Accused (Ganzfield) (9 page)

Zack scowled. “Are you okay?”

I glanced up at Trevor, feeling a few of the raw edges of his twisting emotions. He wanted to kill the man who’d done this to me.

We’re working on it.

Zack nodded. I felt something solidify in his shield, like a ripple passing over a lake. “Maddie, forget the images that those people put into your head. Forget all the sensations of pain, all the emotion. You will remember what happened, but it won’t bother you anymore.”

The foggy sensation of being charmed filled my mind. Panic flashed through me.
No! I don’t need this!
I couldn’t breathe.
I don’t want anyone messing with my head!
Zack wasn’t doing anything wrong and, after the whole taking down Isaiah thing, I really should trust him, right?

I should… but I just couldn’t.

“Yee—urg!” I forced the charm command out of my head. I squeezed my eyes shut against the blinding pain—it’d never been this strong before. A wave of nausea rolled through me as the floor tilted. Trevor pulled me close. He couldn’t suppress the wave of protective anger that swelled through him.

Zack’s voice seemed intrusively close. “Geez, Maddie! Why’d you even ask me to come here?”

Sorry. I—I just… sorry.

I opened my eyes to Zack’s exasperated stare. “You ever
gonna forgive me?”

Yeah. It’s not about you. I just…
I shook my head.

Prickly grey energy quivered around Trevor.
Which is more dangerous to Maddie? The traumatic memories or charm mind control?

I turned in Trevor’s arms.
We’re doing okay, right? Dealing with this ourselves? I mean, I’m already so much better.

His electric quills smoothed as our eyes met.
Yeah. We’re doing fine.

Warmth swelled between us and our hearts expanded.
Everything’s fine when we’re together.

“You two coming to lunch?” Zack’s voice startled me. We’d forgotten he was here—invisible mind thing.

Lunch?
I was vaguely familiar with the concept.

Trevor’s hand cupped the back of my neck.
Are you up for it?

Let’s go find out.

Trevor nodded to Zack. “Meet you there in five?” We were both still in sleep clothes. We hadn’t anticipated getting out much today.

Conversation fell off a cliff when we walked into the dining hall.

—that she actually killed Isaiah Lerner. I mean, everyone here knows—

—looks terrible. What did they do to her? She looks like she’s been in a concentration camp—

—really is back. I thought she’d be locked up for life after—

—Trevor’s so nice. I don’t know why he’s with a mass mur—

—like a vampire, so thin and pale. What if she really is one now—

—leave us all alone. She did it to protect all of us—

—heard she killed a guard and broke out of a federal prison—

“Hey, it’s Treddie!” Drew jumped up from a table of sparks.

Ugh.
I smiled at him, glad to be able to focus on his exuberant thoughts.
Treddie? That’s sounds like a repulsively cute kid’s toy. If you must, go with “Madvor.” At least that sounds like something that would’ve fought Godzilla.

Drew laughed. “Congratulations! You’re a free woman!” He went to clap a friendly hand on my back, but I suddenly had an invisible arm spread wide across my shoulders. Drew didn’t notice that his hand had stopped short. His thoughts bounced over to me.
Great! She’s not going to prison for life. And Trevor doesn’t look all bitter and tormented anymore. And he’s no longer avoiding everyone. Things are back the way they should be!

Feeling a little protective?
I glanced at the place where Trevor’s invisible arm remained around me.

He flushed slightly and nodded.

I touched his invisible hand, lacing my fingers through his.
I get it.
He needed to do what he could to keep me safe now; he felt like he’d failed to do so in the airport.
Trevor, you didn’t fail me. You saved me. If you hadn’t gotten away, no one would’ve even been looking for us for at least a week. And you’ve… you’ve made me whole again.

He bit his lip.
I should’ve found a way to get you out with me.

I shook my head.
It’s over now.

Yeah.
He didn’t sound convinced.

We grabbed some burgers from the kitchen and joined Ann and Zack at one of the far tables.

Maddie, seriously. Are you all right?
Ann’s pity and concern gushed minder-loud at me and a few people glanced over in alarm. She flushed and focused herself—apparently she still accidentally projected thoughts from time to time.

I’m fine!
I really was, but I didn’t want to dwell on all the stuff that’d happened when— I shoved that thought away.
Let’s talk about something else, okay?

Like what?

You two went after Belinda?

Ann sighed.
Rachel saw her in a fancy house down in one of the rich, seaside communities south of Boston. Just a glimpse, really, but I got enough details from her memory. We were able to get a pretty good idea where to find her. Once we got to the area, Zack asked a few people if they’d seen her—she doesn’t exactly blend in—and we found the house where she’d been staying. She’d cleared out by the time we arrived, though.

What were you two going to do if you caught up to her?

Charm versus charm, except I’d be there so Zack would be immune to her.

My eyes widened.
You two are shielding together?
They must have a special connection like Trevor and I did. Hey, could all minders do this? Did we each have to find the one right person for us—our soulmate—or did we create this special bond with someone and make that person the right one?

And projecting,
Zack told me, a bit proudly.
I can hear thoughts, too, when we’re together.

Nice! Does that mean—?

Ann blushed and her mind suddenly shielded with Zack’s.

Oops! Sorry. Didn’t mean to pry!

She snorted. “Sure you did.”

I take the fifth.

Trevor’s invisible arm tightened around me as the conversation lurched to an awkward halt.
Crap.
I guess having been on trial for multiple murders meant I couldn’t use legal terms like that in a casual chat.

“So… not guilty, right?” said Ann, awkwardly.

Dismissed. Basically the same thing. It’s over. I had a good charm lawyer. It’s not like they could’ve actually explained how I killed them, you know?

“Yeah.” Ann glanced at the people at the nearest table and switched back to mental communication.
That reminds me, I need to learn how to fry people’s minds.

WHAT?
I nearly choked on a mouthful of vividly delicious hamburger, which would’ve been such a waste. That was definitely not what I’d expected Ann to say. I didn’t think that was a good idea—Ann was too gentle a person for that sort of thing. And my recent experiences in federal custody weren’t exactly a ringing endorsement for the mind-frying lifestyle.

There are federal agents watching the gates, Maddie.

Still?
Trepidation tingled through me. I thought they would be gone, what with Colonel Hunter committed and all. Things like that tended to discredit authority figures. How could he still be running things from a mental ward?

Yeah. Seth’s been listening to them.

So that’s why he was out front yesterday?

She nodded, serious and concerned.
There are a bunch of different agencies keeping tabs on us now—FBI, DOD, and ATF.

Crap
. I could understand why the FBI and Defense Department might be interested in us, but what did “Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms” have to do with us?

Three things people shouldn’t give to Drew.

What a mess. I’d been thinking that the worst of this situation was over with the judge’s ruling, but it wasn’t. It never was.

No, it’s not over.
Williamson’s mental voice cut in. He’d obviously been following along from his office on the third floor.
Why don’t the four of you come up when you’re done with lunch?

A minder meeting? I was feeling better, but I wasn’t sure if I was ready for the full hive-mind effect of a bunch of telepaths in the same room, bouncing ideas from one to another at the speed of thought.

Trevor took my hand.
If it gets too much for you, we’ll leave.

Okay.
I leaned my head against his shoulder and sent him a wave of love.

“Whoa!” Ann and Zack both startled and looked away.

Sorry!
My face heated as I pulled up a mental shield around us.
Minder PDA.
We saw enough personal stuff in other people’s heads so we tried to be discrete around each other. What I’d just done was about as subtle as spray-painting “Maddie Loves Trevor” on a highway overpass.

Crap. I’m out of practice,
I thought to Trevor.

You know you can practice with me as much as you want.

Aww.
This time, the flash of silver-white energy I shared with him stayed between the two of us.

Hey! Do all the romantic crap on your own time… and hurry up already. I need to get back to the gate.
Seth could hear the rest of us from the place near the front drive where he leaned against a tree. If he came much closer, our combined thoughts would be painfully loud to him.

I took a final moment to savor the tangy-sweet taste of ketchup on the remaining bite of my burger. The few people still eating noticed us as a weirdly silent group that suddenly stood together and headed toward the door.
Gah! They move like a school of fish suddenly changing direction.

I cracked up.
You catch that?
I thought to Ann.

The spark thinking the fish thing? Last time it was a flock of birds.

I wonder what it would be like.

What?

Being normal.

It’s overrated.
Ann flashed a quick smile at Zack.
And keep in mind, the guy who thinks we’re like weird fish can make things burst into flames at will. It’s all relative.

I laughed.
Ann? I’m glad you stayed
. She’d overloaded on other people’s thoughts last year and had left for several months, living unenhanced out in the real world.

Ann glanced over at Zack.
Me, too.

We pushed open Williamson’s door.

“Maddie?” My steps faltered as my mom blasted me with a fire hose of worry.

Hi, Mom.
I gave her a hug, knowing how much she needed to get a hand on me, how much she needed to get a feel for my state of mind.

“Oh, honey!” She started to cry, leaking her relief and joyful astonishment to everyone else.
You’re okay! You’re not traumatized anymore! I felt such horrible things in your mind yesterday. I was so worried. I thought you might never fully recover.

Was that just yesterday? It felt like ancient history in some ways.
I’m okay, Mom.

“How? How are you okay? You’re better than okay. You’re… you’re happy! How is this possible?”

Trevor.
I stepped back out of my mom’s arms to lean with Trevor against one wall. Ann took the last chair and Zack kept a hand in hers as he stood behind her. Trevor shared my abilities when we had physical contact so I suspected that Ann and Zack now had something similar going on.

“What?” My mom was still shocked by my okay-ness.

I have a special connection with Trevor. Good as new.

“But that man—”

Telepathic torture
, I explained, hoping this would be the last time. The broken-glass edge of the pain was gone, but it still wasn’t something I wanted to think about.
Not physically touched, okay? Everyone got that?
I looked around the room at the collection of telepaths who weren’t even pretending not to listen.
Can we all please stop thinking about it now? Subject change time! What’s this about the Feds still watching us?

It’s not just about you, Maddie,
Seth’s annoyance came through clearly.
They’re still here because they’re watching all of us.

I rolled my eyes.
I know it’s not just about me; it’s about Colonel Hunter. Isaiah sicced him on us, but Coleman managed to get him committed yesterday.

Hunter’s been released.

“WHAT?” A fire blazed up in Trevor’s gut.
The man who hurt Maddie is loose?
The idea made him feel sick—sick and unusually violent.
I want him DEAD. I want to kill him for hurting Maddie that way.

Surprise sloshed around the room. Most of the others had never seen this intensely protective side of Trevor’s normally gentle nature.

This morning,
Seth explained.
I don’t know how. He contacted the two DOD guys out there—the ones hanging back away from the main group near the gate. They’re looking into bringing a bunch of us up on all sorts of charges—everything from domestic terrorism to concealed weapons to witness tampering. I think he’s going after Coleman now. He said, “The lawyer was one of them,” which I guess is “one of us.”

I gasped.
Did you warn Coleman?
I owed the guy big time.

I did.
Williamson quickly reassured me.
He’s safe.

I nodded as cool relief trickled through me.
Good.

So, they’re still planning to come in after us?
Trevor’s jaw clenched and the trickles of relief dried up.

Looks like it.
Williamson nodded.

I looked at Ann.
And you want to learn to blast minds?
Suddenly that seemed… well… like not a good idea, but less inappropriate.