We stopped at the tree under my window and both looked up. “Now would be a good time to know how to teleport, right?” I joked.
Daniel shook his head and smiled. “You know, when I found out about my dad’s powers, I was jealous. Now it seems that maybe they’re too draining on the system to be worth it.” He shrugged. “Come on. I’ll give you a boost.”
I used Daniel’s shoulders to climb up into the tree and to the window. “Thanks,” I whispered and waved.
Daniel waved back before taking off. The last thing we needed was for my mother to wake up and find us sneaking back in. I had worried her enough for one day.
I shrugged off my clothes and collapsed into bed. My body was aching and numb, but my mind was going a mile a minute. I tried to process everything that happened tonight, but I couldn’t find the words to describe what I had seen. It was bizarre.
I let out a long sigh. My chest ached. Abuela would have been perfect to talk to right now; she would have understood. I missed her so much. Blinking away tears, I rolled over and shut my eyes. My only hope now was that Mr. Dolinsky would have answers for me in the morning.
CHAPTER SIX
Monday morning I took a detour on the way to school and met Mr. Dolinsky. He was parked a block away from the school, as he promised he would be.
I told him everything about what had happened in the park; I could barely believe the words that were coming out of my mouth. I would have thought it was crazy if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. Psychic people. Fighting. Different powers. It was like something out of a TV show, but it wasn’t. Was this really going to be my life now?
Mr. Dolinsky nodded. “I’m glad you told me. I have made preparations for you today. Hopefully we can get you under protection and you won’t need to worry about Rogues anymore.”
“Rogues?” I asked.
Mr. Dolinsky nodded. “Some psychics refuse to cooperate with the government. They go into crime and use their powers for evil. They’re always trying to recruit new blood before the FBI can get to them. They must have sensed your powers awaken. That’s why that guy followed you to the park last night.”
I swallowed hard. “I thought he was trying to kill me.”
Mr. Dolinsky shook his head. He turned the key in the ignition and we made our way towards the highway. Thankfully, the windows were tinted so no one would catch me skipping school.
“He wouldn’t kill you. He was only trying to capture you,” Mr. Dolinsky said. “Psychic blood is hard to find these days. We’re a dying breed.”
“We’re?” I repeated in surprise. I didn’t want him to know that his son had already told me.
Mr. Dolinsky nodded. “Yes, me too. That’s how I got involved with the FBI. But, my powers are passive and not exactly helpful for much on the front lines.” He laughed and shook his head. “I guess I should be thankful for that.”
“What is your talent?” I asked.
He glanced at me before returning his attention to the road. “Just typical clairvoyance. It comes in handy during investigations.”
Clairvoyance seemed far from typical to me. I slumped back into the seat and adjusted the seatbelt that was digging into my neck. “So that’s how you knew how to find us every time Jessica, Daniel, and I went out past curfew.”
Mr. Dolinsky laughed. “Sometimes. Other times it’s just fatherly intuition.” He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel.
“So, why were they after me?” I asked after a moment of silence.
“Like I said, psychic blood is rare these days. It’s passed down only from mother to child and is very unpredictable.”
“From the mother’s side,” I mumbled, then gasped. “That means, my birth mother must have been psychic too?”
Suppressed feelings began to bubble inside of me. I had never cared too much about knowing my birth parents. I knew that Juan and Maria Hernandez were my true parents. They were the one who raised me and loved me. I had rarely even wondered about what life might have been like if I hadn’t been put up for adoption. Now, the feeling was fresh in my mind. Had my mother known I had powers when she left me?
Mr. Dolinsky nodded. His voice brought me back to reality. “Yes, but since you were adopted we have no idea who that was. Strangely, your birth records are incomplete or lost. That’s why it took a few days to get you access to the academy.”
“Academy?” I asked. I remembered during the fight the man shouting “academy scum”. I had no idea what it meant.
“Just south of here, there’s a training academy for psychics. Obviously top secret,” He explained. “There’s others like it in New York State, California, and New Mexico. This way, we can ensure that any new psychic is able to be given proper training and support.”
“Because without it they go Rogue?” I asked.
Mr. Dolinsky nodded. His expression was grim. “Yes. Could you imagine what would have happened if no one had told you about your powers? Every time you got emotional things would break or move? No doubt you’d go searching for answers. We need to catch young people before the go looking in the wrong places and end up hurting themselves or others.”
I looked out the window, watching the other cars on the freeway speed by. He was right. I couldn’t bear to think of how terrified I’d be if he hadn’t saved me. I could barely grasp what was happening now.
We drove for a while longer before turning off into an industrial park. Giant factories lined both sides of the road.
“Where are we going exactly?” I asked, craning my neck to get a better view of the dilapidated warehouses.
“The training academy is hidden here,” Mr. Dolinsky explained.
WARNING: DO NOT ENTER. A sign flashed by the window. RESTRICTED AREA. NO VISITORS. CAMERAS PROHIBITED. The signs lined the narrow gravel road.
We stopped at a bridge. The green paint was peeling from the metal. Ahead of us, I could see a small island where the ground was black with soot and iron. The factory sprawled across the landscape. Loose metal creaked and banged in the wind. I could see a large tanker ship docked in the distance. There was no one in sight.
“This looks abandoned.” I whispered. How could there be a school here?
“Exactly the point.” Mr. Dolinsky said. He rolled down the window and the smell of rust filled the car. He swiped a key card at the gate. There was a whirring sound, and the gate rose up for us to pass through.
We crossed the bridge and the low hum rolled in my belly. It was stronger than it had been before. I wasn’t even sure if it was coming from me that time. My body tingled as the feeling expanded through every nerve. I felt nauseous.
“Almost there,” Mr. Dolinsky said as if he could sense my discomfort.
We passed over the bridge and onto the island. There was a flash of light and the abandoned buildings disappeared.
A gasp escaped me as I took in the new surroundings.
There were several large buildings. They were modern with hard angular lines made of glass and metal. We stopped in a parking lot which had only a few vehicles. Looming in front of us was the largest building; it looked curiously like a blend of an arena and a school, with the same modern materials as the smaller buildings.
I licked my lips nervously.
“Welcome to the Psychic Training Academy,” Mr. Dolinsky said.
I let out a shaking breath.
“Oh, one thing before you go,” Mr. Dolinsky added. “No phones or cameras are allowed.”
I grimaced. I hated not having my phone. I wasn’t addicted to it (I swear!), but the thought of going in there with no way to contact the outside world made my stomach turn. “Alright,” I sighed and threw my iPhone in the glove box.
“I’ll keep it safe.” Mr. Dolinsky promised. He threw his own phone on the dashboard and unlocked the doors.
I got out of the car and closed the door quietly. I didn’t miss the dozens of cameras that had been tracking our every move. A drone buzzed overhead. Security was tight.
An American flag was flying
high on the flagpole with a smaller flag I didn’t recognize flapping below. The sign at the door read: Federal Psychic Training Academy - North Campus. When I turned around to look for the bridge, it was gone. I could see nothing past the boundaries of the island.
“How did you do that?” I wondered aloud.
Mr. Dolinsky heard and answered. “Cloaking technology. Not magic,” He added with a chuckle. “Just simple force fields and projections.”
Didn’t seem so simple to me, but I shrugged it off and added it to the growing list of things that I didn’t fully understand.
The front door opened and two people walked out. One was an older man dressed in a navy suit. The other was a tall thin woman dressed in black. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun and her makeup was as severe as the rest of her features.
Mr. Dolinsky stood at attention. “Major Griffiths. Ms. Blackwell,” He addressed each of them with a nod.
“Inspector Dolinsky,” Major Griffiths said. He gestured towards me. “I presume this is the new recruit you were telling me about?”
Mr. Dolinsky nodded. “Yes, sir.”
The woman was silent; she stared at me intensely.
“Hello,” I said. I sounded more confident than I felt. “I’m Bianca Hernandez.”
The old man smiled. “It is wonderful to meet you, Miss Hernandez. Such an intriguing young talent we have on our hands!” He motioned towards the school. “Come, let us show you around.”
I took a step forward and then looked back at Mr. Dolinsky.
The Inspector smiled. “Go ahead. I’ll be here at two o’clock to pick you up. I am not permitted inside the school. Top secret,” He added.
I was nervous to go in on my own. I looked from him to the front door and swallowed hard. I summoned my strength and joined the Major and Ms. Blackwell at the entrance. It took everything I had not to look back as the door closed behind me.
Inside the building, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The front doors lead into a reception area. There was a woman sitting at a desk with a headset on. She was typing away at her computer. There were doors to either side of us and a long hallway with more closed doors. The air was crisp and cool. Ms. Blackwell’s heels clicked on the marble floor as we walked down the hall. Everything was so quiet.
Major Griffiths stopped at a door that read OFFICE.
“I’ll leave you and Ms. Blackwell to take the tour. I still have a few things to finish up regarding your enrollment.” He withdrew to his office before I could ask a single question.
Ms. Blackwell walked with her hands clasped behind her back. She had an air of regal beauty and power around her. Her posture was perfect and every footstep fell into rhythm. I felt like a child compared to her. I bumbled along as she gave me a brief tour of the halls.
All the rooms seemed like ordinary classrooms with desks and computers. Everything was so quiet. It was eerie.
“Excuse me,” I said finally. “Where is everyone?”
Ms. Blackwell seemed to be of average height, but her patent leather stiletto heels made her tower over me. “They are in the training labs. That’s where our students spend most of their time after they’ve learned to control their powers better.”
I felt heat rise in my cheeks. Was that a dig at me? How much did everyone know about my recent blunders? “Oh, I see,” I said and turned my head away to hide my embarrassment.
Ms. Blackwell led me outside to a large courtyard. There was a shady garden and benches along the path for people to sit and relax. The building’s tall glass windows surrounded the courtyard. The far side of the courtyard led to another section of the building with a high vaulted ceiling like a gymnasium.
“Are those the training labs?” I asked, glancing at the double doors.
Ms. Blackwell nodded. “One of them.” She gestured for me to open the door. “Please, go ahead and take a look.”
I opened the door and a wave of humidity hit me. Fans were blowing full force to offset the heat. Mats, ropes and punching bags littered the training room. The collapsible walls were pulled in to section off this portion of the room from the others. I could hear people sparing beyond the greenish-gray accordion dividers that went from the ceiling to the floor.
In the center of the room, two boys were fighting. I recognized them immediately as the two who saved me in the park. They were too consumed in their sparring match to notice the door clang shut behind me.
The dark-skinned boy hovered in the air and vanished. As if anticipating this, the pale one turned around and kicked him as he reappeared behind him. They both shouted as they fought one another. Neither of them were holding back.
Ms. Blackwell clapped her hands once to get their attention.
Both boys stopped mid action and turned on their heels to face her. They were both breathing hard and sweating through their t-shirts. Their hands were wrapped for protection. They both looked at me dead in the eye and I felt a shiver run through my body.
Did she know they were the ones who saved me? Is that why she brought me here? How embarrassing.
“Bianca,” Ms. Blackwell spoke clearly as she gestured to the two young men. “I’m pleased to introduce you to two of the Academy’s finest students: Luke Herrington and Ryland Williams.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
The dark-skinned boy gave me a brilliant smile. He was tall and lean with honey brown eyes and hair that was cut short to his scalp. There was an intricate line shaved around both temples that faded to his hairline. “Hey, I’m Luke. Nice to see you again.” His hands were wrapped in blue bandages that matched his t-shirt and shorts. He wiped the sweat from his brow on his shirt, lifting the hem just enough to see a quick flash of defined abs.
I looked away. He definitely remembered saving my ass in the park. How embarrassing.
“I didn’t think I’d be lucky enough to see you again.” The blond guy said. “I’m Ryland.” He had a hint of a west-coast accent. His fair hair was nearly as light as his skin and his blue eyes were like ice. He was also fit; he was slightly taller than Luke and dressed completely in black. He wore compression leggings and no shoes.
My eyes met his and the twinge of energy returned. A shrill buzzing sound filled my brain for a moment and stopped when Ryland looked away. Whatever strange connection had been created was silenced.
Ms. Blackwell cleared her throat to get our attention. “Miss Bianca is considering enrolling in the academy. Her powers just emerged a few days ago. I was taking her on a tour of the facilities.”
I smiled awkwardly. I felt like a science project or a pet. I had never in my life been the “new kid”. I had gone from the same preschool to elementary to junior high and all the way to my impending graduation with the same circle of friends. This was a very new and very weird feeling, especially when I was being looked down at by two incredibly attractive and powerful psychic guys.
I tried to speak, but Ms. Blackwell cut me off.
“Why don’t you give our guest a show?” She said. “She seems most interested in training and honing her abilities.”
I went redder and looked at the floor. Why didn’t she just make me a sign that read I DON’T KNOW HOW TO CONTROL THE POWERS THAT I HAVE EVEN THOUGH I DIDN’T KNOW PSYCHICS EXISTED UNTIL A FEW DAYS AGO!
“Cool,” Luke said. “What can you do, anyway?”
I shrugged. “Not really sure yet,” I admitted.
“I can read minds, among other things,” Ryland said with pride. He grinned as my eyes met his. “It allows me to anticipate my opponents’ moves and dominate hand-to-hand combat.”
“Telepathy,” Ms. Blackwell added. “We use scientific names here.”
Ryland shrugged.
“I can teleport,” Luke said as if it were no big deal. “I’m also working on apportation.”
I blinked. “What’s apportation?”
“May I?” Luke held out his hand and Ms. Blackwell handed him a pen from her pocket. He twirled it around in his fingers for a moment and then it disappe
ared.
I gasped. “Where did it go?”
Ms. Blackwell cleared her throat and raised her hand. It had returned to her palm in the blink of an eye. “As I said, Luke and Ryland are some of our best students. It is not incredible power that makes students excel here; it is the willingness to learn.” She gestured to the two guys. “Let’s show Bianca what our students are capable of.”
They nodded and returned to the sparring mat.
Luke held up his wrapped hands and took on a fighting stance. Ryland stood relaxed with his hands at his sides.
Luke shouted and lunged at Ryland. A split second before Luke reached his opponent, he disappeared. Ryland laughed and turned, his fist lashing out and meeting Luke’s shoulder as he reappeared behind him.
Luke caught himself and crouched down, kicking out at Ryland’s legs. Ryland fell onto the mat hard and growled; he wasn’t down for long.
Luke lunged left and right to avoid Ryland’s punches.
I held my breath as I watched them spar. Luke vanished in and out of range and Ryland almost always anticipated where he would reemerge. They moved in a violent dance that neither of them wanted to lose. Their eyes were locked onto each other’s and their muscles were coiled tight. I didn’t know anything about martial arts, but in my humble opinion, they were both freaking awesome.
Ryland lashed out and Luke went down hard. He lay still on the mat for a moment, his chest heaving up and down as he caught his breath.
Ryland smirked as he stood over his partner. “You’re out.”
“Not yet,” Luke laughed and vanished.
“Shit!” Ryland whirled around but Luke was nowhere to be seen.
Suddenly Luke came from above him, tackling Ryland into the ground and twisting his arm backwards.
Ryland gritted his teeth before begrudgingly tapping out.
Ms. Blackwell clapped. “Well done boys, both of you. I’d say that there are no finer fighters in our entire school.”
Ryland and Luke stood and bowed their heads to one another.
“Good game,” Luke slapped Ryland on the shoulder. “No hard feelings, bro.”
Psychic Secret: An Urban Fantasy Academy Romance (Psychic Academy Book 1) Page 4