Chasing Power (Hidden Talents) Read Online Free PDF Page B

headaches lately?  Have strange things been happening to you?”
    “Define ‘strange’.”
    Al, unused to being quiet for this long, couldn’t resist jumping in: “Lights flickering when you enter the room.  You overhear people talking to themselves.  Maybe you get angry and a window breaks.”
    “Let Lane handle this, Al,” Harry said. 
    “I am,” Al said.  Rolling his eyes, he sat back and crossed his arms.  Luckily, the food arrived, forestalling further conversation until the waitress was gone.
    “So you think the incident with the bus means that I have magical abilities.  And headaches.”
    When put that way, it seemed so stupid.  Lane shook his head, “Not magic, not exactly.  And we think your transition is causing headaches.  That’s the number one sign of transition.”  Al leaned over to grab one of Harry’s pancakes, which Lane promptly snatched back and returned to Harry.  Harry hesitated, looked at the pancake, and evidently decided it would be a long trip if he gave up eating what others had touched.  He slathered jam and butter on the pancake, rolled it up, and cut it into pieces before eating. 
     Arching an eyebrow, Sam turned to Lane for more information.
    “Uh, so you know how they say that we aren’t using our brains to their fullest capacity?”
    “Yes, that’s hokum science used to explain psychics.  But it’s not true.”
    “It’s not complete hokum!”  Al interjected, shooting an offended look towards Lane.  Actually, it was Lane’s area of expertise, researching the how and why talents existed.
    “Magic, the paranormal, and psychic powers all fall into the same realm: wishful thinking.”
    This was ridiculous , Lane thought, he’d seen the books she’d been reading—now she was lecturing him about magical thinking?  
    “Do you get off on being cynical, or is it just us you enjoy baiting?”  Lane was normally patient, but this girl sure did know how to press his buttons. 
    A glimmer of a smile appeared on Sam’s face, “Well, you did kidnap me.”
    “Rescue,” Al corrected her, “We rescued you from Stone.  That creep is hardcore evil.”
    “We?” Samantha said, “I seem to recall only one brick-wielding white knight.”
    Al purpled, and Lane decided now was a good time to interject.  But before he got a chance, Samantha stood up.
    “Where are you going?”  Harry asked, giving Lane an alarmed look.
    “To the bathroom.  I’m allowed, aren’t I?”
    This last question was aimed at Lane.  It was a test, he knew.  Either they were her captors or her heroes.  Dictating this now would decide for her.  Lane reached out with his mind.  Sam was more self-contained than most, but he could still sense her feelings if he tried.  Her emotions had settled since they entered the restaurant.  Smiling, Lane waved his hand towards the restrooms, “Don’t let us keep you.”
    He watched her go.  Cynical, maybe, but that girl had a nice walk.
    “Dude, you listening to me?”
    No, he hadn’t been.
    Watching Sam shimmy towards the ladies’ room, Harry leaned over to Lane, “What are you reading?”
    Lane frowned, shrugging, “She’s tense, but that’s understandable.  Anything more is hard to tell.  Doing a read on her is like trying to read Tolstoy upside down in a mirror.”
    “She’s a hard read because she’s in transition,” Al said, “People are always screwed up during transition.”
    “Or maybe she’s been a Talent for years and is just faking us out.  There are a lot of possible explanations, Al,” Harry said, “Right, Lane?  I mean, you’re the almost doctor here; isn’t she too old for transition?”
    “Headaches can be anything.  And it’s not like we’ve seen her power firsthand.”
    “And there’s something off about her,” Harry said, “She’s almost too calm.  Especially for having just been kidnapped.”
    Lane nodded, “If it’ll make you feel better, we’ll call N.T.U. and have them run a background