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"The Agency: Meeting of Souls "Written By: Karina Pairings 13x6 [eventual], 5xS, 3x4, Others undecided at this time. Warnings: Extreme Alternate Universe setting. Unbetaed, Aussie spelling and grammar, not much else in the early chapters though it will involve murder, stalking and possibly some colourful language down the track. Some Out Of Character depictions are unavoidable considering the alternate universe setting. Rating: M [In Australia that would be mature adult 15+] Not sure with the new rating system about international ratings. Rated for violence and language and adult concepts. Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. That's about as plain as you could say it. Summary: The world took a very different turn with the acknowledgement of psychic abilities and training of select psychic individuals enlisted in elite fields such as law enforcement and politics. A grading system for the strength of psionic abilities was developed and those who were the top of the elite have been dubbed Prime Talents and are highly sought after. Elite institutions have been developed to mark, train and employ individuals with useable psionic talents. The colonies of canon Gundam Wing do exist in this fic and were constructed before the psionic system was founded. With the advent of psionics in open use in society younger people are appearing in positions of power as they are awakening to their abilities earlier and are highly trained in their fields of expertise. //…// Thoughts
Chapter Sixteen There was going to be entirely too many hours in this particular day. He ached in every bone and muscle, and the low throbbing in his temple told him clearly enough he should remove himself from the University and closet himself in his apartment. Much more stress and he might slip up in maintaining his shields. //A disturbing thought, but one I need to consider. At least I have Trowa safely under the Registrar’s care and I know he will be reassessed.// He could not blame the young man for wishing he could avoid the inevitable, but at least Trowa was realistic in his outlook on life. Unpleasant as life all too often was, Trowa knew you could not truly avoid responsibility. Eventually it came around to nibble at your arse, if you were lucky, and take a healthy chunk out of your life if you were less than fortunate. Fate had an uncanny habit of visiting herself upon those who least wished to make her acquaintance. He had made it plain he was to be kept informed on Trowa’s development, having his interest in the younger man noted in Trowa’s files. No one, not even Dekim Barton, would gainsay the interest of a Prime who had noted a talent and brought the individual in for testing. Taking a deep breath he ran a hand through his hair and considered the remainder of the day, and all of the possibilities inherent in the investigation. So much still to do, so many unanswered questions and Trowa had added to them. His shoulders pulled back and he straightened in his seat, undefeated. He was tired and he was mentally sore, but it was nothing he could not deal with. He had a few minutes, and before something else required his attention he should work on strengthening his shields. //Enough to get through the day and a thorough maintenance workout tonight, when I can finally relax.// He settled back in Otto’s comfortable chair, allowing it to cushion his aching body. He really had to insist the Agency provide him with one of these, his own chair in his office fell rather short in equalling this one for comfort. He could play the picky Prime, just once, and insist on a replacement. A Prime was supposed to be kept as happy as possible after all, and it was only a chair he wanted. Resting his head back he worked his shoulders into the chair padding, sighing softly in sheer pleasure. After a moment he drew a measured breath, focusing his thoughts as he had been trained. A second breath, deeper and slower to release, allowing much of his tension and discontent with his life in general to seep out with the expulsion of air. Long, slow exhale, emptying his lungs, letting go the little things that annoyed him. Slowly, deeply he inhaled a third time, filling his lungs to the point of bursting before once again exhaling, slowly and thoroughly, and nestling his awareness within the safe cocoon of his shields. His mental investigation of his shields revealed a ragged, stress tattered mess. It rather reminded him of a moth eaten sheet being held together by a few strategically placed but stretched threads. An over visualization, he decided but it was deplorable he had permitted his shields to deteriorate and he could not allow it to continue. If he did not watch himself he would lose his protection from the minds and emotions of others and, stripped bare, he would fall into insanity, taking a goodly portion of innocents in his immediate vicinity with him. The damage was not irreparable, he poked and tested the shield and sought out the weakest points. Some timely maintenance would permit him to conclude this case and keep everyone safe from him. Somehow he had been graced with a break in the day’s activities and had a little time on his hands. Not even Chang Wu Fei could gainsay him the required time to perform repairs. Setting alerts to warn him should company chance to enter Otto’s office, namely his partner or Yuy, or Otto himself, he turned a part of his attention to the task of repairing what was damaged, whilst giving a greater part of himself over to the task of reviewing the days activities. For an instant long pale hair and blue eyes swam in his ‘sight’ and he could not avoid the momentary flush of pleasure, which was as much mental as physical. Just a moment to take pleasure in the purely physical aspect of the younger man, and briefly play with the idea that in the future there might be more than simply admiring him from afar. He was very soothing on the eye, after all. Captivating. Enchanting. //Enough of that, Treize. Keep within professional limits.// It was nice to have a purely personal moment in which to consider the finer things in life, and he had always had an appreciative eye for beauty. He had the time now to contact the other Prime talents and inform them of this prospective new Prime. Segmenting his consciousness to work on multiple layers had been a vital part of the training of his talent. A fleeting tendril of thought was sent out, specifically designed as an alert to the eight other individuals who, like he, carried the full burden of a Prime’s abilities. One by one they touched him in return, their warmth filling him, enfolding him as only purely mind to mind contact could. He drew their presence around him, snuggled himself within their attention and knew they too shared in the wonder and security of this unique rapport. In the briefest flash of thought, in this intimate merging of minds, they could exchange information that would take hours of spoken conversation. He put forward his meeting with the young man for them to share; the touch of the mind developing as once theirs had developed. They shared his pleased surprise at the offered open contact, the glimpse of a young man who was far from certain where life would lead him, and the fear that went with that uncertainty. They responded as he had expected them to, fiercely and protectively. Zechs Marquise would find he was not as alone as he feared. They shared their curiosity with him, their need to know more of the prospective Prime’s range and specialties, where his strengths and weaknesses lay. Overall, of what Treize could share with them, they determined Marquise’s greatest weakness lay in his uncertainty and belief he was at his Guardian’s mercy. An overwhelming agreement was reached, in less than the blink of an eye, to take a hand in matters and determine through their own private investigation the identity of the individual, and the driving force behind the Guardians intentions. Overwhelming determination no Prime would be the tool of possibly nefarious schemes filled Treize’s awareness. Satisfaction rose within him, shared with their combined awareness, and with light touches of farewell the contact fell away. He need no longer concern himself with worrying over the future of one of their own. They were a very select family and, unbeknownst to one particular individual, the nine were already ten. Marquise would know it soon enough, the University and his Guardian would learn it before him. Treize grinned within his secure cocoon and allowed the lingering warmth of the contact to flow about him. He always felt warm and fuzzy following a full merge of the nine. Warm and fuzzy was possibly an inappropriate description of the sensation but it was, to him, the closest way to describe the lingering pleasure of their contact. He was not alone. No matter the daily grind, the pull and ebb of his life as the Agency Prime, he was not alone. He had needed that reassurance more than he had realized and he permitted himself to wallow in it far longer than he should. The eight would determine which of them would be best suited to investigate the circumstances surrounding their fledgling Prime, and he suspected they would choose the irrepressible Gypsy Prime. Gabriella would tear apart the university to gain the information if she needed to. She was a primordial force, unstoppable once she set her mind to something and he had found no one who could stand against her. Of one thing he was certain of, you did not mess around with anyone Gabriella took under her wing. One look at Marquise and she would get that gleam in her eye, the mothering instinct would take over and Marquise would probably not thank him. Treize grinned happily to himself ignoring the little shiver of foreboding. He needed to get his mind shield repaired before Gabriella turned up, or he would be the one slinking into hiding for fear of her, not Marquise. //She is, above all, a force of nature. You can not fight a force of nature; it is impossible. Damned if I don’t think the woman could out blow a hurricane.// She would, of course, profess to have respect for the confidentiality of the case he was working on, and then proceed to poke her big gypsy nose into everything, not merely concern herself with Marquise. Though if Trowa was correct there may well be more to this affair than they had assumed. //He has a valid point.// Treize permitted his warm fuzzy feeling to fade beneath the rising concern for the case. Gabriella slid from his mind and he considered what he had learned from Trowa. // Quatre is certainly the highest profile of the three, but he is not the only one of importance. Maxwell is a Sweeper Prodigy, and if he continues to shine he will be a much sought after commodity. I doubt the Sweepers will keep him under wraps for too long, his ideas have too much benefit to improve safety conditions when working in space. As for Marquise, he will be a Prime talent I have no doubt of that. It is more than possible Winner is not the target… He is certainly not the only possibility for a target.// He had taken his time about setting the protective shield in Trowa Barton’s mind. With the young man’s permission he had scanned his memory of seeing the shade of the murdered man, and he knew without doubt Trowa would have a high talent as a Medium. He was awakening late to the ability, but what Treize had sensed suggested he was awakening strong and would need all the protection training could give him. //We assumed Quatre Winner was the target.// He dismissed that as assumption in light of the facts. He needed to get this right, sorting out supposition from fact and settling in his own mind what the likely scenario was that he was investigating. //In actual fact I was informed Winner was the target when I was assigned to this case.// He considered the file he had been given and the information it contained on the ESUN Security Agencies initial investigation of the murder. On reflection he was unhappy with certain assumptions made and the lack of written evidence to support those suppositions. //What evidence have I actually seen to determine Winner is the exclusive target for this madness? Let me take this one step further. There is irrefutable evidence of at least two unauthorized individuals in that suite. There was the John Doe and John Doe’s killer. Two unauthorized entries into the building… for the moment I have to believe they were both unauthorized.// Otto would not be pleased if one or more of his staff had granted access to unauthorized individuals. Heads would undoubtedly roll and the Security Chief was not a man you wanted to cross. Otto struck Treize as being something more than he appeared to be and it annoyed him he could not put his finger exactly on what was wrong about him. //Not even something specifically wrong, just… off. Something other than what he obviously looks to be. I don’t know, there is something there, and if he is more than he professes to be then why not others on the staff?// Checks had been run, of course. The children of the richest, most famous and influential citizens of the ESUN attended Tsuberov and the security was accordingly tight. If someone had planted agents amid the Universities Security Service their cover would have to be airtight to have escaped detection. He would need to acquire a few personal items from Otto, and anyone else who aroused his ‘something is not right itch’, and have a Sensitive acquaintance of his do a reading for him. He wanted an objective point of view, nothing coloured by his own perceptions. He needed a completely objective scan to see if his perceptions were on focus, and he had no reason to doubt himself. Something was odd about this case, something more than simply an unexplained and extremely suspicious death. //We have two unknowns, victim and killer. If the Killer is the stalker, and of that I am fairly confident, then I know his sanity is in serious doubt after reading the suite. He is psychologically on edge, in a fluctuating stage. His perceptions are undergoing a transition and what I sensed suggests what was not sexually orientated might, very soon, take on sexual overtones in which the target might yet become endangered.// He was of the opinion the Stalker, the killer, had discovered what he perceived to be a threat; the victim. Had the threat been to the killer personally or to the object of his infatuation? That was a question that would need serious contemplation and he would need to meditate on the reading taken in the suite. There would be something there to point him in the right direction, he was sure. It was just a matter of having the time and opportunity to go deeply enough into his impressions to read the little things he had missed in his initial assessment. He would need to see Ms Bloom too. Her memories would undoubtedly hold the key to the investigation. He would need to ensure a Medium was brought in to contact the shade of the victim, and that could take time. Victims of violent crime were often hard to deal with and he would need to insist the Medium be one specializing in violent crime abuse. If the Stalker was proven to be the killer, then they needed to know who John Doe was and what he had been doing in the suite. He had been assured John Doe was not a member of the Universities Security Staff or a member of the staff in general, teaching, cleaning or cooking, and not a groundsman of some kind either. The individual was unknown to the staff, unlisted in the records and therefore not welcome on the grounds… but he had made it into a dormitory house despite what Treize admitted was a tight security set up. //Intriguing.// Maxwell, Winner and Marquise. Which of the three was the target? Was it Winner, as the ESUN Security agents designated, or was it one of the others? Winner certainly seemed the obvious choice, he would command a high ransom should someone manage to abduct him, but was this intended to be an abduction? What he had sensed in the suite suggested rather more personal reasons for the Stalkers presence. Might the Stalker have stumbled into an abduction plot? Had the Stalker taken out a would be abductor and saved Winner from at the least discomfort, at the most possibly death? //There are a dozen ways this scenario could be played and make complete sense. There is not enough time now to dwell on the complexities, but I need to gather more data and then meditate, and try to fit the pieces into the neatest pattern. See what makes the most sense.// He needed coffee, he decided and turning his full attention to his shields he spun an extra layer of protection, moulding the protection through the tattered fabric, strengthening and enhancing, assuring himself he need not fear for the protection of others. He would have time to effect perfect shields that were what Gabriella termed ‘pretty’ at a later time. She liked ‘pretty’ things and insisted on finesse and perfection. He was more concerned at the moment with functional and secure. He would have time to neaten up the shields into something more pleasing to the Gypsy Prime before she could make an appearance in his life. Warned of Marquise as the other Primes now were, none of them were free to drop everything and turn up on his doorstep with a few hours notice. //Thankfully.// He thought, amused. Gabriella took some getting used to, and she would undoubtedly be in full force as she sorted the troubles of the young ‘soon to be’ Prime into an order that pleased Gabriella. //Not that I have anything to complain about. She did right by me and I can never thank her enough… but she does take some getting used to. After one of her tirades you feel in need of a vacation. At the furthest ends of the Earth from her.// Afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, spreading across the desk and warming his face and chest. He stirred, taking steady, measured breaths as he gathered the solidity of a body about him. He was secure in the protection of repaired shields, though there was still a lot of work to be done on said shields before they were as they should be. His body felt heavy and weighed his perceptions down, grounding him in solid Earthy reality. It always felt like a come down to feel the demanding needs of a physical form, especially one that was aching as his was. Sitting up he stretched, working at his shoulders for a moment before he stirred himself to see about that need for coffee. Making a fresh pot he lamented the coffee beans, wishing for something a little different. Otto had decent beans, Arabica but he felt more in need for something just a little more special Right about now he could do justice to a well brewed White Russian blend. He could enjoy a little spoiling and he was hours yet from returning to his apartment where he could indulge the fancy. //By the time I get home I suppose I will have lost the urge. I’ll probably microwave one of those supposedly gourmet frozen dinners, perfectly balanced for energy content to replace a days energy output, and there after fall into bed and simply die.// Thrilling evenings were his forte, after all. His solitary existence and aversion to the pathetic offerings the mass media companies were offering at the moment left a great deal to be desired. He would need to get in a few more books and some more titles for his music collection. Something classical, strings certainly, a little serious, nothing frivolous, Beethoven probably or for a total change, perhaps Elgar. He was not in the mood for Strauss, but he supposed he might be in a day, or a week, or a month. It would be so much better if he had a partner, someone to come home to at night and share a decent conversation with. Someone who understood him and whom he understood. //Ah, don’t go there, you fool. That’s just begging for trouble.// The image tried to swim into his mind but he was on guard against it. He refused to see the flowing blonde hair that somehow he knew would be like silk to touch, regardless of whether it felt coarse to others or not. It would always be like silk to him, so fine and he was sure there would be masses of it. “Christ, think case files. Anything but blonde hair and blue eyes. There is nothing there and if I don’t get this case sorted out there will never be the possibility of something developing.// He had been so careful to be professional and he must not permit himself to fall into the trap of making this personal. That could wait until there was no business standing between him and the object of his fancy. It was fancy, nothing more at this time and he must not permit it to be more than a fleeting moment of wondering if they would fit together. That was simply human nature, to see someone and wonder if they might have something special. That he could safely do, but anything beyond that must not be. Not amid telepaths. Cradling the freshly poured coffee cup he retreated to Otto’s chair and sipped, tilting his head back against the headrest and sighed. Concentrate on the task at hand. That was what he was here for, what he was employed for. Intelligence, nothing more was required to be noted, certainly not a primitive reaction to an attractive individual. “We need to rethink the evidence, make certain we have the right target.” Chang Wu Fei was generating a great deal of aggravation as he entered the room, his temper startling Treize into sitting up and planting his feet firmly on the floor and the mug on the desk “What do you mean by the right target?” Wu Fei stormed over to the nearest chair and practically threw himself into it as the door behind him slammed. “Should I ask what has aggravated you?” A slender hand slashed through the air and he settled back into the chair then immediately was on his feet again, moving to the credenza to pour himself coffee. “It is nothing. Yuy has been recalled to his command centre.” Well, there was nothing in that to explain what had irritated the man. Chang’s temper had always been uncertain, he was prone to flying into mini rages, quick to anger and equally quick to defuse said anger, but his volatility was enough to leave him the least desired of partners amid the Agency investigators. Treize had generally ignored the bulk of the sudden mood swings, aware the man had not had an easy past, and Wu Fei was very good at doing his job. The temper tantrums had, he was assured, been worse before Chang had been partnered with the Prime. Treize was uncertain what had earned him the distinction of being partnered with Chang in the first place, but they had worked well together. It seemed the frustrations of the case might be birthing one of those temperamental moments Chang was infamous for. “What did you do with that annoying student?” Treize resisted the urge to chuckle. He did not need to further aggravate the man, but some days he so wished to laugh in the man’s face. Chang’s serious attitude he could deal with, he often needed the steadying influence of the agent, but these mood swings had led to other agents commenting on female agents rubbing against Chang once too often at the wrong time of the month. Treize had found it hard the first time he had overheard such comments not to dissolve into laughter and have to explain to Chang what had amused him. He was rather doubtful Wu Fei would find it so amusing. “That annoying student was Trowa Barton, of the Barton family, very big in the colonies, I understand. He is a cousin to my daughter and a rather bright young man.” “Trowa. I thought the Barton heir was older, in his thirties.” A thunderous scowl had dark eyebrows drawn low and irritation fairly dripped off him. “This Trowa is not the Barton heir but a fifth or sixth cousin, I believe.” Treize returned, watching as Chang filled a cup and stalked back to his seat. He almost asked what had the man’s shorts in a bind, but decided discretion was the better part of valour. If he permitted the man to blow a little steam off, the meeting would go more smoothly and he might be spared a full display of the Chang acidic whit. “So? Where is he?” “I spent an informative hour interviewing him before I sealed the memory of the encounter behind a security screen.” “What do you think you are doing! You messed with the mind of a Tsuberov student?” Treize refused to flinch from the bellow and levelled a glare at his partner. “Grow up, Chang. I’m a Prime and I am investigating a case we do not want bandied about a Universities gossip route. Or do you really want the intricacies of this case known to everyone?” A grunt and scowl was his only response and Treize returned his glare, his temper rising despite his best efforts to remain calm. This was obviously going to be one of their rarer discussions when whatever was said rubbed the other the wrong way. If he had any sense he would simply walk out the door and go home, and his partner and his temper tantrums be damned. “Following our discussion on the incident, Trowa requested I secure the details of the entire afternoon behind shields, given the amount of telepaths and empaths present on the grounds. His emotional reaction to what he knows has also been dealt with, with the placement of a false emotional shield. Instead of getting nervous if he is questioned, he will emanate curiosity and innocence to any monitoring empath. Telepaths will be diverted to a false memory, completely innocent, of course.” “That is complex work, Treize. Even I know such an intrusion into a person’s mind should be carried out under controlled conditions, and be sanctioned by Agency officials before action is taken.” Blue eyes narrowed in warning and his fingers tightened around the mug as he glared at his partner. Who did Chang think he was, to cast doubt on his professional integrity and skills? “I am a registered Prime talent, Chang, not some schoolboy playing with things best left alone. Trowa has had a mind shield placed to stop anyone from peeking where we do not want them. He agreed to the procedure, fully aware of the details of placing such a shield which, I assure you, I am fully qualified to place, out of controlled conditions. I am not an amateur, Mr. Chang, I will thank you to remember it.” Wu Fei blinked, taken aback by the steely tone of the Prime. “Well let us hope you did not fail in your work then. I was under the impression your shields were at risk and you were intent on not placing unnecessary strain on yourself.” It was not so much the words themselves but the tone of voice that set his hackles up. Treize counted silently to ten, willing himself not to respond to that goading tone. He did not particularly care what had aggravated the man, but he was not going to lower himself to the same level. Drawing a deeper breath he chose to ignore the goading remarks. “Trowa has been taken to the Registrar and my recommendation he be reassessed will keep him occupied for the remainder of the day. As an interesting aside, it turns out he is Quatre Winner’s boyfriend.” “So Winner is gay.” Treize caught the distinct emotional equivalent of what came perilously close to a sneer. His partner had been reared to specific old fashioned values, and strict heterosexuality was right up there with showering twice and day and brushing his teeth. His disapproval of deviating from that sexuality had been clear from their first introduction, and there had been friction between them because of Treize’s sexuality on past occasions. Chang usually kept his disapproval to himself, making no comments though he was well aware his partner could sense his emotions. “Yes, Mr. Winner is discovering his sexuality at the present time and having difficulty coming to terms with it, especially considering his cultural upbringing.” Chang considered that comment for a moment before grunting. “Muslim?” “Yes.” “Ah. Well they will settle him into a proper relationship when they find out.” “Young Mr. Winner will sort his own preferences out in the fullness of time, with no assistance from anyone else.” Treize did not care if Chang reacted to the warning in his tone or not, he was quickly becoming convinced he should have walked out of the door on Chang’s arrival. “I believe you will find at least Marquise, if not Maxwell as well, is homosexual. Perhaps their mutual sexuality is a primary factor in why the three of them get on so well, considering the diversity of their backgrounds.” Chang’s lower lip curled with distaste. “They may all be homosexual?” “Possibly, however we are not here to discuss their sexual preferences. We have an investigation to discuss and Barton made an observation I found to be of particular interest. Chang grunted softly, his scowl not lightening in the least. He set his cup on the desk and glowered at his partner. “About Marquise. You had no right to do that. Commander Une will go ballistic when she finds out you exceeded your authority and actually asked to see Marquise. Nor will she be amused you practically offered him a position at the Agency.” Treize stilled, something deep within him wanted desperately to claw its way out and rend the irritating man limb from limb. He knew his partner had not been amused at his request, but he had more responsibilities than simply working for the Agency. He was a Prime and he had found another with the same unique set of talents. Any of the other eight Primes would have done exactly as he had. “Une’s pleasure or displeasure is of no concern to me, and will be dealt with in due time. As it happens, I did not offer Mr. Marquise a position at the Agency. I merely suggested we might have occasion to work together at some later time. It is called being polite, Chang.” “Same thing.” Chang snapped. “You overstepped your mark even talking to him.” “Being polite is far from the same thing. In polite society there are set protocols for meet and greet; getting to know someone and assessing a person you might have occasion to meet in a professional capacity in future years. Mr. Marquise is excelling in my own specialist field, it is only polite to make his acquaintance.” Chang’s emotional gradient spiked and Treize slammed down another layer of shields, protecting himself from the irritation the other man was generating. Wu Fei was spoiling for a fight and Treize had no idea why, but he was not inclined to satisfy his partner’s petty grievances. “What you were doing was allowing your hormones to interfere with the case. He’s a pretty face, true enough, but it is also true he has nothing to do with this case. You need to concentrate on the matter at hand, this investigation, and not on the shape of the blonde’s arse.” Irate sapphire eyes fastened on Chang and he positively snarled, his rage at the accusation rearing and almost escaping his control. He had been scrupulous in observing the protocols during his contact with Marquise, only too aware he found the younger man attractive. For that very reason he had been extra careful, and he was damned if he was going to be accused of what amounted to sexual harassment. Nor was he going to put up with being harassed by his partner because of his sexuality. “Stop being an ass, Chang. When have I ever permitted my professional life to be disrupted by my personal life? Not, of course, that I actually have a private life. As a general rule I spend sixteen plus hours a day working for that woman on case after case and for what? So another overfull file can be dumped on my desk, that’s what!” Treize was not aware he was on his feet, the mug slammed down on the desk and he was moving around the desk, eyes burning. Despite his shields he was generating a ripening anger that sobered his partner more than any words ever could. “It’s all very well for you to sprout off about personal lives, you have a mate and a private life to go back to. I am human, in case you had not noticed, and I might pause to admire the scenery occasionally, but that does not mean I mix business with pleasure.” Wu Fei, suddenly aware of what he had implied, watched in stunned amazement as the tall man strode from the room giving every indication if he dared to follow he would be hit with something nasty. All of his anger at the frustrations of the day, of needing to deal with idiots and incompetents drained away as he realized he was alone in the room and he could still feel the anger the Prime had been generating. “Shit.” He was out of the chair and running for the door, anxious to repair what he had damaged before the Prime could get away from the security building. He did not want anyone else to be exposed to his partner’s anger and he was well aware he was at fault. He had known Treize was working with shields at less than optimum efficiency due to his work load, but he had truly not meant to imply the man was on the hunt for more than information on a case. He was well aware the Prime gave more of himself to his work than most other operatives of the Agency. “Treize?” He paused at the door, watching the man stride away, his broad back ramrod straight. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for and unprofessional of me.” Not so much as the twitch of a shoulder or a movement of the russet haired head suggested Kushrenada was listening to him. The hallway was deserted and Treize was heading for the main door leading to the foyer and the main entrance. Wu Fei winced at the thought of his partner walking away from the case and thumbing his aristocratic nose under Une’s equally as uppity nostrils and he shuddered. He was at fault for this rift in their partnership, and he would wear the blame for the uncharacteristic temper tantrum from the Prime. Une would not be amused by the incident and he could expect to be sanctioned and, he admitted, rightfully so. He was uncertain what it was that had incited his sniping, he knew, after all, his partner was homosexual and he had accepted that. At least he had thought he had. Commander Une would have to be notified, there was no avoiding that if he could not get the Prime to listen to him. Not since their first days together as partners had he ticked the man off as thoroughly as he had now. He could hope he could get the man to listen to his apology, but he would do the honourable thing and admit his lapse of judgement to the appropriate authorities. Une would not be exactly forgiving, given her troubles in dealing with Kushrenada, and if the Prime went off the rails his own life partner would become involved. Now she would not be forgiving. He would have more grief from her than he would have from the Agency in whatever disciplinary action might be taken against him. Sally liked the Prime and he was only her husband. He sped down the hallway in pursuit, daring the threat of being slapped down by a Prime talent, a scenario that could maim at the least and kill at worst. He knew the capabilities of telepaths and empaths only too well. Treize was more than capable of applying a psychic slap that would knock him out for a day or more, or force his mind into living nightmares in a never ending cycle. It was equally possible with his empathy he could wring every emotion from suicidal depression to volcanic rage, snivelling fear to hysterical laughter out of him. That was a horrendous thought, to be forced to live an emotion until released, for hours, days, even for life. A Prime talent could do so much in the heat of anger. //What the hell do I think I am afraid of? This is Treize, for God sake. He’s too civilized to be abusive with his talent.// Of course, it was equally possible the man could round on him and take a purely physical swing at him and knock him out. Kushrenada outweighed him and towered over him, having the advantage of reach and kept himself in prime physical condition. //Again with the wild exaggerations. Treize has a long fuse, once ignited it burns like magnesium, a violent, brilliant light quick to burn out.// But he did need to apologize. He owed the Prime an eloquent and honest apology for casting aspirations on his professional conduct, not to mention insulting the man’s personal honour. He was gaining on him and the door to the lobby was only three strides ahead of Kushrenada. He had to be quick, before anyone in the building witnessed the rift in the team. They had a professional image to maintain. “Treize…” ~/Fuck off, Chang!/~ Wu Fei reeled, his back slamming into the wall, his mind cringing from the force of the mind against his own. He watched as the door swung open and then closed, his body trembling from head to toe in reaction. Treize had been ticked off with him before, but he had never given him the equivalent of a slap across the face with his talent. Anger had rolled off the Prime, seeped through his own mind and produced an answering surge of adrenaline and left him trembling. He needed to work off the adrenaline in his system, to quiet the need to hit something that was not his own, and he was not going through that door until the Prime had time to leave the building. He was not stupid enough to present himself in sight of his partner until Kushrenada had had time to cool off and regain control. //Damn. I don’t… I never said anything to produce that kind of reaction surely. At least, I don’t think I did.// He needed to call the incident in. Tracking his partner himself would be too dangerous, and he could not afford to have it generally known there was an irate Prime talent on the loose. They would need to track the Prime, follow him discreetly from a distance and give him time to regain control. The Agency was uniquely suited to perform such surveillance. They would, of course, need to monitor incidents in his immediate vicinity, for fear his emotional state would unduly affect the population unfortunate enough to be in his vicinity. It might even be necessary to bring in a team of projecting empaths to quiet down instances of spontaneous violence triggered by the Prime’s psychic leaking. Personally he doubted Treize would project his own anger, the man was too well trained and conscious of the vulnerability of the population, but it was a standard precaution with high talent incidents. Contain the fallout, keep control of the situation. //I need to call Une.// He knew when to retreat and he knew when to scream for help. He needed to find a private place to make the call and set emergency procedures in operation. He would then present himself before his Commander to face the music. He did not need to further aggravate the man, and his presence in Kushrenada’s heightened awareness would do just that. //My car. I need to give him a few minutes to get clear of me and then I need to get to my car phone.// ——————————- His feet hurt. Treize depressed the plunger with steady pressure, blue eyes still darkened with temper, though it was more rational and subdued at this time. He was tired, walking for hours as he had working out his aggravation, not just with Chang but with the state of his life, led to exhaustion. He was aching in body and mind and he could not say he was content to be in his apartment. It was the need to find a quiet place, a place where the thoughts and emotions of others did not encroach on him that drove him back here, not a desire to come home. It was not home, merely a place for him to stay when away from his work, a safe area where others could not hurt his sensitive perceptions. That was not a home. //A safe house.// That was closer to what this apartment was to him. Luxuriously appointed, though there was nothing exactly frivolous here, such was not in his nature to own. It was functional, comfortable and psychically shielded, the greatest comfort to a telepathic empath of all. It was safe but it was not home. Home was a family, at worst brothers and sisters who radiated comfortable sibling rivalry. He was an only child, but he had felt what it was like to have siblings from his numerous cousins’ minds as he had grown up. He knew what it was like to be surrounded by people and still have privacy, to be one of a whole which was a unit. He knew what it was to be alone, adrift, aching for contact, desperate to find in another exactly what he sought; someone who was seeking as he did for exactly what it was he craved. What he ached for was to find that most intimate contact between two individuals, the warmth only lovers could give each other. That was what should be in a home, not functionality, not psychic shielding but emotional support, physical warmth… Love. //Don’t go there.// He chided himself. //Not tonight.// They would have panicked, of course, instigated emergency procedures for fear he would go off and level whole city blocks in his temper tantrum. None of them would understand what it was that had set him off. They would think they understood, but how could they? Only a select few individuals in the entire ESUN would be able to know as he knew what it was to be insulted to the very core, as his partner had insulted him. The French Press resisted him and he kept up steady pressure, using the control required to reduce his aggravation. He had too much respect and liking for the coffee he had brewed to throw the Press across the kitchen. It would be a useless action, a waste of good coffee and he would have to order a new French Press. He would also have to buy coffee until he had a decent press once more. No, throwing the press would not be his best option, though it might be satisfying… for all of thirty seconds. Sipping decently brewed coffee lasted far longer than that flash in the pan cure for a bad temper ever could. Instead of being wasteful he would enjoy the perfectly brewed White Russian blend, giving himself time to calm his temper and allow the smooth taste of the blend to give rise to appreciation and pleasure. That was what he needed now, pleasant sensations, relaxing moments in time. He had done it before, used pleasant sensations to bring himself down from a fit of temper, though never one as fiery as this, he admitted. He only hoped Wu Fei and the Agency would give him the time to work his irritation out of his system before they descended on him. Pouring the coffee into a mug he leaned his elbows on the counter and with shaking hands lifted the mug to savour the flavour. He held the coffee in his mouth, giving the flavour time to permeate his tastebuds, using every nuance of the sensation to fill his awareness. Pleasure, pleasing sensations, project and savour, swamp his perceptions in the purity of the flavour, nothing else in the world was as important as that rich yet mellow taste. Once he caught the full flavour and projected it into it’s psychic equivalent he swamped himself in it. Temper could not stand against pleasure, and for a man who could find no sexual pleasure in any partner he had found for years, taste and smell had become his release. He submerged himself in the awareness of how the coffee felt, how it pleased him, how it warmed him and he felt the ties of anger break. It was close to a physical pain to finally let the rage go. It was exhausting and he stumbled, cup in hand to the couch, and sighed softly. He had not lost his temper like that before and it was a warning. Matters could not continue to stand as they had been. He needed to effect change in his life. How dare the weaselly little bastard he called his partner suggest he wanted to meet with the young man simply because he was on the scrounge for a possible lay? How dare the egotistical little prat suggest he was behaving in an unprofessional manner? How dare that… //No.// No, he would not permit the anger to resurface. A second sip of the coffee, permit it to swirl in his awareness, surge strong and linger after he had swallowed. A well brewed coffee should linger on the taste for hours after the cup was finished. Burned coffee was not a pleasure to recall so long after a cup, but well brewed coffee, ah, that was different. Pure pleasure. Calm, he need no longer be aggravated. Now it was time for quiet reflection, a savouring of the senses; to indulge in pure pleasure. He was not in the mood for Opera, nor for anything modern. Vivaldi, perhaps? Blue eyes snapped to the door at the chime and he snarled. Blinking in surprise at his own reaction he blushed, running a hand through his hair and shaking his head. He had tripped the privacy lock on entering the apartment, he distinctly recalled punching in the code. A very obvious Do Not Disturb sign would be glowing on his lock plate and if they valued their hide they had best respect his wish, whoever it was. //Chang probably. Egotistical little git probably thinks he can apologize and that will be the end of it.// A second push on the door bell resulted in a soft curse, and after a moment’s consideration he reached for the monitor to check who his midnight caller was. The snarl had startled him, but the growl that escaped him at the identity of his visitor told him exactly how far he still had to go to calm himself to a state approaching normalcy. If there was one person more that Chang Wu Fei he did not wish to see just now, it had to be Anne Une herself. That it was the Commander of Operations at his door and not his partner was surprising enough, but how could she think he would want to see her beyond office hours? Their relationship had only ever been strained, and he could not see it changing in the immediate future. A third press to the bell and this time he was pleased he did not react. His main requirement now was some time to sort out his aggravations, regaining control in the process and then he would resume his duties. If he was fortunate by morning the urge to slap down the obnoxious little toad he had to work with would have faded and he could be objective. It only needed a few more hours. By morning he would be his normal self and undoubtedly know why he had reacted so strongly to Chang’s insinuations. //Chang would not have made any comment had Marquise been female. Even had I been heterosexual and Marquise female he would have made no remark on my speaking to him… her. He claims not to be homophobic but he has issues he needs to deal with.// The door intercom buzzed and he ground his teeth in growing frustration. Did the woman never know when to give up? “Treize.” Well, that was unusual, she was actually calling him by his name, not Prime or Mr. Kushrenada or Your Grace as was usual on those few occasions they met out side of work hours. “Please. I think we need to talk.” Of course they needed to talk but that could wait until tomorrow… or later today, as it was after midnight. He scowled at the windows, the privacy screen was in place so he could not be seen, but he could see out. Not that there was a great deal to see. Very little of the sky was visible and he felt the need to see open sky at the moment. He felt hemmed in, trapped. //A captive, but when have I been anything other than a captive? A prisoner to the traditions of the past which I escaped, in a fashion. I am Duke but I am, at least, not saddled with a marriage I did not want. Thank you, Gabriella, for that at least.// This was, despite his earlier protestations, home. His loft apartment at least felt the closest to home, the place in which he was most comfortable. There were no disagreeable memories associated with the appartment, as there was with so many of the Kushrenada ancestral holdings, he had not even considered going to the Kushrenada town house across the city. It was used by all of the family when they were in town, and he had certainly not felt up to adding family aggravation to his load. //Perish the thought. Great Uncle Algernon might have been there. I would probably have blown his head off his shoulders, disagreeable old bastard that he is.// He had parked his car near a city park soon after leaving the University and walked, knowing the Agency would be tracking the vehicle. They would have used the city security system to track him, but he did not care, all he had wanted to do was walk off the anger at being accused of an abuse of his position. It was not even that, he knew in some rational part of his consciousness beginning to make itself known. It was not just his partners unthinking comments, but his empathic response to Chang’s aggravation and the accumulated frustrations of months of work with little relief. Something had had to blow sometime, and he was of the opinion repairing some of the damage to his shields on a subconscious level had given him the nudge to let his temper loose. He had had enough control not to level city blocks, or incite riots amid peaceful citizens minding their own business. He had walked for hours before hiring a taxi and returning to his apartment. Of course the down side of that action was that the Agency watchdogs had no difficulty finding him. They would have had the apartment watched to know when to hound him upon his return. The message light on his vid unit was blinking away madly and he had no intention of answering any of the messages contained on it. Let them sanction him if he missed a business related call, he did not care. Again the intercom buzzed and he rested his head back against the back rest and groaned. “Go away, you stupid woman. Leave me alone.” “I know you are in there and I know what happened. We need to talk about it.” //Not now and if I have my way, not ever. What makes you think I will discuss my personal life with you? You are just another memory relating to my very disagreeable sex life I’d sooner forget.// Buzz. “Treize, I have the pass key and I will use it. Stop behaving like a spoiled child.” He eyed the door with narrowed eyes. //Spoiled child, is it? Well, like too many spoiled children this one bites. I know exactly how such a conversation would play out. I let you in to the apartment, we argue about my deplorable temper and overreaction to some trifling comment I am not adult enough to deal with, and my strained shields shatter. Wonderful scenario. I’d take out you and half the building before I passed out. No, thank you, I believe I will remain a spoiled aristocratic bastard too jumped up with his own ego to consider the needs of the common people. At least then the general population will be safe from a Prime going not so quietly insane.// God, she was younger than he was. How did she get to be Operations Commander and he work under her? Fate had a bitch of a sense of humour. There was no repeat buzz of the intercom and, thankfully, no buzz of the lock disengaging to the master key. At least she had had sense enough not to use the key. He was finally alone to deal with himself and call himself so many dozen names for being such a touchy bastard. He should have shrugged off Chang’s comments and gotten on with the job. He should have, but he had not. //Sue me, I’m proven to be human after all.// He had used the walk to study his every action during the day, from every imaginable angle, to determine if he had let his hormones rule him. That he had not found any evidence of such a breach of etiquette and protocol did not particularly please him. He was not others who watched and assessed and placed their own interpretations on his every word and deed. He was a Prime. He was a Prime talent and he had obligations to others with the same abilities. All Primes, not just he himself, was naturally curious about other prime talents, particularly prospective primes, and young Marquise had all of the potential. It had seemed so natural when he had recognized that wealth of pale hair, more white than gold, so delightfully laced with silver as to make it unmistakable. It had been natural for him to ask for a meeting to assess the younger man. Any of the other Prime talents would have done the same. Because he chanced to be homosexual he was assessed on a different set of rules whenever it came to interaction with the male sex. So unfair but he knew it happened, and not just to him. He had kept their meeting on a purely professional footing, expressing his interest and curiosity openly and honestly. In front of witnesses, as was most appropriate. Of course it had been pleasant, that contact, and he had let the younger man know of his pleasure. There could be no falsehoods, mind to mind, between Prime talents, and he knew Marquise had been equally pleased with the contact. High level telepaths could not lie to each other, and the empathy they shared in common further cemented the need to recognize honesty; the truth of the touch of mind to mind. Those who could not know the wonder of such a touch could never understand it’s many fold levels. He had shared his observations of the young man with the other Primes and he had hidden nothing from them. None of them had rebuked him or called him to task for unprofessional conduct. No, he had not breached his professional standards when he had spoken to the budding young Prime. He was, he admitted, developing a certain positive regard for the young man, but that had had nothing to do with why he had initiated the meeting. Had he, Treize knew, been born female no one would have thought anything about him appreciating such a healthy and handsome specimen of the male sex. He had known from the moment he had seen the dossier on Marquise that the Primes would want to know more of him, to test his potential and evaluate how he would fit into their select group. They had all, in that meeting of minds, expressed an interest in meeting Marquise after reading his first impressions of the young man. Not one of the Primes had been happy about the circumstances surrounding Marquise’s immediate future. The uncertainty of his benefactor’s intentions toward his future employment, and the sealing of a fair contracted term, concerned them. Each in their silent touches to his mind had conveyed to him their determination to take a hand in the matter, and they had urged him to keep an eye on Marquise’s test results. Who ever was footing the bills for Marquise’s education to Prime level would find they were now under scrutiny by a group of individuals it would be virtually impossible to hide shady dealings from. The orphan and street kid was far from alone, and he suspected Quatre Winner was aware of the potential for abuse of his friend. He had certainly felt the appreciation of the female members of the Prime circle at the visual impression of the young man. No one would accuse them of sexual harassment, of salving base needs on an innocent. //Do not start that again, finish your coffee, have a shower and go to bed. Things will not look so dark and dismal in the morning.// He rolled his eyes at the door chime, resting his forehead in one hand. Could they not leave him alone? “I don’t believe this.” The buzz of the intercom drew a sigh from him, and he seriously considered opening the door simply to send a psychic blast at the individual to express his displeasure at the interruptions. “Mr Kushrenada? Might I have a few moments of your time?” Treize stilled. At some deep level within him the protest shrivelled up and died and he admitted he looked defeat in the eye. The feminine voice was well known to him and at this time she was the one person, other than Gabriella, who actually held sway over him. He could and would ignore Une, but he could not refuse the Medical Officer in charge of his personal welfare. Sally Po had refused to take the name Chang when she had pair bonded with Wu Fei, but she was proud of their shared Chinese heritage. Proud, but fiercely independent, and she refused to be considered an extension of her more traditionalist husband. She was a medical officer for the Agency, trained specifically to attend to the needs of the psionic members of the company. She was his listed physician of record. With a resigned sigh Treize reached forward to operate the door controls and slumped back in his seat. As the door slid open he set aside his cup and, without looking at his visitor, broke his own ingrained rules of propriety. He did not rise from his seat in the presence of a woman, he did not greet her by name and he did not show her to a seat. His family would have disowned him for his blatant lack of manners. It was a rather pathetic protest to his situation. “I trust it is only you?” “Yes.” The door swished closed and he did not bother to look. He could tell from her voice, and the hesitation in her step as she moved across the room, she was assessing his lack of manners as a very bad sign. “My apologies for subjecting you to Anne. It was her thought you might feel like taking out your temper by blasting her verbally for what happened in the past.” He snorted a short, hard sound that held little in the way of actual amusement. “I told her she was wrong, that you did not actually blame her for the past. She can be a pig headed woman once she sets her mind on something.” Well, that he could not argue with. He had said it himself too often to deny it. She was standing behind him now, he could feel her eyes assessing him, but he refused to move. She would be wondering if he had physically injured himself, or if it was purely psychic damage she would need to treat. Physical damage was easy to repair, psychic damage was something else again. “She said she had to try clearing the air somehow, that the tension between you could no longer be neglected. I think, myself, that her timing needs work.” “Quite. Do sit down.” Damn, he had promised himself he would not be polite, that he needed to make some form of protest against this intrusion. He needed some time to himself and always there were interruptions. Always. It appeared she had been waiting for the invitation and moved smartly around the couch, keeping just beyond reach unless he made an effort to stretch. He was not particularly inclined to touch, however and watched her in silence, mourning his coffee which was cooling and would not be as enjoyable once cold. To his surprise Sally presented herself before him, dropped her case on the coffee table and bowed low from the waist, head lowered. It was a humbling posture and took him completely by surprise. “I apologize for that prig of a traditionalist I married, who never knows when to keep his big mouth shut.” The very formal stance, with the not so formal commentary, widened his eyes. Nor did she straighten up immediately but held the posture until he moved uncomfortably. Only then did she stand straight and tall and meet his eye squarely. “So, consider my apology given and let me get on with what I came for.” She was an attractive woman, blonde with piercing blue eyes that missed nothing. There was a hint of her oriental ancestry about the shape of her face and her eyes, though many failed to see it. She was as soothing to have around as Chang was aggravating on occasion, and he wondered how fiery their domestic disputes would be. In so many ways they were like oil and water and he did not doubt they loved as fiercely as they fought. “How wide spread is the rumour the Agency Prime went off in a snit?” Sally arched a blonde eyebrow and smiled, relaxing visibly with his milder tone. Settling on the couch beside him she opened her bag. “It would be more accurate to ask how many in the Agency know Chang Wu Fei is in trouble for permitting his mouth free reign-again-with no guidance from his brain.” Treize snorted softly, uncaring that he would normally be careful to remain impassive, the epitome of aristocratic snobbery, as Chang was want to call it. It was, in actual fact, a defence mechanism he used to keep people at arms length, an added protection for his heightened senses. Few people encroached into his personal space when they thought he was being a stuck up, obnoxious bore. “No one knows exactly what is going on. It was remarked on by a few that you had not returned to the HQ today, but that is not so unusual when you are working a case. Wu Fei had the rare flash of good sense to call me and inform me what he had insinuated. I wish he had not been from such a traditional clan. He still gets hung up on the older than old fashioned values he was taught before he was placed in care. I am working on that. By the time I am finished with him he might even be considered human. Hand.” With a small sigh Treize offered his left wrist and her slender fingers closed over the pulse point. He could feel the soothing emanations his empathy equated to a vibration. It was a product of her psychic talent, a Healers talent. While she did not have the rarer than rate Prime Healers gift, to actually heal physical wounds in minutes, she had a unique gift of mind to influence her patient’s state of ease. She could trigger the bodies natural will to be healthy and, in some cases, cure more insidious diseases that even Prime Healers could not affect. There were many forms of healing, and it was a tested fact patients who were under her care fared better than most. “So, did you contact the other Primes about Marquise and what you were accused of by that prig I married?” He very much doubted Wu Fei would have an easy home life for a day or two, she could be volatile and it was usually an unguarded comment from Chang that brought out that fighting spirit. “Prior to my conversation with your Life Partner I had contacted the other Primes concerning Mr. Marquise. They expressed their interest in there being another Prime.” Looking up from her watch she arched an eyebrow, considering him for a moment before relaxing her wrist. “Are you certain he will make Prime? As I understand it he has not completed his training.” “I shared with my fellow Primes what I sensed from him, his temperament and his abilities. They are in agreement with my assessment. He will make full Prime function.” “I see. Did you tell them about the accusation made by Wu Fei?” He did wish she would simply drop the subject. He had had enough and there seemed to be no escaping his confrontation with Chang Wu Fei. “No. No, I did not contact them. What happened is a matter between Chang and I, no one else need be concerned.” “I thought so. Damn it all, Chang can thank his scrawny butt you are a gentleman, Treize Kushrenada. I warn you though; Une has received messages from all eight of the Primes wanting to know what upset you enough for them to sense it through your shields. I think she intends to place him on report, regardless of whether you make a complaint or not.” It was not good the other Prime talents had sensed his temper. He had hoped his shields would have been sufficient to hide his deplorable temper tantrum from busy people who did not need distractions. “No. Tell her to butt out of the matter; it is of no concern to anyone other than Chang and I. He will learn to come to terms with my sexuality, or he will learn to keep his mouth shut.” “Oh, let her. Please. Sometimes he’s so insufferable, but for some reason the people he insults are so bloody tolerant they never permit disciplinary action to be taken against him. He will not learn if he is not slapped across the knuckles for his transgressions. If Une does discipline him, and you manage to stay mad at him for a few days, he might get the message he can’t run off at the mouth and not expect repercussions. I love him, Treize, but I’m only too aware of his faults. He can be a bastard of a prude.” He did like Sally Po; she was plain speaking and had always seemed to understand him, not an easy feat when even his own family could not make the claim. He could understand her reasoning behind wanting her husband to be sanctioned in some manner, but she had obviously forgotten a forthcoming serious event in her own life. “If you want that child, Sally, you can not afford for Wu Fei to be disciplined.” he reminded her gently. Sally blushed, ducking her head and for a moment looking like a blushing schoolgirl. “The okay came through late this morning. We were both cleared, but it is conditional.” “Oh? What are the conditions?” “Given the natures of our individual psi talents it is felt the baby should be gene scanned for psionic potential. They are worried about the diversity of the psi potential that could be inherited from Fei and I. Neither of us are exactly low talents in our respective fields and should too much potential be inherited it could destabilize the psyche of the child in later life. We need to determine within set parameters the talent to be inherited. We have come close to a Super Psi in the recent past, and the authorities are well aware of the destructive potential involved. An out of control psychic is a threat to themselves and everyone around them. An out of control Super Psi is a disaster waiting to happen.” Treize frowned, struck suddenly by what she was saying. Super psi’s. An individual with psionic potential that was greater than the human mind could contain. Anything could destabilize the mental facilities of the psi and all sense of right and wrong might be affected. There was the potential the individual might become enraptured with the desire, and the ability, to gain what ever was desired. Potential would runaway, no sense of morals would be in control, and the broad range of talents possessed by a Super Psi would burgeon, escaping control, driving the desire to have more and more. Desire. Runaway potential. Telepathy, kinetic energy, empathy, clairvoyance… “That’s what we are dealing with.” He whispered. “God. That is what we are dealing with.” “Pardon?” Sally looked up from rummaging around in her medical kit. “The case… That is what we are dealing with.” A blood pressure kit in one hand she studied him for a moment, seeing some serious thinking going on behind those intense blue eyes. “Treize?” “Congratulations on being informed you can have a child, Sally. You will make an excellent mother. When you see Une would you be so kind as to inform her we are, in all probability, dealing with an emergent super psi. I believe our subject is in the process of becoming unstable with the advent of his potential growing exponentially. He is probably unguided and most likely not a student at Tsuberov, or any other psychic institute. I think our Stalker is becoming very dangerous.” Sally sat back from him, considering his hypothesis. “If that assessment is correct… Are you sure?” “No. No I am not, but given what I have thus far scanned of the individual, it fits the scenario. It would explain the massive telekinetic potential required to wreck such havoc on the suite, and why the sound was blanketed; the students sleeping through the disturbance, their awareness of sound suppressed. That suppression was most likely unconscious on the part of the perpetrator. The intensity of the emotions I monitored in the suite is indicative of someone being on the edge of losing control. I definitely sensed only the one person in the suite. Not even your Chang could make such a mess, and he could not have done so silently.” “We will have to be very careful in dealing with this person. Anything, the smallest thing, could set them over the edge; and they could not be contained short of drugging them into a vegetative state.” “Did the autopsy results come back on John Doe?” That she paled and winced told him it would be bad. Sally was not a shy and retiring violet; she had no fear of blood and faced things head on. “With the exception of his skull and his feet every bone in the man’s body was… pulverised. It would take a massive amount of kinetic potential to do that.” Which only added credibility to his theory, he reflected. “Was he dead before his bones were smashed?” Sally looked at him, her blue eyes serious. “The bones were reduced to powder, Treize, not just smashed, but powdered. As for the cause of death, the pathologist said his heart was stopped. Squeezed, massive bruising occurred to the heart muscle itself. Death would have been instantaneous and extremely painful.” “Kinetic energy, out of control. Overused, no control, or very little control involved.” “Yes, that is the assessment.” Sally motioned for his arm, and he sighed, extending his arm once again. “It does not really gel with the precision required to pulverise bones into powder. There were areas of massive bruising to the muscle in some areas, but overall the pulverization was relatively neat. How well does that match the supposition the subject is out of control mentally? The report suggests it was coldly done, methodical, nothing hysterical at all.” “Perhaps our killer worked out his hysterics after squeezing his victim’s heart. It might have been a reflex action if the killer was startled.” He resisted reacting to the tightness of the strap around his upper arm and it was released quickly enough, Sally folding up the unit and placing it away in her bag. Neither spoke as the doctor peered into his eyes for a long moment and then returned to her bag, producing two small blue pills from a bottle and held them out to him. “Take these and you will get a good nights rest.” Resigned to the inevitable, but admitting if only to himself he could do with a decent nights sleep, he took the pills and swallowed them with a mouthful of lukewarm coffee. “How long?” “Before you sleep? Oh, at least a half hour, maybe a little longer. They are only mild relaxants designed to move you into a relaxed state to prepare you to sleep. I will have a talk to Une tonight, before I go home, about your concerns. She has called a meeting for tomorrow afternoon at one o’clock. You should be right as reign by then, positively bright eyed and bushy tailed.” “If his potential continues to grow and he gets frustrated…” he sighed. “It might not be pretty, and there is the possibility any showdown incorrectly handled might involve bystanders. The object of his infatuation might be at greatest risk.” “Winner is under guard.” Treize paused, glancing at Sally and recalling he had not had the opportunity to inform Chang of his conversation with Trowa. “That is another thing. Why are they so certain it is Quatre Winner who is the target?” It was Sally’s turn to be startled, pausing as she sorted the contents of her bag. “Pardon?” “When I was given this assignment, I was informed Quatre Winner was in danger. Specifically the Winner heir was targeted. I need to know exactly why they presume it is Winner who is the target. Agency investigators did not carry out the initial investigation, and there was nothing in the reports I have read that, on reflection, convince me he was the intended target of either of the two intruders in the suite. Did Fei inform Une about the need for a high talent Medium on this one?” “Not that I have heard, but I was called in only a short time ago to check on you. I’ve not been briefed specifically on the case. Your blood pressure is a little high, but given what happened that is to be expected. I will want you in for neural scans tomorrow, after the meeting will do. Fei tells me your shields are distressed, that you require a time out to effect repairs and re-establish your equilibrium.” “Yes.” “Then we had best run a few other tests as well. Others can continue the investigation until I am finished with you.” At his sombre stare she smiled, shaking her head a little. “I won’t take you off the case unless I deem you to be a danger to yourself and others on the team, not to mention innocent bystanders, but I do insist I run the tests immediately. We will not be putting them off until after the case is resolved.” “I need time to rebuild my shields and I need to spend some time with my daughter. She is growing up and I am missing too much of her life. Primarily I need time away from what has become my life. Work I used to enjoy performing is now becoming nothing more than a chore, and I do not perform well in these conditions.” “You should have come to me before it got this bad. I would have pegged back Anne’s ears for pushing too hard.” He refrained from commenting and watched as she packed up her bag, tucking her equipment neatly into its proper places. He sensed a moment of hesitation from her and was instantly on his guard. This woman usually did not hesitate and he was wary of what would cause her to think twice before speaking. “I understand from Fei that he’s gorgeous.” He glared, daring her to condemn him, tired and angry about people sticking their unwanted observations in his life. “Coming from Fei that says a lot, Treize. I wish you luck if it turns out he is of the same persuasion.” At his pointed stare she held up her hands, grinning in an unrepentant fashion. “I know, I’ll keep my comments professional, but Treize, the case is not going to last forever, and you have said he will make a Prime’s ranking. It just might be that he would suit you as more than merely a working partner.” Gently she patted his wrist before snapping the bag closed. “Don’t allow stuck up prigs like Fei to get under your skin. I’ll kick his toosh for you tonight.” “Make him do without sex for a month or so.” a low mutter. “I would find that fitting punishment.” There was nothing wrong with Sally’s hearing and she laughed, delighted as she neared the door. “I will show myself out, you go have a shower and relax. I just might do that, you know, especially if you don’t file a formal complaint. It is on the official record that the Primes in your field have called with their various concerns for you. Though some days it may feel you are alone, you are not. Go and have a shower and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
—————————————- Notes: Treize Kushrenada : Level 10 Sending/Receiving Telepath + Receiving and Projecting Empath at Level 10. Prime rated. Agency Operative contracted term of 5 years with 2 years remaining. [25 yrs of age] Training facility: Psychic Institute Munich Division. Trowa Barton : Psi student, 2nd year at Tsuberov Parapsychic Investigation and University. Clairaudient ability, Level 6, projected rating L8. Unrecognized talent, Medium. [19/20 years of age] Chang Wu Fei: Level 9 Telekinetic + Receiving Telepath Level 5. Agency Operative contracted term of 10 years with 8 years remaining, [22yrs of age] Training facility:Psychic Institute Luxemburg Division. Sally Po [Chang]: Level 4 Receiving Empath with linked Healers Ability graded Level 6 Agency Operative-Chief Medical Officer contracted term of 10 years with 6 years remaining. Training facility: Psychic Institute Beijing Division. [23 yrs old] Commander Anne Une: Level 8 Telekinetic. Operations
Commander of The Agency. Contracted term of 10 years with 7 years
remaining. Berlin Division. [22 yrs old]. |
