Remarkable

Chapter 5

I was a bit taken aback to be offered tea so nonchallantly after such an intense history lesson, so I just nodded in answer and tried my best to smile. There were so many questions reeling through my head that I felt like I was going to be sick. The room seemed to dance around my line of vision, which was focused on a china cabinet in the corner of the living room that held small clay figures and pottery that appeared to be from various time periods.

"Every new Rem meets with the Council eventually. That's one of the things the Sanctioner usually sets up during the Interview after the Rem is activated." Dayton said to me quietly as Mercer busied himself in the kitchen.

I looked at him thoughtfully. It was sort of relieving to discover that every new member of this freak tribe had to meet with the Council at some point. It helped me to understand that I wasn't in trouble or in the wrong for anything.

"Usually, once the Sanctioner knows what ability the new Rem has, he sets up their first meeting with a member of Designator Spencer's team. There are 7 members. Each one of them specializes in their own Remarkable ability and helps the new Rem learn how to control theirs."

"Why only 7, if there are 9 abilities?"

"Because the Seers are brought straight to Prophet Landcaster and the Fulfillers are brought straight to Keeper Mercer. Or at least you were brought straight to him. You're the first Fulfiller in Mercer's time. But he knows the most about our history and the way the previous council members chose to conduct the learning process for new Rems. I don't know if he will be training you or if there is someone else who knows enough about Fulfillers to do that."

"So, why are the Seers brought straight to the Prophet if there are other Seers who could train the new Rems?" I asked curiously.

"Because Seeing is the second rarest ability, and there aren't that many of them here. I'm actually surprised Keeper Mercer didn't mention that. They are the most common Multi-Rems, so their Seeing is often coupled with another ability, and they're also the most common Strayers because many of the Indecent ones become Fortune Tellers in the regular world to gain money and power. Strayers are what we call Rems who choose to live outside of Lyria."

Our conversation was brought to an end as we both heard Mercer's doorbell ring and turned in our seats to stare at his front door. It definitely hadn't been anywhere near 2 hours yet, and Mercer didn't mention company, so neither of us knew who to expect. Mercer calmly brought the tray of tea to us, which had 4 cups on it instead of 3. Dayton and I both seemed to notice this simultaneously, judging by the sideways glance we each gave one another. This meant that whoever it was, Mercer had known they were coming. A tall, muscular man in robes identical to Mercer's walked through the door once the Keeper had ambled over to it and pulled it open. He was handsome, with bright blue eyes, perfectly tidy eyebrows, a button nose and a strong jawline. He looked to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 40. Dayton stood up as soon as he recognized who the man was.

"Commander!" he said reverently, bowing even lower than he had when we had first met Keeper Mercer.

"At ease, son." the man said in a deep, clear voice.

He shook Dayton's hand after waving his dismissively in a gesture for Dayton to return to a normal standing position.

"So, this must be Miss Sanchez," the man said with a warm smile, turning towards me.

In mimic of Dayton, I stood up and attempted an awkward bow, assuming this was the proper way to greet a member of the Council. The man's smile widened as he extended his hand towards me.

"I see this one's a fast learner," he said with a little chuckle.

"I'm Commander Masten. It's a great pleasure to meet you, Miss Sanchez."

I straightened and shook his hand, which felt almost abnormally warm, before greeting him and asking him to call me Lina. He chuckled again and looked at Mercer.

"Thanks for preparing tea, Seeker. We should have time to enjoy a quick cup before Prophet Lancaster arrives."

Masten signaled for us all to have a seat with his large hands and everyone followed suit. As we made our way to our seats, Dayton held his Commander's gaze.

"Is the Prophet coming to speak to Miss Sanchez?" he asked, seeming confused.

"No." said Commander Masten firmly, but with another kind smile.

"He's coming to speak with you."

Dayton and I looked at each other, our faces transforming into an identical grimace of curiosity. It appeared that neither of us understood why the Prophet would be coming to speak with him.

"Prophet Landcaster should arrive very shortly before Annmarie. Once she arrives, she will show Miss Sanchez to her living quarters in Designator Spencer's building before she meets with the Council. Meanwhile, Keeper Mercer and I will be listening to what the Prophet is coming to discuss with you, Mr. Dayton."

"Wait a second, why is she staying in the Designator's building?" asked Dayton, looking even more confused and a little defensive now.

"My charges usually stay with me."

Commander Masten glanced at Keeper Mercer for a couple of seconds before Mercer raised his left hand slightly, seemingly symbolizing that he would be the one to answer this question, because Masten remained silent and kept looking at Mercer.

"There is nothing usual about this charge, Mr. Dayton. We will be executing a special plan for her in accordance with her very special gift."

Dayton didn't seem at all satisfied with this answer, but he didn't argue. I presumed it was because the Council were the leaders of his world, and what they decided was final and non-negotiable.

I sipped my tea a few times and tried my very best to hide the fact that I was shaking as I noisily returned the cup to its saucer each time. This whole situation had been insane and scary from the moment I saw the fire in Dayton's hand, but his presence had been the only thing that kept me calm. Now that I was about to be without it for the first time, I felt shear panic threatening to erupt inside my brain. For the first time since arriving in Lyria, I began to wish that I wasn't there. I didn't know how to handle so many new and unbelievable things at once. I closed my eyes and exhaled, trying to steady myself, and felt a jolt of surprise as my body shifted to a laying position. After tearing my eyes open and hastily looking around, I realized that I had somehow transported myself to the bedroom of my apartment back in the Normal world. I barely had time to get out a couple of exasperated breaths and wonder what was going on before Dayton appeared, standing about 2 feet from my bed and staring at me incredulously.

"What the hell just happened?" we both said in unison.

"You tell me." we said, again at the exact same time.

We stared at each other for a few seconds and then began to laugh.

"How do we manage to keep doing that?" he said playfully.

"I don't know. And I don't know how I ended up here either." I said, standing up and turning toward him.

"I do." he said simply.

"You wanted to get the hell out of there, and I don't blame you."

"Oh, right. I can grant my own desires..." I said musingly.

"This is probably going to cause some issues." I mumbled.

"Yeah, I think that's exactly why the Council is treating your case so oddly. Because the reality is that you could be a danger to yourself and others if you don't learn how to control your desires."

I stared at him in horror as the shock of what he had said set in.

"Holy s**t, you're right!" I began breathing heavily as my eyes filled with tears and yet a million more questions popped into my head involuntarily.

Dayton placed his hands on my shoulders, just as he had in the Council Building, and looked deeply into my eyes.

"Angelina, listen to me. And don't close your eyes. Look into my eyes, and take five deep breaths."

I nodded, though slightly puzzled, and did as he said. The breathing seemed to really help. That, and almost getting lost in the emerald brilliance of his eyes. I took a few more breaths, then spoke almost calmly.

"How did you know where to find me?"

This earned a crooked grin.

"Rems can find other Rems if they're close enough."

I furroghed my eyebrows at him.

"Not close, as in distance," he said, seemingly reading my mind.

"Close, as in intimate."

This time my eyebrows shot up in surprise, and I recoiled about half an inch. Intimate? Is that what we were?

"Not intimate! Sorry, that was the wrong word. I meant familiar."

That made much more sense... Or did it? I was beginning to get a headache from the confusion of all of this.

"As far as Lyria goes, I am the person you are the closest to. You met me first, I activated your power, and I have been by your side through the whole experience thus far. Therefore, we are familiar with each other. That's how I found you. And that's why they sent me to... check on you."

He really had a way of explaining things so that they made sense to me. I wondered if that was a part of his Remarkableness or just a part of who he was as a person. Either way, I appreciated it.

"Check on me, or retrieve me?" I asked suspiciously.

"Well, really both" he said with a smile.

"You do want to come back, right?" he asked hopefully.

I thought about it for a beat.

"Yes."

Dayton beamed and pulled me into a tight hug.

"But I don't want to go with those strangers. I don't want to be without... you." I said, nearly in a whisper, as I pulled back a few inches and looked into his eyes again.

We seemed to have this inexplicable bond between us. I had no idea what it meant, but it was the most intense and enticing thing I had ever felt. Dayton sighed and closed his eyes, then rested his forehead against mine gently. I wanted to close my eyes and drink in the fuzzy feeling it was causing, but I remembered that he had asked me not to do that, so I just smiled and waited for him to speak.

"I know the feeling, kid. But the Council are the wisest Rems on Earth, and they're wonderful at keeping Lyria safe and healthy. So, I'm going to ask you to trust them."

I stared into his eyes for a few more seconds, almost wishing I could do so forever, but then remembering that I had to be very careful of what I wished for now.

"Okay," I said, stepping out of the hug and taking his right hand firmly with my left.

"Take me back."