Voice of the Mind

Chapter 10.1 -- Secrets

* * * * * * * * * *

"He

what

?!"

"This guy Millhouse said that Jenny was assisting a wanted criminal," Jim said on the phone. "So he was arresting her for conspiring with people involved in illegal activities. I couldn't do anything, I didn't know anything! What is going on, Vincent?"

He had to grab onto something not to fall. His mind was spinning.

"Are you still there?"

"I'm here. Just ... overwhelmed," Vincent answered. "I'll see what I can do. Don't do anything rash. We don't want to make things worse. I'm gonna look into it and see what we can do for her. Trust me."

Jim disconnected the call and Vincent stared at his phone.

'Trust me', I said. I hardly have any idea what's going on and I have no idea where he is or what I can do to get her out of this mess. I don't even trust myself for solving this, so what right do I have to ask him to trust me?

He realized he was crushing his cellphone and loosened his grip. It took him more time to manage that than he thought it would. He closed his eyes and exhaled in order to regain some composure, some calm. That also took longer than he thought. But when he had regained his composure he realized what he could -- and needed to do to have even a decent shot at getting Jenny out alive.

"Talitha?"

he asked.

"You still out there?"

"I'm here. What do you need?"

She didn't even ask what it was about, as if she already knew,

he realized.

Or did she just hear my distress and didn't want to beat around the bush?

"The truth,"

he transmitted to her.

"I need to know what is going on and what I can do. For that, I need to know the full story. And that means that you have to give up a few secrets."

She didn't answer immediately, probably because she needed to collect her thoughts. But when she spoke, she started off differently than he had expected:

"Yes, I overheard your conversation. Your shield to block other mindreaders isn't flawless and when you're distressed you don't shield them much at all.

First things first: the mindreading you refer to has a technical term. It's called 'telepathy'. It basically means you can hear and transmit thoughts to others. But you already know that from your mindlink with Jenny. What you don't know is that it's not limited to one person. Once trained, you can do this with pretty much everyone, save a few exceptions. The reason why you hear me is because I have contacted

you

. Just by reaching out to you. This is what telepathy can do.

Considering how they have captured Jenny after they have talked to you, they might know that you have the gift of telepathy as well and have decided to use her as leverage. It worked like that for me too; since my father was family I was reluctant to leave him, especially since he also knew all my friends and had threatened me with harming them. I honestly don't want to know what kind of terror I have caused them by leaving, but at some point I simply didn't want to be a tool to change the world with. Not if it will be changing the world for the worse.

You're afraid that you will doom me when you visit me in person. Let me assure you that you won't. Before that guy visited you, he had already walked past my apartment. So he knows where I live and he hadn't barged in to capture me. I believe he simply wanted to know how much I mean to you and how much you mean to me, in order to try to get some leverage on me. And when he discovered your ability, he changed his plans and kidnapped Jenny to make it all more complicated."

"Right. So, it comes down to whether you or I -- preferably both -- join forces with that fake cop. If we don't, he'll do something; if we do, he'll lay down arms and bring us to their leader. Which would be your father. Am I correct?"

"That sounds reasonably right, yes."

"Wonderful,"

he sneered.

"So, if I want to even have a snowball's chance in hell for success, I need to ask you if you will aid me in my ... quest for freeing Jenny. Will you help me?"

He felt her hesitating and wondered if he was really fighting a lost cause. Not because of him being unable to rescue Jenny, but because he had caught the eye of the people Talitha was running from, who was much more experienced -- and

still

failed to do that, considering how they had tracked her down all the way here.

"There is

one more

thing I have to tell you,"

she admitted.

"There is more to this thing called telepathy.

While reading someone's mind is a fearful thing by itself if it's employed by someone with loose ethics, with enough training you can also

alter

someone's mind."

He had to let that sink in for a bit. He realized she had mentioned that before -- even Jenny had mentioned it when he had first told her about his ability -- but back then he hadn't registered it well enough to understand the weight of it.

"I have altered

your

mind,"

she resumed, as he didn't reply.

"Your breakup with Jenny and your hookup with me? I engineered that. I altered your mind so you would dump her and become my boyfriend, so I could train your ability in time, giving me a powerful bodyguard for when someone would track me down -- as a safeguard.

Unfortunately, he has already found us and there is ample time to train you to actually be an asset. Right now, you're about as useless to me as a winged tortoise is to you.

I

shall

undo that alteration to your mind, so you won't see me anymore as your girlfriend. I've already told you that you only needed to push Jenny away so you could be with me, so that doesn't apply anymore. When I restore your mind, you can be with her again."

"Great. Now, back to my question: will you help me in rescuing Jenny? Because, honestly, that's pretty much the only thing that matters to me now. Restoring my mind can wait."

He felt the shock from her and he grimly smiled.

"You ... don't mind?"

"Oh, I mind alright. I just think that getting Jenny back is my highest priority. It doesn't matter if you're my girlfriend or not, I love Jenny. And since you haven't altered that, well, I'll be hunting down the bastard who took her even if it will cost me my life. So. I sincerely hope you will aid me, because otherwise I'll probably

do

lose my life in the process."

"To get back to the phrase 'losing your life' ..."

"... you will, if you don't lock the door to your back yard."

"What?" he turned around, only to see Talitha standing in his living room. The red-haired girl looked grim, but with a slight grin which curled the left corner of her mouth. She looked determined. Much more resolved than he felt -- and

he

was the one planning to take his ex-girlfriend back.

"How ...?"

"Like I said. Back door. That's a good thing, y'know. We're telepaths, we don't do telekinesis. So locked doors still keep us out." She strode towards him and laid a hand on his temple. "Now close your eyes. I'm gonna undo my spell."

He closed his eyes, but didn't feel anything. There was no big feeling of relief, no pain, no revelation or anything. Just ... darkness.

"Here you go, done," she declared. "Everything I wanted to change is reversed. You can stop being my boyfriend now and date Jenny again."

"Everything you

wanted

to change?" he inquired. "Not everything you

changed

?"

She smiled an asymmetric smile, where only the left corner of the mouth moved up --

just the way Elvis Presley smiled

, he thought -- but didn't say anything.

"Let's go," she said. "I have a feeling this is gonna be a long day."

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 10.2 -- Unlikely allies

* * * * * * * * * *

He had wanted to go with her, but there was something else he wanted to do first. Since he didn't want to disclose this odd little secret, he had asked Talitha not to pry -- and sent her on her way to do some scouting. They agreed that she'd contact him if she'd found Jenny.

He had returned to his room, which felt strangely forlorn, as if the soul had been ripped from it.

So even here the soul of Jenny resides,

he thought bitterly.

She has a habit of integrating herself in all aspects of my life, ever since we met.

His mind went back to when he was just a little teenager and ended up engaging in a debate with someone online -- a debate, an argument, perhaps even a fight which brought them together in the end and they become friends. He hadn't known she was a girl back then. She was fierce, smart and able to outwit him whenever it came to arguments -- and she was still the same girl as back then, only taller. And more physically developed.

But it wasn't her he was looking for here. That would be a different girl, one who wouldn't develop physically anymore.

He realized that it wasn't only Jenny whose soul filled his house. Charissa's

actual

soul resided here as well and it surprised him to realize that he couldn't imagine his room without her presence. He had grown accustomed to her, but that was a little disrespectful; he liked her as a good friend by now. He wanted to tell her everything, but stopped himself. It could wait until Jenny was safely home.

"Charissa?"

he asked.

"You there?"

He waited a bit, looking around and suddenly a figure drifted in from the window.

"Well, that was a surprise,"

she said even before she touched down on the floor.

"You sent me to investigate her and the next thing you know is that Jenny gets kidnapped and the one you turn to is that same Talitha. I might not have understood everything, but did she really put a spell on you to break up with Jenny?"

"Well, that and a few other things, but that's all not important right now. There has been a man who wants to use me for his own gains due to the mindlink I can employ and he's using Jenny as leverage. Talitha and I are going to look for them and when we find them, I might need your help."

"Talitha?Are you sure? You asked me to spy on her and I can tell you that she's really up to no good."

"I know, but she has explained a few things to me, so at least I know what's going on. Trust me that for now we can trust her in retrieving Jenny."

He heard his own thoughts and wondered if he could really trust her. He decided that he did not have much of a choice; he would have to settle for her help, regardless of what shit that would get him into later.

"Will you help me?"

"I'm all yours, but what do you expect of me? I'm having enough trouble making myself visible to others and I'm not strong enough to fight on your behalf with normal people. I mean, I only recently managed to touch a few things."

He smiled. She didn't have too much trouble jerking him off though, but his smile faltered when he realized that getting into a fight would be something on a completely different scale.

"I have no idea. But you might just be the one person who can topple the fight I'm expecting to the side I'm one. You're my wildcard, my joker. I don't know what to expect and when you're going in blind, it'll be the small details that might save your life. So I'm hoping you can save Jenny's -- and mine."

She frowned, uncertain. But she showed her determination when she said:

"So what do I do?"

* * *

After Charissa he had another joker in the pocket and he hoped he would be able to reach him.

"Kevin! I need you!"

he yelled in his mind, as hard as he could. The reply was nearly instantaneous.

"Vincent. I'm here."

"Good grief. So you're a telepath too. Since when do they pop up on every corner?"

Kevin snickered.

"You're learning quickly. Half a day ago you didn't even know the word existed. Now you're initiating conversations."

"My apologies for cutting this short,"

Vincent interjected.

"But there has been an escalation. My girlfriend has been kidnapped by someone who -- according to a friend of mine -- is actively recruiting telepaths for his purposes. I need to rescue her."

"There

are

people, individuals and organisations who will try to get telepaths to do their bidding. We know of them. There are probably more of them than we're aware of, but let me assure you that me and my organisation does not resort to these ... inhuman activities. Although you're not inclined to believe me."

Vincent sighed.

"Truth is, I have little choice in the matter. I need my girlfriend to be saved, to be returned home and unharmed if possible. I also realize that alone I will probably get her -- and myself -- killed , since I'm merely a novice, not trained and not schooled to know what is possible with this ability that some of us possess.

So whether I believe you or not is, right now, merely something I have to risk. I believe you can aid me in my rescue of her, whether that will doom me later on or not I don't care. Her safety is my main priority."

"Then, by all means, let me help you."

Kevin's tone had gone from casual, jesting, to professional.

"When all this is over, we will sit down and you can ask me all the questions you have. Then, and only then, you decide whether you want to keep in contact or ban me and my organisation from your life. My help to you will be without any debts. So, where is she being held?"

"I don't know. I only know that she

is

being held."

Kevin stayed silent for a bit, long enough for Vincent to wonder if he was still there, but not long enough to believe it.

"If I'm correct, you have a sort of mindlink with her, am I right?"

Vincent wanted to punch himself in the face. He had forgotten all about their mindlink. It could prove to be the connection, the way he could find her if she could tell where she had been taken. He immediately started to try to reach her -- only to find there was nothing. He couldn't reach her.

"I do, although how you know is ... you just read that in my mind, didn't you?"

Kevin confirmed it.

"If there is haste in her rescue, there is much I need to know. Your ability isn't developed enough to give me that information by yourself and telling me will take too much time, not to mention that you might forget about crucial information, so I'm scanning your mind looking for clues. I'm convinced you will forgive me if that will prove to ensure her safety. Right now, that mindlink as you call it should be enough for me to trace them. Give me a moment to do so."

Once again the connection was silent. Vincent was left to his own devices and he knew he could do nothing more than wait until his newly gained ally would provide him with the information he needed.

It's ridiculous,

he thought to himself.

I've only learned of my ability just a few weeks ago and here I am, getting myself involved in some sort of conspiracy where people are being abducted and there being entire organisations with telepaths either doing good or evil deeds.

And aside of making myself familiar with my ability, I have been playing around, accepting it as it is, and now I'm unable to save my girlfriend -- the girl I have loved for years and only recently discovered that she had loved me the same way I did. Hell, I've only just realized that I loved her in the first place. And the first thing that happens is that I've let myself be tricked into dumping her to become an unwilling bodyguard and she gets herself kidnapped by someone who believes I can expand his business and bring him wealth beyond his dreams. It's madness I tell you, sheer madness.

"Found her."

The words struck him as if someone had told him that ... well, someone found his missing girlfriend.

"I'll show you where she's being held. You alone?"

He had already transmitted a visual image of Talitha before he realized that he probably shouldn't have done so. But since he couldn't take that back anymore, he said:

"She helps me. I don't know if I can trust her either, but I'm new to this business. I need to take whatever's thrown at me and work with it. I assume you know her."

"I know

of

her. Talitha. She and I haven't met and I don't really know her. I only know she's --"

"Cut it short, mister. I don't want to know what you know and don't know. I want to save my girlfriend. You with me?"

"I'm with you. But I'm not in the vicinity right now, not sure how fast I can be there. And listen to me. She's alive and well. She's just ... unconscious, which is why you couldn't reach her. There's only one person guarding her, probably the same person who has kidnapped her.

I will keep in contact with you for the time being until I get there, so don't do anything stupid like rushing in and endangering her life. I'll round up a few people to make sure she gets out of this unscathed. Deal?"

He agreed while rushing out the door -- once again realizing that he was without a car to transport him.

"Goddammit!" he cursed loudly, stamping his foot on the pavement.

And again I rely on Jenny to get me anywhere, leaving me completely helpless when I need to come to

her

rescue. If we get out of this alive, I'm gonna get myself a car. Period.

He rushed over towards the neighbours and rang the bell. Jeffrey opened the door and greeted him.

"Hey Vincent. Didn't expect to see you here."

"I'm really sorry, Jeff, but can I borrow your car? I have a license."

"Uh, sure." He retrieved the keys from his sidepocket. "Anything wrong? Something I can help with?"

He shook his head. "Sorry, I'm afraid I have to tackle this alone. Thanks."

"No problem, man. Good luck."

He was already halfway to the car and started it up before his neighbour had finished the sencence. Within moments he was out of sight, close to leaving a trail of burned rubber. He doubted they would ever let him borrow the car in the future after seeing him drive.

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 10.3 -- The fight

* * * * * * * * * *

When he arrived, Talitha was already there.

"They're here," she simply concluded. "I can feel them inside. One guard and Jenny. We might be able to take him. You got any weapons?"

"Weapons?" he asked stupidly, instantly realizing that he would need something to free Jenny -- fighting with his bare hands would scarcely do the trick against a professional.

She opened the door from her car and took something out before closing it again. She handed him a baseball bat.

"Here. At least you have something to defend yourself with if it comes to a fistfight. Although I doubt we'll be seeing much of physical combat."

He looked at the wooden bat in his hands. It wasn't too heavy. He could wield it. She looked at the warehouse where Jenny was held and appeared lost in thought.

"It's almost eight," she said. "And he's having trouble staying awake. The past few nights he had slept barely, with the assault on me and the preparations to get you on his side. After that, the kidnapping of Jenny. And he's the only one here, so he can't just go out and leave her there."

Talitha saw him looking at her. "He's tired, hasn't yet contacted his boss since he doesn't have me -- or you. Which means his mind is easier to pierce and he hasn't noticed me doing so. So I'd suggest we go sit in the car and wait till he has fallen asleep."

"I have another friend coming, hopefully he'll be here by then as well. He's ... also a telepath."

She looked at him questionally. "Didn't know you had other friends with abilities."

"Just met him yesterday. He was investigating you. He didn't seem dangerous enough to resort to kidnapping."

"Investigating

me

?" she asked.