Koda and the others had gotten close, and I suddenly felt Tim grab my belt from behind. He had me anchored. I got ready to pull Heather back over the railing. There was a loud snap, and the railing gave way at one end. It started to slowly swing out, dragging all of us with it.
I tried to focus to fold space. Concentration is required to focus energy, and teleport through space. I was frantic, and when I tried to fold space, nothing happened. I heard Tim screaming behind me as he muscled us back up onto the cliff's edge. Then my feet were back on solid ground, and with a grinding crash, the railing and a section of concrete fell away, with only Heather left dangling over the edge. With Tim's help, I pulled her away from the edge, to safety, and stood there holding her.
I had her in my arms, locked so tightly that she suddenly gasped, "I can't breathe!" I was crushing her ribs without realizing it, but I had no intention of releasing her.
I let up a little, and said, "We're going to have a talk! We can talk here, or at home! I suggest we go home."
Heather nodded without another word. I looked around at the others, and said, "We're going home!" Then I folded space, dragging Heather with me.
We arrived back in the kitchen, and I released Heather. She almost fell to the floor, but caught herself. I pulled out a chair for her, as the others arrived. She sat down, closed her eyes, looking on the verge of tears. I tried to remain calm. The girl could fold space again at any moment, and I felt I only had a short time to get through to her.
Looking at the others, I said, "I want to talk to her alone for a few minutes." Koda in particular resisted me for a second, but then relented without actually saying a word.
One minute later, I was alone with Heather. I remembered Madias's warning, "Something is getting ready to happen. And I don't think we're going to enjoy it." I know I should have been worried about my own safety. Instead, I was worried about Heather.
"Please tell me, why you would do such a thing?" I asked.
"I'm dangerous!" she responded. "It will come back, and make me hurt you again! I just want it to stop! I won't wait for it to hurt somebody. I'm going to stop it!" I could see in the link that she was serious.
My mind raced ahead, trying to find a way out of this. I reached out, took her hand, and told her, "I'm going to stop it, but you've got to give me a chance!" She seemed confused by my remark. I slowly went on, saying, "I'm going to make sure it never hurts you, or anyone else, again."
"I don't see how you can do that!" she exclaimed in that little girl voice of hers. "It will come back, and get us all!"
"Not a chance," I growled "I'll stop the beast, if it's the last thing I do!" I hesitated, thinking it all through. Then I said, "It's important to me that you're safe when that day comes. I don't really understand why. Perhaps, it's because you were abused by the monster. I just know it's important to me, that you see that day. Can you do that for me? I just need time!"
I could see the concept sinking into the girls mind. I resisted the temptation to alter her mind at a basic level. I suppose Lisa's comments had affected me more than I thought. I'm not sure what I would have done anyway. Her thoughts ran too deep to easily mask. Even I could see, mind control was really not a good idea.
"I'll hurt you!" she repeated. "I don't want to hurt any more people!" A few seconds passed, and she asked, "Can I just go back to sleep?"
"Let’s make a deal," I suggested. "If you have any more problems with these attacks, I'll help you do as you wish. Otherwise, you'll just wait for now." Heather hesitated. She was really thinking the suggestion through. "It's the only thing I'll ever ask of you." I said. "I just can't stand the thought of you dying. Not one more life lost! Not one more!"
I suppose I had been on the edge for days. I began to cry. Just large, silent, tears, but it shocked Heather. I broke eye contact, and focused on the kitchen table. Tired, and frustrated beyond words. I just totally dropped my guard.
Heather reached out, and put her hand on the back of mine. Her hand looked so small, and I realized we were tightly linked. I abruptly sensed she was scanning me. Just as I started to react, she said, "You've risked so much for me. I owe you this. I'll do whatever you say."
It was as if a huge weight was lifted off of me. I had the sudden feeling I had just sidestepped a disaster. "Just stay healthy and out of trouble." I said in a hushed voice. I was back in control again, but I noticed a slight tremble in my hand.
"I'm sorry I've caused so much trouble," she whispered. "You keep helping me, and I keep hurting you." There was a rush of emotion, and for a split second, she took my pain.
Now she gasped, and started to cry softly. "I'm so sorry!" she said, "I never meant to hurt you!"
I was as confused as she was. I could sense that she was an empath, but it was different from any other empath I had seen. Her gift was one of emotion. I followed the logic through, but still couldn't grasp all the implications. I glanced up, and saw Heather's eyes were tightly closed. Something was happening on a deep level within our minds.
Images of Heather's life flashed past me. I saw Koda as a small child, and I saw the deaths of both the girl's parents. Years flashed by, till the day I lifted Heather out of the coma. Even the battle with the beast played out again in my mind's eye. In mere seconds, I knew every experience Heather had ever lived through.
And she knew me just as completely!
It was more than being linked. I had a tremendous feeling of well-being flow across me. The young girl seemed to pull negative energy off me like a sponge. With a start, her eyes flashed open, and she said, "I envy Nancy! You loved her very much!" It was said in a very tender way. I could tell she was emotionally affected. There was waves of concern, and then she said, "I won't cause you any more worry if I can help it Mike. I'm sorry for all the grief I've caused. I swear, I won't let you down.
There was a tap at the door, and Koda stuck her head in. She looked at us sitting there, and asked, "Can we come in now?"
Heather pulled away her hand, and the fog in my head cleared slightly. Koda stepped in without waiting for an answer. Kathy was behind her, but Tim had disappeared. As my thoughts cleared, I heard Heather softly say, "I promised Mike I won't cause any of you grief. I'm just beginning to understand the situation here. I've been part of the problem. I'm a little stronger now. I won't mess you up any more."
Koda had stepped over and sat down, but Kathy was still standing. She stepped close to me, and brushed the hair from my eyes in a single deft move of her hand. Then she asked, "Are you feeling okay there, Sport?"
Before I could reply, Heather said, "We just linked. I think we're both a little shell-shocked."
Koda frowned, and said, "I don't think I understand that comment!"
"She's an Empath," I observed. It began to sink in. I focused fully on Heather, and asked, "How long have you known?"
A flash of confusion crossed her face, and she slowly said, "I still don't understand what just happened. I never felt that way before. I just knew everything you ever did, and knew you were in pain! I wanted so bad to make the pain go away... Her voice trailed away, then she added, "I'm sorry if I did a bad thing."
"You did nothing wrong," I informed her. "Just remember! You swore to give me time to fix this."
Heather nodded, and stood up. Koda stood up as well, and the two of them walked out without another word. They were gone for a few seconds, and then Kathy growled, "I want to know what just happened here!"
"I'm not really sure," I replied. "Heather is an Empath, and we linked, but it was different than the other times I've linked." I reached for the words, "I can't describe it. I just know it was a really powerful sensation. It's as if, for a few seconds, I was her. It was extremely intense, a lot worse than a normal link. It almost felt intoxicating."
Kathy frowned, and asked, "Did you get any feeling she was a threat?"
"More the opposite," I replied. "I'm far more worried she'll hurt herself, than someone else. I saw deeply into her mind. She's had it ro
ugh, and needs a break."
"I'll be glad when this is over!" Kathy complained under her breath. "The whole thing is starting to freak me out."
"I'm going back to bed," I noted wearily. "I can still sleep for a few hours before the sun comes up."
I started to stand up, and Kathy said, "Tim went to get Dona. He felt she should be in on this. They'll be here any minute." My thoughts of sleep evaporated, and I decided I might as well fix an early breakfast. It looked like it was going to be a busy day.
Chapter 13
Call to Arms
Several days passed, and our lives seemed to settle into a simple routine. I talked to Madias about Heather, and he said he knew of one other Empath that seemed to affect emotion. It appeared to be a very rare trait. He scanned me, and lifted memories of the events that had occurred from my mind. He seemed to reflect for a few seconds, and then he said, "You have triggered something in this girl. The timeline has recovered, and you're still alive." His voice became stern, and he said, "You took a terrible risk at the waterfall. You can easily drown if you’re held under. Try to keep that in mind in the future."
"How did we link like that?" I asked him. "It was far more intense than a normal link."
I could sense that Madias was scanning me deeply, looking for answers. After almost a minute, he shook his head, and said, "I don't really understand what has happened myself. It appears you two have bonded on a genetic level. I can sense that you have some of her DNA imbedded in your system. I've never seen this done before. I've scanned her, and I get the same readings. You've both been altered on a molecular level, and I'm not really sure how."
"Is she in any danger?" I asked.
"No more than you!" Madias pointed out sternly. "You must stop taking such risks. This could have killed you both." Then he seemed to suddenly take a deep breath, and relax. A smile suddenly spread across his face, and he said, "I'm wasting my breath, aren't I?"
His last comment struck me funny, and I started to laugh dryly, saying. "I make a lousy pupil, don't I?"
He smiled even more, and said, "You've come a long way in a very short time. I suppose I can't complain if you don't anticipate every hazard."
"How much longer, before I'm ready to fight this thing, Madias?" I asked.
"You're not the problem here," he groused loudly. "We can't get at the thing! Whatever is behind this, sends its minions, but never really shows itself." I could sense the frustration in the old man as he spoke.
"Nothing worse than an itch you can't scratch," I said. The remark just popped out of me, without any thought to how callus it sounded.
I regretted the words instantly, but to my surprise, Madias started laughing. He loudly said, "You have a remarkable grasp of the situation. If I could get at this, I would scratch it out of existence. It hides from me, so the most I can hope for, is to put you next to it." I saw pain cover the old man’s face, as he told me, "I'm ashamed of putting you there. It was always my intention to find, and kill the beast, myself. Instead, I find I must damn you to this fate. It's not my nature to avoid a fight with true evil. I wish I could take this battle from you."
"It's alright," I said, "Perhaps this will make amends for some of the damage I've done over the years."
Madias sobered slightly, saying, "The beast we fight has been the cause of every violent act you ever carried out. It brought the Madness to Earth to kill your ancestors, and I couldn't stop it. I have fought for thousands of years to return the Earth to the beloved garden I once loved. Had I succeeded, you would be safe, and we would have probably never met."
"It's alright, Madias," I repeated. "I'll stand with you, and we'll beat the thing together."
He gave me a distant look, and said, "Yes! I believe we will. For the first time, I really believe we will. The human race of Earth is returning to its former glory. All the pieces are falling in place." He focused on me sharply again, and repeated, "Yes! I believe we will!"
It was almost sunset, and we were standing outside, in front of Kathy's house. I looked up at the sky, and said, "It's a beautiful place, worth fighting for."
He nodded to agree, and again returned to Heather, asking, "Has it occurred to you, that you may have triggered Heather when you altered her mind?" The thought hadn't hit me yet, and I stood mulling the concept over.
"Do you believe that's what happened?" I asked.
He looked at me oddly, and said, "I believe we should remove Heather from here for now. If you have triggered something by your actions, I don't want it to happen again."
"I don't think much of that idea," I replied. "I feel responsible for the girl. I'm afraid of what might happen, if I wasn't around."
"Why does no one ever listen to me?" Madias asked seemingly to himself. He smiled, but I got the feeling he wasn't joking when he said it. "Very well then, keep the girl here! See if I care!"
I could tell he was pulling my chain, but for some reason. I just didn't care. I just smiled back at him, and said, "Glad that's settled."
Right then, the front door opened, Kathy stepped out, and loudly said, "Tim's fixing steaks for dinner. Would you two like one?"
"I don't eat animals," Madias stated clearly. I nodded yes, and Kathy smiled at us as she went back into the house. We stood there for a few seconds in silence, as the sun finished going down. Then he said, "When I return again, it will probably be to take you away from Earth. I don't know if you’ll ever return." He hesitated. I could tell he was stressing badly. "If you need to do anything before you leave, I suggest you do it."
"I'll be ready," I said.
He glanced at me, but in the failing light, I wasn't sure how he reacted. I thought I saw the glimmer of a faint smile, and then he said, "Yes! I believe you will!" He took a deep breath, and said, "I must leave for now. Go eat your cow."
I almost burst out laughing, but managed to resist the temptation. I turned to go in, and heard Madias say, "Till we meet again!"
I stopped, looked at his shadow in the gloom, and said, "Yes! Till we meet again!" Then Madias faded into the shadows, and was gone.
I went in, and found everyone sitting around the kitchen table. Tim was trying to teach Heather how to play cards, and she was already beating him badly. That seemed silly, since they were both telepaths, but they appeared to be having fun.
Tim got up to flip the steaks, and I thought about how we just went on as the world around us spun apart. Koda seemed to be tuned to my thoughts, and as Tom and Heather talked, she leaned toward me, and whispered, "When do you leave?"
"Soon," I quietly answered. "Madias said to prepare myself. When he returns, I'm supposed to be ready."
I could sense as Koda seemed to go on alert. She glanced at Heather, and said, "I'm going with you." Her voiced was pitched low, but Kathy caught the remark. I saw Kathy's eyes swivel around and lock on me. She was, in point of fact, staring straight at me. Heather and Tim were still talking, and as Tim sat back down at the table, he looked at Kathy as she sat staring at me, and asked, "What's going on?"
Kathy seemed to ignore Tim, and instead of answering him, she quietly asked me, "How soon before you leave?"
I knew instantly that she had scanned me, and decided to not be coy with her. "When Madias returns, I will be leaving with him," I answered. She slowly nodded her head to acknowledge the comment, and the conversation in the room seemed to come to an end. They were all staring at me now, and the link seemed to fill with tension.
"I'll be leaving with you," Kathy said. I could tell by her voice, that there would be no room for discussion.
"I need to go talk to Lisa," Tim stated calmly. "I'll be right back." He stood up from the table, looked down at me, and said, "Don't let the steaks burn!" Then he walked out.
Heather was looking at me closely, and she quietly announced, "It looks like we’re all going!"
"No, we're not," I informed her. "You're staying here as we agreed. You promised me, remember?"
Without waiting for an answer, Koda stood up,
and said, "I have no intention of letting you go alone." There was anger in her voice, and I could tell in the link, that she was ready to explode. I sat there without responding, and her face turned bright red. "I’m serious Mike! You're not leaving without me!"
"Without us!" Kathy corrected her loudly.
Tim came walking back in with Lisa just as Kathy finished her comment. "We're a team!" He said loudly as they walked in together. "We fight best together, as a team! You're the one that taught us that!"
I was in trouble, and knew it. I took a deep breath, and said, "This isn't going to be like any other hit we ever did. I've seen enough of this thing, to know this battle is meant for me. There will be room for only one round in the chamber, and it will be me."
A huge wall of resistance was going up around me. It was Heather, in her quiet little voice, that said, "We all love you Mike. You're like my Father. Do you realize what you're asking of us?" A huge emotional wave washed over me, and I could tell Heather was ready to cry.
Running out of confidence, I said, "I've known since the beginning, this is how it would end! We all did! Please don't argue with me now. I may not have much time left, and I don't want to spend it arguing with all of you." The conversation in the room died, but the link was hot with each person's thoughts. I could tell this conversation probably wasn't over.
I suddenly sensed Dona as she drove up out front. I stepped over to the front door, and walked out to greet her. At that moment, I just wanted to change the subject. I started toward Dona as she stood up, away from the Sheriff's cruiser, putting on her hat. She glanced at me, and asked, "How soon are we leaving?"
"You're not going at all," I said. "None of you are."
She smiled slightly, and then asked, "Then why did Madias put your security team on alert?"
That stopped me in my tracks. "He did what?" I asked.
The Koda Files Boxed Set - Books 1 & 2 Page 29
