The TALONS Files: the chronicles of telepathic agent Ryan Dart

If You Think It's Impossible...

14

Ryan thought to himself, 'I can read minds!'. He had always suspected it was the crazy truth. Yet, one question lingered in Ryan's brain, one he had used for years to chase the truth away.

"This is what I don't get, if I'm shouting out other peoples thoughts, wouldn't they realize this? Wouldn't they say something... or at least know what happened?"

Declan gave a wan smile, as if to say 'if it were only that simple'. "It's kind of a strange thing, Ryan. If people believe something is impossible, then it is. You know, sometimes reality is stranger than fiction. And people just don't want to acknowledge something that seems so foreign or, to some people, down right scary, might actually exist.

Most times, individuals will explain it away. Some will believe you did read their minds, but might be apprehensive to say such a thing. Keep in mind, you're repeating something that is heightening their emotional state, so if they're not saying it out loud, there is probably good reason they're keeping it to themselves."

Ryan considered Declan's reasoning, recalling the fashion conscious girl at High Cliff State Park. "I read the girls thoughts at the park, right? There was a guy staring at her there."

Declan nodded, "Yes, I figured as much."

"I'm sure she'll say something to Caleb."

"Doubtful," Declan said, "I'm sure she'll mention that the young boy was staring at her, but I doubt she wants to sound like a crackpot. She probably does suspect her mind had been read, but, even if she did say something, she'd ruin her precious little reputation- and at her stage in her life, considering who she was hanging out with, that is what's most important to her right now."

"It's amazing people haven't figured it out though."

Declan softly grimaced, with the slightest of nods. "We have help from our lower levels of TALONS in that regard. They push the right buttons to keep it from the mainstream news outlets. Sometimes it's kind of sad really. Individuals, who feel it will help mankind to know there are people who can do what we do, are pretty much discredited and humiliated. I'm not saying all we do is one hundred percent right, but it helps us do our job in anonymity."

"So the government will be telling me what to do?" Ryan felt as if the questions was almost unnecessary ,as he now suspected he was a tool for the upper reaches of the nation...he didn't like that.

Declan eased Ryan's mind, with a surprising answer. "No, we are almost completely autonomous from the government, save for funding - only one member of congress knows of our organization, and he has limited knowledge. The President doesn't know of our existence. Elite members of certain government agencies, like the CIA and FBI, know us by a different name - and consequently have a false impression of our agency. Like I said, we act with morals and principles. Since we can read minds, we can sense corruption and graft. If anybody breaks our Rules or Creeds they are dispelled permanently."

Ryan, considering what he was hearing, was dying to get to the details. Because he felt he would learn more about this new job. And though his head was spinning from learning reality shattering information, he wanted to know if this indeed was a life he could live.

"So what are the rules?" Ryan asked, "And how much do I get paid?"

Declan chuckled, a glint in he eye. "You'll get 4,000 a week. Plus a place to stay, we own a few units across the street. There's also dining facilities here at the training campus."

"That's a great way to start." Ryan grinned with satisfaction