Unity by Carl Stubblefield (epub read online books TXT) 📕

system is broken if it lets people take advantage of others like that. Where is our protection? Am I just guilty until proven innocent? She’s lying! We should get a Magistrate, then counter-sue for libel or perjury or whatever.”

“It’s not a criminal trial, so there won’t be a Magistrate to read and evaluate everyone’s thoughts. Even if it was, this lady might be convinced you were in the wrong and we would be in the same position. They can only discern intention and emotion—”

“Then what should we do?” she wailed up at the ceiling, a grimace upon her face as if in pain.

“I don’t know, but we didn’t work this hard to lose everything. I’ll fight, if you want us to fight. We can settle if you just want to be done with it all and move on. I’m totally on your side whatever you choose,” he soothed.

“I can’t deal with this right now,” she choked out, wrenching her arms out of his caress, and ran to the bedroom, slamming the door. He sat there kneeling, looking over his shoulder at the closed door, chewing the inside of his cheek as he thought. She needed space when she was overwhelmed. He wanted to go to her, but knew now was not the time. A tear slid down his face now that she was gone, he had to stay strong for the both of them. He had to—

Gus was pulled backward out of the memory. He instantly felt guilty and self-conscious for viewing such a personal, private moment as the sensation reversed and he came out of vision and his own sight began to resolve. He didn’t know how Magistrates read thoughts for a living, especially with all the dark things they must see and deal with reading the minds of criminals. He could feel the emotions and thoughts as if they were his own. Gus had a new respect for BoJack. How did this guy stay so positive? He never would have guessed he had been through—

“Gus… Gus!”

When he had fully dropped out of the Telepathy transition, Gus found himself facing an angry BoJack. He was so close he could see the whiskers on his face and the heat of his breath.

“Whoa, give me some space. You’re in my bubble—” Gus tried to back away.

“I’m in your bubble?! That’s rich, cuz. You were delving me right now, weren’t you?”

“Delving you?” Gus asked, cocking his head.

“Reading my thoughts. And probably have been for a while. I thought it was weird when my migraines were coming back, but now I think it was you poking around in there.” BoJack poked Gus in the chest accusingly, twisting his finger like a drill. “Am I wrong?”

Gus’ sheepish look told BoJack what he already expected.

“Unbelievable. I open up a little bit and this is what I get. What made you think that was an okay thing to do?”

“Sorry, I was just trying to level my Telepathy skill, I’m almost to level twenty…” Gus’ explanation died on his lips as he saw BoJack’s expression turn even angrier.

“I trusted you, mate. I would have told you anything you wanted to know. And this is how you do me? More is expected of us since we have these abilities. If we aren’t going to police ourselves, who are we expecting to do it? Just because a super can do something doesn’t mean that they should.”

“Whoa, whoa. Why are you so mad? I didn’t see the harm. In fact, I think I know you a lot better now.”

“No harm? You’ve just basically committed the mental equivalent of rape and it’s no big deal to you. Just trying to get some XP, that’s all, BoJack. Is that where your head’s at?” He sneered in disgust and looked away from Gus.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would affect you so negatively, really.”

BoJack looked back at Gus as if he were a grotesque, yet fascinating bug.

“I think I really misjudged you. I know you’re new and all, but this goes beyond. Way beyond. It should be a common sense type of thing. Does anyone need to specifically tell you that you shouldn’t use elevated strength to destroy property, or get in a fight with a reg and potentially maim them or kill them? Does it not seem wrong to go rifling through someone’s personal journal or pictures? In what universe is it okay to do that in their minds? Private things are private for a reason.”

“But Magisters do it as a job,” the words spilled out unbidden and Gus cringed as BoJack’s tone became even icier.

“Magisters are appointed and they see criminal cases. The only time they delve people who haven’t committed a crime is when two parties are trying to reach an agreement through mediation and compromise. Two willing and aware parties. It disturbs me that you are even trying to justify this in your mind at all.”

BoJack turned and grabbed Gus’ suit by the collar, pulling him close.

“There are too many takers in this world, Gus. And they have no business being supers as well. And I don’t give a damn who anyone is, I will fight that type of selfishness down to my dying breath.” He let go of Gus with a slight shove, as if the contact made him dirty.

“You think I’m overreacting, don’t you?” He eyed Gus up and down.

Gus’ jaw opened and closed as he tried to formulate something to say.

“I won’t do it again, seriously. I didn’t mean to pry—”

“Damn straight, you won’t do it again. Let’s just keep our distance for a while. We can still work together, but some redrawing of boundaries is definitely in order. Just… later.” BoJack looked flustered and just put up his palms, shaking his head before turning to leave. He stood there a second and without turning around growled one last thing to Gus. “I told you about a lot of things in confidence. Things I expect you to keep to yourself. There could be a lot of