The Forbidden Trilogy (20 page)

My assigned guard, an average man in every conceivable
way—nothing like Gar at all—was leading me back to my room. During the short
walk, a doctor escorted a pregnant girl out to the lawn. The girl looked to be
close to her delivery date. My guard grabbed my arm harshly, steering me down
the hall, but in that brief moment I locked eyes with the girl. Tears formed in
her eyes as we recognized each other.

Rebeka had been in a few of my classes, and I liked her. She
was supposed to be in Paris, but of course she wasn't. Paris and New York were
dreams spun from naive innocence, something we'd both lost.

Rebeka's doctor, a petite woman with long dark hair and
brown eyes—eyes that struck a familiar chord in me, though I couldn't place
her—nearly knocked me to the ground when she spoke directly to my mind.

'Please do not make a scene. Go back to the room quietly
and pretend you do not see us. I'm your friend. I'm here to help, but they
won't let me near you. Lock onto my mental signature and find me later. My name
is Ana.'

"Who are you?"

'We'll talk more later. I must go.'

When I got back to my room, I told Drake about Rebeka and
Ana.

'Be careful. I don't trust anyone who works here,'
he
said.

"I don't either. I'm just surprised to find another
mind reader. Wonder why I couldn't sense her during my scans?"

'I don't know, maybe she has a way of blocking someone
else. That would be cool if you could learn that.'

"Yeah, well, one thing at a time."

We hadn't made much progress with our get-out-of-jail plan,
but my mind-controlling abilities had improved. It seemed I was a natural—a big
plus for us. It was like a game, to see what I could do, how far I could push
it.

Over the next several days, I kept to little things that no
one would notice or suspect, except for erasing memories. It worked. This gave
me hope, though I was still too nervous to do anything major, and I never tried
it while Dr. Pana was around. I had no idea if it would work on him, and I had
no desire to alert him to my new abilities. Whenever he came to my room, I kept
my mind clear of anything incriminating.

I'd adapted too easily to controlling other people's minds.
Sure, it was for the right reasons, but it felt wrong. Should I, or anyone,
have the right to alter people's thoughts and control them in that way? Yet I'd
spent my life spying on people's minds for Rent-A-Kid, and I still used my
powers as if mind reading was less invasive than mind control. In a way, it
was, but I began to understand why Nurse Susie considered me an abomination.
Whether reading minds or controlling minds, we still violated people's privacy
and took something from them in the process. Still, we were born this way. We
were used and locked up because of these gifts, so it seemed reasonably moral
to use our para-powers to escape.

These moral arguments tumbled through me and became my
shadow companions, taunting me each time I practiced my powers.

Drake had a similar schedule to mine, but we never met. They
didn't let us near anyone else, but I could tell through my mental scans that
there were at least three others in the building.

I learned about the video surveillance and the doors with
special scanners, which only worked with certain staff ID cards. Dr. Pana,
Nurse Susie, and one other presence further away whose thoughts were unusually
fuzzy, revealed little. Was that Rebeka or Ana? Why couldn't I lock onto Ana's
signature like she said? Where might the others be? Perhaps they had Rebeka on
a drug that kept her mind hidden?

I worried about her being here too. I wanted to save us all,
but we had to get out and find help before we could assist anyone else. Sort of
like the oxygen masks in the airplanes—you have to save yourself first, or
everyone dies. Something like that.

Again, pragmatism reared its ugly head.

I worked to cultivate patience and keep my body strong. When
in the yard, I walked, did lunges, pushups, sit ups, and running in circles. My
muscles burned in new and painful ways, and the heat sent bile rising to my
throat regularly. At least they unhooked the IV during this time. It was a
relief to be free, in a manner of speaking.

I kept an eye out for Ana or Rebeka, but hadn't seen either
of them again.

I didn't think continuing the workouts would hurt the baby,
though I only knew about pregnancy what I'd learned from television and biology
class. I wasn't a badass or anything, not like Lucy. My mental gifts had
demanded that I focus on my studies. I knew some basic moves, but I pretty much
sucked at martial arts and hand-to-hand combat. Drake would have to handle that
if necessary.

Rent-A-Kid required us to stay in top shape for health and
longevity, yet, despite my best efforts, my body grew weaker every day, even as
my powers grew stronger. It was as though the baby drained my body to feed my
mind.

While outside one afternoon, all my senses kicked into
hyper-focus. The chain link fence imprisoning me screeched in a high-pitched
whine as the wind blew against it. My body flooded with sweat as the sun beat
down. My belly ached, and even the skin on my abdomen burned as if stretched
and torn.

The changes were happening so quickly!

My once flat stomach pushed out before my eyes. I half
expected a monster to burst through my skin, like that scene in
Alien
. I
doubled over in pain, fighting tears and trying to slow my breath.

'Sam, what's wrong?'
Drake could feel my distress.

I sensed his fear and worry. Staying conscious required all
my focus, too much for me to talk, even mentally. Especially mentally. I
summoned the guard, who ran to my side.

"I feel sick. Need to lie down."

He steadied me with his right hand and led me back to my
room.

I dressed in a baggy shirt so no one would notice my new
bump. Not because of looks—though the idea of being huge the first time I met
Drake in person didn't thrill me—but because I didn't want them to declare me
pregnant. I needed to keep my freedom as long as possible.

We clearly needed to step up the plans. I couldn't keep my
condition secret much longer.

I ran my hand over our baby, and the hard bump moved
slightly. My hunger, which had gone missing recently, returned in full force. I
used the much hated bell to summon the nurse.

Susie arrived with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.
"What?"
'I'm so sick of this job and these whiny kids... need to
find someplace else to work... this sucks... how can she be so stupid to not
know she's pregnant?'

"It's nice to see you too. I got sick during my break
outside and—"

"I told you not to exercise."

"Be that as it may, I think it was from hunger. I know
dinner isn't for a few hours, but could I get an early snack?"

She glanced at my stomach and looked quickly away. I
pretended to be looking somewhere else. My clothes hid the bump. I just needed
to keep the staff away from my body.

"I'll bring you something."

"Thank you...."

She left before I finished talking.

Ten minutes later, I had my fill of green Jell-O—hardly real
food—and almonds, with a little box of milk. I hated milk, but forced myself to
drink it.

I rested after my mini-meal, my body at peace for the
moment.

My eyes flew open. Our baby fluttered inside my belly like a
butterfly, and a new consciousness swished through my mind. Our baby had linked
to me.

"Can you feel this?"
I asked Drake.

I tried to feel the sensation mentally, and our baby's mind
connected with both of us. The link filled me with profound joy and love, such
as I'd never known. I could sense her. I knew her.

Her. Our baby was a girl.

"Drake?"

'I sense her too. I feel it. She's beautiful. Amazing.'

We held this moment in a bubble of time, afraid of bursting
it, of facing the realities of our situation.

"What should we name her?"

He laughed.
'I'm sure the name will come to us.'

"Drake, it's time. We can't wait any longer. Are you
ready to move as soon as the drugs are out of your system?"

'Yes. But, Sam, be careful. I can't stand the thought of
anything happening to you or our baby.'

"I will."

I hoped.

Our plan should have been simple. In theory.

Reality didn't agree.

Nurse Susie came into my room with dinner at the expected
time.

"Is the doctor here tonight? Will he be checking on
me?" I prayed for "no."

"He's gone for the night. He'll check on you
tomorrow."

I didn't have long, but that removed a major complication at
least.

I linked to her mind.
'So sick of my life... where else
could I go... money helps... never get this kind of pay as nurse somewhere
else... do people think I'm pretty?... she's really pretty... boys must love
her... it's not fair... she gets it all... but I guess not since she's trapped
here and doesn't even know it... stupid girl... I thought these paranormals
were supposed to be smart?... six hours left on my shift and already I'm
exhausted... what do I need to do?... that boy needs a change in IV... I'll do
that after this....'

Perfect!

I implanted a thread into her thoughts—a command, really.
"I'm
not feeling good. I'll leave my keys and badge on the dresser. I won't remember
leaving them. I feel so sick, and I'll be stuck in my bathroom for ten minutes.
I won't remember being sick. I'll keep the door closed and not respond to
anything for ten minutes."

I put the full force of my will behind this instruction.

"I'm not feeling well." Nurse Susie dropped her
keys and badge on my dresser and darted to the bathroom, locking the door
behind her. She'd left my bedroom door unlocked.

I pulled my IV out, grabbed her keys and badge, and slipped
into the hall, heart pounding so loud I thought for sure everyone could hear
it. Her thoughts, and my brief moments outside, revealed that there weren't
many people in this building.

I pulled images from Susie's memory to find the room with
the medical supplies.

Cameras monitored the halls and rooms. I had no idea if my
powers would work like this, but I scanned everyone I could find within a
fifty-foot radius.

Susie... sick in my bathroom. Drake... anxious for me to
finish. Dr. Pana... reviewing paperwork—oh crap. She said he was gone for the
night. What was I going to do?

I had to move forward. We were out of time and Drake needed
me.

Focus! I scanned more minds, found the one I needed—the
security guard who controlled the cameras—and linked with him.

'Bored... need a cigarette break... don't really need to
be here... nothing ever happens... wonder if I should call that babe from the
bar last night... she was hot... should wait... make her wonder....'

I planted some commands.
"I'm bored. I need a break.
I'm going to go smoke a cigarette. At least ten minutes. I'll take my time.
Nothing ever happens here. Better switch off the recorder before I leave and
forget I did it. Blame it on a power surge."

When I knew he'd left, I squeezed through a crack in my door
and made for the closet that held the IV bags. I stumbled, dizzy, perhaps from
so much use of my powers, or maybe the pregnancy, or nerves. The concentration
required to focus on so many minds made the simple act of walking difficult,
but this was our last chance.

"I'm here. I'm switching the labels now."

'Be careful, Sam. Please.'
His voice thickened with
desperation.

I shook and jumped at every perceived noise, but at least I
walked around freely.
Must follow the plan. Be proactive.
These assholes
had Drake chained up like a dog. What would that do to someone like him?
Someone so strong?

I used Susie's keys to open the closet, and found the IV
bags. Drake's drugs, which looked just like the saline, were labeled with his
name. I switched the labels with the saline bags and then switched the bags,
disposing of his meds so no one would grab one by mistake. Now he should just
get saline, and his system would be cleansed of whatever concoction they'd run
through him.

I headed back toward my room, trying to avoid anyone else,
and did a mental check on the doctor, Nurse Susie, and the guard. All were
still in place, just as planned.

'Sam, you okay? Did it work?'
Drake's voice quivered.

"Yeah, no problems. Just staying focused until I get
back to my room."

I rounded the corner to my room, and—

Crap!
He must have just left his office.

***

"What are you doing out of your room, Sam?" The
doctor tried to stay in control, but the edge in his voice and his bright red
face betrayed him.

Bile rose in my throat, but I swallowed and tried to cover
my fear with concern. "Nurse Susie is sick in my bathroom. I don't know
what's wrong with her, so I came looking for you."

Years of role-playing had made me a convincing liar, but
that wouldn't help if he used my powers against me. I filled my mind with the
reality of a sick nurse.

When his slimy mental fingers crawled over me, he heard what
I wanted him to hear.

With the keys and badge hidden in my jeans pocket, I led him
to my room. I linked with Susie on the way, amending my orders so she would
remember being sick after all, but would not remember leaving her keys and
badge. I would have to find a way of getting them back to her.

She still occupied the bathroom when we walked into my room.

I gave the doctor a knowing look. "Let me check on her
first. She might not be decent." I headed for the bathroom before he could
object, and mentally told her to unlock the door.