Sam stands on high

 

Sam stands on high, looking down at the crowded auditorium from a box. He inspires terror more than anything else, and apparently they need to get sense out of these people before they let him loose.

 

This is a situation where an empath would be just all too useful; this of course means that any empath to come within a mile of this nightmare will die terribly.

 

Logan and Colin stand beside him, both picking through the milling crowd in their own way, expressions getting darker and darker.

 

Sam doesn’t want to hear what they hear or see what they see. He wants to tear this building down brick by brick and leave the crowd lying in the rubble.

 

He has never been fond of telepaths, most people aren’t. People meaning Fleet, obviously, because civilians, and that word leaves such a foul taste in his mouth, don’t understand enough to have a real opinion.

 

Empaths are different; telepaths to empaths are like wind to weather, but far more insidious. Telepaths cannot be trusted, in general. They have such high opinions of themselves, feel perfectly entitled to take over someone else’s mind just long enough to cause damage.

 

He had a telepath try that on him once.

 

The woman was dead before she realized who and what she was dealing with.

 

There is something about a weather’s mind that breaks any intruders. Empaths know better than to try, telepaths are arrogant and ignorant.

 

And there are forty of them in one room.

 

Sooner or later one of them is going to notice Sam watching them. Sooner or later one of them will die.

 

He doesn’t have a problem with this at all.

 

0---

 

“Sam,” Logan says, “what do you think?”

 

Sam smiles grimly, eyes dark blue and swirling as though a hurricane is building in them. “I think they should let us have some fun. Colin?”

 

“I don’t know; they haven’t decided yet. It could easily go either way. That man there,” he says, pointing at a man in a dark brown jacket and orange scarf, “watch him.”

 

“Thinking dangerous thoughts, is he?” Sam says.

 

Colin shrugs, “see for yourselves.”

 

“Her,” Sam says, “over there, in the blue and purple.”

 

“With the stupid looking hat?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Someone screams, and she is sprawled across the hard floor, pupils blown, ears and nose bleeding.

 

People gather around her body, feeling for a pulse, listening for a breath. Sam would tell them it’s hopeless, but this is more fun.

 

“Man in the green,” Logan says, “at the back wall; he’s looking this way.”

 

“I see him,” Sam says.

 

The faintest touch and he drops like a stone, his skull bouncing off the edge of a bench, and blood begins to pool, fanning out like a crimson halo.

 

“Arrogant slobs,” Sam says, “you’d think they’d learn.”

 

0---

 

A man and a woman stand on the stage, facing the panicked crowd with blank faces.

 

“Be quiet,” the woman says, her voice carrying clear to their box.

 

Slowly, the telepaths shut up, turning to face her.

 

She steps forward, and the first row hurries back, tripping over each other. The man laughs, a lovely chilling laugh, and Sam smiles.

 

“They don’t like the bastards anymore than we do,” he says, “this could be fun.”

 

“Keep watching,” Colin says, “it’s about to get interesting.”

 

The man with the orange scarf starts moving forward through the crowd, pushing past anyone who stands in his way, until he’s in the third row of people, and he’s disguised his movement well, neither the man or the woman have spotted him.

 

They see when he makes his grab for the man’s mind, and they see when he discovers its slicker than he expected.

 

The man looks at him, catches his eye, and he loses his grip. Quicker than he can blink and attempt retreat, everyone feels his mind torn to shreds and scattered in the wind. Thoughts are floating through the air, oily and perverse.

 

Sam and Logan’s eyes are wide as they turn to Colin.

 

“Empath,” Colin says happily. “Told you it’s going to get interesting.”

 

0---

 

“Do not,” the man says, “even think of trying something like that again.” He is addressing the crowd as though they are a collective consciousness, and they respond in the same way, nodding like sheep, and Sam likes to think that he’s in their minds, controlling them in the simplest way.

 

There is nothing like fear to break an ego.

 

“If you think you can get the jump on me because of what you are,” he says, “think again.”

 

“Disgusting,” the woman says, “absolutely disgusting. Like maggots, or lice, rather, trying to crawl their way into your head.”

 

“Her too,” Colin says, “their control is amazing.”

 

“That won’t matter,” Sam says, “if they look this way.”

 

“Oh,” Colin says, because as bad as Sam’s mind is for telepaths, an empath trying to read him is unimaginable. “We need to say something, warn them.”

 

“That would be up to you, and I suggest doing it soon; they’re reaching through the crowd.”

 

Sam melts backwards into the shadows of the box as Colin steps forward.

 

0---

 

“Excuse me,” he says, leaning over the railing, “up here please.”

 

The man looks up, frowning. He narrows his eyes, “and you are?”

 

“Colin. Oh, I’m a Fleet Officer, time, if you’re wondering. Nicely done with the tele, by the way.”

 

“What are you doing here?” the woman says, “telepaths only, sorry.”

 

“Oh no, we’re supposed to be here—No! Stop, please.”

 

“What?”

 

“Don’t look past me, let me explain first.”

 

“Could someone get rid of him?” the woman says, “he’s obviously insane.”

 

“Fine,” Colin says, “look, but I’m not responsible for what happens to you if you do.”

 

“For the love of—”

 

“I’m the Time Officer of Crow, which I’m sure you’ve heard of, and I bet you can figure out why we’re here. Anyway, when I say we, I mean myself, Lieutenant Logan Ocham, and Captain Samuel Polly.”

 

“Who’s weather,” the man says, “right.”

 

“What are you talking about?” the woman says, “what does that matter?”

 

“Well,” Colin says, “basically, what your friend did to that man with the orange, yeah, that’s what will happen to you.”

 

“Is that a threat?”

 

“Uhm, no, more a fact, I think.”

 

“Listen to him, Alice; I’m surprised they never taught you this.”

 

“There aren’t really all that many weathers to run into,” Colin says, “so I can see how it could have slipped their minds, or…hmm.”

 

“Basically,” the man says, “you will go insane, which will affect everyone in approximately a mile radius, and then your mind will explode.”

 

“What?”

 

“Explode,” Colin says, “you know, go boom?”

 

“You aren’t very good at this,” the man says.

 

“No, well, uh…”

 

“Alice, did you say your name was?” Sam says, stepping out of the shadow. “You don’t have to believe him, but if you think it’s worth the risk to find out, well, you’re not much better than they are.”

 

“That’s what happened to those two,” the man says, “they must have noticed them up there, and tried to take a closer look. Telepaths, absolutely useless.”

 

“That,” Sam says, “is what I said.”

 

0---

 

A return to 2007 Additions.