Page 9 of Dark Shaman: Love Found (The Children Of The Gods #99)
They took the dedicated elevator to the penthouse level, and as the doors opened to the vestibule, Carol was reminded of how beautiful and luxurious the place was.
"It has been so long since I've been here." She followed Eleanor inside.
"Fancy." Lokan looked around the contemporary decor. "Just as I remembered it. I wouldn't mind staying here." He turned to Carol. "What do you think? Could you be happy here? It's more like what we are used to."
After their months in Beijing, he'd guessed she might crave the energy of city life.
"I could, but it's Kian's decision whether to allow us to stay here. "
"He'll allow it," Eleanor said. "He wants the paranormals to be processed, and he realizes that whoever is going to do it needs to stay near them until it's done."
Before Carol could respond, the elevator chimed, and Eleanor straightened. "That would be our dinner guests."
The paranormals filed out of the elevator in a loose group, their body language screaming uncertainty despite Eleanor's attempts to make this meeting seem casual.
Carol catalogued them automatically, matching faces to what she'd remembered from briefly meeting them long ago but mostly from the files Eleanor had shown them.
James and Mollie stood closest together, the telepath's arm around his partner's shoulders. Both showed their age. James's hair was more gray than brown, and small lines had started to form around Mollie's eyes. But there was a calmness to them that Carol found enviable.
She and Lokan seemed so restless in comparison.
Andy hung back, all gangly teenage limbs and defensive posture.
The younger couples clustered together—Jeremy tall and lean with watchful eyes, Naomi petite beside him.
Abigail and Dylan stood with the careful distance of a couple working through something, while Spencer and Sofia were practically glued together, young love obvious in every gesture.
"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Carol and Lokan," Eleanor said. "They're considering taking over your case when I return to Safe Haven. "
"Considering?" James stepped forward. "What does that mean?"
Carol affected a reassuring smile. "It means that we want to get to know you before making commitments. Tonight is just dinner and conversation."
The paranormals didn't remember them, which was good since it would be difficult to explain the circumstances of their previous encounter.
"Do you have special genes like Eleanor and Emmett?" Andy asked.
His directness was startling, but it was a valid question. "Yes. We are also special," Carol said. "Everyone's genetic expression is unique. That's part of what makes this so interesting."
"The food's here," Eleanor announced as the elevator chimed again, and two guards emerged with bags that filled the air with amazing aromas. "Let's eat first, talk second. Everything's easier over Chinese food."
The migration to the dining room was a little awkward, with all of them trailing behind the two security guys who had brought up the takeout.
As containers were opened and food distributed, the atmosphere gradually relaxed. Carol had learned long ago that sharing a meal was one of the fastest ways to build connections. Even suspicious assets let their guard down over good moo shu pork .
"So," Naomi said once everyone had full plates, "what exactly would 'taking over our case' involve?"
Carol set down her chopsticks, giving the young woman her full attention. "Support as you explore your abilities. Resources to live comfortably while you decide what comes next. Medical care if you need it. Think of us as facilitators."
"Facilitators of what?" Abigail's energy-reading abilities probably gave her insights into emotional states. Her gaze moved between Carol and Lokan with sharp intelligence.
"Your potential," Lokan said, his first real contribution to the group conversation. "The realization of the potential you might carry in your special genes."
"Our potential to live forever?" Sofia asked. "That's what Eleanor and Emmett said. Some of us might have genes that prevent aging."
"Might being the operative word," Eleanor interjected. "Nothing's guaranteed. But the possibility exists, and Carol and Lokan will help with the testing."
"What happens if we don't have these magic genes?" Spencer asked.
Carol wondered what their energy signatures looked like to him. "There is a special project that I started working on that some of you might be interested in. The rest of you can return to your civilian lives with our gratitude for your participation."
"We can't talk about the program," James said. "We can't go back to our old lives knowing what we know. We're in limbo."
"Why not?" Carol put her chopsticks down.
"People retire from special forces and spy organizations and take the secrets they know to their graves.
You can certainly return to normal lives, even with knowledge of various interesting things that you will have to keep to yourself.
" She smiled. "You can organize group meetings and talk about the olden days among yourselves. "
"That's true," Mollie said. "What did you do before this? You have the vibe of a performer, an actress. You don't feel like a handler."
Laughing, Carol patted her curls and batted her eyelashes. "I've done many things, and they all required some acting talent, so you are right on the money."
Mollie's eyes widened. "You were a spy?"
"Among other things."
"What about you?" James asked Lokan.
"I was in...acquisitions."
Jeremy laughed. "Acquisitions. What did you acquire?"
"Whatever my employer needed," Lokan said.
The table fell silent as the paranormals recalculated their first impressions of them, recognizing them as kindred spirits. They'd all operated in the shadows and lived with secrets.
"How long are we going to stay here?" Andy asked .
"For as long as is needed," Carol said. "No need for dramatic changes until you're ready."
"If we're ready," Dylan corrected, and Carol wondered if his gift was on fire in this room full of half-truths and secrets.
"If," Carol agreed. "We need to do some testing, but no one is going to do anything that you don't agree to."
The word 'testing' had the entire group tense up, and Eleanor rushed to clarify.
"The testing process is safe. We've had multiple successful transitions with no casualties."
"Transitions?" Abigail caught the term immediately.
"Casualties?" James added.
"From normal to enhanced," Eleanor covered smoothly. "If you carry the dormant genes, they can be activated."
"How?" Spencer leaned forward, dinner forgotten.
This was the tricky part. Carol decided on limited honesty. "A biological catalyst. Think of it as jumpstarting a system that's been dormant."
"And if it works and we transition?" Sofia asked.
"Then you join a very exclusive group of special people," Carol said. "With all the benefits and responsibilities that entails."
"Responsibilities," Jeremy repeated. "There it is. There's always a catch. There is never something for nothing. "
"There is no catch," Lokan said. "Just reality. Extended life means watching the world change around you. It means keeping secrets to protect yourself and others like you."
"We already live like that," Mollie said. "The program made sure of it."
The truth of that resonated with the other guests and sobered them. These people had already paid the price of being different. They'd already learned to hide, to deflect, to live with isolation.
Carol leaned toward her. "At least with us, you wouldn't be alone."
"How many others are there?" Naomi asked. "People with these genes?"
"More than you might think," Eleanor said. "Less than you might hope."
"Jin found her place," Andy said suddenly. "And Jacki. Richard and Wendy, too. Now I know that they joined your people. I knew they were telling us stories about what they are doing with their lives."
"True," Carol confirmed. "They found a home and a family with us. I hope all of you will have the same luck."
"I have one more question," James said. "What made the two of you choose to take Eleanor's place?"
Carol considered her answer. "Because we're in transition ourselves. We've recently relocated, and we're looking for our next purpose just like you are. Maybe we can find it together."