Who is James Martin???

[James Martin]

Continued from 'Washed Up'

Who is James Martin?

I'm writing this down because I think it might be important.

I arrived in Pilot Ridge yesterday, I think I must have fallen in the lake and hit my head, as I woke up on the shore and dripping wet. Talking to a girl, I found that the University was just down the road, but it was getting on a bit so I decided to stay in a hotel for the evening.

As I was going to bed, my telepathy decided to work again.

Like last time, my vision was blurry and obscured by a strange fog, but I heard the mans name - James Martin. I found out that his power was retrocognition, and he seemed to want to use it to find out about the life of someone who has just died. I'm not sure why, but he was utterly hell bent on it.

Just before I came back round, I caught a brief glimpse through the fog of 'James' sat in a room systematically using his powers on personal items of this mystery man, documenting his findings each time. He seemed half-crazed, I'm really worried for this person.

At first I thought I was just connecting with somebody remembering their past, but for some reason I feel like I'm catching up with their present. They need my help, this obsession of theirs doesn't appear to be altogether healthy, and from what little I know of retrocognition people can end up losing a grip on reality if they get in too deep.

James Martin must be in Pilot Ridge somewhere, even my dysfunctional telepathy couldn't pick up people any further away. Wherever he is, he needs my help. I'm not sure what to do apart from letting my visions guide me, I don't think knocking on doors and asking for him is the best idea for somebody just arriving in a town; outsiders asking questions is never looked upon kindly.

At any rate, I'll have to stay in Pilot Ridge for a while, I don't want to risk going out of 'range' of James; hopefully I can get some concrete information about where he is next time. Sent an email to the university saying I've come down with the flu, haven't received a reply yet but should be fine I hope.

Will keep this updated, like I said, I feel it is important.

[James Martin]

Four days have passed. Things are not right.

I got an email back from the university yesterday telling me that I'm sick and twisted to be sending such an email. I don't understand, I've sent another email but apparently it wasn't delivered, I'm guessing I've been blocked.

I would go up there myself and try to find out what is going on, but I'm loathe to leave Pilot Ridge; I keep getting more snippets of information about James Martin. Part of me thinks I should talk to Hammel, they may well know something about him, but I'd really prefer not to involve them; I'd probably end up being forced to go back there till I can control my telepathy properly, and I know that THAT isn't going to happen any time soon.

I don't know any more, something isn't right, I feel like I should know what it is, but I don't.

[James Martin]

I've just had another vision.

James Martin is losing himself; he has gone too far down the rabbit hole. Continued use of his power has led to him overwriting his own memories, it is my guess that this is what he feared from his power all along.

However, the more I see of the man, the more he disgusts me. He abuses a variety of prescription drugs, all obtained through means that are questionable to say the least. He isn't a bad person, but you couldn't call him good by any stretch of the imagination, either. In times of crisis, he is on his own side, and he genuinely doesn't give a damn about anybody else but himself.

The most frustrating thing of all is that he could be brilliant. More than brilliant. He has a razor-sharp intellect, a keen sense of logic, and usually has a very firm grip on his power. He could use this power for good, he could solve crimes, find missing people, but instead he is content to pursue his own agenda, frittering his skills away on projects that feed his own ego. That is, when he is in a state to do so. Most of the time, he revels in his drug-induced stupor, losing himself for days on end in his office.

Inside, I suspect he is secretly lonely; but instead of talking to anyone, he just lashes out against the world even more. I can feel his sadness when I see him, but he buries it underneath the substance abuse.

Part of me doesn't want to help him, is almost telling me to drop it, but I know I can't.

[James Martin]

These last few days have drained me more than I can say; visions have been coming faster and more intense than ever before. I can't even begin to describe all of the things that I have seen; I don't know if I want to.

Regular access to the mind of James Martin has allowed me access to many of his memories. No man should have to see some of the things that he has seen, and I'm not sure any man should be able to. He has seen the fall of empires, experienced the feelings of those in Auschwitz, watched metas be experimented on and tortured...

The worst part is, he doesn't just go back and watch the events, he feels what the people involved feel, the highs as well as the lows. Why does he persist in some of his research when he knows that this is the outcome?

I think it's safe to say that I will never, no, can never understand the man that is James Martin. However, as much as I dislike the person that he is, seeing some of this has made me realise how lucky I have it - I have a beautiful wife and children, he has no memory of having any family at all, what memories he may have had are overwritten. I don't know what I would do if I lost my family, or lost all memory of them. I can't think of a worse fate than to lose your loved ones, whether it be in reality or in memory.

It is for this reason, and this reason alone, that I will do what I had made a pact with myself never to do. I must go back to Hammel.

There are people there who can help me find him and set him right. I've heard that Sean Neville, the Institute's psychiatrist, has the power of telepathy and memory manipulation. He will surely be able to help James recover his lost memories.

Like I said, having memories snatched away from you is something that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, but James Martin is ill, very ill.

I am just trying to find a direct number for Dr Neville. Once I have called him and discussed this matter, I will write in here again.