The Unlocked (Charlie Hartley Series Book 1) (3 page)

“Charlie doesn’t even flinch when I apply pressure on it,
though a gash like this should still sting.” Doc Wipperman advised her to apply
the usual antibacterial cream and allow nature to heal it.

 “Now, it’s time for the old man’s treat. The real
reason I’m here is for your mom’s yummy oat bars.” The three of them laughed
and sat down to partake of Sarah’s special health bars.

Charlie enjoyed the rest of the day, although still
concerned about the strange injury that had suddenly appeared.

Could it have a connection with the dreams I've been
having?
Charlie thought. She looked back at the string of strange images
she’d had since she was young, where she would see herself in unfamiliar
places. By late afternoon, Charlie found herself researching recurring dreams.
Most articles she found suggested that dreaming about another self was a sign
of an identity crisis, which confused the young girl. She tossed and turned in
bed that evening, trying to understand what her dreams meant. When sleep
finally reached her, she found herself in the same room she had been dreaming
about.

In the dream, Charlie was in a Spartan room where everything
was immaculate white, from sheets to blinds, from bed to table, from ceiling to
floor. She felt anxious about a knock on the door she knew would come, but the
dream always ended before she opened it.

This time though, the dream had a strange twist added to it.
Charlie responded to someone knocking on the door, only to be shocked out of
her wits to find the person knocking was herself.

After an hour of tossing and turning, sleep playing an
elusive game, Charlie got up and hit the shower. She was downstairs by five
thirty.

By the time Carl and Sarah came down at six, a breakfast of
crisp bacon strips, scrambled eggs, yogurt, apple slices and buttered toast
were neatly laid out on their plates. Brewed coffee and freshly squeezed orange
juice completed Chef Charlie’s preparation.

Carl was ecstatic. “Breakfast deluxe courtesy of our
Princess!”

Sarah was more suspicious and asked, “Why are you up earlier
than usual, Charlene Hartley?”

Charlie minced no words, “Mom, Dad, you won’t believe this!
It’s the weirdest dream I’ve ever had and the odd part is that everything is
crystal clear in my memory, like it actually happened. When I woke up, the
faint scent of antiseptic still lingered in my nostrils.”

Sarah listened intently to her daughter as she recounted the
dream. Her attention was especially caught by the fact that Charlie saw herself
when she opened the door. “What a dream, I must admit.”

Sarah looked at her husband, waiting for his opinion.
“That’s an interesting nocturnal encounter. But I wouldn’t give it a second
thought though. Charlie, you’ve been stressed with a number of things related
to your powers these past days. You really need a break.”

Carl buried his face in the morning paper, but the concerned
look did not escape Sarah.

When Charlie went upstairs, Sarah took the chance. “What’s
the matter, Hon?”

Carl smiled but said nothing. In the back of his mind, the
image of two car seats jumped at him. “I would have seen the other child if it
had been there,” he reminded himself for the thousandth time.

Waiting patiently wasn’t Charlie’s virtue. She was a
stickler for time and got jumpy when people showed up late. So when her parents
arrived an hour late for dinner, they already knew their daughter would rush
them, chattering more quickly than usual as if trying to catch up on lost time,
rubbing her chin with her right hand while engaging them in conversation. 
Carl thought Charlie a bit odd this evening, but he was a wise man not to say
anything.

After dinner, Charlie put some popcorn in the microwave and
they all went to the family room where Carl watched the Philadelphia Phillies
play against the Detroit Dodgers. At the fifth inning, in between mouthfuls of
popcorn, Carl handed his daughter an envelope. “Hey, Princess, guess what we
got for your eighteenth birthday.”

The envelope yielded three tickets to the Red Sox/Yankee
game in Boston. “Aww, Dad, this is so cool! I’ve never been to a live game
ever!”

Carl was pleased with the expression on his daughter’s face.
“Your mom and I figured it would give us an excuse to take you to Boston so we
could visit Harvard before school starts.”

Sarah gleefully added, “We saved enough for a couple of
nights’ stay at the Fenway Park Hotel as well. “

Charlie jumped up and down then pranced around the room like
a kid, squealing in delight. “You’d make a fine cheerleader with that dance
bit, Princess,” Sarah teased as she set some glasses and a pitcher of lemonade
on the center table.

“I can’t wait till then! You and dad sure know the way to my
heart. I love you guys!”

A week later, the Hartley’s opted for the four hour scenic
drive to Boston. They drove through Middletown where Wesleyan University
regaled them with its sprawling 360-acre campus and well-maintained structures
from the early 1800s. Charlie thought being surrounded by old buildings was
like stepping back in time.

“I imagine you’ll enjoy Harvard even more,” Carl suggested.

Sarah added, “Founded in the 1600s, it’s the country’s
oldest institution of higher learning. The grounds and buildings are
breathtaking.”

“It’s amazing when you think about all the students who
walked the halls and sat in those classrooms hundreds of years ago,” Charlie
mused. “I wonder how much energy people who’ve come and gone leave behind.
Could their energy contribute to the brilliant minds that continue to evolve in
such places?” Her parents thought it was likely though none of them really
knew.

Carl and Sarah took turns at the wheel and reminded Charlie she
would have to drive on the way back. “We’ll take I-90 on the way home so you’ll
be able to drive all the way, Princess.”

“Sure, Dad. Taking the freeway is just a little over half
the time it is taking us now, so I don’t really mind.”

The drive was uneventful. Verdant foliage and pretty scenery
filled their senses with nature’s colors. Avoiding the freeway allowed them to
better appreciate how beautiful and relaxing America’s back roads were.

At Sarah’s suggestion, they drove to Concord and stopped by
Walden Pond State Reservation. As part of the Massachusetts Forests and Parks
system, visitors flocked to the protected open space and experienced the pond
that inspired writer Henry David Thoreau.

The Hartley’s stretched their legs and joined the guided walks
before they sat down to enjoy the cold chicken sandwiches and potato salad
Charlie had prepared and packed in the cooler that morning before they left.

As Carl cruised the car through the heart of Boston's
Kenmore Square, the Boston Hotel Buckminster straddling the triangular
intersection of Beacon Street and Brookline Avenue, came into view. Once the
largest structure in the area, the turn-of-the-twentieth-century hotel awed the
Hartley’s with its well-appointed guest rooms and facilities.

Sarah was more than impressed. “It’s clean, reasonably
priced and strategically located.”

“You sound like a commercial, Mom,” Charlie made fun of her
mother. They all laughed at the accuracy of the statement.

The room was more spacious than expected.  Charlie was
delighted. “I am happily surprised we have a living room area, which is great
for three people staying for forty eight hours!”

Carl quipped, “Yes, Princess, we’ve got enough space to get
in each other’s way without killing each other.” Mother and daughter laughed.

The next morning was Charlie’s birthday.  A whole day’s
celebration awaited the eighteen year old. The family decided on breakfast at
Fenmore Grill, which was on the ground floor of the hotel.  As they waited
for the elevator, Charlie said, “I like that the hallways are a bit narrow.
Feels like being in a fun maze, sort of like I’m Alice in Wonderland.” Sarah
and Carl smiled at the comparison, recalling how Charlie as an adolescent liked
passageways and labyrinths.

The breakfast options were incredibly delicious. With
fantastic value for their money, the family enjoyed a hearty meal of the famed
Fenmore American Breakfast with their choice of dishes, freshly brewed coffee,
and natural fruit juice.

The drive to Harvard was such a short one they could have
walked. The Hartleys joined a public guided tour along with other guests. The
tour of the campus was a three-hour affair, lasting until nearly noon. They
began at the Harvard Information Center. The outdoor walk was led by a student
who took them through Harvard Yard, providing a history of the university,
general information, and a unique perspective of the student’s individual
experience.

Charlie separated from her parents to join some incoming
freshmen. Admissions officers presented information and answered their
questions about college life, financial assistance, academics, extracurricular
activities, and residential life.  She learned, albeit late, that one
could spend a night with a student host to experience residential life
firsthand. One could also sit in on an undergraduate class; get a taste of the
residence halls, meet students currently enrolled, and visit Cambridge and
Boston, but only from October through March.

While waiting for Charlie, Carl and Sarah stumbled into a
free ongoing lecture conducted by a renowned theoretical physicist, teacher and
science promoter. Dr. Michio Kaku was one of the scientists working to complete
Einstein’s unfinished work, better known as the Unified Field Theory. The
couple quietly slipped in and sat by the exit doors of the lecture hall as Dr.
Kaku discussed concepts of his new book, touching on the future of telekinesis
and telepathy, among others.

Unified field theory is a study that tries to explain that
all energy phenomenon comes from one source. "For example, light,
electricity and radiation are all generated by electromagnetism," Dr. Kaku
explained, winking at his audience as if he’d made some kind of joke.

Obviously a charismatic person, the audience was captivated
by the lecturer’s quips, keeping them laughing and intrigued at the same time.
Sarah and Carl were impressed by his knowledge and skill in conveying
scientific and technical concepts to his audience using layman’s language
peppered with analogies and parallelisms that resonated with the audience. Dr.
Kaku’s lecture was capped by a standing ovation and a flood of people
approaching him to have them sign their purchased books.

“Well, I guess we can read
Physics of the Mind
and do
our best to understand what Charlie has and how we can better support and
encourage her to use her powers with prudence and safety,” concluded Carl after
listening to the end of the professor’s lecture.

Before Sarah could reply, her phone rang. “Hi Princess. Are
you done yet? Great, we’ll walk back to the Information Center and meet you
there.”

The couple walked hand in hand across the manicured lawn.
Harvard was indeed a place conducive to learning. They were proud of Charlie’s
wit and intelligence; even prouder she was their wonderful daughter. And here
at Harvard, her intelligence would only grow.

Back at the hotel, Charlie, with her hair let loose, dressed
in a white Ralph Lauren ladies shirt and dark blue denims tucked in knee high
suede brown boots, looking more sophisticated than the Milford high school
grad. Sarah watched her getting ready and mused to herself;
she’s turning
into a lovely young woman.

Carl broke the silence with a clap of his hands and a
booming, “Time to go, ladies! We don’t want to be late for the batting practice
tour!”

Charlie was all excited to be at Fenway Park for the first
time. Built in 1912, the oldest ballpark in the major leagues was the home of
Red Sox Legends.  Its world famous left field wall, popularly known as the
Green Monster, standing all of thirty seven feet and two inches, stretched from
left to center field.

A number of people queued patiently by a separate entrance
to the ballpark. The Hartley’s lined up just as the gates swung open for the
tour. For twenty five dollars per person, they entered the ballpark before the
general public.

Charlie told her mom, “Who would have thought sitting in a
1934 seat would stir up feelings akin to what Christopher Reeve felt in the
movie
Somewhere in Time
?”

Sarah nodded in agreement. She had the beginnings of a
migraine attack coming and hoped it wouldn’t progress and ruin the day for her
husband and daughter. She rubbed her temples while they weren’t looking, hoping
to ease the pain.

The guide announced, “This experience concludes atop the
fabled Green Monster, where you might catch a ball from batting practice!”
Charlie and Carl could barely contain their enthusiasm as they followed the
group, hoping to catch a fly ball to keep as a treasured souvenir.

Half an hour before the game began, Carl stood and moved
through the bleachers to get some food for his family. Somehow, standard hot
dogs, soda or beer, and peanuts, very much complemented a live baseball game.
It was impossible to root for one’s team without them. Charlie noticed some
kiosks at the stadium offering chicken wings and wine! He hurried so he could
be back in his seat before the first pitch.

The crowd at the ballpark was feverish with two popular
teams bent on winning. Each team had sustained one win and one loss each, so
tonight could be anybody’s ballgame. The Hartleys rooted for the Red Sox, so it
was non-stop cheering when Napoli hit a towering blast that soared over the
Green Monster and onto the street to turn a 3-1 Yankees lead into a 4-3 edge
for Boston.

By the time Jonny Gomes walked in the 7th inning, Carl regretfully
turned to Charlie, “Your mom can’t hold up anymore. A quiet, dark room is the
only thing that can subdue her migraine.”

Charlie reached out for Sarah’s hand, “Okay, mom. Let’s go
back.”

Sarah insisted Charlie stay and enjoy. “No, Princess. You
should finish the game. Tell us all about it later.”

Charlie leaned in to hug her mother and replied, “I’m so
sorry, Mom. Go back to the hotel now. I’ll finish watching the game and give
you a blow-by-blow recount in the morning.”

As Boone Logan replaced Preston Claiborne as pitcher, Carl
escorted Sarah back to the hotel.

Charlie stayed up until past midnight when the long homer by
Napoli marked a major league-best ninth walk-off victory for Boston. At 8-7 in
favor of the Red Sox, the game had lasted four hours and 46 minutes and was
worth every penny and every minute the crowd spent at Fenway Park Stadium.

After the victorious cheers for the Boston team winded down,
Charlie followed the throng of people to the exit gates.  Outside the
stadium, along Yawkey Way, a black limousine bearing the Pakistani flag slowed
down at the curb close to where Charlie walked, causing a lot of heads to turn
in that direction. Plainclothes security surrounded the car’s foreign
occupants, moving towards the vehicle bearing diplomat plates.

To Charlie’s left was a short, young woman of
African-American descent whose measured moves and darting eyes indicated she
was part of the security team. Above the Red Sox Team Store, Charlie’s sharp
eyes noticed a lone figure aiming a weapon. Charlie followed the weapon’s
direction and saw the red dot laser sight between the woman’s neck and
shoulder. She quickly moved towards the target and summoned her telekinetic
powers to ward off the shot when it was fired. With hand raised at chest level
and body slightly flinching, Charlie stopped the bullet and saved the young
lady from being hit. Things happened so quickly and so discreetly, the other
security people were oblivious to what had transpired.

Charlie directed her eyes back to the sniper, but he was
gone. She turned her attention to the woman who looked too young to be securing
a diplomat’s family and asked, “Are you alright?”

“Jeanne!” answered the young woman, who looked flabbergasted
yet was all smiles. She stepped toward Charlie in a move meant to end in an
embrace.

Realizing she was mistaken for someone else, Charlie quickly
extended her right hand to avoid a hug from a stranger. “I’m Charlie Hartley.
Glad to be of help.”

Sizing up Charlie with a quizzical look, she gripped Charlie’s
hand firmly. “I’m Hilary Matthews. I apologize for calling you Jeanne. I swear
my friend and you could be two peas in a pod,” she finished, doubt in her
voice.

Hilary bent down, picked up the slug, and showed it to
Charlie. “This slug is from a Taser XREP. It is designed to temporarily disable
a target.”

Charlie had no idea there were Tasers that could fire
shotgun shells from a distance so she said nothing.

“Thank you for saving me from neuromuscular incapacitation.
I wonder if I was mistakenly targeted. Did you see the person who shot at me?”
asked Hilary

Charlie felt her face flush in embarrassment. “I’m sorry; I
didn’t pay attention to the person. I just saw him aim at you and the bullet
came soon after.”