by Cara Bristol
“Yyyou gaaave me back my v-voice, my lifffe.”
“Despite a huge handicap inflicted upon you, you were making a life for yourself. You went against her wishes and got a job. You were planning to move out, planning to sever the guardianship.” Her spirit was indomitable. Despite everything Mentira had done to her, Cassie’s will had survived.
She permitted the job because the money benefitted her, but she wouldn’t have allowed me to leave her.
Although her desire to talk was great, disuse hampered her voice, and her thoughts flew faster than she could speak. But one day soon, speaking would become as easy as thinking, and he would do everything he could to help her get there.
She manipulated me. Controlled me. She didn’t want a child, she desired a puppet.
“Sh-she stole her fffriend’s child—” Rachel. My mother’s name is Rachel. Mentira keeps in contact with a high school friend named Rachel! After stealing me, she kept in touch with my mother! What kind of person does that?
A kidnapper who would want to know if authorities would be closing in, he surmised. From what he’d gleaned of Mentira’s personality from Cassie’s memories, she would keep tabs on her victim, probably to draw satisfaction from Rachel’s grief.
“I waaant to f-find my m-m-motther.” Mentira has emails. She has her address.
Would Mentira give up the information? He doubted it, but Shadow could locate Rachel. “We’ll find your mother,” he promised.
“I waaant M-mentira arrested for k-k-kidnapping.”
“That…could be a problem,” he said.
Cassie’s head snapped back, and her eyes flashed. You don’t think she should pay for her crime?
“Of course I do. But Mentira is a Verital. What she did to you, she’ll do to others. She would wipe the memory of anyone who tried to arrest her. Earth authorities are not equipped to handle someone like her.”
Cassie’s shoulders slumped. So she’ll get away with it.
Mentira hadn’t merely broken the Code of Honor, she’d shattered it then walked over the shards. She’d violated the code daily for more than two decades. She had ravaged Cassie’s mind, robbed her of her parents, stolen her past.
Veritals were forbidden to abuse their power, to use it against others. He’d broken the code when he’d confronted Cassie and forced his way into her mind and erased the lies. But he’d done it to free her, to restore what had been stolen.
Cassie deserved justice. He and Mysk couldn’t provide it. Nor could Earth. But together…it might work. A plan started to take shape. “I won’t let her get away with it!” he said as he pulled out his phone.
Mysk answered immediately.
“I need your help.” Psy quickly recapped what Mentira had done and outlined his plan. “I have no right to ask you to do this but—”
“I can be there in twenty minutes.”
That was fast! “You’re not in Seattle?” The headquarters and flagship factory of Mysk Industries was located in Washington’s most populous city, more than three hundred miles away.
“No, I am. But we completed our CUF prototype. The compact urban flyer can be cloaked like a hover scooter, but it’s much, much faster. Where should I meet you?”
“Timeless Treasures. It’s an antique store on Main Street in Argent.”
He’d no sooner ended the call than Cassie’s phone chimed with a text. Her lips tightened. Mentira. She wants to know what’s taking me so long.
“Can you stall her for another half hour? Mysk and I will pay her a visit while you stay here with Verna.”
I’m not staying here. I’m going.
I can’t risk your safety. Mentira would target her immediately when she realized her mind had been cleansed of her lies.
I have to do this! I need to look her in the eyes and tell her I know what she did to me, and it is not okay. I want her to see that she failed! She lifted her chin.
He wished she would stay at Timeless Treasures. Mentira was dangerous. He’d seen what she was capable of. Who knew what she’d do when confronted and cornered?
But Cassie had lost so much. How could he deny her closure? He would just have to protect her.
Chapter Twenty
Striding up the walk, Cassie’s palms grew damp, and her stomach fluttered with nerves, but the vengeful fire burning in her gut fueled her determination. How dare Mentira rob her of family, of freedom, of her voice? The woman who supposedly had longed for a baby, had stolen one and then violated her. Psy and Edwin Mysk would ensure she paid for her crimes, but Cassie desired the first shot.
She had rehearsed what she would do when she confronted Mentira.
At first, Psy had been opposed to her seeing the other woman alone, but he’d understood and accepted she needed to do this to reclaim her life, her past, and her future, so he agreed to help her. That’s how a person who loved you acted. They supported you. They didn’t plant lies in your head to undermine your independence and self-determination.
The screen door banged as she entered the house to discover Mentira had made considerable progress in packing up. No doubt she rushed to get out of town before Psy discovered her crimes. Too late! He already had.
Scores of new boxes had been sealed, labeled, and stacked against the wall. The tower of cartons served as a reminder of the outrage perpetuated against her. She desired to take nothing from this house, with the exception of her cookie jar, and, out of necessity, clothing.
Carrying another box, Mentira entered from the kitchen. “You were gone way longer than I expected. I hope the old witch paid you.”
Anger and loathing, already in abundance, swelled on Verna’s behalf, but Cassie willed her expression into blankness and nodded, while studying her abductor with blinders off. Although Mentira almost always wore colored lenses to conceal her irises, her eyes were naked today, so there was no mistaking her Verital genetics. The extra-large, near-black irises were obvious. But unlike Psy’s warmth and caring, or Edwin Mysk’s concern, Mentira exuded ruthlessness.
She hefted the box atop a stack. “The moving van comes in two days. You’ll need to pack up your room—and there’s no sense taking that ugly cookie jar. Throw it away.” She pulled her brows together in an irritated frown. “Why are you standing there? Get busy. We lost a lot of time while you dillydallied at the junk store.”
With slow deliberation, Cassie unslung the notebook from around her neck—and heaved it at her abductor’s face. “I…know…what you d-did. I remember…everything—Aunt Mentira.”
If the elocution fell short of perfect, it achieved the desired impact. Mentira dropped her jaw to her chest. But, she recovered nearly as fast, her face hardening. “It won’t do you any good. You’re mine. You’ll always be mine.”
A vicious chill knifed into Cassie’s brain.
No, you don’t! Psy blocked the attack and expelled her.
Mentira snapped her head in shock.
The screen door banged as Psy and Mysk entered.
Wide eyes narrowed to slits as Mentira focused on Cassie.
Traces of the brain freeze returned, an indication her mind had come under assault again, but Psy repelled it. “It’s over. You’re not going to touch her again,” he said.
“I’ve never encountered a more egregious breach of the Verital Code of Honor than what you did, Mentira. Your actions are unconscionable,” Mysk said. “You violated all sense of decency, showing no regard for anyone but yourself.”
“What choice did I have?” She curled her lip into an ugly twist. “I’d been stuck on this primitive planet for a quarter century and never encountered a genmate. Without one, I’d never have children. How is it fair humans can reproduce on a whim, while I may never be able to?”
“Life isn’t fair,” Mysk said. “The Xenos destroyed ’Topia and almost all our people. We’re lucky to be alive—on any planet. I still haven’t found a genmate and maybe I never will. But no one has the right to steal from someone else because they don’t have the same. Ther
e is no excuse for abducting and brainwashing a child.”
“It wasn’t like Rachel couldn’t squeeze out another one! In fact, she did.”
Cassie pressed a knuckle to her mouth at the cavalier selfishness and then jerked in shock as Psy repelled Mentira, who’d slipped into her mind again. No wonder he had refused to let her come alone.
I’ll always be there to protect you, he said.
“Since we haven’t had to deal with crimes committed by our own before now, we have no tribunal, so your actions will be reported to Earth authorities.” Mysk grimaced as he fixed a hard gaze on Mentira.
She laughed and crossed her arms. “Go right ahead! Breaking the Code of Honor isn’t a crime on Earth.”
“No, but kidnapping is.” A faint sheen of perspiration glistened on Mysk’s forehead.
“You’re going to have me arrested?” She snorted. “Try it. We all know the charges won’t stick.”
Had she always acted this way? While “Rosalie” had always been controlling and stifling, Cassie had believed her to be loving, well-intentioned. She wasn’t. Nothing good had motivated her actions. Cassie wondered if clarity came from knowing the truth, or if Mentira had been toying with her perception over the years.
A little of both, Psy said.
Mysk’s features adopted a fierce concentration. Sweat trickled down his temples. “We’re not going to report you—you’re going to turn yourself in—”
Her derisive laugh turned into a choke.
“And confess to the kidnapping. You will not attempt to alter anyone’s mind because if you do, you will find yourself unable to breathe. You will accept the punishment they mete out.” For Cassie’s benefit, he repeated aloud the suggestions he implanted in Mentira’s mind.
Her face sagged, and she nodded. “I must turn myself in to the local authorities and confess I kidnapped a child.”
Mysk sighed, signaling he’d exited Mentira’s mind. He squinted as if he had a bad headache and wiped the sweat from his brow.
“Are you okay?” Psy asked.
“I will be.”
Mentira pivoted and grabbed her purse from atop one of the boxes. On the way out the door, she glared at them, hatred mottling her face. “I was a good mother to you. Everything had worked out fine until he came along,” she said and left the house. Moments later, she drove away.
Cassie expelled a sigh of relief and clasped her hands to quell the shaking. She’d insisted on acting as a decoy in the plan to program Mentira to turn herself in, but it had been frightening to be so close to such malevolence, to be the target of it. “W-w-will the suggestions last?” She envisioned Mentira “coming to” halfway to the police station, making a U-turn, and charging to the house to finish what she’d started.
“Oh yes. I erased her barriers of resistance, and I planted the commands very deep. Don’t worry. She’ll confess everything,” Mysk said. “The process went easier and smoother than I had anticipated because you distracted her. She was so focused on you, she was oblivious to my presence until it was too late.”
“She never gave up trying to attack Cassie. I repelled her at least a dozen times,” Psy commented.
So many? She’d been aware of a few attempted mental assaults but had no idea how persistent Mentira had been. She shuddered. “But sh-sh-she still feels j-j-justified.” The way she’d glowered at them as she left—if looks could kill…
“Her emotions remain her own. I altered the bare minimum to secure her capitulation because violating the code for any reason is no insignificant matter.”
“The fact she isn’t remorseful but will confess anyway, will be galling for her,” Psy said, his satisfaction evident. But then his expression turned remorseful. “I’m sorry I had to drag you into this.”
“You didn’t drag me. I’m glad you called. I needed to do it. Someone had to block her assaults on Cassie—you couldn’t have defended your genmate and entered Mentira’s mind. It required both of us, and I accept responsibility for her. She belonged to my group. When she disappeared years ago, I should have tracked her down and found out why.” He regarded Cassie. “I’m so sorry for what she did to you.”
“It’s not your fault,” she replied, noticing Mysk appeared drained by the experience. She recalled that breaking into someone’s mind caused pain. He’d suffered for her. “Thank you for everything.”
“I second that,” Psy said.
“You’re both very welcome. This whole situation has brought to light the need for us to establish a law-and-order tribunal. Can you imagine what would happen if a Luciferan went on an arson spree? Earth authorities couldn’t deal with them any better than they could a Verital.
“While there are only a handful of first-generation Veritals, most have bonded with human genmates, and their offspring who have full powers are coming of age now,” Mysk said. “Earth now has two and a half times more second-generation Veritals as first.”
Cassie widened her eyes. Did that mean…
Our children will have mental powers, Psy confirmed.
“I’ll get with my people about establishing a tribunal if you’ll approach Tigre about sending a rep?” Mysk asked.
Psy nodded. “I’ll talk to Tigre, but I would like to volunteer.”
“Great! We have one member already.” Mysk grinned, but his smile appeared weary. “You two have a lot to discuss, so I’ll head home to Seattle.
He looks exhausted, she said. Is it safe for him to fly?
He’ll plot the coordinates in the CUF, and it will take him home. He could even nap on the way.
After Mysk left, she studied the living room with distaste. Once, the house had been a cute bungalow on a quiet street in a small town. She’d considered it her home. It was still a cute house, but too many bad memories were trapped inside for it to ever be a home again. She couldn’t stand the idea of spending a single night here. What if the police didn’t believe Mentira’s story and didn’t arrest her? What if she got out on bail? Mysk had fixed it so she couldn’t infect anyone’s mind, but Cassie would never feel safe around her again.
Psy put his arm around her shoulders. “Let’s go home—to the farmhouse.”
Relief washed over her, and she nodded gratefully. She could stay there tonight, and tomorrow she would begin hunting for another place.
“I mean, come live with me. If you wish to rent your own place—I know that was important to you—I’ll support you, but my preference is for us to be together. Always.”
Live in that homey farmhouse with her genmate whom she loved and enjoy the company of his three castaway brothers like one big happy family? She broke into a big grin. “My p-p-preference, too!”
Chapter Twenty-One
His plans to be alone with Cassie got thwarted when they arrived to a full house. All the castaways and genmates were present: Tigre, Shadow, Inferno, Chameleon and Kevanne, and Wingman and Delia.
“Chameleon and I have heard so much about you, Cassie. It’s so great to finally get to meet you!” Kevanne gushed.
“It-it’s a pleasure to m-meet you, t-too,” his genmate replied.
“Oh my gosh! You’re speaking!” Delia burst out.
“L-l-learning to,” she replied with a big grin and set her cookie jar on the coffee table.
Is it okay if I tell them what happened? he asked.
Yes. I want everyone to know what she did.
He explained how Mentira was a Verital who had kidnapped her and brainwashed her into silence—literally.
Shock reverberated around the room.
Delia gasped. “That’s awful. That’s criminal. She has to be arrested!”
“We can’t let her get away with that.” Chameleon glowered.
“She won’t. Mysk took care of it. She won’t hurt anyone again,” Psy said, without explaining how. It wasn’t his place to reveal Mysk had violated the code on Cassie’s behalf. “But it has alerted us to a growing need for law and order. Mysk recommends we establish a tribunal to police oursel
ves. I told him I would like to serve in that capacity.”
“An excellent idea,” Tigre said. “You’d be perfect for the job.”
“Agreed!” the others concurred.
“And…I have another announcement—Cassie, my genmate, has agreed to move in with me!”
His family cheered and applauded.
“That’s wonderful,” Kevanne exclaimed.
“Congratulations,” Delia said.
The men slapped his back and hugged Cassie. “We’re so glad to have you,” Inferno said.
“Th-thank you,” she replied.
Tigre bared his fangs in a smile that stretched as wide as the stripes on his face. “I’m thrilled for you—and for us all. Three of us now have met genmates in less than a year,” he said.
“I’m very happy for you,” Shadow echoed.
“Thank you,” Psy said. “For everything. The information you discovered was invaluable.” Finding the death certificate and discovering no guardianship existed had been the tip-off “Rosalie” wasn’t a misguided, overprotective parent but someone with a more sinister intent. “Could we impose upon you for one more favor?” he asked.
“It’s no imposition. I’ll help any way I can.”
He gestured to the laptop. “That’s Mentira’s computer. It’s password protected and—”
“You need me to hack into it? Easy peasy. Consider it done. Anything specific you’re searching for?”
“Emails from Cassie’s real mother, Rachel, her address, and any other information about her,” he explained. “Thank you.”
Inferno produced a bottle of champagne, and the castaways toasted their good fortune. That led to an impromptu picnic lunch on the front porch. More good cheer and well wishes got passed around with the food, and, although he desired to be alone with his genmate, it filled him with joy to see Cassie join in the conversation. She didn’t speak in long sentences, but each halting word brought a smile of happiness to her face.
I love your family, she said.
They love you, he replied, caressing her palm with his thumb.
