by Sydney Addae
Since the day Thomas found and convinced Mia to leave the Liege compound with a small group of people, they took odd jobs to survive. Since arriving in the States they worked as hired mercenaries. Over the years, she saw several chilling murders and foul deeds. It no longer amazed her how cruel people could be to each other, but this was different. Calculated. And made a statement. By stretching him out, one could argue the position was that of the cross. She nibbled on that idea, but didn’t like it and continued rolling through ideas.
Arms outstretched and secured to the ground, Green couldn’t hide, couldn’t cover his face in shame. If he is not blindfolded he saw his attackers or accusers as they... she shook her head to dispel the building vision. That wasn’t what she wanted to see before falling asleep.
<<<>>>
Mia woke in the middle of a familiar street and looked around. A weird overhead light illuminated the road and Nathaniel Green’s house. She inhaled, searching the area. Nothing. Just as before when she examined the victim.
“Then why am I here?” she murmured looking around for clues. Obviously, there was something she needed to see. Eager and hoping for a break in the case she moved toward Nathan’s home.
The light expanded to include a familiar gray truck in the middle of the road. Just as he had that morning, Noah Sloan stared at the house before looking at her.
Stunned to the point of speechlessness, Mia watched open-mouthed as he removed his sunglasses, stepped out of the truck and looked down at her.
He was pale, big, and tall. The street lights caused a halo effect around his head. But the look he gave her wasn’t angelic, not in the least.
“What are you doing here?” he asked frowning, his tone accusing.
No one had ever walked in her dreams before. “What are you doing here?” she countered.
He walked closer. Frosty blue eyes met her gaze with a mixture of curiosity, mistrust, and anger. Shaggy, dark hair curled against his neck as he brushed his fingertips against her cheek.
Her eyes fluttered closed at the intimate touch. Her heartbeat kicked into high gear.
“Are you real or my imagination?” he asked seriously. The low timbre of his voice held a warm, smoky quality, like smooth bourbon.
“I wondered the same thing,” she said placing her hand on his chest, feeling his racing heartbeat.
“You walk in dreams?” he stepped back from her touch. Her hand fell to her side.
“Sometimes. You?” She didn’t bother explaining it happened when triggered by something else she experienced during her waking hours.
“Yeah, unfortunately.” He looked over his shoulder at Nathaniel’s house. “Don’t see why I’m back here tonight.”
“You were here last night?” That surprised her, was he really gifted in walking through dreams? True dream-walkers were rare. She had never met anyone who could walk through dreams. It was a powerful gift that required a strong personality to hold it.
She wielded a fraction of the gift and it drained her whenever it kicked in. She couldn’t control when to enter or pick dreams. From what she learned, a dream-walker could go back through time, see events, invade dreams and speak to people through dreams. Noah Sloan deserved another look.
He nodded, stuck his hands in his pocket and looked at the house again.
“How far back are you going?” she asked curiously and a bit excited at the prospect of seeing the full gift in action.
“The day before he was killed, last time his friends saw him.”
She and Thomas assumed the victim went somewhere, perhaps met someone who lured him to his death. “How far back can you travel?” She hoped they discovered something that would point them in the direction of the killer.
He eyed her for a few moments as if weighing his decision to tell her anything. She totally understood. People thought the gifted were freaks or crazy and weird, it was one reason she and the others lived together and kept away from non-gifted humans. It could be dangerous.
“Months. Years. Decades.” He didn’t sound happy about it.
Decades? Hope flared in her chest as she reassessed him. He was the real deal. She had so many questions but settled on one. “Would you mind if I tagged along?”
“Why is the FBI investigating this?” His gaze held hers.
With his skillset, Thomas would want to know everything about him. They didn’t meet dream-walkers ever or other gifted people. She answered his question. “There have been several similar murders over the past six months across the country.”
He inhaled deeply and released it slowly as a low keening sound swept through the air. A strange gray mist slowly rolled in. He looked at the mist and back down at her. She noticed he hadn’t answered her request to tag along.
“You don’t think this is weird? Walking and talking to people in dreams?” His voice had a low growling undertone, his eyes were hard as they peered down at her.
Normally, she didn’t talk to people in dreams, that wasn’t a part of her gift. But kept that to herself. “No, not at all. There’s something to see or learn here to help Mr. Green.” By reminding him of their purposes she hoped he would take her with him to the day before the murder. She doubted she could do it on her own.
Plus, if Sloan could travel back decades in time, maybe he could help find information about her child. She cautioned herself against being overly optimistic, he hadn’t agreed to help with this case yet.
He nodded and looked at the house again. “You’re here and I can’t get any decent sleep until I complete this search. Let’s go, the mist is rising.”
Mia had never seen or felt mist with a sinister touch like this. She lifted her hand to touch it and it recoiled.
“Do that again,” Noah said, quickly.
She lifted her other hand and the mist flew backward, leaving a clear path for them.
His eyes widened in appreciation. “I’ve never been able to make it leave, the mist always comes and blocks my vision, making it difficult to see what’s in front of me sometimes.” He stared at her as if she was an insect to dissect. “How far can you travel?”
“No more than a few days, a week at the absolute most,” she admitted moving toward the house. The mist cleared around her with each step.
“Let’s take a look at what happened the day before Nate died.” He extended his hand.
Raw energy ran up her arm, the moment she touched him. She shuddered. Oh yeah, Thomas would want to know more about him. Noah was strong and not a product of the Liege with a powerful gift.
One moment they stood in front of the house the next it was a new day full of sunshine and possibilities.
Nathaniel pulled out of his garage and drove off to work. Mia and Noah were with him, seeing through the lens of his eyes. He seemed happy, his thoughts were on the job, some new research books had arrived the day before, new computer software.
She looked at Noah who wore a slight frown. “What is it?”
“Nothing.”
Nathaniel pulled into the handicapped parking lot at the library, and eventually went inside.
“Stay with him,” Noah said before leaving her at the reference desk with Nathaniel.
Mia watched each person who interacted with Nathaniel. Everyone she interviewed at the library had told the truth, he got along well with them all. She could cross them off her very short length. Nathaniel and Lisa were very close friends. She looked out for him and he respected her.
By the time Nathaniel went to lunch, Mia wanted to fast forward the day to see if he interacted with anyone suspicious.
“Noah?” she said his name.
“How’d you do that? I heard you inside my head when you called me.”
“I just spoke. Anyway, can we speed this up? I’d like to see the faces of everyone he interacted with that day.”
“Yes. Hold on.”
The room spun momentarily.
She grabbed the desk and closed her eyes to bring calm and focus. When she re-opened them, ever
ything around her moved quickly as if he pressed a fast-forward button. Nathaniel returned from lunch, people came and went moving fast. Mia stared at every person, gauging their intent. By the time Nathaniel drove home and cooked dinner, she was exhausted and disappointed that she hadn’t learned anything to help solve this case.
Noah wrapped his arm around her waist and helped her back to the street. The mist rolled around them, testing her. Aggravated, Mia waved her hands and sat on the sidewalk. “Back off, now.”
The mists disappeared as if it’d never been. She stopped and took several deep breaths.
“You expended a lot of energy; did you find anything to help you with your case?” Noah said standing next to her.
“I’m not sure.” Later, she would process everything she saw and pick it apart. Right now she needed rest. Dream-walking took too much energy.
“Did you see the books in his bedroom?”
She looked up at him. “Yes.” But she hadn’t really looked at them. “Why?”
“They dealt with arms, guns, weapons. A pistol was in his glove box and another beneath his seat. Chances are he was proficient with both and would’ve defended himself. Were they with the car when it was returned with his body?”
She straightened. “No. There were no weapons in the van or proof that a gun had been used. I’ll verify the guns and pull that string. Anything else?”
“Just this. What would make a man as careful as Nate stop and get close enough to a stranger to be taken?”
Great question. “You think this was a random killing?”
He thought about it for a second. “No. Too methodical and precise. Were there any traces of drugs in his body? Something that would knock him out?”
“Probably, I’m waiting to see the toxicology report, it hasn’t come in yet,” she said.
“Have drugs been used in the past?”
“Yes, in every case,” she admitted but wouldn’t share more without Thomas’ permission.
“Someone gets close and shoots them with a fast-acting agent that incapacitates them. After that, it’s an easy matter to take the van or walk away as someone else entered the van from the other side. Either way, it would be quick and smooth.”
“Did you see that?” She wondered if he saw the murder which would be great.
“No. The day of his murder is blurred, I’ve never been able to see the actual crime just what happens before it.” He looked at her thoughtfully. “You might be able to break through the blur.”
She had no idea what he meant and didn’t have the energy or inclination to try more right now. Her body screamed for fuel and rest. “Okay, we’ll try it after I regroup.”
He didn’t agree or disagree she noticed. Noah was a very careful, closed off man. She wondered why.
“Tonight’s the first time I’ve ever had this kind of control and it feels great. Feels like it’s supposed to happen this way, kind of legitimizes the whole thing, you know?”
Maybe not so closed off. While she was about to fall from exhaustion, he looked as if he could leap tall buildings in a single bound.
“Good, and thanks for your help. Please keep all this confidential. Don’t tell anyone we met here or about my abilities.” She mustered the energy to meet his gaze.
“Of course. I respect that and will keep it to myself. I ask you to do the same. Do not tell anyone about me either.”
She didn’t respond.
“You thanked me, now I’ll thank you. When I enter this...” he waved. “Normally it’s difficult, extremely draining and sometimes leaves me sick for several hours or days depending on the severity of the event. This is the first time I feel great and at peace. Thank you for that.”
“You’re welcome. I hope we can work together?” she let the question hang.
His face changed, went blank as if the previous joy-lit candle had been abruptly snuffed out. “No. No, we can’t.”
Disappointed she nodded. He walked off. The next moment she opened her eyes, looked around and took note of the time on the bedside clock. Two hours had passed since she fell asleep.
She rolled over and touched her lips as her eyelids drooped. “Don’t be too sure of that, Noah.” She knew she’d see him again.
<<<>>>
Noah woke and looked at the clock. He hadn’t been asleep long, less than two hours and he was wide awake staring up at the ceiling. There were life-changing moments that happened in a person’s life that marked them permanently.
The day the Army recruiter talked to him in high school, placed his hand on his shoulder and told him that he would make a great soldier. Told him he would travel the world, see unbelievable things, make lasting friends while defending his country. That five-minute conversation may have been rehearsed and said to hundreds of new recruits, but that fall day, the words hit a chord in Noah. He joined ROTC and never looked back.
Three months after agreeing to be his wife, his fiancee was killed in an automobile accident, she had been two months pregnant. He hadn’t seen or touched her in three months. That incident destroyed his faith in women.
One fateful Thursday afternoon, earlier this year, he died. He had no recollection of crossing over or coming back. In fact, if the doctor’s hadn’t told him he died he wouldn’t know anything about it. That day killed his career as a soldier the one thing he loved more than anything.
Looking back, he didn’t have much to show for his 39 years of life other than medals, scars, and discomfort. And then the dreams started. Initially, one here and there. As days turned into weeks, to months, the dreams occurred more often. He considered the whole dreaming thing a waste of time because the mist blinded him and drained his energy.
Until tonight.
He ran his hand through his shoulder-length hair and looked at his hands. There were light, occasional tremors, but nothing like his regular shakes. He’s spent a couple hours dream-walking and he was awake, alert and not shuddering beneath a blanket. He wanted to pump his fist in the air, scream hallelujah or whatever.
When he met the FBI Agent earlier today, the way she stepped toward him, asking questions, made an indelible impression. Fleeting, of course, but he’d been aware of her in a way he hadn’t noticed women in a while. Still, he never expected to see her again.
Seeing her tonight in his dreams, her soft hair appearing golden beneath the light. Long-lashed soft brown eyes filled with confidence instead of fear at being sucked into a dream startled him. Initially, he was certain she was a figment of his overactive imagination until he touched her.
Soft. Her skin had been soft beneath his finger and he wanted to linger just a bit longer until she touched him. Uninvited touches were off limits and he hadn’t invited anyone to touch him in a long time.
Fully prepared to reject her request to accompany him, he had no intentions of spending time with someone with the same mental problems as himself. Until she controlled the mist.
Even now he smiled at being free to see without the mist blinding him and draining his energy. Tonight had been nightmare and pain-free. He wanted to laugh from the sheer beauty of it. They’d discovered information that could help find the killer.
The idea of walking through dreams having a beneficial side never occurred to him until he discovered the guns in the van and books in the library. It was possible learning that information could make a difference, assist in bringing in the murderer.
Tonight had been another life-changing moment, one he wouldn’t ever forget. Walking through dreams could be positive, could help people. Most importantly, not everyone thought he was crazy.
CHAPTER 7
YESTERDAY HAD BEEN a scorcher, hitting the high 90’s by mid-afternoon. Today was on track to match or surpass the heat of its predecessor. Steam rose steadily from the streets and sidewalks. Mia wiped the sweat from her forehead as she walked toward the police station to talk to Detective Gordon.
She glanced at her watch and grunted. Thomas had so many questions this morning when she told h
im about her dream-walking experience last night, she got a late start. If she’d known he would jump on a plane to meet Noah in person, she would’ve cut the conversation short. As it was, she hoped to catch the Detective to discuss the bit about the guns before Thomas and Tip arrived. She could go around him but didn’t want to risk messing up the case with technicalities.
As she reached the corner, a familiar silver truck drove past and parked in a spot not far from where she stood to watch. Curious and pleased to see him, she watched to see if he got out of his truck. He stepped out, locked it and walked toward her with his hands stuffed into his pockets.
Eyes up, don’t look down, stay professional. “Good morning,” she said when he reached her.
His gaze locked on hers and for a few seconds; she wasn’t sure he would respond. “Morning. I have a few questions to ask if you don’t mind.”
“Questions? I can’t discuss the case —”
“No, not about that. About the other... you know. I’ve never been able to talk to anybody without feeling stupid or weird. You seem comfortable...”
Thomas was on a plane to talk to Noah and could answer his questions much better than she could. Still, she understood the feeling of being the oddball.
“I’ve got to talk to the Detective about the guns and check on a couple reports. We can talk once I’m done, or I could meet you somewhere later,” she offered.
“I’ll wait. Not much else to do today.” He turned and headed back to his truck.
Aware of the time, she moved toward the station while wondering what he meant. Seems her days were jammed pack with all kinds of things needing to be completed.
“Okay, I’ll see you in a bit.”
Noah watched Mia walk to the police station and disappear inside. “What are you doing here? Didn’t you tell her you wouldn’t work with her?” He shook his head in disgust when he had no rational answer other than the truth, he wanted to talk to her about walking in dreams.