The Unseen Trilogy

by Stephanie Erickson

  The others shared their tales of success and failure—each fascinating in its own right—and Owen went last.

  “Mine is probably the most embarrassing.”

  “I can attest to that. I’m surprised David kept you on after that foul up,” Mitchell said, and Owen threw his empty mug at him. As if expecting the attack, Mitchell caught it one-handed.

  “You have to understand,” Owen said to me. “The assignment was to follow a blonde, fourteen-year-old girl whose primary interest was hanging out at the mall. Her name was Tiffany. Do you know how many fourteen-year-old blonde girls named Tiffany frequent the mall?”

  “A kid? Why were you following a kid?” I asked, not sure I wanted the answer. The last thing I wanted to hear was that I might be asked to attack a child.

  “Apparently, David thought she was a possible target for the Potestas. I was supposed to find out why—you know, if she needed protection if they intended to forcibly recruit her. It was a fact-finding mission.”

  I nodded, feeling a little better.

  “Anyway, as you can probably guess, I followed the wrong girl all day long, listening to her drone on about clothes, boys, and bands. It was horrible. Never once did it occur to me that there were no Potestas anywhere around her, and she had no memory of meeting one of them. David was not pleased.”

  I laughed, enjoying the levity of the moment. As I looked around at the smiling faces that surrounded me, I felt a sense of peace. Although my life had been shattered, I could probably make something from the pieces.

  At the end of the night, Owen walked me to my room. A note was taped to my door, but I ignored it as we stood facing each other, our hands still entwined.

  “Thank you,” I told him.

  “For what? Initiating you? We do that for everyone. It’s fun.” He shrugged.

  “For everything.” I leaned in and kissed him slowly, deeply. Emotions and hormones I wasn’t yet ready for flared to life, so I pulled away before either of us was through.

  He cleared his throat. “I guess I better say goodnight.” Then he lifted one hand and gently caressed the side of my face. “I won’t say this isn’t hard, Mac, but you’re worth it.” With that, he turned and left.

  “Goodnight,” I said to his back. He gave me a jaunty wave over his shoulder. He’s too good for you. It had become a recurrent thought lately, but I pushed it away as I turned to pull the note off my door.

  Meet in my office at 8 am to receive your orders.

  — David.

  A sinking feeling settled in my stomach at the prospect of an early-morning meeting with David. After the way we’d parted yesterday, I hadn’t really thought about what it would be like to see him again. Not to mention everything that had happened since our last talk. He hadn’t really been in the forefront of my mind.

  Top it off with the fact that he made me feel like an out of control, ill prepared child, and I didn’t really want to waste any brain cells on the matter.

  Crumpling the note, I tossed it into the trash can next to my bed and debated what to do. I could either be responsible and go to the meeting a few minutes early to give us time to clear the air, or I could go right on time, get my orders, and leave.

  As I got myself ready for bed, trying to calm the jitters coming from all corners of my mind—excitement and nerves over the new job, dread over meeting David, and the ever-present haze of grief—I decided on a civil but cold approach with David. After all, if he wanted to treat me like the child in this relationship, he could be the adult and make the first move.

  I turned off the light and settled into bed, wondering exactly what I would have to do. No matter what it was, the next morning would be the first day of my new life. No more living in the haze, no more looking back. Nope, it was time to pick up the pieces; it was time to fight back.

  Promptly at 8 am, I arrived at David’s office. I think Owen noticed my jitters, but he probably assumed they were from the assignment, not meeting with David. I hadn’t mentioned our tiff to him, so he had no idea we weren’t on good terms. He probably would have scolded me for disrespecting the boss. But he had some bizarre hero-worship thing going on with David that I didn’t share. He was just a guy who happened to be my dad… and because of that very fact, he’d made some decisions with pretty direct consequences on my life. He seemed pretty dang human to me.

  In the end, Owen simply wished me luck, assured me I’d be great, and kissed me lightly before I took a deep breath and ventured into the lion’s den, unsure if I would play the role of the lion or the intruder.

  David sat at his desk, and Tracy was in one of the chairs across from him. It was becoming a familiar picture.

  “Good morning,” David said, his tone unreadable.

  “Morning,” I answered, nodding at Tracy. She nodded back. Taking a seat, I spied a familiar file on David’s desk.

  “Isn’t that the scientist’s file?” I asked.

  “Yes. He is your assignment,” David said.

  “But I thought we decided he wasn’t a threat.”

  “You decided that. I believe he warrants observation.” He didn’t elaborate, so I pushed him.

  “On what grounds? Because he studies dangerous chemicals?”

  “Yes.” Somehow, he’d ended up adopting up my cold yet civil tactic before I could.

  “We’ve received intel that the Potestas may be interested in him. We need to know why, and what’s going on. You leave for Michigan in three hours. Tracy is going to accompany you to supervise and offer any guidance you might need. Pack a bag for at least two days. I expect a full report upon your return.”

  Looking at Tracy, I thought of the training she’d be missing while she was basically babysitting me. “I think it’s a waste of resources.”

  David looked straight into my eyes, “I hope you’re right.” He paused to let that sink in. “Good luck, and get going. You have a plane to catch.”

  I didn’t have much time to obsess over what the no-nonsense meeting with David meant. When David had said we were leaving in three hours, he’d meant our flight was departing at that time, not that we would have to leave the facility in three hours. I rushed upstairs and packed a bag, hoping I wasn’t forgetting anything vital, and barely got to kiss Owen and nod at Mitchell before Tracy whisked me off to the airport.

  I didn’t say goodbye to David, which felt odd, despite our circumstances. He was my father, and it would be several days before I saw him again. Seemed like there should’ve been some kind of fare well.

  “I should’ve said goodbye to David.”

  “There wasn’t really time.” She was so matter of fact about it—like it didn’t make a difference that I hadn’t said a kind word to my father before I left on a potentially dangerous mission. Okay, that was dramatic, but still, it was true.

  The airport was only about twenty minutes from the facility, and we were still tight on time, so my concerns about David were whisked away by the bustle of the airport.

  “David could’ve asked us to meet him at seven,” I grumbled. “It would have given us more time.” I was still stewing about my rushed goodbye with Owen, not to mention my nonexistent goodbye with David as Tracy kept a brisk pace toward the security line.

  Rather than acknowledge my statement or respond in any way, she kept her eyes on the target ahead. That was fine with me. Nothing she could say would change our circumstances or ease the stress of the situation.

  Besides, the pace she was keeping was enough to make me breathless before too long, so any additional conversation was impossible.

  We didn’t have any bags to check, so that helped, and they were boarding by the time we got to the gate, so we just walked right onto the plane.

  Once seated, I took a few moments to catch my breath.

  “You’re out of shape,” Tracy said. “You should keep up with the workout regimens.”

  “I do! And yet, it’s still hard to keep pace with you in a crowd,” I muttered as I leaned my head back against
the seat and waited for my heart rate to go from sprint run to resting.

  “I like it that way.” She made no effort to hide her smile.

  I shook my head and leaned forward to grab the file on the scientist. Figured I might as well get some studying done on the way. The flight took off while I attempted another read through of his articles about separating chemicals and isolating the most dangerous toxins, but I got frustrated about halfway through the flight. It might as well have been moon language for all the meaning I was able to take away.

  Exasperated, I closed the file and jammed it back into my backpack. “Tracy, I don’t know how much help I’m going to be. I don’t even understand what this guy is studying. If his mind is anything like these papers, I’m not going to understand a single one of his thoughts. I’m not a chemist. I’m a music therapist.”

  “No.” She lowered her voice and glanced at the people sitting near us. “You are Unseen. Identifying potential dangers isn’t about understanding their specific fields, although that can be helpful. It’s about understanding people—what motivates them, and what they intend to do with the resources available to them.”

  I sat back in my seat, trying to find some comfort in her words. But David’s last words to us haunted me. Why would he want me to be right? Unless he was genuinely worried that this guy was bad news… but if that were the case, why would he send his daughter into a potentially dangerous situation?

  I still didn’t have any answers when the plane landed, though I had plenty of remaining questions. As we disembarked, Tracy checked her watch. “One thirty. We’ve missed his lunch hour. He gets off at five, and then he goes straight to a café for a cup of coffee after work.”

  Based on what I’d seen online and in his file, the man’s personal life was nonexistent. Never married, no kids, estranged from his parents, and no siblings. Lots of people had bad relationships with their families, of course, but maybe it was David’s sign of something amiss?

  The cold Michigan air bit into me the instant we stepped outside to get the car, freezing the air in my lungs, making me cough. I wrapped my arms around my body, tucking the coat Tracy had loaned me for the trip closer to my skin.

  “Good Lord. We couldn’t have been given an assignment in a more tropical part of the world?”

  “We live in a more tropical part of the world,” Tracy said, deadpan as ever as she buckled her seat belt.

  “Touché.” I rubbed my hands together, trying to warm them up after the short trek to the car. “I hope we don’t have to spend much time outside for this one.”

  “Suck it up. Your thin Florida blood could use some thickening anyway,” she said.

  “Yeah, yeah.”

  As Tracy drove to the university, I scanned the file again. It didn’t reveal much. Dr. Jeppe lived in a small apartment near the university. In addition to his post-work cup of coffee, he began his mornings with a cup of joe at the café. He spent most of his weekends working or delivering lectures, which helped explain why he was single. Who would want to date someone who never had time to be together? I wondered if he even cared. From his very impressive resume, it seemed to me that he was married to his work… and that was how he liked it.

  We arrived at the university long before the scientist’s workday was over, so we staked out the campus a little, hoping to catch a glimpse of the man we were there to watch. We planned to make a sneak attack on his mind later, at the coffee shop. It was exhilarating to be out on a real job, even if I was just supposed to gauge whether this guy was a threat.

  We never did catch sight of him, so at four thirty, we headed over to the café listed in the file so we could ensure we had a seat when the professor arrived. If he left on time, he would be there at five fifteen. It would be my first opportunity to delve into his mind.

  We ordered drinks and took a seat in the back corner of the café. It was a cute little spot with outdoor seating, but it was way too cold for anyone to take advantage of it. Part of me already longed for home, milder temperatures, and Owen’s warm embrace. But the rest of me knew I needed to stay focused.

  I’d never spent many nights away from home, Maddie’s house notwithstanding. The woman who’d raised me, Amanda, never took me anywhere, and she avoided spending recreational time with me like it would’ve killed her. Since I hadn’t been a performance major, I never even traveled to competitions with school.

  “I think this is the first legitimate trip I’ve ever taken.” I addressed the words as much to myself as to Tracy.

  “How old are you again?”

  My back straightened, and I held my head high. “Twenty-five.”

  “That’s a quarter of a century mostly wasted, if you ask me. You need to get out more.”

  Tracy couldn’t help but tell it like it was; I couldn’t help but laugh.

  At five o’clock, Tracy ran through the scenario one last time. “When he comes in, you get to work. I’ll do what I can to ensure you have a safe space to do your job. If you encounter any problems, get out, and we’ll try again in the morning.”

  I nodded, searching restlessly for Dr. Jeppe. Each time the bell over the door jangled, my heart raced. And each time it wasn’t him, I swallowed my disappointment and kept right on looking.

  After what felt like an eternity, I saw him walk through the front door. He didn’t go to the counter and order his drink. Instead, the barista called out a greeting to him as he took a seat at his usual table, which we had strategically stationed ourselves next to. “Afternoon, Dr. Jeppe. Your coffee will be ready soon.”

  Rather than acknowledge the greeting in any way, he buried his face in some paperwork. I could only assume it was work related. Tracy cleared her throat, signaling me to get to work.

  Leaning back in my chair, I shut my eyes, hoping I looked like I was just resting for a moment.

  As I reached out for his mind, I was immediately met with a problem. Walking through the darkness, I stepped onto a spring trap that launched me out of his mind. I opened my eyes and gasped in surprise.

  Tracy eyed me as I glanced around, hoping I hadn’t drawn too much attention to myself. No one seemed to be watching, thankfully, and the doctor was still consumed by his work.

  He has defenses, I thought to her as I tried to calm my racing heart. If he were truly a run-of-the-mill scientist, he wouldn’t have any need to protect his mind. He wouldn’t even know such a thing was possible or necessary. It meant he was either a mind reader or working with one.

  Tracy frowned. Well, you know how to get past defenses. Find out why he has them.

  Frowning right back at her, I gave her a sidelong glance before closing my eyes and venturing out again. This time, I was prepared, so I adjusted my approach accordingly.

  I set off the spring trap again, but it didn’t affect me this time. After all, it wasn’t real, and the element of surprise—the only thing the trap had going for it—was gone. There was a barrage of additional defenses, including a box that fell from above to apparently trap an intruder and what appeared to be a minefield. However, I wasn’t sure because I never set any of them off. I just saw the lumps in the ground. There was also a pit covered with leaves and foliage. All in all, it was pretty uninventive.

  Until I got to his wall. It was immense, and it stretched out before me, seemingly extending forever. It was nothing like Tracy’s wall. Hers seemed to go on for infinity too, but this… I paused as I looked at it, struggling to define it. It was infinite, but it was also empty. There was no sign of any memories embedded within it.

  How can that be? I wondered as I leaned in closer.

  But I didn’t get to examine it to my heart’s content. Suddenly, I was jerked away from the wall and rather unceremoniously plopped back in myself.

  Blinking at Tracy, I asked, “What happened?”

  She nodded toward the target, and I saw him leaving the café, coffee in hand.

  “I—”

  She cut me off. “Not here.” And with that, she stood and
walked back to our car, never once looking back to ensure I was following her. Scrambling to my feet, I struggled to decode the strange scene I’d just witnessed while also keeping pace with Tracy. I stumbled on the way to the car, but I played it off as if I’d slipped on an ice patch, and I nodded gratefully to the passerby who helped me up.

  Before I knew it, Tracy and I were sitting together in the car, but I was a little afraid to speak. Tracy was stone faced as she stared straight ahead, navigating the car toward our hotel. I took the opportunity to try and sort through what had happened, and what it might mean. Obviously, David had been at least partially right. There was just cause to suspect Dr. Jeppe. Otherwise, why would those defenses be in place? They seemed so weak, almost artificial, with the exception of that wall.

  Silently, Tracy drove to the hotel where we’d be staying, and I trailed her as she checked in at the desk. We didn’t exchange a word until she secured the locks on the door of our room and sat on the bed across from where I’d absently seated myself.

  “Tell me what happened.”

  “His defenses were odd,” I said, rubbing my forehead. “Almost insincere.”

  “What do you mean by that?” she asked.

  “Well, it was too easy to get past them. Like he didn’t have any stake in them working.”

  That gave Tracy pause, but she didn’t comment. “Go on.”

  “His wall, on the other hand… well, I’m not sure how to bypass it. It wasn’t like yours or mine. There didn’t seem to be any way around, above, or through it.”

  Tracy’s expression seemed confused, so I took a breath, trying to gather my thoughts.

  “Our walls are made from memories. Although there are a million or more of them, our memories are limited to our personal experiences. Eventually, inevitably, there is an end. Everyone has a first memory, right? Well, Dr. Jeppe’s wall is made up of… nothing. And nothingness can potentially stretch on forever.” I flopped back onto the bed, absorbing what I’d just said. How on Earth was I supposed to get inside this guy’s head? Suddenly, my seemingly mundane task was becoming much more of a challenge than I’d anticipated.