Two of a Mind

by S M Stuart

  “What is it about Bethany Simpson that got her going?” I mumbled.

  “Pardon?” Seth obviously hadn’t noticed Mum’s reaction was to a particular incident.

  “I overheard Mum’s thoughts just as she saw Bethany Simpson’s entry. She was worried about what we’d got ourselves into.”

  “Your dad’s been saying that all along, so it’s nothing fresh.”

  “Yeah, but this was different. She was really frightened. I bet she’s out there right now trying to get Dad home early to put a stop to this.”

  As I was about to march out to the kitchen to confront Mum I heard my personal Comms kit beeping. I sensed who the caller was but checked their I.D. to be sure.

  “Hi, Alvin.”

  “Hello, Dez. I thought I’d check to see how you’re getting on.”

  “I’m fine thanks.” I glanced at Seth who was shaking his head and mouthing ‘liar’ to me. I wasn’t sure I wanted to share the latest revelations of my condition but Seth had different ideas.

  “Tell him about Dale,” he said, loudly and, as I didn’t have the privacy filter activated, Alvin heard Seth’s comment.

  “Dale?” Alvin asked. I threw a furious look at Seth and he grinned back at me knowing I couldn’t attack him while I was on the call.

  I told Alvin about the spectacular result of my physical contact with Dale and Asil. I had to recap several times as Alvin kept interrupting to ask for more details – I was sure he was taking notes for his next offering to the annual medical shin-dig. I felt I was being treated like an interesting lab-rat rather than his client.

  “Fascinating,” he said, when he eventually allowed me to finish. “You certainly push the boundaries of what we currently know about psychic connections, Dez. These abilities have never manifested in anybody before. You’re a real trailblazer.” His excitement didn’t help my mood but his next comment stopped any sarcastic reply I had in mind. “Victor will be very interested to hear about your latest exploits.”

  “V-Victor?”

  “Yes, Dez. Victor Trevalyn. He’s the current President of The International Alternative Therapist’s Association. He was the key speaker at the conference last weekend and he heard some of the delegates talking about you – not specifically of course, it was all anonymous – but he searched me out to ask if he could follow your progress.”

  I struggled to respond. I was shaking with the shock of hearing Alvin talking about that monster Trevalyn with such respect and excitement. Seth couldn’t hear Alvin’s side of the conversation but he’d heard me say Victor’s name and he saw my reaction. He grabbed the Comms kit from me and disconnected the call.

  “Dez. What’s wrong? What’s happened?”

  “Trevalyn’s on to us,” I whispered through parched lips. “He’ll pick up what I know if he gets close enough.” An image of the man going into The Johnson Foundation flashed across my memory. “Omigod, he was there.”

  “Where? Dez, what are you talking about?”

  “Yesterday. He was at Dale’s offices. Maybe that’s how he managed to connect to me. What are we going to do?”

  “Time for the police,” Seth said.

  “It’s gone beyond that now.” Mum was standing by the door. All my preconceptions about her being a silly, stay-at-home mummy disappeared as I saw an old-fashioned pistol in her hand.

  “Mum!”

  “Mrs Hanson!”

  “Shush. I’ll explain later. Right now, please, just do as I ask for once.” She looked at me with pleading eyes. I nodded, unable to find a smart answer. “We’ve got to back-up all this data and keep it hidden securely until Jonathan can deal with it.” Mum rarely called my dad Jonathan when speaking to me, it was usually ‘your father’ or in good times ‘Daddy’. Why the sudden change – in fact, who was this woman and where was my mum? She must have sensed my anxiety and her expression softened. “Don’t worry, Desirée. We’ll look after you.” Ah, yes there she was, using my full name again!

  Seth adjusted to the new Mrs Hanson a lot quicker than I could and she soon had him following her orders with military precision. For a while I stood mutely watching the activity around me. Files were backed-up onto Elizabeth’s Handi and a separate copy onto a mini-pin-drive that Mum stuck into the underside of her jacket collar. The home hard drive was scoured with a programme I’d never seen before. It wiped the system spotlessly clean – as clear as the day it was installed and every trace of data removed. I worried about Dad’s work but Mum kept reassuring me that things would be fine.

  She programmed all the house windows to the privacy setting. We could see out but nobody could see in. Seth kept checking what was going on outside. It wasn’t helping me to calm down and I sobbed quietly, feeling that I was responsible for bringing this terror to the people I loved and I was helpless to divert it. Why hadn’t I just accepted that I didn’t have a bloody PT? Why did I have to open the floodgates and get Alvin interested in my unique abilities? Why did I think two teenagers were any match for a cold-blooded killer?

  “Stop it now Desirée. That’s enough self-pity.”

  “That’s rich coming from you,” I retorted, instantly regretting it but surprised to see Mum smiling.

  “That’s better,” she said. “That’s more like my Dizzy.” We hugged briefly before she sent me off to pack. “We’ll need a few days’ worth of clothing, Dez. Sensible stuff, mind.”

  When I returned to the study I found a very confused Samuel in deep conversation with Seth. Mum guided me into the kitchen and gestured for me to set out some of the fresh baking while she made a pot of tea.

  “Samuel and Seth aren’t safe either,” she said. “We’re going to a secure location until we can get the data verified and the right people involved to help us.”

  “Mum, what’s going on? This … this is all so much bigger than I thought.”

  “You’re right. It is much bigger. I can’t tell you more until we’re safely away and have time to talk about it. Pass the milk, there’s a dear.”

  This was surreal. One minute we’re in fear of our lives and the next we’re calmly sitting in the lounge and complimenting Mum on her delicious cakes. We were still sipping our tea when Dad came charging in.

  “Everyone all right?” he asked, and he grabbed both Mum and me in a fierce hug.

  “Fine, fine. I’m merely suffocating at the moment.” Mum struggled to free herself from his grip.

  Dad’s eyes were full of concern yet there was also a hint of approval as he looked at the preparations we’d made before his arrival. His emotions crept into his speech.

  “I see you’ve got it all under control, Celeste. Any chance of a quick cup of tea?”

  That broke the tension and we all laughed as he stacked a plate, trying to catch up on his share of the cakes. When the silly moment had passed Samuel turned to Dad.

  “What happens now then, Jon?” Samuel was the only person I’d ever heard abbreviate Dad’s name. It sounded nice. He trusted Dad to get us through and it made my chest ache with pride.

  “Victor Trevalyn is a nasty piece of work,” Dad said. “But he is very well connected and we are not going to convince the prosecution service until we have concrete evidence against him. And that is not easy to find, believe me. I’ve been investigating him for a number of years now.” He turned to me, “When your mother saw Bethany Simpson on your list and read the quotation that Elizabeth had attached she knew we were in trouble.”

  “‘The true men of action in our time, those who transform the world, are not the politicians and statesmen, but scientists.’ It’s by W H Auden. I can’t remember the essay it’s taken from, but I don’t think Elizabeth was using it as a compliment to scientists,” Mum said. Her knowledge of 20th century literature always astounded me. I wasn’t a big English-Lit fan myself, maybe ’cos I knew I could never compete with her phenomenal knowledge.

  “What does it mean?” Seth asked.

  “Elizabeth was reminding us that the scientists have been t
he real forces behind global changes. Think of the atomic bomb and how that affected the entire world,” Mum replied.

  “Amongst some family files, Bethany had discovered a number of archived documents written by her great-grandfather during his time in the House of Lords,” Dad continued. “They mentioned meetings with the Trevalyn Company – a small player in pharmaceuticals back then.”

  “Trevalyn? The same family? It goes back so long?” Dad nodded at my questions.

  “In the early 21st century – a period of serious civil unrest – Benjamin Trevalyn, Victor’s grandfather, developed a mood suppressant that he presented to the authorities. The financial crash of 2008 was still affecting the global economy. The numerous uprisings in the Middle East made everybody nervous. Governments around the world were seen as corrupt and elections were being regularly dismissed as rigged. Things came to a terrible climax in October 2015 when nuclear war broke out in the Far East. It was brief but devastating. The ‘flu pandemic hit during the Nuke War so, between the two tragedies, a significant proportion of the world’s population was wiped out.”

  “Apart from the Nuke War and the ‘flu, we never heard any of this in History,” I said.

  “You wouldn’t. The response to the situation could never be made public.”

  “Response?” Samuel asked.

  “When the volatile situation was at its peak, the most powerful world leaders – not just politicians, but industrialists and religious leaders too – were fearful of a complete break-down of society. According to Simpson’s notes they were convinced that this mood suppressant from Trevalyn was safe enough for worldwide use. The bio-agent was to be distributed via nano-particles released into the atmosphere. It would multiply and survive for up to a year so by the end of 2016 the vast majority of the population would be treated.”

  “Infected more like! Surely that’s biological warfare?” Seth interrupted.

  “I agree,” Dad answered. “But the need to restore calm and the assurances that the product was safe reassured the decision-makers that the benefits outweighed individual human rights. Even sworn enemies shook hands on the deal. After all, the distribution method meant that they would be taking the drug themselves.”

  “This happened so long ago. Why is Victor Trevalyn killing people now?” I could barely speak. It felt like I was calling him into the room by saying his name aloud.

  “We are not entirely sure, sweetheart. I’ve been trying to uncover what really happened in the years following the dispersal. According to the established history a new, more-virulent mutation of the swine ‘flu brought the anticipated pandemic and affected ninety-five percent of the global population. Of those who survived a large proportion had residual depression and mental health problems. The latest theory that our medical historians have come up with is that the phenomenon of telepathic-twinning was emerging and people were finding it difficult to deal with this new psychic ability.”

  Mum had been constantly pacing around the room, checking through the windows, nervous about our delay but she’d listened to all Dad had been saying. Her puzzle-solving mind sifted through the details.

  “So,” she said, “the bio-agent probably provided the catalyst for the PT evolution.”

  Dad smiled at her. “You always did manage to find the answer quicker than the rest of us. We’ve missed your talents. I’ll insist the department re-commission you as soon as we sort this out.”

  Mum’s eyes flashed a warning at Dad then she glanced my way as though checking to see if I was probing her thoughts. Under the stress of the situation, I was struggling to keep the door shut on all those telepathic connections so, despite the temptation to see what was hidden in Mum’s past, I stayed out of her head.

  “Why the sudden fear for our own safety?” Samuel asked. We hadn’t had chance to fill him in on our suspicions about Victor Trevalyn being Elizabeth’s PT, but before I could answer, Mum spoke.

  “The current Lord Simpson is Jonathan’s godfather. He was convinced his granddaughter’s death was suspicious and he asked Jonathan to help prove it. And now we know he was right. Elizabeth’s Handi lists Bethany amongst Trevalyn’s victims. Dez and Seth used InfoNet searches to link the incidents in Elizabeth’s Handi with Trevalyn Corps and we’re assuming Victor Trevalyn has in-built tracers which will have alerted him to their enquiries. It would explain how he was able to trace Bethany when she was conducting her research.”

  “Now I remember! Your bridesmaid – little Beth? Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I didn’t make the connection.” Samuel rubbed at his forehead, frowning while he struggled with the complex relationships. “But what has Elizabeth’s Handi got to do with Trevalyn?” he asked me.

  “The murdering bastard was her PT,” Seth answered on my behalf.

  Well done, Seth. Why use tact when a sledge-hammer will do?

  CHAPTER 45

  Ellingham: 26 October 2106

  Trevalyn had threatened to take Seth from her unless she came to him.

  “I merely want to meet you face-to-face after all these years? Don’t be afraid. You’re my muse, I couldn’t harm you.” He sensed that Elizabeth was utterly drained. The school bus tragedy was the last straw. She’d agreed to meet him on the Memorial Bridge at the lake.

  ***

  “I wasn’t sure you’d come,” he said, as he emerged from the shadow of the lakeside woods. He approached the bridge cautiously, half-expecting her to turn and run. “Your Bloc seems to have reinstated itself. Fascinating. I didn’t know it could do that.”

  “What do you want?”

  “Is that any way to greet the one who’s shared your innermost thoughts and feelings all these years?” He grinned maliciously then added, “To tell you the truth, I’m bored, Lizzie, darling.”

  “Don’t you dare call me that,” she screamed at him.

  “Calm down. You’ll draw attention to us and you wouldn’t want your precious Samuel to hear about you meeting a strange man by the lake would you?”

  Elizabeth’s tears shone in the clear October moonlight and he felt something totally unfamiliar as he watched the silver drops flow down her cheeks. An overwhelming sadness blended with hints of sympathy and apology seeped into his mind. He wasn’t entirely sure if these sensations were his own or those being experienced by Elizabeth. Was he the object of her pity? He almost abandoned his plan to take her with him. Almost.

  “I need you to come with me now Elizabeth,” he said. “I’m sure I could stop the slaughter if you helped me. I tried to distract myself with the relationship thing. Sally Mathers – remember? How could I not see she was only interested in hooking the boss to impress her PT? So shallow, don’t you agree? I could have been so much more. A loving husband, a proud, doting father. Alas it was not to be.” He sighed dramatically.

  “Your Bloc may still keep some of your secrets, but I know you’ve never loved anyone other than yourself. What would you know about the strength of family bonds?”

  He was surprised to hear her vehement response. He’d thought that she was drowning in the despair that he’d inspired, no longer able to react so passionately to his torments. Her comment brought the unwelcome recollection of his childhood. One dominated by the ambitious men of the family with the women brought in only to keep the gene-pool healthy. Well that didn’t work so well for Father did it? Once they’d produced the required son the female Trevalyns seemed to step aside – whether by choice or under duress, Victor was never sure but he remembered his grandfather’s stern dismissal of any conversation regarding his own missing wife.

  He realised his self-indulgence was allowing Elizabeth access to his weakness – his loneliness. His experiments to enhance psyche-links had reaped some benefit – for him if not the poor, now-demented, people he’d used as test subjects. He had been able to connect telepathically to people other than his PT but only if he was within a few feet of them. It wasn’t enough. Despite numerous versions of the drug he used to establish his additional telepathy, he couldn’t
sustain a remote or lasting connection. No matter what risks were involved, he needed to understand the mechanics of his psyche-twinning with Elizabeth.

  He lunged towards her but she leapt backwards to avoid his grasp. The momentum carried her over the rail into the dark water below. As the lake closed over her, her weariness became overwhelming and she embraced her fate. She projected final bitter thoughts to bombard her tormentor whilst the stinging cold lanced down her throat and the weight of her woollen coat dragged her to the murky depths. Without his muse there would be no art in his killing. Without her he wouldn’t be able to torment another soul with his monstrous thoughts. Without her he’d become one of the ‘Empties’ that he so despised, a freak without a true PT.

  “NO!”

  This was one shared death he hadn’t planned, that he wasn’t prepared for. He felt the physical pain of his mind being ripped apart, the loss of half his soul – the better half.

  Ha! She thinks I’ll stop just because she’s gone? No. Now there’s nothing to hold me back – no whining voice of conscience to keep the monster at bay.

  CHAPTER 46

  Ellingham: 8 August 2110

  He’s gonna have a heart attack!

  Samuel’s face had turned a dreadful shade of grey and Seth pushed a cup of lukewarm sweet tea into his hands.

  We all struggled with the implications of Trevalyn cropping up in our amateur sleuthing. I realised that as soon as he’d been in contact with Alvin, Trevalyn was able to lift my identity from the therapist’s thoughts. During his brief visit to The Johnson Foundation he’d have picked up that we’d been there too. In the heavy silence that followed Seth’s bomb-shell announcement I wondered how to start explaining the situation.

  Dad got to his feet and began gathering the rucksacks in preparation to leave. I watched the people I loved most in the world being uprooted from the security of home, work, and school and all because I’d brought us to Trevalyn’s attention. I didn’t need to look for him in my head, I could feel him probing, sending waves of hate towards me and suddenly the link was full on and I had to stifle a groan of pain. He had his hands around my neck – no, it wasn’t me, it was that awful nurse from the clinic and he wasn’t strangling her, well not fully. Omigod, she’s enjoying it!. I tried to tune out – I didn’t want to sense any part of the action but the connection was too strong.