I dropped the current President of the NAU (North American Union), some guy named Trudeau, into the North Atlantic from 10,000 feet. The corpulent man splattered out on the surface of the ocean like a bug on the windshield of our Explorer.
I had never met the man, yet he had ordered a hit on me and my family for reasons that I would never understand. He had been in office when the first of the MIB (men in black) had staked us out years ago. It was his people that were constant pests, setting up posts to observe our activities on the ranch from the time Sue and I had manifested our abilities years ago. He was in office when the first kidnap attempts were made on us. He was the reason that I went public with my thesis, to prevent him and his cronies from getting their hands on my ideas so he could increase his own power base. It was he that ordered Mary Black’s band of so called “Federal Agents” to take us from the ranch.
I had never met the man until tonight. After the head of some terrorist organization I never heard of named Prince Abdul Bin Faruk, gave him up as the power broker that had hired him. He was another slime-ball that will never be a problem again.
I felt some remorse for killing everyone that was involved in the attempt on my family, though. As part of a race that could breed this kind of slime that preyed on others, I felt bad that I was a part of it. I felt bad that I lived in a country that was supposedly believed in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that would allow this kind of corruption in its leadership.
Sixteen-year-old kids aren’t supposed to grow up this fast. Somewhere along the line, I lost the innocence of childhood.
I guess I should introduce myself and the rest of the family. Dad is Robert Carl Marshall, named after his grandpa. I’m Robert Carl Junior though everybody calls Dad “Bob” and me “Rob”. Mom was named after her aunt Lyla Marie. My twin, Sue, was named after Mom and an aunt Susan, so she is “Lyla Sue”. She doesn’t hate it, but prefers Sue. We never met them or the rest of our family except uncle Jedediah (Jed) Marshall before the last version of the corona virus took them. Uncle Jed is still in Colorado.
Dad and Mom got married after they graduated from Colorado State University (CSU) as doctors of veterinary medicine (DVMs) in 2036 and we came along August 31st in ‘37. Most everyone in Fort Collins died off during the last rampage of “Congo Corona” virus took the city in 2045. Somehow, the four of us weren’t affected by it, so we got out. We moved into the country outside of Wheatland, Wyoming, to a small ranch where they set up a veterinary hospital just before the city died. The guard moved into Fort Collins just after we left and we’ve had only sporadic contact since. We have as many dogs, cats, horses, (ugh!) cows and other animals as we can stand most of the time and know almost everybody in the country. That said, there aren’t many of us left up here either.
Dad and Mom have a natural affinity for animals and I guess that Sue and I do also, though it seems stronger in us than them. We are as much a part of the clinic as they are when we can break from chores and studying to help them out. We have two others, Nancy Jorgensen and Jim Wilson, that help us out by mucking out the stalls, grooming and feeding the animals, repairing the pens and some of the office work. Between the six of us, we stay really busy.
Since the demise of the school systems nationwide, Sue and I are online almost every night, going to school and taking krav maga and ballroom dance lessons for balance in Douglas on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I was pretty tall, skinny and wiry for a nine-year-old, but I hung in because they helped my coordination and really improved my martial arts classes I loved. Dad and mom met many people through them as well. We met several ranchers that formed most of their business later, like the Issacsons and the Townsends. The Issacsons ten-year-old daughter Cheryl and I were partners for much of the dancing. She tied me up in knots. I could hardly talk to her.
******
Hooray! After chores, we got a break. We went and did some shopping for necessary items (overalls and such) then Dad and Mom took us to a “surprise” lunch where most of our friends and theirs met at the Tasty Treat. The kids had burgers and fries while the grownups had steaks and whatever they wanted. It seemed like half the town was there, with us supplying the meats and everybody else supplying the rest. What was left over of the steer was given to the owners of the restaurant as payment for the cooking and preparation. After singing “Happy Birthday” we had cake and ice cream and some games. It was fun.
As of yesterday, Sue and I are both fifteen.
We are also in a growth spurt. I am just over six feet with Sue right behind me at about 5’ 10”. She doesn’t like that much because she thinks that all the guys will think she is too tall. That is not a problem, though. Yes, she is tall and willowy, but so is Mom and she did all right. Growing up here on the ranch, dealing with all the work and chores has made us both strong and tough. So no problem.
Other things have happened as we have both continued to develop. We both are telekinetic and can move heavy objects by concentrating on them and forcing them to where we want them to be. It sure makes hay bales much easier to load and unload, as well as those heavy bags of feed. Both of us can do other things as well. We can start fires when we are camping regardless of the weather with pyrokinesis. We can tell what the problems are with the animals that come to the clinic just by “looking” inside them and seeing how things are working. Sue can also sense things from the future, though sporadically. I think they call it precognition or clairvoyance. That’s kind of scary. I can actually do something that Sue can’t do. If I can picture it in my mind, I can be some place instantly. That’s teleportation. I actually arrive at my destination in a sort of bubble so I can check out the landing zone before touchdown. If it’s bad, I can’t change destinations, but I can go back to the origination point and try again. That comes in handy when I want to go fishing or have to get to the pastures where we board horses or cows for extra money. I can also take things or people with me when I do that provided the thing is not too heavy, and I have contact. I’m getting stronger, but still can’t move a horse. Sue has gone with me a couple times when we have to treat a sick calf or bring one back, though she normally rides a horse if we have to lead one of the larger animals back. Because of the family's ability to communicate over distances, through telepathy, that really comes in handy. (My doctoral thesis has to do with part of the teleportation phenomena. More on that soon.) The more that we can do, the easier the work becomes, but the more that Dad and Mom worry. We keep a tight lid on these things. Mom and Dad have told us to do that kind of thing when no one else can see us, though Nancy and Jim have been pretty cool about what they have seen and haven’t said a peep to others. They and their families have become really close to us over the past few years, so they keep our secrets.
Using these gifts over extended periods of time takes a lot out of us, though. Sue and I are walking appetites. We snack all the time and gain no fat, just muscle. The ‘rents constantly poke food at us. Our metabolisms seem like they’re in overdrive. Mom and Dad worry because we sleep a couple of hours a day at most. We love them so we try to placate them by pretending to snooze a bit more, but even in our rest periods we are still working at something. There is just so much that we are curious about!
School has become our second passion. It looks like our work at the clinic and the courses have made us shoo-ins for being DVMs like Dad and Mom, and we both love the animals. (They give back as much as we give them!) While not working or camping, you can find me hard at work hitting the books and working online. I finished my undergrad courses in physics and engineering from the University of North Carolina (UNC Charlotte) last winter and have been accepted to MIT for doctorate paths in both. Sue is working on her masters in biology and virology from Harvard. We chose those schools from tons of offers that came through because they are still supposed to be the best around. We don’t have to attend, but both of us have to do the lab work and lectures. Sue and I try to schedule our time together so I can take her to school and pick her up. Professor Johnson has allotted me some of the floor space for my experiments in his lab at MIT. It took a bit to convince him in the interview, though, as he still doesn’t understand the math behind my proposal for pocket dimensions. I convinced him by opening a window to our place on the ranch and bringing a meadowlark through. The look on his face was priceless. I don’t know how he convinced the department to give me the room, but if I can prove the theory, I’ll get both of my doctorates in math and physics at the same time. It’s too early to tell if it’s going to unify Einstein’s theory or not, but I have high hopes. I’ve a feeling that the school is going to make a lot of money from my ideas, for whatever they’re worth.
Our work seems to have garnered some government interest. That has Dad and Mom worried. We have had a few visits from the MIBs (men in black) in the past year, but we are still minors, so that shouldn’t be a problem. Besides, we can normally feel them coming from miles away, so we have plenty of time to get away. It hasn’t interfered with school yet, but I’m sure it will at some point.
We have both made friends while attending our respective schools. Roger Collison and I both work in Professor Johnson’s lab at MIT. Craig Lehner is one of my friends from the Math department. Both are eighteen and while they don’t understand the math behind what I am trying to do, they are both enthusiastic supporters, as I am of their projects. Both have insatiable curiosities. Like me.
Sue met Jane Wilson, a double major virologist and biologist and Pamela Jürgen, another double major in botany and marine biology, in the spring while at Harvard. Both of the girls are older, and like Craig and Roger, share our curiosity. I don’t know their ages. Sue really enjoys their company.
All of us are a worried about becoming lab rats for the government so we are very closed mouth about our individual abilities.
******
Last year we bought some pasture land out next to the mountains. We are thinking about running a few head of cattle there. The place is where the old Laramie Peak Boy Scout Ranch used to be. When I’m not working at the clinic or school, I sometimes pop up there to think, do some camping and tend the land. I’ve tried to make it as often as possible since spring to get the fences mended and to keep tabs on the outbuildings from the previous owners. The old roads aren’t maintained anymore, so it’s pretty tough to bring up vehicles and food. As many times as I have been up here, I haven’t sensed or seen any people. I know that some still come around because I see occasional fire rings and campsites, but everyone that I have found has been long abandoned. I hope they don’t discover the makeshift lab that I had been clandestinely putting together in one of the out of the way building’s basement. It isn’t much, but it might come in handy some day.
The wildlife doesn’t seem to mind, though. There is hardly a time that I don’t have deer and elk walk through my rough trail camps. I hear and see mountain lions occasionally. Buffalo and antelope roam freely up here as well.
I’ve had Roger, Craig and Sue’s friends up here a few times, but they aren’t too enthused by the idea of camping out. All of them are from the east and while they love the barbecue, they aren’t excited about camping. Who knows, maybe it will grow on them.
The entire area is returning to a wilderness up there. Left alone, I think that the entire area will revert in a few decades. Nature seems to not miss man.
******
Our sixteenth birthday came and went with a nice little celebration at the Tasty Treat, like three years ago. Girls are a bit more interesting now, but really have had little time for them since the dance lessons. I haven’t seen Cheryl since then either. I’ve put her out of my mind. She distracted me even then.
******
The winter of 2052 and 2053 was pretty harsh. The wind around the ranch never ceased blowing and sometimes we had to dig our way out the six-foot snowdrifts for the quarter of a mile that we were off the road. We kept the clinic open, as the animals still needed tending. Dad and I went out with the fire and rescue folks four or five times to help with livestock and wildlife that had become stranded. I’m sure that we didn’t find all the critters, but we did what we could. When I wasn’t in the clinic, I was in the labs working to build a device to create a pocket dimension. What comes naturally to me requires a lot of work and invention to come to pass. After five simulator failures, because of some missing requirement, I had to back off and rethink about some base requirements. It was while I was engrossed that Roger piped up about the fusion project that he was working on.
“Dammit! I know this thing will work if I just had a material that was strong enough to contain the reaction!” Roger exclaimed. “Do you have any ideas that might help?”
That led to a discussion about materials and the reason that a hot fusion reaction couldn’t be contained with our current technology. That led to some proposals that were in the works around cold fusion and why they hadn’t worked so far. I took some notes and was still working with Roger when Sue let me know she was ready to be picked up to head home for the day.
I picked up Sue outside her lab at Harvard after ensuring the coast was clear and teleported back to the ranch house. Mom and Dad were glad to see us and dinner was ready when we set down. My mind wasn’t on dinner as we ate. I was still thinking about the problem that Roger was having. Mom and Dad could see that my mind wasn’t really there during dinner. Trying to get me to snap out of it, Dad said something about the ravenous fuel cells in the backyard multiplying like rabbits and eating them out of house and home. It startled me out of my funk when they all started laughing uproariously.
“Uh, what did you say?” I blurted out, snapping to attention. That only made it worse for them as the tears started. They gasped for breath between the guffaws. I waited until things had settled a bit, actually tasting some of Mom’s hard work from the kitchen once the fog on my brain had cleared.
“Wow, brainiac, you really need to get a handle on that brain storm before you short out!” said Sue, chuckling, as she dried her eyes on her napkin. “That’s some major fog you have going on there.”
“I was just thinking about my problems with making pocket dimensions and the problems that Roger is having with a material to contain a fusion reaction. It occurs to me that the two are related. I just can’t see the connection yet,” I said. “I think that there is a derivative function that can solve the problems of both if I can just visualize it, then put the math to it.”
Dad and Mom were smart, very smart, but they expressed their grasp of the problems that Sue and I were talking about with slack jaws and open mouths. Sue wasn’t as bad, but she was close.
After looking at them and Sue, it was my turn to break out in guffaws and tears. It turned out that was exactly what the doctor ordered to get me off of dead center. The two problems were connected. Now I just had to get the math functions built, and the simulation corrected. I could see it in my mind’s eye and was sure of the solution. One thing that I WAS sure of was that I needed to talk to a patent lawyer ASAP. I was also sure of the need for absolute secrecy, except with the very close friends that I had developed in the lab until our goals were achieved. The derivative function had many, many more applications beyond what I was working on.
******
I returned to the physics lab in the morning after tending the animals with Nancy and Jim. I took a shower before teleporting so I didn’t stink up the whole blooming place. February 10th was quite cold both at home and at the school. Both Roger and Craig were in the lab working on his project.
“Good morning guys, what’s up?” I asked cheerily.
“Nada,” replied Roger, looking up from the simulation that he was running using an imaginary material for containment. I looked and noted that the magnetic bottle was stable, but also noted that the surface of the containment material was hotter than the surface of the sun. “Look at that! It works with these ridiculous material specs, but that is way beyond anything we have now.”
Craig confirmed his calculations, but didn’t have the materials background to confirm or deny his conclusions.
“I see that. Shedding the heat is going to be a problem,” I said, playing it cagey until I had the derivative complete.
“Yep, it’ll work, but with what we have now will catastrophically fail if we try to run it,” said Craig. Five minutes later, the simulation died.
“Well, that’s it for a while,” Roger said in a defeated tone.
“Hey, it’s not over till it’s over, bud,” I said. “I have an idea that may solve both of our problems, but I need to confirm the math and run my sim before I can say for sure. If it does, we’re going to need a helluva patent lawyer, muy pronto!”
Both of my comrades gave each other a look, then left to let me settle down to get to work. Dr. Johnson entered and for something as I was working through the equations, but left after seeing that I was absorbed.
Roger and Craig reentered after about an hour, bringing coffee and donuts from the campus cafeteria. I was finishing up when they came in.
“Okay Frankenstein, what’s the verdict?” Roger asked anxiously. “Is the patient going to live?”
“I don’t know yet, but as soon as I take a brief break, we’ll give it a shot in my simulation. Then if it works, we’ll try it in yours,” I replied. “If you’re bored, you can check my math from here...” I walked to the whiteboard with my calculations on it and pointed. “I think that what Roger needs is a material constructed with the parameters of the second derivative...here. But I need to verify the first derivative before it gets that far.”
They both looked at me like I had grown two heads, but walked over to the first board and started working with the second to verify the results. I was following their lines of reasoning telepathically when Dr. Johnson came back into the room.
He looked at the scratching on the board, then came over to me and struck up a conversation. “So Rob, what’s up? I’m almost afraid to ask.”
“Well Professor, Roger and I were discussing a problem that he was having yesterday. I couldn’t get it out of my mind, so I went home and worked on it as a mental exercise. It looks like the first derivative will work for my problem and the second for his. The field works for both, but has different applications,” I said. “The math for the derivatives are pretty straight-forward applications of the math I invented to describe the dimensions that I theorized. We should have that verified by noon, but we’ll have to model them after we’re done.”
Priceless was the only word that I could use to describe his reaction. He had to sit down and compose himself before he could say anything.
“How old are you, son? I don’t think I ever asked before,” he drawled.
“I’m sixteen, sir. I was sixteen at the end of August,” I said.
“Do you know what this is worth if it pans out? This is going to turn the science upside-down!” he said. “It will change everything!”
“Sir, let’s not count the chickens before they hatch. It is still theory,” I said. “There is also the cost of the prototypes that are a necessary part of the demonstrations.”
What I didn’t tell him was that most of the external hardware could be purchased at the local shops and the rest could be built here in the lab.
The professor left shortly after I started talking proof of concept. Before I presented that, I was going to have a patent attorney involved up to his eyeballs. I was sure that the school was going to get the most out of my work. I just didn’t want my buddies or myself to get jilted out of what we had earned.
******
I finished my coffee after my second donut and watched Roger and Craig work on the second derivative. “How’s it looking guys?” I asked.
“The first derivative checks out and we are about halfway through the second. That’s some piece of work, Rob. My mind isn’t nearly that twisted!” exclaimed Craig as he worked.
“Mine either,” said Roger. “From what I can see, this looks like it involves not only dimensional overlap, but time control. How did you come up with that?”
“Horror movies and sci-fi novels sprinkled with optimism guys. I have to have something to do when I’m not mucking dung out of the stables at home!” I replied.
They both laughed, and I got back to the problem of integrating the first derivative into my computer model.
******
The guys finished the second derivative about the time that I finished inputting the first one into my model. I checked their work. It looked pretty good. I took some pictures with my smart phone, then erased the work so it couldn’t be stolen. Then I locked down my computer with a 64-bit double encryption code of my making and shut it off after saving the files to my flash drive with the same code. We broke for dinner, going to a local place close to the campus. I couldn’t drive, so we took Roger’s car to a place called “Calachi’s”, an Italian place. The hostess had just settled us in when I sensed a fed going into the lab and two into the restaurant. I knew they were with the government because I could sense their thoughts. I let my buddies know as soon as I felt their presence.
Say nothing. We have a tail and someone just entered the lab. I locked down the computers before we left, and I don’t think the feds can break the encryption. They might try to pick us up when we go back.
I hadn’t intended to show them I was a telepath, but I didn’t see any other way without letting the spy know I knew he was there. I’m sure that the spies could read lips and the guys were facing the wrong way. The look on their faces told me that maybe I should have told them earlier. The only reason that I hadn’t before was because my family considered it rude to communicate with someone else when you were working with a person. Besides, I knew they were both latent and that this would wake them up.
Roger, grab Craig’s hand then reach across and grab mine. The spy hasn’t seen us yet and I’ll be damned if I’m getting into the van that just pulled up outside!
Roger’s eyes got real big, then he did as he was told. In a heartbeat, we were at the clinic in an empty room. Both Roger and Craig didn’t look so good, so I had them sit with their heads down close to their knees to prevent them from passing out.
Sue was at the house so I called out; Sue, I’m in the south exam room with Roger and Craig. We just had to teleport in from Massachusetts. They’re in shock and I need a hand!
On it, bro! I’ll be there in a few! She answered.
It was only 1700 here, but it was 2000 at the campus. Dad and Mom hadn’t closed down the clinic yet and were seeing the last patients of the day, so I couldn’t really get them involved in this mess yet.
“Sorry guys, but we had to go! It looks like the feds or their equivalent are looking for us. I didn’t think that it was worth the risk of staying,” I said.
“Th-that’s okay Rob. Ju-just let us catch our breath. We’ll b-be fine. That’s s-some s-scary shit you just did!” Craig said.
Sue busted through the door with water and blankets about then.
“Thanks Sue. These guys are still a little shook up, so I’m going to give them a minute or two,” I said. “Could you tell Mom and Dad that we have a couple of guys here that will be staying for a night or two?”
“Sure Rob. I’ll be happy to,” replied Sue. She turned to the guys. “Are you two going to be alright?”
“We’ll be fine,” replied Roger. I could tell through the mental link that we still had that he had definitely noticed Sue, though he was trying to not gawk.
Blushing furiously, Sue left to see the ‘rents. “I can see that we are going to have to work a bit on your mental discipline and shields before I turn you loose on the locals. Mom, Dad and my sister are all telepathic. They can tell what you’re thinking if you don’t shield your thoughts,” I said. “Let’s get that under control a bit before we head for the house, shall we?”
Roger turned an astonishing shade of pink. With Craig, it was hard to tell with his black skin, but he was certainly embarrassed.
I worked with them until Mom and Dad opened the door about 6:00. By then they had the basics down with their shielding and managed a passable job greeting the ‘rents. We escorted them to the house after finding jackets for them we kept around the clinic. Sue met us at the door, somewhat hesitantly.
“Sue, I’m sorry for my thoughts earlier. I didn’t mean to embarrass you with my uncontrolled outburst. We still have a lot to learn about this ability your brother appears to have unlocked. Please beat me to death if it happens again!” Roger blurted.
Sue whacked him once on the arm, causing a yelp of pain. “Next time it’s going to hurt a lot worse you turkey!” she laughed and let them off with the lesson learned. My buds took it well. I just hope that they meant it because with all of the training that she had and those muscles from the work here at the ranch, she would tear those city boys apart if it came to a fight of any kind.