Chapter #43New Boss, Same Old Job by: Seuzz   "I'll go back over to Westside," you say. "We're both kind of nervous about what's probably going on over there."
Joe shrugs again and takes out his cell; a quick phone call later, and the Patterson-golem is on its way over. Joe's brow furrows thoughtfully. "What are we gonna tell people about Prescott?"
"Tell 'em he's still at Eastman, he made senior partner." You smirk. "He has, in a manner of speaking."
"Yeah," Joe drawls. "Thing is, it seems kinda pointless, your going back to Westside, when I got a golem out there already."
"But he can't boss anyone around, because they think it's just a golem. Anyway, the real point of me going back is to actually be you."
"What do you mean?" His tone is sharp.
"You're staying out here is because of Durras and his brother. You can't let them go. Not with everything they know. If any of the other guys in that secret society of theirs comes snooping around— Are you gonna check out that professor at the university? The one whatsisnuts found out about?"
Joe's face tightens, and you can tell that again you've surprised him: You know all about Frank and Joe Durras, and their reasons for being at Eastman. "Maybe," he says.
"Then that's the reason you're staying here and sending me back. You take over for these guys—" You point to him. "And I run the team side of things while you handle the, their friends, and the book."
"I guess that makes sense."
"Of course it does. I can send Lynch or someone out to Eastman, and he can help you set up the Eastman side."
Joe drums his fingers on his knee.
"Make it Tilley," he says. "We'll tell 'em it's Prescott under this mask—" He points to his face. "And it'll be easier if it's one of Prescott's friends."
"I like the way we think."
Again, his face tightens.
* * * * *
Not that you blame him for being a little freaked out at the casual way you've pushed him into the new plan; in his place you'd be freaked too if Prescott started bossing you around. But you take grim satisfaction in your performance, for you yourself are still more than a little freaked out at being stuck in Prescott's body.
You feel a little better when you've got a "Patterson" mask back on. It's a new one, though: the old mask has that golem goop in it. After it arrives, the Patterson-golem watches with a curious expression on its face as your twin—the person that, no matter how you try, you cannot think of as the "real" Steve Patterson—takes off Joe Durras's face and puts an impression of his face into a new mask. There's no mind band—for you've got all of Patterson's mental states, naturally—and you practically grab it from him after he's sealed it. You retreat into the bedroom and flop onto the bed, to jam it onto your face.
You wake fifteen minutes later, feeling much more yourself, to find Jessica Pearce gazing speculatively at you from the perch where Joe Durras had been sitting.
"Hey there." You stretch out a hand. "How about you make me feel good before we both have to go." Your cock is already rising.
"You were right, this is disgusting," she says, and pulls away.
"Yo, me!" you shout. "Will you get in here and tell this bitch I need servicing?"
"I'm right here," Jessica growls.
You blink, then laugh. "Oh, so you do wanna see what a Patterson-pole dance is like."
"No, it's just easiest this way," she says, standing. "I put Durras's mask back on him. It already had that golem stuff inside it, you know."
"The whole point was so you could stay inside one of those altar-boy goons."
"I'll put some of the stuff inside this mask when you're gone, then switch back into one of them."
"After you've let Frank and Joe have a jam session inside you with a three-way," you laugh. Spots show in her cheeks. "Come on," you say, and reach again for her. "Jessica is totally hot, and I wanna nail her in the worst way."
"If I have to call Joe and Frank in here, they will totally fuck you up," she hisses, and leaps from the bed.
You feel yourself flush, but you force yourself to smile. "I never could take a joke, could I?" you mutter through a crooked jaw. "Okay, just promise me you'll think about it."
"If I didn't do it with my golem, why would I do it with you?"
You've no answer to that, but that's okay, because she's reminded you of a different issue. "That golem of ours back in the fuck room. It's not gonna obey me, is it? Because it's got—" You have to grimace. "It's got your hair in it. I'll have to swap out Prescott's golem for it."
"I guess that's what you'll be doing tonight," she retorts.
But it's been a busy day, so you just go home.
* * * * *
"I gotta bad itch," you say. "Right down here." You rub the front of your jeans. But your cock remains flaccid.
Nurse Shaffer purses her lips. "I'm not surprised. God only knows how many diseases you've picked up, Mr. Patterson."
"Nah, it's 'cos I need fresh pussy. Who've you got for me?"
Westside's school nurse holds the thermometer rigidly. "If you're not going to put this under your tongue, I'm going to have to ask you to stick it in the other end," she says.
You snicker. "We'll save the rectal probing for Lynch. Who've you picked up for us, Tilley?" You jerk your chin at the cabinet.
"You're my first customer of the day," she says. "Gordon already picked up yesterday's batch."
You groan. You'd thought it a sweet idea, putting Keith in for the school nurse so he could grab copies of everyone who came into her office, but the haul has been thin and disappointing: mostly sophomores and freshmen, and mostly boys. According to Gordon, Adrianna Burd—a freshman girl—is the only good-looking one in the batch.
Your scalp prickles in frustration. "Maybe you'll have to do, then," you snap. "How much action is Nurse Diesel getting?"
She draws herself up stiffly. "There's nothing in the school handbook that says you can't talk to staff members that way," she says in a shrill voice. "But I only have to speak to Mr. Sagansky—"
"You say one word to Sagansky and you'll be stuck in that body," you retort. "But I'm just jerking your chain. Actually, I came by to tell you that you can resign your position early. Lynch'll be here after lunch. Him and Keith Tilley are gonna get in a fight, and you'll have to repair the damage. While they're in here, Jason will switch with you."
"Really?" she says, her eyes widening eagerly.
"I shit you not. After school, take the mask of yourself and drive out to this address." You hand her a slip of paper that has the Durrases' address on it. "That's where Prescott is. He made senior yesterday, and you'll be working under him over at Eastman until you get your fifth."
"I thought you said doing Nurse Shaffer's job would count as 'getting my five'." Tilley's whine creeps into Shaffer's voice.
"Stay as her until Friday, and we'll let it count as five," you reply. "Or you can bug out early and work from inside an Eastman hottie. Your choice."
"Yeah, okay, I like the idea of moving," she hastily says.
"Thought you would. Oh, and don't forget that Prescott is your boss out there. If he says you have to start over and score five Eastman students, that's what you have to do." You hop off the examination table as horror dawns on her face. "But at least you'll be out there with a friend." You clap her on the shoulder and smile with brittle insincerity. "You won't have to deal with my shit."
* * * * *
It feels good being back at Westside, where you're a full head taller than most of the student body, and where you can push your way through the crowded halls without earning worse than a dirty look. It was odd being at Eastman, where as Joe Durras and as Frank you had to be nicer to people.
You stop short, and someone small bounces off your back pack. You cast a cold glance back, but whoever it was has already scurried off. That's okay: You'd stopped because the odd feeling has returned—the feeling of being haunted by Will Prescott.
It was bearable—even normal—when you were outside this mask, naked in Prescott's body. But his mind is still here, even though you are yourself look back to normal: Steve Patterson, standing in the hallways of Westside High, daunting any who draw near. You grit your teeth: He is here because, as the brain of Joe Durras explained in deciphering the new spell, you really are him; the sense that you're Steve Patterson is just an illusion. And so even though you are Steve Patterson—you are, dammit, of that you are more sure than anything—you've got Prescott inside your head too. And he's ...
Well, he's not unhappy. He's enjoying the sense of mastery that comes with being Steve Patterson. But he's also pissed at being betrayed by Patterson. You kick at him mentally: Dickhead deserved it for refusing to partner with you.
Betrayal: There's a lot of that going around, most of it set off by you. Johansson is probably plotting something. You feel your eyes crinkle in amusement. It would be easy to find out. You could really fuck with him by taking off this mask and pretending to be Prescott. It would be a perfect imitation, and there'd be no mask for him to pull at.  indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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