Ray's Ring Ch. 09

An adventure story with mind control, telepathy, rape, retribution, step sibling sex, sister-in-law sex, mother/son and aunt/nephew incest, step mom sex, a miraculous cure, ETs, murder and an intergalactic war. All the principal characters (at least the ones who have sex) are over 21. Part of a continuing story. Helpful if you read earlier parts first. Enjoy, let me know what you think of my tale. Jb7

Part 9 (tragedy, a legacy, retribution and secrets revealed)

Ray and his sisters stopped to pick up Ellen on the way to the hospital,and arranged for the kids to stay with a neighbor. At the hospital, they went straight to the emergency room. The first person they encountered was Maria, Ellen's favorite nurse. Without asking, she said, "This way," and led them to a room toward the back of the area. "He's been asking for you, Ray."

The three of them entered the small room. Jake lay on a gurney, a large bloodstain covering his chest. He saw them come in and motioned Ray to come closer. "Take care of Ellen for me. I got an insurance policy, it should cover everything. Lock box. Bank. Key's in desk."

"Jake, what happened?"

"Training cancelled. Stopped. Mom and Pop store, beer. Walked in stick up. Got one of the suckers. Other shot at me. Got us both."

As he labored to get out the story, Ray probed his mind. He got a very clear picture from Jake's memory of the shooter.

"'Nother favor. Nursing home. Riverton. Resident. Roseanne Travers. Tell her I'm sor..."

"Jake!!!" It was Ellen screaming his name. "Nnnnnoooooooo!!!!" Sobs wracked her body, with silent accompaniment from her in-laws. A nurse stuck her head in the door, then withdrew to fetch a doctor. They returned shortly with a police officer.

"I'm very sorry for your loss," the officer said. "If it's any consolation, your brother was responsible for the apprehension of one of the robbers, and we have a good lead on the other one. A lowlife named Ace Crawford."

"Skinny guy, about five-eight, sharp featured, dark hair, short cut. Scar under one eye?"

"Yeah, you know him?"

"No, Jake was describing him as he passed. Any idea where he usually hangs out?"

Ray saw the officer start to say something, and stop. He quickly probed him and got Crawford's home address. He asked the policeman to see that the girls got back to Ellen's and claimed he had some urgent business connected with the death. As he hurried from the hospital, Beth caught up with him. "I'm not going to let you do that," she said.

"How are you going to stop me?"

"I don't know, but I know I have to, or what Priest said will come true. You'll destroy this person, and your soul at the same time.

"There was no way to save Jake. The damage was too wide spread, too varied. I scanned the doctor, in case you were going to try. He was dead as soon as the bullet pierced his body. It was the type of bullet used, Ray. They mushroom and fragment. They are designed to do the maximum damage."

She put her hand on his as he jerked open the truck door. " Let the police do their job, Ray. We need to support Ellen, the boys and each other right now."

He heard Priest talking, "Listen to her, Ray!! You know she's right."

He took a deep breath, and felt the sobs rise in his throat. As he swallowed them, he nodded. "Okay, I won't kill the bastard. But that doesn't mean I can't terrorize him while I hold him for the cops. You will have to come along now, to make sure I don't kill the motherfucker."

"How are you going to catch him? The police don't know where he lives."

"They have his last known address. If there are any friends and acquaintenances, we have an advantage the police don't have. They can't lie to us."

Ray quickly made his way through the small town, to that part of every town where those who choose to ignore the laws seemed to congregate. After a couple of wrong turns, the pair found themselves in front of Crawford's last known address. As they exited the cab, they saw movement at a window next door. A blowsy looking woman rushed out of the house where the movement occurred. "Can I help you people?"

Her attitude and tone clearly indicated that she hoped not. "Looking for Ace. Is he around?"

"Whatcha wan' wi' him? He owe ya?"

"Nope, other way round. Know where I can find him?" During the conversation, both Ray and Beth had been probing the slattern's brain. It couldn't really be called a mind. Comparatively, Harry's swamp had been as clean as a fast food restaurant. This was full of hate, scheming, greed, larceny, and a total willingness to murder if it was needed.

Leaving a portion of his mind engaged to support Beth if needed, he cast his mind out, fishing. There was a nibble in the Crawford address. "Well, thanks for offering to help. We'll just try the house." He pulled Beth along, staying engaged with the slut's brain as a precaution. It was fortunate that he did.

Her startle response gave him enough of a warning for him to jerk Beth to the ground as he turned around and saw Ace Crawford point a gun at him. Ray immediately lashed out and seized Crawford's brain, immobilizing him. "Call the cops," he mentally ordered Beth. As she did, he pulled Crawford to the house. He forced the killer into the house, where he found an underage teenage girl. Ray sent her out to wait on the porch.

He made the skinny man strip. Then made him sink to his knees next to a coffee table. He had him pick up the revolver. "How many shots left, Ace?" The skel looked at him in surprise; how could this well to do stranger know who he was? Ray sent a jolt of pain up his spine, exploding in his forebrain. "I asked you a question." The skinny rat looked at him in terror.

"T..t...t...two," he stuttered.

"Take one out and spin the cylinder. Make sure it goes around at least three times." When he was done, the little man looked at Ray, wondering what was happening.

Ray tore a thin strip of cloth from his captive's shirt, and tied one end just behind the head of his cock. The other end he tied through a cup handle and let the cup dangle across the table from the kneeling man. This had the effect of stretching the man's cock across the table.

"Now, place the muzzle of the revolver on the head of your cock. Pull back the hammer to the first stop, slowly. You don't want it to slip and fire, do you?"

A yellow stream began seeping from the stretched cock, and the fetid odor of feces permeated the room. "Please, mister, I ain' don' nuttin' to you. Please, lemmeego! Pleeeese!! Mi Gawd!! Wha've I dun ta you?' Ace began to blubber and sob.

"That's fair," Ray said. "You should know why you're gonna die. The store you robbed this morning." The man's face went white. "The guy you shot, the poor guy who walked into your little play. That was my brother. He died a half hour ago. So I'm gonna let you blow your cock off. If you live fine, but I really expect you'll be dead before the police get here."

"Noooooooo!!!!" he screamed. "It were an accident, I di'n't mean it. Pleeeese!!!"

"What do you think ,Sis. Should we let this piece of turtle shit live?"

"I think so. Killing him makes us just like him."

"Yes Miss, you're right. Thank you , yes just like me, a worthless shit. Please lissen to her mister."

"Okay shit head, you live. Empty the revolver and lay it down." When Ace had done so, Ray made his way into his brain and induced a moderately deep trance. Deep enough so that the commands could not be ignored.

"When I wake you, you will pick up the gun by the barrel, and hold it like a hammer resting on the head of your cock, only you see your cockhead as a nail. When the police arrive, they will tell you to drop the gun. Every time they say that, you will hit the nail on the head as hard as you can. Okay, wake up. You will stay here until the police arrive and come for you.

"Okay, Sis, we can go." As they left, Ray reached out and erased the memory of their visit from the people they had talked with. The step siblings sensed feelings of approval coming from the ring advisors. It had been a reasonable response to a tragic event.

As they pulled away, they heard the police sirens approaching.

Beth reached up and twirled her fingers in his hair. "Did anyone ever tell you you have a nasty streak?"

"Yeah, a few folks have mentioned it, usually in approval."

He went straight to Jake's house, and asked Ellen about the key to the safe deposit box, She quickly found it and passed it over. They bundled up the kids, put together some clothes for them and Ellen and headed for the farm. On the way, they called Aunt Ginny.

Amy woke slowly, stretching her arms and back. It had been comfortable and comforting sleeping by Ray last night. Although they had not made love, she had been aware of their mutual feelings, simply from the way they had slept, in contact with each other, either spooning or cuddling, all night.

She got out of bed and grabbed her nightgown to wear after she showered. As she passed the dresser, she saw Ray's gold ring on the dresser. After her shower, she grabbed the ring and went to the kitchen. Ray was there, finishing his breakfast. She walked up behind him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I brought your ring down for you," she said. He turned, a puzzled look on his face, holding up his right hand, his ring flashing in the early morning sunlight.

"Hmmmh. Must be Beth's then. She must have left it off last night when she went to her own bed. I'll just take it up to her."

"Take what up to who," asked Beth as she and Ellen entered the kitchen.

"You left your ring in our room last night," Amy replied, holding up the jewel.

"Nope, not mine," she said, holding up her hand. "Ray's?"

"Nope, got mine right here," he answered, showing it off again. "Why don't you try it on, Amy? Remember, the priest said they would get you one as soon as one became available."

Amy nodded, and somewhat fearfully, slipped the ring on her right ring finger. Almost instantaneously, a small, bent, elderly woman, wearing a white shawl over a red printed blouse and long black skirt appeared. She looked like a caricature of a gypsy fortune teller.

"I don't like it, I don't like it at all. We have been told not to cluster them, to spread them like dandelion seeds," she was muttering as she appeared. "Oh dear, there you are. I don't like this. We are not supposed to group the rings like this, but Krag-on, the one you call priest, is the supervisor for this sector and he said to give this one to you. I don't like it. Not a bit. There is already one missing in this part of the sector. Has been for nearly 20 of your years. Won't be my fault, though; he ordered it.

"Well, dear, let me see. What do I have to tell you? You will be able to tell what others are thinking, but you do not yet have the power to control their behavior, although you will be able to influence their thinking somewhat. You will have a greater ability to tune into people's emotions, although I see you are already very good at that.

"To help you maintain some private thoughts, you have been given a barrier which will keep out others, either totally, or just for thoughts you want to keep hidden, for example surprise gifts. You will also be able to cloud the minds of people you want to confuse for some reason, and finally, an ability I see you have already experienced as a passenger, you have the ability to manipulate how you and those in contact with you perceive time.

"I think this wrong, but it's what I was told to do. Be judicious in how you use your gift, young woman. Use it to help, not hurt, and it can bring you much joy and happiness. I hope it does. Priest said he would supervise you, but you can always call on me if you want. My name is Ni-koma."

She turned to look at Ray. "Have we met sometime before? There is something very familiar about you." And she evaporated, leaving a mild odor of exotic mustiness, reminiscent of an expensive patchouli cologne.

"Holy crap," exclaimed Ray. He sent a probe to Amy, and laughed when her face lit up. He sent an image of them making love, while she was tied to the bed. She turned and stuck out her tongue at him. Beth laughed.

Ellen spoke up, quietly. "Uhh, guys? I think it's great that you all have this great new ability. But don't forget, there are some of us who can't play in your game."

The three quickly remembered the situation the family was in and each separately apologized to the young widow. As the women prepared and ate their breakfasts, plans were laid out for the day.

Ray and Ellen went to the bank. When they opened the safe deposit box, they both gasped. There were over 900 Morgan and Peace silver dollars in uncirculated condition in the original coin wrappers. They represented a quarter million dollars if sold on the open market.

In addition, when he was eighteen, Ray had taken out a life insurance policy with a face value of a half-million dollars, and kept it up to date. With the dividends automatically reinvested, it was worth another quarter million. The brother and sister-in-law, looked at each other in awe.

"Wow," said Ray, after counting the coins, "Well, you won't have to worry about money. Where did the coins come from?"

"No, Ray," she said softly. "We won't have to worry. I'm not leaving the family. It's the only decent one I've ever known. I want my children to grow up like you and my husband, as decent people."

Ray looked at her, and knew she meant it, without having to probe her. "The coins? Umh, do you remember that old '35 Dodge Jake bought to restore, the one with the toolbox mounted behind the back bumper?" Ray nodded.

"They were hidden in a false bottom in the toolbox. Jake had removed it and started to break up the box to use for firewood. At first, he was just going to use them as cash, but he saw an ad offering them for sale at the discounted price of $40 each. He said we'd hang on to them for a bit.

"I'd forgotten about them. You take them, Ray. Sell them as you need to, for the family."

"For you, Ellen, the boys, and the baby. You're all family."

That afternoon he and Amy headed to Riverton, alone. After stopping for directions, he found his way to the nursing home. When he asked for Roseanne Travers, the woman at the desk looked at him questioningly. "Are you relatives?"

"No, but a relative sent us. He had an accident and asked us to visit and relay a message."

"Would that have been Mr. Edwards?" Getting an affirmative replay, she continued, "He wasn't really a relative, I don't think, but he was so frequent a visitor, Rosie got upset if he didn't show on his usual day."

She handed them ID cards on a clip. "Wear these. She's in 127, down the hall to the right. She may be slow to answer your knock. She's here because of a stroke which took her speech, and made it difficult for her to walk, but if she's in, she'll see you."

As they walked down the hall, Ray nearly gagged on the combination of odors–antiseptic cleaners, dirty diapers, urine and the locker room smell of unwashed people.

When he knocked on room 127, there was no verbal response, but he received a clear mental response to come in. Even Amy reacted to it. Just as he started to turn the knob, the door was opened by an aide, who introduced herself as Tina, Ms Travers' assistant for the day.

Through Tina's speech, Ray was assailed with several mental messages. "Ray, oh my Lord, it is you! Where is Jacob? What has happened to him? How did you find me? Do you know who I am? Why I am here? How is Ellen? Are she and the children alright? Your stepsister and fiancé? Well, well."

Through all of this, he sensed an outpouring of love and fear combined, and beneath it all a presence he hadn't felt since he was a child. "MOM?" And he looked directly at Diane Edwards for the first time in 25 years.

After she told the aide to leave, Ray gleaned his mother's story from her memory. He shared it with Amy,who was still getting used to her abilities, as he sorted it out.

Shortly after his birth, she had a series of increasingly severe strokes, and had needed surgery to repair the last one. The surgeon made a mistake which left her without speech, and with occasional seizures.

She had convinced her husband that everyone would be better off if he divorced her and remarried. With money from the settlement for the botched surgery, she was maintained at the nursing home, quite comfortably. For the first few years, her husband had visited until she told him to stop coming.

Somehow, about six years ago, Jacob had found her and had been visiting every one or two weeks. He was overdue for a visit, and she was worried.

Ray told her gently what had happened to her elder son, and was surprised to hear the thought, "I should have been there, I could have saved him," come from his mother.

To an outsider, the remainder of the visit would have appeared very strange. The three sat, silent, holding hands, glancing back and forth, looking intently at one another for periods of a few seconds to a few minutes. occasionally longer.

"How, Mom? How could you have saved him?"

"Our family. Some of us have the power to heal."

"Not Jake, Mom, I tried. The damage was too great.

"You? You can heal? How do you know?

"Did Jake tell you about Ellen's MS? I cured her. At least, I got it started. I need to do more, but I can." He looked at her staring back at him, her eyes ablaze. "Would it still be possible for you? We'd need a brain doctor so I would know what to do? Would it be possible do you think?"

She ignored his questions. "What's wrong with Ellen? You're concerned about her."

"She's pregnant, and her body is reacting to the baby, causing her MS to flare up again. We were going to ask aunt Ginny if she would let us try to implant the baby in her to carry for Ellen and Jake. Ellen doesn't have any female relatives to ask. Ginny was the closest match to Jake."

"ME!!!" She grabbed Ray's hand and placed it on her abdomen. With their combined abilities, Ray discerned that except for the seizure activity, she was healthy, and her uterus was nearly at its peak readiness. Plus, she would be able to control her body's reaction to the foreign tissue. Diane smiled as she watched him run through all the objections which would be raised if they attempted this.

"Would you want to meet the rest of the family? Then we can talk about transferring the fetus to you. Carolyn is really nice, and her daughters, well, I'm going to marry Amy, here, and Beth, the other one, wants to share our bed. So does Ellen, as far as that goes."

"You've been a busy boy," she grinned. "Jacob was here two weeks ago, and said nothing of any of this."

"Well, it all sort of fell into place last Thursday, just after I found this ring," he said holding out his hand. His mother smiled as she saw the ring. She took his hand and held it, turning the ring this way and that. She noted the color changes.

"This ring makes you the alpha of alpha males, doesn't it? Have you learned all of your powers yet?"

"What do you mean? Do you know about these rings?"

She instructed him to go to her dresser and fetch a small box from the back of the top drawer. When she opened it, Ray was not surprised that it contained a ring nearly identical to his. "How come you don't need it to communicate?"

"Part of it I think is experience. I've had the ring since I was fourteen, nearly thirty-five years. Plus, like the healing, some members of our family seem to have a knack. Others, even with a ring, would not be able to successfully communicate. Jacob was one such. And to some extent, I think my inability to speak has assisted me in communicating mentally. It has forced me to focus my energy."

"Why do you say Jake couldn't communicate, even with the ring?" asked Amy.

"Oh, dear," Diane sighed. "That needs the reveal of a long hidden secret. It was a few weeks past my eighteenth birthday. Tom, Ray's father, and I had been dating for nearly a year, and had been intimate for a while.