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Suck in the Moment Ch. 01

By: bobalous



I'm declaring a contest of my own... of sorts. If you go to my author's page, I have submitted the first chapter of 3 stories on the same day (10/30/15). I will write and post the next chapter of the highest rated story every week or two (or maybe three) until all the stories are done. 

These should all be pretty short stories, around 3-4 chapters. If there is one or more stories that aren't well received (less than 4.25 rating), I will post a summary and ending to them, so that those readers who liked that story aren't left wondering what happens next.

If you really like this or the other stories and want to read more, please vote 5-stars, so that I know and will keep it going. If you hate it and want to save others from the pain you've felt, I'm giving you the power to make it stop. I also enjoy reading your comments, so feel free to tell me what you thought of the story, or what's on your mind. 

Thanks for reading!

*****

Stuck in the moment

"Mr. Anderson!.." My professor's voice roused me from my daydreams. "Do you have an answer for the problem?" 

The entire class turned to look at me. I could feel their eyes on me, but maintained eye contact with my professor. I looked to the whiteboard, hoping for a reprieve, but could make no sense of the equations on the board. 

"I... I'm sorry." I said with all the confidence I could muster. "I don't." 

Professor Hill's eyes narrowed in contempt, and watched me for two heartbeats longer before he continued, asking if anyone else had an answer. Several hands shot up, and I felt a mix of anger and shame for the exchange. He called on a pretty redhead behind me, who answered correctly. 

Dr. Hill praised her by name. "Thank you Miss..." Looking at his clipboard. "Molly McGuiness. Lovely name." He said with a fake Irish Brogue.

As the professor excused the class, and everyone stood to gather their things, Dr. Hill came over to stand at my desk. 

"If you think you're going to make it in Engineering, you are going to have to learn to focus. This program is a lot of hard work, and if you're already zoning out two semesters in, maybe it's not for you." He said gently, and with a surprising amount of sincerity in his voice. It just made me feel worse. 

"I'm sorry, I had a rough night last night." I lied. "You didn't catch me at my best." That part was true. 

"If you are serious about this class and your major, you're going to have to start bringing your best every day." Dr. Hill replied, and turned away before I could come up with a response. 

I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked out, sure that the entire class had heard a second round of my chastisement at the hands of our Calculus professor. I pulled up the hood on my sweatshirt as I walked out into the cold sunny air of a February afternoon, lost in my thoughts once again. 

I had an hour break before my next class, so I decided to head for the cafeteria in the student center, and lose myself in a giant burrito and game of Tetris on my phone. My eyes were on the sidewalk when I heard a car motor revving way too high for the slow on campus speed limit. 

I looked up just in time to see an old muscle car flying through a stop sign towards a bus. The motor continued revving higher, even as the brakes squealed. The car must have been doing at least 50, and my heart jumped into my throat as I braced for the impact that the car would have with the bus. 

And then, the world was still. The car froze in time, a few feet from T-boning into the bus. Students and spectators stood frozen in horrified stares. In the sky above, a pair of pigeons were frozen in flight, hanging still in the air like a child's mobile. 

The air was perfectly still, and held neither warmth nor cold. There were no scents in the air, nor did anything move. The only sound was my own breath and heartbeat. My ears began ringing with the sudden silence.

"Not again." I said under my breath. I hadn't walked through a frozen moment like this in years, and only once since I had sworn to never do it again. I had long since tired of walking through these stopped-time moments, testing everything. Instinctively, I reached for the switch inside my head. To re-start time, and watch the accident play out, come what may. 

I paused, seeing the terrified mask of the middle aged man behind the wheel of the out of control car. I walked closer, and saw him standing on the brake with both feet, obviously not trying to cause the accident a moment away. His throttle cable must have been stuck in the 'on' position, and he was unable to stop the engine. I saw that he had no seatbelt on, and the classic muscle car was old enough to have no airbags. His speedometer said he was doing 51 MPH. For me to re-start time would mean this man's death. 

I looked for a way to stop the crash, but I had waited too long to freeze time. A 2000lb car going 51 MPH simply can't stop in the 4 feet it had before it impacted the bus. 

I opened his door, and tried to lift him out of the driver's seat. Everything was harder when time was frozen. The air was thick, and moving through it was like swimming through a substance between water and air. I managed to get his feet off the pedal and onto the asphalt outside the car. His hands were stuck to the steering wheel in a death grip, which I loosened one finger at a time.

I half-carried and half drug the man out of the car, looking for a place to put him. I knew from past experience that his momentum would be conserved, and setting him on a patch of grass would be dangerous for him and anyone else in his path. He would be a man-sized projectile going 51 MPH. 

On the other side of the bus, there was a car that had been moving when I froze time. The difference on the two speedometers was about 25 MPH, but the direction matched up. I carried the man a block from the doomed muscle car to the other sedan, placed him in the passenger seat, buckled him up and closed the door.

Next, I pushed the door of the bus open. I counted 15 people on board, including the bus driver. Most were turned in their seats, looking at the car about to impact their bus. I almost turned and left them. They were on a big bus, surely they would survive with only minor injuries, right? None wore seat belts, I worried how hard the car would impact them, whether or not they would all be okay. 

I had promised myself a normal life, free from this kind of interference. These people were not my responsibility, at least they shouldn't be... I could move them away, like I had moved the man in the car. This was quickly turning from a little intervention into a major magical production.

My eyes caught on a little bundle wrapped in a baby Bjorn around a woman's chest. I approached and saw the little baby, fragile and delicate with a little pink knitted hat on. There was no way she was going to escape unharmed. Grocery bags sat on the seat next to them, and the mother didn't appear to be a student. I couldn't let them get hurt, not when I had the power to help them.

One at a time, I pulled the people off the bus. It had been turning, and was only going 10 MPH, so I left them sitting on a grassy area near the site of the impending accident, except for the mother and baby, who I laid down on a bench, their groceries at the mother's feet. 

I inspected the area one last time, taking the muscle car out of gear, so that the motor would not continue pushing the tires once it impacted.

I returned to my spot, and looked for my starting point. I had forgotten to mark it. I crossed the street from where I had started, and began looking for security cameras, finding several. I stood in a spot where none could have seen me, and reached for the switch inside my head once again. My muscles were sore, and I was sweating under my black hood as I touched the switch. 

The world starting up again hit me in a rush of noise, wind and cold. I watched as the car slammed into the bus, the hood sliding underneath, and flipping the bus onto its side. Down the street, the sedan with a new passenger stopped with a screech, and I could see the added man moving, so he at least hadn't been hurt.

I moved my gaze to the bus passengers, who had all fallen, and then shakily rose to their feet, except for the mother, who sat up on the bench, grocery bags spilling their contents at her feet. I watched for a few minutes, counting as they rose and brushed themselves off. They all appeared to be unharmed, though in shock from the sudden turn of events. 

The engine of the muscle car screamed louder and louder, surely past redline, until it exploded underneath the flipped bus. Combined gas tanks from both vehicles caught fire in an inferno which quickly engulfed both. If anyone had remained inside, they would be dying right now. Luckily, I had gotten them all out. All 16 people from the bus, as well as the driver of the car were approaching the blaze, touching themselves and each other, eyes and mouths wide in astonishment. I felt my earlier doubt slipping away. I was right to evacuate the bus.

I scanned the scene. Several heroes were running for fire extinguishers or trying to get close enough to the bus to call for survivors. Others simply stood staring and watching. Across the street, I saw green eyes below red hair focused only on me. I recognized the woman - Molly, the pretty redhead from the class I had just left. Despite the pandemonium in front of her, she stared straight at me, ignoring the fiery wreckage.

I adjusted the straps on my backpack, and turned, walking briskly for the student center. I looked over my shoulder once and saw no one following me. By now sirens were filling the air, and I was the only person walking away from the accident. Then I saw her. Head down, red hair moving against the flow of people in the same direction as me. 

I moved through the student center to the cafeteria, ordering my food, dodging questions when the food service workers were asking what was happening just a few blocks away. "I think there was a car accident." I finally offered.

I took my food out to a glassed in patio where I could see parts of the action outside though the windows. By now the fire department was on-scene and firemen were frantically hooking their hoses up to a hydrant, and I watched as they began spraying down the fire. I felt a sense of satisfaction, at having used my power for good for once, though I had broken my promise again. I had used it, despite the risks.

My vigil was interrupted by Molly sliding into the seat across from me, straight red hair falling perfectly around her face and spilling onto her dark green sweater. 

"Crazy stuff, huh?" She said. "It's Travis, right?"

"Yeah." I replied, hoping that I was imagining her watching me from across the street.

"Do you mind if I join you for lunch?" She asked, pulling a brown paper bag out of her backpack.

"Actually..." I started, trying to think of an excuse. Her eyes burned into me, and I knew I was caught. I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of an explanation, so I continued "I need to do some reading. You're welcome to sit, but I may not be very good company."

She was silent for a moment before she said: "Not a big fan of accidents and explosions, or did you just not care to stick around and make sure everyone was alright?" 

I looked up from my textbook that I had just opened, and met her gaze. "You left too." I said simply.

"I did." She said with too much enthusiasm. "See I was following this boy from my class that seemed to be having a hard day, what with his professor picking on him and all. All of the sudden there is a fiery accident, and a dozen people teleport from out of nowhere. In that moment, the guy I'm trying to catch up to teleports across the street. He was the only person who didn't seem surprised or concerned about being teleported, which makes me curious..."

"Why were you following me from class?" I asked.

"You just teleport across the street, and a dozen people apparate out of nowhere, while a car and bus burst into flame, and you want to know why I was following you? Seriously?" Molly asked me.

I just nodded my head.

"You seemed like you were having a tough time in calculus. I was going to suggest we start a study group." She answered more calmly. There was honesty in that statement, but something in her stare told me that wasn't the whole story. 

"Yeah, that would probably be a big help." I said, honest that I could use some help on my calculus work, and thinking the old adage about keeping friends close and enemies closer. Brushing Molly off at this point would probably not end well for me, especially if she decided to start publically putting a spotlight on me for what I had just done. 

"We're in intro to chem together too." She said. "We could study for that at the same time."

I looked at her. The chemistry class we apparently shared was huge, with probably 200 students. I hadn't seen her in it, but apparently she had seen me. I was flattered that she recognized and remembered me. 

"That sounds good. I've got a pretty good handle on that class at the moment, but it would be good to stay on top of it." I said. "What times would work for you?"

Molly smiled. Straight perfect teeth, in an open-mouthed grin. She had been pretty before, but her smile lit up her whole face, until she shone with radiant beauty. She reminded me of the redheaded vampire from the TV show True Blood, but only in appearance. Her personality was warm and confident. I felt a fluttering in the pit of my stomach as she answered.

"I have time Tuesday and Thursday nights after 6. Do you want to meet me in the library maybe 3rd floor near the elevators?" 

"That should work for me." I replied, my voice catching as I came back down to earth, realizing I was staring. "Do you want my phone number or email?" 

Molly pulled out her phone and said "Nope, you're in the campus directory. Travis Anderson, right?" She showed me my contact information and I nodded. "And I'm Molly McGuiness" 

We sat in uncomfortable silence for a while, watching as more emergency vehicles showed up, and eating the food in front of us. I couldn't focus on reading anything, so I closed the book and split my attention between the food and accident. When I looked to Molly, I saw her studying me. 

"You're really not going to tell me how you did it?" She asked when our eyes met.

I didn't want to lie to her, but I had never shared my secret with anyone, not even my parents. 

"I'm going to cross my fingers and say a prayer that everyone is okay, then I'm going to try to focus on my next class, since I've had a problem with that today, and try to forget what I saw out there. I'd suggest you do the same."

Molly raised one eyebrow and took a long sip of something out of a plastic bottle. "So you don't deny that you did something. You just won't tell me what?"

"Not exactly first date material." I told her, before I thought that statement through clearly.

Molly's smile returned. "So this is a date, huh? I thought our first date might have had a little better food and a slightly fewer first responders." She said, looking out the window where a second truck had joined the first in extinguishing the wreckage of the bus. Several firemen in full protective gear were climbing on top of the bus, staring down through the windows.

"No, I just meant that you're asking some pretty personal questions of a complete stranger." I said.

Molly looked down, a small flash of embarrassment fell across her face. "So maybe you'll tell me on the second date?" She looked back up, a mischievous smile lighting up her face. 

I had to laugh at that. "Let's just see how the study group goes first."

We made small talk for another 15 minutes before I left her to walk to my next class. The police had put up yellow tape, which blocked off my usual route to class, so I took the long way around several buildings. Once around, I could see the police taking statements from the people who I had pulled out of the bus, and witnesses. I kept walking.

Class was cancelled. The campus was closed to all cars while the police wrapped up their investigation and the wreckage was hauled away. There was a note on the classroom door, and an email followed. I walked to the library to try and study for a few hours before walking home to my dorm. I was worried the whole way, I had used my powers for something big. People noticed, and worst of all, I had been caught.

When I got home, my two roommates were glued to the TV, following the news of the 'miracle on campus.' 

Jumpy, grainy footage of the accident, was being played on a loop. At the upper right corner of the screen, 15 people suddenly appeared at the moment of impact, and fell on the grass. The woman with the baby appeared on the park bench in a different angle. I had gotten lucky to not have been captured disappearing or re-appearing on any of the footage being played. Only Molly seemed to have noticed my movements.

I joined them in the dorm cafeteria for dinner. The two of them couldn't stop talking about the accident. They tried to pull me in several times, but I was not interested. I left for my small single room as the other guys watched more TV, and lost myself looking at news on the internet, wanting time to absorb what I had done alone, not having to react in front of my roommates. 

Lee came by after a while and asked if I was okay. 

"I'm fine. I've just been having trouble focusing in my classes." I responded. 

Lee was a sophomore in the same mechanical engineering program that I was in. He had stayed in the dorms a second year, and had requested the small apartment dorms with personal living space. Caleb and I were freshmen and had lucked into the living arrangement. There was a communal living space shared by all three of us, as well as a bathroom.

"I did pretty well in all of those classes, and I can share my old notes with you if you need help. You should also look into trying to get into a study group with some of your classmates. That way if you're missing something, hopefully they can fill in the holes." He offered.

"That reminds me, I have a study group set up with a classmate tomorrow at 6. I should be back late." I said.

"Just one person? A study group should have more than just the two of you in it, unless it's a girl..." Lee smiled when I looked up at that. "You sly dog. Is she the reason you're having trouble focusing?"

"Nah, I just met her today." I said honestly. 

"Well, maybe you need to find a second study group for academics if this one turns out to be more of a distraction from studying?" 

I punched him in the arm. "We'll see. I don't think it's like that." I said.

Lee left the room shaking his head and laughing. "That's what they all say. I'd bet money she's into you, though." The last words came from the communal room as he joined Caleb on the couch.

I sat back in my chair, thinking about my distractions. I was recently single. Sarah and I had broken up over winter break. It was a mutual decision, but I had gone from almost daily sex to no sex at all. My hands had covered the physical urges, but my mind kept flashing over the stuff I was missing. The touch of a woman, the way her lips taste, her smell. I felt my libido rise, and I locked the door to take care of business.

I wasn't the type of guy to jump into bed with a woman just for sex, and I wasn't looking for a relationship. When I had finished, I closed my eyes and lay down, letting the post-climax lethargy carry me into sleep.

I was woken up once around 9 PM by my parents, calling to ask if I had heard about the campus 'miracle.' I told them that I had heard and we talked for several minutes before I begged off and fell back asleep. I was exhausted from my exertion of lifting and moving 17 people through the thick unmoving air, and mentally exhausted from the worry about my future. 


Suck in the Moment Ch. 01



***

The next morning I woke to find that our campus had become a 3-ringed circus. Media vans were parked all over the place. There was a heavier than usual police presence, and people from all over the state seemed to be visiting the site of the 'miracle.' Classes were back in session, so the normally busy campus was a beehive of activity. I walked stiffly to class, and was asked twice for an interview on camera, both of which I declined. All around me, students were talking to reporters and each other, and there was only one topic.

I was a few minutes early, so I stopped in the lounge area of the student center where I found standing room only around 4 television screens. The story of the campus miracle was now international news, with the 3 angles of the surveillance cameras playing on loops in between interviews with students and a morning press conference. 

This story had everything that a reporter could want: unexplained miracles, an explosive car crash, and an endless supply of hot coeds willing to talk about it on camera. The fact that no one had died, or even been seriously injured meant that the news cameras could show the crash as often as they wanted without being insensitive to the victims. 

I left for class, and tried to focus through my first 3 courses. As I walked into the intro to chem class, I noticed Molly stand up from an aisle seat she was barely sitting on. She followed me down the long table and sat next to me with a smile. 

Molly wore more makeup today than she had yesterday. She wore a long-sleeved green blouse that showed an eye-full of cleavage, along with a tasteful pendant necklace nestled at the very top of her breasts. She wore a black pencil skirt over black high heels. Her long pale legs were on display, despite the cold outside. If I hadn't known her before today, she definitely would have caught my eye. 

My first thought was a hope that she had dressed up for me. I then thought with horror that she might have dressed up for media interviews. If she had already given her first-hand account, would she still be here talking to me? I calmed, guessing probably not. 

"You look exhausted. Are you okay?" She asked me. I nodded. "Are we still on for tonight?" She asked. 

"Yeah." I answered. We were silent for a while as we took out our notebooks and textbooks. "Listen, is this going to be a big group of us tonight?" I asked, thinking of Lee's warning.

"Um... no. My roommate's in this class, so she might join us for part of it, but we're on our own for calc." She replied.

The teacher started class, and there were no further opportunities to talk during class, though I could see Molly stealing glances at me out the corner of her eye. I stole a few myself when she crossed her legs and her skirt rose up to the lace at the top of her stockings.

When class finished, we confirmed 6 PM at her chosen spot in the library. We made small talk for a few minutes, about our classes and our shared major. Molly had one more class to attend, so we said goodbye and went our separate ways. 

I returned to the dorm to eat before taking a nap, setting an alarm with just enough time to shower and shave before I had to leave to meet Molly. 

Even approaching 6 PM, the campus was well lit by all of the camera lights. I received only one request for an interview, which I politely declined. The accident scene had been cleared and re-opened, but the road was still closed as a crowd filled the intersection, some preachers warning of end-times, some people were lighting candles, and others were gathered in groups, talking or praying. 

I slowed as I passed, taking in the scene. The preachers were talking about divine intervention, and guardian angels. I wanted to laugh at them, or tell them they were barking up the wrong tree, but I simply walked past. 

I continued on to the library where I found Molly and her roommate, who introduced herself as Candace. Candace seemed sweet, but I could tell that she was a last minute invite, and didn't want to be there. She wasn't grumpy, in fact, she gave me several knowing looks which suggested that she and Molly had talked about me beforehand. 

Molly hadn't changed out of her earlier outfit, and looked flawless. Candace on the other hand, was wearing sweats, and had her hair sloppily tied up. She wore no makeup, and I was guessing that she was there as a favor to Molly, and not for academic help, or social time.

Molly stood to look over at my notes, and her green blouse fell open with gravity. Deep cleavage ran down to a black lace bra. I looked up at her face, and could see Molly smiling slightly, trying to catch me looking in her peripheral vision. She was exposing herself on purpose, and I felt a stirring of lust for this woman. 

It was early in the semester, so our notes were short and took little time to compare. We went through the problems in the textbook, and before long, there was nothing else to discuss, not that I could concentrate anyways. Candace excused herself as Molly and I switched to calculus, where I had clearly fallen behind even so little time into the semester.

When I felt that Molly had brought me up to speed, or had given me enough to look into on my own time, I couldn't stand not knowing any longer. 

"So... did you tell Candace?" I asked.

Molly looked up from her notes, fighting a slight smile. "Tell her what?"

"That you were there? At the 'miracle'?" I said a little too loudly, then in a low whisper "That you witnessed it? That you have a theory about what happened?"

Molly lost her battle against her smile, and she flashed her perfect teeth. "No. I haven't told anyone. I figured it's not my secret to tell, though I would like to hear the whole story." I stared at her. I had thought she would be a problem; that she might try to use her knowledge against me in some way. Instead, she offered discretion and honesty, and looking into her soulful eyes, I believed her. I found myself re-evaluating this sexy woman. 

I tried changing the subject. "So, the linear regression problems from the second chapter, what did you get for the first one?"

"Please don't change the subject. I understand that you aren't ready now. Do you think maybe third date you can explain it to me?"

Her eyes were begging, and she looked so sweet sitting across the table from me. I almost caved and told her everything, but at the last minute changed direction.

"Sure. By the third date I'll tell you what I know." I said. She smiled warmly at me, excitement flashing in her green eyes. "But since you still haven't agreed to let me take you on a first date, you might have to wait a while."

"Just tell me where and when." She said, excitement building in her smile. 

I was surprised, but I actually wanted to go, I wanted to tell her my secret. It had been eating at me for so long, never telling anyone. I knew that I must be crazy to trust this woman, but something in her eyes made me feel calm, safe, like I could tell her anything. Like she could be trusted.

"How about now?" I asked. "Have you eaten?" 

"Yeah, a while ago. Coffee?" She offered.

"I know its cold out, but I have a craving for ice cream." I responded with a smile. Molly readily agreed. 

We both gathered our scattered notes and books and packed them up. I absently reached for her as we left for the elevator. It was a reflex leftover from my time with my ex, Sarah. Molly pounced on the opportunity and held my hand as we left the library and headed off-campus for an ice cream shop. 

We were the only customers at 8PM on a Tuesday in February, and the shop workers seemed surprised to see us. They had specials on the blackboard behind the counter, and all had something to do with the campus 'miracle.' I had the 'near-death-by-chocolate,' and Molly finally chose the 'Guardian-angel-food-cake batter" over the 'banana-split-second.'

Molly and I took a booth as far away from the workers as we could get, and sat slowly eating our ice cream. 

"Well, the food is better, and not one first responder in site." I joked. "I guess this can officially be our first date."

"I can't wait to get number two out of the way." Molly said, picking at her ice cream.

"Why? What happens on number three?" I asked with a wink.

Molly smirked up at me, but I could tell that she was bothered. She had kept her silence for my sake, and I knew that it was taking its toll on her. I respected the trust that she put in me, and the respect that she showed by not even telling her roommate. I decided to tell her everything. The big green eyes pleading with me didn't hurt her case.

"Molly, what I'm about to tell you... I've never told another soul. Not my parents, best friend, priest in confession or my brother." Molly's eyes lifted, and the spark of excitement was back in them.

"When I was in middle school, around the time puberty hit, I sometimes noticed that when my mind wandered, that the world would just stop. I mean everything froze." I watched her face to see that she was getting it.

"Over time, I learned to control that switch in my mind that let me stop and start time moving. At age 14, I thought I was going to be a superhero. I actually went out one night looking for crimes in progress to stop. I wandered around for hours, and never saw so much as a broken tail light. It was dark and quiet and peaceful."

Molly smiled at my youthful ambitions. I knew she wouldn't smile at the next part, but I had to tell her. 

"My brother and I grew up in a Catholic household. We weren't allowed to have a computer, since our parents thought that the internet was only for porn and child predators. In eighth grade, I froze time, and started sneaking into the girl's locker room after gym class." I expected Molly's smile to fall, but there was humor in her eyes, not the judgement I expected.

"I always expected to see something like the shower scene from 'Porky's,' but I usually saw less skin than I might have seen at a public pool. Even so, I was a voyeur, and I was hooked. I would freeze a moment and walk through, then leave and freeze another moment. 

"Eventually, I needed a bigger rush. The girls never showered, and there was this little half wall down in the showers. The room was dark, so I hid there and let time start again so I could watch them moving. It was probably the second or third time that I did that when I heard my name. I looked and one of my classmates had spotted me and recognized me. 

"I immediately stopped time again and ran out of there. I was in the boy's locker room a heartbeat later. None of the other girls saw me, and they made fun of the girl who did. They teased her that she must have had a crush on me. In private, she called me a pervert, and she was right. She never forgave me, and I never asked her to. 

"I had used my powers for evil, and I've never been more ashamed of anything in my life. I cried for almost a week straight. I was going to be a superhero, and turned out to be nothing more than a big pervert." I stopped, remembering the shame that I had felt in that moment.

There was sympathy in Molly's green eyes, and she laid her hand on my arm. "I can't say I would have done anything different in your place. I used to try to sneak peeks into the boy's locker room in high school." She said that last part with an embarrassed little smirk. "And you were a hormonal little boy who was denied access to spank material. Of course you went seeking it yourself."

Molly got more animated defending my indefensible actions. "In fact, I guarantee you that if you gave the same power to 100 guys, 99 of them would do exactly what you did. Probably only 95% of women would, though."

I gave Molly a little smile at her kind words, and she said "I'd love to see how your magic works sometime if you can show me..."

"No!" I shouted a bit too loudly, pulling away from her touch. Molly withdrew, startled, and I apologized, then continued. "The second thing that happened was that same year. I barely ever stopped time anymore at that point, but I was holding my hamster. His name was Ted, and I'd had him about a year. 

"I stopped time while I was holding him, and I put him back in his frozen cage. I was surprised that he was awake in the moment with me. I watched him run on his little wheel and I gave him food and water, then I restarted time. 

"In that instant, Ted disappeared. All of his food and water were gone, but there was never a body. I stopped and started time over and over again, but he never re-appeared in his cage, or anywhere else. He just vanished.

"I've spent the last 5 years thinking about that moment, and what must have happened. I think Ted lived for several weeks frozen in that moment in time. He had a lot of food and water, but eventually it ran out, and he died. The molecules in his body kept on vibrating, and the bacteria in his body broke him down until they themselves became dead molecules, which broke apart into atoms. 

"Those atoms spent an eternity in that frozen moment until they released into entropy and fizzled out. Literally infinite time passed in that one moment, and by the time I realized he was gone, a heartbeat later, his body had already long since passed beyond this world.

"I have no idea what the ramifications are for what I can do. What if I accidentally took something through with me that could end the world, or that could hurt people. I didn't and don't understand how it works, and I don't even know if it's safe. I could never take a fellow traveler though with me. I swore that I would never use those powers again, for any reason. I've broken that promise twice in five years."

Molly looked up from her ice cream. "Yesterday was one? When was the other?"

"It's not a good story." I replied, my face turning red. Molly's eyes told me that she wasn't going to quit until I gave up the juicy details. I held out for almost a minute while Molly tortured me with her silent stare, a slight smirk on her face.

"Fine, but it's really embarrassing." I said, and Molly broke into her endearing smile. "It was the night of my prom, junior year. I had been dating Caitlin for a few weeks, and she was my date. I spent almost my entire savings - Tux, limo, flowers... you name it. We were both virgins, and we had this agreement that we wanted each other to be our first on prom night." Molly smiled and nodded. 

"The day of the prom rolls around, and I get sick. I'm doubled over in pain with terrible evil coming out of both ends. By the time the limo is supposed to pick me up, I'm feeling a little better, so I decide to go. We were sitting at dinner when I feel some gas coming on. 

"I tried to let it out silently, and..." Molly's eyebrows raised.

"Really?" She asked.

"Yup. Crapped my pants at dinner on prom night." Molly burst out laughing, and I continued, unable to stop the smile on my face "I was so embarrassed that I froze time, walked all the way back to my house, changed, took a long nap, let the sickness run its course. When I started to feel better, I got dressed again, walked all the way back to the restaurant and sat back down like nothing had happened, even though it had been almost 24 hours for me.

"For Caitlin, nothing had happened. She commented that I had been looking a little pale earlier in the night, and that I looked better. She chocked it up to nerves, and was none the wiser."

"So?" Molly asked, still smiling. "Did you wind up getting lucky that night?" I blushed and she could tell, but just smiled at my discomfort. "I lost my V-card on junior prom night too. Girls always talk about how painful and awkward their first time was for them. I thought it was the greatest thing I had ever done. It was like my first taste of a drug, and I instantly wanted more. It was like I..." Molly trailed off. "Sorry. I sometimes forget women's sexuality can make men uncomfortable." I realized I was staring with an open mouth.

"No... um... I'm not uncomfortable. I just..." I realized I was spluttering and took a deep breath. "I've never heard a woman talk like that before. It's refreshing, and honestly, really sexy." Molly smiled shyly and picked at her ice cream.

"So, you lost it on prom night. How was it?" She asked, once again meeting my eyes, amusement playing in her eyes.

"Just about the opposite of yours. There was pain, blood, crying, several false starts, and guilty hurt feelings all around. She broke up with me the next week at school." I said. Molly reached her hand across the table and took mine. There was sympathy in her eyes, along with a hint of amusement.

"But it got better after that." I tried to lift the mood. "I was back in that saddle within a month with a new girlfriend, and have improved greatly since then."

"But you don't have a girlfriend right now?" Molly asked, already knowing the answer.

"I wouldn't be out on a date with you right now if I did." I replied. Molly just stared, waiting for more. "I was dating Sarah since our last month of high school. We tried the long distance thing, and we drove to see each other every weekend that we had free. 

"After Christmas, we agreed that our long-distance relationship was killing our social life and wasn't making either of us truly happy. We both agreed to split and move on with our lives. No big breakup, and no hard feelings."

"Were you in love with her?" Molly asked. Her question surprised me, but I decided to answer it anyway.

"I don't think so. We talked every night and I thought about her a lot, but it was surprisingly easy to let her go. We still text sometimes, but if it was love, I don't think I would be feeling so free of her right now." I finished. Molly tried to hide her smile at that, but I could still see it in her eyes. 

"How about you? How is it that you are on the market? You're a fun and beautiful woman, I'd think you'd be getting asked out every time you leave the house." I hoped I wasn't laying it on too thick, but she blushed at my compliment.

"Thanks. I guess I'm just picky..." She trailed off. "Actually... I know it's not how women are supposed to act, but I love being the pursuer in a relationship. If you had followed me from class the way I followed you, I would have told you to take a hike. I just love being in control of who I date. So yeah, I do get asked out a lot, but unless I'm already after the guy, the usual tricks don't work for me."

"You're like a modern day Sadie Hawkins." I said.

"You know that there was never a real Sadie Hawkins, right? Sadie Hawkins day was a concept made up for a comic strip. I prefer to think of myself as being a feminist." She said. I felt her hand grip mine tighter as I sat back. "Don't worry, I'm not some bra-burning, man-hating femi-nazi. I just think it's funny how most women see themselves as feminists, equals to men in every respect, but when it comes to dating and relationships, they fall back on the old cultural norms of waiting for a man to make the first move. 

"When I was in high school, I started pursuing the guys that I was interested in, and while all of my friends thought I was some sort of wanton slut, I had a date whenever I wanted with a guy that I liked. You can't argue with results." She finished, a satisfied smile on her face.

"So that's what I am? A guy you were interested in? You were pursuing me even before you knew about my..." I waved my fingers in imitation of a wizard casting a spell. 

"I told you I was following you to talk to you about a study group. I didn't expect..." She leaned in and whispered, casting a glance at a couple who had just walked in the door. "You to have powers. I thinks it's really amazing that you saved those 17 people, even knowing the danger. But yeah, I was interested in you before. I just didn't expect to be sitting here on date number three in just over..." She looked at her watch "32 hours."




Suck in the Moment Ch. 01



"Hey!" I said loudly, but still smiled "This is our first date. The lunch and study group didn't count." 

"Well, you promised me information on the third date, and you delivered... besides, you do know what happens on the third date, right?" Molly raised one eyebrow, and gave me a little wink with a smile. 

"Check please!" I called out to no one in particular, as we had already paid. Molly laughed.

We stood and stepped outside. "So, your place or mine?" Molly asked me as she pulled my arm around her and cuddled in against me for warmth. The night was cold, and Molly was cold, so I unzipped my hooded sweatshirt and wrapped it around her. 

"My roommates are going to be there, so unless you want the awkwardness of meeting them, we'll have to do your place or find a third option." I said.

"Candace is getting picked up for a sorority thing around 9:30 tonight. If you can be a little patient, we can use my dorm room." Molly said hopefully. 

We walked back on campus, past all of the activity, and I offered to buy her a hot cocoa at the student center to warm her up while we waited for her room to be empty. 

The lounge area was a little less crowded when we sat down with our cocoas in the plush chairs. The news was still on the campus, and the volume was turned up on one of the national news outlets. Molly excused herself to go use the bathroom, and I turned to watch.

"I'm speaking with blogger and amateur journalist Michael Greenleaf on the subject of the 'campus miracle' that has so captivated the nation's attention. Now, Mr. Greenleaf, you claim that there are five cameras that should have been in position to capture the action yesterday, but we have only seen footage from three of those cameras." The reporter welcomed her guest.

The blogger suggested the crash was captured by two more cameras, and that the government was sitting on the footage, releasing only what they wanted the public to see. 

The two argued about information being withheld from the public. The journalist called the blogger a conspiracy theorist, and the blogger attacked the journalist's ethics and credibility. 

The 24-hour news station showed the location of the 5 cameras. Looping gifs were overlaid on the map over those camera's location. The two missing cameras were shown with a map of the accident, and arrows showing where they had been pointing. Molly and I had likely been seen by those two cameras when I froze time.

Molly just looked at me as she returned from the bathroom. She could tell that something was wrong by the look on my face. I held her hand, as I stood up.

"Come on." I told her. "This crap will rot your brain." Motioning at the TV screens. My mind was racing, as we went down the stairs headed for a quiet lounge area. On the way we passed the health office. The information window was shut, but Molly grabbed a handful of condoms from a basket on the counter outside, shoving them into her purse. She looked up at me and smiled.

"What?" She said "A girl can dream!" I laughed and took her hand. We found the lounge area empty except for a young man playing on a piano and a pair of women with notes spread out on the couch around them. We took a seat against the window where no one could hear our conversation. My mind was trying to figure out who might have seen me. Was my hood enough to protect my identity? Had Molly been recorded running after me?

Molly interrupted me from my thoughts: "So you've just sat on this ability for the last five years, not using it more than once? I can't imagine the self-control that must have taken." She said admiringly.

"Not really. I just kind of... built a mental wall around the switch. I don't even think about it most days. I wanted a normal life, with normal friends who like me for being me. With this... thing, locked away, it doesn't factor into who I am. I can be Travis Anderson - engineering nerd." 

"Just so you know, it's that engineering nerd that I was chasing the other day, and the engineering nerd that I'm taking to bed tonight." She looked up at me expectantly. I nodded. "I will still admit to some curiosity, though. 

"So you've really never told anyone about what you can do? Why not your parents at the very least?" She asked.

"I was going through puberty when it started. That's kind of the age where you stop telling your parents what's going on in your life, and especially what your body is doing. When I started using it to..." 

"Spy on girls?" Molly offered up.

"Yeah... I was so ashamed, and I knew my parents would disown me if they found out about that. My brother and I were never that close, and eventually I decided that it was safer to stop using it and pretend that it wasn't a part of me than to admit it to anyone."

"What did you tell your parents about your hamster?" She asked, concern in her voice.

"I told them that I took him outside and he ran into a bush. We looked for him for an hour, and they grounded me for a week being so irresponsible. I got off easy." I said. Molly squeezed my hand, sympathy and concern on her face.

"What's it like? I mean is it like in the movies when time stops, like the matrix?" She asked, excitement in her voice. 

"Visually, kind of. You can't see the air currents, but can see the droplets of water in the air, and people and animals frozen in action poses, that part matches. Honestly, while I'm in there, it feels sterile. The air doesn't move, though you can breathe it. It doesn't really smell like anything. There's no sensation of hot or cold. I could grab a red hot poker without a burn, or handle dry ice. They'd feel no different from a room temperature object.

"In a way, it's a little like being out alone at night, when the world is asleep. It can be peaceful for a while, but eventually you get the feeling that you don't belong there. While I was recovering for my prom night, if I hadn't been sick and sleeping, I would have gone crazy from the still silence of it all." I said.

"So, I get why there are no noises, but can you make noise?" Molly asked. "Like if you throw something, can you hear it hit a wall?

"Yeah, I can put my energy into something, and it will dissipate as sound waves through the air." I replied.

"So when you took your hamster through, let's say you 'activated' him." Molly used finger quotes as she said the word. "Can you 'activate' things inside, like air or food?"

"I think so..." I said. I've never run any experiments or anything, but I have to imagine that I did activate some molecules of what I've touched."

Molly asked more and more questions about details, and even suggested some experiments she wanted me to try. I reminded her that I didn't use my powers, and would be happy to never use them again. I certainly wasn't about to risk some unforeseen consequences.

"I know you have a rule. I would love to see it, though. If you froze time and we went outside, it wouldn't be so cold? She asked. I nodded. "We wouldn't have to wait for Candace to leave. We could do it on the grass in the middle of the cameras, and they'd never see us." There was more than just excitement in this fantasy of hers, Molly's breath was heavy with lust.

"We could do it in every classroom on campus... on the bar in the student center... we could fuck on a crowded dance floor while everyone else is frozen mid-step." Molly's breath was heavy now, and I could see the blush creeping down her neck and onto her chest. 

This fantasy was driving her wild, and I could see her hips swiveling slightly. "I bet we could get into the police station, and do it in lockup, or in the student rec center while everyone is frozen on their treadmills... we could go do it in the locker rooms with naked people all around us, oblivious of our presence..." and then she looked up at me, her fantasy broken. "I'm sorry. I know that you still feel that what you did was wrong. I shouldn't have brought that up. I was just thinking out loud and I..."

"It's fine." I reassured her. "It's all academic anyway. No matter how much I want to give you your fantasies, it just isn't worth the risk. For either of us." Molly tried to hide her disappointment, but it was clear on her face.

Just then my phone chimed. I checked the text message, and saw that it was from Lee:

"After 9, and still not home 'studying' going well?"

I responded with "Don't wait up."

Lee replied a minute later with "Atta boy! Git some!" I smiled, but didn't reply.

"It's close enough to 9:30 if you still want me to take you home?" I offered. Molly's face lit up and she jumped to her feet, dragging me with her.

We walked briskly past reporters who were trying to squeeze one more interview in before the end of the night. We were asked twice, and Molly declined for both of us. 

"That's the fifth time I've been asked for an interview." I said.

"Really? I lost count at 25." She responded. 

"They're just trying to increase the sex appeal of the story by interviewing the prettiest girls on campus. I bet you broke a few hearts when you declined." I said.

"I'm already a sure thing, you don't have to butter me up." She responded with a smile, and then in a lower voice, almost a whisper, "But please don't stop."

We talked about her family on the walk to her dorm. She was an only child, with divorced parents. They stayed in the same town, and she spent time with both growing up. She had a half-sister from her father, but she was 7 years younger, and had just started middle school this year.

As we found our way to Molly's dorm room, we saw Candace on her way out with some of her sorority sisters. She still wore sweats with no makeup, which Molly explained was an image exercise where they get tips on makeup and clothes, and had to show up bare-faced and ready to change. 

Molly showed me into her room. I walked in first, and the door slammed behind me, like a springing trap. I turned just in time to see Molly launch herself into my arms. She couldn't get her legs spread enough to wrap them around my waist because her pencil skirt was too tight, so she hiked it up and tried again.

The second time she was successful, wrapping me up in arms and legs, and crushing her mouth to mine. I could taste lip gloss as my tongue tentatively licked her lips, but then they parted, and her tongue met mine. We explored one another's mouths and tongues for what felt like an eternity. Her mouth was sweet, warm and wet. 

Molly's hands moved from their position behind my neck, and she explored my arms and shoulders, breathing heavy as she marveled at what she found. She wiggled out of my arms, and removed my sweatshirt from her body, but leaving the green shirt on. 

"Make yourself comfortable, I'll be right back." She said, and she slipped out the door, latching it behind her. I looked around the room. It was tasteful and feminine. It smelled good, and I realized that I could smell Molly's natural scent in the air mixed with another person's. I put my nose to Molly's pillow to enjoy just her smell for a few moments. 

I kicked off my shoes and socks, since there is no sexy way to take those off, and no man looks good in nothing but socks. I left everything else on, and looked at the pictures tacked to a corkboard on Molly's closet door. There were separate pictures of her with a woman that must have been her mother, and a man that must have been her father. 

There were 4 poster-sized paintings on the wall above her bed, and I noticed that they were all signed M. McG. They were beautiful - colorful and abstract, but clearly well thought-out, with repeating patterns and straight lines. 

Molly returned as I was admiring the paintings. 

"These are beautiful. Yours?" I asked.

"Yeah, art was going to be my backup plan if engineering doesn't work." She replied modestly.

"You certainly have the talent for it." I said.

"Thanks." She replied, and shimmied out of her pencil skirt. She wore garters to hold up her stockings, and I was stunned at the sight of the gorgeous woman before me. She made a show of lifting the hem of her shirt up slowly, revealing inch after inch of her taut stomach, continuing until her shirt was only around her arms, held high above her head.

She wore a black lace bra, which matched a black lace thong. When she threw aside her shirt, she stood with hands on her hips. "Don't stay dressed on my account." She said with a smile. 

I was kneeling on the bed, and tore my shirt off over my head in a single, smooth motion.

"Nice." She said, scrunching up her nose. It was an adorable gesture on her, but lasted only a moment, as her smile returned.

"Not so bad yourself." I replied. 

"Oh good. I was going for 'not so bad'." She said with a playful smirk.

"I would have guessed you were aiming for captivating, breathtaking and incomparable. You hit your mark perfectly." I said as I unbuttoned my jeans and slid them down. My erection had been straining against my left leg, and it felt great as it sprung free and tented my boxer-briefs. 

Molly closed the space in between us with a single step, her eyes on the pole standing horizontal, straining to be free from the last fabric holding it prisoner.

"Is this for me?" Molly asked, gripping it through the fabric. She took my sharp intake as a 'yes.' 

"You're not going to make me wait to open my present, are you?" She asked, looking me in the eye as she licked her lips, her grip tightening around my length. "We could go on two more dates if it would make you feel..." She stroked me hard. "...better." 

I tried to play it cool with a "Be my guest." But my breathing gave away the effect she was having on me.

With teasing fingers, Molly walked her way into the waistband of my remaining garment, and yanked it down, giving a little giggle as my cock sprung free. 

"Ooh! You've got a nice dick." She said, wrapping her fingers around it, and giving it a lick from base to crown. When she reached the tip, Molly gave it a little kiss, then sucked just the head into her mouth. 

"Baby, you're just vibrating with energy here." She said, pulling her mouth off. "Let me take care of this, and then you'll last longer when we get to the really fun part."

Molly sucked me far back into her mouth, then took her hand off of me. She pushed her head forward until I could feel pressure at the back of her throat, before she backed off. Her hands found my feet, then slowly, sensually massaged up my legs, pausing on my calves. She continued up until both hands were on my ass, where she squeezed a handful, and pulled me forward into her.

Her thumbs moved to my hips, and provided just enough pressure to push me away before she slammed me into her again and again. My fingers found their way to her fiery red hair, and I combed them through her soft, cool locks. 

"Mmm." She moaned, her mouth full. She looked up into my eyes and couldn't help but smile up at me. She kept pushing and pulling me, increasing the rhythm as I tightened my grasp on her head. I could feel my climax building, and I warned her as it started. Molly pushed me as far back in her throat as she could manage, holding her breath as my seed flowed down her throat.

When she finally let me out of her mouth, there were tears in her eyes, but a giant smile on her face.

"That was amazing. I've never experienced anything like that, and you looked so good doing it." I told her honestly, Molly's smile just grew.

"I'm like that kitty that got your cream." She giggled.

Molly pushed me onto her bed, and climbed on top of me, kissing my chest and nipples, while rubbing her thong-clad crotch up and down my naked thigh. I kept running my fingers through her hair, marveling at just how soft and perfect it felt, and enjoying the way the low light shone off it.

When I began to harden once again, Molly sat up, and without a word, turned around and released her bra clasp so that I could see the motion. With her back to me, she kicked off her high heels, rolled down her stockings, and then slowly shimmied out of her thong.

She turned around agonizingly slowly. Her hands ran up through her hair, spreading the long red locks across her shoulders. Her breasts were the first thing to come into view as she turned. Small, pink nipples stood proudly at attention on perfect round orbs. Her cup size appeared to be somewhere between a large C and small D. They looked out of proportion to her long lean frame, but were clearly natural.

Molly stalked over to me, wearing only her necklace and a smile. She stopped just before she reached the bed, picking up a condom out of her purse on the ground. She climbed on top of me, straddling me, then leaned forward, bringing my hands up to her breasts. I was so mesmerized that I had forgotten to touch her, or maybe I was afraid that she wasn't real, and was afraid to break out of this dream.

Molly rolled the condom onto me while I kneaded her breasts, gently pulling and twisting the nipples, which got several approving gasps. Molly sat forward, bringing her breasts to my face. I indulged her by sucking one nipple into my mouth as I squeezed the other. 

"Ready?" She asked, when I could feel her position me at her opening. I nodded, and she pulled back her head to watch my face as she slowly sunk down on my length, taking me in slowly. The need and joy in her eyes as they stared into mine was unlike anything I had ever experienced. Molly described her first experience with sex as being like a drug. She was sharing that drug with me, and like her, I was hooked. I wanted to feel exactly like this for the rest of my life.

"You okay?" She panted as she bottomed out.

"Never been better in my life." I breathed out. "Literally. I've never felt this good." That earned me a smile from Molly who slowly started swiveling her hips. 

"I've never been with a guy who fills me up the way you do. It's like it's hitting every spot perfectly." Molly began moving forward and back, rocking her hips, and riding me. "If you decide that you never want to do this again after tonight, you have to at least promise to let me make a dildo mold of your dick." She gasped and closed her eyes, little fluttering tremors gripping my cock. 

"Trust me, I'll be back for more." I assured her. "I think you just got me hooked on your drug." She smiled down, before leaning in for a sweet kiss.

Molly rocked and bounced on top for what seemed like an hour while we kissed and explored each other with hands, lips and tongues, though it was probably only 15 minutes.

"Travis, I need..." She gasped. I understood what she needed, and flipped her over, immediately pounding into her from above while her legs wrapped around my waist.

"Oh, god yes!" Molly cried out. "Just like that, just like... Oh god, I'm cumming!" Molly's pussy clamped around my cock, almost squeezing it out. I kept pushing back and forth at the same pace while Molly squealed through her orgasm. There was a pounding on the wall from the neighbors, and Molly clamped a hand over her mouth, giggling. 

I kept moving, slowing my pace as Molly enjoyed the aftershocks of her orgasm. 

"You didn't come?" She asked.

"No, I was too busy enjoying yours." I replied.

"Maybe I shouldn't have given you the blowjob. If you don't finish soon, I'll be too worn out for round two." She said as she sucked my lower lip in her mouth and bit it. "...or round three..." bite "...or round 4." She sucked on my top lip, but only licked it.

"Alright, but if I'm going to finish, I want to see you come again like that." I said with a smile. 

"Deal, but maybe remind me not to be so loud this time?" Molly whispered.

I began pumping my hips into her again, hard but shallow, and I could feel the tension building in her body. I buried my face in the crook of her neck, inhaling the intoxicating fragrance of Molly's hair. Putting my weight on my forehead and knees, I moved my hands down to the smooth globes of her ass, gripping them tightly as I fucked her with everything I had.




Suck in the Moment Ch. 01



I could feel my climax approaching as hers hit, and the feeling of her wet pussy, clamping on my cock pushed me past the point of no return. I groaned into the pillow and her hair as she fought to stay silent, failing with little panting moans as she bit down on my ears and neck.

I rolled off of her, and lay on my back. Molly cuddled up, laying her head on my shoulder and running her fingertips through the dark patch of hair on my chest. We both lay panting for a while, catching our breath before Molly jumped up and offered me a bottle of water, taking one for herself. I accepted, drinking nearly half the bottle in one gulp. 

The water in my belly immediately made me have to pee, but Molly curling up on my side felt better, and I decided it could wait. 

"Seriously." Molly said. "I have a business proposition for you." She turned her head to look up at me, mischief in her eyes. "Dildos cast from your penis. Make them in all different colors, some with vibration, and some without. I'll take one of everything." 

We laughed together, until I really had to pee. I asked her for the bathroom, and she told me that I would have to go to the men's bathroom down the hall, and across the stairwell form the women's hallway. Conveniently, she happened to know the passcode to get me into their bathroom. 

I wrapped the condom in a tissue and pulled on my underwear, jeans and T-shirt to cross the hall. Molly's dorm didn't have private bathrooms like mine, and I was glad I was dressed as a couple of guys were throwing a football down the hall as I passed on my way to the bathroom. 

I relieved myself, then freshened up down below with some wet paper towels before heading back to Molly's room. I opened the door to the girl's hall when I noticed two men in suits knocking on Molly's door. Molly opened the door, and I could see the men show her something in their wallets.

"Molly McGuiness? We need you to come with us." The older of the two men said.

I slunk back and slowly closed the door.



Suck in the Moment Ch. 02



It looks like this was the best liked of the three stories, so it gets a chapter 2 first. If chapter 2 is well-liked I will work on a final chapter to be submitted in the next few weeks.

***

I opened the door to the girl's hall when I noticed two men in suits knocking on Molly's door. Molly opened the door, and I could see the men show her something in their wallets.

"Molly McGuiness? We need you to come with us." The older of the two men said.

I slunk back and slowly closed the door.

I looked around. There were no security cameras in the hallway of the dorms. I could hear guys throwing a football on the other side of the door to the men's hall, but I couldn't see them and they couldn't see me. 

I reached for that switch in my head. The one that froze time. The one that I had promised myself not to touch. I touched it, and the world went quiet. The air became thick and sterile; the sudden loss of the combined smell of 100 teenagers living in close quarters was jarring.

I pushed the door open, walking through. I approached Molly and the two men. Their wallets were still in their hands, and I lifted the flap to look. The older, taller Man's ID listed him as special agent Anthony Ellison of the FBI. The younger, shorter man's wallet showed he was special agent Nicholas Margolis of the FBI.

I rummaged through their pockets, finding a second wallet and a smartphone on each man. They each carried a gun and handcuffs under their suit jackets. 

I opened Anthony Ellison's wallet first. There was a Virginia driver's license with an old picture of the frozen man. I put his belongings back, and checked Special agent Margolis's California Driver's license. He was younger than Agent Ellison, and shorter. Both men's personal IDs matched their professional credentials. I believed that they were who they said they were. 

That gave me pause, though. As far as I knew, I hadn't committed a crime, so why were the FBI here? I thought about the security camera angles that hadn't been released to the public. I guessed that the cameras would have seen Molly well enough to identify her. The FBI must be here to interview Molly, since she had been chasing me, and I disappeared. Anyone watching a video of Molly's actions that morning would guess that she had seen and knew more than she had told anybody.

I thought about giving myself up, promising to cooperate with whatever they wanted as long as they left Molly alone. Then I started thinking about what they could possibly want from me. Nothing good, I was sure. The only two possibilities were that they wanted to stop me, or use me... Unless maybe there were more people out there with powers.

I decided to let this play out, to follow along, let Molly deal with them while I tried to eavesdrop and gather as much information as I could. I needed to let Molly know not to worry, that I would help her.

I pushed my way past Molly, who was frozen with an expression of worry and concern on her face. She had quickly thrown on flannel pajamas, and I could tell that she wore no bra. Her feet were bare, and she would have to go back in her room for shoes and a jacket. 

Inside her dorm room, I found my shoes and socks, and my sweatshirt. I finished getting dressed, and looked around for paper and a pen. I found them on Candace's desk. I wrote Molly a short note in big letters. 

'I'm with you. Don't worry. -T'

I wrapped the letter up in Molly's hand, and closed her fingers over the paper. She would find it when time restarted. 

I briefly considered moving Molly away, carrying her away, and ending the interview before it started. The FBI had her name, though. They knew where she lived. Molly's life was about to be turned upside down because of me. There was no way around this, but through. I needed to know how much they knew. I needed to put Molly's life back in order, and find out what they wanted with her. 

My best guess was that they were using her to get to me. My face must have been hidden on the security cameras, but Molly had been recognizable. She watched me disappear, and then she ran after me. They assumed that she knew what happened with the bus crash and the miracle, and that she was going to give them answers. I would make sure that Molly was away before she was forced to tell them anything.

I slunk down to the end of the hall and looked out a window. There was a big black SUV, a Chevy Suburban, parked at the entrance to the dorm with the motor running. I restarted time and slipped into the men's hallway, where the guys were still throwing the football and talking. I listened as Molly was led out the door, and then ran to the window. 

I froze time again after the doors were opened, and as Molly first climbed inside the black SUV. I ran outside and slipped past Molly, frozen as she put her weight on the seat, and I climbed into the back end of the SUV. 

There was a box of rubber gloves in the trunk, which I reached into, and took two out, covering my hands so that I wouldn't leave any fingerprints. I lay down on a pile of gear and clothing, pulling an FBI windbreaker over myself, and then I let time start up again.

It got colder in the back of the car as the other rear door opened, and I could feel the weight in the SUV shifting as Molly sat in the middle seat, and the agents got in on either side of her. The doors shut, and the driver pulled away from the dorms going fast.

"Can I at least ask what this is about?" Molly asked aloud. There was no response from the two agents on either side of her. 

The car drove in silence for about 10 minutes, and Molly, knowing that she would get nothing until they arrived at their destination, remained silent. There were dim yellow lights outside, and I could tell that we were in a parking garage. The doors opened, and I could feel the stale air of the parking garage fill the back seat. 

I once again reached for that switch inside my head, and flipped it. The world around me seized up, and I was once again alone with the statues. 

Something happened that I had never felt before... well, maybe I had felt it, but not noticed. I was lying on a pile of gear, and under the jackets. I could feel them, or more accurately, it felt like there was a thin invisible thread connecting me to them. I could tell that they had been 'activated,' or maybe just brought through with me. I could feel the cloth, leather and plastic around me, warm and pliable, against the hard and unmoving frozen carpet. 

A small bubble of warm and fragrant air was trapped in front of my face. I could smell the sweat of the man who had been wearing it. I could feel around me, and even though I couldn't identify the objects that were touching me, I could tell what items were frozen in time. They felt different from the items which, like my hamster, Ted, had been brought through 'awake' with me. 

I knew that if I climbed out of the car and left them, that they would disappear like Ted had once time restarted. They would exist for an eternity within that frozen moment, until their molecules blinked out from existence. 

Still in contact with the items, I restarted time, and felt the items move back through with me. The agents were moving out of the car again, and Molly was with them, moving across the seat. I thought carefully about the things I was touching, and I could still feel them, in a way. I pushed the invisible threads that connected them to me away from my mind as I reached for the switch again. 

The world froze; the windbreaker jacket above me was once again stiff and frozen. There was no trapped air bubble of warm scent. I pushed the garment off my head, and arose, feeling again for the gear in the back of the SUV. 

My clothes were the only items touching me that weren't frozen with the rest of the world. I rose from the back end, pulling the stiff windbreaker with me as I climbed into the back seat and past Molly, who was accepting the hand of agent Margolis as he helped her out of the car. 

I looked around. The parking garage was small, only about two dozen parking spaces, of which roughly a third were empty. There were stairs and an elevator on one wall. The only other exit was the garage door through which the SUV had entered. There was a badge reader next to the door to the stairwell. 

I surveyed my frozen surroundings. Apart from Molly and the two agents, only the driver was in the garage with us. He had gotten out, and was walking ahead to the elevator. He was a handsome young man, also wearing a suit. I pulled out his wallet and checked his name. Special agent Jackson Willis of the FBI. They had sent an entire team to collect Molly. 

I looked in Agent Willis's hand and saw his wallet with the badge. He was headed for the elevator. I assumed that there was a card in his badge wallet that unlocked doors in the building. He would be using his badge, and notice if I stole it. I turned to agent Ellison. He was the oldest, and I assumed therefore that he would be senior, and have better access. I fished in his pocket and pulled out his badge. I found a card inside that looked like it would unlock doors. 

I put his wallet back, and looked around for cameras. There were six, and they had been wisely placed to offer no blind spots. I checked several cars and SUVs and found them locked, before I found an SUV that I could open, although with difficulty. I put the FBI windbreaker on, and climbed inside, closing the door. 

I thought briefly that I had broken my promise to myself more in the last hour than I had in the previous five years since I made it. I worried whether I was doing the right thing, using my power. I had made a mistake, and couldn't keep my secret without taking the risk of using my power. I also knew that I was using it to help Molly. She trusted me, and I had trusted her with my secret. I wasn't about to leave her to the FBI, and whatever they wanted from her.

I restarted time from the driver's seat of the SUV, watching as agent Willis ran ahead, pushing the elevator button. Agents Ellison and Margolis escorted Molly to the elevator behind him, and they all walked in. I watched the number as it ticked from G up to 1, then through to level 4 where it stopped. Molly was on the 4th floor.

I froze time, and walked up to the card reader. I didn't want the cameras to see me at all. I was going to be stealthier than a ninja. I wasn't going to give the cameras a clear view of my face, not even in a single frame. I wanted to scan the card without standing there. I returned to the car and found a rubber band on the floor in the back seat. 

The rubber band didn't want to stretch, but I was able to get it on the card reader and slide the card into the band. I slunk back to the car, and let time run again, just long enough to watch the light on the card reader turn green, and I heard the door click. I froze time again, and ran forward, taking the card and rubber band, and I opened the door.

I ran up 4 flights of stairs, and opened the door into the 4th floor office. Inside was not as flashy or decorated as I was led to believe an FBI office should be on TV. There were no glass walls with photos tacked up on boards. It looked like a small cubicle farm with some closed-door offices and doors labeled 'Interrogation Room 1' and 'Interrogation Room 2.' In between the two interrogation rooms was a room labeled 'Observation.' 

In 3 of the cubicles, two men and one woman were working at their computers. One man had a still of several security cameras. The woman had a dossier on Molly, complete with her picture, and a third man was playing Minesweeper on his computer, though he had a paper copy of the dossier on Molly.

I opened the door labeled 'Observation' and walked inside. There was a technician sitting behind a row of monitors, staring at a window into a room with a table and three chairs. 

I guessed that the window was actually a one way mirror. The opposite wall had a similar window into 'Interrogation Room 2', but the lights were off. The lights were low in the observation room I was in, and the room had no visible cameras. I found a dark corner behind a sofa where I could stand camouflaged in the black hoodie that I was wearing, and I dropped the FBI windbreaker on the floor, kicking it under the sofa. 

Convinced that I wouldn't be seen, I restarted time. I again felt a twinge of guilt about using my power so much. It was tiring in a way, like a muscle that I hadn't used in a long time. I knew that helping and watching out for Molly was a necessity, as was figuring out what the FBI knew about me and my abilities.

I watched as Agents Ellison and Willis escorted Molly into the room, indicating that she should take the single seat on one side of the table. 

The two men left, and entered the dark observation room with agent Margolis following. 

"How's she looking, Carter?" Agent Ellison asked the technician at the computers.

"Nervous. Hot, too." Said Carter, who was typing on a laptop in front of the screens.

"She is one hot little tamale." Agent Ellison admitted. "I don't get why she was chasing our mystery magician. He should have been chasing her." All four men laughed. 

"Ah, maybe he's gay. Maybe he's even better looking than her. Doesn't matter either way, the nerds in D.C. are taking him apart like the science project that he is." Agent Margolis joked. I could see a shiver of revulsion from agent Willis.

"I still say we keep him alive, see if we can get to know him. He did save those people on the bus. Maybe he doesn't deserve elimination. I mean, decades of chasing down supernatural leads, and we're actually going to ice the first one we find?" Willis asked.

That answered two questions for me. As far as the FBI knew, I was unique, and they had plans that didn't include my survival.

"This isn't a TV show." Agent Ellison spat. "Yeah, that guy has power, but he's sloppy. Even if we could control him, we'd always be looking over our shoulder. No, we put a dart in his neck, track where he teleports to, and collect him while he's sleeping. He'll never wake up. It's humane, and safest for everyone involved. We can't risk this guy on the run, and can't risk that he'll never turn against us or his country.

"You see the possibility for a superhero: Superman without the cape. I see a human being. Each and every one of us is capable of great and terrible things at the same time. What happens when he has a bad day, huh? What happens when someone pisses him off? What happens when he gets drunk or high? What if he decides he deserves more respect than he's getting? What if he decides he needs more money? 

"Maybe he could teleport all the gold out of Fort Knox before the first alarm goes off or he could rob any bank in the country, no guns or dye packs, just... poof..." Agent Ellison made a gesture with his hands. "And it's all his; we could never track him, never trace him. 

"You see people as good or evil, Willis. Give this job enough time, and you'll learn that every human, every one of us, is sitting on the edge of evil, of insanity. We're all flawed, dark beings wrapped in smiles and good intentions. What would it take to turn him into a serial killer or a terrorist? Power corrupts, and this guy is sitting on a truckload of power." 

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. These men, sworn law enforcement, had already tried and convicted me of a crime not yet committed, and the penalty was death. Suddenly, the deep guilt of using my power was replaced by a sense of self-preservation and anger. 

I would not become the supervillain that they thought I was capable of. I would, however, defend Molly and myself with my life. They would never dissect me in the lab, and I was willing to use every bit of power at my disposal to see that goal through. I cast away my old fears, and embraced the power I had.

The four men stood staring at Molly, watching her fidgeting nervously in the chair. Eventually, agent Ellison spoke. "Alright, I think she's sweated enough. Let's start this show. Willis I want you with me. Margolis, I want you ready to relay orders and information as we get it. And stay in touch over comms. As soon as we get a name, I want the HRT strike team on the road to his last location. We hit him hard and fast, dart him if we can, shoot to kill if he gets aggressive."

The three men left the room, and a moment later, Willis and Ellison appeared though the door in the interrogation room, and sat in the chairs across from Molly. I looked at the tech, sitting in the room with me. One of the monitors showed Molly in true color, and one seemed to show a heat map of her face. I guessed that this was some sort of lie detector setup.

Molly looked nervous. I froze time, and found a post-it note and pen on the tech's desk. I wanted to write her a novel, tell her about the conversation I had witnessed, and coach her about what to say. I decided to go with a simpler approach instead. I pulled off a single sheet and wrote 5 lines of a note in big block letters:

'I am watching. 

Don't trust them. 

I will follow your lead. 

Anything you need, just ask.

Keep them talking. -T'

I saw no easy path out of our situation. I could freeze time, grab Molly and run, but I doubted that would be a lasting solution. Giving myself up was no longer an option. I hoped that Molly could stonewall them, while asking questions that would get them talking, and find a lasting solution. 

I opened the door and walked into the bright interrogation room. One of Molly's hands was in her lap. I placed the note in her hand, then left, closing the door behind me, replacing the pen right where it had been, and returning to my dark corner. I tapped the switch in my head, and time started again.

I could see a little jolt from Molly, and her eyes cast down to the slip of paper in her hand. The agents didn't seem to notice. I watched the screen with the lie detector, and saw Molly's face grow warm. She couldn't hide just a little bit of a smile. 

Agent Ellison took out a small tablet and tapped on the screen a few times. He showed a video to Molly. She watched with interest, a new confidence on her beautiful face. 

"This is a video of the bus accident from yesterday morning. This is you right here." He pointed. "This figure in the black hooded sweatshirt disappears. It appears that you had been watching him, following him."

The video played for a few more minutes, and everyone was silent. I could hear the audio from the tablet as the crash occurred. 

"We have one more angle from another camera that shows you chasing the man in black between buildings before we lost you both in the crowd." Agent Willis said.

"I'm failing to see a crime here." Molly said with confidence. "Are you sure this is within the FBI's jurisdiction?" 

"Miss McGuiness..." Agent Ellison said with a sigh. "We're the FBI. Our jurisdiction is American soil, anywhere we want to go. As for whether or not this is a crime, you're right. By itself, teleporting 16 passengers off a doomed bus is not a crime. Our particular branch of the FBI is interested in identifying and containing people with supernatural abilities. 

"The man you were chasing, the man who somehow teleported 16 people out of a bus in the blink of an eye, can you use your imagination? Can you think what he would be capable of?" 

Molly gave a scoffing laugh. "No good deed goes unpunished, eh? You see a miracle, and you immediately think of the criminal potential of the person behind it?"

"We just need a name. The man in the black hoodie." Agent Willis pointed at the tablet. "We know that you know him, and we know that he caused... that he was responsible for teleporting the people off the bus and the man out of the car." 

"Are you talking about magic here? Seriously? Which one of you is agent Mulder and which one is Scully?" Molly gave a derisive laugh. "You're after some sort of guardian angel, for what? You think you can stop this person? Use them? Lock them up if you can't control them?" Molly asked. 




Suck in the Moment Ch. 02



"What happens to this person when we find him is none of your concern. We have reason to believe that he is in danger, and we need to protect him. Just give us his name, and we can make sure he stays safe." Agent Ellison offered in a patronizing tone. I bristled at the lie.

"I'm the one you were looking for." Molly lied. "I came with you out of good will, and to see what you wanted from me. You're treating me like I'm some sort of accomplice. It's like... because I'm woman that I can't be the guardian angel, there must be a man doing the real magic while I look pretty."

I felt the blood drain from my face in panic. Molly had just confessed to having a power that carried a death sentence, my power. I had thought that she could defuse the situation, talk her way out of it, or at least outlast them until they legally had to release her. Instead, she was digging the hole deeper. 

I knew at that moment that I had to follow her lead, trusting that she knew what she was doing. I had seen no solution, and even if Molly wasn't handling it how I wanted her to, she seemed to have the confidence which I lacked. 

The word 'lie' flashed across the computer screen, and Carter leaned into the microphone. "She's lying." He said softly. Agent Ellison reached up to tap the wire in his ear in acknowledgement.

"We know that's simply not true, Miss McGuiness. Even if it was, why would you chase a man, and then teleport him while you were teleporting 17 other strangers?"

"It is true! I moved him out of my way for personal reasons, and given that you aren't even listening to me, I don't think I need to explain myself to you. I am the one who teleported those people off the bus, and I can teleport out of here anytime I want. I'm only sticking around until I figure out what you want. 

"For example... If I wanted your wallets in my hands right now..." Molly held both palms up. 

The word 'lie' flashed across the thermal image of Molly again, and the tech leaned forward and spoke softly into a microphone "she's lying again." He said.

I stopped time, and slipped into the interrogation room. I fished both wallets out of their pockets and placed them in Molly's outstretched palms. I slipped back into the observation room, and restarted time.

"...then I'd have them." Molly said confidently, holding the agent's badges and personal wallets in the palms of her hands. She set them down, and opened one wallet. "Wow, that's an old photo, Agent Ellison." Molly smiled, opening the second wallet. "And agent Willis, you're only 26. You must be good to be an FBI agent at such a young age."

Both agents were silent. They faced away from me, but I imagined a dumbfounded stare on each of their faces. Molly dropped both wallets and badges to the table, and slid them across to their owners. 

"Now then, are you done underestimating me? I tried to be a good girl. I tried not to use my talents, but I couldn't let those people die. If you let me go, you can trust me to only use them for good, but if you are determined to make an enemy out of me... Well, you wouldn't like me as an enemy." 

I cringed as Molly antagonized the agents. I would have wished that she would try making peace with them, but then I remembered their plan for me. There would be no peace. I had promised to follow Molly's lead, and I would. 

Molly was enjoying the power play; there was a satisfied smirk on her face. I could tell from the lie detector that she was clearly flushed, but the tech was furiously trying to figure out how the malfunction had happened, since she clearly hadn't been lying. I froze time, and started unplugging cords to his monitor, and took the battery out of his wireless mouse, then restarted time. 

All of the tech's screens except the laptop went blank, though we still had audio. He started panicking, pressing buttons on the monitors, and hitting switches. "I don't have visual, she's doing something to my computers!" the tech cried into the microphone. 

Through the window, I could see agent Willis look at agent Ellison. The younger man seemed unsure of himself, but agent Ellison tapped his earpiece and then stood and straightened his suit. 

"Congratulations, Miss McGuiness, pickpocketing is a felony larceny charge, and since you stole from both of us, that's two counts. We can hold you overnight until we have to show you to a judge for a bond hearing." The man's voice was calm, and cruel.

"Pssht." Molly scoffed. "Are you absolutely sure this is the road you want to go down? I'll give you another chance to..." 

Agent Ellison took a step away from the table in an aggressive stance, and agent Willis followed his lead, standing between Molly and the door. 

"Resisting arrest, Miss McGuiness." Agent Ellison sneered. "You're just digging yourself a deeper hole now." He pulled back his jacket and pulled his gun from its holster. Agent Willis followed suit. 

"Molly." Agent Willis pleaded. "We just want to talk. No one wants this to go any further."

"Aww, you wouldn't shoot little old me..." Molly faked sugary sweetness as she slowly rose from her chair.

I froze time, and walked once again into the interrogation room. The agents' weapons were pointed at the ground in a menacing way. I started with Agent Willis, taking his Glock from his hand, and dropping the magazine. He had 14 bullets in the magazine, and one in the chamber. I took them all, replaced the magazine, and put the weapon back in his hand. 

I pushed all 15 bullets into Molly's hand, which was curled up at her side. I then repeated the process with agent Ellison, putting all 15 of his bullets in Molly's other fist. I then checked for a second clip, and took one from each man, putting those in Molly's back jeans pocket. 

I snuck back to my corner in the dark observation room, and let time start up once again. 

"...Or more accurately, you couldn't shoot little old me." She said triumphantly. "Not without any bullets in your guns." And she raised her fists, raining down the .40 caliber rounds to bounce dramatically off the table top. 

Agent Willis watched Molly, his shoulders tense, while agent Ellison immediately dropped his clip, threw it aside when he saw it was empty, and then fished for his backup clip. 

"Looking for this?" Molly said, pulling the magazines out of her back pocket. She tossed them behind her. "Now then, are we done here? All charges dropped, I can go back to being a 19 year-old college freshman, or are we at war?" She crossed her arms, challenging agent Ellison to make a declaration of war.

A little of the confidence came back into agent Ellison's face. "You think we'll just drop this? Walk away? Say 'Oh well, she didn't want to play, let's just go home?' You want to go back to your normal life? That's never going to happen. You're going to jail, and then you're going to a nice facility where we can find out how you are doing... that." Agent Ellison made a finger waving motion as though he was performing magic. 

Molly sighed loudly. "So it's going to be war between you and me? Well, let's start with those handcuffs why don't we? How's about being good little G-men, and trying them on?" She taunted. 

I was somewhat annoyed with Molly's overconfidence, but these men were plotting my demise just a few minutes earlier. I froze time, and left the observation room. Agent Margolis was standing right outside, his finger to his ear as though he was waiting for some cue to enter.

I opened the door and took the handcuffs, cuffing agent Willis first, bending his arms behind his back. Then I laced agent Ellison's cuffs through Willis's, so that the two men were bound together, arms behind their back, and handcuffs linked. 

I returned to my corner, and restarted time, anxious to watch this play out. 

Molly snorted when she saw the two men bound together. 

"Aauugh! You stupid bitch!" Agent Ellison raged. "Do you have any idea who you're messing with? I will fucking take you apart!"

"No, agent Ellison. You wanted me to be a bad girl. You decided to measure dicks. Unfortunately for you, I'm swinging some major pipe, and you didn't see that coming..." Molly blushed and looked down. "Ha. Well, figuratively of course. You just started a war that you can't possibly win."

"Arrgh. MERCURY!" Agent Ellison cried. It was clearly some kind of code-word. The door burst open behind Molly. I saw a gun, and froze time right as it fired. My worst fear was coming true. Someone was about to get hurt because of me and my secret. 

Agent Margolis stood, holding a pistol that didn't look like the FBI issue Glock that the other two carried. It was plastic with a long narrow barrel. A dart was visible coming out the barrel in a bubble of air, red feathers following a syringe topped with a sharp needle. I moved the two handcuffed agents between Molly and the dart, making sure that agent Ellison's neck was right in the line of fire for the dart. 

I slunk back to my hiding spot, and restarted time, ready to freeze it at a moment's notice. Agent Ellison cried out as the dart struck him in the side of his neck "You fucking idiot, you... sh... you sho..." He struggled to find the words, and started swaying. 

"Thanks!" Molly smirked at agent Margolis. "He was really starting to piss me off."

Agent Margolis cocked the pistol and took aim again. I watched his finger, and froze time right as it tensed. 

This time I moved agent Willis into the path of the dart, and restarted time from my dark corner. 

"Augh!" Willis shouted out as the dart struck hard.

"Aww, I did kind of like him though. So young... So handsome." Molly winked at agent Margolis. "Next one is going in your neck, you know."

The handcuffed agents swayed, and agent Ellison collapsed, dragging the younger man down with him as he fought to stay conscious. 

Agent Margolis dropped the dart gun to the ground, and pulled out his Glock pistol, pointing it at Molly. I once again froze time and walked into the room, removing the bullets and putting them into Molly's left hand. I put the dropped dart gun into her right hand after cocking it the way agent Margolis had.

I closed the door behind me. I wanted Margolis to feel trapped, overpowered. Back in my corner, I restarted time. Molly seemed to be enjoying the excitement. 

"Haven't we been over this already?" She dropped the handful of bullets. Agent Margolis's eyes went wide, looking around at the suddenly-closed door. He closed one eye, taking aim, and he squeezed the trigger, causing a click as the gun dry-fired. 

"Wow, you actually would have shot me." Molly looked a little shaken for once, the confidence slipping from her face a little. "It makes me feel a little less bad about this." She pulled the trigger, and a red-tailed dart sprouted on Margolis's chest. 

"Shit!" the tech yelled, jumping from his chair and running for the door. I froze time right as he reached it. He was heavy, but I managed to move him out of the observation room, and into the interrogation room. Agent Margolis wasn't going to need his handcuffs, so I put them on the tech, Carter, and laced them through a chair, so he would stay in place. 

I also moved Molly out of the interrogation room, and into the observation room with me. 

As time restarted, Molly blinked hard in the sudden darkness. "Ssshhh. You're safe." I whispered to her. 

Carter was screaming out, horrified by the unconscious bodies of the three FBI agents on the ground, and his sudden impotence in the situation. 

Molly's eyes adjusted, and she gave me a huge grin and launched herself into my arms. "I'm sorry. I know you were probably looking for a more diplomatic solution, I haven't ruined your life, have I?" She worried.

"No, but you probably just ruined your own life. They will stop at nothing to take you back to their lab and break you down for spare parts." I warned her. "That was my fate, and you took it from me without knowing what you were getting into." I said, then related the conversation that the four men had in the observation room when Molly had first been shown into the interrogation room. 

Molly was shocked that the FBI was willing to pump me full of drugs and cart me off to be researched without even the façade of a fair trial. She was equally shocked that she had taken on that burden without knowing the stakes. 

"Crap. I was so caught up in it I wasn't thinking. I may have just kicked the hornet's nest without knowing that they were hornets." Molly worried. 

"What should we do now?" I asked. 

"Keep kicking?" Molly asked. 

"What do you have in mind?" I questioned, hoping she had more ideas than I did.

"How many people are in the building right now?" Molly wondered.

"This is just a branch office. There are three workers out in the cubicles on computers, but they're just analysts. I think we can leave them awake in there..." I pointed at the bright interrogation room. ..."without them bothering us. We could just go home."

"Yeah, but before we do, though, let's clean out every scrap of paper and electronic evidence in the place. I promised the FBI war, and the opening salvo will be to reduce this office to empty shell space." Molly smiled. "If we're lucky, we'll get everything they have on me... on us."

"What do we do with it all?" I asked. "I mean... they will have a server room full of hard drives, dozens of laptops, desktops and tablets."

"Can we burn it all?" She wondered. 

"No, not without bringing the building down with everyone in it." I said, then I was struck with an idea. "Do you remember what I told you happened to my hamster? Stuck in the moment for all of eternity until his atoms flashed back into the ether?" I asked. Molly nodded, then I saw her understand. 

"You can do that?" She asked. I nodded. "With something as big as a computer?" 

"I... I think so. I've only done it once, by accident... but there's one way to find out." I said. 

I crossed the room to the laptop that the tech had been using, and I picked it up in my gloved hands. I could feel it come through with me as I froze time. The tech was silent on the other side of the glass, his mouth frozen in a scream. Molly's face was frozen in a curious smirk. I set the laptop down on the frozen table, and stepped back, unfreezing time without it. I could feel a little thread between myself and the laptop break as I left the frozen moment. It vanished without a trace. 

Carter was still yelling, but without the laptop's audio, the sound was muted through the glass wall.

"Yeah, I think I can handle that." I said. 

"Can you please take me through with you?" Molly asked. 

"I..." I was worried about feeling that thread, about accidentally leaving Molly behind, about losing her, freezing her for all of eternity without me. That was still my greatest fear. 

"Just think about it, please. I really want to experience it with you. Just... don't leave me behind like you did with that laptop." Molly pleaded.

I wrapped my arms around her, and could feel the thread form, I knew that if I froze time, that she would be awake in it with me. The idea actually held a great deal of temptation, but I resisted it, pushing the thread away. 

"Let me put the analysts in the holding room with Carter." I changed the subject, gesturing with my head to the tech still screaming in the interrogation room where he was handcuffed to the chair. Molly nodded.

I froze time, having firmly pushed Molly's thread away, so that she wasn't with me when it happened. I walked out, and rounded up the three analysts. It wasn't that hard, actually, since they were all sitting in rolling chairs, I simply wheeled them through the office and into the interrogation room. I locked the door behind me, leaving Molly and me as the only occupants of the office floor with complete freedom.

I looked around the room and saw several security cameras on the ceiling, pointed around the room. I pulled the wires from the back of each. Luckily I double checked them, as I had missed one the first time around. 

We started gathering computers, and stacking them up in the dark observation room. Maybe seven minutes passed as we hauled hard drives and laptops down the hall and piled them up in the corner. I was carrying a stack of desktops, when I saw a gray cylinder come bouncing down the hallway at me. I stopped time as a reflex, having started and stopped it more times in the last hour than I had in my entire life. 

I set the stack of computers down, feeling the thread connecting me to them. I walked forward, and saw a device, that I immediately recognized as a grenade. I picked it up and read it: 

'Model 7290 

flash bang

1.5 second delay."

I looked at the door in the direction from which it had come. It was the stairwell through which I had originally entered the floor. I carried the grenade over to the open door. 

There were over a dozen men lined up on the staircase, all in black body armor. The initials 'FBI - HRT' were clear on their backs. One had spelled out 'FBI Hostage Rescue Team.' One of the techs must have been monitoring the situation with Molly in the interrogation room, and called for backup. I set the flashbang in the middle of the hallway, and closed the door. 

With time still frozen, I entered the server room, where Molly had been busy pulling the dozens and dozens of hard drives out of a server rack, and piling them up on a cart. 

I took over for the frozen redhead, making several trips with the cart until the room was full of empty silver racks and wires. The pile of computer gear was building up in the observation room, and I did a final sweep of the floor, looking for any device I may have missed. 

I then started gathering papers, whole filing cabinets full of them. I emptied the contents onto the cart, and added them to the pile. 

An hour must have passed in that frozen moment, as I lugged hundreds of pounds of FBI data into the room and threw it into the pile. I even took the little tablet out of the interrogation room that agent Ellison had used to show Molly the video. I took everyone's cell phones from the analysts and agents, and even from the members of the HRT force. I kept agent Ellison's cell phone, but placed agent Willis's cell phone back in his pocket. Finally convinced that I had everything, I restarted time, and felt the threads to the computers I had been carrying snap. 

'BANG!' sounded in the hallway, followed by screams. I knew I was almost out of time. I climbed up onto the pile of papers and electronics, and reached out for everything, feeling threads connecting me to the pile of electronics and paper. I hit that switch in my head, and the sounds of screaming stopped. I hopped down off the pile, crossed the room, feeling a bundle of invisible threads. They snapped as I restarted time. The whole pile was gone, just vanished into thin air. The observation room now held a table with unplugged monitors, and a chair. I found the FBI windbreaker in the corner under the couch, and left the room. 

Molly was coming down the hallway as I left the now-empty observation room. Panic and worry were clear on her face. The screams had turned to yelling, and I knew that our only exit was blocked by a stunned but regrouping HRT force. The elevator was too slow. There was only one way out for Molly and me. I hated it, but I had to accept it. 

"Well Molly, I guess we're out of options. Are you ready to walk through a frozen moment with me?" I asked.

Nervous excitement bloomed over Molly's face. "You mean it?" She squealed.

"Come here." I said, holding my arms wide. I wrapped Molly up as she tentatively pressed herself against my body. I felt the thread form, tying Molly to me. I reached for the switch, and for only the second time in my life, I took a living being through with me into frozen time. 

Molly coughed. "Oh my god, the air is so thick. She said, pulling back from me and waving her hands. She took a few tentative steps, feeling the new resistance as the air refused to move around her in currents. She picked up a pen off a desk in the nearest cubicle and dropped it. It fell to the floor. 




Suck in the Moment Ch. 02



"Darn, I was hoping it would just float there." She said, excited. 

"No, gravity still works, otherwise we would just float away." I told her. 

She was waving her hand and taking deep breaths, sniffing the air. "It's so strange. There really is no temperature in the air. I've never felt anything like this. I want to try something..." She ran to the breakroom, opening the freezer door, and stuck her hand in. 

"This is crazy! The ice feels like the air! No temperature." She shifted to the coffee pot, and poured a little hot coffee in the palm of her hand. "I know it should be hot, but it's not." She smiled at me. "So what's the plan? We walk out the front door?"

"Yup, well, actually down the stairs and out the parking garage. After that... I don't know." I told her. "I bet I can take a whole car through into a frozen moment, and we can drive back to campus, or else we can just walk. It won't be cold outside, and no one and nothing will bother us." 

Molly turned and grinned at me, her green eyes sparkling. "I think it's a lovely night for a walk." I put the FBI windbreaker over my arm, and she looped her arm through mine. I led her to the stairwell. 

We passed the frozen HRT operatives, who were recovering, and several looked ready to breach the FBI office. 

Molly paused, and had a mischievous grin on her face. "I want to mess with them. Is that really wrong?" She asked. 

"Like what?" I asked.

"I don't know, take their guns and replace them with keyboards, switch out everyone's cell phone?" 

"Oh, I already trashed all of their radios and cell phones." I told her. "I wanted our opening salvo to leave the FBI off balance. I did let agent Willis keep his cell phone, and I have Ellison's in case we want to call them." I pulled the device out, and showed it to her.

"Is it unlocked?" Molly asked. I tried the screen, and it asked for a fingerprint. 

"Oh, I want to do something..." Molly let go of my arm, and turned back through the door into the office. She found a sticky note, and wrote 'your move -Molly' on it. She stuck it inside agent Ellison's badge wallet. "Promise me you won't leave me hanging when they make their next move?" She asked. I was busy unlocking Ellison's phone with his frozen finger. 

"I promise." I said. Molly gave me a big smile and a kiss, and once again took my arm, letting me lead her into the stairwell again. 

"Are you sure we can't mess with them a little?" She pleaded. I was busy programming my own fingerprint into the phone's memory, now that it was unlocked.

"Fine, what did you have in mind?" I asked her.

"I liked the trick where the guns suddenly had no bullets. When the HRT guys comes running in, can they find their bullets in a big pile on the floor?" She pleaded.

I exaggerated rolling my eyes, but my smile gave away that I thought it was a fine idea. "Fine. You get the guys on the stairs going up, and I'll get the guys going down." I said.

Molly laughed, and started pulling at the weapons. "How do I get them out?" She asked.

"This button right here is the magazine release." I told her. "They should also have a cartridge in the chamber, which you take out by sliding the action back, like this." I showed her how to remove the bullets from the guns and the magazines. 

We made a big pile of cartridges on the floor right in front of the door, so that the HRT men would have to walk over their own bullets to secure the nearly empty office floor. Molly said that she wished that she could stay to see their reactions as they realized they were carrying empty guns, but I couldn't make it work. 

I had been up for hours now, and I was exhausted. We walked down the stairwell, and out into the parking garage. There was a big HRT van parked in front of the door, and several unmarked police cars present as well, flashing lights stuck in red and blue spotlights. Frozen HRT officers sat around their radios waiting for the all clear call. 

We walked past the vans and cars. The excitement and adrenaline was wearing off for me, and I felt like I could sleep for 24 straight hours. Molly was still excited, jumping up and down, and touching and looking at everything. 

I was done destroying things. I doubted that we had destroyed all the videos and evidence that led to Molly, and even if we had, three pissed-off agents knew where she lived, and had her schedule. They could easily destroy her life with a phone call. 

We had struck a strong first blow. We stood our ground, knowing that we were right, that we had done nothing wrong. But both of us, Molly especially, had something to lose. They could have the university expel her, put out warrants for her arrest. They could make her life very difficult, all because she had admitted to something that she didn't do, that wasn't even a crime. She had taken the burden of my secret onto her own shoulders, and I wouldn't let her carry that alone. 

We really had kicked the hornet's nest. We had assaulted federal agents, destroyed evidence and property, and escaped federal custody. The next shoe was going to fall, and fall soon. One small solace was that unlike the agent Margolis, we were not killers. We'd had the entire office at our mercy, and had let them live. 

If we were ever given the chance to plead our case, hopefully that one fact would go far towards proving our intentions were not malevolent. 

I looked up. I could feel the thread tying me to Molly, as she moved. She was still skipping around, looking in cars, touching cops and their gear. She saw my face and her own expression darkened.

"What? What's wrong?" She asked me.

I explained my fears, that their next attack would ruin Molly's life without allowing her a riposte. 

"Better my life than yours." Molly said sadly, walking up to me and wrapping her arms around my neck. She kissed me, deep and full of meaning. "We already know that they are coming for me. They don't know about you. Please watch my back the best you can. Besides, we already have an advantage that they don't."

"What's that?" I asked.

"They think you just teleport things. They don't know how your power really works, that you can stop time, and move around within the moment. They're trying to figure out your limitations. It's not a big advantage, but it's something." Molly explained.

"You're right." I said, and kissed her again. "I guess we can wait for the next shoe to drop. Just please stay close. Let's go back to our life, like it's our right. I'll go to your classes with you, and you can go to my classes with me until we can be positive that you... we are safe."

"What about the media?" Molly asked. "What if we were to go public with what you can do? We could explain that the bus miracle was your doing, and that the FBI is trying to kill you."

"It might put a little spotlight on the FBI, and make it harder to cause us to disappear, but if you want your old life back, going public is going to make that impossible." I told her. 

"Yeah, I was just thinking out loud." Molly said. "It's amazing that all these people know, and are just waiting around to help agent Ellison kill us." Molly gestured around at the assembled FBI Hostage rescue team. 

"I'm not sure what they know." I admitted. "Maybe they are just responding to a call for backup." I said. 

Molly yawned, and I could see a little of the excitement was wearing off and being replaced with exhaustion for her as it was for me. 

"Come on, let's go home." I told her.

"I may actually be too tired to sleep." Molly said, holding my hand as I led her up the ramp to the parking garage's exit. 

"I'm pretty tired too. We can sleep anywhere, though. In the middle of a busy intersection, out under the stars..." I stopped as the outside world came into view.

It had started snowing while we were inside. Big clumps of snowflakes hung in the air, cutting visibility to a hundred feet, and coating the ground. I had never walked through frozen snow before, and I was as mesmerized by it as Molly was. 

She opened her mouth, licking a flake out of the air. "That's so weird!" She said. "It takes a moment, then it turns cold and melts in your mouth. Try it!"

I did. The big snowflake felt like powder in my mouth, until I felt it activate, turning cold, and then melting into water. 

"Come on." I told her. "Let's go back to your dorm." She took my hand and we started walking, pushing through the unending curtain of suspended flakes. We walked to the nearest intersection, and looked at the street signs. 

"Oh, I know where we are." Molly said confidently. "Campus is this way." She pointed to the right, and we turned, and started walking. 

I took the rubber gloves off, and dropped them in the street. I could feel the invisible thread form as I walked away, knowing it would snap when time started up again.

I looked behind us, and could see a clear tunnel the width of our bodies, where the flakes had been moved. Our footprints were shallow, having compressed the snow, but not melted it as we would have if time were moving. 

We walked along in silence down the middle of the street, the only two people in the whole world. There wasn't a sound, except our footfalls, and the lack of temperature was comfortable enough that I kept carrying the windbreaker over my arm.

"We could just stay here, you know." She said sadly. "Live out our lives together in this frozen moment. You and me? Together? We could start it back up again when we're 80, and our time is up anyways." 

"Would you really want that?" I asked her. "I think I would flee to somewhere warm, tropical before I gave up and let this be the end."

"That does sound nice. But between staying here and being drug away and killed, I would choose staying here." We walked in silence for a minute before she said "Is that really our best option? Running away from our education? Fleeing the country? You didn't even do anything wrong. The whole FBI can't really be that stone-hearted, can they?"

"I don't know. Any path we take has its risks. I vote we go back and pretend nothing happened. Let the FBI make a move, then take it as they come." My mind was tired, and I wasn't thinking as clearly as I wanted. 

"Can we stop and rest?" Molly asked. "I think this is a park here." 

We had been walking through a neighborhood, and stopped at a little park. There were picnic tables under shelter, and we climbed up on one of the tables. 

I lay back, and felt Molly curl up on my shoulder, using it as a pillow. I rolled up the FBI windbreaker, using it as a pillow.

"Wake me when you wake up, okay?" Molly asked. "It won't be light out, will it? The world will look just like this, only you and I will change." 

"Mmm." I agreed in my half-asleep state.

***

I opened my eyes to see Molly's deep green eyes looking back at me, surrounded by her mess of red hair.

"How long were we asleep?" I asked. 

"I don't know." Molly grinned. "I was sleeping for a long time too. I just woke up about five minutes ago." 

I felt rested, awake. My muscles felt sore, like I had run a triathalon. Moving people and stuff through a frozen moment was tiring. I tried relaxing my muscles, enjoying the sensation of Molly laying on my shoulder. 

"Come on." She held her hand out for me, and we started walking again, pushing through the snow flakes. 

What had been a ten-minute drive in a car was over an hour of walking. Molly had been correct, and before long, we found ourselves once again walking onto campus. We walked in through the front doors of her dorm, shaking the suspended snow out of our hair, and off our clothes. Molly led me down the hall to her dorm room, where she unlocked the door, and jumped on her bed.

"Crap! I forgot that it's not soft when time is frozen. That's going to leave a bruise." She said, rubbing her butt.

"Come here." I said, waving my finger. "Here's the real test." 

Molly's eyes went wide as I wrapped my arms around her. I could feel the string connecting us tightly as I tapped the switch, and time restarted with a rush of sound and air. The sweet scent of Molly and Candace's natural body scents came to me as the air of the dorm room filled my nostrils with warm, humid air. 

"Wow! That was amazing." Molly exclaimed. 

We were both awake now, despite the time being after midnight. We had rested plenty at the park. We pulled the curtains tightly shut, and put a Netflix show on Molly's computer. I had recovered my phone, and I pulled out agent Ellison's phone from my pocket, plugging it in to charge it. I powered my phone off, and took out the battery. 

I had heard once that phones could be tracked and activated to transmit like bugs. If the FBI could track the phones in Molly's dorm room, I only wanted them to find hers and Agent Ellison's, leaving my name off their records as long as possible. I also had her put a post-it note over the laptop's webcam so that no one could hack the camera and watch us.

We watched an entire season of a show that we'd never seen before. I realized at some point that Molly had fallen asleep on my shoulder, curled up on her bed. I had my arm around her, and let her sleep while I exited Netflix, and started researching the FBI. 

I found out plenty, about their agents, facilities, training and mission. Ironically one of their missions was to protect civil rights, and I laughed bitterly, thinking about how the 3 agents had just attempted to violate Molly's and my rights. 

***

Sunrise came several hours later. Molly had drifted down, and was sleeping with her head in my lap. I had cast the computer aside, and was stroking her red hair, marveling at the color and softness of it. 

I was replaying the evening's excitement in my head. I wondered if there was anything I could have done differently. From the moment I saved the people off the bus, I was on the FBI's radar. I didn't regret that. If I had to do it over again, I might have covered my tracks better, but I didn't regret saving those lives. 

I pulled the laptop back open, and started looking up the roster of the people I had pulled off the bus. They were mostly students, but I saw the transcript of an interview with the woman with the baby. I recognized her picture, with the little infant on her lap. 

The text of the interview brought tears to my eyes. She was a single mother, working a full-time job and going to school at the same time. She talked about her problems, and how difficult her life was with no family, no money and a young baby. Her boyfriend had run when she took her pregnancy test. 

She had come to believe that the only one who cared about her was her. When the miracle happened, she had seen the car speeding into the bus. She had held her little girl tight, and prepared for pain, terrified not for her own life, but for the life of her baby. 

In the next instant, she was laying on a park bench. At first she thought that she had been thrown from the bus, but when she realized that she was uninjured, and her baby hadn't even woken up, she knew that something amazing had happened. 

The moment her life changed was when she looked at the ground at her feet. She had spent the last of her paycheck on the groceries, and once she knew her daughter was okay, she started crying, believing that they would be hungry that week. She looked down to see a bag of apples spilling out of a paper bag full of her groceries, and knew right then that a higher power was looking out for her; that she mattered to someone besides herself.

The interview was on the Ellen DeGeneres show, and Ellen gave her a car with a car seat, a scholarship, and enough money to quit her job and focus on school. She was three semesters away from graduating with a degree in marketing, and had already received an offer for a paid internship. 

None of the other stories were quite so inspiring, but they left me feeling very good about myself. That the FBI would look at the bus accident and see a person capable of so much evil was their problem. My dream as a child was to be a superhero; I wanted to help people. For that brief moment, I had lived my dream. I wasn't the monster that needed to be feared. 

All of the movement on her bed with the computer woke Molly, who slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes. 

"I need a shower, and then coffee." She said in a sleepy voice. "Will you join me for both?" 

"I'm not sure I'll be welcome in the girl's bathroom." I told her. 

"They'll never know you're in there, if you just..." She paused and grinned. "We have a big communal shower."

I had used my gift, frozen time, dozens of times in the last 12 hours. That didn't mean that I was willing to ignore the last five years of caution. There was an excited lust in Molly's eyes at the thought of sex in a public shower. 

"Molly, I don't know. What if..." 

"Don't worry about the shower or being seen. Just freeze time for both of us, and let's go fuck in the bathroom. If we're lucky, there might even be someone in there!" Molly was breathing heavy, and I could smell a change in her aroma, a scent that could only be described as arousal. 

She gave me a huge grin. "In calculus this morning, I want you to eat me out on Professor Hill's desk while the class is in session." 

"I'm not sure how to carry both of us if we're not touching, but I think I can make it work if we're late to class." I told her. 

I could see an excited flush run through Molly's pale cheeks as she visualized me between her thighs while the whole class watched with frozen eyes, and the waves of arousal wafting up to my nose increased.

The scent hit my brain and caused a hostile takeover. I felt my resistance flag as my erection rose. Molly must have seen the change in my face, since she got a big grin on her face, and began kissing me. 

"Do it!" She panted between kisses. 

I felt for the thread, the one that would tie Molly to me, bring her through, and awake in the frozen moment. Once I was sure of it, I reached for the switch. The air grew thick and scentless, and there was no sound. Molly grinned huge, thrilled by the feeling. 

"Let's go!" She said, standing and stripping off her clothes. She pulled me to my feet, and helped me to strip naked. 

She opened the door slowly, and looked into the hall. I followed, seeing two young women walking together, frozen in conversation. They had backpacks and looked like they were headed for an early morning class.

Molly pulled me by my hand and typed in the code for the bathroom. Nothing happened. 

"Crap, I forgot about the stupid safety lock. Back to my room!" And Molly pushed me back into her room, where she found a robe for herself. "Unfreeze things, so I can go unlock the door." 

I wrapped Molly up in my arms, holding her thread carefully. I tapped the switch, and felt the world start up again. I could hear the voices of the two women in the hall as they passed the door. Molly picked up a shoe and slipped outside. She was back in seconds, untying her robe. 

"Can we try this again?" She asked, swaying her hips sexily as her robe slipped down her body to the floor. "Oh, almost forgot..." She reached into her purse and grabbed a condom. "Now you can do it."

I opened my arms, and once again got a hold on her thread as I froze time. This time the hall was empty, and Molly led me into the women's bathroom. It looked just like the men's bathroom I had seen the previous night, except that there were no urinals. 

Moly led me around the bend and to the shower room, where six shower heads were mounted on three walls. Partial walls separated the shower stalls from each other, but provided almost no privacy. Three women were already in the bathroom, showering naked. I took in their wet, naked forms as we passed through the open door and entered the tiled shower. 

All three women looked beautiful, soaking wet. Two faced the showerhead, and one was frozen facing out. Her ample breasts on display, clothed only in a thin sheen of water and shampoo, which she was rinsing out of her hair.




Suck in the Moment Ch. 02



I looked at Molly, who was staring at my expression, a huge grin on her face. 

"You like what you see." It was a statement, not a question. My erection gave me away, and Molly looked extremely pleased as she grabbed it, pumping it a few times. "Don't forget, you promised to eat me out on Professor Hill's desk after this, so not too long or hard that I'm sore." She opened the condom wrapper, and rolled the condom onto me. 

With that, Molly jumped into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist. I grabbed her ass, holding her to my body. Despite the showers running all around us, we stayed dry, as we had been walking home through the snowstorm the previous night. 

Between her legs, however. Molly was anything but dry. She snaked a hand under her, grabbing me and working my sheathed length up to her lips. She raised her hips with my help, and then brought them back down, sliding me into her as she went. She took half my length at once, before I had to lift her up and then bring her back down. 

I could easily hold her weight up, but maintaining a rhythm would take more stamina than I had. I carried her to a wall, and leaned her back against the hard tiles. Once Molly was immobilized, I could move my hips, pounding up into her. 

"Oh god that's great!" Molly shouted. I looked at her face, and she was looking around at the naked women, frozen in the midst of their ablutions. "Do you think any of them are pretty Travis?" She asked.

"Aahh." I groaned, unsure of whether or not to answer her question. I assumed that she wouldn't have brought me in here unless she wanted me to look. "...Yes." I finally answered. 

"Which ones?" She asked, her eyes glassy with lust. 

"All of them." I said. 

"Angie has great tits, doesn't she?" Molly gasped, nodding at the one facing the middle of the shower room. "Too bad she's a stuck-up bitch... hot, though." 

I looked over my shoulder. Angie was a sight to behold, beautiful. I looked down and saw her clean shaven mons, her slim waist, and her shapely legs. Molly was really getting into it. 

"And look at the ass on Nicole." Gesturing to one of the closer women. "And April, there's only one way to get a tan like that without tan lines, and that's to tan nude." I looked down at Molly's pale skin. "Oh, no, I don't tan, I just burn." She was quiet for a moment, breathing heavy, and then: "Oh god, I'm almost... Come with me!" 

I was at the precipice of my own orgasm, and I let loose, filling the condom full. "YES! I CAN FEEL IT!" Molly screamed, her eyes wide and staring around the shower room. "MORE! MORE! AAUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHH" She slumped against me, and I struggled to hold her up with my own flagging muscles. 

I gently set her down, popping myself out of her as she came down. "Jesus, that was so intense!" Molly laughed out. "We are so doing that again!" 

Molly reached out to drops of water suspended in the air. "Why does water and snow stay suspended, while the pen wouldn't?" Molly asked, pulling droplets of water out of the air. 

"I don't know. Maybe because you acted on the pen, while you haven't acted on the water." I guessed.

She reached her hand out, scooping up a small handful of suspended water. Once in her hand, the water ran down and splashed on the floor, mixing with the other water in the room. 

"Wow, that's cool." Molly said, squatting down naked.

We walked back to her room, where I took the condom off of me and threw it into the trash can. Molly tried pulling a tissue out of the box, but it wasn't soft and flexible. 

"Okay, I think you need to restart time." She said, holding the ripped piece of rigid tissue up for me to see.

I held out my arms, and she folded herself into them. I felt her thread, and restarted time. For a brief moment, I felt a thread snap, and I panicked until I squeezed Molly tight in my arms. I then looked in the direction that the thread had been, and realized that the condom and condom wrapper had been thrown in the trash can, and were left behind in the frozen moment. 

Molly unfolded from my arms and went to clean up with the tissues. 

"I really do need a shower now." She said. "...a real one. And you could probably use one too. Any word from our... friends?"

"No, I was going to ask you to call agent Willis sometime this morning. It's a long shot, but if there's anyone who might help us, it's him. He didn't like what Ellison and Margolis had planned for me, and then you. We can see if he can be an ally, and maybe even help us find a way out of this mess."

"Shower first, then go searching for allies." Molly said. "How do you want to do this? I don't see any way that we can shower with time frozen, and I don't think you can be in the women's bathroom with time running normal. Angie alone would rat you out. 

"I don't want to be away from you in case the FBI decides to make their move, so... Men's bathroom?" She asked. 

"I have a better idea. Are you okay going to my place? I have a private bathroom... that I share with two men." I offered. 

Molly smiled. "What about your roommates?" She asked. 

"Caleb has an 8 AM class, and Lee might be there, but sleeping in. We'd have to be quiet." I said. 

Molly smiled. "Lead the way."

"Well, we should probably get some clothes on if you want to walk across campus with me, or..." 

"I like 'or'!" She smiled, extending her arms to me. I wrapped her up, pulling tightly on the thread, and froze time. 

"I will need my keys to get in my door, which may mean that we need to unfreeze time. You can probably get away with shorts and a t-shirt, but wouldn't want to be caught naked while I have to restart time to unlock a door." I said.

"Aww. You're no fun." She said, pulling a t-shirt out of a laundry basket, and finding a pair of short exercise shorts. "Need shoes?" 

"I don't." I said, knowing that the snow would not feel cold to us.

I asked Molly to leave her phone behind, just as a precaution, and I took mine. 

We walked outside. The campus was washed in white snow, covering every bare tree and bush, and laying undisturbed in large white sheets across the lawns. The streets and sidewalks had been plowed, and looked dirty in contrast to the simple white that bracketed them. 

All around, people were bundled up in hats and coats, with gloves and boots to protect their extremities. Their breath hung in the air as we walked, barefoot and bare-legged. The snow had stopped during the night, and the sky was clear and blue. The sun shone off the snow, making the world look impossibly bright, but lacking the warmth we had learned to expect from sunlight. 

"I could actually lay out in the sun for once without getting burned, couldn't I?" Molly laughed. 

"I think so. Is that something you'd like to try?" I asked.

"Eventually, right now I want to get all clean and ready for Calculus." She bumped my shoulder, and when I looked up she winked at me. "You know, Professor Hill's class?.. On his desk?" 

I smiled at her. "Phone call first, then we can get to class." 

"Oh, yeah."

We entered the front door of my dorm, which was never locked. I led her up the stairs to my floor, and down the hall. My key wouldn't go into the lock, the tumblers seemed stuck. "Alright, I just need to restart time for a moment." I told her. 

Molly wrapped her arms around me from behind. One hand reached down, cupping my crotch, and the other hand played with a nipple. I stuck my key in the door and started to open it. Lee was sitting on the couch, watching TV.

I reached behind me, grabbing Molly, and reached for her thread as I froze time. I pushed the door open and Molly followed me inside. 

"Molly, meet Lee." I joked. "He's never up this early, and I have no idea why he's out in the main room watching TV, but we're going to have to be even quieter now. If I stash you in the bathroom and restart time, can you stay there until I come to get you?" I asked.

"Are you ashamed of me meeting your roommate?" Molly asked. 

"No, but our attire would be a little hard to explain." I said. 

"Well, can you run and get us some sweatshirts and pants?" Molly asked, heading for my room.

"You're really okay joining me in the shower, with Lee knowing we're in there together?" I asked. 

"Ah, got it. You think I should be ashamed. Part of my being a feminist is that I don't feel ashamed of enjoying sex as much as a man does. If Lee thinks I'm a slut because we just met last night, and are fucking, then fuck him, I don't need his judgement." She said angrily. 

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to give you an out if you didn't want to meet Lee." I said.

"No problem. I do want to meet your roommates. You met mine." Molly riposted.

"Yeah, she didn't seem to like me." I said. 

"No, she knew you were off limits, that I had dibs on you. She's normally a total flirt to anything with two legs and a pulse." Molly laughed, pulling some pajama pants on and a sweatshirt over her head. She selected a pair of tennis shoes, and threw some clothes at me before leading me back out into the hall.

"Ready?" She asked, once my clothes were on. 

"Yeah." I said nervously, and Molly once again wrapped me up from behind. I held her thread tight as I touched the switch that restarted time. I was surprised at how comfortable I was getting using the switch even in non-emergency situations.

"Hey Lee, I didn't expect you to be up." I said as I walked into the common area of my dorm. 

Lee turned his head, smiling at me as I entered with a gorgeous redhead still holding onto my back. "Hey you two. Look what the cat dragged in." 

"Lee, this is Molly. Molly, this is Lee. We just came back for a shower before we have to get to class." I said boldly.

Lee was grinning like a fool. "You know you save water if you shower together." He said. I knew that he was just trying to play wingman, not that I needed his help.

"Why do you think we came back here?" Molly said with a smile.

"Atta boy. I like her already." Lee said with a grin. 

As he said that, the door into our bathroom opened, and Jessica came walking out. I had always liked Jessica. She lived in our dorm on the floor below us, and often came by, sharing homemade cookies from her parents' home. She was always up for watching movies or playing video games with us, and she visited often. It appeared that she had come by and woken Lee before he normally would have been up.

"Hey Jess!" I greeted her. "This is Molly." Jessica's face fell briefly as she extended her hand in a friendly greeting. "Molly, this is our friend Jessica. She lives on the floor below us. What brings you up here so early?" I asked Jessica.

Jessica's eyes snapped back to me from Molly, and she stuttered. "Uh... I... I just wanted to ask you some questions before you left for class this morning, but I don't want to disturb you."

"No problem." I said. "We just needed to clean up before class. What's up?" 

"I just wanted to know if you wanted to form a study group for chemistry, since we're in the same class." Jess tried.

"Oh, yeah, Molly and I already made a study group with her roommate, Candace. You're welcome to join us." I said.

"If you don't mind a little PDA." Molly said, pulling me in for a kiss. 

"That's okay." Jess said. "I wouldn't want to make things uncomfortable for you." And she went to sit with Lee.

"She's also invited us to her cousin's house this weekend for a house party." Lee said.

"Ooh, we'd love to come." Molly answered for me. I just nodded. Molly was laying it on a little thick, but Jess was just a friend, and I enjoyed Molly being a little possessive of me.

We walked past her, and into my room where we stripped naked once again. I pulled a clean towel out of my closet for each of us, and we walked to the bathroom wrapped up in our towels. 

The shower was a small bathtub with a fixed showerhead. I got the water running, and climbed in with Molly right behind me. 

We washed each other, and Molly asked me to shampoo her hair. Molly started washing my back, and then pressed her body against mine. I could feel her large breasts flatten on my back, and her hard nipples poking me. 

Her arms wrapped around my torso, sliding effortlessly in the soapy water covering our bodies. One of her hands slowly trailed down between my legs, and she grabbed me. I instantly grew to life. She stroked me slowly, just playing at first, and then she got serious, pumping hard and fast. 

I reached back, rubbing my hand up her thigh, and around to her crotch. She squeezed her thighs together, denying me access. 

"This is just for you." Molly whispered in my ear, stroking harder, and gripping me tighter. "Later, I'll let you take care of me." 

I came with deep breathing as Molly pumped for all she was worth. Her hand came away sticky and stringy with my wet cum. She started playing with it, stretching out little strings of it between her fingers before she grabbed the bar of soap and washed it down the drain. 

After that, we got back to showering, and the subject turned to the upcoming phone call.

"Agent Willis was berated by Ellison for thinking that humans can be good, but he still has a spark of optimism." I told Molly. "We need to play on that. I don't regret saving the people from the bus, and you will need to prove to Willis that I... or you, did the right thing.

"Tell him that you heard the conversation in the observation room. Tell him that if power corrupts, then it's the FBI, not you, that has been corrupted." 

Molly nodded, and we talked about several scenarios until there was nothing left to wash, and I turned the water off. 

I toweled Molly's body off, and she dried mine. When she was done with her towel, she wrapped it around her hair like a towel turban, leaving the rest of her body exposed. She shocked me by opening the door, and walking quickly around the corner and into my room, wearing nothing but her turban. 

I struggled to get my towel around my waist, and I stepped out into the common area, where Lee's face was bright red, and he was trying hard not to look at me. He had gotten just a flash of Molly's naked ass as she passed. Jessica was staring, open mouthed. I gave her a little apologetic smile.

"That was mean of you." I told Molly as I followed her into my room and shut the door. 

"I know. I'm just so horny thinking about class this morning. It won't happen again." Molly explained. "Damn this room is tiny." Molly changed the subject. 

I let her. "That's the price you pay to get your own room with a private bathroom." I said.

"Yeah, I think I'd trade my dorm for this setup." Molly said pensively, slipping on my sweat pants, and stepping into her own shoes.

We made small talk while dressing, and before long, we were off. I took my phone out of my pocket before I left, and powered it on. I had a missed text message, but nothing important, and no calls. I left it sitting in my room.

Molly strutted past Lee and Jessica, who were still sitting on the couch. I saw his face turn red, but he didn't turn to watch her as she left. As I walked through the common area and out the door, Lee turned to me and gave me a big smile and a thumbs up. He wasn't upset with Molly at all. Jessica, on the other hand, looked like Molly's display had shocked her to her core. 

I had never thought of Jessica as more than a friend, but she seemed upset by Molly's possessive display. I wondered briefly if she hung out and brought us food less as a friend, and more hoping to be noticed as a potential girlfriend. 

I would have thought Lee might have made a move on her by now if he was interested, and she certainly spent enough time talking to Caleb, but suddenly I wondered if she came by to see me. Not that it mattered, now that I was with Molly.

Once outside the door, I wrapped Molly up and froze time. We crossed campus and entered her dorm, getting all the way to her door before I had to restart time to unlock it. 

Molly and I talked a lot more about what to tell agent Willis, and what not to say. I could tell that I was building it up, and she was getting nervous. I was trying not to focus on the fact that Molly's life could hang on this one phone call.

Finally, Molly took out agent Ellison's cell phone, and scrolled through his recent calls until she found the name S.A. Jackson Willis. She tapped the contact number and hit the 'dial' button. The phone started ringing.

"Hello?" Agent Willis's voice was on the line. Molly hit the speakerphone button so that I could listen in. 

"Hi Agent Willis. Do you recognize my voice?" Molly asked.

There was a pause. "Miss McGuiness?" He said in a hushed voice. "You've got a lot of gall calling me after that stunt you pulled last night. What do you want?"

"I want to talk to you." Molly said, shaking the nerves out of her voice. "Last night, you thought I could be useful to the FBI. Agents Ellison and Margolis thought that I was a criminal. Do you agree with them now?" 

There was silence on the other line. 

"Agent Ellison said that power corrupts. He has already tried and convicted me of a crime not yet committed. As you can see, no banks were mysteriously robbed overnight, and Fort Knox has all the gold it did before. If anyone's power has corrupted them, it's agent Ellison's." Molly continued. 

"How did you hear that?" Willis asked.

"With my ears. You didn't know I could teleport when you had your little conversation." Molly replied, starting to get her confidence back.

"Look, if you're calling to ask me whose side I'm on, I'm an FBI agent. I'm on the FBI's side." Willis said. There was uncertainty in his voice.

"Even though you know what they're doing is wrong?" Molly challenged him. There was more silence.

"Look, just think about it. Your job as an FBI agent is upholding the laws, and protecting people's civil rights. If you decide that you can't look the other way anymore, or be a part of what agent Ellison is doing, I'll be here, ready to talk." Molly said firmly. 

Agent Willis was silent for so long I thought the call might have dropped, but then he said "Watch your head out there this morning Molly." And he hung up.

Molly and I looked at each other. I took the phone and pushed it under her pillow, in case anyone was listening in. 

"What did that mean?" Molly asked. "Watch my head?"

"I think 'this morning' was the bigger clue. They're making a move this morning." I told her.

"Like what? What are they doing to my head?" Molly asked.

Then the answer came to me. "Snipers." That had to be what Willis meant. 

"What? This is the federal government. They can't just shoot someone off the street!" Molly screamed.

"They have before. Have you ever heard of Ruby Ridge?" I asked.

Molly pulled out her laptop and googled it, taking about 10 minutes to read the Wikipedia entry.

"Oh my god! They shot that man and killed his wife and son on a lie from a neighbor! They couldn't even convict them of a crime afterwards! Oh my god, there's a sniper waiting out there to kill me!" Molly's voice cracked, and she fought back tears. 

"Shh. I'm here." I consoled her. "No one's going to hurt you."

Molly stopped crying, and started to calm down. I held her in my arms for several minutes. 

"You know that phone call was a success, right? Agent Willis may have just saved your life." I told her. 

"I know. Thank you for making me call him. He may turn out to be a friend in all of this." Molly said. "So what do we do now?" She asked.

"We find the sniper, and call campus security about a man with a gun. If the FBI had told the campus that they had a sniper looking to take out a suspect on the street, they would have closed down the campus. It's way too risky of a plan for anyone but a rogue group of agents. We let the campus police catch the man, and see if we can let the police help us get some more information." I told her.




Suck in the Moment Ch. 02



"Thank you. Thank you for everything. I work so hard at not being weak, but all I want right now is you to hold me and promise me that everything is going to be okay." Molly cried.

I pulled her closer to me. "Everything is going to be okay. I promise." 

I reached for her thread and pulled on it tight, as I tapped the switch inside my head. The world went silent. Molly sat up as she felt the air go still and the noises cease. 

"Thank you. I know you think this is dangerous, but this is the safest I could feel right now." Molly said.

"Let's go find the bastard who thinks he can kill you." I said.

We stood and walked outside the dorm. 

"If I were a sniper, and I wanted to shoot at someone leaving this door, I would..." I looked around. There were trees blocking most shots, but I could see two buildings nearby: a tall parking garage, and the campus stadium. "...be in one of those two buildings. I'll start at the parking garage, and you start at the stadium, okay?" 

Molly nodded and we separated. I could feel her thread as we parted, spooling out in a straight line, no matter what came between us. 

I ran into the parking garage, and climbed the staircase all the way up to the top. I walked along the side with the view to Molly's dorm. There were few cars on the top level, even though the roof had been plowed. One level down, I noticed a black SUV with the rear window sitting open, and backed up facing Molly's dorm. 

The first thing I saw when I looked in the SUV was the scope of a sniper's rifle. The man had himself mostly covered in a matte black cloth, disguising his features in the dim interior. I pulled open a door with difficulty. The man lay in the prone position, his eyes looking down his scope. I got closer and recognized the sniper as Special Agent Margolis of the FBI. The SUV was full of gear, and I found several tie wraps, the kind that make disposable handcuffs. 

I fit the loops over Margolis's feet, and pulled them gently. I didn't want there to be sudden pressure when time started up. Next I found the hood release, and popped the SUV's hood. The SUV had a V-8 engine, and I pulled all eight spark plug wires.  

There was a two-way radio next to his head, and a wire running into an earpiece. I turned the dial on the radio all the way down until it clicked. I was worried that it might make a sound as it turned off, so I turned it back on, but at the lowest volume. I also noticed that the safety on his rifle was off. I clicked it on. I also fished into his pocket for his FBI badge, which I slipped into my own pocket, leaving him his personal wallet.

Satisfied that Margolis had been partially hobbled, I closed the hood and doors, and left in the direction that the thread told me Molly was in. 

I found her in an empty office on the Fourth floor of the stadium, her thread leading me straight to her.

"I found our..." I stopped. Molly was standing over a second sniper, tugging at his gun. "Sniper." I looked at his face, but didn't recognize the man.

The sniper's view out the opened window gave him a worse view of Molly's side exit, but a better view of the main door. He had a printed picture of Molly, a still from the security camera. He was frozen looking through a pair of binoculars at the main entrance. Molly snatched up the picture, slipping it into her pocket.

I turned the volume down on his radio, as I had done to Margolis. I untied the man's shoelaces, and tied the shoes together in a triple knot, and pulled with all my strength. I pressed the safety on his rifle on, but left his bullets, as I had with the other. I wanted the police to catch both snipers with fully armed and functioning rifles.

I slipped my hand into his pocket and came out with a badge identifying him as an FBI HRT (Hostage Rescue Team) sniper/observer, Ryan O'Donnell. I pocketed his badge, leaving him with his personal wallet.

Molly and I ran back to her dorm room together, and I wrapped my arms around her, holding her thread before restarting time. 

Molly ran over and picked up Ellison's phone. She dialed '911.'

"911, what's your emergency?" I could hear the dispatcher over the phone.

"Hi, I was just looking out my dorm window, and there's a man on the fourth floor of the campus stadium. He's pointing a gun out an open window, and I think he's going to shoot someone." Molly faked being scared, but she was excited. 

The operator asked for several more details, and Molly kept up the charade. 

"I thought it was strange that someone had a window open with all the cold and snow, so I looked closer out my binoculars, and I can see a rifle with a scope, and he's looking right at my dorm with binoculars." She said, winking at me.

Molly hung up, and it was my turn. I picked up agent Ellison's cell phone and dialed '911'. 

"911, what's your emergency?" The operator asked. 

"Yeah, I don't know what's going on, but I was just walking down through the parking garage on campus, and there's a guy in the back of a black Chevy suburban with a rifle. He has his back window open, and he looked like he was going to shoot someone. 

The operator asked me for a license plate, which I had gotten, but claimed I hadn't. There was only one black Suburban on that level, and if the car was registered to the FBI, I didn't want them to tip Ellison off before approaching. 

No sooner had I hung up when Molly's phone beeped with an urgent text message. The whole campus was in lockdown, and everyone was urged to get inside, and stay put until an 'all-clear' text message was sent. 

We cracked the window curtains as the sirens started sounding on campus. We could just see the sniper in the stadium window, and he was staying put, scanning the area with his binoculars.

"Want to go get a closer look?" I asked Molly. She just grinned at me and took my hand.

We still wore the heavy sweatshirts and pants from my dorm, and slipped on our shoes. I wrapped Molly up in my arms, making sure I had her securely before freezing the moment. The now familiar silence and stillness was around us.

We walked out the door. The police cars were much closer to the sniper in the parking garage, so we went there first. We climbed up the stairwell. There were no cameras in the stairs, only out in the main garage. We climbed up to the level with the suburban, and I held Molly close as I restarted time. 

From the door to the stairwell, we had a pretty good view of the suburban. Agent Margolis had heard the sirens coming, and we saw him stand up, only to collapse and fall over. I watched his silhouette as he struggled to cut off the zip-tie. He struggled to the front seat as we could hear the police cars enter the parking garage. 

The engine turned over and over, and as the first police car came into view, it screeched to a halt, two officers coming out of the car with their guns drawn. Agent Margolis followed their commands, announcing that he was a federal officer. He complied with their commands, and within moments, they had him in handcuffs. A police officer announced that he found a sniper rifle in the back, and came out holding it. 

Margolis repeated over and over again that he was a federal officer, and asked that they allow him to show his badge as the police officers searched the car, finding a handgun. Margolis asked them to check his wallet, but found only his personal wallet. I pulled his badge out of my pocket and showed it to Molly, who grinned. He then begged them to call the FBI and ask for agent Ellison by name.

"Should we go check on the other sniper?" I asked Molly. She nodded, and I gripped her tight before freezing time and leading her across to the stadium.

The second sniper was visible in the open window now. He was frozen in a kneeling position looking through binoculars. He didn't seem concerned by the police cars pulling up outside, and I hoped he was waiting on an 'abort' command over the radio that would never come.

I wasn't sure that we could get a better view of his arrest without being seen. Molly agreed, and we returned to her dorm room, restarting time once inside.

Once inside, we threw open the curtains. The man in the window scanned along with his binoculars, and seemed to spot Molly in her dorm window. We watched as he dropped to his gun. Just then, the door behind him flew open, and four uniformed police officers entered the room with their guns drawn. We couldn't hear a word, but the tension in the room was obvious. 

The man raised his hands off the rifle and stood. He tried to turn, and tripped over his tied shoelaces. The police officers rushed in, handcuffing him and dragging him away. We were still watching a few minutes later as the police loaded Ryan O'Donnell into a police car. 

"Damn, I was hoping at least one of them would go down in a hail of gunfire." Molly said next to me as the marked police car pulled away. 

I turned to look at her, I'm sure with a look of shock on my face.

"What? They were camped outside my dorm with guns waiting to blow my head off. They deserved a bullet at least, as their Karmic reward for that." Molly explained. I just shook my head. 

"I don't want anyone to get hurt. They probably have wives, kids, families. Don't you think people will miss them if they were killed? Wouldn't you feel guilty if you were responsible for them getting killed?" I asked.

"Travis, you're just a big softie. Yes, I think they have families, but in war there are casualties. They certainly were prepared to make me a casualty of this war. Besides, doesn't my head look better not-blown-off?" She framed her face with her hands and smiled beatifically. 

I stared for a moment into those deep green eyes before I smiled back and kissed her. "Looks perfect." I murmured. 

We closed the shades. There was an awkward silence between us. I really didn't agree with Molly that there came a time when death was a suitable retaliation against my enemies. That was what made me better than them. Perhaps she was right, though, that they deserved it after the way that they had come after her. Maybe my perceived safety behind Molly taking the blame had made me 'soft.'

I noticed the FBI windbreaker sitting on the floor where Molly had discarded it the night before. I picked it up and put it on. I also grabbed agent Ellison's cell phone, and powered it off.

"I'm going to go watch them question the two." I said.

"I'm coming with you." Molly said, standing and picking up her phone.

"No, Molly. I can't promise i can hide you if you come with me. I need you to stay here. You're safe for now." I pleaded.

"You promised me that you'd be by my side when the FBI made their next move against me." Molly said. "Please don't leave me alone while you go make your move against them."

Molly reached into my pocket and grabbed out the ID for Ryan O'Donnell. She then went to her closet and pulled out a women's business suit, stripping naked to put it on. I watched with interest as she revealed her beautiful pale body, putting on a little show for me, before she started to dress in her suit. 

"Is that what you're wearing?" She asked, pointing at my sweat pants. 

"I guess I'm undercover FBI?" I said. Molly laughed at me. At least I had the FBI windbreaker. 

"Just to be safe, why don't we walk through frozen time until we are inside the police station?" Molly suggested.

I wrapped Molly up and froze time. We walked together to the police station, which Molly had found on her phone.

We found our way in to an observation room with a one-way mirror on each wall. Agent Margolis was in one interrogation room, and Ryan O'Donnell was in the other. 

We watched for several minutes as a detective from the city police department interviewed agent Margolis, asking him a dozen different ways who he was and who he worked for. Margolis repeated over and over again that he was a special agent with the FBI. He repeated his request to call special agent Ellison of the FBI. 

"The problem is..." The detective started. "...that if the FBI had a team of snipers set up on our campus, they would have been required to alert city police about the action ahead of time. If you are actually FBI, that's marginally better for you, but way, way worse for your organization. There's no way the FBI would sanction two snipers on a college campus."

I felt arms wrap around me as we watched the proceedings. 

"Stop time. I want to try something." Molly whispered in my ear, punctuating it with a little nibble on my earlobe which sent shivers down my spine.

I pulled tight on her thread and stopped time. Molly took my hand and opened the door, leading me out of the observation room, and into the interrogation room. The detective's face was frozen in anger and distain, and agent Margolis's face was frozen in stern resolve. 

The one-way mirror stood on the wall, reflecting our image back to us. Molly seemed to enjoy it, but even though I knew no one was in the observation room, it still gave me the creeps. 

"It looks like classes are cancelled for the day. I guess you get to eat me out here instead." Molly said sweetly, slowly lowering her skirt, with a swivel of her hips. She wore no underwear underneath, and I could tell that she was incredibly turned on. 

There was a pile of papers on the table between the two men, and Molly lay her head on them, using them as a pillow. Her long pale legs slowly lifted up into the air, and she spread them. I could see her lips part as she wrapped her hands around her knees, and pulled them back, fully exposing herself to me.

I looked around at our frozen audience. In a way, I could see why Molly wanted this. Our enemy was frozen before us, and we could fuck on the table in front of him without him even knowing. It was power, and we felt powerful.

One of Molly's hands reached down to stroke herself as I approached. She further spread her lips, coating them in sticky moisture, and she circled her clit a few times. 

I knelt before her, unable to smell her fragrance until my nose was practically touching Molly's pussy. I extended my tongue, licking from her opening, slowly upwards. Molly shivered when my flat tongue slowly slid over her hooded clit, applying gentle pressure as I continued my journey upwards.

Her flavor was rich and heady, coating my mouth and wafting up into my nose. It hit my brain like a drug. I was hooked, and I wanted more of her. 

I sucked the little nub into my mouth, pulling with my lips and teasing with my tongue. She jolted upwards, breaking the seal my lips had on her as her hips twitched in pleasure.

My tongue again found her opening, pushing into her with minimal pressure, as deep as I could go. I removed my tongue, and replaced it with first one finger, then two. 

I eased in and out with my fingers while my lips and tongue focused on Molly's clit. She was going crazy, moaning and writhing in time with my ministrations. Both of her hands found the back of my head, and got a firm grip on my hair, pulling me hard to her as she came with a wailing moan. Her legs clamped down on my ears, and there was a fresh gush of warm liquid as she shook through the peak of her orgasm. 

"Oh god that was amazing. We are definitely doing that again!" Molly laughed, as she released her hold on me and struggled to catch her breath. "Mm. I can tell you liked that too." Molly said as she stood and stroked the erection tenting my sweat pants. 

I pulled her in tight and took a deep breath. "Any time, anywhere." 

Molly giggled. "What do you say we get back in that room and watch the fireworks as the men who tried to kill me get what's coming to them?" Molly said, sliding the fabric of her skirt up and over her hips.

I followed her back into observation where I pulled her in tight, and let time start up again. 

"What I want to know is..." The detective was shouting at agent Margolis. "..Why were two apparent FBI snipers set up to shoot someone in my city with no cooperation, and no heads-up between agencies? Let's suppose you're telling the truth, and there was some suspect on my campus who couldn't be captured live. What was your plan after the gun went off? Just rush in and grab the body? Hope no one on a campus of tens of thousands heard you, saw you kill someone? While you're putting their lives in danger?

"Did you hope that us city cops were too slow and stupid to catch you? That's just sloppy, man!"

Agent Margolis just stared back at the detective. Resolve hardening on his face.

"No, I'm starting to believe that you do, or at least did work for the FBI. What happened, you make a mistake, and thought you could slip in and fix that mistake with a bullet? You were supposed to be upholding the law, and unless the director of the FBI himself can convince me that you had a reason to target someone in my city, you're staying in my lockup until this whole thing is resolved." The detective threatened.

Just then there was a commotion out in the offices outside. The detective heard it too, and stood to go investigate. Molly and I cracked the door open, looking out into the open space beyond. Special agent Ellison was shouting at several plainclothes officers that I assumed were detectives. 

The detective that had just been questioning Margolis came out, shouting the loudest for silence. The room seemed to calm down, the other officers ceding to his authority. 

"What's going on out here?" The detective asked. 

"I'm Special agent Anthony Ellison of the FBI. I understand you're holding two of my men as suspects in a crime. They were acting with the authority of the United States Justice Department, and you will release them to me at once." Ellison barked. 

The detective laughed. "Let's see some ID." Agent Ellison produced his wallet, and I froze time, taking his badge from his hand and replacing it with his personal wallet. 

Ellison flapped it open, showing the detective.

"You know, a 20 year-old photo of you on a driver's license isn't enough to convince me that you're an FBI agent." The detective said condescendingly. "Since you are without credentials, I ask that you carefully remove the weapon from your hip and surrender it."

"Freeze time." Molly said in my ear as Ellison carefully reached for his gun.

"Why?" I asked. 

"Just do it. I want to make Ellison draw on the cops. See if we can't get someone to shoot him." Molly whispered.

"No. He's surrendering." I said, shocked at Molly's sudden bloodlust.

"You were the one who told me what he had planned for you. He's a killer. If we don't take him out, you and I will never be safe." Molly pleaded. 

Agent Ellison had already handed his gun over, and the point was moot by this time. 

"Anthony Ellison, you are under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder." The detective said smugly. "Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law." 

"You can't arrest me! I'm a federal agent. My authority supersedes yours!" Ellison spluttered. "This is a career mistake for you detective." 

"Once I get confirmation that the FBI sanctioned an operation to put two snipers in my city with no consideration given to the local authorities and no consideration given to due process of the law, you will be released. In the meantime, the local authorities will begin seizing evidence from your office to find out what your orders were and how high this conspiracy goes. 

Molly bumped me with a little smile, and I remembered that they would find nothing, not a single computer or file on an active operation.

"I'd rather see the bastards dead, but getting raped in prison sounds acceptable too." She laughed. "Let's get out of here. We still have one loose end to wrap up."

I wrapped my arms around her, and froze time. We walked together past the frozen forms and out of the police station. 

"Where to?" I asked.