I turned from the supers and glared at him, if looks could kill he’d have dropped dead. I was just about to order him to cut it out, when he suddenly screamed in agony, fell to the ground, and started to shake, twitch, and roll wildly on the ground.

  I was angry enough, not to look surprised or confused, I was still glaring at him even as I tried to figure out what the hell he was doing.

  Which of course, was his plan.

  The light turned on, as the supers thoughts came into solidity in my mind, even as the fire wielder sent a blast of fire down at me.

  I evaded, dove behind the closest vehicle.

  The telekinetic attacked a split second later, and he didn’t miss. The agony of being slammed into the road made me scream, and the only thing louder than that scream was the three loud cracks as three of my ribs were broken. Tears filled my eyes, and my heart took off like a snare drum. It was all I could do to maintain focus on my father as my brain scrambled to work out a course of action.

  The difference between even a smart intelligent person and experience. An experienced person would’ve reacted automatically and done the right thing. Would know what to do out of reflex, but it took me a couple of seconds to decide on a course.

  In the meantime, the pressure pushing me down was so intense if it was any stronger then I’d have just been crushed. I even started to panic a little, as I tried to gasp for breath, and found the pressure too much to breathe. The super was trying to make me pass out.

  It was one of the super strength supers that shook me out of it, as I saw his thoughts. He was close, and he was planning to knock me out with a punch to the back of my head.

  That would be disastrous.

  It wouldn’t be until later that the full deviousness of my father’s diabolical plan would be clear to me. Reality was nothing, perception counted far more.

  I’d been counting on the fact supers always asked the bad guys to surrender first. Unless of course, they were an immediate threat to another. At that point it would be simple to request my father be cuffed first. Easy peasy.

  From their point of view, seeing me glaring at my father, and him rolling around on the ground wildly in pain, made it look like I was torturing him. For all they knew the guy on the ground was an innocent bystander, while I was an escaped prisoner guilty of using my abilities in illegal ways.

  The devious bastard.

  It wouldn’t have occurred to me later, that when I passed out he would’ve probably not only escaped, but mind controlled the superheroes to kill me, erase their memories, and send them away. He’d likely have escaped and returned to his base no one the wiser. And… I’d be dead.

  But it did occur to me in that moment, that if I was knocked out my father would get away.

  It was far too close a thing, as I finally struck out with the sensation of peace. A peace so absolute that any kind of violence was just unthinkable. I hit my father with it too, all five of them at the same time. My father immediately stopped his antics, and the four supers stopped attacking. I wasn’t controlling them, not technically, it was all just projective telepathy. Well, outside of my father, I still had a grip on his mind.

  I gasped in a painful breath, and really appreciated the oxygen in the moment.

  I muttered, “You jerk,” loud enough to be heard, which made my father giggle. No doubt the peaceful sensation overwhelming his mind explained him giggling like that. Really, it was a bit creepy.

  I just laid there for a minute, as the ribs healed, and my head slowly cleared of pain.

  No more chances. I got up and walked over to the heroes, and I claimed two pairs of cuffs. They didn’t seem to mind, just dottily staring off into space with slight smiles and unfocused eyes. I moved over to my father and cuffed him.

  Then, and I’m not proud of it, I released his mind and stopped transmitting to him. Then I kicked him twice, hard, right in the ribs.

  Jerk deserved it.

  Anyway, the heroes didn’t seem to notice, far too blissed out.

  Then I cuffed myself, and as my power died, the supers recovered. Hopefully they wouldn’t be too mad at me, although it’d probably serve me right if they slapped me around after that.

  Fortunately for me, Karma spared me that humiliation. But I did get glared at.

  I wasn’t going to even bother trying to explain I didn’t torture him, they’d find out soon enough when I was questioned with a telepath or empath present. After all, I had no mind shield without powers, so they’d be able to read the truth from the lies.

  I did however, say, “This is Robert Branson, a tier three telepath. If he gets his powers back, he will escape,” then I changed my mind and added, “I wasn’t torturing him. He conned you into helping him escape. If you’d knocked me out, he would’ve gotten free from my mind. Then we all would’ve been dead or under his control. So be careful.”

  The supers blew that off with dark looks, as if my father hadn’t been hunted the last forty years, unsuccessfully. Or… maybe they were just angrily embarrassed I’d taken down all four of them so easily, all at the same time. That couldn’t have been easy on the ego, and not just because I was a girl in high school.

  “Boo?” I said playfully.

  One of them said, “You have the right to remain silent, so use it.”

  I winked.

  Probably not smart to bait them, but they were annoying me with their dark looks. Like I hadn’t just caught the number one guy on the wanted list and turned myself in as well. Well, whatever. I really didn’t think I looked down on anyone, nor did I think I was arrogant. They just rubbed me wrong, is all.

  Maybe because they’d kicked my butt, at least at first. It’d hurt too, the most pain I’d ever felt, to be honest.

  Then the world disappeared in a flash, and I found myself in another place. My very own prison cell.

  I sighed.

  I don’t like to repeat myself, as you’ve probably realized by now. There’s no reason to bore anyone reading this account into tears going over an interrogation that just covers everything I’d already explained earlier. Outside of the interrogators being jerks that is, but I’ll leave that to the imagination. Suffice it to say that it simply happened, and you’re not missing anything by me glossing over those things.

  Needless to say at this point, I told the story when they came to question me, starting with my father’s kidnapping of me. Of course, they accused me of escaping at first, and I’m not really sure I could’ve convinced them otherwise, save the empath they brought along. They already knew the rest, what had come before that, so even though they kept asking old questions, I just ignored those and refused to answer. There was really no point in rehashing it, and it was all in the system for them to review.

  It was a couple of hours later when my mom showed up. I’m sure she’d have been there earlier, if she hadn’t been on patrol that day.

  She smiled sadly, “Hey kiddo. The press named you. The ones that support you anyway. So I suppose you are a superhero now, if unofficially and only in the minds of some. They’re calling you Judgement. It’s a name that cuts both ways, but it’s not nearly as bad as Intrepid.”

  I chuckled, and kind of liked it. In a way it was what I was doing, without apology. Judging the laws unjust, judging society lacking in regard to my power set, and last but certainly not least judging those two hundred plus criminals in forcing them to confess their crimes.

  It could even be applied to saving lives, if only with a whole lot of mental juggling. Since I’d judged the agents under mind control without proof of that, and then decided to set them free, authorized by warrant or not. I used my own judgement in the matter.

  “Not the worst they could’ve come up with. I’m… sorry.”

  She shook her head, “I’m the one that taught you to fight injustice wherever you found it. I just had no idea you’d find it in our laws. Or as you said in the interview, the last bastion of bigotry in our society. I don’t think I’m like that… but I have to admit I do avoid telepaths. They make me uncomfortable, but it’s not fair. It’s a learned thing. The tough laws to keep our minds sacrosanct, and the teaching of them, makes us fear losing that even more. If that makes sense. Most telepaths make it easy too, seeking their own for company and avoiding the rest of us.”

  I frowned, “It does.”

  She shrugged, “I’m proud of you, is what I’m trying to say. At the same time, I’m your mother and love you, and I’m horrified that you might be punished for the good you did. The debate is polarizing, and there are strong voices on both sides. Also, Robert Branson? That’s crazy, I tried to take him down once. He was spotted, but I never did find him. You’ve done so much good in such a short time, Anna.”

  Oh, mom. The sob stuck in my throat, and I didn’t know what to do. She deserved to know, but she sure as hell didn’t deserve the fallout of that information being revealed. But, it was only a matter of time now before it came out. I’d told the truth in the interrogation after all, to explain why Robert hadn’t killed me out of hand two days ago, before I could turn things around. It would come out in court, if nothing else, and it was better if she heard it from me. Not anyone else.

  But chances were that it would make the press far sooner. Someone would leak it.

  I bit my lip, and whispered, just to stop my voice from throbbing and breaking, “That’s not entirely true, mom. You did find him that day. He just blocked access to the memory of it. Umm, think about it. It happened seventeen years ago… and tier three telepaths aren’t exactly thick on the ground.”

  I just couldn’t say it straight out, but that was surely enough. The timing and similar powers. The blood drained from her face a moment later, her color replaced by horror, and the feelings of revulsion and violation were clear on her face.

  I was crying then, silently, tears running down my face. The only reason it didn’t have me in a ball sobbing was I had to stay strong for my mother in that moment, along with the deep anger. Anger held back grief, after all, and even though I never would take his life I really wanted my father dead in that moment. It held me together, when I felt like I’d break into pieces any moment.

  I focused on my breathing to get through it.

  I was so scared she would hate me now, think of him and what must’ve happened to her every time she looked into my eyes. It was selfish, but it was only half that. I loved my mother, and I was devastated on her behalf.

  She spoke in a shocked monotone, “I should’ve realized, I just didn’t think. I never slept with a telepath before, not in college. It’ll be okay. It happened a long time ago, and I don’t even remember it.”

  I said softly, “That might be worse. The not knowing. If it is, I can release the memory, if I ever get out of here and you want me to, I mean. I didn’t want…” I trailed off helplessly, then said, “But better from me than the press, or during the trial.”

  She smiled sadly, “You were never one to take the easy way. Mr. Christensen should be here any moment. He’ll need to hear about your latest adventure which will no doubt be part of the trial.”

  I nodded, “I did use mind control again, but only on Branson and only until I put the cuffs on him. It was that or kill him, since I needed him to walk with me to the closest sign of civilization.”

  Another voice interrupted, one I hadn’t expected to hear.

  Leanne said, “His base is in an old mine?”

  “The entrance tunnel to it is,” I gave her the name of the mine, then said, “His A.I. is currently shut down, and all the weapons are offline, so it should be safe for you guys. If you have plans to turn on his A.I., I’d suggest disconnecting all the weapons first.”

  Leanne snorted, “This isn’t my first rodeo, Miss Cortez.”

  “So, how are things?”

  Leanne didn’t answer, and I rolled my eyes as she ignored me and faced my mom instead. As if the woman didn’t owe me her life. Not that I had any intention of collecting or pressing it, that would be arrogant and wrong because I didn’t do it for recognition. I did it because it was the right thing to do, but it was just rude of her to act like I was beneath her now.

  I’d have probably been a lot less annoyed at her ungratefulness if I hadn’t been so emotionally strung out in the moment. I bet she knew it too, since she was probably monitoring my thoughts.

  Mark and Harold were there too, but I could only sense them just out of my line of sight. They were down the hall a little. Sense them using my normal senses of course, since my mind was unpowered at the moment.

  “We’re filling in all the blanks on Branson’s long criminal career. We want to get everything, to make sure that menace spends the rest of his long life behind bars. You’re a material witness to the case, in his activities seventeen years ago in excelsior city.”

  Leanne left it at that, but I recognized the subtle threat in the words. If my mom didn’t volunteer for a memory dive she’d be compelled via warrant. I kind of hated that, even though I knew it was the right thing to do, and as I knew she would, my mother didn’t even hesitate.

  “You have my permission to review my memories, and if you unblock them, I’ll be happy to testify in court.”

  “Great, please come with me, I need a mental witness during the dive.”

  Leanne didn’t even look my way, as she turned around and walked away. It made me curious, was she really that blind to the failures of the current law, or did she really support me but couldn’t show it lest she lose her position in the FBI out of politics?

  I almost laughed, as Leanne reached up and touched her nose, right before disappearing from view.

  So not ungrateful, just making sure she still had a job, one that was high up and influential, where she could do a lot of good. I was suddenly very glad I hadn’t spoken my mind earlier. I really needed to stop thinking the worst of people, based on appearance, or being fooled by the best in people. The outside was very rarely the whole or true story.

  Which, in the end, was very human. And probably why telepaths were so avoided in our culture. No one wanted to be known as a hypocrite, despite that word applying to every other human on the planet too. Everyone was, after all, in one way or another. Me included.

  My lawyer showed up then, and I told the kidnapping story for a second time.

  After that, not much happened, except waiting for my trial. It was a long and boring wait. I did see my mom every day for a short time though, and my fears didn’t come to pass. Not that it was all sunshine and puppies, but she didn’t hate me. She loved me.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Long time no see, how’ve you been?” I grinned.

  Jason replied, “Never imagined I’d be seeing you here when we met last month. Doing good, thanks to you.”

  He opened the holding cell. I’d been transferred back to Excelsior for the trial. He looked good, and there was a certain satisfaction at seeing him back at work. Back on track for the career he was so passionate about, after being under Branson’s influence for who knows how long.

  Of course, it was a little annoying they hadn’t updated their procedures yet, and still had a projective telepath on escort prisoner duty.

  I’d made a difference, even if I was about to pay for it. It also felt like coming back full circle, to the place it’d all started. Though, instead of as an intern I was about to be tried and convicted as an adult. Given the nature of things, there’d be no slap on the wrist because I was a minor.

  I’d done too much, and I was far too scary I supposed, for that. I’d also decided not to change, perhaps it was a little dramatic on my part, but my lawyer had agreed it would play better in the press for my purposes. Not my best interests maybe, but in what I wanted to accomplish.

  “Could be worse and glad to hear it.”

  He chuckled, “Come with me, please.”

  “Did I say something amusing?” as we walked down the hallway of the holding area toward the elevators.

  He shook his head, “No, it’s just you really meant that. I’m sorry, I don’t get many defendants so glad to see me.”

  I chuckled.

  “Am I the only case for the day, for Stone I mean?”

  He nodded, “On the schedule for three days. I’ll take time to go over five hundred charges.”

  Yeah, don’t remind me.

  We took the elevator up. The back hallway was just as secure and severe as I remembered.

  When we entered the courtroom, it was already packed. Not just with the local news stations but the national ones. I nodded to Brian as I took a seat, and Jason moved against the wall. I was far more nervous than I expected I’d be, butterflies and all, without the assistance of my peaceful power.

  Especially because I knew I was guilty. Really, the trial was little more than a formality. I guess I was afraid I’d mess it up, say something wrong that would derail my larger plan. My larger desperate plan, which in the end was about far more than just my freedom, and so much bigger than I was.

  It was natural to have doubts, and I wouldn’t be the first to pay the price for my beliefs without bringing change, if it went that way. At least I was sure I had superhero support.

  They, as a group, totally got it once they’d heard my reasoning and story. That I’d had no choice, laws or not. You didn’t leave people behind to die, and you didn’t kill even to protect yourself if there was another way. The superheroes all lived that every day, of course they got it.

  I believed from what I was told of the coverage, a lot of others got it too. Most of my detractors were armchair quarterbacks who’d never live the life of a hero, and the others were people that feared telepaths. That wouldn’t want the telepaths they feared to have more latitude in when they read memories, even if it wouldn’t really affect them in their day to day lives unless they were victims already.

  I almost smiled and waved at Kevin Black, the prosecutor in the case for New York State. But I didn’t want to be accused of not taking the trial seriously. Even if it wouldn’t be that, perception trumped reality, and I had cameras pointed my way. After all, Kevin had helped me in the beginning with this, and had been a part of things. But it was what it was, even if it felt strangely rude not to. His presence was just another note on the full-circle line of thought.