out.”
“Fair enough. Do you expect me to take you seriously Sarah?”
Her finger itched to slide into the trigger guard of the weapon that still lay concealed on her lap. I’ll show you just how serious I can be, she thought.
“Absolutely. My sense of humor is like a court jester. Not seen much anymore, but when it does come around we all laugh. Today I’m serious and you should be aware that serious, by definition, actually means dangerous.”
“Then I expect you to take me seriously too. I only have a few more things to say and then you can decide.”
“Decide what?”
“Decide whether or not you will accompany me back to America where we will really do some good.”
She leaned forward slightly. “Are you saying that I’m not doing good on my own?”
“The direction this conversation is going isn’t good. Will you allow me to continue? I only need a minute more.”
Sarah leaned back and sized him up. He was American. He held no authority in Hungary. She had the gun. He only wanted to talk. She wanted to know more about the man who seemed to know a shit load about her.
She nodded for him to go ahead and then scanned the lobby again. No one around. They’d been talking for a few minutes now and no one had entered the lobby. She was starting to find that strange. If someone didn’t come through any door soon, she felt the rope of the noose would tighten.
“The Society for Psychical Research was founded in London in 1882. The American Society for Psychical Research followed suit and opened their doors in New York City in 1885. By 1911 Stanford University became the first academic institution in the United States to study extrasensory perception, better known as ESP. Finally, in 1930, Duke University followed.”
He stopped to gauge her response. She offered nothing so he continued.
“My organization usually has volunteers but sometimes we search out people who we have heard of. People who display a talent far beyond usual parameters.”
“Your organization? You mean the Sophia Project?”
Sarah looked behind him. No one in the lobby at all. The noose tightened. Something was wrong. She had to leave.
“Sort of.”
Sort of? What the fuck is that? He just said he was with the Sophia Project but now he’s sort of with them?
“You might want to qualify that comment. Do it quick. I’m about to leave.”
“I’m actually employed by the United States Government. My organization works in conjunction with the people at the University of Arizona.”
“So you’re not actually with this Sophia Project?”
“My employer is the government. I am employed to work with the people at the Sophia Project. Let’s just say I’m their recruiter.”
“While you talk in circles I’m leaving. Rarely do I meet someone who is so full of shit that they’ve lost sight of the piss they spew.” She paused for a second and wondered if he was armed. As a recruiter was he supposed to take her in? There could be no time for surprises. Not today. “Stand up.”
“You’re making a mistake. I’m the only friend you’ve got.”
“Wrong thing to say. Stand up. Last chance.”
To his credit he took her seriously.
“Now step away from me.”
She didn’t even need to show him her weapon. He complied without protest.
Once he was over ten feet away Sarah stood and folded the newspaper and its concealed weapon under her left arm giving it easy access for her right hand.
“You are making a mistake. It will be much harder for us to talk when you’re in a jail cell. I also would find it difficult to get you back to the States once incarcerated.”
“Wow, you’ve got big plans for me. Remind me again, who put you in charge?”
“Sarah, this is your last chance. Listen to me. Come with me. Your life will get a lot easier. Defy me, and your life will not only become more difficult, it
“Fair enough. Do you expect me to take you seriously Sarah?”
Her finger itched to slide into the trigger guard of the weapon that still lay concealed on her lap. I’ll show you just how serious I can be, she thought.
“Absolutely. My sense of humor is like a court jester. Not seen much anymore, but when it does come around we all laugh. Today I’m serious and you should be aware that serious, by definition, actually means dangerous.”
“Then I expect you to take me seriously too. I only have a few more things to say and then you can decide.”
“Decide what?”
“Decide whether or not you will accompany me back to America where we will really do some good.”
She leaned forward slightly. “Are you saying that I’m not doing good on my own?”
“The direction this conversation is going isn’t good. Will you allow me to continue? I only need a minute more.”
Sarah leaned back and sized him up. He was American. He held no authority in Hungary. She had the gun. He only wanted to talk. She wanted to know more about the man who seemed to know a shit load about her.
She nodded for him to go ahead and then scanned the lobby again. No one around. They’d been talking for a few minutes now and no one had entered the lobby. She was starting to find that strange. If someone didn’t come through any door soon, she felt the rope of the noose would tighten.
“The Society for Psychical Research was founded in London in 1882. The American Society for Psychical Research followed suit and opened their doors in New York City in 1885. By 1911 Stanford University became the first academic institution in the United States to study extrasensory perception, better known as ESP. Finally, in 1930, Duke University followed.”
He stopped to gauge her response. She offered nothing so he continued.
“My organization usually has volunteers but sometimes we search out people who we have heard of. People who display a talent far beyond usual parameters.”
“Your organization? You mean the Sophia Project?”
Sarah looked behind him. No one in the lobby at all. The noose tightened. Something was wrong. She had to leave.
“Sort of.”
Sort of? What the fuck is that? He just said he was with the Sophia Project but now he’s sort of with them?
“You might want to qualify that comment. Do it quick. I’m about to leave.”
“I’m actually employed by the United States Government. My organization works in conjunction with the people at the University of Arizona.”
“So you’re not actually with this Sophia Project?”
“My employer is the government. I am employed to work with the people at the Sophia Project. Let’s just say I’m their recruiter.”
“While you talk in circles I’m leaving. Rarely do I meet someone who is so full of shit that they’ve lost sight of the piss they spew.” She paused for a second and wondered if he was armed. As a recruiter was he supposed to take her in? There could be no time for surprises. Not today. “Stand up.”
“You’re making a mistake. I’m the only friend you’ve got.”
“Wrong thing to say. Stand up. Last chance.”
To his credit he took her seriously.
“Now step away from me.”
She didn’t even need to show him her weapon. He complied without protest.
Once he was over ten feet away Sarah stood and folded the newspaper and its concealed weapon under her left arm giving it easy access for her right hand.
“You are making a mistake. It will be much harder for us to talk when you’re in a jail cell. I also would find it difficult to get you back to the States once incarcerated.”
“Wow, you’ve got big plans for me. Remind me again, who put you in charge?”
“Sarah, this is your last chance. Listen to me. Come with me. Your life will get a lot easier. Defy me, and your life will not only become more difficult, it
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