The Children of Xenakis

By Rad Taylor

Dominic Gray thought he was just an ordinary guy leading an ordinary life until he meets Bella, a woman that he dreamed about for six consecutive nights before they ever met. Bella tells him about his true past, his untapped superhuman abilities, and an elusive enemy that they must face together.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rad Taylor
• Release date: Oct 20, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301927913

Rad Taylor

Radwane 'Rad' Taylor is a 2011, 2012, and 2013 NaNoWriMo winner. In addition to writing, he enjoys playing the drums, basketball, running, bowling, drawing, and painting. He is a Louisiana native and resides in Baton Rouge with his wife Sylvia and their dachshund Toby.

Book preview

The Children

of

Xenakis

RAD TAYLOR

Copyright 2013 Rad Taylor

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold

or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person,

please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did

not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to

Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work

of this author.

Dedicated to my family and to my friends

who encouraged me to publish this novel.

Thank you all for your love and support.

Power always sincerely, conscientiously, de très bon foi, believes itself right. Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views, beyond the comprehension of the weak.

- JOHN ADAMS, letter to Thomas Jefferson, Feb. 2, 1816

CHAPTER 1

I dreamed about Bella for six consecutive nights before I ever saw her face. Before that, I don't remember ever dreaming so often or having essentially the same dream night after night. When I woke from each dream, my memory of it didn't fade during the course of the day as one's dreams typically do. Also, I remembered the first dream about her just as vividly as the most recent one. What I didn't remember, though, is how I knew that her name is Bella. After my first dream about her, I could not stop thinking about her. It felt odd because it was as if I had been in the presence of this amazing woman and wanted to spend every moment with her.

In my first dream, we were in the huge, torch-lit courtyard of an old castle. The air was pleasantly warm and the sweet scent of a perfume that I couldn't quite identify was in the air.

Bella stood across the courtyard with her back to me. She was wearing a white, short-sleeved shirt and jeans. She was standing in front of a huge wooden door with her head slightly bowed as if she were listening for something.

As I approached her and called her name, she slowly turned toward me. She faded away before I could see her face. I awoke calling out her name.

In each successive dream, Bella silently stood with her back to me until I approached her. During each dream, she turned just a little bit more before fading away. On the seventh night, she finally turned completely around to face me. She was stunning, with long, black hair and deep, emerald green eyes. She smiled and called me by name, Dom, as she embraced me. Just thinking about the embrace gives me a warm, comforting feeling. It felt so familiar, so natural.

After a moment, she drew back from me and looked at me gravely. They're looking for us, she said. They'll be here soon. We have to be ready.

Before I could ask who they were, I was awakened by a phone call from a good friend whose website I'd developed for his business. While he was explaining a new feature that he wanted for his site, I could have sworn that I smelled the perfume from my dream. He asked if I could have the new feature complete in time for a meeting he had scheduled with a potential client that evening. I told him that it would cost him double and we laughed.

I had a quick breakfast of chocolate chip waffles topped with peanut butter and then sat at my desk to work. My laptop wasn't picking up a signal from my wireless router, so after troubleshooting and determining that my Internet connection was down, I called the cable company. An automated message informed me of a service outage in my area that should be resolved in four to six hours.

Frustrated, I showered and got dressed. I put my laptop in my backpack and drove to a sandwich shop a few miles from my apartment complex.

I arrived at the sandwich shop just after 10:00 a.m. I sat in a quiet corner of the shop, put on my headphones, and got lost in my work for a few hours until I sensed someone looking at me. I looked up and immediately locked gazes with Bella, who was looking back at me from a few tables away.

My heart leaped into my throat and I was instantly lightheaded. I did my best to contain the emotions running through me: awe, astonishment, and maybe a tiny bit of fear. There was no doubt in my mind that it was her, but how could this be? She gave me a brief smile and then looked back down at the binder she was reading from. I admit, I gave myself a good pinch on the forearm to make sure I wasn't dreaming and confirmed that I was wide awake. I did my best to not stare at her, but I couldn't help it. I absolutely had to meet her.

Just as I started to get up from my table, a guy who looked like he could play linebacker for any given NFL team sat down across from her with a tray of food. She moved her binder aside and they began to eat.

I felt deflated. I tried to make sense of the situation. Had I met her before and just couldn't remember it? I couldn't tell if she recognized me too or if she was just being friendly. Luckily, I was almost finished working on my friend's website because it was very difficult to refocus on work.

After another half-hour, I was finished working. Bella and her companion had finished eating and were sipping coffee. I didn't want to leave because I didn't know if I would ever see her again.

A few minutes later, they packed up their things and headed for the door. As the linebacker stood up and turned toward the door, Bella put a folded slip of paper on their table as she stood up. She looked at me and then looked down at the slip of paper. I felt a jolt of excitement.

As soon as they walked out, I hurried over to their table and picked up the slip of paper. It simply had a phone number on it. The moment was so surreal to me that I actually snapped a picture of the slip of paper with my phone. I packed up and drove home.

I sat on the sofa and put Bella's number on the coffee table in front of me. I replayed the encounter with her over and over in my mind. I spent the afternoon cleaning my apartment and listening to music while trying not to think about her. I debated on whether or not to call her. She was clearly with someone and had to sneak her number to me. I wouldn't feel right about interfering with someone's relationship. On the other hand, I was dying to know what was going on. I tried playing video games to take my mind off of her, but to no avail.

At a little before 9:00 p.m., I finally gave in and called her. She answered on the third ring. Hello? She sounded exactly as she had in my dream. It was eerie.

Hi, I responded. This is--

Dom? she interrupted. I froze and suddenly my legs got weak. I plopped down on my bed.

Uh...yeah... How did you--

We need to talk, she interrupted again. Can you come over? she asked.

This caught me off guard. Now?

Yeah.

Uh...sure, I said. Then, But what about your boyfriend? I don't want to interfere...

I don't have a boyfriend, she said almost impatiently. She gave me her address and had me repeat it back. See you soon. Then she hung up.

I couldn't believe that this was happening. I took a quick shower and then stood at my closet for what seemed like forever trying to decide what to wear. I felt silly, but I couldn't help it. The temperature had dropped since earlier, so I decided on jeans, boots, a light sweater, and a leather jacket.

CHAPTER 2

It only took about ten minutes for me to get to Bella's house. She opened the door just as I was about to knock. She invited me in and closed the door behind me.

Bella was wearing running shorts, a tank top, and a sports bra. Her hair was in a ponytail. She said my name and hugged me tightly. Instantly, I felt like I was back in one of the dreams I'd had about her. The embrace felt exactly as I had dreamed. Her perfume filled my nostrils. I felt like I could hold her forever.

After a moment, she drew back from me and said, You look amazing. What took you so long to call me?

I shrugged. I thought you had a boyfriend.

Oh, she said. Tell me about the dreams you've been having about me.

The dreams? How do you know about those? I have so many questions. I don't even know where to start, I told her. I had taken her hands in mine without realizing it.

Her brow furrowed slightly. I thought you would have remembered more by now. With her index finger, she lightly touched the tiny, diamond-shaped scar on the inside of my right wrist. Then she turned her right wrist up to show me an identical scar. That confused me even more. Take a look around the house. Maybe something you see will help jog your memory.

Why don't you just tell me? I asked, slightly agitated. Then the questions began to flow: How do you know my name? How do I know your name? How do you know about the dreams? Why am I even dreaming about you?

Shhh... she said. In time. Try to relax. She hugged me again. Look around.

I walked over to the fireplace. There were three framed photographs on the mantle. The photo on the left appeared to be a father and daughter. Is this you and your father? I asked, motioning toward the photo.

Yes. I was eight years old in that photo, she responded. Do you remember him?

I gave her a puzzled look. How would I remember him? I've never met him before.

Think, Dom. Take a good look at him, then close your eyes and focus. Please try to relax.

I studied the picture carefully. Then walked to the sofa with the picture and took a few deep breaths. I sat down and closed my eyes. After a few seconds, I saw images floating into focus, slowly at first. The images became scenes and sounds. They starting coming in faster and faster. I was awash in memories that I didn't even know I had. I could hear laughter, children playing, bits of conversations. It was almost too much to handle all at once.

I opened my eyes and said, Mr. Pete!

Yes! Bella said excitedly. The glow of her smile made her even more beautiful. Mr. Pete was my father.

'Was' your father? I said uneasily.

Yes, her expression was solemn. She sat down next to me. He died when I was twenty years old, four years ago. We can talk more about that in a bit. Right now, I want you to tell me what you remember so I can try to fill in the gaps for you.

I'm sorry about your father, I said. We paused for a moment, honoring Mr. Pete with our silence. Then I continued. Let's see... I now remember that your father and my mother were good friends, I said.

Bella nodded and smiled. Keep going.

My mother and I moved to Alaska when I was eight. I remember that it was a very sudden move in the middle of the school year, as if we were running from someone. That was a very sad time for me. How could I have forgotten all of this until now?

I have a few ideas about why, but we can talk about that later. I have a few questions for you, she said.

OK...

Have you ever had your eyes checked? she asked.

No, but I have very good eyesight. Why?

Did you play any sports in school?

I didn't understand why these questions mattered. Not for school, but what does this have to do with--

Have you ever broken a bone? Bella continued.

Well, no.

Any cavities?

No.

Have you ever done anything that you didn't really understand how you were able to do it?

I scratched my head. Bella, I'm really lost. What do you mean?

Have you ever done something physically that you didn't think should be possible? she asked.

I laughed. Like lift a car over my head or throw a baseball up through the atmosphere and into space?

Yeah, anything like that, she said. I could tell from her expression that she was serious.

How would I be able to do something like that?

Bella paused for a moment. Then she said, You could. You and I can do virtually anything we can think of.

Although I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about, I felt like we were starting to get somewhere. I said, Prove it.

At some point during our conversation, I'd stood up. If you really have no idea what my questions mean or why I'm asking them, then you should sit down, she said, patting the seat next to her.

I sat down. She stood up and went to the kitchen. Her posture, her walk, her mannerisms--she was so graceful and her movements seemed effortless.

She returned with a butcher knife and sat down next to me.

What are you doing? I asked. My voice was a little higher than I would have liked.

Watch. As I watched, she slowly dragged the knife across her leg above the knee. I was so transfixed that I couldn't even protest. She winced as she made an incision that was about six inches long, but by the time she lifted the knife, the incision was closing as if it had some sort of invisible zipper. Within seconds, there was no sign of the incision at all.

How is that possible? was the most profound question I could muster.

You can do it too, she said, offering me the knife. All you have to do is focus and think about what you want to happen.

I shook my head, Uh-uh. There's no way.

Bella smiled. OK, fine. She looked around. Touch the ceiling then.

The ceiling? I looked up and estimated the ceiling was about twelve feet at its highest point. Even though I wasn't expecting much, I decided to give it a try. I took a couple of steps and leaped. I jumped higher than I expected, especially since I was wearing boots, but I didn't reach the ceiling.

Impressive, she said, but you can do better. Try again. She seemed to be enjoying this little game.

I took a couple of steps and leaped again. This time, I just barely brushed the ceiling with my fingertips. I couldn't help smiling from ear to ear.

Very nice, she said. That was easy. Let's do something a little harder. She pointed at the dining room light switch and made an up and down gesture with her index finger. The dining room light turned off and on. I didn't know what to say. I'll do it again. Watch closely. She repeated the light switch trick and this time I noticed