by Jenn Nixon
Sanjeeta felt a gentle tingling in the back of her head. She sat up, whispering. “Hello?”
Hello, Sanjeeta. His voice entered her mind gently, sending feathery flutters up her back.
“Caelum?”
Yes, I wanted to…see how you are processing what you learned today.
A smile formed on mouth. “Were you eavesdropping?”
Not in the way you are suggesting. One of my abilities allows me to hear the thoughts of everyone on the planet. When I hear my name—
The whole planet? Sanjeeta got up from the bed and moved to the tiny window, looking for the moon. That…can’t be fun.
I assure you, it is not.
So, you heard me thinking about you.
Yes, but only my name. I did not invade your mind. I never will.
I appreciate that. She slid her finger along the ratty curtain and walked back to the bed, lying back and sighing. Couldn’t sleep?
On the contrary, recently woke. I only sleep once a week or so.
Crap, how do you manage sleeping so little?
I spend most of my time on planets with no population so I absorb as little as possible.
His instant, straightforward answer made her heart sink. That must be very lonely.
At times, yes. I…
She waited for him to finish. When he didn’t, she sat up again, and tilted her head. “Caelum?”
I am here.
Sanjeeta debated asking what she really wanted to know, instead, she asked the second. Can you find Marjorie?
I’ve tried. Without meeting someone, it’s impossible for me to know if I’ve found the right mind, most people don’t think their own names.
No, we don’t. Never considered that. But in all that noise you heard me thinking yours?
Names are powerful words, Sanjeeta.
Yeah. Well, thanks for trying to find her.
Thank you for helping me to pass the time.
She chuckled aloud. I don’t sleep much either.
I can help your fall back if you’d like.
How?
I’ll simply tell your mind to sleep.
And it will?
Yes. His chuckle echoed through her mind, creating super shivers.
She really hoped he couldn’t feel her the same way he heard her, but she was too timid to ask. Okay, let’s try it. I don’t have to be to work until eight.
You’ll be up by seven thirty and completely refreshed.
Good night, Caelum.
Sleep well, Sanjeeta.
Her body buzzed and grew tired and before another thought crossed her mind, she fell fast asleep.
***
Dina blinked her eyesight back into focus and stared at the computer screen. With each hour that passed, she struggled to stay engaged. Although her mind was tired, her body was jittering and beyond her full control. As her leg bounced in place, she tapped on the screen, bringing up the report on Gardner. Someone wiped him from the internet, they didn’t even know what the man looked like. All they had was the information Admiral Reich had given to Theo, a twenty-year-old description that no longer applied.
Theo’s older face flashed in her head as she reached up to cup his cheek. The intimacy vibrated through her whole body.
Shaking her head furiously, she shut down her screen and got up from her chair. Only she and Liam remained in the base. Lexa had left at midnight, Duncan and Bates an hour later after giving their unhelpful report of their chat with Rufus. When she glanced back, he lifted his head and smiled slightly.
“Going to get a soda and head upstairs. I need a shower,” she said, returning the smile.
“I will be up shortly,” he replied.
With another grape soda in hand, Dina took the long way upstairs, hoping the physical activity would tire out her body. She didn’t plan on sleeping, but she wanted to at least lie in bed with Liam while he did, needing to reconnect with him on a deeper level.
She was showered and dressed in a pair of shorts and tank and sitting on the bed when Liam walked in. His weary eyes met hers.
“You look tired,” she said.
“So do you.” He kicked off his shoes and peeled the T-shirt from his back as he rounded the bed. As he paused near the nightstand and took off his jeans, she got up and pulled the covers back. Liam slid in first, sitting back on the pillows and opening his arm for her. Tears stung the corners of her eyes as she went to him and latched onto his body. His arm came around her back as she pressed her face against his neck. She trembled. He kissed her temple. Talk to me, Dina.
I need to be close to you.
Liam’s eyes glowed as he brushed his thumb along her jaw. Then stay close, love.
I will. I’m not leaving again. I won’t ever leave you. Dina sniffed, shutting her eyes and instantly regretting it when future Theo’s face popped into her head. She jerked, began panting.
Liam’s hold tightened and he lifted his head from the pillow. Dina, what is it?
Can’t even close my eyes…can’t sleep. I don’t want to see them anymore, Liam. She wheezed, sitting upright.
I know. He rubbed her back, projecting calm through their natural link. I’d give anything to stop what’s happening to you, but I think it’s time for a Band-Aid on this, too.
No.
Dina, look at me. His telepathic voice called softly. She lifted her eyes. He smiled. You are my lifemate. I know the depth of your love, so much more now. Whatever may occur in the future has no bearing on what we feel right now.
What if the memories I see bring the emotions…and Caelum can’t take them away? I don’t know if I can live like that.
Unfortunately, we won’t know until you try.
You know what that means, Liam. If I do this…
It’s the only logical choice. Theo can help you. More than being part of the memory, he was there during the incident.
“I don’t think he’ll help. He can barely look at me.”
Liam frowned. “I’m partially to blame. We haven’t completely reconciled and I’m certain he’s seen enough to understand the situation as well.”
“Great,” she replied, shaking her head. “I’ll think about it.”
“Perhaps get some sleep first?”
“I can try, no promises,” she replied, moving back into his arms, clearing every thought from her head as she curled against him, absorbing his warmth and calm.
“All I ask is that you try.” His arm wrapped around her shoulders, keeping her flush to his chest, close enough to hear his heart beating. Close your eyes, Dina.
She nuzzled his neck and shut her eyes, thankfully only seeing the darkness. Liam’s fingers traced circles on her arm, slowing as he grew more tired. Concentrating on the feel of his skin, the sound of his breathing helped her to relax and keep her mind free of thoughts and images. His fingers twitched. Dina yawned.
***
She woke sharply. The body next to her moved. She glanced down and her heart stopped.
“Liam,” she whispered. Then she crinkled her brow. For a split-second, she was surprised to see him. While watching him sleep, the dread subsided and the dreams drifted away, though still gnawed at the back of her mind. Promising to try to sleep, she set her head back down on the pillow, gazing out the balcony window, hoping she’d grow tired enough to get another hour.
Instead, two hours later, she tiptoed out of the bedroom, sensed her father sleeping in his room, and went downstairs. As she crossed into the living room, Dina heard the creak of the base door, a wave of confused, aggravated, and exhausted energy spilling into the air. Stunned at what she felt coming off Theo and nowhere near ready to face him, she spun on her heel, focusing on the dojo, only to hear him clear his throat from behind.
She turned. He was still in the kitchen, thankfully. She reluctantly went inside, seeing a bowl of batter next to the waffle maker.
“Is it Sunday?” she asked, raising a brow.
He chuckled, glanced over, and met her eyes for a hot seco
nd before turning back to the stove and replying, “No. These are easy to reheat in the oven and if Caelum is going to be around…”
Dina went to the table, sneaking a look into the base and finding it empty. “Yeah, he eats more than me, Lexa, and Casey combined. Hope you made some good investments with your patents.”
“I did. You’ll never have to worry about money. Any of you,” he said seriously, turning to the waffle maker and pouring the first batch.
“Theo.” She tried to hold his gaze and failed, dropping her head to stare at her lap as she shivered. “Liam said I should ask for your help.”
“You’re joking.”
“I’m not. He figured it out before I did,” she replied, looking up, cursing her heart for racing when he pressed his lips together and balled his fist. “They’re memories of a life we’re never going to have Theo. We’re stopping this—”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Let me see what you’ve seen.”
“No.”
“I need the whole dream, it’s the only thing keeping the rest of the memories from punching through,” she whispered, unmoving from her chair. “I’ve seen everything pertaining to Liam. Your face…your future self keeps haunting me. You’re the last piece.”
“Don’t ask me to do this.”
She loved you. Dina lifted her head as his jerked. I already feel it. It wasn’t what you…he deserved, but it was—
“Dina, stop, please,” Theo grunted.
“It can’t be any more awkward than this. Whatever happens to all of us in that future…I die for this memory. Talk to Liam, he’ll help you see. I need your help. I’m broken, Theo.” She sighed, standing up and palming the top to keep steady. “I’m not hungry, I’ll be inside.”
“Di—”
She didn’t hear the rest, appearing on the hub a second later. Knowing it was best to keep busy, Dina brought up the Phoenix file, scrolled to her stopping point from yesterday and continued to review the search results. Halfway through the files she found a site labeled phnixproj.nyc. Excited, she copied the address and swiped it to a browser. As it loaded, she crossed her fingers, and promptly frowned when it turned out to be an old LARPing website. Something her brother would probably spend an hour looking through.
Disgruntled, but determined to find something, anything to get the ball rolling, Dina continued through the file, ignoring the new sensation rippling through the air. When she realized it was Liam and Theo talking in the kitchen, she threw up every block she had and glued her eyes to her station wishing they’d shut the door. She did not want to be a fly on the wall for that conversation.
Chapter Ten
Pacing the halls and debating whether to move Rivia’s ship or not occupied his mind for two point three minutes. Focusing his thoughts to the MIND base and sensing those awake took a nanosecond. Humans rushed about, throughout their lives because they didn’t have the one thing Caelum had too much of, time.
Early in his enhanced youth, he relished the ability to extend beyond the traditional lifespan of his people. Only when the Sarpians realized the power of the Enhancer and found means of control did he rue his eternal life. Now, when he had finally found a way of possibly slowing time down once again with the help of a Conduit, his existence was no longer certain.
His words to Lexa were true. He did want to live. He wanted to be around to see the humans grow and explore and move beyond their own planet. They were so close to colonizing Mars, it seemed only a matter of…time.
Knowing something or someone on Earth had the power to end his life not only terrified him, but intrigued him. The unquenchable curiosity wracking his mind was taking up too much space. He needed a distraction. He had to stop wondering what the future held even if he had the answers at his fingertips.
With a thought he appeared in the cargo hold of the ship, flicking on the lights, and studying the golden lettering painted throughout the room. Theo had already concluded it was one short message repeated in various old visitor languages, mostly First Sarpian, albeit sloppily as some of the symbols were only close matches to what the hub database and Collector had found.
Certain it was important, he vowed to return weekly to try to decipher the clue, thinking it unfair the team did all the work.
Caelum’s stomach gurgled. He swapped out his slacks and polo for jeans and a T-shirt, created a new pair of shoes, and called a pair of sunglasses to his hand. In the next moment, he was waiting in line at the Starbucks, around the corner from the base. A young child blinked at his appearance. Caelum smiled sensing the child’s psionic genes, but sent a quick thought to her mind to forget what she’d seen. After peeking into the mother’s head for her daughter’s name and tucking it away for the future, Caelum approached the counter, ordered his preferred blend, black, and two pastries. He paid with the card Theo had given him and had eaten half of the first pastry by the time he exited the café.
As he walked the busy streets of Manhattan, watching the humans and the occasional psychic rushing to their job or school or home, his thoughts turned to Sanjeeta. She still had ten minutes of blissful sleep awaiting her, so he didn’t brush against her mind nor call her image forward, simply let the smile stay on his lips.
Of the many Conduits he had over the years, only Sanjeeta felt like an equal. He didn’t want her to think of him as a mentor or savior or parental figure, Caelum wanted her as his partner, perhaps more if the attraction was mutual.
Thrilled at the possibilities having a new Conduit would afford, he happily twisted and dodged through the human traffic block after block, taking in the early morning sun, and the long way to the MIND base, certain the day would be full of surprises.
***
Trying to contain his annoyance at waking up alone, again, despite having Dina back grew even harder as Liam walked through the living room to see Theo cooking in the kitchen. The Cartuilan had his back to the doorway. Liam slowed his pace, watching Theo’s shoulders tense before he turned and made quick eye contact.
“Good morning,” Liam said, nearing the breakfast bar.
“Mornin’. Coffee?” Theo spun around, making a cup without waiting for an answer.
“Did Dina eat?” he asked.
“No.” Theo poured a second cup of coffee. He turned and set both mugs down and stared at them. “There’s a stack of waffles in the oven, you should take her some.”
“Theo,” Liam sighed, wrapping both hands around the mug and drawing it closer. “She needs your help.”
“I’m not sure you realize what you’re asking me to do, Liam. This isn’t a dream or some future possibility…”
“Yes, I know.” Liam gazed up, meeting Theo’s eyes. “I also know in that future I’m dead and if you and Dina are together—”
“I know,” Theo grunted, lifting his hand. “I’ve…seen who’s left.”
“She came back, to change it all, for us…I looked into her eyes, she knew she was going to die, she wanted to die. I think your future counterpart was the only thing holding her together.”
“How can you be so…rational about this,” he said, hanging his head and sighing.
“Because I know the extent she went to save us. I felt her…slip away, Theo. Whatever comfort she found with him helped her survive for as long as she did. She didn’t only lose me. Aside from her father, Bates, and the rest, Duncan’s death concerns me most. I’m going to do everything in my power to stop it all from happening, but if I can’t and I fail—”
“I’ll do it. I’ll help her. I want you and Caelum in the base when we make the attempt,” Theo said, sighing as he covered his eyes. “And then I need some time…space. I’ll work remotely with Casey—”
“That’s unnecessary, Theo.”
“No, it’s not. Time and space. My conditions and no questions, whatever you want to know you get from Dina,” he said, lifting his head and blanking his face. “I’m not leaving any of you high and dry…”
“You don’t have to exp
lain, my friend,” Liam replied, picking up his coffee and rising from his seat. “Thank you.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing, brother,” Theo said, filling up the waffle iron again, seeming to have no interest in going to the base yet.
“I don’t, but I’m doing the best I can,” he replied with a shrug and carried his mug into the base, leaving the door open, and strolled in to see Dina staring down at the hub screen with tears running down her cheeks. He was growing tired of seeing her in pain or scared or confused by her own mind. Maintaining his composure, he moved slowly toward the hub, catching her eye. She wiped her cheeks immediately and lifted her head. “Dina?”
“I wasn’t listening, promise, but I can feel…so much from both of you and my blocks aren’t keeping everything out and I know how angry you both are and I’m the reason,” she spewed, shaking her head, turning manic before his eyes. “There’s nothing here, nothing pointing to Gardner, if we don’t stop him all this can happen again, we can’t let it happen again. We have to find him.”
“We will,” he said calmly, stepping closer to the hub.
“There’s too much information! Why can’t Caelum just poof him up or something, seems like he can do whatever the fuck he wants anyway. He can’t even find a missing college girl?” she spat, glancing up at the hanging screens. “Aime, call Caelum on Rivia’s ship get his ass here.”
“Affirmative.”
Liam hopped up to the hub, lifting his hands when she spun in the chair. “Caelum’s already tried finding Gardner and Marjorie, you know how he searches, the same way you sense emotions, you only know who it is if you’ve come in contact with them.”
