Chapter 1: Mango Tango and Midnight Blue

The first time Leia recalled seeing Max and Sam they were standing across the street from the schoolyard, and watching her. Back then, they were the Man In Blue and the Redheaded Woman. Both were dressed in jeans and t-shirts; if they were a few years younger they could've easily passed for students. The Redhead began to speak, and the Man In Blue cocked his head in her direction and laughed. They turned around and walked away, arm in arm.

Leia was positive she didn't know them, and it seemed to her that if they knew her they would have waved or walked over. She considered the possibility that, perhaps, what had drawn their attention was the color of her skin. She tried to convince herself that they were looking at someone else. She forced down the rising anger--not because the anger would be unjustified, but because she knew the heavy price of giving in to it.

The next time she saw them was two days later in the vice principal's office. Strangely enough, Mrs. Troy kept referring to them as her aunt and uncle. She was also looking at them and wearing a spaced-out smile rather than her usual razor-sharp stare.

Leia stared at them for several seconds; because they were white she could only assume they would be from her mother's side of the family, but she saw no family resemblance, and knew all of her immediate family. She stared at them with a bit of challenge in her gaze and then turned to the vice principal. "Mrs. Troy, I don't know these people!"

Mrs. Troy gave her an understanding smile. "I'll leave you alone so you can have your chat in private, my dear, not a problem at all."

Leia tried again. "No, listen to me! You're missing my point!" She pointed at the man and woman for emphasis. "These people are strangers! I have no idea who they are!"

"Of course you can use my office, Leia. I will be outside if you need anything." With that, Mrs. Troy left the office and closed the door behind her. Leia stared at the closed door for a second, trying to get a handle on the last couple of minutes, and then turned to face the strangers.

She looked at the couple, who were dressed a little more formally than the last time she had seen them. The man wore slacks and a blue button-down shirt, and the woman wore a sapphire-colored blouse and matching skirt, her light red hair pulled back from her face.

"Who are you people?"

"I'm Samantha McGill, and this is Max Spencer. We're recruiters from a very special academy. We think you would fit in beautifully, Leia." Leia noticed that her gentle smile made her look pretty yet approachable. She found herself looking at the fair-skinned woman with her light dusting of freckles across a slightly up-turned nose, at the red hair that seemed determined to slip out of the barrette, and at her kind smile.

"Recruiters? From an academy? But why did you tell Mrs. Troy that you were family?" Leia's hazel brown eyes mirrored her confusion and skepticism. She figured it was smarter to focus on Samantha's confusing words rather than her freckles. She supposed they could be from some sort of academy ... after all, it was senior year. Although the end of the school year.

Max spoke. "Because it's easier for you. Less questions to answer. As far as she knows, we are family here on a private matter."

"But what private matter?"

"Doesn't matter."

"She didn't ask?"

A slight smile played across Max's lips and his blue eyes twinkled. "Nope."

"That doesn't make sense. She pulled me out of class and has no idea why?"

"Right."

"And she won't ask me later?" Leia was getting frustrated. This Max guy didn't exactly volunteer information.

"Guarantee she won't." Although he had to be over six feet tall, he resembled a mischievous little boy for just a moment, and Leia had the feeling he was having a little bit of fun with her confusion.

Samantha spoke in a gentle voice, arranging three chairs into a triangle. "Leia, would you like to have a seat so we can begin sorting this out for you?"

Leia found herself becoming angry. She didn't want to sit down with these strangers. She just wanted answers. "Look, I don't know you, and I am fine with standing. There's something strange here and..."

"Sam wasn't trying to upset you," Max interjected. "In fact, I would put money on the fact she's pissed at me 'cause I teased you. Now I am sure she is doubly pissed that I said 'pissed'." Leia noticed that Samantha did look flushed as she looked at her partner. "She was thinking of you when she asked you to sit. Probably figured you wanted to get down to business. Truth? It wouldn't be a bad idea."

"She didn't pi ... make me mad — not knowing what's going on, that made me mad... is making me mad."

She sat down anyhow, figuring it was the best way to get to the bottom of things. The partners followed suit and an awkward silence followed. Finally, Leia raised her eyebrows and said, "Well?"

Max spoke, "Sorry, fairly new at this, and our original contact with you should have been a while ago. Anyhow, we know."

Leia had no idea what Max meant. Well, maybe a glimmer.

Sam spoke with a little amusement and much frustration. "In a previous life he was a bull in a china shop. But what he said is true. We know about your ability, and we're here to help you."

"You know? Know what? I have no idea what you're talking about. I want to leave." Leia was suddenly trembling with fear. Could they really know? She would have just jumped up and left, but she felt forced to stay. They were older and from some sort of school, and it wasn't like Mrs. Troy was going to be any help with this. She suddenly got a queasy understanding of the reason for the older woman's blissed-out smile and generous offer of the use of the office.

"Leia, please stay. It's your choice, but we'll have to talk to you eventually. Why not now? We understand what you're going through because we've been where you are now. Wondering if we were the only ones." Samantha's eyes seemed to plead with her.

Leia clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palms. "I've already told you that I have no idea what you are talking about!"

"You're feeling scared and alone and you're wondering what we want from you. But we are not here to harm you or scare you. I, for one, admire you."

"Admire me? Because of the thing that I can do?" She still could not say it out loud, not yet. Still, she felt herself drawn into the conversation.

"No, not that. We have similar gifts — as does everyone at the academy. We all can effect or influence the minds of others in one way or another." Sam's words hung in the air for a moment. "I admire you because I don't think your life has been easy. I think that you felt alone and isolated for a good, long time. And earlier than Max or I did. But you grew up to be an intelligent and strong young woman."

Leia spoke tentatively, curious despite herself. "You say that everyone at this place is like me? They can do ... what I do?"

"Yes," Samantha affirmed.

"Even Hoover," added Max.

"Hoover?" Leia asked

"His bulldog," Samantha answered with an apparent mix of exasperation and amusement. "Max, Hoover does not have MC abilities. I've told you this, the professors have told you this, even the janitor has told you this!"

"Anytime he is around women, they melt. It's why my girlfriend agreed to go out with me. Either that or on account of my looks and personality."

She shot him a warning look. "Could we just continue?"

"Yeah, sure."

"I'm sorry, Leia." Sam gave a slight eye roll. "Anyhow, everyone at the academy has the same family of abilities. The exact nature and effect of these abilities may vary, but the results are similar enough."

Leia looked at Sam and Max and saw in their eyes that they really did know her secret, and that there was no hatred or fear in their eyes. There just seemed to be understanding and kindness. Max might be a man of few words — and a little odd - but there was something about both of them that she wanted to trust.

She spoke quietly, forcing the words. "It started when I was thirteen."

Sam nodded. "That's about when it started for us, too."

"But you just said that it started earlier for me."

"Not the power. The isolation. The feeling different. Most of us go through that when we find our gift, but I imagine you felt it earlier than when you came of age. You must have felt very alone."

Leia fought even harder to hold back her tears; she didn't want to seem weak before these strangers, but rarely had anyone actually addressed her loneliness—and nobody outside of her family ever had. And these strangers knew all the reasons, even the ones that were more than cosmetic.