Part Two, the First Addition

Samantha got up from the booth. Clyde sniggered at the whoopee cushion sound the patent leather seat made as she slid across. She shot him an angry look.

“Keep it up wise guy, and the only thing you’ll be reading is Kathy.”

Clyde stopped laughing at once. Samantha moved smoothly from the diner. As she approached Bill, she kept her eyes concentrated on the back of his head. Bill was oblivious to her approach; he was using a forest of napkins to sop up his spilled coffee, but as she passed a wave of calm and clarity passed over him. When he finally looked up she was out the door and standing in front of the newspaper machine.

Clyde scanned the room continuously. He couldn’t help the prickly sensation on his arms and neck. He stopped scanning the diner to check the gauges on his watch. He was low, too low for his liking. Bill’s lucky break the night before had used too much power, especially pushing against the speeding cab to slow it down. His stunt with the coffee this morning hadn’t been any help either. He thought about getting back to the source to recharge, but he knew Samantha was low too and she didn’t have enough of a suspicious instinct.

The diner’s bell rang at the door. Clyde’s attention popped up to assess any risk. Samantha was coming back in, a paper under her arm. Bill looked up this time too. The woman who had just come in made fleeting eye contact with him. He was sure he had seen her before. He followed her with his eyes to her booth. She wasn’t bad looking he thought. Change the hair a little, maybe. The man she sat down across from gave him a critical stare before Bill turned back to his plate.

“I think he’s starting to recognize us,” Clyde said “Either that or he’s got a hardon for you. Maybe we should shift-shape soon.”

“Nah, we’re fine,” Samantha said as she paroused the paper.

“How’s your levels? I’m at fifteen percent,” Clyde said, still thinking about his next body.

“I’m at twenty three percent. Wow, we need a charge, don’t we?”

“Yeah, but I don’t wanna leave the kid alone. Something doesn’t sit right with me.”

“But Annie said—“

“Yeah,” Clyde cut her off, “and what if Annie’s wrong?
oringally writen 7/29/04 5:22pm – 5:50pm