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This is a work of fiction. Any people, places or locations within are purely fiction and the product of the author's imagination, or their names are used to add realism and/or for satirical purposes. Their use does not constitute any type of endorsement or agreement, in part or in whole, with any belief or message, expressed, implied or otherwise inferred by the author and the story/story line, nor do they imply any endorsement of the story or author.

This story contains scenes of EXTREME VIOLENCE, mature subject matter and deals with alternative lifestyles. If you are not comfortable with these concepts and materials, STOP reading NOW. If you are under the age of seniority and consent where you live, or if these types of materials are illegal for you to read, possess or download, you must STOP reading NOW and you may NOT download this story. If you are very religious, this work will probably anger you. Do not read it. Do not download it. Hello, nice to see you, GO AWAY. You'll be more comfortable at http://www.disney.com please go there instead of here.

 

Midnight Downloads
by Wendy-J
Wendy-J@KimEM.net
© 1999-2004 Wendy-J All Rights Reserved.
Unauthorized distribution or archival prohibited.

 

Part-19
Thursday Night September 10^th

In the car, Tina finally had the chance to question Sam at length without Sam shutting her up or urging her to hurry. "Sam, what's going on?" she asked. "You hate skirts and dresses and you're proud of your non-gender specific status at school. Now you're looking like that and dragging me to the mall, which is something else you hate, to meet a couple of friends from school! Care to fill me in?"

"Remember all those stories you've been reading?" Sam asked with a smile.

"Yeah, so?"

"Just think about that," she said. "Besides, Ro pegged me as a girl on the first day of school."

"She what? How?" Tina asked.

"She said I listen too good, I eat too nice, I relate too well, and I don't have an Adam's apple," Sam said. "Shit, Tee, she nailed me in the amount of time it took you to get cleaned up in the girls' room."

"Well, I told you she was smart, didn't I? So, does Leticia know?"

"If she doesn't, she soon will," Sam said with a grin.

"But why out yourself like this, Sam? I just don't get it."

"Well, to start with, it might be a bit more extreme than I would normally go, but I do plan on being a puzzle to everyone at school. So I'm not gonna be there just as any old guy. I plan on wearing some of my blouses, sweaters and pants too," Sam explained. "And second, tonight is for you."

Tina, having stopped for a red light, turned in her seat and stared at Sam.

"For me," she mused aloud.

She started at Sam's head and just looked…hard. Her gorgeous face was perfectly made up, almost totally covering up the bruising. Tina had to look really hard to see any trace of it. The triple hoops in each ear, the tight blouse showing some cleavage and those legs sticking out of that short skirt…Tina started to squirm in her seat, her comparable outfit only adding to her discomfort. Then it started to dawn on her what Sam meant by "for her." Her face turned beet red just as the light turned green.

A horn honked from somewhere behind them. "I think you have the green, sweets," Sam said with an evil grin.

"You, are a bitch," Tina said as she pulled a way from the light with a start. "You know that?"

"Umm hmm," Sam said, smiling like the cat that ate the canary. "And I plan on being worse later."

"But why, Sam?" Tina asked. "It's not like I don't appreciate it, but…"

"Because tonight, I found out just how much you care about me," she said, a tear glinting in her eye.

"Hey, wait a minute," Tina said. "I've had enough crying for one day. No more, please."

The rest of the ride to the mall was made in embarrassed silence. Tina couldn't keep her eyes off Sam and kept sneaking looks at her every chance she got.

"I can't believe the voluntary sacrifice Sam's making for me," she thought. "But I still don't understand why she's playing this twist on one of those story scenes with me. She's put on makeup and a short skirt just for me. Then she dresses me the same way? Why?" She kept thinking about it, and she stayed embarrassed.

"Thank the gods for pantyhose," she thought. "Even if it DOES become uncomfortable."

**********************

Meanwhile, back at the house, Janice was walking in the back door and shaking off the day. She was greeted by the smell of broiled stuffed pork chops as she opened the door.

"Something smells delicious," she called into the kitchen from the mudroom.

"Thank you!" Donna called back.

When she walked into the kitchen, she noticed the antique table was set formally for two and a bottle of red wine was breathing in a decanter. "Are we celebrating something? And why is the table only set for two?" Jan asked, confused.

"The girls went to the Clifton Mall. They said they were meeting a couple of their girlfriends from school and that they were going to eat there. So I thought that I might make you a nice dinner as a way of saying 'thank you' for everything you've done for my Samantha and me."

"It is nice not to have to make dinner tonight. I had a bear of a day and I'm beat."

"Why don't you go get cleaned up? Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes."

"Okay," Jan said brightly. "I think I'll do just that."

While she was getting changed, Linda called and gave Jan an update on James Boone. The news was promising. It brightened Jan's evening tremendously. She'd have good news for Sam and her mother.

When she got back down to the kitchen, Donna was just putting dinner on the table. It looked scrumptious. "So, the girls went to Clifton?" she asked, sitting at the table.

"Yes," Donna said with a smile as she sat. "And my daughter really looked like my daughter."

"I don't think I'm following you here," Jan said as she cut a piece of the pork chop. "What do you mean by that?"

"She was wearing a pleated mini, heels, makeup and perfume," Donna said with a giggle. "They looked like they were dressed to impress all the boys."

"They what!?" Jan said, dropping her fork. Then she started to laugh. "Did they say what time they'd be back?"

"I just told them to be home by eleven."

"I think Sam is up to something," Jan said as she resumed eating, smiling and shaking her head as she chewed. "This is really delicious, Donna."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, because it is! I don't think I have this recipe. Would you mind writing it down for me?"

"Not the food, that remark you just made about Sam."

"Because she hates dressing like a girl. Did you know she gave Tina all her skirts and dresses?"

"She didn't…you don't suppose…"

"Yes, I do."

"That little minx; you don't think I should be worried, do you?"

"Not with Tina there. She has a pretty level head on her shoulders." Then she stopped eating and thought for a minute. "Donna, did anything happen this afternoon?"

"Now that you mention it…"

**********************

Tina found a parking space not too far from the food court and parked. "Ready?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Well, Missy, get the lead out! We're late, remember?"

In the mall by the food court, there was construction tape everywhere. "I wonder what's going on?" Tina asked no-one in particular. Sam just shrugged her shoulders and scanned the area for Ro and Lee.

"There they are!" she exclaimed, grabbing Tina's hand and dragging her around the construction. It was a stage and dance floor that was going in, Tina noticed.

Lee and Ro were sitting at a table outside the Cinabon, staring at the band that was setting up gear on the stage, and failed to see Tina and Sam approach.

Tina sat next to Leticia as Sam sat next to Ro.

"Hey!" Lee said, looking at Tina. Ro just started giggling. Sam stuck out her tongue. "Where's Sa... SAM!?!?! Bwha hahahaha!" Lee went into hysterics. When she calmed down, she opened her mouth to speak, "Wha..." and started laughing again; helplessly, she looked at her friend, tears running down her cheeks as her mirth refused to let her catch her breath.

"Like it?" Sam asked with a grin.

"I don't believe it." Ro said.

"Oh, Sam! Why'd you let Tina do that to you?" Lee asked, wiping at the running eyeliner.

"ME!?" Tina shrieked. "This whole thing was her idea!"

"Her? Then you're... But I thought…"

"Thought what? Are you sure?" Sam asked.

"But..." Lee didn't know what to think now. "You're a transvestite?"

"I don't know; am I?"

"Sam, that's mean," Ro said.

"What am I, Lee? Boy or Girl?"

"I don't know, I don't want to know anymore," she said in confusion. "You look great, Honey. Daaamn you look good. So, are you?"

"Am I what? A transvestite? No, I'm me."

"But…"

"Lee, Sam's not into being either," Tina said. "She's what you call an androgyne. She isn't either in her mind. She just wears what she feels like wearing. If you mean is she male or female, well…technically, I guess she's female."

"Daaaaamn! You had me fooled, girlfriend!"

"Apparently I didn't have everyone fooled," Sam smiled. "Ro tagged me right off."

"And you didn't say nuthin'?" she accused.

"Nope, we wanted to see how long it took you to find out. And you can't go waggin' that mouth of yours at school, either."

"Hey, would I do that?" Everyone at the table nodded their heads emphatically. "I wouldn'…"

The rest of the table just started laughing.

"So, what's with the stage?" Tina asked. She was staring at the group huddled by the keyboards.

"Get her!" Sam said. "They're setting up for Teen Rave Night."

"Oh." Tina was just staring at the stage. There was a computer up there and she was interested in it and what it was doing up there with the keyboards.

Note:
In many of the super malls (Malls where they have entertainment, games amusements roller coasters etc.) of which this is supposed to be one, they have a Teen Rave Night once a month. That night is typically a Friday or Saturday night. On these nights the mall closes an hour or two early. This enables the kids to have 4 hours out on their own where mall security and a special police detachment are the baby sitters. Admission is at a fixed price and they serve juice, soda and chips. The parents have a lounge of their own if they wish to stay and wait while the kid's party down. Bands and DJs are brought in and the kids go to town.

"Who's the band?" Sam asked.

"Some new local group called Androgyny," Lee said. "They're whacked. That's them over there by the keyboards."

Sam looked at the stage and saw a group of… "Are they guys or girls?" she asked, looking back at Ro and Lee.

"Guys mostly, I think," Lee said. "Only the guitarist and the bassist sing lead so I know they're guys, and if you look at the drummer, that's a guy, but the one on the keyboards, I…I think that's a girl…but now," she looked directly at Sam, "I'm not so sure anymore."

"Hey, don't blame me! So, we gonna sit here and wait or..." Sam started to speak when there was a loud noise like thunder and the lights blinked. "What the heck was that?"

"I'd say that there was a power blink," Tina said.

"I'm starving," Lee said. "Let's go to Friendly's; I'm in the mood for fried clams."

"Okay!" Sam and Ro chorused.

"What about you, Tina?" Ro asked.

"Earth to Tina!" Sam called out.

"Huh?"

"She's in love," Sam giggled, "with a computer."

They started to slide out of the booth on Sam's end.

Lee grabbed Tina's arm and dragged her along. "C'mon, TEE! I'm hungry!"

**********************

Meanwhile, on the stage:

"I'm telling you, Freddie, it's dead!"

"But…" the tall thin guitarist with long raven hair interjected. He was at least six-feet tall and was wearing high heeled combat style boots, tight fitting, bell bottomed jeans, and what could only be described as a cowl-necked pullover, with a long black duster over it all.

"Look, it isn't even coming to a 'C-Prompt'; it's had it," Mike, the keyboardist, said.

He was only five feet four, weighed in at maybe one hundred ten pounds, and was dressed much as Tina had been on her first day of school. His hair, a beautiful Honey blond, was down to the middle of his back. His eyeliner and mascara made his eyes hauntingly beautiful.

"Can't you do anything, Mike?" George asked. "I mean…all the sequences are loaded on it. Without it, we're majorly screwed, man." George, the bassist, was six feet two.

He was wearing an almost identical outfit to Freddie, except, instead of a powder blue sweater, his was rose in colour. Where Freddie had raven hair, George's was a strawberry blond. He wore eyeliner and blood red lipstick and nail polish.

"George, hand me the red box, will you?"

"Sure, Mike," George said, handing Mike the tool kit.

"Look, while you see what you and Bart can do, I'm gonna get a snack and some strings," Freddie said.

"Hey, wait up!" George said. "I haven't eaten since lunch."

"How 'bout some pie a-la-mode?" Freddie suggested.

"What, Friendly's?"

"Exactamundo, my man! Let's cruise."

**********************

Inside the restaurant, the girls took the first booth near the door. "I'm tellin' y', Ro, she only has six pair of shoes! She is in dire need!"

"How can anyone exist with only six pair of shoes?" Lee stared at Tina.

"Wild Pair, first stop!" she exclaimed.

"But..."

"What'a y'-got? Three pair of heels, two flats, and trainers?" Lee pressed her point.

"Well… yeah, but..."

"Honey, that's only the basics and only for a few of your outfits. You'll see. Trust me."

"Forget it, Tee, she's a professional shopper. Admit deFEET while you're ahead," Ro quipped.

The table groaned at the pun just as Freddie and George came into the eatery. They took a couple of seats at the counter. Rochelle and Leticia just stared.

"Ohho mamma! Lookey here!" Lee started.

"Down, girl!" Sam said, teasing her. "Remember, they only want one thing."

"I know, and I wouldn't mind..."

Smack!

Ro'd swatted her across the top of the head.

"Girl, are you nuts? Think about what you're saying!" Ro chastised.

"I am! Just look at those… Ooooh! What a tush!"

Tina just stared at the girl. This was just as bad as any conversation she'd heard in the locker room back at Central High.

The waitress finally showed with their orders. They all had the fried clams and Cokes with a twist. The girls attacked their food with gusto, the conversation centring on the band and guys at school. Tina felt nervous; no-one at school interested her that way. Her answers to questions about the guys were subdued and reserved. Instead, she kept stealing looks at Sam. Gods, but she was beautiful. It was during one of these gazes that Leticia had chosen to say something about it.

"Y'-know," she was saying to Ro and Sam, "to listen to her, you'd think she didn't like boys at a..."

She'd seen the look Tina was giving Sam. Her mind flashed to the way she and Sam were always together. She just clapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide.

Sam started to laugh a hearty laugh. "You know, Lee..."

"Hey! I'm sorry to interrupt, but..." a mellow male voice interrupted.

All the girl's heads swivelled at the sound of the male voice. It was Freddie, and he was looking directly at Sam, his gaze unwavering and appreciative.

Tina started to feel angry. Very angry.

Ro and Lee just stared, their eyes wide. Then Ro looked at Lee and giggled. Lee looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. Ro gave her a kick under the table and Lee joined Ro in the giggle fit.

Sam looked up at him. She saw George just behind and to one side of Freddie, his face beet red. Her gaze was as cool as her response.

"Yes?"

Freddie was taken aback. "Whoa!" he thought, "Thin Ice!"

Then, out loud, he said, "Look, I know you've heard all the lines, okay? But you and your friend," he indicated Tina, "here are absolutely stunning and…"

"What's wrong with my other friends? Aren't they attractive? Or do you have a problem with minorities?" Sam asked her tone was cool and almost analytical.

"Peace! I'm sorry, okay? Really!" He dropped to his knees in a practiced motion, both of his hands clutched to his chest. "I didn't want to offend anyone. Please, let me start over?"

"Well…" Sam said, looking at him on his knees, "it looks like you just might be starting off on the right um… footing here. What do you think Lee? Ro? Do we let him start over?"

Lee giggled. "Only if he apologises to me and tells me why I'm not the one he asked for an introduction."

"Ro?"

"I'm with Lee. I wanna hear why he didn't ask about me!"

"There you have it," Sam said with a smile, her voice cold as before. "If you want to try again, those are the terms of peace."

"My fair Princess, you drive a hard bargain, but I am so incredibly taken with your beauty that I see no other option."

He bowed deeply, placing his nose near the floor while on his knees. He'd swept his right hand up, out and behind him, while placing his left hand over his heart and began speaking to the floor.

"Dear Lady Ro and Fair Lady Lee, while thine beauty is stunning to behold and indeed incomparable, I fear that I am unable to see my way free to ask for the honour and pleasure of thy company. My friend and I have been smitten by the divine sight, which the four of thee have presented to us from afar. Yet, while truly the four of you have beauty beyond compare, I must beg that the two of thee forgive my forwardness and callousness in not asking you for the same favours I seek from your divine companions. It is painfully apparent that, while you are absolutely as stunning in your beauty, you are not as tall. And, as you can see, both my friend and I are of such physical stature that your companions do make the better choice for us. It is therefore with a heavy heart that we do not ask you and beg your forgiveness for such a callous slight."

Sam's smile widened and warmed. Ro and Lee giggled at the sight. Tina just stared open-mouthed.

"This can't be happening," Tina thought, while pain and anger built within her.

"You defend yourself well with your tongue, knave" Sam said to Freddie, her tone almost friendly now.

"Let us see how well thy oratory skills have proved.

"Ro? Are you satisfied with this miserable knave's apology and excuse?"

"Well, I truly am insulted at being slighted, but I guess it'll do…for now."

"Lee, did he assuage your sense of dignity?"

"Barely," she giggled, "but I suppose his apology is accepted and his excuse, while flimsy, is better than none. Let him speak."

"There you have it, knave; you may now entreat my friend and me for that which you have approached."

"Uh, Freddie, look, man, you pissed her off, okay?" George said, blushing a bright crimson. "Let's go. I'm really sorry, ladies. My friend is such an ass sometimes." He started to pull Freddie off his knees by the scruff of his neck.

"Wait, um…I don't know your name," Sam said.

"George," he said, holding Freddie by the scruff of the neck.

"I'm sorry your um…friend embarrassed you this way, George." She looked at the half kneeling Freddie. "We aren't angry, but we were teasing him because of his lack of social grace. I'm just sorry that you got caught up in it, okay?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure. Look, um…" George stumbled for words; at the same time, having been pulled off balance by George, Freddie was beginning to struggle, his arms flailing at George's hand at the scruff of his neck.

"I'm Sam," she said, "and this is Tina. I'm pleased to meet you, George."

George just stared at Tina. He started to blush again and looked down at his feet. "Hi, Tina, um…nice to meet you."

"Well, I can see who was interested in whom," Sam laughed.

Tina felt sorry for the guy. "Hi, George," she mumbled. It was almost a whisper.

"Uh, George?" Freddie squeaked. "George, man…could you let go of me? George!?!?"

The table burst out in laughter as George finally released Freddie, who fell back to his knees.

"Um…Is it safe to assume that I may get up now?"

"Yes, Freddie," Sam laughed, "you may rise."

Freddie started to talk. "Look, um…Sam, I know my manners were bad, but…"

Tina just stared at Freddie and then back at Sam. George was stammering and trying to get the words out to ask her for a date, but Tina wasn't really listening to him. She was more intent on what was transpiring between Sam and Freddie. Her mind was screaming at a million miles an hour. "Is she really flirting? Is that what flirting looks like? Gods, why does it hurt so much?"

"Um, so I was like wondering um..." George was saying, but all that Tina heard was Sam say:

"Well, I don't know. Maybe, but I'm really not convinced that you have the manners to…"

"IS she really smiling at HIM?" Tina thought.

"...come out tomorrow night and..." George was still mumbling.

"But Sam!" Tina's mind screamed. "You can't go out with him! Please!" Tina's mind raced. She was in a quandary. She didn't want to go out with these guys; she didn't want to go out with any guys at all!

"...like to a computer controlled concert," George finally finished. His voice was barely audible above the conversation between Sam and Freddie.

"What did he just say?" Tina thought. The only word she recognized was computer. "Um yeah. Um…I guess…" she said mindlessly, waving her hand in his direction in dismissal, without even glancing at him. She was transfixed with the sight of Sam flirting with Freddie. She wasn't paying George any attention at all. But between the two conversations, she couldn't understand what was going on.

"You will?!?" George said, astonished at the response Tina gave him

Sam's head snapped around as she stared at Tina wide eyed. "Did she just say what I THINK she said?" Sam thought.

"What?" Tina snapped at Sam's astonished look.

"Aw... c'mon," Freddie wheedled. "Tina just agreed to come as George's guest, what's the harm? He'll look out for the two of you if you don't think you can trust me,"

"Why is Sam flirting with him?" Tina's panicked mind thought. She wanted to hide somewhere so that she didn't have to be a witness to it.

Sam just smiled and said, "Well, seeing as Tina is going out with George, I'll let George chaperone me as well."

Tina was clueless. "What is she talking about?" she thought.

"Great! Look, here are four crew passes. Just be here before eight and there should be no problems getting in, okay? It'll be a jam!" Freddie was saying.

"Sure, Freddie," Sam said, taking the passes. "Thanks." She suddenly didn't feel so good. "Why did Tina agree to the date with George?" Sam was in agony. "I thought she loved ME."

"Well, it'll be a jam if Mike was able to get the computer back on line," Freddie finished.

"What'a y'-mean?" Sam asked.

"Well, the computer fried when the mall was futzing with the power for the stage. We can't get the processor back on line."

Tina was just sitting there, looking pathetic. Her head snapping back and forth between the guys and Sam.

"What's going on?" she said aloud. "Computers? What?"

Ro and Lee were just giggling.

"Well," Sam said, "I happen to know where there's a computer genius, minutes away from your computer system. And, if you ask very nicely, maybe, just maybe, that genius will look at it for you," Sam said with a smile she didn't feel at all.

Tina started to relax. "They have a down computer. I can handle that," she thought. "I wonder if they're running the Sound Spectrum Pro software or if it's the Music Studio Suite."

"You do? Where is he!?" Freddie was getting excited.

"I wonder if they're using Windoze or DO$?" Tina was thinking to herself. She checked in her bag. She still hadn't removed the floppies she'd made at school. "Cool, I'm set," she thought while Sam continued talking.

"Um, it's she, and she has a date with George tomorrow night," Sam said.

"Miss Tina? With THOSE TALONS?" Freddie exclaimed.

Tina's head snapped up, at the mention of her name.

"Um... Is that how you ask very nicely?" Sam said coolly.

"I'm really putting my foot in it tonight, aren't I? Please forgive me, Miss Tina, but please, would you have a look see? Without the computer, I'm afraid we'll be hard pressed to put on our show tomorrow night."

"Sam, are you sure you want me to do this now?" Tina asked.

Sam just nodded her head; she was feeling too ill to say anything at the moment.

"Do it, TEE!" Ro and Lee chorused. Up to this point, they had watched the goings on in silent amazement and amusement.

"Um... Okay, Freddie, but they come along, too," Tina said, pointing at Ro and Lee.

"Sure, Tina, thanks," Freddie said. "Here, let me take care of the tab for you. We'll call it an apology for making you lose valuable mall time."

"It has manners after all," Sam said flatly.

Freddie paid their bill and they all left for the stage. He was walking between Sam and Ro. He turned to Ro and said, "Can she really handle it?"

Ro just laughed and said, "If anyone can, she can. You should see her at school."

"I still can't believe you had him on his knees begging you for a date!" Lee said to Sam with a giggle.

"Stranger things have happened," Sam said with a sad smile, thinking about the previous week and the scene after school that day. Mechanically, she handed Lee two of the passes.

George was walking beside Tina and behind everyone else. His hands were stuffed in his pants pockets. He kept looking at the floor and glancing up at Tina.

"She is an absolute goddess," George thought. "So, um... you're a computer guru, huh?"

"What? Oh, uh, yeah, I guess you could say that. I'm sort of a geek when it comes to machines," she said quietly, embarrassed by the attention.

They'd reached the yellow tapeline. Freddie was holding the tape up for the girls to pass under it.

"This way, please, my ladies fair."

Tina, lost in thought, hooked her heel on a cable and tripped. George caught her by the arm.

"Watch your step! There are cables all over the place!"

"Thanks," she muttered, embarrassed by her clumsiness in her all too unfamiliar heels.

**********************

On the stage, Mike was having a fit while Bart worriedly paced back and forth, wringing his hands.

"I see you still don't have it up yet." Freddie said.

"No," Mike said glumly, "and I doubt we ever will. The damn thing won't even come to a command prompt."

"Windoze?" Tina asked, emphasizing the 's' in such a way as to make it sound even more like a 'z'

"HUH?" Mike said, completely distracted. "Who's the bird, Freddie?"

"This, oh masterful wizard of all things musical, is Tina. She may well be able to help. She's supposed to be some sort of guru on these mystical things," he said, indicating the computer. "So, I'd be nice to her if I were you."

"Well, she ain't gonna hurt it, that's for sure. Look, Tina, I'm sorry if I sound sceptical, but I built it, y'-know, and, well... It just ain't goin' nowhere. I've tried everything I know and it's dead."

"Is it a Windoze machine?" Tina asked again.

Sam, seeing Tina was safely occupied with a computer problem, just smiled sadly and walked over to a line of guitars. As was her habit whenever she got depressed, Sam turned to music. She was staring longingly at a Martin twelve string. Ro and Lee were wandering about, looking at the other band members and the activity going on about them.

"Um, yeah," Mike said.

"Sure, I got it." Tee mumbled. She rummaged in her purse, pulled out a floppy disk and said, "This might take a few minutes."

"'A few minutes' she says. All right, Little Lady, take your time. We'll set up the rest of the gear while you satisfy yourself that it ain't gonna boot," Mike said condescendingly

"Oh ye of little faith," Tina replied mockingly.

Tina went to work, she started by examining the BIOS settings and moving on to the boot disks she'd brought with her. Tina's fingers flew across the keys as Mike looked on in amazement.

"How does she do that with those nails?" he wondered. Screens of data and information were flashing by at an amazing rate.

Sam was staring at the Martin. It was obvious that she just wanted to pick it up.

"Do you play?" Freddie asked.

Sam jumped. She hadn't realised he'd followed her over to the guitars.

"A little."

"Want to try it?"

"Are you serious?"

"Sure! Give her a play."

Sam picked up the guitar, put the strap over her shoulder and sat carefully on a stool, demurely crossing her legs at the knees. She caressed the guitar lovingly. It was a beautifully crafted instrument. The action was feather light, the strings just broken in. She experimented with the action and tuning.

Lee and Ro looked about in amazement. The stage -- a real stage, as compared to the perfectly planned and constructed stages at school -- was a whole new world to them. People were running to and fro, workers were hoisting light bars and instruments into place. The place was a beehive of activity.

Suddenly, music erupted from the acoustic guitar. It sounded classical with a touch of rock and jazz. Sam's fingers flew over the neck as she played a song from an old Yes album of hers, "Mood for A Day." It sounded beautiful, haunting and stirring all at once. The twelve string gave it an interesting sound.

"My god she's good," Freddie thought.

"Not bad," George said to Freddie, "sounds just like Steve Howe."

Sam finished with a flourish. The stage crew applauded and went back to work.

"Like the classical touch, do you?" Freddie asked.

"Well, I can do other stuff, like maybe some Melissa Ethridge," and she started into "Come To My Window". "Or maybe you'd prefer some Jim Croce," and she played a bit of "Workin' at the Car Wash Blues." "Or maybe Clapton," and she played a bit of "Tears in Heaven".

"Nice; do you play electric, too?" George asked.

"I like to toy with it a bit," she said, blushing, eyeing a black Gibson, Les Paul model in the line-up.

"Care to give it a try?" Freddie asked.

"You don't mind?"

"Not at all," he said. "Here, I'll trade you." She reluctantly relinquished the Martin and took the Gibson.

Sam stood up, took the proffered cord and FM-Transmitter. She plugged it into the guitar and clipped the transmitter to the guitar strap. Then, for a moment or two, it sounded like the guitar was talking. Suddenly, she started into "Santana's Samba Ba Ti." Then she played a few bars of "Crazy just like Joe Satriani." Sam had her eyes closed. She seemed not to be on the stage, but in a whole other place in her head. It was incredible to see. It was like she was a completely different person.

George had picked up his bass and looked over at Bart. He'd sat down at his drums and was checking the tune of the heads. He smiled; Bart just nodded in return and put the head wrench down.

"Got it!" Tina mumbled, oblivious to the commotion on stage. She was looking at the programs on the hard drive.

"Hey! Le'me see what they're doin' with this," she said, looking at a music program.

"Just sound effects and lighting controls? What a waste," she said, after starting the program.

There was a pop through the speakers and everyone looked at her. Tina looked over her shoulder, smiled at everyone and shrugged. She turned back to the screen and pressed some more keys.

By this time, Sam was just playing the opening strains of Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Leave My Girl Alone".

Suddenly, there was an organ playing accompaniment to the guitar, George was going at it on the bass, and Bart was in on the drums. Sam started to sing. Her voice was an interesting mix between Stevie Nicks, and Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. It was perfectly suited to the blues tune.

You better leave,
You better leave my little girl alone.
You better leave,
You better leave my little girl alone.
Lord before I get evil man and I go and do somethin' wrong.

By the time Sam reached the bridge of the song and the instrumental, Freddie had picked up a Fender Strat and started to trade licks with her. Her eyes never opened. She was into the groove, swaying gently to the rhythm of the song. Mike wasn't paying attention to the action on stage; he was just watching Tina. She was where the organ music was coming from. Her fingers were dancing across the keyboard of the computer and there was music coming out of the thing! She looked like she was communing with the keyboard.

Ro and Lee just sat there; this was turning out to be one hell of a jam session and they were into it. Lee grabbed a stagehand who had stopped working to watch the pickup session. She started to do a stroll with him. Ro just started to laugh, swaying to the rhythm of the bluesy tune.

When the song was over, Sam opened her eyes and looked at Freddie. He gave her a thumbs up, turned to Mike, who was standing in the middle of the stage looking at…TINA?!? She was sitting at the keys of the computer, laughing. Sam launched into "Let Me Love You Baby." Bart and Tina were right with her.

This time, her eyes were open, but she wasn't singing, Tina was! Her clear soprano had the full, sweet tones needed to handle the bluesy rock tune. She added a bit of a growl to it for emphasis. Sam just strolled the stage while she played. To look at her, it was as though she was born to it.

Oo wee baby I declare you sure look fine,
Oo wee baby I declare you sure look fine,
A girl like you has made many a man change his mind.

Baby when you walk you know you shake like a willow tree,
Baby when you walk you know you shake like a willow tree,
A girl like you would just love to make a fool of me.

Let me love you baby,
Let me love you baby,
Let me love you little darlin'
Let me love you baby,
Let me love you darlin' 'til your good love drives me crazy.

It was a JAM! At the close, there was applause from the crowd gathering in the food court. Sam shrugged her shoulders and looked at Freddie. He gave her the go ahead, so she started "The House is Rockin'." It was a total riot. Mike was now on the keyboards, duelling with Tina, Sam and Freddie were trading off lead licks, and George was singing. The crowd was dancing and…The House was indeed a Rockin'. The interplay on the stage was fantastic. Sam, in challenge to Freddie, started dancing as if her guitar were her partner. Freddie accepted. The two revolved about each other as if they were practicing a choreographed dance routine, their guitars wailing in a perfect counterpoint.

Ro and Lee were doing a West Coast Swing, dancing up a storm and twirling about the stage trading lead as often as Sam and Freddie. Tina looked almost like a mad programmer, her fingers flying over the keys, bringing in brass and a full string section where the original recording from Stevie Ray Vaughan had none. Her rose coloured nails danced over the keys, keeping up with Mike and adding plenty more. Who said computers were only for word processing?

The mall had come alive with the sounds of a live jam and the crowd was incredible, dancing or just listening, but all seemed to enjoy the impromptu show immensely. Sam ended the song doing a pirouette and ending it in a perfect split, her skirt flared neatly in a full circle around her, the guitar raised as a chalice in a religious ceremony. The applause was deafening. Then, Mall Security came up on stage and the crowd began to boo. They told the group they had to stop for security and insurance reasons. The crowd booed and cheered alternately as the group took a final bow and security made their exit.

"How the he... what'd you do to get those sounds out of it?" Mike was incredulous; he was asking Tina how she got the program to act like a synthesizer.

George just looked on in awe.

Tina explained that the program Mike was using for creating the sound effects had a four-octave keyboard

"...coupled with addressable instruction set for the controller chip in the PC's keyboard. Now, here you have infinite adjustments for tonal quality, sustain and..." Tina went on excitedly.

Mike was in heaven. He'd completely forgotten that the system was ever down.

"I'd say the sound checks are done," George laughed. "Mike, how's the box?"

"She fixed it, dude. I don't know how, but…you heard it," Mike said, his eyes never leaving the screen as Tina jumped from one section of the screen to another, pull down menus flashing as fast as she spoke.

Freddie grinned and put the Strat down after carefully wiping the neck with a special cloth that hung from the guitar stand.

"I'd say our wizard has finally met his match," Freddie said to the group.

Mike laughed at Freddie's comment as he listened to Tina, fearful he might miss something.

"O great sorceress of the grey box," Freddie continued, "we humbly thank you for working such powerful magic for such miserable and undeserving subjects as ourselves. We owe you a debt of gratitude which I fear we shall never be able to repay."

"I'll remember that," Sam said.

Freddie beamed a smile at her. Tina just grinned as she continued to show Mike the facets of the software he was using to control the sound and lighting effects.

"Somehow, I believe you won't ever let me forget it," he laughed. "Where'd you guys learn to jam like that?"

"To be honest with you, I've been playing guitar since I was four, but I had no idea Tina could do anything more than sing and program a computer!" Sam said.

"We'll, it seems we've been blessed with a wonderful piece of information about your dear little Tina, as well as rescued. Thank you, both for the fix to our problems and for a memorable jam session. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow night. Will you be giving us a guest appearance on stage?"

"I really don't know if I'm ready to play a rave, but we'll see you tomorrow night. Right, Lee?"

Lee was chatting up the drummer, Bart. He was the only person in the band not wearing some article of clothing belonging to the opposite sex, and he was BUFF!

"Lee?" Sam called out, and then giggled.

"I guess the jury's out while the hormones rage. We really do need to get back to our reason for coming out here though -- SHOPPING!"

Freddie laughed. "Well, thanks for the help and the jam," he said with a deep, sweeping bow and a smile. "See you tomorrow, back stage," he said with a glint in his eye.

Sam and Ro spent the next fifteen minutes disengaging Lee from Bart, and then Tina from the computer. Sam had to smile; while the jam wasn't the reason for the "Mall Crawl," it had been fun.

"At least I know where Tina's heart is. Now, how do I get her back into the mood she was in when we got here?" she thought.

The four girls left the stage with the band members staring on in amazement. "Looks AND talent," George said aloud to no-one in particular. "I'm in love."

"Not again," Bart groaned, staring daggers at Freddie. "You'd better pray, dude. You'd better pray. Last time he was like this…"

Freddie just shook his head and smiled as he followed the girls' progress across the food court.

"Looks, talent, and what an attitude!" he said, completely ignoring Bart.

**********************

Continued in Part-20

  

  

  

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