Death Sleep ~ Book Three

ten.

Quinn tossed and turned in his bed in fitful sleep. Images of the day before crowded around in his mind. He was so confused. He had allowed his father to die, no, he caused it. Why? He, himself, didn't know. He also found out that his father had killed his mother, gruesomely, and in front of him, yet he had no memory of it. Again, why? The military painted him as one of the worst murderers ever. And possibly worst of all, he had betrayed Liza, the one he loved. These thoughts played out into his disturbing dreams. It was these dreams that Baxter viewed as he sifted through his son's mind as he slept. Using his talent, he helped to order the thoughts and drop them out one by one until there was nothing left but Quinn and Jake, standing alone, in a dimly lit void.

"Dad? Are you really here?"

Baxter nodded.

"It's me, son." He held out his arms to his son, but rather than run to him like he expected, Quinn stood apart from him.

"What is it?"

"So many things...they said...did you kill mom? In front of me?"

Baxter sighed.

"It was...regrettable."

"Regrettable? That's it?"

"Son, you have to understand. I tried to give you a gift. A part of myself. She didn't know what I could do. I was...afraid. And rightly so. When she walked in on you and I, she saw me working with you and overreacted. She rejected me and was going to leave with you. I would never see you again. I went...crazy..."

"Why don't I remember? I was young, I know, but I should remember something like that."

"I put a block in your mind. I didn't want you...scarred. I love you, son. I didn't want to harm you."

Quinn sighed and sat on a dark lump that had formed behind him, with his head in his hands.

"Quinn, I'm sorry. I took your mother from you. And then they took me from you, too. I never wanted..."

Quinn looked up incredulously at his father.

"What did you expect them to do? Congratulate you for murdering your wife?"

"I deserve that, I know. Sometimes...we can't control ourselves. Some things cause us to overreact."

"Like when mom saw you fiddling with my head."

Baxter arched an eyebrow.

"That's not the same. There was nothing wrong with what I was doing. I just wanted you to have a piece of me that I never felt like I could give her. Is that truly so bad?"

Quinn considered.

"No, I guess not. But the others..."

"Quinn, you're old enough to understand things. I was an assassin for the military, it was my job."

"What about Liza? Her dad? They lost their lives too. They were a happy family before our family came along; before you came along. And now I've betrayed her, too."

"She is a lovely one, isn't she?"

Quinn nodded.

"I love her."

Baxter joined his son on the black lump.

"I don't know that I can fix that one. But as for the happy family, with me out of the picture, they have that back again."