Faith in the Family, CH 33 (Patreon)

[everything before the scene change will be moved to the previous chapter]

“Yes, Dietrich Orr,” the tiger stated, a growl in his voice. “And if you think you get to barge into my city and I’ll let you leave without explaining yourselves, you’re going to be sorely disappointed.”

“How did you know this is where we were?” Gilbert asked, then swallowed as the tiger narrowed his eyes. “Sir.”

The stripped wall of muscle rolled his eyes. “I had you followed. Unlike those nephews of mine, I’m not an idiot. As satisfying as grabbing the two of you and shaking you until you told me everything, I’m not looking to start a war. Now, you have two choices. We go to the conference room I rented and you convince me to let you go, or you can pull the disappearing act you did in the warehouse and I have to explain to my nephews while I had to go and piss off the Society when I catch up to you.”

“I’ll go anywhere with you,” Madoc said.

“Not again,” Thomas grumbled as the tiger smirked. “Can we make this quick?” the rat pointed to the other rat. “He needs to talk to his elder about a bad and his son, so we can then go and rescue my family. It’s been a busy hour when we ran from you.”

Dietrich raised an eyebrow. “You don’t seem as scared of me as they are.” Thomas thought there was a definite ‘as you should be’ unmentioned there.

“Oh, I’m plenty scared.” He motioned up and down the tiger. “You can probably crush this elevator with us in it, and they’ve made it clear how infamously violent your family is. But someone just threatened my family. And I’m discovering that worrying about them is causing my fear of you to be stupidly manageable. Where’s that conference room?” Before any of his friends could complain, he added. “Tell me you have something to drink.”

“Are you even legal to drink?” the tiger asked.

* * * * *

San Francisco, CA, February 15th

The meeting with Dietrich was simpler than Thomas expected. They explained about Madoc’s kidnapping and the steps they’d taken to find him. Thomas substituted Limbani’s precognitive ability so he wouldn’t have to explain about Shila; nondisclosure was ironclad in their deal. The tiger had listened, then taken Madoc aside for a conversation long enough, Thomas figured they’d fucked.

Once they returned, Dietrich wished them good luck, and left them there, stunned.

Without having to rush, but still being in a hurry, Yating suggested they charge up Thomas and that he could teleport them to Denver. The rat had been quick to point out the glaring flaw in that plan. He didn’t have a landing spot in the city. Living on the street hadn’t led to him creating the kind of safe environment he kept going back to enough to become familiar with it.

Gilbert pointed out his own problem with the panda’s plan. He wasn’t leaving his van behind, and, as far as he knew, Thomas hadn’t developed the ability to take more than one person with him.

During the entire exchange, Limbani had barely been able to keep from smirking in satisfaction.

The reason became apparent when, the next day, when the monkey joyfully pointed out that they were now exactly where and when he had seen them two days before.

* * * * *

Denver, CO, February 18th

The capybara, otter and squirrel had been waiting for them at the steps of the Marriot Tech Center as they had pulled in, but Gilbert was too tired to continue, and despite Thomas’s insistence, he still wouldn’t let anyone drive his van.

Seeing Donal again, and in good health, had taken some of the annoyance away and they’d spent the night at the hotel.

Late the next morning, Olavo, Donal and Felix had started the ride in the otter’s car, and every hour they stopped for the passengers to switch from the car to the van so they could enjoy the others. The only ones not to move vehicles were Thomas, he had to stay in the van, and Donal, who had to remain in the car.

Thomas had pointed out there was no need, that he’d had plenty of chances for him to leave with Donal when they were at the hotel, but Olavo wouldn’t hear of it. He wasn’t risking Thomas deciding to teleport away again, and leaving the others hanging. He needed to touch the squirrel to take him along, so he wasn’t given a chance to touch him.

* * * * *

Kansas City, KS, February 19th

“Another Marriott?” Thomas asked, looking at the colorful front as Gilbert stopped the van.

“Where else did you think we were going to go?” Olavo asked from the back with a satisfied sigh as he pulled out of the red panda.

“Our Family owns the chain,” Madoc said, holding down Limbani’s head on his cock. “That’s why they were staying there in San Francisco Bay. We have an arrangement with most Society families. And we have to be here since we want to talk with Raphael. This is where our family is based out of.”

“Lots of sex,” the monkey said around the rat’s cock.

Thomas raised an eyebrow at Madoc.

“We make sure a high number of the male staff in our hotels are willing to have sex with other men,” the rat answered. “You can’t just grab a random guy in the hotel uniform, but a Society man traveling alone can order room servicing.”

Thomas looked away as the implications hit. “So, those hotels are like whorehouses?”

Madoc rolled his eyes.

Gilbert chuckled. “Don’t let another Lewiston hear you call it that.”

“We don’t sell the guys’ services,” Madoc said. “And the service is only available to Society men. Not all of us have the luxury of traveling with friends.” He gave a hard thrust, holding Limbani in place.

“How long until Felix gets here?” Thomas asked, eyeing the monkey’s raised ass.

Gilbert tapped the screen on the dash, tapped it again and on the third try, a menu came up, and another tap brought a map with another marker on it. It was zoomed in enough that Thomas figured he’d have to wait on the offered ass before the armadillo said.

Less than five minutes.

The otter had only spent any of the stops in the van long enough to fuck. Unlike Gilbert, he wasn’t as picky as to whom could drive his car, but if he and Thomas weren’t busy, they couldn’t stop arguing.

Felix had always been full of himself, and not in an endearing way, but when catching up with him, his usual looking down on Thomas for being beneath him came with accusations of disrespecting him and his family. Thomas had tried to explain those weren’t things that had happened, but the otter wouldn’t hear of it, and Thomas had no patience for the baseless accusation with worrying about his family.

So the otter had driven the entire way, the last leg with only Donal for company.

The silver luxury San Sortuna stopped next to the van and Gilbert lowered the window with fewer difficulties than Thomas had seen in San Francisco. The armadillo had spent whatever time not busy with the rescue puttering around his van. He was going to fix it completely; he kept insisting.

“What are we doing with him?” Felix asked, leaning over the passenger side and motioning to the back.

Olavo leaned over Gilbert. “One of us can stay with him in the lobby.”

“I’m not doing it,” the otter stated.

“I don’t need a babysitter,” the squirrel said. “I’m a grown-ass adult.”

“You okay?” Thomas asked over the capybara.

“I’m good.” Donal sighed. “But someone need to take Felix had have sex with him. He’s been eyeing me for the last ten miles and my ass needs a rest.”

“I’m sorry, Donal,” Olavo replied, “but I can’t risk you running off.”

“Where the fuck am I going to go?” the squirrel asked in exasperation. “All I have is what I’m wearing, and that’s only half of what you forced me to leave behind. I don’t know this city’s streets.”

“Just think of it as more of our hospitality,” the capybara said.

“Then, whoever does it better be willing to walk,” Donal grumbled. “I am fed up with being cooped up.”

“We’ll figure out that part once we’re inside the hotel.” Olavo then instructed Gilbert to drive them to the underground parking.

* * * * *

Kansas City, KS, February 19th

The rat seated behind the sleek metal desk looked them over. The suit was rumbled, as if he’d been awake in it for days. He looked tired, but that didn’t keep the annoyance from showing.

“Alright,” he demanded. “So, who exactly are you?”

Reaching the… infamous?… Raphael hadn’t been a straight line.

* * * * * 

Kansas City, KS, February 19th

Madoc had spoken with the hotel manager, who had brought in a man, another rat, who had made a series of calls on getting their identities. Then had come another rat, who questioned them about how they’d come to be there.

They’d wanted to keep the story to Madoc’s kidnapping and rescue, but they didn’t mention Dietrich. Thomas’ kidnapped family was included. Then he had to explain how the two weren’t related, so he’s explained about his teleportation, running from the frat.

The entire story only got him an eye roll and a ‘just who are you again?’, glare.

When a fourth rat showed up and asked for details about Madoc’s kidnapping, Thomas snapped. He teleported in his face, told them they were here to see Raphael, then teleported back to his chair.

That has sped things up immensely.

* * * * *

Kansas City, KS, February 19th

“I’m Madoc, sir. I was Glynn’s son.” He named the others as he pointed to them, including the family names. He finished with Thomas and stumbled over Hertz.

“And you are all part of the same chapter of Sigma Theta Gamma?” the elder rat asked.

“Yes, sir.”

Raphael looked at Thomas. “And you claim to be one of us, and to be able to teleport.” This wasn’t a question, but a statement of dubiousness.

“I don’t claim anything,” Thomas said and added, catching Madoc’s wince, “sir. I was told I’m one of you because of how getting fucked gave me this power.”

“Teleportation.” The dubiousness of the claim was even heavier this time.

“Why don’t you ask the guy I did it in front of?” Thomas asked. “If you won’t trust him, give me a door with a window in it and I’ll show you.”

“Why a window?” Raphael asked, the dubiousness this there, but now with a hint of, ‘okay, how far is he going to push this stupid claim?’ Added in.

“I need to see where I’m going,” Thomas answered. “At least to use it safely. Anything else’s left me drained to the point others have been scared I was dying. Until I was fucked.”

Raphael considered him, then tapped his desk. “Dirk.” A minute later, a rat entered. “That door,” the elder said, indicating the one on the other side of the room. Dirk placed a hand on it and it became transparent, showing a bedroom on the other side. “Well?”

Thomas teleported into the room. The bed was unmade, clothing piled in a corner. There was a definite smell of sex, but also of unwashed bodies. Whoever used this room didn’t have much time to take care of it or himself. When he looked out the clear door, Raphael stared at him before motioning for him to return. Thomas reappeared next to Madoc.

The elder studied images on his desk. Thomas couldn’t make them out, but he figured he knew what they were. When he looked up, he seemed re-energized.

“You actually teleported,” he said, the awe barely contained. “I was thinking you’d pulled some trick, hyper speed or something. Teleportation’s supposed to be impossible.” A smile formed. “And you’re one of mine.”

“I’m a Hertz,” Thomas stated. “As far as we’ve worked out, the only link I share with your family is that my grandmother’s sister married into it.”

Raphael waved that aside. “We’ll work out how that happened later. Now, you told Vincent that your memories have been altered by a bat.”

“Theirs,” Thomas said.

“Maybe,” Madoc replied, glaring at Thomas. “We don’t know which of us had their memories altered for certain. Thomas was in the company of a kangaroo who did magic.”

“Only of the Longner?” Raphael asked.

“Not one of us,” Madoc said, then looked at Thomas.

He sighed. “His last name is Summer. I’m not giving you his first. He saved me and I’m not taking a chance that you’ll decide to make his life more difficult.”

“What faction is he from?” the elder asked, tone stern.

Thomas shrugged, remember Grant’s warning about mentioning Practitioners to anyone else. “I don’t know any of that stuff.” He paused. “Sir.”

“He had a staff, and called down lightning,” Madoc said.

“A staff?” Raphael asked, and ear tilting in quizzicalness. “What did it look like?”

“I’m sorry, sir,” Madoc said after thinking it over. “Yating is the only one who got close enough to see it.”

“Yating Xu,” Raphael read on his desk. “The one you left with this Donal, and who are now walking about the city, correct?” there was incredulity in his voice. “He really should be here, since he had important information.”

“I didn’t know the staff was important, sir,” Madoc said defensively.

“It might not be. The point is that you should all have been here.” The elder calmed himself. “Now, about this bat, what faction is he from?”

“If I may, sir?” Olavo asked, and once the elder nodded, continued. “He’s Society.”

“There are no bat families, Mister Medeiros,” the elder replied with a touch more respect than he’d afforded even Madoc.

“I know, sir,” Olavo responded. “But I’ve been going over everything, and it’s the only way any of this works.”

Raphael sighed, but motioned for the capybara to continue.

“It’s been bugging me how Thomas can be a foundling, because the only way he can have been initiated by the frat is if thirteen already initiated Society members had sex with him for all three of them. A case can be made that we had a visitor who didn’t announce himself the first time because it was an open party, but the other two only involved the frat, and there’s only twelve of us. Unless you add this Henry.” Olavo ran a hand over his face. “The one other possibility I was entertaining was that Thomas was a Lewiston who had his memories altered before meeting us. But if that was the case, you’d have known who he is. Am I right in thinking you had our DNA checked to rule out any Body Thieves?”

The elder nodded.

“It means that there were thirteen of us at the frat, and Henry is one of us, sir.”

“There has only ever been one bat family, Mister Medeiros,” Raphael said. “They were wiped out.”

“Yes, sir,” Olavo replied. “And yet, the evidence we have points to him being a Stoker.”

“Cursed Ass. I don’t need this.” The elder rested his head in his hands. “And not one of you remembers him?”

“I do,” Thomas said, then added. “Sir.”

“Will you stop it with the sir, if you aren’t comfortable with it?” Raphael snapped. He tapped the desk. “Dirk.”

“Yes, sir,” the rat replied from next to the door, which was now opaque again.

“Pull a team together. Have them investigate the Minneapolis Chapter of Sigma Theta Gamma. Discretely, Dirk,” he added. “I don’t need that to get to the ears of the Richard, is that clear?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Raphael closed his eyes. “Tell me someone recently initiated has come out with mind reading powers.”

When dirk didn’t immediately answer, Thomas glanced in the rat’s direction. He was reading from his phone.

“No, sir,” he said, putting it away.

Raphael cursed under his breath. “Don’t the Mercier have one?”

“I’d have to check with them, sir.”

“Do that. If needed, mention the frat since they have two boys in it. It should keep their demands to something reasonable.

“Sir?” Thomas said, turning the word into a question at the last moment and then snapping his muzzle close until the elder nodded to him. “I don’t know why you need a mind reader. We’re established they’re the ones with the scr—altered memories. Madoc said you’d help rescue my family. Henry had them. We need to go right now.”

The older rat watched Thomas, and his expression softened. “Dirk. Make sure they look into that, too. If there is a way to do it without making waves, arrange the rescue. Otherwise, have them bring he intel so we make plans.” He raised a hand as Thomas opened his muzzle. “Thomas, I can’t let you go.”

“But,” Thomas protested.

“How long did you stay at the frat?” Raphael asked.

Thomas ran a hand through his headfur, barely able to contain his irritation at the lack of action. “Since September, but that’s got nothing to do with any of this.”

“So, for around five months,” Raphael said, “you lived with someone able to alter memories.”

Thomas shrugged. “I guess, but he didn’t do anything to me.”

“How do you know?”

Thomas opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Of course, his memory was fine. He’d know if Henry had done anything to them. He was sure of that, and the bat hadn’t.

He glanced at Madoc, Felix, Gilbert and Olavo.

Just like they were certain their memories were fine too, until confronted with evidence to the contrary they couldn’t deny.