Mind Over Psyche (29 page)

Yet somehow, he managed to get everything done he needed to, whether he remembered doing it or not, and no one had noticed anything unusual in his behavior. Except, it seemed, Clarissa. He'd hoped his friend, who had guided him through so much in the past, would be able to advis
e him now.

“You know, you were more help at SK-Mental,” h
e groused.

Joshua snorted. “Dr. Acker helped you. You wouldn't be here, alive, sane, married, and about to be a father, if it weren't for him. All I did was give you a Band-Aid until he came along. Dr. Malachai was right about that much. Why do you think I cho
se music?”

“You were a terrific psychologist,” he told him earnestly. “You still
could be.”

But Joshua shook his head. “I'm a musician. Want me to sing
you sane?”

He felt a sudden urge to tell him yes. He rubbed at the base of his skull. “That's not funny. You left becau
se of me.”

Joshua snorted. “Don't flatter yourself, dude. Psychology was always my backup plan. But if you need a second opinion, I can as
k my dad.”

Deryl turned back to the ride. It had started to slow down. “No, I'm handling it. I am taking my medication. It just doesn't work as well as we'd hoped. But I'm not ready to have someone cut out half
my brain.”

“It's not half; it's just a small area that's causing you problems. And you were fine for the first three years after it was essentially disconnected. It's natural to be afraid—I'd be—but you've got to think about the consequences. Do you love
Clarissa?”

Deryl closed his eyes and nodded. The only time he felt whole was with her. Reality didn't matter
. She did.

“Then think about what's best for her—and the baby,
capice
? Say, did you take care of that phon
e caller?”

About a month ago, someone had started calling their house. When Clarissa answered, he made obscene suggestions, and she'd hung up furious
and upset.

Then one evening Deryl answered, and the caller warned that he'd better protect her because he was coming. He'd felt cold terror wash over him because the voice sounded like the
Master's.

He'd mentioned the call to Joshua, but not the voice, even though he craved reassurance. If it really was the Master's voice, then this wasn't real, was it? Or was his twisted mind making an already sinister call even more
insidious?

The ride had ended and everyone was exiting. He didn't have time to get into
this now.

“They couldn't trace the call, so there wasn't much the police could do. We changed the number, and I walk her to and from the gym. Don't tell Clarissa he called me—she's worried enough as it is, and I don't want her risking
the baby.”

“Clarissa isn't like your aunt, Deryl. She's strong and healthy. She'll be a
ll right.”

“I'm not taking any chances.” In fact, he hadn't wanted to come to the carnival at all, and Clarissa had finally called her doctor to have her reassure him that it was all right for her to ride some rides. Now, as she and Sachiko hurried over to them, he couldn't help but give her an anxious smile. “Have fun?” He asked, though he really wanted to ask if she
was okay.

She knew him too well. “Yes, and I'm fine! You're such a big worrywart. Besides, I had an OB right next to me the whole time, right
Dr. Sach?”

“Absolutely!” Sachiko laughed. “Let's find something we can do
together.”

“Like the carousel—that's more Deryl
's speed!”

“I've got a better idea,” Deryl told his wife as he slipped an arm around her waist. “Let's go do the Tunnel
of Love.”

As the last chords
of Joshua's song faded, Tasmae sat up, took a long breath, and released it. “Thank you. I do feel better.”

“You look a lot better,” Joshua commented. After her fearful proclamation, Tasmae had fallen back upon the pillows, laboring to breathe and too weak even to sit up. In desperation, Joshua had tried singing to her, choosing a version of Psalm Twenty-Eight he had written some
music for.

“That's a pretty versatile talent,” Sac
hiko said.

“Yeah, but it won't do any of us any good if we can't figure out how to get
to Deryl.”

Sachiko cocked her head. “Can't you call him with your music —like yo
u did me?”

He shook his head. “Didn't work. I might have made things worse.” He glanced at Tasmae and bi
t his lip.

Sachiko rubbed his shoulders, and he leaned back against her, grateful for her strength, even if she was an
illusion.

“All right, then,” Sachiko said, thinking out loud. “Can I take you to him? Why can't I just talk to the guards, tell them you're in town visiting me and want to say ‘hi' to some folks? All our info is still in the computers; you should be able to get a visitor's pass easil
y enough.”
“What about Taz? She doesn't have any ID or records—and if we let anyone know about her, Alugiac will know
as well.”

“Don't take this wrong, but does she have
to come?”

“Yeah, the game was pretty clear ab
out that.”

“All right, we sneak in. I'm going to be so fired,” She sighed in exaggerated resignation, but when he glanced back at her, he saw the twinkle i
n her eye.

He couldn't help it; he grinned in return. “Blaze of glory, babe. So how do
we do it?”

They turned
to Tasmae.

She shook her head. “I don't know the area. The only part of SK-Mental I saw was a pink pad
ded room.”

“That's t
he place.”

“—But I only know it from Gardianju. I would most likely send us back into that time, maybe even literally, rather than into Deryl's
illusion.”

“She's right,” Sachiko affirmed. “They renovated a couple of years back. Put in new security equipment, changed the shade of the walls—still pink, but a less imposing shade. They even changed the layout some, added a couple more rooms by shrinking the existing ones. It's not the same. It's up to y
ou, love.”

“Great,” Joshua pursed his lips and let his fingers play idly over the keytar keys. “SK-Mental have a theme song I don't kn
ow about?”

“What about that song you sang for Deryl and me?” Tas
mae asked.

Joshua grimaced. “'Cure the Guy?' We'd probably end up in Randall's office—and I don't think he'd be happy t
o see us.”

“So change the words,” Tasmae responded impatiently. “This is taking too much time. We need to hurry—something's happening
to Deryl.”

“Don't rush me!” Joshua snapped back. “Remember the last time I sang the first thing off the top of my head? I didn't do my stint in high-intensity yet. I don't know it well enough t
o parody.”

“Pick something else,” Sachiko urged. “How about the grounds? Can you imagine them
at night?”

He smiled, remembering one evening he'd stayed late and on her 8:00 break, had found her in the grounds, leaning against the glass of the wall, the moon illuminating her face and bringing out the blue in her black hair. He'd gone to stand beside her, also leaning on the glass, and while they talked, had looked out at the manicured grass and the evergreens that lined the wall because if he'd looked at her then, he'd have k
issed her.

She caught the intention behind his smile. “Don't make it a romantic song,” S
he warned.

“Right.” He searched his mind and played a tune he and Rique had made up but didn't have the words for as his mind thought up so
me verses.

*

When Deryl came to himself again, he was standing alone in the elevator in damp swim trunks, a towel around
his neck.

What time is it?
he wondered. The elevator reached the eighth floor, and the doors opened. He stepped out, saw the darkened window at the end of the hall, and dashed to their apartment. Clarissa was closing that night, and he had to pi
ck her up!

When he ran into the apartment, he saw the message light blinking and pushed it as he hurried into dr
y clothes.

“Hi, honey! I hope this means you're on your way! I was going to ask you to call us a taxi—I'm bushed—but I guess I'll wait until you're here. And don't worry! Jacob is staying with me, so I'll be fine. See
you soon!”

Despite her reassuring message, he couldn't help feeling something was terribly wrong. He raced down the stairs and hailed a cab by jumping in fr
ont of it.

“What are you, crazy?” the Korean driver shouted at him as he threw himself in. Despite his heavy accent, he had plenty of rude American words for the idiot paying his fare. Still, he shut up once Deryl passed him a twenty, and he made a left at the next intersection, heading towar
d the gym.

“Go faster,” Deryl urge
d tensely.

“I get ticket, I get deported. You want go faster? Get out
and run.”

Nonetheless, they arrived quickly, and Deryl dashed out, handing the man another ten and telling him to wait. He pulled at the door, but it was locked. He looked in and saw Jacob sprawled in one corner. Deryl didn't need psychic powers to know he was dead. He pounded on the door. “
Clarissa!”

He was answered with
a scream.

“Call the police!” Deryl shouted to the taxi driver, then shoved at the door. When it refused to budge, he gave it a psychic push and the lock sheared off. Ignoring it, he r
an inside.

He heard a second scream, followed it, and found Clarissa, pinned down by large barbells while a man tore at her sweats. She struggled and screamed, and he punched her, first in the face, then in the belly. He laughed at her
whimpers.

“Get away from her!” Deryl shouted and focused
his power.

The man was thrown across the room and crashed into a rack of free weights. It rocked and crashed
over him.

IS THAT THE BEST Y
OU CAN DO?

For a moment, Deryl froze. He stared with horror as the man, the Master, rose out of the rubble. Bruises swelled and blackened his face and he spat out some teeth, but laughter bubbled out of his bl
oody lips.

“I told you to protect her,” he now said with a hu
man voice.

“You didn't believe me. Thought I couldn't get to yo
u. Fool.”

I TRAINED YOU BETTER
THAN THAT.

Deryl shook his head and stepped back. “Stay away from her,” he snarled, but he could hear the tight, desperate edge in his voice. The Master laughed and ignored him, moving again to
Clarissa.

Again using his telekinesis, he lifted the barbell with its 200 pounds of weight off Clarissa's neck and flung it at the advancing man. It struck him in the face. It had to have shattered his jaw, but the man continued to laugh, to talk, t
o advance.

“You'll have to do better than that. You'll never end this. I'll keep after you. I'll have her. Only death can
stop me.”

KILL, DERYL. KILL ME TO PROTECT YOUR WIFE. KILL ME TO SAVE
YOUR BABY.

Clarissa had managed to scoot herself back against a corner and was cowering. “Deryl?' she
whimpered.

“Stay away from her, or I'll
kill you!”

“You don't have
the guts.”

DO NOT THRE
ATEN. ACT.

Deryl rushed him, knocking him back into a wall, pummeling him with fists and feet and mind. Things swirled wildly around them, sometimes hitting him as well as his enemy, but he didn't care. It was only when he heard Clarissa's screams and the police shouts to freeze did he pull away. They grabbed and handcuffed him despite Clarissa's weak protests that he was her husband and protecting her, but he hardly noticed as he focused on the villain b
efore him.

Despite his beating, Clarissa's attacker grinned, even laughed weakly as the police checked him and called for an ambulance. His eyes bore on Deryl, at once triumphant and accusatory, and Deryl knew exactly what he was
thinking.

YOU DIDN'T FINISH, DERYL. YOU DIDN'T FOLLO
W THROUGH.

*

“That's amazing,” Sachiko said as she looked around. They'd arrived in the empty courtyard, which was dark except for a few motion-sensitive security lights that switched on in response to their arrival. “And the song was pretty g
ood, too.”

“Thanks,” Joshua said as he slung the keytar on his back. He tapped Tasmae, who had scanned the area as if for potential attackers and was now staring aghast at the dark sky with its paltry scattering of stars. She nodded that she was all right. “What time is it, do you think?” He aske
d Sachiko.

“After nine. That's when we try to clear everyone out.” She tried the door, but it wouldn't open. “That's funny. It's not supposed to be locked.” She reached in her pockets for her keys, found them empty, and shrugged at Joshua. “
What now?”

Tasmae tore her gaze from the sky and strode to the glass, unsheathing
her sword.

“No!” Joshua grabbed her arm. “You'll set off the security system. They'll know we
're here.”

“Besides, that's impact resistant glass,” Sachiko added. “You won't be able to
break it.”

“Anyway, I've got an idea. Close your eyes.” Joshua took hold of their hands, then stepped forward slowly, pulling them with him as he sang, “We'll play cloak and dagger / Standing strong and tall / We'll walk without a cut / Through this plate-gl
ass wall.”

And they we
re inside.

Sachiko turned and looked at the tall picture window behind them. “You
're good.”

“That one was easy. I love the imagery in that song.” He glanced her way, found her gazing at him a
dmiringly.

“It's one of my f
avorites.”

“Mine, too.” He could lose himself in
her smile.

“If we could get our minds back to the mission?” Tasmae urged, her exasperated tone almost a perfect imitation o
f Deryl's.

He cleared his throat and stepped back, breaking the spell. “
What now?”

Tasmae answered. “We stay together and move quickly. Sachiko, you'll go first into any intersections or around corners. Greet anyone you meet loudly enough for us to hear. Joshua, keep your instrument ready. We hide until they pass if we can; otherwise, we run toward Deryl if possible, you alter the situation with song, or we fight, in that order.
Let's go.”

They moved quickly down the corridor, taking the turns as Tasmae instructed. They met no one. Tasmae murmured nervously that it was what she would have done if she'd wanted to lead them into a trap, but Sachiko and Joshua both assured her it was normal for the time
of night.

“We can't avoid meeting someone when we get to the high-intensity ward, though,” Sachiko said as they paused in an unused office to consider their next step. “We've got about half an hour before shift change, so it may only be Danny—Kim usually makes the last check of the shift around now. If we wait too long, though, the next shift will arrive, and there'll be the usual half hour of shift change briefing and shooting the breeze. I know Kim—he's a talker. So, got an invisibil
ity song?”

“If I did, I'd have used it already. Besides, I'm not sure that would work. Would I get our clothes, too? What if it didn't apply to our stuff?” He and Sachiko grinned at each other at the thought of a disembodied keytar floating around th
e complex.

“Josh Lawson's ghost is haunting Max Security,” Sachiko sang, and the
y giggled.

Tasmae gave them both a de
adly look.

“Sorry
. Stress.”

“Shall we do this the old fashioned way? One of us distracts Danny while the other bonks him on the head?” Sachiko
suggested.

Tasmae nodded, but Joshua blanched at his fiancée's casual s
uggestion.

She shrugged. “This place isn't real, remember? Besides, he's a big braggart. Thinks he's so hot because he ‘earned' a black belt in two years. I keep offering to teach him some sparring moves—frankly, so I can show him up—but he thinks I'm flirting and cute.” She sneered with distaste. “Might do him some good to find out a belt doesn't mean a thing in a real fight unless you've got the moves to ba
ck it up.”

“There will be no fight,” Tasmae said. “I will get behind him and incapacitate him with one blow. Joshua, stay out of the way and keep an eye on the
corridor.”

“I'm hanging out with a couple of Amazons,” Joshua muttered, b
ut agreed.

They got to the nurses' station without incident and paused at the junction just before it. Sachiko peeked around the corner. “Just Danny,” She said to the others. She looked over her outfit, shrugged, and undid a button on her top. “Hope this was supposed to be my day off. No getting jealous,” She said as she readjusted her bra and pulled off her engagement ring. “This is just distracter-factor. Can you sing me
a drink?”