Brain Storm by Cat Gilbert (ebook reader computer .txt) đź“•
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“How did you get assigned to me?”
“I did my basic training and then taught some, working with some of the Handlers. Those are the guys who teach the Clients how to use and control their abilities,” he explained at my confused look. “I told you that you didn’t have a Watcher until seven years ago. They just keep an eye on things and stop by once in a while to make sure everything’s going okay. The abilities manifest themselves in people at different times. Something usually sets it off, a trauma, or high-stress situation. When a person is a high candidate for having some abilities, they send a Watcher in if there’s an event that might precipitate a change. In your case, it was the death of your Aunt that started the ball rolling.”
“And lucky you, you got stuck with me.”
“Actually, that’s not true. I picked you.” He started playing with his straw, moving it up and down nervously. “I was sent to do a visual check on you when your Aunt died. You didn’t see me, but I was at the funeral, sitting in the back. Even that far from you, the connection was strong. Stronger than anything I’d come across. I didn’t understand it, but I pulled some strings and made sure I was assigned to you. I packed my bag and flew in the next week. I’ve been with you ever since.”
I was surprised at how calm I’d remained during his explanation. He had given me bits and pieces before, but now, for the first time, I was getting the full picture, and it should have been overwhelming. Somehow it wasn’t, and I had a feeling that had something to do with Mac.
“We need to head out to meet my contact. We need those ID’s.” He checked his watch and stowed his drink, putting the van in gear. “We’re running behind, so we’ll finish up after we pick up the crew at the mall.”
He pulled onto Central and headed toward Lake Catherine. As we passed the huge lakefront homes and marinas dotting the shoreline, Mac’s fingers beat out a rhythm on his leg. I had never seen him nervous like this before, and I wondered what problems he was anticipating that had him so worried.
“What about this afternoon?” I asked. “You said it wasn’t normal, what happens between us. What’s different?”
“I told you I felt a connection with you immediately?” I nodded that I remembered. I wasn’t likely to forget. “It was strong. After I got here, it grew stronger. Empaths can sense emotions, but this is more. It’s like I feel your emotion. Almost like I absorb it. It’s stronger if I touch you.” He ventured a quick glance at me and then back at the road.
“It’s incredibly strong if you direct it at me. This afternoon, you were angry at me. Then you were scared. It was,” he paused, searching for words. “I don’t know, like a sensory overload. I don’t understand it. I’ve never seen it before, but that’s the best way I can think of to explain it.”
“So that’s why you know when I am starting to freak. That’s when you tell me to calm down.” He nodded.
“Why are you nervous now?” I gestured toward his tapping fingers.
“I’m not,” he answered, with a half laugh. “You are.”
* * *
I SAT IN the car while he met his contact. We had gone to a park on the lake for the meeting. Mac had phoned ahead to let him know what we needed and e-mailed digital photos of Jonas, Trinity and Mama D to him to use on the ID’s. The rush job had cost extra, a lot extra, but if he was as good as Mac claimed, it was well worth it. While I was waiting, I had time to think about what Mac had said and the pieces started fitting together. It made sense in an insane sort of way. One thing I knew for sure. I needed to quit second guessing myself and stop being suspicious of every move he made.
He opened the door and tossed the packet of ID’s to me as he slid behind the wheel. I stopped him before he could put the van into drive, though. If we were going to be together on this, I needed to set some ground rules.
“Mac, why didn’t you tell me about this before?” It may have sounded a lot like my other questions, but my attitude was different. This time, I was curious, not angry and accusing. I needed to know how he thought, how he worked. The best way to do that was to find out how he reasoned things out.
“There wasn’t a good time. You were a bundle of emotions, all of them threatening to erupt at any minute. You’d had a lot of stuff coming at you, and it didn’t seem like a good time to throw something else on the fire.”
He put the van into drive but kept his foot on the brake. I could tell he was debating with himself, and I tried to stay relaxed as I waited for him to decide what to do.
“That’s not all of it, though. The main reason I didn’t say anything was because this is something between you and me. I don’t understand it, but there’s a bond between us. I don’t know what’s going to happen or how this is going to end, but I think the fewer people that know about it, the better. That includes Jonas and Trinity.”
He was telling the truth. I knew it, could sense it. I didn’t like the idea of keeping secrets from Jonas and Trinity, but I had to agree with him. The less they knew, the safer they were. At least for now.
Mac waited while I weighed things in my mind. He knew the minute I had decided, as he nodded at me, and put the van in motion. He might not be able to read my mind, but being able to sense my emotions so strongly was pretty close. After all, he’d had seven years to practice.
I reached down and snagged the envelope before it could slide under the seat. We were due at the mall to pick everyone up in 10 minutes, and we were barely going to make it on time. As we sped back to the highway, I opted to worry about whether anyone had recognized them and if they were all safe rather than the fact that I had just colluded with Mac to keep secrets from the people I loved and trusted.
* * *
WE PULLED INTO the parking lot with one minute to spare, and relief poured through me when I spied Mama D coming through the glass doors. Right behind her were Trinity and Jonas, both of them loaded down with bags.
“Good grief.” Mac threw the van into park as soon as he saw the bags, hopping out to open the back for Jonas as he threw me a horrified look. He had vastly underestimated Trinity’s shopping prowess. I had to laugh when I got out to help them stow the bags. Trinity was practically dancing around, while Mama D was proudly wiggling her fingers in front of me, waiting for me to notice her new acrylic nails.
I made the appropriate compliments, assuring her several times, that they were in fact, the perfect color, the shape was wonderful and the length, just right. Reassured, Mama D, finally got into the van and sat there, watching the light bounce off the shiny red polish. I looked at Trinity, and she threw me a smile and a wink, obviously enjoying herself. I couldn’t be sure, but from the way Mama D was acting, she’d never had her nails done before. Scrubbing floors and doing laundry wasn’t really part of a good hand care regimen.
Jonas pushed past me and latched onto the front door handle.
“I have to sit up here now. I need some man time,” he informed me, just before he hopped into the seat and slammed the door closed.
Relegated to the back seat, I climbed in and managed to wedge myself past Trinity and Mama D into the far rear seat.
“You did actually get the things on the list, right?” I asked while trying to shift a pile of bags out of the way.
“Yes, we did and a few extras besides. There were sales. Big sales,” Trinity assured me as Jonas groaned from the front seat.
Trinity reached up and flicked her ear, giving a nod in his direction. I leaned around her to get a look at Jonas and see what was going
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