Remarkable

Chapter 2

I opened the door to the law office and heard a little bell jingle above me. As I looked around for my interviewer, I noticed a tall curved counter top with an old computer monitor and even older looking phone on the lower counter behind it. There was an open door behind the reception desk that went to a private office. I could see the man sitting behind the desk in the office, feet propped up on some obviously unimportant paperwork, deeply immersed in some kind of heavy looking book. The binding and cover were made of a thick, knobbly leather. It looked ancient.

"Hello?" I said semi-quietly as I took a few steps toward the office. The man didn't move.

"Angelina?" he said, almost sounding bored and still not putting the book down.

"Yes, that's me. I go by Lina, though. I'm here for the --"

"Yes, yes. Have a seat." he said casually.

I hesitated before making my way to a seat across the desk from him, wondering what on Earth this guy was thinking. It didn't feel like an interview. It felt more like a mandatory meeting that he couldn't wait to be done with. After we sat in silence for what felt like the longest minute of my life, he lowered his legs, closed the book, spun his chair around and slid it onto a shelf behind him, then turned back around to face me. He had thick, dark red hair that looked windswept but still tidy. It was cut short and the exact same shade as his eyebrows, which were very well-groomed. He had tan, smooth skin and light brown freckles on his cheeks and nose. His eyes were bright green and piercing, as though they could see right through me. He was, in every sense of the word, gorgeous.

"Alright kid, I'm going to get right to the point," he said as he leaned closer and folded his hands together, elbows propped on the desk in front of him.

I stared at him, narrowing my eyes in curiosity and silently waiting for him to continue.

"You're not here for a job interview."

I couldn't help but sense that he was pausing for dramatic effect. It seemed that the boredom he had previously displayed was an act. I could see the excitement electrified in his eyes as he waited for me to ask him what it really was. I was a little apprehensive, though, but didn't feel scared at all.

"Am I not?" I asked finally, caving.

"Nope," he said, grinning now.

"And I suppose you're going to tell me what I am here for, then?"

He grinned again, this time letting out a small laugh-like scoff.

"You catch on quick."

I scowled at him and crossed my arms over my chest, beginning to lose patience.

"Is this some sort of scam or something?" I said, raising my eyebrows indignantly.

He grinned again. That damn near perfect face was really beginning to get on my nerves.

"Nope, not a scam. This is going to be a life-changing day for you," he said, actually sounding serious for the first time.

"Is it?" I asked, eyebrows still raised, not bothering to hide the skeptic look on my face.

"It sure is," he said as he unfolded his hands and placed them on the desk, about shoulder length apart.

"You are here because you have a remarkable ability," he said calmly, studying the look on my face as he spoke.

I stared at him blankly, wondering if this was some kind of joke.

"Mmhmm... And how do you know that I have this... ability?"

"I can sense it," he said simply.

"You can sense it?" I asked, eyebrows scrunched, arms crossed so tightly they were beginning to hurt a little.

"Yepp. All Rems can sense others like them."

"Rems?" I asked, still not believing a word he was saying, but far enough in that I figured I should see where he was going before I turned around and ran for the door.

"It's what we call ourselves. It's short for Remarkables, otherwise known as people with remarkable abilities."

"Uh huh... and when you say 'remarkable', are you referring to, like, the supernatural?" I said, trying not to laugh.

"Pretty much."

"Okay, this has been... interesting, but I'm gonna take off." I told him as I uncrossed my arms and braced myself to stand.

"I can prove it... Or you can," he said, still as calm as ever.

I stared at him for a long moment, frozen with intrigue.

"How?"

"One of my abilities is activating the powers of Remarkables. If you let me activate yours, you will be able to prove it to yourself."

"One of your powers? How many do you have?"

"A few. So, what do you say?"

I narrowed my eyes again.

"Show me one of your powers first," I said.

He rolled his eyes.

"Why does everyone say that?" he asked, sounding a little frustrated.

"Put yourself in my perspective and tell me you wouldn't have already bolted out of here."

He gave me a long, calculating look, then opened his hand, palm facing the ceiling, and a burst of flame erupted, engulfing his fingers and hand whole. I stared at the scene in shock and horror, breath caught in my chest, eyes wider than they had probably ever been before. I felt like my heart was going to leap out of my chest and leave the room on its own if I didn't do it first, but unfortunately I found myself unable to even flinch. After a few more seconds, he closed his hand and the flame extinguished immediately. Then he got to his feet and walked around the desk, stopping only inches from my chair.

"Can you stand?" he asked.

"Is... Is it going to... hurt?" I stammered, still trying to remember how to breathe properly.

"Activation? No, not at all."

I somehow found the strength to stand, although I was shaking from head to toe. I looked him directly in the eyes and mentally braced myself for whatever was to come. Then, he leaned in and kissed me. It only took about 5 blissful seconds for me to snap out of the reverie and push him away, breaking the kiss.

"What the hell was that?!" I shouted indignantly.

"Your activation," he said, unable to suppress a triumphant grin.

"And you have to do that by kissing someone?"

"No. I just have to touch them." he said bluntly, that infuriating grin still plastered across his face.

I wanted nothing more than to wipe it right off. Then, suddenly, he frowned. Both of us looked confused, then his eyebrows raised as he stared at me.

"Did you… do that?" he asked slowly.

"Do what?"

"I didn't stop smiling on my own... it was like I had to..."

"How the hell would I be able to make you stop smiling?" I asked, now feeling even more confused.

"And are you really the guy I talked to on the phone? You never even told me your name..."

He furrowed his brow, seemingly deep in thought, his eyes sliding out of focus for a few moments and then growing almost comically round. He stared into my face, eyes growing wider by the second, and inhaled a deep, rattling breath. Then, he began looking frantically around the room without bothering to give me an explanation.

"It's Dayton. Now, think of something that you want right now. Anything."

I tilted my head to the left while holding his gaze, thinking at this point that he was completely insane.

"I want to get back the 15 minutes I've wasted listening to you."

He shook his head rapidly and held his hands up in front of him, palms facing me.

"Can you just humor me for 5 seconds? Think of something you'd... like to eat or drink! Think about how much you want it."

"Are you serious right now?"

"Can you just do it please?"

I rolled my eyes and sighed exasperatedly, then tried to think of something that would satisfy me at a time like this. I closed my eyes and pictured a strawberry banana milkshake, then opened them and jumped as I suddenly felt a styrofoam cup in my right hand. I stared at the cup for several seconds, then looked up at Dayton incredulously.

"How did you do that?" I asked him, panting slightly as the shock made it difficult to breathe again.

"I didn't. You did."

It appeared that he was in shock too, because he spent several seconds staring into space before his eyes met mine and something almost visibly clunked into place in his mind.

"We need to go to the Council. Now."