by Jenn Nixon
As they approached the living room, Liam and Valtor rose, gazing behind them, obviously looking for Duncan and Dina who were not among the group.
“Where’s Caelum?” Theo asked from the couch as he rubbed Casey’s arm.
“He went to take care of the guards,” Bates said, rounding the closest chair and palming the back as Lexa plopped down. “Said he was going to alter their memories.”
“What does that mean?” Valtor frowned.
Sanjeeta took the last open space on the loveseat next to Kim who seemed equally worried about the missing Ranger twins.
“No clue,” Lexa answered. “He’ll be here soon.”
“Whatever it is may not be enough,” Jazara said softly. “They know too much.”
“What did you see, Hinta?” Liam asked and the tension skyrocketed as every head turned his way.
Seeing the anguish on her friend’s face when he met Liam’s eyes solidified her need to make sure Caelum stayed to help the team keep humans, psychics, and visitors safe. Regardless if they knew it or not, this team needed him.
“Gardner despised being psychic. He hid his truth from everyone he knew while he searched for a way to cure his sickness. Everything you knew about him and Cogers was true with one exception,” Hinta said, rubbing his temple.
“It’s okay, Hinta, tell them,” Jazara said.
“He knew the visitor blood eventually killed the psychics and humans…our blood is toxic to them. He tricked them into working for him to find other visitors knowing he wouldn’t have to worry about them talking, they’d be dead without blood. His plan backfired, none of the altered people could detect us, and he was running out of blood, losing control. His next ploy pit the psychics against visitors to get descendants like Jones and—”
“Other susceptible visitors like my mother to help him. Brenda was the only one who could tell the difference and after you saved her, Gardner had no other choice but to recruit visitors and then infect himself.”
“So it’s really over?” Kim asked.
Hinta sighed heavily. “It all depends on the guards and if there are anymore out there.”
“We have all their data and there’ll be nothing to find at Phoenix after it stops smoldering,” Liam said.
“The virus is destroyed and since we have some of the components we can begin to work on a counteragent to be safe,” Valtor said. “Rivia has supplies from across the galaxy on her ship, something will work.”
Most of the group nodded and went silent. Despite their hard fought victory, the loss of Zila and concern for Duncan, Dina, and Caelum overpowered all sense of relief. Sanjeeta knew he’d keep his word and return, yet she still worried.
Without him, Sanjeeta didn’t even want to imagine what her life would be like right now. She never wanted to live in blissful ignorance about the world around her. Sanjeeta needed to be a part of it. She longed to help people. After years of trying to find a place to make a real difference, she knew her entire life had been preparation for whatever came next with this group, this family. Caelum was her connection to this strange, extraordinary world and with every cell in her body, she knew she belonged.
Chapter Thirty-seven
“Dina, stop!” her brother said for the third time as she appeared in front of Lexa and Bates’s cabin.
“I just need…quiet,” she barked, shaking her head and balling her hands as his sad, confused, and worried energy spilled into the air. “You’re not helping.”
Duncan strengthened his shields, drawing back some of his emotions, but not all, because they both needed to maintain a connection. Forever and always. He was the other half of her heart. Her future counterpart had fallen into the abyss losing Valtor, Duncan, and Liam. Now, she was free of that future despite the linger fear rolling inside her mind.
“Sorry,” her twin said, moving alongside, and taking hold of her hand. “I get why he did it, but that was a stupid move…if it wasn’t for Zila—”
“Don’t say it.” Dina shut her eyes as the tears welled. When they squeezed out the corners of her eyes, her brother brushed one away. We just got him back, Duncan, and he’s being so reckless.
No, sis, he…hasn’t been handling the last few weeks well. He blames himself for you leaving, thinks he talked you into it.
Dina shook her head. He didn’t, I thought space would help and in a backward ass way it did, it—”
“Yeah, it worked. It’s over, Dina,” Duncan sighed, defeated. “He’s safe, we’re all safe now.”
Keeping her fears to herself, she nodded to her brother, tried to see everything from her father’s side, and conceded it did work out, for better or worse in the end. Finally feeling like herself again after weeks of chaos, Dina hugged her brother, beyond grateful they made it out alive, together. Already sensing what he was going to say next, she teleported them both to the penthouse lobby.
A plethora of powerful emotions smacked her silly.
Duncan steadied her when she wobbled. “You okay?”
“Caelum’s…” she said, glancing over her shoulder as he blipped into place. She narrowed her gaze when he frowned. “What’s wrong?”
Caelum sighed and opened the door with a wave of his hand. The rest of the group’s feelings flooded the apartment. Dina put up every block and barrier around her mind to mute them and followed her brother and the Enhancer inside.
Most of the group was in the living room. Bates, Lexa, and Kim were in the kitchen probably making something to eat.
Duncan approached the team first. Liam and her father rose from their seats. Sanjeeta crashed into Caelum, the energy between them undeniable even with her shields up. Dina went to her fiancé’s side, wrapping her arms around his back and hiding her face against his shoulder.
“Hi, Pop,” Duncan said softly. When Valtor threw his arms about her brother, they both sniffled as they hugged.
“I’m sorry,” Valtor whispered as he met her gaze.
Dina wiped the corner of her eye and reached out her hand to her father. “Don’t ever do that again.”
“You have my promise,” he replied.
“I’m glad I showed Val the future,” Jazara’s voice cracked. “We’ve proven circumstances can change, even if my visions are fixed moments.”
“They are best used as warnings, Jazara,” Caelum said, glancing around as Lexa, Bates, and Kim joined the group. “But never during the heat of battle or when the stakes are too high, knowing what we face in the future usually leads us down the same path. Valtor realized it just as I did.”
Dina frowned, knowing he was right. “Gardner already had a plan for the prototype to go into production next week. We were almost too late.”
“What about the guards,” Liam asked as the group settled back into the chairs. Dina sat on his lap, similar to Kim and Duncan since there weren’t enough chairs.
Caelum rubbed a hand over his chin. “I placed the blame on Gardner, altered their thoughts to believe he wanted to kill psychics with the serum because he thought they were unnatural. Bigotry is always easy to believe.”
“A much better idea than trying to convince Tippton they were crazy,” Theo mumbled.
“Yes, after what you said and Sanjeeta uncovered in her deepnet group, human governments are ready to share the truth with others, I do not want to change the course of events for your planet.” Caelum sighed and rubbed his forehead.
Dina understood, perhaps more than the others. She knew what the future looked like if psychics and humans sided together to fight visitors and descendants. Dina didn’t have all the memories anymore, but she had the dream, she had glimpses into that future and it terrified her.
The Enhancer met her eyes. A shudder ran up her back. “That is what I fear, too.”
“What?” Lexa said, whipping her head back and forth between them.
“There’s more,” Liam sighed, picking up her thoughts.
“I don’t have the details anymore…” Dina began, watching the faces of her family turn serious. The la
st thing she wanted, after everything she’d put them through with her fractured memories and time traveling, was to give them a bleak view of the future. Sadly, she had no choice but to tell the truth. “But eventually, in that future, humans and psychics joined forces against visitors and descendants. No idea why, not anymore. By the time she was strong enough to come back they had their own psychic precogs, tech that could kill us and detect our teleporting, and had wiped most of us out with the virus.”
“Jesus,” Duncan said, covering his face as Kim rubbed his arm.
“Tell them, Theo,” Casey prodded. “Nothing’s off the table now.”
“What is it?” Lexa asked.
“One of my concerns, like Admiral Reich, was organizations like the unit uncovering visitor DNA. They haven’t, yet—”
“Will, eventually if Dina’s right and if they figure out a way to track teleporting…” Bates grumbled and went silent.
“Provided there aren’t others out there who know about Gardner’s work, we may be in the clear, for the time being,” Hinta added. “This will give us time to find others.”
“And we still have an advantage,” Kim said and all heads turned, hope lifting the mood. “Our relationship with Connor and the unit.”
“Yes,” Duncan said, smiling. “We can keep tabs on their database.”
“And intercept any visitor or descendant who shows up,” Theo said. “They’re going to have enough to deal with when they go public they won’t notice.”
As the group nodded in agreement, Dina’s worst fears had been realized. There was no leaving the MIND team. They were all stuck. Their lives and survival meant maintaining their cover, in secret, to watch over the entire planet to keep everyone safe. There’d be no happy reception for visitors or descendants anytime soon.
A soft beep echoed through the air.
Kim grinned. “Goodie, dinner’s ready.”
“Let me guess, pizza?” Dina asked, trying to lighten the mood, knowing everyone would be stuck in their heads for the next few days, wrapping their minds around everything that happened.
“Homemade lasagna and baked ziti, actually,” Bates said with a smirk.
“Homemade as in Javier?” Theo said as he stood and stretched.
“Duh,” Lexa chuckled.
“We should just hire him to be the team chef,” Jazara said, smiling over at the group. If she could put on a brave face after losing her mother, Dina could too, so she smiled back and wrapped her fingers around Liam’s hoping to absorb some of his calming energy.
“Molly would never go for it, the diner would go out of business,” Casey said.
“You got that right, beautiful,” Theo replied as the group meandered toward the kitchen.
Her brother, Kim, and Bates all went to the oven while Casey and Lexa gathered cups from the cabinets and her father and Jazara opened the dishwasher for plates. Liam led her to the table to sit as the rest of her family scurried around the kitchen getting everything ready.
She felt his fingers caress her wrist. Dina rested her head on his shoulder and sighed.
I trust Caelum’s judgment, Dina, but we won’t hand anyone over until you’re certain this is over. His voice gently entered her mind as his fingers threaded through hers. There is no need to rush to a decision, but I feel safer now than I have the last six months.
I do too, she replied and tilted her head to meet his eyes, ignoring the commotion of the others as they set the table and poured glasses of tea and soda. Dina couldn’t help the tears welling again. I want Lexa and Duncan to check Caelum’s work. Hinta’s right, there may be others out there so we need to be prepared, we need to stay on our toes. There’s always going to be someone out there for us to chase, isn’t there?
Yes, there are always threats, Dina, Liam said, wrapping his arms around her. That doesn’t mean this has to take over our entire lives. Look at them.
Dina sniffled and glanced over. Lexa, Bates, and Kim were laughing as they filled empty plates with food and salad. Jazara, Sanjeeta, and Hinta chatted softly in the far corner of the kitchen while Caelum stood near, holding his Conduit’s hand as he nodded to Valtor and Theo, both who seemed deeply interested in whatever they were talking about.
Duncan and Casey approached the table each holding two plates. Casey set hers down in front of Liam then went back to collect more. Her brother, on the other hand, sat right down and dug in. Dina shook her head.
“What? I’m starving.” Duncan shrugged and shoveled another forkful of food into his mouth.
Each of them came into our lives for a reason, Dina. They all stayed for their own. Liam squeezed her hand. To help us strengthen this team, help descendants and psychics alike. We’re at our best together. We keep doing what we do, the right way, and we’ll keep changing that future you’ve seen for the better.
Dina still feared for the future. She may never shake the feeling. Regardless, enough had changed to save her friends, her family from dying. They destroyed the virus and Gardner was dead. Project Phoenix was gone. The conflicting memories didn’t plague her mind even if they left a dark imprint. They’d fixed everything her future counterpart mentioned. The plan worked.
Warn the past, change the future.
Dina had to hope it was enough.
Sounds tricky, spaceboy. As much as I hate some of the things we’ve seen and done…you’re right, we have to work together, with the unit to keep everyone safe. If we have to tell them the truth, we will, but it’s not going to be easy.
Liam grinned, making her heart leap. When has easy ever stopped us before, Earth girl?
Chapter Thirty-eight
As the dinner conversation subsided and several members of the MIND team covered their mouths to yawn, Caelum waved his hand to clean up the mess, hoping the small gesture helped them to maintain their relaxed state.
“Thanks,” Dina said, rolling her eyes as she stifled a second yawn.
“What time is it?” Sanjeeta asked as she lifted her brow.
“I don’t even know what day it is,” Lexa cracked.
The group chuckled, but Caelum picked up the depressing undertones in her statement. She too didn’t actually know what day it was unless she focused. Time ran differently for Enhancers. Even with a Conduit at his side, he’d need gargantuan distractions to maintain his sanity and keep up a daily human lifestyle on Earth. Knowing Sanjeeta looked forward to those off-world experiences sealed his fate to hers, she’d see him through it all. Caelum only hoped Bates did the same for Elexanji.
“I’d like to discuss our next move with the guards in the morning,” Liam said as most of the group rose from their seats and paired off. “Video chat if you prefer.”
“Sounds perfect,” Casey said, wrapping her arm around Theo’s waist.
Caelum glanced over to Sanjeeta and offered his hand. Are you ready to leave?
She nodded her head as her cheeks darkened.
“Can you make it after eight, at least,” Kim asked, tugging Duncan’s hand as she moved toward the exit. “I need to check on Maggie and Travis before bed, feel like I can sleep for a week.”
“How about nine,” Liam added with a wink.
“Deal, night,” Dina said as she and Liam vanished followed instantly by Bates and Lexa.
“Those two, I swear,” Theo chuckled and shaking his head.
“Thank you for dinner, it was superb.” Caelum maintained his composure as he rose from his chair and assisted Sanjeeta to her feet. Her energy, however, swelled around him, overpowering him in a fantastic way that hardened his body and aroused his senses. “Should anyone need us, reach out. Otherwise we will speak in the morning.”
He didn’t wait for a reply and flashed to the rooftop.
“Why—”
Caelum jerked Sanjeeta into him, finding her lips, and crashing against them. Gasping, she wrapped her arms around him, pressing her hot body on his as she greedily kissed him back, possessing his mouth.
Take me to bed, Caelum.
<
br /> Time seemed to stop when they reappeared at the foot of her bed.
He spent an eternity kissing Sanjeeta’s mouth. The only thoughts on his mind was pleasuring her voluptuous body and hearing the most luscious sounds in existence escape her lips.
The eruption between them caused the bed to shudder and shake. Caelum wrapped the silver sheen around their bodies so he could feel every quake and jolt inside her body.
Sanjeeta burned in his arms. The emotional connection within the link seemed stronger with each passing day. Although he liked the separation between them to, as she said, ‘keep the mystery’, having moments like these where he knew exactly how she felt when they were together was all he needed to know his love for the amazing, powerful psychic in his arms was eternal.
***
Caelum jolted awake when Sanjeeta murmured against his chest. He furrowed his brow. He’d fallen asleep again. The link between him and Sanjeeta remained strong, keeping The Millions of voices and thoughts and emotions and vibrations away from his vast mind affording him a moment to see clearly.
Every current threat facing the team seemed thwarted. They were no longer heading toward the future Dina’s fractured mind had captured. He would not predict what came next by focusing on his usual methods, instead, he trusted the team to make their choices, and he’d support their efforts whatever they turned out to be.
I’m glad, Sanjeeta’s tender telepathic voice entered his thoughts, instantly arousing his body again, a feeling he would never grow tired of experiencing. She opened her eyes, keeping her expression neutral as she brushed a finger over his bottom lip.
Caelum groaned. I would take you again if you were not so tired.
New relationships always have a jackrabbit phase, I’m sure we’ll cool down eventually. Sanjeeta yawned.
Oh no, little star, the more I learn about you, the more I please your body, the better our intimate encounters will become, I promise you that. Caelum slid his hand over her stomach, feeling her skin heat up beneath his palm.
She shivered. I’m not that tired, but…you’re distracted.
