against the kitchen table, she swept her gaze across each person involved in the confab—which was everyone in the house, save for Ilsa’s five other patients whom Amanda hadn’t yet met. “This really isn’t that big of a deal. The Program was developed by the Infinity Corporation to meet the needs of ‘special’ children.”
“Freaks,” Josh piped in, leaning forward. “Call a spade a spade, Roar. We’re freaks. Our time bending hosts have to know what a freak is, after all. Considering we get wiped out.”
Amanda twisted in the chair and stared at him. His tempestuous ability to control wind aside, Josh didn’t usually possess a mean temper. “Wiped out?”
“Hey!” Rory beamed.
Being wiped out wasn’t funny. Amanda transferred her gaze to Rory. “It’s not funny, Roar.” Everyone stared at her now, and Amanda swung her gaze from her teammates to Simon and back. “What?”
“You hearing yourself?” Rory’s smile grew wider.
“Of course I—” And then it hit her. The words coming out of her mouth matched the ones in her head. “Oh, good. Cause that shit got old. So, what the hell are you talking about? Wiped out?”
Conversation broke out from several different directions, and Michael silenced them all with one pound of his fist to the tabletop. “We’ll fill you in afterward. Rory, continue.”
Amanda regarded Rory’s boyfriend warily. He just didn’t sound friendly at all.
He’s worried, Simon’s mental voice soothed.
He’s rude. And a little monosyllabic. I think she can do better.
Simon coughed.
“Anyway, as I was saying, the Infinity Corporation identified those with powers in the population and offered them full scholarships to attend The Program. We never gave it another name because it was a trial run, a test group to see if those with unstable or dangerous abilities could learn to control them in an accepting atmosphere, surrounded by others who, if not like them, were at least more inclined to understand.” Rory stared at Michael now. “My parents started it because of me.”
“And you never told us about it because…?”
“Because it didn’t come up, tough guy. Between you trying to save the future, identifying what’s in the microchips, and freeing Amanda—it didn’t come up. Would you like to know who my babysitter was, too? Or maybe when I cut my first tooth?”
Michael didn’t miss a beat. “Yes.”
“Oh, for the love…”
“Moving on,” Simon suggested. “The Program did what precisely, Rory?”
“It was a school. We had academic teachers for most of the mornings, and afternoons were spent honing our abilities or identifying them if students didn’t know.” She blew out a breath and avoided looking at Michael. Amanda shook her head. What did she see in him?
“How did they identify you as freaks, then?” Garrett—the poisoner—asked. She’d been warned repeatedly to not touch him for any reason. Even the most casual of contact could have a devastating effect. Fortunately, his girlfriend could… Is the doctor his wife?
Simon shook his head slightly.
“Blood tests. Apparently we have a mutation in a genome that is detectable. They identified it during The Genome Project a few years ago but, with the number of people who might be weaponized, Infinity buried it.”
“Your parents must have had you tested young.” Ilsa sat forward. “Why did they suspect you might be one?”
“I walked and talked pretty early. I also saw probabilities and could work out complex scenarios by the time I was five. They couldn’t really seem to find a limit to it, and it made my father curious.”
“So, he arranged for you to be a laboratory experiment.” Michael’s gruff voice darkened.
They really do fight a lot. Amanda chewed the corner of one nail.
It is hard to explain, just know that he loves her. Stop chewing your nails.
Hard to explain because it’s hard or hard because you don’t get it? Pulling her hand away from her mouth, she
“Freaks,” Josh piped in, leaning forward. “Call a spade a spade, Roar. We’re freaks. Our time bending hosts have to know what a freak is, after all. Considering we get wiped out.”
Amanda twisted in the chair and stared at him. His tempestuous ability to control wind aside, Josh didn’t usually possess a mean temper. “Wiped out?”
“Hey!” Rory beamed.
Being wiped out wasn’t funny. Amanda transferred her gaze to Rory. “It’s not funny, Roar.” Everyone stared at her now, and Amanda swung her gaze from her teammates to Simon and back. “What?”
“You hearing yourself?” Rory’s smile grew wider.
“Of course I—” And then it hit her. The words coming out of her mouth matched the ones in her head. “Oh, good. Cause that shit got old. So, what the hell are you talking about? Wiped out?”
Conversation broke out from several different directions, and Michael silenced them all with one pound of his fist to the tabletop. “We’ll fill you in afterward. Rory, continue.”
Amanda regarded Rory’s boyfriend warily. He just didn’t sound friendly at all.
He’s worried, Simon’s mental voice soothed.
He’s rude. And a little monosyllabic. I think she can do better.
Simon coughed.
“Anyway, as I was saying, the Infinity Corporation identified those with powers in the population and offered them full scholarships to attend The Program. We never gave it another name because it was a trial run, a test group to see if those with unstable or dangerous abilities could learn to control them in an accepting atmosphere, surrounded by others who, if not like them, were at least more inclined to understand.” Rory stared at Michael now. “My parents started it because of me.”
“And you never told us about it because…?”
“Because it didn’t come up, tough guy. Between you trying to save the future, identifying what’s in the microchips, and freeing Amanda—it didn’t come up. Would you like to know who my babysitter was, too? Or maybe when I cut my first tooth?”
Michael didn’t miss a beat. “Yes.”
“Oh, for the love…”
“Moving on,” Simon suggested. “The Program did what precisely, Rory?”
“It was a school. We had academic teachers for most of the mornings, and afternoons were spent honing our abilities or identifying them if students didn’t know.” She blew out a breath and avoided looking at Michael. Amanda shook her head. What did she see in him?
“How did they identify you as freaks, then?” Garrett—the poisoner—asked. She’d been warned repeatedly to not touch him for any reason. Even the most casual of contact could have a devastating effect. Fortunately, his girlfriend could… Is the doctor his wife?
Simon shook his head slightly.
“Blood tests. Apparently we have a mutation in a genome that is detectable. They identified it during The Genome Project a few years ago but, with the number of people who might be weaponized, Infinity buried it.”
“Your parents must have had you tested young.” Ilsa sat forward. “Why did they suspect you might be one?”
“I walked and talked pretty early. I also saw probabilities and could work out complex scenarios by the time I was five. They couldn’t really seem to find a limit to it, and it made my father curious.”
“So, he arranged for you to be a laboratory experiment.” Michael’s gruff voice darkened.
They really do fight a lot. Amanda chewed the corner of one nail.
It is hard to explain, just know that he loves her. Stop chewing your nails.
Hard to explain because it’s hard or hard because you don’t get it? Pulling her hand away from her mouth, she
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