Seeing Black (29 page)

“No. Get out.”

“Read it. You wrote it.”

“If you don’t get out of here right now, I’ll
scream.”

“Shhh.” He took a cautious step towards her. “Read
this. Please. It’ll explain everything.” She stared at him for a
moment and then reached for the notebook but didn’t open it. “Where
are you, Jill?”

Jill looked at him, confused. “I’m at my ho—” But
she stopped and looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings. Her
heart began to pound. “Where? What?”

“Breathe, Jill. This happens every time.”

“Every time? What are you talking about?” She backed
herself against the wall, in the midst of a full-blown panic
attack.

“If you read your own words from your own
handwriting, you’ll understand. Please.” He carefully reached
forward and took her hand in his and pulled her towards the bed so
she could sit. “Just read it.”

Slowly, Jill ran her hands along the leather and
noticed the embossed PB initials. Then she opened it and began to
read. She looked at Paul a few times, gasped a few times, and tears
ran down her face the entire time. Twenty minutes later, she closed
the notebook. She opened her mouth to speak but closed it again. “I
know that you’re confused, and I wish I could do something,
anything, to make this easier on you, but you have to believe me.”
Jill nodded. It was a hazy, far-away memory, but she did indeed
remember.

“How’d you get in here?”

“Remember, Jill. I’ve told you. Try to remember.
Getting in isn’t easy. This is a fortress. There are cameras and
security guards everywhere. So, when I was lucky enough to find
Rocco here, one of his dozen homes—some of which are not under his
name—then I had to figure out how to get through the obstacle
course of this house.”

“But how?”

“I’ve been following Rocco and Josef my entire life.
Still, I didn’t know about this house until a week before I saw
you. It took me following him for months and months to find this
place. It took a lot of research and patience. Finally, I found
them one day when Rocco‘s bodyguard was careless and didn’t switch
cars. I saw them pull into this house. Then it took me an entire
week, working day and night, calling in favors of all kinds to
figure out the security and the plans of the house. I have some
friends that I’ve had to call in to help me with the security
system. Getting to you daily is not something that happens on a
whim. I had to figure out how to cut the line of the security
system that leads to your room, and then I have to restore it when
I leave. It hasn’t been easy.” Paul reached up and put a stray curl
behind her ear. “But it’s been worth it. Seeing you alive that
first morning, Jill . . . God, it was so worth it.

The memories were slowly coming back.

“So all those questions you were constantly asking
me?”

“What?”

“I was just remembering those times when we were
dating. You were always asking me questions.”

“Yes, about your parents?” She nodded. “I wanted to
know exactly what you knew. I had to make sure you weren’t in
danger, and I just couldn’t come out and ask you, ‘Hey, I’ve been
following you all these years, and I know you’re psychic and that
your dad is an evil, evil man. Do you know he killed a bunch of
people in a big drug bust and experimented with kids for years. Oh,
and by the way you want to go on a second date?’ See, there’s not
really a good way of asking.”

She let out a snort. “Yeah, I guess that would’ve
been strange.” After a moment, she looked up at him. “So you’re
kind of like a stalker.”

“How about we say that I’ve been your secret
bodyguard.”

“That’s what a stalker would say,” Jill said.

“I’m sticking with bodyguard.” Paul winked.

“No. I think lurker or stalker is more up your
alley. At least this explains your creepiness.”

“Creepiness?”

“Yeah, I always got a weird, creepy vibe from
you.”

“But you didn’t exactly run, Jill. Jesus, you went
away to a deserted cabin with me.”

“I know. What does that say about me? I guess I’m
kind of fucked up too.”

“I wouldn’t say that, but you are too trusting, and
that worries me.”

“Paul.” She took a deep breath. “I . . . I
still—”

“Don’t trust me?” She bobbed her head and gave him a
regretful look. “I don’t blame you. I dropped quite a bomb on you,
and I have been lying to you for the better part of a year, but you
have to believe me, Jill. I did it to protect you. I swear it. You
just can’t remember all the times I’ve been here in the last month
and all the things I’ve told you.”

“You manipulated me into thinking you had feelings
for me just to protect me. I don’t think my mother would have
approved of that kind of ploy in your attempt to thank her for
helping you all those years ago.”

“Jillian, I didn’t lie when I told you how I felt
about you. I didn’t do all of this for your mother. I will admit it
started that way, but that ended years ago. It was about you. This
is going to sound creepy,” he winked, “but my feelings for you
began so many years ago. It killed me to see you with other guys. I
wasn’t around you twenty-four seven or anything. Sometimes I only
checked up on you every few months, sometimes less than that, until
recently, when I found out that Rocco knew of your existence. Then,
yes, I did want you near me, but not just because of Rocco. I love
you, Jill. I know you don’t love me, but it doesn’t matter because
I love you, and you don’t have to say it back to me, but I do. I
would risk anything to protect you. Look, I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Paul,” she whispered. Her heart fluttered.

“I know. I know. You’re in love with Alexander. I
get it. I know. I was around when you’d dated other men, and I see
the way you’re different with him. I can’t compete with that. I
wish you’d look at me the way you look at him, but I know you
don’t. That doesn’t make me love you less, and I will not quit
until I get you out of here.”

Speechless, all she could do was nod.

“I have to go, Jillian. Remember to write all this
down and don’t take any meds. The faster you remember, the faster I
can get you out of here.”

“Paul . . .” He turned around to face her. “Thank
you for everything.”

He stopped before walking out. “I know you still
don’t trust me, but you will. I promise that I will get you out of
here.” He was gone before she had a chance to say anything. She sat
on her bed and began looking through the notebook. The last journal
entry, just the evening before, alarmed her.

“Fuck!” Jill whispered. How was she going to
remember to warn Paul that his life was in danger if she couldn’t
remember him when he came into the window. She remembered her
vision and that he’d die saving her. She had to warn him; she just
didn’t know how.

***

The room was still dark. It must have been in the
middle of the night when a pair of strong arms lifted her off her
bed. Her eyes jolted open. An unfamiliar ogre-looking man carried
her out the room. “What? Who?” Jill shook her head. “Who are you.
Let me go!”

“Good morning, dear,” It was Rocco’s voice. “Or
should I say good evening.”

“What are you doing, Rocco. What time is it?”

“It’s a quarter to five in the morning. I have a
little surprise for you.”

“Let go of me.” The man just tightened his grip as
Jillian fought her release. Rocco continued to speak as the three
walked—well, two walked, and she was carried—to the laboratory.

“Don’t you know how special you are? Josef and I
searched high and low for others like us, and the only one I found
has been you. There are over six billion people on this Earth. I’m
sure there are other psychics, but we’ve only found you. We have to
stick together.”

Jill shook. She wasn’t at all sure what was
happening. “Yes, but you manipulated me into staying.” She probably
shouldn’t have let on that she knew, but she was scared, and it was
the first thing that came out of her mouth.

“I did no such thing. You are free to leave at any
time.”

“Liar!” She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Rocco glanced at Josef, who had been standing by the
gurney waiting for them. There was just the slightest nod from
Rocco to Josef, barely noticeable, but Jill noticed.

“What? No! What are you are doing?”

“Darlin’, this is for your own good. You’re just
confused.”

Jill moved backwards, away from the two men. “Of
course I’m fucking confused. You’ve been fucking with my head. I
just want to leave. Please. I’ll help you, but I want to go home.
Something’s wrong with Alexander. I need to see him. Please.”

“You’re free to go. I’ve told you this.”

She took a moment to think about it. “I can’t and
you know it. I can’t leave this place. I swear I’ll come back. Let
me just go see him. Something’s wrong. Please.”

Suddenly, Josef was next to her. She didn’t know how
he got there so fast, but there he was. Rocco walked towards her in
slow but deliberate movements, and the Ogre-Man grabbed her hands
behind her. She looked side to side, frantically. “What . . .
W-what are you—?” Then there was blackness.

***

When she awoke, she was still in the lab, but she was
strapped to the gurney and couldn’t move. It took her eyes a few
moments to adjust. She was lightheaded and slightly confused. Rocco
and Josef stood a few feet away talking. Ogre-man was gone. She
opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

From the corner of her eye, she saw movement. She
squinted but couldn’t quite make out what it was she was seeing.
She tried to breathe and stop the panic that was building and
building.

“You’re awake, dear. Lovely.” He smiled at her, but
she recoiled. “I’m sorry. You left me no choice but to tie you up.
You were hysterical, and we were very worried. Are you ready to
cooperate now?”

When she didn’t answer, Rocco yanked the large
syringe from Josef’s grip and stepped closer to her. “Why can’t you
just understand that we must stick together. You’re my daughter.
You have a talent that no one else has. We are better than other
people. That Jacobs boy will never understand or put up with your
visions. Maybe if you could learn to control them. You were doing
well, but not well enough, and it’s taking too long. Don’t you want
to know how to control them? That’s what you want, right?” Her wide
eyes just stared at him. “Say something.”

“This is my surprise? You drugging me?”

“No. We are speeding things up for you. It’s for
your own good. You’ll thank us.”

For a few moments, she couldn’t say anything. She
opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out at first. She tried
again. “I don’t want to be anything like you!” she spat out. “You
are an evil old man who wants to destroy me.”

“That is completely untrue. Do you know how
wonderful the world would be if people knew what others were
thinking. Imagine a world where people were empathetic towards
others. It would end wars and famine. People would be globally
conscious.”

“But I’m clairvoyant, not telepathic. We aren’t some
sort of super human. We’re glorified tarot card readers. Yes, we
can sometimes see the future, but we aren’t different from other
people. We aren’t special. Anyway, I know enough about you two to
know that you wouldn’t use whatever it is you learn about me to end
famines! You’d use it to sell it to the highest bidder, most likely
terrorists, someone who’d use it nefariously. Millions of dollars
in research later, and you’ve discovered nothing! Some people have
higher intelligence; some can run faster. We can see the future
sometimes. Big fucking deal! We aren’t special.”

Josef slammed his fists on the table. “To hell we’re
not. We are special. We are better than the rest of the human race.
You are special, and your children will be special and their
children. I will make sure that the next generation can read other
people’s minds. Being psychic is only the beginning. Telepathy is
where we will really be above the human race. We will change the
world.”

She moved her head to look at her father. “Listen to
him, Rocco. Your brother’s crazy.” She then moved her eyes down to
look at Josef. “You sound like a mad scientist in a sci-fi movie.
This is crazy. I should’ve listened to everyone.” She looked back
at Rocco. “You don’t love me! You didn’t want to get to know me.
You were using me for your crazy experiments.”

Rocco went to place his hand on her shoulder, and
she screamed. “No! Don’t touch me! When you touch me, I forget
things.”

Rocco touched her anyway. “That’s where you’re
wrong. I thought I could teach you and you would feel the same way
that I do, but now I see that you refuse. You’re stubborn and
blind. You can’t see how special you are, more than I could ever
be. The mere fact that you can bear children and continue our gene
pool makes you special.”

From the corner of her eye, she saw movement again;
instinctively, her eye wandered, and Rocco’s face turned. “What are
you looking at, child?”

“N-nothing. Just thinking about your crazy,
fucked-up world-domination plan.”

Josef’s head fell back, and he roared out a laugh.
“I’m trying to make the world a better place, not dominate it.”

“You really think that’s true? So if you did,
somehow, hit a breakthrough in your psychic warfare bullshit, and
you were offered millions for the research, you’re telling me you
wouldn’t sell it?”

“The kind of things we are researching wouldn’t be
sold for millions, darlin’. We’re talking about billions upon
billions. We are changing everything, the ways wars are fought, for
Christ’s sake.”

“So you would sell it.” She snorted. “It’s about
money.”

“Everything has a price.”

“Yeah, even your own daughter.”

“Yes, darlin’, even my own stubborn daughter.”
Without hesitation, he nodded at Josef, who pierced Jill’s skin
with the needle he’d been holding. Jill screamed, both in pain and
in shock. The next moment there was a scuffle, and the syringe fell
to the floor.