Prelude

The title styles in use are a chapter, a sub-chapter, and a section.

Table of Contents

Prelude - Additional Information
Special Notes
Possible Reality
Characters and Commands
Chapter - Week 01
Background
Testing Times
Day 01 - Friday
Private Fun
Baths
Day 02 - Saturday
Soccer and Hurts
Saturday Lunch
Back Home
Saturday Evening
Day 03 - Sunday
Afternoon and Evening
Day 04 - Monday
Adjustments and Meetings
Sera’s Birthday Presents
Day 05 - Tuesday
Afternoon Games
Philosophical Dinner
Night Games
Day 06 - Wednesday
Home Again
Basketball Not Training
Parents and Dinner
Day 07 - Thursday
Afternoon and Dinner
A Serious Evening
Chapter - Week 02
Day 08 - Friday
The Party Starts
Special Training
Birthday Present
Day 09 - Saturday
Evening
Bedtime and Talks
Day 10 - Sunday
Police Work
Day 11 - Monday
Morning Meetings
Afternoon
Lesson and Games
Day 12 - Tuesday
Wise Woman
Evening
Day 13 - Wednesday
Afternoon
Evening Events
Day 14 - Thursday
At Home
Afternoon
Poolside Playtime
Chapter - Week 03
Day 15 - Friday
Afternoon Activities
Evening Events
Day 16 - Saturday
Dungeons and Dinner
Bedtime
Day 17 - Sunday
Water Ways
Day 18 - Monday
A Short Day
Day 19 - Tuesday
Court
After Court
Day 20 - Wednesday
Afternoon
On the Road and Home
Day 21 - Thursday
Builder’s Helper
Chapter - Week 04
Day 22 - Friday
Morning Tasks
At Home
Day 23 - Saturday
Slave Auction
At Home
Day 24 - Sunday
Dinner and Evening
Day 25 - Monday
Day 26 - Tuesday
Morning Games
Home and Finances
New Toys
Weakest Link
Evening Activities
Day 27 - Wednesday
Morning Activities
Afternoon of Surprises
Helping a Friend
Evening Activities
Day 28 - Thursday
Lunch Games
Training Time
Chapter - Week 05
Day 29 - Friday
Changes
Day 30 - Saturday
Visitor Introduction
Afternoon
Story Notes

The title styles in use are a chapter, a sub-chapter, and a section.

29 October 2018 Edition

Additional Information

Special Notes

John’s Background

Both John’s parents were top scientists, well off, and in demand. John’s brother was several years older than him, but not as smart. At an early age John realised he could mesmerise people and make them do what he wanted them to do. Being a genius he didn’t make that public knowledge because he knew it would cause trouble for him and his family if he did. However, it wasn’t possible to use the skill without his brother knowing, due to how much time they spent together. When John’s brother needed a tricky problem solved he asked John to help him, and John did. This resulted in John being asked to help his brother and his friends with their concerns when the Snake Gang had issues with other gangs: especially the Fern Gang. John became their general, their war lord, the one who planned their operations and the others carried them out. He used his analytical, planning, and mesmerising skills. Although they often saw him mesmerise people the members of the Snake gang never realised the full extent of John’s capabilities since he was very careful about how he used his skills. During this time, and when the Snakes went inactive, John worked very hard at keeping a very low police profile.

In school he demonstrated his intelligence by entering and winning science competitions, and by achieving high academic results. He was being actively recruited by many colleges, universities, and businesses around the world at the time of his family’s murder, and afterwards he did his best to vanish into the woodwork and pretend he didn’t exist.

When John’s family were killed in an explosion intended to kill them he was badly shocked and traumatised: psychologically and physically. He was smart enough to realise he and Brooke should have died too, since no one knew they’d left the house. All of his family had been killed, except for Brooke. He buried his grief and pain in caring for Brooke, this need is what keeps him going. She became the centre of his world, his reason for being. He drops everything to see to her care. In doing so he retreats from life in general while making major changes in his life, and he keeps an extremely low profile by not demonstrating his intelligence or other skills, because it’ll place high demands on his time, demands that’ll take him away from Brooke. She’s his only remaining link with life, and he’s her main link. His very common name so his enemy’s belief he’s dead and the low profile hides him from his enemy for some years.

Several years later he’s traumatised again when another explosion kills him, the emergency people resuscitate him, but the damage is extensive. He doesn’t have time to deal with the trauma of this when he’s told his body is no longer flesh and blood. He gets through this by hanging onto his need to stay around and care for Brooke. It’s this need that keeps him alive in the emergency room, despite his body’s need to die: he won’t let himself die and leave Brooke all alone.

He’s still trying to deal with this when he’s confronted by the fact Brooke is no longer a little girl, but a young woman: and so are her friends. He’s also aware of the similarities of the two explosions and he suspects the last one was targeted at him. If he dies Brooke is left alone. He must find and stop his attackers before they succeed, for Brooke’s sake. To do this he must end his low profile and he must use all of his skills and abilities to identify and deal with these people. He realises this, and he sets out to do so. And that’s where we arrive on the scene.

Most of these background details are provided by others talking about John. The principal tells us some, Steve tells us most, and John reveals part of his background. Some is assumed knowledge, like when someone is hurt in a major explosion I assume you know they’ll have shock and trauma issues. The grief being subsumed into caring for Brooke is evidenced from his throwing his university studies away for her care, as we’re told he did.

John is a sensitive and caring person, despite him not being able to see anything except Brooke and his work for several years. The latest explosion is a wake up call that makes him open his eyes and look about. Once having accepted he has to change his profile and lifestyle John sees no reason not to use all of his abilities and make the most of his life. His past low profile hasn’t been just a case of trying to hide, but a case of not looking around and not doing his best as well because all of his energy and efforts were focused on Brooke’s care. Extreme tunnel vision and myopia added to his hiding. Now he opens his eyes and looks at the world; and he’s looking with new eyes. The new eyes see many things that were there to see, but he didn’t look at them to note what was visible, until now when he has to open his eyes to the full world around him.