Chapter Eight
As we entered the diner, I was greeted by the loud chatter of people and the sound of dishes clinking everywhere.
Another wave of emotions hit me, and I grabbed Kevin’s hand.
I couldn’t tell who it was in this place, but they were going through some kind of heartbreak.
Between them and Ana, I felt quite unbalanced.
Kevin squeezed my hand, understanding my need without me having to say a word.
“Focus on me,” he whispered. “No one else is here. No one else matters. Just focus on my hand.” He squeezed my hand three times, stopped, then five more times.
He kept applying pressure quickly and firmly, alternating in random waves, until we got a table.
Once we were settled and the waitress left, I leaned forward and asked, “What was that pattern? Morse code? What were you saying?” I couldn’t figure it out, no matter how hard I tried.
Kevin laughed out loud and shook his head. “I was just looking at the menu board and squeezing out the prices.”
“Well, that was nothing.” I rolled my eyes. “It was annoying me that I couldn’t figure it out.”
“I knew it would.”
“Why couldn’t you keep the same pattern? I was hoping you’d do like a three-two, three-two-one, or something like that.” I sighed, shaking my head. “And you say you know me well.”
“I do.”
“Then you should’ve known that was going to annoy me.”
“I did.” He smirked.
“What?” I frowned. “Why would you do that, then?”
“If you could follow the pattern, you’d be right back where we started. But since you couldn’t figure out what I was doing, you concentrated on feeling frustrated with the code instead of all the emotions that were overwhelming you.”
“Crap. You do know me.” I sat back, letting my shoulders relax. “Thanks for that. I needed it.”
“Anytime. And hey, at least you’re doing better with me touching you.” He looked toward the door when it opened.
I followed his eyes, but it turned out not to be our friends. “I guess. I don’t really know why it happens.”
“Nick . . . he says it’s probably old memories. You know you’re mad at me but can’t feel it, so your powers are doing it for you.”
“Mm-hmm.” That’s one reason. “Must be.”
We were being served coffee and looking at our menus when Ana and Jay finally joined us. After we ordered, I couldn’t take it anymore, so I asked. “Did Antonio leave any information on where we could find him?”
“He said we should ask him.” She turned to Jay. “I just don’t understand.”
“I told you. I’ve never met him.”
I frowned. “How did he know you’d come looking for him with Ana?”
“I don’t know.” Jay raised both hands. “I really don’t know.”
I focused on Jay and felt a wave of pressure pushing me back into the booth. I really had to learn to control these powers. Who knew even other people’s emotions could make me feel so unstable?
I looked at Ana, shaking my head. “He really doesn’t know. All I can sense is confusion coming from him.”
“What else did your brother say?” Kevin asked. “I know invading your privacy isn’t ideal, Ana, but my training involves investigating and finding clues. Can I see the letter?”
She handed him the paper and sat back, tucking her elbows into her sides. Kevin looked at the paper for a few seconds, then handed it to me.
Ana Banana,
I hope you’re okay.
Jay Daniels can help you find me.
Love you,
A.O.
“I assume you saw this?” I asked Jay.
“Yeah . . . But I don’t know where we can find him.”
“You better think hard, bro,” Kevin said in a low whisper, leaning toward Jay. “She’s right. This was all your idea, and he said you can help. So . . . help.”
“I—I don’t know.” Sweat was forming on Jay’s forehead, and he was starting to breathe in short, fast bursts. “I need some air.” He walked outside with me following right behind.
He looked completely broken as I approached. He stood with his back against the wall and rubbed his face with his hands. “I really don’t understand any of it.”
“I know.” Glancing around, I made sure no one was watching before taking off my hoodie. “Give me your hands.”
I reached out and gently grasped them, bringing them together to hold firmly between us. I focused on breathing and on pushing a sense of serenity into him. When I looked at him, his eyes were welling up, and he was focusing on following my breathing. Four, three, two, one . . .
“Ryan, I swear I’m not lying.”
“I know.” I nodded. “Close your eyes. Feel my breathing and let me be the one who believes in you. If you’re the one with the answers, we will just have to focus on your instinct. What does it tell you? Where would you go if you were Antonio?”
“I don’t know about that, but where’s the envelope that had the letter? Was there anything on it?” he asked.
I put the hoodie back on and adjusted the sunglasses as he ran back inside.
“Rock Hill, South Carolina, it is,” Kevin said, reading the address off the envelope. And I could’ve sworn I saw a hint of blue light dancing in his eyes.
“Well, I don’t know if Antonio figured out I’d be the only smart one around, but there you go.” Jay sat back, taking a bite of his bacon. He was smiling and at peace again. “South Carolina, here we come.”
I felt the weight falling off his shoulders. “The question still remains: how did he know you’d be here? But yes, Jay, good call.”
Ana stared at the envelope with her name and an address on it. “I didn’t even think to look at it. I just wanted to read the letter. I miss him so much.”
I rubbed her back. “It’s been an emotional day for you. You’re getting something from your brother for the first time in a long time. Of course you weren’t thinking straight.”
“Yeah,” Kevin pitched in. “All of us did the same thing.”
“Weren’t you the strategist trained in espionage, the master clue-finder and whatever? How did Jay beat you to it?” I asked, laughing.
“Obviously, you taught him my ways after I trained you. That’s all.”
“Guys, we gotta go.” Jay stood up, grabbed my hand, and put his arm around my shoulder. “Just lean into me, like we’re a couple,” he whispered.
Kevin and Ana stayed back to pay, and I jumped into the RV. “What happened?”
“You’ve made it onto the national news,” Jay said. “Your face was just on the local news. It’s not just New York anymore.”
The others joined us, and Kevin drove slowly out of the parking lot. As soon as he could, he picked up speed. “Well, that complicates things.”
“We always knew they might spread my face to the surrounding states. Nick actually expected it.”
“It’s okay, we’ll be fine,” Kevin said. “I won’t let anyone get to you.”
“Speaking of, you have to practice your teleportation, bro.”
“Yes, I know, Jay. You don’t think I want to do it?”
“We’ll stop when it’s dark and we can do some training before sleeping.”
“No, we’re driving through the night.”
“I’ll take over after the next stop,” Ana said. “It will take my mind off things while you two rest.”
We had to stop often since the RV’s fuel range didn’t take pity on us. I was very happy when they decided the next morning that a motel was in our best interest. We didn’t want to be seen during the day, so we pulled into one in North Carolina to get some proper rest.
We shared a room with two queen beds. The boys were knocked out on their bed, and Ana was clutching the letter to her chest next to me.
She caught me looking. “You know, he used to say he was a psychic. Maybe that’s how he knew about Jay?”
“That’s possible, yes. What could he do with his powers?”
“Nothing really . . . it wasn’t an active power. He did say he experienced a lot of déjà vu.” She shrugged. “He would know things before they happened, saying he’d already been there.”
“Maybe he really is psychic then.” I frowned, wondering how that could help us with our plan.
Her forehead creased. “Maybe? He said it felt like he was astral projecting in his dreams.”
“What about your powers?” I asked.
“I could maybe kill a plant if I tried hard enough?” She laughed. “Nah, sometimes I could transport an object from one place to another.”
“Like teleportation? Like Kevin?”
“Not really? I mean, I don’t think so. It was more like delayed. Sometimes we’d find it a few days later. One time I was playing with a doll in bed and it poofed out of my hands. Then it fell on my face a few months later while I was sleeping.”
“That’s . . . Wait, what?” I scratched my head. “How?”
She shrugged. “I was holding it up in the air when I made it disappear. I don’t know how.”
I smiled. “Then I think Jay is right. This crazy plan of his might just work.”
“That’s what I’m thinking now. I’d actually forgotten all about that happening. For so long, it was more about surviving and trying to live a normal life.”
“Sounds like you’ve made the most of your situation.”
“I thought we had no real powers, but . . . I don’t know, maybe he’s right.”
“Do you remember the scientist who worked with you two?”
“Yes, he was killed right in front of Antonio.” She adjusted her head on the pillow and stared at the ceiling.
“The boss lady wasn’t happy with his lack of progress with the children he was supposed to be studying, so she had him killed.
We were always afraid when she showed up.
She said he didn’t push us hard enough, and by that point it was already almost torture. ”
“She sounds scary.”
“We were little, and we tried not to make eye contact with her. Ever. I remember thinking she was so pretty with her red hair and fancy white suits. I actually fantasized that I could grow up to be like her. But then I saw how she treated people and I was terrified of her.”
“Red hair?” I frowned. “Hmm, I met someone like that. She was also wearing a white skirt suit and was about five foot four. Do you think it might be the same person?”
“Hard to tell. I was so young.”
“The woman I met was Ava Park. Does that ring a bell?”
Ana tilted her head toward me. “Not really, sorry.”
“It’s okay, I’m probably reaching, anyway. Let’s get some rest.”