Cover it up

“Tony!” Jueqel yelled out from the study.

“Yes, Uncle?” Tony yelled back. Seconds later Tony came running into the study, panting and out of breath.

“What did I tell you about that?”

“I know,” Tony grinned.

“Never call...” Jueqel began.

Tony finished, “you Uncle.”

Jueqel's face messed up in mock disgust. “Alright smarty.” Jueqel actually like to be called uncle. Tony was a special boy, and he needed a family. But the 'Don't-call-me-uncle' was an on going game they enjoyed. “How are your lessons? Don't lie, cause I'll know.”

“Yeah, I know you know. They're great,” Tony said excited. “Sherry says I'm her best student, ever.”

Jueqel decided he would not tell Tony he was her only student, ever. “That's fantastic. Guess what?”

“What?” Tony asked.

“Your sister is coming over for a visit.”

Tony's face lit up and he was all a big grin.

Raymond entered the doorway quietly and leaned against it. He too had a smile on his face. “You'll be late for my class, Tony.”

Surprise popped Tony around to see his instructor. He whipped around the other direction and jumped a chair. “Sorry, Uncle Ray,” he said and ran out of the room. Raymond feigned a slap on the boy's head, but it was easily dodged. Down the hall he yelled back, “now, you'll be late for class.” Tony laughed, and then he was out of sight.

Jueqel like that, too. “He calls you Uncle Ray.”

“Yeah, well, the kid grows on you,” Raymond admitted.

“How you doing?” Jueqel asked.

“Honey, I'm doing much better,” Raymond walked up to the desk and leaned across it. “Now that I have you in my sights,” he said playful.

“I'm working,” Jueqel tried to defend himself, but it was too late. The trap was sprung, and all he could do was lean forward and plant a kiss.

Raymond pulled a way, too quickly. “He's right. I have to get to class. I'll get back to you on what we were just discussing.”

“Are you teasing me?” Jueqel asked.

“Maybe, you'll find out later.” Raymond was being very playful.

Jueqel threatened, “I can shut you down, Mr.”

“Sorry, you can't shut this down,” Raymond retorted. “Don't get me worked up. I have a day to finish here.”

Jueqel picked up a pad and attempted to hit Raymond on his way out of the office. It missed by a long shot, “but it's the thought that counts,” he mutter to himself.

Getting back to his notes, Jueqel mulled over the fact that they were unable to find Karden. He moved to the girl and then jumped into the boy, and then just vanished. He was like some kind of parasite. The girl made it out, a little shaken, but doing a lot better than they had expected. She could have died. There was no trace of Karden in the girl, and Karden didn't show up in the boy either. Other than the changes to their brains. Thought, that is more significant. If someone can alter a persons mind to tap into the psychic potential, it's unthinkable what might happen.

Nepal no longer sensed Karden's presence, and that was at least a good sign that he was gone. Keeping the children close was the best way to watch for signs of Karden's influence. The kids still needed needed to process, grieve, and rebuild a life for themselves.

Kelly showed some promise in psychic ability, though, not near as strong as her little brother. Karden really did a number on that little boy.

Jueqel flipped some pages and glanced at his report. Remembering the military psi were on the outskirts of the city. If they had come in, the situation would have been grave for everyone. “The military love their devices,” he wrote in the margins.

It took a couple weeks to clean up the mess made of that town. Agents were still scanning the area for people that had been impacted by this fiasco. Memory adjusting was hard enough on a small crowd. It would take a year at the very least to fix everything. The hard part was the loved ones of those that died. Getting them through all this, setting up dummy corporations and fake identities. The funds for the law suits had to be ready for all the court cases that would be won. You couldn't just erase the minds of every life that was touched by this tragedy. It was hard to imagine how anyone could cover up something so big, but it was going to be done.

Jueqel felt a message come to his mind. “Kelly is in trouble. It's Karden. We're coming.”

Jueqel's heart sank. The moment he had dreaded. Jueqel put out a message of his own. The Oragwains were needed once again.