drawer tool box was mounted up next to the bulk head that separated the living area from the shop area.

"This is a pretty nice trailer." Alice said after they got the car strapped down.

"A little nicer than the one we have. I wonder if they use this to deliver cars." Kenny said and the two raised the ramp with very little effort. It was spring loaded.

"Maybe. Well lets head out." Alice said. Kenny was right, even the inside of the truck was rather bare. The Chevy diesel V-8 was noticeably quieter then the bigger V-8 diesel in the Ford work truck. It also did not ride as harsh.

Alice and Kenny talked a little on the two hour tip out to the race track. The road course was a little under nine miles, and was tucked up next to the mountains. Giving it a fair amount of elevation change making it both technical and enjoyable at the same time. At least that is what Alice thought, some found the track difficult to tune a car for. But when you race on back roads and other illegal venues, you tend to have a little different perspective on things.

"Another month or two and we well be shoveling snow." Alice said as they pulled up next to Joe's semi truck. The trees had just started to turn.

"That's no joke. I hate plowing snow." Kenny said as they got out.

"You are just that way because Jim won't let you drive the 4x4x4 Oshkosh super plow. If that truck can push a twenty four foot blade... I wonder how big of a snow plow the winch truck could push." Alice said.

"Probably wide enough to do the runway in a single pass." Kenny said.

"It is still too early to be talking snow god damn it." Big Joe grumbled as they walked over.

"Oh come on, I love the snow." Katie said.

"I don't mind it. So are we all set?" Alice asked.

Chapter

"We will be once we park TJ's truck and trailer on one of the service roads out on the back straight. As small as the two of you are, you can get the car ready to go while it is still inside the trailer." Joe said.

"How are things on your end?" Katie asked.

"We are ready. Jenny should fool most everyone. Jim is confident we will pull off the switch and no one will be the wiser." Alice said.

"You will have plenty of time, because I have been asked to come up to the booth to talk with one of the announcers. That will be a few laps in, so I will give TJ the signal during the interview." Joe said.

"The officials picked a good spot. From where the make shift pit is, to the track is plenty of distance to get up to speed. Plus it is a little downhill run to the track, so you will have good visibility to get on track." Katie said.

"We got a performance tuned golf cart we want to try out. So follow us." Joe said.

Alice and Kenny got back in TJ's truck and followed the hurt your eyes anti freeze or toxic green golf cart, Joe and Katie jumped into. The track had an eerie silence to it, Alice always thought it was the calm before the storm. Tomorrow would be Jenny's last practice session in the Lotus, then come Saturday. Alice would finally get to unleash the snake on her unsuspecting rival.

Little Joe and the twins made sure the Viper would be in the same class as Wes' Austin. Because of the all wheel drive the Viper was heavier than his car, but had more power. With the restrictors in place on Alice's car, the cars were close enough in performance. They wanted to see who was the better driver. Alice knew she was good, but Wes is a top ranked driver.

"Here we are." Joe said as they got out of the truck and the cart once they reached the spot.

"This is a good spot." Alice said as she looked down to the track.

"Well hop in the cart and we will head back to the semi." Joe said.

"What about TJ's keys?" Kenny asked as he and Alice climbed on the back seat of the cart.

"Just hang onto them, she has another set." Katie said.

The ride back was considerably quicker in the cart. "So what time are we meeting all of you here Saturday?" Alice asked.

"We will be here around ten. We have a couple of cars we are showing. They will need to be unloaded along with Wes' car. Plus we need time to put the Lotus out with them." Joe said as they pulled back up to the semi.

"So what you are saying is be here by ten." Kenny said.

"Yes. Unfortunately that means poor Jenny will be stuck in her hiding spot for two hours." Katie said.

"She is looking forward to this as much as I am. The trailer is reasonably comfortable so only boredom will be a problem." Alice said.

On the board walk on the far side of the city Sherman had bought them ice cream cones. Which he insisted Nodrog try, since he knew the dragon had never had any before. The first few licks were a hilarious assortment of confusion and child like wonderment.

"You can quit laughing any time now mutt." Nodrog growled.

"I can't help it. Even better then the hard boiled egg this morning." Sherman said with a toothy grin. He had to put a hand out on a light pole to catch his balance after Nodrog slugged him in the shoulder.

"So what do we have planned for the weekend?" Jennifer asked as she and Amber stopped to sit on a bench. They were not in as good of shape as the two guys and they had done a great deal of walking. She was a little envious of Samantha's figure and fitness... and her height.

"Alice has something at the track Saturday." Nodrog said.

"That would be fun. Would give me a chance to talk with her folks a little more. Plus she is fun to watch drive." Amber said.

"Frank said she even can drive the big equipment trucks. Is that true?" Samantha asked.

"If it has wheels and an engine Alice can drive it. Kenny told me she can even drive the twin gear shift winch truck." Nodrog said and pulled out his phone to send Alice a text to see what time it was at.

"It has two transmissions?" Jennifer asked and finished off her cone. "I can't even manage to drive a single stick shift."

"It has a five speed main and a five speed auxiliary. Giving it twenty five forward gears and I think Kenny said four gears in reverse." Nodrog checked the text Alice sent him back. "Alice said the gates open at eleven. And you are more than welcome to come."

"I wonder if she would give me a ride..." Amber said.

"I am sure she would if you asked her." Sherman said.

"Well I know what I want to do Saturday." Amber said.

"I have to admit Alice and Jenny have some odd things they are incredibly good at." Samantha said.

"And a few things they are not good at. Like killing bugs." Sherman said. He and Nodrog laughed.

"Hey, what's wrong with being afraid of a bug?" Jennifer asked.

"Usually nothing, but their job is to dig around in abandoned buildings and forgotten tombs... Bugs really like those kinds of places." Sherman said.

"And lets not forget monsters and corpses." Nodrog said.

"I prefer working with the living... I don't know how they can work with the dead." Jennifer said.

"What is funny is they don't know how you can work with all the blood and gore. Mummies don't bother them, but they freak out over injuries." Samantha said.

"It takes all kinds..." Nodrog paused as his phone rang. The caller ID said it was Mr. October. "Excuse me a minuet... Hello."

Samantha watched Sherman as Nodrog walked away. She could see that he was not thrilled about leaving if that was what the call was about. Still she had assumed Sherman was the one who was called first. The look of concern on his face was short lived as he turned to smile at her. "So do you want to go check out Alice in action?" He asked.

"It might be fun." Samantha said. It bugged her how calm the dragon was no matter the situation. It made it impossible to read what he might be thinking or his emotions.

"Is everything all right?" Amber asked as Nodrog walked back over to them.

Nodrog smiled. "Everything is fine, just confirming some information I had inquired about. We have dates for a business trip later in the month."

"So when is it?" Sherman asked.

"Two weeks out, so not next Tuesday but the following." Nodrog said

"That is the part I wish I could do more of, is traveling. Except for when we flew out to visit you, I haven't been very far from the city." Jennifer said.

"There are times it is enjoyable, and there are times it is a pain. I have been to ten different countries and never been to the touristy spots." Samantha said.

"What is it like to be made of metal?" Jennifer asked.

"It is not as great as you might think. It has its perks, but they are rather off set greatly by it's faults." Nodrog said.

"I don't think that was a very appropriate question young lady." Amber said in a scolding tone.

"It is all right Amber. I have been asked that question more than any other. The world to me is rather opposite of what all of you think." Nodrog said.

"And that would be?" Samantha asked.

"I find the world to be soft." Nodrog said. He left it at that, no sense getting into more detail than that. His answer seemed to satisfy Jennifer's curiosity. After their short break the two of them got up and they started heading back to the jeep.

Jenny and Jim were positively ecstatic when the meetings they were in finally got over. "Now I know why Alice usually makes me stay in the lab when she goes to these things."

"They seem to get longer and more boring the longer I work here." Jim grumbled.

"They are not that bad. You two are over reacting." Kathrin said as she walked with them.

"You say that now, but I think you almost dozed off to sleep a few times yourself." Jenny said.

"I am rather proud of how well you did in Alice's place Jenny. You have really made great strides in improving yourself." Jade said.

"How do you manage to stay so focused in them?" Jim asked.

"Just a necessary evil. No sense worrying about it, just get in and get it done. Then you can get back to the more enjoyable parts of the job." Jade said.

"I thought you enjoyed everything?" Jim asked.

"No, there are parts I do not care for. And a few people I do not like working with. Then there are the few of you, that make all the difference in the world. The three of you along with Frank and Alice, I have the utmost respect and gratitude for. All five of you make even the most difficult of tasks, easy." Jade said with a smile.

"I have to say out of the numerous people I have worked for, you are the one I have enjoyed working for the most." Jim said.

"She is also the prettiest." Jenny said, and immediately blushed. 'Why did I just say that out loud?' Jenny thought.

Jade just smiled. "You don't know how happy I am to hear that Jim. So that is why you and Alice are so nervous around me. I'm flattered." Jade said and gave Jenny a kiss on her cheek. "You both are so adorable. I need to go discus your little trip with Mr. October. Have a good day."

Jim and Kathrin watched her walk away while Jenny turned an even brighter shade of red. She then fainted. Kathrin and Jim both laughed. "Alice should be back, I will take her up to their apartment." Jim said and picked Jenny up.

"You really are the father she never had. You are a good man Jim, I hope I can find someone like you." Kathrin said.

Now it was Jim's turn to be a little embarrassed. "You are a good kid, I am sure you will find someone."

"I guess I will see you and Alice at the track Saturday." Kathrin said.

"Gates open at eleven AM. I am sure Alice will like everyone coming out." Jim said.

Jim carried Jenny onto the elevator and hit the button for the floor they lived on. It was a short trip since the offices of the higher ups were on the upper floors. She had come too just as Jim was about to knock on the door. "Um, you can put me down." Jenny said.

"Feeling better?" Jim asked as she swiped her key and opened the door.

"A little. You want something to eat or drink?" Jenny asked as they entered the empty apartment.

"Water, please. I had expected them to be back by now. Even Nodrog is gone." Jim said and sat down on the couch.

"I imagine he went out with Sherman and Samantha." Jenny said. She handed Jim a glass of water and sat down on the couch.

"Good for him. He should get out and do things. Speaking of that, what is he going to do now that you and Alice are tying the knot?" Jim asked.

"It might sound bad, but we haven't even talked about it. I guess it really won't be any different after we get married. Alice and I are still an item and he is just a friend." Jenny said. It hurt to say it like that, but none of them knew how anyone would react to the idea of the three of them.

"Carrel had thought as much. I figured he would want a place of his own." Jim said thoughtfully.

"Hearing about his past, maybe he just doesn't know how to be alone. Except for the time he was locked away." Jenny said.

"I don't think he is the only one." Jim said.

"You're right, he is not the only one. I hate it." Jenny said and played with the ice in her glass. "As big as my family is, I was alone most of the time. Maybe I don't want him to move out. Maybe I am selfish and want to keep all of you to myself."

"I guess that would be all right. After all, I can think of worse people to be stuck with, but I can't think of anyone better." Jim said and smiled.

"Thanks." Jenny said and they both looked up as someone opened the door.

"Oh. Hey there. I didn't hurry back cause I thought the meeting would run longer." Alice said as she walked into the apartment.

"Actually it just ended on time for a change. Are we all set for Saturday?" Jim asked.

"Glad you both didn't have to suffer any longer than necessary. And yes, we are all set." Alice said and she sat down on the odd bench that ran along the wall under the TV to take off her shoes.

"From the crowd we are going to have this will be so much fun." Jenny said.

"I sure hope so. The amount of effort and people it is taking to pull this off. Its almost like a dig." Alice said and sat down next to and leaned against Jenny. "Hey babe."

Nodrog, Sherman and Samantha were the next to arrive. "Looks like they all made it back." Nodrog said as he held the door.

"I was expecting Jenny and Jim to still be in the meeting. Was it last quarter Alice was stuck in one like nine hours?" Samantha asked.

"Yeah, last quarter. That sucked. So where did you take your mom today?" Alice asked as they found places to sit.

"Jennifer and I managed to convince them to go out to the board walk." Samantha said and slapped one of Sherman's hand. "Bad wolf."

"We got him to try ice cream, funniest thing ever." Sherman said and laughed.

"I will hurt you." Nodrog said and crossed his arms. His comment made them all laugh.

"Why didn't we think of that?" Jenny asked as she thought of several outcomes.

"Cause we are more mature than he is." Alice said.

"Okay now you are even stretching the truth. I should be going, Carrel will wonder what happened to me." Jim said and stood up.

"See you Saturday bright and early." Alice said.

"Good night." Jim said and pulled the door close behind him. This time Carrel owed him twenty bucks.

"I am going to go out on a limb and guess all of you ate already." Jenny said as she got up. She picked Jim's glass up and headed to the kitchen.

"The three of us did." Samantha said.

"I haven't. Odd how living with someone who never eats, has screwed up our usually meal times." Alice said and got up to fix herself something.

"At least we haven't gained any weight from all the eating out or late dinners." Jenny said and poked her belly as she heated up some left over tuna salad.

"We have not had big meals, so maybe that is it." Alice said.

"I thought it was from all the... exercise." Samantha stopped herself before saying the F word.

"We know that wasn't what you were going to say." Jenny teased.

"All right, I was going to say something else. I was trying to be nice about it." Samantha said.

"Well I for one, appreciate it." Alice said and settled for a fruit salad.

"Well I think she is a spoil sport." Jenny smiled and teased Alice's tail with her own. Alice's tail was a bit sensitive to certain kinds of things. Intertwining their tails was a sneaky way to be intimate without being overly showy. Plus it would with little effort on her part, put Alice in the mood for bed time fun.

"That is not very nice." Alice whispered to Jenny as she reached past her.

"Don't worry, I will be much nicer later." Jenny whispered back and gave Alice a kiss on the cheek.

"Did he tell you where the three of you are off too, for your little trip?" Samantha asked trying to ignore the pair in the kitchen.

"A country in the middle east, Eastern Arabia. I never heard of it before." Nodrog said.

"Considering some of those countries have changed names and borders dozens of times in the last one hundred years. I would be more surprised if you knew any of them now." Alice said.

"At least in the last eighty to ninety years they do considerably less fighting. We would be hard pressed to find anything there you might recognize. Four hundred years of holy wars and outright attempted genocide has permanently scared the landscape." Jenny said.

"You are not helping, again. And what are the two of you doing over there?" Samantha asked.

"Eating dinner and stuff." Jenny said and smiled. "One of the perks of having a tail."

"Wait, you can do that with your tails?" Samantha asked forgetting Sherman and Nodrog were in the room got up to see what the hell they were doing. She was a bit embarrassed when she realized they were only playing with the others tail.

"What did you think we were doing?" Alice asked and giggled.

"It's just the way she said it... You tricked me." Samantha put her hands on her hips.

"And not just you." Jenny leaned closer to Samantha. "But we can do 'that' with our tails." She whispered and giggled as Samantha turned red.

Alice looked over at the two guys. She could see the gears turning. "We didn't forget the two of you are over there."

They both shrugged like they had no idea what she was referring too. Thankfully Samantha remembered they were here and went back out to sit on the couch. "I am going to tell somebody all of you are picking on me."

"You go right ahead and do that, if you can find a responsible adult to tell." Jenny said and then her and Alice laughed.

"I guess you got me there." Samantha said and glanced at her watch. "Well I know some of us have work to do tomorrow. I will see you all later."

"I should take off too. Maybe I will get my run in, since I haven't most of the week." Sherman followed Samantha out of the apartment.

"We need to inventory our mobile lab tomorrow. From the sound of things, we might as well prep it for storage." Jenny said. Her and Alice took their spots on the couch.

"So the San Fran thing is on hold till spring?" Alice asked.

"Yeah, simply too unstable out there in the fall and winter. It won't be much fun if we have to wait on divers all the time." Jenny said and absent mindedly rubbed Alice's feet.

"Why don't either of you dive?" Nodrog asked.

"Alice can't because of an ear pressure problem. And I can handle swimming pools, not open water." Jenny said and actually shivered at the thought of oceans.

"My ears don't adjust to pressure changes like they should. I have to chew gum or taffy when we fly or change elevation by more than a few hundred feet." Alice said.

"I am guessing from the thought of it. You had a bad experience with the ocean." Nodrog said.

"Yeah. My older brother thought it would be funny to push me off a pier that had several shops mom wanted to go to. I fell in a huge school of jelly fish. I got stung so many times, I ended up in the hospital. Thankfully two surfers were close by and pulled me up onto the beach." Jenny said.

"How did they not get stung?" Nodrog asked.

"One was in a wet suit and the other was a turtle. So I would think like you, her skin was too thick to be effected." Jenny said.

"Were they good looking guys?" Alice teased.

"No, they were both women..." Jenny said.