Mayne

Chapter 23: Hold Me

Ethan sat at in the corner booth of the diner nervously tapping the fork on the table. He hadn't met with Theus face to face about his interview of Ms Reynolds yet and was a bit concerned about what some of the print outs said.

     The bell on the door rang snapping him out of his thoughts. He glanced up to see the happy site of Theus "I have missed that smile" he thought

"Hey," Theus squeezed in beside him and gave him a deep kiss "I've missed you."

"Same here," he laid his hand on Theus's thigh and smiled "how long do we have before you have to get back?"

       "I'm not needed until tomorrow night or, I can accept the honorable release and move in with you?"

       "I'm living in the groups Eido now."

       "That doesn't bother me, will they mind?"

       "I don't care if they do." Ethan smiled "I want you with me."

       Theus then made the call and informed the Vice President of his retirement. "I'm glad you called, we ran it by the President and she is concerned that you would be a target."

       "So my moving away to somewhere less easy to get to is a good idea."

       "Yes," he stated "but just as a precaution."

      The decision was made and soon it was just Theus and Ethan again. "Welcome home," Ethan smiled "now explain to me what you learned again, there are a few things that I find confusing.

       Theus explained everything he found then quickly put the conversation aside and just enjoyed Ethan's company. They finished their meal then headed back to the Eido where Ethan had moved into. Theus brought along his things and made himself comfortable in Ethan's room first, before asking for the tour. Afterwards Theus excused himself to go back to their room to clean up and relax while Ethan headed out to inform the group what had been learned.

After everyone was seated in the entry of the Eido he began "Ms Reynolds made a full admission of what is going on..." he continued to tell them all that they had learned and show them the print outs then ended with "...she is being treated for the condition of Mind Bending Fallout"

Mayne wondered "is there anything I can do as a healer?"

"Unfortunately no, the damage is done by the mind bender mistakenly leaving a portion of their consciousness behind. Like a copy of who they were at that moment," Ethan explained "the only way to undo it, is for the mind bender that caused the problem to pull the copy back and blend it in with themselves again."

  Ardor was now worried "But with that person being dead that will be difficult."

      "But not impossible," Rime shrugged "we need to find a relative that has similar abilities."

"Yes," Ethan sighed "Ardor and Rime I want you to start an investigation to determine if there is a descendent that can help."

     "Elissa, I want you and Mayne to research any and all treatments, maybe there is a new way we don't know about yet."

  Just as everyone was getting ready to separate Mayne stopped them "wait, that was important. The vision had an odd feel, to it. I got the impression that Vivian has other motives than what Ms Reynolds said or knows about."

      "If she has lost herself to the mind bender fragments..."

      "No, not lost to them, more like welcomed him, and enjoys the company within her own mind."

       "This could be dangerous." Ethan grew concerned. "That would mean we have no way of freeing her mind and ending the threat."

       "We could still end the threat by either ending her or removing any authority she has over anything besides herself."

       Elissa shuddered "let's hope it doesn't come to the end her part." She cowered in her lover's arms "evil or not, I don't know if I like that idea."

      "We have to do what needs to be done for the safety of others.." Mayne winced too "think of the lives she has already taken." 

        "Can we please talk about problem solving and not problem ending."

       "Yes," Rime and Ardor were happy to drop the subject of death too.

      "I'm sorry, I just don't know the difference between what is versus what was in the vision." She cuddled down into Ardor and Rimes arms

       "We know," Ethan soothed her.

       "So we research then talk again." Mayne ended the conversation

       "On a separate note, Theus has stepped down, there is concern that Vivian will now target him. Now that we know the office of the Vice President is safe again we don't need him to stay within the secret service so he has moved in with me in the Eido." He fidgeted "if that is okay,"

       "Yes, of course." Rime responded as Ardor smiled pleasantly "we may tease you but we do fully support you."

       "I'm happy for you, and yes he is welcome." Mayne smiled. The group started to disperse albeit slowly. They were taking turns congratulating Ethan and discussing what to do next amongst themselves when it hit.

      "Wait..." Ardor called to them, "everyone come back." Rime pointed at Mayne who was still out of it then gestured for them to be silent. Everyone dropped their eyes, they were busying themselves with whatever until the conversation could recommence.

       "Can I get back to this discovery?" Mayne asked and all eyes were suddenly on her "in the vision where I was trained it was made clear that the solution to the problem was Ethan and to loose him would cost us everything."

       "Okay," Rime nodded "your point."

       "I still don't see where that is true yet," she sighed "what is the solution he is so vital too... especially with what we now know about Ms. Reynolds and Vivian."

      All in the room leaned back in their seats and frowned, they were now puzzling the same way Mayne was. Several possibilities were brought up and noted for future reference but nothing seemed to stick.

       "What if the solution is so idiotically simple, what if he is the relative we are looking for." As Mayne asked all eyes shot to Ethan.

       Ethan shrugged "I'm not going to say it's impossible, I would have to check my ancestry, but then we have a different problem." He sighed "I'm not a mind bender."

       Rime and Ardor both smirked then Rime spoke "Well now you have research to do as well Ethan" they all laughed and dispersed without further discussion.

       Ethan went back to his room and climbed onto Theus's lap. "What's wrong" Theus asked

      "Can we discuss it later?" He whimpered a bit "I just desperately need you to hold me."