He reaffirmed his belief that he could climb the wall, only needing a hook and short rope to climb over the top part that jutted out. Robbie looked pasty at the thought of him clinging by toetips and fingertips while he leaned out to swing the hook over the edge.
He smiled pleasantly, but his dark eyes burnt with a cold power. “You are the groups that declared yourself against me? Welcome. Enjoy your stay, play your games in the town and boast of your schemes, but if we catch you trying to free the princess I will be ruthless. Do not expect to be killed quickly. Try to go against our will and you will spend months in pain and then dealt final death. You will not be allowed to destroy what has been so successfully set up!” He turned to one of his officers. “Give them each a new purse as they must have spent all their money.” I would have refused, but the first bag was thrust at Samuel and he accepted it, so we all did. “On your way now!”
We must have looked a pretty sorry bunch as we retreated to the town.
The men did what they were supposed to do; they drowned their sorrows in ale and then stuffed themselves with food. I mostly just sat staring into the distance, lost in my thoughts.
Late that evening Albert, sounding very drunk, asked us to join him as he went for a swim in the river. Loudly they told him he was crazy, the water would be freezing. Talking and laughing we followed him.
Albert whispered to Christós, “Can you block their monitoring?”
“I don’t think so. We don’t know how they are monitoring us.”
“Then we have to risk it.”
“Can you mindspeak?”
“I’m not good at it. Can you enter my mind?” We waited for Christós, talking loudly and playing at being drunk.
*I have brought him with me. I’ll let him speak.*
*I’ve recognised you. If I have they will soon work out who you are. Robert Teller and Samantha, I am of the group that grabbed Cherine. The plan was good. The one who calls himself Prince Ervan, he has taken it a step further. He claims that if she is left to think, she will recall who she is and escape. That is why he took over. He holds her in a dungeon, he starves her, continually finds new ways to humiliate and intimidate her with threats. He is also using pain to keep her off balance.
I am a thief of luxury items in the real world. Nobody goes hungry because of what I steal and I enjoy what I do. That is why I joined them. I’d have loved to be a Cherinian, but I’m not exactly considered suitable. Because I am a thief it does not mean I approve of torture. Especially not where Cherine is concerned. That is why I came here.
Even if we get her out of the dungeon, which should be close to impossible as a number of talents watch her all the time to fill her mind with memories of pain, we cannot get her out of this world. That is why I have not tried to rescue her, we first need to work out how we take her out of this place.
When you asked for two doses of the potions, it opened my eyes. I realised you have to be Samantha Teller and that you are thinking the potions will help you spirit her out past the two gates. It will not work, the gates do not really exist, they are physical manifestations of mental commands, linked to the soul of Cherine. They will recognise her, however she is transformed.
The other problem is that you must first convince her she is Cherine. That part of her is buried too deeply beneath the personae of Princess Leila.*
*If you are willing to share whatever knowledge you have, we might succeed.*
*Trust must work both ways. First tell me how you were able to enter. Those guarding her would not permit you.*
*We have reclaimed Anne and Cherine’s body. How did they prevent her from fighting them?*
*All the people in this world who are not players, they are hostages. They have been collected from various realities from among the Normals - many of them are children. Thousands are held and however fast she reacts, they will succeed in shredding hundreds, maybe even thousands of souls. She was given the option, free herself and be responsible for final death of thousands or agree to remain a prisoner. Despite her agreeing, they still fear her, your family has made a name for itself as being tricky. This game will not last forever, they will start a new one as soon as this one stops being effective. Can I return to my body? The water is freezing it.*
*What happens if the body in here dies?*
*The released soul is attacked if it is not recognised.*
*You better get out then.*
This time, as we returned to town, we truly were a sorry looking bunch. When we lay down to sleep I huddled within Robbie’s mind. These were foes who knew our strengths and weaknesses, how could we save our Cherine?
In the morning we were still feeling deflated and nobody had breakfast. We wondered around town because Robbie needs to walk while thinking. We came across a group who were loudly arguing. Samuel spoke to our minds.
*We need someone inside with Cherine. I’ll make an attempt on my own so that they throw me in the dungeons.*
*They might not, they might destroy your soul.*
*I have to chance it, we must have someone on the inside.*
Christós shared with Albert. *Let me go. I’ll identify myself, explain I no longer have a body to return to as it was destroyed by Robert. I’ll ask that I be placed by Cherine so that I can monitor her from close until those outside find a way to provide me with a body. We dare not risk anyone getting her out before I have a body or else I’ll be forced to be reborn and lose myself in the new personality. If they doubt me they’ll try to contact those outside for verification and they won’t be able to. It is certain to panic them and they’ll agree.*
*What if it panics them and they decide to shred her soul?*
He gave a little smile. *They will not, it is well known that your family will not forgive even one final death. They’d rather use her as a bargaining tool. They also know that if they harm her permanently, your rage will be uncontrollable. All talents fear awakening the avenger in you.* He paused. *I doubt they could shred her soul even if they wanted to, not while within her mind.*
*You better be right.*
Albert slipped out of the inn after midnight, while we lay in bed pretending to be asleep. He walked up the hill and demanded to see Ervan. He was held by the soldiers until Ervan ordered they send him to his rooms. We could not monitor their conversation and, since then, Albert has not shared with us, even when we freed him and offered to link him as a Cherinian. He refused us and disappeared without ever telling us his real name. We respected his wishes and did not try to discover his identity.
Ervan came to my cell early in the morning. The door was opened and as he entered he gave me a slight bow. I cringed, certain he had arrived with a new way of hurting me.
I did not believe him, but felt that any new pain was worth a glimpse of the outside world. Fears raced through me so that I could hardly walk, my legs robbed of all strength. I was shocked when his arm went around my shoulders to steady me. As soon as we arrived in my rooms, he shouted at my maids, demanding they heat water for a bath and that they bring my favourite clothes. He promised to return once I was comfortable and had eaten.
The food they brought was too much for me, I could barely swallow a few small portions. A hot drink was brought that I usually drink to calm me just before retiring to my bed. Fearfully I obeyed the unspoken command, as I saw it, and drank it all.
“You are feeling better?” he asked in a solicitous manner, his face seemingly soft with concern.
It was too much for me, the final cruelty that shattered me. I fell apart and pleaded for him to stop, to kill me. My maids, at his order, forced a stronger soporific on me and soon I fell asleep.
The next day he had my maid warn me that he was about to visit and she reassured me with tears in her eyes that he intended no harm. I could not believe her, convinced she was part of his plot to break me.
He sat at a distance from me. “When a people are at war, they forget to act as human beings because hatred and fear drive them. I do not speak of the war between our parents Princess Leila. I speak of another war that was fought by your people and mine in a different world.
I will speak a few words that will release your mind so that you recall your true past and then I will be at your mercy. Before I do, you, as Princess Leila, I owe an apology to you. I wish I could correct it so that you have a long and happy life, for you were an innocent made to pay the price for our enmity.” He paused. “Cherine is The Light.”
The instant I was released I sensed Robbie, Samantha and the others. I screamed their names.
We did not know what Albert had done or said and were conferring by mindspeech, desperately trying to come up with a plan that held even a faint hope of succeeding. The fact that Albert had not returned did not afford us any comfort, for we dared not try to contact him mentally, in case he was monitored. He could either be with Cherine or dead, his soul shredded.
“I wish they had coffee and cigarettes in this damn place!”
As if in answer, we heard Cherine scream our names within our minds. Suddenly we sensed Vincent for a moment. As her mind opened to us we saw through her eyes and jumped to her. She threw herself into Robbie’s arms. Weeping and kissing him, hardly coherent even in our minds, she managed to cry that she wanted to go home. Robbie pulled back sharply.
“Cherine, wait!”
He explained to her what had been done and that the population here have no bodies to return to. As he spoke she took a hold of herself and memory returned. “What can I do?”
“You’ll have to keep this world going until I’ve returned to the past of each person here and created a body for them.”
I grinned. “Trust you, now Meli won’t be the only one with a populated world in her mind.”
While we talked, ironing out the problems, Robbie demanded that Albert be brought to us. When he arrived he did not presume and sat by Ervan.
“Albert, whatever your real name is, you are free to return to your body. Vincent has searched it out and created a new one for you. He will respect your wish to remain anonymous. Please take a good look at the life you’ve chosen for yourself and if you mature enough to become a Cherinian, ask at our embassy for me. Tell them Albert wants Cherine to link him. They’ll be expecting you and will bring you to us. If you like, as an intermediate step, join Michael as an Ipohin. Will you stay a moment as witness while we deal with him?”
Ervan calmly nodded. “Final death?”
“You know what our attitude to that is.”
He shrugged, not seeming to care that he was not to be destroyed. “So be it. May I speak my mind?”
Robbie gestured for him to continue. “We are not solely to blame. You are inflexible and expect too much of all people. Not all can live as you decreed Cherinians must live. We are not the first talents to rebel and we will not be the last. Each time you squash us, the next group will be more powerful and ruthless, for we are fighting for our freedom. Now do what you will.”
“Rubbish!” Samuel was so angry he was on his feet instantly, glaring down at Ervan. “Robert asks that each of us try to be the best we can be, but he has never imposed rules that force you to be what you cannot be. If you could not meet what is asked of all Cherinians, why then did you not become an Ipohin? Were their demands too onerous for you? What do you expect to be allowed? To kill and enslave? To grab whatever you want? No civilised people can agree to that.”
Ervan turned his eyes to Robbie. “I have said what I had to say. Do your damnest.”
He too was sent back to a body, but it was the body of an infant. He has been adopted by a good family and hopefully the love and discipline he grows up with will help him become a nicer person with more empathy and compassion for others. Since he is a powerful mind we’ll have to keep an eye on him.
Robbie moaned, in our minds, once we were back in Freddie, “Why can’t someone, just for once, show some fear when I bluff them? It’s no fun being such a known goody-goody!” We laughed, but we also passed on his remark to Christós. He enjoyed it and teased Robbie. We did not forget to thank Isaac for his help, but he only nodded and walked over to the table Maria had prepared for him with all the delicacies from Israel he loves. When he finished eating he left without speaking and lying on the grass went to sleep. Christós diplomatically masked his amusement as he felt us.
After the weeping, the hugs and the soothing of hearts, we returned home. I wrote the above and Cherine asked to read it. When she finished she kissed me.
“You can’t keep on calling it Cherine’s world of magic. Since Arthur sent that picture, I think a good name for it would be Arthur’s World. Isn’t it appropriate?”
In a way, I wish I could make these pages, pages of mourning with a black border, though we have not experienced any death to grieve us. Only a week has passed since we got back Cherine but…no. I’ll write this in order, as it happened. I must not indulge my emotions, this is too important a time for me to avoid writing of it in full.
“Most of you know of our latest experiences, somehow even the media got hold of the story. One of the architects of the abduction, a man of extremes and no apparent abhorrence for cruelty, blamed me for his existence. He claimed I asked too much, expected too much for anyone to live up to my standards.
Samuel answered him squarely, not allowing him to get away with false excuses. At least, so it seemed to me. After my first tears at seeing how my Cherine had been tortured, after my ecstatic joy at having her back, the time came for me to start thinking again.” He grinned. “I know it takes me a long time to get going, but it does happen sometimes.” Everyone was still relaxed so they laughed with him. He took Cherine’s hand in his. “From the beginning, once I understood that the gift of Cherine could help open the door of empathy as a gift in all minds that are receptive, I started to dream. In a way, that is how I paint. Everything starts with a dream, a vision. I have an obsessive nature so our future, all our possible futures, became an obsession as I strove to guide the handful we were at that time towards a future that would change us only for the better. As we grew in numbers the growing number of alternative futures I foresaw frightened me. None matched my earlier dreams.
That is where having a Samantha is such a blessing. She adopted my early dream, but she used her practical nature to bring my feet to the ground so that my dream can remain alive while evolving in ways that may secure a future as close to what we can be, without demanding of us what human nature cannot achieve.
We thought we were succeeding and it was a time of euphoria as we saw Cherinianism spreading and acute suffering diminishing. Then the Ipohin came into existence.
Some of you saw them as a catastrophe, appealing to the baser instincts of all humans. I now see them in a different light. I believe that not all of us are equally enlightened and ready to embrace all Cherine promises. I for one know I am not.” Everyone stopped smiling and anxious faces stared back at him.
“Think on it. How can I? You chose me as leader so I had to hold back, keeping enough of our atavistic nature for me to be an effective leader and protector. Would anyone expect such a truth to blind me to the future of all Cherinians? Not in the way you are fearing I mean it.
You’ve often laughed or been angered when I’ve claimed I’m a coward. The truth is, to be an effective leader and protector, I have to be a coward. I must look at trends and magnify them out of fear so that I will do all I can to reverse those trends before it is too late, bringing us back to the correct future.
These last few days I have been troubled. I heard the accusations, examined my beliefs and came to some conclusions, but mostly I am floundering. Let us return to the Ipohin. As I said, not all of us are ready to become saints - for that is what it often sounds as if I’m asking of you and myself. Therefore the Ipohin do have an important role to play.
Do many of you recall the days we fooled ourselves by only partly linking and calling those of you cocoon Cherinians? Was that wrong of us? Because we feared a few might not be suitable for linking were we unjust to those Cherinians? I still think we were not. One heart still immature and selfish, unable to share in our common dream could damage our future.
Unfortunately there is no guarantee we’ll always link only those who are ready. Love, empathy, compassion, fear, they all lead to us making mistakes in who we link. Crying over spilt milk does not help, we have to face facts and plan accordingly.
To me, the Ipohin are cocoon Cherinians. When a person has the honesty to examine him or herself and decides he is not ready to be a full Cherinian, he can now choose to be an Ipohin. By declaring themselves they are asking us for our help, our love and patience while they rid themselves of the weaknesses they’ve admitted to themselves. It takes courage to declare oneself an Ipohin, so I would like to declare them the children of Cherinians. It is up to us to help them grow and mature into Cherinians.
Here is the question I wish to ask and I truly pray you will speak out your thoughts and of your doubts.
Is our dream heading in the wrong direction? Are we asking too much of ourselves? Should we take it more slowly and forgive small weaknesses? Could doing so actually lead us into lowering our standards, settling for less than we can achieve?
Please debate these questions and anything else you think is pertinent. I feel your love and will not be hurt by anything you say or think.”
I’d thought he was making a mistake, but as he spoke I saw he’d recognised a need (as protector?) and was trying to lance a boil that could fester. Once the debates began and I listened I saw I was wrong. He was inspiring them to reach for the stars and find ways to achieve the best of our potential.
Despite his brave words, he did not keep his promise. Once they were gone we felt the tears in his heart. It was not only the truth that was spoken, it was partly also the origin. Hearing Socrati say what he did hurt him. I’m glad, for our beloved Socrati spoke the truth, even if the blame is laid at Robbie’s feet by Robbie himself.
“I do not feel that anything we dreamt of is impossible or that it restricts me in any way, the reverse is true, I see it freeing me. I understand for others it may not be the same and I will do as Roberto asked. What does trouble me is that something that was precious is gone. There was a harmony to our empathy, a natural flowing and joy that led us to try to become better than we are. Recently I do not sense the harmony anymore. It is as if my strivings are now imposed by me on myself. Does anybody else sense this change and does anyone know why?”
He hit the nail squarely on its head. We’d all felt it without knowing it. We did not need to ask from what time the harmony was lost. My poor Robbie, what a curse the facts of the prophesy have become for him.
Robbie was still hurting at the cruelty man is able to impose on the innocent as he relived again and again the trials of Princess Leila. The truth Socrati opened our eyes to dragged at his spirit so that he was morose and needed a lot of time by himself. We understood and knew he would come bouncing back. Then a few days later a Cherinian ‘called’ to us, asking us to tune in to a certain station. The moment we did it was like stepping into freezing water. We listened to the talk show with growing pain and anger. (Arthur, being on the internet means we can tune in from the beginning of a show even if it is nearly over. This is what we did.)
“Tonight we have as our guest a man who has been stirring up a lot of controversy. He has published a number of articles on his web site that have elicited strong reactions from all walks of life. Lady and gentlemen, please give Dr Stuart a warm welcome.”
They quickly went through some small talk to relax the doctor and then his website was shown on the screen. The heading hit us. “Cherinians enslaving Mankind.”
“Dr Stuart, on what basis do you make your allegations? For instance, in this paragraph, you state that…”
We listened, not really upset, because many have made similar claims and there has been enough support from the public for us, for their opinions to lose their sting.
“…for instance, Robert Teller shows his contempt for us, the Normals as he calls us, which by the way is an inside joke for the Cherinians, and our governments, by foisting his daughter Samantha on us in their decision making. He is openly insulting us by sending us a child for highly respected leaders to negotiate with, knowing there is nothing we can do about it. We are now dependent on their technology, they control our economies and many lives depend on their goodwill.”
“Robert Teller himself has repeatedly told us that though they might have the knowledge of adults, their childish bodies affect the way they think. Is that not his excuse for wanting sex with them as children, that their thoughts and attitudes are childish? If that is so, surely we need to know why it is he sends her to such critical meetings as a child.” I was not particularly upset by what he said, since knowing what he said was not true insulated me to a degree, but it is unpleasant being attacked in public.
“I believe that using Samantha is his way of laughing at us, but as long as our leaders remain constant in looking out for our interests, it does not worry me unduly. It is only worthy of note because it highlights his contempt for all Normals. What does frighten me is that he has placed before him a child called Cherine, even more immature and foolish than Samantha, and he tries to present her as a goddess we should worship! An entire planet and species at the mercy of a spoilt little girl!
With Samantha he is acting as many parents do, forcing guests to listen to their little brat recite or sing because they think their child is brilliant. At best we could accuse him of bad manners, at worst…I leave that to your imaginations.
With Cherine however, nothing needs to be left to the imagination. As confessed by them in their tellings, she is a brat spoilt by her powers, even killing her father because she demands she has everything her way…”
We did not listen to the rest of the interview. Robbie was emoting such rage that all we could concentrate on was trying to calm him. These attacks coming so soon after her abduction and torture insured he would not listen to us.
The time on the screen showed that the interview was still on the air. Robbie dumped his body, became the void so that he could find the studio in Sydney and as we watched he appeared next to the host.
“My apologies for interrupting. I have come to soothe the fears of Dr Stuart. I heard your allegations and insults directed at Cherine and Samantha. As from this moment you need not fear. We are all leaving. Run your own lives as you want. We’ll start again, just those of us who honestly believe in our dream living on our own Earth.” He turned to the host. “Every single hour of the day and night you live, you will know there are children being raped and tortured without hope of us sensing them and you will have to examine your own conscience. You’ll see broken bodies from accidents and know there is no hope for them because of you. Your interest is only in the ratings and how fat your cheque can be, that is why you invited Dr Stuart. Fine, my appearance and announcement should assure you of a worldwide audience. Enjoy your moment of glory while you can.”
He turned to the cameras. “I never intended any insult when I named you Normals. The name was only meant to remind all Cherinians that we come from you and are no better than any single man, woman or child. This Dr Stuart has done his best to twist everything we’ve ever said, everything we’ve tried to do to improve your lives into something ugly. Over the years I’ve heard many insulting comments directed at me. I considered them the price I have to pay for holding to our dream. Insulting Cherine and Samantha goes beyond that. You want us out of your lives, then so be it. Goodbye.”
All my family, all our friends, I’d guess all Cherinians who heard, all were in shock and despairing. There was no going back now. I was excited, exultant. Before things got out of hand I saw I had to interfere. I looked through Robbie’s mind and jumped.
“Sorry we are messing up your show. I’m Samantha. I heard Robert. What a glorious rage! It sure made me feel loved.” I smiled, just like a sweet pampered little girl. “Don’t worry, I have come for a reason you might approve of, even if Dr Stuart does not.
I lowered my voice, hopefully sounding as earnest as I was feeling with a hint of the pain we all felt. “Robert has recently had to endure seeing our Cherine being humiliated and tortured as you’ve read in the papers. The way this man spoke of her, right after such a terrible time, it is beyond reason that Robert should be expected not to lose his temper. We will leave, but all his family will be dreaming of the day we return. We really hope that when we do, all will be forgiven and you’ll still love us - as we always will love you. Goodbye and be nice to each other.”
Robbie was still looking angry so I put my hand in his before he could say anything and jumped back home.
I felt like crying, but in a way it was almost comical. All my family were furious with me. Not because of what I said, they agreed with me. Because they’d felt me before I jumped. It confused the hell out of everyone who jumped to us. I refused to let them share and would not speak, just carried on emoting my exultant mood. Robbie was still too keyed up to sit so I told him to go find a beach.
The girls finally gave up on me and started pressuring Cherine to demand I share, knowing I cannot refuse her.
“Why Sam?”
“Because of the prophesy. It’s finally happened!” I hugged myself with glee.
She paid me the compliment of thinking on what I’d said. “I don’t see why it makes you happy.”
“But it’s so obvious!” I grinned at the sparks that lit up her eyes (not something I’d normally dare do). “How can there be closure of the prophesy if it doesn’t all happen. What were the exact words? ‘…during the time you turn your face towards the darkness.’ Did he do so before? No! We played at exile. Today it became real, he turned away from his dream of caring for our home world because of his anger. The beginning of the end of the prophesy has arrived. Now we are free to do what we want to heal all the hurts we caused. We can begin to dream of calling our home in Athens our home again. Soon Robbie can go to trial and prove his innocence! All that is not a great joy for you?” I laughed. “Maybe when we return, a spoilt little girl called Cherine should present Dr Stuart with a medal?” I got hit by a storm of pillows and then the girls laughed and cried as they hugged each other.
They’ve left me alone at last for me to write. I started off by saying I was in mourning. I still am. Yes, I see a light at the end of the tunnel but, I grieve for what they did to my Cherine and Robbie. Something small died in them today and every mote, each tiny spark that dies in our hearts should be mourned.
Gina: I have to write, even though I thought I never would. Cherine and Dommi and all my wives also want it. I bet Robert would if he was here.
We are back in Haven-R.
Robbie decided to become the g-void and practised at sensing and healing in a reality we have not been to from here. He succeeded! He examined how he did it and realised the mistakes made and showed us how to do it correctly. I’m amazed that even by trying incorrectly, his g-void energy enabled him to smash through. We had a meeting and agreed that for now, until the Ipohin mature and grow closer to us, this gift will be our secret. One more thing for the tellings to be censored about.
Even though we were only recently on Earth, we felt we needed, as a sort of celebration of our success, to go to Kefalari. We chose a reality that is close enough to ours for it to have a Kefalari that is almost identical to ours.
Freddie did not appear in their skies, waiting in the void. As we arrived, we greeted the local Teller family and they invited themselves. Luckily the coffee shop was almost empty at that time of the morning.
The news from our Earth had spread to all known alternate Earths, so they were puzzled by our joyful mood. Wendy promised to Wendy to bring a copy of all the latest songs she’d bought. Cherine allowed Cherine to visit Arthur’s World. We told jokes, teased each other and everyone had a good time.
Samantha gave me a teaser. “Pretend that your Robert cannot travel in time. As we sit here a mother runs out screaming that she has lost her seven year old son. She tells us he went to the toilets at the back of the shop and never came out. Everyone searches, but the boy cannot be found. We use our Cherinian memories and realise that even if none of us noticed the boy, we have glimpses of him as he went to the toilet. By piecing together all the glimpses we have a full picture of him leaving his mother, see him winding his way through the tables and see him enter through the gents door. All further glimpses show only a man walking out a few minutes later. He meets a friend who is waiting for him on the pavement and they walk away together. That is all. How would you find the child?”
I asked the obvious first, “The man who walked out, is he a talent? Is there a way to check?”
“Of course, even when we only glimpse people we form a mental entiposi (impression) of whether they are linked or not. He is a Normal.”
“None. As it happens he passed by close to us and he was noticed because he seemed to be in a daze. There was no clue that showed he had any talent. Anyway, as you know, any person we notice is almost subconsciously checked by us for talent and suitability for becoming a Cherinian.”
Sadly I told her, “We don’t do that anymore because of the Ipohin. Okay, let me think.”
By now Robbie, Cherine and some of the girls had shared and watched my mind as I tried to work out the puzzle. “Did anyone have glimpses of the man entering the toilets?”
“No, but it doesn’t mean anything as he could have at some moment when the view was blocked by other people entering or leaving.”
“Was he glimpsed sitting at a table?”
“Not all the tables can be seen Sam. He was not.”
“What about the man outside? Did anyone check him?”
“No, but from the feeling everyone has, he was possibly a talent but not a Cherinian.”
“So he could have stolen the boy. If he was watching through the eyes of his friend and he had a new talent not known to us he could, through his friend, have teleported the child.”
“To teleport another through a Normal!? No such talent has ever been sensed Sam.”
“I guess you’re saying I should limit myself to the talents or gifts we know about. The man who was in the toilet, could he have teleported the boy and then, suspecting there would be a strong possibility of Cherinians sensing him, he blocked off his powers as he left - that would explain why he seemed dazed, his thoughts would give the impression of him being dazed if he was trying to hide his powers and seem to be a Normal.”
She grinned. “Isn’t it likely the first thing we would do is cover the area as we search for the boy? We saw the two men still walking together and checking them confirmed the one is a Normal. They were relaxed and the gifted one was amused as he talked, making jokes, jollying his companion into laughing. Not exactly the behaviour of kidnappers.”
I was curious. “Who thought up this puzzle?”
“It actually happened.”
“Was the boy found?”
“No.”
I’d felt challenged, wanting to prove I was smart enough to solve the puzzle. Now I forgot my pride, the life of a child could depend on our solving it. “Robbie, can you go back in time and check as the void?”
“No, we’ve tried that, it was the first thing my Robert thought of. Sam, whatever happened in the toilets, and something did happen, he could sense it, but he could not see, the area was enveloped in a haze blocking him.”
“I thought you said no new powers were used.”
“We all have that ability Sam, it’s not a new power.”
