Union

by John Darryl Winston

  Naz didn’t respond. He had no idea helping people and saving lives could bring so many undesirable consequences. Those gunmen posed no threat to him, and he wasn’t about to let them hurt Fears. He was determined to stay the course no matter his desire to tell Fears he had had the situation under control and had likely saved his life.

  “You go to a boy’s home, or worse, juvenile detention hall.” He opened the door for Naz to leave. “Son, I’m smart enough to know there’s something you’re not telling me. You were in that hallway for a reason, a reason you think you can’t share. That reason may be the only thing that saves you. You know where to find me. Maybe we can figure this thing out. Family, right?”

  Naz nodded as he walked by Fears and joined his friends. He was anxious to talk to Harvis—alone. They had work to do.

  “SO WHAT HAPPENED, Tin Man?” Soul broke the silence as they all walked.

  “What do you mean what happened?” Naz walked faster, hoping everyone would keep up.

  Soul looked at his phone. “Everybody’s calling Coach a hero. He’s supposed to be on the news tonight and everything. They say he used the security guard’s gun and held off the gunmen until TRT … whatever that means, showed up.”

  “Tactical Response Team,” said Harvis.

  “They say the gunmen never made it to the main office or any classrooms because of Coach. How’d did he do it, Tin Man? You were there.”

  Naz nodded. “Just like they said.” He bit his bottom lip.

  “It had to be more to it. Did you see that hallway?” Ham almost bounced up and down when he walked. “I bet you we outta school for a week. Our school’s gonna be famous, right along with Coach.”

  “Yeah it was pretty intense,” said Soul. “So I guess he didn’t need you after all, huh, Tin Man?”

  “Guess not.” God, please make them all go away.

  Harvis changed the subject. “You guys wanna finally beat that computer.”

  “Oh yeah. Fears’ little AI-enhanced, cheating computer is going down,” said Soul.

  Video games!? Harvis has to be kidding!

  They walked the rest of the way, talking about the computer game. Naz didn’t care that they suspected he had played a bigger role in foiling the plans of the gunmen than he was willing to admit. He felt like he dragged them along as he quickened his pace and they reluctantly kept up.

  “Slow down, Tin Man.”

  Naz ignored Soul.

  Back at Fears’ place, Naz refused to play the game, and Soul’s nagging incensed Naz all the more.

  “Come on, Tin Man. We can’t win without you.”

  Naz bristled.

  “Leave him alone. He’s worried about D,” said Ham.

  Naz paced back and forth behind the sofa, wondering where was Harvis’ sense of urgency—he knows D is in trouble. Even Ham has a clue. That’s it! I’m outta here! As Naz turned toward the door, Fears walked through it and a lot later than expected. Reporters from TV and cable stations as well as online newspapers had come to Union just after most of the students had left.

  “Here’s the verdict,” bellowed Fears. “Bender and Martinez, you got three days for bullying. Young, you got five days for insubordination, putting your classmates in danger by opening that door when you were expressly told not to. And Andersen, you are suspended for the rest of the school year pending a hearing, yet to be scheduled, before the school board, for insubordination, instigating and inciting violence in the classroom, and endangering the entire staff and student body by breaking protocol and procedure while an active shooter had entered the building.”

  So what! Naz didn’t care. He had the weight of the world on his shoulders, and that world started and ended with Delilah Dinwiddie. He was anxious. He felt like he was in a daze and didn’t know why.

  “Tin Man, that’s cold. Sorry.”

  “Oh, and gentleman, the school will be closed for the next two days, and your suspensions do not start until the day after school reopens, I guess so it can be made official and you can receive your suspension notices in hand. Now, as I said before, it is admirable that you guys stick together, but you must also be prepared to suffer the consequences together. For starters, none of this equipment is to come back on for the rest of the school year.”

  Good!

  “Coach—”

  “I’m warning you, Bender. I’m not in the mood.” Fears picked up the remote control, hit one button, and everything in the room shut down.

  “What are we supposed to do the rest of the school year?” complained Soul.

  “Try reading a book or doing some homework for a change. Martinez, Andersen, it’s getting late.”

  Naz and Ham stood up immediately.

  “Coach, can I talk to Naz for a second?” asked Harvis.

  Coach nodded and left the room.

  Harvis and Naz stood on Fears’ porch, while Ham made his way home.

  So what happened?” asked Harvis.

  “Forget that. You sound like Soul,” Naz paced back and forth, glaring at Harvis.

  “Come on.”

  They walked to the corner.

  “Well.” Harvis looked up into a cloudless sky, twilight revealing every seeable star.

  “It was just like everyone said, only I disarmed ’em and forced their hands up until help came.”

  “And you didn’t have to hurt anybody.”

  “Why’d you have to say that?”

  “Because it’s important. You can end things before people get hurt. Don’t you see?”

  “Whatever. If you say so.” Naz shrugged. “How are we gonna find D?” Naz started pacing again.

  Harvis pulled an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to Naz. “I found this in our locker this morning.”

  It was just like the letter Mr. Tesla had given Naz. He stopped pacing and ripped it open to read.

  You’re running out of time lover boy.

  Naz gave the letter back to Harvis.

  Harvis looked at it. “Calm down. D’s not going anywhere.”

  “Calm down?” Naz raised his voice, his fingers digging into his palms. “Calm down!? I haven’t done anything … yet! And you’re right; she’s not going anywhere. You were just playing video games, and D’s in trouble. You read that letter.” Naz snatched the letter out of Harvis’ hand. “Maybe that’s our problem. We’re too calm.”

  “OK, you’re right. It’s time to get to work. But we don’t wanna leap without thinking and make matters worse. Cooler heads prevail.”

  “Yeah, whatever. Now what are we gonna do?”

  “They’re not gonna hurt D; they’re tryin’ to get to you.”

  “Yeah, well … I’m not hiding.” Naz turned, faced the street, and yelled. “Here I am! Come and get me.”

  “Stop it.” Harvis looked around. “Remember what Dr. Gwen said about embracing the darkness.”

  Naz nodded.

  “It’s the same with everything else you can do. I think all these things that are happening are a test designed to make you do just that.”

  “What things?”

  “For starters, that not so random fight with Roffio last year and now this not so random lockdown active shooter thing at Union. Come on, Naz. What are the chances?”

  “I don’t know. What are the chances?” Naz found it difficult to entertain any thought other than D in distress.

  “Not sure, but I can tell you they’re astronomical, and they go even higher considering before you arrived no one was shot, not a student, teacher, or secretary. I mean Coach is good, but come on.”

  Naz paced back and forth on the dark corner, letting his mind shift a bit. “Why would anyone want to go through all this trouble?”

  “That’s an easy one; because you’re beyond not normal. There’s nobody like you on the planet, never has been, and somebody’s always been watching you.”

  Naz thought about Cory and Pauling.

  “I bet you if we called the police station or wherever they took those gunmen in a
few weeks there’d be no record of ’em.”

  “Who could pull something like that off?” asked Naz.

  “Somebody high up in law enforcement or maybe even the military.”

  “Maybe you could call your dad and see—”

  “What I’m saying, Naz, is that my dad could be involved … and your dad, too.”

  Naz stopped pacing. It was starting to make sense. “Well then, we just won’t play their psychotic game.”

  “Don’t you see? We don’t have a choice. They’re smarter than us.”

  “So what do we do?

  “We can play their game on our terms, and who knows? Maybe it’ll be a win-win.”

  “What about D?” asked Naz.

  “I’m not so sure she’s a part of this.”

  “What!? Why?”

  “A feeling … just like I don’t think Meri was meant to be a part of it either. I overheard our dads talking a long time ago, and the one thing I remember them saying was that they were both willing to sacrifice themselves and their only sons for the greater good. They called it the Abraham Effect.”

  “Because Abraham was willing to kill his only son, Isaac because God told him to. Sweet!” Naz said, morbidly.

  Harvis raised his eyebrow.

  “Not about sacrificing us, just the sound of the name. So what now?” asked Naz.

  “Two things; first, I need to know everything.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Harvis looked away for a second and then back at Naz. “I need to know if there is anything you’re not telling me. We won’t have a chance if we’re keeping secrets from each other. Like the AI-enhanced game, we only win if we work together.”

  “That street goes both ways.” Naz held out his hand, and Harvis shook it. “Avander Pauling.”

  “The Principal at Lincoln?”

  “He’s not the principal there anymore.”

  “Well, I need to know everything you know about him and what he has to do with this.”

  “And … I’ve been having dreams.”

  “Dreams?” Harvis tilted his head.

  “Yeah about D. Like premonitions.”

  “Hmmm…” Harvis scratched his buzz cut.

  “What’s the second?” asked Naz.

  “I need to know … are you ready to accept who you really are and all the things you can do?”

  “I am.”

  Harvis showed up at MeeChi’s bright and early the next day before the store opened. Mr. Tesla hadn’t even arrived. Naz was up and eager to do whatever Harvis had in mind as long it led to finding D.

  “Harvis is here; Harvis is here,” said Tone.

  “Say ‘Wordsmith.’” Harvis picked up a sunflower seed out of Tone’s cup and handed it to him.

  “He’s not gonna say it; he’s stubborn like that.” Naz locked the front door back and led Harvis to the booth.

  Tone laughed.

  “I guess your reverse psychology doesn’t work either,” said Harvis as he followed Naz. “Do you ever clean this place up?”

  “It’s not dirty; it’s…” Naz looked around his room. He had made up his cot but poorly. The book Dr. Gwen had given him peeked out from under it. A basketball occupied one of the chairs at the table, and you couldn’t see the surface of the table due to the papers Naz had scattered on top. “A little cluttered is all.” Naz stacked the papers. “Now how do we find D?”

  “Tell me about Mr. Pauling.”

  “Well, I think … no, he’s been following me.”

  “Following you? Since when, and how do you know?”

  “Since I started at Lincoln up until now. He denies it, but he’s lying. He was even at the festival the other day when … when I was there with D.”

  “How do you know he’s lying. You read his mind or did the eye thing?”

  “No, because he’s showing up all the time, and it’s not a coincidence. He knows about my abilities, too.” Naz took the ball out of the chair and rolled it into the corner.

  “How?”

  “He knows about my father, everything about my father. They’re friends.” Naz put his hand up and stopped the ball from rolling back.

  “Really?” Harvis took note of Naz’s telekinetic feat with a raised eyebrow.

  Naz nodded.

  “What about the dreams?”

  “I had one last night … every night since D disappeared.”

  “What are they about?”

  “It’s always the same dream. She’s sitting in a dark room, but I can see her clearly, light is shining over her. I try to get to her, but the harder I try, the farther away she gets until she’s gone.”

  “Do you say anything to her?”

  “I tried, but she doesn’t talk back.” Naz sat at the table.

  “You said you try and get to her. How?”

  “I run after her.”

  “Hmmm… I assume they’re lucid and you know you’re dreaming at the time.”

  Naz nodded.

  “Try using your abilities next.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “If she won’t talk you. Read her mind.”

  “I don’t know—”

  “It’s a dream, Naz, but if it is a premonition, if there is something supernatural to it, she could tell you something about her whereabouts or at least who has her.”

  “OK.”

  “And quiet as it’s kept, you should’ve read Pauling’s mind. You need to use everything at your disposal if you want to get her back.”

  Naz nodded again.

  “So, we have two days off to practice.” Harvis took off his backpack and set it on the floor.

  “Two days?! Practice?” Naz thought about Meri, imploring him to practice his gifts. “That note said I was running out of time!”

  “Remember, whoever has D has her to get to you, so they won’t jeopardize that by doing something stupid to D. It’s the only card they have to play.”

  Naz stood up and slammed his fist on the table. “It’s not a game.”

  “You’re right. It’s serious, the real thing. That’s why I’m here. I’m your roommate for the next forty-eight hours.” Harvis sat on Naz’s bed. “Where are you gonna sleep?”

  Naz shook his head. “What did Coach say?”

  “He dropped me off over my dad’s last night, and I caught the Helix back this morning. My dad’s not even in town.”

  “You don’t think Fears and your father talk?”

  “Of course they do. I told you before. They know we’re up to something, so as long as the lie is good enough, they’ll buy it. Don’t think they’re not keeping tabs on us. It’s like we have guardian angels watching over us, so let’s get to work.”

  Naz nodded and sat in the chair. “So what do you want me to do?”

  “How much can you lift?”

  “You mean like bench press?”

  “Bench press … you have to learn to think beyond your five senses. Unlike us mere mortals, you have at least two more. Now how much can you lift? Wait.” Harvis grabbed a tennis ball out of his backpack and threw it at Naz. “Think fast.”

  Naz caught it in one hand.

  “Nice reflexes.” Harvis put his hands out to receive the ball, and Naz threw it back. “This time, don’t use your hands.” Harvis threw the ball again. It flew by Naz’s head and hit the picture of Naz that D had drawn.

  Naz looked at Harvis with a furrowed brow.

  “Sorry. Sweet picture, by the way. Look, for the next two days, forget about your muscles. When I ask you to do something, always use your mind.”

  “I don’t see how this is going to help us find—”

  “Naz—”

  “All right.” Naz threw up his hands.

  “Try it again.” Harvis threw the ball a third time, and it seemed to bounce off an invisible object. “I didn’t say deflect it.”

  Naz retrieved the ball and handed it back to Harvis. “Try it again.”

  Harvis threw the ball again. It stopped just before i
t got to Naz and hovered there.

  “Keep it still.” Harvis smiled, nodded, and pulled another ball from his backpack.

  “I’m trying.”

  Harvis threw the other ball, and Naz deflected it first and then suspended it as well the second time. Both of the balls hung in the air moving in sync.

  “Make one go up and down and the other side to side.”

  “That’s hard. Dr. Gwen’s calls it telekoordination.”

  “Makes sense.”

  Naz was able to get the motion for a moment but kept losing it.

  “What does that feel like?”

  “Why?”

  Harvis pursed his lips. “This is the last time I’m gonna to say this. You’re doing something no one has done before. Anybody who sees you do it will have a million questions.”

  “Good reason to not let anybody see me do it then.”

  Harvis nodded and winked.

  “It just feels like I’m concentrating on the balls.” Naz squinted back and forth between the balls as they both fell to the floor. “And it’s even harder if I’m answering stupid questions.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “Well, how did it feel when I stopped you from punching me in the face again over the weekend?” asked Naz.

  “Hmmm … like my arm was encased in something, or frozen … but without the cold, and then it just like, went away or released. Let’s get back to work.”

  Harvis picked up the balls, threw them again, and Naz caught them both with his mind.

  “Good.”

  “Thanks, Yoda.”

  “Concentrate.”

  “Sorry.”

  They practiced this way for almost an hour until Naz had over ten balls suspended midair in different parts of the room.

  The door opened, and all of the balls fell, bouncing on the floor and the table. Some landed on Naz’s cot.

  “It’s a miracle what happened at Union.” Mr. Tesla walked in the booth, looking at the balls bouncing around.

  “Sorry, Mr. Tesla.” Naz scrambled for the scattered tennis balls.

  “Sorry, Sir.” Harvis helped Naz in his roundup.

  “Oh don’t make a fuss,” said Mr. Tesla. “Your Coach is a good man to have around. Did you see he made the national news?”