blockade.
These are the areas I tested while you were gone. She shows me the grid we created to keep track. Two new sections are checked off.
Any gaps? I ask.
No. It’s tight.
Are we going to implement the distraction protocol soon?
Probably not for a while. Not until this business of crinkling Warriors is settled.
Crinkling Warriors? You’re quite the comedian, Officer Morgan.
And you’re quite the anomaly, Junior Officer Lawrence. Before I can counter, she adds, Time to disentangle.
Only when I disengage with the Q-net do I learn that Morgan turned off the screen and I closed my eyes sometime during our short session. No one else knew what was going on.
Morgan spins to face the others. “She was in the Q-net with me.”
Her proclamation sets off a bombardment of questions. Yes, I should have told them sooner. No, I don’t have any pain. No, I don’t get random visions from the Q-net. Yes, I can tangle and disentangle at will, well, except when I’m dreaming when I inadvertently entangle. No, distance from the terminal doesn’t seem to matter. I elaborate on that point.
“You accessed the Q-net through the portable! In the middle of the desert!” Mom presses her hands to her chest as if to keep from saying more.
Since it was more of an outburst than a question, I don’t reply.
“Did it cause you any problems?” Dad asks.
“Other than freaking out?”
“Uh, yes.”
“No. I was fine. And now that I know what I can do, I have more control.”
“Any Q-net dreams the last couple of nights?” Radcliff asks.
“No.” I recall the two others. “I think it happens when I’m worried about something. The one with Jarren seemed to be triggered by my subconscious. I think I picked up on Jarren’s fingerprints in the satellite feeds. The other was just after we discovered the Q-net made changes to our security measures to protect me.”
There’s a pause. One of the chairs creaks.
“Could you have made those changes to the security cameras while sleeping?” Radcliff asks.
Ah, he still wants to blame me for that. “No, that was before.”
“Before what?” Mom asks.
“Before I dozed off while entangled.”
Another pause and then another round of questions. No, I don’t hear voices, I don’t see things that aren’t there, unless you count the person in the black rectangle (which I don’t), I don’t have suicidal thoughts or thoughts that are not my own, and I don’t have access to the star roads. At least I don’t think I do, I haven’t tried. Basically I don’t have any symptoms that I’m going crazy or turning catatonic. Unless all this is just a dream or delusions and I never woke from my concussion. Might as well say it—this could be my imagination while I’m lying unresponsive in the infirmary drooling on my pillow. You have to admit I do have an overactive imagination.
“What caused this?” Mom asks.
I shrug. “The concussion. Touching the heart. Dying. Falling asleep while worming. All of the above. None of the above. Take your pick.”
“No need to be snarky,” Mom says.
The sad thing is, I wasn’t being snarky. Just honest.
“What do you suggest we do?” Radcliff asks me.
I stare at him. Did he really just ask me? Oh boy. Not one to waste this opportunity, I say, “Nothing. I keep doing what I do and I promise to let you know right away if I’m having any problems.”
“Problems as in…?”
“Headaches, delusions, voices, more dreams.” No one says a word. “Look, I’ve had multiple brain scans and they’ve all shown no damage. Let’s just view this as a…quirk of my brain’s wiring due to various unavoidable events.” I tap my forehead. “And I promise to use my powers only for good.” That earns me a smile from Morgan. I’m getting closer.
My parents glance at Radcliff and Morgan, who meet their gazes. And I suddenly feel like an intruder.
“Ara, please return to our unit,” Radcliff says. “I’ll see you later.”
Ah, they wish to discuss me without me. That’s fine. Doubting that I’ll see my parents at dinner, I give them a quick goodbye and bolt. I pause outside Niall’s door. He’s probably on duty or sleeping. Besides, we’re supposed to be on our best behavior. Ugh. I do as ordered.
A knock wakes me up from a nap. Radcliff didn’t say what I should do after I returned to our unit. Loophole! “Come in.”
The door opens and Niall pokes his head in. “Where is everyone?”
“Discussing my fate in the conference room.” I glance at the time—it’s been two hours. That doesn’t bode