Page 23 of Emergence
“I doubt that, son. A person with your skill seldom doesn’t consider what level of damage he can do at any given moment.”
I looked at him, alarmed. I didn’t even know how to respond.
He watched me silently. No one moved. “Maybe your powers are too new. When did you first use them?” he asked.
“A year ago?
“So, when you turned the cesspit you were being held in to ash, that was your first time using your powers.”
I nodded.
“Then no, you probably haven’t considered it. I do not think you are safe here, not yet. But you probably can be.” He turned to Dr. Aynesworth. “I recommend Mr. Pierce join me at my cabin in Leadville. We can perfect his skills, and I can hopefully help him adjust to having these powers.”
“Wait, I don’t want to leave. I’ve just made friends.”
“Good, that’s good,” the man said. “But if you don’t want to incinerate them accidentally, you should spend some time at my cabin. Once we’ve worked together for a week or so, you should be contained enough that you can have your friends visit. I’m not that far from the school, after all.”
I looked around the room. I could tell saying no wasn’t an option, but even knowing that, for a second, I considered pushing my luck. “Can I at least say goodbye?” I asked.
“Of course, you can,” the man said. His face lit up like a light bulb. “We’ll leave after lunch. Meet me back here with your belongings.”
“Will I ever see them again?” I asked.
The man’s face fell. “Son, you aren’t a prisoner. You’re just a very powerful Supe. And, of course, you’ll see them again. Soon, if I have my way. A man with your power isolated from the world is a dangerous thing. Here’s my landline number,” he said, handing me a small yellow Post-It with a phone number. “Your friends can call anytime. Your training will be rather lax while you’re with me.”
He patted me on the back and all but shoved me out of the office.
“What the hell just happened?” I asked under my breath.
“What?” Lysander asked, shocked and clearly frustrated at the news. “How long will you be gone?”
I shrugged. Lysander and the twins had all come after I texted them asking if I could see them before I had to leave. “I wasn’t told exactly, just that I would be gone for a while. But I was told, this time at least, I wasn’t a prisoner. You can visit me.”
Kyle shook his head. “I don’t like it. I mean, the school picked Bisbee as the school’s protection from you, and she almost killed Ly.”
Lysander looked at him and shook his head. “Lysander’s my name, Kyle. I don’t want a nickname, particularly one which means I can’t tell the truth.”
Kyle shrugged, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at his expression. The abbreviation of his name had begun yesterday, and Lysander was having nothing to do with it. “You need a nickname…”
“No, you need to let it go, and we need to focus on the issue at hand,” Kaylee said. Of course, that ended up settling the conversation. Kyle usually let things go when his sister put her foot down.
“So, do you think you’ll be safe?” Kaylee asked.
“I think so. He doesn’t push any bad buttons. In fact, he feels like what you’d think a fatherly figure who works at a science school in the mountains might feel like. I think I trust him.”
Lysander sighed and cuddled up to me. “We just started dating,” he said with a bit of a whine in his voice.
“He gave me his number and said you can call anytime,” I said, handing the little yellow Post-It to him.
“Well, if you feel threatened in any way, text us, and we’ll do whatever we can to help,” Lysander said, his voice stronger. “I know what it feels like to be trapped and not have anywhere to turn. I don’t want you stuck in the same situation.”
I smiled. Lysander was really concerned. It was another first for me since no one I’d ever known cared whether or not I felt safe. I couldn’t remember another human who cared whether I lived or died, but somehow, in just a few weeks, Lysander had truly become someone who did. I looked at Kyle and Kaylee and saw similar expressions. It felt strange. So, this was what caring felt like.
“I will,” I said, a little emotional at their concern. “But if he can help me control my powers, it’ll be worth it. I’m not sure I’ve got control of the powers right now, and I don’t like having that kind of responsibility.”
Lysander held me for a while. His hair still smelled like the shampoo from this morning’s shower, and his arms felt amazing as he embraced me.
“I’ll call you tonight. Make sure you tell this Dr. Fagan or whatever, that you need to be able to talk tonight, so we don’t worry too much.”
