Chapter 3

Jason was asked what his experience was, and he said he could track just about any animal and knew their habits and migration patterns. A park ranger asked for a brief demonstration, asking Jason to identify several different types of footprints or animal spoor, which he did easily.

While it was true he could do what he said, his two months at his cabin retreat had taught him much, much more. He was developing an ability to read things. It didn't matter what it was. A person, a plant, an animal, a tree, he could look at it, and see back to a certain point in its immediate past.

For example, he saw the real concern and fear that this person might kill again. He also saw all the things this ranger had done for sometime, from the present, to several weeks in the past. He could not see the ranger's whole life, but he knew intimate details that the ranger would no doubt be upset about, if Jason revealed that knowledge.

This ability had developed gradually. While it startled him at first, he was becoming more used to it. He felt this was something that he had done before... somewhere.

"I am also good at taking in a person. By looking at him, I can determine certain things about him," Jason said carefully.

"What do you mean?" asked the ranger curiously.

"For example, I know you had jelly with your toast this morning, and that it was most likely grape," Jason responded.

The ranger gaped at him. "Now how the hell could you know that? You weren't at breakfast with me!"

"Simple observation, Sir. I see little crumbs in your mustaches. Not many and hardly noticeable, but I seem to have an eye for detail, which helps me a lot," he answered.

Truth to be told, Jason read the breakfast in the person's... aura? spirit? soul? Was this what God did, and how he knew what people were doing or did? Yet, he could not read this ranger's life back more than a few months.

"Damn! You are good! Look, we found the stolen car. It has a broken axle. It's not far from here, on an old fire road. That's our starting point. Let me get someone to take my place, here, as we are waiting for the state police to come.

"With you here, we might be able to get him quicker. Hmmm, the sheriff is not going to want any more civilians up there. Let me think. Ok, here's what we do. We are similar in sizes. I am going to give you my spare uniform, and then you and me are going up the mountain and join the search. Can you handle a weapon?" Jason was asked.

"I have never shot a weapon in my life. But I have an awareness of what's around me that will astound you. Don't worry, I won't get shot," Jason said with confidence.

So it was, that thirty-three minutes later, Jason and the ranger Dave Ranson arrived at the site of the abandoned car.

Introductions were made. Jason did feel a little self conscious in the rangers spare clothes, but the sheriff and the two deputies took him at face value, and were pleased to have an experienced tracker along.

More deputies and the county and state police were expected to show up soon, but Jason read that the sheriff wanted to catch this guy, not only to get him off the streets, but for political gain. A capture like this would make a lot of political fodder for this sheriff.

Jason, while disappointed, was not surprised at what he read in the sheriff. Corruption and manipulation of the system was second nature to this man. For the most part, the sheriff wanted to serve and enforce, but only as a springboard for bigger and better things.

Jason was let through the check point. He carefully avoided destroying evidence he knew the county or state police would find valuable. He pointed out several small items that had totally slipped by the sheriff, who then decided that perhaps this ranger knew his business.

"Well, it sure as hell looks like you know what you're doing. Welcome to the team, and if you hold on a minute, we'll get started" the sheriff said.

One of the deputies was delegated to stay behind to guard the area, and soon a small group of five people started following the trail up into the woods and slightly on an uphill tangent.

Several times Jason had to stop and cast about for sign, as the terrain became rocky. He soon noticed little fresh scuff marks left on a small rock shelf, and led the people in the correct direction.

Jason not only used his normal eyesight, but he used his ability to pick up the feel of the area. It was a gentle green shimmer that seemed disturbed, much like a boat's wake. Soon, the wake in this field started getting stronger and more concentrated. Jason called for a halt, and took a drink from his canteen. They had been tracking for over an hour now, and this was hot, sweaty work.

"We're getting closer," Jason said pointing at a broken stem from a plant. It was a fairly fresh break. A little bead of sap was forming from the parent plant already.

"I'd say we were fifteen minutes or so behind him right now," Jason stated.

It was only ten minutes. The man had stopped to take a break, which is what threw off Jason's calculations. When they rounded an outcrop of rock, they could see him about thirty yards away. He was resting against the side of the mountain, with his eyes closed.

Since Jason had to consciously use his ability to SEE (it was not automatic, or 'always on'), he had chosen to use it off and on, as it took intense concentration to do it on a sustained basis.

The capture was anti-climatic. Jason was told to stay back, and the two deputies wormed their way through some rocks, to good positions, while the sheriff took a position beside a huge fallen tree.

It was over, that quickly.

When the sheriff announced his presence, the guy jumped, and got up to flee. Three different positions opened fire with warning shots, and that decided the man. He surrendered.

They returned two hours later, with prisoner in tow. They came back to where they had left the squad cars, and the ranger's truck, to see that the state police had arrived. Of course, the sheriff had radioed ahead that they had captured the man, but due to the vagaries of the mountain, radio communications was not possible until they were much closer to the cars.

It was at this time that the ranger, Dave, explained his little deception regarding Jason's status. No one seemed to mind too much, although both got a brief lecture on the dangers involved, and about impersonating a ranger, and facilitation. Then it was handshakes all around, and everyone agreed to keep that information quiet.

Three hours later Jason was back in his normal clothes, at a press conference. He had considered ducking out, but knew this would raise suspicions. So he stayed and the sheriff and two deputies, as well as the ranger extolled Jason's abilities as a tracker.

He really didn't have any use for the publicity. The sheriff and ranger, who knew where he was staying, agreed to keep his location confidential. He told them that he didn't want a ton of 'curiosity seekers' showing up to disturb the rest of his vacation/learning time.