After seeing Brad leave the side room a little after Ray. I decided not to push into him immediately--if only to find out what was going on. So I played it cool, nodded my chin in his direction and took a few more pictures.
He slumped on the bench next to me. "What was all that about?" I asked. "You weren't gay'ing it up with that guy was you?"
"Fuck off," he replied abruptly. "Tyler was here, he was still drunk and threw up on me. I was helping the guy clean up the puke; he lent me this." He pulled at the blue vest and flexed. "I threw the other one away, it smelt rank."
I fanned my hand. "Yeah, I can still smell it," I lied. "How did you get it in your hair?" He took off his beanie and smelt it. "Go wash your fucking hair. I'll make sure you get it all out."
We walked to the showers, and he turned on the water. After testing the temperature he bent over in front of me and began to wash his hair. He was vulnerable, I knew from Gabriel's memory that this was a chance I shouldn't ignore. Grabbing Brad from behind, I locked my hands around his torso and yanked him upright. His head flew back almost hitting me in the face. My grip changed; an arm around his narrow waist, the other around his thick chest. I pulled him close--holding him tightly. He only had time to gasp in surprise as I freed myself of Gabriel and squeezed into Brad's 5'6" frame. By the third breath I was Brad.
I felt Gabriel's grip loosen, I turned to see him stumble backwards and fall to the floor. "What are you doing Gab?" I asked in Brad's voice.
He looked at me, lost for a moment. "I don't know," he stammered.
I held out my hand and dragged him to his feet. "Have you been smoking some of your shit again?"
He laughed. "Can't remember, it must have been good."
"You go back to the room, I'll be back in a while. I need to pack, I'm leaving in an hour."
"Right, you're going to see your girl at Uni--Rachel?"
"Rebecca," I corrected him. He shrugged, with a grin and left, I returned to my locker. I took off the vest, and dried myself. I stretched and flexed my stolen muscles, he was a tight fit, but even relaxed I could feel his strength coursing through me.
After a few minutes posing with my new toy, I snapped some pictures, slipped the vest back on and collected together my kit. I pulled Brad's--my--favourite beanie on, and made my way back to the room.
When I arrived Gabriel was on the balcony smoking, I knew exactly what it was. I left him in his thoughts--or something, and went into the bedroom. I stripped down, making use of the privacy to explore Brad's body some more. He'd always been the shortest amongst this friends, he sometimes got picked on; but that just made him determined to get bigger in other ways. He'd always been heavy set, but a ferocious gym schedule had quickly created the impressive physique I now inhabited.
I grabbed a towel and showered, taking time to enjoy myself. Walking through the room, I discovered Gabriel had left. Picking out a t-shirt and jeans I got dressed, packing the rest of my stuff. Slipping on my jacket and snapped another picture. I'm not quite sure what it was, but being inside Brad gave me a tingle of excitement.
After checking out, I began my journey home in Brad's SUV. He was meant to be surprising his girlfriend, but the diversion to my home was only a twenty miles, so he'd still get to see her.
---
I made good time, and arrived back home after a few of hours. I parked up outside and knocked on the door.
Claire--my wife--answered. "Yes, can I help you?"
"It's me Daniel," I told her and smiled widely. Brad had a cute, disarming expression he used with girls. I was grateful for it, as Claire warmed to my new appearance almost immediately.
"Come in, where's Chris?" she asked, as I followed her into the house.
I decided to stay in Brad as I described the weekends events, it was a wise choice as she did not handle the news of Chris taking flight well.
"It was a stupid idea, I should've stopped you!"
"But it worked," I told her, "he can skip between people as good as me."
"And the cost? We have no idea where to find him. It's not as if we can put his face on a milk carton is it?" I had to admit, there was little chance of finding him--not when he could be anyone he wanted to be. "Let this guy you're in go, he needs to go see his girlfriend. It'll give me some time to cool off," she said.
Upstairs I picked out a shirt and some shorts; I'd need them after I'd separated from Brad, I was after all naked inside.
With my change of clothes in a bag I told Claire I wouldn't be long and left. I didn't drive far; just to the local KFC. Parking around the side of the building. Glancing around showed the coast was clear, I took a few breaths and made him sleep for ten minutes, then emerging. Quickly I slid over to the passenger seat and pulled on the clothes I'd brought with me. Slipping out of the SUV, I gave one last look at Brad, and headed home.
By the time I reached home Claire had calmed down a little. At the door she took my hand and led me into the lounge.
"I've called Grant's family," she said.
"Is he there?" I asked hopefully.
"No, but Grant arrived home a few hours ago. His father says he's pretty shaken up. He said Grant had woken up at a rest stop just outside Vegas, and can't remember how he got there."
"Shit, did you talk with him? Did you ask about Chris?"
"No, he didn't want to talk to me. He did say he found Chris' case in the pickup, but doesn't even remember seeing him."
I shook my head and slumped into a chair. I was lost, we couldn't call the police to search for him--he could be anyone.
"Chris is smart," Claire reminded me. "He'll be working it out."
"So we should just wait? I mean, he's Grant's best friend maybe I should get back inside him. Chris is bound to try and contact him--right?"
She held up her hand, "It sounds like you've put Grant through enough. You need to earn Chris' trust, do you think hiding in his best friend again will help?"
"No," I muttered. "So we just wait?"
"Yes, I think that's all we can do, and pray that Chris finds it in his heart to come home."
And so we waited, later that day Grant's father dropped off Chris' case. He told us that Grant was confused and disorientated. The doctors prescribed a sedative and rest.
I went through Chris' case, it looked like it had been roughly re-packed. I wasn't sure if any of his clothes were missing, but his mobile was tucked into one of the pockets--still powered off.
A day passed, then a second. I heard that Grant hadn't been at school, I felt helpless. I loved my son, but the guilt of what I'd done with Grant was tying knots in my chest--I'd hardly slept.
On the third day, I couldn't take it any longer and drove to Grant's house. I was relieved to find only his pickup in the drive.
I knocked on the door. Grant's face appeared at the window. "Go away, I don't want to talk to you."
Knocking again I leaned up against the door, listening. I heard him return. "Please Grant, I'm worried sick. Chris still hasn't called; he's... he's all I've got," I said swallowing hard. "I love him."
I tapped on the door again, and spoke softly, "Grant, please."
The latch turned, and the door slowly opened. Grant looked at me from behind the door, he was very pale. The bright mischievous glint in his eyes had gone, and dark shadows suggested that he hadn't been sleeping either.
"Can I come in?" He stepped back and I followed him to the kitchen. "Have you heard from Chris?" I said taking a seat.
He shrugged, "He's not called."
"Do you remember anything? Where he might be?" I was getting desperate.
"I-I don't remember," he stammered. "How I got to Vegas or what happened."
I sighed. "I'm scared I might have lost him Grant. I tried to be a good father, be his friend. Our family has a long history, my father taught me all he knew. I just wanted to share that with Chris." Grant just looked at me as I poured out my heart. I had no idea why I was telling him, but I just needed to say it. "Our families are bound by strength and trust--"
He snorted, and I looked at him. "Trust," he replied. I blinked in disbelief. "How could I trust you ever again."
"Chris?" I blurted out.
"How do you think I felt? Betrayed by my own father, you used my best friend. The one you knew I trusted." He tapped his forehead. "I unravelled the memory, the afternoon you came here and forced your way inside him. You did it slowly as well, he was scared shitless."
"I'm, I'm sorry. But I covered up those memories," I bleated. "Please come home, you mom is worried as well."
"And what you did with mom, that was just sick!" I blushed, and thought it wise not to respond. "I think you'd better be going, otherwise I'll call the police."
"Please come home, you can't stay in Grant."
"Who says I can't. You didn't know I was in him, suppose I move later. How would you know?"
It was true, I wouldn't know. "What can I do? Tell me, what would change your mind?"
"You may have been my father, I may have trusted you at some time--but that's gone."
I got to my feet, "But I trust you, I always have."
Grant pulled a face. "Prove it!"
"Get inside me, read my thoughts, memories--find out for yourself," I told him and turned my back to him.
Grant made a noise, I felt him touch my back and pushed Grant against my back. A tightness pulled at my body across my back and then from inside--then darkness.
---
I let out a groan, and coughed. "What the?" I spluttered.
My vision cleared, I was back at our house. Claire was sitting in a chair, Chris was standing in front of me; only wearing shorts.
I brushed at my chest, I was wearing different clothes. I looked between Chris and Claire--who smirked. "What? Where?"
"Back home dad," Chris told me.
"You changed my clothes?"
He looked at Claire. "Well what do you expect, that was three days ago."
"Three days!" I blurted out. "But," I gulped and looked at Claire. "What about work?"
"Covered for you dad," he said. "Can't believe you're a spy. Way cool."
"But how did--"
"Double possession like you did with Grant? Easy! Once I was inside you, I learnt so much," he said excitedly, then turned away. "Found out I was being kind of a jerk as well--I'm sorry about that. I know why you used Grant now."
I looked at Claire. "You knew about this?"
"When you came back from seeing Grant you said he knew nothing. Chris was playing you perfectly, although you spent more time at the gym than normal." She smiled and looked at Chris. "I got suspicious when we went to bed and you turned up in shorts and a vest."
"I sleep naked," I said.
Chris shook his head, "I just couldn't do it. So I fessed up, mom was cool. I was going to get out of you, but she told me to say inside you for a few days--to teach you a lesson."
"But three days?"
"Yeah, it was awesome!" Chris laughed, then he looked at me seriously. "I trust you not to search through those memories."
I swallowed again. "You trust me?"
"I trust you, we're cool dad." My eyes started to water. I reached out, grabbing Chris and hugged him tightly.
"So dad," Chris asked, "do you think I could be a spy as well?"
"I think we'd make a great team Chris."
--- THE END.
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