Special Talents (18 page)

He put the dispenser back on the table and put his glove back on.

"You see what I mean? I never heard of this Food Service Direct. And how many people can tell you what company makes napkin dispenser? Not to mention the part about one customer hitting another with it. There's no way I should be able to know these things."

"That's why you wear the gloves," said Jeremy. "To keep from touching objects and learning about them."

"Do you have any idea what it's like to know everything about an object simply by touching it? Without the gloves my head would be filled with all sorts of information from even the most mundane objects. So, yes, I wear the gloves to keep from touching objects direction. As long as I wear the gloves I can only 'read' objects I chose to 'read'."

"Like the items at the taping of Hidden Treasures."

"Exactly. I make my living appraising and authenticating artifacts. And it provides me with a very good living. But you seemed to know what I was doing when you came to the show. You came to check me out. I'd like to know how you knew it?"

"Yes, Richard and I came to check you out. As you know Richard works for Homeland Security. So do I in a manner of speaking. I can't tell you very much right now but I can tell you that Homeland Security is interested in people with special abilities. Abilities like the one you have."

"There are others out there? People with abilities like mine?"

"Some. And we're looking for them. We've run into a lot of dead ends. But we've also found some with genuine abilities."

"That still doesn't tell me how you knew about me? About what I can do?"

"Fair enough. I'm one of those people. Someone with a special ability. We call them special talents. I can see the electromagnetic field produced by living things. A person's aura. And I can also tell when someone is using a special talent by their aura. I noticed that each time you appraised something your aura changed."

"So what kind of ability does your friend have?" Frank asked.

"Actually Richard doesn't have an ability. He's the one who's helping put our little group together. As I told you Homeland Security is looking for others with special abilities. We're working together to find those people."

"I see. So that threat your friend made. About checking manifests and my income tax. He wasn't serious."

"Oh, I have no doubt Richard would do it if he felt it necessary. But at the time I think he felt he could get you to talk just by making the threats. Obviously he was wrong. At least partially. I don't think he seriously intends to audit you or check into your business dealings. Not unless he has a good reason to do so."

"What I told you was true. I don't engage in criminal activities. But some of the people I work with aren't so scrupulous. They might get . . . uncomfortable if the government started checking into them. And I don't want them thinking I was the one who put the government onto them. That could be very bad for my business."

"I completely understand," said Jeremy. "Look, all we're interested in is your ability and how it works. We aren't interested in causing you any trouble. In fact, you could be in a position to help us. I just want to know what your ability is and how it works. That's all."

"No audit? No checking manifest?"

"You have my word."

"Okay. Well, I can't explain how it works. I honestly don't know. I only know that when I touch an object I know everything about it. Where it was made, who owned it, how many owners it's had, that sort of thing. I can even tell sometimes if it's been used in a crime."

"You get all that simply from touching it?"

"Well it's not like I know it was made by John Smith in 1968 or anything like that. But your watch, for example. I know it was made in the late 1600s and it's been passed from father to son ever since. I knew the story your friend told me wasn't the truth. But I couldn't let on to something like that."

"And knowing that it was made by Pierre Cordavanna?"

"It's not the first watch made by him that I've appraised. I've appraised a couple that are in private collections. I knew from the description I got from the watch it was one of his. If I hadn't done those other appraisals I probably wouldn't have known who he was but I did some research on him before."

"What do you mean you knew the description you got from the watch?"

"When I learn information about something, I kind of get this mental image of the information. It's hard to explain or describe but it's like I know what the people and locations look like. I got the description of Cordavanna when I touched your watch. Having had it before I knew who he was."

"And you can tell if it's different people even if the descriptions you get are similar?"

"Sure. I can see it in my mind, so to speak."

"Does this work on anything?" Jeremy asked.

"Well, only inanimate objects. It doesn't work on living things. But, yeah, pretty much anything. And I don't know everything about the object. For instance, I knew the story your friend told me about the watch wasn't true. But I didn't know it wasn't his. It's like I can only get information that's connected with its owners."

"Can you tell where the items have been?"

"Usually. Oh, I don't get a specific address or anything like that. But I can tell what parts of the country – or world – the items have been in. I can even get information if the emotional attachment is strong enough. For example, I know you got the watch from your father after he passed away. You were very young at the time. And the two of you were very close."

"I was about 8," said Jeremy. "It's how I got the limp. We were in a car accident. My parents were killed on impact. I survived but was injured."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories."

"You didn't. At least now I can tell Richard what you've told me. I have an idea. Why not come back with me? I think you'll find him a bit more cordial than you did before."

"And why would that be?"

"I'll tell him you've been honest with me."

"And he'll just accept your word on it? How can you be sure I've been honest?"

"It's another aspect of my special talent. I can tell when someone is lying. If I tell him you've been honest, he'll believe me. And we can discuss if and how you might be able to help us."

"I guess it can't hurt to talk to him. Just as long as he doesn't make any more threats."

"He'll have gotten what he wants. No more threats, I promise."

"Okay. I'll follow you. My car is in the parking lot."

"I'll see you back at the house then."

The two men left the diner and headed for their cars.

"You know you could have saved us all a whole lot of trouble if you had just told us this from the beginning," said Scarborough after they had returned to the house. Jeremy had made all the introductions and explained to Scarborough what Frank had told him.

"Well, to be perfectly honest, I didn't know what you wanted," said Frank. "You mentioned Homeland Security and the first thing that popped into my head was Guantanamo. I imagined being sent there and never being heard from again and I've heard the stories of how the prisoners are treated there. I got scared. Do you blame me?"

"What's Guantanamo?" Conrad asked.

"It's a naval base in Cuba," said Scarborough. "It's home to Gitmo, a prison the United States uses to house unlawful combatants against the United States."

"It's a terrorist prison camp," said Janet. "How can you not know about Gitmo? It's been in the news quite a bit because of some alleged mistreatment of prisoners."

"Well until recently I really wasn't in much of a condition to watch television or read a newspaper," replied Conrad. "Most of the time I was just trying to find anything that would stop the headaches."

"In all fairness, Richard," said Jeremy, "Frank has a point. You say Homeland Security and most people think terrorism. After all, it was created as a direct response to 9-11. Can you really blame him for being scared?"

"I guess not."

"Dr. Sloan said if I told you what you wanted you'd leave me alone," said Frank. "He can attest that I'm not involved in anything illegal and nothing to do with terrorists. I just use my ability to support myself, that's all. And I really don't need the hassle of an income tax audit or the problems it can cause with some of my business associates."

"You sure he's not involved in anything illegal?" Scarborough asked Jeremy.

"He told me wasn't and he was telling the truth," said Jeremy. "You might say I checked him out."

"Okay. Well, I guess there's no reason to hassle you anymore about it then. But part of my job is ferreting out enemies of the United States. You weren't very cooperative and I naturally assumed you had something to hide."

"I did. But not what you were thinking. Dr. Sloan says you don't have an ability. So you have no idea what it's like to grow up with people thinking you're some kind of freak or something. You learn very fast not to say anything to anyone about it."

"Hear hear," said Janet. "You can never really understand what it's like unless you have to go through it. Having a special talent gives you a whole different perspective on things."

"Hey, trying growing up with a special talent and being black," said Conrad. "Especially with a talent you can't control and that literally causes you excruciating pain. You wanna' talk about a different perspective?"

"Okay, okay, I get the message," said Scarborough. "My ex-wife used to say the same thing to me. She said unless I had ever been pregnant I couldn't really understand what it was like. So I understand that I can never really understand. But I'm not the bad guy here. I'm trying to stop the bad guys, remember?"

"You said something about me being in a position to help you," Frank said to Jeremy.

"He said something like that to me," said Conrad. "He just hasn't told me what that is yet."

Jeremy looked at Scarborough. Scarborough thought for a moment. They had been sent by Secretary Napolitano to find people with special talents to form a team that could help them fight terrorists. They had found 7 such people, including Jeremy and Janet.

"Well," said Scarborough, "Jeremy, what do you think? We have 7 people. You think that's enough?"

"Considering what each of them can do, I'd say yes," replied Jeremy. "The question is, are they all willing to help? There's really only one way to find out."

"Okay," said Scarborough. "We're still one short. Simon isn't here. I think we should all be together so that I only have to explain this once. And so I only have to answer questions once. It's getting late. What say we all meet back here at 8:00 o'clock tomorrow morning? Then I'll fill everyone in on what Homeland Security is interested in."

"I'm supposed to tape another segment of the show tomorrow," said Frank.

"Trust me, Frank," said Jeremy, "this is more important that telling some woman her treasured heirloom is a fake. Besides, you'll be free to decline if you want and then go back to your job."

"Well, okay. I guess it won't hurt to miss one segment. It usually takes several to put a show together anyway. You said 8:00 o'clock?"

"That's right. I'll explain everything then and answer any questions you have."

"I'll be here," said Frank.

"So will I," said Conrad. "Where else would I be?"

"Fine," said Scarborough. "I'll see you all in the morning."

Scarborough left the house and headed for his car. Janet said she thought she'd go home. She had been helping Jeremy for several days and wanted some "alone time". Jeremy also decided to go to his home for the night. He decided they could all use some private time to sort of relax and recharge before meeting with Scarborough

Everyone was at the house by 8:00 the next morning. Everyone except Scarborough. It was nearly 8:30 before Scarborough showed. Jeremy had introduced everyone to each other and they had spent the time chatting and getting to know one another. Everyone seemed to get along okay. Even Simon who had hit on Kamalene. She made it perfectly clear she wasn't interested. Finally Scarborough showed up at the house and they all took their seats.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Scarborough started. "But to be honest, I was late deliberately. I figured the 7 of you could use a little time to get acquainted. So that you'll be a little more at ease during this meeting."

Jeremy just smiled at Scarborough. It was a good strategy. Everyone was nervous as it was. It was always easier meeting in a group if the individuals knew each other and were comfortable with each other.

"I'll preface this meeting by saying that what you are about to learn is classified," said Scarborough. "Some of you," he glanced at Jeremy, "are all ready aware of what's going on. For the rest of you, nothing you learn here is to leave this building. We've all ready done thorough background checks on everyone or you wouldn't even be here. And we've determined that none of you are security risks." He glanced slightly at Simon.