Two weeks of work granted the Voyager Agency a new wall to block out attackers from Samantha James's camp. Their attacks were always violent, and they caused a lot of problems for Voyager throughout the years, including killing one of the members. Sammy's followers were not fun to mess with.
The wall stood five stories tall, with a stone and Psychic Block Alloy, or PBA, surface and churning smart-nano lining weaving in and out of the stone, making a strong, durable, and reprogrammable barrier. It could read the DNA difference between Minddrinkers, Fleyers, Controllers, and ordinary humans. It also did other things Kathryn refused to disclose.
Though the only three members in this camp had to work extremely hard to get such a big project done, not one of them regretted the safety of this perimeter wall, its PBA and stone surface shining in the sun. It was three feet thick, just as Kathryn's plans insisted. She didn't like insisting things, but if it was something she'd already seen, she felt safer copying it exactly.
Hunger always gets the best of me, Jason Beran thought. I really need more calories than I'm getting. Kathryn turned around to see Jason sitting tiredly on a piece of leftover rock.
Kai Tailsman didn't seem any better. "How about lunch in a real restaurant, Kathryn?" Kai suggested. The red streaks in Kai's short cropped dark brown hair shone in the sun, but it was obvious that after so many days of working, she was too tired to make lunch herself, especially since she didn't have the powers Jason and Kathryn had.
"I'm too tired," Kathryn admitted. "Maybe I'll skip lunch altogether."
Jason disagreed. "I have to eat. I'll go without you if I have to."
Kathryn sighed in an annoyed way. "Well, if you're that hungry, you should–"
"Okay, no more of this melancholy business," Kai chided. "You two are friends, aren't you? Let's have lunch at the burger place." Kathryn and Jason stared at her, surprised.
"Sure," Jason said. "I like burgers."
Kathryn still looked exhausted. "I'm not so–"
"Don't worry," Kai smiled. "It'll be great." Kathryn sighed, giving in.
None of them owned a car, so they had to walk. That was the other reason Kathryn didn't want to go anywhere, but since she'd agreed, she couldn't back down. They dragged their feet to New Fairfield, the closest city to Voyager Agency.
Once they finally arrived at the burger joint, the three of them got a table almost immediately, even though there was a two-hour wait. Kathryn and Jason got the waiters to give them seats with a little mental push. Sometimes it was great just being yourself.
When is my shift over again? This job is stupid, some random person thought. Kathryn turned to see a waiter cleaning up a big mess, while the customer who made it stood there and did nothing.
He should clean up faster, the customer thought. He's causing traffic by taking so long.
People are stupid, Kathryn sighed, and stopped listening in. The thoughts of others were usually uninteresting.
I'm having the salmon burger, Jason thought. Do you want the salmon burger or the double cheeseburger?
The bacon burger, no cheese, Kathryn replied. She turned around, watching Kai tiredly sipping water, not paying any attention to the menu. Pick something for Kai, too, she added.
He stared intently at the menu. What about the three cheese mushroom burger? You like stuff like that, right? Jason asked Kai. Kai didn't respond.
Tell her verbally, Kathryn reminded. Kai can't read minds, remember? Jason shrugged and proceeded to recommend the three cheese mushroom burger to Kai. Kathryn sighed. Even after so many years, Jason still couldn't remember that Kai wasn't a Minddrinkers, even if she could tell the difference between normal humans, Fleyers, and Minddrinkers. And a whole slew of other epic powers.
A waiter walked up to the table. "Have you decided on what to order?" she asked. Her name was Arline. She had a pretty smile.
"Yeah," Kathryn answered. "I'll have a bacon burger, no cheese, he will have a salmon burger, and she will have a three cheese mushroom burger." She smiled prettily to Arline, and Arline smiled back. "And remember, no cheese on the bacon burger." Kathryn performed some more mental nudging because it was ridiculously awful when people got that wrong.
"I'll get you your orders as soon as possible," Arline said. As the waiter left, Kai looked worried.
"I've seen another Minddrinker in this town," she said. "She's a young girl, and she's done a pretty good job at hiding so far, but she might be in trouble soon. There's been an increase of Fleyers around the area, too."
What should we do? Jason asked. Kathryn sighed. He kept leaving Kai out.
We'll do our best, but let Kai know what we're saying as well, she responded. She's the one who brought it up in the first place.
It was Jason's turn to sigh. She's your friend, not mine.
Come on, Jason, you've been living with the girl for thirty years, Kathryn scoffed. Give some respect.
I'm doing my best, Jason claimed.
"Are you guys talking in your heads again?" Kai asked, annoyed.
Whatever, Kathryn coughed. "I'll go get her tonight, but I want you to make sure she's really Minddrinker. You almost killed me with Jack."
"I'll do that. Let's have her meet you at the Lotus Bar," Kai suggested. "That's where we first met."
"Correction," Kathryn added cheerfully. "That's where we first had a real conversation."
"That's the first time you explained anything to me," Kai clarified. She took another sip of water. "Before that, you expected me to know exactly who you were." She smiled, her brown eyes sparkling in the dimly lit restaurant.
"You know Kathryn, it is really stupid to keep so many things hidden," Jason said. "Not all of us are out to kill you."
The two ladies glared at him. If looks could kill, Jason would have died so hard his corpse would have died. "Um, did I just ruin the moment?" Jason sheepishly asked.
"Yes," Kathryn and Kai answered simultaneously.
Just then, the waiters arrived, carrying three amazing smelling burgers. Kathryn was glad she didn't stay at home and sleep. This was the first good time with her friends in a long time.
As they left the restaurant, they arranged how they would meet the new Minddrinker. It combined Kathryn's amazing shape-shifting skills, Jason's transportation powers, and Kai's charm.
"I think you'll love the new person," Kai said. "If it goes well, she'll be the third."
"Well, I'm certainly looking forward to it," Kathryn smiled. "First one in twenty years. Got to be special."
ns 172.68.244.181da2
and then Add to home screen.