Predators

Cherise's face showed confusion. "You?"

Lynch put on a sad smile. "I loved Marsha... but I also loved Fred," Lynch said and Cherise's face scrunched again in thought, "but I lost both. But I can help you find the others. Like you, many are scared and cautious."

Cherise froze for a moment before she bit her lower lip and gave a single nod. Then her eyes looked up and over Lynch's shoulder. Lynch turned. A young man slowed his approach and his face was a surprised mask. He was average height, average weight, cute but in an average way. And already smitten with the young lady next to her. Sigh. These poor kids. Cherise wasn't like her. Like her... daughter. She put that thought down quickly. Not now. Not yet.

"Ah, Victor, isn't it?" Lynch looked up as he stopped in front of the seated pair.

"Uh, hey, yeah," he gave them a broad smile, "how do you know?"

"This is Dr. Lynch, the Dean. She visited our Lit class, remember?" Cherise looked at Lynch then at Victor.

"Oh, yeah," he said, "but there are what, a couple hundred of us in there?"

"Associate Dean," Lynch laughed before her voice turned to a syrupy purr, "I'm very good at what I do. I was just leaving. Cherise, I'll be happy to talk wardrobe with you. You're going to be a famous writer, you'll need to dress the part."

She winked with the eye out of Victor's view and Cherise smiled broadly and nodded.

"I'll look forward to it," the young woman said. Lynch stood up and stepped aside.

"All yours, young man," she pointed to the spot before she touched his arm. He grinned. Then she waved and walked away across the plaza and traded polite greetings as she went.

Invitations

"Hey, Umbra, Dani, hold up," the two girls stopped and turned.

"Hey, Brent," Dani said, "what's up?"

Brent walked quickly to catch up. Both girls had soft smiles as they looked at him. He felt the sudden discomfort in his crotch.

He'd hardly ever seen anyone like Dani. There'd been no black kids in his neighborhood, in his elementary, not even his high school. Some Native Americans, plenty of Mexican kids, but not a single black. He'd played against a few in state football games, but there were few in the state as a whole. But it wasn't just her skin. She was cute, friendly, he'd never seen her without a smile.

But that other one. Umbra. He wondered what she'd wear when the weather finally realized it was October and summer lost out. The nights were leading the change but the noon sun still held sway. He'd never seen her in anything but skirts that might've made his high school's cheerleaders blush, above the knee skirts hadn't been unusual at his high school but not THAT far above the knee, barely covered her ass. Although her ass WAS nice. But her multi-colored hair was freaky. But that was the least of it. She wasn't as curvy as that redhead accountant or whatever who'd crashed their class but he'd still had a couple of dreams about her body! But Dani's face. Umbra's ears were... weird. And her face was cute despite the odd eyes. And those skirts showed off those perfect legs, but her voice almost sounded like a guy's.

"I have an offer no one could refuse," he said as he caught up to them, both smirked slightly at that but also had curious expressions, "I just pledged Omicron Mu. They have a sorority partner, Delta Rho, who're still looking for new pledges. I thought of you two."

Well, I thought of Dani. But I'll let the sisters break up the pair. I'll be the good guy.

"Not sure it's so much me," Umbra said, Brent shrugged and hoped he hid his reaction.

"Me neither," Dani said. Brent really hoped he kept his disappointment off his face.

Okay, he'd been a three year member of Future Business Leaders of America. Time to do some selling.

"Look," he said, "I know Greek life isn't everyone's cup of tea, but there's a combined open social street party Friday night. Just come by, there'll be all kinds of food, you can meet the brothers and the sisters... there'll be lots of new boys and girls like us, maybe meet more people. And you'll get to tour the Row... and one more point, Delta Rho is a brainiac sorority, perfect for you two. No commitment."

He left off that there'd likely be access to alcohol, despite their ages being below what the Law said was appropriate, those wilderness years 'old enough to be shot in battle, too young to have a beer.' He wasn't sure if that'd be a draw or a detriment. He put his hands out and gave what he hoped was a shy smile. He was taller than both, although not taller than the weirdo by all that much, but he was certainly broader than her.

"Well," Dani said and she looked at Umbra before both looked at Brent, "okay, we didn't have big plans for Friday."

"You won't be sorry," he kept his salesman tone for the first, "but you two look very well dressed. Where are you going?"

Well dressed by some definition. Both had short blazers that were unbuttoned. Dani had a grey button-front blouse that matched her grey slacks. Umbra's skirt was as short as her others but this one seemed... more formal. But as the strange girl moved he had the feeling her blouse was almost translucent, he thought he saw two darker spots right where her... he blinked hard and looked at Dani's face instead. It was so... pretty.

"We're going to meet Asha," Dani said, "you know, the redhead who came to class?"

His grin defied a third attempt to hide his reaction. He hoped they only saw his face and not lower down. About crotch level.

"The one who had your face buried in her tits," Umbra's deep voice rippled through him. He smiled shyly and fought to not cross his hands in front of his suddenly raging prick.

"We're meeting Javier and Dark Star and we're all going downtown," Dani continued, "apparently she works at a bank."

His mind raced. Multiple thoughts fought for dominance. Asha. He'd almost never seen a set of tits like that. At least not in real life. And her ass! But... also. He knew he was a jock but he wasn't the stereotypical lunkhead. But his high school classes had been too easy. He'd already worked out his study habits weren't yet up to snuff for this place. And Dark Star. Everyone in the class had worked out that the pudgy kid with glasses was a freaking genius when it came to computers. He'd overheard the boy helping someone in the lab and his knowledge was obvious. Was that why these two were with him? As to Javier, Brent hadn't run with the Mexican kids, and they'd mostly played soccer, but he'd gotten on with most of them well enough.

He'd had a reputation when he was a Big Man on a campus of not quite a thousand students. Not the twenty thousand here. He wasn't even certain the Uni's football players were Big Men here. Women's gymnasts, those tiny little girls were, somehow. Even he'd recognized a couple when he was around the HPER complex. Football players? He'd sat in the stands for one of their public practice sessions but that was it, other than having gone to a couple of games and wasn't sure he'd seen any of them around otherwise. The Uni's football coaches had been polite and friendly when they'd spoken to him and forty or so other summer clinic attendees between his junior and senior years but they'd also been honest. If he worked his ass off, bulked up considerably and got incredibly lucky... he'd maybe make it to a practice squad. Maybe.

Unlike some of his dimmer teammates, he'd never had delusions of playing football being a career so he'd never burned bridges with the nerds and geeks or academics. He'd not been their friends, well, not really, but he'd trained himself to not be an ass. Well, not too much of one. And he HAD studied enough to even pass AP classes. He'd found a flag football intramural team and there were plenty of such sports to choose from all year round and a ten dollar student pass got him access to every gym and weight room in HPER so there was enough to keep that side of him happy and fit.

And he had a frat to party with.

THIS crew was certainly well placed to help with the other parts of his life that needed upgrades. His study habits. And his love life.

The path to the first was certainly in front of him. Was the way to Dani also through the four? What was their connection?

"So, hey," he said, "can I come? I don't have any classes this afternoon. And I did wear a shirt with an actual collar today, it's karma!"

'Well, none I can't miss,' he thought.

Dani and Umbra glanced at each other and shrugged then looked at Brent.

"If there's room in Javier's car," Dani said, "c'mon."

They turned and he stepped quickly to walk alongside Dani with weirdo on her other side. Those eyes kinda freaked him out.

"You guys finish the second assignment yet?" He hoped that was harmless enough.

"Yeah," Dani said, "I'm sure they'll get lots harder pretty soon."

He was about to speak but they turned the corner around the Student Union building and faced the parking lot.

"There they are," Umbra said, "perfect timing."

Brent blinked. The car that approached them wasn't any of the new and boring econoboxes. No. It was deep, deep red with gleaming chrome wheels. It was accompanied by a low rumble. He saw Javier driving and Don, Dark Star, in the passenger seat. It stopped next to the trio. The passenger window was down.

"Holy shit," Brent said softly as the three took a step closer and bent slightly, "what kind of car is this?"

"Hey, Brent. '68 Chevy Malibu, older than all of us," Javier said, "my brother's car. Scratch it and I'm a dead man."

His dark face smiled. His accent was barely noticeable. Brent was used to that, some of his classmates would turn theirs on and off, especially when they weren't with their own kind.

"Have room for Brent to tag along?" Dani nodded toward him. The rear windows were tinted and obscured an easy view.

"If the three of you don't mind squeezing in the back seat," the driver shrugged, "hurry or we'll be late. I don't want to be late."

Squeeze, the word rang through Brent's brain. Squeeze between these two. He was happy he'd worn briefs today. And jeans. The discomfort that had returned to his crotch was his secret. He hoped at least.

Umbra stepped forward and opened the rear passenger door. The seats were as beautiful as the body.

"Move it," Umbra's deep voice brooked no dissent. Dani snorted and quickly slid onto the seat and shuffled her cute butt to the far side, "go!"

Brent nodded and followed suit, he slid over and the odd, tall girl in the ridiculously short skirt followed suit. The fit wasn't tight, but he had contact with both young women although he edged a bit closer to Dani and she didn't seem to try and avoid it. He wrapped his hands together and kept them between his knees. Not where he wanted them but probably the best move for now. Friday night.

"Next stop, CFS Financial," Dark Star said and three of his four companions 'whooped.' The car's rumble deepened and Javier took a left to find the exit.

Opportunities

Donald 'Dark Star' Anthony glanced at Javier Alcides across the front console between the seats and mouthed 'Brent?' Javier's dark eyes darted to the back seat as first Dani, then the subject of their silent discussion and finally the oddest but most alluring female either of them had ever met piled onto the richly upholstered back seat. Those eyes looked back at him and the driver shrugged.

'We'll ask the girls later,' Dark Star read and nodded. Umbra pulled the door closed. Javier worked the clutch and his right hand pushed the floor shifter into first.

"Next stop, CFS Financial," Dark Star said and three of his four companions 'whooped.' The car's rumble deepened and Javier's left foot rose and he took a left for the exit and streets beyond.

It wasn't that Dark Star didn't like Brent, he hadn't really formed a definite opinion of the kid yet. It was just that he was a jock. Tall, muscular, reasonably good looking, his kind had been natural enemies to the likes of him and Javier through the hells that were their high schools. That he didn't act entirely like it and that he seemed to also have much more between his ears than most of his kind made him a conundrum.

"So what's the deal with today? A bank?" Brent asked and Dark Star noticed the kid leaned closer to Dani. What that might mean wasn't yet clear.

"She wouldn't give me details," Dani said, "just told me to 'bring your three sweet friends.' But she seemed to like Brent when she met him, so when we ran into him a few minutes ago we didn't think him coming'd be a problem."

"You had the best view when she came to class, Brent," Javier said while he continued to look forward, "she seemed to like you."

Dark Star kept his expression neutral as Brent flushed. He wasn't used to the jocks being embarrassed. He'd noticed Brent eavesdropping in the lab while he'd helped a third student from calculus. It was kind of odd that the big kid already had the answer and simply used his spying to confirm it. Odder was the sense of relief on his face. Computers and chess were the only things in life that Dark Star was assured about, everything else was clouds and confusion. That one of the jocks who'd so bedevilled him also had such issues wasn't something he'd yet managed to digest.

"Hey," Brent's voice started shaky and firmed but stayed low, "did you guys go to high school together? You seem to all know each other."

Two female gazes at him and Dark Star registered he'd been elected spokesperson.

"Uh, well, no," he said as he twisted to look at the passengers in the rear in turn, he noticed Umbra's blouse, well the sight through that blouse as her blazer opened with her movement, and quickly focused on Brent, "Javier and I met as juniors, we're both from the Valley here but different high schools but we met at the state chess tournament. The two young ladies are both out of staters and met at one of the orientation sessions in the summer. Then all of us hooked up at a computer programming workshop just before the quarter over the first couple weeks of September."

"You guys all doing comp sci?" Brent asked the obvious follow-up.

"Me and Javi," Dark Star said and the driver grunted, "Umbra's doing physics and I think Dani's changed her mind to go into Accounting."

The dark girl snorted and she tried to pitch her voice for syrupy seduction. But she mostly sounded like she had a cold.

"I've thought about math, but when I compare our TA's clothes to Asha's... bit different. What about you, Brent?"

"Business, then an MBA, at least that's the plan. Maybe finance, but not accounting."

"Accounting seems a bit odd for beautiful redheads," Umbra's rumble had no problem hitting the right tone, "with bodacious figures. Right, Brent? But Devil Girl does astrophysics, so I'm doing astrophysics."

"Devil Girl? Who is she?" Brent seemed to ignore the question.

"The female half of why those two," Umbra jabbed a finger at the front seat, "are doing Computer Science. His name's Leather Boy."

"Where do you think Umbra gets her style sense from?" Dani added with a lilt that she managed more easily. "We have a tape, we'll show you one of these days."

"And Leather Boy is a computer genius," Javier said, "hey, this street, we're close."

"There, on the left," Dark Star said a moment after he'd turned to face front, he pointed and Javier nodded.

"This is the address," Javier said as he downshifted and waited for an oncoming car then turned into the parking lot. It was a smallish, two story red brick building. The ground floor had only small windows with frosted glass and were covered by thick wire mesh. The upper floor had more traditional windows. Their parking lot had two rows of slots and was about half full. The surrounding buildings were unimpressive warehouses.

"Doesn't look like a bank," Umbra said to murmured agreement. Javier nosed into a spot that faced the building.

"Not like this is the usual financial section of town," Dark Star said.

"Kind of like a bank safe, maybe," Javier said, "maybe this is where they do the accounting and stuff like that, don't need a fancy lobby to impress people."

"She said we'd need to ring a bell at the front door," Dani said as the quintet gathered at the front of the car, "let's go."

"'CFS Financial,'" Umbra read off of a small plaque mounted on the wall to the right of the opaque smoked glass front door, "we are in the right place."

"So tomorrow's headline might not be," Dark Star said lightly, "'bodies of five University freshmen found mutilated behind red building in warehouse district.'"

Umbra grabbed Dark Star by the shoulders. Dani pushed a black button that was part of what looked like an intercom just below the plaque.

"Right here, right now," she purred as she spun in front of the surprised target and bent over, "I don't want to die a virgin! Javier, in front!"

"Can I help you?" Everyone except Dani jumped at the mellifluous baritone voice that emerged from the speaker.

"This is Danielle Henderson, we're the group to see Asha Washington."

"Come in, Danielle," the voice said and the door buzzed. Brent grabbed the handle and pulled it open. Dani led them followed by Umbra and the two boys next then Brent followed up at the rear.

Dark Star had little choice but to bump into Umbra when Brent collided with him. Dani and Umbra had both frozen in place barely inside the building.

"Hello, thailor," her voice had been only one of the wildly intriguing things about her and he enjoyed that such an unexpected sound came from THAT body but right now it was barely audible. She seemed oddly distracted and her words were like the rumbling of stone. And he was utterly confused by her comment.

He saw and felt high-grade carpet, it wasn't the expected commercial office floor covering but something you'd find in one of those houses high up the benches. Not his house. Not Javier's. The walls were soft cream and yellow. In front of them was a double-wide desk with an empty chair, on its right was a computer monitor and on the left what looked like a set of multiple TV screens.

Closed-circuit TV? He chased his memory of the front entrance. Yes. Camera above.

Behind the desk a large, shield-shaped piece of weathered wood was mounted, most of the wood was covered with a logo that looked professionally done. It was a pirate with an expression of menace, black beard, eyepatch, cavalier hat with a long white feather. Arcing above the bearded buccaneer was C F S, and below 'Financial Advisors and Analysts' and below that crossed cutlasses.

Dark Star finally noticed the mountain. No, it moved. It approached from their left, apparently from around that desk.

"Ms. Henderson, I'm Gerald. Welcome to CFS Financial," he offered his hand to the girl who was dwarfed by her greeter.

"Shi...," Dark Star heard from behind, from Brent.

Gerald had to be six-three or six-four, with brown hair swept back and cropped on the sides. But it wasn't his height. He was in black slacks and a cream white shirt that matched the walls. A white shirt that was molded to pecs and delts and biceps and what must be beyond a six-pack, all apparently chiseled from marble. The top two buttons were undone to show a light but even tan, no hair and solid stone but the snug fit and the weave made the shirt translucent in the lobby's lighting. His face was firm but his eyes danced with mirth.

"Um, oh, hi... Ger... Gerald," Dani finally managed a complete word, "th... thank you."

"I'm Umbra," the taller girl threw her right hand out and Gerald chuckled silently and took it. First he shook it then he lifted it to his mouth and kissed it quickly. Umbra rumbled in her throat and her breathing went choppy. Dark Star registered an expression that mixed surprise and, surprisingly to him, anger, that flashed across Dani's face but he fought down any external reaction.