After Thought Page 12

  “He brought me back to focus when he said, ‘Do you mind if I join you?’ as he nodded toward the table.

  “My first instinct was to decline and get the heck out of there, but at the same time, I was curious to see where he was going with his little charade. So I nodded and held my hand out to the empty chair across the table from me.

  “It was the strangest meal of my life. We chatted with small talk and neutral subjects. Neither of us brought up any of the events from the past. We both acted like we were just business acquaintances meeting for the first time. But seeing him in person reminded me of our sons. All of the pain and sadness that I had suppressed for so long was bubbling back up to the surface. And I was sure that seeing me again was having the same effect on him. Still, we went on with our act throughout the entire meal.

  “Toward the end of the meal he leaned forward, reached across the table, took both of my hands in his, and gently pulled me toward him as his eyes met mine. I had gradually lowered my guard, but his gesture caught me by surprise, causing my unease to return.

  “He had my full attention when he said, ‘Madeline I’ve missed you so much. I never stopped thinking about you. For so long I’ve wondered about you and what had become of you. I have to confess that I’ve been trying to use Refined Transcendent Power to summon you to me, and here you are right before me. Apparently it worked.’

  “Chills ran down my spine. If he could use RTP to summon me, what else was he capable of?’

  “I said, ‘You were always strong in your use of RTP.’

  “He nodded slowly and said, ‘Madeline, do you think there’s a chance that we could forgive each other? Maybe we could get back to the way we were when we loved each other.’

  “My fear was suddenly forgotten. I was incredulous and angry. I looked him directly in the eyes and said, ‘No, Paul. I don’t think that there’s a chance in hell.’

  “His smile faded as he put his hand to his chest and feigned being hurt. Or maybe he really was hurt at some level, but I didn’t believe it. And I didn’t care. I saw the dark anger flash in his eyes when he said in a cold voice, ‘Pity. Well then, let’s get down to business. I understand that you’re not a member of the Keepers of Transcendent Power.’

  “That was a known fact. There was no need for me to deny it. So now we were getting to his true intention.

  “I said, ‘And I never will be. You broke the oath that you took when you learned about RTP. You were taught to never use RTP for evil.’

  “He laughed sarcastically and said, ‘Whoever made that rule never had to deal with evil in their life. They were living in a fantasy world to think that there is no evil and that RTP would never be used for evil.’

  “ ‘But you took the vow and you are using RTP in a way that was not meant to be, Paul.’

  “He shrugged. ‘I’ve never seen it make much of a difference one way or the other. Whether it is used for good or evil, RTP works the same way. But now that I think of it, I think it may be even more powerful when it’s used for evil.’

  “He grinned and stared at me in a way that made my fear return. I said, ‘Well, I was taught that a positive, good thought is several hundred times stronger than a bad thought. And I still believe it.’

  “He snorted. ‘You would,’ he said dismissively.

  “I ignored his comment.

  “He said, ‘Well, even though you have turned me down flatly after I’ve done nothing but be nice to you, I still want to give you the chance to join the KTP of your own free will.’

  “He stared at me, waiting for an answer. I didn’t respond. I was trying to stall to give myself time to think of my next move.

  “After several moments of silence he said, ‘I’m growing impatient, Madeline. You know your options. You join the KTP, we reconcile, I let you live.’

  “I grew even angrier. The gall of him! Through clenched teeth, and in the firmest voice I could muster up, I said, ‘I would rather die than join your order.’

  “He put both hands over his heart and pretended to be taken aback. He was just playing with me like a cat plays with a mouse. What an asshole. He knew all along what my answer would be. And like the proverbial cat, he was getting ready to pounce.

  “He knew if he had shown any aggression to me earlier, I would’ve bolted out of that restaurant. So instead, he lured me in by treating me kindly and getting me to let down my guard. He had planned this all along so that he could make the proposition.

  “I knew that if I refused to join him, he would kill me that very night. I scanned the room for any of the familiar faces that I had seen in the ‘wanted’ posters the people underground had circulated so we would know what the bad guys looked like if our paths ever crossed. I didn’t see any familiar faces, but that didn’t mean that they weren’t there. I just couldn’t see them.

  “I suddenly grabbed my stomach, doubled over, and said, ‘I feel like I’m going to be sick. Will you excuse me for a moment?’

  “He studied me, trying to determine whether I was telling the truth.

  “I wrapped my arms around my stomach even tighter and began rocking back and forth. ‘I think I am going to be sick right on this table.’

  “As I stood, he stood too and grabbed my arm tightly as he said, ‘Let me help you to the ladies’ room.’

  “I felt like he was on to me. He knew that I was faking it, and he was going to make sure I didn’t escape the ladies’ room when he wasn’t looking. He stood post outside of the door as I ran in.

  “Once inside, I began making the most obnoxious vomiting sounds. I wanted to make sure he could hear me through the door. While I did this, I scanned the room for an escape route. There were no doors or windows leading to the outside. The only way out was the same door I had come in—where Paul was standing guard.

  “But he underestimated my power of manifestation. In between making vomiting sounds, I summoned up all of RTP I could and visualized a window on the wall that would lead to the outside. I continued making vomiting noises and coughing loudly as I opened the window and climbed out of it. I emerged in an alley, and I wasn’t sure what street I was on. I ran to the main road and merged in with a group of people who were out walking. I focused on blending in.

  “Paul must have grown suspicious when the vomiting noises stopped and sent someone inside the ladies’ room to check on me. I figured that I only had a few moments before he realized I was gone. I kept glancing behind me as I scurried down the sidewalk, weaving in and out of the crowd, trying to conceal myself. When I was a couple of blocks away I looked back and saw Paul and a few other men running out of the restaurant. I could see them frantically scanning the area, searching for me.

  “At that moment I saw a covered wagon coming up the road. When no one was looking, I jumped out of the crowd and sneaked under the wagon cover. I peeked from under the cover and watched Paul and the others running in my direction. I wasn’t sure if they had seen me or not. I started thinking positive thoughts.

  “ ‘I am safe. They are not going to find me. I am safe now.’

  “I didn’t know the full extent of Paul’s power at that point. I didn’t know to what lengths he would go to stop me. But I felt certain that if he really wanted to, he could have used RTP to capture me. I tried to put those thoughts out of my mind. I just ducked my head and focused on escaping safely. I didn’t look out again.

  “I didn’t return to my apartment that night. Instead, I hunkered down in the wagon until it stopped near a hotel that I had never been to before. I manifested a man’s outfit, hat, fake mustache, and a suitcase. I quietly changed and the placed my lady’s clothes in the suitcase. When I was certain no one would see me, I quietly sneaked out of the wagon and checked in using one of my false identities. I stayed holed up in the hotel room for two days and did not leave. I ordered room service and had them leave it outside of my door so that nobody would see m
e. I focused all of my thoughts on being safe and remaining hidden. Nothing happened. There was no sign of Paul, or anyone from the KTP.

  “Every two days or so, I would move to a different hotel under a different identity. I repeated this pattern until I felt there was no chance Paul would find me. Eventually, I abandoned my apartment in San Francisco with everything in it except for one thing—the very thing I came back to New York for tonight.”

  Chapter 26

  Maddie stood suddenly and went to the bookshelf. She pushed several books to one side and then removed the back panel of the bookshelf, which had been painted the color of the wall for camouflage. Adam would have never known it was there if he hadn’t seen her remove it. Behind the panel was what appeared to be a secret safe with a cipher lock and a biometric fingerprint lock. She pressed some buttons on the cipher lock, then pressed her finger on a green, glowing panel and opened the safe. She removed what looked like a very old, leather-bound book contained in a plastic, airtight case.

  Maddie returned to sit beside Adam and held it close to his face so that he could look at it. He stared at the strange symbols or words that were engraved in the leather and written in a language he was not familiar with.

  “What does it say?” he said.

  She said, “This book is centuries old. It’s written in Hebrew. The title translates to “The Power Within.” It was handed down to me by the ones who taught Paul and me. It is the oldest-known instruction manual for teaching the use of Refined Transcendent Power. It is the one thing the KTP would love to get their hands on and destroy. It proves that the knowledge of RTP has existed for centuries, and if it were to ever be mass-published, it could potentially increase public awareness to the point where the KTP is rendered powerless. I promised to keep this book safe at all costs, and I intend to keep my promise.”

  She handed the encased book to Adam. He held it gingerly, staring at the cover, afraid to be holding something so old and valuable.

  Maddie continued her story.

  “I didn’t think Paul knew that I had the book. That is why it was sent with me when I first escaped from New Mexico. The intention was that the book and I would disappear and never be found. But I couldn’t take a risk and leave the book in my apartment in San Francisco. That’s why I risked being caught to retrieve it.

  “I was so shaken up from my encounter with Paul that I felt the need to isolate myself for a while. Instinctively, I knew he would continue to try to find me. I also knew he would never give up, and if he ever found me again, he would not let me go. I traveled the country, only staying in locations for short periods of time. And, as I suspected he would, he did manage to track me down a few other times.

  “KTP membership has greatly increased, and with modern communication methods such as computers, cell phones, and GPS, he has perfected his methods for tracking people. I have become one of their most-wanted fugitives. Thankfully, the Keepers of the Peace have also developed an elaborate communication system, and we have managed to stay one step ahead of the KTP—so far.

  “I have found that large cities are the best hiding places. So recently, I decided to move back to New York City. New York is one of the better places in the world to live anonymously. Needless to say, I have lived a lonely existence for quite some time.”

  She paused and looked at Adam. Tears were welling up in her eyes again. He felt so powerless. He wanted to know what to say or do to make it all better, but he didn’t fully comprehend all she was telling him. It was too much to process at once. His heart was breaking for her.

  As if reading his mind, Maddie touched Adam’s cheek and gently turned his face toward hers so that she could look into his eyes. She sighed and smiled, even as her eyes were filled with sadness, and said, “Until one day when an angel with jet-black hair and gorgeous blue eyes knocked on my door to deliver my package.”

  She stroked his cheek and said, “I was attracted to you from the moment I saw you, Adam. And I had not felt that way for anyone in over a century. It terrified me and excited me all at the same time.

  “So now you know my story. Maybe now you can understand what I was trying to do when I left you in the hospital that night. I think Paul used RTP to summon the fire in the nightclub and the storm that almost killed us, just by sending thoughts about deadly events to happen wherever I might be. His power has grown very strong, and we are almost certain he can cause things to happen to me even when he doesn’t know where I am and then use internet searches and news headlines about the events to pinpoint my location.

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I should have never gotten involved with you in the first place. It would have been the right thing to do to keep you safe. But I was selfish and weak, and I wanted to have a normal life like everyone else. I let myself believe that everything would be okay and I could have a relationship with you.

  “It wasn’t fair that I didn’t tell you the truth up front. But you wouldn’t have believed me anyway. You would have thought I was off my rocker and ran for the hills. I thought I was protecting you by keeping you in the dark. You see, the KTP won’t mess with people who are innocent and unaware of Refined Transcendent Power. They are only interested in recruiting the existing practitioners of RTP. And they don’t want to draw any unwanted attention to their order for fear of being exposed.

  “I had suspected that Paul had caused the fire in the nightclub, but I wasn’t sure. So, against my better judgment, I decided to continue seeing you. I had fallen for you by then and I needed you. I needed to feel love again. I desperately wanted it to work out between us.

  “But after the blizzard and avalanche occurred, I was almost certain Paul was behind it and he would soon find my whereabouts but I still had hope that he did not know about you. I was afraid that if the KTP found out that you and I were seeing each other, they would assume I had told you about RTP and you would be in even more danger.

  “Unbeknownst to you, your association with me has already almost gotten you killed—twice. I couldn’t let it continue. My only hope for your safety was to get out of your life before they found out about you and our relationship. Plus, I’m not really sure how Paul will react if he finds out I am seeing someone. I can’t even let myself think about what he might do.

  “Leaving you like that was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I do love you, Adam. I hope that you believe me. I hope you can forgive me. But because I truly love you, the right thing to do is to keep you safe by disappearing from your life forever.”

  As crazy as her story was, Adam was starting to believe her. He felt he had no other choice. He loved her. He had to believe because he couldn’t accept any of the alternatives. The feelings of anger and hurt toward Maddie had been replaced with a mixture of relief and sadness and a newfound anger aimed at Paul and those who had persecuted Maddie and all of the Keepers of the Peace.

  He had so much to think about, so much to process. But at that moment, he took comfort in knowing she did truly love him. If what she said was true, she had tried to do what she thought was right, even if it meant sacrificing her own feelings and her own life to keep him safe. He understood and truly appreciated it.

  After a few moments, Adam took Maddie’s hand in his and said, “Maddie, I love you too. I do believe you and I understand why you did what you did. I forgive you. But you shouldn’t have to live your life in fear. Why hasn’t anything been done to stop the KTP?”

  She shook her head and said, “Because we want to keep the peace. We don’t want a war, and that is what the result would be if we provoke them.”

  “But it isn’t fair to you, or any of the other peacekeepers,” he said.

  She shook her head again and said, “The KTP has grown in number. It would be very difficult to overtake them.”

  “Exactly how large of a number are you talking about?”

  “We’re not exactly sure. Thousands, may
be close to five thousand, maybe more in the U.S. alone.”

  “And how many peacekeepers are there?”

  “We’re not sure about that either, especially with many people in hiding and using assumed names. We believe it could be in the thousands as well.”

  “But the KTP is like a bully,” he continued. “If all of the peacekeepers worldwide could organize and unite to stand up to the KTP, they might back down. To me it seems worth trying, rather than continuing to live in hiding.”

  “It’s not peaceful to fight, Adam. We don’t want to use RTP for evil or bad purposes.”

  “But using RTP to win your freedom is not using it for evil or bad purposes,” he countered.

  “Fighting against the KTP would mean certain death for the peaceful ones,” she explained. “When members of the KTP attack and kill peaceful practitioners, they don’t fight back. They don’t believe in violence.”

  Adam felt his anger and frustration at the situation growing. He said, “But they should fight back. That’s why the KTP will continue to harass you all and make your lives miserable until somebody fights back.”

  “It’s not that simple, Adam,” she said patiently.

  She turned away from him and looked down at her hands. Adam thought she might be getting frustrated with him. Then she quietly said, “So now you know why I believe we can’t be together.”

  At this, Adam grew angrier. He couldn’t be quiet anymore. He had to think of a way to convince her that she didn’t need to protect him and that they could be together. It should be as much his choice as hers. And then he thought of a new angle.

  He said, “You’re right about one thing, Maddie. Now I know the truth. And now I know why we have to be together.”

  Chapter 27

  Maddie cocked her head and looked at Adam incredulously.

  He said, “You just said that the KTP would not attack the innocent. You left me in hopes that they would not attack me because I was ignorant of RTP. Right?”