Kirk asks Tiffany's mom to save his job; Kirk's dad, Lorenz, shares his history and how he fathered daughter, grand daughter and great grand daughter. Some violence and bizarre animalistic retribution. Enjoy. Will acknowledge signed comments, public and private. Jb7
Fever Ch. 04
Kirk and Erica appeared next to his car, in the parking lot next to his office building at the State Hospital. It had been almost a week since he had been, in a sense, kidnaped by his father to assist him in taking action against one of Lorenz's grandsons who was misusing his mental powers.
"From here," he smiled at his 'passenger,' "we travel like normal people."
"Where are we?" she asked, a little shaken. "Still on Earth, I hope."
"Yes, unless we made a wrong turn someplace. Centerport, a small city in central New York. We're a few miles from Syracuse, about midway between Albany and Buffalo, ergo the name. The original Erie Canal went through the center of town, but sometime in the last century, they moved it several miles south, so we're a port without any water nearby.
"And you're just going to show up at your mother's with a stranger in tow, with no warning."
"I told you, I contacted her and told her all about you before I popped up in your room again."
"I don't care how many genes you inherited from the Cruise Commander, I've never heard of a telepath able to contact someone across country.
"Well, you're about to meet two more. Get in so we can get going." he told her, opening the car door.
"Kirk, thank God, you're okay." His mother, as much as her stomach would let her, enclosed him in her arms. "You need to call your boss right away; he's been calling every day, and sounds quite angry. I called him Monday, as you asked, but I'm afraid it didn't do much good."
"I know. A couple of times, I sort of checked in, eavesdropping on his thoughts. He's pissed because he was supposed to go to a conference in California this week and couldn't because of my sudden disappearance."
He turned to indicate Erica. "This is Erica Bowers, the woman I rescued from that rogue mentalist. My partner in the rescue will be along in a bit and then we can explain the what and how. Will you introduce her to Mary and Tiffany and the kids? I need to call Dick and see if I still have a job."
"Certainly. Welcome, Erica. We're a bit discombobulated right now. Mary and Tiffany are the other adult women in the house, both new mothers. Right now they are busy feeding the children before putting them down for the night." She led Erica upstairs to the nursery.
Kirk was on the phone. "Dick, it's Kirk; I just got back into town...I'm sorry. I wasn't able to contact anybody...yes, I was able to get a message to my mother to have her call you...it just wasn't possible to get a message to you the same way...if I told you, you wouldn't believe me...yes, the same way I get through to my patients...I'm sorry you feel that way. I'll come in and clean out my things in the morning...what do you mean, don't bother? You'll send them to me? You won't have to, I'll get them tonight...changed the keys? That's alright; it won't matter...that's what I said. I'll have my stuff out of there in an hour. I'm really sorry you're so upset, Dick; I really enjoyed working with my patients, in spite of your interference. Good-bye."
Visualizing his office, he was there in an instant. He quickly scanned the shelves and files mentally and sent what he wanted to his room at home. He heard security coming down the hall and quickly typed a message to Dick on his computer. Leaving the screen on, he exited, wondering how Dick would take his message, "Maybe now you'll believe me."
He rejoined the women, greeting Mary and Tiffany with hugs. He looked at his children, asleep in their cribs, and felt a surge of parental joy and pride. When he turned to look at the four women, he was surprised to see them all frowning. "What?" he asked.
"You just got yourself fired!" exclaimed Mary. "What are you going to do for a job?"
"He can't fire me. He can suspend me. Transfer me; even furlough me for up to a month. But, as long as Mom called in Monday and reported my absence, and that it was of indeterminate length, I'm relatively safe." He laughed. "The interesting thing is going to be his reaction to my cleaning out my office tonight, after he changed the locks."
"You didn't!" Tiffany laughed. "Kirk, someday that twisted sense of humor of yours is going to land you in some very hot water."
"That's what everyone keeps telling me. Part of the reason I brought Erica along. We are going to get her enrolled in the Parapsychology program at Princeton where she will be able to keep track of what the military is working on and their level of interest in mentalist activity around the country."
"We?" asked Meg.
"The guy who helped me rescue her from a kid who was using mentalist like powers to overcome and rape college co-eds, among other things. There is also evidence he is guilty of causing the death of a telepath..."
"Kirk?" Erica broke in. "Were you aware all of you share the Cruise Commander as a common ancestor? I suppose it is to be expected; there are nearly two million of us alive on Earth today, and we tend to stay in the areas our ancestors chose. But the racial diversity here is amazing. You and Meg are Caucasian, Tiffany is African American and Mary is Oriental, born in Asia."
"Say what?" Tiffany interjected, at the same time Mary went, "Huh?"
"I should have explained to Mom. Erica has mental powers similar to ours, plus she has the ability to 'see' which of the original cruise ship members we are descended from. Except for herself. She is only able to trace her maternal link back three generations."
He was interrupted by the doorbell. He scanned the front door. "Damn, that was quick. Dick is at the front door. You all wait here. Erica, why don't you tell them what happened to you, without naming my partner just yet."
As Erica started the tale of her adventure, Kirk went down to answer the door. "Hey, Dick, c'mon in. It didn't take you long to get here. I didn't expect you until tomorrow morning."
"What the hell is going on, Kirk? That office was still sealed when security got to it, and the power was still shut off, but your computer was up and running, with that fucking message you left."
"The power was off. Hmmh. Didn't know that. Curious. Even if I explained, you wouldn't believe it. Probably the easiest to demonstrate is the ability I use with my clients. I have the ability to read minds and communicate telepathically."
"And I'm the Secretary General of the United Nations. Who the fuck do you think you're dealing with?"