Chapter 15
Stepping into the commons room the next morning, Paul stopped short. The entire crew of Walkers and every one of their Sentinels was either sitting or standing around the table where he usually ate breakfast, waiting for him. No one moved or said a word except Allen, who was paying attention but didn’t let it stop him from shoveling food into his mouth. Even Steven was there with the rest of the Sentinels, looking ragged but alert, standing with both hands on the back of a chair for support.
A hand clapped him on one shoulder, Abrams and Natasha having come into the room behind him. He allowed Abrams to lead him forward toward the table. “You’re about to have the chance to make Astralis history,” Abrams said.
“I am?”
“We got the results back from your word retention training yesterday evening after you and James left the building.”
Just having Dr. Abrams say James’ name put Paul on edge. Of course he hadn’t had the chance to speak to Abrams about what James had said, and even now he still didn’t know if he should. It felt like a betrayal of sorts not to. Looking across the table at James, he tried to make eye contact, but James was expressionless, looking back at him clear-eyed, with no outward sign that their discussion had been of any real importance.
“Paul?” Dr. Abrams asked, catching his eye. “Everything alright?
Paul blinked. “Yes, absolutely. Sorry. I zoned out there for a second.”
Squeezing Paul’s shoulder once in support, Abrams repeated loud enough for everyone to hear, “We got the results back from your word retention training yesterday.” Gently guiding Paul forward, his hand still on his shoulder, he led him to the only empty chair at the table. There was a blank sheet of paper and a pen sitting in front of it. “But before we give you those results, we wanted to give you the opportunity to see how close you could come to writing down what Lydia announced over the loud speaker last night.”
Looking around at all their faces, Paul tried to get some read on whether it was good or bad news and asked, “Was it that bad?”
Natasha reached down and picked up the pen, handing it to him with an encouraging smile.
Sighing, he put the pen down on the table. Paul kept his eyes lowered and said, “Forgetfulness transforms every occurrence into a non-occurrence. How is it that we remember the least triviality that happens to us, and yet not remember how often we have recounted it to the same person? Memory, of all the powers of the mind, is the most delicate and frail.”
It was silent for a few moments, and then Parker exclaimed, “No freakin’ way!”
Everyone began talking at once, asking him how he remembered it word-for-word and congratulating him. Abrams and Natasha beamed at him like proud parents while, typically, Hodge scowled at him from across the table with his arms crossed.
Breaking through the commotion, Abrams said, “Eighty-eight,” and everyone quieted down. From the lack of surprise on anyone’s face, this number was already known. “That was your number from yesterday’s training. You entered eighty-eight exactly correct lines out of a hundred.”
Looking across the table into Steven’s tired eyes, Paul simply couldn’t find it within himself to feel proud. His achievement seemed insignificant in comparison to his lack of being able to help his friend.
Steven looked back, giving him a tired smile and nod, pride written all over his bruised face. Paul bowed his head in shame, which everyone else mistook for modesty.
“A legend is born,” Parker intoned, grinning.
“We’re very proud of what you’ve accomplished in so short a time,” Dr. Abrams continued, “and everyone wanted to be here to say so.”
Paul looked up into the eyes of each person surrounding the table. “Even though I really don’t feel like I did anything, I appreciate all your support.” Pausing before continuing, trying to mentally convey to Steven his profound apology he said, “So what is on the itinerary for me today? Who am I training with?”
Clapping his hands together once very loudly, Dittrich laughed. “That’s the spirit! We should all be so ambitious! You’ll be with Kenneth and Parker working on universal checkpoints, and how we apply them to the buddy system.”
Paul looked at Kenneth and Parker’s smiling faces and said, “Sounds good. Just let me wolf down some breakfast and we can get started.”
Turning to leave, Dr. Abrams paused as if almost forgetting to mention, “Paul, after lunch I would like to see you in my office. If that would be alright with Kenneth and Parker. Can I steal your pupil for the last half of the day?”
“Fine,” they replied together, probably happy to hear they were getting the afternoon off.
“Great. Paul will train in my office for the remainder of the afternoon session, so if the two of you have other obligations you’d like to attend to at that time, please feel free to plan on it.”
Abrams gave a farewell nod to everyone and he and Natasha left the commons room. Paul felt an icy dread forming in his belly. What could Abrams want? It must be that he’d heard about the conversation with James last night. It must be. The only time Paul had spent any one-on-one time with Abrams was on his first day. Other than that, their interaction had been limited to short, informal chats, or just quick ‘hellos’ and ‘how-you-doings’ when they passed each other in the hallway. It couldn’t be a coincidence that today just happened to be the first day that Abrams wanted to be a part of his training schedule.
Eating his breakfast, he didn’t really taste the food because he was so preoccupied with worry. More than once, the person talking to him stopped and asked him if he was alright.
Morning training went by in a blur. Time spent in the company of Parker and Kenneth was always a pleasure. Their method was so informal that it really didn’t feel like training. And thank goodness. Between their easy-going method of instruction and Paul’s near-celebrity status for the day, they barely noticed that he wasn’t putting his best effort forward.
Their instruction consisted of what to do if you became separated from your buddy when you were on a mission, both before and after the Target had been acquired. Of course there wasn’t as much concern about whether or not you reconnected with your buddy once you had the Target, because after that you were pretty much on free time until the end of the night. Once the morning rays began peaking over the horizon, they reasoned, you’d be back in your safe room with your Sentinel no matter where you ended up at the end of the dream.
Before acquiring the Target though, that was a different story. On so many missions, it usually took two Walkers to find the right opportunity to get to the Target. If one buddy lost another, there was a series of universal checkpoints based on landmarks and the points of the compass that everyone used.
It was pretty basic stuff. You started by finding the highest geographical point to the north, like a hill, but it had to be the highest hill in sight. If that failed because of some obstruction such as a body of water or a large valley or canyon being to the north, you went clockwise on the compass and headed east, using the same strategy. If east failed, you headed south, and so on. It only took them about ten minutes to explain the concept, which Paul immediately understood, but when they went outside and applied it to the real-life scenario of the terrain that surrounded Astralis, Paul recognized how simple visual obstructions like trees could make using their system a little more difficult, especially since when they used it, it would always be dark.
By lunchtime, the three of them had worked up quite an appetite hiking around the rocky area around Astralis, purposely losing one another and then using the universal checkpoint system to reconnect again. Paul was so hungry he’d nearly forgotten about his appointment with Abrams until they were on their way back. “Not quite as easy as strolling around in the dream, is it?” Kenneth joked, looking pointedly at Paul’s sweat-soaked clothing.
They walked for a minute or two without Paul answering and Parker said, “Paul?”
“Hm?” Paul looked up, startled, having been lost in thought ab
out James, the things he’d said, and the idea that Abrams was probably going to be calling Paul out on the whole situation in about an hour.
“You alright, buddy?”
“I’m good,” Paul answered distractedly, “Why do you ask?”
“Because you’ve been acting a little strange all day. I mean, this morning was kind of a big deal. At least it would have been for just about any of us. But you seemed like it wasn’t all that much to you. With the way you’ve been working so hard on your training, I’m just a little surprised you weren’t happier about doing so well.”
Refocusing his attention back to the present, Paul said, “I’m sorry. I am happy and I really appreciate how much everyone’s been supporting me through my training.”
“But…?” Kenneth smiled and asked.
Paul really wanted to share what James had said, but he wasn’t sure how it would be received. He was still new at Astralis and had no idea if the organization had any sort of penalty for negative talk. Not to mention, there was still the matter of Steven. He could be putting his friend in a potentially worse situation just by association. So instead of responding with the absolute truth, Paul took the route of partial truth. “I’m just really worried about Steven. I know I’ve been doing well with most of the day training exercises, but it seems like everything that has to do with Walking, which is really the reason I’m here, I’m horrible at. If I could figure out my trigger and use my ability, Steven wouldn’t look and feel like a zombie right now.”
Kenneth put a hand on his shoulder. “Maybe you’re just going about it the wrong way.”
“What do you mean?”
“Have you considered that anger might not be your thing? I know Dittrch and Hodge are having you go that route because it made your ability manifest before, and because it works for Hodge. But as far as I can tell, you’re not anything like Hodge.”
“And thank God!” laughed Parker, eliciting smiles from Paul and Kenneth.
“Dittrich may tell you to channel anger, Paul, but you don’t strike me as an angry kind of guy. Maybe a little sad, maybe a little lonely, but not angry.”
They spent the remainder of the walk back to the building in silence.
For the first time since he’d arrived at Astralis, Steven wasn’t in the commons room for lunch. Paul spent most of the meal turned inward, thinking about James, the coming talk with Abrams, and what Kenneth had said on the walk up.
He was still the talk of the facility, everyone excited about his progress, and he got congratulations and expressions of camaraderie from everyone—even Hodge, albeit grudgingly. Normally, this would have been a time he would have relished, because so far in his young adult life he’d had very few such moments. But with so much going on he had a hard time allowing himself to be part of the excitement.
When lunch was over, he half expected Dr. Abrams to come and get him, but the doctor didn’t make an appearance so Paul instead went to him.
Knocking on the door to Abrams’ office, Paul was surprised when Natasha opened it, not to let him in but to let herself out, closing it behind her. “Follow me, Paul, and I will take you to him.”
They went to the elevators without any small talk, which normally would have suited Paul just fine. In this instance, though, he really wished Natasha would drop a hint or two on what Dr. Abrams wanted. Once they’d stepped inside, Natasha hit the button to close the doors. Instead of just pressing the down arrow, Paul watched her hit both the up and down arrows in a quick sequence. Immediately, they began to descend.
He knew there was a lower level already. The other Walkers had made mention of going ‘down to the Sanctum,’ to their safe rooms, at the end of the day. But the elevator seemed to be going quite some distance down, further than he would have expected.
“So…” Paul began, trying to give an outward appearance of calm. “I thought Dr. Abrams said we were meeting in his office.”
Aware of his discomfort, Natasha smiled reassuringly. “We are going to his office. Not the welcome office, though. His office.”
Nodding as if he understood, Paul couldn’t think of anything else to say without showing how nervous he was. “So… training. What kind of training are we going to work on?”
“I think it would probably be better if I let Abe just explain that to you.”
The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened to a fairly nondescript hallway. It was short, ending at an oak door after no more than twelve feet. They began to walk toward the door, but Paul stopped short. “Wait a minute. Abe?”
“Yes…?” Natasha answered, confused.
“Dr. Abrams’ name is Abe Abrams? Like, Abraham Abrams?”
“Yes,” she replied again, still confused. “It is.”
Paul stared at her for a couple moments, but obviously she didn’t see the humor. This was definitely a fun-fact to share later with Steven. Unsure whether he should explain or laugh, he turned back toward the door and swept a hand forward to indicate that she should lead on.
Without knocking, Natasha opened the oak door into what looked more like a hotel suite than an office. The entry area was a vestibule with two doorways on the left, one on the right, and one straight ahead. Both doors on the left wall were closed, but the other two were wide open.
Dr. Abrams and Carlisle came from the area directly in front. Dr. Abrams greeted Paul with a handshake. “It’s good to have some time together again, Paul. I’ve been looking forward to when we’d have the chance. I know how busy we’ve kept you with your training and really, even now I’m loath to pull you away from it because I believe we may have even less time than I originally anticipated.” Without any further explanation, he turned and entered the room on the right. Natasha followed, and although Carlisle remained in the vestibule, he nodded that Paul should follow Natasha.
The room was indeed an office and was much more of what Paul would have expected someone like Dr. Abrams to have. It was paneled in dark wood with maps on most of the walls. Interspersed among the maps were corkboards with various photos and pages both handwritten and typed, attached by plastic push-pins. There were two large screen televisions, two couches, and an enormous oak desk flanked by chairs, piled high with papers and file folders.
“As you can see,” Dr. Abrams said, “you’re in my personal office where most of my work is done. Once again, I hope that you’ll recognize and respect that I am allowing you to know a part of my life many others are unaware of. Please, have a seat.”
Choosing one of the chairs, Paul sat down and tried to gauge the situation. He fully expected that the reason he’d been asked to a one-on-one with Abrams was to discuss what he and James had talked about. He was very nervous.
“Tell me Paul—how do you like it here so far?”
Fidgeting in his seat, Paul recognized the question as the same one that James had used to start their conversation last night. “I can honestly say that I’ve been happier here in the past week than I have been in my entire life,” he answered truthfully.
Paul couldn’t tell if it was just for effect, but Dr. Abrams looked genuinely relieved to hear it. “I am so glad. I have been watching, of course, and I’ve talked to some of the others, but to hear it directly from you is heartening. I know that many of the others have already come to count you as a friend in the short time they’ve known you. And after your display of considerable memory control the last two days, all of them consider you much more of an asset than they’d expected. And that is saying something, because with your ability they already had high expectations.”
“Well I like them, too,” Paul answered simply, unsure what Dr. Abrams was looking for. “Most of them, anyway.”
Chuckling a little, Dr. Abrams said, “Hodge.”
Paul said nothing in reply, looking around the room to fill the gap in the conversation, not really focusing on anything specific. “Dr. Abrams, why did you ask me down here? You originally said it was for training…?”
Dr. Abrams raised his eyebrows
. “There it is again. Your ability and desire to get right to the point. Do you have any idea how refreshing and rare that is? So many people prefer to dance around the real topic of a conversation in an attempt to hold off the inevitable main subject. I suppose it must somehow make them more comfortable to talk about other, trivial matters before diving into what really counts. It has always seemed like such a waste of time to me, but also such a necessary part of conversation, because the vast majority of people simply will not get to the point right away, even if you ask them to.”
“Yes. I’ve noticed that too,” Paul said, giving Dr. Abrams a pointed look, causing Natasha to stifle a giggle.
Leaning back in his chair, Dr. Abrams smiled. “I’ve brought you down here for two reasons. The first is for a short history lesson, which I believe is necessary in order for us to talk about the second topic, which is the current state of things here at Astralis.”
“Alright,” Paul answered, intrigued. This was not at all what he’d expected.
“Alright,” Dr. Abrams echoed. “I will try and keep this as straightforward as possible. A lot of this is very personal to me, so I apologize in advance if I tell you more than you feel you need to know. This is the history of how Astralis came to be and why I do what I do.”
Watchers of the Night Page 41
