The Hunt

By Oscar Hinklevitch

Melanie has been hiding her abilities for two years, even from her parents. She knows that hiding is her only chance to keep the government from coming for her. The lingering addiction to the drugs they gave her keeps haunting her, though.

As she relapses into the depths of her withdrawal, the people from the program are there to see her, witnessing the moment she uses her power. Now, they have come for her, and she is running...again.

Can Melanie escape them, and find a way to live in peace? Torn between addiction, the ever present self loathing she has and the Oakmont program, is peace even possible for her?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Oscar Hinklevitch
• Release date: Jul 22, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370689484

Oscar Hinklevitch

Oscar loves the outdoors and children, satisfying this love as a volunteer in both American Heritage Girls and Trail Life USA. When not working with children, he can be found with his family, often reading a book. Oscar began writing as a hobby, that hobby responsible for the completion of five novels (Fourth Birth, The Hunt, The Demon's Bowl, Lilly and The Ancient One), and one novella (4M4L13). He always has at least four projects in development, sometimes more, usually giving readers insight into his activities at https://oscarbooks.com/. Other places to get his stories, some of which are not fully published: Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/OscarHinklevitch Inkitt: https://www.inkitt.com/AK_John Follow him on FaceBook at: https://www.facebook.com/OscarHinklevitch/

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Preface

I began writing this story shortly after the completion of Fourth Birth, around early August 2016. In September, my world was shattered as my middle son, Joshua Lee Brooks died due to a giant brain aneurysm. It is something that statistically shouldn’t happen to an 11 year old kid, but it did.

For almost a month, I didn’t touch any writing, nothing. My mind simply could not do it. However, I did begin writing again, and a lot of my inner struggles came out in the story. It became therapy for me. I’ll never get over the loss of my son, but I have been forced to move on, to continue living. Living isn’t quite as colorful, or as energetic as it once was. A piece of me has been ripped out. But I am moving forward.

This book was completed in January 2017, less than six months after starting. It is amazing to me that I have written a novel in that short a time, but I have. God blessed me and gave me the inspiration, and I think he gave me this knowing I’d need it during those dark weeks and months. This story is a work of my heart, and I hope more than anything that you enjoy it. God bless you all.

OH

Acknowledgements

Joyce, my beautiful wife, always my foundation. You are the inspiration for me. Without your support, none of this would be possible.

Elizabeth N. Thanks for all of the feedback and ideas, as well as being a beta reader for me. You gave me a number of ideas that I incorporated into the story. Thanks also for your encouragement and enthusiasm, along with your friendship.

The Barnhills for their friendship and support during the worst trial of my life. Without you guys, I’d have been worse than I was. Thank you!

I know there are others, but please don’t think I’ve deliberately omitted you. Since September 2016, my mind has not been what it was, and I’m forgetting lots. Know that it is not a deliberate omission, but rather a result of my addled mind. My memory has been severely impacted by the events of September 2016.

With all of those mentioned above, they pale in comparison to The Father. It is He who gave me the dream that this story evolved from. He gave me the constant inspiration that created this story and opened my mind to it. Without His guidance, inspiration and strength, this could not have been done. To Him goes the glory!

I.

I was sitting on the beach, the clear, pale, blue water lapping on the shore. My feet were extended into that refreshing water, my body resting on the warm sand. There was a small pile of recently picked fruit, from the interior of the small island that I called home. My best friend, sister and cousin was playing in the water, laughing and having a good time.

It was warm, since it was a tropical climate, and the water felt absolutely wonderful on my legs and feet. I considered jumping in and splashing around, like a little kid, but was too comfortable and lazy to get up.

Me and Aliyah were finally carefree, safe...free from all the people that wanted to use us and enslave us. No more experiments were done to us, no more forced training and brainwashing. We were free!

That was what life should have always been. Unfortunately, reality always intruded on my dream...

Many years ago, scientists working for the government performed an experiment on my father without his knowledge. Today, I am the result of that sick, twisted work.. What they were after was to create a generation of telepaths that they could turn into tools, weapons. They gave me powers that no person should have. Because I am a product of their plan, they want to control me, saying I’m a danger to others and could hurt the country if our enemies got me.

But it’s not about them protecting me...not really. They want to use me. They need to understand, though, what they created is no longer theirs to control, if I ever was. They have unleashed a force that is far beyond what they ever dreamed was possible and I will not...cannot be controlled. Two years ago, I escaped the hell that they put me in. It took over a year for me to recover from the physical ordeal I’d been through, as much as I probably ever would.

I still had the addiction to the drugs, as well as still suffering occasional emotional breakdowns. Since I woke up, they’ve gotten further apart and less severe. At least, I thought they had.

Over the past few months, I’ve started coming apart again. Lots of time has been spent crying in the shower, wishing I could feel safe, and be able to regain that trust that Dad could fix anything. Of course, sometimes, I just cried.

Although I wouldn’t read his mind, I knew my dad was hiding things from me. I could sense it. But he was the adult and I was the kid, and that was the normal way of things. The problem was, I wasn’t a normal kid. I knew way more than I should about things no one should even dream existed. What was worse was that I had seen and experienced things no kid ever should.

The Oakmont program was the biggest of those things, and I suppose the fact that there were kids with telepathic ability would be one of those things as well. Of course, I was one of those kids, but I was different, I was more.

I was stronger than most of them and had powers I wasn’t even sure about, and yet I worried. I worried that when something happened I wouldn’t know what to do. I doubted Dad could help me. Aside from being a kid, why wouldn’t Dad tell me more? The worry was getting worse. A little over two years ago, doubting Dad wouldn’t have been possible. I was getting paranoid...was I going nuts...what was wrong with me?

When I first woke up from that long sleep after my escape, the coma, things seemed a lot better. It was like the horrible things that had happened were just a vague, bad dream. As time passed, the memories became more and more real to me, the visions I thought I had beaten began returning.

I’d been hiding it from Mom and Dad as much as I could, with Aliyah’s help, but I was pretty sure they knew. How could they not know? I was having nightmares. Although I was trying to keep them hidden, I was sure Mom and Dad could hear me sometimes.

Most nights, the nightmares were of the doctors putting probes down my throat and those shocking metal disks all over me. Those were the easy ones, the ones that I usually woke up from soaked in sweat but able to keep quiet.

There were others though, that were much worse. Those usually involved James with the doctors, using tools to cut into my body and do all kinds of horrible things to me. I always woke up screaming from those, my throat raw.

The worst of them involved them cutting into my skull, with me still awake and feeling it all. Those were pure terror for me, and I always woke up from them shaking violently, sweating profusely and whimpering. I never went back to sleep after those until the next night, and even then it was difficult.

What worried me most was that the nightmares were almost every night now, and the really bad ones were becoming more common too. I wondered how long it would be before they had to send me to another loony bin. There was only so long they could keep me, since I was going crazy and I knew it.

As I sat there, debating what my Dad’s intentions were, along with his honesty, tears started leaking out of my eyes. I was heading into that dark place again, the place I’d been many times.

Without remembering how I got there, I found myself curled up in a ball in the back corner of my closet. I had a blanket pulled over my head and I was crying. I couldn’t stop it.

Crawling into the closet like that was something I used to do when I was a very little girl, but had stopped as I grew up. When I went into that long sleep, things changed inside me. I started hiding in the closet again, as if I was still partially that little girl I thought I was when I first woke up.

Crying was something else that changed about me, thanks to my time at Oakmont. After 1st grade, I had completely quit crying. Of course, I still didn’t cry too much, but there I was, unable to stop the tears that were pouring from my eyes. I was weak…

Sitting there, crying like a baby, I wanted my island, badly. The dream was getting more and more desperate for me. My life was so much less than that dream. I needed it.

II.

Without warning, I felt my sudden plunge into the depths of my mind, the pit. Aliyah was normally there to help bring me out of the darkness, but she was shopping with Mom. They had asked me to go, but I didn’t feel like going. As the darkness began to take hold, I knew why. I should have known earlier, but I hadn’t realized, and neither had Aliyah.

The darkness of my thoughts started deepening, the memories becoming more and more intense, more and more real to me. No matter what I did, I couldn’t make them go away once they started. Aliyah was the one that always brought me back, but she wasn’t there this time and her absence started making me panic, which just made my situation worse.

The therapist I’d been seeing a while back tried to teach me something to stop them, but at that moment, I couldn’t think enough to remember what it was. My mind was totally in panic and I had no control.

James was coming to me, licking his lips and smiling his evil smile, while undoing his pants. I tried to crawl further into the corner of my closet as the images intensified, shaking very badly, now drenched in my sweat. I was unable to see anything but what he was beginning to do to me.

Melanie? I heard someone call as the images were truly and completely taking hold, but I couldn’t answer. My mind was disconnecting from the real world. Even though I knew all of this, I couldn’t do anything about it.

As the images of James coming closer and closer got worse, images of him doing things to me again, overlapping images of his approach, I felt someone shaking me. James was now touching me, trying to rip my clothes off again. I tried to strike out at him, but my hand was useless. He was simply too strong for me. I was helpless, just like during the attacks at the school. Him on top of me, about to…

My mind started getting a strange feeling then, the feeling I associate with Aliyah tickling it. As that started taking over, the images of James and the school began to fade. That feeling only Aliyah had ever made me feel lifting me out of my pit.

Daddy was kneeling beside me as I came out of it, worry plastered on his face. Sweetheart, talk to me, he pleaded. Rather than saying anything, I grabbed him, wrapping my arms around his neck, burying my face into his shoulder and letting the tears flow freely. Two years before, maybe less, I would never have cried, but that period of my life opened my emotions up a bit.

He held me tight, comforting me as only my Daddy could. That was the first of those I’d had during the day, since waking up, that Aliyah hadn’t been there for. As a matter of fact, how had I come out of it without her? I knew that feeling only came from Aliyah and she wasn’t there.

What happened, angel? Dad asked, once I settled down.

I had a bad dream, I told him, not wanting to lie but not wanting him to know how messed up I was, not wanting him to worry about something he couldn’t fix.

Can you tell me about it? he asked. Just thinking about it started to bring it back. I barely managed to hold the darkness away, my mind ready to take me into that darkness again, and shook my head no. There was no way I could have talked about it, especially right then. As it was, I was shaking, and sweat was breaking out on me again.

Okay, I won’t ask then, he said, pulling me back to him. Even though I had improved a lot, I was still messed up really bad. Aliyah and I had been doing a really good job of hiding it from everyone, but she wasn’t there to help me.

Another thing that worried me was that the attacks had been happening again, the psychic bursts. I began to wonder if I was beginning to return to the bad state I was in before my long sleep. I hoped not, but I was getting worried that I might be.

How long would it be before Mom and Dad, or Mrs. Stone figured it out? At the rate things were going, they would eventually...and I didn’t want that to happen.

Mel, are you alright? Aliyah said, as she burst into the room. Dad looked oddly at her, but didn’t say anything. I nodded my head, but didn’t say a word, even to her mind.

Girls, I think it’s time for bed anyway. Why don’t the two of you sleep together tonight? Mom suggested, not sure of what happened, but knowing something was wrong…with me.

Aliyah and I got in bed very quickly. I knew she wanted to find out what happened, but she knew I wouldn’t talk about it, even to her.

I faked going to sleep very quickly, sure Aliyah knew better, but she didn’t say anything. She never did when I was like that. She was the best sister I could have hoped for.

Becky, Mel is trying to hide it, but her nightmares are getting worse. She’s having them during the day, Randy said, as the two of them settled in for the night.

Is that what happened today? Aliyah screamed at me that we had to leave, just before we were going to check out. She made me leave the groceries in the cart, right there in the store. Then I got home to see Mel curled up against you like she used to when she had a nightmare as a little girl.

That means she knew Melanie was having that attack, or whatever it was.

Could they be communicating with their minds?

Aliyah could simply be monitoring Melanie. It might not be two way, he replied, but looked somewhat suspicious.

You don’t believe that, do you?

No, not really, he replied, and paused, in thought. I think she’s trying to hide things from us. Think about how easily those two do things together. It’s almost as if they’re reading each other’s minds, or maybe talking to each other. Aliyah reading Melanie’s I would understand, but the more I think about it, the more it looks to be both ways. If my suspicion is right, she might also be hiding the struggle she’s going through, regardless of what she’s telling us or what we’re seeing, he suggested.

Why would she hide that from us? We’re her parents. We’re here to help her. We love her, she said, tears forming in her eyes.

I honestly don’t know, but she’s always been that way, and you know it. Maybe she thinks she’s protecting us.

What did happen today?

She said she had a bad dream, but that would mean she was asleep and I know she wasn’t asleep when that began. I had just checked on her only moments before and she was definitely awake. Whatever that was, it came on her rather quickly and she was awake when it did. Right after checking on her, I went to the kitchen and that’s when I heard her scream. When I went to her room, she was in the corner of the closet, shaking like a leaf. She started trying to fight me when I went to her, as if I was trying to hurt her.

Alright, let’s say you’re right. Could she remember more from her time there than what we think, or thought? And if so, how much does she remember?

I have no idea, but we should assume everything, at this point. The other possibility is she doesn’t really remember anything, but has these episodes from time to time. If that’s the case, then Aliyah can sense them and seems to be able to control them, somehow, at least to some degree.

Do we need to get more counselling for her?

I don’t know. It didn’t seem to help her before, and what she’s in now doesn’t seem to be doing much, either, he replied, then added, Why don’t we talk to Rebecca and see what she thinks?

Okay, she replied, and nestled into him for comfort.

There’s something else I need to let you know about, he said, making her pull away and look at him with a knowing expression.

Am I going to like this?

That depends on whether you’re ready for another child or not.

Isn’t that what the woman would say to the man? This seems reversed somehow, she told him, a playful smile on her face. Are you thinking of adopting another kid?

We had to adopt Aliyah, to protect her.

I know. Are you considering a normal adoption?

Not exactly, he replied, bringing a curious look from her.

What’s going on, then?

Aliyah’s sister is beginning to show signs and your brother wants Mel and Aliyah to be able to help her. He asked if Eliana could come up here to work with the girls, so she could learn to control it, he informed her, but she could tell he was evading somehow. It was something in his tone and expression.

She looked at him for a long time, not saying a word. He’s going to send his last child away from home when she’s only seven? she asked, incredulous at what her brother was willing to do, but knowing there was still more to this.

Although I would argue that he doesn’t have much choice, he’s not sending her away. They’re talking about moving here, he said, finally giving her the surprise.

She bolted upright, shock plain on her face. What!? she exclaimed. And you didn’t tell me?

Shh, or you’ll wake the kids, he said, but there was obviously play in his voice. And I am telling you.

When are they coming?

I think they’ll be here tomorrow. She punched him in the arm then, and not very softly.

Ow! he exclaimed.

That didn’t hurt you. She stared at him a moment, playful irritation plastered on. You and Michael planned this, didn’t you?

Actually, he wanted to surprise you when he invited you over, but I talked him out of it.

So, they already have a house too? He nodded. He knows that Mel can’t seem to use her telepathy anymore, doesn’t he? she then asked, the look of worry returning.

He knows, but he also knows that he still has Aliyah to lean on for that. And by moving here, he gets his second daughter back.

That would mean we have four telepaths between us.

Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that. What would you think of starting a small school, one that specializes in certain special mental abilities?

How would you do that? It’d be incredibly expensive.

Actually, the division is interested in starting it for us. It provides them some measure of observation on the kids, without being like the program.

So the government is still going to control them?

Not exactly, but they do want to monitor them. That is reasonable and to be expected, and we knew it was coming. At least this way, we’ll control it.

It isn’t much different than Oakmont.

The Congressional committee has been wrestling with this since the escape. The compromise they’ve come up with is to allow both programs, but with the understanding that the kids will be monitored and controlled. They feel that the kids pose a threat to national security if they should get kidnapped by a foreign power.

That’s bull crap and you know it.

Is it? These kids can read minds without anyone knowing it. Some of the more powerful ones can make people see things that aren’t there. As much as it bothers me, I understand their concern, and we still don’t know if they’ll pass it on to their children.

Those people did this to them. It isn’t the kids fault they have these abilities, she countered.

I know, which is why they’ve agreed to let us build our own program. They’re not willing to let these kids roam freely, however. Not one of them would agree to that, no matter how much I argued for it.

When the girls find out, they won’t like it.

I know, he replied, looking very somber.

Are you going to tell her, or let her find out on her own?

I need to tell her, but I’m not sure how, especially after today, he said.

III.

It was as if I had blacked out, when I returned to some semblance of reality. I wasn’t even sure how long it had been since my last attack. I knew it was right before Aliyah’s parents moved to Alaska. Just then, my mind had been going from the tropical island dream again, to replaying my past, over and over. I was having a very short lived moment of lucid thought, but it wouldn’t last.

I was shaking and sweating, the desire for the orange drug so powerful right then I couldn’t think of anything else, once it came back. Goosebumps had broken out all over me. I knew beyond any doubt, only the orange stuff would make this overwhelming need go away. That was another of the lingering effects from my time at Oakmont, the continued addiction to the drugs.

Unable to stop myself, and not sure what I was really doing, I climbed out of the closet and headed for the mudroom. Once there, I slipped my boots on, grabbed a coat and walked out, not even noticing if I closed the door or not. At that moment, I didn’t really care. Oddly, Mom and Dad weren’t around, although I didn’t really care about that either. Aliyah was out with her parents, since they had just moved to Alaska and wanted to spend some time together as a family. I wasn’t sure, but this might have been the first time I’d ever been left alone.

It took me about 15 minutes to walk to the grocery store, which was Fred Meyer. I never went to the grocery store anymore, since everyone was trying to keep me from seeing any orange liquid. That was exactly what I was hunting for, though.

In the logical part of my mind, I knew that just any orange liquid wouldn’t work. It had to be the right orange liquid, and I couldn’t get that at a grocery store, no matter how big or well stocked it was. The problem was, my logical mind was almost completely shut off.

The walk there was really bad, as I kept seeing movement out of the corners of my eyes. I’d jump and look over to find nothing there, or maybe just some kid playing in their yard. I almost attacked one kid, barely stopping myself in time, and it was really close.

I thought I felt a probe touch my mind once, but in the state I was in I just flicked it away like a small bug. Finally I made it to the store, and almost ran inside. It took every bit of my will not to run through the store, tearing stuff off the shelves in my search.

Without knowing where it was, I started aimlessly wandering through the place. It was huge and had all kinds of junk, none of which interested me. Unfortunately, all I was seeing was the junk. Pet supplies, household items, tools, all kinds of stuff that meant nothing to me. The effort to maintain some semblance of control was getting harder. Finally, I saw the groceries and knew the object of my desire was in that area. It had to be!

Mel, I heard, just before I began running. My shields instantly slammed in place. I spun around and saw Aliyah coming up behind me, breathing heavily for some reason. Her parents were far back, still trying to catch up, her little sister trailing after them.

What, I asked in reply, with a bit of venom in my voice, knowing she was there to stop me. My face was angled down, but my eyes were peering into her. I was certain I looked insane.

Let’s go home, she said, stopping in front of me, as she finally caught up.

No, I replied, turned around and resumed my search, my eyes probing everywhere.

Please, Mel, she begged.

Leave me alone, I said, raising my voice a little. A few people in the area noticed and looked over at us, but I didn’t care.

Suddenly, it was as if my mind went blank, or rather, my ability simply disappeared. I couldn’t access my telepathy or any of my other powers. I knew it was Aliyah doing it and my shields seemed to have no effect on her. I had always wondered about that.

Let me go, I ordered her, with a quiet, menacing voice, hatred welling up in me. I slammed every bit of my will into trying to regain my power, but it simply wasn’t there.

The anger and hate erupted inside me. It was a monster unleashed at the unjust restraint placed on me by my supposed best friend. She was betraying me!

With that short effort, my energy dropped to nothing and I fell to my knees. I looked up at her, every ounce of anger I had in me pouring through the heat in my cheeks and eyes.

Let me go! I yelled at her, tears pouring down my cheeks. There were tears pouring from her eyes as well, as I looked up at her, but there was something different about her tears.

As I saw her, I realized her tears were leaving red streaks down her cheeks. She was bleeding from her nose and eyes. There was a lot of pain on her face too. That’s when it hit me. This was my friend, my sister. She was trying to help me, not hurt me.

God, please forgive me, I whispered. I wasn’t sure if I was asking Him or her for forgiveness, but it may have been both.

With my whispered plea, she knelt down, and wrapped her arms around me. Let’s go home, she whispered, her voice shaky. I rose up with her, letting her help support me, even though I should have been supporting her.

There were several people around watching us, obviously not sure what had happened, but curious. There was an odd feeling in my mind though, something I’d felt before. I couldn’t place it right then, and at that moment, didn’t really care.

Aliyah’s parents finally walked up as we got to our feet. The entire episode took only a few seconds to play out, but it had taken a lot out of both of us. I wasn’t sure how we’d hide the fact that I had caused Aliyah’s bleeding and Mrs. Stone would have no doubt what caused it, not to mention my parents and anyone from the program that happened to be watching.

As we got home, Aliyah’s dad picked her up and carried her into the house, while her mom helped me.

I’m sorry, I said, tears in my eyes.

Aunt Sarah didn’t reply, just looked at me with an unreadable expression. Eliana, however, looked at me with her big beautiful eyes, It’s okay. You don’t have anything to be sorry about.

I’m a monster, I replied, as I walked away from her and into the house. I probably shouldn’t have said that to her, but I was such a mess, I couldn’t stop myself. I really was a monster. She deserved better from me.

Her sister was still a marvel to me. She was like a little clone of Aliyah, same hair, eyes, everything. She was also as outgoing and energetic. The only real difference was that she was a lot more girly, and neat. Of course, the neatness might have been because of her Mom. Eliana was a wonderful kid, though.

Mom and Dad were with Uncle Mike and Aliyah, so they didn’t notice me stealthily move past them and down the hall. I went directly to my room, closed the door and returned to the back of my closet. Curling in the corner, I pulled the blanket up to my chin and sat there, rocking and crying. I was shaking pretty bad too.

Aliyah had stopped me at the store, but she hadn’t helped my emotional state. I guess she couldn’t, considering how badly I hurt her.

Although they had convinced me that I wasn’t a danger to them, back when I woke up from that coma, I was beginning to see just how wrong they were. This latest incident had made it very apparent that I was definitely a danger. There had been a few incidents over the last two years, but nothing like this. These things were beginning to happen more often, along with the nightmares, and they were getting worse.

The counselling that I had been going through hadn’t done anything to help either. They kept promising me that it took time, but I’d been doing it for most of the two years since I woke up, with no improvement. Although I had been much worse before I went into the coma, I was beginning to get back to that point and I knew it. And I had actually attacked my best friend...and hurt her.

Mel, I heard, a good while later. Although I didn’t respond, Dad came into the closet, as good as he was able. He was a bit too big for it.

Sweetheart, what happened today? he asked, once he was sitting in front of me, looking like some kind of contortionist.

Nothing, I automatically replied, feeling guilty, because anyone with half a brain knew that it wasn’t nothing. He only looked at me. The look on his face wasn’t like he was mad for my reply, but more like he was disappointed. I suppose he should have been. I cringed further into the corner, trying to melt into the wall.

I’m a monster, Dad, I finally said, unable to stop the tears that were coming out even worse.

No, you’re not.

Yes, I am! I yelled at him, putting my head down in shame.

He opened his mouth to try and argue with me but I cut him off.

You don’t trust me, and I know it. But you can’t trust me because I lie to you. I’ve gotten so good at lying I even convinced myself that I was better, but I’m not, I said, almost yelling the last and pausing to let myself calm down. Dad didn’t seem to know what to say.

I hurt Aliyah to try and get the orange stuff. I’m dangerous and I’m going crazy, I said, barely whispering the last part. I didn’t know what he was going to say before I cut him off, but he didn’t say anything for a long time after I was done.

Melanie, you have had a very hard life. You’ve suffered more than any child should ever suffer. We thought you had forgotten the worst of it, he said with a long pause. But I wondered sometimes how much you actually remembered, he said, and held his hand up to stop me before I replied.

No, don’t tell me. I know you remember more than we thought. I wish you didn’t, if for no other reason than to give you some peace. I wish I could tell you that it will all just go away one day, but I honestly don’t know. Sweetheart, I wish more than anything that I could take it all away, he said, and I looked up to see tears in his eyes.

I’ll never be normal. I need to be locked up.

Melanie, I wish I had all the answers baby, but I don’t. I don’t know how to help you and I don’t know what the future holds for you. I will fight for you with my last breath, though.

Unable to stop myself, I scurried over to him, crawling into his lap and wrapping my arms around his neck. I’m sorry, Daddy, I pleaded, a decision having sprung in my mind. The idea had been in the back of my mind for some time, but I kept pushing it away.

You have nothing to be sorry for, angel.

Yes I do. You just don’t know it yet. That made him pull away a little and look at me very intently. But I just clung to him even tighter, not letting him look into my eyes. I was afraid of what he’d see there.

Will you tell me.

I’ll tell you some, since you’ll find out soon anyway. I paused for a moment, sure my shame was on display on my face. I know I felt ashamed. I attacked Aliyah today and I’m pretty sure someone saw it

When you say ‘someone’, I assume you’re not just talking a random person. I just shook my head, confirming his assumption, which was a little weird since my head was resting on his shoulder.

That means that your telepathy is working, he then said, taking the next logical step. I nodded.

How long have you been hiding it from me? he asked in an almost accusatory tone, as he began connecting the dots.

Since I woke up.

That long? I could hear the shock in his voice. I wish you had trusted me...I have to assume you knew your secret would eventually get out, he started, which I again nodded agreement to. And I would further assume, if you have put that much thought into it, you must have had some ideas for when it did, he continued. Again, I nodded, never having lifted my head from his shoulder.

You always did plan ahead, just like your Momma. Will you tell me what you’re thinking, or planning? I shook my head. There was no way I could tell him and I was pretty sure he knew my response before he asked. Instead, I turned it on him.

Would you tell me the stuff you’ve been keeping secret from me? I asked, knowing he couldn’t, or wouldn’t.

You know I can’t, he said, and I was pretty sure he wanted to say something else. I could feel his muscles clench as he fought within himself. That would have been a golden opportunity to get some good information with little effort, but I couldn’t do that to my father. I wasn’t that far gone...yet.

See, you don’t trust me, but I understand why, even though I was there, and I know as much about Oakmont as you do, I told him. His arms squeezed me tighter as I said that.

Sweetheart, he began, but I interrupted him, tightening my grip on him.

I love you Daddy, I whispered. I didn’t want to make him try and avoid it, or come up with excuses of why he couldn’t tell me stuff.

I love you too, angel. He either understood, or he decided to go along with my change of direction to appease me.

I’m not an angel, I said, so low I didn’t think he heard me.

I knew then what I had to do, although I was worried and hurting inside. But it had to be done. I had to leave.

It wasn’t long before I crawled off my father’s lap, not wanting that feeling to go away, but knowing it had to. Dad pried himself out of my closet, and it was clear he had to unbend slowly. He was rather oddly positioned in there, but he did it for me.

Fresh tears bloomed in my eyes, knowing how far he’d go for me. I didn’t deserve that, but he would do it anyway, never hesitating or complaining.

I went to sleep a while later, visions of that white sand, and blue water, playing in my mind. For a short time, I found a semblance of peace on my tropical island, but it never lasted.

Sir, we have a report on the Brager girl, John reported to the Headmaster.

More of the same? Headmaster Raughlin asked with a sneer.

On the contrary, sir, John replied, bringing an interested look from his superior.

Apparently, she entered a local grocery store looking very disoriented. The report suggests that she looked strung out. What is clear is that the Draper girl came in shortly after and confronted Brager. The contact said that there was a mental fight between the two.

You’re sure? the Headmaster asked.

The contact watched and saw the connectors from both girls. He is certain. Sir, it appears that the Draper girl actually controlled the Brager girl, he added, as if it was of greater importance.

It was, but the fact that Brager was functional was just as big to him. He had suspected that she was hiding the truth and now his belief was confirmed. She had made her fatal mistake, the one he had been waiting for. There was now a public incident to give him leverage. Raughlin leaned back in his chair, with an expression that looked like a cat about to get its mouse.

IV.

I woke up to the doorbell ringing. Looking over, I saw that it was 5:00 in the morning, unless I had slept way longer than I thought possible. Getting up, I snuck down the hall, knowing Mom and Dad would be answering it, and also that they wouldn’t be happy with me being up still wearing a nightgown with someone at the door.

Mr. Randall Brager, Mrs. Rebecca Brager? the cop at the door asked, as I stole a glance in the foyer.

Yes, officer, Dad responded.

We have a warrant to bring you in for questioning. You are not being arrested yet, but you are required to comply. If you would please come along peacefully, sir, ma’am, the cop instructed.

So, my plans weren’t going to happen. They had launched the first strike. I was pretty sure something was going to happen when I had that feeling inside Fred’s, but I hadn’t expected it quite that fast.

Can we at least get dressed? Dad asked the cop.

Yes, sir, the cop agreed, with a friendly smile.

We were instructed to turn the children over to Children’s Services, who have personnel here to take possession of them, he said, stepping slightly to the side to show four adults in business suits behind him.

Without any hesitation, I sent a probe to Mom and Dad, along with Aliyah. Mom, Dad, I’ll get Ben and Aliyah and we’ll hide in the room. Once you’re gone, we’ll go to the Draper’s. Don’t try and reply. It’ll take longer than we have, I told them. I got an impression from Dad of some kind of hidden place in our secret room. It came to me that he was hoping I’d pick it up from his mind, and he wanted me to get what was in that place.

Okay, Dad said out loud, and I knew that was directed at me, rather than the cops or the OCS people. The children spent the night off last night, but you should be able to pick them up at the Stone’s house.

I headed back down the hall to Aliyah’s room, where she was already dressed. We both went and grabbed Ben, having to put a hand over his mouth to keep him quiet. Thanks to Dad’s training, he quickly understood and remained silent as we all went into the crawl space, where a special room had been built for something like this.

Once we were there, I went to the small place Dad had tried to show me in his mind. Behind a shelf was a large box, and behind that was what looked like an electrical panel. I knew it wasn’t though, now that I’d seen it in his mind.

I moved the box out of the way and then pried the door of the panel open. Remembering the positions of the breaker switches in Dad’s mind, I flipped the right ones into the off position. Then I pulled the panel from the wall. It took a lot of strength, but it finally swung out on hinges that were not visible until it was opened.

Inside was a compartment that contained several thick file folders. Dad’s thoughts didn’t clearly tell me what he wanted me to get, so I grabbed everything and began stuffing it into my pack. There were several file folders, a couple of them being very thick, all of them in sealed plastic bags. I then grabbed the large baggie with lots of money in it. This was getting eerily familiar.

There was also a small wooden box and a small notebook. I recognized the notebook. It was the notebook I found at Oakmont, outlining the research that was done there. Without looking, I knew the box contained the serum that I’d found. There were also a couple of cell phones, which I knew were untraceable.

They have a telepath, Aliyah informed me as I was stuffing Dad’s secrets in my pack.

Keep track of him, I replied, not really knowing if it was a him or a her.

I’ll try, she said.

At that moment, I was glad my Dad was a spy, or whatever it was that he did. Because of that, along with the constant threat hanging over Aliyah and me, we always had packed bags in here, along with separate changes of clothes. He had run drills with all of us to get in here quickly and quietly.

When I finally got Dad’s stuff, I grabbed the spare clothes that were there for me. Aliyah and Ben were already changed and ready to go.

The telepath is a girl, Aliyah informed me, as I was changing.

Be careful, or she’ll know we’re here.

She already does, but I knocked her out, Aliyah said, as if it was no big deal. I sensed there was something she wasn’t telling me, but I was too distracted to worry about it.

It was at that moment that Ben started throwing up. That was exactly what I needed during this, a sick little brother. I gently rubbed his back, as he settled back down. Once he had stopped heaving, he began holding his head and both Aliyah and I were shocked as ‘tentacles’ began flailing crazily all around him.

What timing! He couldn’t have awakened at a later time, when we weren’t trying to run from another telepath who was hunting for us? This was also proof that he was going to be strong, since he’d awakened very early. He was about the same age as I was when my telepathy woke up.

Ben, I’m going to show you something, but it’s going to be different than anything you’ve ever experienced. Don’t freak out, okay? He nodded his head, but looked very skeptical and very scared. He was also in a good deal of pain.

Without any idea what else to do, I sent a probe into his mind giving him instructions on how to control his telepathy, or rather, they were general impressions of how I controlled my telepathy. Aliyah would probably be able to show him something completely different since she'd had more training.

Although it seemed like forever, he sat back and the tentacles seemed to slow down in their mad flailing. Finally, they settled into a peaceful kind of rest, after quite a while and a lot of concentrating by Ben. They were still relatively uncontrolled, but they weren’t going wild now. This was starting out much better than I thought possible, considering how it began.

Then I thought of how fast the problem might start showing up in him, the problem with the energy spike, or whatever it was. That thing that almost killed me back at Oakmont.

He needs the stuff, Aliyah said, seeming to read my mind, although I knew she hadn’t. She was right, but now was not the time.

Okay, but not now, I replied, getting a nod of agreement from her. Can we leave?

I think so. I can’t sense anyone near the back of the house. They’re all worried about their telepath, she said, almost spitting out that reference to ‘their telepath’. Again, I knew there was something she wasn’t telling me, but again, I had too much on my mind to worry about it at that moment.

We climbed out of the secret room, making sure to close the hidden entrance, and headed to the back of the house through the crawl space, where there was an exit in the backyard. We paused a moment to let Aliyah double check things, then we continued on out. Thankfully this winter was proving to be snowless so far, or they’d definitely have heard us leaving and seen our tracks through the snow.

We climbed up the hill behind the house and into the woods, where we raced to a small trail that we played on all the time. Following it, we came out a few streets over, near the elementary school that I once went to.

Aliyah, can you reach out to Uncle Mike or Aunt Sarah?

I can’t go that far. I was afraid of that, but had to ask. That was something that I had always been better at than her, although our strength wasn’t that different.

We went to the back side of the school, where Aliyah quickly picked the lock and we went in. We headed to the gym and then into the P.E. supply room, where Aliyah again picked the lock to let us in. Our hope was that it wouldn’t be messed with today, but we had no idea.

Once we were settled into a nice corner at the back of the room, I closed my eyes and sent a probe questing out for