Chapter 5

Martin's leg no longer hurt, but it wouldn't bear his weight. He was helpless as Howard and a new security guard carried him to the 4th floor. He should put in an elevator, if only for Jenny. He rolled the wheel chair into the room. It stood out starkly against the wood; it didn't belong in this room. He pulled himself into one of the chairs.

"April, you are not going crazy. During this time you should have been kept apart so that you could have explored your abilities slowly, if you do indeed have them. I don't understand how you can be one of us but that bitch Mary must have awakened you. Would you please take the wheel chair out of here and tell me what happened when you met her."

Why is he worried about a fucking wheelchair? She wondered, but did as she was asked. When she came back in she said, "We talked, about enjoying the moment and then she had me touch her hand. She swore that she would not read me for the rest of the evening. I was supposed to say the same but I couldn't, she overwhelmed me. It seemed as if I was being drawn into her eyes. And actually, I haven't felt right ever since. I thought I was going crazy. I can read other's thoughts. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know. I don't see how you can even be one of us. Mary took a great chance in awakening you. She risked your sanity and then abandoned you. I am going to have to think about this. When she touched you she did more than just open her mind to you. When we are young we do not have the abilities to read others' minds. It takes an adult to awaken that power when a child is ready, usually between 25 and 35 years old. It is done away from young ones so the child isn't overwhelmed by their thoughts."

"I am going to ask you to touch my hand. It will not be as it was when Mary touched you. When you touch me, I will tell you that I will protect you. You will be able to tell if it is a true statement or a lie. I ask that you then tell me that you believe me. You will not offend me if you do not say anything." Martin held out his hand.

April sat and thought. She would need to rise and go to him to touch his hand. She had to trust someone and he was the only person available, not much of a choice. Did he truly not know that she was different? She rose and tentatively touched his hand, and as she did so, she noticed that her hand was larger than his, an odd thing to notice now.

She could sense thoughts just beyond her understanding, like a radio turned too low for her to know what song was playing. "I will protect you from any who would seek to cause you harm." His voice rang in her head. The words he said were true, true in intent and not just true as words. He would stand between her and any who would harm her, by action or inaction.

"I believe your words are true. I..." April started.

Martin quickly pulled his hand away. He smiled at her, "don't make promises now while you are so young. Look at the trouble it has gotten me into."

"What do we do now?" she asked.

"We'll sit for awhile and think as we look out at the forest. I will have DNA tests run on you and on your parents' remains. Also on any tissue samples left from your brother's autopsy. Now, not to be gross, but do you mind if I have food sent up? Healing, for us, takes greater amounts of energy."

"Of course not. I should have asked, will you be able to use your leg again? Howard said the prognosis was poor."

"Within two months I will be walking and before the end of the year I will be back in shape. We heal better than the young ones, unless they chop pieces off." Martin opened his phone and called.

"Security."

"Howard, would you ask Cecil to put together some sandwiches and soup for us. Oh, and a bottle of champagne. Have someone bring it to us when it is ready."

"Yes sir. Are you okay?"

"Fresh as linen," the code for the day.

"We'll drink a bottle of champagne in celebration of your coming-of-age. You are now an adult, again, April, although for us, a very young one."

Bread, cheese, and champagne were brought to the room by Andy, a young blonde security guard. He had no idea why he was delivering food, but he liked being near the principal, he liked the beautiful young woman, and he liked the room that riches could buy.

"Did his thoughts bother you?" Martin asked after he had left.

"No, I'm surprised he noticed the room. His thoughts were less sexual than I would have thought. He was very excited to meet you."

"One at a time, their thoughts won't overwhelm you. He has a good heart. There is no sickness in him but don't be surprised at some of the imagery that you may see in his thoughts of you. It is normal for the young ones. None of us can help what we think, only what we do. Don't eat too much, because it seems Cecil decided on lamb and we'll have some really excellent lamb sandwiches eventually. This is just to keep us from getting too hungry."

"Under normal circumstances," Martin continued. "You would stay with a female family member during this time. It is tradition, I don't know if it's important or not, but I don't think it is important. I'm not trusting you to Mary's care. I still don't know if you are a target of these attacks, and I don't know who I can trust, certainly not Mary. This is what I meant when I told you her goals might not be your goals."

"I also can't trust the police so we'll hide from them until you are safe," he continued. "I'm the person best able to protect you so I'll stay with you and teach you what you need to use your abilities and keep your sanity. Your life has changed completely, as I imagine you've realized. What did Mary call you when she left?"

"April of Sarasota."

"Well, the bitch is right unless you would rather be called April of Vancouver."

"April of Sarasota sounds better unless it would be rude to you."

"Of course not, you were first born there."

The Sea Breeze was slipping along at 15 knots, 200 nautical miles off the coast of California, with the freshly painted name Pacific Breeze, and freshly painted new registration numbers that matched her name and showed her home port as San Diego. Weather had been good for the first 10 days of her trip but several times over the next month they had been force into harbor. In a few more weeks Martin would turn her towards shore and dock in San Diego. By then he would be able to walk; he and April could disappear. The wheel chair made life difficult for him. The trip had been pleasant although he felt like he had talked more in the last 9 weeks than he had in the last 10 years.

He couldn't read April's mind. Her thoughts were as empty to him as the ocean around them. He would get a brief glimpse of her thoughts when she helped him up or down the stairs, but only a glimpse. It was almost a vacation. No young ones' thoughts constantly in his mind. Whatever was going on below the surface was out of his sight. He had spoken at length with April about the history of the old ones.

"April," spoke softly to her. "You are going to have a very bad day very soon. I'm sorry but it is necessary."

"What are you doing to do?"

"I require you to take the hardware out of my leg."

"Oh no. Bullshit!"

"I have 3D images of my leg. I have 3D images of major nerves, blood vessels, and other important parts that I would like to keep intact, but I'll heal even from major blunders. You can do it. I will talk you through it. I have local anesthesia and pain medications, we don't need antibiotics."

"Martin, I can't. Please don't make me."

"April, I can't make you. I can only ask, but if not you then who? A physician would check medical records. We can't let that happen. What else can we do? Step up, be a big girl."

"Fuck me," she said in resignation.

"We've existed for at least ten thousand years, but I suspect longer. The oldest person I know of is William of Florence; he's around three thousand years old. We had the advantage of long life and good health so even with our low reproductive rate we kept a constant population. Our bone structure is no different from the young ones so we have gone unnoticed. We're going to see William now, he may be a friend."

After a pause he continued. "As the young ones developed higher level civilizations, we decided to stay hidden. Most of us lived hidden in North Africa. Young ones would blame everything wrong in the world on us. People do so love conspiracy theories. We can read thoughts and we live for thousands years. We would make the perfect threat for every conspiracy theory. Look how easy it was to blame the Jews in the 20th century and they had no special abilities. James of Florence is leading a movement to bring us out of the shadows. Many will try to kill him. Although I plan to take no part, I have mixed feelings. Mary was at my home in part to ask for my help to protect him. I told her no."

"What do you mean by mixed feelings?" April asked.

"On one hand I feel strongly that he should be stopped, but at the same time I don't want to see old ones fighting old ones. This division is new. Up to this point we've acted as one people. Of course disagreements and individual fights are not uncommon," he gave a small laugh. "Two thousand years is long enough to allow a person irritate any another person, or be irritated at least a few times, but we have never before actually formed groups on opposite sides of an issue, especially to the point of attacking one another. Maybe we are taking another part of the young one's culture?"

April looked thoughtful and entered into a quiet contemplative period, something she was doing more, of late...

On the approach to Western Marina in San Diego, Mark and Mary Larsen, Martin's and April's names on their ID papers, were hailed by a Coast Guard Zodiac. They were stopped and boarded by a Hispanic seaman and his large black female partner, who towered over him. Petty Officer Third Class Jesus Soto introduced himself and informed them that his partner, Seaman Lashandra Brown, would be doing a brief inspection, while he checked their registration. It was easy to read that these two were in love, and April could hardly keep from laughing. It was sweet and kind of romantic but the images in their minds did not match reality.

The atmosphere soon turned tense.

"Mary, keep your hands where they are visible to the officers." As he spoke Martin held his hands open by his side. "My wife and I are both licensed to carry concealed weapons."

Soto and Brown were nervous. Not scared, just extra alert.

"Mrs. Larsen?" asked Brown. "That suit isn't big enough to conceal a pistol, is it?"

April laughed. "No. It hardly conceals me."

"Mr. Larsen, do you have a weapon on you?" Soto asked.

"Yes. I have a .25 Beretta in a right ankle holster, and yes it is loaded."

"Please place your hands against the bulkhead and spread your legs. Thank you."

Soto removed the Beretta removed the clip and checked the chamber. "Do you have any more weapons?" he asked as Martin as he handed back the pistol.

"Yes. We have two 10 mms, a .38, and two fully-automatic M-16s."

"That's quite an arsenal."

"It's the best we can do legally. This yacht would get a good price on the black market. The weapons are locked in the main bedroom's gun safe. The concealed weapons permits, other permits, our passports, and driver licenses are also in the bedroom, in the computer desk area. You are welcome to search the boat at your leisure. Can I offer you some water or tea?"

After checking the ID and permits the Seamen relaxed. They made a through search of the boat, the weapons suggested drugs.

Martin put the clip back in his pistol as he watched the Zodiac power away. "Did their thoughts bother you?" he asked without looking at her.

"No. It was comical. They were nervous about the weapons and so much in love with each other. Is that the way it is with all couples?"

"No, only when the young first fall in love. Their infatuation will only last a few more weeks. A good thing, since they can barely remember to breathe. The test will be if they like each other after the infatuation has worn off and they really come to know one another. Then they have a slim chance at something deeper and richer. I can't describe it but you'll know it when you see it." He started to say more than stopped. Instead he said, "Let's head to shore. We'll have trouble sleeping tonight. Some people get motion sickness when the bed is no longer rocking from side to side."

On shore they took out a two year lease on a berth for the Pacific Breeze. A woman from the Kona Kai Marina was happy to take April and Martin to the nearby Kearny Mesa Lexus dealership. Where, with new identities and credit cards, they bought a new silver Lexus LS. They drove up I-15 towards Moreno Valley to I-40 East. Along the way they stopped to buy camping gear, food, and some good wine. That night they camped off the road near Joshua Tree National Park.

Sunsets were lovely in the desert, and even better with a bottle of wine. "How did you do today with all those people thinking at you?" Martin was obviously concerned.

"It was okay, but it wears on me. I can't relax, and it is a relief to be out of earshot or mindshot. Camping out in the middle of all this nature tonight is perfect. I'm tired of other people's thoughts. Hell, I'm tired of my thoughts." She hesitated and then asked, "What bothers you the most?"

"They all think I'm so short." Both slept in the same tent that evening.

Two and a half easy days of driving found Martin and April driving near Checotah, Oklahoma where they stopped for gas and to stretch their legs. April was much more at ease with her abilities. A persons mind learns to filter out most sounds in one's environment or all would be static. You don't notice most noises unless someone points them out to you. Your heartbeat, the air conditioner, birds outside your window, children playing in the street, the wind in the grass, all these things are unnoticed unless they are out of the ordinary. So it is with people's thoughts. The thoughts must be odd to be noticed. Soto's and Brown's thoughts shouted at April and she couldn't have missed them. Those are the only kinds that you typically notice. April had grown used to the thoughts of most people, but she often wondered what Martin was thinking.