by Cara Bristol
The medical unit revealed no traces of a congenital defect.
“Your extraterrestrial friend is running a scam. Any med pod”—she used air quotes—“is as bogus as a counterfeit watch. And if it were real—and it’s not—alien medicine would never work on a human.”
A very human ear, nose, and throat specialist verified it.
“W-what are you talking about?”
I went to the doctor today. She confirmed my vocal cords are normal.
“You’re saying…you can speak?”
Not yet—but I’m capable of it. There’s no physical reason I can’t. I just have to learn how. Tomorrow Psy would help her overcome the breathing issues.
“Oh my god!” Rosalie clapped a hand over her mouth. “That’s wonderful. Honey…oh my god!” She squeezed Cassie in a crushing embrace. “I’m so happy for you! I can’t believe it.” Her face wreathed in a smile, she leaned back. “This is the best news ever!”
Her mother’s excitement had her grinning with happiness and relief. They’d almost gotten off track, but everything had turned out fine! She hugged her mother and then grabbed her notebook. I still want to know who—what doctors—I saw before.
Rosalie blew out a huff of air. “I wish I could tell you. There were so many, and it was so long ago…I’m sorry.”
You don’t have tax records? Old medical bills?
“Going back decades? After moving as much as we did?” She shook her head before breaking into another happy grin. “What matters is your future! Have you tried speaking since you found out your vocal cords are normal?”
She automatically touched her throat. No. She had verbally told Psy she loved him, but her mother didn’t need to know that. I’m going to see a speech therapist for help.
She nodded. “Good idea. We’ll find you one in Boise.”
Boise was an eight-hour drive. Don’t need to go so far. There’s several in Coeur d’Alene.
Rosalie hunched her shoulders before sweeping out her arm to encompass the chaos enveloping the living room. “Well…you’re probably wondering about the mess. I have some news, too.” She grimaced. “I got fired. I made a couple of tiny errors—they weren’t that big a deal, but the owner believed otherwise, and I lost my job. I panicked until I called my old boss in Boise, and he agreed to rehire me—I can start next week. The landlord won’t be happy I can’t give thirty-days’ notice, but shit rolls downhill. I didn’t get notice I was being fired. I know you like your job, and you just met your alien, but we have to move. I’m sorry.”
Her mother wasn’t going to be happy, but this was the opportunity Cassie had been waiting for. I’m not moving again. I’m staying in Argent.
“Ah, honey, I wish you could, but you can’t. You have to come with me.”
No, I don’t. I’m an adult. I’ll get my own apartment. It’s time. She might even be able to swing the rent and stay in the house. It was a cute little place, and she paid more than half the bills anyway. Money flowed through Rosalie’s fingers like water. She always ran short of cash right before the bills came due.
“I can’t let you remain here alone. I’m your legal guardian, and I’m responsible for you.”
So much for allowing an adjustment period before springing more changes. So much for procrastination. Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise, forcing her to hold the discussion she’d been putting off. She moved away, stepping around boxes, and flipped to a fresh page, wishing more than ever she could say what was on her mind.
Choosing her words carefully, she wrote, About the guardianship—it’s time to dissolve it. You’re my mom, and I love you, but I have to live my own life. I don’t need a guardian. I’m 23. I have a job, and I can take care of myself. Pretty soon I’ll be able to speak.
She gave her mother the notebook.
“But you can’t speak yet, and you’ve never been on your own.” Rosalie twisted her hands, but Cassie could see the acknowledgment in her eyes. She had expected much more resistance.
But I WILL speak, she pressed the advantage. And, even if I couldn’t, I can still take care of myself. The only way to leave the nest is to leave the nest!
Rosalie smiled sadly. “It’s hard to see the little bird fly away.”
The little bird still has to fly.
Her mother sighed. “I knew this day would come. I’ve expected it for a long time. My overbearing overprotectiveness was my way of denying you’d grown up.”
Not overbearing, she fibbed. She could afford to be conciliatory. This discussion had gone way better than she ever expected!
Rosalie chuckled. “I can always tell when you lie.”
She moved closer and gently tucked Cassie’s hair behind her ears then cupped her face. “I imagine a certain alien influenced this decision. I love you. I desire what’s best for you, and I realize I need to let you make your own decisions—and mistakes. If you wish to sever the guardianship and remain in Argent, I’ll support you.”
Her mother’s violet gaze flickered. “But are you absolutely sure this is what you want?”
Chapter Sixteen
Despite little sleep, Psy awakened in the morning energetic and eager to see Cassie. After yesterday’s incredible news, he couldn’t wait to free whatever mental blockage hampered her ability to speak. Maybe today she’d say her first words without her throat closing up. As he’d thought about her situation well into the night, he’d remembered the fleeting, dark smudge he’d initially dismissed. If he could find it again, it would warrant some investigation. He could do a little gentle probing in the area and see how she reacted.
He imagined Rosalie had been shocked by the news Cassie’s voice was normal. He’d expected to receive a text with an update but hadn’t. No doubt Cassie had figured she’d see him soon enough and would tell him in person since she preferred telepathy over writing.
He bounded into the kitchen to find Shadow drinking a cup of coffee. “You’re up early,” he said, relieved to see his friend robust and solid. The sublimation episodes were so unpredictable. He had good days and bad days. Fortunately, today appeared to be one of the former.
“I figured you planned to see Cassie this morning, and I wanted to catch you before you left,” Shadow said. “I researched the guardianship last night.” He grabbed a folder and motioned to the kitchen table. “Let’s sit down.”
Psy straddled a chair and eyed the folder. “What did you find?”
Shadow sat across from him and pushed the file across the table. “Take a look.”
Psy flipped it open, scanned the top sheet, and frowned. “Certificate of death?”
“Note the deceased’s name, birth date, and the date of demise.”
“Cassandra LeAnn Steward? Born July 7, 1997, died July 9, 1997.” He looked up. “I don’t understand. Someone else with Cassie’s name died as an infant?”
“Monikers aren’t unique on this planet, so two individuals can share the same name, but I don’t believe that’s the case here.”
“So, what does this mean?”
“I think it means your genmate was given baby Cassandra’s identity. With respect to the guardianship, I couldn’t find any ruling from any court awarding Rosalie guardianship over Cassie.”
“So there’s no guardianship document here?” He glanced at the other two documents. Shadow had printed two copies of Cassandra’s birth certificate.
“There’s no guardianship period. I don’t think it ever existed. Rosalie is not her legal guardian. Take a closer look at the birth certificates.”
One document named Jessamine Steward as Cassandra’s mother and Wayne Alan Steward as the father, while the other had Rosalie Steward as her mother with the father listed as unknown.
“The certificate with the father’s name is the real birth certificate,” Shadow explained. The unknown one is a forgery. It’s hard to tell the difference between the two certificates unless you compare them side by side.”
Psy shifted his gaze from one document to the other. “T
he government seals are different.”
Shadow nodded.
“So after assigning a dead baby’s identity to Cassie, Rosalie created a fake birth certificate?”
“It appears so.”
Why? Why create fake names and erase a father’s existence? And what was Rosalie’s real name, then? And Cassie’s? Psy studied the paperwork again as he scrambled to come up with an explanation. “Maybe she was hiding Cassie from an abusive father. Maybe that’s why she was so protective and moved them around so much,” he hypothesized.
“Could be. From my research, I learned that sometimes during divorces, one parent will steal the child from the other parent. Sometimes parents lose custody to the other whom they believe poses a danger to the child.”
“I wonder what Cassie’s real name is.”
“I’ll keep digging, but her real name will be harder to find out. I suspect this is why there’s no legal decree—the fake identity documents wouldn’t stand up to scrutiny in court.”
“But why lie about it? Why mislead Cassie about the guardianship? Once she became an adult, her father wouldn’t be a threat anymore.”
“Unless he belonged to a crime family, and they needed to break free,” Shadow suggested. “They might also be in a witness protection program.”
“I have a good idea how Cassie got misdiagnosed as being unable to speak,” Psy said.
“How?”
“There was no diagnosis—at all. Rosalie never took her to any doctors—she only told her she had. Cassie would have been too young to remember and would accept anything she was told. Her mother even lied about the mumps inoculation.” He was sure of it.
“The good news is, Rosalie has no legal authority. Cassie can do whatever she wants. But she’s going to be devastated by the lie.” Psy pushed away from the table. “I can’t thank you enough for your assistance. Can I keep these documents to show Cassie?”
“That’s why I printed them.”
“I’m going to see her right now.” Hopefully, during the ride over, he’d figure out a gentle way to reveal her mother’s betrayal.
* * * *
Cassie cracked the door open, peeking through the gap.
“I’m early, but I needed to see you right away.” He fidgeted, not looking forward to telling her of her mother’s shady actions. “We need to talk. Are you alone?” Marshaling his psychic energy, he slipped into her mind.
The door slammed against the wall as she stumbled backward, waving her arms to ward him off. What are you doing? Get away. Get out of my head!
What’s wrong? he asked, bewildered.
Get out of my mind! Get out! She grabbed her head.
Psy recoiled and withdrew as the Verital Code of Honor required. “What’s wrong? What happened?” She’d never reacted this way before. She’d always welcomed the mental union. Over her shoulder, he caught sight of chaos. Boxes were stacked against walls stripped of pictures and artwork. Furniture had been shoved aside. “What’s going on? It looks like you’re moving. I guess you broke with your mother after all,” he said, still confused by her reaction to the mind link.
I’m moving to Boise with Mom.
What? He knew he should have come in when Cassie talked to her! Rosalie must have used the fake guardianship to force her into submission. He pressed his lips together, disliking Rosalie more than ever. Was she at work or still at home, he wondered. Lowering his voice, he said, “You don’t have to go with her. Shadow discovered there is no guardianship. You’re totally free.”
Her expression still blank, she wrote, I want to go.
For long silent seconds, he could only gape at the stark words on white paper, the meaning eluding him. “What are you talking about? What about us? Your speech therapy?”
His confusion and anxiety spiked. What had happened since last night? He wished he could enter her mind, but she’d ordered him away, and he couldn’t violate the code.
No us. No therapy. No need.
Screw the code. Without her knowing, he slipped a tendril into her mind. She emoted no love, no affection, no anger, no sadness, no fear…nothing. Her lack of affect shocked him more than anything. Stunned, he withdrew. “I don’t understand. Why would you move now? What changed?”
Nothing. She shrugged.
“We’re genmates.” She’d told him she loved him! Mentally and verbally. He recalled her determination to say the words. She wouldn’t change her mind overnight. Would she?
This relationship isn’t working for me. Sorry.
He reeled as if she’d stabbed him in the heart. “I don’t believe that! Why are you acting this way?” They’d joined minds. He’d known the essence of her from the inside out. This wasn’t Cassie. If she’d wished to break up with him, there would have been some emotion—regret. Guilt. Discomfort. Something. She didn’t even move like herself: her normally graceful gestures had become wooden, her animated face now devoid of expression.
He sent out another probe and touched her mind. She forced him away with a powerful mental shove that sent shock ricocheting through him. How had she done that?
Her pen swiped across the page. Leave.
“Not until you talk to me. Explain what the herian is going on? What changed? Why are you acting this way?”
“Who’s at the door?” Rosalie emerged from another room, came up behind Cassie, and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Oh, it’s you.” Her lip curled. “My daughter doesn’t want to see you anymore.”
“I don’t suppose you had something to do with that?”
“I won’t deny I think it’s a smart decision, but she made it on her own.”
Cassie nodded vigorously. Too vigorously.
“I want to talk to her alone.” He pressed his lips together. “Come walk with me, Cassie.” He held out his hand.
She shook her head.
“She doesn’t want to see you. Her mind is set. You must accept the relationship is over and move on.” Rosalie’s gaze locked onto his, and he jerked in shock. Without colored contacts, her large irises were near-black, making her eyes appear pupil-less.
He felt a slight nudge and then the subtlest pressure in his brain. The insistent, convincing ideations melded into his consciousness, spread through his mind. I was wrong. We’re not genmates. Cassie doesn’t love me. I need to give up.
Cassie is human. We come from different worlds. I misread her intentions. She never cared for me. She was merely curious. She needs a human man, not a ’Topian refugee still hiding from the Xeno Consortium.
I was wrong. We’re not genmates. She doesn’t love me. I need to give up. The truth echoed in his brain.
“It’s time for you to leave.” A sheen of perspiration gleamed on Rosalie’s grimacing face.
Psy stared into her eyes and mouthed the words, “I was wrong. We’re not genmates. Cassie doesn’t love me. I won’t bother her again.” He pivoted and strode away.
Chapter Seventeen
Rosalie was a Verital!
Psy kicked himself for not picking up on it sooner, but she’d fooled him by donning colored contact lenses to hide her distinctive over-large brown irises. He didn’t doubt she’d recognized his eyes the instant she’d met him and had feared what he might discover if he continued to link minds with Cassie.
He’d allowed her to believe her attempt at mind control had been successful because he needed time to devise a plan to save his genmate. Rosalie had implanted false ideas in Cassie’s mind the same way she’d tried to do with him. She’d attempted to sneak into his head without him noticing, but he’d sensed her presence immediately, had locked down his psyche and created a shadow copy for her to toy with.
Brainwashing a child would be no challenge for any Verital. This explained why Cassie couldn’t speak—she’d been programmed to believe she couldn’t.
Why would a mother do that to her child? What was Rosalie afraid Cassie would say? And why had none of her telepathic abilities been passed down to her daughter? He recalled the mental smudge
and wished more than ever he’d investigated when he’d first spotted it. He had to get his genmate away from her mother, determine the extent of the damage, and fix it.
He needed to gather information on his enemy. Only one person would have the answers he needed.
* * * *
“This is Edwin,” said the CEO of Mysk Industries.
“This is Psy in Argent.”
“Everything all right?” Concern edged the tech magnate’s voice. “Did something happen to Shadow…Tigre…”
“No, no. They’re fine,” he reassured him. While he and Mysk had met before, the ’Topian had grown much closer to Tigre and Shadow since the former acted as the contact between the castaways and Mysk Industries, and the latter had haunted the manufacturing facility in hopes of meeting a genmate.
Mysk Industries employees had fled ’Topia at the same time as the castaways. Mysk’s ship had carried several hundred people. In going through jump space, they’d been hurtled back in time and arrived on Earth fifty years before the castaways. ’Topians had longevity on their side. Now in his prime, Mysk had established a thriving tech firm in the five decades it took the castaways to arrive.
“What can I do for you?” he asked.
“Well, I encountered a rogue Verital who attempted to implant false thoughts in my mind.”
Mysk swore. “That’s a huge violation of the code.”
“That’s not the half of it. She’s kept her daughter a virtual prisoner, and I have reason to believe she has prevented her from speaking.”
“Who is she?”
“She goes by Rosalie Steward, but that’s not her real name.”
“A female named Mentira was an infant when we arrived. She enrolled in Earth schools under the name Rosalie Mentira, but I haven’t heard from her in twenty-five years. We Veritals can pass for human, so those who arrived with me integrated into Earth society and are now scattered across the globe. But, with a couple of exceptions, Mentira being one them, they keep in touch.”
“Then you haven’t met her daughter.”