Unforeseen Dives – 20b – Omen

<< 20a – Omen

Rebecca and I followed Casey to the PR department. On the way, he outlined the strategy behind my coming public appearances. For the most part, we would counter the negative effects of my last press conference by turning me into a miracle. Though I didn’t think my enduring sanity was that impressive, I rejoiced for two reasons.
First, it would hopefully be the end of headlines and gossips along the lines of “PSI Hero Soon to Be a Raving Loon”. They weren’t flattering and stressed my mom.
Secondly, and that was what mattered the most, it would motivate prompt divers to show themselves. I controlled my abilities so quickly that I questioned my doctors to find out why I was the first one successfully living with prompt diving. It turned out doctors only cured illnesses they have studied and their case studies were all too far gone to cure when the doctors found them.
They tried to catch cases before they developed. Twenty percent of psychics have the gene but never show the symptoms. Prevention was thus impossible. They surmised that the stress of the New York bombing dives triggered it in me. Before me, doctors didn’t have sane patients to work with.
If prompt diving hadn’t been such a taboo, the cure would have been discovered a while back. I needed to fight that ignorance so we could help more psychics. We also had to find telepaths who were willing to enter the very intimate relationship that allowed them to teach “the wall” to us.
We were almost at Casey’s office, discussing my talk show appearance at the end of next week, when Amy caught up with us. Casey blushed and subtly hid behind Becky and me when we turned toward the secretary. She caught her breath before speaking.
“Gosh, you’re hard to find! Aaron wants you in his office. Now.”
“Any idea what it’s about?” I enquired while we walked.
“As if he’d tell me. All he said was ‘We’re putting the new department to the test. Fetch Agent Parker and Lowe immediately.’” She shrugged and parted from us when we reached her desk.
“Watcha doing, puppy dog?” Rebecca poked Casey who followed us silently. Amy’s departure combined with Becky’s taunt finally pulled him out of his thoughts.
“I’m keeping myself informed so I can arrange Miss Parker’s schedule.”
We entered Aaron’s office to find it a bit crowded. Aaron was sitting behind his desk, his jaw so tensed he might break some teeth. To his right stood Daniel who appeared calm. However, since Daniel always appeared calm, he wasn’t a good indicator. I noticed only the tiniest shift of his weight between the left to the right leg and back every few seconds. There were also two unknown FBI agents, complete with suits filled with muscles and bulging over holsters.
The real clue to the reason of our presence here was Maeve, one of the Oracles. Sitting in a couch, her muscles were still shaking though most of her composure held against the shock. Small beads of sweat glued light strands of brown hair to the nape of her neck. Her blue eyes didn’t settle on anyone in particular but scanned the room slowly. Besides those details, she was relaxed and sat casually.
In my eyes, it only meant we were too deep in shit for her to appear traumatized. It seemed she could say one of the most famous Oracle quote: “If fear takes hold of us now, we might as well kiss the world goodbye.” Circa 1938.
I hoped I read Maeve’s expression wrong.
“Thanks for joining us.” Aaron snapped when we walked in. “What is the loudmouth doing here?”
“He makes sure he can work our schedule so we can do whatever you have in mind and still make Cassidy’s public appearances.” Rebecca answer stiffly.
Aaron shrugged and motioned for us to sit with Maeve. We did, quite uneasily.
“I called you so Agent Fraser can share her omen. You’re to start investigating it as soon as you leave this office.”
Daniel winced; Aaron was again outstepping his bounds by assigning agents. This hardly seemed the moment to correct him.
Aaron signaled for Maeve to speak. She inhaled slowly and spoke with a level voiced.
“Hard times are coming. Really intense waves of deaths. It’s coming really fast. I suspect it’ll start in a matter of weeks. Probably reach its peak in a matter of months. I couldn’t see the source but I know it’s not a natural disaster. It’s human violence.”
I assimilated the information pretty quickly and turned to Aaron and Daniel.
“How big an investigation team are we talking about?”
“The two of you and occasional FBI support.” Aaron seemed surprised that I asked.
“To stop a war? Are you nuts?” Rebecca snapped.
“Mind your tone, Agent Lowe. Until you get me solid proofs, we’re not engaging more manpower to chase the dream of a might be war.”
All the readers in the room blanched. The masses still doubted our efficiency and we were used to that. To be doubted by the very people paying you hit hard. They believed in us enough to finance PSI but not enough to take the words of an Oracle for solid proof. They had pursued stranger leads in the past and still would if it came from a non-reader.
In silence, all the readers stood and walked out of Aaron’s office, Daniel included. Aaron recognized our mood and had the brilliant instinct to keep his mouth shut. We were convinced trouble was indeed coming and we’d prove it.
In the corridor, Rebecca grabbed my elbow. I looked in her direction and saw Maeve, connected to my partner’s other arm.
“There’s something more.” Maeve beamed in my head through Rebecca. “Something I’d rather not share with them just now.” I heard how “them” encompassed all the non-readers in her mind. “It feels like a non-reader versus reader war.” The three of us tensed, body and mind.
“And we lose.” She added.

21a – Party >>