helped me use my telekinesis. I had no reason to doubt that, whoever Jack was working for, all he wanted was to understand the effects of the Medusa gene experiment and to help me and the others develop our abilities. After all, if he’d wanted to hurt me he could have done so very easily already. And the same was true of Geri.
‘So, will you keep your eyes open for any information?’ Jack hesitated. ‘I mean, I know you must feel that you’ve been really manipulated, especially with Geri weighing in like she did this evening . . .’
‘Yeah,’ I grunted.
‘Well, all I can say is that I would have handled things differently if she hadn’t been there.’ Jack cleared his throat. ‘As for Ketty, I’m not big on giving advice but, bloke to bloke, here’s what I know about girls. Only a few are the real deal. If Ketty didn’t really matter, then don’t waste time on hurt pride. With your looks I can’t imagine you’ll have any problem landing someone else. But if she is special, then fight for her. Give her a chance to cool down, then find her. Explain how you feel. If it’s meant to be, she’ll listen.’
The call ended and I fell asleep soon after, in a slightly more hopeful state of mind.
The next morning I decided Jack was right. It was Sunday, a day Ketty always went for a long run. I’d give it until the afternoon, then try and talk to her again.
Fergus hauled me up to the flat first thing and laid into me, big time. He was furious that I was using my telekinetic abilities when I’d promised I wouldn’t . . . that I’d lied to him . . . that I’d cheated in the casino last night . . . that I’d even been in a bar and casino in the first place . . . that I’d dragged Ed and Ketty into danger . . . and that I’d let Jack Linden into my life.
‘Why didn’t you come to me?’ he kept saying. ‘Why didn’t you tell me Jack had contacted you?’
I’d done as Jack had suggested and confessed everything to Fergus. Well, almost everything. I didn’t tell him about winning the money on football and – as requested – I didn’t tell him Jack and Geri knew there was a fourth teenager with the Medusa gene.
Fergus paled when I mentioned Geri’s name.
‘God, I hoped Ed had got that bit wrong,’ he muttered. ‘You must stay away from that woman, Nico. I mean, Jack Linden’s bad enough. Untrustworthy sod. He was a really bad influence on William, encouraging him to push the boundaries of his research all the time – research which William should never have got involved with. But Geri Paterson’s in a different league.’
‘How do you know?’ I asked, curious.
‘I met her once, briefly. But my brother told me about her before he died, after he realised the Medusa gene was lethal. She provided all the funds for his research. Jack was just the go-between.’
‘But where did she get the money from?’ I frowned.
‘I don’t know. But William told me the funds were pretty much unlimited and that she had a huge hold over the police. Anyway, we’re not here to talk about Geri Paterson.’
He changed the subject back to my shortcomings. I sat back in my chair and let the rest of his lecture wash over me. I was planning what I was going to say later to Ketty. Maybe if I finally told her how I felt about her, she’d understand that everything I’d done – all the lies I’d told and the money I’d managed to win – none of that was to make me look big. It had all been for her.
‘And so . . .’ Fergus sighed, ‘I feel I have no choice but to ground you from today through to the end of the Easter holidays.’
I snapped back to attention. ‘What?’ The three-week holidays were due to begin at the end of the week. That meant almost a month of staying inside the school grounds. ‘You can’t.’
‘It’s the only way for me to make sure you understand how serious what you’ve done is . . . and to keep you safe. There must be no more communication with Jack Linden and Geri
‘So, will you keep your eyes open for any information?’ Jack hesitated. ‘I mean, I know you must feel that you’ve been really manipulated, especially with Geri weighing in like she did this evening . . .’
‘Yeah,’ I grunted.
‘Well, all I can say is that I would have handled things differently if she hadn’t been there.’ Jack cleared his throat. ‘As for Ketty, I’m not big on giving advice but, bloke to bloke, here’s what I know about girls. Only a few are the real deal. If Ketty didn’t really matter, then don’t waste time on hurt pride. With your looks I can’t imagine you’ll have any problem landing someone else. But if she is special, then fight for her. Give her a chance to cool down, then find her. Explain how you feel. If it’s meant to be, she’ll listen.’
The call ended and I fell asleep soon after, in a slightly more hopeful state of mind.
The next morning I decided Jack was right. It was Sunday, a day Ketty always went for a long run. I’d give it until the afternoon, then try and talk to her again.
Fergus hauled me up to the flat first thing and laid into me, big time. He was furious that I was using my telekinetic abilities when I’d promised I wouldn’t . . . that I’d lied to him . . . that I’d cheated in the casino last night . . . that I’d even been in a bar and casino in the first place . . . that I’d dragged Ed and Ketty into danger . . . and that I’d let Jack Linden into my life.
‘Why didn’t you come to me?’ he kept saying. ‘Why didn’t you tell me Jack had contacted you?’
I’d done as Jack had suggested and confessed everything to Fergus. Well, almost everything. I didn’t tell him about winning the money on football and – as requested – I didn’t tell him Jack and Geri knew there was a fourth teenager with the Medusa gene.
Fergus paled when I mentioned Geri’s name.
‘God, I hoped Ed had got that bit wrong,’ he muttered. ‘You must stay away from that woman, Nico. I mean, Jack Linden’s bad enough. Untrustworthy sod. He was a really bad influence on William, encouraging him to push the boundaries of his research all the time – research which William should never have got involved with. But Geri Paterson’s in a different league.’
‘How do you know?’ I asked, curious.
‘I met her once, briefly. But my brother told me about her before he died, after he realised the Medusa gene was lethal. She provided all the funds for his research. Jack was just the go-between.’
‘But where did she get the money from?’ I frowned.
‘I don’t know. But William told me the funds were pretty much unlimited and that she had a huge hold over the police. Anyway, we’re not here to talk about Geri Paterson.’
He changed the subject back to my shortcomings. I sat back in my chair and let the rest of his lecture wash over me. I was planning what I was going to say later to Ketty. Maybe if I finally told her how I felt about her, she’d understand that everything I’d done – all the lies I’d told and the money I’d managed to win – none of that was to make me look big. It had all been for her.
‘And so . . .’ Fergus sighed, ‘I feel I have no choice but to ground you from today through to the end of the Easter holidays.’
I snapped back to attention. ‘What?’ The three-week holidays were due to begin at the end of the week. That meant almost a month of staying inside the school grounds. ‘You can’t.’
‘It’s the only way for me to make sure you understand how serious what you’ve done is . . . and to keep you safe. There must be no more communication with Jack Linden and Geri
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