Indigo Incite (The Indigo Trilogy) (2 page)

Tyler
ran a hand through his tousled, floppy brown hair, disarrayed from the wind,
and took a deep breath. He had decided to spend the day communing with the
horses. Outside, the wind pounded against the side of the barn and fought a
nearby gate as the latch reverberated in squeaky rhythm, but inside, he found
peaceful sanctuary. Most of the other boys avoided the close confines of the
barn, claiming that it stank. Tyler couldn’t have disagreed more. He found the
slight odor of manure mixed with horses and hay to be peaceful and comforting.

He
couldn’t believe that he had been at BRATS for almost two and a half years. No
one was certain if the founders had tried to be intentional in their creativity
when they had ironically named their facility The Boys Rehabilitation and
Treatment School. The title had been shortened to BRATS.; and so, it followed
that each student of the school came to be referred to as a ‘Brat’.

His
favorite aspect of BRATS was the fact that it offered equine therapy. The boys
were encouraged to befriend the resident horses. His counselor had explained
that time with the horses was supposed to be healing—or something like that; he
really hadn’t paid attention. He did like horses though and was happy to escape
to the barn whenever he had the opportunity.

When he
picked up a handful of hay, MacGuyver stamped, impatiently, for his friend to
feed him. The horse eagerly accepted the proffered hay and after the snack had
been disposed of, he once again stamped his foot.

“You
still hungry, my friend?”

In
response, the black gelding sent an image of an apple to Tyler’s mind. “I love
ya, old buddy, but it’s freezing outside. There’s no way I’m going back up to
the kitchen to fetch you an apple.”

Another
image popped into his head; this time, he envisioned a small bucket of apples
in the corner of the barn. “Oh, yeah? Someone must have brought that in since
yesterday. Let me see if I can find it.”

It took
only a minute to locate the metal bucket of red apples. He found it in the back
corner, beside a shovel. He selected the largest McIntosh off the top and took
it back to his friend, who promptly gobbled it up.

When the
gelding’s appetite had been satisfied, Tyler selected a brush and opened the
stall door. He gently caressed the horse with the brush, and then took extra
care to lightly massage each leg. Spoken words were unnecessary as the two
settled in to their comfortable, weekly routine.

After
some time had passed, Tyler’s thoughts drifted to the horse.
I’m worried
about my brother.
He usually chats with me every night, and I haven’t
heard from him in three days. I’ve tried to contact him, but he hasn’t
responded
.

The
horse seemed to sense Tyler’s concern and gently nudged his arm with his head.

I
know I shouldn’t worry. It’s just frustrating not knowing what’s going on.
Toby’s always been the one to have a sense of what’s going to happen. I wish I
could see the future like he can
.

His
thought was answered, not by the horse, but by Toby.
Who’s your friend
?
his brother mentally asked. Even with the distance that separated them, they
still possessed the ability to telepathically communicate.

Tyler
smiled.
Hey, brother! I was just talking about you. This is MacGuyver. Since
you haven’t been in touch lately, I had to have someone to talk to. Where have
you been? I’ve been worried
.

It’s
a long, weird story. These people came to the house a few days ago to talk to
Cybil. They told her that I had a full ride scholarship to attend a residential
gifted school, in Scottsdale. Of course, she immediately took them up on their
offer, and I was told to pack a bag. Then they whisked me away.

You’re
going to a gifted school?...Really
?

Toby
laughed.
Hardly! I wish that were the truth!

So
where did they take you? Where are you?

I
don’t know. We drove a couple of hours south, but after that, I don’t know what
happened. They gave me something to drink, and it must have been drugged. When
I woke up, I was inside a building with no windows
.

What?
That makes no sense! Why would anyone want to kidnap you? Who are these people?

They
want to track down kids with special gifts. That’s what I’ve gathered from one
of my captors. At first, I tried to read his thoughts so I could find out what
he was up to, but he caught on and started to block me out of his mind. It
turns out, he’s just like us, and he could hear my thoughts, too
.

He
gave me a list of names
, Toby continued.
He explained that they were the names of other kids,
under surveillance, who potentially had unique gifts. He asked me to look at
the list and use my ability to “sense” if any of them should be brought in,
like I was.

You
didn’t help him, did you
?

I did
. Toby sounded ashamed.
I didn’t
want to. I held the list in my hands and looked at it. There must have been
about fifty names on the list. I kept telling myself that I wasn’t going to
tell him. I wasn’t going to help him, but as I looked at the list, there were
certain names that popped out. I found myself saying the names out loud before
I could stop myself.

So
what happens now?

You’ve
got to figure out how to get me out of here—before they come after you.

They’re
coming after me, too?

Yeah
and soon. They know that you’re just like me, and they want you
.

Tyler
was speechless. Toby’s story made no sense.
How am I supposed to rescue you
if you don’t have a clue where you are? I want to help, but I don’t know where
to begin.

I
know. That’s the tricky part, and the problem is, you can’t go to the police.
Whoever these people are, they’re powerful and they have connections. They’ve
covered all of the bases. They have a gifted school, in Scottsdale, with real
students. It’s totally legit. And right now, someone is on their way to the
Smiths' house to inform them that I have run away
.

Oh…so,
where does that leave us?

Let
me think on it. I’ve seen the future. As soon as Cybil and Kirby get the news
that I ran away, they’re going to pick you up and bring you home.

Ugh!
No!

No,
it’s okay. It’s a good thing. If you’re at their house, it will be easier for you
to get away.

Where
am I supposed to go
?

I’m
not sure yet, but I’m working on it. You have to get away before these guys
come for you. You have to find the other people I identified on that list. I
think they’re the only ones who will be able to help.

How
many others are we talking about? Do you know where they are? Do you remember
their names?

I
remember. There were four—four others. I don’t want you to write the names
down, though. If they find you, they’ll find the list, and they’ll know that I
was able to contact you. I’ll give you the first name so that you can meet him.
Hang in there. If I’m able to contact him, I’ll arrange a meeting for you
.

Tyler
couldn’t believe that this was real. It seemed like some bizarre dream that he
expected to wake up from, any minute. But somehow, it was real, and he was
prepared to do whatever it took, to get his brother back.
All right
,
Tyler thought,
what’s his name
?

Eddie
, Toby replied.
Eddie Espinoza
.

The snow
covered the tops of Eddie’s boots when he stepped out of his Jeep. It was light
and fluffy and floated in swirls as he walked toward the Northern Arizona
University science building. He was only eighteen but already a sophomore in
college. He had graduated from high school a year early and received a
four-year scholarship to the university, where he was preparing to go to
graduate school, to study quantum physics. There wasn’t a whole lot that Eddie
could learn from his classes that he didn’t already know, so he had convinced
his physics professor to sponsor him in an independent research project of
quantum physics. He had written a proposal for his study, and other than an
occasional check-in with his professor, he was basically left on his own to
continue his research.

The
small Volkswagen, parked near the entrance of the building, belonged to his
friend Jenna, who, no doubt, was already waiting for him in the physics lab. In
her junior year, she was also working on an independent research project. They
often made plans to meet at the lab, so they could toss ideas back and forth.
Eddie suspected that her interest in meeting him went beyond the academic. The
way she looked at him and would “accidentally” brush her hand across his left
little doubt of her interest.

Her back
was turned to the door when he entered. She wore tight, curve-flattering jeans,
and he couldn’t help but notice the shapeliness of her figure as she wiggled
slightly back and forth with a mirror in hand. Two other mirrors were on a
table propped up and facing each other, about six inches apart. A lamp was
angled to shine down on a small object between the two mirrors.

With a
smile in his voice, he said, “Are we having fun, yet?”

She
turned to him with a grin. “Hey,
buuudy
! I was hoping you’d show up. I
could use a hand for a few minutes, if you’ve got time.”

Her
gorgeous smile was contagious, and even though he was anxious to start his own
project so he could make it home in time for Abby’s party, he couldn’t say no.
“Sure. Just for a little bit, though. Today’s my baby sister’s birthday, so I
have to get out of here a little early.”

“Oh
yeah? How old is she?”

“Eleven.”

“I don’t
know how to break it to you, my friend, but your little sister isn’t exactly a
baby anymore.”

“Tell me
about it.”

He took
off his winter jacket and hat and ran a hand through his short, tousled black
hair. “So where do we begin?” He mischievously rubbed his hands together in
preparation.

“I’m
working to prove the theory of parallel universes by using the reflection of
photons. I’ve been working on it for a week. I’m just trying to figure out
where to go from here.”

Eddie
wondered if a girl so beautiful was actually interested in him or if it was his
imagination. Other than the black rimmed eye glasses he always wore, he didn’t
fit the stereotypical appearance of a quantum physics major. He supposed that
he could be considered good looking. His broad forehead, high cheekbones, and
large, crystal brown eyes were a combination of his Native American and Mexican
heritage.

She had
laid out several research books, and while she flipped through the pages of
one, she unconsciously twirled a strand of long blonde hair that had escaped
its ponytail.

“Well,
you’re on the right track with the mirrors,” he said. “That helps to prove the
theory of infinity. The next step you need to work on is to prove that the
electron can be in two separate universes at the same time. Once you get that
figured out, you’ll be on the right track.”

Jenna
looked at him with raised eyebrows and tucked the strand of loose hair behind
her ear. “It sounds like you’ve done this before.”

“Oh, I
have. I was fourteen.”

“
Fourteen
?
You certainly didn’t waste any time, did you? All of the fourteen-year-old boys
that I knew were busy figuring out the theory of the best way to score with a
girl. You probably had that figured out by the time you were eight, right?”

“Not
exactly. I definitely chased after a girl or two when I was in high school, but
I wasn’t exactly head of the football team or anything. Most girls weren’t too
interested in the president of the physics club.”

She
smiled. “Well, I don’t know why. Those girls didn’t know what they were
missing.”

“Oh
yeah? You dated a lot of science nerds, did you?”

Jenna
paused for a moment. “Well, not exactly. Though deep down, I was a science nerd
myself. I just didn’t announce it to the world. I had two older brothers who
were both varsity quarterbacks. By the time I got to high school, my brothers
had graduated, but my name was already known because of them. It didn’t take
much to become the cheerleading captain. I was very talented at cheerleading,
don’t get me wrong, but popularity will get you a long way in high school.”

“And so
naturally you dated the quarterback. You were probably the prom queen and no
doubt the class president as well.”

“Well,
yes…and yes, but I wasn’t the class president.”

He
laughed. “Oh, well in that case, forgive me for assuming.”

“I was
the vice president,” she added, with a meek smile.

He
chuckled. “How silly of me to assume. How did you ever end up here?” He
indicated the science lab around them. “Not exactly a place one would expect to
find the cheerleading captain. Forgive me for being presumptuous.”

“Don’t
worry about it. I know what you mean. Like I said, deep down I was a science
geek. While I was busy going to cheerleading practice after school, during
school I was acing all of the science and math classes I could take. I just
didn’t advertise it.

“Looking
back on it now, I would have done things differently,” she continued. “I had
nothing in common with my quarterback boyfriend, and my lab partner in
chemistry was one of my best friends. He was pretty cute, too, but I never gave
him the time of day, even though I’m pretty sure he had a crush on me. If I
could go back and do things differently, I would. These days I know exactly
what I want and I’m not afraid to say so.” She looked at him with a twinkle in
her eyes.

Eddie
caught the slight innuendo, and even though she presented the perfect
opportunity to advance their friendship to the next level, he didn’t pursue it.
A relationship would only get in the way of his research. He would have plenty
of time for dating, in the future. Perhaps after the semester was over, he
would ask her out. Instead, he turned the subject back to her parallel universe
study.

Time
flew by easily as they laughed and chatted and occasionally remembered to work.
Jenna’s laugh made him smile.
Yeah, when this semester is over
, he
thought,
I really need to ask her out
. He glanced at the clock and was
shocked to realize the time. “We’ve been here for two hours? I need to get
going, pretty soon.”

Jenna
followed his gaze to the clock on the wall. “We haven’t accomplished much
today, have we?”

“No, not
really.” He picked up his gray and black, knit hat and casually played with the
dangling tassel. “It’s all good. Sometimes the best work comes from just
formulating thoughts. The next time I come to the lab, I’ll be ready to rock
and roll.”

“Oh? You
formulated a lot of thoughts today, did you?”

He
tapped his head. “There’s a lot more that goes on in here than you’d ever
believe. Sometimes it’s scary.”

At this,
Jenna laughed out loud. “Scary, huh?”

“Mmm…unbelievably.
I should get going. I don’t want to be late for my sister’s party. According to
the forecast, the snow’s supposed to continue to fall, and the roads are
probably going to get nasty. You might want to get home before the roads get
too bad. Can I walk you out?”

Jenna
hopped down from the table and looked at the mirrors and other objects
scattered about. “Sure. I don’t think I’ll be getting much more done here today
anyway. Like you said, I need to formulate my thoughts.” She smiled sweetly.
“Just give me a minute to put this away and I’ll walk out with you.”

*****

“Come on
Eddie! Give it a swing!” his father called. “I can’t stand here all day. My
arm’s going to fall off and I’m freezing. Get this thing open so we can get
inside! One good swing, that’s all we need.”

“Yeah!
Come on, Eddie. You can do it!” his sister encouraged.

As a
crowd of giggling girls gathered around, Abby handed him the bat.

“All right,
stand back, girls.” He pushed his black glasses firmly in place and swung the
bat a few times in preparation.

One
quick, hard swing at the piñata was all it took; suddenly, the girls swarmed
his feet. They laughed as they dug through the snow in search of lost candy.
His dad stood by to watch over the clean-up, and Eddie turned to his
grandmother, who was huddled and shivering, in a snow parka.

“Hey,
Grandma, want to go inside? I’ll make you a cup of tea.” He held the door open
for her.

She
smiled and patted his arm. “What a treat. Thank you.”

With a
warm cup of tea in hand, his grandmother sat at the rustic wood table in the
kitchen and observed him. “You seem tired. Is everything all right?”

“Yeah,
I’m fine. I just haven’t gotten a lot of sleep the last few nights. I’ve had
these dreams, really vivid dreams. Each night it’s the same, and as soon as
it’s over, I wake up and can’t stop thinking about it.”

His
grandmother sat in silent contemplation and sipped her tea. “You know, our
people have always accredited vivid dreams to prophecy. The elders, your
great-grandmother included, used to say that if we listen to our dreams, we
will meet our destinies.”

“And if
we don’t listen to our dreams? Then what happens?”

“Well,
it is said that if we fail to receive the message that is brought to us, we
will either continue to receive the message through other aspects of our life
or we may miss the opportunity to learn altogether.”

“Learn
what?”

“That
all depends. What is your dream telling you?”

“It’s
about a boy, a teenage boy, who I’ve never met. He keeps telling me that I need
to meet him somewhere, that I need to help him.”

“And
where does he want you to meet him?”

“I don’t
know. I never asked. I keep waking up before I can get that far. It just seems
so real. I don’t know how to explain it. I’ve had vivid dreams before, but
never anything like this. When I wake up, I can’t stop thinking about the kid.
It’s like, if I don’t help him, something bad is going to happen, and I can’t
stop thinking about it. Silly, huh?”

His
grandmother slowly sipped her tea. “My boy, nothing you have ever said or done
has ever been for nothing. I have no doubt that if this dream seems serious to
you, then it probably is. If you have the same dream again, I would suggest you
focus on it instead of push it away.”

“But how
can I have control over what I do in my dreams?”

“Even
when you are asleep, you are always aware. Dreaming is just another state of
alertness, of consciousness. Stay with your dream, remember who you are and why
you are, and you’ll learn what you need to learn.” She smiled and patted his
hand. Her own hand was weathered and wrinkled, strong and warm. It held
kindness and years of wisdom, and as she touched him, he felt assured that if
he had the same dream again, he would pay attention.

*****

A family
of wild turkeys startled him when they squawked and thundered out from behind a
tree. Large wings flapped, and they half-ran, half-flew across the path and
were gone from sight just as quickly as they had appeared.

“A
little jumpy, aren’t you?” came a familiar voice off to his right.

The sun
had almost set below the horizon, and it took a moment for Eddie to focus on
the dark forest. Then he spotted him. He was tall and lanky, with shaggy brown
hair that hung below his eyebrows and over his ears.

“I’ve
been waiting for you to return,” the familiar stranger said. “I hoped you’d be
here. Did you think about what I said last time?”

“Um…you’re
going to have to remind me. My memory’s a little foggy. You wanted me to help
you with something?”

“Not
just me. You’d be helping yourself, my brother, and the others.”

“Others?
What others?”

“The
others like us, with special abilities. If you don’t help, we’ll all be in
trouble, including you.”

They
walked side-by-side, along the path. The snow continued to fall in hushed
whispers, around them.

This was
where Eddie’s dream had always ended, but from somewhere deep inside, he heard
his grandmother’s voice tell him to stay with it and hear the message. “What do
you want me to do?”

The
stranger stopped and turned to him.

“I need
you to find my brother. Find him and then the two of you need to find the
others, before it’s too late. They’re going to come after you. You don’t have a
lot of time.”