*****
Toby paced the room and then did a few push-ups. It felt good to move. His muscles were stiff, no doubt from the effects of the drugs and lying prone, on a thin mattress. Considering the fact that he had essentially slept for the past two weeks, he was surprised to discover that he was exhausted, and it wasn’t long before he decided to lie down.
As he lay on his back and stared at the black dots of the ceiling tiles, he wondered how long he would have to stay in his prison cell.
Unsure of the amount of time that had passed, Toby opened his eyes when the thoughts of a girl invaded his mind. Wake up… Come on, wake up.
Am I sleeping? he wondered.
Wake up already!
His eyes shot open and he stared at the ceiling once more.
I’m over here.
Toby sat up and looked around. There was no one by the door or at the foot of the bed. He shook his head. Was he delusional?
Behind you.
There she was, over his left shoulder, flush against the corner, beneath the camera mounted on the wall. She had light, mocha-colored skin, dark brown, curly hair that hung in ringlets past her shoulders, and brilliant golden brown eyes. He was struck by her beauty and wondered for a moment if she was some sort of angel or guardian spirit, come to rescue him. He rubbed his eyes, blinked once, and looked again. She was still there.
Don’t say anything. She placed a finger over her lips and then pointed toward the camera above her head.
Toby nodded slightly. He understood. His right hand wandered to his disheveled hair, and he wondered about his appearance. Suddenly cognizant of the fact that he hadn’t showered or shaved in two weeks, he imagined that he must be quite the sight.
She smiled and her thoughts floated into his mind, once again. Don’t worry about it. It could be worse.
Who are you? he asked, silently.
My name’s Rebecka.
You’re one of them?
No, they’re keeping me here, just like you.
If you’re not one of them, then how did you get in here?
Are you familiar with the term, teleportation? I can transport myself short distances.
You’re serious? People can really do that? Do they know you can do that?
Yeah. That’s one of the reasons they’ve kept me here. They think I could be useful.
How long have you been here? Toby wondered.
About six months.
Six months? Why don’t you just teleport yourself right out of this place?
Because I can only send myself short distances. They’ve taken me outside and have made it perfectly clear that I have nowhere to go. We’re in the middle of nowhere. Even if I did get out, I’d be wandering around in the wilderness and wouldn’t have a clue which way to go.
What’s keeping you from just agreeing to work with them and going to their side? Jesse said that a lot of the people here have agreed to work with them.
Oh, they have, Rebecka thought. That’s why I came to see you, because I heard your thoughts. You have no interest in joining them either, do you?
Hell no! Tyler thought back. I just want to get out of here.
You’re smart. Don’t let them convince you to join their side. They’ll try. They’ll be all ready to persuade you with money and images of adventure. They’ll try to convince you that they are the ‘good guys,' that they’re doing important research to learn more about Indigo Children. But the truth is, they’re not. They use us to spy on other government agencies, including the CIA, the group who is supposedly funding their research, and then they use the information they gain and sell it to the highest bidder, regardless of what company or country they’re from.
How did you get here to begin with? How did they find you?
It was silly, Rebecka thought. I went onto a social networking site, trying to find other people who were like me. I met this guy, who I became friends with.
I take it this guy wasn’t quite as honest as you thought? What happened? Did he turn out to be a balding, forty-year-old, CIA agent?
Rebecka smiled. Not exactly. But you’re right, he wasn’t entirely forthcoming about his true identity. I wasn’t stupid. I had always heard about the dangers of online chat rooms and all of the warnings—never give too much information to strangers, blah, blah, blah. This guy really seemed sincere, though. He told me all about his high school and debate team. He even sent a picture of his dog! She laughed and rolled her eyes.
I can’t believe how stupid I was. Everyone always says, ‘It can’t happen to me.' That’s what I thought. I knew there was no way that it could happen to me. I had been so careful!
Wait a minute, Toby interrupted her thoughts. You make an interesting point. This guy who tricked you...How come you didn’t hear his thoughts? How come you didn’t know that he was lying?
Because these guys are good. They’ve practiced their gifts, and they’ve learned how to block their thoughts if they don’t want someone else to hear them.
Did you ever see him again?
No. Rebecka rolled her eyes and shook her head. I imagine he’s already off in pursuit of his next victim. So, here I am, she continued. Until I can figure out a plan, it looks like I’m here to stay. But that’s why I wanted to meet you. You know the saying—two heads are better than one. Maybe between the two of us, we can figure a way out.
Well…I sort of have a plan, Toby began. The beginning of one at least. I’ve been in contact with my brother, and he’s in the process of locating some other people who are also of special interest to the agency. As soon as he locates them, they’re going to try to find me.
Really? You’ve been drugged for the past two weeks, and you were still able to contact your brother?
We’ve always had a mental connection. I discovered that distance doesn’t matter. There were a few times, over the past few weeks, when I was allowed to wake up. Any info I learned, I passed on to him.
Wow. That’s impressive. With her back still pressed against the wall, she slid to a sitting position, tucked her knees up to her chest, and sat in quiet contemplation.
He smiled and tried to focus on blocking his thoughts from her as it occurred to him how beautiful she was, even in a pair of grungy shorts and a t-shirt. He assumed that he'd successfully hid his feelings because her expression appeared unaffected.
So what’s your plan? Rebecka queried. I mean, once your brother finds everyone? How is he supposed to find you, cuz…we don’t even know where we are.
I know. Toby shook his head. I’ve been trying to figure it out, but I’m kind of at a loss. Maybe now that we’ve got each other, we can figure it out, together.
Yeah, at least we’ve got each other.
Toby realized that he very much liked the sound of that. They had only just met, but he already liked her a lot.
Rebecka looked at him then and grinned. He realized that he had forgotten to block his thoughts from her.
If she had heard his private thoughts, she didn’t mention it. Instead she thought, Wait a minute, if you have someone on the outside, we might have a chance.
We might have a chance? How so?
I heard rumors that a tracker bailed on the agency about a year before I got here. They say he went into hiding, and they’ve been unable to locate him. If your brother can find him, he can find out where we are.
That all sounds well and good, Toby thought, but if the professionals can’t find him, how is my untrained brother supposed to?
There’s an author, some lady with a doctorate in something or other, who wrote a book about Indigo Children. In the book, she wrote about the tracker. I think she had interviewed him and spent some time with him and his family. The agency went to see her after his disappearance to see if she had information on his whereabouts, but of course, if she knew anything, she wasn’t going to give it up. They’ve had someone watching her, but so far there’s been no sign of him.
Toby smiled. It’s a long shot, he thought.
B
ut it’s worth a try, she concluded with a smile.
Do you know the author’s name?
I can’t remember, but I saw a copy of her book when I was in Henry’s office last month. That’s when I heard him and Jesse talking about keeping an eye on her.
Who’s Henry?
He’s the head honcho around here.
Will you be able to get into his office? You said there are cameras, everywhere.
Yep, everywhere except for Henry’s office. I guess he wants a little privacy.
Well, isn’t that convenient? Toby grinned. I think maybe, we might just have a plan, after all. These guys want to know more about Indigo insight and how we can tell the future and stuff. We’ll give them incite—just not the kind that they have in mind.
What do you mean?
Incite. I-N-C-I-T-E Toby spelled it out slowly. We’ll start a rebellion and they won’t even see it coming.
Rebecka grinned. Clever play on words.
A noise at the door caught Toby’s attention, and a moment later, Jesse entered.
“How’s it goin’?" Jesse asked. “You have some time to think about what we talked about?”
Toby nodded. “A little bit.”
“Well, good. The boss has invited you to have dinner with him. He’d like to have a chance to talk and get to know you a little better.”
“The boss?”
“Henry. He keeps tabs on everyone around here. I thought maybe you’d like to get cleaned up first before you meet him. Here ya go.” He set a stack of clothes on the desk. “You’ll find soap and a toothbrush and stuff, in the bathroom. I’ll give you time to shower, and I’ll come back for you in half an hour. Sound good?”
“I’ll be ready,” Toby said, with a forced smile.
He glanced over his shoulder but didn’t have to look to know that Rebecka had disappeared.
CHAPTER 12: REBECKA
Rebecka glanced to the far side of the dining room where Tamara and Paulo appeared to be in deep conversation. She was friendly with them when the occasional need for conversation arose, but she tried her best to keep her distance. From the little she knew of them, they had willingly agreed to live and be trained at the compound. They believed in Henry and all that he stood for and, therefore, couldn’t be trusted.
She expected that her friends, Ashley and Malik, would join her soon. While she waited, she contemplated her meeting with Toby. They still needed to figure out an escape plan, but they would come to that puzzle when the time came. For now, she was happy to at least have hope. Hope was more than she had possessed two days ago.
It had been during an evening meal two weeks ago when whispered discussions of Toby’s presence had caught her attention. His identity had piqued her interest, and she had unobtrusively sought him out. On several occasions, since then, she had listened to his thoughts and, to her delight, had discovered that he had no intention of giving in to the desires of the agency. Toby wanted his freedom just as much as she did, and she hoped that he would be the ally she had waited for. The fact that he was good looking was, of course, an added bonus.
“What are you smiling at?” Malik asked as he and Ashley joined her at the table.
Malik, who was only fourteen, was the youngest member of the compound. Skinny and tall for his age, with a witty sense of humor, he reminded her of her younger brother, Tommy. Ashley, who was nineteen, easily revealed her Irish background with her bright red hair, fair skin, and generous helping of freckles. They were the only two members of the compound she remotely considered to be friends. Now, she reminded herself, she could add Toby to that list as well.
Rebecka mentally checked her facial expression. “Was I smiling?”
Malik chuckled. “Yeah. From the looks of it, you were a million miles away.”
“I’ll bet she was thinking about a boy,” Ashley said with a mischievous grin.
“A boy, Ashley? Really? It’s kind of slim pickings around here. Not a lot of boys to be daydreaming about,” Rebecka replied.
“Thanks a lot!” Malik said. “What am I?”
“I’m sorry, Malik! You know what I meant! You’re my friend. You’re like my younger brother. You even look like my younger brother. You—”
Malik laughed. “Hey, don’t sweat it. I was just messin’ with you.”
“Funny, Malik,” Ashley said. “For real though, Rebecka, what were you thinking about? I don’t think I’ve seen you smile like that since you came to this place.”
“Actually, I was just thinking about this cheeseburger,” Rebecka fibbed.
“A cheeseburger, Becka? Really?” Malik chuckled. “You’re easy to please. Then again, there’s nothing like a good burger. My momma didn’t have a lot of money, so my brother and I never got to eat out much when we were kids.”
Ashley turned to him. “Oh, yeah? Where did you grow up?”
“Chicago…”
The two seemed to forget about her as they discussed Malik’s past, and she was thankful to no longer be the center of attention. She was curious how he had ended up at the compound but forced herself to bite her tongue. Nearby cameras picked up every word they said. It was frowned upon to discuss unorthodox methods of arriving at the compound; the word ‘kidnapped’ was not in their approved vocabulary, so she didn’t ask the questions that were on her mind. She could only imagine that Malik’s mother must miss him just as much as she imagined her own parents missed her.
She swirled her sweet potato fry in ketchup as she casually observed the resident chef, who had just emerged from the kitchen. The rotund, jolly man, who sported a large, white, chef’s hat and white mustache, always seemed to be in bright spirits. She had befriended Chef Franco early on in her compound residency, and during her free time, he often invited her to help out in the kitchen.
With a tray in hand, he was off to personally deliver the evening’s meal to Henry. When he spotted her, he circumvented the room so that he could pass her table.
“Ah, la mia stella! How are you today? How is your burger? It’s to your perfection, no?”
Rebecka smiled. “It’s perfect, Franco. Thank you.”
“Buono, I am glad that I can bring a bit of happiness to your day. I am off to deliver this to Henry. Would you like to join me when I return? You could help me pass out desserts this evening.”
A dessert delivery to Henry’s office would be the perfect opportunity to look for the book, and she jumped at the offer. “I’d love to, thanks! But…just so long as I get first dibs on dessert,” she replied with a wink. “Something with a bit of chocolate perhaps?”
“For you, cara mia, anything. You will be here when I return?”
“Yep. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll wait for you.”
After Franco was out of earshot, Malik said, “So, you and Chef Boyardee there, you’re pretty tight, huh?”
Rebecka smiled. “Yeah, I guess you could say that. He’s a good friend.”
“So really, what I’m hearing is that you’ve got the hook-up on dessert. All this time and you’ve been holding out on me.”
She laughed. “I might have a bit of inside persuasion.”
“I always knew you were my favorite girl for a reason.”
Ashley cocked her head to the side and eyed him. “Favorite girl?”
Malik laughed. “You know I’m just playin’. I love you too, Ash.”
Ashley grinned. “Gee thanks, Malik. You sure know how to make a girl feel special.” She glanced at the clock. “I hate to eat and run, you guys, but I promised Henry that I’d check in on that new kid downstairs.”
Rebecka perked up but didn’t want to make it seem that she was too interested. “Oh yeah, I forgot about him. He’s been here for a couple of weeks, hasn’t he?”
“Yeah,” Ashley confirmed. “We’re hoping to make some progress with him. With luck, he might be able to join us in a few days.”
“Hey, another guy to hang out with,” Malik said. “That would be great. I’ll bet you’d think so too, huh, R
ebecka? You were just saying there aren’t enough guys around here.”
Even though it sounded like a joke, he seemed to eye her with suspicion. He couldn’t possibly know that she had already met Toby. Could he?
Rebecka ignored his comment and turned to Ashley, who stood to go. “I’ll see you later.”
Ashley grinned. “See ya. Bye, Malik.”
“Bye, Ash.” Malik waved and then seemed to be distracted with lunch until their friend had left the room. Once she was out of sight, he turned and eyed her closely. “So?”
She tried to appear confused. “So…what?” He definitely knew that she was up to something.
“So…I might not be able to see auras or hear thoughts, but I sense emotions more than anyone else in this place. As soon as Miss Strawberry Shortcake mentioned that new kid, I felt your excitement. I don’t know how you know him, but you like the guy, don’t you?”
Rebecka prayed that no one was paying attention to them on the surveillance camera. She didn’t want any sort of suspicion raised before she and Toby could put a plan into place. “Strawberry Shortcake? You mean Ashley?” She tried to stall for time so that she could think of a response.
“Well, you know…the red hair and all. It seems kind of fitting, don’t you think?”
She chuckled. “Yeah…sure, it’s…cute. I don’t know if Ashley would see it that way, but give it a try. Maybe the nickname will stick.”
“You’re totally trying to avoid the question, aren’t you?”
“What question?” Rebecka tried to sound dumbfounded.
“What’s the story with the new kid? You know more than you’re letting on, don’t you?”
Rebecka glanced discreetly from Malik to the leering camera and back. She prayed that he would get the hint and drop the subject. “Nope I don’t know any more than you know. Maybe it’s like you said, I’m just excited there’s going to be a new boy around. Maybe I am hoping he’ll be cute.”
“That’s your story and you’re sticking to it? Alright, then.” He stood and lifted his tray to go. “I’ll catch you later, girl. I’ve gotta bounce. My TV and video game are callin’ my name. I wouldn’t want to keep them waiting.” He walked around the table, stopped by her side, and leaned against the table so that his back was to the surveillance camera, and faced her. He leaned in close then and whispered, “Just so that you and I are on the same page, stella mia, I’ve got your back. Whatever secret you’re keeping, I won’t let on.”
Indigo Incite (The Indigo Trilogy) Page 12
