New Markets - 02 by Kevin Rau Read Free Book Online Page A

that you won't do something to us?"
    I replied, "I don't know what you think I did, or plan to do, but I didn't attack those other agents, and no, I'm not going to attack you.  Honest."  I really wanted him to believe me.  It was the truth, and that shocking was painful.
    He nodded.  I slumped back onto the bed and closed my eyes.  He took a deep breath and smiled.
    I said, "Oh, thank you.  Damn, that hurt."
    “That machine is set to only shock if you are trying something.  Since your brain only activates in a certain spot when your telepathy is active, you’re trying something.  Come on now, don’t lie to me.”
    “I haven’t used my telepathy since I’ve been at the scene with the kidnapper.  Your machine isn’t working right.”
    “Come on, we’ve tested it on several telepaths, and the results are very consistent, per the techs.”
    Nurse Katie said, “Psystar, we can see the brainwave activity on the monitor right now.  You’re doing something.”
    I caught Agent Dimmer’s thoughts as he approached from out in the hall.  I mumbled, “Oh, great, Dimmer’s coming in.  He’s an a-hole.”  Just then the door opened and he walked in.
    Nurse Katie said, “How did you know he was coming in?”
    “I saw his thoughts as he approached in the hall.”
    “Wait a moment, is that automatic?”
    “Yeah.”
    Agent Willman said, “Hold on, you hear our thoughts now without trying to read our minds?”
    “Duh ... yeah.  I hear everyone’s thoughts when they get close enough.  Just like you hear noise that is close enough.”
    Agent Dimmer frowned, “Why isn’t the machine on, she’s using telepathy on us?”  He walked over toward it to turn it on.
    A look of horror crossed my face.  Nothing like seeing your own fearful face from other people’s eyes at the same time.
    Agent Willman grabbed his arm.  “Hold on, I turned it off, and it is staying off for now.”
    Agent Dimmer angrily said, “What?  Why?  You’ll be lucky if she doesn’t screw with you like she did that poor guy, or scream in all our heads and give us bloody noses and ears again.  She knocked one guy out.”
    Nurse Katie said, “Actually, having the machine on caused her to scream and make a fair number of people bleed just a little while ago.  Obviously it doesn’t stop her from using her power.”
    Agent Willman held up his hand, palm out at her, “I’m the agent in charge here.  Dimmer - out of the room if you aren’t going to be helpful.”
    “Whatever.  This is bullshit.”  He stormed out of the room.  He wanted to turn the machine back on, even if the only effect was to hurt me.
    I blew out my breath.  I must have been holding it in anticipation of being shocked.
    Agent Willman said, “Where was I?  Ah, you were saying that you just hear people thinking when they get close to you?”
    “Yeah.  Don’t all telepaths?”
    “No.  Those tested all, um, turn it on.  Something like pulling a trigger on a gun to read someone’s thoughts.”
    “Not for me.  Being around too many people is a real pain in the ass for me.  I get a ton of mindviews all blocking my vision, and can’t hear because so many people are talking in their head.”
    “Then you were using your telepathy?”
    “Huh?”
    Nurse Katie jumped in, “That makes sense, actually.  She just has an always-on type of telepathy.  Almost an extra ear for her.”
    I nodded.  “I haven’t spoken with any other telepaths, Psycom was supposed to call me, but I haven’t heard from him yet.”
    Agent Willman said, “He was a test subject for us.  His works on the on/off type usage.”
    I rolled my eyes.  “Great, I’m a freak among freaks.”
    “You mentioned a ‘mindview,’ I’ve never heard of that, what is it?”
    “It’s a visual of what you guys are seeing or thinking.  It reminds me of a T.V. in my visual field.”
    “You said ‘a ton of mindviews.’  You see many of these?”
    “One for every person close to me.