Fiction
Here's the first part of Chapter 3, Chains of the Phoenix. This is the last chapter I've written, and will decide whether or not to continue based on the feed back I get. I cetainly hope that people are enjoying this, and that I am not asting anyone's bandwidth.
Chapter 3: Ticking Clock
“Did you find anything?” asked John as Elena and Paul arrived on the Jaunting Pad.
“We think so John,” replied Elena as she quickly stepped down from the pad and walked towards the gently glowing table under TIM. Putting the framed photo on the table, Elena shucked her backpack and looked up at the glowing spheres that hung from the ceiling. “Do you think we can use this TIM?”
Getting up from the couch where he had been sitting with Ginge, John joined Elena at the table and looked at the photo.
“The photograph certainly possesses some psionic residue” stated TIM. “It may be enough to help us locate Ben.”
“I hope so TIM,” said Elena as she sat down heavily in a chair. “I’m exhausted.”
“Perhaps you should rest then Elena. A powernap will refresh you and restore your energy,” suggested TIM.
“I don’t think we have the time TIM,” negated John as he sat beside Elena and put a hand on her shoulder. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Elena looked at John and nodded tiredly, “I’m fine John, please stop fussing. Let’s get on with this. I can rest when we’ve found Ben.”
“Alright then,” acknowledged John. “Paul, sit down and link.”
Paul moved quickly to the table, placing his hands on the surface and linked with the others before he had completely sat down, his mind tumbling into the gestalt with John, Elena, and TIM.
[Please concentrate on the photograph of Ben,] said TIM into the minds of the others. [Concentrate on finding his location.]
Elena frowned as she struggled to focus, drawing what strength she could from John and Paul. With their help, she was able to drive away the effects of fatigue and felt renewed, at least for the time being. She focussed on the photograph, trying to sense the psionic impressions left behind by Ben. Suddenly, she felt a rush of deep love that Ben had for Tessa, a friendship so strong, that it brought a tear to her eye.
[He loves her so much.]
[I can feel it too Elena. It’s amazing,] replied Paul.
[Focus on that feeling then,] suggested John. [Trace it to its source.]
Elena nodded, and allowed her telepathic senses to expand, spreading outwards from the constraints of her body. She felt that John, Paul, and TIM were all with her, and yet they were also part of her, as she unconsciously became the dominant member of the link, and allowed her intuition to guide her.
All around her she could sense the minds of the people of London, working, playing, studying. Some were sleeping, some were eating, and some were dying. Elena expanded her consciousness further, and she felt as if she were rushing upwards, or perhaps England was falling away from her. No matter, because as England became smaller, she became more aware of the rest of the earth. She could now sense the inhabitants of Europe, of America, and finally of Australia. Elena felt as if she was in mental contact with every single mind on the planet, and the feeling was intoxicating. Rushing from one mind to another, she briefly touched them, desperately looking for any sign of Ben. Fleeting fragments of conversation reached her, and were left far behind before she could register their meaning as she touched minds at a blinding pace.
[TIM,] gasped Elena. [There’s too many.]
[You are doing well Elena,] supported TIM, lending his own strength to that of John’s and Paul’s. [Focus on Ben. Where is he?]
[I’m trying TIM,] replied Elena. She struggled to maintain control, feeling that at any moment she would be lost in the multitude of minds and conversations that threatened to overwhelm her. Suddenly, her senses focussed on two men in a pub. One was smoking, and Elena felt a rush of disgust as she could actually feel the smoke rush into his lungs. Resisting the urge to cough, she narrowed her concentration to these two and everything else faded into the background. They were saps, and therefore she could only pick up tiny incomplete echoes of their thoughts, but she could sense that they had been with Ben a very short time ago, and the impressions left with them were violent. Elena noted their location, and recalled her senses. Her consciousness snapped back to her body with such force that she actually rocked back in her chair, threatening to tumble backwards.
“Steady on there luv’,” stated Ginge as he grabbed Elena’s chair and prevented a possible disaster. “Don’t want ya brainin’ yaself!”
“Thanks Ginge,” replied Elena as she looked back at the big biker. Ginge slowly righted her chair and Elena breathed a sigh of relief.
“There were two men,” began Elena.
“Yes,” agreed John. “We saw them too. Good work Elena.”
“Rough sorts,” added Paul. “I didn’t like the looks of them.”
“I think they’re the ones that kidnapped Ben,” stated Elena. “I could sense him all over them.”
John nodded as he thought for a moment. “We’ll need to talk with them.”
“Good luck!” Paul pushed himself away from the table and stretched. “We’ll have about as much luck getting anything out of them as I have of currently keeping a girlfriend.”
“That’s where me an’ the boys come in,” declared Ginge.
“You don’t have to get involved in this Ginge,” began John.
“Rubbish,” retorted the big bikie. “You’re me friend John, as are the lot of you Tomorrow People. I can’t jus’ sit back and let you blighters die now, can I?”
“Ginge, that’s very good of you,” replied Elena, moving forward and touching Ginge on the arm while looking up into his eyes. “But these two seem like they’re very dangerous.”
“Too big for mean ol’ Ginge to ‘andle? Now tha’ sound’s like a challenge.”
“Come on now Ginge,” said John. “We appreciate the offer, but we don’t want you getting hurt.”
“I’m not stupid John,” growled Ginge. “I’ll get Chris and Lefty to give me an ‘and for this one. It’s been a while since me an’ the old boys got together.”
[Chris?] asked Paul telepathically. [Lefty?]
[Later Paul,] replied Elena before she addressed Ginge vocally. “You’re too good to us Ginge.” Elena threw her arms around Ginge in a hug of gratitude.
Ginge responded by wrapping his big arms around the small woman, almost totally engulfing her. “Wha’ else are mates for, eh?”
Pulling away from the biker, Elena smiled at both John and Paul.
John cleared his throat and pushed himself away from the table. “Very well Ginge, I guess there’s no way to talk you out of this.”
“No there ain’t,” agreed Ginge. “Where are these buggers?”
“In a public bar... in Australia,” stated John.
“Right. Give me an ‘our to find Chris and Lefty and to get back ‘ere, alright?”
“That’ll be fine Ginge,” replied John. “It felt like those two had settled in for a long night. In the meantime I can get the matter transporters ready, and Elena can get some rest.”
“But I’m fine John,” began Elena, but suddenly yawned so widely that she thought her jaw would crack. “Oh, sorry. I don’t know where that came from.”
“Like fun you don’t Elena,” noted John. “Get some rest, you too Paul. I’ll see what else I can do here until Ginge returns.”
Paul opened his mouth to argue, but thought better of it when he saw the steely look John threw in his direction. “C’mon Elena.” Together Paul and Elena walked up the stairs that led to the private sleeping areas.
Once they had gone, John turned back to Ginge, a look of deep concern etched across his features. “Are you sure you want to do this Ginge? Those men certainly looked like a lot of trouble.”
“Wha’ choice do we ‘ave John?” replied Ginge. “It’s not as if you blighters could ‘andle it. Leave the roughing up to me and me mates.”
“I want you to be careful Ginge, alright?”
“I may have a gammy leg, mate,” retorted Ginge, a crooked smile growing on his lips as he drove his fist into his open palm. “But I can still crack me a few ‘eads.”
John nodded as he watched Ginge leave the lab. Standing for a moment looking at the retreating back of his friend before the door closed and obscured his vision, John thanked what powers there were that there were still such good people in the world. He thoughts back at the circumstances that lead to Ginge befriending the Tomorrow People, and smile gently. Bringing himself back to the present, John turned back to the lab and addressed TIM.
“Do we have three working matter transporters TIM?”
“We do,” replied TIM. “They are in the storage unit. A few moments to calibrate them will have them working perfectly.”
John nodded absently as he gestured at a wall, and a panel opened. With another simple gesture, John telekinetically grabbed three small disk-shaped objects and brought them towards him, stopping them just a few feet from his face. Gently the three disks rotated in the air as John’s brow furrowed in concentration. Using his telekinesis, he felt carefully within each disk, making the minor adjustments necessary to teleport Ginge, Chris and Lefty. Nodding to himself in satisfaction, John gently lowered the disks to the tabletop, and then allowed himself to relax. Sighing, he then sat himself back down at the table and rested his head in his hands.
“You are also tired John. Perhaps some rest is in order for you too?”
“No TIM, I don’t have the time to allow myself that luxury,” replied John, shaking his head and sitting up straight. “There’s too much that still needs to be done.”
“Then perhaps a strong mug of coffee to help you concentrate?” suggested the computer.
John nodded. “That would be wonderful TIM, thankyou.”
The glow that emanated from the tabletop intensified for a moment, before returning back to normal; where before there were only the matter transmitters on the table, there was now also a steaming mug of black coffee. With barely a conscious thought, John reached for the coffee and brought it to his lips, taking a long swallow, and then another before setting the cup back down. Sighing again in frustration, John pushed himself away from the table and paced back and forth.
“There must be more that we can do TIM!” John finally exclaimed, bringing his closed fist down heavily on the table.
“No John, we have done everything that we can. All we can do now is wait.”
“I hate this TIM,” growled John, looking up at the biotronic computer. “I hate feeling so…useless!”
“That is understandable John,” replied TIM calmly. “You have always taken a patriarchal role among the Tomorrow People.”
“I was the first Tomorrow Person TIM. It’s natural for me to want to look after them.”
“But it is that very desire that blinds you from seeing that they are able to look after themselves.”
“They’re so young,” replied John in frustration.
“As you once were John,” countered TIM. “You were barely 16 when you constructed me. Only 17 when you led Carol, Kenny, and Steven. You have brought together many Tomorrow People, helped them learn to use their abilities, and then see them leave to live their own lives. If you were able to do so much at such a young age, imagine what Paul and Elena can achieve if you allow them too.”
“I just wish some of the others were here,” snapped John. Screwing his face up in a snarl of frustration, he telekinetically grabbed the half full mug of coffee, and with a grunt of rage, flung it hard. The mug hit the jaunting pad wall and shattered into a thousand pieces, splashing steaming hot coffee back into the lab. Breathing deeply, John struggled to regain control of his emotions, fearing the intensity of the anger and futility he was feeling. “We all could die.”
“Yes you could John,” replied TIM. “And then, perhaps you won’t. I need to remind you that what you fear is still only a supposition. We have no solid evidence that this situation is as dire as we suspect. It may be that the only Tomorrow Person we lose is Ben.”
“And that’s one Tomorrow Person too many,” snapped John. “We have to prevent this from happening TIM, and I’ll do everything in my power to stop it.”
“As will I John, but we must also keep our perspective.”
John breathed deeply for a moment, and finally calmed down. Nodding his head, he sat down on one of the comfortable sofas and visibly relaxed. “You’re right TIM. Letting myself get carried away won’t help us, and it certainly won’t help Ben.
“I’m glad that you are beginning to see reason John. Please allow yourself to rest, and I will rouse you when Ginge and his friends arrive.”
“Okay TIM,” agreed John. His eyes were dry, and John acknowledged to himself that he had not slept for nearly 24 hours, and that some rest would only do him good. Pushing himself up off the sofa with some effort, John made his way to the stairs that lead to the living quarters on the level above. “I’ll grab a quick nap upstairs TIM, but if anything happens, wake me.”
“Certainly John. Sleep well.”
* * * * *
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