pictured us chatting
together, but our first encounter had been horribly awkward. I was feeling uncomfortable
about having to read Hannah’s mind to approve her appointment. She was utterly
overawed to be in the presence of someone as critically important to the Hive
as a telepath.
Since then, I hadn’t seen Hannah
at all. Each day, I’d leave my apartment in chaos and return to find it magically
restored to perfect order. I grabbed my chance to talk to her again, hurrying
back towards her and calling her name. “Hannah!”
She guiltily swung round
to face me. “I’m sorry, Amber. I thought you were going out. I’ll come back
later.”
“No, please don’t go.” I
smiled at her. “I wanted to thank you for cleaning up my apartment. I’m afraid it
was in a dreadful state when you arrived.”
She flushed nervously. “It
was a pleasure. I love tidying up and cleaning places.”
I knew that was true. When
I was reading Hannah’s mind, I’d felt her delight in arranging things,
polishing things, and bringing out the natural beauty in rooms. I’d even been
inspired to try some cleaning myself, but my second-hand enthusiasm hadn’t survived
for more than five minutes of throwing rubbish into the waste chute.
“I was imprinted as an
office cleaner,” Hannah continued, “but working in your lovely apartment is
even more satisfying. I …”
A frosty voice interrupted
her. “Hannah, you shouldn’t be wasting the telepath’s precious time with your
chatter.”
I turned to face Fran. “I was
thanking Hannah for tidying my apartment. She’s done a wonderful job of …” I broke
off as I realized Hannah was scurrying away down the corridor.
“There’s no need for you to
thank a Level 57 Law Enforcement Office Cleaner for doing her work adequately,”
said Fran. “Hannah is remarkably fortunate that her discretion and loyalty to
the Hive have gained her a position in a Telepath Unit. She’ll have accommodation
above the standard she’d normally be given, along with many additional
privileges.”
She didn’t give me time to
reply to that, just rapidly changed the subject. “I was disappointed to
discover that you’d excluded me from yesterday’s meeting about your training
progress.”
“I didn’t exclude you.”
“You told Megan that you
didn’t think my presence was necessary.”
It was true I’d said that
to Megan. I’d known that Fran would hate having to sit smiling through a
discussion of my telepathy. I’d thought she would be relieved to be excused the
ordeal. I hadn’t allowed for the fact that she might be glad not to be at the
meeting but still resent not being invited.
“Yes, but …” I tried to
think of a tactful answer. “I didn’t think you’d be interested in attending
since I don’t need to work telepathically with my Liaison team.”
“You don’t need to
work telepathically with your Tactical Commander either, however Lucas was
present in the meeting.” From the acid tone of her voice, Fran was obviously
aware that I spent a lot of time reading Lucas’s mind.
“If you prefer it, you can
be included in future meetings about my telepathic training.”
“I prefer to be included
in all future meetings whatever the subject,” said Fran.
I held back a groan. “Then
you will be.”
“Thank you.” Fran gave a
stiff nod, turned, and walked away.
I sighed, and headed on to
Adika’s apartment. I pressed the chime button next to his door, but there was
no response. After a second press of the chime achieved nothing, I reached out
to Adika’s mind and found him watching me on the image from the door camera.
Come in, Amber.
I gave a despairing laugh
and opened the door. I was trying to win the approval of both Fran and myself
by setting boundaries, rules for when I should or shouldn’t read minds. Megan,
Lucas, and Adika were all encouraging me to break those boundaries, by pushing
me to constantly read their thoughts.
I followed the glow of
Adika’s
together, but our first encounter had been horribly awkward. I was feeling uncomfortable
about having to read Hannah’s mind to approve her appointment. She was utterly
overawed to be in the presence of someone as critically important to the Hive
as a telepath.
Since then, I hadn’t seen Hannah
at all. Each day, I’d leave my apartment in chaos and return to find it magically
restored to perfect order. I grabbed my chance to talk to her again, hurrying
back towards her and calling her name. “Hannah!”
She guiltily swung round
to face me. “I’m sorry, Amber. I thought you were going out. I’ll come back
later.”
“No, please don’t go.” I
smiled at her. “I wanted to thank you for cleaning up my apartment. I’m afraid it
was in a dreadful state when you arrived.”
She flushed nervously. “It
was a pleasure. I love tidying up and cleaning places.”
I knew that was true. When
I was reading Hannah’s mind, I’d felt her delight in arranging things,
polishing things, and bringing out the natural beauty in rooms. I’d even been
inspired to try some cleaning myself, but my second-hand enthusiasm hadn’t survived
for more than five minutes of throwing rubbish into the waste chute.
“I was imprinted as an
office cleaner,” Hannah continued, “but working in your lovely apartment is
even more satisfying. I …”
A frosty voice interrupted
her. “Hannah, you shouldn’t be wasting the telepath’s precious time with your
chatter.”
I turned to face Fran. “I was
thanking Hannah for tidying my apartment. She’s done a wonderful job of …” I broke
off as I realized Hannah was scurrying away down the corridor.
“There’s no need for you to
thank a Level 57 Law Enforcement Office Cleaner for doing her work adequately,”
said Fran. “Hannah is remarkably fortunate that her discretion and loyalty to
the Hive have gained her a position in a Telepath Unit. She’ll have accommodation
above the standard she’d normally be given, along with many additional
privileges.”
She didn’t give me time to
reply to that, just rapidly changed the subject. “I was disappointed to
discover that you’d excluded me from yesterday’s meeting about your training
progress.”
“I didn’t exclude you.”
“You told Megan that you
didn’t think my presence was necessary.”
It was true I’d said that
to Megan. I’d known that Fran would hate having to sit smiling through a
discussion of my telepathy. I’d thought she would be relieved to be excused the
ordeal. I hadn’t allowed for the fact that she might be glad not to be at the
meeting but still resent not being invited.
“Yes, but …” I tried to
think of a tactful answer. “I didn’t think you’d be interested in attending
since I don’t need to work telepathically with my Liaison team.”
“You don’t need to
work telepathically with your Tactical Commander either, however Lucas was
present in the meeting.” From the acid tone of her voice, Fran was obviously
aware that I spent a lot of time reading Lucas’s mind.
“If you prefer it, you can
be included in future meetings about my telepathic training.”
“I prefer to be included
in all future meetings whatever the subject,” said Fran.
I held back a groan. “Then
you will be.”
“Thank you.” Fran gave a
stiff nod, turned, and walked away.
I sighed, and headed on to
Adika’s apartment. I pressed the chime button next to his door, but there was
no response. After a second press of the chime achieved nothing, I reached out
to Adika’s mind and found him watching me on the image from the door camera.
Come in, Amber.
I gave a despairing laugh
and opened the door. I was trying to win the approval of both Fran and myself
by setting boundaries, rules for when I should or shouldn’t read minds. Megan,
Lucas, and Adika were all encouraging me to break those boundaries, by pushing
me to constantly read their thoughts.
I followed the glow of
Adika’s
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