George Karim

7

Chapter Seven

The next morning was not too eventful. Lucy and I had made small talk while getting ready. Mainly we were figuring out the living arrangement. I had the left side of the room, closet, and bathroom. The right would be reserved for her. I liked Lucy. She was nice to me and even planned a date to go shopping with me. It was probably because she notice how little clothes I possessed.
Breakfast was waiting on the table. Bagels and jams, butter, and cream cheese as toppings.
“Good morning”, Lockwood greets Lucy and me.
“Morning”, I reply.
“Good news. George has volunteered to help teach you.”
George looks up from a comic he had his nose buried in a moment ago.
“Right, George?”
“I only volunteered to conduct scientific research.”
Lockwood flashes a charming smile to reassure me that I was in good hands. He turns his attention to Lucy and asks if she is ready to head out. I could have sworn his expression changed around her. But, I didn’t have enough evidence, yet.
They leave and George takes me down to the basement.
“This is our training room. You’ll be spending most of your time here. I’ve rigged a set of smoke machines that generate a series of random attack patterns.”
He switches the machine on and off to quickly demonstrate. He smirked at me so proudly, like he was some genius.
“What you will be learning is the type of visitors, the history of the problem, and how to defend yourself against them.”
“Okay, how does this fit into your scientific research?”
“You are the research. You’re an original case. There’s never been a record of an outsider coming into London and attaining talent.”
“I’m your experiment?”, I was offended once again. What’s this guy's problem?
“Yes, and no more questions.”
George walks into the High-Security room and walks out with three different boxes.
“What are those for?”, I asked. I had an idea but I wanted to be wrong.
“We are going to test your ability.”
“That sound like such a bad idea. Three days ago I didn’t even know I had abilities.”
He pulls a heavy black chain from out from a duffel back that was sitting on the desk. He makes a circle with it on the floor as he explains,
“That’s interesting. I’ll have to remember to add that to the notes.”
The chain circle is complete and he lines the three boxes in the middle and sits on the floor inside the circle. George makes a gesture for me to sit copy and sit across from him.
“ I’m going to open one of the boxes and place the item in your hands. Then, you’ll tell me what you see, hear, or feel. Understood?”
“Are you fucking with me?”, I say in response.
He looks at me puzzled, “I’m quite serious.”
He readies his notepad and pen and after an intense glaring competition, I give in. The first object is placed in my open palm.
“I don’t see anything but-”
George leans in closer.  A wave of terror washes over me.
“George”, I call out. “George, there’s too much water.”
The young researcher is watching worriedly but doesn’t stop moving his pen along the paper.
“I- I’m drowning”, I say desperately gasping for air.
I chuck the object back into the box and George closes the lid.
“What the hell was that?”
“That was a source we found at an abandoned factory on the bank of the Thames. It belonged to a boy who drowned in the 19th century.”, he explains. He pops the lid of the second box. “Shall we go again?”, He smiles.
“You must be crazy.”
“Do you want to figure this out or not?”
“ I do, but this just feels unfair. I’m a person, not a lab rat.” the tone of annoyance can be heard in my voice.
“Would you like a biscuit every time you do well?”
Him and his sarcasm were going to get him in major trouble. However, I could use this to my advantage.
“How about for every object I hold you will answer one of my questions?”
He took a moment to contemplate and examine me, skeptical of my request. George must have come to the conclusion that I harbored no ill intent because he accepted.
“Alright. Fine.”
I open my palm to him, ready to receive the next object.
“Ouch.”
“What. what is it,” he questions.
“My neck. It’s like it’s being crushed. It’s awful, but also satisfying. They’re in pain, no not pain…” A tear rolls down my cheek. “I think I’ve felt this feeling before.”
“What do you feel?”
“Guilt.”
George takes the object out of my palm and secures it back in the box of safety.
“Flores? Are you ok?”He looked so sincere and genuinely concerned.
“I’m okay. Why do you ask?”, I said to him. I wiped the tear away from my face. I fidget with my fingers lowering my head. I was actually not prepared to share why I was crying.
“You just… sound like a complete nutter.”
There goes the nice moment. I give him a look of warning not to test me. He gives me a smirk of amusement. His smirk is kinda cute, I guess. It was enough to make me smile.
“I get to ask a question now.”
“Very well then, ask your question.”
“What’s a source.”
“ A source is an object a visitor is attached to. It’s what anchors them to the physical realm. Now, hold out your hand.”
Obediently, I do as commanded.
This back-and-forth went on for another 30 minutes. George closes his notepad and places the items back in their rightful places.
“That’s enough for today.”
I tilt my head up at him, slightly disappointed. I wanted to learn more. Call me crazy, but I also was starting to enjoy his company.
“ I can keep going”, I protest.
“Love the enthusiasm, Flores. But you’ve had enough for today. I don’t want you to burn out.”
“Veronica”
“Huh?”
“Call me Veronica”, I gently smile at him.
“Veronica.” He repeats back to me as he helps me off the cold concrete floor.
We walk back upstairs into the kitchen, where he makes me hot chocolate.
“It’s good for recovery after touching all those sources.”, he explains.
“Can you and the others do it too?”
“Of course. We all have abilities. Lockwood has excellent sight, and Lucy is brilliant with her hearing. She’s the best out of all of us lot. I can do a bit of that too, but I’m more of a touch person.” We move our conversation to the parlor.
“So, did you also train here?”
“No. I’ve been in many agencies. Before here I was at Fittes and Rotwell. They are the two biggest agencies in London.”
“Why did you leave?”
“I got fired for constantly breaking the rules. Mainly visiting floors above my pay grade.”
I was astonished.
“George, you naughty boy.”, I mocked.
“I even took a high-valued artifact.”
My jaw dropped to the floor. I didnt expect him to be the rule breaker type. “You, stole something? Where is it?”
“Did you happen to see that silver jar holding a skull?”
“You mean the big scary one sitting on the desk?”
“Yup, that’s the one.”, he giggled.

The next few days were the same. George and I held up in the basement holding those horrendous items. Ever time I held one, it felt like I was dying. Some were as if I was being murdered.
“George? Have you figured anything out yet?”,I aksed.
He finishes cleaning up the space. “I have. You have excellent touch, like me. You also have the sensitivity of an eight-year-old.”
“I beg your pardon.”, once again offended. This is a routine of ours. He speaks without a filter and I get insulted.
“Your ability is strong. Very heightened and with no control. Usually, younger children are like this and the older you get the more control you have, or, on the other end, your talent fades.”
“Fades?”
“Nobody has this talent forever. The oldest person I’ve ever met with talent was 20 before it completely faded. Well, that was before you. To be honest, you are completely fascinating to me.”
I blush a little at his compliment. “Careful it sounds like you’re becoming obsessed with me.”, I mocked him
We walk up to be greeted by Lockwood and Lucy who had just got home from a case. Lucy and Lockwood seem to be bickering again. Something about recklessness and Lockwood being a repeat offender. It looked like the two were in a lovers quarrel.
“George”, Lockwood calls out. George leans against the sink with a mug of tea in hand.
“Let me guess you need me to go down to the archives and find anything and everything about Samuel Borbón.”
“You know me so well, mate.” Lockwood taunts George, giving him a wink.
George had a face of expected disappointment. Rolling his eyes he asks Lockwood, “And you and Lucy will be off somewhere doing something reckless. Whilst I’m alone-.”
“You won’t be alone.”
“What do you mean?”
“You can bring Veronica with you. She needs to study for the First Grade test.”
I hated the way Lockwood only thinks of me in terms of passing these grades. I can't be too mad though. The faster I pass these tests, the faster I can gain control. I hate this feeling of no control. Worse than that, I hate when someone tells me I’m incompetent.