"No Ma'am", one of the technicians answered.

After a few minutes Rick Hassek, the chief of the mental abilities unit walked into the room. He was tired and it showed, but he wore a small tight smile.

"You have something?", Ms. Worthington asked with anticipation.

Rick nodded. "The hypnosis went very well. He told us his entire plan, who he was going to meet and where. He told us how much the payment was for and everything. He knew no names just code words and phrases."

Ms. Worthington smiled and nodded her head. "Excellent! This gives us a lot of possibilities."

"I should tell you that Sara Hewitt was invaluable in this interrogation. Her telekinetic powers are still far stronger and more advanced than her telepathic abilities, but she's top rate."

"Do you think she's safe to go into the field?", Martha asked.

"Of course. She's grown up with these abilities her entire life. She has complete control over them as far as any of the staff can tell. She can control her abilities as easily as a person controls their hands or their arms."

"Good, because I have an idea." Ms. Worthington motioned for the techs to leave the room and for Rick to take a seat opposite her. "Rick, I think I'm going to send out Miss Hewitt. I want to know just how much Mr. Yanaski will remember when he wakes up?"

Rick rubbed his chin then answered. Martha Worthington smiled.

"Too bad Alisha couldn't come along.", Jan remarked as she drove a purple Mitsubishi Eclipse convertible down the highway.

Sara looked over at her friend from the passenger seat. "You have to be joking! You and she have been out all the time, while I've been cooped up in that complex for months like a lab rat or something. This is the first time I've seen the sun since September 21st. And its a beautiful day."

"That it is", Jan agreed as they drove down the road with the wind in their hair. A few miles down the road a SUV full of guys drove by whistled and cat called before turning off the road.

"That was interesting", Jan said a minute later.

"As long as I've been underground, I almost wanted you to go after them."

Jan looked over quickly. "Sara, I'm surprised at you."

"I'm not a prude. I might not look like it, but I like to have fun every now and then."

Jan just shook her head and kept driving. The day was so beautiful and warm she wished she could just keep on driving, but they had a mission.

Jan pulled the Eclipse up to the front of the hotel and hopped out. The valet and bellhop approached at the same time. Sara made sure the small amount of luggage was taken out, while Jan checked into the hotel. They would have nearly a whole day to prepare. They spent the next hour checking out the layout of their hotel and making sure it matched the blueprint they had studied.

"We should check out the convention hall", Jan told Sara while they ate a late lunch.

"This is my first mission. I'll just follow you around and say yes ma'am."

"Good. I like it when people do what I say." Jan laughed. Sara punched her in the shoulder before they went to the hotel down the street to its convention center.

Contestants were all over the place. There were bodybuilders, fitness girls, and a whole group of figure girls in the convention hall. Jan had her jacket around her waist and fit right in. She was taller than all but a few of the girls and her body made some of the competitors a bit jealous. She checked out a couple of the booths in the hall. A few people, men and women, asked her what she did to get those arms. Some asked about her legs too. Some people asked if she ever competed. Sara was in the best shape of her life, but she didn't look like a fitness contestant. She was curious about it though. She actually bought a few supplements that the booth people said were good for women. This was her first event like this and she was going to enjoy herself.

"Jan!", a voice yelled from a far. "Jan Caufield!"

"Cassie! I was hoping I'd see you here!" The two girls hugged in the middle of an aisle.

"After you left school I figured you wouldn't come", Cassidy Redwine told Jan. Cass looked great. Her skin was a flawless bronze like always, and in the months since Jan had seen her last, Cass' body had even better tone and shape.

"I told you I'd be at your next show, and I always keep promises. Which is why I don't make many, but when I do..."

Cass laughed. "I'm just glad you came."

"Sara Hewitt is here too, do you know her?"

"Of course, we had some classes together. She never struck me as a fitness show type."

"She's wasn't, but I think she's warming up to it. She's already bought like $300 worth of stuff."

"Good I turn 18 in a month and I might be able to get a sponsorship myself."

"I'm glad to hear it. Are you staying here at the hotel?"

"Yeah, are you?"

Jan scanned the room quickly before answering. "No, I'm staying down the street. What are you doing later on?"

Cass laughed. "Trying to dial in as they say. The show's tomorrow you know."

"You look good to me. You want to get something to eat later on?"

"I have to watch what I..."

Jan waved her hand. "Tell you what, we can meet up after the show, and I'll take you out after you win first prize."

Cass smiled. "That's a date."

"Cassidy, you look great", Sara said from behind her.

"Thanks, Sara. Its good to see you" The hugged each other.

"This fitness show stuff is really cool. I was coming to find you, Jan, there're some guys over there having some sort of best arms contest. I thought you might want to check it out. He said that they put it up on some website. I forgot the name. Diana something or other."

Jan smiled, but shook her head. She flexed her right arm, her bicep swelled filling the t-shirt sleeve, making it tight against her skin. "No, I'm here to watch a contest, not join one."

Jan and Sara left and later that night finally went to their room.

"Jan, you didn't tell me that we had only one bedroom."

"I thought you knew. Well at least I made sure we had twin beds."

Jan and Sara ordered room service and finally settled down to their beds.

"Sara?", Jan said after a long period of silence.

"Yes", she responded sleepily.

"Do you have the remote over there?"

Sara rolled over and pulled the covers from over her head. "No, I thought I gave it to you."

Sara looked around the room. "There it is. Next to the television."

"Aw come on, can you get it? Its closer to you."

"I'm already rolled up in the covers. Never mind." Sara turned and looked at the remote. It floated off the stand and over to Jan's bed. Jan held out her hand, and the remote slid right into it.

"Thanks"

Sara mumbled something and rolled back over.

Conner Yanaski had woken up under a pile of pallets at that warehouse where the deal had gone down. It had been pitch black and had to use his cell phone to find a door. He didn't remember much about what had happened, but it didn't matter. It must have gone down ok before the police showed up. He had the memory stick in his possession and he had confirmed that the money had been transferred for payment. That was in the past though. He wished he had Mel, but he must have gotten arrested. It didn't matter. He was in Boulder now and had already made contact. Had had to wait for instructions. He was ready for this to be over.

Jan and Sara sat in the audience at the show watching one beautiful physique after another. Sara was starting to like this more and more, but she couldn't give the show her full attention. She had to keep track of someone.

"Do you have him?", Jan asked between bodybuilder routines.

Sara's eyes went blank for a instant. "Yeah, he's still in his room and no one is with him."

"This is so cool. Make sure you check on him. We know the meeting is not for a little while, but plans might change. We have to be ready."

Sara nodded and took a long pull on her strawberry flavored water.

After another hour, Sara looked up and Jan and nodded. They got up and went to their car and followed behind Yanaski's taxi. The taxi kept heading south all they way into Denver.

"Something has changed." Sara closed her eyes. "There were instructions in the cab. I could go deeper and maybe see..."

"No need. We'll just follow and play it by ear."

The cab went through different neighborhoods and finally stopped in a tough looking spot. Jan parked at the corner and watched Yanaski walk into a crowd. Jan wasn't sure why this spot was chosen.

Jan watched closely and saw it. Someone in the crowd had brushed against him. It had only taken an instant.

"He's nervous", Sara said absently. "He's gotten more instructions. We have to get closer. There are too many people. I can't pinpoint them without seeing them."

"Ok, we get out." Jan pulled the car and parked near some other cars and they started after Yanaski. Jan and Sara stuck out in the crowd. They couldn't help that. An argument broke out and two groups of men were yelling at each other. Jan tried to ignore it. Sara tried not to look nervous, but she couldn't help it.

Yanaski was only a few feet in front of them. He ducked down an alley and back into the shadows. Jan and Sara lost sight of him, but she could still feel him. There was a city park at the end of the alley. That's where the meeting was going to take place.

A dark car was parked in the park. Yanaski approached. A man got out and walked towards him. Yanaski was sweating, but he was ready. They stopped and spoke for only an instant. Yanaski pulled out the stick in a plastic bag and handed it to the man. The man took it and walked away.

"Were you able to do it?"

Sara didn't answer right away. "No, I should have, but I couldn't. Maybe it was too quick. I need to get closer."

"Ok, watch me and wait for a chance, then do your thing.", Jan ordered Sara. Jan went into the shadows and took off at full speed. She ran silently towards the car. The man was getting near the car, but Jan was going to beat him. She ran towards him and nearly tackled him. The man lost his balance and they fell together.

"What the hell!" The man stood up. He could hardly see in the darkness.

Jan pulled herself up quickly. "Oh, I'm so sorry." Jan didn't stand up to get full height. "Are you ok?", Jan asked quickly.

"Yeah, get the fuck away from me before I knock out your teeth crack whore." The man took off towards the still running car without looking back. He sped off.

Sara ran forward. "I got him, but he there's another drop going to happen soon. He's just a cut out."

"Damn! Ok let's go!"

"I can't. I have to work to maintain contact with him. Can you go get the car and pick me up?"

Jan shook her head. "Ok, stay in the shadows and make sure your pistol is cocked."

Jan took off again towards the street. She had to act normal as she made her way through the crowd. People called to her, but she had to keep going. Finally she could see the lot where she had parked the car.

"Good freakin' grief", Jan said under her breath as she came close to the car.

There were at least six guys standing near the car. They lounged against it and took long pulls from 40oz bottles of beer and malt liquor. They weren't paying the car any attention, but they paid attention to Jan as she approached.

"Excuse me, fellas." She said as she tried to hurry past them.

"Hold up. Hold up." One of the guys pushed her back a bit, and looked her up and down. "Goddamn, you the finest bitch on this block. Where you been hidin at?"

"And you're a fine lookin' man, but I'm kinda in a hurry." Another guy came and snatched the keys from her hand. The group laughed.

"You're not in a hurry now. Stand over here and have a fuckin' drink with me."

"Sorry, I have a friend waiting for him and she has somewhere to be too."

"She? If she's as fine as you, bring the ho here."

Two more men came from the other side of a white box van parked in the lot. Jan had tried to laugh the men off and keep them at ease, but that time had passed. Jan put her head down and took a deep breath. She took off her jacket and tossed it on the roof of the car.

When she spoke it was ominous and final in tone. "Give me back my keys and get out of my way. I won't ask again."

"Bitch, what the fuck are you talkin' about? What you gonna do?"

Jan's big hands were already knotted into fists. A man came at her from her back right. The fight started then, if it could be called a fight.

Jan spun and back handed the man in the side of the head. A hard hollow slap echoed between the buildings. The man dropped quickly spitting out teeth and blood.

"Goddamn!" The others exclaimed.

Jan didn't wait she went towards the ring leader and took him by the jacket and pushed him against the box van. She threw him into the van hard enough to shake it. "Give me my fuckin' keys!" The other men dropped their bottles and went after her to pull her off. They did, but wished she hadn't. They pulled her back some punched at her.

Jan threw up her arms and threw them off. She grabbed the closest guy to her over his shoulders and around his neck. She pulled down sharply and brought her knee up at the same time. His face smashed into her knee. There was a crunch as bones in his face cracked and broke. She tossed him to the ground leaking blood all over the place.

Men cursed, and attacked. One of them had a pipe. She took his swing on her forearm and sent an elbow to his face. He was quick enough to only catch a glancing blow. He backed away. Jan saw a guy reach down in his waist and start to pull a gun.

'No guns', she thought to herself. In a flash, Jan slid close to the man with the gun and grabbed his wrist. She elbowed him in the face and tossed him over her shoulder. He landed at the feet of the leader. The look of surprise and awe was on his face as he looked down at his buddy. Jan slapped another man across the face with the pistol before tossing it.

Jan thought she was finished, but three more men came around the corner. One of them was a big man about 6'6" and built like a pro football player. Jan smiled. He charged at her and threw a slow looping punch. Jan ducked it easily. This guy was big and used to working on fear, but it was he that should be afraid. She would make sure he knew that. He charged her again and grabbed her around the waist. Jan extended her long arms and brought her hands together hard on both sides of the big man's head. He dropped to a knee. Jan smiled and reached down. She wrapped her long arms under the man's chest and lifted him up. He regained his senses and head butted her in the nose. She didn't drop him, but her head went back. She could feel a trickle of blood run from her nose.

"Big mistake", Jan said under her breath. She grunted and pulled the 280 pound man off the ground and squeezed. He grunted and punched, but Jan was going to make an example out of this guy. Her already hard muscles hardened as she bore down. Muscles knotted and bunched as she squeezed this guy. He started moaning and trying to yell, but no sound could come out. His eyes bucked. Jan's arms squeezed tighter. Her shoulders and pecs swelled with blood and power. The man went into a silent scream. Jan closed her eyes and squeezed harder. Her body vibrated and then she heard two cracks as some ribs broke. She dropped him to the ground.

Jan turned to look at the men still standing and saw them jumping in the box van. They cursed and jumped over each other to get inside. Jan turned and ran.

The door slammed shut as the engine started.

"Oh, no you don't!", she yelled. Jan ran to the back bumper and grabbed it like she was going to do a dead lift. She had felt some of her strength break to the surface when she had squeezed the big man, but she need more. Jan bent down, set her feet and lifted.

Veins in her neck pulsed and bulged, but her muscles bulged more. Thick muscle hardened on Jan's perfect legs as the back of the van full of men came up off the ground. She leaned into the lift as the van kept rising. Jan's biceps flexed hard against the back of the van actually denting the sheet metal as she curled the weight to make sure the tires didn't touch the ground. The shocks and struts creaked as the tires left the ground completely.

The engine roared as the driver punched the gas again. One of them looked out the passenger window. They started to open the door and run. Jan wasn't going to let that happen. She shifted her feet and while still holding her left arm at a 90 degree angle pulled up even further with her right arm. Her right bicep flexed with insane power. The peak was more impressive than ever as one side of the van rose higher and higher. Finally Jan leaned to her left and with the leverage the front right tire started coming off the ground. With another grunt of effort the van started to tip. Jan helped it over. Dust flew up.

Jan hurried to the bottom and jumped up to the side of the van. She pulled the passenger door open. Faces looked back at her with a mixture of fear and disbelief. Jan didn't have to ask for what she wanted. One of the men held up the ring with the car keys on it. Jan reached down, took the keys, and jumped down.

"Hurry up!", Jan heard Sara's voice in her head.

"Hold tight", Jan thought back.

She pulled into the park, jumped out, and hurried to Sara.

"Do you still have him?", Jan asked.

"Yeah", Sara replied wearily. "Its not easy to maintain contact. So many people in the way. What took you so long?"

"I'll tell you later. Let's go!" Jan turned and ran, but Sara was lagging behind. She looked so tired. Jan ran back and scooped Sara up in her arms and carried her all the way to the passenger side of the car.

"We have to get back to Boulder and quickly", Sara said once they were in the car.

"Put your seat belt on", Jan said as she threw the car into first gear and slammed the pedal to the floor.

"We're getting closer", Sara told Jan from the passenger seat of the Mitsubishi Eclipse they drove down the highway towards Boulder, Colorado. The night air was getting colder by the minute after a warm day. Jan Caufield paid attention to the road, but glanced at her friend from time to time. Sara looked tired and flushed as she kept a tenuous mental link with a criminal.

"How you doin' there, Sara?", Jan asked finally.

It was all the harder for Sara to keep the link and talk at the same time. "Fine", she said after a time. Jan kept driving, speeding towards Boulder. She passed cars, but tried to not be reckless. She didn't need to get pulled over. She still glanced at Sara, just to make sure she was still awake.

"That's the car right there!", Sara pointed. "Do you see it?", she asked with urgency in her voice.

Jan nodded. "Yeah I got it."

"Good." Sara let out a long breath and closed her eyes. Her body seemed to relax.

"Sara, what is going on? What's wrong with you?"

"I'm fine now. It takes time to get a good impression of a mind. When I don't have a strong familiarity its like trying to keep track of one needle in a barrel full of shifting needles. I had to concentrate really hard that's all. I let him go since you have a visual."

"You didn't have that problem with Yanaski."

Sara sighed in frustration. "I had hours with that guy in close proximity. I can find him right now without trying hard, but its not easy with only a cursory look. There aren't many people who could even do this you know."

Jan laughed. "Sorry, didn't mean to insult you. I don't know how all this mental stuff works"

"I can't get a good feel for him as long as he keeps moving like this. I need to isolate his thought pattern for at least a couple minutes."

"I have an idea."

"I'm game", Sara said quickly.

"Can you make the car stop? Do something to the engine or something."

Sara rubbed her chin. "I think I can get the car to stop." Sara leaned forward in her seat and an intense look of concentration came over her face. Jan wondered what Sara was doing. Suddenly the back right tire of the target car burst. The driver swerved a couple of times before pulling over to the side of the road. A few cars had to dodge him.

"Woo Hoo!", Jan yelled. "That was great!"

Sara smiled. "What now?"

Jan pulled right behind the car. The man had gotten out. He was not big at about 5'7" and 160 pounds. Jan got out and walked up to him. Sara stepped out too.

"Are you all right, Sir?", Jan asked like the 18 year old girl she was.

"Yeah, we saw your tire blow out back there we thought that truck might hit you.", Sara said with even more of a Mississippi accent than she already had if that was possible.

"I'm fine girls.", the man said in accented English. The man opened the trunk and pulled off the cover to expose the spare tire.

"The spare looks flat, Mister. Do you need us to give you ride somewhere? We don't mind, do we?"

"Oh, no", Sara replied with a broad smile on her face.

"You two are really nice, but I couldn't ask you..."

"Where are you going? We're heading back to that hotel over there. We can at least take you that far."

The man thought for a moment. "Ok", he said finally. "I need to get my case from the seat."

Jan looked over at Sara while the man wasn't looking. Sara smiled and held a thumbs up.

"The back seat is kinda small, but I'll just put my friend back there. She won't mind." Sara frowned, but climbed into the back seat.

Everyone settled in and Jan put the car in first and pulled back into traffic.

"Is there anywhere we can drop you off?", Jan asked after they had driven in silence for a while. "We don't know this city too well, we're just here to see a friend."

"I have to arrange a tow for my car", the man lied. "I have a friend waiting for me a Starbucks down the street. Turn here. The Starbucks had a healthy crowd, but Sara's eyes locked on two men sitting at a table. They were dressed the part, but they still looked out of place. The man got out of the Eclipse and walked in. He joined the two men at the table. She was right.

"I think this is the last drop", Jan told Sara.

"Yeah, me too. I guess I better get both of those guys", she said as she sat down in the front seat, but she stumbled getting in.

"Sara, are you alright?"

"Yeah. I just heard a loud noise in my head."

"What?"

Sara didn't respond, she just looked out the window. One of the men at the table, the older one turned in her direction, but couldn't see her because of another car, but she could see him. He shook his head and stared more.

Sara gripped the door handle and her body went very still. Jan could do nothing, but look. Sara closed her eyes and laid her head against the seat. After nearly three minutes she opened her eyes.

"You can go now. I have them."

Jan didn't wait; she drove away towards the hotel.

"Are you ok, Michel?"

The man in his mid forties looked over at his boss and smiled. "D'accord boss. I just felt sick for a moment, but it passed. Can't be the espresso. It was fairly good."

"Good." Then he looked back at the man who had just brought him his prize. "So Jean, tell me you have it."

"In my pocket, sir. And glad to have it. Everything worked great until I had blowout a couple miles from here."

"You don't look sweaty you didn't walk."

"Goodness no. Two very nice looking young girls gave me a lift. They're lucky I'm not a murderer or rapist or something."

The boss frowned. "What did they look like, these girls?"

"One was tall, very tall, nice face, nice figure, beautiful blue eyes. The other one was shorter with blond hair and a nice body on her too, very kind face. The kind of girl you'd take home to your mother. They looked like college students or something. I wasn't going to take their offer, but it beat walking."

The boss nodded. "No chance of a compromise there I don't think. Unless the U.S. uses teenage girls to do its dirty work."

The three men laughed, but Michel laughed the least. He took another sip of his espresso then looked up at Jean.

"Where did they say they were going?"

Jan laughed as she drove back towards the hotel where the show was taking place. "We probably missed prejudging, but we can catch Cass' routine. Come on smile, Sara. As Alisha would say, we win again."

"I feel ok about the rest of it, but that last time. I think that guy in there was a telepath. I had to fight to get through."

"You did get through didn't you?"

"Yeah, the head man is just now leaving the Starbucks. The driver we picked up, Michel is his name, is with him. I won't probe the other guy. Once was enough."

"I'm going to have to lie so I can get you a drink. You need to relax."

"You drink?", Sara asked.

"Sometimes at parties. You seem surprised."

"Well, I'm just surprised that it works. I mean I didn't know you could get drunk."

"Yes, I can. I just get sober quickly and have to drink more. Then run to the bathroom, but enough about me, this is about you."

"I'm fine. Let's go see she show."

The lights were low as Jan and Sara slipped back into the same seats they had left an hour and a half before. Sara sat back down with more water and two energy bars. Jan only had a large bottle of water. The crowd was warmed up and cheering, but it took Sara and Jan a while to get in the mood. The next girl helped them out.

Katie Braun strolled on stage almost timidly at first. She was a little more than 5'5" with shoulder length brownish blond hair. She had a nice tight look. Her glutes flexed as she walked to her mark. She turned her back to the crowd and stuck her pose. Her back was great. Droplets of sweat rolled down the contours of her shoulders as the hot stage lights raised her skin temp. The music started suddenly. The riff from Jimmy Page announced Rock and Roll. The crowd roared as Katie rolled her shoulders from side to side opposite her hips showing muscle control. She thrust her left leg back and pointed her toes. Her calf bunched and flexed. She spun and crunched down on her abs while thrusting out her right leg. The lights were perfect to show six separated cubes of muscle on Katie's midsection. She dropped to the floor and went into one hand push-ups. Her core was so tight. She brought her body parallel with the floor and held it as the music stopped. Silence for two seconds before the chorus to Hard to Handle by the Black Crowes started. Katie jumped to her feet and flexed her biceps slowly as the music built. Finally she squeezed them tightly. Sweat and oil made them glisten in the lights. Finally the music faded out, and Katie hurried off stage with a wave.

There were a few more good competitors and then Cassidy Redwine was on. She walked onto the stage like a panther stalks prey. She went to her mark and stood perfectly still. Her body was sculpted perfection as the stage lights reflected off her perfect skin. Her face looked serious, dangerous, and playful at once. She saw Jan and Sara in the crowd and allowed herself only the tiniest of smiles before going back to a stare waiting for the music to start. The opening riff of Ace of Spades by Mortorhead blared over the speakers.

Cass jumped up and went to a split as the song began she hit a double bicep pose as she hit the ground. Her quads were tight as she flexed on the floor for only a second. She jumped to her feet without her hands and went into a abs flex. Eight blocks of muscle writhed as Cass moved her hips from side to side. The crowd pumped their hands as Cass flexed to the music, one perfect muscle shape after another then the music faded. Just the sound of static. Cass strutted to the front of the stage as Pure Love by Crystal Waters started.

She went into a double biceps pose and stood on one leg as the vocal started. It kept going up and up until her knee brushed the side of her head.  Her hamstring looked so good stretched out lik that. She let it down ever so slowly. She went up on her toes on her left leg as she brought her right leg down. Her calf was so hard as it bunched up. She didn't even wobble as her right foot brushed the ground. She had held the biceps flex the entire time, now she poured herself into the flex. Her arms wanted to shake she flexed them so hard, but she wouldn't let them. She turned and slowly left her arm drop to her side. She flexed her triceps. They were just as shredded and hard as her biceps. Her perfect skin and complexion made it even better. She teased at a side chest then, dropped to the floor again and rolled over slowly. She did three more push-ups then burst to her feet. The music faded one last time.

Cass moved slowly making sure everyone could see her muscles play in the light. Then Buddy Guy's guitar started wailing like it was off in the distance. Cass moved to the rhythm of the song Tramp. She didn't have to flex anymore. Her time was almost over and the crowd roared at her every move. She jumped forward as the vocals started. Cass turned back to the crowd as the music began to fade. She flexed from the floor up. She pointed her pedicured toes and flexed her hard calves and then flexed her quads. The muscles were so hard she slapped them playfully and lifted a leg so she could twist it. The light played with the shapes as Cass showed off her body. Then on to the abs. She crunched again bringing her leg off the ground as she flexed her right arm. Then her chest. She had been saving it. She thrust her arms out and linked her fingers. She flexed them slowly letting the muscles inflate almost like it wasn't real. Cass's pecs striated and pushed out against her posing top. The muscle was so hard and ripped. They looked so good on her body. The yells from the crowd almost drowned out the song. Cass smiled and did one more double bicep before bowing and jogging off the stage to the loudest applause of the show.

Jan and Sara were no different, they were out of the seats jumping up and down yelling her name. They felt sorry for the next contestant. She was good, but that was a hard act to follow. There was no doubt as to who had won the show. Cassidy Redwine lifted the trophy over her head at the end of the show and flexed a few more times for the crowd. Jan and Sara hurried out to meet her, but there was a throng near her. The national fitness media had never heard of Cass and they all wanted pictures and interviews. Cass smiled and answered questions and talked to the people near her, but when she saw Jan, she excused herself and pushed her way to Jan. They hugged.

"That was great! You were great!", Jan yelled. "I told you that you were going to win!"

"Yeah you did. I had a good feeling, but there were so many good women here. I tell you, it wasn't easy."

"So, you ready for that dinner I promised?"

"Are you kidding. I could use a big steak, no no wait, I could use some Italian food. That's what I want. I want a huge plate of pasta."

"You find the best pasta joint in town and that's where we're going."

"I'll ask around. I'm going to put some clothes on and meet you two as soon as I finish with these guys. I had three different people ask me to pose for them."

"Cool. I was thinking of going back to our hotel room and changing. We'll meet you back here."

Jan and Sara left the convention area and headed towards the front door. They were still on a high from the show. They weren't paying much attention to the faces in the large crowd around them, but Sara looked over her shoulder in time to prepare.

"Michel, you are wasting our time", the boss hissed. "Do you know what we have here on this memory stick. This is ten years of research that we don't have to do. Once we put this information into our formula our soldiers will be invincible."

"I know all this, boss. It is just that I know I felt something when Jean was dropped off. It is better to be safe than sorry."

"We already went through their car", Jean protested. "We didn't find a damn thing."

"If one of them is a telepath then they wouldn't need equipment in the car would they?", Michel countered. "This will only take a moment. I can feel the thoughts of another telepath. Just wait here."

Sara tapped Jan on the side. Jan turned too quickly and looked too surprised, but she composed herself as Michel approached with a big smile on his face.

"Excuse me, girls. Were you not the girls who brought my friend to the coffee shop?"

"We did", Jan answered simply. Her guard was up. A wave of nausea came and went quickly.

"I didn't know you girls were going to be at the show. We too are fans of the bodybuilding. Did you have a favorite?"

Sara nodded.

"I did not want to take up too much of your time. Nice seeing you, good-bye."

"Good-bye", Sara and Jan said at the same time.

Michel went back and joined the two other men, who waved.

"That was random", Jan said after Michel was out of earshot.

"Maybe not", Sara paused. "Michel is telepathic. He was the noise I heard in my head at the Starbucks. He came over here and probed both of us."

"He did what?"

"Don't worry. I don't think he felt anything from me. I buried it deep deep down. I don't think he's strong enough to go that deep. Well not that quickly anyway."

"I hope not."

"So, Michel?"

He threw up his hands. "Nothing. I didn't feel anything from either one of them. That tall one is very confident though. I got that. The blond one was wary, which was smart in that case. But, I don't think they are a threat. Let's get to the plane."

Jan, Sara, and Cass ended up a resturant/bar that many of the contestants said was good. Many of the girls from the show were there. They all congratulated Cass and asked about her friends. Jan ended up inviting about 5 women and 3 men to dine with the group.

"You have a great physique", Katie Braun told Jan.

"Thanks. I've been working out pretty regularly for the last several months. I had gotten lax there for a while."

"Have you and Cass ever trained together while you were in school together?"

Jan and Cass shared a knowing smile and nodded. "Yeah, just once though."

Cass looked over at Sara after a time. "You're looking pretty good. Have you been working out with Jan?"

Sara smiled. "I'm glad you notice. Jan's one of the reasons I started working out."

"You're doing a good job really. The last time I saw you, you were just skinny"

Sara laughed and pulled up her sleeve. Her arm wasn't nearly as big or defined as the other girls at the table, but she flexed up a nice peak. Cass reached out and felt Sara's arm.

"Not bad."

The group broke up after dinner to join what had become a party. Every guy seemed to have a camera. Cass could hardly take a step without posing for a picture. Jan and Sara purposely tried to stay out of pictures. Sara sat down at the bar and started talking to a man she had met the day before. He bought her a drink without ever asking her age. Jan just watched. She figured her friend needed to lighten up anyway. After a few more minutes Sara made her way to the karaoke stage. Jan almost went to stop her, but Cass pulled her back.

Sara went down the list and after minute the tune started.

"Oh no", Jan exclaimed with a whine. She put her hand on her forehead as Sara began to sway back and forth to the tune of Never Loved a Man by Aretha Franklin.

Two thirds of the heads in the bar turned as the music started. Sara seemed to pay no attention. The other third turned as soon as she opened her mouth.

"My God. Who knew she could sing?"

"She's good", Cass whispered in Jan's ear.

The manager cranked up the volume so the entire place could hear Sara sing. She sang four more songs before they let her off the stage. She hadn't had that much fun in two years. Jan was just glad Sara didn't have another drinks.

Sara and Jan woke up late. It was mid morning by the time they rolled out of bed. They decided that they had deserved the rest. The day before had been tiring. They packed up, checked out and had lunch with Cass before it was time for Cass to head back to Livingston.

"You wanna drive back?", Jan asked.

Sara tilted her head. "I was wondering if you would ever let me drive. Yes, I would like to drive back." Jan tossed Sara the keys, stretched out in the passenger seat and went back to sleep.

to be continued...

Look out for Super Secret Agent:Home Coming for more about Jan, Sara, and Alisha