Divano (Sean)

Lani glanced up at the time tables. Why was it that the overnights always left so late? Chances were if he left on the bus he wouldn’t get to Boston until the morning. He might as well start walking and hitchhike. Or better yet steal a car. He shook his head, no matter how much he wanted to get home he wouldn’t want to do that. Not for any moral reason but more for the fact that cars were tricky. Most of them had GPS in them and you’d have people all over looking for the license plate, better to not go there. It was a rather spontaneous decision. Usually he called ahead but he just was so desperate for an escape he needed to go. It wouldn’t be the first time Lani showed up distressed on the doorstep at strange hours of the morning. Chances were it would be just like old times. His mother helping him inside with sympathy and a shoulder to lean on. His father would make sure Lani knew what a failure and disgrace to the Hunter name.

He frowned at the road leaning back and watching the shadows. Perhaps home wasn’t even the best place. If his father was there he certainly wouldn’t leave in a better mood. Going to his boss certainly wouldn’t put him in a better mood. Confusion barraged Lani’s mind and his power was squirming under his hold wanting nothing more than to send something rocketing into the sky just to see how high he could send it. Weariness and depression weighed him down on the bench. He considered going to Adrianna… no. He didn’t want her to see him like this. He needed to be strong around her. He didn’t want her to see him with his pathetic moral dilemma. One would have thought that by now Lani would have it all figured out. But truth be told he didn’t want to steal for the rest of his life but he didn’t see any options that didn’t involve death or prison.

He certainly didn’t want to experience either one of those. Death, well wasn’t this close enough to it? Prison, he nearly had a panic attack when he was restricted to the grounds on Hammel. There was no way he would make it in prison. At least not without breaking out and hurting himself or someone else. And even if he broke out his boss would be even more impressed and insist he use his power to steal. That was his biggest worry. If his boss found out that he was telekinetic well that was it and he could say farewell to his freedom and get used to living life on a leash. It would be really nice if Lani could make sense of his own emotions and thoughts. He leaned over resting his elbows on his knees and steepling his hand in front of his lips. A surge of stubbornness presented itself. He didn’t want to answer to anyone anymore. He was going to be his own man… eventually…

Lani is ashamed to say he jumped a little at the sound behind him. He whirled his teeth bared in a snarl and his tongue ready to lash out at whoever had disturbed him. He half expected it to be someone he knew from the underground who was coming to bask in Lani’s new constraints. However it wasn’t anyone like that. Just a middle aged man with a couple of bags in his hands. Lani swallowed his retort; this man didn’t deserve to be verbally assaulted. Just because he was having a rotten day didn’t mean everyone was. Though he wouldn’t say he didn’t resent the fact that spring had decided to appear today full with sunshine and birdsong. He would much prefer a cloudy rainy winter day to this, but mostly because it fitted his current mood. Lani didn’t recognize the man, the face was familiar but beyond that Lani had no more clue that this was someone from Hammel than he knew that this guy was a mind reader.

He shrugged and gave the man a smile. He bobbed his head. “I just needed a little air.” He glanced at his phone lighting it up to see the time. He let out a little huff. How had it gotten so late? How long had he been sitting on this bench? He squinted up at the man and then down at his bag. He wasn’t ashamed to say he was examining him to see if he had anything valuable, not that he pick pocketed much anymore but old habits die hard. “I’m waiting for the bus,” Lani added after a few moments. “Last minute errands?” Lani asked gesturing at the bags. He swallowed down his anger and confusion and tried to at least put his thoughts on hold. It had been a while since he had been so overloaded that he hadn’t been able to push it away but Lani forced out a smile that looked rather convincing but the light didn’t reach his eyes, which remained dark and thoughtful.

Lani’s eyebrows rose as he realized how impolite he was being. Here he was sitting and this man came up. He wasn’t terribly old but chances were he wasn’t as spry as he used to be. “Not at all! Please sit.” He said scooting over and gesturing at the bench. He was ashamed he had let himself get so lost in his own thoughts that he didn’t even offer to let the man sit. Lani watched him sit with the weariness of someone who was beginning to feel the effects of age. Even then Lani was envious; he wasn’t sure where he would be at this man’s age. He certainly wouldn’t have a good job. Hell, he’d be lucky if he hadn’t already become a prison inmate by the time he reached his twenties. His smile faded at the thought and he looked back out at the street.

He couldn’t even hold his thoughts at bay anymore. Usually in this kind of situation he was able to push his dark thoughts aside until he was alone to dwell on them. It was probably the combination of helplessness and the weight of the world. So much had happened these past few weeks. Meeting Adrianna had brought about a whole new world of joys and terrors. It was almost like suffocating on the collar they had looped around his neck. He glanced over at the man as the conversation lulled momentarily. He was so familiar but Lani couldn’t quite place his face. It was like someone he had seen so often in passing but never really noticed. It was probably for the best that Lani didn’t know he was talking to a telepath, he would feel the need ot censor his thoughts.

The bags he placed at his feet were a cause for curiosity but Lani refrained from using his powers to investigate. He looked sideways at the man. What if he was someone hired by his new handler to follow him? That would explain why Lani recognized him, but not why he was coming right up to Lani and striking up a conversation. Suspicion rose in Lani and his eyes narrowed. He needed to be careful now. If word got back to his boss that he was a meta, much less that he was telekinetic he could kiss freedom goodbye. The only time it was safe anymore were on the grounds or when he was on the job. Frustration grounded at his power and he was sure he could send this bench sky high with the amount of strength of emotions barraging him.

When the man answered him Lani bit his tongue trying to find a telltale sign of falsehood and failed. Lani answered with a smile and an upturned brow expressing his sympathy. Apparently it had been a long day for everyone. “Well that’s good,” Lani commented. He was jealous; he didn’t want to go back to Hammel. He wanted to go home. To be around his family. But the more he thought of the coming bus he was less sure, he knew the looks of disappointment he would get and the fight would lose its charm after the first few verbal blows were struck.

“Hmmm,” Lani hummed figuring out whether to tell the truth or to lie. He really didn’t care as long as it was away. “Home,” he finally answered cryptically figuring that if he was working for his boss then he already knew where he lived anyways. He was restless; there was only so much he could do here. He really needed a big city like Boston to thrive. He tossed a smile at the man. “Though I’m afraid I probably have a longer journey than you.”

He looked up as a car passed by its headlights swiping over them momentarily. He looked up at the overhanging headlight as it flickered on in the dimming light. He looked down at his lap and suddenly realized it was probably suspicious that he didn’t have any bags with him. Oh well. He leaned back a little and crossed his ankles sticking them precariously close to the curb. “But, hey, waiting is half the fun, huh?” He ask with a little smile keeping the small conversation going.

Lani simply nodded at the thanks, he had to admit he was more than a little ashamed he hadn’t offered in the first place. Perhaps it was because he was merely hoping that the man would go away. He wasn’t really sure what to think of this guy, at the moment Lani was more than ready to split at a moment’s notice. He crossed his arms, a subtle defense mechanism that he didn’t even realize he did anymore. Lani just wanted a trivial conversation. A distraction. Something to get these thoughts out of his mind. Perhaps that was why going home was a good solution to this problem. He could worry about his sister and worry about his parents so he could stop worrying about himself. He really was no different than anyone else. He was a thief and hell was his destination. No matter what his intentions were initially. Perhaps that was why he didn’t believe in a God or in an afterlife.

If Lani knew that this guy was a mind reader he would probably have run so fast that this guy wouldn’t have known what had happened until Lani’s dust had settled. If he knew this guy was from Hammel, dear God that would be even worse. Hammel would never find him again. He would not go to prison. He had far too much left to do. He wouldn’t have even thought to think that his thoughts might be overheard. He had never met a telepath and he was still having problems even thinking that someone randomly on the street was powered. Everyone at Hammel was and that was a given but outside that world everything was a mystery. Better kept that way more often than not. He had few allies outside his boss and they were keeping an eye on his family but even they didn’t know the nature of his living in Vermont. He looked back at the older man, he reminded him of Dalton a little, not harsh or judgmental but still curious.

“Far,” Lani answered the question with an impish smile. So perhaps he didn’t know where he lived… so maybe this was really just some random guy on the street just bored enough to have a conversation with an unbalanced teenager. He considered the man for a little while weighing out the pros and cons of answering. It didn’t take too long to come to an answer. He might as well just tell him, if he kept dodging questions the man would start thinking he was up to something. “Boston,” he said with a little smile. Boston was a rather large place it wasn’t as if he could find him again it if he tried. When Lani didn’t want to be found it was rather difficult to find him. Hammel was different; there were only so many places to hide at Hammel that some other students hadn’t already tried before so usually Lani went on pretending he wasn’t in his room when he was hiding out in there. And if they insisted on coming in he had a quick easy path to the roof from his window.

Lani offered a smile to the man when he talked about waiting. He let out a little laugh and nodded in agreement. “Not like the buses are going to change their schedule because I want to get home early.” He grinned back at the man. He still wasn’t completely sure about this man yet. The situation was all too strange. What were the chances that someone would come along and want to talk to him on a night when he just needed to be alone with his thoughts and get home to his family? There had to be something else there.

Lani looked sideways at the man his eyes narrowing a little when he started his speech. “Uh-huh…” he straightened his suspicion growing instead of fading. How did this guy know he was thinking that? Why did he think Lani needed to be reassured? Honestly mindreading didn’t even come into his thoughts. At least not until the next sentence came. Now he tucked his feet under the bench and got to his feet ready to make a run for it at a moment’s notice but at the moment he just backed away from the man getting some distance between them. He glared and his teeth bared. “What the hell are you talking about? You don’t know me.” Lani’s glare became vicious when the man said he would like to talk to him. Help him perhaps. Ha, that was a good laugh. He'd be lucky if Lani told him his name now. But still how did he know what he had been thinking? Lani was skittish now and the dark woods were starting to look very good right now. “Who are you?” He asked his voice more like a growl. Lani’s suspicious had risen and walls came up around his heart and his thoughts were now just trying to find an escape route. If this man had been someone working for his boss at least he would be an enemy he knew, but now he was the enemy Lani didn't know.

Lani twiddled his thumbs his power itching to touch something. Too bad Lani didn’t trust it off of its leash to let it explore. More than once a trainer had suggested letting it off and something always went wrong when he did. Even then he was holding it back. It was just too powerful. The constant headache started to throb a little and he reached into his pocket. He popped two pills, dry swallowing them and closed his eyes waiting for the soothing medication to take effect. He looked sideways at the man his mask coming up the more they spoke. Good thing, he didn’t like people seeing behind his mask. He smiled smoothly as the transition occurred and all evidence of his troubles vanished from his face as the conversation continued pleasantly.

He nodded in agreement. “Long nights are sometimes better than long days,” he replied a sly grin on his face. What was with this guy? Lani’s curiosity was stronger than his wariness at this point but that was short lived. As the conversation turned Lani’s walls came up and his mask switched to a wary and suspicious expression. As he slowly backed away from the man his instincts telling him to fly. But Lani felt the need to figure out who this man was so that he could avoid him in the future. He reached the curb and teetered on it for a moment unconcerned with the possibility of falling. His thoughts sharpened and his body rigid and detached from his mind. He trusted is body to keep him upright and the vague awareness of his body was overshadowed by his eyes boring through the dim light at this man across from him.

Well of one thing Lani was sure, he was not from his boss. His boss would never have sent someone so kind. If it had been his boss’s man he would have talked and let Lani squirm as horrible things raced through his mind. The pressure was coming in from all sides but Lani was bound and determined not to let anything slip. Someone like Lani couldn’t afford to not be paranoid. He had so much on the line. His blood ran cold when his mind jumped to this guy being a cop. The only thing he feared more than his boss. He didn’t want to go to prison. He wouldn’t. Stubborn determination would make sure that if they wanted him in prison they killed him.

His power coiled and prepared to strike reaching out and touching, feeling all of the matter around them. Lani’s eyes glared coldly into the man’s eyes. He couldn’t tell what he was hiding behind that open expression. That was a trick as old as the trade. Pretend to be an open book and let people see what they wanted to see then pull the wool over their eyes when they really come out. “You’re…” Lani’s eyes widened and he bit his tongue to keep from spouting all the descriptor he had. This was the Hammel shrink! Hadn’t Taitum threatened more than once to make him go? He knew enough to know he was a telepath. Lani swore colorfully under his breath and a hand when to his head as if he could prevent him from hearing his thoughts that way. How much did he know? Panic rose in Lani like a tide and he felt a little dizzy. Of all the bad luck! Why did stuff like this keep happening to him? Odion might have been on to something when he called Lani lucky, but unfortunately it didn’t seem to be good luck that was following him.

Lani dropped his eyes from the doctor’s and took a few deep breaths. “You’re the shink,” he finished his sentence his voice more level and focused than before. He had been going to say telepath but then if there were ears around how would he know that? Yeah word of mouth around Hammel worked wonders but Lani had never met anyone named Mia, he was just inclined to distrust everyone. But that particular information he had learned from files when curiosity overtook him when Taitum was breathing down his neck. And now that Taitum was gone there was no one to stop him from running off to do as thieves do. Here he had thought he was home free, but then things had gotten complicated. With Adrianna coming into the picture, his and Odion’s rocky friendship. Now he had a telepath sitting a few feet from him. God! Not even his own thoughts were safe! He just shook his head as Dr. Neville spoke more. Lani held up a hand as if to ward off his observation. He smiled getting himself back under the control of his masks and laughed a little. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just waiting for the bus, I don’t have any ‘troubles’.” He said putting his hands up to make air quotes around the word troubles.

Like to help? Yeah, help him right back to Hammel or jail probably. Besides Lani liked to think it wasn’t something he couldn’t handle. Lani’s defenses up he wondered with more than a little worry how much of his thoughts were getting through. His power flung out toward the bench to flip it and he reined it in terrified of what he might do. Lani raised a brow the gentle smile getting under his skin, telling him he should trust this guy, but this was all a trick. It had to be. So he smirked back. Crossing his arms he leaned in feinted relaxation against the lamppost. “Sure, so you can what? Tell me I have some sort of daddy issues or something?” He asked mocking his profession by picking this first thing that came to mind. Now he was playing the rude card, I was here first maybe I can get him to go away. “Besides,” Lani lied smoothly, “I’ve already bought my ticket.”

Lani’s eyes flickered around into the darkness around them. He hissed out a small noise as he blew out through his teeth. “You know…” Lani began to tell this Neville guy just where he could go but then he added the stuff about law enforcement and government and Lani’s tongue went limp. His eyes narrowed. He knew too much. Lani took another step back. But where would he go? This guy could find him at Hammel and the bus didn’t come for another few hours. He certainly wasn’t going to go back to his handler. He could always steal a car. Either way he really didn’t fancy spending the night in the woods. Besides, not connections didn’t mean the guy hadn’t already speed dialed the police. “I…I have somewhere to be.” He said coldly and pushed himself away from the pole. Not running, no he would not give this guy the satisfaction of watching him run.

Lani was too busy getting over the shock that Hammel’s telepathic psychiatrist was stilling at a bench across from him to get himself to focus on keeping his thoughts polite about the man. He had never done anything to Lani personally so it was rather unfair. If there was a higher power, he must be laughing at Lani. Maybe the man didn’t need his power to do his job but Lani was freaking out and it was a wonder that the man was being so calm. Perhaps he was trained to do that. The suspicions flying through Lani’s mind were enough to stir his power into action. He clamped down on it feeling it coiling. He was not going to have a repeat of that meeting with that blackmailer.

That had been kind of humorous, Lani had received a note wishing to speak with him about the track. Of course Lani was one of the prime suspects, it was either him another telekinetic or one of the rock movers. He had missed the appointment; he didn’t feel like talking about what got him so pissed off that he destroyed a seemingly indestructible object. For all he knew he might have ended up talking to this guy, which lo and behold, he was doing anyways. He shook his head a little at Dr. Neville. How was it that he ended up as a psychiatrist at a high school? Why on earth did this guy want to deal with people like him for the rest of his life? That had to be a sign of insanity in and of itself. Could a psychiatrist be insane? Lani bit his tongue and shook his head catching it wandering.

“Whatever,” Lani replied, he wasn’t going to admit that he didn’t know who the hell Freud was. Lani didn’t know anything about Oedipus or Electra theories or cross-parents attachment. That was just what he had always seen in the movies. Obviously that didn’t even faze the man. Lani shifted a little realizing his weapon was going to probably have a hard time striking a mark with this man. He wasn’t sure how much he bought of this guy’s act. “How do I know you’re not lying?” Lani snapped in response unsettled that the man had answered his thoughts instead of his words. It was a wonder Lani hadn’t already run, he was debating the fight of flight in his mind and he wasn’t really sure which one was winning but his legs were braced for flight even though he looked completely relaxed against the pole.

He narrowed his eyes at the man his teeth baring a little. What was this guy after? Why did he want to help him? A complete stranger. It was true that if the man had meant harm he certainly would have tried something already. Besides though Dr. Neville wasn’t always spoken about with the best of light he had never heard of an instance of Dr. Neville losing his temper or even being angry in general. A state of complete calm they said. That temptation arose and Lani was just peeved enough to let it take over his judgment. Part of it was curiosity, could he perhaps goad this guy into anger? Would it work? Now Lani hesitated, against his better judgment. He knew where this was headed. If this guy could get him alone and get into his head he could pry the truth out of him and that terrified him more than anything else in the world. Right now two people outside his boss’s people knew about his job and that was two people too many. He did not want this to become common knowledge, besides if Dr. Neville really knew what was going on chances were he would try to stop Lani. Maybe not himself but Lani didn’t need more eyes on him.

He looked over his shoulder and turned a little. “I won’t change my mind,” he assured him. He was not going to take the card. No. But he and his power had a disagreement. His mental hands drifted plucking the card out of the man’s hand and floating it over like a leaf practically jabbing Lani in the eye before he reached out to grab it. While Lani’s mind was focused on that his power reached out like starving children finding a feast. The wallet slipped out so smoothly and silently it would be a wonder if Dr. Neville noticed at all. And in the darkness it was all too easy to guide the object through the shadows to where Lani had moved into the shadows and get into his pocket. Perfect. Why? Curiosity, but mostly just because he could. Besides he could always return it later and blame it on his unruly power. After all it had grabbed the card without his say so. He pushed the wallet out of his mind and worked on an escape. Lani raised a brow. Give him the time of day? His eyebrow rose. He had never heard that in any other context other than annoyance. His father said it all the time when he was yelling. He gave the psychiatrist a little salute with the card.

“Have a good night, Dr. Neville.” He turned and ducked down and alleyway. He took out the wallet as he walked examining his spoils. Dr. Neville was a good man, but eh, bad things happened to good people all the time. Don’t think yourself righteous, you’re just like the rest of us. Lani stopped in his tracks horrified by himself. Is this really who he had become? He glanced behind himself and quickened his pace. He was right. Lani wasn’t alright, trouble didn’t even begin to define what was wrong with him. He hugged himself and shook his head. Stealing for need was much different than what he had just done. This was why he usually stuck to robbing stores and stuff. He couldn’t think about this, he needed a drink. One thing was sure, he would be making that bus home, he had never been so confused or so lonely in all his life.