The Touch

Chapter 28 - Trust

I relaxed back in the seat and concentrated. I had done it only a couple of times before when I managed to contact Blind Bird and I still wasn't too sure whether it would work or not, but I knew that I had to try as her life might be in danger.

Lamp posts blurred into one long light and my mind moved with visions of what had happened today. I concentrated on Blind Bird and soon felt the familiar tone of her voice come through.

"Lacey, are you alright?" Blind Bird said.

"Yes I am fine and so is Slade but they took everyone at the CWT, all the children are gone Blind Bird".

"Lacey I am just glad that you are okay and Slade is too. It is more than likely that they are comng here as I was once told that we have are in the largest testing facility".

"Did you have any luck remembering anything about where you are located?".

"I only remembered the road which is off another road called Smithstone Road or Street, something like that. I also remember seeing a sign with a carved out hill on it, although I am not sure what that would be. I was very young when I came here Lacey, so my memories are a bit scattered. Where are you heading to now?".

"I am with Slade and we are going to a safe house".

"Where is the safe house located Lacey".

"I am not sure. Slade said it is secret so I don't know where it is".

"Alright. Well when you get there I want you to tune into me again. I need to know you are safe".

"Yes, I will do that. Please look after yourself Blind Bird".

"I will Lacey, and you too".

I signed off with Blind Bird and opened my eyes to see the stars in the sky through the glass roof of the car. It was a magical sight but I felt an overwhelming sadness looking at them.

"Was everything okay?" Slade asked.

"Yes, everything is fine. Blind Bird is safe".

"Blind Bird? Is that her actual name?".

"No, but that is the only name I know her by. She doesn't remember her real name".

"Why is she called that?"

"The doctor who does tests on her poured something into her eyes that caused her to go blind".

"What kind of doctor would do a thing like that to someone?" Slade said, anger rising in his voice.

"A very cruel and horrible person I would say. I would love to get my hands on him one day". I said.

"I agree on that one. Hopefully one day soon" he said as he took my hand in his.

I stole a glance at him as he concentrated on the road and suddenly realised that this whole time I had been so upset over everything and it was Slade I should have been comforting as his best friend and father had been taken and could be on their way to an institute for all we knew.

"I am sorry about your father and Theon being taken. When I tune into Blind Bird later she may be able to locate where the others are and therefore your father and Theon too".

Slade was quiet for a while, deep in his thoughts.

"Lacey, what do you know about Blind Bird?"

"Well I know she has been at the institute since she was a child and that she has been tortured by this doctor and lost her eyesight by some liquid that he poured into her eyes. She has been there for me since the day my parents died and that she can trace the whereabouts of children with the touch."

As soon as I said those last words I knew why he had asked me about her. He thought that she traced the children to the CWT.

"Do you think she could have informed them where we were Lacey" Slade said.

"Of course not! Why would she do that? She has the Touch just like I do and just like those children do. Why would she tell the Watchers where to find them?"

"I don't know, but someone had to inform them that we were there" Slade said.

"She would never do anything to harm anyone or me for that matter. How can you even think that".

"Listen I am sorry but I find it hard to believe that someone didn't tell the Watchers where we were located. I also find it ironic that we weren't there when it happened. I am just saying, could Blind Bird have planned this if she was being made to do it by someone in the institute?".

"She would never do that". I said. But deep down I knew that I couldn't be one hundred percent sure of that. She had known about the CWT and hadn't told me. But what could she gain from informing the government or watchers about the CWT?

"I'm sorry Lacey. I didn't mean to hurt you or your feelings, but can I ask you to do something? if not for me but for the children of the CWT".

I looked at him "Do what?"

"I need you to wear a blind fold from now on until we get to the safe house. And I also need you not to contact Blind Bird until I give you the all clear okay".

I looked at him and felt like my face was burning. How could he think that Blind Bird had anything to do with this as she had protected me for most of my life like a mother would.

"Please" he said.

"Fine" I replied angrily.

He pulled the car over to the side of the road and placed the blind fold on me then he started the car again and I sat stiffly against the chair for the rest of the drive and cursed at the stupidity of the situation.

But as we travelled on I thought about what Slade had said. In the back of my mind there was a small seed of doubt that had been planted.

It was something that continued to run over in my mind on the journey. Could I be wrong about her? But why would she want the children or myself to be captured when she hated what they had done and were doing to her?