By the time they were down the stairs and Leonard had given him the basics, he was already sure they werenat moving fast enough.
Telekine, he thought.
Jaguaras caught herself a Telekine.
And he wondered if it could possibly get any worse.
aGet up,a the voice said, and it wasnat pleased.
She heard it as if it was far away, but she responded as if it was very close.
She uncurled herself carefully, slowly, rose and opened her eyes a little at a time. How long had she circled herself in the darkness? Minutes, hours, or days?
There was dim light now. She saw that she stood in a large and open room. The air was cool and damp. A bas.e.m.e.nt, she thought. As her eyes adjusted was able to make out shapes. Ahead were wide wooden stairs, outline of dark against light. Beyond that, a figure moving. The play of candlelight against a wall. A chair with a small table in front of it. Candle on the table. Someone sitting in the chair.
Ethan Davis.
She walked to him and he held up a hand. aI wouldnat if I were you,a he said pleasantly enough.
aAre they dead?a she asked.
Ethan laughed. aSteve and Katia? No. Though why you should care after what they did to you is something I wonat try to understand.a aWhere are they?a Jaguar asked.
aUpstairs. In a state of altered consciousness. Iall attend to them when Iam through with you.a He ran his eyes up and down her with something like admiration. aYou must know a thousand ways to avoid death,a he said.
aA thousand and one,a she said, ato avoid a thousand and one different kinds of death. Shall I tell you all about them, one at a time?a She took a step forward and he raised his hand again.
aNo, Scheherazade. You shall not.a He pushed his hand forward, and she felt a stabbing sensation in her legs. She stopped walking.
aVery good,a he said. aWhat you shall do is be very careful to keep your eyes lowered, and your body still. I suspect that what I can do supersedes even your talents in terms of speed and efficiency. However, after the display of ingenuity youave just given me, I hesitate to lay money on it. Jaguar,a he asked, awhere did you learn that trick?a aWhat?a she asked. aEarth curl?a aIs that what itas called? Thatas one of the chant-shape practices you donat talk about in your dissertation, isnat it?a aItas a variant I picked up from an old man I know.a aFascinating. I could have sliced the skin from your bones without disrupting the s.p.a.ce.a She nodded. aIt would have killed me all the same.a aMm. You were absolutely undefended and totally impenetrable at the same time. It wasa"quite beautiful. You shimmered like molten gla.s.s. Are you aware of that?a aI am. Is that why you didnat kill me?a She stayed still, but lifted her eyes to meet his.
He gestured with his hand like an orchestra conductor. aEyes down, please. Thank you. That was part of it. I wanted to watch. And I suspected that in that state your empathic integrity was inviolable. Even if I killed you, Iad never touch your gift. Was I right?a aYou were.a aI thought so. Tell me more about it. For instance, why you didnat use your chant-shape to just slip away.a She paused. aWhat will you do with Katia and Steve?a aEmpaths are self-sacrificing fools, Iave always thought.a aAnd Telekines are always confusing control with power.a aAre we?a he asked.
He raised his hand and swept it down in front of her, and a shiver of desire ran through her. She closed her eyes and breathed it away.
aIf youad slept with me, Jaguar, we might have been able to work out the difference.a aI donat use the arts for s.e.x. I donat have to.a aIs that supposed to be an insult?a The desire turned into pain, sharp and jolting. Breathe, she told herself. Just breathe it out.
aIs it direct contact?a she asked when it dissipated. aOr are you using cerebral cortex response?a aBoth. It works better that way.a Jaguar asked herself to remain very calm. Telekine like lightning, and all you could do was divert it or ground yourself. She could ground herself, but it wouldnat save her life. Or Katiaas, or Steveas. She needed a diversion.
She touched a finger to her wrist. The blade rested cool and rea.s.suring against her skin. He must know she still had it, but he knew he was faster. She could use her knife accurately in a second, but he worked in smaller units of time. Didnat matter. Arrogance or carelessness would kill you every time. Time. It was about time now. Buy time, and hope for an opening. Shead have precious little of it to act, if an opening should arise.
aHow do you take gifts from people?a she asked.
He smoothed down the front of his pant legs and stood, folding his hands behind his back. This was his teaching position, she thought. Very alpha male. Very pompous a.s.s. Why had she failed to see that in him before?
aSimple neural transfer. Telekinesa nervous systems are slightly more permeable than othersa. We can absorb and integrate changes from another pathway, under the right circ.u.mstances. There needs to be direct physical contacta"preferably with exposed nerves, although thatas not absolutely necessary. And the empath needs to be completely open. Thatas why the point of death is the best time. Then all gifts are laid bare. Except in your case, my dear.a Yes, she thought. He would want her open. He would bide his time until he could get her open. Time. Buy time, wait for the right time, act before he has time to react.
aDid you kill the other girlsa"the Gone Girlsa"for gifts?a she asked.
He curled his hand at her. aTwo of them were slips of the finger, though thereas always something to be said for tasting young death. One gave me esper, and the other a little unpracticed Adeptness. Not much use, but the real thing is only a touch away, and I have you to thank for that.a aIam not an Adept,a she said.
aI know.a She frowned. Something wasnat making sense. Let it go, she told herself. Keep him talking. aDid you kill the dean, too?a aYes. For the obvious reasons, Iam ashamed to say. I wanted his job. And department politics being what they are, it was the only sure way of getting it. Also, I thought he would catch on if I let him linger too long. He was an intelligent man.a She tilted her head and considered him. aYouave been poking at people for years, havenat you? How many bodies have you been through?a aA few dozen, I suppose,a he said, shrugging it off. aLearning anatomy from a book is pointless without hands-on experience. There was n.o.body important, believe me. But someday, when I have my gifts all in order, Iall explore broader seas.a aFor yourself, or the army?a aWhichever suits me,a he said. aI suppose Iall stay with the army as long as they continue to cooperate. They do love a Telekine above all others. Telekines, and then Adepts. Weare so good at managing the more delicate tasks.a aa.s.sa.s.sinations?a aAnd so on. Satellite work. Communications. Your telecom hasnat been performing as it should this semester, has it?a She nodded. aAnd where do I fit in?a aYou are my reward. You, and the larger fish you bring to me.a Larger fish? She opened her mouth to ask what he meant, but he held a finger to his lips.
aMy turn,a he said. aI want to know more about the gift Iall be receiving from you. Iave watched your night walks, but I canat seem to grasp what it is you actually do. I know that itas an energy source, but which one?a Shadow moving in shadow. Dream and not dream. Shared soul, animal self, Old one. Not an energy source he would give credence to. She shook her head.
aYou wouldnat care for it,a she said. aYou give up a lot of control for the power you get.a aDonat worry your pretty face about that, Jaguar. I know what Iam doing.a He twisted his hand. A sudden pain in her head told her he was right. She turned it away.
aBeautiful Jaguar. Youare very good.a He sighed in deep satisfaction. He held up a finger and sliced it down through the air. She felt a sensation as of the edge of a blade moving along the outer rim of a vein in her arm.
She pulled in away from him, her muscles drawing in taut and ready. aI can sing all night, and all day, and all night again if I choose. I can make this very difficult for you, and in the end youall have nothing.a He chuckled softly. aOh no, Jaguar. Iall still get exactly what I want. And youall bring him to me.a She jerked her head up and looked him full in the face. aHim?a she asked.
aThe Adept,a he replied.
The Adept. The larger fish shead bring to him. She wasnat an Adept. But Alex was.
aAlex?a she asked.
As she said his name, she experienced a sudden and sure sense of his presence. As if she had heard footsteps approaching that stopped at the mention of his name.
aAlex,a Ethan repeated.
This was abouta"Alex?
aHeas not here,a she said. aHeas on the Planetoid.a Ethan smiled. aDo you really think heas capable of leaving you alone? I donat. Thatas why I wanted you here. Eyes down, Jaguar. Eyes down. I studied you both for a long time before I began this project. If youare blind to his devotion, then itas willful blindness. Itas quite clear to everyone else.a She was here to draw him. The Telekine needed direct contact at the time of death, and he knew Alex would not be easy to kill. But if he was distracted, looking to her safetya"
Understanding filled her, followed by rage.
aYouare using me as G.o.dd.a.m.n bait?a she snarled at him. aMe?a Ethan pressed his hands against his heart. aThat pinches the ego, doesnat it? To know Iave been playing you on my line for so long. But as you said, the chant-shape is difficult to manage. Beyond accessing the energy, what good will it do me, in practical terms?a She put a hand to her hip, tapped her foot against the bas.e.m.e.nt floor.
aThe art of the Adept, howevera"imagine what I can do when I add that to my fund of power.a aYou used me as bait for Alex, you petty fascist pig dog.a She took a step toward him, glittering green gold eyes spitting fire.
He unfolded his hands, and her arm went numb. She stared at it, breathing hard, caught between fury and fear. Block it, she told herself. Itas a simple move. You know how. She focused, and felt pins and needles signal the return of sensation. He pressed finger and thumb together, and she felt a stabbing pain in her chest. She struggled for breath in the moment before she remembered how to access the appropriate relief.
He was good. Fast and accurate.
Calm down, she told herself. Focus. Donat be distracted.
aDonat take it so hard,a he said. aYouave become a prize in your own right. Courting you, observing your art, the prospect of bedding youa"just the challenge of planning and staging all thisa"well, itas been a gratifying semester.a Xipe Totec flay him. How insulting could he get? And did Alex know? Or was he stumbling blind, as she had been. Stumbling blindly into a trap.
She could feel him drawing closer, his presence unmistakable to her. He was nearby, and she had to warn him. But the Telekine would feel her open, would know what she was doing. Fast and accurate. Like trying to outrun lightning.
She raised her eyes to Ethanas and pulled at him. Distract him. Time. Buy time. She needed a diversion.
aNo, no,a he said, averting his eyes. aThatas not good.a aThen kill me,a she said, and took a step toward him.
aMy dear, Iad rather wait until Alex arrives. Watching you die will distract him from any act of self-preservation he could bring to bear on the situation.a Time. That gave her time. She took another step.
aBut donat think I canat keep you still while weare waiting.a He lifted his hand and her arm began to tingle. The sensation spread across her chest and became thicker, heavier, as her arms went numb. He chuckled softly and walked to her, walked around her, saw her trying to move, saw that she couldnat. He stopped behind her and put his hands on her shoulder. She could see them, but she couldnat feel them at all.
She tried to turn and couldnat. Tried to speak and couldnat. She tried to push him out, and couldnat do that either. Dammit. Head gotten in. Found a crack and slipped into it and Katia and Steve were upstairs and where was Alex stumbling blind to this death trap? Time. No time. She was out of time and she couldnat make it better, so shead have to make it worse.
She caught air and breathed it in, then opened herself to empathic contact.
Open. Wide open. Let him feel what she felt. Let him know what she knew. Let him feel something besides the tips of his fingers slicing flesh and consuming chemicals.
And she felt Alex, seeking her, reaching toward her. She had to warn him. Time. No time.
Alex, she whispered inside herself, Telekine. He wants you.
Clear as bells she heard the reply: I know, dammit. Shut up. Close down.
aHow very interesting,a Ethan murmured, listening to the whispered circles of thought, the danger she felt, the consternation and joy. Alex knew all about it, and was there anyway.
Try to steal that, she whispered into him. I dare you.
Ethan stood behind her, very still, his breath on her hair. The paralysis receded from her chest and arms and neck as he turned his attention elsewhere, his icy fingers clamoring toward her brain, a slicing and clear motion.
Then all motion stopped. His fingers poised within her thoughts, he paused, listened.
The sound of someone walking down the stairs. Not running. Not trying for silence. Just entering.
Jaguar saw Alex, emerging from the dim shadow shapes, walking toward them.
Alex, walking toward them, black eyes filled with sparks, hand raised in the gesture of the empath. Alex, smiling. Fully open, with his hand out in the gesture of the empathic touch. Gesturing toward Ethan. Smiling.
Jesus, was he crazy?
He caught her eyes, and she felt the stab of his thoughts. No crazier than you.
The Telekine was momentarily amused.
aWhat have we here?a he murmured, his thought shifting toward Alex.
Time. No time. Alex was giving her time.
Buying it for her with his life.
She would use it.
She pressed the b.u.t.ton at her wrist, felt the blade slide into her grasp, and whirled.
Time broke into its smallest parts as she spun like a dancer on one raised foot, arms out like gracious wings, her body taut and balanced in a moment of pure motion. Her knife bit into Ethanas throat and sliced it cleanly and deeply as a shadow slicing air. Rich fresh blood flew off the end of the blade, painting the side of her face. There was such stunning grace in her brief dance of death that Alex, watching, thought it would be a pleasure to have her kill you, if only she would consent to do it in this beauty.
aBite that bait, a.s.shole,a she growled at him as she completed the circle and faced him again.
The Telekineas eye grew wide and he lifted a hand to his throat and fell to his knees.
Alex caught her by the arm and pulled away from him, pushed her down to the floor, rolling over her and shielding her mind with his own as Ethan, gasping out life through his throat, reached a cold hand toward them both. Jaguar lifted her head to look and Alex pressed her back down against his chest.
Wait, he said into her. Wait. Itas not safe yet.
They lay there, waiting, listening as his body fought to reclaim itself, until they heard the last catch of breath as it gurgled out with the blood that poured from the gash in Ethanas neck.
aJesus,a she said when it seemed safe, ayouare heavy.a aSorry.a He stood and reached a hand down to pull her up. She stood and went for the stairs, but Alex pulled her back. aWhereare you going?a aKatia and Steven. I have toa"a aNo, you donat,a he said.
Her face fell. aAre theya"a aTheyare fine. Leonard got them out.a aLeonard?a Alex nodded. aHe brought me here. I think I probably owe him an apology for what Iave been thinking about him. But I owe you one first.a He searched her face to see if he could remember how to read it. All he saw was relief.
aFor what?a she asked. aFor getting your a.s.s here, or risking your a.s.s here, or saving my a.s.s here?a aIt wouldnat need saving if I hadnat been such an idiot,a he noted.
aTrue,a she agreed, abut if you hadnat been such an idiot, I wouldnat have been here. And who knows what would have happened to Katia or Steven or you.a He drew back from her and held her out at armas length. aYouare taking this better than I am. Thereas claw marks on my telecom from all the times I couldnat get through to you.a He felt her speaking into him, swift and unexpected pleasure of her thoughts moving within his.
Match the claw marks on your conscience? she asked, and he could feel the mischief in her. He ran interference on it.
No, Jaguar. The ones on my heart.
He felt her surprise, and the way she tried to cover it, like a cat who tumbles off a counter and stalks away, pretending he meant to do that.
aAt any rate,a she said, withdrawing from his thoughts and speaking out loud, aI accept your apology.a She looked down at her knife blade and observed the blood at the tip, the blood all over the floor. She wiped it on Ethanas pants, then retracted it.
She was so contradictory, Alex thought. She risked her own life so readily, guarded other lives so fiercely, and killed with such ease when necessary. While he worked his way into corners trying to find the right solution, she acted. Terrifying, the way she would cut through to that point of life and death, choose and act as quick as thought.
aAre you okay, Jaguar?a he asked. aNo wounds that need tending?a aJust the ones to my ego,a she said. He raised an eyebrow at her.
She kicked at the back of the Telekineas leg. Bad form, Alex thought, but he bet it felt good.
aBait,a she muttered, amy a.s.s.a
EPILOGUE.
THE SNOW CAME DOWN IN EARNEST OUTSIDE HER office window. She kept her head bent over the work on her desk, ignoring the two suitcases packed and ready at her side, beckoning her to finish and get the h.e.l.l out of there. To where, she still wasnat sure. Maybe north to look for the aurora. Maybe south to see Jake and One Bird.
The days of explanation, questions and answers, the tightrope walk across the politics of cleanup and cover-up had taken more out of her than the sustained chant-shape. Alex had been in top form, though, and shead had the distinct pleasure of watching him throw Officer Keene around.
Keene hadnat even been very rude. Just made some offhand comment about women like her who usually slice a man a lot lower than this guy was sliced. Alex picked Keene up by the back of the neck and tossed him out the door. The local police seemed to run out of questions after that.
But there was still a contingency of military people to get through. Debriefings, they said. Which meant a chance for the army to tell them a series of lies about their relationship with Ethan and his death. Durk never made an appearance, but as they left the military offices for their hotel, she saw him sitting in an army vehicle parked across the street. He stared ahead, his wooden hand resting against the steering wheel.
When Alex and Jaguar pa.s.sed, he turned his head toward them and removed his hat.
aJesus,a Jaguar said. aAre we dead and n.o.body told us?a aNo,a Alex replied, grinning. aI believe that was his way of saying thank you. Tell me, would you still have killed Davis if you knew you were working for the army?a She thought about that a minute. aItas probably a good thing I didnat know.a The next thing she did was sleep for twelve hours straight, and when she woke up there was a pot of coffee at the bedside stand, with a note from Alex saying he had to take care of something, but head probably be back.
She took the time to wrap up her academic work, and to see Leonard. aThis time Iall ask how,a she said. aHowad you know to go to Ethanas?a He shrugged. aI stay connected. It helps.a aI guess I was born lucky as well as stupid. Iam sorry if I was rude at the funeral. I thought itad be safer for you.a aI knew that,a he said. aKatiaas going to the Mohawk res for the break. She tell you?a Jaguar shook her head. aI donat think she wants to talk to me yet.a aGive her time. Sheall get it straight. The universe doesnat do waste. It even takes the s.h.i.t and makes flowers.a aMaybe youare right,a Jaguar said.
He wrapped one bearlike hand around hers and patted it with the other. At that moment she realized that he reminded her of a younger version of her grandfather. Large and safe and real. That was why she always felt a mingling of warmth and sorrow in his presence. She was glad shead had the chance to meet him.