by Amanda Uhl
He reached for the portal and entered effortlessly. They couldn’t keep Grace here forever, but he needed her near for his own peace of mind. It would only be a matter of time before their friend would strike again.
Graceʼs wavelengths were slow and steady. David resisted the temptation to linger. He must conserve his strength for the inevitable battle ahead. This time there would be no unknowns. And that would be the key to his success.
He considered the extended energy waves the hacker liked to use. Energy waves like that were hard to manufacture and harder still to control. They had a tendency to develop erratic tails. As long as the hacker had a firm control, they could inflict serious damage. But if the hacker lost control, the waves would become too jagged and could be deflected backward by another strong hacker. Although untested, he was fairly certain he was strong enough to mirror the extended waves.
Control was the rogue hacker’s weakness. He struggled to maintain control when he was excited or provoked. Before the hacker had made a sudden exit from Grace’s mind, David had seen the hacker lose control of his energy waves. David would use that knowledge to his advantage when next they met. He only hoped he was strong enough to resist the power of the attack.
David pulled himself back through the portal. It was time to bring Grace in on their plan. He and Peter had discussed it in the early morning hours yesterday. Although he knew Grace was attracted to him, she had no memories or emotions from their previous time together. She was merely repaying a debt and acting the Good Samaritan. Grace would leave when Peter declared her safe. But she wouldn’t be traveling to Claire’s wedding alone. He would be with her as promised. The hacker would expect her to be at the wedding. Both he and Peter agreed that would be where their adversary would strike next. Grace was vulnerable where her sister was concerned. What better way for the enemy to ensure her cooperation?
Of course, the hacker was unpredictable. He could go after Grace’s mother as well. For this reason, the CMU hackers were guarding both the mother and the sister. If the rogue hacker were to appear on the landscape, he would not go unnoticed. To date, though, the hacker had not put in an appearance, or at least he had avoided depositing any energy in his wake.
David rose slowly, cautiously pulling the covers back and swinging his feet over the side of the bed. He stayed that way for a moment, testing his steadiness. When he was confident he was not going to pass out or grow nauseous, he stood. His rubbery legs held. Satisfied, he moved slowly toward the door, out into the hallway, and to Grace’s room. No one was in sight. David opened the door and went inside.
The early morning sun cast enough light to see her lying amongst a tangle of covers, like a small child. Her short-cropped blond hair lay matted against her pale face. David reached out a hand, gently rubbing a finger across her cheek. “Grace, wake up.” He watched as she came slowly awake, squinting and broadcasting alarm.
“David? Shouldn’t you be in bed? What are you doing here?”
David couldn’t stop the smile on his lips. “I came to see you.”
“What do you want?” Grace struggled to sit up, as if sensing he had something important to tell her.
“We need to talk.”
“It’s a little early, don’t you think?” She glanced at the alarm clock. “It’s 6:00 a.m.”
He smiled. “Time to get up. This is important.”
“Ok.” She grumbled, propping her head with her pillows. “But I haven’t had my morning coffee.”
“You can get it later. I’ll treat you to a hospital breakfast.”
“Now that’s an incentive. So why the early morning wakeup call?”
David sat on the end of the bed, taking a brief moment, when he realized his presence unnerved Grace, to adjust his energy waves to calm her. “Peter tells me you’re ready to be released. I know you plan to travel to San Francisco for Claire’s wedding.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
He took her hand, slowly traced the lines of her palm, then chose his next words carefully. “Grace, I know this wedding is important to you, but it’s not safe. Our adversary knows about your sister. He will be expecting you to attend the wedding.”
Grace shivered, but David wasn’t sure if it was from the way he was touching her or the thought of having to deal with the madman again. Maybe a little of both. She knew what he was telling her was logical. She should go into hiding until they caught the crazy son of bitch. But Grace refused to be the reason her sister called off her wedding. Claire would never get hitched if Grace wasn’t there to encourage her. David heard: There’s no way in hell they will keep me away.
“I’m going with you.” He said it calmly, as if they were talking about the weather.
“Oh, there’s no need for that.” Grace sat up taller. “You need to stay here and get well.”
“Relax, Grace. I know the idea of us having a relationship is foreign to you. But believe me when I tell you we did have a relationship.”
“Yes, but I don’t…I can’t…”
“No buts or can’ts.” David spoke sharply and then took a deep breath. When he spoke again, his tone was calm and reasonable. “Because you can’t remember it, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen—that I don’t have feelings for you.”
Grace’s thoughts were conflicted. David heard: He did almost die to save me. But he’s still a stranger despite what he keeps insisting. But death? Do you want it to happen to him for real this time? To you?
“David, I know you say weʼve been lovers. You must understand, I don’t remember any of that. You’re a…a…virtual stranger to me. I do appreciate your saving my life. That’s why I’m here trying to help you. But we aren’t going to be able to pick up where we left off. I can’t…”
“There’s that word again,” he grumbled. “No canʼts. I told you I wouldn’t pressure you and I meant it. But you cannot expect me to sit idly by while a madman is on the loose.”
David’s tremendous control slipped. Being near Grace, especially after the recent battle they had endured together, was hard on his nerves. He would not let her shut him out, though. Besides, the fact that she had clung to the portal through it all was a strong statement in his favor. David was in her mind so he knew she was intrigued with him and attracted. Grace couldn’t hide her strong emotions. Not from him.
“That’s exactly what I expect you to do, David. You need to get well. You won’t be able to do that if you’re worried about defending me.” Grace crossed her arms. “Plus, if that crazy hacker finds me again, you can’t do what you did last time. He won’t wait to reason with you—he’ll kill you.”
“Maybe, but I don’t think so. He’ll keep me alive so he can control me. Listen, Grace. I have a plan. The hacker, whoever he is, has trouble controlling his emotions. Control is essential for a mind hacker. Without it, he cannot manage the energy fields. Believe me, I have seen hackers who can’t control their energy die horrible deaths, all because they let their emotions get the better of them when they were under. If we can get our friend to lose control of his feelings, I believe I can wrest control from him.”
“If you can do it, why can’t another hacker? Why not let Peter choose who should go with me? You’re better off staying here and recuperating fully. I don’t want your death on my hands when you’re so vulnerable.”
David smiled inwardly. Grace would never be able to disguise her true thoughts. Not from him. Her worry and fear echoed across his mind, tugging at his heart. Grace needed him.
“Like it or not, Grace, I’m all you have. No one else is strong enough to fight this madman. His energy is so powerful, he would incinerate them. They would never make it back alive. Besides, the hacker is after me. He must defeat me to get to you. After he destroyed my fill-in, he would still come after me, most likely reenergized and even stronger than before. We can’t let that happen.”
“But you’ve been so ill.”
“I’m not ill but injured and healing fast. Besides, I won’t be alone.”
/>
She looked at him puzzled. He held her hand tighter and smiled into her eyes. “You will be there, too.”
As romantic statements went, it wasn’t his best. But it signaled to Grace that they were a team—that he was treating her as an equal partner. That he needed her.
Grace stared at him for a second as if trying to make sense of his words. David knew the moment she gave in fully, her pent up energy releasing all at once.
“Okay. I can see arguing with you isn’t going to get you to change your mind. You can come to my sister’s wedding. But remember, you’re not my date. This is purely business.”
David nodded, careful to keep the triumph from showing on his face.
“All right. What do you need from me?”
“We’ll need to work on your defense. The hacker will attack where you are most vulnerable—your mother, your sister, a close friend—anyone who means something to you. He’s been in your mind, so he’ll know. Whatever is important to you, he’ll know. It’ll be difficult, but you’ll need to ignore whatever he threatens and maintain calm. If you can do this, you’ll defuse the power he possesses. It will take more energy for him to command your mind. It will help me wrest control.”
“How do I do this?”
“You had the right idea before. We’ll create a ‘happy place’ for you. Somewhere you feel calm and that brings you joy. When he attacks, and mark my words, he’ll attack again, you will immediately retreat to this place.”
“A happy place it is. When can we get started?”
“No time like the present.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
On the Move
They ate breakfast in her room and began her training.
“Concentrate on the feeling you have when you are on the beach,” David said. “Are you warm, is there a cool breeze, are there seagulls? What are you wearing? What does the sand feel like on your feet? What does the lake water smell like?”
“Quiet. I’ve discovered a cool piece of beach glass.” Grace was lying on the bed, a pillow propped behind her head, eyes closed.
“What does it look like?”
“It’s pink, almost translucent like a jelly fish. The edges are smooth and it’s big enough to fit in the palm of my hand.”
The glass morphed into a red heart-shaped piece of glass. “Hey, how’d you do that?”
David laughed. “A little hacker humor. And while I’m at it…”
Her outfit went from a bright blue one piece, which made her look tanned, to a white bikini that accentuated her bust and behind. A pair of Armani sunglasses magically appeared on her head.
“No fair. This is my daydream. Stay out.” Grace re-imagined the blue-bathing suit.
They played tug of war for a while, tussling for control of the scene, and laughing. After all the stress they had been under, Grace enjoyed the return to semi-normalcy. During that moment, she realized two things: She liked David, and she could not deny the attraction between them. Grace supposed it was possible that they had been lovers, although, she still found it surprising.
David leaned across the bed suddenly and kissed her full on the lips. Too late, Grace had forgotten he could read her mind. The impact of his mouth on hers stunned her senses momentarily. It was as if an electrical charge went straight from his mouth to her heart. She could swear she missed a beat. It wasn’t every day a good-looking man, who happened to be a mind reader, kissed her. He was a good kisser. The intensity of the kiss changed, growing more thorough and intimate. She reminded herself to guard her thoughts more closely. It wouldn’t do to give him any ideas. He was taking full advantage.
David drew back and looked Grace straight in the eyes. “I told you, it’s not possible to guard your thoughts from me with the portal in place. You would need to reject the portal and so far, you’ve been pretty stubborn about hanging on to it.”
Grace responded a bit breathlessly. “How do I go about rejecting it?”
David stared at her for a moment, watching her lips as if he were going to kiss her again. Did she want him to kiss her? Would he get the wrong idea?
Instead of renewing the kiss, David drew away. “It’s not difficult. You have to want it gone. Your mind will release it, but you must will it to.”
Grace took a deep breath, using the distance between them to gather her thoughts. “But I can’t even tell this portal thing exists. How can I possibly tell my mind to release it?”
“Believe me, if you wanted it gone, it would be gone. Instead, you have defended it like a prized possession.”
Grace’s frustration mounted. David held all the cards. It wasn’t fair. Not only did he still have his own memories, but he had access to all the memories in Grace’s mind as well. David knew everything, while she remained in the dark.
“Well, I guess I’ll need to take your word for it, because I still don’t know how I can possibly get rid of something I can’t feel or touch.”
David studied her a moment, his green eyes glowing with something Grace couldn’t identify. She waited patiently for him to respond, but they were interrupted by the buzz of his cell phone. He checked the identity and answered, eyeing her all the while. Grace knew instantly she was the subject of their conversation.
“Yes. Okay. Right. I’m listening.” Long pause. “Not good. Yes, I know. When? Today? Are you certain? Okay…no, I’m up for it. Yes, I did, and everything was as normal. She’s sitting across from me. Yes, I understand. Yeah, I’ll handle it.”
David pocketed his cell phone in his hospital gown, his eyes never leaving hers. Something about his stance made her heart beat hard.
“We are being released this afternoon.”
“We? I mean, I was expecting to be released. I didn’t have a chance to tell you my mother talked to Peter yesterday. But you—are you sure you’re well enough? I mean…”
“Yes, we.” David grabbed her hand suddenly, pulling her to him. “Our friend is on the move. He’s not going to leave you alone. He’ll strike soon. You don’t think I’ll leave you to face him all alone, do you?”
“No, but…what do you mean on the move? How do you know?”
“Because they’ve found evidence of his energy in a suspected target’s mind.”
“Who?”
He shook his head quickly, almost impatiently. “Not another hacker.”
“Who…?” Something about the way he said the word target, so carefully as if he were afraid to reveal anything by its use, triggered some sixth sense within her. The madman had gone after someone close to her. Claire.
He shook his head. “Not Claire. Your mother.”
Grace sucked in a sudden breath. Oh, my God. Panic welled inside her sharp and deep, like a giant bubble floating to the surface of her mind. Her mother would never survive the psychopath. She’s too high-strung and anxious. He’ll kill her.
David sat suddenly, pulling her with him. “Relax, Grace.” He stroked her back. “Put your head between your legs.”
Grace complied and immediately her head stopped swimming.
“Try to slow your breathing. Take deep breaths. Your mom is fine. We’d anticipated the possibility. We were able to stop him from entering.”
“How?” Grace’s voice sounded garbled coming from between her legs.
“We set a trap that was triggered when he made the attempt.”
“A trap—in her mind?”
David nodded.
“So he didn’t get in? She’s okay?” Grace lifted her head to look at David. She wanted to make sure he wasn’t hiding anything.
“Yes, she’s fine. But it won’t stop him from trying again. He wants to get someone close to you in his power, so he has leverage. Your mother’s an easy target, since she’s local. Although he can still attack from a distance, it’s much harder for him to generate the energy he needs, and he can’t stay under as long. If he’s on the move, we must be, too. This hospital is out of the way, but if he has the resources we think, it’s likely he’s tracked us. Peter su
spects he’s nearby, waiting to strike at the first opportunity. We need to leave. Now. Go pack your things. And call your mother and let her know your attacker is at large and the police are coming to get her. Tell her they will put her and Glenn in a safe house for a few days, and you’ll call her once you’re settled.” He turned to go.
“But wait—where am I going?”
“With me. You’re not leaving my sight.” David cocked one eyebrow at her, as if daring her to argue. When she didn’t immediately, he turned and left the room. “Get packed.” He called back over his shoulder.
Grace sat for a moment after he left, still stunned by the knowledge the hacker had tried to attack her mother. Her anxious mother would be overwhelmed by the experience. The nasty man would prey on her worst fears, telling her that her girls were in trouble.
The room spun, causing Grace to close her eyes for a moment. She had forgotten her secondary concern: How would David be able to save Grace when he had barely saved himself the last time? One more battle would surely do him in, wouldn’t it? The look in the madman’s eyes. How did he take her over, paralyzing her ability to move? Her only defense had been to keep calm and resist his advances. It was clear she would need to draw on that inner strength again to find her happy zone. Grace prayed by the time the real attack came, she had a happy zone to draw on.
Her phone beeped, distracting her with an incoming text. Claire. Grace glanced at it apprehensively, fearing that Claire would use her so-called accident to call off her wedding. She hated that all of her troubles could be the cause of another failed wedding for Claire.
11:15 a.m. How are you feeling? Up for a phone call?
She thumbed. Yes, feeling great. Going to be released today. Immediately her phone buzzed and Grace answered.
