The Games Heroes Play (3 page)

“You need two more people to help you make a decision; well I need three.  We can either speak out here like this, or we can wait for my father to get home and see what he has to say.” 
What am I doing? 
Jay could not believe he was being so rude to people from the Academy.  Was this not his lifelong dream?  He knew it was.  But he also knew that they could not be trusted, or else why would they block all their thoughts from him?  He knew the black pictures did not mean they were not thinking.  The only other explanation was that they knew how to keep their thoughts hidden.

“Very well, he is on his way now, it should not be long.”

CAPTAIN WILLIAMS WAS right in the respect that it was only a few minutes before his father arrived, having to park along the street due to the driveway being filled up with cars.
  He was wrong, however, when he said it would not be long.  With his brother in an awkward state between fatigued and overly alert, and the three of them being surrounded by strange men, while nobody said a word…those few minutes were very long.

His father quickly got out of the car and ran over to his family.  “Is everyone okay…oh God, what happened to Donny?”  Jay saw his father’s look of concern quickly change to an accusatory eye shot at Captain Williams.

“It wasn’t them dad, he got in a fight at school.”  Jay knew his father was where Donny got his desire to fight the odds for family.  He could not let his father do something rash.

“Dad, these men are from the Academy, and they would like to speak with me.  I told them I didn’t want to until you got home.”  Jay was glad to hear that his voice was stronger now. 

Jay’s father seemed perturbed by this information, but knew that if they were from the Academy then he really could not refuse their speaking with his son.  “Very well,” he responded, “once I see their proof of Academy personnel, we can go inside.”

The three men pulled out small leather card holders, and walked over to the family with their identification information showing.  With that, Jay’s father led them all into the house.

“Sir, I would like the chance to talk privately to your son
,”
Captain Williams told Jay’s father the moment they entered the house. 

“How about they talk in the den.”

All heads turned to look at Donny.  His suggestion was the first words he had spoken throughout the confrontation, and it seemed to almost surprise his parents to see that he was still awake and listening to everything that was going on.

Jay knew why Donny suggested the den.  The only doorway to the den opened into the living room, where the rest of them could wait.  There were two windows out of the den, giving an opening big enough for Jay to jump through should he need to escape for any reason, but small enough that Captain Williams could not follow. 
Good work Donny,
Jay thought,
be
ready for anything.
 

“The den will be sufficient.”  Captain Williams, clearly having taken Donny’s suggestion as an offer from the whole family, motioned for Jay to move into the den.  Once the two of them had entered, leaving Jay’s family and the two mystery men in the living room, they shut the door and sat in the two main chairs in the center of the den.

“Jay, I want to talk to you about what happened in English class today.”

How did he hear about that?
  Jay wondered.  He tried hard to keep his wonder from showing.

“Please, tell me in your own words what happened.”

DONNY, DESPITE HIS exhaustion over the day’s events, was as alert as ever.  He studied the two men, who did not appear at all interested in him or his parents.  The two of them stood off to the side, looking serious but calm.  Donny tried to imagine what they could be thinking
about that would keep them looking so peaceful.  Whatever it was, they must both be thinking about the same thing.  As Donny watched them, he noticed a change come over both of them simultaneously.  Their calm, although still there, wavered for an instant and settled in a mix with slight fear. 
Interesting,
Donny thought,
their expressions changed simultaneously, as if influenced by something that only the two of them felt.  Either they are acting on some schedule, which is unlikely as there is no point to make such expressions, or…

Donny knew what was going on now.  He looked over at the door behind which Jay and Captain Williams were having their meeting.  Jay was not in trouble, he was being tested.  Something had changed in the last twenty-four hours, and they wanted to retest his brother as a reader.  The thought that his brother could really be a reader was astounding.  If Jay is a
reader, that
means Donny could communicate with Jay.  All he had to do was
think
of something that Jay would see.  The problem was the two silent sentries who stood in the living room, clearly trying very hard to get into Jay’s head.  If he tried to contact Jay, they would surely notice it. 

“Mom, I’m really tired, would it be alright if I went to bed?”

“Of course, Donny.
  Go get some rest.”

Donny had no intention of getting any rest.  Instead, he left the living room, turning left to head towards his room, but once he was out of sight he veered off in the direction of the back door.  Once outside, he made his way until he was in a position close enough to hear through the window to the den.  Now Donny knew he had time to send his message without being caught, at least for a while.

AFTER EXPLAINING QUICKLY and honestly the events that took place in English class that day, Jay sat back in his chair to rest.  He could not figure out how this thing works; first the images come, slow and steady, just a mere distraction.  They then disappear during his ride home a short time ago, and now they are going again, stronger than ever.  This batch is worse than the rest, since he is finding three of each picture going through his head, and never all together.  The images are flying all about, and he is barely able to concentrate on thinking at all.

“Is something the matter?”

Yes! I feel like my head is going to burst open! 
“No, just a headache.”

“Alright.
  Well that was a very interesting situation in your English class today.  And you say that has never happened to you before?  You’ve never seen pictures in your head, or heard voices telling you answers, or felt like you knew things you shouldn’t know?”  Captain Williams put a different stress on each of the three possibilities, so that it sounded like he knew they did happen before.  Jay felt like he should say yes, but in reality, none of those things had ever happened before. 

“No, sir, the images first started just after I walked out of the testing room yesterday.”

“After?”

“Yes sir, I walked out and there was a small group of people, and I began to see images involving them.  I assumed at the time that it was just my imagination.”

“Alright, well if you are honest about seeing these pictures, then it means you are a reader.  But unfortunately I do not believe what I have not seen for myself.  So tell me, Jay, what am I thinking about right now?”

Jay began searching the pictures, trying to figure out which one could belong to Captain Williams.  He could identify a few as his father’s, who was beginning to think about work.  He knew a few belonged to his mother, who never stopped worrying about
him,
and debating whether she should get up and do something.  There were the black images…

Jay! Jay!  Read my thoughts!!!
At first he thought it was Captain Williams, showing him which thoughts were his.  He knew this could not be true, as the thoughts were excited and informal, while it was clear Captain Williams wished to maintain his air of superiority and formality. 
This is Donny!! I’m outside the window, if you can hear
me,
say “Let me see” as if you are trying to think about what that guy’s thoughts are!! 
As corny as Jay thought that sounded, he trusted that Donny had a reason for all of this, so he played along.

“Let me see…”  Jay said in a louder than normal voice.

NOT SO LOUD!!  We don’t want your interrogator to suspect anything.  First of all, I want you to know how awesome it is that you’re a reader!!!  I hope I will be one someday too, and we can have lots of conversations like this, except two ways!  But that’s not the point; I wanted to tell you what I’ve figured out about them.  They are here to test your mind reading ability.  The two in the other room are readers, just like you, and I think they are trying to get into your head, although by the looks on their faces, I think they’re having some trouble.  The look is
a calm
, which I think makes it easier for them to read, with sudden twitches of fear, showing they are having difficulty.  They can probably hear all I’m saying right now too.  I don’t think the guy you are with is a mind reader.  If you need anything from me send me a sign, I am sitting under the left window, and I will help you in any way I can as long as those two from the living room haven’t found me yet.

Jay was impressed.  Donny may not be a reader, but he was brilliant at reading people in other ways.  Jay knew they had come to test him.  After all, Captain Williams had just asked him what he was thinking and was now waiting for an answer.  He had not realized the two others were readers though.  If they were
readers, that
would explain why he was seeing everyone’s thoughts in sets of three; once from their own heads, and once from each of those two who were reading them.  Since he had already identified which pictures belonged to his parents, and Donny was making it easy to identify his, that left the black ones as Captain Williams.  But why were they black?  Maybe if he calmed himself down, and tried to clear all the other pictures from his head... if he focused on just one of those pictures…

“It’s a trick; you are blocking me from reading your thoughts.”

Captain Williams smiled.  “True, with the right techniques, it is possible to block a reader’s penetration, and I have just demonstrated such a technique to block yours, showing you nothing but a black screen.”

“You didn’t block mine.”

“But you said I was blocking you from reading my thoughts.  There is no need to get defensive over
it,
you are still new to this…”

“No really, I wasn’t telling you that you were blocking me, your thoughts said that it was a trick, and that you were blocking me from reading your thoughts.  I was just repeating what I saw from your head.”

Captain Williams was not nervous, he knew the boy’s brother was just outside listening in, sending Jay some sort of mental message.  Captain Williams may not be a reader, but he has other ways of finding out what is going on.  While little Donny was sending info to Jay, his
readers have been sending him a message through a small device in his pocket.  They told him the brother was spying, sending a message to Jay, and asked if they should apprehend him.  Captain Williams had already told them to leave him for now.  Somehow the younger one realized he would be blocking Jay’s attempts, and Jay read that message from Donny, thinking it was his own thoughts.  “You were not reading my thoughts.”

“Yes I was.  And just then, you were thinking about my brother being outside, listening in.”

Captain Williams was surprised to hear this last statement, although he did not let it show.  He felt certain this boy could not really be reading his thoughts.  Although he was not putting a large amount of effort into his blocks, he should still be able to keep a new reader at bay without any effort at all.  Still, he did not like that this kid was making such lucky guesses.

“Do you want me to stop reading your thoughts sir?”

“If I wanted you to stop I would make it so you had to.”  To prove his point, Captain Williams changed his technique to make sure nobody could read his thoughts.  In the odd case that this kid could break through his weaker defenses, he would not let him keep the upper hand.  He also sent a message to his readers for one of them to apprehend the brother. 

“I’m sorry sir, I did not mean to sound disrespectful.  And you have nothing to worry about, I have always wanted to be a hero, and I would rather die than fight for the Villains.  I am on your side, sir.”

“If you really want to be a hero, I’m going to need to test you again.  Here’s a new set of flashcards, with new images.  I will not block these thoughts.  Are you ready to begin?”

CHAPTER 3

DONNY WAS SURPRISED to see one of the readers turn the corner of the house suddenly, appearing in an instant right next to the window that Donny had told Jay he was under.  Good thing he was not actually there.  He felt bad lying to his brother, but he knew the readers would come for him, and he had to say something to throw them off.  He had expected them much sooner, but Donny figured they must have gotten held up for some reason.  He noticed the reader stand straight up and close his eyes.  Donny realized the reader was trying to read his thoughts, to find out where he was. 
Ok, Captain Williams, let’s see if I can apply what you just taught me.
  Donny tried to picture blackness in his head, a blackness that fills all the space.  Captain Williams had said he was trying to make Jay see a black screen, so Donny figured he might as well try to do the same.  His screen clearly did not work, as the reader soon began moving quickly towards the neighbor’s tool shed.  Donny, however, was actually on his own roof. 
Good to know; my screen didn’t work, but thinking about the inside of that tool shed did the trick,
Donny thought to himself, as he did his best to conceal these thoughts behind his attempt at a shield and mental images of the inside of that tool shed.

THROUGHOUT THE TEST, Captain Williams made no sign as to how Jay was doing, nor was Jay able to read any of his thoughts other than those of the cards.  He made it through the
cards much faster than the last time, despite there being twice as many involved.  This time he knew he was getting them right. 
I am a reader,
Jay thought in amazement. 

When the test was done, Captain Williams got up and led Jay out into the living room, where his parents were still waiting along with one of the readers. 

“Please get your other son; I would like to be able to address your whole family at once,” Captain Williams demanded. 

“He went to bed; he’s had a long day,” Jay’s mother responded, not making any indication that she would be waking Donny.

“Ma’am, this is very important, and it is necessary that I address the whole family.”

“I’ll get him,” His father responded, turning towards the stairs.

“No, I’ll get him!”  Jay burst out.  He knew Donny had been outside listening, and not actually in his bed.  Donny would be in a lot of trouble if he were discovered to have been spying on delegates from the Academy. 

“I would prefer your father were the one to get your brother,” Captain Williams stated. 
So he wishes to expose Donny.
  Jay could not think of anything he could do.

Jay’s father turned and went up to Donny’s room.  A few moments later, he emerged with Donny, who was dressed in his pajamas and rubbing his eyes.  The two of them went down the stairs and joined the rest of the family.  Jay tried his best not to appear surprised.  Shortly thereafter, the second reader, the one who was out searching for Donny, walked in.  He looked angrily at Donny for a moment, then noticing Captain Williams, quickly became serious again. 

Captain Williams looked around the room at everyone gathered there. 
They look so normal,
he thought to himself,
and yet they have one amongst them who has the potential to become the best reader the Academy has ever seen.
 

He waited for a moment, letting everyone anticipate his words.  Once he started speaking again, everyone was in full attention.  “As I am sure you all know by now, we have come to test Jay to see if he possesses enough of
an ability
for mind reading that he would be worth having at the Academy.  We have all the information we need now, so we will leave your family in peace.”

As Captain Williams had expected, the family was not pleased with this.  He knew they were wondering what the results were.  He knew this family, just like all the rest, held admittance to the Academy in the highest regard.  At first the family was displeased by his arrival, and now they do not want him to go.  Captain Williams gave a nod to his men, and the three of them turned and began walking out of the house.  Jay's mother opened her mouth to speak, but Jay and Donny simultaneously took either of her hands, signaling to her that it is alright.  The family waited in silence until long after they heard the door shut, and the two cars pull out of the driveway and drive off.  Finally their mother could not take it anymore.

“The nerve!
  They march in here as if they own the place, hold us captive as they interrogate our son, then leave without any indication of what to expect next!”

“They’re from the Academy dear, they need to act mysterious to keep interest up,” their father responded to his wife.  He then turned to Jay with sympathy.  “I’m sorry son; I know how much this meant to you.”

Donny gave a short chuckle, his eyes still fixed on the doorway through which the three men had departed.  “Don’t be sorry, Dad.  Jay passed the test.”

“
Donald, that
is not something to joke about.  They have now tested Jay twice, and then left without a word.  I think we need to be realistic about the fact that they will not come a third time.” 

“No, Dad, Donny’s right, I did pass.”  All eyes turned immediately to Jay. 

“He said you passed?  Did he tell you that in the room?”

“No, but I got every question right.  I knew every card they asked me to see, and they used twice as many for this test than the last one.  I also demonstrated by reading Captain Williams' mind a few times before we began the official test.”

The effect on the room was not what Jay would have hoped.  He knew his parents would be shocked by this information, just as Jay could hardly believe it himself.  He was hoping, however, that they would get over their shock quickly and be excited by the prospect.  When his mother left the room to find her inhaler and his father had to stumble into the closest chair, Jay knew the shock would not leave quickly.

After a few minutes, when his mother had returned and the initial shock wore off enough for his father to find his voice again, they began to talk about it once more.

“So…what you’re saying is…you are a reader?  And…you can…read minds?” 
their
father asked, stumbling over his words.

“Sometimes.”

“Sometimes?”

Yes, only sometimes.
  Jay realized now that the pictures were gone.  When had they gone away again?  Jay could remember pushing them away while he was waiting for Captain Williams to speak to the family.  Maybe they went away then?

“It seems to come and go.  During the test yesterday it wasn’t there, and then it started for the first time shortly after.  It continued for most of that evening, and the next morning in school.  It stopped again when I left school, and began again a little before I went in for the second test.  It just stopped again, so right now I can’t.”

This explanation opened up a stream of questions from both parents.  Jay did his best to answer, and after hours of discussion pushing well into the night, Jay’s parents finally needed to go to bed.  Jay knew it had been a long day for all of them, and that his parents were beginning to feel the strain of it all.  Donny, who had not said a word throughout the entire conversation, helped their father up, while Jay took their mother, and the four of them went upstairs.  After putting their parents to bed, Jay and Donny realized they had missed both lunch and dinner, so instead of going back to their own rooms, they went downstairs to get something to eat. 

“Donny,” Jay began, once they were settled with their sandwiches.  “How did you get back into bed?  I mean, how did you not get caught snooping around outside?”

Donny smiled as his face turned red.  “Sorry Jay, I lied to you.  I wasn’t under the
window, that
was a decoy so those listening in wouldn’t be able to find me.  I actually climbed the tree that overhangs the house on the far side and was lying on the roof over the window.  When that guy came looking for me, I imagined myself in different places, and he went searching in those places instead.”

Jay could not help but laugh at this. 
Little Donny, giving the slip to the big bad mind reader.
  Leave it to Donny to find a way to use
their own
mind reading against them. 

Donny continued.  “Once I heard that you were in the middle of the test I figured you would be fine without me, so I led the reader as far away as I could, then climbed back down the tree and quietly snuck back into the house and up to bed.  When I got back downstairs and noticed that the reader was still out looking for me, I felt bad so I looked about the living room and thought about everything I saw.  He must have gotten the message of where I was, since he came back in shortly thereafter.”

Donny and Jay had a good laugh about the whole thing.

“REPORT.”

Silence.

“I said report.”

“He is a reader, sir.”

“I am well aware of that.  I was in there testing him.  You spent the last twenty-four hours in the boy’s head.  I want to know what else you discovered.”

“He did not know he was a reader, sir.  The whole time we were tailing him we could see that the pictures were there, but he thought they were his imagination.  He finally realized he was reading minds during his English class just before he was called to the office and left the school to go back to his house.  It appears the images are a fairly recent development.  The most likely situation is that the images started recently, and during the test with Lieutenant Rogers he did not
understand that the images were telling him the answer.  The other possibility is that it began between the time of the test and our beginning to shadow him.”

“I find it incredibly unlikely that he would develop such a full ability within a day.  Is it possible he has had this ability for a while and has been hiding it, and was just playing with Lieutenant Rogers?”

“No, sir, the ability was weak when we first arrived.  It grew throughout the time we were following him.  The only hesitation in its growth seems to have happened between the time of his leaving the school and our catching up with him again.  When we arrived at the house the ability was back to its weakened state, however it grew back up quickly, and continued to grow until…”

“Until what soldiers?”

“Until he blocked us sir.”

Lieutenant Williams was not pleased.  “At what point did he block you, and how long did it take you to get back in?”

“Sir, his images began to fade when we moved in to show our identification, while we were still in the driveway.  By the time we had moved into the house, we could see nothing.  We moved into full concentration, and got through for a few moments, but shortly after you began talking in the den we were suddenly thrust out and blocked from his thoughts completely.”

“How long did it take you to get back in?”

“We…we were unable to reconnect with the older boy.”  They could see Captain Williams turning red with anger.  They had to say something to redeem themselves.  “We believe the younger one may be of interest as well.”

“I do not care about the younger one; we are here about the older boy.”

“By interest, we mean he may have
an ability
.”  This statement at least temporarily distracted Captain Williams from his anger, so they decided it was wise to continue.  The one who had previously attempted to apprehend Donny began to explain.  “It is possible that he is also a reader.  He figured out how to message Jay in surprising speed, and even attempted to block me at one point, although it was a weak and ineffective attempt.  He showed no sign, however, of actually being able to read other minds, and we could see no pictures in his head.  It is also unlikely that two readers would come from the same family.  The more likely scenario is that the younger boy has super speed.”

“Explain the basis for this assessment.”

“Sir, the boy was in the bushes outside your window, but the instant I turned the corner of the house he disappeared from the spot.” 

“He cannot be faster than your eyesight, soldier.  He must have suspected you were coming and changed location.”

“Yes, sir, however this was not the only situation to account for.  I probed his mind to see where he was, and found him to be in the tool shed by the house next door.  The door to the shed faced away from where I stood, but I would have seen an escape during most of my approach.  The last instance when I motioned around the left side of the shed to the door is the only instance he would have had to make it out, and he would have needed to have been a speedster to have gotten out and around the right side without my noticing.  This continued for quite some time.  I would look into his mind to see where he was, but he would escape without being seen before I
could arrive there.  I lost a reading on him, most likely due to his moving out of range, and by the time I got a clear reading again, it was of him in the living room.  That was when I returned.”

“You have training in how to catch a Hermes.”

“Yes sir, the usual techniques did not work.  He is either very smart or very lucky.”