I communicate with Jonas’s mind. Hey, Jonas.
I hear you, Calli.
Can I try bi-locating to you?
Sure.
I close my eyes and think about Jonas. When I open them, I’m still in Denver. I try again and again, then grunt. I don’t know how this works.
Jonas says, Mary told me you have to think about the diamond you’re connecting to. Sounds easy enough, but I haven’t been able to figure out how to bi-locate either.
His words remind me of Duncan’s when he told me to think of other diamonds and let my diamond connect with theirs. I close my eyes and imagine in my mind what Jonas’s diamond felt like while I carried it. The icy smell, the heat signature whenever it warmed in my pocket. Behind my eyelids, a view begins to swirl and shapes form, seemingly materializing inside my head. I see Jonas sitting in a chair next to several computers and monitors. He’s looking right at me.
“You’re doing it,” he shouts.
I open my eyes and find myself in Denver. Okay, I think, I’ve got to keep my eyes closed. I try again and am amazed at how quickly Jonas comes into view.
“Wow, you’re really good at this.”
“Not exactly. I keep opening my eyes back in Denver.” I look around the room he’s in. “You’ve got a pretty nice setup here.”
“I like it. Hey, how’s Anika holding up?”
“She’s doing well. Do you want to try bi-locating to me?”
“Not right now. I’m busy trying to get your name removed from the TSA’s naughty list.”
“Oh, well, good luck with that. We’ve had a busy day here.” I go on to tell him about our mailbox escapades and the information we’ve gathered so far. Then I wave bye to him, disconnect my mind from his diamond, and open my eyes. I have to sit for a second and readjust my thinking. I’m in Denver, not in Jonas’s office in Bermuda. My body sits in Colorado, yet my mind can travel so far away. Incredible.
* * *
This morning we’re going to camp out in the mailbox store’s parking lot. I’ll have a lot of time to sit and wonder why Chris didn’t or couldn’t communicate last night. I’ll try not to let my over-active imagination get the best of me.
Anika chose to stay at the house today. She said four bodies warming up the car wasn’t her idea of a fun time.
When we arrive, I do a quick recon inside the building to determine box thirty-seven does indeed have mail to pick up. I’m totally surprised by the amount of letters stuffed inside the small box. If each envelope has $49.99, these two are making a haul.
I stand by the door, waiting for someone to open it so I can leave. The door has stood motionless for several minutes. Maybe Brand or Beth will come rescue me. Of course, it’s not like I’m stuck. I could push the door and sneak out, but I don’t need to. So, I’ll wait.
The sound of the employees and customers conducting business has a nice flow. Like a beehive. The phone rings and Janette answers it. I glance out the door and see a man coming toward the building. I’ll be able to leave once he enters. My increased hearing hears Janette say, “Box thirty-seven? What’s the name? Okay, let me look. Hold please.” I turn around and watch Janette as she checks the contents of box thirty-seven and then returns to the phone. “Sir, Dorothy has mail.” She pauses and listens, then says, “Yes, we can forward the contents of the box as long as it’s to someone on the approved list. We do charge a fee for the service, though . . . okay, let me write the address down. Go ahead.”
I hustle over to the desk to see what she’s writing down, then panic. The file with the approved names isn’t in Janette’s file cabinet.
“What’s the name? . . . Oh, hi Trevor. I remember you from the other day, so we’re good.”
I read Janette’s mind and find she’s violating protocol by not double-checking the name but wants to be accommodating in the hopes Trevor might ask her out. Lucky break that she didn’t discover the missing file. I memorize the street and house number that she writes down and zip out the door as another customer exits.
I speak to Brand’s mind as I approach the car. I’m coming. I need into the car. He opens the door and slides over so I can get in.
“What took so long, Calli? I lost my two-minute window.”
“While I was inside, a call came in from Trevor requesting they forward his mail to a new address.” I beam a proud smile. “I got the address!”
“What is it?” Beth asks, as she turns on the GPS. Once the device is ready, I tell her the address. The destination is only ten minutes away.
“It’s not the old folks home again is it?” Brand asks.
Beth shakes her head. “Should we wait for more help? I mean, is it a good idea for the three of us to take these guys on? Should we ask Crimson?”
I try looking for the future but run into the black fog of obsidian. Normally this would cause alarm, but knowing Trevor is shipping obsidian eases my concern. Plus, I have my topazes. And I have Brand.
Brand responds to Beth’s question, “I can repeat in the presence of obsidian. They don’t stand a chance. The only setback is I can’t repeat with both of you for you both to know what happened.”
Beth says, “Then you should repeat with Calli, Brand. She is the leader of this operation and is the obvious choice, in my opinion. Besides, If we don’t shut down this blog soon, many lives will be on the line. People with powers will be outed. Diamond Bearers will be in danger.”
I nod, happy that she understands the severity of the situation.
I can tell Brand is relieved that Beth approves. At a time like this, the task in front of us is far more important than treading on relationship eggshells.
Beth follows the prompts of the GPS device and drives to the destination. She points to the left. “There it is.”
I examine the small, rundown, matchbox-sized house. An intimidating, large dog runs free in the fenced yard, guarding the front door.
“Does your mind-control power work on Rottweilers?” Brand asks.
“I don’t know.”
“It doesn’t,” Brand answers his own question. “Great. Well, I can avoid the dog, but I can’t prevent you both from being bitten when you stop at the front door.”
Beth shudders. “Yeah, no.”
I’m happy to not have a memory of that. “Have you made it in the door yet?”
“No. I worry the barking dog will alert them and the guys will take off and run.”
“Or pull a gun,” Beth adds.
Brand places his hand on her shoulder. “I can repeat, Beth. Even if they do, we can fix this.”
“Well, only so many times, Brand,” I say, then am hit with an extraordinary idea. “Brand, if you can get someone to open the front door, I think I can use my mind-control power to make them secure the dog on his leash.”
“Awesome! I can totally do that. Oh, and watch out, they have a ton of obsidian in there. Beth, you have your running topaz, right?”
Beth pats her chest. “I’m ready to run if I need to.”
“I’m set,” I say.
Beth and I get out of the car and wait for Brand to make it to the door. His zigzag movements and quick footing reminds me of his fighting techniques, only I highly doubt he’s going to hurt the dog like he would an assailant. From our perspective, it takes Brand about six seconds of dancing around the salivating mouthful of sharp teeth before the front door opens and a man steps out.
Got him! I use my power to make him call off the dog.
“Fang! Come!”
Fang trots obediently to his owner, making a slight whimpering sound. I make the owner attach his short leash which is attached to a metal pole far enough away, so we won’t get attacked.
“Come on, Beth.”
We run and catch up with Brand. I continue to use my control on the man I now recognize as Robert from the photo. “Take us in the house, Robert,” I say.
With a vacant expression across his face, Robert turns and holds the door open for us. Using Mind-control in this way
is new to me. I could make this guy do just about anything I want. He’s lucky I’m basically a nice person. But in the wrong hands, this power could be extremely dangerous.
I say to Brand’s mind, Once we’re inside, I won’t be able to maintain the hold on Robert with my topaz. I’ll use it to remain invisible.
Brand puts his thoughts forward for me to read. I know already.
Of course, he does.
We enter the front room and immediately my powers flee from my body. The rickety table holds several large pieces of obsidian. Good thing I’m ready for it. I’ve already accessed my topaz.
Robert shakes his head as the control wears off. He looks at Brand and Beth. “Who the hell are you?”
Beth takes charge. “We’re from the department working on the investigation into the strange happenings at the government compound west of town. We need to ask you a couple questions.”
Trevor enters the room from an adjoining door. “We weren’t even there when everything went down. We already gave our statements.”
I walk to the doorway where Trevor exited and peer in. Crates of obsidian are stacked floor to ceiling. The two vests we are after hang on rusty nails pounded into the wall. I tell Beth’s mind I found the vests.
She replies with her thoughts, Find the computer.
I’m alarmed as I realize the Mind-reading topaz on my body isn’t very strong. In fact, there’s not much power stored in it. I’ll have to be careful how I use it.
Beth continues talking to Trevor. “The file said you both have vests with crystals in them.”
“No. We don’t.”
“Idiot,” Brand mutters.
“What did you call me?” Trevor takes a defensive stance.
“I saw you wearing one, man. That’s government property and you need to hand it over.”
Robert moves forward toward Brand. “You were with that girl who came looking for Dorothy at the home. How did you get her name?”
“Homeland Security can access anything, didn’t you know?” Beth says.
Brand adds, “Like the information you’re leaking onto the Internet.”
Trevor jumps forward. “Whoa, whoa, that’s not us.”
Brand picks up a chunk of obsidian. “How am I supposed to believe you when you’ve got the $49.99 obsidian right here? The same that’s advertised on the blog. This is enough evidence to have you arrested.”
I check the other room. I tell Brand’s mind I can’t find a computer.
Trevor says, in a whiny voice, “But we’re not doing anything illegal. We’re selling rocks. That’s all.”
“Let me see your computer.” Brand folds his arms and taps his foot.
“We don’t have one.”
“Yeah, we do everything through the mail,” Robert adds.
“Who runs the blog if it’s not you two?” Brand asks, as he walks the short distance to the room with the vests.
They look at each other with terrified expressions. Neither speak.
Brand asks again, “Who runs the blog?”
Robert says in defiance, “Show me your badge, first.”
“I don’t have to show you anything. You two are in big trouble with the authorities.” Brand grabs the vests off the wall and shakes them while mocking their words in a high-pitched voice, “We don’t have any vests.”
“Hey,” Robert crosses the room quickly and tries to grab the vests from Brand. “You don’t have the right to come in here and take whatever you want.”
Brand moves out of the way flawlessly. He’s repeating, I can tell.
“You’re not with the authorities, are you?” Robert points his finger at Brand. “You’re one of them.”
“Why don’t the stones work on you?” Trevor has a slack expression on his face.
“What’s the matter? Haven’t you ever met someone like me?”
“Get out of here before I call the cops,” Robert threatens.
Beth folds her arms. “Tell us who’s running the blog.”
“No way!”
“Is it someone from the compound?”
“Who else would it be?”
I decide to go in a different direction. I say to Beth’s mind, Ask them where they got all the obsidian.
“Who gave you the obsidian?” Beth asks.
“Nobody.” Trevor goes on to make a derogatory remark about Beth. Brand moves in front of him in one fluid motion and knees him in the groin, making him double over in agony.
Robert puts his hands in front of him and backs up a couple steps. “Really! Nobody gave us anything. We chipped the rocks off the outside of the compound walls.”
Beth laughs. “They let you do that?”
“Yeah.”
I pass another message to Beth and she repeats my words. “So, you two are out with crowbars flicking obsidian off the walls, thinking you might be able to sell the stuff, if Max will let you?”
“No, we were selling it on our own site, then . . . the blogger approached us to sell our stuff on their site.”
“On Max’s site,” Beth leads.
“Max is a good guy. I don’t know why you’re trying to paint him out as a bad guy. And anyway, Max isn’t the one who approached us. You’re not going to trick an answer out of us, either. Now, get out of here!”
“Fine. But we’re taking the vests.”
I tell Brand, Take Beth back to the house. I’m going to stay here a little longer and see what they talk about after you leave. Maybe they’ll drop a name.
Okay, but don’t let yourself run out of topaz power.
Too late. The mind-reading topaz is officially empty with that last read.
“Those are ours!” Robert points to the vests.
“Whatcha gonna do?” Beth taunts. “Call the cops and report the government’s vests that you weren’t supposed to have were stolen?”
Brand and Beth throw a couple nasty glares at the guys and then leave the house. The dog barks loudly when they walk past him.
Trevor watches out the window. He asks Robert, “Did you leash up Fang?”
“No. I don’t think so.”
Trevor opens the door and unhooks the clasp, letting Fang run free. Fang runs right to the fence on the heels of Brand and Beth, barking his heart out.
“We better call and report this.” Trevor pulls out a phone and scrolls through his contacts. I try to get a look at the name, but don’t want to risk exposing my presence. Trevor waits for a response. I wish I could use my Hunter’s hearing to try to identify the person on the other end, but I can’t.
I’m regretting not testing the strength of the mind-reading topaz. It sure would be useful right now.
“Hey, just thought you should know we were just visited by a guy and a girl who took the vests. I think they had powers, but the obsidian didn’t affect them.” He listens to the person on the other end for a moment, then says, “Because the guy could move really fast.” . . . “No, they didn’t show anything else.” . . . “They wanted to trick us into saying who runs the blog, but we’re smarter than that.” He listens for a moment, then says, “Okay, bye.”
I can tell I’m not going to get any more information out of them, so I decide to leave. Only, I remember Fang is loose, plus I’ll have to open the door myself, which will alert them to my presence. My topaz will eventually run out of charge and I’ll be disabled by the obsidian. I have my running topaz. However, the door is still closed.
I should have thought this through a little better. I wonder to myself what the harm would be in them witnessing the unexplainable occurrence of the door opening and the dog chasing something. At this point, I don’t have any other options. My ability to remain invisible in their eyes is about to run out. All right, I think to myself. Here goes nothing.
I move next to the door, keeping my breathing as quiet as possible. I slowly twist the knob and then yank the door open with gusto. Fang is laying on the step. His head perks up and his eyes meet mine. I use the Runner power and jump over him. I land
awkwardly and feel my ankle twist beneath my weight, causing me to stumble and stop. Pain rips through my leg, but no longer from my ankle. Fang has sunk his teeth into my thigh. I look back to the doorway. Trevor and Robert are staring with dazed looks on their faces. I know it must look absolutely crazy to them to first see their door fly open, then to see their dog in an awkward position, front feet off the ground, growling with his mouth full, being dragged down the sidewalk.
I’ve moved beyond the reach of the obsidian and my powers rush into my body. Fang’s teeth are pushed out of my flesh by my intense healing ability. Just before I launch forward with super-speed I notice the fur around his mouth is covered with my blood.
The houses and buildings fly by in a blur. I only run about a mile before I stop to examine my leg. Have I had a burst of adrenaline? Is that why I’m not in pain from either my twisted ankle or dog bite? My pants are torn and bloody, but my skin is healed. My ankle is perfect.
Perfect. Huh. I’m not going to over analyze this, so I continue running back to the house.
When I arrive, I find Brand and Beth aren’t there yet. It takes me a few seconds to realize they’re still driving back. My intense running speed is quite a rush. I let my invisibility go and take a deep breath.
Anika comes in from the bedroom. “You’re back. How did it—” Her eyes fall to my leg. “You’re bleeding!”
“Not anymore. I’m fine.” I peel off the mind-reading topaz and set it on the table. “This one doesn’t hold a charge.” I remove the thought-projection one as well, leaving myself with only the topaz for running, and the one for mind-control. Those two I know work well.
Outside, Beth pulls the car into the driveway. I open the front door to talk to them.
“Calli,” Brand stammers. “How did . . . how?
Beth races past him and pulls me back into the house. “Aren’t you trying to stay out of sight? Wait, what happened to you?”
Brand comes inside, toting the vests. Our powers are canceled until the vests are locked inside a large metal footlocker. Then, I tell Brand and Beth about my extra minutes at Trevor’s and Robert’s house, and my fight with the dog. Anika sits nearby, trying to pick through the conversation.
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