by Ian Somers
‘What’s he trying to do? Is he telling me something…? Ah, I get it! It’s a game!’
I focused on the page. It sapped my strength at first, but eventually I gained total control over it and pulled it towards me. The page pressed against the glass and I could see the writing clearly.
GET OUT! GET OUT NOW!
YOU ARE IN GREAT DANGER!
I opened the window and took the piece of paper in hand then raced across the room and got a pen from the bedside locker. I wrote: Who are you? Why do you think I’m in danger?
I walked back to the window and was about to throw the paper out, but paused. The man had raised his hands and began to move his fingers rapidly. The sheet of paper began to fold itself over and over until it became a perfectly symmetrical paper plane. It shot out of my hands then glided across the street at great speed. The stranger held out his hand and caught it, then read my words.
He rolled it into a ball and threw it over his shoulder, then it whizzed away and found its way into a nearby bin. He wrote in his notepad once more then ripped out another page and held it in his hands. He nodded at me.
This was like some magical version of texting, but a lot more complicated!
‘What does he want now? Oh, I get it. He wants me to make it into a plane.’
I stared at the page and made the edges fold over themselves until I had made it into a rudimentary plane. The stranger fired the small white plane into the air and it flew directly into my hands.
I CANNOT TELL YOU WHO I AM.
YOU WILL HAVE TO TRUST ME!
SOMEONE WILL TRY TO KILL YOU
IF YOU DO NOT LEAVE SOON!
I looked across the street and the man nodded at me. I placed the paper on the window sill and wrote: I can’t leave yet! then sent the paper back. The man shook his head angrily when he read it. The situation was starting to freak me out! I was doubting everyone around me; I didn’t know who to trust.
He started writing again then tore another page from the notepad and sent it flying towards the window.
THE MONEY IS NOT WORTH IT!
YOU ARE ENTERING A WORLD YOU KNOW
NOTHING ABOUT. IT IS A DANGEROUS
WORLD.
DO NOT THROW YOUR LIFE AWAY!
I shut the window and drew the curtains. I waited a few minutes then peeked out to see the stranger still standing there staring back at me. I paced away from the window; he could wait there all night if he wanted to. I wasn’t going anywhere with some weirdo I didn’t know, and I certainly wasn’t going anywhere without my prize money. This was getting way too weird! Who would want to kill me? And why? I gazed at the untidy handwriting and focused on the word dangerous. I had been sensing that all was not as it seemed with the contest, and that there was something else behind it all. It now seemed there was something dangerous, possibly life threatening, behind it. But I couldn’t walk away before the end. Why would I trust the words of a stranger? He could have been a total psycho! The money was worth it.
Either way, the situation was becoming disturbing and I wanted to get out of London as soon as I completed the tests.
Before I went to bed I decided to do my duty and ring Dad, who answered after the second ring.
‘Hey, Dad. How’s it going?’
‘Finally! You said you were going to ring twice a day, Ross! I tried calling about twenty times and couldn’t get through.’
‘I know. I had to turn my phone off because we were doing tests. It’s part of the rules.’
‘And?’
‘And what?’
‘And how are these tests going? Is it finished?’
‘Almost. I’ve got two more tomorrow. If I pass them, I get the money.’
‘Is everything all right? You seem a bit down.’
‘I’m tired, Dad. It’s been a real long day and quite a weird one too.’
‘Weird?’
‘I’ll tell you all about it when I get home.’
‘And when will that be?’
‘Not sure. Maybe the day after tomorrow. I’ll let you know when they tell me. I just want to get some sleep now, I’m wrecked.’
‘I think I should come over there. I don’t like you being on your own like this.’
‘No. The tests are hard enough without you hanging around and making a show of me.’
‘Why do you always think I’m going to make a show of you?’
‘Er … because you always do! Listen, everything is fine. There’s no need for you to be here. Remember we talked about my gift and how dangerous I could be if someone messed me around?’
‘I remember.’
‘I’m perfectly safe.’
‘Right. You’ll call tomorrow?’
‘Yep.’
‘See you then.’
I hung up then decided I’d give Gemma a call. I needed to hear a friendly voice for a change. She didn’t answer the first time, but when I called again she picked up.
‘Ross?’
‘The one and only.’
‘How did the competition go? Did you win?’
‘It’s still going on. I was doing tests all day and I’ve a few tomorrow before they make the decision.’
‘You sound tired.’
‘This isn’t as easy as I thought it would be, Gemma.’
‘When will you be coming back?’
‘Hopefully I’ll get out of here the day after tomorrow. I’d like to spend some time in London after that, but I kinda promised my old man that I’d come home when the tests are done.’
‘You haven’t spent much time sight-seeing then?’
‘None at all.’
‘What have you been doing with your time?’
‘They haven’t let me leave the hotel without a … an escort.’
‘That doesn’t sound like fun.’
‘I’m sure it’ll change after tomorrow. It’s probably all to do with making sure I’m not cheating.’
‘It still doesn’t sound good, Ross. Did you tell your dad that they haven’t let you leave?’
‘No. He’d only want to come over.’
‘That might not be such a bad thing.’
‘I don’t want him involved. Listen, don’t worry, I can look after myself.’
‘You can call me whenever you want, you do know that, right?’
‘I know, Gemma.’
We chatted aimlessly about the tests and the hotel, then Gemma told me all the scandal from Delaney’s and how Reynolds had shaved off his moustache and how he notified all staff never to allow me on the premises ever again. I was barred for life which made me laugh.
I was about to tell her that a strange person was watching me, but I got cut off. I’d run out of credit again! And there was no landline in my room. How could they have a luxury hotel suite without a phone? I made my mind up that I would demand that Foster let me leave and get phone credit the next day. And he’d be paying!
The morning began in an irritatingly familiar fashion; there was a loud thump on the door and someone was calling my name. I took my time getting out of bed and putting clothes on. I knew they’d wait. Again there was a team of people outside waiting for me and they brought me to the conference centre, but not to the laboratory. I was taken to a bland hall, which was intended to be a gym when the hotel officially opened. It was set up in a similar way to the lab with instruments of all kinds and cameras everywhere.
I was shown to a seat in the centre of the hall and a large mechanical contraption was wheeled up behind me. Two technicians worked on it for a moment then switched it on. I was suddenly surrounded by sensor lasers that shot from the top of the machine.
‘You must be getting used to this by now,’ Professor Foster said as he inspected the paths of the lasers.
‘I’ll never get used to this.’
‘It won’t take long. We’ll get the test set up as quickly as we can.’
‘Take your time.’
I watched the team setting up the equipment around me, when all was in place
five men rolled in a huge trolley with a very large block of silver material on it to the middle of the hall, about fifteen metres in front of me.
After that, Mizuki and another Japanese woman taped electrodes to my arms, legs, stomach and one to the back of my neck.
‘What the hell are these?’
‘It’s part of the test,’ Mizuki answered.
‘I guessed that, but what are they for?’
She refused to answer. Foster came to me as they were connecting the wires to a black box with a number of red switches on it. ‘No need to panic, these are just to make sure you can maintain the right type of concentration during the test.’
‘Hold on … you’re going to electrocute me?’
‘A slight pinch, you’ll barely feel it.’
‘What has this got to do with the ability to move things with my mind? Haven’t I already proved to you that I have the million dollar gift?’
‘We had a list of possible gifts, psychokinesis being one, and we had a number of tests designed to prove the gift was genuine. This is one of the tests and you cannot be successful without passing it.’
‘Let’s get the show on the road, professor. I don’t feel very comfortable with this all of a sudden.’
‘The test is a simple one. Do you see the silver block on top of the trolley?’
‘It’d be hard not to. It’s about the size of a car.’
‘It is a new type of material, manufactured by Golding Scientific, it’s called Metaliglass.’
‘Glass?’ At first I had thought it was just a simple block of metal, but as I focused on it I saw it shimmered unusually under the strong lights in the hall. There was a rainbow effect radiating from it and I’d never seen a metal so highly polished. ‘Doesn’t look much like glass to me.’
‘It’s not the type used for windows, Ross. It’s a metallic glass consisting of many layers and mixed with platinum then blended together at extreme temperatures. It is one of the strongest materials ever created. Stronger than any type of metal or rock.’
‘And I’m supposed to break it.’
‘Not exactly. We don’t expect you to be able to destroy it, that would be totally impossible, we are hoping you could possibly dent it or even put a slight fracture in it. Shall we begin?’
‘I guess so.’
When everyone had taken to their seats and had their instruments set up, Foster gave the nod to begin.
I focused my gaze on the huge plate of Metaliglass, started to suck the energy from my body and gather it in my mind. Just as I was about to release it there was a buzzing sound and I jumped in my seat. It was one of the minor shocks that Foster had mentioned. He had told the truth; it wasn’t painful at all but it had broken my concentration and the link.
I sat and tried to compose myself with deep breaths. When I’d gotten over the shock I mustered my power once more and began to send it towards the metallic glass, but again I was buzzed, twice this time.
I was starting to get seriously irritated. ‘Right, ignore the shocks. Focus everything on the glass,’ I whispered to myself. ‘Remember, they want you to fail.’
Again I prepared myself and began to force the energy out of my body – I got zapped; I was being shocked on both arms then on both feet. I ignored it as best I could, but as I was about to force all my strength at the block there was another shock, this time on my neck. I stood up and broke the lasers and the alarm rang.
‘Goddamn it!’ I roared over the wailing siren. ‘How am I meant to do this with you shocking me?’
‘It’s part of the test. You can quit at any time.’
‘I’m not a quitter, Foster.’
‘Then please proceed.’
The shocks started before I had time to focus. My temper was boiling over and I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth. The shocks were constant and I growled as my rage grew out of control. I was angry enough to stand and fire the chair at the professor, but I remained focused on the block. One last shock was sent into the back of my neck and I let out a roar.
The centre of the block of Metaliglass bloated and melted for a split second. When I sent all my rage towards it there was a deafening blast. The entire block cracked then blew into a thousand pieces that were fired outward and spun around the floor of the hall.
A stunned silence filled the room. The professor stood still and raised his hand to his face. He was left utterly speechless by what I had done. I had destroyed a thick block of the hardest material on earth.
‘Incredible,’ he said under his breath. ‘They never cease to amaze me.’
‘They?’ I asked him.
The professor didn’t respond to me. His mobile phone rang and he excused himself and quickly left the hall.
I expected to be drained but I wasn’t, I was actually full of energy. I thought back to when I blew up the stone pillar in Dullbrook. I didn’t feel drained after doing that, not as much as I was when I played Marble Star. Maybe when I was angry I used some other source of energy and when I was calm I used my own. So much about the gift remained a mystery to me.
Mizuki disconnected the electrodes, turned off the lasers and took away the machine. A group of men in boiler suits entered and started to clean up the pieces of the metallic glass and I took a walk around to cleanse myself of the anger that was still lurking inside.
All online and telephone conversations involving Golding Scientific staff are recorded and documented by Golding Scientific Security Division under the direction of Derek Shaw. The following discussion took place on the morning of 3 July. 10.28am - 10.34am and was remotely monitored by staff member Alan Dowd.
TRANSCRIPT No. 181,387 (Red Flag)
Note to security director: I have flagged this phone conversation under the Golding Scientific Security Division Act of 2004, Section 49, reference B-018, ‘Any employee of Golding Scientific who openly questions or contradicts Paul Golding is subject to further investigation by Golding Scientific Security Division’ and reference B-023, ‘Any employee who questions, or shows contempt for, the authority of security director, Derek Shaw’.
(Flagged for continued investigation: Professor Mark Foster)
TRANSCRIPT No. 181,387:
Foster: That was exceptional! He broke the Metaliglass as if it were polystyrene! I’ve never seen anything quite like it.
Golding: Exceptional indeed. Is he as powerful as her?
Foster: He could be. Although he doesn’t control his gift as well as she does.
Golding: That could be because of his lack of years.
Foster: Possibly. But remember she has three gifts. She’s a Psychokinetic, but she is also an Emotomagnet and a Metallisir.
Golding: He may have three gifts of his own, Foster. He did show signs of being a Time-Scanner yesterday, and he could also be a Precog.
Foster: We will need further tests to prove that.
Golding: Give him one more test, a Precog test. Tell him he must complete it to win the money. If he’s successful I will give him the million, I think it’s time to get young Bentley on our side.
Foster: Which test shall I give him?
Golding: Foosball. I want him to play against Paolo.
Foster: Paolo is in London?
Golding: He arrived late last night. I wanted him to face Bentley.
Foster: But Paolo’s a fully-fledged Precog. Bentley won’t stand a chance against him at foosball.
Golding: He will if he’s a Psychokinetic and a Precog. If he has both gifts, he will beat Paolo. I’m sure of it.
Foster: I think this is unwise. We shouldn’t put him into a duel so soon after the stress test. He will still have residual power in his body from drawing up negative energy, if he were to lose his temper during the game … Paolo would be …
Golding: We’ll be scraping Paolo off the ceiling, I know.
Foster: But you still want to do this?
Golding: Paolo isn’t very important in the grand scheme of things. Bentley, however, could change everything.
Foster: Remember that I warned you against this, Golding.
Shaw: You don’t warn Mr Golding. He calls the shots around here and you follow orders. Now get moving, Foster!
Foster: Shaw? You weren’t supposed to be involved in this.
Shaw: I am now.
I turned to see the professor entering the hall, he was accompanied by a skinny, sallow-skinned guy in his twenties with lots of tattoos on his arms. Behind them, two men in boiler suits were pushing a foosball table. This was just getting stranger by the minute. Was this supposed to be light relief?
The table was rolled into the middle of the hall and the professor stood beside it and asked me to stand at one end.
‘Have you played before?’
‘Of course I have,’ I snorted. ‘I’m pretty good at it too.’
‘You will be playing against Paolo,’ he nodded at the sallow skinned guy who was standing opposite me. ‘Best of five.’
I looked down at the table and frowned when I saw that I was missing a very important player. ‘Hang on, I don’t have a goalkeeper, and he does. That’s not fair.’
‘You’re psychokinetic, Ross. You won’t need a goalkeeper.’
‘Be nice if I had one though…’
The professor took a small white ball in hand and dropped it onto the table. Before I focused on it, the ball was sent flying into my goal.
I arched my eyebrows and looked at my opponent. ‘Christ, you’re fast!’
‘I have never been beaten.’
‘There’s a first time for everything.’
Paolo sniggered at me and told the professor to restart the game. The ball rattled around and got kicked a few times before it dropped kindly for Paolo. He spun a handle and sent it whizzing towards my goal.
I deflected the ball out of its path with my mind. I felt quite proud of myself, but Paolo reacted faster than me by sending the loose ball rattling into my goal.