by S M Olivier
I could see Gavin grimace and his hand clenched on his fork momentarily. Sierra must have noticed his movements, too, because she reached out and covered his free hand with hers.
“Gavin, Sierra,” Will cut in before he shot Jemmy a stern look. “Did you let Blake and the boys know that you guys are done with the simulations?”
“No way!” Jaxson exclaimed excitedly. “When can we try it out?”
Jemmy let out a sound of frustration, apparently upset that we weren’t talking about Lincoln’s absence or what had transpired. I wished she could understand how hard this was on us. We really needed to give our minds a break from our current situation. We just wanted to enjoy our family dinner without talking about the issues we were having. We needed the break.
“The simulation suits will be here the day after tomorrow, and then we can start running the exercises,” Gavin brightened up, obviously excited to talk about his baby.
“You’ll be happy to know that I had a say in the female suits,” Sierra teased Gavin gently.
“Dare I ask?” I asked. I was trying really hard not to dwell on the more pressing matters crowding my head. We were still waiting to find out how Lincoln was doing, and we were all left wondering if he would finally believe me.
“Let’s just say some of the guys watch too much anime and read too many comics. The girls would have been wearing next to nothing,” Sierra stated.
“I guess I should thank you now, then.” I smiled at her.
“How does the simulation suit work?” Drake asked with a smile.
“They’re pretty high tech. They allow you to feel the pain, to a degree, if you mess up,” Gavin explained. “Will helped me with some of the scenarios he has encountered, and he gave me footage of old missions, so we were able to incorporate them into the exercises.”
“I can’t wait for some of the Nons to experience the scenarios,” Noah said smugly before taking a sip of his sweet tea.
Megan made some of the best sweet tea I had ever tasted. Her time in the South must’ve had a substantial influence on her drink of choice, not just her food preferences.
“Don’t be too smug,” Gavin said with a smirk. “The simulation will challenge all of us.”
“The South Carolina team will be moving in this weekend, and Ford’s brother will be accompanying them and staying,” Will informed us with a smile towards Gavin. “It would be a good thing for them to experience the new simulations as well.”
Ford was a man that we met when we got to the facility, someone we had all grown to like. Dawn had set her sights on him. Although, I think it had moved from a possible relationship into a friend’s with benefits situation. His father and older brother were part of the council in South Carolina. Ford had lived twenty-four years without being aware that he could fly. He had thought he hadn’t been gifted like his parents and brother.
I hadn’t realized that some gifted individuals had ‘dormant’ gifts. That unless they were forced into specific situations, their gifts might have never manifested. If Ford hadn’t been plunging to his death, he might never have found out that he was able to fly.
“I’m glad to hear that they are finally willing to come visit,” Jace stated.
“Me too,” Megan enthused. “We are hoping the other four communities will follow soon, too.”
Several of the other communities we had been in contact with didn’t realize how important it was to take a stand now. Some of them didn’t think our government would ever go to the drastic measures they were currently proposing. Most of them didn’t realize how big of a threat Horatio had become to our community as a whole, either. They preferred to continue living life in denial.
The Illinois community was the first to join us. Megan and Beth were behind most of our community relations, and they were trying really hard to recruit the others.
Ford and Will had finally been able to convince the South Carolina community to send a small team of twelve up here to us. We knew we still had a long road ahead to convince the others. It was important that we assured them that we needed their help and that they needed ours.
“Do we know where this will fit into our training schedule? It might be good for us to practice on it as well,” Remy stated. “If we don’t get our gifts back anytime soon. I would like to train on it as often as possible.”
“Everyone would be required to participate in the simulations once a week,” Will explained. “The schedule and teams have been made. It will also help us determine who will be ready for what missions.”
“When the simulation room isn’t being utilized during training, everyone would be able to use it at will,” Gavin added. “We have a tech that will be operating the room twenty-four seven.”
“So, when do we begin?” Jace asked clearly excited about the prospect of using the simulation room.
“Monday,” Will answered at some of the crestfallen looks. He quickly added with a laugh, “But Gavin did state that he wants to do a few practice runs when the suits come in.”
“Yes!” some of the men chorused around the table.
“Can we practice with it too?” Kade asked hopefully.
“I think I’m going to leave that up to the boys and Blake,” Will said as he looked at us. “I see no harm in you and Micah jumping into more of our training.”
“What about me?” Alex asked hopefully.
“We’re too young,” Ella said with a dramatic eye roll.
“Am not!” Alex retorted.
“Are too,” Ella said with a deadpan expression.
“I’m sorry, Alex, but the suits won’t fit you,” Gavin said apologetically. At the child’s crestfallen look, he quickly added, “But if it’s okay with Will, Blake, and the guys, maybe I can create some simulations for you that don’t require the suits.”
Alex looked over at us expectantly.
We all nodded.
“Yes!” Alex's fist pumped the air.
We all laughed at his enthusiasm.
“So…?” Micah asked us, looking hopeful.
I looked at the guys and saw the agreement in their eyes. “I think that’s a great idea,” I finally stated.
Micah tried to act more mature in his excitement, but I saw Kade and him exchange a fist bump.
I was lying in bed with Jaxson when my phone went off. Jaxson was already sleeping, with his head cradled on my stomach, and his hand on my bare hip. I was unable to sleep, so I had broken out my music book and was playing with some new lyrics and music that had been playing in my head.
I reached over to my nightstand and pulled out my phone. I was confused at the unknown number.
Unknown number: What the hell is happening to me?
Blake: Who is this?
I didn’t have to wait long for the next text. It was brief and concise like the man.
Unknown number: Lincoln
I saved his name into my phone since he refused to give it to me initially.
Blake: I tried to tell you that we were all feeling the effects of the loss of our gifts. No one knows what’s happening to us. It has never been this drastic before.
Lincoln: How did you know I was in trouble?
I felt like explaining it would take longer than just showing him. I opened my nightstand drawer where I stashed Ella’s picture. I pulled it out and took a picture of her drawing. I sent him the image and another text.
Blake: Ella, my sister, is a precog. She saw it.
I waited with bated breath. Finally, my phone chimed once more.
Lincoln: Where are you? Let’s get this connection made so I can have my life back.
I had to stifle my noise of frustration. I didn’t want to wake up Jaxson. I still didn’t think he understood the entirety of the situation.
Blake: It’s a little more complicated than that. I can’t just send you an address, and you show up at my door.
Lincoln: Can we not play games? For someone that was so eager to jump my bones yesterday, you seem so reluctant to do so today
.
I squelched another scream. Why, oh why, did God think that he could ever be my connection? He was so infuriating, arrogant, and a grade A ass.
Blake: I’m sure you have confidence that I wanted to ‘jump your bones’ but contrary to what your overinflated ego believes, I’m just as reluctant if not more so about this situation as you are. I’m worried about my other connections. It was never about jumping your bones. Not every female wants to sleep with you.
I don’t know why I wanted to strike at his ego, but I did. I couldn’t help myself. He had wheedled himself under my skin once more.
Blake: I’ve seen you in action, and I wasn’t impressed.
I waited for his response and waited and waited some more. Now I was cursing myself because I may have genuinely ticked him off this time.
Chapter 13
The simulation room was more than I anticipated. It was beyond all my expectations. It kind of reminded me of a laser tag arena—or an indoor paintball course on crack. It wasn’t even a room; it was part of the lower level of the mountain, adjoining the greenhouses. The rock walls were exposed, enclosing our simulation area.
When we got downstairs, we noticed that they had erected a glass enclosure much like you would see at a zoo for viewing animals. They had put up bleachers the right and left of a rectangular structure that was raised above the arena. The lighting was dim and created a dark ambiance. From the looks on everyone’s faces, they seemed just as impressed as I was.
“I think we go up there,” Jemmy stated, pointing to the structure in the middle.
“You think?” Rachel asked in confusion. “This is Gavin’s baby. Haven’t you been down here to help him?”
“Um no.” Jemmy screwed up her face in distaste.
“Why not?” Remy asked in confusion. “It was something he’s passionate about, and you were getting really good with the computers and programming.”
“That’s their thing, not mine,” Jemmy said defensively.
“Sometimes you have to make compromises in order to spend time with the person you care about,” Noah contended.
“You didn’t even make your connection with Blake before you slept your way through the whole school when you were trying to make your compromises,” Jemmy said acidly to Noah. “Until you guys all have a perfect relationship, save your preaching for someone else.”
I felt like she was making a dig at me too, but I refused to jump into the conversation. She apparently felt attacked by her siblings and didn’t need me to add onto it. She was clearly struggling with not being the center of their relationship. It couldn’t be comfortable with having to compete with Sierra, not that Sierra was treating it as a competition.
Sierra was just naturally a giver and pleaser. She would do almost anything to please Gavin, and even going out of her way to comfort Jemmy. She had already endeared herself to Gavin. Jemmy was just too blinded to see that Gavin had enough love for both of them.
I think Jemmy had been accustomed to competing for attention from her mother with Drake. She didn’t realize that life wasn’t always a competition. People were capable of loving two completely different people. She didn’t have to cowtow, but she shouldn’t be going out of her way to push people away either.
“Whatever, Jemmy,” Noah muttered peevishly. “You keep doing you and pushing Gavin away from you. Let me know how that works out for you.”
“Let’s go, guys,” Jace stated gently as he directed us to the structure.
As we walked into the structure, it was slightly brighter than the arena. We immediately stepped into the techs’ areas. There were three techies currently sitting behind their computers, and another three workstations that weren’t manned. They had a refrigerator, mini kitchenette, seating area, and large flat screen tv mounted on the wall.
“Hey guys,” Darren said brightly. He was clearly excited to see us. “Ready to try this bad boy out?”
Darren was one of the techies that we met and took on our last mission to secure Hazel. He was the stereotypical nerd—slight build with a pallor to his skin. The more we got to know him, the more I realized how smart he really was. He had a wicked sense of humor that was heavy with sarcasm and wittiness. Collectively as a group, we had all grown to like him and had already asked Paul and Will to allow him to accompany us every time a techie was required out in the field.
“You know it,” Terrance clapped his hands excitedly.
“Great,” Darren smiled widely, showing us his slight overbite. “Girls, your changing rooms are to the right. Boys, your changing rooms are to the left. It’s pretty self-explanatory once you enter the changing rooms. The uniforms are separated by size. Suit up and come back out here, and we’ll give you your helmets.”
“Let’s go,” Dawn cried out eagerly.
We didn’t have to be told twice before we quickly followed her into the changing room. I blinked at the brightness in here compared to what it was like out in the main area. The changing room was more like a locker room. The suits were all hung up on the left side of the door, and the lockers and benches to the right.
Dawn and Jemmy wasted no time in stripping down to their underwear. Rachel and I walked over to the suits first. I noticed they were all hung up according to size, smaller sizes starting on the right.
“What’s up with Jem?” I asked quietly to Rachel.
Rachel and Jemmy gravitated towards each other often. They had become best friends almost immediately when they met. I knew Jemmy confided in her the most since we had gotten here.
“I think she’s struggling with the bond Gavin and Sierra has,” she whispered back. “I’ve tried to get her to talk to me about it, but she won’t. Gavin has been super sweet and thoughtful towards her, but she keeps going out of her way to be…ugly towards him.”
“Ugh,” I groaned. “I love her dearly, but she’s been doing that to almost everyone lately. I don’t know what to say or do to help her.”
“Pops is trying to find a therapist for us,” Rachel said hesitantly.
“That might be a good thing for her,” I sighed.
“Not just for her,” Rachel said with a meaningful look.
I looked at her in confusion before understanding dawned. “I don’t need a therapist.”
“Yes, you do,” Rachel said with resolute bluntness. “You’re still sleeping with a night light, but you’re not the only one struggling with…life. Patrick, Alex, and Ella would benefit to speak to one, too. You guys have been through a lot, and it’s going to affect you in the long run.”
“I don’t need a therapist.” I frowned trying to keep my anger at bay.
Rachel gave me an understanding smile. “I know that what’s you think, but it’s not true. You know I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t think it was necessary.”
I didn’t know what to say without my anger taking over. I didn’t want to see a therapist. I had to sit with them when I was institutionalized. They were all pretentious, overpaid, overinflated, A-holes. I was an adult. I’d be damned if they thought they could tell me that I was going to sit with another one.
I bit my tongue. I wasn’t going to lash out at Rachel for her assumptions. I wasn’t going to take out my frustrations with life in general at her either. I took a deep breath in and grabbed one of the smallest suits available. It was black and fitted as I suspected it would. It looked like there was an electronic chest piece and thin wires were throughout the whole suit.
I sat down and removed my black combat boots before I took off the rest of my clothes and folded them. I placed them in an empty locker, ignoring Dawn and Jemmy as they played around and joked. I was still peeved at Jemmy, and I wished Dawn would help us to stop enabling her in her undesirable behavior.
As I slipped into my suit, I could barely feel the wires between the layer of fabric. I bent and stretched, noticing the comfort of the suit, even if it reminded me of a wetsuit.
“Are you mad at me?” Rachel asked tentatively as she sat down beside me.
/> I sighed. “No,” I finally admitted. “I know you were just saying what most people are thinking. I really can’t shoot the messenger.”
“Thanks,” Rachel said in relief. “I feel like I’m already walking on eggshells with Jemmy. I don’t need someone else being…testy with me.”
I forced a laugh. “What a mess we are.”
“A beautiful mess,” she said cajolingly.
“Did you find out how Lincoln’s doing?” she asked after a few moments of silence.
I sighed and rubbed my face. It had been four days since I last talked to Lincoln. Ever since our late-night conversation, he hadn’t texted me, and I refused to text him. He couldn’t continue poking the bear without expecting to get bitten.
But I had spoken to Anna, and she’d told me he was released from the hospital the next day and seemed to be doing better. She had eagerly agreed to alter some of the pieces that I sent back to her. Dawn had given me all the girls’ measurements, along with photos of the girls that Anna had requested.
“He’s better, but he’s not talking to me,” I admitted now to Rachel as I slid back on my boots.
“You know if he ever meets Jemmy, she’s going to be shamelessly flirting with him, and I think the main reason will be because of Gavin. She’s been trying to get a rise out of him, and I wish she would knock it off. If I could, I would trade places with her in a heartbeat, even if I had to share him,” Rachel admitted quietly.
I widened my eyes in surprise. I hadn’t realized she might be harboring a small crush on Gavin. Admittedly, he was attractive, but I also knew she was in a relationship with Sam. I wondered if she was bored of it already. I knew constant proximity to each other may have helped garner their relationship, but they were cute together.
“Hey girls, sorry I’m late,” Sierra stated as she ran into the room. Her hair was messy and her clothes slightly disheveled, so it didn’t take too much of an imagination to figure out what she had been up to.
“I’m sure you had a good reason,” Dawn commented with a knowing smile.
“I wouldn’t know of those reasons,” Jemmy said peevishly.
