“I’m not committing toanyone theory,” she clarified. “We don’t have enough evidence. Wrongdoing is one plausible reason he’d be reluctant to reveal his identity. As is his trauma. However, neither of those are my favorite explanations right now.”
“Oh,” I said as the pieces began slotting together.
“What, how do you know anything?” Chase complained. “We’re just now bringing you to speed.”
“From supplemental research for the Brokers. The supernatural world conceals itself from the rest of humanity, but there are species and groups within the larger community that hide themselves from everybody. Using their gifts, even to escape, would risk exposing them all. They may put the safety of all their people over their personal suffering.”
Some beings masked themselves and didn’t reveal their true nature to anyone else. The few phoenixes that remained alive were one example. Though powerful, they had weaknesses and had been hunted to near extinction because their potential was far greater than that of the supernatural community at large.
"Of course this is only the best case scenario,” Merritt said. “For all we know, he has no family, no resources, and his supernatural abilities still haven’t manifested. So we can only hope he doesn’t leave his friend’s place in a week or two and drop off the face of the earth where we can’t find him even if he needs help."
Director Slate hated to rely on hope. He grabbed a stress ball off the desk, a fuchsia item decorated with glitter, and squeezed it tightly in one large palm.
We arrived at the reason for my involvement since everybody in the room turned to me.
"You want me to convince him to stay?" I wondered.
“Not exactly. It’s not advice he needs,” Aaron said. “John understands he isn’t fully recovered yet and this isn’t recommended. What he needs is a reason to stay, someone here he can trust. He’s resilient and determined, but it’s a more difficult journey when he won’t let anyone in. Making that connection is something he has to do himself. We can only give him options.”
John Doe went through hell with the Brokers. Now he was tightlipped on his personal details. Exactly why was unclear since nobody had been able to convince him to lower his defenses and talk to us. Apparently Aaron and Chase struck out in that regard.
"I can try,” I said. What hope did I have if an empath and the personable detective beside me failed? “This isn’t my area of expertise."
"Anything we can do to at least keep the lines of communication open," Merritt said. He squeezed the stress ball and the thing popped, spilling sand everywhere on the cluttered yet otherwise clean desk that did not belong to him. Merritt frowned forcefully at the sand, so disappointed in it like maybe he could will it back into order.
Chase started sniggering and Stone swatted him on the back of the head.
"Are you sure I’m the right person?" I wondered while staring at the fine sand in faint horror. Any number of people who hadn’t just been suspended were more suited.
"He keeps your business card on his bedside table,” Aaron informed me. “He hasn’t been able to use it, but he kept it. You’re the best shot we have."
Okay then.
Removing every grain of sand from the desk, while challenging, could certainly be done. My task was different. I’d been pulled off desk duty to perform a miracle.
6.Just You, Me… and all the Geese
John
When I exited the PT room, Agent Lysander Temple stood there in the hallway.
“Hello John,” Temple greeted evenly. “Nice to see you again.”
"You can’t convince me to stay," I responded immediately.
I already heard the arguments in favor of staying here. I even agreed with them to a point. Yes, I needed to stay for so many reasons. But obviously it wasn’t that simple.
Evil bastards had tried to steal my future from me. They threw me in the darkness and intended to cash in on the secret power hiding inside me by selling me, selling me to people with tons of money and no morals, people willing to do anything to gain someone powerful under their control.
That part, despite being twisted and tragic, I understood.
Then came rescue. Rescue confused the hell outta me. Now I had a life in front of me again, my choices were my own and… this life did not resemble anything I recognized.
All I knew was that whatever came next was my decision and I already decided. Lysander Temple’s pleas wouldn’t change anything.
"Alright,” he said. “Should we get out of here?”
That caused my brain to stall. What?
