Two of a Mind (15 page)

“Jennifer will be here soon. I'll go put the kettle on. Tea for everyone?” she asked, as she went through to the kitchen.

Trust Mum. Tea for all occasions!

Is there something going on between them?

I surreptitiously looked at Alvin and Ms Thorogood as they settled themselves for our Monday morning session. When I'd answered the door they'd seemed startled and moved to stand further apart.
Mm – fancy that!
I resisted the temptation to try and listen in on their thoughts, but I could see from their body language that there'd been a shift in their relationship since our last meeting.

“So, Dez. What did you want to talk about on Saturday? Sorry I couldn't take your call – I left for a seminar after seeing you that morning.” Alvin pushed his designer specs up onto the bridge of his nose and I briefly wondered why he hadn't had laser treatment or the latest ocular-implants to correct his sight. It was rare to see people wearing specs these days.

“I'm not sure if you can help but I've been having weird dreams – no, not dreams, more like memories. I can remember things as though they were happening to me but they never did.” I could see the confusion in Alvin's face. “You think I'm crazy.”

“No, not at all. Please don't label yourself, Dez. Tell me what you felt and we'll see if we can get to the bottom of it.”

I looked at Ms Thorogood and she gave me an encouraging nod. Seth had transferred the news reports from Elizabeth's
Handi
to my current DataRoll and I passed it over to Alvin.

“I've had vivid memories of two of these, as though I was the victim – the girl in the Weardale woods and the Parisian girl. I felt and thought everything they did. I was there – I was them! How is that possible?” By the time I'd finished I was breathless and my heart was pounding making my temples throb with the rush of blood. I hadn't realised how tense I'd been, how worried I was about sharing this with anyone other than Seth.

Alvin looked thoughtful. He sat back in the chair, handed the DataRoll to Ms Thorogood then turned to me again.

“Dez, your extraordinary ability to connect with others is beyond anything we've come across before. I consulted with some of the therapists at the seminar to see if they've ever had anyone with similar abilities.” I wasn't sure I was happy about being discussed – it must've shown in my face. “Don't worry,” he continued. “I didn't refer to you by name, so you won't have the media beating a trail to your door. There've been very rare cases where an individual has been able to sense the feelings and thoughts of others besides their dedicated PT, but only when they are in close proximity to those other people. Your case is unique in that you seem to be able to connect remotely. Several of my colleagues would like to investigate your talent further but that, of course, is up to you.”

“Not sure about that,” I mumbled. “It's bad enough having it in the first place without becoming a lab-rat.”

“No pressure, Dez. Just give it some thought and if you feel differently later we can always set something up.”

“Don't push her, Alvin.” Ms Thorogood came to my rescue. “She's got enough on her plate, don't you think?”

“Yes, sorry Dez. Debbie's right. My professional curiosity is getting the better of me. Let's take it one step at a time. These memories are very interesting.”

“Frightening, more like,” I interrupted.

“Indeed, indeed.” But his sympathy didn't sound very convincing. Maybe I'd be better off trying to sort things out without him poking around in my head any longer.

“Alvin!” Ms Thorogood's voice was sharp as she reached over to shake him out of his thoughts. “Come on. Dez needs our help and you've gone over to the dark side – all scientist instead of therapist.”

His head came up in surprise. “Oh! I'm so sorry. Please forgive me, Dez. I'll try to help – of course – but I
am
concerned that I'm working blind. I can't see the cause of the problem so we're going to have to be very careful. What's your main worry at the moment?”

“I spend most of my time trying to keep the connections locked away in that mental room we created last session, otherwise the noise gets too much. It's tiring and I've got a constant headache from concentrating so hard all the time. I'm getting used to it, I suppose, but it would be nice if it was easier to ignore.”

“In that case, we'll try to reinforce your subconscious to do that for you in today's session. Anything else – other than these memories, of course?”

“What if I want to make a specific connection? Is that going to open the floodgates again?”

“That I can't answer, I'm afraid. Are you thinking about finding your dedicated PT this way?”

I didn't want to admit that I was trying to track down a killer and Alvin had, inadvertently, given me the ideal excuse. “Yeah. I'd really like to know who they are.”

“Mm. I could try to suggest a mental key for you. So that your subconscious might allow you to make an individual connection whilst keeping the rest of them contained. Again, this is all new territory for me so I can't give you any guarantees.”

“Understood.”

“Right – I suggest we get on with that for now and, when I get back to my office, I'll research your memory phenomenon to see if anyone else has ever experienced it. Agreed?”

“Agreed,” I answered and settled back into the chair for another relaxing hypno session.

***

“How'd it go?” Seth asked later that morning. “Did Alvin have any ideas about your memories?”

“No. He's gone off to see what he can find. He says I'm unique so I don't know how he's going to find anything of any use!” I was plumping up cushions in the lounge – thumping them more viciously than actually needed, just to release some of the frustration.

“Always knew you were one of a kind.” Seth pulled me into a hug.

“Back off Wallis – I've a loaded cushion and I'm not afraid to use it!” I held it up, as though targeting his head.

He stepped back, hands up in surrender and we both laughed at my poor joke. I dropped onto the sofa, a picture of teenage dejection. Holding the cushion on my knee I sank my chin onto its velvet cover, the scent of Mum's favourite fabric freshener washed over me and I closed my eyes allowing the memory of childhood sick days to briefly comfort me. Days when I'd curl up on the sofa surrounded by those cushions and Mum would let me watch my favourite programmes while encouraging me to eat her homemade vegetable soup.

I woke to find myself lying on the sofa, my head on Seth's lap and his hand gently stroking my hair. I glanced up at his face – he was looking out of the window, absorbed in the antics of a cheeky squirrel trying to get at the birds' peanuts.

“How long have I been asleep?” I asked, sitting up and stretching.

“Not long. About an hour, I suppose. You must've needed it. I've never seen anyone go off so quickly.”

“Sorry,” I yawned. “I think the hypno sessions make me dopey.”

“That and the sleepless nights you've been having, eh?”

“Mm. Well, let's hope this session has put my head-pals to sleep for a while.” The voices were significantly quieter, a mere murmur that I could,
almost
, ignore. I would have to wait and see if that was a permanent change or just an immediate, short-term reaction to the hypnotherapy. “Yep, they seem to have dozed off for now. Come on, let's find something for lunch. Dad's in London and Mum's gone over to Aunt Jen's so it's just the two of us. What do you fancy?”

“You mean apart from you?”

“Ha, Ha!” I said, sarcastically though I couldn't stop the grin of pleasure and the slight blush his comment brought out. “I can do paninis, jacket spuds, or we might have some pizzas hiding away where Mum can't see them.”

“Tell you what, I'll take you into town and we can try that new place – Muskrats, isn't it?”

“Kumquats!” I laughed. “You rich or something?”

“Not really. But if I can't manage the bill I'm sure my wealthy girlfriend can spare some of her birthday credits for a glass of water and some dry bread.”

“Cheeky!” I punched him playfully and it was only when we were on the ecotram, half-way into town, that I realised he'd managed to get me away from home-turf for the first time since my stay at the clinic.

“I can't do this,” I said. My vision blurred and I felt light-headed.

“You're okay, Dez.” He squeezed my hand. “I'm here with you. Take a deep breath and you'll be fine.”

Of course he was right. What was I afraid of? But I struggled to keep the panic attack at bay. I felt my forehead become clammy with sweat and my jaw ached from clenching my teeth to stop them chattering. Throughout the rest of the journey Seth soothed me and talked about random things to distract me. Some of the other passengers glanced our way, conscious that something was going on although not sure what. Finally, the ecotram got to our stop and Seth guided me out onto the pavement. I stood on shaking legs and took long steadying breaths to calm my nausea and slow my heartbeat.

“I'm fine now,” I managed after a couple of minutes. “Sorry. Haven't done that in a while, have I?” I smiled weakly at him.

“Yeah, when you did it after jamming our Holo-Comms system I looked it up so I'd be better prepared next time. Seems to have worked.” Seth smiled back at me, put his arm around my shoulders and steered me into the shopping centre.

As we settled into a cosy corner booth in Kumquats, a feminine squeal made me jump.

“DEZ! How
are
you? Heard about your accident at the lake. So glad you're okay.”

“Thanks, Andrea,” I replied, half-heartedly. The last thing I needed right now was the class bitch cosying-up to us, just to get her ammunition for Academy gossip. The little devil inside me reared its head and, without intending to, I was listening to her thoughts.

‘What IS she wearing? He's no better. I wouldn't be seen dead looking like that. Maybe that's why she wanted to top herself – can't keep up with the rest of us.'

‘Who're you bitchin' ‘bout now, Andy-Pandy?'

‘Don't do that! Keep out ‘til I let you listen in. And don't call me THAT!'

‘Not my fault I can hear you. Wish I couldn't, but your bitchin's so loud it cuts straight through the Bloc, sweetie!'

Andrea's PT hadn't flinched at the venom dripping from her vicious response. That wouldn't go down well with the girl who considered herself above everyone else.

Now that's what I call Karma!
My own thoughts must've pushed the mental smile onto my face – Seth was nudging me under the table so I quickly rearranged my expression to look serious.

“Actually, Andrea, if you don't mind, we've just come out for a quiet lunch. Dez is still a bit shaky from her ordeal, as I'm sure you can imagine.” Seth sounded so confident, so grown-up. I was surprised at his forceful tone and felt protected – my boy was looking out for me. And the look on Andrea's face when she realised he was giving her the brush-off – priceless!

“Oh. Oh, right. Well, I'll see you later then,” she mumbled, turning on her four-inch heels.

When we managed to get our giggling under control, Seth went to order our lunch. He got back to the table and produced his DataRoll to study the notes we'd made from the news reports. He pointed to one in particular.

“Look here, Dez. We missed something. Dale Johnson, overdose in October 2105 – there's no DOM. The second report says he survived although he seems to have lingering brain damage. All his physical functions are intact, but he doesn't move a muscle voluntarily and he can't communicate.”

I looked at the reports again. Dale Johnson was a highly respected businessman and successful entrepreneur. He'd been admitted to hospital with a suspected drugs overdose but this was completely out of character. Apparently, he was a clean-living, hard-working family man without a care in the world. The sentence that leapt out at me mentioned that his PT lost their connection shortly before Dale's collapse.

“Just like the two girls,” I said.

“Two girls?”

“Yeah – the girls that I … remember dying with.” I couldn't come up with a proper term for what I'd experienced. “They lost their PT connections before they died. I remember mentally calling out. What were their PTs' names?” I paused trying to bring back the last moments of those dreadful memories. “Simone, yes, Simone and Valerie.”

We'd made a connection between the murders that wasn't just based on Elizabeth linking them. Could we take it further? Maybe if I could tune into the PTs of the victims they'd provide me with more clues to the killer's identity.

One problem. At the moment I can hear others but they can't hear me. How do I contact them?

“This isn't what we agreed!” Dale paused his furious pacing. “We have a contract and I'll drag you through the courts if I must.”

“Surely you wouldn't want the world to see the vindictive side of the saintly Dale Johnson?”

“You think that's what interests me? You don't know me at all, do you Trevalyn? My only consideration is for the people of this community. The people who trusted us to deliver on our promises and what do I find when I get here? You – using them to your own benefit. Like some kind of latter-day slave master.” Dale was so angry he could barely get the words out. His felt his face grow hot with shame. He'd let these people down. He'd unwittingly introduced a self-interested oppressor and his conscience struggled with the cost of his naivety.

He pushed his sweat-dampened hair off his forehead in an attempt to cool both his temper and his temperature. By now this school building should have been in full use but Trevalyn had commandeered the work-force to complete his own suite of offices and laboratory. They were now meeting in a dusty, hot marquee where a solid, air-conditioned classroom should be.

“We needed to establish the clinical facilities first so that the community's health was safeguarded,” Trevalyn said calmly, whilst pouring water from his flask and offering the cup to Dale.

Dale was too parched to refuse the drink. He gulped the lukewarm liquid before responding.

“Don't try to talk me round on this. Your laboratory is not the health clinic we'd planned. It's more a science facility than a medical one. I want you off this site voluntarily by close of business tomorrow otherwise I'll be calling in the authorities to evict you and start a full investigation into what you've been up to out here.” He banged the cup down onto a nearby workbench – the only evidence that some kind of construction was due to start. The question was; when?

“Tomorrow,” he repeated as he left to face the villagers that had congregated outside.

Trevalyn nodded as he replaced the flask's cup, turning it slowly and deliberately until it clicked into place.

Dale hated working into the evening. He was a family man and always tried to be home to read the girls their bedtime story. The Holo-Comms, realistic as it was, could never replace the warm, delicious smell of his children snuggling close to him in their cosy onesies, after their nightly bubble-bath.

During the flight back he'd been feverish – probably an emotional backlash after his run-in with Trevalyn and dealing with the subsequent anguish of the Lipostzi people. His travel inoculations were up-to-date so he wasn't worried about any exotic illness. He stretched, rubbed his neck and took a couple of paracetamol. He scoured the fine details of the contract with Trevalyn. Knowing how persuasive Trevalyn could be, Dale would need a watertight case to take to the court on Monday morning. He grinned thinking that if Asil had been able to reach beyond their Bloc he'd have been off to deal with Trevalyn on a more personal level! The Turk's temper was legendary once he'd been riled enough to lose it.

The cramps came unexpectedly. One minute Dale was scrolling through holo-screens of contractual jargon, the next he was sprawled on the floor in agony. His jaw clenched so tightly he couldn't call out for help. Even his PT link to Asil seemed to have disappeared in the fire of pain blistering through his body.