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Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 12 Consequences.
Homily from the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God Resolve: I will not take these things for granted. We are surrounded by the amazing and miraculous every day. But we often miss it because our lives are too busy and too full. If we take a page out of Mary, the Mother of God's book, we would reflect on all these things...and no longer take them for granted. Mass Readings from January 1, 2026: Numbers 6:22-27Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8Galatians 4:4-7 Luke 2:16-21
In today’s episode, we are looking at one of the most notorious crimes in the HISTORY of the city of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia. Although this case happened 25 years and TWO days ago, it remains the LARGEST SINGLE MASS MURDER event in Philly’s history… So without saying too much more to spoil the story, JOIN US as we discuss the Lex Street Massacre. RIP to the victims Visit DeColonaise.com for Amazing hair and body care products made by Black women! To ACCESS the FULL VIDEO EPISODE + ALL PICTURES associated with the case. Join US on PATREON: www.patreon.com/blacktruecrimepodcast Follow us on INSTAGRAM: @BlackTrueCrimePodcast Subscribe to our YOUTUBE Channel: www.youtube.com/c/blacktruecrimepodcast Join our PATREON for full video episodes and exclusive content: www.patreon.com/blacktruecrimepodcast For MERCH, visit: www.blacktruecrime.com/shop-merch JOIN OUR FB GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/blacktruecrimepodcast Intro & Outro music credits: Horror by Paradox Beats Original Beat production ownership is retained by the original producer where applicable. This beat is being used with private/owned leasing rights GRANTED by the producer(s). This audio is 100% free to listen to on this show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Four Western Washington counties are receiving $6.6 million in federal funding for road safety programs through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Safe Streets and Roads for All initiative, including funding for Clark County to launch an EMS pilot program focused on post-crash emergency care. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/four-western-wa-counties-granted-6-6m-in-federal-funds-for-road-safety-programs/ #WashingtonState #RoadSafety #FederalFunding #Transportation #PublicSafety
Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 10 Dave & Olivia use skills meant for a last resort.Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Let's review the list of characters: David Belsus – 46, physics & astronomy professor at Eastfield college, a community college in the Dallas area. Prepper, survivalist, has a greenhouse in his backyard and lives in an outer ring suburb. Six foot, fit, short cropped hair. Lupie Ramos – 32, former financial advisor, Dave's neighbor, got caught out of state when the lockdowns started. She spent two frantic weeks trying to get back to her daughter. Lupie has been in love with Dave for over a year. Long, dark brown hair, medium build, and a lovely smile. Esme – 9, daughter of Lupie, prone to the occasional snarky comment. Adores Dave. Becca; 18, Lupie's babysitter, was watching Esme when lockdowns occurred. Her refusal to abandon Esme, as her mother insisted, likely saved Becca's life, since her extended family ignored precautions and died of Duo. Esme, Lupie, and Dave are all Becca has left in the world. Short, medium build, small tits, with short blond hair and a smile that is shy with strangers and beams with family and friends. Janice Wheeler; 33, Dave's first partner to arrive, a librarian at Cedar Valley, another community college member of DCCCD. Slender build and medium height, Janice is 3/4 Korean, her paternal grandfather is Anglo. Medium length black hair often pulled back in a bun for work or ponytail at home. Shawna Cooper; 36, senior meteorologist at WFAA, Master's degree in meteorology from O U, worked at NSSL and spent time as a storm chaser. Whole hog sci-fi nut, beginning with Start Trek TNG. 5' 10", large tits, medium brown skin, dark brown eyes, shoulder length black hair styled like a frizzy weeping willow. Olivia Tyler (Liv); 21, senior studying horticulture at Tarleton State University, near Dallas. Daughter of Carter and Janelle, Dave's best friends since college. Had a well-known crush on Dave throughout her teen years. Since her dad was former SF and a survivalist, Liv is skilled with several firearms as well as bladed weapons. Never failed to take a deer any season she's hunted. 5'10" long, dark brown hair, large tits, lightly tanned, brown eyes, and a wide smile. Melanie Ustanich; 22, graduate student in IT at Tarleton, Liv's roommate, recently found a passion for cooking. Spent most of her life in foster homes, Liv's parents accepted her like family the first time she went with Liv on Thanksgiving Break. 5'8" medium length auburn hair, green eyes, small mouth with a ready, mischievous smile. The ladies came through, leaving one mug beside the detective and swiftly exiting with the pot, several mugs, a milk jug, and a small container that may have just been repurposed as a sugar dish. Verratti pushed her mask up to her nose to take a sip, holding the mug like a sacred talisman, her eyes closed and a look of bliss dawning on her face. It was a short day. She opened her eyes and the distance they contained sent the brief appearance of joy below the horizon once again. Laying her mug back on the table, she pulled her mask back into place. "The man that was with you that day at the range?" "Yes, my friend Carter. He was the one that arranged the time on the range." "And how did he manage that? Didn't you say a few times he was a security guy?" "He runs physical and digital security checks for sites his company guards. He and his guys also get hired out by insurance companies to check out their client's security plans as well." For a moment, Dave allowed himself to forget the pain and use the present tense. "I think you mentioned a few times before class that he was in special forces?" "Yep. He likes to say his civilian job is kinda similar to his work in the army, just with paintball or laser tag gear." "Good." She motioned him to sit close, so she could speak lower. "You've stumbled into something no one seems to be working hard to solve." Dave's eyebrows stitched together. Her tone was more ominous than her words. "Nine weeks ago, a truck carrying seven vaccinated women was attacked. It was on its way to some rich neighborhood to deliver partners to the McMansion set. The attackers covered their tracks reasonably well, so we never caught them. Two weeks ago, a shipment of vaccine got hit between Grand Prairie and the Vax Center. They didn't even try to take the whole shipment, just grabbed a bunch and ran like hell. The chopper that was following them didn't have infrared on it, so they lost track of them in the trees in the dark." Dave stayed silent as she paused to gather her thoughts. "Look, I shouldn't have said any of this, but nobody's doing anything. Your friend has the skills to deal with the problem. And the way you've always presented yourself, if he's your friend, then he'll want to apply his skills to right a great big fucking wrong that's being ignored. There's an Air Force liaison office in the station right now. They're supposed to coordinate a military response to big attacks, but they've been blasé about both attacks." "Wait? Military to take out crooks? I mean, even big deal shit like this? Shouldn't that be done by SWAT or ATF?" She stared at him. If he had to guess, her lips were tightly pressed together under her mask. Her words were tightly spoken as she continued. "The fact your attackers cut their fallen buddies' nuts off suggests they had bonded female partners. That means either the hijacked transport, or the vaccine attack. Maybe both. And that means they may have been coming here to abduct your partners and bind them to themselves." "But that would kill them!" Dave started out as a loud interjection, but at her look, and as his own self-control kicked in, he dropped to a strenuous whisper. "There; is a way. But only if the man is dead. There was an ER nurse on the first transport. She would have known about the procedure, at least in broad terms." She pulled a map from her valise. Unfolding it, she pointed to two locations. The attacks happened here, and here." "Yeah, that stretch of I-20 is a bit empty, even being in the middle of urban sprawl." "Because of that attack, they moved the flights to Love Field." "No rural hideouts along the way." "Exactly. Now look, here's where the chopper last was sure they had an eye on them." Her finger indicated a spot southeast of Athens. "What I'm asking you is to get a hold of your friend. See if he and some of his team are willing to investigate; and maybe rescue some of these women. No one else is doing anything about this. And they are escalating." "Do you think they'll try again here?" "I don't know. Not anytime soon, you gave them plenty of reasons to give this place a wide berth. I can't swear to that, but I'd say they'll at least leave you alone for a while." Which means they may be coming for my family again. Whenever they feel like trying again. No point in telling her about Carter. I'll have to do this myself, but I'm not telling her that. A trained, former special forces operative that still does security testing is a reasonable person to ask to do this. A community college professor that's been trained by his prepper buddy doesn't sound nearly as reassuring. Fuck Carter, why the hell did you have to die? "How sure are you on that last sighting?" She flipped her notebook back several pages. After consulting her notes, she carefully laid her finger again on the map. "Right there." Dave stared at the indicated location, noting nearby major road intersections and the distances from each to the tip of her finger. Mainly, he looked at the roads that formed a boundary around the area. The raiders may not be inside that space, but it was a place to begin. "Be very careful. There's suspicion that some army deserters are with these guys." She took a deep breath. "It's like pulling teeth getting anything out of the Air Force woman about this. Please professor, talk to your friend. I'll contact you in a day or so to see if he's responded." "Why don't I just call you?" "I'd rather have that discussion when I'm not at the station or around other officers." "Okay. You need anything else from me detective?" "No. No, I should be going. I'll call in a few days." "I'll be ready." Hope I've found them by then . Dave walked her to the door and locked up behind her. He slipped over to the parlor to check the window patch for any air leaks. Dave ran his hand around the edges, slowly, but felt no movement, not cold streams. Some of the family had come downstairs, now that the weather was once again outside. Dave sat in a chair, staring off into space while the others red or talked. This may take more than a day, just to find these guys. And once I do, I'll need time to observe, and then time to plan. Food, water, ammunition. I'll need something long-range. My best bet will probably be picking them off one at a time at first. I've got silencers for the MP5's, but no subsonic ammo. It's still going to be obvious when I shoot. Carter has all the subsonic ammo. Imagine the look on the face of whoever finds his armory. Fuck, what if they just bulldoze the place? Yeah, Liv and I need to try and get his weapons and equipment. Wait, I have subsonic.22LR. I could use that for the first few. Fuck, I'm really doing this. That means I'll be gone for a few days. It's already been two days for Rebecca, and she's on such a short fuse. We really ought to ask the vaccine experts why that is. Gee, what a call to make. "Hey, vaccine guys? Yeah, look, I've got this eighteen year old cutie that just insists on having sex every four days. Like, she's climbing the walls by day five. What's up with that?" I'm sure they'll have all kinds of sympathy. Well, I have my first thing I've got to do before I go. Dave found Becca in the room she and Reena shared. The one they'd previously used as a 'hotel room' the night the ladies put together for prom. Reena was not around. "Hey, sexy nerd girl, what're you up to?" Becca rolled on to her back from her book reading. Her face was glowing, though she was also blushing from her scalp to, well, lower than her shirt collar. She very cutely bit her lower lip. Dave chuckled. "You are so damn cute, ya know that?" Her face twisted a little. "Demotion huh? I've gone from sexy to cute in less than a minute." "One does not preclude the other. There is an intersection of the two. In my opinion, you exist within that intersection." "God, you know how weirdly sexy it is that you can talk math about sex?" "You know how great it is that you're one of two partners I can talk to that way? Most of the others either won't get it, or will be turned off by it." The radiant look Becca got from the compliment was exactly what Dave was going for. She wasn't just a teen hottie, or gamer girl, or some other check box. She was his younger nerd partner that he got to introduce to so many things he loved that were new to her. Or, things she'd heard about, but not yet experienced. And she was fun in bed. Becca's hand slipped to the hem of her t-shirt. Dave stepped swiftly up to her bed and grabbed her hands. He pulled her around so her ass hung off the edge of the bed and her head was braced against the wall. She and Dave were still experimenting with different ways to have sex. She'd recently mentioned that quickies sounded kinda hot. Dave figured now would be a good time to try. He grabbed her shorts and panties at the hips and pulled both down to her calves, bringing her legs straight up in the same motion. Dave leaned against her, her ankles on one of his shoulders, as he unbuttoned his pants and shoved pants and boxers to mid-thigh. The aroma of Becca's arousal reached Dave's nostrils, matching the signal that her panting breath and lust-filled eyes were sending. Truth to be told, he was fairly revved as well. The little gasp she gave as he hand-fed his mostly hard cock into her saturated pussy was delicious. Dave leaned in closer, folding her legs back onto her body, her ankles on either side of his head, her shorts against his collarbone. He drilled her fast and hard. This wasn't love making, wasn't a tantric exercise, and was not 'the full Dave'. A quickie was just that; hard, fast, and get 'er done. Becca's cute little huffs and grunts urged him to keep going, her moist, rippling channel gripping his shaft and egging him on. In due time, Dave felt that familiar tingle in his balls rising up through his cock and he began firing his hot seed into her eager passage. Becca shuddered and convulsed the same as if Dave had taken most of an hour lifting her to ecstatic heights. Dave leaned a bit further in to kiss Becca tenderly on the lips. Becca giggled. "That was fun." "Good, we can add that to the repertoire," Dave said, buckling his pants. He leaned in for another kiss, this one with just a moment of lingering, before walking away. Becca's eyes shone brightly as they followed him. Now I wait. Dave spent the rest of the evening sitting with his ladies, sometimes talking, mostly listening. Lupie called everyone to the dinner table. A nice warm casserole that soothed the insides after most of the day with the inside matching the weather outside. Downstairs anyway. Mostly what Dave remembered from the evening was looking around the table at his family as they chatted and moved on from the events of the morning. Mostly. Every once in a while, someone's attention wavered, or they flinched from a sound. That's why I have to do this. Dinner was late enough that some began their night time routine once it was over. It had been a draining day, even for those that had huddled upstairs. The emotional impact, the fear and anxiety they'd gone through took a physical toll. "Hey, Shawna, let's meet in my office in a few minutes, okay? I'll find Liv and Mel and have them join us." "Sure. Night security?" "Yeah. The detective was reasonably sure there wouldn't be a repeat tonight, but let's be safe." "Okay." Shawna hugged him tightly. Dave went off to find the other two, then made his way to his office. Even though they'd just finished dinner, he felt a bit munchie. He pulled a half-eaten pint of blueberries out of his fridge and snacked slowly. Each woman smirked as they entered. Shawna started imitating the guitar intro of a certain song by Black Sabbath. Dave just shook his head with a rueful smile. Then he popped a few more berries in his mouth. "We need to maintain a watch tonight," he informed them once he'd cleared his mouth. "The threat is perceived to be low, but I'd rather not take a chance. I'll take first watch, then wake Shawna to relieve me. She can wake Liv, and when Liv's shift is over, she can wake Mel." The way Olivia stared at Dave made him wonder if she suspected his real plan, but she said nothing. "We'll post guard here in Shawna's morning room with the door open. It's right at the top of the stairs, so anyone would have to come past the guard to get to any of us. I'll drag the chair from that room to the door, far back enough that anyone looking in will see darkness, but near enough the guard can see the head of the stairs and part of the hallway in each direction." "That's it. Get some sleep. When it's time to switch over, get up and get moving. We'll have one pistol out and transfer that over. Don't go to bed until your relief is in place." Shawna came in for a kiss before she left. A long, slow kiss with no tongue. She looked meaningfully into his eyes before she walked out, saying nothing. Dave waited over an hour for all the activity in his house to settle and everyone to fall asleep. He slowly and quietly rose from his seat. He slipped in to the master bedroom to find Shawna on the outer edge of the bed. Of course she'd thought ahead so she wouldn't disturb the others. Dave lightly tapped her foot, and she stirred awake. Dave went back to his post while she dressed. Once she got there, he handed over the pistol. "You're going after them aren't you?" she whispered low and urgent. "Yes. It's the only way to ensure everyone's safety. These guys are a danger to us, and others. The detective was so frustrated with the inaction, she told me other events that have happened, but no response from the police." "Other houses have been attacked?" "No, the other attacks haven't been on houses, but they look related." "How far away are they?" "I don't know for sure. She gave me some information on the last place they were seen." "Then how long will you be gone?!" She kept her voice low to not disturb anyone, but there was a 'shouting' tone to her whisper. "I don't know. I'm taking food and water in addition to the rest of the gear." "David, please be careful. All our lives depend on you." He wrapped his arms around her for a tight hug. "I know. I'm doing this for your safety. No more middle of the night break ins." He paused for a moment. "Carter took me through a few scenarios that apply. We had to use paintball guns for those trainings, but I've spent plenty of time on the range with all of these weapons. I won't be as good as Carter, but I'm good enough to pull this off. I'm coming back to you babe." He pulled back so they could look each other in the eyes. "You are plenty of reason to come back." "Me and eight others," she said with a teasing grin. "Anyone of you alone is enough to go fight this fight and get my ass back here in one piece. I finally understand Carter now. Somethings you have to fight for." He slipped away from her and went to the master bedroom closet. In a box tucked away in a corner, he pulled out a set of lightly used 90's era BDU that Carter'd urged him to get from an Army-Navy store. It was not the only set, but he wasn't going to be gone that long. Hell, his partners would all be screaming for doses by then. After dressing, and donning his combat boots, he walked silently out of the bedroom. That he had to pause and prep his mind for. Carter had shown him how to walk quietly in these boots, it just took practice and care. It had been a long time, so he ran through the lessons and practices in his head for a minute after he had them on. He trod gently down the stairs to the gun closet. He typed in the code and swung open the door. That's when the darkness at the end of the unlit hall moved. "Go to bed Olivia." His voice was flat. "You are not going after these guys alone." Dave flipped on the light in the small space. The illumination spilling into the hallway revealed Olivia in a matching pair of BDU. "How the hell?" "I mailed myself a box to this address before I reported to the vaccine center. Mostly other stuff, but one set of woodlands and my best broken-in boots." "Livy, you need to stay here and watch the others." "I need to watch over your ass and bring you home so you can keep fucking all these women that are addicted to your cum." Dave felt a wave of shame at the comment. That he was risking himself, some, but their safety required he take out this threat. That he was; unfaithful to any of these women, because none of them were the only one. Yes, he could personally enumerate all the reasons why, but that didn't change the visceral reaction of a man that never wanted a lot of women, just one that he could be devoted to, and vice versa. "Liv ;” "I'm not trying to talk you out of this. I'm certainly not condemning you for having multiple partners, David. On behalf of myself, and all your partners, I insist I go with you and provide overwatch. You know I'm a better sniper than you. You're better at CQB. We do this together." A cold hand gripped Dave's chest. "Olivia, I already dragged you into one gunfight. I won't do it again." "You didn't drag me into anything. The world sucks and some people are assholes. The same guy that taught you raised me not to just stand idly by. I'm going with you." She came in close, molding her hand to his jawline. "You didn't cause the attack this morning. You stood in the gap, and I stood with you. What you're about to do is needed. And I'm standing with you again." Without another word, she slipped around him and started gathering her gear. Dave joined her. Within half an hour, they loaded tactical gear, ammo, weapons, water jugs, canteens, and field rations in Liv's pickup and got on the road. They were completely in sync, though neither spoke a word. Chapter 12; A Walk on the Chaotic Good Side. October 29, 2020 12:30am The hum of the heater fan on its lowest setting combined with the warm air coming off the windshield were not helping Dave maintain alertness. Livy drove while he checked their route against what he'd seen on the detective's map. So far, it was just a matter of 'drive towards Athens'. Dave snuck the window down a little, inviting some cool air to help him stay fresh. Not too far, though. Occasionally, they'd run into an isolated cloud still giving up a pittance of drizzle, remnants of what passed over their house yesterday morning. Mostly it was just cold. "I miss the little triangle windows that pivoted open on Dad's old beater pickup." Dave chuckled. "Yeah, those were useful. Guess somebody decided to save money and make them fixed instead of movable." Olivia humphed in response. When she said nothing for a few minutes, he reached into the bag on the seat between them and pulled out an apple. She didn't notice until he took his first crackling bite. "Damn. Again?" she laughed. "Fill up too much and you'll bust out that stab shirt. Sorry, it's just;” "I'm eating way more often than the rest of you, and not gaining any weight. Yeah, I know. They said this serum shit has weird side effects. Seems for me it's kicked my metabolism into the stratosphere." "Oh, big words like 'stratosphere' huh? Hmm, ya know, the higher metabolism would explain why you're outrunning me." Dave turned his head towards her, a mock annoyed expression on his face. "I've been faster than you for years. For a bit there in your teens you gave me a good challenge." Liv giggled. "I got faster so you'd have to look at my ass." "I worked harder to stay ahead of you so I wasn't looking at a sixteen-year-old's ass." Out of the corner of his eye, Dave noted Livy giving him a rueful look. With a quiet voice; and one eye on the road; she asked, "Is this the only way we could have been together?" His heart skipped a beat. His voice was deepened with loss when he replied, "I don't know, Olivia. I just don't know. The two of us together would have been a very unusual pairing in other circumstances. No law would have stopped us being together but a lot of custom and tradition would interfere." He reached his hand out and she took it. "So it was either this, or an asteroid hitting the Earth for me to get you?" Dave laughed. "Maybe not quite that dramatic." Their joined hands lay on the seat between them for a time, enjoying the union of their lives as the cold, damp miles passed. Half an hour later, signs proclaimed a junction ahead as they neared their first waypoint. "Want me to stay on 175 and go east around Athens?" "No, west on 7. When we get to the southside of town, we'll take 19 south." Dave waited before asking, "You need to switch out. We've both had long days." "I'm good. Just hand me another Dr. Pepper." Dave knee-stood in the seat, reaching back to the cooler with water, soda and reusable freezer packs. Ice would have been too loud loading at the house, and going to an automated ice station was more deviation than he was willing to take. The drinks weren't ice-cold this way, but they were at least cool. Between the caffeinated soda, and the No-Doz bottle in the glove box, they could fight off the drowsiness the road hum threatened to induce. Weirdly, the squeeze from the compression shirt for the stab plates helped keep him awake, though it did make it tougher to twist around for things. Maybe if he wore it more often, he'd know how to move better in it. With the late hour, and pandemic rules in effect, they hadn't seen another vehicle since pulling out of their own driveway. They crossed three overpasses for major roads out of town before exiting to southbound 19 / Palestine St. The creepy feeling intensified as they took their exit. The north side of the road held a hospital with what was undoubtedly the only ER for thirty miles around. In some directions, even further than that. And there was no activity at all. The lights were on. But no signs of human movement. A few miles down the road they passed the middle school, completely abandoned since March. Liv's hand slipped back to the middle of the bench seat. Dave added his to hers, holding her gently but firmly. Ten minutes later, with their headlights boring holes into the pitch black, Dave's phone buzzed. He pulled it out, noting the time was now approaching 2am. -There's been another attack, this time on a very rich man's estate. Bodyguards dead, left laying there. -Rich man dead, carried off, along with most of his partners. -Last seen southbound on 45, suspect they are taking that to 287 until Palestine. No intelligence beyond that. Please ask your friend to decide quickly. Dave quietly fumed. Another attack meant more suffering that he hadn't prevented. That was the whole point of this crazy scheme wasn't it? Immediately, he recalled a story Carter had told only once, after they'd been roommates for more than a year. It was a 'Boy's Night In' with two pizzas and a tsunami of beer, and some typical action flicks playing. Dave's friend related a time when they'd been too late to protect a local villager that had cooperated with the Special Forces team. The local government goons had not been kind to the collaborator. Or his family. "We found out too late, got there too late, not a fucking thing we could do. Not one fucking thing. Except," he raised his head so his bloodshot eyes were revealed, "we tracked the fuckers and took them out before they got back to their base. It was beyond our mandate. We were supposed to train only, not engage directly. We did it, and never talked about it." Track the fuckers down and take them out. Little wonder why that particular memory surfaced now. "Something wrong?" "Text from the detective. They hit another house. Successfully this time." "Oh shit. What are we going to do?" "What an old friend once told me was the only real option. Track the fuckers down and kill them." "Dad was such an eloquent man." Dave barked a laugh as he texted back. -We're already enroute. -We'll locate them on the run and track them to their base. -Thank God. -And thank your friend for me. Dave still saw no reason to inform her of his omission. Well, he felt a little guilty, but she'd get over it. Lupie on the other hand, might just tie him to the bed and spoon feed him between each woman's 'dosing' turn. Shawna might or might not help Lupie, but she was not going to help Dave avoid Lupie. Hell, by the time he got back, Lupie might be so worked up she'd chew him out exclusively in Spanish for over an hour. In between kisses and hugs because his dumb ass came home in one piece. Getting his mind back on the present, Dave pulled up a map on his phone. "This may make it easier to find their base. They're coming down 287. Previous attempts tracked them as far as Palestine. We'll intersect with 287 just outside Palestine, so we'll pick a good spot when we get there and wait. I suspect they will be an hour or half hour behind us." "K." Dave zoomed and scrolled on his map for several minutes. "There's a community college north of the intersection. It has a parking lot that will give us a good view, but far enough away we could miss something. There's also a gas station and a convenience store on the south of the intersection, on the west side that would give better views, but higher risk of detection. It's probably closed. If we're the only car there, it's going to be awfully suspicious; especially if we pull out right after they pass." "Don't worry, Dad gave me a few lessons on shaking a tail, and on tailing. Just before I went off to college, he even had me drive back country roads with no lights; on the road or car. If we can avoid getting noticed when we first pull out; by waiting 'til we can just see their tail lights; we should be fine." "Let's go for the convenience store first. If it looks too dicey, we'll move off to the college parking lot." Liv nodded her agreement. The silence that followed persisted until the intersection loomed. The community college parking lot had all of its lights on, as did the Exxon just south of it. The Valero on the west side and south of the intersection had its awning lights on, but no more. No lights were on around the convenience store south of the highway confluence. Even better, there were two vehicles parked in the lot. Liv pulled into a space near one of the other vehicles. But not too close. She killed the lights, lowered the windows halfway, and turned off the ignition. Both occupants of the truck surveyed first the near vehicle, then the more distant one, looking for any sign of occupancy. If these guys were good, they might have a lookout posted to watch for a tail. During the forty-five minute wait, neither their eyes nor ears detected any sign of another person in the parking lot. For that matter, there was no sign of anyone around the college, or in the gas station south of them. The station across the way probably had an attendant inside. A low rumble coming from the northwest initially alerted Dave and Liv to their approaching quarry. Without exchanging words, they each hunched down in their seats. Both were on full alert. Hunter versus hunter was a dangerous game. Of course, if one hunter doesn't know the other is around, so much the better. For the other at least. Five S U V, varying from mid-size to huge, rolled swiftly through the interchange. They slowed from far in excess of highway speeds, down to something reasonable for the possibility of merging; if one had incredibly sparse traffic to handle. Which worked just fine, since there was absolutely zero traffic to merge with. As the engine sounds began to fade, Livy sat up and started the engine. She quickly doused the lights that automatically lit up before backing out from behind the vehicle two parking spaces over. Hopefully, it shielded them from the target's notice. Well, that and the fact the targets were headed away from them, and presumably keeping hostages in check. With swift, smooth motions, Olivia got the pickup on the highway following the distant trail of tail lights. Noting the woodlands on both sides of the highway limiting visibility around the curves, Livy began rapidly closing the distance. Balancing that were the few streetlamps and the need to not show up in the last vehicle's rearview mirror. The train of S U V passed under one, went dark again except for the taillight; which brightened briefly; then were illuminated again for a flash before disappearing. "Shit," she muttered. "It's gotta be the underpass for the loop. That's why they went left and cut off. They went behind the embankment. Just take the loop to the left and keep pressing. We'll catch them. Just be careful of more street lamps. I'm not sure if this loop they're hopping on is limited access. If they hit stoplights, we'll need to be very careful to avoid notice." "Right." There were a few traffic lights to negotiate, but both were solid green the entire time the runners and the pursuers were in view. The greater concern was the street lights near the intersections. Increasing their following distance once a traffic light became visible bought them some grace. They also took the risk of allowing the convoy to get out of view over a small rise while they waited just outside the pool of light before making the left at Park Ave. That was followed by mild panic until they could catch up with their quarry. A sweeping left turn awaited just over the crest. Dave spotted tail lights turning right as they finally hit a straight section. It turned out to be another curve in the road. This road had just enough curves to allow Livy to close the distance and remain unobserved. As the pursuing duo came around one curve, the convoy ahead was disappearing around the next. Just as they cleared a shallow 's' turn, Dave spotted tail lights disappearing to their right. "Ease up, I think we're going off onto a narrower road." By the time they reached the turn, Liv had them at an appropriate speed. No sign of the convoy ahead, and greater darkness with the trees closer in, she had to go slower. Fortunately, the road was winding through a few tight turns which caused the convoy to go even slower. They managed to catch sight of taillights and hear engine noises through the trees before they got close enough to be noticed. The asphalt took a gradual rightward curve, but a faint red glow inside the dust cloud ahead signaled the convoy had plunged ahead onto the dirt road. Hunter and unwitting prey slowed again, but the frequent braking and the scattering effect of the dust kept Dave and Liv well aware of their quarry's position. Liv coasted and maintained distance so she never had to touch the brake. To do so would reveal their pursuit. The convoy slowed further and Liv allowed the truck to coast to a stop. "Let's find a place to park this thing and dismount." Dave pointed off to a small pocket beside the road where the trees curved away from the dirt track. Each opened their door gingerly, sliding quietly to the wet grass. Liv and Dave first checked their own gear, then each other's. Satisfied they wore or carried everything they thought they would need, they eased the doors closed, latching them softly. "One benefit of this weather; the gators will be hibernating, and maybe the snakes too," Dave said in a whisper. "Brumating. And probably yes on both counts. The gators will be in the water, but the snakes will find a burrow or hollow log. So stay away from likely hidey holes." "Yes, professor." Dave's wry grin was both smart ass and respectful. Liv's nature knowledge far exceeded his own. Her reply smile was appreciative. Then both faces went blank as the two focused on their mission. Using every technique Carter had taught him, Dave slipped stealthily through the trees. Crouching, he moved swiftly from bole to bole, taking care to avoid rock piles and downed logs. The red glow in the distance was diminishing. He noticed sets of tail lights lining up side-by-side before extinguishing. They were parking. That was a good thing, because Dave and Liv were already on foot. That also meant the possibility of guards on the perimeter. Dave paused a bit longer in his position, searching for any sign of patrols or stationary sentinels. Seeing none, he dashed forward to a new location and watched again for any sign of an observer. Liv moved from her prior spot to the place Dave had just vacated. Morning twilight was in full swing, so the pair had good lighting. Periodically, Dave observed men moving to each vehicle, removing a woman, and leading her to one of the buildings. A few men guarded the vehicles, but their focus was on the occupants, not someone outside. All the better. Dave and Liv found themselves places within whisper distance a few feet back from the tree line. Unobstructed views with low probability of getting spotted. In better circumstances, they would observe for hours, from multiple positions around the clearing, gathering information and striking in the wee hours, or at first light tomorrow. But; those women being taken inside compelled faster action. Whatever these assholes were doing needed to be stopped. At the same time, they couldn't just rush in, or they'd lose, Dave would be dead, and Liv would be dead or worse. And not long after, the rest of his family would be in very dire straits. So don't fuck up, asshole . This had to be what Carter meant about walking the razor's edge. One thing was clear; these guys had no security posted. The pre-dawn twilight was sufficiently bright that someone looking out the window would spot them if they got stupid. The trees opened up into a large clearing. Within the open space sat the parked S U V, two large buildings, and several smaller ones. The two large buildings were corner adjacent and perpendicular on their long axes. They were somewhat longer than they were wide. The large building stretched wide across their eyeline seemed to be where everyone was gathered. That's the building the women had been taken into. Several others converged on that location not long after. About half an hour after the last man disappeared into the big building, Dave and Liv spotted someone leaving. He had someone over his shoulder. He headed for one of the smaller buildings. About five minutes later, it happened again. Time to communicate. He pulled out his phone, already set to silent, no vibration. Fortunately, he had a few bars. -Compound located. Track my location. Stuffing his phone in his pocket without waiting for a reply, Dave slid closer to his partner. "I'm going in closer. I'll get under the windows and listen in." Liv's face was unconvinced. "Is that wise?" "We need to know more before we do anything. I've got to get close enough to hear them. Get your rifle ready to snipe. Keep me covered. I'll pass on the outside of the first building," he pointed to the one that lay along their line of sight and perpendicular to the target building, "and then cross along the near wall of the one they're in. You'll be able to see me for most of that time, and you can see either end. You'll know if someone's about to come around and spot me." "We need Dad's low watt tactical radios." "If wishes were horses, hun." He gave her a quick kiss, then silently backed further into the trees. This allowed him to move more quickly without detection, though he still remained on alert for any sentries out here in the trees. There were none. Approaching the tree line again, he scanned thoroughly with eyes and ears, for any sign of someone that would spot him emerging. With still no sign, Dave dashed from the trees to the near wall of the likely empty large building. There he waited, listening for any sound suggesting he'd been seen. His heart was pounding. He worked to calm himself so he could hear anything over the roar of the blood in his ears. Of course, that could just be the contrast. This rural fall morning was incredibly quiet thus far. Satisfied he was as yet undetected, Dave moved stealthily to the far corner of the building. He put a hand on the wall, feeling the rough brick exterior. It was distinctly not new, but not decrepit either. A few short steps brought him to the building's corner. Using the 'slicing the pie' tactic Carter taught him so long ago; and re-taught over and over and over; Dave passed around the corner to find no one there. Hugging the wall, he crept by, pausing at each of the two doors, listening for any sign of occupancy. By the time he reached the end of the building near the occupied building, the sun was not yet up, but the sky was well-lit. As was the compound. With more on the line, Dave took more time with his pie-slicing cornering technique. The rest of the compound, then the side wall of the other building, and then the back wall of the target building came slowly into view, all devoid of other humans. He slid carefully along the sidewall of the empty building until he was near the corner closest to his target. With his head only he once more rounded the corner, verifying no one had entered the small area bounded by the two buildings on two sides in the time he'd been behind the first one. Sure that he was clear, he crossed the gap to the second building. He watched his footfalls carefully since the area conjoining the two buildings had been cemented in a rectangular shape. Postholes along the edges suggested this might be some sort of outdoor area with an awning during warmer times. A broom at the corner Dave was heading for suggested someone took the time to keep it clear of debris. At least he didn't have to worry about stepping on a twig. Dave heard a door open, then close. Footsteps in grass reached his ears but receded. He swiftly slid along the wall to the front of the building and took a cautious peek. Once again, a man was walking toward one of the smaller buildings, this time carrying a woman in his arms rather than over his shoulder. Dave eased himself away from that corner and back to the corner proximate to the back wall. He had to step carefully around the broom again as he came around to the semi-enclosed courtyard. Dave eased his way carefully along the back wall. At least now he had the benefit of knowing Liv could watch the area around him and cover him as needed. He crept carefully, listening for sounds through the wall. Primarily though, he knew his best chances were under the three windows, two of which were close together, more than halfway down the building's length. As he approached an exterior vent for a dryer, he paused. For a moment the thought flashed through his mind that this would be the ideal place for a snake to hide. Then his rational brain took over, reminding him that the intermittent nature was likely insufficient to help a snake survive through the winter. They were more likely off in the woods somewhere or hiding in the walls of one of the houses. The first window was just past the vent. Dave paused. He waited for a few minutes, but heard nothing. He edged up, his face upturned, his nose turned away from the building. Edging upward, he allowed his peripheral vision a first glimpse in the window. It was dark. He turned his head slowly, seeking greater detail. A few shadows and a small light on the back wall limned out an empty kitchen space for a community. Efficient, but a little too regimented for Dave's taste. A little too zombie group think. Dave moved forward. This time he skirted around a pile of small diameter metal pipes. Must be for a future irrigation project or outdoor faucet. The next window was only a few feet past the pile. Dave had to be careful how far out he went. He crouched and quickly got back to the wall once past the pipes. He could already hear voices. Someone was angry. "I said sit the fuck back down. You dumbasses cost us three men with your half-assed raid. No, you don't get a shot at any of the women from this raid. You're lucky we let you fucking live. One more fucking word out of your fucking mouth and I will shit-can all your asses. And you, big mouth, you'll go last; after I ass fuck your sister without a new dose! You can watch her melt like somebody poured battery acid in her shithole, then I'll kill you, with the memory of her screams in your fucking ears!" Dave went cold. His mind called up one of the videos about the dangers for a woman exposed to the semen of any man other than her partner. Anger welled up in him, but he tamped it down. A berserker rage banged against the walls of Dave's discipline. He held his focus, knowing he would only accomplish his goal with cold efficiency. All the things Carter said over the years, words that had been whirling in his ears since the moment of the break-in, all settled into cold clarity. Yeah, they were gonna die. In due time. He crept closer. Again taking care to avoid detection, Dave saw a woman select a syringe full of a vibrant green substance. She moved over to; a dead body on the floor? What the hell? Why is she injecting the dead guy? Wait, now it's purple inside? Maybe he just misidentified the earlier color? The woman with the syringe stood. A man dragged a blonde woman over to a table near the lady with the syringe. Dave heard her whimpering once she was close. A second man took the woman's other arm. The two men held her pinned, face down, against the table as her whimpering turned to active cries. Dave's stomach turned over. A third man pulled the woman's pajama pants down. She wore no panties. The woman with the syringe approached. The way she walked, and the look on her face, gave the impression she was walking to the gallows. Dave swore she mouthed the word 'Sorry' to the pinned woman before injecting her with the purple contents of her syringe. Immediately, the woman jerked and thrashed. The man behind her dropped his pants. Dave dropped low, not needing to see anymore. Hell, he'd seen far more than he ever wanted to. The cries and sounds he heard had a certain resonance with the priming and later imprinting orgasms of his partners. But overlaid with a guttural, raw emotionality. Then there was no more sound from the woman. A few low conversations between the men, and then Dave heard the door on the other side of the building open. Dave duck-walked away from the window and around the pipes. Once against the wall again he raised up a bit and paused. He needed to collect his thoughts. What to do was clear. Kill every man here. Given what they were doing, there were no innocents. The only questions revolved around how to do what needed to be done. Ideas formed in his head, but he needed to confer with Olivia. At the very least, she needed to know his intentions. Teamwork would be vital. He also trusted her judgment. Her input could prove useful. It often did. Something more about Olivia was rattling around the back of his head. A thought jumping up and down, demanding attention, but not coming forward. Like a word sitting on the tip of your tongue you just can't say. Something he knew, but wasn't fully acknowledging. It didn't seem related to the immediate task, so Dave moved his attention elsewhere. The number of trips from the large building to the smaller ones was very nearly the number of trips from the cars to the big building earlier. That meant soon the men would no longer be occupied with; what they had been doing. Since some had recently come back from a raid, they were likely to bed down soon. That would be a good time to strike. Time to move and communicate. The door had cycled twice more during Dave's thinking. As he rounded the corner of the empty building, free to move unobserved, he heard the door slam open. He froze in place, a few steps past the corner, where he could listen without being detected. Multiple footsteps approached, and sharp mutterings between two men. The footfalls changed as they crossed from the grass onto the concrete. Their voices became clearer too. "Why drag her all the way out here? It's fucking cold and wet." "'Cuz I don't wanna clean up the fucking mess when the old bitch slags, that's why! Grass will just eat it up and get nice and green next summer. Inside, the carpet and the fucking pad have to be replaced." Dave's blood boiled. He tamped it down for immediate purposes. He also started moving back the way he came. Weapon at the ready, he rounded the corner again. Three figures were just crossing off the concrete pad and back into the grass. Two males in hunter camo and a naked blonde woman sobbing as they dragged her between them. They stopped several steps off the pad. One man was out of view, the empty building blocking Dave's line of sight to him. Liv surely had a good shot on him, but she might not yet know enough to take it. She'd know soon enough though. The man Dave could see was turned away from Dave, with the woman collapsed, on her knees in front of him, looking away from Dave also. By their orientations, the man that was out of sight was probably facing the corner and would see Dave the instant he came around it. Fortune favors the brave . One of Carter's favorite phrases. Dave slipped the MP5 back behind him, on safe, he pulled the.22 pistol from his holster, and the silencer from his cargo pocket, mated them gently, and carefully began screwing the silencer in place. The woman cried out, pleading for mercy. Unseen by Dave, the second man slapped her, the sound unmistakable. Dave was moving as the slap echoed. His face etched in stone. No anger in his visage, no mercy in his eyes. His weapon came up smoothly as his feet accelerated him along the wall towards the man in his vision. Dave was now a fire and maneuver platform for the pistol. Just before he cleared the corner, he fired three rounds, all into the man's upper left back. His shot group was as perfect as the practices with Carter over the years. At least one of the rounds went through the man's heart. The suppressor dulled the sound of firing, and the subsonic ammunition avoided the supersonic crack of the rounds that would surely draw attention. The stricken man fell even as Dave came around the corner, rounding on the next target. That man was just beginning to look towards the corner with a curious expression. Dave fired again. Three rounds, just as Carter had trained him. He also dropped with no further resistance or sound. The first target was on the ground and the second descending, knees buckling beneath a falling torso, when the shuddering blonde woman registered the changes. She began to rise and turn around. Dave reached her at that same moment, grabbing her bicep and hauling her to her feet. To forestall undesirable attention, he shifted his hand from her arm to her mouth, clamping it shut. He got there just in time. The woman stared at him, terror in her wide-open eyes. He held his pistol low and to the side, but her eyes ping-ponged several times from it to his face. As frightened as she was, her eyes settled, then roved over his face. Within seconds her terror was held in check. Not gone but shoved aside. Like she was ready to believe something less evil than that of the other men's plans was now upon her. "Stay quiet, I need to get you out of here." She nodded. Wariness was present, but also a willingness to believe in; something. Grabbing her hand, Dave led her across the concrete pad and around the corner of the empty building. He didn't stop until they'd passed the length of the building, now leaning against the short wall, in full sight of Olivia. In pausing, Dave was reminded consciously of what his subconscious had of course noted; the woman wore not a stitch of clothing. He quickly averted his eyes, but not before registering her phenomenal figure. Granted, the condition of her skin on her face and her body indicated a woman with more than just a few decades of experience on this little ball of rock, but she was none the worse for wear by any means. Fit was an entirely apt description. Her tits had a natural sag, but still bore a certain firmness as well as a modest heft. And her eyes. Her eyes were captivating. Penetrating even. They stared at him from a gently rectangular face. Modestly arched eyebrows topped those gazing deep green orbs, and model perfect cheekbones provided a pedestal for those eyes to rest upon. Shapely, proportionate lips still trembled slightly beneath a nose that was not quite angular, and more than a button. Her face would fit in on a magazine cover or a boardroom. A face that could launch a thousand simps. "Let's get into the trees. My partner, Olivia, is waiting for us. Once we get away from prying eyes, we can give you something to cover up with. What's your name?"" Her face warmed briefly even as her arms instinctively moved to shield her tits. "Natasha." Her voice was unsteady, but not weak. "That way, Natasha." Dave pointed to a small gap between two young trees. Nothing he'd seen suggested she was a plant or any other kind of trap, but with only himself and Liv, he realized there was no room for fuck-ups. He spent much of his time walking sideways, keeping an eye to their rear. They entered the trees easily and without getting spotted. Natasha immediately slowed, picking her places to step more carefully with her bare feet on the woodland surface. They proceeded straight back from the buildings, in reverse of Dave's approach. He caught her arm when they reached the point to turn left towards Liv. Pointing quietly, Dave directed her on the new course. She nodded and kept moving. A few steps later, things started getting exciting. "Oh, holy Shit!" Even before his head turned, he knew the speaker was in the same vicinity as the two bodies he'd left behind. Through the intervening trees, Dave spotted a man standing in the gap between buildings. He safed the pistol and started unscrewing the silencer. There was no angle in stealth anymore. Once separated, the pistol went back in the holster and the silencer in his cargo pocket. He brought his MP5 back around. The man circled the two bodies slowly. Dave quietly moved closer to Liv, until they could see each other. With her attention on him, Dave drew his hand across his neck, then pointed at the man still examining the space where his friends had fallen. He heard the report of the rifle at nearly the same instant the back of the man's head sprouted a jet of blood and tissue. Dave hustled the last several steps to Liv's position. Liv gave him a wry smile as she looked behind him. "Recruiting more ladies, David?" As Dave began to object, her smile dropped. "I saw the whole thing. I didn't hear what was said, but they had it coming, that's for sure." "Yeah well, we need to get her warm and clothed. And still deal with these guys." "I've got spare clothes in the truck. Let her hide inside. At least get her out of the elements." Two men appeared, one on either end of the occupied building. Dave, Liv, and their charge were too deep in the trees for the men to spot. Besides, they were focused on the three bodies they could see. "Okay, I'm going to get her in sight of the truck, and then head down the backside of that building," Dave pointed to the empty building. "Got it. So, do I let these guys go back inside?" Do I tell her to take the shot? We're already all in here . Something in Dave went cold. "Once they turn back, take the shot." Liv merely nodded, her attention, earlier divided between her scope and Dave, was now fully downrange. Dave ushered Natasha along a tiny foot path, giving her some ease in foot placement. He tried to keep his eyes off her naked form, but when she jumped at Liv's first shot, the jostling of her tits was magnetic. He turned his eyes away quickly. Fortunately, he was able to spot the truck at this range. "We're going to have to work quickly to shut these guys down. Can you see that white patch through the trees?" Dave pointed in the direction he wanted her to look. Natasha nodded. "That's our truck. The door is unlocked. Get in there and get out of the wind. That will help you warm up some. Liv says she has a change of clothes behind the seat. Take a quick look to see if you can find a shirt or something. Then stay low, stay out of sight." The woman nodded again. "You are leaving me?" "I have to stop all of them before they hurt anyone else." Another shot rang out. She lunged at Dave, wrapping her arms around his neck. He was alarmed for just a moment, but he felt the shaking of her silent cries. She jolted again with the next shot. He gave her several seconds, then peeled her arms off of him. "I have to go." With that, he turned and hustled to a spot along the tree line proximate to the edge of the empty building. He was still covered by trees when he spotted a man moving toward him along the building. He's trying to flank Liv . Dave took up a firing position braced against a tree. Then he fired three rounds. The man dropped without a sound, though the shots echoed through the compound. Another crack from Liv's rifle announced her continued engagement with their opponents. If Dave didn't get engaged soon, they could overwhelm her. He sprinted across the gap and raced down the building's length. Another shot rang out. Dave reached the corner of the building, breathing hard, heart pounding. He heard feet slapping concrete and then go quiet. Swiftly turning the corner, he saw two men sprinting away, through the gap between buildings, and one more passing the other end of the building in the distance. Then another came around the corner near him, the follow-on to the two with their backs to him. He noticed Dave as Dave's SMG reached chest height. Dave's trigger finger pulled three times, smoothly, in quick succession. Three widely spaced red spots erupted on the man's chest. He fell against the wall and slid down. The man's weapon clattered to the concrete pad. Immediately, Dave shifted to the men headed away. One was beginning to turn. Dave fired on him first, this time with his weapon fully raised, taking aim and grouping his shots. Dave shifted to the second man that hadn't yet keyed on Dave's position behind him. With three rounds in his upper chest while running full tilt, the man tumbled to the ground. While Dave was taking out his targets, he'd registered two shots from Liv's rifle. That meant ten men in total they'd killed. But how many were there? At least ten, since the S U V had two men each. What Dave didn't know was how many were left behind to hold down the fort while the attackers were out. As he mulled over the issue, he dealt with two more immediate concerns. His weapon locked open on his last shot. He triggered the magazine release with his right, catching and removing the spent magazine with his left. Quickly, he stuffed the empty mag in his cargo pocket before pulling a fresh magazine from his tacvest. With a fresh magazine in place, he pressed the bolt release, driving a new round home. To be continued in part 11, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.
John Fricke gets in to the rabid sports fan, and how nothing ever seems to be good enough. Granted, it has been a rough stretch for Falcons, but has Raheem Morris had enough time? Is this Falcons disaster all his fault?
(The Center Square) – Selected communities in four Western Washington counties will receive a combined $6.58 million in federal funding for road safety improvements, as new data shows a decline in fatal and serious injury crashes in 2025. U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., announced the federal grant awards to cities and Native tribes in King, Snohomish, Clark and Thurston counties through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Safe Streets and Roads for All program.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx Read more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_9df99210-ecc6-413e-9eec-4f28481e104b.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 7 What the hell was that? Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. The ladies all mingled quietly as they awaited the appearance of the teens. Lupie of course, made extras of the appetizers, plus a few extra finger foods, so the rest of the family wasn't held up for a meal, but Lupie and Mel didn't have to make 'prom dinner' for everyone. At last, they heard footsteps descending the stairs. When the sounds reached the point the stairs peeked beyond the partial wall in the back of the living room, the first thing they spotted was shimmering metallic medium blue cloth that nearly reached the step the foot rested on. Becca's nerd-pale feet and ankles clad in low-heeled strappy sandals was enough to identify her, if they hadn't already known the order the girls were arriving. A bit more intriguing was the amount of her right leg, on the opposite side of her body from the adults, was visible. As she descended, more leg was in view. Each step down exposed more leggy flesh. By the time Rebecca's torso could be seen, it was obvious the skirt of her dress had been slit all the way to her hip. She turned at the last landing before the final three steps. Her short height meant she was fully visible to all as she paused. The dress was very flattering. Spaghetti straps over her shoulders held up the top, and a plunging neckline left no opportunity for a bra. Yet, some miracle of undergarment managed to give her small tits just a hint of cleavage; enough to enhance the femininity of her look on this special night. Small diamond stud earrings completed her ensemble. Becca had been letting her hair grow longer, after learning Dave leaned toward long hair. Her naturally blonde hair reached a few inches past her shoulders when straight. It was a bit shorter than that at the moment as bands of joined hair strands fell in loose curls from her head. As Dave suspected on Becca's descent, the skirt gathered just above Becca's right hip, leaving her entire right leg exposed. "I think someone got the memo that Dave is a leg man." Liv muttered. There was light laughter following the comment, but Dave only had eyes and ears for his date. The first of his dates to arrive. He walked steadily, and slightly spellbound, to meet Becca at the base of the stairs and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek. Becca was beaming before and after the kiss, though the slight apprehension seemed to disappear during. Dave led her over to the others, clustered around the small bar area Janice had setup. Lupie slipped away to the kitchen after giving Becca a hug and beaming like a proud mother. Well, older sister. Mel handed them each a 'mocktail' before Dave conducted Becca to her seat on one side of his, at the head of the table. He gave her another kiss once she was seated. Then he caught Mel putting away her phone as she cleared her throat. With a quick pat on Becca's hand, Dave slipped away to observe Reena's entrance. Kareena's feet first appeared, clad in white, open-toed wedge heels bearing a black line design on the upper. As she descended, a flowing, forest green skirt came into view, bearing a design done in gold thread. Her midriff was exposed. Her top was made in matching green to her skirt, also bearing tracery in gold thread along its bottom edge and the hem of the quarter sleeves. A green drape, again with designs in gold thread, lay across her shoulders. Medium-sized gold hoop earrings hung from her ears, but her head piece nailed the appearance she was after. One golden chain, bearing alternating clear and red crystals ran down her middle part, with two unadorned gold chains lying to each side. A pendant the size of a silver dollar, made of pearls and red gems fixed in gold dangled from the central chain, resting on her forehead, centered between her eyes and between her hairline and brow line. Her face was supremely confident and demure in equal measure. Dave met her at the base of the stairs, taking her hand gently and kissing her cheek. Then he led her to the cluster of ladies observing the festivities. "That dress is lovely, Reena, dear." Vanessa said. "It's traditional is it not?" "It is. The entire outfit and the skirt are called a lehenga, while the top is a choli, and the drape is a dupatta." The ladies cooed over the garment a bit before Dave escorted Reena to her seat on the other side of the head. After a quick conversation with each lady, he made two small plates with a few appetizers each and placed them in front of his dates. He made a quick plate of his own and took his place at the head, Becca on his right and Reena on his left. Reena's dark hair gathered in a thick braid down her back contrasted with Becca's blonde curls cascading onto her shoulders. Both girls were bubbling over with excitement. The others took turns circulating past and joining the trio's conversation while holding a small paper plate with an appetizer or two, emulating a real prom. When Lupie called Mel in to help plate up the dinner, the rest of the family filed out, after delivering a few hugs. The two cooks brought in the warm plates, each bearing a small steak, mashed potatoes, and a vegetable medley. Lupie gave Becca a quick hug from behind, whispering something in her ear. Whatever it was, it made Becca smile and blush. Mel did the same for Reena, though without the blushing aspect. Dave ate one-handed, though not the same hand the whole time. The girls switched off holding his hand. They generously gave him time to slice up his steak into strips every few minutes. The talk was light, catching up on unshared activities of the past week, mulling desired amenities to be discussed with Vanessa and the rest of the family, 80's and 90's songs the girls had picked up from MTV's renewed format, and so on. Of course, Dave took a few opportunities to complement each of his dates on their hairstyle, the outfits they'd picked out and how it accented some feature or other. The girls were glowing. Keeping his compliments specific was apparently the way to go. Eventually, the three arose, having finished eating several minutes prior. Dave escorted them both, simultaneously, one on each arm, to a couch against one wall of the living room. Initially, they continued their conversation. Janice and Olivia slipped in to clean up the dishes. Mel started up the next playlist, labeled 'Mood Setting'. The songs were chosen to get the celebrants relaxed and enjoying each other's company. The last few songs ramped up the beat. Recognizing a song she'd chosen, Reena leapt to her feet, turned to grab Dave's hand, and drug him out on the 'dance floor'. For the next three songs she danced and hopped, her hands spending most of their time above her shoulders, unless they were draped over Dave's shoulders while she rocked her hips and stared into his eyes. Her braid flipped about as she cavorted. The next song was a slow one. Reena let out a sigh, hugging Dave, her head against his chest. "This is Becca's song. Can you walk me back, and ask her on to the floor? She's getting more confident being here, but you'll need to ask her to dance." Dave kissed her full on the lips, more than a quick peck, but less than a steamy passionate lip-lock. Then he walked her back to the couch where her best friend, his young blonde lover waited. Becca's eyes shone with anticipation as she watched her friend and her man approach, walking casually, loosely, with Reena occasionally leaning in to bounce her shoulder off Dave's arm. He pulled her in for one more kiss, before releasing her to take her seat. Then he took Becca's hand, asking her, "May I have this dance?" Becca giggled. "Of course!" She leapt to her feet, squealing happily when Dave pulled her in for a kiss before leading her out to the open space. Becca's chosen songs were slower, which allowed her to cling to Dave, and gave Dave the kind of dance he was fully prepared for; shuffling his feet and swaying. His lack of skill at rug cutting didn't faze his lovely blonde nerd girl in the least. Holding him close and shuffling fit her needs just fine. He could feel her contentment in the way she held him. In this moment, her world was peaceful and perfect. Becca looked up to stare into Dave's eyes. "Thank you, David. For so much. Everything you've done." Her eyes watered. "I never would have gotten through those first weeks without your help." She swallowed. "Then again through the long months, the three of us together, in two houses. And after; " her voice became too thick to talk. Dave kissed her. She calmed as he held her. "You gave me a new life David. You gave me love. I would never have gone to prom before, but with you, I want all of this." A few songs later, an energetic tune began. Becca looked up to Dave. "Her turn." She gave him a kiss just as Reena tapped Dave on the shoulder. "May I have this dance?" "Certainly." Dave stepped back from Becca and offered her hand he held to Reena. Both teens laughed heartily at the joke. Then Reena stepped in and started dancing with Becca. The young blonde looked a bit surprised, but game to play along on this happy night. The girls danced half the song together, before turning to Dave, who had stepped a short distance away, and pulled him in. The three person dance worked for the remainder of the song but just barely. As that song ended, Dave walked Becca back to the couch before returning to his dark haired lover on the dance floor. Her moves over the next several songs got more daring. A few moves in which her ass was rubbing on his thigh; including the one time she twerked; Dave noticed an odd firmness between Reena's cheeks. For her last song, she'd picked a slow dance. She confirmed to him that this was her last song, not Becca's first. Reena clung to him tightly, partly from exertion, partly for the feel of him against her. "David, I need to be honest with you," Reena said sometime after her breathing steadied. "This dress, the lehenga, it's a special dress. It's not for every party, just special ones, like prom; or a wedding." Dave looked into her eyes as she continued. "Most Indian brides wear red, but my family is from Decca. We wear green for our wedding lehenga. This is the one my mother had made for me. I made sure to bring it when I came here. I'm; I'm not saying you have to marry me, but; this is my declaration. This is where I want to be, for the rest of my life, David. Here, in your arms, sharing life with you." Dave's head spun with the revelation. I mean, damn, this young woman had just pledged herself to him for a lifetime. Granted, the serum made that a reality already, but; damn. "Reena, I; I don't know what to say. I know we've only known each other for a few weeks, but you are deeply embedded in my heart already. I; worry about you and Becca, and Mel and Olivia; bound to me for the rest of your lives; or at least the rest of mine, and then what happens to you? I am glad you are in my life. You bring your own special light to this house, this family. I can't say that I'm in love with you, but I am taken with you; you , not just your body; and I feel that I am moving towards love." Kareena's eyes watered softly as he spoke. When Dave finished, she moved in, offering her lips to him. Dave kissed her slowly and passionately. It took a moment for them to realize the music had stopped. Mel had paused the playlist because Reena's last song had finished, but the two lovers were not yet done. Dave walked Reena back to the couch one last time, and brought Becca out to dance again. Hers were slow dances, but the pace seemed to pick up as they progressed through the set. The last song was of the high energy type that Reena leaned towards. Becca writhed all over him like a stripper on a pole. She was blushing and biting her lip the entire time. She was also smiling; a smile that grew wider when she brushed her ass across Dave's crotch and felt his fully engorged cock straining to get out. She got bolder with that affirmation. Fortunately, the song ended before she escalated to dry humping. "You are wild, and crazy, and wonderful, Rebecca Sampson." Dave kissed her full on the lips, long and slow. There was a definite hunger in her eyes when they broke the kiss. With Becca on one arm, Dave approached Reena. He offered her his other hand and she rose. A beautiful lady on either side, Dave waved to the rest of the family and went upstairs. A few catcalls followed them. Liv even called out "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Reena snapped back, laughing "Short list!" All the women laughed at that, with Liv clapping as she joined in. Dave and his young lovers ascended the stairs, turning down the hallway to the 'hotel room'. He opened the door, standing back to let the ladies enter first. He was relieved at what he saw. Or rather, what he didn't see. He'd been a bit worried that Liv would do up the room like a cheesy bachelorette party, with sex themed decorations, and um 'accoutrements'. No such thing was in sight. A foot and a half (half a meter) to the left as he entered was the foot of a full size bed, with its upper left corner nestled in the corner of the room. A small rectangular table just slightly taller than the bed sat against the same wall as the head of the bed, with a second full size bed beyond that, fitting neatly into the corner of the room diagonal from the door. The room was clean and spare, and slightly cozy. Just like a hotel room. Both girls turned to him, hungry and excited. Becca pressed herself against Dave as she pulled his head down for a long, slow kiss that promised a lot more to come. Her hands wandered over his chest, back, and butt, encouraging him to do the same. Dave started with his hands on her shoulders, rubbing down her arms and back up. Then he progressed to her shoulder blades, and her back, tracing his fingertips lightly up and down her spine. Settling his hands at her waist, he slowly brought them around to her front, his thumbs making circles as they lead the way onto her tummy. Becca was neither athletic, nor out of shape. Her tummy was soft and yielding. It was also sensitive, as were her sides. With a twinkle in his eye, Dave let a few strokes land just the way he knew would stimulate her tickle reflex. Becca leapt backwards, letting out a shriek and a giggle. "Must be my turn now." Reena purred. Dave was already erect with the inducements he'd received thus far. The young woman's sultry tones made his cock ache. She pulled herself to him, planting her soft lips on his, darting her tongue briefly into his mouth as an invitation before holding her own lips lightly parted for him. Her full tits pressed firmly into Dave' lower chest as she undulated her hips against him. Then she broke the kiss, sighing. "Hmm, I'd love to keep going, but I did agree to the plan." "Plan?" "Umm-hmm. I got to dance first, she gets to get naked first." Dave turned back to Becca, who was advancing on him again. She rose up to kiss him hungrily, while sliding her hands under his dark brown suitcoat and shoving it off his arms. Not hearing it fall to the ground, or feel it against his legs, Dave surmised Reena had caught it and was putting it somewhere out of the way. Taking his cue, Dave slipped his hands around behind Becca's back, seeking out the zipper on the back of her dress. He found the line of it, and located the pull just as Becca finished unfastening the black buttons of his satiny purple shirt and began pulling the tails out of his pants. He pulled her tight, slowing her actions, as he lowered her zipper unhurriedly. The flash of color on her face told Dave she knew he was stretching this out on purpose. Her look only got more determined as she pulled his shirt down his arms. Dave helped her cause, lowering his arms and folding his thumbs in so the cuffs fell free. He'd already gotten the zipper to its base anyway. Becca stared at him, bit her lip, and shrugged the straps of her shoulders. The dress fell smoothly and quickly to the floor. On her chest, at the sides of her tits, leaving her medium brown areolas and firm nipples exposed, were two foam pads, that adhered to her curves and pushed her modest tits together, forming the bit of cleavage Dave had been admiring all night. "Well ain't technology wonderful?" Dave drawled. Becca giggled. "Wanna take them off?" she said before nibbling her lower lip. "Slowly, please." Dave stepped close, picked her up, and kissed her as he placed her across the bed, on her back. He kissed his way to her jaw as the fingers of his right hand found the top corner of the foam. As he nibbled on the corner of her jaw, he pulled gently, persistently on the pad. It came free with only two flinches on Becca's face. Each one faded as Dave moved the assault of his lips to sensitive parts of Becca's neck. He kept up the distraction of his lips as he removed the foam piece on the left. That one came of easier. Dave moved down to kiss her tits. His kisses and licks brought only moans, so the pad removal seemed to have no ill effects. Dave continued down Becca's body, kissing and suckling as he made his way to her panties. There; wasn't much there. Smaller than a G-string, and the string forming the waist of the panties sat high, obviously, to stay out of view of the slit. The tiny piece of cloth running between her legs just barely managed to cover her privates. If Becca'd left any hair on her pubis, none of it would be under the cloth. Her clit must have been ducking all night just to stay covered. Dave looked up her body to see Becca bushing furiously; and grinning wildly. With his eyes locked on hers, he brought his lips to her gusset and kissed firmly. He felt light moisture as he made contact. Her back arched as he tongued her through the cloth. The panties became sopping wet in short order. Dave slipped his fingers into the string and pulled them down her legs. Becca now lay on the bed crosswise, her hips hanging just off the edge, her toes touching the floor. She lifted her head, and with a lift of her eyebrow and jerk of her head urged Dave to switch his notice to her friend. He kissed the inside of her knee before moving on. Dave took a beaming Reena in his arms. The two lovers fell into a passionate kiss. Dave allowed his hands to roam for a little while, then brought them to her back. He found the ends of the string and pulled slowly on them, untying the knot securing her top. With the tension released from the string in the back, her weighty tits lowered slightly. Reena looked up at Dave adoringly as he lifted her top and freed her tits. She raised her arms as he continued the motion upward. A moment later, she was bare from her navel up. She wrapped her arms behind his neck and kissed him, pressing her lush chest against his firm torso. Dave held her steady as she kicked off her shoes, then did the same himself. When her hands reached for his belt buckle, his sought out the zipper he expected to find at the back of her skirt. It wasn't there. Reena giggled and wiggled her hips. Picking up her cue, Dave sent one hand to each hip, finding a zipper on her right one. The placement made sense as it aided in the taper of the skirt fitting snuggly to her lower torso. He felt his zipper lower and his pants dropped. Her skirt followed shortly thereafter. Her hands went straight to his boxers, pulling them off his hips and shoving them downward. He slipped a finger into each side string of her panties and slowly lowered them. He paused as his arms reached their lowest extent, her panties dangling from his fingers. Reena stood essentially nude before him, though they were too close for him to fully appreciate the sight. Two weeks since her arrival, he had seen it all, but he hoped it never got old, with any of them. Them. Dear God, he had multiple women willing sleeping with him, in full knowledge of the others. And these two. Two teen girls, in some ways so very different, but both just starting down the path of life. And both emphatically dedicated to him. Dave felt the weight of his responsibility to them as thoroughly as he felt elation at their enthusiastic company. And tonight was for celebration, and enthusiasm. He dropped Reena's panties and knelt in front of her. As he leaned in, drawing a breath to fill his nose with her scent, she tapped him on the head. When he looked up, she pointed to Becca, lying on the bed. Right. The plan. He stood and led Reena to the bed, guiding her to lay down beside her friend. Like Becca, Reena lay crosswise, her hips just past the edge of the bed, her feet brushing the floor. Dave knelt before Becca. He placed her legs over his shoulder, grinning at her sharp intake of breath. He kissed her inner thighs, alternating legs and slowly advancing towards her already soaked and flowered open; pussy. Dave took her lower lips in his, suckling on her sex, drawing her juices into his mouth and reveling in her excited squirming. The low, drawn out groan issuing from her throat played soundtrack as he gave her his devotion. When her pleasure plateaued, he switched his attention, driving his tongue into her passage, lapping at her fluids and massaging her walls. His hands held her hips firmly as she bucked, her back bowing, her hands grasping the comforter. Then he moved up, taking her nub between his lips, flicking the end with his tongue and suckling firmly. Becca exploded in ecstasy. Dave noticed signs of arousal from Reena throughout the oral session. Reasonable, given the visual display and the certainty she would soon receive the same attention. He was not prepared for the raven haired Indian teen to curl into a ball and wail her pleasure in unison with the nerdy blonde he was lashing with his tongue. He came up grinning wildly. "Wow, two orgasms with one tongue, that's new." Reena looked at him, startled, confused, a wild look of hunger and pleasure in her eyes. Dave knew how to deal with that. He gently lay Becca's legs onto the bed, leaving her curled in a loose fetal position. Then he slipped over in front of Reena. Settling between her legs, the small black protruding knob peeking out between her butt cheeks confirmed what he'd felt while dancing. As he kissed the inside of her knee, she moaned. "No, no David, no more foreplay. Please get inside me." Dave looked up to see her earnest face and rapacious eyes. He stood, still holding her legs. He held her legs lightly parted, ankles resting on his shoulders. As her approving eyes watched, he stepped in closer, then leaned forward. Dave lined his organ up with Reena's excited sex and pressed forward steadily, his length and girth filling her at a measured pace. "Ho, God, David, Yes! Yes, baby, fuck me, fuck me so good!" Dave stroked in and out of her, slowly at first, then building to the faster, demanding pace he'd come to understand she enjoyed. As his energy built, he moved his hands to the back of her knees. He pushed them forward, pinning them to the bed just below her armpits. The sensation of additional pressure from the plug in her ass was odd, but her pleasure rose rapidly as he nailed her to the mattress, just like she liked it. She sang her approval in howling cries that accompanied the riotous actions of her passage a few minutes later. Becca crested with her. That; Dave could not explain. Granted, his specialty was in the physical sciences, not biological, but this little conundrum was way outside anything he understood about biology. Then again, so was the serum. Could they be linked? After a few minutes of panting recovery, Reena placed a hand on Dave's chest. "David, I know you've noticed; what I've prepared. It's time now. I did some research. I've had two orgasms now, you still haven't climaxed yet. It's perfect timing." "Reena ;” Dave started, hesitantly. Tearfully, she said, "Please David, this is something I want to do. I'm a little surprised at myself, but I want this. I want to feel you back there. I want to give you what I would otherwise be afraid of someone insisting on. I want to be fully and unreservedly yours." "I have no experience with anal. I've looked it up a few times in the past month or so. It's something I'd like to try, eventually. I figured at some point in the future, I'd bring it up with one of you. But it's a new thing for me." Reena's face suddenly glowed. "The future is now, David. We can explore it together." She planted a big kiss on him as she undulated her body against him. Dave slipped one hand down to grope her firm ass, kneading the yielding flesh possessively. Reena's breathing picked up again. "There's a bottle of special lube for anal in the drawer of the nightstand. I asked Janice to put some there, after swearing her to secrecy. She helped me learn what I needed to know for this. Seems librarians know how to find any information you could want." "Especially the naughty ones," Dave quipped. Reena giggled in response. Dave checked the drawer of the table, finding a small lube bottle with labeling declaring it was made thicker than normal to facilitate anal sex. Dave slathered a bit on his cock as he moved back to Reena. With smooth, patient pressure, Dave pulled the plug out of her ass. He applied a bit more lube to the slowly shrinking ring of her gaping anus before setting the capped bottle aside. Dave pressed the head of his cock against her open hole pressing forward. He gradually increased the applied pressure until his head slipped inside. The resulting thrust buried another inch of his cock up her backside before he met resistance. "Huh." Reena voice was guttural. Dave waited for her to adapt. To call for him to back off or continue. "Nice and steady Dave." Dave moved as she asked, adding maybe two inches up her ass every minute as he made small thrusts that were slightly more ins than outs. "Oh, David. It's weird and good. It's a little scary and a little bit of hurt. Please keep going. Steady, just like you're doing." "Should I get more lube?" "No, no, not more lube. Just; slow and steady. It's so different, but I want it. Keep going." Dave continued working himself into her rear entrance until his pelvis compressed her ass cheeks. He held himself there, making small motions, tiny thrusts, small circles, anything he could think of. Reena breathed steadily, giving him short encouragements. Becca turned over to watch. Taking his cues from Reena's reactions, Dave pulled back out slowly, but continuously. When only his head remained within her, he moved forward again. Slow and steady, Dave sawed his cock in and out of Kareena's lovely, tight teen ass. After a few minutes, She called for more lube. Dave added it to both her ring and his cock while he was mostly out of her. A few measured thrusts distributed the lube everywhere it needed to be. "Oh my God. Oh wow, that; that feels good. Fuck, David, I just wanted to give you something special. This, this feels good. Uh. Pick up the pace, lover." Dave began a moderately paced drilling of Reena's forbidden hole. Not enough to make her grunt, but each impact of his hips on her cheeks elicited an exhale from the girl. Initially overwhelmed with concern for her, Dave was getting into it now. His cock was in her ass. It was so tight, so warm, so taboo. Holy shit, this girl was giving him her ass! Unbidden, he picked up his pace. The guttural groan from his lover signaled her approval. Dave slipped one hand from her hip, around her waist, seeking out her sensitive nub. The moment he made contact, a shudder washed through Reena's body, not quite an orgasm, but her accompanying moan was gratifying. Two more small shudders later, and her whole body spasmed, her arms collapsing and her ass clamping down on Dave's half-inserted cock so hard it arrested him mid thrust. Dave held still, waiting for her to ride it out. He rested both hands on her butt, just waiting. And watching. Not just Reena. Becca had again curled herself tighter, shaking and moaning. Reena's fluids dripped from his sack, having squirted on her climax. Becca's wide eyes and the wet spot behind her curled hips indicated she had as well. This was; weird. Maybe he should talk to someone about this? Who though? How would that call go? "Yeah, Vaccine Expert Guy? Look, I'm having sex with one girl and get her to climax, but her friend beside her, that neither of us is touching, also gets one. Any clues how that happened? What's that? You're sending someone to pick me up? Okay, just make sure they bring that lovely white jacket with all the pretty little straps and buckles." In his musing, Dave completely missed Reena's recovery. He snapped back to reality when she grabbed his hand. He caught her eyes, alive with joy, pleasure, and excitement. "Hey stud, let's finish this." "You just came with a cock in your ass. I think we hit peak ass-fucking, girl." Reena and Becca laughed. "No, we haven't, I'm taking a load of your cum right up my back door. Fuck me David, fuck me hard. I am so completely yours." The emotions rippling across her face freed Dave of his renewing worries for her. Dave took hold of Reena's hips, pulling her close as he drove himself to the hilt inside her warm, tight anus. She groaned her approval. He started slow. "Harder, David. Faster. Fuck me like an animal." David picked up the pace, energized by her words and Becca's heavy breathing. The little blonde's nipples were erect, the areolas bumpy with arousal. Taking Reena at her word, Dave got an idea. He reached his right hand up her body, grasping her braid between its center and the base of her skull. Using it like a rein, he pulled her up and into him as he accelerated his thrusting, hammering her ass with savage thrusts. "Hah, Yes," was the last intelligible speech she let out before devolving into grunts, forced exhales, and subvocals of pleasure and arousal. Becca watched, wide-eyed and rubbing herself. Dave felt his peak arriving with the subtlety of a freight train doing 60. He shoved himself deep inside, compressing her ass cheeks just as he erupted. He howled in primal triumph. He was too distracted by his own climax to see Becca shuddering through one as well. Reena he could feel clamping down on his cock again as he fired rope after rope of hot cream deep in her asshole. Reena went limp after her orgasm subsided. Dave lowered her gently to the bed before collapsing to her side. "That was intense." Becca said softly from the other side of Reena. Without the energy to lift his head, Dave looked in the direction of Becca's voice, seeing only Reena's back as he replied. "Yup." Dryly, Becca added "You're gonna have to wash that before touching me with it." Dave and Reena busted out laughing. They all lay there, panting and recovering until Dave levered himself up, heading for the door. "Where are you going?" Reena asked. "Wash my cock. Becca hasn't gotten any yet." "There's wipes in the drawer where the lube was." Dave looked askance. "Is that enough though?" Both girls nodded. After cleaning Reena and himself with the wipes, Dave slumped to the bed between his lovers. The girls had moved to lie 'properly' on the bed. Now all three lay awake, cuddled together, basking in each other's proximity. Presently, Becca rolled closer to Dave, kissing him softly with a hand on his chest. When he only responded with his lips, she took his hand and placed it on her tit. He grinned into the kiss as he fondled her softness. Shortly thereafter, his other hand began stroking her side. He also felt soft kisses on his neck from behind. Signaling Reena to scoot over a bit, Becca rolled Dave onto his back and slipped herself on top of him. Grinning broadly, she rocked her body on top of his as she hovered above him, her small tits dragging along his chest. At the top of each stroke she planted a quick kiss on his lips. The desired effect; his erection; was not long in coming. Becca felt it bump against her backside on her down strokes. She raised herself up, reaching back to grasp his organ and lining him up. Becca sighed contentedly as she impale her sopping wet and very relaxed sex on Dave's stiff meat pole. Then she started riding him. Slowly, eyes fixed on his, shining. This one wasn't a wild fuck. This was making love. Slow, luxurious, wondrous. Reena's kisses moved down Dave's shoulder to his bicep, then across to his pecs. Becca reached a hand to ruffle Reena's hair playfully. Reena moved her kissing target slowly down Dave's side. Then she reached Becca's thigh. Dave watched with anticipation as Becca stiffened slightly when Reena kissed the top of her thigh. The kisses crept up Becca's leg, some on top, some on the inside, as the young blonde's breathing grew rapid. As Reena reached Becca's torso, the nerdy girl leaned back, accommodating the attention she was receiving. She let out a soft moan, telling Dave Reena had reached Becca's navel. She loved getting kissed and tongued on her belly button. Then the Indian teen's head changed angles. Becca's eye flew wide in recognition. She also leaned back further as she kept rocking on Dave's cock. "Oh David, Oh David! She's, she's oh she's going to; Oh! She's On My Clit!" moments later, Becca's inner muscles ran riot on Dave's cock. Reena reached an arm up to keep her blonde friend from toppling backwards. Reena pulled her head out of the way and Becca collapsed on Dave. The dusky skinned girl curled in tight beside Dave and the three passed out. Chapter 9; The Full Dave. October 24, 2020. Dave and his prom dates slept in Saturday morning. As light crawled across their bodies from between the window curtains, the ray of warmth eventually caught Dave's attention, dragging him from Hypnos' arms and back to the waking world. Becca and Reena were both curled tightly against him, one under each arm, their heads resting on his shoulders. All three were nude. Dave felt Becca's modest rises on one side and the lushness of Reena's full tits on the other. In superficial ways, these girls had a lot of differences. Yet both had made a mature decision when faced with little time and an alarming change in the way of the world. Dave really needed to get over his anxieties and honor the commitment the young women had made. That they had reiterated last night. The whole family had pulled together to make last night as special as possible. It was; amazing. As a socially awkward nerd through high school and college, Dave never really expected to attend a dance. And even though he was the only guy present, and it was in; their living room, the whole evening was, well, magical. The attestations of his two youngest partners certainly made the evening special. And then there was the after. What the hell was that? Though, without the weird orgasm wave that happened to his lovers, the sex last night was a-mazing. Anal with Reena. And then Reena went down on Becca; while Becca was riding him! Dave was beginning to think he should be writing some of this down. "Dear Playboy, you'll never believe what happened last night ;” Becca stirred next to him. Not for long. Having been awake for a few minutes now, certain morning needs were making themselves known. Becca snuggling tighter against him signaled he was not going to easily extricate himself anytime soon. He had the choice of easy, and later, or now, but not easy. His bladder was making a decisive argument for now. It took some careful wiggling, but Dave managed to slip out, though both girls were on the verge of waking from his disturbances. Becca was half awake already. Dave found a pair of shorts in his bag, staged there by Jan and Liv, maintaining the appearance the three had checked into a hotel room. He pulled on the shorts and t-shirt and made his way to the bathroom quietly. He was just stepping inside when he heard a voice behind him. "Hey, magic man." Dave turned to see Olivia and Melanie standing in the hallway. Olivia smirking, Mel looking; uncertain. "There's a song about that. One of your mother's favorites, actually. A bit before our time really, but she loved to sing it while staring straight at your dad." "Gross. And don't try to change the subject." "Which is?" "How did you manage to induce orgasms in a woman that wasn't even in the same room with you." Dave stared at her blankly, then blinked. "Uh, once more with clarity?" Mel blushed, fidgeting. "I, uh; I was downstairs in the gym last night. After the dance was over. I was working off; excess energy. All of a sudden, I'm losing my grip on the rowing handle, and my legs feel like water. Now, I like a good workout, but I've never cum from one." Dave just stared for several heartbeats. "You felt that?!" He drew a breath. "Shit, it was weird enough watching both of them climax when I was only touching one." He stepped backwards, swinging the door shut. "I'm willing to finish this conversation, after I attend to business." When he came back out, Mel and Livy were no longer in the hallway. He slipped back into the room to find Becca waiting, mostly awake, and Reena stirring. Dave gave each young lady soft kisses to ease their introduction to the day. Smiles and stretches greeted his efforts. Reena wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a longer kiss. Then she relaxed her grip, opening the distance between them to gaze into his eyes. "I love you, David." Dave was shocked. Becca, similarly shocked, recovered faster. "Oh shit," she said. "You beat me to it." Dave looked at his young blonde lover. "It's not a competition, Rebecca. You are dear to me, and I know you feel the same." He turned his attention back to the young lady currently pressing her sizable tits against his stomach. He stared into her liquid brown eyes, shining with emotion and certainty. "Kareena; I've rushed into saying those words before. I; " "I'm not asking you to say those words back to me, David. I can see it in your eyes, and feel it in your arms around me. That's what I need. You give me what I need, and that's why I feel safe saying those words." No words came to Dave that were equal to the moment, so he held her close, resting his cheek on top of her head as she nuzzled into his chest. Until her stomach growled; and then his replied in kind. The teens dressed, Dave watching and appreciating the show. Reena noticed first and threw a little extra something in her movements. Becca caught on quickly, wiggling her ass as she pulled a pair of green cotton shorts over her pale blue thong. Dressed, they left the room and headed downstairs to meet the rest of the family gathering around the dining room table, laying out breakfast. This being a Saturday, everyone was home. Reena and Becca split up, each working their way around the room, giving each woman a tight, meaningful hug that lasted more than just a quick grasp. There were a few quiet statements of "You're welcome, dear." Jan, beaming brought a plate from the stove over to Dave. "Over medium, just like you like them." There was a slight nervousness in her smile. "Thank you, Jan." Dave received the plate with a grateful smile and motioned her closer. He gave her a firm, lingering kiss. Jan blushed, then turned to get her own plate. Dave piled a big helping of hashbrowns on his plate beside the eggs before adding bacon. He dug in with gusto, listening to the light-hearted conversations passing amongst his partners. Smiles and happy tones wafted about the table. As the meal wound down, Dave spoke up. "Esme, please take Roscoe out back and play with him for a while. He needs a bit of exercise." "Are you calling my dog fat?" Liv asked mockingly. "He's going to get antsy cooped up in the house all day and as social as he is, he ought to have company." "It's fine, Aunt Livy," Esme said. "I like playing with Roscoe. He's fun." "Thank you, Esme," Dave said. As she passed by his chair, he pulled her close and kissed her forehead. After Esme headed upstairs to find the large canine and his leash, Dave addressed the rest of the family. "Let's all gather in the living room, please." "Okay," Lupie said cautiously, "can we get the kitchen and dining room cleaned up first or is it urgent?" "Depends," Dave rejoined cheekily, "on if I get to participate in the cleanup." Lupie narrowed her eyes and stared at him. Dave relented first. "Okay, okay, no point in letting food harden on the dishes, it's not that urgent." Dave chuckled as he acquiesced. Jan and Lupie, having made breakfast, were exempted from cleaning and joined Dave in the living room immediately. Shawna and Nessa waved the younger four off and took care of the morning cleanup. Six women made their way to seats in the living room, along with Dave. They shared perfunctory conversations about their plans for the day. Aside from the Belsus Grand Prix, of course. That was due to start shortly after lunch. "Okay, Dave, what's up?" Shawna asked as she and Nessa joined the others. Suddenly, Dave looked uncomfortable again. "Well, first, I just want to convey my gratitude to each of you for last night. Ya'll did an amazing job. I enjoyed the evening, and I'm sure Becca and Reena did as well." "Hmm," Shawna began with a wicked grin, "I'm sure the young ladies' enjoyment had more to do with events we were not a party to." The others snickering elevated to a few guffaws when Reena and Becca blushed. Then Becca spoke up. "No, seriously, last night was wonderful and I want to thank all of you for putting it on. You are each so special to me, and for you to do all of that; I can't thank you enough." Reena hugged her bestie and nodded. "I haven't been here as long as the others, but for myself, it was a treat to be able to give you that special night." Vanessa said. The nods of the others added their agreement. "Well, the thing is; uh, wow, I swore I wasn't going to discuss details about each of you with each other, but this is kind of a unique circumstance. And well, I probably should be the one to describe it, since I was the only one; external to the situation." "I was there, you were not external." Reena's rejoinder garnered another round of giggling. Dave blushed, then closed his eyes, shaking his head. "Look, here's the thing, while we were; intimate, uh, I mean, I would be; giving attention to Becca, and as she; climaxed, so did Reena; and I wasn't touching Reena." "Let your fingers do the walkin' did ya?" Nessa teased. "Actually, no, I was enjoying just watching," Reena said quietly. That got the other's attention. "And it kept happening all night. Every time I brought one to climax, both of them peaked." "Yep, even when Dave was in my butt, Becca hit the high notes with me when I got there; which I didn't even expect to happen." "Well, they said whenever the guy cums, we would too, no matter where he was," Nessa offered. "No, I mean; sure yeah, that happened too; but I wasn't expecting to actually enjoy it. I just wanted to give Dave something special. I didn't think it would feel so good." "Neither did I," Becca added. All of the ladies looked pensive for a bit. Shawna was the first to speak. "You're saying that the girls climaxed together, no matter who you were touching?" Dave just nodded. "Lemme tell ya, it was one heck of a bonding experience," Reena added. "I'll bet." Quiet reigned again. "You gave him your ass?" Olivia grumped. Reena nodded, hesitantly. "Damn it, they beat us to it," Liv said, looking at Mel. "Guess that just leaves threesome as the only remaining first." When Becca looked at Reena side-eyed and Reena looked at the ceiling with a suppressed grin and a slight reddening of her cheeks, Liv's eyes flared. "Oh hell no, you little sluts did that too?" "I'll gladly be Dave's little slut," Becca replied. Reena inhaled, puffing out her chest. "The smell of your jealousy is delicious." Liv threw a pillow. Vanessa and Shawna laughed. "Now hold on, the two of them in the same room taking turns with him ain't the same as a threesome." "Oh, we know." Reena replied. Even with her darker skin, the blush in her cheeks was notable. Dave sat there with a wry grin on his face, not saying a word. "Are we embarrassing you Dave?" "Nope. I was there when it happened and this conversation still makes me feel like I fell into the Twilight Zone," Dave chuckled. "My brain keeps trying to make sense of everything that's happened, while my cock keeps saying 'Dude, shut up! Hot women are happily fucking us!'" That earned several chuckles. Then, the women shared looks, a certain gleam in their eyes. Almost as one, the women rose from their seats and approached Dave. It could have engendered a sense of foreboding, but he knew these women too well to think they had any ill intent. They encircled Dave, taking turns slowly kissing him. Lips on his, more lips on his ears, yet more on his shirt covered chest. Hands stroked his body, avoiding his cock; barely. Fingers played in his hair. Soft moans from Dave and each of the ladies of his house lightly covered over the heavy breathing. A loud bark from Roscoe, just outside the door, threw a bucket of cold water on the proceedings. Chagrined, the women drifted back to their seats. Dave took a shuddering breath and adjusted himself. "We need to keep the Esme rule in mind," Dave said levelly. "No one mounted you, and you were in a recliner, not on the couch," Mel replied. "The letter of the rule might not have been violated, but the spirit got shot so full of holes it'd whistle in a good wind. In four-part harmony, with reverb." "I was as much a part of instigating that as anyone," Lupie interjected. "But yes, we need to be careful. There's so much sexual innuendo everywhere these days, we don't need to give her a live demo." "With her own mother in a starring role." Lupie blanched at Dave's reply. "Getting back to the topic at hand; it was strange enough that Reena and Becca were climaxing sympathetically. At least they could see what was happening, they were in the same room together. This morning; Mel, why don't you take this part?" "Yeah, uh, as I was telling Dave this morning that, um, last night, I was working out in the gym room. On the rower. Well, all of the sudden I; had an orgasm. Mid-stroke. I had no idea what was going on, but I nearly fell off the rower. It was weird enough that I called it quits for the night and cleaned up the gym, heading to bed. On my way up the stairs, another one hit. I caught myself with my hands, so I didn't stumble too hard, but that was; really weird. Since the gym is almost directly below the room they were in, and the stairs run up right beside it, and given what happened in the room, they have to be linked." Silence settled on the room again. "Wow, so, some kind of shared orgasm, with a broadcast range?" Nessa asked. "Looks like it. I have no idea how, but that's what appears to have happened." "We didn't feel anything like that in the master bedroom. This is something we should report David." Shawna was in full on science mode. "They may already know about it, and can tell us why, or maybe they don't and the researchers need to find out what caused this. Either way, it has to be the serum doing it." "Agreed. It didn't happen to us before, so let's work through possible variables before we call." "Okay," Shawna said, staring into space and beginning to count off on her fingers, "One; your first partner arrived roughly seven weeks ago. Two; you've just reached eight partners. Three; it was a special night, so maybe something about the hormones of being that happy?" "All those sound reasonable. It was also the first threesome." Dave replied. "Anybody else?" "You two are the scientists," Lupie commented. "And both of us specialize in the physical sciences, not squishy stuff," Dave replied. "Don't sell yourself short baby," Shawna rebounded, "you're quite good with our squishy stuff." The women all laughed as Dave blushed again, his eyes wide and his mouth scrunched tight. With a grin. "Okay, so I'll call the Vax Center to tell them what happened. Assuming they don't haul me away in a padded van, we'll do the Mario Kart tournament this afternoon." "And movies afterward!" Reena exclaimed. "Sounds good to me," Shawna replied. "What are we watchin'?" The person at the Vax Center sounded like Dave's report was the first time they'd heard of this happening. They also sounded like they were no longer surprised by weird effects of the vaccine. So no padded van. Dave made it to the semifinal rounds but got knocked out by Olivia. She shot him with a spread of green shells right before the finish line and crossed ahead of him to seal her spot in the finals. In a playful whine he cried out "I thought you loved me!" His pouty lip drew laughter from the rest of the house, but only a tongue sticking out from his college age paramour. "All's fair in love and Mario Kart!" Livy proudly proclaimed. Dave managed to notice the extra, conciliatory bounce she gave to her tits as she laughed. Watching those big pec pillows jostling under her shirt did have an ameliorating effect. Doubly so since he had gotten intimately familiar with said fun bags. Dave took a moment to savor the mental image of Livy's lush, full tits, free of her bra, jostling back and forth, her medium brown areolas and thick nipples hopping like the bouncing ball in a sing along video while he pounded into her rapidly as they neared a mutual climax. Well, double for her, as Dave generally worked to get the lady there for real at least once before he allowed himself to let loose. And that was for quickies. If they had more time he never let himself release before she'd gotten three. Granted, that was getting a bit more difficult when he was juggling the needs of eight women. Dave shook himself back to reality. A couple of the ladies were smirking. Others were studiously looking away. Reena offered a high-five to Olivia. "Daydream score!" Reena cried out as the college girl accepted the congratulations of the recent high school grad. Both busty ladies laughed. A bit of shuffling ensued as everyone made space for Liv, Mel, Esme, and Shawna to take prime playing spots for the final game round. Spacing had gotten easier over the past few rounds as Lupie and Jan were eliminated and headed to the kitchen to start a movie night friendly meal. They hadn't told anyone what they were making, but no one had asked either. The smells were getting yummy though. Nessa decided to slip away to see if she could offer any help. Esme once again played Liv and Mel against each other. For one lap. Then all three noticed Shawna was well ahead of all of them. Then an all-out slaughter ensued as the three jostled each other, trying to surge ahead and battle with Shawna. Each one prayed for a blue shell, but none manifested. Esme finally got a lightning bolt, but miniaturized Princess Peach sailed across the finish line with room to spare. "How did you do that?" Reena cried incredulously. "I mean, you're this put together professional woman. How'd you get so good at Mario Kart?" "Professional scientist," Shawna replied. "How's that not set off your nerd alert? I was playing Mario Kart when it was 16 bit," she ended with a smirk. "Okay, hipster." Reena giggled back. Dave stepped close to Shawna, singing "This is how we do it ;” Together they started dancing, though Shawna clearly knew how, and Dave; not so much. He danced more like a caricature of a middle aged man breaking out old 90's moves in a dance club. The dance quickly morphed into a kiss that bounded between chaste and passionate. "Aw, it's so cute watching nerds in love." The two lovers laughed, breaking the kiss, and rested their foreheads together. "The table is all set," Lupie announced. "Make your plates and find a spot for the movie." There was a slight waver in her voice on the last part. Lupie was still adjusting to folks eating in the living room. Something she never allowed in her house, though when she went over to a family member's house for a big gathering, they all did it. She was making baby steps. They had plenty of evening and night left, and probably two movies before it was reasonable to send Esme to bed. First up was Inside Out, which Esme hadn't yet watched, and loved. Dave put away the disc after the movie ended. Reena took the lull to speak up. "How about we watch something streaming next? Maybe, The Babysitter?" "Are you nuts girl?" Shawna asked. "How 'bout we watch something that won't keep Esme from sleeping for a month?" Lupie, unfamiliar with the movie, took on a worried look. "That bad?" "Bad enough I'm not even going to describe it with her around. And She would never look at Becca the same again." Reena snorted. "To be fair, Becca is in a sort of cult now, with a much different sacrificial totem!" "Ha. Ha, ha. ha." Dave replied. Jan, seated beside Dave because it was her turn, chuckled while clutching his bicep and nestling her head on his shoulder. "Oh! How about The Mummy? The Brendan Fraser one, not Tom Cruise," Becca said from her seat on the floor between Dave's legs. Not doing anything frisky, that was understood, but often Becca or Reena; and occasionally Livy; sat there for family movie time. "Hmm, good movie, not sure if we should with Esme out here. Lupie?" "She's probably old enough now." Esme loved the movie. Almost as much as she loved Becca imitating the "I; am a librarian!" line, complete with a flop into Jan's lap. Everyone got a good laugh out of it; including Jan, who rolled her eyes as she did. October 25, 2020. Dave joined Lupie in the library for the Bible study she hosted for Becca and Reena. Originally, it was just Lupie by herself, but Becca had once shared a church with Lupie, and quickly asked to sit in with her. Recalling that Reena had mentioned church attendance in the past, Becca invited her to come as well. With his appearance this week, Dave made four. Lupie started with a prayer of invocation. When she finished, she gave Dave a shy smile. "We usually sing a few songs next." She bit her lip. "Just, please don't judge." Dave scowled, "Of course not." Then he softened his look. "That would be doubly inappropriate. People who give others grief for singing badly in church forgot the point of singing in church. And then there's the whole 'building your partner up' being violated like crazy if I gave you grief about your singing. I seem to recall there are a few verses in the Bible that have something to say against that." That earned another shy grin from Lupie, who then nodded to Becca. She and Reena launched into a song, obviously, they had planned ahead. As the first lyrics ushered forth, Dave recognized it and joined in. He closed his eyes and felt the meaning of the song, adding his own voice to the harmony. I will not forget you, you are my God, my King and with a thankful heart I bring my offering and my sacrifice is, not what you can give but what I alone can give to you! Dave finally re-opened his eyes, primarily to catch the cue for when the girls would start the second verse. He noted the eyes on him. Not exactly impressed, but surprised. Maybe they had expected him to just add a mumbling bass, but Dave had never been that guy. After two more songs, Lupie delivered her prepared lesson. They closed with another prayer. As each picked up their Bible to leave, Lupie tapped Dave on the shoulder. "The girls and I have talked about rotating who would give the lesson. They both agreed in principle, but didn't feel quite ready to actually do it. I think they feel uncomfortable taking the position of a moral authority. Do you think you could take the next lesson?" Dave caught his breath. It was one hell of an 'Oh by the way request'. It was also entirely reasonable. And honestly, it was his duty to either take on the role, or at least share it. "Sure. Maybe I can come up with something that will ease them in the right direction; or nudge them. I'm not quite sure which is more appropriate at the moment." To be continued in part 8, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.
Don't take this Bears season for granted (Hour 1) full 2534 Sat, 27 Dec 2025 05:36:00 +0000 uGRcPlFtHVsMoG7zIraKQpwL0pvckilG sports Spiegel & Holmes Show sports Don't take this Bears season for granted (Hour 1) Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes bring you Chicago sports talk with great opinions, guests and fun. Join Spiegel and Holmes as they discuss the Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox and delve into the biggest sports storylines of the day. Recurring guests include Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson, former Bears coach Dave Wannstedt, former Bears center Olin Kreutz, Cubs manager Craig Counsell, Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner and MLB Network personality Jon Morosi. Catch the show live Monday through Friday (2 p.m. - 6 p.m. CT) on 670 The Score, the exclusive audio home of the Cubs and the Bulls, or on the Audacy app. © 2025 Audacy, Inc. Sports False https://player.amperwavepodcasting.com?feed
Don't take this Bears season for granted full 1205 Fri, 26 Dec 2025 21:32:41 +0000 tdL6S9et0fuSVfE6Hnj9R8QvuW8HyAYO nfl,chicago bears,sports Spiegel & Holmes Show nfl,chicago bears,sports Don't take this Bears season for granted Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes bring you Chicago sports talk with great opinions, guests and fun. Join Spiegel and Holmes as they discuss the Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox and delve into the biggest sports storylines of the day. Recurring guests include Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson, former Bears coach Dave Wannstedt, former Bears center Olin Kreutz, Cubs manager Craig Counsell, Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner and MLB Network personality Jon Morosi. Catch the show live Monday through Friday (2 p.m. - 6 p.m. CT) on 670 The Score, the exclusive audio home of the Cubs and the Bulls, or on the Audacy app. © 2025 Audacy, Inc. Sports False https://player.amperwavepodcasting.com?feed-link=htt
Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 5 Celebration: Some happy moments to cling to. Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. October 5th, 2020. Dave and Liv spent the morning getting lumber and gate hardware. Other changes would take much longer to plan, and would need professionals to implement, but today they were putting in a gate between the backyards to facilitate caring for the chickens. And give more play space for Esme and Roscoe. He'd made no move to threaten the chickens. It took over an hour to tear out the boards from the section that would be a gate by the end of the day. Dave worked from Lupie's yard, while Liv worked from Dave's. Both were being careful to preserve the boards that were still in good condition. Those could be reused. If not today, then for another project. As they each pulled boards from the fences, Dave gained a view of Liv as she worked. Granted, he'd seen her working in the yard, or building things before. But back then, she was the young girl he helped guide to adulthood. Now, she was the young beauty that shared his bed in addition to his life. And god was she beautiful. He'd only appreciated her looks in an esoteric sense previously. 'Why yes, Livy is a lovely young lady' in response to another's comment or question. Things had changed. Knowing she'd be fence-building today, Liv had worn a sturdy bra that could keep her; assets from flopping all over the place. But pulling nails and tugging boards loose still had them moving under her denim shirt like two quarreling kittens. Her ass filled the seat of her jeans just right too; not a bubble butt, just nicely curved. Thank God she wore work jeans and not skinny jeans. Dave had enough blood in the wrong place without her jeans clinging to the silhouette of her legs. Man had to get some work done. They'd removed the pickets, trimmed the rails and the kickboard when Dave heard the sliding door. "It's lunch time you two," Lupie called out. "Knock off for a bit. Come in and get a sandwich and a drink." Dave brushed most of the saw dust off as he walked to the house. He kissed Lupie when he got to the door. Lupie returned it, but when he moved to press himself against her, she shoved him away. "Not 'til you've had a shower mister," she demanded. He chuckled. "Yes, dear." She just laughed. Melanie joined them. Her footfalls stopped, briefly, right behind him. Lupie and Liv looked at each other with knowing looks, but he didn't ask them or Mel why. She did have a quick, quiet conversation with Liv and Lupie as Dave headed out to finish. It was a short conversation as Olivia was not far behind. The next few hours were more physically demanding than the morning as Dave and Olivia dug new postholes, mixed cement, then filled the holes and placed the posts. Even so, the hardest part was adjusting the guidelines keeping the posts vertical until the cement set. Constantly adjusting the lengths of each line until the level red true seemed to take more time than all the other work. Now they had to give the cement at least a day to set before hanging the gate. Dave and Olivia secured their tools and left the work area neat before heading in. As Dave pulled back the sliding glass door he was tackled by a mass of flesh that he could tell by feel was female. Well, the only other bodies in the house were ladies, so that helped too. She was also very excited. A flash of red hair as kisses rained on him helped him identify Melanie as his enthusiastic paramour. He had to back pedal a few steps to keep the two of them from falling to the deck. "Get a room, ya slut," Olivia laughed. Melanie finally came up for air. "I don't need a room. Just this hot, sweaty man." She planted her lips firmly on Dave's as her hands sought out the hem of his shirt. She yanked it over his head swiftly, barely pausing her lips in their quest for more Dave. "Seriously? We're doing this right here?" Dave inquired. Mel nodded as she got her hands on Dave's belt. "The Esme rule," Liv interjected. "This isn't the couch." Liv laughed and rolled her eyes. "Lawyers and coders, always looking for the loophole. I think Esme's in the library studying. I'll make sure she stays there for a bit." She pulled the curtain closed after the glass door. Mel slowed her kissing, and moved from Dave's face to his shoulders as she unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his jeans. She took care to kiss every curve of his modestly defined shoulder muscles. No, more like savored. Dave decided to start evening the score, and grabbed her t-shirt; one of his actually, with the logo "University of Mars"; and pulled it over her head. It made her pause and grin, but barely slowed her progressive kissing down his body and getting his jeans and boxers down to his knees. Mel immediately took him in her mouth, working him to full erection quickly before plunging her head up and down. Satisfied he was at maximum stiffness, she straddled him while pulling the gusset of her shorts and panties aside revealing her already wet slit, her labia flowering outward in readiness. Mel sank herself on to Dave in one motion, letting out a grunt as he filled her. She opened her eyes and lowered her torso to his, kissing fervently as she rocked her hips up and down and rubbing her tits along his chest. Both of them found this quite stimulating. Hands roamed, tongues tangled, lips meshed. They seemed to hit a plateau, until Dave rolled them over. He began thrusting long swift strokes, causing Melanie to moan and lift her legs upward in a 'v' shape. She clutched his back and lifted her pelvis. As his thrusting pace increased Mel's vocalization devolved into happy grunts. Her fingers rotated, digging her nails into him. "Oh! God Yes!" Melanie arched her back, finding her release. A few moments later, Dave cascaded over the cliff with her, triggering a second orgasm in her even as the first had barely descended its peak. Dave held still and Mel clung to him as she shook. He nuzzled the side of her face with his cheek. When her breathing slowed, she grabbed his head and pulled him into a fiery kiss. Mel had an enormous grin as the two separated and began fixing their clothes. October 6, 2020. "Why are you cooking dinner, Dave? I thought it was Mel's night." "She is making the house dinner conejita, but I am taking your mother on a date today. We'll probably be gone through dinner." Esme made a face. "Ew, gross. So you two will be feeding each other little bites and doing other cutesy stuff?" "Probably," Dave chuckled. He scooped out a small portion on the tip of a spoon and held it out for her. Esme gamely took a bite. She swallowed but made a face. "Ew, what was that? Something popped and was bitter, or pickle-y." "Capers. I like 'em. I think your mom might too. I get it if you're not a fan." "Not. Most definitely not." Esme watched as Dave packed the container into a bag with sliced bread, several water bottles, a container of homemade whipped cream, and a box of strawberries from the greenhouse. As Dave stood, re-evaluating his packing, Esme spoke again. "It's not like I don't know what's going on around here. Ya'll get kinda loud sometimes. I know, I know 'I'm too young to talk about these things', but seriously it's a basic part of life as an adult right?" "I won't go sticking my nose in," she continued, "and yeah, I don't want to see it going on, but you don't have to walk on eggshells around me." "Oh, seriously though? We should get more candles or something, 'cuz something about that gets kinda funky afterwards. I've gone into the master bedroom to talk to mom a few times and, Wow dude. I can tell which mornings you get lucky. Or they do." "The way y'all act it's like you're both sure you got more out of it than the other, or more than you deserve or something. At least you're all happy. All though, yeah, sometimes if too many of you are walking around dreamy faced it gets kinda suspense film creepy." "Seriously though? I'm really happy for mom. And Becca. Mom's been lonely for a long time, and Becca spent about half the year looking like her heart had been ripped out. They are way better now than they were. I haven't seen mom this happy in; ever. And Becca is as bouncy happy as she's ever been. So yeah, whatever weird stuff is happening, is fine with me. I'd rather not see it though. Or hear it. Or smell it." After laying out the blanket for the two of them, the first thing Dave pulled out of the basket was an MP3 player. "You could have just used your phone, papi. Why go old school?" "Because this has more memory than my phone mi luz." Lupie chuckled lightly. "Your pronunciation is all wrong." She stepped in closer, their faces inches apart. "But your delivery is all right." They kissed softly, holding each other loosely. The romantic appetizer lasted a minute or so before they settled down to the blanket. Lupie smirked, one eyebrow cocked as Dave adjusted the position of the music player. "Well, it's not like I brought out a Walkman." "Don't you mean a Discman?" "Discman came a decade later. The Walkman was in the eighties, and it used cassettes." "Old man," Lupie smirked. "So I shouldn't tell you about my parents' blue panel van with an eight track player back in the seventies?" Lupie laughed. "Sometimes it's hard to remember you really are that much older than me. But when I do, it's a good thing. I have an appreciation for age and wisdom." She leaned in to plant a warm, lingering kiss on his lips. Dave rolled his eyes. "On a date with a thirty two year old and I'm still robbing the cradle." "Umm, you can rock this cradle all day long, papi," she purred. They bantered for a bit as Dave put together the chicken salad sandwiches, and grew quiet as they ate. Lupie did appreciate the capers, and the celery seed. As they were feeding strawberries to each other (after dipping them into some whipped cream lightly laced with rum) 'Brown-Eyed Girl' came on; the Jimmy Buffett version with steel drums. Dave swayed with the rhythm as he offered a strawberry to Lupie. As it got to the later lyric '; making love in the green grass, behind the stadium with you, my brown-eyed girl; ' Dave wiggled his eyebrows. Lupie giggled at first, then realized he wasn't just being silly. "David, no! Out here, where anyone can see us?!" "Loops, there's a row of tall bushes between us and the path. If someone is out getting some exercise, they'll never know we're here." "You have a way of making me loud, mi amor," Lupie beamed. "Then we'll take it nice and slow, darling," Dave said as he buzzed his lips next to her ear. He took a firm hold of her tit, massaging it just how she liked. Lupie sucked in a breath and closed her eyes. They made out like teenagers before shucking his pants and boxers. Lupie surprised him with the revelation she hadn't worn any panties. She blushed at her own daring. Then they made love. Long, slow, passionate joining of two hearts giving and taking in unison. The sun had set long before they left. The temperature dropped with the sun, but holding each other close and making their own heat, they never noticed. October 8, 2020. Dave was in his office, wrestling with code for his game when Becca came in, with Kareena. He'd left the game on hiatus for a while, with bigger issues to deal with, and a suspicion that an erotic harem post-apocalyptic game may not be interesting any more, between the actual apocalypse happening and the 'addictive sperm' serum now running through women's veins. But, he had started the project, he wanted to finish. "Hey Dave, looks who's here!" Becca announced. Dave looked up and was immediately confused. "Are they waiting for me to come down and sign?" "Oh, no, they said since I was one of your partners, I could sign." "Hello Dave." Kareena's entangled fingers wouldn't stop moving. Her shoulders were rounded, pulled inward and down. Her feet shifted. Her deep brown eyes wouldn't rise above his knees. Dave motioned her to a chair. "You seem worried. Are you sure you want to do this?" "Yes." Her eyes flicked up to his for just a moment, before dropping again. "It's just different from what I'm used to, what I expected for my life for several years. But I want a change. And I was relieved when the match system said we were eighty three percent compatible. I was worried it would be a lot less." Dave motioned for her to take a seat. "So, how are you feeling?" Reena blushed at the implication. "I'm okay. Not antsy like they said would happen, but it hasn't been too terribly long just yet. I mean, I could right now if you want to." She rushed the last sentence out. "It's okay. This is a big step in life, bigger than society made it out to be in the past couple decades." Dave paused for a minute. He caught Becca's eye then cocked his head towards the door. She took the hint and left, pulling the door shut. "It's just the two of us now, face to face, with no one listening. Is there anything you want to say or ask?" Kareena looked at him, looked away, and back. "I don't want to be everybody's salon girl." Dave blinked and nodded his head. While he was waiting for her to continue, he took the time to notice her attire. It hadn't been his instinct in the past, not anything beyond 'That looks nice' in a sincere tone. He'd begun to learn that what a woman was wearing may be a clue to her general intent in a conversation. If in fact, she had dressed for him, and not some other purpose. In this case, it wasn't egotistical to believe Reena had dressed for him. Her orange half shirt played counterpoint to her lovely brown skin balanced between milk chocolate and sienna. Her tits stretched the top to pull ripples into the fabric. below her shirt, her smooth, flat, tummy bore no adornment. Neither did her lovely oval navel. Her jeans rode low on her hips, and were so tight they may well have been painted on. "I know I said I was good with that stuff, and I kinda am, at like, an amateur level, but I don't want to do that all the time. Like, just as a hobby, if something special is happening." She started tearing up as she talked. Dave reached out, taking her hand in his, gently. A gazed at her face until she met his eyes. "I didn't bring you here to do nails and hair a such. I brought you here because as a family, we agreed you would be a welcome addition. We all realize you are young, and still figuring out where you want to fit in the world. We did not expect you to fill in any particular house duty." He brushed a loose lock of raven black hair behind her ear, and received a smile. "When colleges re-open, take a few classes, see what interests you; " "My dad said since I wasn't going to accept an offer from the guy he wanted me to pair with, he was cutting me off. I don't think I'll be taking classes until after I can get a job to build up tuition money." Dave chuckled. "Family sticks together, Kareena. Jan and I both work for the community college, which can get you a tuition discount. Given that they've already forgiven all student loan debt, the government is probably going to fund all tuition, or most of it, going forward. And, well, there are four adults in this household with established careers and we've all been fairly careful with our money. You want college, you can get college." Reena relaxed a bit, but not entirely. "Also, there is a spread of skillsets among us. Sit and talk with each of us. Shadow us while we do our jobs. Get to know our fields of expertise. Well, the remote part anyway. Probably going to be awhile before you can actually go to our places of work, even once we can go back. Odds are, something will sound interesting, if not our exact jobs, something related. Worst case scenario, you learn a lot of what you don't want to do and get to know us more than you might want to." Reena giggled. It made Dave feel better, knowing he could rouse her out of her anxiety. He kept his eyes on her, smiling. Reena shifted in her chair and adjusted her leg position. "Dave?" "Yes?" "I think I'm ready now." Dave blinked for a moment. Two and a half weeks living in the new serum-world and it still took him a bit to register what she meant. "Oh. Um, are you sure?" She nodded. Her breathing was deeper than when she'd come in. Dave stood and reached a hand to her. She lifted her hand to his and stood. Reena followed Dave to the bedroom and stood, still and uncertain, as he closed the door. Turning from the door, he noticed her shaking. "Reena, this is only going to work if it's something you want to do." Panic washed over her face. "I want to, I do. I'm just a little scared." She licked her lips and tried to steady her breathing. "It's just; I, uh; well, Becca talked about how you, uh; do; things. It's never been like that before. I mean, both boyfriends that I've; been with; just kinda; did their thing and got off." Dave approached her. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder and looked into her eyes. "I'm not the greatest lover, so I hope Becca didn't put me on too high a pedestal. I do take the time to pay attention to a woman's needs. That said, this first time, you're only going to get there when the first bit of my fluid hits you, and then again when I pop. I could be the greatest lover in the world, and nothing will get you to climax other than those two events the first time." Reena smiled warmly and laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his torso. "I came here for the long term Dave. The short term is less important." After gathering her thoughts, she continued. "Just show me I matter to you, that's all I ask." Dave stroked his hand through her long, dark hair. He kissed the crown of Reena's head and ran his hands gently down her arms. He pulled her closer by the waist and she raised her head. Their lips met and each let their hands roam across the others' body. Kareena moaned into the kiss. Dave took that as encouragement and allowed his hands to rise to caress the sides of her luscious, sizable tits over top her shirt. She shuddered and pressed herself to him. Dave picked Reena up gently and seated her on the edge of the bed before joining her. He kissed her neck and nibbled her collarbone. Dave slipped his fingers under her top and lifted slowly, pulling his face back to allow her half shirt to pass. He dropped his face to kiss the upper slopes of her tits as his hands sought out the bra clasp in the back. He briefly recalled the mistake with Shawna, just as he found the interfering component. It yielded quickly to his touch and Reena shrugged off the straps, allowing the bra to slide to her legs and fall to the floor. Dave pulled his face back to admire the view. Even at what must be a D or E cup, her tits stood out proudly with the perkiness of youth. He locked eyes with her and latched her lips with a hungry kiss. Reena groaned with a hunger that matched his own. He placed his hands beside her tits, thumbs stroking the underside of the soft orbs enflaming his desire. Reena's breathing sped up with his caresses. She gasped as he took one dark brown nipple and areola in his mouth and suckled. "Oh, David; oh God, that feels good." She whimpered as he released her aroused nub, then hummed passionately as he engaged her mouth again with his own. As their tongues danced, he lowered her torso to the bed, her defiant bust yielding only slightly to the insistence of gravity as each hung off to the sides. Dave kissed down her cleavage and nipped and kissed about her abdomen before bringing his mouth to rest just above the button of her jeans. He looked up her body, between her tits. Only when she lifted her head to return his gaze did he unbutton her jeans and peel them back slightly as he began kissing the small exposed area of her pelvis. He half stood, still dallying his lips on her taut flesh as he moved himself around her knee to settle between her legs. He peeled her jeans down to her knees before pulling upwards, lifting her legs in the air and stripping her jeans off. He stood, bring the jeans clear of her feet, then caught her legs against his chest. If the look in her eyes and her rapid, deep breathing hadn't been enough to confirm her arousal, the warm, musky scent of her sex screamed it loudly. It was heady, rich, and inviting. He parted her elevated legs and slowly knelt, his eyes on hers, a lecherous smile on his face as he lowered it towards the lace panties covering her throbbing center. The black tracery woven through the garment gave accent to the richness of the red base. His face only inches from her sex, he paused, inhaling the scent of her, reveling in her arousal. He kissed her over top her tanga-style panties, applying just enough pressure to transmit the sensation from his lips to hers. Reena groaned, her hands reaching for his head. Dave looped his fingers through the sides of her panties and pulled them towards him, then up. She bent her legs at the knees to ease their removal and she hissed her assent. Understanding the actions of the serum now, better than he had previously, Dave took her engorged labia into his mouth, suckling at them as he probed her slit with his tongue. Reena cried out, arching her back, yearning for release. Satisfied she was as aroused and ready as the serum would allow, Dave half rose, keeping her knees on his shoulders and lifted her up the bed as he crawled on to it. With a firm purchase on the bed, He kissed her again and worked his hips to align his shaft with her entrance. With his tip lodged just inside her opening, she nodded to him, urgently. Dave steadily edged himself into her, her passage relaxed and accepting him. The warm moist tunnel held him firmly, stretching to accommodate his girth as he penetrated her fully. His tip pressed against the very top of her tunnel as his pelvis made contact with her clitoris. Dave began with a slow, gentle grinding action. Reena held his arms as he worked himself in her. Her breath suddenly caught before she howled and shook. Dave knew he must have leaked out the first bit of precum, triggering her priming orgasm. He held still while the ecstasy rebounded through her. It took her well over a minute to recover. She clasped her hands behind Dave's neck and kissed him fiercely as her legs locked behind the small of his back. "I'm yours now, forever. Work that thing in me and finish your claim." Her eyes were hungry, certain, and unyielding. With a smile, and his eyes locked on her, Dave worked his hips back and forth, plunging in and out of her. Reena grunted with each impact of his pelvis against hers, a look of joy on her face, her breathing growing ragged. Dave accelerated his motion as he felt himself building to the eruption they both needed. The yearning in Reena's eyes exhorted him onward until he felt the familiar tingle and let loose inside of her. Immediately, all of Reena's muscles contracted, seizing and spasming. Dave held still, embedded in her depths as he pulsed more and more of his essence into her. He held himself still as she writhed, giving some anchor to her flailing until she crumbled to the bed beneath him. "Imprinting; imprinting; imprinting;” October 13, 2020. Dave sat in the station chair, in cloth shorts only, working through a third set of butterflies. He actually preferred free weights, but he wanted to push himself hard today without bugging someone to spot him. He'd been cycling curls, chest presses, and butterflies. Though he went to free weights for the curls. Melanie came in as he was straining to get out the tenth rep. The slightly amused face she wore added into something else entirely as she spotted him bare but for a pair of shorts, glistening in sweat from forty minutes of strength training. Her breathing deepened, which drew Dave's eyes to her chest. He faltered, kept straining, but couldn't quite finish the rep. "Uh; um;” She shook her head and gathered her thoughts. "So, I caught our two youngest ladies messing around in your office. They're in the living room now. I think you should come talk." The smirk returned, though her eyes kept lingering on his sweaty abdomen. Dave was sure she was slipping a little extra sway in her hips as she walked ahead of him to the living room. He quickly checked his phone on the way, noting several texts, all from family members. Most of his family had denied the virus was real or that masks or lockdowns worked, so most of them were 'not responding' on social media. The few that remained had posted mournful bits on social media, still not acknowledging reality. Since he'd pointed out the absurdity of their positions before people started dying, he was now dead to them. Not really something that affected him much actually, since they lived three states away and never thought much of him in the first place. But why the fuck; ok, wow, yet a new level of hate texts? And why all of them, all of a sudden? Becca and Reena sat on opposite sides of the couch. Reena's eyes were downcast. She appeared to be on the verge of crying. Becca's lips were pressed into a flatline, her eyes not meeting Dave's. Dave cleared his throat. Becca looked briefly at him, then quickly away. Reena let out a small whimper and kept her eyes on the floor. "So y'all want to tell me what happened?" Becca finally met his gaze. "We were only trying to help." "Oh good, so many wonderful things have followed that statement." Dave took a seat between them and pulled them close. "How about dropping the preamble and just getting it out." "I broke into your computer and we used your Facebook profile to contact two women that show up in your feed a lot. We were going to contact a few others when Mel walked in. It took a while because we were trying to say something unique to each one." Becca monotoned. Then she perked up "we just thought since you requested some of us, you could request other women you already knew." If I blow my top, I'll not only hurt Becca whom I most definitely love but cause super skittish Reena to withdraw completely. The girl's trying to find herself a new place in life. Unless she's clearly reverting to past behavior I have got to treat her with kid gloves. Dave suddenly made a connection in his head. "Who were the two women you propositioned in my name?" "Janine Farkel and Mary Pharns" Dave's head lolled back as he chuckled. "Well, that would explain the texts I just red. Every woman on my mother's side still alive are royally pissed at me. None bothered to explain why, but went to great lengths delineating what an utter worthless beast I am." Becca looked at him confused. Reena did as well, though she was ready to start bawling again. He took a deep breath. "Janine Farkel is my cousin. Her mom and my mom are sisters." Becca rolled her eyes at their mistake. Reena looked like she wanted to bury her head in his shoulder, but wasn't sure she was allowed. "To be fair, I did think she was awfully cute when we were kids. But once I realized what romance was focused around, I was instantly aware that wasn't something you do with your cousin." That got Becca to give a small snort. Reena's frown almost became a grin. "Mary Pharns is Janine's niece, her older brother's daughter, making her my second cousin." Both girls groaned. "You know what you did wrong?" God, he shouldn't be talking like this with a sexual partner, yet the situation called for it. "I should have checked relationships before sending out a message?" Becca asked softly. Dave looked at her stonily. "You should not have used my social media profile without my permission. You should not have acted in my name, without consulting me first. You acted because you had the skills. Just because you can do a thing, it does not necessarily follow that you must do that thing." "Did you just use Star Trek 6 as a rebuke?" Becca said with narrowed eyes and mouth. "If the shoe fits, wear it." She rolled her eyes. Dave looked to Reena, on his other side. He bent his head down to hers, lifting her chin with the hand around her shoulder. Their lips met and he kissed her sweetly. They held the kiss, lips moving, but only that, for nearly a minute. When they broke, Reena batted her eyes and blushed. "Well, it's not a boring life." Dave observed. Both girls barked out a laugh and snuggled into him. "So Dave, um," Reena temporized, "is there anything we could do to; make it up to you?" Becca jumped in. "We've been talking about, maybe you know, both of us?" Dave's eyebrows rose. "Like maybe, you could; um; fill one of us up; and then the other one; uh; licks it out while you; uh; do it in her. So, there's this line of you and then both of us." "I'm willing to be the in-between one," Reena interjected. Becca's eyes betrayed her surprise. "That would be amazing. But only if you want to, and not as punishment. I don't want anything sexual to be punishment." Reena popped her head up. "Not actual punishment. Roleplay and BDSM are different. That's for mutual pleasure, with agreed upon boundaries." Reena relaxed against him again, nodding her head lightly. "I'll put out a message to my family members about what happened, including a tightly worded appreciation of the faith in me they displayed with their responses. After a few more days of bitching, that should keep them off my back for a good six months while they go back to savaging each other. Or whoever they've collectively deemed as 'other'." Dinner in the Belsus household had been moved back to accommodate Shawna's frequent shifts on the 5pm and 6pm broadcasts. Today, however, she'd taken the early morning duty and arrived home shortly after five. She found Dave in his office, staring at another set of lab instructions for the online physics offering he'd been instructed to develop. One month out from spring semester registration, he was supposed to have already submitted a final number for the course fee needed to cover any kits or supplies the school would require to accompany the course. "Dave?" He brought his head up and smiled when he saw her. "Hey Shawna. How long have you been standing there?" "Less than a minute." Her broad smile that fully engulfed her eyes pulled his brain out of its work fog. He saved his work and logged out. "We have about two hours before dinner's ready. What would you like to do?" "I could use a massage, if you're up for it." "Sure." Shawna took his hand and led him to an unused bedroom that had been converted to an alternate TV and game room. Not entirely unused. Shawna's work clothes were in the closet so she could dress before work without disturbing anyone in the master bedroom. On walking in, she picked up the remote and flipped through menus. "It's a shame they don't have Babylon 5 or original Galactica on streaming. How 'bout some TNG?" Dave nodded. Shawna setup an episode, then settled on the floor, placing herself between Dave's legs as he sat on the bed. Dave slipped his hands to her neck and began working his thumbs in the crease there. His fingers held the sides of her neck, mostly giving a base for the thumbs, but doing small motions on the flesh they contacted. Shawna let her head droop slightly. "Umm, I love feeling your hands on me, baby." She turned her head so she could see him out the corner of her eye. "Once you've got my neck nice and loose, feel free to; roam a bit." The lusty grin those words slipped out of punctuated her meaning. Dave chuckled and gave her a kiss on her cheek before she dropped her head loose again. Within the first minute, Dave could feel the tension in her and went to work helping her relax. He thoroughly massaged her scalp, taking care not to mess with her hairstyle. He massaged her forehead, then around her ears and jaw before descending to her neck. Once that was feeling loose, he moved down to her shoulders. He worked her upper back as well, working out the physical manifestations of the stresses she may or may not share later. She was already running the entire meteorology department for the station. The official promotion had not yet come through, but she was the one that all the folks in the department looked to for direction. She was the one the higher ups passed their instructions through. Every day had at least some stress. He rolled her neck in his hands, feeling the looseness that hadn't been there when he'd started. Satisfied the primary task was accomplished, he allowed his fingers to stretch down from her shoulders, caressing her front progressively lower from her collarbone. "Umm. uh-hmm." Dave slipped his hands under her silky blouse and directly stimulated the flesh just above the upper slopes of Shawna's tits. He carefully sought out a path that took his fingers down the sides of her tits, cupping them as he massaged them. Shawna sucked in a breath before saying "Oh, yes baby. God I love these hands." With his hands inside her shirt and bra, Dave deftly stroked her tits and nipples Until she stood and began stripping her clothes off. He matched her actions and the two fell to the bed naked, their hearts pounding. Shawna landed on top, but quickly rolled to put him above her. Taking his cue, Dave got his knees between her legs and made the connection they both sought. Excited as she was, he slipped himself in easily. They lost the need for words as he pumped in and out of her. Both roamed their hands and lips across the other, but the primary need was the stimulation below as she bucked her hips up to him and he thrust into her offered portal. The long, slow, burn of the massage had them both well on their way before they entangled themselves. Shawna lit off first, shuddering and moaning as they kissed, her body convulsing in the throes of a 'normal' orgasm. The actions of her inner muscles on his cock pushed Dave the last bit of his peak and he let loose within her, triggering a serum-induced orgasm even as her body was beginning to come down from the natural orgasm. They held each other close, panting, for several minutes. Another few minutes were spent kissing, until the unmistakable sounds of a dinner nearly ready intruded their thoughts. They dressed carefully, unrushed, but ready to move on to the next part of the evening. They descended the stairs holding hands and crossed the living room into the dining room. Esme passed them as they took seats, a bowl in her hands as she helped lay out dishes for the meal. Passing behind Shawna, Esme gave an audible, obvious sniff, then looked at Dave and shook her head. Chapter 7; Celebration. October 16, 2020. Dave's heart was handling the exertion just fine, only slightly elevated beyond his usual while doing this. His breathing was ragged though. He was having trouble finding his rhythm. And his legs felt like rubber. "Come on, Dave," Olivia said over her shoulder, "You can do better than this. Tell ya what, you beat me back to the house and I'll give you my ass tonight." She blew a kiss over her shoulder, then kicked hard. Roscoe let out a bark that was both happy and plaintive, then loped faster to keep pace. They were about a quarter mile from the house, nearing the end of their three mile run. Dave frequently ran five miles in a morning, but he'd slacked off gradually as his living situation changed. Last week he hadn't run at all. Having a woman's warm body snuggled up against him just made it that much harder to get out of bed and run. Multiple bodies pressed against him, each with its own unique, warm, fleshy wonder, made getting out of bed nearly impossible. Dave kicked out after Livy. He gained on her at first, but the view of her firm, muscular ass was just amazing. Dave decided it was worth it to keep the view and let her win. Anal would be fun to try, but they had their whole lives together. This view, now, this morning, gave him the satisfaction he was looking for. At the entrance to the driveway, they slowed to a walk. Arms over their heads, they walked circles in the driveway and yard. Roscoe, tongue out, huge canine grin, circled about them. Occasionally, he bumped his head against a thigh and got a pat on the head for his efforts. "For taking a week off, you didn't lose much ability. You let me win that." "Well, to be fair, watching your ass in those leggings is a reward all it's own." Dave took her in his arms and kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, and softly on the lips. He could feel her smile into the kiss. When he pulled back and her eyes reopened, he saw a lingering uncertainty in them. "This still has an undercurrent of weird, but a whole lot of wonderful. I sometimes get paranoid your dad's going to come around the corner and catch me kissing you." Olivia smacked his chest, then buried her face in it with a giggle. "I'm also amazed that I have this beautiful, intelligent, loving young woman in my life that has admired me for many years. A young woman I watched grow up, becoming one of the finest human beings I've ever had the privilege to know. And she chose me to live her life with." Olivia's hug on Dave squeezed tighter. She had her dream. Everything she ever wanted was right here. Then Dave's stomach rumbled. "Guess I better get my butt in the kitchen and feed my man." Dave rolled his eyes. "Sure," he said, with a pat on her ass as she turned towards the door, "get in that kitchen and cook my food woman." Olivia's only response was to wiggle her ass. Halfway to the door, she turned her head over her shoulder and stuck out her tongue, through a great big grin. She shrieked and ran, giggling, when Dave started to run towards her. The first order of business was to let Roscoe into the backyard, where he lapped water from his bowl before plopping onto the deck. Once in the kitchen, Dave snatched a bowl from the cupboard while Olivia pulled the egg carton from the fridge. Lupie's chickens did a fine job keeping up with the needs of Dave, Lupie, Becca, and Esme. Add Janice, Shawna, Olivia, and Melanie to the mix, and those chickens made a nice supplement, but would never keep up on their own. When Dave reached for the carton, Liv slapped his hand lightly. "I told you, I'm making breakfast for you. Take a seat." "Maybe I should just go take my shower now, and come down to a hot breakfast made by my hot babe." She threw an appreciative grin over her shoulder. "Maybe you should go find the sweat slut and give her what she wants." "She does like it without being sweaty too ya know." "Are you talking about Melanie?" came Janice's voice from the dining room entry. Soft and melodic, Dave would never get enough of those carefully crafted tones. "Gee, how'd you guess?" Dave gave her a gentle kiss in greeting. Janice hummed in the kiss, but kept their bodies separated. "I'm kinda in between Mel and Lupie here on this one. It's not my kink, and don't want to be pressed against you when you're all sweaty, but I'm not shoving you away when you look all manly and accomplished." Jan blushed lightly at the end of her statement. She let go of Dave to move to Liv's side at the counter. She watched Olivia crack the eggs one handed, then split the shell, still using one hand only, over the bowl to drain the egg out. "Hey, that's just how Dave taught me to do it." Olivia looked at her with a smile and a raised eyebrow. That caused Jan to laugh. "Okay, okay, for me it was just a few weeks ago. I take it you were, what, fourteen?" "Eight. Eight years old, standing on a step stool with one of the two greatest guys in the world standing beside me." Olivia said wistfully. Jan gave her a quick shoulder hug. "Can I do anything to help?" "Sure. I'm just going to scramble these with some seasoning. Maybe some toast or fruit? A little late to start bacon." Jan, with her head in the fridge called out, "We've got a package of pre-cooked breakfast sausage. Just need to be heated through." "Sounds good." "Hey Jan?" Dave asked. "While you're in there, can you grab me an apple or a pear?" Dave easily caught the pear she tossed his way and began eating it after polishing it on a dry spot on his shirt. "I can't seem to stop eating lately. I'm surprised I didn't gain weight the last few weeks. Eating more than usual, and little to no exercise." Tossing a lid on the skillet to keep the steam inside, Jan turned to Dave. "Little to no exercise? Dave, you have energetic sex at least twice a day, with three or four blowjobs or quickies as well. If you're denying your hunger and not eating, that would explain the; what, five pounds you lost?" "Hmm, hadn't weighed myself in a while. Too afraid the scale would just scream 'Get off me fatso!'" Olivia snorted, but immediately gave him a scowl that matched Jan's. "Dave," Jan said, "you are far from overweight. If you keep over restricting yourself by not accounting for your activity, you're going to hurt yourself, and us by extension. You should stash snacks in your office, so you can have something as soon as you get hungry." She paused for a moment. "Maybe we should get a small fridge for your office, to hold some snacks that would be better cold, or water bottles. You like your fruit and water cold." Just then, Dave's phone chimed the tone he'd set for texts from the ladies of the house. Looking down and unlocking, he saw it was from Shawna. Shawna Posted; It's official! I got the promotion! WFAA Chief Meteorologist Shawna Coulter! That's great! I'm proud of you! You put in a lot of work to get here, babe! Shawna Posted; a heart emoji. They even did a video call with Troy! He still wears those wonderfully dorky bowties! He congratulated me, said he's been watching, and he's proud I'm holding the department to a high standard of science and reporting! Then she posted a star-eyed emoji, smiling face with tear emoji You earned every bit of those accolades. Shawna Posted; face blowing a kiss emoji, It's just, oh my God, he's a legend around here, and well-regarded in the weather community! And then he's on a Zoom call, telling me I'm doing the station and profession proud! I remember watching him as a kid, hun. I can imagine the impact. You put years of work into this. Enjoy the fruits of victory, my love. Dave froze. The first time he'd used the 'L' word with Shawna, and it was by text! Dammit! In the silent minutes of self-recrimination, his phone chimed again. Shawna Posted; I love you too, David. "What's with the dopey-lovey grin, Dave?" Olivia's voice brought him back to the dining room as she sat a platter of scrambled eggs on a wooden trivet and centered it on the table. Jan came in and did likewise for a platter of sausage. "Shawna got the official promotion to Chief Meteorologist." "Hey, that's great!" Jan said, with Lupie chiming in as she entered with Esme. Mel came in a few steps behind. "Mel," Liv said, "could you grab the fruit tray and toast?" Mel nodded her agreement. Lupie shooed Esme to go help. "We should do something to celebrate Shawna's promotion." Lupie said. Heads nodded around the table. "She's got the six o'clock duty tonight, and they'll probably do some kind of cake thing there, so I wouldn't expect her home until after dinner." Jan supplied. "Tomorrow, she's going in for a few hours to give guidance and get some admin work done. No on-air duties though. She said she'd be home by two, maybe three at the latest. Oh, and she's not going in until ten at the earliest. She swore she was getting to sleep in." "How about a picnic in the park?" Melanie suggested. "The way she gets nostalgic talking about the smell of grass or the air from her storm chasing days, maybe she'd like that." "Hopefully sans storm," Liv said dryly. Mel stuck her tongue out in reply, then both giggled. "So, an early dinner tomorrow, after Shawna gets home. Let's figure out a menu and divide up duties." Lupie guided the ensuing short discussion. She tried to dissuade Dave from making a dish, again cajoling him that he should let them take care of such things. Dave pointed out that he enjoys cooking and seeing people enjoy his efforts. Shawna had shown an interest in his tomato-cucumber salad, and they did just pull in a fresh harvest of both. Then he got a little dirty. Would Lupie deny Shawna a dish she loved from someone she cared for on her celebration day? Okay, that was a little not cool, but he wanted to make something dammit. Lupie's look was by turns hurt and chagrined. "I'm sorry Lupie, that was over the line." Dave stood and walked to her chair. He took her hand and kissed it. "Please, I love to cook, and I feel like I'm getting shut out here. I love what you and the others cook too. And I understand your position about my role, leading the family. But please, step back once in a while and let me make a dish." Lupie got a saucy look in her eye. With a smile and a wink, she said, "Very well, you may work in my kitchen." Dave rolled his eyes, but as she stood to begin clearing the table, he swatted her butt, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Eep!" She turned and buried her face in his chest. As she turned, he could see her face was as red as the tomatoes he'd use tomorrow. Just then, Becca and Reena stumbled in, bleary eyed and messy haired. They'd been working on some project and stayed up late, sleeping in a different bedroom. "Why don't you let Heckle and Jeckle here get their breakfast, and then let them clean up?" Lupie screwed up her face, ready to object, but both teens nodded their assent, Becca holding out a thumbs up as she flopped into a chair. Then Lupie mentioned Shawna's promotion and the planned party for tomorrow. Both girls livened up, huge grins on their faces. They leaned towards each other, speaking in quick whispers before pulling back and high-fiving. Whatever was going on had them completely awake with broad grins. "You girls care to share?" I asked. "Not yet, it's a surprise. A good one this time, promise." Becca flushed with remembered embarrassment from the 'hook Dave up' fiasco. Reena blushed as well, nodding agreement. Jan lay under Dave on the bed, her legs wrapped around his waist. Since he was already sweaty, she thought she'd give it a try. Might as well, right? Try different ways? As Dave pumped in and out of her, he paused between kisses to study her face. "You are not feeling it are you?" "You, yes. The sweat, no. Sorry, David." Dave stopped his motions, beginning to pull out. "No, no, please. Finish in me. Then we can take a shower together, and maybe; my turn in the tub?" Dave was still working his way through individual dates with each lady, but they had added a twist. Each wanted a soak in the large, sea-shell shaped garden tub in the master bath. To make it special (they argued getting tub time with him made it special) he'd managed to personalize the experience with different settings. Lupie loved lavender, so he arranged lavender bath scents, two candles on the vanity, and four candles around the tub. Every time before, when Dave was near lavender, his eyes, nose, and mouth got itchy, so he took a dose of his strongest allergy meds (over the counter, but behind the pharmacy desk) half an hour before the bath time. It; didn't work. He didn't sneeze or have too much sinus irritation. But Lupie's time luxuriating as she leaned against him in the bath was cut short when she noticed red bumps all over his arms as they wrapped loosely around her. She was furious with Dave as she pushed him into the shower stall to wash off the offending aromatics. She pulled the plug on the bathtub and kicked on the fan before joining him. He was grateful when the steamy air got into his lungs. When Dave pledged to try again, Lupie pointedly suggested almond and vanilla. After that, all the ladies insisted on knowing what gave him allergic reactions. As far as scents go, they were relieved the only remaining problematic scents were eucalyptus and any form of mint. Mel was slightly bummed about the mint, but wasn't that attached to it. "The feeling of Dave going down on me vastly outweighs the pleasantness of a mint-scented bath." So after Dave finished, and a few minutes of snuggling, he got up to shower quickly. Adjusting the tub faucet to Janice's preferred temperature, he left it running. Then he pulled the special items for Janice from the one locked closet in the bathroom. The one he stashed all the special prep stuff for the ladies. Yes, they'd picked scents and lighting, but that's no reason to give away all the details. With the tub about half full, he drizzled a small, short stream of rose oil into the water with a slight sideways motion to help start the mixing process. The tub's curvature and the current due to the filling should do the rest. Next, he killed the lights. Jan wanted natural lighting, which is why they were doing this in the daytime. There was a large window that let light into the master bath. No one could see in from that direction, into an upstairs window anyway, so it was safe, even before the pandemic. As the tub neared full, Dave cut the water and sprinkled rose petals on the surface, around the tub margins, and then some on the floor. With his back to the door, he surveyed the scene to make sure it was right. Satisfied, he placed the partial bag of petals in the closet and locked it again. Then he stepped back into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. He led Jan from the bed to the bathroom door and had her cover her eyes with her hands before opening the door. Jan walked slowly into the bathroom, marveling at the setup. As Dave joined her, she wrapped him in her arms and delivered a warm, passionate kiss. Then they climbed into the tub, Janice lying back against Dave's chest, as the two enjoyed the closeness without any overtly sexual play. It was a good morning. "Why do you smell like roses?" Reena asked as she lay curled into Dave's side on the laid-out recliner. "Because I gave Jan her couples tub time earlier and she likes a rose-scented bath." "So you're really working your way through romancing each of us personally?" "There's no other way. You are each unique. Different desires, different needs. I'll do my best to give you what makes you feel happy and accepted." "This is pretty good right here." The teen gave him a soft kiss. "I like Jan. She has good taste in bath scents. And men." Dave chuckled, giving her a soft squeeze in appreciation. They were in the living room, though no music or shows were playing. Just a quiet snuggle. Kareena wore cloth shorts and one of Dave's nerd shirts. This one looked like a computer's BSOD. Melanie cringed when she saw it on her way out the door earlier. Reena must have been wearing a bra, since her large tits were somewhat contained and her nipples were not poking through. Given her past behavior it was a 50/50 toss up whether she was wearing any kind of panties, but there was no outward indication either way, and this wasn't the kind of snuggle to facilitate an exploration to find out. "So I've been talking with Becca and Jan, and the others. I think I'd like to take some classes in the Spring?" "Why are you asking that like a question?" "I wanted to make sure you're okay with it." "Reena, we are partnered. We will spend the rest of our lives together, and eventually have kids together. I don't own you." Dave looked her straight in the eye for this part. "Sure, there are somethings you could choose to do that will impact all of us and therefore require some prior notice or approval. What schooling you pursue is not in that category. Now, if you're looking for advice, I'm here for you. It sounds to me like you've already gotten some from the others. And I happen to think highly of their opinions, so you should be good to go." Dave got a full kiss on the lips for that, with only a little tongue. "I'm going to go undeclared and just take some basic classes. Becca and I plan on taking composition and speech together. Not math or science. She really helped me through high school, but I'm not at her level and I don't want to hold her back. As soon as we can, I'll take the placement tests and hope I get into college math instead of remedial." Her face fell at the prospect of starting below college level. "Becca will probably get into precal or calc right from the start." "You'll do fine, no matter where you place. If you're really worried about it, talk to Jan. I have some math prep books around here. Take some time to brush up before your test." Dave kissed her nose. "Regardless of what course you place into, you'll need to set aside some study time. And fortunately, you have plenty of people in this house that can help. Becca of course, and me for math and science, Lupie's good with numbers and presentations, and management or decision making. What Jan doesn't know she knows how to find. Shawna would be great for math, science or public speaking, but she still has a full time job that keeps her out of the house eight hours a day at least, so she may be less available." Reena smiled. "Yeah, she's kind of a badass. Like she's so completely feminine lovey dovey with you, but work wise, she rules the roost and gets things done." "Feminine does not mean weak, baby doll." Over the past week or so, Reena had shown a preference for diminutive names and pseudo-possessive treatment. Dave suspected it was partially due to her high school relationships with jocks and trust fund boys, but he fed her what she asked for while making sure she still felt loved and appreciated. The caramel-skinned teen smiled back. "I know. But it's nice when you say that too." She paused to change direction back to the main topic. "I think I'd like to go into interior design. That would mean an associate's in, well, anything really, but business might be a good idea. Then a trade school for my focus classes. I thought about fashion for a while, but all that cutting and sewing sounds really annoying. Placing furniture and décor, choosing the right painting and lighting, that sounds challenging and fun." "I like the passion I hear in your voice. I'm right behind you. Just; don't ask me to tell the difference between jade and emerald." "They're totally different!" Dave chuckled and gave her another hug. "Hell, half the time, someone has to remind me that chartreuse is a green hue, not a red one." "Ugh!" Reena rolled her eyes and huffed. "Isn't this the same guy that cried at two different movies last night?" "Hey, anyone that doesn't cry when Goose dies is a heartless brute. Ditto for Spock." Dave pitched his voice slightly lower and made it raspy and slow. "I have been, and ever shall be; your friend." Reena smacked his chest, water rimming her eyes. The whole house had been on an 80's movie kick, with an emphasis on sci-fi, since that was beloved by Dave, Shawna, and Becca. Livy and Mel were mild fans of science fiction as well. Lupie, Jan, and Reena just wanted to understand their partners better. Reena had sobbed during Spock's death scene. Becca had earlier led Kareena through a few of the original Trek series, including 'Space Seed', 'Amok Time' and 'City on the Edge of Forever' to give her some context for the movies. Before either of them could continue the conversation, the front door opened. Melanie and Olivia came through with several bags straining from each hand. Reena and Dave rose, heading for the door as his two returning partners crossed to the dining room to set down their burdens. Two trips each emptied the car. Melanie and Reena set about getting the cold items stowed first, while Liv grabbed the bag from the sporting goods store and headed upstairs. Dave went to the garage for his tools before joining her. One room had been claimed by Mel and Liv as their own. Primarily just as a private space for the two of them, but of course for those times that privacy was a little more intimately desired. Carter's suspicion was in error, at the time. Neither girl had been intimate with another woman. Prior to moving in, the girls had never shown an interest in each other. Now though, they were somewhere along the road of experimentation. But, the lessons taught to Olivia by her father were deeply rooted. And that lesson was about responsibility as well as security. Which is why they were making this installation, behind Livy's headboard. "This last bolt will do it. Which one are you going with?" "The ten. If someone's trying to hurt us, I want a big punch." "You know what your dad said, aim makes caliber an extra." She narrowed her eyes. "My aim is fine. Better than yours even." "Okay, ok, easy there Annie Oakley." Liv smirked. "You read the programming instructions for the palm print scanner yet?" "No, it's the same model I used in Stephenville, though." "Well, I've got it installed," Dave said, crawling out the small space between the headboard and the wall. Bigger than normal, since they'd pulled it out to do this work, but still tighter than Dave would like. "Time for you to program it. You remember the code to the gun cabinet?" Dave's gun cabinet was built in the understairs area, covered to look like a normal part of the hallway, except the small hatch over the keypad. "Yep. Kinda hard to forget." Liv gave him a kiss as she slipped past and began the programming process. To be continued in part 6, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.
Granted, Christmas messages typically don't focus on the resurrection. But we're going to do just that in this study with the intent of raising the “merry” even further on your Christmas celebration.John 11:25-26
Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 4 Shenanigans: Fun times at House Belsus. Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Let's review the list of characters: David Belsus – 46, physics & astronomy professor at Eastfield college, a community college in the Dallas area. Prepper, survivalist, has a greenhouse in his backyard and lives in an outer ring suburb. Six foot, fit, short cropped hair. Lupie Ramos – 32, former financial advisor, Dave's neighbor, got caught out of state when the lockdowns started. She spent two frantic weeks trying to get back to her daughter. Lupie has been in love with Dave for over a year. Long, dark brown hair, medium build, and a lovely smile. Esme – 9, daughter of Lupie, prone to the occasional snarky comment. Adores Dave. Becca; 18, Lupie's babysitter, was watching Esme when lockdowns occurred. Her refusal to abandon Esme, as her mother insisted, likely saved Becca's life, since her extended family ignored precautions and died of Duo. Esme, Lupie, and Dave are all Becca has left in the world. Short, medium build, small tits, with short blond hair and a smile that is shy with strangers and beams with family and friends. Janice Wheeler; 33, Dave's first partner to arrive, a librarian at Cedar Valley, another community college member of DCCCD. Slender build and medium height, Janice is 3/4 Korean, her paternal grandfather is Anglo. Medium length black hair often pulled back in a bun for work or ponytail at home. Shawna Cooper; 36, senior meteorologist at WFAA, Master's degree in meteorology from O U, worked at NSSL and spent time as a storm chaser. Whole hog sci-fi nut, beginning with Start Trek TNG. 5' 10", large tits, medium brown skin, dark brown eyes, shoulder length black hair styled like a frizzy weeping willow. Olivia Tyler (Liv); 21, senior studying horticulture at Tarleton State University, near Dallas. Daughter of Carter and Janelle, Dave's best friends since college. Had a well-known crush on Dave throughout her teen years. Since her dad was former SF and a survivalist, Liv is skilled with several firearms as well as bladed weapons. Never failed to take a deer any season she's hunted. 5'10" long, dark brown hair, large tits, lightly tanned, brown eyes, and a wide smile. Melanie Ustanich; 22, graduate student in IT at Tarleton, Liv's roommate, recently found a passion for cooking. Spent most of her life in foster homes, Liv's parents accepted her like family the first time she went with Liv on Thanksgiving Break. 5'8" medium length auburn hair, green eyes, small mouth with a ready, mischievous smile. During the interlude, Dave took some time to look over Melanie. He knew less about her than the others, but more than he'd known about Jan or Shawna when they'd shown up on his doorstep. He knew from a glance that she dressed more stylishly than Olivia, though he'd be hard pressed to describe why. He thought both looked great, even if he could tell a difference instinctively. He was always a fan of variety. Silver studs in her ears support three short silver chains each, drawing the eye tantalizingly into the chasm of her russet mane. The verdant green of Mel's satiny top provided the perfect counterpoint to the auburn tones of her hair. The cinched belt securing the crossing panels of her blouse held it together well, yet giving tantalizing views of her medium sized tits. The black slacks clung closely to her well-shaped thighs and calves without the 'painted on' look. "Dave, could you make me one of your 'ginger ales' please?" "Sure, Liv. Anyone else want something?" "Can you make me one of those drinks you made that first time?" Becca asked. "Yeah, that's what Livy is asking for. Seven-Up and Captain Morgan mixed to look like ginger ale." "Oh, okay, then one of those please." "You got it." Dave got to mixing drinks. Jan asked if anyone else wanted wine. All the others voiced their interest, Jan pulled two bottles of blush from the pantry and brought them to the living room. Lupie grabbed wine glasses for each of them and handed them out as Jan poured. Dave watched Becca's first sip carefully. He'd mixed this one normal strength, not the light pour he'd given her last time. Eyes flared, she took a smaller sip than usual, but nodded before setting it on the side table. "Olivia, dear," Lupie asked softly, "I hesitate to ask, but can you tell us about your parents? Should we contact them that you are here, or, are they; ?" "Dad died six weeks ago. Mom passed a week later." Olivia took another sip. Melanie hugged her loosely. Olivia's voice took on a husky note. "She called me, near the end. She told me Dad had died. That she was very ill and wasn't; wasn't, ah,; She knew she wouldn't make it." One hot tear dallied along the top curve of her cheek before coursing downward. Dave took her hand. "She said I should pursue my dreams. All of them." Livy looked Dave dead in the eyes. "She said she'd known for a long time it was more than a crush, that she was sorry she'd belittled it by calling it that. And then ;” Olivia sucked in a breath. Mel hugged Olivia again. "We're all here for you. Let it out at your own pace." Lupie encouraged softly. "She said 'Love him. Love him like I never did. Love him like he deserves.' And then she closed the call." A hard sob shook through Olivia as more tears fell. Dave and Mel hugged her, one from each side. Dave did so while looking at the ceiling with a distant gaze. After several minutes of silence, Jan got up for a second plate. Dave stood to join her. "My mind still doesn't want to eat, but my stomach got a taste of that bruschetta and wants more. Of that, and everything else." Jan smiled and gave him a quick kiss, which he returned. "Can you tell us something about Eddie?" Shawna asked after Dave sat back down. Dave thought for a minute. Slowly, a proud smile spread across his face. "His Eagle project." Olivia smiled and nodded. "Eddie was an Eagle Scout?" Jan asked. "Yes, he was. Got his Arrow of Light as a Webelo too." Livy provided. "Eddie and I were just beginning to reconnect when he began working on his Eagle rank. For his project, he decided to build a foot bridge across the stream in the park." "Armadillo park? The bridge on the south end?" Becca asked. Dave smiled broadly. "That's the one. Before that bridge, anyone walking the path and crossing the bridge at the north end would have to turn around when they hit the ends of the u-shaped path. For some folks, that was more walking than they could handle, so they wound up getting less exercise, or taking their walks in the few areas with sidewalks or walk along the side of the road. Either way they got very little 'green time'. He found a bridge design appropriate for the location, one that would last with little maintenance and convinced a local construction company to donate materials. He met with the city manager and then spoke before the city council to arrange an agreement for maintenance." "The foreman of the construction company and his best concrete specialist offered their services to supervise the volunteer workers and ensure the quality of the work. I think Eddie had a hand in that." Dave's pride in his son couldn't have been any louder on his face. "The kicker was, he vetted the design to make sure the angle of the curve was suitable for someone in a wheelchair. So at the ribbon cutting, the young lady that cut the ribbon, and the first to cross was in Eddie's class. I think she wound up the class Salutatorian. Anyway, she was paraplegic, lost the use of her legs in an accident during her eighth grade year." Dave paused. "I think she and Eddie started dating not long after." Olivia snorted. "They were already dating. I think that night was the first time she gave him the goods though." "Go Eddie." Shawna said huskily. "Seriously?" Dave asked Olivia. "Pretty sure. Not 100%. I mean, I know they did it. Like a lot. Once they opened up that part of the relationship they were like bunnies. I'm not absolutely sure that night was the first night though." "Hell, I was nineteen before my first time. He was always better with people than I ever was." Dave's looked wistfully into the distance, like he was seeing through the walls at something beyond. Then he swallowed hard. He took a steadying breath and blew it out slowly. Becca rubbed his shoulder lightly before giving it a soft kiss. Dave smiled at her, then leaned in to deliver a light peck on her cheek. He looked outward again, scanning across the room. "Thank you all for putting up with this. I'm sorry for acting like such a p--" Becca pressed a finger firmly to Dave's lips. "If that word crosses your lips, you'd better be talking about our body parts. The man that I've watched, relied on, and come to trust implicitly sure as hell isn't one of those. And he deserves better than that." The fire in her red-rimmed eyes put the punctuation to her statement. Dave just nodded in concession to his young lover's demand. With an impish grin she added, "And for the record, anytime we're getting frisky, or flirting, I'm perfectly happy with you calling it: or me: a pussy." She grabbed his hand and shoved it between her shorts-clad legs for emphasis. Becca's addendum broke the somber mood of the room. Everyone got a good laugh. A brief quiet descended as everyone ate a few bites or stared into their drink. Dave looked up to see Jan and Lupie gazing at him, concern and sympathy clearly written across both of their faces. "Well, Becca, since you have some history with our man, tell me something to catch me up with all of you." Shawna requested. "Oh, tell her about the cupcake exchange." Jan suggested. "Dave told me about it while the two of you were getting vaxxed." "Oh that one she told me already. Good story." "Okay, so something new." Becca paused, then blushed. She bit her lip and looked sideways at Dave and cringed. Then she flicked her eyes to Lupie. Lupie caught the look and rolled her eyes. "Go ahead." She said with a sigh. Then she turned her face away. "So, um, you know how Dave runs a couple times a week, and works out with his staff in the backyard about as often?" Shawna nodded at Becca's narrative, then turned to give Dave an appreciative leer. "Ahem, well, it's cooler now, so he does he work outs in a t-shirt and shorts." Shawna nodded again, then stared at Dave's torso like she was imaging him bare chested and sweating. Well, she'd seen him shirtless often enough. Melanie's breathing became slightly deeper and slower as she sized him up as well. "Well, remember we used to live next door. And Lupie's second story windows are high enough to see over Dave's fence." Mel, Shawna, and Jan all looked at each other. "Oh." They said in unison. "You lucky bitches." Jan added. Dave's mind was working at a slower pace and caught up a moment later. He closed his eyes and shook his head. With a small grin. "Well, that's not all of it. See, I made no pretense about watching him work out. I mean, mid-August, heat pounding down? Ten minutes into his work out his whole torso is covered in sweat, with rivulets running down his front and back." Shawna looked transfixed. Jan had her eyes closed. Mel tightly gripped her thighs, staring intently. "Usually I watched from one of the back windows, and just put up with the oblique angle. One day, a few months back, I realize it's very quiet in the house, and I seem to be the only one on the second floor. I decided to move over to Lupie's room, which is at the back corner, with two windows looking out over the backyard, one on each side of the corner." Lupie blushed hard and brought her hands up to cover her face. "So, there was a small space between the curtain panels and I was staring at Dave through the gap as I walked up. I walked as quietly as I could so Lupie and Esme wouldn't hear my footsteps from downstairs. I pulled back the curtain to get a better view. Lupie was hiding in the curtains, eyes fixed on Dave. We both screamed, and Lupie's hand flapped backwards hitting the window frame." "That's how you bruised your hand?!" Dave exclaimed, trying to suppress his laughter. "You flap your hands around when you're surprised?" "No. Just, um, I, uh ;” Lupie's muffled response trailed off. "She took care to wash her hands thoroughly before she let me bind it." Becca interjected. "Initially we thought she'd hurt her wrist, so I stabilized it. But, I recognized later what I had smelled while we were leaving the room." Lupie peeked between her fingers at Becca, pleading. "Okay, never mind." Becca conceded. "I've said too much already." The others looked confused at the abrupt ending until Melanie burst out laughing. When they looked at her questioningly, she said, "I know what I would be doing standing there watching him work out shirtless." And flopped back into the couch giggling furiously. The others started cackling and Jan, chortling, reached over to pull Lupie into her for a hug. "Not like we all don't do it." Dave sat there open mouthed, shocked, and feeling like he'd won something undefinable. He moved to kneel in front of Lupie. He took her hands in his own, pulling them away from her face. He pulled her into a hug. Into her ear he whispered, "I love you." Her hug on him tightened. "And if I hadn't been so dense I would have been in that room to take care of you properly. Or at least, lick your fingers clean." He punctuated his comment with a light nibble of her earlobe. Lupie swatted him on the back as she released him. Her face was still flushed to the tips of her ears. The tight, prim smile and her laughing eyes testified to her approval of the idea, and her mortification it was said out loud. Even at a whisper. Dave got up and refreshed his drink, and Olivia's as well. Becca sipped hers more slowly, and still had more than half a glass. Jan topped off her wine glass, along with Mel's and Shawna's. Lupie got up and made a fresh plate, then headed for the stairs. "I'm going to take a plate to Esme, just in case she didn't get enough earlier. Besides, if I tell her Dave likes the bruschetta, she might try it." Lupie said with a knowing mom smile. Shawna came to Dave once he was seated. She gave him a soft kiss and held him to her. She spoke no words, but conveyed clearly her heart ache for him, and her availability should he need something. When Lupie returned, she took her seat and looked to Olivia asking "Can you tell me something about your father?" Livy squirmed for a moment, then nodded. She took a breath. "He was a security consultant. Worked for a firm that advised companies on the weak points in their physical and cybersecurity. Dad was on the physical side. He'd been a Green Beret before going to college, where he met Mom and Dave." "Oh, wow. So your dad was a badass?" Becca asked. "Carter was so badass he was chill," Dave interjected. "He had that confidence of the guy that knows he'll win if things get physical. Smart too, though." "Yeah, Dad made supervisor pretty fast. He and his team would walk the grounds of a company and show them where a person could slip in or out without detection. Then the cyber guys would do the same for the company's networks. Sometimes, Dad would have to prove the point. He loved that. He and a couple of his team would don tactical gear and break in. Dad always left a fake tarantula with the company logo on its back on the boss' desk, or somewhere critical." Olivia chuckled. "One time, this one CEO was particularly resistant. Dad had to go in a second time. The first time he left a tarantula on the main server station, and one in the research lab; that by law was required to be restricted access. To drive his point home, Dad went to the CEO's office and installed this box on the ceiling, where most don't look. It had some kind of trigger because once the guy sat down, this tarantula drops on a thread from the box, right on the guy's paperwork." Several smiles broke out. Dave laughed soundlessly, his mouth closed so it didn't become a cry. The tears in his eyes were tattle-tale enough. He absently played with Olivia's dark locks. Olivia turned to look at him, eyes soft and happy. She leaned against his hand. Dave realized what he was doing, got self-conscious and pulled back. With downcast eyes, Liv turned back to the room and took in the other faces. A couple of looks exchanged suggested that most had caught what had just passed. Dave tried to process what just happened by staring off through a blank spot on the wall. It wasn't terribly helpful, once he recalled the picture that hung there just a few weeks before. Then Lupie cleared her throat. Dave fixed his eyes on her. He was never particularly perceptive of the looks on people's faces, but this time it seemed pretty clear. She stared at him with a stern look, then shifted her eyes to Liv and back to him. He looked to Jan, who just nodded. "Maybe someone else can share a family background story." Dave temporized. A few pensive looks passed. A tight smile grew on Jan's face. "My aunt Carolyn." She paused for a second. "My dad's sister. They were half-Korean, half European. Aunt Carolyn took more after the European side of the heritage, especially in the kitchen. She made an awesome meatloaf." She chuckled and looked over at Dave and Becca. "She would have loved that meatloaf cupcake." Her eyes watered at the bottom edge. "Visiting her was a way to encounter the white half of my ancestry. She had prints from famous artists. Classic books. If I was there on a Saturday night, she'd serve cheese and crackers, sometimes with a little sausage. As I got older, she'd let me have a small glass of wine as well." Jan took a light breath. "She played some classical music, but mostly it was Michael Bolton and Kenny G. Maybe some Cranberries and Matchbox Twenty when she felt wild. I haven't heard from her in over a month. And she has asthma." Jan trailed off into silence and the room observed it with her. Lupie reached out a hand to Jan's shoulder. She in turn, put her own hand on top of Lupie's. She turned her head and smiled. With a small nod, she turned away again, staring at the floor. Both hands dropped away. After a reasonable silence, Becca spoke. "When I was thirteen, my cousin Kimberly, who was sixteen, offered to pierce my ears for me." Half the women groaned. Dave sat silently, suspecting this wouldn't end well. "She got a large sewing needle, a bottle of rum, a small bowl, and a pair of my mom's stud earrings." "Rum?" Jan asked. Becca rolled her eyes. "Yeah," she said with a sigh, "she said she had to soak the needle in alcohol before using it." A variety of gasps, groans and sighs walked around the room. Dave's sympathetic grimace did less than his hand patting her knee to communicate his support. "Oh, but it gets worse. Wrong kind of alcohol at too low concentration, plus lots of sugar are only enablers. She cleaned my earlobes thoroughly with antimicrobial soap, so maybe that was the one thing she did almost right. But she didn't clean her own hands. And when she stuck the needle through; which hurt like hell; she stabbed her finger." Multiple hands struck foreheads or mouths. "Oh yeah. So we're both bleeding like stuck pigs, and crying. She's freaking out because 'the blood is mixing'. I never figured out what that meant. We bandage each other up the best we could, hide all the stuff from our parents and then hide ourselves. Three days later I have a raging infection in one earlobe and have to go to the doctor AND admit to my mom what happened." Becca paused, shaking her head. "Chewed my ass out. The doctor said because of the infection, I had to wait at least six months to get piercings. Mom added another six as punishment. She did take me to get professional piercings one year to the day after the doctor's visit though." Becca's eyes watered. Dave leaned over and kissed her cheek as a single tear slid down her face. Dave noticed Melanie getting increasingly fidgety. He thought he first noticed something during Becca's tale about his workouts. Maybe when the stories ran out, he'd have his head right. It wasn't fair to her to make her wait too long for imprinting. Or Liv. God, he really needed to get his head around this. He loved Olivia, he truly did. He was just so used to it being a non-sexual, non-romantic relationship. He'd looked on her as nearly a daughter for, well, for her whole life. But she wasn't his daughter. And she loved him. That was so clear in her eyes, every time she looked at him. Not just today, but thinking back over the years. It's crazy to think he could hurt this person he cared so deeply for, by not having sex with her. Fuck, it was Kim Dawson all over again. Shawna sat placidly, attentive as others told their stories. As the room lay silent again for a time, she took her turn. "I once caught my brother coming out of the shower with his girlfriend." Grins and giggles passed around the room. "Mind you, this is after my mother had chewed me out for getting frisky with, um, my best friend in my room." "Oh" several said in unison. "We were experimenting," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "It was my first Thanksgiving Break home from college. We were just friends, with nothing going on physical, since sixth grade. We were both single at the time, but we'd each had boyfriends, and each had sex before. We just thought we'd try out the other flavor. Who better to try that with than your ride or die?" She grinned. "Mom walked in when we had our shirts loose and hands inside each other's bras. Mom got all pissy about it and made some comment along the lines of 'Darian would never disrespect me by having sex under my roof.' Yeah sure Mom." Shawna rolled her eyes. "The bathroom smelled of" she looked straight at Becca, "pussy, so they'd been going at it in there. Mom wasn't home, so the obvious sounds of continuing humping came from his room almost immediately." "Hell of it is, she was this tiny little thing. Barely five foot tall and a nothing waist. And since I'd seen Darian stumbling around out of the bathroom when we both had midnight potty urges, well, he wasn't great at covering up when he's drowsy, and in his case, the stereotype is true. I don't know how he'd didn't break her in half." "After she left, I confronted him with Mom's comment. Now Darian ain't scared of shit; not a machismo thing, he uses his brain; but Momma. She's a foot shorter and at least a hundred pounds less muscle but that boy will cringe and genuflect if Momma is mad. He starts bargaining with me. Of course, he can't offer money since he's just getting his feet under him. He had plans, and he did eventually move out, but he was scrimping and saving so paying me money to shut up would have crippled him." We all hung there, waiting. "Well, Darian had been incredibly protective of me growing up. He over did it, by a lot. So my price for silence was for him to set me up with a friend of his that I had always wanted to date, but Darian kept getting in the way." She paused for a minute. "You know how you really want something, and imagine what it would be like to get it? And then you do, and ugh. Darian meant to protect me against a guy getting handsy. In this case he was protecting me from getting bored. The guy was about as much fun as a wet paper towel. I gave him a handshake at my door when he dropped me off." All the ladies shook their heads in commiseration. Dave closed his eyes and kept his mouth shut. Becca however, didn't. "Dave, how many of your dates ended in handshakes?" "None, from now on," he said flatly. "You got that right." Shawna said. Jan just shrugged and nodded. Becca and Liv hugged him tightly. Mel rubbed a hand against his back. Lupie sat still with an enigmatic grin. Dave knew there were thoughts churning behind those dark chocolate eyes. While he wondered what those thoughts were, he had a thought of his own. Maybe it was what she was thinking, maybe not. Here he was, sleeping with four women, two more about to be added to their ranks, and he hadn't taken a single one of them on so much as one date. That couldn't stand. Granted, movies and restaurant dinners were out. But they had two backyards to have a picnic meal in. The parks were open too. Maybe the Botanical gardens? He'd need to talk with each one, find out what they wanted, and find a way to make it happen. "Well Becca already told a story for me," Lupie said, breaking the silence. Becca blushed and chuckled. "So Melanie, what can you share with the family?" "I was orphaned so early, I don't really remember my parents. Just a few fuzzy images. I bounced from one foster home to another. One time I got to stay in the same place for two years. Usually it was more like eight to ten months. The social workers tried to at least let me stay in one school for a full year. Some of them anyway." "I don't have any horror stories about it. Other kids I fostered with told me about other homes they've been in, and some of those were bad. So I don't want to suggest it doesn't happen, it just never happened to me. The worst for me was not being connected to anyone for long. Honestly, living with Olivia is the longest I've shared a place with anyone. And she brought me home on holidays." Her face darkened. "Carter and Janelle were nice to me." Then she laughed. "I think Carter suspected I was Liv's lesbian lover though." "Oh my god." Liv rolled her eyes and brought a hand to her forehead, covering her eyes. Only Dave noticed Jan wincing at the hated phrase. Then Mel's face went blank, trying to hold back the intense emotions. "You're the closest I've ever had to a sister." The two college girls hugged. After a brief pause, Dave chimed in. "Now that is a tough life, having Olivia as your sister." Melanie laughed. Olivia turned and punched him in the shoulder, with a tight smile on her face. Laughing and rolling with the punch, Dave couldn't help but notice the way her large tits jiggled with the turn and the force of her punch. When she leaned against him, he found himself wishing her neckline was cut lower. The thought was surprising, and conducive to future events, but still slightly disconcerting. Before he could get too lost in his head, Jan spoke up. "So, how about a story about young Olivia?" she asked. Liv groaned. Dave grinned. "Okay, so we've mentioned before she hunts, hikes, does all kinds of outdoors She-Ra stuff." Liv glared up at him. She adjusted her head so the backs of her round silver stud earrings wouldn't poke her head. Mel rubbed Liv's back reassuringly. "You may have noticed that fishing was not mentioned in that list." "Oh God, no." Liv covered her face with her hands. The grins on every face in the room showed realization dawning in each of the other minds present. "So, Carter and I took Eddie and Liv fishing. Carter preferred drift catfishing, so we'd get out on the lake very early, usually by three am, four if we were running late. We had a small casting net we'd use in the shallows to catch bait fish. Then Carter would take the boat to a point up current from where he suspected the cats would be, and we'd drift across with our hooks in the water. Well, the bait fish had to be cut into two or three pieces to be useful. Olivia objected. But not to cutting the fish. To holding them. She squealed every time we put one in her hands. She loved casting the net and hauling it in. she liked fighting the fish on the rod, put touch one with her hands? Oh, no, not happening." Olivia buried her head in his chest and glared upward. "Oh, did I mention her fishing rod and tackle box were Barbie themed?" A series of giggles followed that assertion. "Don't talk about that!" "But you were cute!" "Shit like that is why you keep seeing me as a little girl for you to protect and raise instead of a woman you could sleep with." Olivia humphed. "Beginning to think the only way to change your mind is to sit here topless. I wait like that long enough and your cock might start taking charge." She accented her words by puffing out her generous chest and turning partially towards Dave. "You go girl," Shawna laughed. "How about some big titty solidarity?" She unbuttoned two buttons on her blouse. Jan joined in the laughter while Lupie shook her head, smiling. Becca stared a chant of 'Do it!' quickly joined by Mel. They both shook their chests in time with the chant. "No." Dave said, staring at Liv with no hint of a smile. He swatted Becca on the knee. "Hmm, what do I need to do to get a spanking Daddy?" Melanie purred. "Do not start that shit." Dave tried to be stern this time but didn't quite manage it. "Speaking of getting something started, I'm getting kinda itchy here. I don't know if either of you are in the mood yet, but this serum is starting to eat at me." Liv and Mel exchanged looks. "I don't want to jump the line on banging your dream guy, but please girl, let's get this started. If you don't go, I will." "Sexier words were never spoken," Dave noted dryly. That got Liv laughing. Dave stood. "Do you two want to do this one at a time, or side-by-side?" "One at a time," Mel stated emphatically. "After walking in on you masturbating once, I don't need to see that pussy again." Liv groaned and turned her head to the ceiling. Then Mel turned to Lupie "hashtag justiceforLupie." She grinned. Lupie just rolled her eyes while Becca laughed. Jan laughed, but reached out a hand to Lupie's shoulder. Dave took Olivia's hand and turned to the stairs. She interlocked her fingers with his and walked beside him with her head against his shoulder. They stayed like that until they reached the bed. Dave turned to face Olivia, placing his hands on her shoulders. She looked into his eyes, hungry, pleading. Dave took a deep, shuddering breath and pushed aside the thoughts of the little girl that kissed him on the check at bedtime as he tucked her into bed. He stared into Olivia's eyes, focusing on the woman in front of him, as she is now, wanting to be with him. She loved him. had for a long time. She had been dedicated to the idea of being with him for life, for longer than, well, any woman in his past or present. The reality of that finally washed over him. His love for her did not need to end or change, merely grow. He had always been hers. Dave pulled Olivia into him and kissed her with passion. Olivia moaned into the kiss. Dave felt her hot tears as their cheeks brushed. He pulled back, their faces parted but close. "I love you Olivia Barnes, always and forever." A heart-rending sob burst from her as her dearest dream manifested. She jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist, and kissing him fiercely, their tongues dancing. Dave slowly walked them to the edge of the bed and sat her down. Mostly. Olivia was not letting go. Dave tugged at the bottom of her blouse and lifted. Olivia broke the kiss and raised her arms, her legs still clutching him tightly. Dave paused removing her shirt when her lips were exposed, but her eyes still covered. He moved in for a kiss. He felt her grin as their lips moved in unison. Olivia then grabbed Dave's shirt as he finished removing hers. Dave moved to her jeans and quickly removed those as She reached for his waist band. Olivia grasped his pants and boxers as one and removed them. Dave, standing, naked and half-erect. Olivia, seated on the edge of the bed, in a lacy white bra and matching panties. They drank each other in. She looked up at him. "Well, part of you is getting interested," she smirked. "You get all of me, Olivia, just as you always have. I'll show you my love every day. It will just manifest in a few new ways from now on." Olivia scooted up the bed as Dave crawled up, aligning himself over her, kissing as they moved. Dave's hands wandered along her thighs and sides. Olivia's fingers coursed lazily along his back. "Just one request." She gave him an impish look. "When you go get Mel to bring her up here, leave my legs spread so the first thing she sees when she walks in is my pussy." "You're rotten ya know that? I have to live with her too ya know." "She'll laugh. It's just roommate hijinks." Dave returned to kissing Olivia. He moved his lips lower, down her neck, to her collarbone, and then the slopes of her tits. He slipped his hands underneath her, unclasping her bra. Gingerly, he removed it. Olivia's large tits, no longer supported by a bra, formed two delicious lumps on her chest, that looked like they were about to slide off her chest. Olivia's eyes glistened, radiating joy as Dave took her tits in his hands and began kissing them. She moaned as he ministered to her bosom with his mouth. When he took one nipple in his mouth and suckled, she gasped. "Oh, David, Yes!" Pleasure and unbridled joy left her breathing ragged, her mind awash in bliss. His hands remained at her tit, massaging gently, easing her higher with delicate caresses. His mouth proceed lower, kissing her ribs. Her abdomen. Kissing and licking her belly button. She giggled and twisted her torso. Dave brought his hands down to Olivia's hips. He grasped her panties and pulled them down to her ankles, raising himself and her legs up. He tossed them aside and brought his face to kiss the crease of her pelvis and her hip. She shuddered. Her arousal scented the room. Her lovely light brown vulva filled his vision as he breathed softly across her bare essence. The hairs of the small landing strip on her mons tousled in the artificial breeze. She lifted her head to look at him. "David;” she pleaded. He grinned. He locked eyes with her and closed his mouth around her lower lips and began to suckle. Her body arched and she sucked in a breath. His tongue played across her sopping wet slit. He tasted her juices. He nibbled her flowering inner lips. He slipped his tongue into her entrance. "Oh God David Yes! Oh please put it in me." Olivia whimpered. "Darling, you've wanted this night for a long time. I intend to make it worthwhile." "You are enough David, that's al; Ah" she cried out as he took her clitoris in his mouth and suckled. He slid one finger gently inside, massaging her tunnel. Every stroke drew her natural lubricant in greater volume than the last. He inserted as second finger and she moaned, writhing, hips bucking. He released her button and withdrew his fingers. She eased her motions. Dave crawled up her body, a victorious and hungry grin on his face. She beamed, breathing heavily. He caressed and kissed her tits briefly as he moved up. Finally hovering over her, face to face, bodies aligned, his erection resting between them, Dave kissed her once again. She clutched him and returned the kiss. Dave maneuvered his member with his hips, aligning with her fully relaxed and open entrance. He pushed in gently, a small distance just to lodge the tip of his helmet in her. The precum coating his cockhead set off a body-rocking orgasm that stole her breath. When her eyes re-opened, Dave drove himself into her, full length, in one smooth stroke. Her eyes glowed with joy. He began moving himself in and out of her. Slowly at first. Always firmly, gently. Staring into her eyes as he worked them both to ecstasy. He picked up his pace. She began rocking her hips with his. Soon they were pounding into each other, breathing raggedly, eyes still locked, her hands braced behind his shoulders until their passion pushed him over the brink, firing rope after rope of hot cum into her waiting vagina. The effect on Olivia was immediate. A primal scream of pleasure burst from her lips as her body convulsed like a marionette in the hands of an angry child. And then she fell to the bed, limp. "Imprinting,; imprinting,; imprinting, ;” Dave kissed her forehead and extracted himself from her body. He crawled off the bed and left to clean himself in the bathroom. He returned with a damp washcloth to clean her. After dressing in loose shorts and a shirt, he arranged her as she'd requested and left the room shaking his head. Melanie met him at the bottom of the stairs with a passionate kiss and a tight hug. "You need a minute or two?" "Yeah, let me get a drink and I should be fine." He returned the kiss, then slipped from her arms to search out some juice from the fridge. "Oh, I thought you meant you needed a little something to steel yourself for doing me." "Please." Dave guzzled half the glass. "One, you are hot. Two," he blushed a bit, "I have a thing for redheads." Melanie smiled. "Oh yeah?" "Hell, if you had freckles, I'd kiss each one of them." That made her blush. After Dave finished off a second glass of juice, he and Melanie headed upstairs, pursued by catcalls and wolf whistles. Esme, who'd been invited into the living room after Dave and Olivia had gone upstairs, just laughed at the shenanigans. Opening the door, Melanie exclaimed, "Oh my god, you left; " she pursed her lips. "No, she put you up to this didn't she?" Dave chuckled and grabbed a light blanket. "No," Melanie said, "save that to cover us both when you finish with me." She cupped her hand under one of Liv's shapely thighs and brought the leg over the other, giving her friend a bit of modesty she hadn't asked for. Dave noticed that her hand seemed to linger just a bit on Liv's thigh. It certainly looked like Mel gave her rump a light squeeze. Maybe he just imagined it. She turned to face him. "Reading between the lines, from everything Liv's told me, you don't think you deserve any of us, do you?" Dave swallowed hard, trying not to react. "I'm going to tell you something harsh and reassuring. You don't. And you know something else? We don't deserve your love either. I learned bouncing around those homes that love isn't earned. It's too valuable to be earned. No one is ever worthy of someone else's love. Body, heart, or mind. Love is a gift. We each give our love to you, by our choice. And you give us your love by your choice. I barely know you and I'm more comfortable being here with you than I've ever been with any man." She paused to let that sink in. "David, just accept that you are a damn good man, and we are all happy to be here with you. Enjoy what we give you. Let us enjoy what you give in return." Dave felt like this beautiful young woman that barely knew him was staring straight into his heart, laying it bare and spearing it with the cruelest weapon; hope. He stretched out his hand tentatively, reaching for the sash holding her blouse closed. She looked down briefly, seeing his hand. She immediately looked into his eyes and gave the smallest nod, and a smile. Dave pulled slowly on the loose tail of the cinch and dropped it. The belt ends fell to her sides and the halves of her blouse hung loosely, exposing the center of her chest and abdomen. Melanie had a belly button piercing. A small chain with two small clear crystals near the top and at the bottom, a butterfly done mostly in silver metal clasping tiny crystals, except for a soft pink pearl serving as the body of the faux insect. "You like? Your profile said you weren't a fan of body modification, but I was hoping you would be ok with this." "It's cute and sexy and innocent and naughty all at once." Dave smiled. He stepped up to her, sliding his hands into her blouse and around her back. He pulled her into a soft, slow kiss. They explored each other that way for a few minutes. Dave brought his hands up to her tits, cupping them and kneading them through her black satin bra. Melanie sucked in a breath and hummed. She broke the kiss and drew his attention with her eyes. "The others told me how you like to take your time, maximize a woman's pleasure. I am super fucking horny right know. You can take me to the heights later, we have forever for that. Right now I just need to pound your stake into me and lay claim to my body." "What about your heart?" She grinned "Just like they said you would. It's getting there, just takes a bit more time." She shrugged her blouse off and shucked her pants. The panties were also black and satiny. "Come on Davey, fuck my brains out and make me yours." She tossed her bra and panties aside quickly and crawled up the bed, turn over on her back once she was alongside her friend. Dave stripped of his shirt and shorts rapidly and joined her on the bed, pressing his body lightly against hers. His erection sandwiched between their torsos, her medium sized tit and their pointy nipples pressed against his chest. He kissed her again and she hummed. She worked her hips against his and together that got him lodged in her. A few strokes inside her passage caused him to leak out the first drips of precum and she exploded in a howling convulsion, her eyes rolling back, one hand flailing and bashing the insensate Olivia. "Fuck that was good. Give it to me David, give your woman what she needs. Seal your claim." She kissed him fiercely and they both rocked their hips savagely. No sensuality, just raw primal fucking of two hungry bodies. Despite his recent bout with Liv, this carnal frenzy brought Dave to the pinnacle faster than he anticipated and he crashed through, erupting a geyser of cum inside her depths. As the hot load filled her cavity, Melanie wailed in ecstasy, her mind shattered by the biochemical overload. Then she flopped to the bed, repeating the new world's chant of family harmony and togetherness. Chapter 6 – Shenanigans. October 4, 2020. David Belsus awoke to three beautiful young ladies lying beside him, all nude. As yet, none of his partners had elected to sleep in another room. Last night they all emphatically wanted to be near him. No one piled over anyone else. Lupie came to bed in a rich blue camisole with matching high cut panties. Shawna clad herself in a soft pink camisole and pink boy shorts. Jan wore one of Dave's sweatshirts as a baggy night gown, no panties underneath. He'd checked by way slipping his hands under the hem of the shirt to dance along her skin. Finding paradise exposed, he impishly fingered her to heaven as she begged for his cock. She beamed when he finished. She kissed him deeply after he sucked all her juices off his digits. None of the three were in bed at the moment. Shawna was likely on her way to work already. Which meant Jan and Lupie had gotten up with her to talk and share breakfast, or at least coffee. They had developed a morning routine rather quickly. That left Liv and Melanie nude, side by side on his left, and Becca, nude, curled tightly under his right arm, his hand resting just above her hip. She slumbered peacefully, unperturbed by the small motions he made as he took in the morning tableau. Becca's insecurities stemming from the near-abduction at the vax center had faded quickly with the reassurance of imprinting on Dave. What followed in its wake was the desire to be close to the person she'd just started sleeping with, magnified by this being the only person she'd ever slept with, further multiplied by the vaccine-clad certainty this was her person for life. Becca wasn't pushy about it. She knew enough to leave some space for the others to get their 'Dave time' too. In and out of bed. And the others, having experienced a similar phase in life, and happy that, for her, it really would be for a lifetime, accommodated her wherever possible. And then Dave's mind recalled a text conversation. "; Oh god, I just had this thrill run through me at the idea of waking up with you already in me, on top of me." Dave stroked her hip softly, slowly easing his fingers toward the crease where her leg met her pelvis. After several minutes of this, he brought his left hand up to cup her tit, massaging lightly, avoiding the nipple. He wanted to slowly raise her towards wakefulness, and ignite her libido, but he didn't want her awake until after he'd penetrated her. Just as she'd asked. Dave carefully eased himself out of her arms, rotating himself until he was kneeling on the bed, behind her knees and 'under' her butt as Becca lay curled on her left side. Dave leaned in and began kissing along Becca's outer thigh of her top leg while gently stroking the inner thigh of her bottom leg with his right hand. His left hand stroked softly along her side. A quick brush of her lower lips indicated her unconscious arousal, or the serum effects. Either way, Dave rubbed his half-hard cock between her thighs, rubbing against her labia, to get them both ready. He kept kissing her hand and arm while softly playing with her tit. "David?!" Came the scandalized whisper. Lupie and Jan stood, frozen, in the doorway, not believing what they were seeing. "She expressly asked for this, you can even check my text messages." Both ladies looked concerned, but said no more. A few more minutes of play time had Dave fully hard, regaining what he briefly lost with the interruption. Becca was ready as well. Dave seated himself at her entrance and pushed slowly, steadily forward. He was half inside her, leaning over her when Becca's eyes flew open. Wide-eyed, mouth agape, she turned her head and moaned. She writhed against David and clutched his upright arms. When her breath returned, she kissed him hard. She pulled away, winking as she deliberately flexed the muscles of her inner passage. Dave took that as a signal to continue. He steadily worked himself in her. Becca grinned madly, moaning and encouraging him. In a few minutes, both were racing to a peak they reached in tandem. Becca fell limp against the mattress, gasping. Dave steadied himself by resting his ass on his heels. Both dismounted the bed and began searching for clothes. Lupie gave Dave a quick kiss on the cheek and hugged Becca before heading downstairs. Jan stayed to change clothes. Jan viewed Becca with a grin. "Get your jollies little freak?" Becca beamed and blushed. "Umm hmm." "Just razzing you, ya know." "I know. I'm still learning what I like, and that is one of them. You know, the way you get off when a guy has a big; book collection." Her eyes twinkled. She squealed and caught the pillow Jan threw as she joined the laughter. "Oh my god, a naked pillow fight. I knew they were real!" Dave laughed and ducked as both partners chucked pillows at him. Dark brown irises set in almond eyes gazed at Dave from Becca's laptop resting on the folding table Becca had set up in one of the unused bedrooms. Raven black hair framed an oval face of chocolate brown before cascading over shoulders set with remembered power, but a hint of sag. The plain white scoop necked t-shirt stretched into small ripples between her tits. The shirt was mostly opaque, yielding evidence of a white bra of exactly the same tone as the shirt, but nonetheless unable to disguise two ripe, thick nipples making their presence known. As the call began, her small, tight mouth had appeared balanced between the promise of lighting up the room with a smile, or unleashing a verbal tirade that would leave all within earshot cringing. Dave's skeptical, reserved approach was pushing her more towards desperation. "Yes, I have been; unkind to people through all of high school. I thought I was better than a lot of people. I had a group that I hung out with, and we deemed ourselves 'the betters' of everyone else. Becca knows some of what I did, more from hearing about it or seeing it than experiencing it directed at her. I; held back since she helped me study." Reena swallowed before continuing. "I've had all these months to think about life and people and a lot of stuff okay? I'm not proud of my behavior. I was a bitch." Her eyes began to water at the lower edge. "Being isolated, knowing people are dying, finding out from a few friends they only have another day or hour left; " her voice caught. A few tears coursed down her apple cheeks, but she batted them aside quickly. "Do you know what it's like to stop hearing from someone that you thought you'd invite to your wedding, or have your kids play together?" Becca inhaled, about to speak, but Dave stayed her with a gentle touch. It wouldn't do to interrupt when Reena was clearly pouring her heart out. The words she spoke over the next several minutes could be the ones he really needed to hear to make a good decision. "The kids in grades below us stopped answering a long time ago. There's an internet rumor that this thing takes more men than women, and everyone under eighteen, but even the ones over eighteen are hard to find someone that answers, boy or girl." Reena's 'queen of the school' composure was cracking. While that allowed a glimpse at the person behind the mask, it wouldn't do to let her fall apart. Time to say something reassuring, but realistic. "Reena, just tell me about why you want to be here." "Honestly, Becca may be the only friend I have left I the world. And I was never a very good friend to her before. I; I want to do better. I've been thinking a lot about what I should change. Specific things I should stop saying or doing. Remembering to say 'please' when I ask for something instead of expecting compliance because of 'who I am.' Or saying 'thank you' when someone else does something for me. Doing something for someone else just because they need it, even if they never asked." Shaking, Reena paused to collect herself. "Becca has told me about you. I'm not smart like you and her, but I would like to study something past high school. Please, please choose me. I'll; I'll do anything you want." Her voice lowered and her eyes dropped at the last sentence. "There's a lot I still don't know about sex, but I'll learn. I'll be your little; " "Hold up. Kareena, I'm not out to push you to be some kind of play toy. If we are compatible in other ways, we'll figure out the sex part. Why don't you tell me about your hobbies, things you do just because they're fun? May be things you did even if your friends weren't into them." "Well, I do like to read; even though I joined in with the others when we made fun of 'bookworms'." Her eyes were downcast for the end of that sentence but came back up. "Becca mentioned you're a big book lover. But; I don't read; like nonfiction, or high class stuff. I mean, I have red Lord of the Rings, but that took forever. I could only get through like the first three pages of Moby Dick and Tale of Two Cities before passing out though." She still looked scared, so Dave gave her some reassurance. "Yeah, I think I maxed out after the first chapter of each of those. Some people love that style, but for me, it was a snooze fest too. The last two I mean. I love Lord of the Rings. So tell me, what do you like to read?" "Well, there's this series about this guy that keeps monsters in check in the San Francisco area." "Monsters?" Dave tried not to sound dubious. "Well, magical creatures. Fairies, unicorns, vampires, stuff like that. Oh, the author's name is Blake Conrad. It's a lot of fun if you like magic stuff. I have the full collection. Everything that's out so far. The next book was due out already, but the pandemic hit and who knows when they'll publish it now. For all I know, the one that's waiting is the last one. Chances are the author caught this thing and died months ago." Her face darkened again. "Well, if this does work out," Dave said, "You're welcome to bring your complete; Blake Conrad collection with you, and we'll look for similar books, similar titles. I know Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman and Ursula K. Le Guin use a lot of magic themes in their works. Sounds like they might be right up your alley." Hearing Dave endorse her reading interest perked Reena up. "You know, I could help the other girls too. I like doing nails. I'm pretty good at it too. I can free hand designs and stuff." "I could see where that could come in handy. So to speak." Dave grimaced at his unintended pun. Becca laughed. Reena just shook her head. "Anyway, I'm sure some of the ladies would appreciate that. I'll stick with natural myself," Dave said with a wink. That got a chuckle out of her. "Look, I'm not expecting you to have everything planned out. You're eighteen. There's still a lot to decide. And speaking of decisions, I'd like you to meet virtually with the other ladies of the house and we'll talk as a family after." "Also, take some time yourself to think this through completely. I know you want to be here so you can be close to someone familiar, but bear in mind, that means being sexually bonded to me, a forty-six year old man, more than twice your age. By the time you were born, I'd finished grad school, got married, had a kid, and divorced." Reena looked pensive but nodded. Dave left her to talk with Becca more. He caught Jan in the library with a notepad, apparently noting possible additions. On his suggestion, she left to join Becca. In the dining room, he found Olivia munching a bowl of cereal. Lupie sat with her. The two were sharing an easy conversation which halted when Dave walked in. He'd seen Lupie's bible on an end table in the living room when he passed through. Liv must have come down to get breakfast while Lupie was conducting a bible study on her own. Not like it was safe yet to go to a church. Especially when so many church goers around here seemed to buy into the 'just a hoax' nonsense. Dave shook his head. Christian Nationalism seem purpose built to destroy conservatism and faith in one fell swoop. Sure had a good shot at it with this damn plague. Dave shook out thoughts of things he couldn't control. Here, now, was one woman that had been interested in him for a few years as she lived next door, and another that had pined for him for; a decade? And both were happy to be bound to him by this weird vaccine, even though it meant sharing him with other women. This world was wonderful and terrifying in the same breath. "Morning, Hermosa," Dave said before kissing Lupie on the lips. She hummed into the brief contact. "Morning, love bug," he said as he greeted Olivia in the same manner. As he pulled away, she slugged his shoulder, smiling scowl pulling her lips tight. Lupie shook her head. "David, I'm with Olivia on this one. Terms of endearment you used when she was a child are not conducive to her feeling she's being accepted as a woman." "I meant it as continuity. She has a lot of love to give. Always has. And I appreciate that." Olivia's scowl relaxed but did not become a smile. Well, not immediately. Lupie raised an eyebrow at him with a gentle smile. Dave realized what he needed was a change of subject. "Becca is upstairs Zooming with a friend of hers from high school. She; would like to join us here." Both ladies smirked. Dave sighed and rolled his eyes. He brought a hand up to his face and rubbed his eyes before leaning into the hand, the elbow of the same arm resting on the table. "Look, it's not like I'm seeking women out. I'm not out pursuing young girls." Olivia shifted in her seat. "I mean; " "I get it Dave. Don't apologize." Her voice was soft, with a hint of iron. "I talked with her for a while. She's apparently been talking with Becca since before the two of you got vaxxed in the first place." He said, looking at Lupie. "And it seems Becca has been telling Reena all about us, especially about vaxxed life with me." "Kareena Agrawal? The one Becca calls 'the Indian Karen'?" Olivia barely managed to contain the mouthful of cereal and milk at Lupie's interjection. Dave held back a laugh. "She seems genuinely heartbroken and lost, Lupie. And she has taken time in isolation to examine her past behavior." Dave paused, looking each of them in the eye. "I'm reserving judgement for now. I think it would be a good idea if each of you took time to talk with her, probably with Becca as host. I ran into Jan already, she's probably up there with her now. All I'm asking is that you get with Becca sometime today to find a time you can Zoom with her and form your own opinion. I may be 'the man of the house'; " Dave bowed his arms out from his sides, leaning side to side with a faux stern look on his face; "but this is too big not to get ya'lls take on it as well." Both women giggled at the display. "Okay, okay, I'll seek Becca out in a few minutes. I'll give Reena a fair hearing, just understand, I've heard enough of her exploits to be a bit wary." "Wouldn't have it any other way, cielo." The warmth of the smile Lupie gave him was enough to power an entire town. It was a few hours past noon when Dave heard voices in the bedroom. He left his office to see if that meant Melanie was up. She'd been out for eighteen hours. Opening the door, he found Becca and Liv sitting on the bed, talking. Mel was nowhere to be seen. "Mel up I take it?" "Yup, been awake for a few minutes. She needed to use the bathroom," Becca informed him. "She'll probably be in there a while." Liv chimed in, just as Mel emerged. She had a huge smile on her face. "Wow, usually a night like last night would leave you crying on the toilet for an hour. And I needed a hazmat suit to go in there afterwards." Mel smirked. She strode over to Dave and gave him a big hug. He recognized the t-shirt she wore, black with a white line drawing of Einstein sticking out his tongue. Recognized, because it was probably the one from his closet. "Looks like I unlocked the special bonus. They did say sometimes a healing process happens during imprinting. How long was I out anyway?" "About eighteen hours," said Liv. "Longest of any of my partners. What's the healing you're talking about?" "I have; had; I B S. I tend to be careful about what I eat, or go ahead and indulge once in a while, knowing I'm going to pay the price in the morning." She turned to face Liv, with her hands on her hips. "And for your information missy, I was somewhat careful last night. The wine was dry, and I only ate a little bit of cheese. And I didn't have any deviled eggs." She grumbled that last sentence. Liv looked at Dave. "She loves deviled eggs, especially made with dill relish instead of sweet, which I've told her was the way you do it. Not that you made last night's, but that does mean the only relish in the house is dill. Problem is, the protein in the whites plus the fat in the yolk and mayo is an issue for her. If it weren't for that, she'd gobble deviled eggs like she's trying to set a world record." Dave chuckled. "As a deviled egg lover, I can testify that that much deviled egg will cause intestinal issues that oughta be against the Geneva Convention, without any medical conditions." The trio giggled. Becca sat bolt upright for a minute. "Hey, weren't there deviled eggs leftover in the fridge?" Mel was already up and moving. "Clear square sandwich container with the see through blue lid!" Mel's happy cackle faded as she sprinted down the stairs. To be continued in part 5, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.
For God's Sake, Get Out of your holiday rut and into Amityville For Christmas!! That's right, we've remixed this episode for clarity as we head home for the holidays. Granted, this home has a demon pit in the basement and flying pigs in the kids' windows! In this 2023 episode, we start at the beginning of the “Orig Trig” by opening our doors to THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (1979), talking malicious money pits, over-the-top performances, ineffectual Catholics, variable strength hauntings, cool kitchen breezes, and sleeping in murder beds!! The yuletide of blood-soaked walls and total BS stories begins here as we get horny on main for James Brolin and Margot Kidder, get our wig blown back by Rod Steiger, and plan our retirement in the Ye Ol Priests Village!! Unwrap this re-gifted episode today!! Part of the BLEAV Network.Get even more episodes exclusively on Patreon! Artwork by Josh Hollis: joshhollis.com Kill By Kill theme by Revenge Body. For the full-length version and more great music, head to revengebodymemphis.bandcamp.com today!Join the new Discord Server Convo here! Our linker.ee Click here to visit our Dashery/TeePublic shop for killer merch! Join the conversation about any episode on the Facebook Group! Follow us on IG @killbykillpodcast!! Join us on Threads or even Bluesky Check out Gena's newsletter on Ghost!! Check out the films we've covered & what might come soon on Letterboxd! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Episode 067 - Taken For Borrowed The Influence Every Day Show with Dr. Ed Tori There's a quiet danger in the most stable parts of our lives. Not danger in the obvious sense—but danger in the way stability slips beneath our awareness. The way the most essential things become invisible precisely because they work so well. This episode begins with a simple gratitude practice. Each morning, Dr. Tori writes down five things he's grateful for—sometimes just a word, sometimes a phrase. No journaling. No editing. Just noticing. And then comes a story that changes how you hear the rest of the episode. The Sound You Didn't Know You Were Missing A family member describes the first time she put on hearing aids. She didn't realize her hearing had been fading. Life felt normal. Work was normal. Conversations were normal. And then—birds. Birds chirping. Sounds that had been gone for so long she didn't even know they were missing. She cried—not from sadness, but from sudden restoration. From realizing something beautiful had been quietly slipping away. What We Mean When We Take Something for Granted To take something for granted is to treat it as: Given Stable Not requiring maintenance Unlikely to be taken away When those assumptions settle in, attention fades. Appreciation fades. Presence fades. And the tragedy is this: The things most likely to be taken for granted are often the things that often matter most or hold the most meaning. The Invisible Systems Holding Your Life Together The episode walks through a series of experiences you likely haven't thought about today—but rely on constantly: Background sounds: birds, wind, distant laughter, the hum of your home at night Peripheral vision: the ability to sense the world without staring directly at it Micro-textures: the subtle vibration of pen on paper, the click of a button confirming action Balance: standing, walking, orienting without conscious effort Uninterrupted physiology: a heart that's been beating since before you were born; breath that never needed instruction Face and voice recognition: instantly knowing who you love without relearning them each time Depth perception: pouring coffee, driving, navigating space without thought Context sensing: walking into a room and immediately “getting the feel” of it None of these announce themselves. They work quietly. Reliably. Predictably. And because of that—they disappear from awareness. Why the Brain Sometimes Hides What Matters Most We are hardwired to: Notice change Track threat Seek cognitive efficiency When something is stable, non-threatening, and easy, the brain does exactly what it's designed to do—it drops it below conscious awareness. Which raises an uncomfortable question: If we're not aware of something, can we truly be in awe of it? Can we give it reverence? Can we care for it properly? What If the Most Important Things Were Fragile? The most predictable, reliable, non-threatening people in your life are often the ones most at risk of being taken for granted. Here's an unsettling question: What if instead of treating these relationships as given, we treated them as fragile? Imagine the most important person in your life. Now imagine they're gone. Or changed forever by illness. Or distance. Or time. Their presence was never guaranteed. Seeing something as fragile changes how you hold it. You maintain it. You attend to it. You don't assume it will always be there. Why Gratitude Isn't Enough Gratitude matters—but the episode makes a clear distinction: Gratitude can be silent and internal. Expressed gratitude adds words. Active appreciation adds behavior. Active appreciation means: Maintaining Improving Paying attention Being present Acting in ways that protect what matters You can feel grateful for someone and still neglect them. You can appreciate something silently and still let it erode. From “Taken for Granted” to “Taken for Borrowed” What if instead of taking things for granted, we took them for borrowed? Borrowed things are handled differently. They're cared for. They're respected. They're returned in better condition than we received them. So consider this... Who in your life might you be taking for granted - and how would your behavior change if you treated them as borrowed instead? Key Takeaway Don't wait until something disappears to realize its value. Treat what matters as fragile. Treat it as borrowed. And act accordingly.
Ollie Peake is a rising talent in the Australia cricket scene and may be one to watch out for during the Ashes series of the future.Peake will captain Australia's under-19 side next year at the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup and Mitch Turner began this chat on Summer Grandstand by asking Peake what it felt like to receive this honour.
Electric mountain bikes. Either you love ‘em, or think they're wack. Granted, the latter opinion has been losing steam as more brands release good e-bikes, and more riders toss a leg over one. They're the talk of our industry and are one of the few, if not the only, segments of bikes experiencing significant change year after year.In this show, Vital's own Jason Schroeder and Shawn Spomer, along with industry veteran Lars Sternberg, and Founder/Operator of Crestline Bikes, Troydon Murison, sift through the current landscape of e-bikes and discuss what the future might hold. The conversation also kicks off with a rad (almost hour-long) dive into how Crestline Bikes became a thing and the challenges posed by making bikes overseas.Contents00:00 "My Watch Said I Was Dead" - Lars Sternberg08:54 What's In and What's Out: Weekly Highlights21:17 The Founding of Crestline Bikes and how they were made59:02 Transitioning to DJI Motors01:35:08 Consumer Behavior and E-Bike Sales01:53:20 Understanding Power and Performance in E-Bikes02:10:13 The Balance Between Analog and E-Bikes02:20:43 Regulations and Safety Concerns in E-Biking
Today's case is about a man that was instrumental in creating one of the most famous street gangs, NOT just in California, but in the entire US. So JOIN US as we discuss Stanley Williams, co-founder of the Crips. RIP to the victims
Congressman John James is the living embodiment of the American Dream. But as a conservative, he gets more pushback from people who "look like him" than from anyone else. His resume is beyond impressive, he's a proven leader, and he is vying for the Governor's mansion in Michigan. What's not to like? Michele Tafoya is a four-time Emmy award-winning sportscaster turned political and cultural commentator. Record-setting, four-time Sports Emmy Award winner Michele Tafoya worked her final NBC Sunday Night Football game at Super Bowl LVI on February 13, 2022, her fifth Super Bowl. She retired from sportscasting the following day. In total, she covered 327 games — the most national primetime TV games (regular + postseason) for an NFL sideline reporter. Learn More about “The Michele Tafoya Podcast” here: https://linktr.ee/micheletafoya Subscribe to “The Michele Tafoya Podcast” here: https://apple.co/3nPW221 Follow Michele on twitter: https://twitter.com/Michele_Tafoya Follow Michele on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realmicheletafoya/ Learn more about the Salem Podcast network: https://salempodcastnetwork.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Congressman John James is the living embodiment of the American Dream. But as a conservative, he gets more pushback from people who "look like him" than from anyone else. His resume is beyond impressive, he's a proven leader, and he is vying for the Governor's mansion in Michigan. What's not to like? Michele Tafoya is a four-time Emmy award-winning sportscaster turned political and cultural commentator. Record-setting, four-time Sports Emmy Award winner Michele Tafoya worked her final NBC Sunday Night Football game at Super Bowl LVI on February 13, 2022, her fifth Super Bowl. She retired from sportscasting the following day. In total, she covered 327 games — the most national primetime TV games (regular + postseason) for an NFL sideline reporter. Learn More about “The Michele Tafoya Podcast” here: https://linktr.ee/micheletafoya Subscribe to “The Michele Tafoya Podcast” here: https://apple.co/3nPW221 Follow Michele on twitter: https://twitter.com/Michele_Tafoya Follow Michele on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realmicheletafoya/ Learn more about the Salem Podcast network: https://salempodcastnetwork.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
OPEN HEAVENSMATALA LE LAGI MO LE ASO TOFI 18 TESEMA 2025(tusia e Pastor EA Adeboye) Manatu Autu: Aua e te lē faatauaina le Atua (Dont take God for granted)Tauloto Tusi Paia: Ioane 15:5 “O a‘u nei o le vine, o la ‘outou. O lē tumau ‘iā te a‘u, ma a‘u ‘iā te ia, o ia lava e fua tele mai; auā e lē mafaia e ‘outou ‘ona fai se mea e tasi pe a a‘u lē i ai.”Faitauga - Tusi Paia: Mataio 10:28-33Ina ua avea a'u ma taitai aoao o le Ekalesia RCCG, na fai sa'u faaiuga o tagata uma e auai i le fonotele faale tausaga a le Ekalesia, o le a fafagaina e le Atua i le taimi o nei fonotaga. Na fai la'u faaiuga i le faatuatua aua o a'u o se faifeau e leai sau galuega masani. Na ou folafolaina o le a faalua ona fafagaina tagata i aso uma o le fonotaga ma na ou faaalia iai le 1 Tupu 17:4-6, i le fafagaina ai e le Atua o Elia e faalua i le aso. O se tasi o alii talavou i le Ekalesia o se fai falaoa, na ia ofo mai e na te saunia falaoa mo le ti o le taeao ma sa ia faia i fonotaga i tausaga uma mo ni tausaga. E iai se tausaga na ia taofia ai le saunia o falaoa ona sa lē fiafia i se tasi o a'u lauga, peitai e na te lei logoina mai a'u. Ao fai fonotaga o le taeao i lea tausaga, na matou pepese ma vivii i le Atua seia ta le 11 i le taeao ao matou faatali sei taunuu mai falaoa, peitai e lei taunuu mai ni falaoa. Ina ua ta le 12 i le aoauli, na ou suea le alii ma fesili iai, ‘o le a le mea ua tupu? Na leaga le taavale i le auala na momoli mai ai falaoa?' Na ia tali mai, ‘leai'. Ona ou fesili lea iai poo le a le faafitauli ae ia tali mai, ‘ou te lē toe faia ni falaoa mo le fonotaga'. Na ou saili i la'u ava ma fesili iai, ‘o le a le aofai o le tupe mo meaai o le afiafi?' Na ma aumaia le tupe lea ma faatau ai falaoa mo le ti. Na saunia lava e le Atua mea e foia ai le faafitauli i lea taimi. Ini tausaga mulimuli ane, na ou ala ane i se tasi o taeao ma ou vaaia le alii talavou fai falaoa i luma o lou fale. Na ou fesili atu iai, ‘o le a se mea ou te faia mo oe? Tai e usu po mai'. Na ia tali mai, ‘ua leva ona ou fia sau, peitai ua pa le pa'u o le taavale'. Na ou fesili atu poo fea le pa'u e sui ai ae fai mai e leai seisi pa'u e sui ai. O lenei alii talavou, e sili atu ma le 14 ana taavale na iai. Le au pele e, aua e te lē faatauaina le Atua aua o loo ia faia galuega tetele e ala ia te oe. ‘Aua e te manatu e lē mafai ona faia le finagalo o le Atua pe a e lē manao ai, o le eseesega, o oe le tagata e lē mafai ona e faia se mea e aunoa ma ia, e pei ona tatou iloa mai le tauloto mai le Tusi Paia o le asō. Na o tagata valea latou te lē faatauaina tagata o loo taitai ma iai le pule i lo latou atunuu. A e manatu la iai, e lē mafai ona e lē faatauaina Lē e pulea le lalolagi atoa (Kolose 1:16-17). E maualuga mamao atu le Atua ia te oe, o lona uiga afai e te lē o faatauaina o ia i soo se auala, pe e te lē o ava ma faaaloalo ia te Ia e pei e tatau ona iai, salamo i le asō. Aua lava e te lē faatauaina le Atua, e matua leai se mea e ia te oe e aunoa ma ia, i le suafa o Iesu, Amene.
The last time Yamato was heavily involved on the continent, they were defeated militarily, and they returned to fortify their islands. So how are things looking, now? This episode we will talk about some of what has been going on with Tang and Silla, but also touch on the Mishihase, the Hayato, the people of Tamna and Tanegashima, and more! For more information and references, check out: https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-140 Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan. My name is Joshua and this is episode 140: Improving Diplomatic Ties Garyang Jyeongsan and Gim Hongsye looked out from the deck of their ship, tossing and turning in the sea. The waves were high, and the winds lashed at the ship, which rocked uncomfortably beneath their feet. Ocean spray struck them from below while rain pelted from above. Through the torrential and unstable conditions, they looked out for their sister ship. It was their job to escort them, but in these rough seas, bobbing up and down, they were at the mercy of the elements. One minute they could see them, and then next it was nothing but a wall of water. Each time they caught a glimpse the other ship seemed further and further away. They tried calling out, but it was no use—even if they could normally have raised them, the fierce winds simply carried their voices out into the watery void. Eventually, they lost sight of them altogether. When the winds died down and the seas settled, they looked for their companions, but they saw nothing, not even hints of wreckage on the ocean. They could only hope that their fellow pilots knew where they were going. As long as they could still sail, they should be able to make it to land—either to the islands to which they were headed, or back to the safety of the peninsula. And so the escort ship continued on, even without a formal envoy to escort. They would hope for the best, or else they would explain what would happen, and hope that the Yamato court would understand. The seas were anything but predictable, and diplomacy was certainly not for the faint of heart. We are going through the period of the reign of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tennou. It started in 672, with the death of his brother, Naka no Oe, remembered as the sovereign Tenji Tenno, when Temmu took the throne from his nephew, Ohotomo, aka Kobun Tenno, in what would become known as the Jinshin no Ran. From that point, Ohoama continued the work of his brother in creating a government based on a continental model of laws and punishments—the Ritsuryo system. He accomplished this with assistance from his wife, Uno, and other members of the royal family—his own sons, but also nephews and other princes of the time. And so far most of our focus has been on the local goings on within the archipelago. However, there was still plenty going on in the rest of the world, and though Yamato's focus may have been on more local affairs, it was still engaged with the rest of the world—or at least with the polities of the Korean Peninsula and the Tang Dynasty. This episode we are going to look at Yamato's foreign relations, and how they were changing, especially as things changed on the continent. Up to this point, much of what had been happening in Yamato had been heavily influenced by the mainland in one way or another. And to begin our discussion, we really should backtrack a bit—all the way to the Battle of Baekgang in 663, which we discussed in Episode 124. That defeat would lead to the fall of Baekje, at the hands of the Silla-Tang alliance. The loss of their ally on the peninsula sent Yamato into a flurry of defensive activity. They erected fortresses on Tsushima, Kyushu, and along the Seto Inland Sea. They also moved the capital up to Ohotsu, a more easily defended point on the shores of Lake Biwa, and likewise reinforced various strategic points in the Home Provinces as well. These fortresses were built in the style and under the direction of many of the Baekje refugees now resettled in Yamato. For years, the archipelago braced for an invasion by the Silla-Tang alliance. After all, with all that Yamato had done to support Baekje, it only made sense, from their perspective, for Silla and Tang to next come after them. Sure, there was still Goguryeo, but with the death of Yeon Gaesomun, Goguryeo would not last that long. With a unified peninsula, then why wouldn't they next look to the archipelago? And yet, the attack never came. While Yamato was building up its defenses, it seems that the alliance between Silla and Tang was not quite as strong as their victories on the battlefield may have made it seem. This is hardly surprising—the Tang and Silla were hardly operating on the same scale. That said, the Tang's immense size, while bringing it great resources, also meant that it had an extremely large border to defend. They often utilized alliances with other states to achieve their ends. In fact, it seems fairly common for the Tang to seek alliances with states just beyond their borders against those states that were directly on their borders. In other words, they would effectively create a pincer maneuver by befriending the enemy of their enemy. Of course. Once they had defeated said enemy well, wouldn't you know it, their former ally was now their newest bordering state. In the case of the Silla-Tang alliance, it appears that at the start of the alliance, back in the days of Tang Taizong, the agreement, at least from Silla's perspective, was that they would help each other against Goguryeo and Baekje, and then the Tang dynasty would leave the Korean peninsula to Silla. However, things didn't go quite that smoothly. The fighting against Goguryeo and Baekje can be traced back to the 640s, but Tang Taizong passed away in 649, leaving the throne to his heir, Tang Gaozong. The Tang forces eventually helped Silla to take Baekje after the battle of Baekgang River in 663, and then Goguryeo fell in 668, but the Tang forces didn't leave the peninsula. They remained in the former territories of Baekje and in Goguryeo, despite any former agreements. Ostensibly they were no doubt pointing to the continuing revolts and rebellions in both regions. While neither kingdom would fully reassert itself, it didn't mean that there weren't those who were trying. In fact, the first revolt in Goguryeo was in 669. There was also a revolt each year until 673. The last one had some staying power, as the Goguryeo rebels continued to hold out for about four years. It is probably worth reminding ourselves that the Tang dynasty, during this time, had reached out on several occasions to Yamato, sending diplomatic missions, as had Silla. While the Yamato court may have been preparing for a Tang invasion, the Tang perspective seems different. They were preoccupied with the various revolts going on, and they had other problems. On their western border, they were having to contend with the kingdom of Tibet, for example. The Tibetan kingdom had a powerful influence on the southern route around the Taklamakan desert, which abuts the Tibetan plateau. The Tang court would have had to divert resources to defend their holdings in the western regions, and it is unlikely that they had any immediate designs on the archipelago, which I suspect was considered something of a backwater to them, at the time. In fact, Yamato would have been much more useful to the Tang as an ally to help maintain some pressure against Silla, with whom their relationship, no longer directed at a common enemy, was becoming somewhat tense. In fact, just before Ohoama came to the throne, several events had occurred that would affect the Silla-Tang alliance. The first event is more indirect—in 670, the Tibetan kingdom attacked the Tang empire. The fighting was intense, and required serious resources from both sides. Eventually the Tibetan forces were victorious, but not without a heavy toll on the Tibetan kingdom, which some attribute to the latter's eventual demise. Their pyrrhic victory, however, was a defeat for the Tang, who also lost troops and resources in the fighting. Then, in 671, the Tang empire would suffer another loss as Silla would drive the Tang forces out of the territory of the former kingdom of Baekje. With the Baekje territory under their control, it appears that Silla was also working to encourage some of rebellions in Goguryeo. This more than irked the Tang court, currently under the formal control of Tang Gaozong and the informal—but quite considerable—control of his wife, Wu Zetian, who some claim was the one actually calling most of the shots in the court at this point in time. Silla encouragement of restoration efforts in Goguryeo reached the Tang court in 674, in and in 675 we see that the Tang forces were sent to take back their foothold in the former Baekje territory. Tang defeated Silla at Gyeonggi, and Silla's king, Munmu, sent a tribute mission to the Tang court, apologizing for their past behavior. However, the Tang control could not be maintained, as they had to once again withdraw most of their troops from the peninsula to send them against the Tibetan kingdom once more. As soon as they did so, Silla once again renewed their attacks on Tang forces on the peninsula. And so, a year later, in 676, the Tang forces were back. They crossed the Yellow Sea to try and take back the Tang territories on the lower peninsula, but they were unsuccessful. Tang forces were defeated by Silla at Maeso Fortress in modern day Yeoncheon. After a bit more fighting, Silla ended up in control of all territory south of the Taedong River, which runs through Pyongyang, one of the ancient capitals of Goguryeo and the capital of modern North Korea. This meant that the Tang dynasty still held much of the territory of Goguryeo under their control. With everything that was going on, perhaps that explains some of the apparently defensive measures that Yamato continued to take. For example, the second lunar month of 675, we know that Ohoama proceeded to Takayasu castle, likely as a kind of formal inspection. Then, in the 10th lunar month of 675 Ohoama commanded that everyone from the Princes down to the lowest rank were to provide the government with weapons. A year later, in the 9th month of 676, the Princes and Ministers sent agents to the capital and the Home Provinces and gave out weapons to each man. Similar edicts would be issued throughout the reign. So in 679 the court announced that in two years time, which is to say the year 681, there would be a review of the weapons and horses belonging to the Princes of the Blood, Ministers, and any public functionaries. And in that same year, barrier were erected for the first time on Mt. Tatsta and Mt. Afusaka, along with an outer line of fortifications at Naniwa. While some of that no doubt also helped to control internal movements, it also would have been useful to prepare for the possibility of future invasions. And the work continued. In 683 we see a royal command to all of the various provinces to engage in military training. And in 684 it was decreed at that there would be an inspection in the 9th month of the following year—685—and they laid out the ceremonial rules, such as who would stand where, what the official clothing was to look like, etc. Furthermore, there was also an edict that all civil and military officials should practice the use of arms and riding horses. They were expected to supply their own horses, weapons, and anything they would wear into battle. If they owned horses, they would be considered cavalry soldiers, while those who did not have their own horse would be trained as infantry. Either way, they would each receive training, and the court was determined to remove any obstacles and excuses that might arise. Anyone who didn't comply would be punished. Non compliance could mean refusing to train, but it could also just mean that they did not provide the proper horses or equipment, or they let their equipment fall into a state of disrepair. Punishments could range from fines to outright flogging, should they be found guilty. On the other hand, those who practiced well would have any punishments against them for other crimes reduced by two degrees, even if it was for a capital crime. This only applied to previous crimes, however—if it seemed like you were trying to take advantage of this as a loophole to be able to get away with doing your own thing than the pardon itself would be considered null and void. A year later, the aforementioned inspection was carried out by Princes Miyatokoro, Hirose, Naniwa, Takeda, and Mino. Two months later, the court issued another edict demanding that military equipment—specifically objects such as large or small horns, drums, flutes, flags, large bows, or catapults—should be stored at the government district house and not kept in private arsenals. The "large bow" in this case may be something like a ballista, though Aston translates it to crossbow—unfortunately, it isn't exactly clear, and we don't necessarily have a plethora of extant examples to point to regarding what they meant. Still, these seem to be focused on things that would be used by armies—especially the banners, large bows, and catapults. The musical instruments may seem odd, though music was often an important part of Tang dynasty military maneuvers. It was used to coordinate troops, raise morale, provide a marching rhythm, and more. Granted, much of this feels like something more continental, and it is unclear if music was regularly used in the archipelago. This could be more of Yamato trying to emulate the Tang dynasty rather than something that was commonplace on the archipelago. That might also explain the reference to the Ohoyumi and the catapults, or rock throwers. All of this language having to do with military preparations could just be more of the same as far as the Sinicization of the Yamato government is concerned; attempts to further emulate what they understood of the civilized governments on the mainland—or at least their conception of those governments based on the various written works that they had imported. Still, I think it is relevant that there was a lot of uncertainty regarding the position of various polities and the potential for conflict. Each year could bring new changes to the political dynamic that could see military intervention make its way across the straits. And of course, there was always the possibility that Yamato itself might decide to raise a force of its own. Throughout all of this, there was continued contact with the peninsula and other lands. Of course, Silla and Goguryeo were both represented when Ohoama came to the throne—though only the Silla ambassador made it to the ceremony, apparently. In the 7th lunar month of 675, Ohotomo no Muraji no Kunimaro was sent to Silla as the Chief envoy, along with Miyake no Kishi no Irishi. They likely got a chance to witness first-hand the tensions between Silla and the Tang court. The mission would return in the second lunar month of the following year, 676. Eight months later, Mononobe no Muarji no Maro and Yamashiro no Atahe no Momotari were both sent. That embassy also returned in the 2nd lunar month of the following year. Meanwhile, it wasn't just Yamato traveling to Silla—there were also envoys coming the other way. For example, in the 2nd lunar month of 675 we are told that Silla sent Prince Chyungweon as an ambassador. His retinue was apparently detained on Tsukushi while the actual envoy team went on to the Yamato capital. It took them about two months to get there, and then they stayed until the 8th lunar month, so about four months in total. At the same time, in the third month, Goguryeo and Silla both sent "tribute" to Yamato. And in the 8th month, Prince Kumaki, from Tamna, arrived at Tsukushi as well. Tamna, as you may recall, refers to nation on the island known today as Jeju. The late Alexander Vovin suggested that the name originated from a proto-Japonic cognate with "Tanimura", and many of the names seem to also bear out a possible Japonic influence on the island nation. Although they only somewhat recently show up in the Chronicles from our perspective, archaeological evidence suggests that they had trade with Yayoi Japan and Baekje since at least the first century. With the fall of Baekje, and the expansion of Yamato authority to more of the archipelago, we've seen a notable uptick in the communication between Tamna and Yamato noted in the record. A month after the arrival of Prince Kumaki in Tsukushi, aka Kyushu, it is noted that a Prince Koyo of Tamna arrived at Naniwa. The Tamna guests would stick around for almost a year, during which time they were presented with a ship and eventually returned in the 7th lunar month of the following year, 676. Tamna envoys, who had also shown up in 673, continued to be an annual presence at the Yamato court through the year 679, after which there is an apparent break in contact, picking back up in 684 and 685. 676 also saw a continuation of Silla representatives coming to the Yamato court, arriving in the 11th lunar month. That means they probably passed by the Yamato envoys heading the other way. Silla, under King Mumnu, now had complete control of the Korean peninsula south of the Taedong river. In the same month we also see another mission from Goguryeo, but the Chronicle also points out that the Goguryeo envoys had a Silla escort, indicating the alliance between Silla and those attempting to restore Goguryeo—or at least the area of Goguryeo under Tang control. The Tang, for their part, had pulled back their commandary to Liaodong, just west of the modern border between China and North Korea, today. Goguryeo would not go quietly, and the people of that ancient kingdom—one of the oldest on the peninsula—would continue to rise up and assert their independence for years to come. The chronicles also record envoys from the somewhat mysterious northern Mishihase, or Sushen, thought to be people of the Okhotsk Sea culture from the Sakhalin islands. There were 11 of them, and they came with the Silla envoys, possibly indicating their influence on the continent and through the Amur river region. Previously, most of the contact had been through the regions of Koshi and the Emishi in modern Tohoku and Hokkaido. This seems to be their only major envoy to the Yamato court recorded in this reign. Speaking of outside groups, in the 2nd lunar month of 677 we are told that there was an entertainment given to men of Tanegashima under the famous Tsuki tree west of Asukadera. Many people may know Tanegashima from the role it played in the Sengoku Period, when Europeans made contact and Tanegashima became a major hub of Sengoku era firearm manufacturing. At this point, however, it seems that it was still a largely independent island in the archipelago off the southern coast of Kyushu. Even southern Kyushu appears to have retained some significant cultural differences at this time, with the "Hayato" people being referenced in regards to southern Kyushu—we'll talk about them in a bit as they showed up at the capital in 682. Tanegashima is actually closer to Yakushima, another island considered to be separate, culturally, from Yamato, and could be considered the start of the chain of islands leading south to Amami Ohoshima and the other Ryukyuan islands. That said, Tanegashima and Yakushima are much closer to the main islands of the archipelago and show considerable influence, including Yayoi and Kofun cultural artifacts, connecting them more closely to those cultures, even if Yamato initially saw them as distinct in some way. A formal Yamato envoy would head down to Tanegashima two years later, in the 11th lunar month of 679. It was headed up by Yamato no Umakahibe no Miyatsuko no Tsura and Kami no Sukuri no Koukan. The next reference to the mission comes in 681, when the envoys returned and presented a map of the island. They claimed that it was in the middle of the ocean, and that rice was always abundant. With a single sowing of rice it was said that they could get two harvests. Other products specifically mentioned were cape jasmine and bulrushes, though they then note that there were also many other products that they didn't bother to list. This must have been considered quite the success, as the Yamato envoys were each awarded a grade of rank for their efforts. They also appear to have returned with some of the locals, as they were entertained again in Asuka—this time on the riverbank west of Asukadera, where various kinds of music were performed for them. Tanegashima and Yakushima would be brought formally under Yamato hegemony in 702 with the creation of Tane province, but for now it was still considered separate. This was probably just the first part of the efforts to bring them into Yamato, proper. Getting back to the Silla envoys who had arrived in 676, they appear to have remained for several months. In the third lunar month of 677 we are told that they, along with guests of lower rank—thirteen persons all told—were invited to the capital. Meanwhile, the escort envoys and others who had not been invited to the capital were entertained in Tsukushi and returned from there. While this was going on, weather out in the straits drove a Silla boat to the island of Chikashima. Aboard was a Silla man accompanined by three attendants and three Buddhist priests. We aren't told where they were going, but they were given shelter and when the Silla envoy, Kim Chyeonpyeong, returned home he left with those who had been driven ashore, as well. The following year, 678, was not a great one for the Silla envoys. Garyang Jyeongsan and Gim Hongsye arrived at Tsukushi, but they were just the escorts. The actual envoys had been separated by a storm at sea and never arrived. In their place, the escort envoys were sent to the capital, probably to at least carry through with the rituals of diplomacy. This was in the first month of the following year, 679, and given when envoys had previously arrived, it suggests to me that they waited a few months, probably to see if the envoys' ship eventually appeared and to give the court time to figure out what to do. A month later, the Goguryeo envoys arrived, still being accompanied by Silla escorts, also arrived. Fortunately the Yamato envoys to Silla and elsewhere fared better. That year, 679, the envoys returned successfully from Silla, Goguryeo, and Tamna. Overall, though, I think it demonstrates that this wasn't just a pleasure cruise. There was a very real possibility that one could get lost at sea. At the same time, one needed people of sufficient status to be able to carry diplomatic messages and appropriately represent the court in foreign lands. We often seen envoys later taking on greater positions of responsibility in the court, and so you didn't have to go far to find those willing to take the risk for later rewards. That same year, another tribute mission from Silla did manage to make the crossing successfully. And in this mission we are given more details, for they brought gold, silver, iron, sacrificial cauldrons with three feet, brocade, cloth, hides, horses, dogs, mules, and camels. And those were just the official gifts to the court. Silla also sent distinct presents for the sovereign, the queen, and the crown prince, namely gold, silver, swords, flags, and things of that nature. This appears to demonstrate increasingly close ties between Silla and Yamato. All of that arrived in the 10th lunar month of 679, and they stayed through the 6th lunar month of 680—about 7 to 9 months all told, depending on if there were any intercalary months that year. In addition to entertaining the Silla envoys in Tsukushi—it is not mentioned if they made it to the capital—we are also told that in the 2nd lunar month, halfway through the envoys' visit, eight labourers from Silla were sent back to their own country with gifts appropriate to their station. Here I have to pause and wonder what exactly is meant by this. "Labourer" seems somewhat innocuous. I suspect that their presence in Yamato may have been less than voluntary, and I wonder if these were captured prisoners of war who could have been in Yamato now for over a decade. If so, this could have been a gesture indicating that the two sides were putting all of that nastiness with Baekje behind them, and Yamato was accepting Silla's new role on the peninsula. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it, but it does seem to imply that Silla and Yamato were growing closer, something that Yamato would need if it wanted to have easy access, again, to the wider world. Speaking of returning people, that seems to have been something of a common thread for this year, 680, as another mission from Goguryeo saw 19 Goguryeo men also returned to their country. These were condolence envoys who had come to mourn the death of Takara Hime—aka Saimei Tennou. They must have arrived in the midst of all that was happening peninsula, and as such they were detained. Their detention is somewhat interesting, when you think about it, since technically Baekje and Goguryeo—and thus Yamato—would have been on the same side against the Silla-Tang alliance. But perhaps it was just considered too dangerous to send them home, initially, and then the Tang had taken control of their home. It is unclear to me how much they were being held by Yamato and how much they were just men without a country for a time. This may reflect how things on the mainland were stabilizing again, at least from Yamato's perspective. However, as we'll discuss a bit later, it may have also been another attempt at restoring the Goguryeo kingdom by bringing back refugees, especially if they had connections with the old court. The Goguryeo envoys—both the recent mission and those who had been detained—would remain until the 5th lunar month of 681, when they finally took their leave. That year, there were numerous mission both from and to Silla and Goguryeo, and in the latter part of the year, Gim Chyungpyeong came once again, once more bearing gives of gold, silver, copper, iron, brocade, thin silk, deerskins, and fine cloth. They also brought gold, silver, flags of a rosy-colored brocade and skins for the sovereign, his queen, and the crown prince. That said, the 681 envoys also brought grave news: King Munmu of Silla was dead. Munmu had reigned since 661, so he had overseen the conquest of Silla and Goguryeo. His regnal name in Japanese might be read as Monmu, or even "Bunbu", referencing the blending of literary and cultural achievements seen as the pinnacle of noble attainment. He is known as Munmu the Great for unifying the peninsula under a single ruler—though much of the Goguryeo territory was still out of reach. Indeed he saw warfare and the betterment of his people, and it is no doubt significant that his death is recorded in the official records of the archipelago. He was succeeded by his son, who would reign as King Sinmun, though the succession wasn't exactly smooth. We are told that Munmu, knowing his time was short, requested that his son, the Crown Prince, be named king before they attended to Munmu's own funerary arrangements, claiming that the throne should not sit vacant. This may have been prescient, as the same year Munmu died and Sinmun ascended to the throne there was a revolt, led by none other than Sinmun's own father-in-law, Kim Heumdol. Heumdol may, himselve, have been more of a figurehead for other political factions in the court and military. Nonetheless, the attempted coup of 681 was quickly put down—the envoys in Yamato would likely only learn about everything after the dust had settled upon their return. The following year, 682, we see another interesting note about kings, this time in regards to the Goguryeo envoys, whom we are told were sent by the King of Goguryeo. Ever since moving the commandery to Liaodong, the Tang empire had claimed dominion over the lands of Goguryeo north of the Taedong river. Originally they had administered it militarily, but in 677 they crowned a local, Bojang as the "King of Joseon", using the old name for the region, and put him in charge of the Liaodong commandery. However, he was removed in 681, and sent into exile in Sichuan, because rather than suppressing revolt, he had actually encouraged restoration attempts, inviting back Goguryeo refugees, like those who had been detained in Yamato. Although Bojang himself was sent into exile, his descendants continued to claim sovereignty, so it may have been one of them that was making the claim to the "King of Goguryeo", possibly with Silla's blessing. Later that year, 682, we see Hayato from Ohosumi and Ata—possibly meaning Satsuma—the southernmost point of Kyushu coming to the court in 682. They brought tribute and representatives of Ohosumi and Ata wrestled, with the Ohosumi wrestler emerging victorious. They were entertained west of Asukadera, and various kinds of music was performed and gifts were given. They were apparently quite the sight, as Buddhist priests and laiety all came out to watch. Little is known for certain about the Hayato. We have shields that are attributed to them, but their association may have more to do with the fact that they were employed as ceremonial guards for a time at the palace. We do know that Southern Kyushu had various groups that were seen as culturally distinct from Yamato, although there is a lot of overlap in material culture. We also see early reports of the Kumaso, possibly two different groups, the Kuma and So, in earlier records, and the relationship between the Kumaso and the Hayato is not clearly defined. What we do know is that southern Kyushu, for all that it shared with Yamato certain aspects of culture through the kofun period, for example, they also had their own traditions. For example, there is a particular burial tradition of underground kofun that is distinct to southern Kyushu. A great example of this can be found at the Saitobaru Kofun cluster in Miyazaki, which contains these unique southern Kyushu style burials along with more Yamato style keyhole shaped and circular type kofun. Miyazaki sits just north of the Ohosumi peninsula, in what was formerly the land of Hyuga, aka Himuka. This is also where a lot of the founding stories of the Heavenly grandchild were placed, and even today there is a shrine there to the Heavenly Rock Cave. In other words there are a lot of connections with Southern Kyushu, and given that the Chronicles were being written in the later 7th and early 8th centuries, it is an area of intense interest when trying to understand the origins of Yamato and Japanese history. Unfortunately, nothing clearly tells us exactly how the Hayato were separate, but in the coming century they would both come under Yamato hegemony and rebel against it, time and again. This isn't the first time they are mentioned, but it may be the first time that we see them as an actual people, in a factual entry as earlier references in the Chronicles are suspect. Continuing on with our look at diplomacy during this period, the year 683 we see a continuation of the same patterns, with nothing too out of the ordinary. Same with most of 684 until the 12th lunar month. It is then that we see a Silla ship arrive with Hashi no Sukune no Wohi and Shirawi no Fubito no Hozen. They had both, previously been to the Tang empire to study, though we don't have a record of them leaving for that or any other purpose. They are accompanied by Witsukahi no Muraji no Kobito and Tsukushi no Miyake no Muraji no Tokuko, both of whom had apparently been captured and taken by the Tang dynasty during the Baekje campaign. Apparently they had all traveled back from the Tang empire together to Silla, who then provided them passage to Yamato. The timing of this suggests it may have had something to do with the changes going on in the Tang empire—changes that I desperately want to get into, but given that we are already a good ways into this current episode, I think I will leave it for later. But I will note this: Emperor Gaozong had passed away and his wife, Empress Wu Zetian, was now ruling as regent for her sons. Wu Zetian is probably the most famous empress in all of Chinese history, and while she held de facto power as a co-regent during her husband's reign and as a regent during her sons' reigns, she would actually ascend the throne herself in 690. Her reign as a woman during a time of heightened patriarchal tradition is particularly of note, and it leads us to wonder about the vilification that she received by the men who followed her rule. And I really want to get into all of that but, thematically, I think it better to wait. Those of you reading ahead in the syllabus—which is to say the Chronicles—probably know why. So let us just leave it there and say that the Tang was going through a few things, and that may explain why students were returning back in the company of former war captives. A few months later, the Silla escort, Gim Mulyu, was sent home along with 7 people from Silla who had been washed ashore—presumably during a storm or other such event, again illustrating the dangers of taking to the ocean at this time. Perhaps related to that theme is the entry only a month later, which merely stated that Gim Jusan of Silla returned home. Gim Jusan was an envoy sent to Yamato in the 11th lunar month of 683. He was entertained in Tsukushi, and we are told that he returned to his own country on the 3rd month of 684. Now we are seeing an entry in the 4th month of 685 that this same person apparently returned home. It is possible that something got mixed up, and that the Chroniclers were dealing with a typo in the records that made it seem like this took place a year later than it did. This was certainly an issue at this time, given all the math one had to do just to figure out what day it was. There is also the possibility that he returned on another embassy, but just wasn't mentioned for some reason. The last possible explanation is that he somehow got lost and it took him a year to find his way back. Not entirely impossible back then, though I am a bit skeptical. Among other things, why would that note have found its way into the Chronicles in Yamato? While they were certainly using some continental sources, this seems like something they were talking about as far as him leaving the archipelago, rather than discussion of something happening elsewhere. Speaking of happening elsewhere, I'm wondering about another event that happened around this time as well. In fact, it was while Gim Mulyu was still in the archipelago. For some reason the Yamato court granted rank to 147 individuals from Tang, Baekje, and Goguryeo. Interestingly, they don't mention Silla. Furthermore, there is no real mention of any Tang envoys during this reign. In fact, there is hardly mention of the Tang dynasty at all. There is a mention of some 30 Tang men—captives, presumably—being sent to the Yamato court from Tsukushi. Those men were settled in Toutoumi, so there were men of Tang in the archipelago. But beyond that, there are only three other mentions of the Tang dynasty. One was when the students and war captives came back. Another was this note about giving rank to 147 individuals. Finally there is a similar record in 686, at the very end of the reign, where it is 34 persons who were given rank. This time it was to carpenters, diviners, physicians, students from Tang—possibly those who had just come back a year or so earlier. So if there weren't envoys from Tang, Goguryeo, and Baekje, who were these people and why were they being granted Yamato court rank? My assumption is that it was foreigners living in the archipelago, and being incorporated into the Yamato court system. Still, it is interesting that after the overtures by the Tang in the previous reign we have heard virtually nothing since then. Again, that is likely largely due to the conflicts between Tang and Silla, though now, things seem to be changing. The conflicts have settled down, and new rulers are in place, so we'll see how things go. Speaking of which, let's finish up with the diplomatic exchanges in this reign. I'm only hitting some of the highlights here. First is the return from Silla, in the 5th month of 685, of Takamuku no Asomi no Maro and Tsuno no Asomi no Ushikahi. They had traveled to Silla in 684, and they did not come back emptyhanded. The new King of Silla presented them with gifts, including 2 horses, 3 dogs, 2 parrots, and 2 magpies. They also brought back the novice monks Kanjou and Ryoukan. Not bad, overall. Then, 6 months later, another tribute mission came, but this one has an interesting—if somewhat questionable—note attached to it. It is said that the envoys Gim Jisyang and Gim Geonhun were sent to request "governance" and to bring tribute. This certainly go the court's attention. They didn't bring the envoys all the way to the capital, but they did send to them, in Tsukushi, Prince Kawachi, Ohotomo no Sukune no Yasumaro, Fujiwara no Asomi no Ohoshima, and Hodzumi no Asomi no Mushimaro. About three months later they send the musical performers from Kawaradera to provide entertainment during a banquet for the Silla envoy, and in payment some 5,000 bundles of rice rom the private lands attached to the queen's palace were granted to the temple in gratitude. The Silla tribute was then brought to the capital from Tsukushi. This time it was more than 100 items, including one fine horse, one mule, two dogs, a gold container inlaid with some kind of design, gold, silver, faint brocade, silk gauze, tiger and leopard skins, and a variety of medicines. In addition, as was now common, the envoys, Gim Jisyang and Gim Geonhun, apparently had personal gifts to give in the form of gold, silver, faint brocade, silk gauze, gold containers, screens, saddle hides, silk cloth, and more medicine. There were also gifts specifically for the sovereign, the queen, the Crown Prince, and for the various princes of the blood. The court returned this favor with gifts to the envoys, presented at a banquet just for them, before sending them on their way. A couple of notes. First off, it is interesting that they are entertained at Tsukushi rather than being invited to the capital, and I wonder if this was because the sovereign, Ohoama, wasn't doing so well. This was all happening in 685 and 686, and the sovereign would pass away shortly afterwards. So it is possible that Ohoama just was not up to entertaining visitors at this time. Of course, the Chronicles often don't tell us exactly why a given decision was made, only that it was. And sometimes not even that. The other thing that seems curious is the mention of a request for governance. That almost sounds like Silla was asking to come under Yamato hegemony, which I seriously doubt. It may be that they were asking something along the lines of an alliance, but it is also possible that the scribes recording things for Yamato heard what they wanted to hear and so wrote it down in the light most favorable to Yamato laying claim to the peninsula. Or perhaps I'm misunderstanding exactly what they were asking for. Maybe "governance" here means something else—perhaps just some kind of better relationship. And with that, we'll leave it for now. There is more developing in the next reign, but I think we want to wait until we get there. There are still a lot more things to cover in this reign before we move on—we haven't even touched on the establishment of the new capital, on the various court events, not to mention some of the laws and punishments that this period is named for. And there is the minor issue of a rebellion. All of that will be dealt with. And then, after that, we get to the final reign of the Chronicles: the reign of Jitou Tennou. From there? Who knows. It is the winter holiday season, so I hope everyone is enjoying themselves. Next episode will be the New Year's recap, and then we should finish with this reign probably in January or early February. Until then, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts. If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website, SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page. You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com. Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now. Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.
The Utah man who was detained by ICE during his final green card interview, has been granted bail. Greg and Holly speak to his Attorney, Adam Crayk with an update on the case and where it goes from here.
There's a call for a south Clare town's services and infrastructure to be improved in line with its growing population. Clare County Council has granted planning permission to Datcha Construction Limited for the construction of 79 homes on the Shannon Road in Sixmilebridge. The town's population grew by 8% between 2016 and 2022, and is set to rise further with several housing developments at various stages of construction. Sixmilebridge Fine Gael Councillor John Crowe has been telling Clare FM's Seán Lyons the town requires significant investment to cater for its new arrivals.
What does it mean to say that God is not distant, but present in all things? In this episode of Creation's Paths, we explore animism, panentheism, and the Cosmic Christ as ways of seeing the world infused with divine life rather than ruled by fear or domination. We talk about discernment, authority, power, and how the word in changes everything. This is an invitation to learn how to see, listen, and act from interconnection rather than separateness.Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.Thank you for Tips / Donations:* https://ko-fi.com/cedorsett* https://patreon.com/cedorsett* https://cash.app/$CreationsPaths* Substack: https://www.creationspaths.com/New to The Seraphic Grove learn moreFor Educational Resource: https://wisdomscry.comCreation's Paths: A Creation Spirituality PrimerSocial Connections:* BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com* Threads https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths* Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/#Animism #LivingGod #CosmicChrist #Christopagan #CreationSpirituality #DruidryChapters:00:00 Introduction: God in All Things00:40 Welcome and Host Introductions01:16 Defining Panentheism and Animism01:57 Housekeeping: Support and Reviews02:14 Distinguishing Animism from Pantheism03:35 The Power of the Word ‘In'04:55 Brian: Addressing Fear Around Animism06:24 Seeing Through Rhetoric and Projection07:27 Authority is Granted, Not Intrinsic08:22 Jesus as the Cosmic Christ09:52 Challenging Trite Devotionals11:15 Leaning on Cosmic Power, Not Personal Strength11:51 God is for Everything, Not Just Sunday13:09 Where Was God in the Holocaust?14:24 The Civil Rights Movement: Living God14:57 Brian: Speaking to the Divine in Others16:12 The Cozy Lie That People Can't Change18:03 Personal Transformation Through Community18:26 The Oklahoma University Case Study19:47 Charlie: Persecution as Identity Signal21:47 Yetzer Tov and Yetzer Rah: Balancing Inclinations22:57 Recognizing the Voice of God in Separateness24:06 God Created Light and Darkness25:01 Understanding Motivations: Fear, Woundedness, Approval26:48 Reconnecting to Our Interconnection27:35 Being the Good Guys: Speaking Truth to Power27:54 Wrap-Up and Community Engagement28:48 Closing Prayer Get full access to Creation's Paths at www.creationspaths.com/subscribe
Welcome, welcome! It's that awkward week in which shows haven't wrapped, holidays are upon us and we need to figure out our best and worst list of the year... so what better time to cover the recently home released Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc! Granted, one of us already saw it, but now we both have and that's twice as good. Lots of spoilers, like seriously we don't care if you haven't seen the movie so don't pass gas our way if you listen to this episode before watching the movie for some damn reason.
Get a blessing by hearing the latest teaching from one of the services at Faith and Truth Assembly!
Thank you to listener Khadijah K for recommending this case. Here's a little portion of the email she sent us: I'm reaching out because today marks the 13th anniversary of the disappearance and murder of Alicia Moore, a 16-year-old girl from Greenville, Texas. This case deeply impacted my community, but outside of local coverage, Alicia's story hasn't been widely revisited. I feel it's important that her memory and her life are not forgotten — especially around this time of year. So, although we are a few weeks passed the anniversary, JOIN US as we discuss the heartbreaking murder of Alicia Chanta' Moore.RIP to Alicia
Once movie producers see something succeed, they will try to repeat that success over and over again. Hot on the heels of Adams Family, producers said - lets pull more intellectual property from the past and resusitate it. Granted, it tooke them 4 years - but at least did something alright. Only to follow this effort up with slop/cash grabs. Anyway - join Joe, Ken, Andy, and Dan as they relive some childhood trauma/excitement through the 1995 movie Casper. Not to mention - tangent for a good portion of the recording.
For many men and women incarcerated across the United States, once all legal options for release have been exhausted, there is often one last avenue to hope for: clemency.Clemency in most states is at the discretion of a single person – the governor. This is not to be confused with presidential pardons, as the president can only grant clemency in federal cases, while state-level clemency sits with state governors. Governors hold an incredible power: the ability to effectively give someone their life back, someone who might otherwise be condemned to die behind bars.Of course, like most things, it's never guaranteed. The exact number of clemencies granted isn't clear, but it's fair to say that, compared to the number of people incarcerated, the figure is extremely small. For a fortunate few, though, that mercy does come.Today I speak with one of those people. A man whose story we covered some time ago.Shawn Robert Johnson was staring down a minimum of more than 60 years in prison before he would even be eligible for parole. Instead, this Christmas he will be going home to his family after just shy of 20 years behind bars.Today we catch up to talk about how it happened – and what his plans are for life on the outside.EARLY AND AD FREE ACCESS: for as little as $1.69 a week!Apple + HEREPatreon and find us on Facebook here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hamm v. Smith | 12/10/25 | Docket #: 24-872 24-872 HAMM, COMMISSIONER AL DOC V. SMITH DECISION BELOW: 2024 WL 4793028 THE PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI IS GRANTED LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTION: WHETHER AND HOW COURTS MAY CONSIDER THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF MULTIPLE IQ SCORES IN ASSESSING AN ATKINS CLAIM. CERT. GRANTED 6/6/2025 QUESTION PRESENTED: Like most States, Alabama requires that offenders prove an IQ of 70 or less to satisfy the intellectual-functioning prong of Atkins v. Virginia . This case was not close: Smith scored 75, 74, 72, 78, and 74 on five full-scale IQ tests. There is no way to conclude from these five numbers that Smith's true IQ is likely to be 70 or below. So the courts below required Smith to prove only that his IQ " could be " 70 and required the State to bring evidence "strong enough" to "foreclose" and "rule out the possibility" of intellectual disability. The first question presented is: 1. Whether, under a proper application of Atkins , a State can require a claimant to prove an IQ of 70 or less by a preponderance of the evidence. Evaluating multiple IQ scores is "complicated," and "this Court has not specified how" to do it. In the State's view, five scores are more accurate than one, and there are ways to account for that fact. The courts below disagree. The district court relied on Smith's 72 ± 3 to find that his IQ "could be" 69. On remand, the Eleventh Circuit's "holistic approach" asked whether Smith had scores of "about" 75 or less. Counting four out of five scores between 72 and 75, the court found "consistent evidence" that Smith "may" qualify as mildly disabled. Thus, the court "followed the law's requirement," in its view, to "move on" to Smith's adaptive deficits. The second question presented is: 2. Whether courts evaluating multiple IQ scores must find that every valid score of "about" 75 or less supports an Atkins claim. LOWER COURT CASE NUMBER: 21-14519
FS Credit Opportunities Corp. v. Saba Capital Master Fund | 12/10/25 | Docket #: 24-345 24-345 FS CREDIT CORP. V. SABA CAPITAL MASTER FUND, LTD. DECISION BELOW: 2024 WL 3174971 CERT. GRANTED 6/30/2025 QUESTION PRESENTED: The courts of appeals have split 2-1 over whether Congress created an implied private right of action in Section 47(b) of the Investment Company Act (ICA), which provides: (1) A contract that is made, or whose performance involves, a violation of this subchapter ... is unenforceable by either party .... (2) To the extent that a contract described in paragraph (1) has been performed, a court may not deny rescission at the instance of any party unless such court finds that under the circumstances the denial of rescission would produce a more equitable result than its grant and would not be inconsistent with the purposes of this subchapter. 15 U.S.C. § 80a-46(b)(1)-(2). The Third and Ninth Circuits, relying on statutory text and structure, hold that Section 47(b) does not create an implied private right of action, and a panel of the Fourth Circuit has agreed in an unpublished opinion. Only the Second Circuit-where plaintiffs may be able to sue most investment funds subject to the ICA, given New York's and the New York Stock Exchange's roles in financial operations- holds the opposite based on an "inference": parties may bring a lawsuit under Section 47(b), even though Congress never said so. The question presented is whether Section 47(b) of the ICA, 15 U.S.C. § 80a-46 (b), creates an implied private right of action. LOWER COURT CASE NUMBER: 23-8104, 24-79, 24-80, 24-82, 24-83, 24-116, 24-189
NRSC v. FEC | 12/09/25 | Docket #: 24-621 24-621 NRSC V. FEC DECISION BELOW: 117 F.4th 389 Order of July 1, 2025: ROMAN MARTINEZ, ESQUIRE, OF WASHINGTON, D. C., IS INVITED TO BRIEF AND ARGUE THIS CASE, AS AMICUS CURIAE , IN SUPPORT OF THE JUDGMENT BELOW. Order of December 5 , 2025 : THE MOTION OF COURT-APPOINTED AMICUS CURIAE IN SUPPORT OF THE JUDGMENT BELOW FOR LEAVE TO FILE A SUPPLEMENTAL BRIEF IS GRANTED. CERT. GRANTED 6/30/2025 QUESTION PRESENTED: A political party exists to get its candidates elected. Yet Congress has severely restricted how much parties can spend on their own campaign advertising if done in cooperation with those very candidates. 52 U.S.C. § 30116(d). In an opinion by Chief Judge Sutton, a 10-judge majority of the en banc Sixth Circuit agreed that these so-called "coordinated party expenditure limits" stand in serious tension with recent First Amendment doctrine. App.10a-15a. It nevertheless upheld them as constitutional, both on their face and as applied to coordinated political advertising ("party coordinated communications"), believing the case to be controlled by FEC v. Colorado Republican Federal Campaign Committee , 533 U.S. 431 (2001) ( Colorado II ). In doing so, the majority acknowledged that in the 23 years since Colorado II , this Court "has tightened the free-speech restrictions on campaign finance regulation," that "tension has emerged between the reasoning of Colorado II and the reasoning of later decisions of the Court," and that relevant facts have "changed, most notably with 2014 amendments" to the limits and "the rise of unlimited spending by political action committees." App.3a-4a, 11a. But it thought "any new assessment of the validity of the limits" remained this Court's "province, not ours." App.14a-15a. The question presented is: Whether the limits on coordinated party expenditures in 52 U.S.C. § 30116 violate the First Amendment, either on their face or as applied to party spending in connection with "party coordinated communications" as defined in 11 C.F.R. § 109.37. LOWER COURT CASE NUMBER: 24-3051
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Trump, President of United States v. Slaughter | 12/08/25 | Docket #: 25-332 25-332 TRUMP V. SLAUGHTER DECISION BELOW: THE APPLICATION FOR STAY PRESENTED TO THE CHIEF JUSTICE AND BY HIM REFERRED TO THE COURT IS GRANTED. THE JULY 17,2025 ORDER OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, NO. 25 – CV – 909 , ECF DOC. 52 , IS STAYED. THE APPLICATION IS ALSO TREATED AS A PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI BEFORE JUDGMENT, AND THE PETITION IS GRANTED. THE STAY SHALL TERMINATE UPON THE SENDING DOWN OF THE JUDGMENT OF THIS COURT. EXPEDITED BRIEFING. CERT. GRANTED 9/22/2025 QUESTION PRESENTED: The parties are directed to brief and argue the following questions: (1) Whether the statutory removal protections for members of the Federal Trade Commission violate the separation of powers and, if so, whether Humphrey ' s Executor v. United States , 295 U. S. 602 (1935), should be overruled. (2) Whether a federal court may prevent a person ' s removal from public office, either through relief at equity or at law. LOWER COURT CASE NUMBER: 25-5261
Join us as we discuss a man whose spree of violence across Prince George's County was described as a tsunami of crimes. JOIN US as we discuss Jason Thomas Scott. Thank you to listener Chantay for requesting this case!RIP to the victims
Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger Picture Trump is now helping the farmers out in California, he is now opening the waters in the north to help the farmers in the south. China is now purchasing soybeans from the US. The US is going to be a manufacturing powerhouse, the US is now building Tiny Cars. Trump is ready to release the liquid gold under our feet. Elon wants the EU abolished which will lead to the destruction of the ECB. The [DS] is trying to stop Trump from moving forward with his plan to take back the country and allow the people to control it. Trump and team released the NSS letting the old guard know that their days are numbered and put the countries on notice that the US is going down a different path and some of the allies we have now might not be our allies. Everything is about to change WW. Economy (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); Trump Administration to Direct More Water to California Farms The Trump administration is making good on a promise to send more water to California farmers in the state’s crop-rich Central Valley. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on Thursday announced a new plan for operating the Central Valley Project, a vast system of pumps, dams, and canals that direct water southward from the state’s wetter north. It follows an executive order President Donald Trump signed in January calling for more water to flow to farmers, arguing the state was wasting the precious resource in the name of protecting endangered fish species. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said the plan will help the federal government “strengthen California’s water resilience.” It takes effect Friday. But California officials and environmental groups blasted the move, saying sending significantly more water to farmlands could threaten water delivery to the rest of the state and would harm salmon and other fish. Most of the state’s water is in the north, but most of its people are in the south. Source: newsmax.com https://twitter.com/SecRollins/status/1997033961210433741?s=20 Trump Set to Sign Off on New Arctic Drilling Surge Alaska’s Congressional delegation, along with the support of House and Senate Republicans, has scored a major win on the energy front. Representative Nick Begich (AK-At Large) introduced House Joint Resolution 131, stripping Biden-era restrictions on oil and gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Rep. Begich’s resolution has passed the House of Representatives and the Senate and is headed to President Trump’s desk for signature. Alaska's congressional delegation on Thursday succeeded in stripping Biden-era protections from the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, moving to expand opportunities for drilling there. The U.S. Senate voted to eliminate the 2024 leasing program for the refuge that put much of the refuge's 1.6-million-acre coastal plain off-limits to potential drilling. The vote does a lot more than just open the door for potential oil and gas activity. This is another step in unlocking America’s treasure chest. The areas in question in ANWR are estimated to hold 7.7 billion barrels of oil recoverable with current technology, and the U.S. Geological Survey has estimated that there may be hundreds of millions of barrels in other areas to the west of the ANWR sites. Source: redstate.com https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1997327003062538459?s=20 Political/Rights https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/1997007545097961499?s=20 JUST IN: Trump-Appointed Judge Unseals Epstein Grand Jury Records in South Florida US District Judge Rodney Smith, a Trump appointee, said the law passed by Congress and signed by President Trump overrides grand jury secrecy. The Act applies to unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials that relate to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Consequently, the later-enacted and specific language of the Act trumps Rule 6's prohibition on disclosure. Accordingly, it is ORDERED that United States' Expedited Motion to Unseal Grand Jury Transcripts and Modify Protective Order [DE 6] is GRANTED,” the judge wrote. Last month President Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency act into law to release all files related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Source: thegatewaypundit.com DOGE https://twitter.com/Patri0tContr0l/status/1997015233399795932?s=20 https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1996997974455357552?s=20 European Union Fines X (Twitter) $140 Million for Violations of Europe's Digital Services Act The European DSA is ultimately designed to control information, that reality should not be debated. All efforts to control traditional and social media are efforts to control information. The specifics of the reasoning for the fine are typically European. (1) Twitter allows ordinary people to deliver information at the same level as people who should be defined as more important. (2) Advertisers of those who pay for promotion of information on X are not easily identifiable – people need to figure it out on their own. (3) It is too difficult to figure out who is providing the information. Basically, all of the EU concerns center around information control. It's really an ideology issue. In the outlook of the EU, bureaucrats and elites feel they are superior and must rule/protect the people under them. Ordinary people having access to information that may or may not be approved by the EU is the underlying issue. Source: theconservativetreehouse.com [SOURCE] What Christopher Landau notes as the contrast and conflict in ideological priority from the EU can just as easily be applied to the USA dynamic with Canada. As noted by Twitter user John Frank, “The same observations can easily apply to the relations with Canada, given the divergence between the US role in the military alliance with Canada, while Canada is involved in activities which work against US interests.” https://twitter.com/robbystarbuck/status/1996925010569511321?s=20 https://twitter.com/BrendanCarrFCC/status/1996945925822939407?s=20 https://twitter.com/kadmitriev/status/1997233337354895559?s=20 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1997358453698728063?s=20 Geopolitical War/Peace EU making unacceptable demands on Ukraine peace – Kremlin Western European leaders are constantly making proposals that are unacceptable for Russia, presidential aide Yury Ushakov has said EU leaders are complicating Russia-US efforts to reach a settlement on the Ukraine conflict by making unacceptable demands, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov has said. European states, however, have reportedly been urging Kiev to reject any deal with Moscow without receiving security guarantees from the US, according to the Wall Street Journal. The EU and UK have also insisted on playing a larger role in the peace process. Source: rt.com Ukraine State Structure in Crisis: Neo-Nazi Junta Starts Unraveling. Clash within its Military-Intelligence (SBU-GUR) Apparatus Ukrainian state stopped existing in early 2014 at the latest, when it was replaced by a US/NATO-installed regime composed of Nazis, criminals, murderers and their enforcers (it could easily be argued that these are all synonyms and listing them separately might be redundant). This was unequivocally confirmed by the infamous Victoria Nuland, one of the architects of the NATO-orchestrated Source: theglobalist.com Trump made it a point to when meeting with Zelensky that they don’t have elections in Ukraine because of the war. How do you get Ukraine to accept a peace deal while the EU, NATO DS is putting on pressure on Zelensky to start WWIII 1. As more corruption is brought out into the open this will put pressure on Zelensky 2. Zelensky will either going along with Trump peace deal or be exposed 3. If Zelensky does not go along, most likely he will be removed because of the corruption 4. This will pave the way for a new candidate, someone who is not controlled by the EU,NATO DS. NATO EU DS might push a false flag to push the war 5. Trump will be able to work with the president of Ukraine because Putin is ready to go Medical/False Flags https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1997083856315224405?s=20 https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1997073307397423152?s=20 efficacy of this “schedule,” as have I! That is why I have just signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the Department of Health and Human Services to “FAST TRACK” a comprehensive evaluation of Vaccine Schedules from other Countries around the World, and better align the U.S. Vaccine Schedule, so it is finally rooted in the Gold Standard of Science and COMMON SENSE! I am fully confident Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and the CDC, will get this done, quickly and correctly, for our Nation's Children. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAHA! https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/1996994177175855445?s=20 [DS] Agenda Grand Jury Says It Won't Indict Letitia James A federal grand jury refused Thursday to reindict New York Attorney General Letitia James. The grand jury rejected Department of Justice's (DOJ) second attempt to bring mortgage-fraud charges just 10 days after a federal judge tossed the original case, according to CNN. Another source told CNN that the decision should not be interpreted as a clean win for James, saying the department could ask a third grand jury to consider the allegations. Source: thegatewaypundit.com FBI Raids Home of High-Ranking DEA Official Under Obama, Charges Him For Conspiring to Launder Millions of Dollars For Mexican Drug Cartel The FBI on Friday morning raided the home of a high-ranking DEA official under Barack Obama and charged him for conspiring to launder millions of dollars for a Mexican drug cartel. The Feds charged former DEA Deputy Chief of the Office of Financial Operations Paul Campo and friend Robert Sensi for conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Paul Campo and Robert Sensi were charged with narcoterrorism, terrorism, narcotics distribution, and money laundering charges. Campo and Sensi were arrested on Thursday afternoon in New York, according to the DOJ. Campo and Sensi agreed to launder $12 million and participate in narcotics trafficking for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, a/k/a Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion or CJNG. Per the Department of Justice: As part of the scheme, CAMPO and SENSI agreed to launder approximately $12,000,000 of CJNG narcotics proceeds; laundered approximately $750,000 by converting cash into cryptocurrency; and provided a payment for approximately 220 kilograms of cocaine on the understanding that the payment would trigger the distribution and sale of the narcotics worth approximately $5,000,000, for which CAMPO and SENSI would (i) receive directly a portion of the narcotics proceeds as profit; and (ii) receive a further commission upon the laundering of the balance of the narcotics proceeds. Source: thegatewaypundit.com President Trump's Plan Kash Patel Shuts Down Candace Owens’ Accusations About Charlie Kirk's Murder FBI Director Kash Patel shut down numerous accusations that have been made by podcast host Candace Owens involving the murder of the late co-founder of Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk. During his appearance on Friday on the Sirius XM The Megyn Kelly Show podcast, Kelly started out by asking Patel if they believe they have the “proper suspect in custody” — if Tyler Robinson is “in fact, the man who killed Kirk.” Patel didn’t hesitate in the slightest and answered, “Yes.” The host then brought up one of the wild accusations that have been made by Owens, which includes claiming that Kirk’s own friends and his organization allegedly knew and approved of his murder. Insane. “Do you have any credible reason to believe that anyone connected with the Turning Point organization had anything to do with Charlie’s death?” Kelly asked. Patel’s response: “Zero.” He was then pressed about other claims that Owens has made about the alleged involvement of foreign governments in Kirk’s assassination, like French paratroopers, Egyptian Air Force planes flying out of Provo, Utah, and “potential underground assassins traveling through unseen tunnels,” as the producer of The Charlie Kirk Show, Blake Neff, previously explained. “At this time, the FBI doesn’t have credible information to connect any foreign governments to it,” Patel said. The FBI director made it clear that the investigation is continuing and they are looking into everything, no matter how small. “We are not done just because we arrest someone, just like in the pipe bomber case,” Patel said. “We don’t just say, Okay, we’re done, on to the next. The investigative team continues to work with the Utah authorities, and they’re deriving their own leads and coming back to us saying, ‘Hey, can you look at this piece of information? Can we get a search warrant on this account? What about this individual who is located in X, Y, or Z?'” Source: redstate.com https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1996873942406164855?s=20 https://twitter.com/JesseBWatters/status/1997120806212546797?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1997120806212546797%7Ctwgr%5Ed963eef05511b000b3f2631742a9c8e0f0d3c2a2%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fbobhoge%2F2025%2F12%2F05%2Fdc-pipe-bomb-suspect-i-did-it-n2196869 AUTISTIC-LIKE” SO Why didn't BIDEN'S FBI REALLY catch THIS GUY MS NOW reported that Brian Cole is a Trump supporter. https://twitter.com/DC_Draino/status/1996990984584933729?s=20 January 6 Pipe Bomb Suspect Brian Cole is NOT a Trump Supporter – Family Says He is an “Autistic Recluse” Who Lived in a Basement January 6 pipe bomb suspect Brian Cole is not a Trump supporter like the legacy media has claimed. Brian Cole's grandmother told The Daily Mail that her grandson has no party affiliation and that he is not a Trump supporter. Cole's family said he is an “autistic recluse” and “computer nerd” who lived in the basement of his parents' Woodbridge, Virginia, home. Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/talk2trav/status/1996716378066505847?s=20 until proven guilt in a court of law THREAD https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1996984026129732020?s=20 written to pardon “all targeted” and “everyone involved in the events surrounding that day”, functions as a class based pardon broad enough to include DOJ linked pre riot conduct like the pipe bomb incident. Because federal authorities folded that episode into the J6 security narrative, the defense says it sits squarely within the pardon's scope. https://twitter.com/Patri0tContr0l/status/1996975974106144923?s=20 is made up. So Kash gets a big win and the NEXT DAY the Fake News comes out with a hit piece based on anonymous sources. I can't believe there are still people out there who can't see through this bullshit. https://twitter.com/TheStormRedux/status/1996722966806028760?s=20 about this FBI is that we are running investigations while providing what we can… This pipe bomb investigation should show the American public that we, while providing information on the pipe bomb over the last 8 months and protecting the integrity of our investigation, gets us to the end point we want. Accountability & transparency… This investigation should show the world how we are going to operate in every single investigation. Arctic Frost specifically, we have HUGE investigation going… and it's gonna take a little more time to peel it back. But no, I'm not gonna let people get off the hook or get a hall pass. I don't care what position you held in the FBI, you're gonna be held accountable. And this DOJ is assuredly backing us.” Love it. We keep getting bits & pieces of the grand conspiracy investigation before ultimately the hammer drops. I'm not sure why this is hard to understand for some… Pam Bondi Gives FBI Marching Orders For Tackling Antifa Terrorists Attorney General Pam Bondi instructed federal law enforcement agents on Thursday to form a list of Antifa groups for potential prosecution, according to multiple reports. Bondi's order is part of a broader counterterrorism plan after President Donald Trump's directives targeting the Antifa movement and organized political violence, Reuters and Bloomberg Law reported, citing a Thursday memo from Bondi. The FBI must provide within 30 days a list of groups “engaged in acts that may constitute domestic terrorism” along with strategies to disrupt them, with an emphasis on left-wing extremists, the memo reportedly says. Bondi's memo directs law enforcement agencies to unearth whatever intelligence files they have on Antifa groups for investigators and to investigate unsolved domestic terrorism incidents over the past five years, Reuters and Bloomberg Law reported. The incidents may include the “doxxing” of law enforcement officers' personal information and threats against Supreme Court justices. The FBI must also streamline its tip line to allow members of the public to “send media” on suspected domestic terrorism, the memo says, according to Reuters. Source: dailycaller.com https://twitter.com/Geiger_Capital/status/1996984378983915761?s=20 With the New U.S. National Security Strategy, Trump Revives Monroe Doctrine Trump administration released the 2025 National Security Strategy (NSS). The intent seems to be a return to the Monroe Doctrine by increasing the United States military presence in the Western Hemisphere, taking on the drug cartels, enhancing border security, making trade deals that are better for the United States, and enhancing American energy production. That’s not the worst high-level take on the NSS, but a look at the actual document is illustrative. The NSS states as its purpose: To ensure that America remains the world's strongest, richest, most powerful, and most successful country for decades to come, our country needs a coherent, focused strategy for how we interact with the world. And to get that right, all Americans need to know what, exactly, it is we are trying to do and why. A “strategy” is a concrete, realistic plan that explains the essential connection between ends and means: it begins from an accurate assessment of what is desired and what tools are available, or can realistically be created, to achieve the desired outcomes. A strategy must evaluate, sort, and prioritize. Not every country, region, issue, or cause—however worthy—can be the focus of American strategy. The purpose of foreign policy is the protection of core national interests; that is the sole focus of this strategy. One of the more interesting (but not surprising) pieces of this NSS is the overt and robust return to the Monroe Doctrine, an early 19th-century policy intended to restrict further European colonization of the Western Hemisphere and to ensure American dominance in that region. The modern take on this doctrine by the Trump administration uses American power by employing both internal and external security measures. The NSS states: American policy should focus on enlisting regional champions that can help create tolerable stability in the region, even beyond those partners' borders. These nations would help us stop illegal and destabilizing migration, neutralize cartels, nearshore manufacturing, and develop local private economies, among other things. We will reward and encourage the region's governments, political parties, and movements broadly aligned with our principles and strategy. But we must not overlook governments with different outlooks with whom we nonetheless share interests and who want to work with us. Source: redstate.com The Monroe Doctrine is a foundational principle of United States foreign policy, first articulated by President James Monroe in his annual message to Congress on December 2, 1823. It declared that the Western Hemisphere was no longer open to European colonization or interference, while affirming that the U.S. would not meddle in existing European colonies or internal affairs. Essentially, it warned European powers—particularly those in the Holy Alliance (Russia, Austria, and Prussia)—against attempting to extend their influence or establish new colonies in the Americas, positioning the U.S. as a protector of independent nations in the region The doctrine emerged amid concerns over European monarchies potentially aiding Spain in reconquering its former Latin American colonies, which had recently gained independence. It was largely drafted by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams and reflected growing American confidence following the War of 1812. At the time, the U.S. lacked the military power to enforce it fully, so it relied on British naval support, as Britain also opposed European rivals in the Americas for trade reasons.Key excerpts from Monroe’s address include: The American continents “are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers.” Any attempt by Europe to extend its political system to the Western Hemisphere would be viewed as “dangerous to our peace and safety.” Significance and EvolutionInitially more symbolic than enforceable, the Monroe Doctrine evolved into a justification for U.S. intervention in Latin America during the 19th and 20th centuries. For instance: In the mid-1800s, it intertwined with Manifest Destiny to support U.S. territorial expansion, such as during the Mexican-American War. President Theodore Roosevelt’s 1904 “Corollary” expanded it to allow U.S. intervention in Latin American countries to prevent European involvement, leading to actions like the occupation of Cuba and the Dominican Republic. It influenced Cold War policies, framing U.S. opposition to communism in the hemisphere as a defense against external threats. Critics, especially in Latin America, have viewed it as a tool for U.S. imperialism, enabling dominance over sovereign nations. Though less invoked today, it remains a symbol of U.S. hemispheric influence and anti-colonial rhetoric. facebook.com https://twitter.com/onechancefreedm/status/1996970776373735933?s=20 https://twitter.com/JoeLang51440671/status/1996992569746567173?s=20 other hand, I can see how we help real allies with aid when needed, as long as we get something of economic value in return. Regardless, NGO's are the root of a lot of EVIL and this will DESTROY a lot them. This is a good thing. https://twitter.com/PM_ViktorOrban/status/1996951610769961070?s=20 Senate To Confirm 97 More Trump Nominees After Democrat Blockade Fails Republicans will confirm a bloc of eight dozen Trump nominees as soon as next week following an attempted blockade by Senate Democrats. Republican leadership planned Thursday to kick-off the procedural process to confirm 88 of President Donald Trump's nominees in a bloc vote, but were initially thwarted by Democratic Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, who challenged the package for violating Senate rules. When Republicans refiled the package later on Thursday, the conference included an additional nine nominees, bringing the total to nearly 100. The Senate has confirmed 314 civilian nominees as of Thursday evening, according to a tally by the Senate Republican Communications Center. The 97-member bloc would bring the Senate to more than 410 civilian confirmations in the first year of Trump's second term. “That far outstrips total confirmations by this point in President Biden's term, and in President Trump's first term as well,” Thune said Thursday. Thune also said that Senate Republicans have virtually cleared the nominations backlog. Before Republicans changed Senate precedent to allow for certain nominees to be confirmed in groups, more than 150 of the president's picks were awaiting floor consideration. The Senate approved a 48-member nominations package in September and an additional 108 of the president's picks in a single group vote in October. Source: dailycaller.com (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");
Episode 257How We Re-Parent OurselvesSensers! So there's cliche statement that some women of today love to utter…”once I meet a man who is masculine then I'll show my feminine/softer side of my personality” or some shit like that. Granted we as a society hear this but what is the actual possibility of this coming true to life? Believe it or not, I believe that it can happen. Let's talk about it!So if you were ever born on this earth in America, there's a strong chance that you had some form of trauma, however, after a certain point…blaming your parents/family for it becomes outdated and then accountability for rehabilitation comes into play. So what are you going to do to aide in your own healing? Yes you are not responsible for what happened to you, but we can agree that we are responsible for how we interpret the pain, our thoughts on the action, and how we're going to over come this.“Love conquers all…” One would love to believe this statement from fairy tales and Disney stories but I believe it's not that simple. Those of us who have been around you humans for sometime learn that it takes more than love to make a relationship, be with a mate, family, or friend to last the test of time. Peep my perspective here!May God and His Universe remove any negative energy you may have stored from reading this. If you dig the episode, click, like, and share on your page. Help build the tribe of healing
Tis the season for ANOTHER Medley case. So JOIN US as we discuss Black Friday Murders. RIP to the victims
Olivier v. City of Brandon | 12/03/25 | Docket #: 24-993 24-993 OLIVIER V. BRANDON, MS DECISION BELOW: 2023 WL 5500223 CERT. GRANTED 7/3/2025 QUESTION PRESENTED: Gabriel Olivier is a Christian who feels called to share the gospel with his fellow citizens. After being arrested and fined for violating an ordinance targeting "protests" outside a public amphitheater, Olivier brought a § 1983 suit under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to declare the ordinance unconstitutional and enjoin its enforcement against him in the future. The Fifth Circuit, applying its precedent construing this Court's decision in Heck v. Humphrey , 512 U.S. 477 (1994), held that Olivier's prior conviction barred his § 1983 suit because even the prospective relief it seeks would necessarily undermine his prior conviction. The Fifth Circuit acknowledged the "friction" between its decision and those of this Court and other circuits. Over vigorous dissents, the Fifth Circuit denied rehearing en banc by one vote. The questions presented are: 1. Whether, as the Fifth Circuit holds in conflict with the Ninth and Tenth Circuits, this Court's decision in Heck v. Humphrey bars § 1983 claims seeking purely prospective relief where the plaintiff has been punished before under the law challenged as unconstitutional. 2. Whether, as the Fifth Circuit and at least four others hold in conflict with five other circuits, Heck v. Humphrey bars § 1983 claims by plaintiffs even where they never had access to federal habeas relief. LOWER COURT CASE NUMBER: 22-60566
First Choice Women's Resource Centers v. Platkin | 12/02/25 | Docket #: 24-781 24-781 FIRST CHOICE WOMEN'S RESOURCE CENTERS, INC. V. PLATKIN DECISION BELOW: 2024 WL 5088105 CERT. GRANTED 6/16/2025 QUESTION PRESENTED: New Jersey's Attorney General served an investigatory subpoena on First Choice Women's Resource Centers, Inc., a faith-based pregnancy center, demanding that it turn over most of its donors' names. First Choice challenged the Subpoena under 42 U.S.C. 1983 in federal court, and the Attorney General filed a subsequent suit to enforce it in state court. The state court granted the Attorney General's motion to enforce the Subpoena but expressly did not decide First Choice's federal constitutional challenges. The Attorney General then moved in state court to sanction First Choice. Meanwhile, the district court held that First Choice's constitutional claims were not ripe in federal court. The Third Circuit affirmed in a divided per curiam decision. Judge Bibas would have held the action ripe as indistinguishable from . Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Banta , 594 U.S. 595, 618-19 (2021). But the majority concluded First Choice's claims were not yet ripe because First Choice could litigate its constitutional claims in state court. In doing so, the majority followed the rule of the Fifth Circuit and split from the Ninth Circuit. It did not address the likely loss of a federal forum once the state court rules on the federal constitutional issues. The question presented is: Where the subject of a state investigatory demand has established a reasonably objective chill of its First Amendment rights, is a federal court in a first-filed action deprived of jurisdiction because those rights must be adjudicated in state court? LOWER COURT CASE NUMBER: 24-3124
The Mark Thompson Show 12/1/25Patreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you'd like to help, here's our Patreon Link:https://www.patreon.com/themarkthompsonshowMaybe you're more into PayPal. https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PVBS3R7KJXV24And you'll find everything on our website: https://www.themarkthompsonshow.comSarah Kendzior - HUGE DEAL! On Kindle If you've been wanting to read Sarah Kendzior's books, there's a cyber Monday deal today only. https://substack.com/@sarahkendzior/note/c-182963820
Cox Communications v. Sony Music Entertainment | 12/01/25 | Docket #: 24-171 24-171 COX COMMUNICATIONS, INC. V. SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT DECISION BELOW: 93 F.4th 222 CERT. GRANTED 6/30/2025 QUESTION PRESENTED: 1. This Court has held that a business commits contributory copyright infringement when it "distributes a device with the object of promoting its use to infringe copyright, as shown by clear expression or other affirmative steps to foster infringement." Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc. v. Grokster , Ltd ., 545 U.S. 913, 919 (2005). The courts of appeals have split three ways over the scope of that ruling, developing differing standards for when it is appropriate to hold an online service provider secondarily liable for copyright infringement committed by users. Did the Fourth Circuit err in holding that a service provider can be held liable for "materially contributing" to copyright infringement merely because it knew that people were using certain accounts to infringe and did not terminate access, without proof that the service provider affirmatively fostered infringement or otherwise intended to promote it? 2. Generally, a defendant cannot be held liable as a willful violator of the law-and subject to increased penalties-without proof that it knew or recklessly disregarded a high risk that its own conduct was illegal. In conflict with the Eighth Circuit, the Fourth Circuit upheld an instruction allowing the jury to find willfulness if Cox knew its subscribers ' conduct was illegal-without proof Cox knew its own conduct in not terminating them was illegal. Did the Fourth Circuit err in holding that mere knowledge of another's direct infringement suffices to find willfulness under 17 U.S.C. § 504(c)? LOWER COURT CASE NUMBER: 21-1168
Urias-Orellana v. Bondi, Att'y Gen. | 12/01/25 | Docket #: 24-777 24-777 URIAS-ORELLANA V. BONDI DECISION BELOW: 121 F.4th 327 CERT. GRANTED 6/30/2025 QUESTION PRESENTED: The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides that noncitizens on American soil are generally eligible for asylum if they qualify as a "refugee." 8 U.S.C. § 1158(b)(1) (A). A refugee is someone with "a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion." Id. § 1101(a)(42). Noncitizens are presumptively eligible for asylum if they have "suffered persecution in the past." 8 C.F.R. § 1208.13(b)(1). If ordered removed by an immigration judge (IJ), noncitizens may appeal the removal order-and with it, the denial of asylum-to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). From there, "judicial review" is available in "an appropriate court of appeals." 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(5). The INA mandates judicial deference on "findings of fact" and three other kinds of administrative decisions. Id. § 1252(b)(4). The statute also explicitly provides for judicial review of the BIA's decisions on "questions of law," but does not establish a deferential standard of review for such decisions. Id. § 1252(a)(2)(D), (b)(9). The question presented is: Whether a federal court of appeals must defer to the BIA's judgment that a given set of undisputed facts does not demonstrate mistreatment severe enough to constitute "persecution" under 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(42). LOWER COURT CASE NUMBER: 24-1042
Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, an in-depth investigatory show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (11/28/25). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth is, or claiming they have the answer, is likely leading you astray, for one reason or another. Stay Vigilant. !function(r,u,m,b,l,e){r._Rumble=b,r[b]||(r[b]=function(){(r[b]._=r[b]._||[]).push(arguments);if(r[b]._.length==1){l=u.createElement(m),e=u.getElementsByTagName(m)[0],l.async=1,l.src="https://rumble.com/embedJS/u2q643"+(arguments[1].video?'.'+arguments[1].video:'')+"/?url="+encodeURIComponent(location.href)+"&args="+encodeURIComponent(JSON.stringify([].slice.apply(arguments))),e.parentNode.insertBefore(l,e)}})}(window, document, "script", "Rumble"); Rumble("play", {"video":"v706buu","div":"rumble_v706buu"}); Video Source Links (In Chronological Order): (24) The Last American Vagabond on X: "So a judge rules Trump's DC deployment “illegal”, then this happens. Which by the way in no way changes the ruling, but they deploy more anyway. #QuestionEverything https://t.co/wuoDwgI9NV “Trump administration orders 500 more National Guard troops to DC after shooting of" / X Trump administration ordered to halt ‘unlawful' Guard deployment in D.C. - The Washington Post National Guard members shot just blocks from the White House | AP News What We Know About Rahmanullah Lakanwal: D.C. Shooting Suspect (24) PatriotTakes
As the holiday season kicks into full swing , interestingly, it is now apparently the auction season. As, in the coming weeks, a large collection of offerings from Jim Henson Studios are on the block at Julian's. And both the Prop Store and Heritage Auctions have large entertainment memorabilia auctions, kicking off within days of each other. So if you're looking for that last-minute gift, particularly for one of the show hosts, this is your chance to pick up a Blade Runner blaster, Rocketeer helmet or Boba Fett's Gun. Granted, they won't arrive in time to be under the tree, but Barry, Dave and Tod will understand. There's also the usual Random Topics, and a What's on the Workbench update. Thanks for listening, and or watching! Links: Fanboy Collectibles - https://www.fanboycollectibles.com From Dave's Workshop - https://www.fromdavesworkshop.com Reach Out: e-mail: podcast@regularjoes.com Voice Message: 413-475-1650 Text Message: 413-422-0004 Leave us a review on iTunes or Spotify
"I tell you, keep on asking, and it will be given to you. Keep on searching, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." - Jesus ChristKeep remembering that I Am your Daily Bread, and you'll never hunger again. You'll never fear again.You'll rest, finally,because you trust that I will never leave you.I've never left you. And just as it worked out last time, it's working out this time. I know you think you're almost out of time,but remember, there is no time where I am.I Am before I was. I Am on the cross. I Am resurrected. I Am before you.I Am after you.Right now, I Am for you.You have work to do,but it won't be what you think it is.You have hearts to change.But I'll be right there with you.I love you.I never stop talking to you. xxnik nikki@curlynikki.comPlease support the show:▶▶https://www.patreon.com/goodmornings▶▶ Cash App $NikWalton __________________________________________DAY 6 PRAYER - Father Dolindo "You are sleepless; you want to judge everything, direct everything and see to everything and you surrender to human strength, or worse to men themselves, trusting in their intervention, this is what hinders my words and my views. Oh how much I wish from you this surrender, to help you and how I suffer when I see you so agitated! Satan tries to do exactly this: to agitate you and to remove you from my protection and to throw you into the jaws of human initiative. So, trust only in me, rest in me, surrender to me in everything.O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything! (10 times)Mother, I am yours now and forever. Through you and with you I always want to belong completely to Jesus.Amen""My daughter, do you think you have written enough about My mercy? What you have written is but a drop compared to the ocean.I am Love and Mercy itself. There is no misery that could be a match for My mercy, neither will misery exhaust it, because as it is being granted - it increases. The soul that trusts in My mercy is most fortunate, because I myself take care of it". -Diary 1273, St. Faustina"24 But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus--the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God." - Acts of the Apostles "God is good, all good, only good."Francis of Assisi"You either quit or keep going. They both hurt. Read that again." - @goatmotivated "Whatever you are trying to control, controls you." - @thehamsterwheelisnotmotorized "If the ego rises, all else will also rise; if it subsides, all else will also subside." -Ramana Maharshi"I read something about how someone was asking their therapist why all of the sudden they got intensely triggered when they felt like they were almost completely healed from that thing, and the therapist respondedeverything screams when it dies.And that made sense to a lot of things." - @self.loveoasis
This week's case takes us way back to the 1800s, a few years before slavery was officially abolished. A 16 year old black boy convicted of a crime that HE claims he did not commit, and VOWED to get revenge for the injustice he faced. So JOIN US as we discuss the first case in US history where someone used the insanity defense.JOIN US as we discuss the revenge story of William Freeman. RIP to the victims
Pakistan's Military Dominance: Field Marshal Munir's Power and US Relations Guest: Ambassador Husain Haqqani Ambassador Husain Haqqani detailed the institutional dominance of Pakistan's military, noting that Parliament recently granted Field Marshal Asim Munir legal immunity for life and expanded his power by designating him Chief of Defense Forces, giving him control over the entire military, as Munir aims for presidential privileges without directly taking power, backed by a national narrative that Pakistan is perpetually under threat from India, and gained significant political and psychological advantage through two meetings and praise from President Trump, despite no new US aid or weapons, while Trump, who favors strongmen, may also be using this praise to leverage concessions from Indian Prime Minister Modi, as Munir is taking risks by adopting a firmer stance regarding violence on the Northwest frontier with the Taliban, an approach not well received by the Afghans, with Pakistani politicians historically conceding ground to the military to secure a shared portion of power. 1965 INDO-PAKISTAN WAR
CONTINUED Pakistan's Military Dominance: Field Marshal Munir's Power and US Relations Guest: Ambassador Husain Haqqani Ambassador Husain Haqqani detailed the institutional dominance of Pakistan's military, noting that Parliament recently granted Field Marshal Asim Munir legal immunity for life and expanded his power 1945 CHAPPAR RIFT
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