Chapter 9

A Chapter by Lorena Rose

Unfortunately when I got downstairs, my brother was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. “No more adventures for today, sis,” he crossed his arms, “I think we should have a discussion.”

“You already had your chance to convince me,” I went into the kitchen to make myself some coffee.

“I am not going to argue with you anymore,” he poured me a cup, “I just want to talk like we used to, the last few weeks I can tell you've started to lie to me.”

“I am a terrible liar,” I put sugar in my cup with some cream.

“You are, that is good though because soldiers shouldn't lie,” he commented, “Why did you feel that you had to lie to me? What has been going on with you?”

“You sound more like a therapist than my brother,” I sighed, “I want my brother back, the six year old who would play tag with me in the backyard, not the soldier who drills me for information.”

“I am still your brother, but I am your guardian too I need to take things seriously,” he argued.

“There is a point of no return, Cass,” I shook my head, “I swear if you're taking those emotion pills I'll find them and flush them down the toilet.”

“Where is this bitterness coming from?” he demanded, “You're so serious.”

“I heard you on the phone, Cass I know you're sending me to a military institution to get rid of your problem,” I left the kitchen and headed for the living room.

“You're listening at my door now,” he followed me, “You know I value my privacy, May.”

“So you don't deny that you want to get rid of me,” I sat on the couch with my coffee.

“I want to make father proud, don't you want to prove everyone wrong?” he sat in front of me, “I know you are strong.”

“You think those injections can save me, but only I can stop this affliction from happening,” I told him, “It makes me weak, but it makes me tougher too and I cannot spend another day trying to force it down.”

“Don't you remember all the nights you've woken up in tears, shaking so bad you couldn't move, Maya,” he insisted, “I cannot let you give into that, it is not normal.”

“Not everyone can be normal,” I replied, “I want to fight, I have instincts to protect people and to guard our traditions I do see the good parts of being a soldier.”

“So what is the problem?” he questioned.

“I love writing and telling the truth, I want to be a journalist,” I said honestly, “I hate guns and there is nothing, but death and honour when your life is done as a soldier.”

“You're just at a rebellious age,” he sighed, “You have to try everything, Maya or all of the time we've spent trying to help you was for nothing.”

“I don't know Cass,” I said shaking my head, “Things are just so complicated now.”

“What is so complicated? You can tell me I won't get upset,” he promised.

“I saw a woman after she got the injections, she was barely unconscious,” I shuddered, “She moved like a robot and she looked horrified.”

“Some people have bad reactions to the drugs, but you'll get over it,” he assured me, “With these injections, suppressing and eliminating your condition will be easier.”

“You sound like a machine,” I looked out the window, “I suppose I won't be seeing Price again until I am 'cured'.”

“He'll be over tonight,” he answered, “I think you need more hand to hand combat training and he seems to be the only one who can get through to you.”

“I don't want to be around him that much,” I told him thinking about how dangerously tempting Darren's lips were.

“You wanted friends and life experience,” he reminded me.

“One guy is all I get for the rest of my life,” I laid my head back against the pillow.

“He is good for you, May,” he promised.

“Just because you like his friend doesn't mean you should sell me off,” I snapped, “Why can't I chose who I want to hang out with?”

“Because you'd start talking to the other patients at the centre and make bad choices,” he argued.

“You don't know everything, big brother,” I drank some of my coffee.

“If you're going to be this indignant then maybe you do need some fresh air after all,” he got up, “Go for a walk, you have an hour before your date arrives.”

“Really,” I got up.

“It's snowing out so you'll probably be back in ten minutes,” he handed me my coat.

“Yeah, probably,” I tied up my boots quickly and headed out the door.

“Be careful,” he called after me.

“Always,” I looked back at him then I went out. I looked for Seth at the testing centre and then checked out the abandoned church. I ended up sitting in a cafe in the outskirts of town with a pen and paper. I wrote about my lineage and my ghost friends. I wondered whether they were ghosts at all, I had seen things before they happened too. Did I have two gifts? That did not seem possible so I mulled over my worries and questions in print. I needed to talk to someone, I could only answer so many questions by myself. I ended up at the public phone calling the first number I could think of.

“Hello,” Jeremiah Hille answered the phone.

“Hello, this is Maya Garnet Seth said I could call you if I needed to talk about the pills or my abilities,” I said quietly so no eavesdroppers could hear me.

“Are you wearing a red sweater?” he asked.

“Yes,” I frowned, “How did you know that?”

“I didn't know the Garnets came to Beckett's Grill and Bar,” his voice was suddenly right behind me. I turned around to see a guy maybe a few years older than me at most.

“Hi,” I hung up the phone, “You're Jeremiah.”

“The youngest of the leaders,” he smiled, “Most of the leaders are ex scientists or sympathizers, I did take the drug myself though so I have inside experience.”

“What ability do you have?” I asked quietly.

“Relax, Miss. Garnet this bar is owned by Rogers now so it's a sanctuary for us,” he promised, “I am surprised you called me, but I guess Seth only has so many answers.”

“I just have too many questions and I don't want to put too much pressure on one person,” I explained.

“How about on three?” he gestured to a table where Eva was sitting with Seth beside her, “Seth, we have a new visitor.” Seth looked up and saw me. He looked away again right away and I knew he thought I hated him.

“Hey you,” Eva smiled at me, “I hear you are up to date about Edmund Peck.”

“Basically,” I sat down next to Seth, “He sounds like a monster, good thing his son doesn't follow his lead.”

“What?” Seth looked up.

“I never should have said you did, I know better than to think you're like him,” I took his hand and squeezed it.

“If the boy was like his father then he'd be on his own,” Jeremiah joked, “So what would you like to talk about, Maya?”

“Well, this morning I was thinking about the ghosts and I started going through my family albums,” I cleared my throat, “I only see six different ghosts and they are all relatives of mine as it turns out.”

“Interesting, why do you think it's only relatives?” he questioned.

“For a long time, the only people I've listened to are family and they tell me things, things that haven't happened yet,” I looked at the table, “Is it possible the two things connect? What if seeing ghosts isn't actually my ability?”

“Then your ability is more developed than most people's,” Jeremiah remarked, “The only one who has two degrees of talent other than yourself is Seth with his numbers and eidetic memory.”

“At least you can explain yours,” Seth muttered.

“Why do you think ours are more developed?” I inquired.

“How long were you two taking the adaptors for?” Jeremiah asked.

“A long time,” we both answered.

“Over a year at least, they were a staple in my childhood,” Seth added.

“For me as well,” I agreed, “How long did you take them for?”

“Less than a year, I have advanced senses, but my talents are less extraordinary than either of yours,” Jeremiah said thoughtfully, “Seth's numbers are fascinating to the ex scientists, he can see them in people too sometimes in matches.”

“That's incredible,” I looked at Seth.

“It's been a headache lately though because when I link two things together I have to figure out the connection and I can only think so hard before my head explodes,” Seth took a sip of his soda.

“So do you have any more questions?” Jeremiah suggested.

“I know it's probably privileged information, but has there been any news on the red pills the soldiers are taking?” I asked curiously.

“You're a part of the group, Maya we have no use for a bunch of secrets,” Seth nudged me.

“Without samples, we are just going off what you were told and what intelligence we have access to,” Hille informed me, “They seem to be in their mildest form in the military student's first year and they get a higher dose until their emotions shut down and they basically become soldiers with no decision making ability and no ethics.”

“We have to do something then,” I insisted, “Get the pills off the market or find a way to convince the students not to take them.”

“Don't worry your boyfriend is taking a fairly low dose, so convincing him not to take them should be easy enough,” Seth assured me.

“He is not my boyfriend,” I replied.

“We can't do anything more without samples to test, so try to steal one of your friend's next time you see him,” Jeremiah ordered.

“I can do that, is there anything else I can do?” I questioned.

“Relax and stick around for awhile, every one of us needs to rest once in awhile,” he got up, “I'll go see if Rogers needs topping up on his liquor supply.”

“Illegal activity,” I laughed.

“Of course,” Eva got up too, “I'm going to help Jerry, Rogers is a brute.”

“See you later,” I waved then I was alone with Seth.

“Were you just pretending everything was okay, May?” Seth asked seriously, “I would understand if you were angry.”

“I am not angry anymore, I was just caught off guard and I didn't know we were keeping secrets,” I shrugged.

“No more secrets,” he insisted, “I'll tell you every gory detail in my life and you can tell me anything in return.”

“My brother staged an intervention for me,” I said with a smile.

“Those are always painful, let me guess Edmund was there,” he sighed, “That man thinks the only way to live is by his order.”

“For a doctor, he is a lot like a commander,” I commented, “Is he mean to you at home?”

“He's a very twisted man,” he shuddered.

“I'm sorry you have to live like that,” I squeezed his hand again.

“It's easier when I have friends around,” he looked over at me, “Do you want to come and see my garage and all my projects today?”