Symbiota Sapiens - 14. Chapter 14

Symbiota Sapiens 14

Synopsis: Jeremey finds himself inducted, against his will, into an ancient organization that
claims to protect and guide humanity with supernatural powers. But what happens when the price
of that power is losing the brother he loves?

Disclaimer: This is science fiction. To my knowledge there is no such organization as the Guardians
of Atlantis. Nor is there any such technology as the Esseren, although our scientists are working
hard to correct that lack. If anyone knows something to the contrary, I'd be happy to hear about it.

Disclaimer: Contains incestuous and homosexual relationships between consenting adults, references
to quasi-vampiric sexual acts, and may eventually include graphical descriptions of sexual acts
(between males). If you are offended by this sort of thing, please do not read this.

Disclaimer: The aforementioned sexual relations will not occur for a while. This is a "plot" story
rather than a "sex" story. There will be sex because the main character is a healthy, good-looking
young man with a healthy (if somewhat confused) libido. And also because part of the plot involves
his developing relationship with his younger brother, who happens to also be healthy, georgeous,
and blessed with a similarly active (but not quite so confused) libido. All sarcasm aside, sex
is part of life so it'll happen in this story.

Now, enjoy the story...

SYMBIOTA SAPIENS

CHAPTER 14

by Dean

email me at PrettyDean82@yahoo.com

OR Join the discussion

Dom was able to put his exit strategy into motion very quickly. Apparently he'd been preparing for a quick
departure for a while now. A quick trip to his computer and a twelve key combination initiated an untraceable dump of
anything abnormal. Another combination left behind enough traces of mischief to hopefully throw his pursuers off his
scent. Rom Wilson, the troubled but gifted orphan boy, would turn out to have a secret life in cyberspace as the
hacker "Vox".

Those who looked at these things would find that "Vox" was responsible for a great deal of mischief on the
internet. Including an ongoing campaign to uncover what he believed was a secret society of humanoid aliens taking
over human infrastructure a la "Invasion of the Bodysnatchers". His diaries, once cracked (if not by police, then by
any curious immortals) would detail that he was both brilliant and deranged - and not far off the truth.

"This way, the police will think I'm a nut and not look any farther. This "godfather" immortal will figure I'm a
mortal who uncovered a bit of the truth but didn't understand it - and at worst assume some other immortals had me
killed because I was poking my nose where it didn't belong. And hopefully, breathe a sigh of relief that someone else
took care of his problem." Rom explained.

That was true. One thing I had no doubt of - everyone would surely believe Rom was dead. He'd gone to great
lengths to provide them with a body.

Julian had watched, with a green face, while Rom and I used our enhanced bodies to rapidly uncover the cadaver
in his backyard. The remains of the little home-made headstone "Emma Wilder, my beautiful bride, your passing leaves a
broken hulk of a man" were barely legible, cracked into three pieces.

Rom said he'd researched the story when he first moved into the house and found the decrepit monument. James
Wilder, the husband, had been committed to an insane asylum after a bloody rampage through a nearby hospital. Apparently
she'd died of cancer, diagnosed too late.

"How the hell are they going to think this is you? I mean, she's a girl." Julian had asked.

"One of my abilities. I'm a whiz with manipulating DNA. I built a bacteria to alter the body almost a year ago,
she's a he, now."

The body turned out to be well preserved - and significantly altered from the beautiful bride described in the
headstone. The face was unmistakably Rom's.

"Kind of spooky." I verbalized.

"Yeah." Julian and Rom spoke together, staring at it.

Once the ground was put carefully back into place, we moved the cadaver into the trunk of our stolen car,
careful to wrap it in tarp to avoid fiber traces and the like. We took the body to an abandoned water tower, put
Rom's clothes on it, and after neatly weakening a rail on the platform above, tipped it over the edge.

"The humans probably won't bother with a full autopsy. Unless this godfather person arranges one - and that
will be done by one of his own people. Either way, the humans will end up with a finding of accidental death, and
the immortals will figure I've been cleverly murdered, probably by immortals, and cover it up."

"Very neat." I observed.

We left the backpack slung carelessly at the base of the tower, as if Rom had decided to go for a quick climb up
the stairs.

The whole process left me with cold chills going down my spine. Handling the cadaver, the callous tipping it over.
The disturbing similarity of the corpse's face to that of our new friend. The horrible unnatural position of the body
where it had landed below. I was glad I didn't have the need for natural sleep anymore.

The automobile we'd stolen had to be returned to the rightful owners - who'd never realize that it had been taken.
Another was commandeered from a different location for our somewhat quiet roadtrip from the Big Apple to Boston.

"So. You just...left it all, huh? Decide to leave and you're gone?" Julian ventured to ask.

"Yeah, that's about right I think." Rom said matter-of-factly.

"Aren't you going to...you know...miss it? Or miss people?"

"Well. You know my parents were foster parents. If I were really ten, it might have been difficult. The whole
childhood bonding and all...doesn't matter if they're hired for the job when you're that young. But I'm not. They're
mortals. A part of my daily cover. Very much removed from who I actually am. So no, I don't suppose I'll really miss
them."

"Well. Yeah I guess. You don't need parents. But didn't you have any friends?"

"Other ten year olds?" Rom asked incredulously.

"Well...or older. But yeah. Didn't you do like, normal boy things sometimes too?"

"Oh that." Rom was quiet for a moment, a contemplative smile crossing his face for a moment. "I guess you're right.
I did have friends. Did the normal ten year old boy stuff. And in the moment I guess it was kind of fun. And I enjoyed
their company, even. For mortals, they're allright. At least they don't think they're adults. Refreshing, in a way."

"So...cool, what about them then?"

"I dunno. I didn't get close with anyone individually. More like a group thing. A little troup of boys, running
around making trouble all over the place. Having fun. It was relaxing to get away from the intrigue for a while. I think
I'll miss the way of life they represent, more than the people themselves. When you live so long...individual mortals
come to seem very...temporary. You learn not to get attached."

Julian didn't reply for a minute. I saw in the mirror he'd gone a bit white.

"Oh shit. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that last. That was really cruel." Rom suddenly apologized.

"It's okay." Julian said tightly. It hit me then.

"Julian. It's not like that, for me. You're not temporary as far as I'm concerned. Fuck. That woman on the plane
was hinting around at that too." I was suddenly really bothered by this. Maybe it was the corpse we'd been handling
earlier. Or talking to Rom. So young but so old, so fresh faced but so jaded. But the question of death suddenly presented
it to me.

What to do about Julian? The woman on the plane was right up to a point. Julian would naturally age, and eventually
become so old that he would die. And in the meantime, I wouldn't age a single day. And go right on, my life continuing as
if nothing had happened after he died. Fuck.

I brooded over that unpleasant fact for a while. Temporary. Death. Julian. What to do. I couldn't bring myself to
just accept it. Not now that I'd suddenly been gifted with immortality. There had to be a way to bring my brother along
for the ride. Dammit. I guess I needed him too.

"It doesn't have to be like that." Rom said softly.

"Doesn't it?" Julian said morosely. "I'm mortal. You're both going to eventually watch me die."

"Well. Not necessarily. For instance, you won't be aging over the next couple of years or so, Julian."

"Huh? Oh, the um...Caretakers thing."

Julian and I both blushed.

"Exactly. Those Caretakers essentially make your brother here," he jerked his head at me "the veritable Fountain
of Youth. You don't have to quit after the hostile Caretakers are eliminated you know."

"Um. Okay." I said uneasily. "I'm still a little nervous about that whole thing in the first place. Let's not go
there."

"On the other hand, if you're going to be tagging along with Jerome, you'll probably meet lots of other immortals
too. I mean, you've already met me, like a week after he got turned, right? I mean, I know you're not interested but I'd
definitely want to be your boyfriend. Immortals tend to be pretty open-minded, sexually. So I don't think you'd have a
problem finding one. You're really hot, and you're really smart. And you've already been introduced to the whole hidden
life. Not too many people fit those qualifications. I think you'll be a hot item, honestly. You'll have all the Caretakers
you need."

"Um...okay, too much information?" I said, annoyed. Rom sounded like he was trying to auction Julian off to the
highest bidder already. And what Julian would be doing to any such...didn't want to think about that. Already having
difficulty with the idea of him doing that to me.

"Hey. I'm gay, you said that was okay, didn't you?" Julian asked me, somewhere between annoyance and fear.

"Um. Yeah. Sorry. I just don't like to think of you having to suck guys off so that you don't get old and die.
Seems like...I dunno, like they'd really be using you somehow."

"Well remember I'm gay. And if all immortals get a 'hotness' upgrade like you did...hell...I'd want to do it
anyways without the Caretaker angle."

"Oh." I didn't like that idea somehow. Shit. I guess maybe I did have some homophobia lurking somewhere in the
depths of my psyche. Otherwise why would I cringe so much at the idea of Julian...servicing some guy that way. For
Caretakers - or even, no, especially, if he just wanted to. My mind rebelled. Not Julian. Dammit. Not MY brother.

No. I have to accept this. This is my brother, this is who Julian is. And I do love him no matter what, and I
accept and support him. In this especially. Damn my stupid protective, homophobic instincts for making me hate the
idea of him sucking some other guy off. He's gay. Of course he'd like doing that. I'll just have to
get over it.

"Oh yeah. Speaking of that." Rom piped up. "I think Julian should begin taking his influx of Caretakers as soon as
possible. How are you on that, Kid?"

::Should I answer?:: The AI asked me hesitantly. I guess me hitting the roof about it earlier made an impression.

:Yeah. If we're alone and Julian or Rom asks you a direct question I guess you can answer.: I told him.

"I've finished design and construction of the new model of Caretakers. They're in place, Julian just needs to take
them." The AI said through my mouth.

"Take them." I snorted at the euphemism.

"Would you have preferred it if the Kid had said that Julian needs to suck your cock soon?" Rom questioned.

I turned red. A look confirmed Julian had as well.

"Well. He does. We're almost there, we'll check into a hotel and Julian can take care of that first thing. That'll
work out with timing for him to do it again at bedtime, I think." Rom informed us.

"Hell. Are you sure?" I demanded.

::He's right. The longer you put this off, the farther along those hostile Caretakers are going to be. I know you
have issues but in this I think you're going to have to just get over them Jeremey. You told me to consider Julian's
wellbeing crucial to your own. Time to put your money where your mouth is.::

"I'm sure." Rom said. "Time is a factor, remember?"

"Yeah. The AI just explained it to me." I grumbled.

When we got to the hotel Rom wasted no time letting us know what the priority was.

"Ok. I'll give you two some privacy. Let me know as soon as you're done." And with a brisk nod, he was out the door
into the sitting area, leaving me sitting nervously on the edge of one of the beds, avoiding Julian's eyes.

"Look, why don't I just...um...okay do you want to just lay back and pull of your pants then?" Julian asked
tentatively.

I thought about it. I hadn't thought of laying back. At least that way I wouldn't have to see him on his knees in
front of me. For some reason that image still bothered me.

"Okay." I shifted to the middle of the bed and lay my head back on the pillow. Awkwardly unbuckled my belt, opened
my jeans, and pulled them down together with my boxers to mid-thigh. Pulled my shirt up a bit.

"That work?"

"I guess." Julian said, nervously. He was standing at the foot of the bed looking at me. The bed shifted as he put
a knee on the edge of the bed and leaned forward. I felt the first movement of blood into my limp penis as the bed
creaked under his weight.

"Jeremey. Wow. That's-" My eyes sprang to his face in time to see him swallow. Suddenly I was hard as a rock.

"You've seen it since we were kids, Julian." I tried to keep my voice steady. I could see his eyes widen as my
manhood sprang up before his face, he didn't even blink, he was totally absorbed with watching my suddenly hard dick
bobbing against my stomach. Shit. The attention had me totally riled, I found myself studying his soft-looking lips, and
my loins were suddenly aching at the idea of those lips touching me there...

"Yeah but. Not up close. Like this. And...I never touched it before." He was crawling over me now, between my
legs, his face hovering over my waist, so close I could feel his breath brush against the hyper-sensitive skin. Fuck.
I forgot about that. This was going to be intense.

:Um. Let's not let this last too long, okay?:

::Very well. I suppose there's no need to stretch things out.::

Julian shifted his weight and his hand rested on the bunched-up jeans crowded around my thighs. The hand paused,
rose, hovered just above my dick for a moment and his eyes suddenly shifted to my face. A tentative look. I nodded. He
might as well. I wasn't expecting the searing heat when his hand pressed against the sensitive flesh. My hips jerked
upward involuntarily, grinding myself into his palm. I let out a hiss as the head was crushed against his fingers.

"Julian. Dude. Don't fucking torture me man. This is. Just...just do it already okay?" I breathed.

"Okay." He whispered, and then a jolt ran through my entire body as those lips I'd been watching suddenly descended
and enveloped the top third of my cock. Suddenly I was completely lost, my body arching up towards his face, towards that
hot breath and the incomprehensible soft liquid heat of those lips and that incredible tongue that swirled and stroked,
and oh fuck! I was a quivering mass of nerves, completely out of my mind with the amazing sensations he was making for me
there. Like electricity, it completely paralyzed my body, except for the completely involuntary lurching as my body
contorted itself, my back arching, legs pistoning as my entire world was narrowed to the need to thrust myself upwards
into his warm, welcoming mouth.

And suddenly the sensations multiplied a hundredfold as...suddenly my world again collapsed into itself, as if the
entire world and my whole body were now turning inside out and passing through the black hole that was my cock. My
perspective wrenched around against itself and I went dizzy then black as the intensity ratcheted up. Then I was firing,
as if my very insides were liquified and forcing themselves through my aching balls and out through the suddenly
all-powerful throbbing cannon between my legs.

The hungry sucking...oh god, that suction was pulling the universe out through my cock, out the end and into
Julian's warm willing mouth and, oh fuck, down his throat! I heard a dim roaring, no - more like actual roaring from a
tortured beast, but it was coming from me as I came, one, two, three, fuck four, five, and then I lost count as the
invisible tides jerked me, like powerful strings yanking my body and yanking my essence out through my unbearably stiff
manhood and into...fuck...

And then I lay in blackness. Aware of the continuing tides that rushed over my head and out through my cock,
and of my body still twitching under Julian's mouth. His labored breath on my thighs, the jerking of the bed as he
came into his hand where he'd been fisting his own manhood as he sucked me off. I felt him shudder and collapse with
his face pressed into my pubic hair, my softening dick pressed against his forehead and into his hair. His soft
breathing for a long moment, then...

"Jeremey?"

I still couldn't move. My eyes were open but they weren't seeing.

"Jer? Dude, you okay? Jer?" A note of panic was entering his voice. He shook me. I could feel it, I comprehended
it but I couldn't respond. Somehow my will was disconnected from my body.

:What's happening?: I demanded. No answer. I was cut off from the AI as well. What the hell? I was getting scared
now.

"Rom! Rom! Get in here something's wrong with Jeremey!" Julian had opened the door and practically dragged Rom in.
Great. He could have covered me. No, but this was seriously scaring me.

"Oh. Is he out then?" Rom said casually.

"What the hell is wrong with him?"

"Well. When was the last time he had sex?"

"Um. Before he was changed I think. Except for masturbation."

"Oh. I guess you wouldn't know then. Guardians are expected to procreate. They're wired that way. The
programming extracts a hell of a revenge for extended abstinence. I mentioned that, didn't I?"

"You said there are long-term effects. And the AI said something about that too. He blacked out after
jacking off in the shower once. But it wasn't this bad."

"Well, that's a smaller version of this. If it's been that many days...well...he'll be out for several
hours. I'm sure his AI must have warned him he needed regular sex or he'd pay a price. God. Serves him right,
of all the stupid stunts..."

"What? You've never had it happen to you?" Julian demanded, jumping into my defense.

"Well yeah. Because I look 10 years old and find it hard to find a partner who's willing and...decent. I'm
used to spending a week or so like that, to be honest. Which makes it all the more important I find someone decent,
obviously. He can feel and hear everything that's going on around him, by the way. He's just quite unable to make
use of his body. Can't talk to his AI either. That's the punishment for not doing your studly duty as a Guardian.
Enforced boredom. Yeah. Hear that? Hope you learn your lesson dumbass."

"Well. So this isn't going to happen all the time then?" Julian asked fearfully.

"No. If you're sucking him off every six hours or so, and you're taking down his Caretakers...that more than
satisfies the expectations of that subroutine. As long as either the Caretakers or his genetic material are doing
some good. Masturbation doesn't count."

"So. Wait. He might still be unconscious the next time?"

"Yeah. Don't worry, though. It's not like the subroutine is going to keep him from doing his duty in order to
punish him for not doing it. Everything will still be functional. He'll still feel everything and get turned on when
you get started on him. Hell. As bored as he'll be, he'll probably be hard waiting for it - not going to have
much else to look forward to for a while. Haha." Rom chuckled, a bit maliciously I thought.

"Guess it's a good thing I didn't end up getting it from you then. You'd have been dead weight for a lot
longer." Julian observed.

"Well. Yeah." Rom said shortly, clearly annoyed at the reminder. I inwardly cheered.

"So, what do we do while we wait for him?"

You could turn on the TV, I thought.

"I dunno. We should get to work planning an identity for the three of us. Really would be good to consult
Jeremey on that. And would be helpful to talk to that AI of his. Damn useful. And quite the character, I miss that
about my AI."

"What? What happened to your AI?" Julian asked.

"After so many years, eventually the AI and the host sort of...become so comfortable with each other
that there's really no need for dialogue. We sort of...merge or something. Hard to explain. It comes from
centuries of hearing every thought - the AI adapts itself until it knows the person so well. Then beyond
that, until the AI effectively holds a copy inside itself of the person. And then at that point the AI can
basically connect directly into the conscious and subconscious mind and go ahead and do its work without
asking, because it knows what the person wants. And seamlessly puts the answers to any questions or research
into the person's knowledge. It's far more efficient and powerful. But...I remember the old days when my AI
was a different person than me...it was nice. Good to have company, even if inside your own head."

"Wow." Julian said. "But...Jeremey's AI seems to be trying to turn itself into me, not him. At least,
an earlier version of me."

"Yeah. That's an early stage of development. In a few years he'll be indistinguishable from your
childhood self. But he chose you for a reason. You're already very intimate with your brother. And I don't
mean - that, what you just did. You two are very close. The AI will achieve that level of trust and closeness,
but then build on it. In fifty years your brother will have total faith and trust in the AI. It will be like...
you trust your own intellect, and you instinctively trust your feelings, and your subconscious. Well...the AI
will be almost to that level. In two hundred more years, the AI will lose all personality of its own - it will
be a part of your brother's mind."

"Which would make Jeremey's mind pretty...um...awesome then."

"Yes. By mortal terms, very much so. Incomprehensible, really."

"Which would make you...the same way, right? Incomprehensibly intelligent?"

"You could put it that way. I am very old and wise, after all." Rom said jokingly.

"I guess we won't play chess then."

"No. Chess is boring." Rom said.

"What then?"

"Um. I could help you out."

"Huh?"

"You know. What you just did for your brother. I'd love to do it for you."

The little bastard. He's trying to put the moves on my brother when I'm laying right here!

"Um. I dunno."

"Cmon. I'm damn good at it you know. Centuries of experience learning what to do with a man's cock to
make him feel damn good. You know...there are some interesting techniques the Greeks practiced. I could teach
them to you, you know. You're going to be doing this pretty regularly, for your brother. Might as well be able to
make it nice for him." Rom had taken on a bit of a wheedling tone, and from the faint sounds of fabric I guessed
he was touching Julian through his pants. I seethed but was helpless.

"Rom. Cmon. I mean, you're a cute kid and all."

"Not a kid." Rom breathed. "Very old and wise, remember? You're the baby in this room. You and your brother
both, really. Children. I'm ancient."

"But...Rom..." Julian's breath hitched as I heard snap unfastening, a zipper being pulled down.

"Shh. I know, I'm not your type. But you don't need to touch me. Just let me touch you. Mmm, See? This is
turning you on isnt it? You want to know what I can do to you?"

"Rom. Cmon, I just...with Jer'my. I mean, he's laying right there!"

"He's probably bored. Don't worry. I'm sure he'll love it when you try this on him."

And then there were the slurping noises of Rom doing...unspeakable things to Julian while Julian gave weak
protest:

"I really think that, hey wait a second! Cmon, this isn't, you aren't who, Rom you shouldn't...Ah! What was
that! Rom, wait, I don't think we should, OH! Fuck! Rom, no. Please dont, ow, stop. No. You've got to stop. Rom!
Stoppit already!"

The the quick rustle and shifting of weight on the other mattress as Julian forcibly pushed Rom from him.
A silence.

"Look Rom. I really dont want that. With you. It's...well...it doesn't feel right."

"I'm not really a kid you know."

"I know. It's not that. It's someone, I mean, it's something else. It's not you."

What? What the hell was he talking about? Rom looked ten. And he was ancient. Somehow, the two were separate
horrors but combined they made things really creepy as far as sex went. Not to mention that his advances themselves
were making my blood boil. Damn him. Julian already said he wasn't interested in him, why couldn't the scrawny
little brat take a hint!

"What?" Rom asked. Julian didn't answer. I felt like I was definitely missing something crucial by being
blinded to the sitation. There was a silence as Julian and Rom communicated something silently.

"Oh. Okay. I thought that might be it. I'm sorry. Look. Don't let...this situation...mess with your head.
You understand me? Just because...well..you know. That doesn't mean there's anything there. There's a big difference
between this and...what you're hoping for. Okay? Don't get hurt."

"I know." Julian said quietly. They'd lost me totally. What the hell were they talking about?

"Still. There might be something. I don't know. I haven't been around you guys enough. But...well...there
might be something if you give it time. There's definitely a reaction that's more than just your normal...yeah.
Anyways. I think your brother is probably really mad at me at this point. That's something. Get me? Least he can't
move right now, I suppose I'm safe from vengeance." Rom continued.

"Yeah. I hope so. I mean, I hope he won't do anything rash. I mean, I'm not interested. Really. Even if it
weren't for - well, you understand. But you're just horny and repressed, I don't blame you for trying. And...um,
that one thing you did was kind of...um...awesome. Maybe you could teach me that sometime. Um...by telling
me, not showing me. It'd be cool to know how to do those kinds of things for...um...yeah, you'll have to teach me
that." Julian said.

"Okay. Well. Yeah, guess I at least had to make a try with you. You're really hot. And very sweet too. Someone
is going to be a really lucky guy someday, I think. If they're smart enough to see a good thing and grab it. So...yeah
that was my attempt, it'll be my last. Friends?"

"Yeah. Friends. And thanks for the encouragement." I heard hands clasp in a handshake. Well, that was more
like it. No more slurping sounds.

"No problem. You're a good guy, for a mortal. You deserve a happy life. And I wasn't kidding what I said
before, about living long. I really don't think you're going to be dying this century. Even if things don't work
out like you'd prefer."

"Thanks Rom."

"No problem man. That's what friends are for."

There was a long silence.

"Hey, is the Kid still active and working?"

"Well, I suppose he would be. Why?"

"I was thinking...could the Kid still make use of Jeremey's implants and stuff, even if Jeremey can't?"

"Well, usually my AI goes on with all sorts of backlogged construction tasks if I'm under, so I'd guess so.
What do you have in mind?"

"Damn. We left my computer at the other hotel, when I got poisoned."

"Huh?"

"I had it set up to talk to the AI on my computer. We were coming up with some great ways to build devices
that combine modern electronics with ancient construction techniques. He's come up with a modular parts line and
is hopefully well along constructing them - I've been coming up with ideas of useful things to build with them."

"Hmm, working together on the computer. But how? The AI doesn't have an interface."

"It has a transmitter. And the laptop had a wifi transmitter. Easy to network once we got past the language
barrier."

"Interesting. That's a significant advance I think. In the past mortal technology hasn't been nearly advanced
enough to allow a mortal to access the AI at all. Except through oracle arrangments, of course."

"Like when the Kid speaks through Jer's mouth?"

"Yeah."

"That's a bit creepy."

"Well, the older civilizations felt the same way." Rom laughed.

"This way...the AI doesn't even have to seem like anyone special. He can just be anonymous, some person on the
net. And when we network with the laptop...its basically as if I have access to a supercomputer AND a really clever
programmer helping me out."

"You sound like you work well together."

"Hell yeah. We'd better. He's supposed to be me, after all."

"So. We'll have to secure a laptop as soon as possible for you. I don't think we should leave your brother in
this state though."

"Why not? He's effectively asleep. And the bad guys are after me, not him."

"Good point. Okay. We'll lock up the room and go secure a laptop for you. And scope out the city. I haven't been
to Boston in quite a while, it's bound to have changed."

"Wait. We got ids?"

"Yes. I have a large selection, actually. We'll go to an ATM for some cash. Then it'll be you going to buy your
laptop you've saved up for. I'll be the little kid brother tagalong."

"What? I can't be the older brother!"

"You have to. I'm ten, remember? I know it's new. You'll just have to brush up your acting skills. Just try to be
annoyed and sneering all the time."

"Huh? No that's not how it works. Jeremey never did that with me. I'm not sure how to do it though...it always
just seemed natural - always knew he cared but he was so casual about it."

"Oh really? Well...that's atypical I have to say. And that's a general statement that cuts across time, too. Just
be a little bit annoyed and impatient with me. Not a lot, just enough to be cute. That should do it. The resemblance
will take care of the rest."

"Resemblance? Oh. OH holy shit! You scared the fuck out of me!"

"Close enough?"

"Dude, you look like...my friggin twin only way younger!"

"Well, that's the idea. Okay. Let's go get your laptop."

"You think he'll be alright?"

"Yeah, he'll be okay."

I heard the door open and close, locks sliding into place as Dom somehow deadbolted it from the outside.

Great. Now I'm all alone in this hotel room, unable to see and unable to move. I'm going to die of boredom.
Time passed. I heard footsteps coming back and suddenly the TV switched on. I heard Dom's voice speaking to me through
the door.

"Just wanted to scare ya. Don't worry, I know what it's like from long experience. Wouldn't leave you totally cut
off like that dude. TV helps a little. Later..."

And then the footsteps faded away and I was left listening to daytime TV. Oprah. Shit.

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