Chapter 28: Whatever and Fake News

I wished I had never mentioned Rachel’s gift. Or mine either for that matter.

Before the afternoon was out, I think that every single female onboard had cornered me to ask if it was possible for them to have telepathy skills too. Poor Rachel was sucked into a vortex of how’s and what if’s, and repeated requests for demonstrations.

We did one, and then I left, headed for the pilot house. Throughout the rest of the day, I could feel her trying, but I just refused to answer her back. I didn’t believe that these powers, these gifts, were meant for play.

In fact, it wasn’t until I heard “Dinner’s ready, Sweetheart,” that I actually responded.

“Be right there,” I thought to her.

If I thought it was over, I had another thing coming. Before I even sat down, they were after me. All I could do was bow my head and focus on my food. First my mom, and then Archara and Monique chided me for refusing to answer. Just when I was about to explode, Captain Alfred slapped the table with his open hand. The slap resonated throughout the salon and immediately got everyone’s attention.

“Damnit! That’s enough!” he bellowed. “Leave the poor boy alone!”

“But Alfred! We just want to know...” Archara started.

“I said ... ENOUGH!” Captain Alfred bellowed again. “You will cease and desist from any more questions! All of you! Have I made myself clear?”

“Yes, Sir!” Anna and Charlotte both quickly replied. They were well acquainted with their father’s commanding tone of voice.

Captain Alfred slowly looked around the table, clearly expecting agreement from everyone else. Finally, Archara nodded her head and the others quickly followed.

There was silence for a moment, then Captain Alfred continued.

“Have any of you even thought about what could happen to you or one of the others if this information were to be leaked out. It would be even worse than what we just went through!”

“Alfred is right,” Monique said calmly. “If anyone found out what Rachel and Alex can do, it would be worse that when those horrible people were chasing us around. There is almost nowhere that we would be safe. I certainly don’t want to live my life like that! Do you?”

“Thank you,” I told Captain Alfred. Then looking at the rest of them I added, “We told you the truth when we said that we didn’t know or understand how it all works. And we sure don’t know why they selected us for these powers or gifts or whatever they are. However, when they finally tell us, we will come to you and tell you what we can. But until that time, please don’t ask us any more questions. It will only make us feel bad and eventually drive us away.”

Then I picked up my plate of food and headed for the cockpit. “You coming?” I mentally asked Rachel. She just picked up her plate and followed me out to the other table.

We could hear the murmur of voices through the damaged plate glass doors and I could see that my mother was crying, but there was nothing we could do about it right now. I was sorry that I ever mentioned the specific gifts. Rachel and I just sat quietly as we finished our dinner. Then using the outboard stairs, we made our way back to our room. There Rachel just fell on the bed and began to bawl.

I hated that Rachel was upset. I knew that she hated conflict and worked hard to get everyone to like her. Her agony over this issue just made me mad and I ended up sitting on the bed holding her as I chastised myself over and over for ever trying to explain something that I truly did not understand.

It was the most miserable night I had spent since the bombing.

The false dawn was breaking off the starboard bow when I stepped out of the shower. This was the earliest I had been up in a while. After drying off, I slipped on my deck shoes and made my way down to the galley, searching for that first cup of coffee. I figured I would have to make the first pot, but I was fine with that. It wouldn’t be the first time.

So I was somewhat surprised to find my mother and Archara leaning against the counter, waiting on the first pot to brew.

They looked at me, unsure whether to speak or not so I slipped my arms around their shoulders and hugged them to me. “I really do love you,” I told them. “But I’m sorry I told you about the gifts. I should have known better.”

“You are the one who acted so maturely, while we all acted like spoiled children. I’m sorry and hope you’ll forgive me,” Archara said. My mom just nodded her head in agreement as the tears continued to fall.

It took them until the coffee was ready to stop crying and apologizing. Then Archara left to take a carafe of coffee up to Captain Tony in the pilot house.

“I am so proud of you!” my mom finally said. “You have really become a man and I promise that I will stop trying to mother you so much.”

“I don’t ever want you to stop being my mother,” I told her. “I love you.”

Right then, Archara returned carrying the satellite phone. “You need to call Cynthiana right away,” she told me as she handed me the phone. “Tony said she sounded upset.”

I was mentally trying to calculate the time difference as I dialed. When she answered, I could tell right away that Cynthiana was distraught. Or maybe disturbed might be better.

“I need to speak with you right away. How soon can you reach port?” she asked. “I’ll send the plane.”

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Not on the phone, Alex! You know that they’re not totally secure.”

“Let me check and I’ll call you right back. It’s not quite dawn here and I need to see where we are. Give me five minutes,” I told her and pressed the button to end the call.

I just looked at my mom and Archara and shrugged my shoulders to answer their question before they asked, then headed for my cabin. Once there, I quickly dressed, kissed a still-sleeping Rachel, and then stood there and focused on where I wanted to go. A split second later, I was standing in the foyer of the house in Zurich as the intrusion alarm began its loud clanging.

The first person to appear was Isabella. She was dressed in shorts and a sports bra, and she was carrying a large sidearm. When she saw me, she did a quick double take and then lowered her gun as she stepped up beside me to give me a big hug.

“How did you get in?” she asked.

“Take me to Cynthiana and I’ll explain to both of you at the same time,” I told her.