Consequences by Elyse Draper Page B

mean … well, I’m not sure what I mean. I don’t
know if even criminals deserve torture like that.”
    “You sound like Ellie. Working to catch
different kinds of offenders, I think you of all people would want
to see a few of them broken?” Even though we don’t have contact, I
can hear Ellie tsk-tsking from beside me.
    “Most of the people I investigate are
harmless, there are those few that I really want to see pay for
their crimes … but I can’t be judge and jury. I try my best to
catch them legally, and put them through the system. The citizens
here need to want to work with me, and if I go off half-cocked all
the time … that attitude undermines protecting the amount of land
I’m responsible for.” He finishes with a resolute tone.
    “I’m glad you feel that way, because
realizing that vigilante justice is an oxymoron is part of what led
me here in the first place. I don’t want you to think any less of
me for what I’ve done … but I’m not going to lie to you either.” I
can see, as much as sense, the anticipation on Michael’s face. His
mind is ringing with relief at finally getting some answers, while
also anxious about the rest of the answers left to come. When I
hear the remnants of his thoughts hinting at a different kind of
relief, I have to smile … he is glad to know I make mistakes, glad
to know that I’m just a human ‘kid’.
    Michael’s understanding and forgiving nature,
allowed me to continue. I didn’t realize how badly I needed to talk
about these things … I guess confession is good for the soul. “V
was very clever. He knew that even though James had the nicely
polished mask of a sociopath, he was flawed … he had feelings for
his mob family. We worked our way up the ladder, intentionally
starting with James’s friends. James hid from V how uncomfortable
it made him, but he couldn’t hide it from me. I admit, vengeance
can be very satisfying, but seeing him honestly in pain, wasn’t as
enjoyable as I thought.
    "Trying to hide the ability to see memories
was becoming more complicated, and the more I tried to pull away
from the memories, the more thoughts I pulled out. After the fifth
person, I started to realize that I was actually removing the
memories from their heads. V knew something was different, but the
amount of pain I caused, kept him appeased, for awhile.
    "The side effect of exposing myself to, and
even absorbing, the memories of drug dealers, murderers, and con
artists, deadened my emotions, my principles. No excuses for my
behavior, I just wanted to make sure you understood why I lost my
moral compass.
    "I ultimately drew the attention of the
family … living in James’s apartment. The men that came in contact
with me, returned to their boss as drooling idiots. The family knew
about people with 'talents', and used them, like James and Ann …and
they knew that something was ‘special’ about me. So, I soon became
priority number one. Everyone they sent, fell into V’s web and the
angrier I became … thus the more damage I did to their minds.
    "James did what he was told, but the pressure
was building inside, until he blew. He told me to gut V’s mind,
revealing my upper hand. I asked him why I would do that … his
money was mine now. What was he going to do … take it back if I
didn’t do what I was told? Feeding off our chaos, V became excited
by the prospect of finishing the argument thoroughly. After
enjoying our bickering for weeks, and after I'd gone too far in
destroying the people James cared about, V asked me what I wanted …
and I told him to kill James.”
    “You did what?” I can see a sickness rising
in Michael’s mind. He honestly can’t understand what would make me
think I have the right to destroy minds, and then order the death
of another living being. It doesn’t matter to him that the world
would be much better off without someone like James. Michael is
screaming inside his skull, "We don’t have the right to