Raga Six (A Doctor Orient Occult Novel) (13 page)

"Telepathy," Orient corrected automatically as he dropped into a nearby chair. "But will somebody please explain what’s going on around here?" He waved his hand toward the stage. "What’s all this?"
 

Argyle sat down across from him. He pulled a chair over with his foot for Sun Girl. "This, my friend, is the Black Arts Message Service. Yours truly, producer, director, and general handyman."
 

"And what is that?"
 

"It’s Argyle’s community theater project for teenaged kids," Sun Girl explained as Julian squirmed in her lap. "I came here last week looking for a part and got involved helping Argyle teach theater arts to the neighborhood Barrymores."
 

"Today while we were talking, your name came up and wham-the mystery of the disappearing doctor was solved," Argyle said.
 

"Argyle told me all about your work, Owen," Sun Girl said softly, "and how you helped him develop his talent."
 

Orient leaned back and looked from Sun Girl to Argyle.
 

The black actor had been the second potential he had found when he returned from Tibet and began his research. Argyle had the ability to translate what he learned from Orient into other areas, including his own acting profession. As a result of his experiments with Argyle, Orient discovered a great deal about the possibilities of telepathy, beyond using it for efficient communication. Argyle was an innovator and he had stimulated Orient’s own ideas.
 

"Listen, Doc," Argyle was saying, "I hope you don’t mind my busting your privacy like this. You must have had pretty good reasons for shutting down like you did."
 

Good reasons. Orient’s mind went back to Ferrari and Project Judy. It had been only a couple of months but it seemed far away. And very unimportant.
 

"I don’t know, Pilgrim." He smiled wearily as he caught himself reverting to the term he’d always used to describe his small group of telepathic seekers. "No reasons I can explain rationally. Just something I had to do."
 

Argyle nodded, his long, aristocratic face serious. "Guess every now and again it does a man good to get down there in the street and listen to what the people are saying."
 

Orient looked at Argyle. The tall actor was leaning back in his chair casually scratching his chin. "Yep," Orient agreed, "I guess I finally"—his eyes met Argyle’s-"got with it."
 

For no discernible reason, the two men simultaneously burst out laughing. Sun Girl looked from one to the other with a puzzled expression as both men tried to control the outburst, couldn’t, and finally just dissolved into hilarity. Their laughter died down, then began anew as soon as they looked at each other again.
 

"Must be some secret-society joke, like the Masons," Sun Girl commented to Julian, sending both men into a fresh wave of laughter.
 

"It’s—it’s—it’s nothing really," Argyle managed. "One of those things you can’t explain."
 

"Had to be there," Orient chuckled.
 

"Sure good to see you again, Doc," Argyle smiled after he had calmed down.
 

"Same here. But I thought you were in Hollywood adding up your grosses."
 

"Yeah, well," Argyle’s tone became serious, "it’s one thing to rake in a bundle of bread letting them take pictures of my Afro. But then it comes time to decide whether you’re gonna buy some more real estate or start paying back on your good luck."
 

Orient nodded. "I guess I know what you mean."
 

"I guess you do, Doc. So, anyway, I bought this shack and fixed it up some."
 

Orient turned around as Argyle waved his hand.
 

The room was large and cluttered with an array of folding chairs, wires, tools, sound equipment, and spotlights. The small stage at the end of the room was jammed with half-painted sets, microphones, speakers, and prop furniture.
 

"We’ve got one section in shape’—Orient turned again to see where Argyle was pointing; there was a small balcony above the entrance which held a neat row of spotlights and colored jells—"But it’s slow going. I’m trying to teach the kids how to use the equipment properly as we install it. And at the same time, I’m trying to teach them something about the creative side of it."
 

"He’s doing a wonderful job of it too," Sun Girl said, her eyes glowing with something Orient hadn’t noticed before.
 

Argyle snorted. "She’s a good press agent. But I still have hopes that by the time my next picture comes up, which is soon now, the kids will be able to handle the theater themselves."
 

"Argyle’s been trying to pressure some of his actor friends to come down here and kind of help keep the group going," Sun Girl said, frowning, "but it’s not easy."
 

"Yeah. Those hotshots don’t mind donating some tax-deductible money. But asking them for some of their free time is like pulling the caps off their teeth." Argyle shook his head. "But it’s gonna work out okay. I managed to get one or two to agree to help out."
 

"Good work," Orient congratulated.
 

"Aha—and that brings me to something else." Argyle stood up. "I’ve been doing a little dabbling in your game these days as well."
 

"My game?"
 

"I found me a potential. A budding telepath. And I just started working with him. I only hope I’m as good at it as you are, Doc."
 

"You’ll probably be better," Orient said, remembering the difficulty his students had adjusting to his austere presence.
 

"I don’t know how you missed him. He’s been living with you for a couple of months now. In fact he’s right there in front of you," Argyle grinned.
 

For a moment Orient was confused. Where had Argyle met Joker? He looked around for the flamboyant cowboy.
 

"Here, Doe," Argyle was saying. "It’s Julian."
 

Orient stared at Julian still sitting on Sun Girl’s lap. The boy was beaming at him. "I’m a telepath too," he said proudly.
 

Of course. It was obvious now. Orient recalled that every time there had been a mind contact the boy had been receptive to it. The first night dining the riot, and again today, he had verbalized or acted out the pictures. But like most adults, Orient had heard it merely as childish prattle.
 

"I told you that Julian felt pure vibrations when we first met," Sun Girl said quietly.
 

Orient nodded. He felt somewhat chagrined. He had been so preoccupied with his new life and the problem of Joker’s telepathic potential that he had completely overlooked Julian. It was fortunate that Argyle had been receptive to the boy’s talent.
 

"We’re just working on concentration right now and some simple breathing patterns." Argyle reached over and tickled Julian’s stomach. "But he’ll be handling telekinetics before he’s a year older."
 

Orient smiled as he watched Julian giggling in his mother’s lap.
 

Telekinesis was the science of imposing the energy of the mind over matter. Orient himself had taught Argyle how to fuse his will to the vibrations of inert objects and use the leverage to move those objects through space. It was the third stage of telepathic control and one of the most difficult abilities to attain.
 

"Well, Doc, what do you think?" Argyle asked.
 

Orient looked up. "I think you’re fulfilling every best hope I ever had for you, Pilgrim," he said.
 

"Thanks, Doc. Coming from you, that’s more than a compliment."
 

In the pause that followed, Orient noticed a questioning look pass between Sun Girl and Simpson. Argyle turned away, obviously uncomfortable. Orient sensed the change in vibration, but didn’t know what to say. Finally, Argyle broke the long silence.
 

Orient waited.
 

"We weren’t going to go into this scene right now but I don’t think I can hold back on you, Doe." Argyle’s brow was furrowed with concern. Orient still waited. When Argyle looked up, he saw the appeal in his friend’s eyes.
 

"Perhaps it would be better without words," Orient suggested.
 

Argyle frowned. "Right on, Doc. The damned things are too tricky to explain anything really heavy anyhow."
 

Orient closed his eyes and went receptive. He felt the tentative probe at the base of his brain as the picture lit up the darkness behind his eyelids. As the image cleared, his mind tasted the troubled quality of the message. A sense of profound joy mingled with sorrow.
 

A crystal pool surrounded by forest. The sun’s rays streamed down through the spaces between the limbs of the tall trees, sending ripples of light across the water. Sun Girl and Argyle swam lazily through the dappled pool, while Julian played at the water’s edge.
 

They were alone, supremely happy, but haunted somehow. The picture receded, leaving only the sense of melancholic solitude. Orient kept his eyes closed for a moment after the image had faded. He understood why Argyle had been troubled.
 

Sun Girl and Argyle were very much in love. He opened his eyes. Sun Girl was watching him, an anxious expression lining her small, gentle face.
 

"That’s it, Doc," Argyle whispered. "If I’d known before it happened that you were involved, maybe..."
 

Orient cut him off. "No blame, friend," he smiled. "Love’s what the whole universe is about, isn’t it?"
 

Argyle nodded glumly.
 

Orient stood up. "Listen, Pilgrim, both you and Sun Girl are very special people in my life. Your love for each other can only add to my happiness."
 

"We were in the woods," Julian said gravely.
 

Sun Girl lifted Julian off her lap and held him out to Argyle. "Would you take this superstar outside for a while?" she asked quietly. "I want to talk to Owen alone for a minute." She pushed out her lower lip in a mock pout. "I’m not weird like you two—pardon me, three-dudes. I have to use my mouth to talk.
 

"Okay, little brother," Argyle grunted as he hefted Julian. "Let’s go see what’s happening in the street."
 

"I want to go swimming, too," Julian demanded as he was carried outside. Sun Girl smiled and shook her head as she watched them leave. The smile faded when she turned back to Orient. "It wouldn’t have been any good to put off telling you, Owen," she said, her voice low.
 

"No good at all," Orient agreed.
 

"My normal reaction would have been to just pack up and leave sometime when you were out with Joker. But you deserve better than that. And so does Argyle."
 

Orient sat down next to her. "There’s no need to explain anything. From the beginning there was no contract between us. I told you that myself."
 

Sun Girl nodded, biting her lip.
 

"Once you said I needed you, and that was true. And I told you that if you stayed, you’d have to understand that I couldn’t make any commitments. And that was true. But you and Argyle have love. I know that because I felt it in a way that words could never explain."
 

Sun Girl didn’t answer.
 

"We were something else to each other," Orient went on. "We were loving friends. But nothing between us can compare to what you and Argyle have together."
 

As Sun Girl leaned over and kissed him, Orient felt the dampness on her cheek. She stood up quickly and took a deep breath. "The Sun Girl as Victorian Heroine," she muttered. "Owen, will you do me a big favor and go somewhere for a few hours until I get my stuff moved out of the apartment?" Her voice was even but she was having trouble maintaining her smile.
 

Orient stood up and put his hand on her cheek. "Happiness, Sun Girl," he said. He turned and walked out to the street.
 

Argyle and Julian were on the corner, standing at a soda fountain and drinking chocolate egg creams. Simpson’s face was still somber as Orient approached them.
 

"Okay, little pilgrim." Orient lifted Julian up and kissed him on the forehead. "You take good care of your mother, now."
 

"We’re going to Europe," Julian announced.
 

Argyle ran a hand through his thick Afro. "Got a picture due in a few weeks. An Italian Oater. Lots of shooting and hard riding. I thought I’d take Julian and Sun Girl with me." Orient put the boy down and held out his hand. "Happy trails, pardner," he grinned.
 

Both of Simpson’s hands came out to cover his. "Thanks, teach," he said, grinning back. For a moment the two men stood looking at each other. All through the time they had worked together there had always been a barrier between them, despite their ability to join minds. But Orient knew that the barrier had been erased. Today they understood each other in a way they never had before. Simply as men.
 

Their hands parted and Orient moved off uptown.
 

When he returned to the apartment he found the house empty. Joker was still out and Sun Girl’s trunk was gone. Sitting down on the couch, his eye was caught by small paper heart. There was a picture of the sun on the heart, drawn crudely with yellow crayon, and under the drawing was scrawled "love Julian." Orient put it aside and leaned back.
 

True, there hadn’t been more than a deep, loving friendship between himself and Sun Girl. But he was aware of an emotion he hadn’t known for many years.
 

He felt lonely.