The Elders (Mind Dimensions #4)(14)

“The monkey is going into the Quiet?” Despite everything, I have to fight the urge to laugh. “Will it be a Reader or a Guide? I shudder to think what will happen to the world’s banana supplies if she becomes the latter.”

“Neither,” Eugene says. “The control of those abilities is spread much wider in the brain—”

“This is amazing,” I say. “I can’t believe you were planning to have a monkey phase without telling me. In the future, as the angel investor of this operation, I want daily reports, written by Bert. I can’t miss out on such cool stuff.”

“Dumbed-down reports,” Bert says. “Check.”

I glare at him. “Seriously, dude. My Reach is probably greater than Hillary’s, which means she can’t save you from an inter-species erotic encounter with your lovely ‘volunteer.’”

Bert looks at Hillary, silently asking, Can he really override you?

She shrugs and narrows her eyes at me.

I give her my own look that hopefully says, Would I rather be loved or feared? In this case, feared.

“I still don’t think we can sit around doing research while Mira is riding drugged in a van,” Eugene says.

“I wasn’t saying that, though the more I think about it, that might be a good idea,” Hillary says.

“That’s just unacceptable—”

“Let her finish,” Bert says. This is the second time he’s defended her, or maybe my aunt is cheating by making Bert say stuff.

“Sorry, Hillary.” Eugene gives her an apologetic look. “What is your plan?”

“Darren can learn how to reach Level 2 from the people who know how—the Elders,” she says.

“That’s it?” I raise my eyebrows. “Instead of saving Mira, all I have to do is find the Guide equivalent of the Enlightened and take a few lessons?”

“Yes, that’s it, minus the sarcasm,” my aunt says. “And you wouldn’t be aimlessly looking for them. You’d ask your grandparents for help.”

“I’m confused.” Bert looks at his girlfriend. “I thought his grandparents were the very people causing this mess.”

“Not the Leachers.” She sounds only mildly exasperated. “His other grandparents. The ones who also, fortuitously, live in Florida.”

“You mean—” Bert says, then cuts himself off. “I thought you hated their guts.”

“We’re estranged,” Hillary corrects. “And I hope this highlights my commitment to this cause.”

“I do appreciate it,” Eugene says. “But at the same time, I’m not sure this kind of detour—”

“Dude,” Bert says. “They have warrior monks who can’t be Guided, and from what you’ve been saying, Caleb is a deadly opponent. Unless you have access to a secret army?”

“I don’t,” Eugene says. “But Darren and Hillary could maybe—”

“Are you seriously about to suggest that I Guide an actual army to do my bidding?” Hillary asks, her eyebrows drawing together. “The logistics of something like that would be extremely difficult, plus it would get extremely bloody, fast. Since when have you heard of hostage situations being resolved through the army?”

“You could Guide a small band of Navy Seals,” Bert says, clearly getting into the spirit of it. “The guys who took out Bin Laden would make short work of—”

“Right,” Hillary says. “Let’s go to Navy Seals R Us and get some.”

“Enough,” I say in my most commanding voice. Everyone looks at me in shock. “Here’s the breakdown. It will take the vans twenty hours to reach Florida. That’s without stops and with favorable traffic. That gives us some wiggle room. Given that my Guide grandparents are also in Florida, I say Hillary and I visit them, since it’s practically on the way. If I can get to the Elders and they can quickly teach me how to better control my powers, great. If not, we can develop a plan on the fly. Meanwhile, you two can spend a little more time trying to see whether this research leads you anywhere.”

“Even if we cracked this an hour after you left, how would that help?” Eugene asks. “My equipment is here, in the lab.”

“Can you turn a U-Haul truck, or some other type of vehicle, into a mobile lab?” I ask.

“It won’t be easy, but—”

“Money isn’t an obstacle,” I remind him. “I’ll give you my credit card.”

“I’ll help,” Bert says. “I think it’s feasible. I’ll get us some Adderall and—”

“You’re not taking any drugs,” Hillary says. “I can make you focus if that’s what you want.”

“You can do that?” Bert looks excited. “Why didn’t you—”

“Because I like you unaltered,” she says. “If the current situation wasn’t dire enough . . .”

“Okay,” I say. “Your destination will be Apalachicola. It’s a town near the Temple. Hillary and I will fly out, which will buy us some time.”

Eugene turns to my friend. “Bert, can you get them the tickets?”

“On it,” Bert says and walks up to the computer. The monkey glances at him suspiciously when she hears the sounds of the keyboard.