Bloodlines Ch.03

"Now, you are not going to be punished or anything, things are not that bad. You will, however, have to prove you are able to restrain yourself. You are hereby ordered to not use your power in any way for a week. I have convinced them that you will be able to do that. They have agreed to induct you formally after that. Your powers are too far advanced for them not to. And your friends, Lisa and Christa, right?" Garth nodded. "They will be approached and compelled to keep quiet about you and your power. They are still not sure how to handle that, and you can expect some tough questions about that at your induction. You had better be prepared to answer."

Garth sat silently for a few minutes, absorbing the information and considering his options. Not that there were many. "So I will be watched?"

"Twenty four-seven. These people do not joke around. They have too much invested to risk anything like a rogue young man exposing them through ignorance or lack of discipline. There will be people watching you from time to time for years to come. Only after proving yourself to be above reproach will you be left alone. The organization's main task is keeping track of all active practitioners and possible new ones approaching their twentieth birthday. The ruling council, the four most senior members of each bloodline, rule absolute, and their justice can be harsh." Jeff's tone left little doubt he was perfectly sincere about the severity of the situation. Garth would have to be on his best behavior, he decided.

"I think I understand, uncle. I'll stay away from the herb until you say so." Garth's voice was subdued, perfectly mirroring his insides. "What should I do now?"

"Just go about your life as if none of this happened. Forget about your powers and make very sure you don't ingest any herb by mistake. So long as they don't get any readings of power from you, all will be good. Next Friday, after closing, we will be escorted to the induction. Lisa and Christa will be there as well."

In a way, Garth was secretly relieved at the prospect of not using his power. Discovering that he was influencing people subconsciously had shaken him, and he wondered what else he had done inadvertently of late. He hoped Jeff was correct in that it would pass. A break would be for the good in any case. He finished his shift at the shop, choosing to stay at home and just celebrate his exams with a few beers.

"Garth! What the FUCK!?" Lisa was so furious his phone almost shook in his hand. "We just got more or less ambushed by two scary guys in trench coats. Right outside the apartment!" Uh-oh. Garth all but saw the shit as it splattered onto the fan, preparing for the coming storm. "Lisa, I..."

"SHUT UP!" She shrieked. "Do you have any idea how scary that was? How degrading? They pulled us into a van; we thought we were being kidnapped for crying out loud!"

"I'm sorry, I..." Lisa was not done yet, however. "NO! You shut up and listen, I'm not done! I am so mad I don't know what I'm gonna do. I want to rip your balls off and feed them to you in pieces! Christa is still crying and shaking. They were so scary, and the things they said... Garth, why did you do this to us?" Her steam was decreasing, that last part almost pleading.

"I'm so, so sorry," He began. "I had no idea this would happen. I've been a damn fool, this is all my fault!" "Damn right it is!" She muttered.

"I only learned about this today myself. Apparently they have been keeping me under surveillance the whole time, and I messed up. I never should have told you, or brought you into this. These are powerful people, and I don't want to think about what they'd do to you because of me. What did they say to you?"

"They more or less threatened us and said we had to keep quiet. And that they would be watching us. It felt violating. I keep looking behind me, expecting to see someone watching. And they said we would have to come with you at some induction or something, next Friday. What was that about?"

"I have been put on probation in a manner of speaking. I have to show I can control myself by abstaining from using my powers for a week. If I can do that, next Friday I will be formally inducted into the organization. I'd rather not dwell on what they might do to me, to us, if I mess up. These are powerful people, Lisa. You and Christa have to keep this quiet. I'll make this up to you, somehow."

"Oh, you'd better," Lisa said, a hint of playfulness in her tone. "We'll think of something, I'm sure. We could use a manservant, couldn't we, Christa?" That last in a slightly raised voice to Christa in the background. Garth smiled a little, seeing more opportunities than problems with that prospect.

"So, are we good then?" He asked, hoping he had not ruined their friendship. "I suppose," Lisa said slowly. "We'll keep this to ourselves, it's not exactly something I'd tell Mom or Dad about, they don't even know Christa and I are living together either. But what is this induction-thing?"

"I don't know, really, Jeff refused to tell me. I guess it's some kind of ritual or something, to mark me as a member of the organization. A practitioner, they call it. You, I don't know what they'll do about, but I promise to do everything in my power to protect you. There are way more members that don't have powers anyway, so my guess is you'll have to join and swear to keep quiet or something."

"We'll just have to live with that, I suppose. But if this backfires, it's coming out of your flesh. Literally!" Lisa got some of her steam back, as if she needed to tell him was not in the clear. Not by a long shot yet.

"Of course," He conceded. "And I AM very sorry, I never meant for this to happen, least of all to you. You're my best friends, and more." "And more?" Lisa was toying with him now. "Don't you start getting all possessive on us, Garth Schieler. We're not your playthings, even if you happen to have a very nice plaything of your own. We're still mad at you, and we'll see what next Friday brings before we decide what to do to you..." Her voice dripped with innuendo and unspoken promises. Garth hoped they were not all promises of pain.

The next week crawled by at a snail's pace. With no lectures or exams to worry about, he spent most of his days at the shop and his uncle's house. He was perusing old books and documents, learning about the history of his bloodline and the power, both from historical anecdotes and more scientific reports. Apparently the powers were measurable as a function of a certain type of brainwaves, though no one had ever been able to reproduce these waves in the lab. And how the herbs were converted to power was a black box, though some speculated they only served as a focus for some extrinsic power. One article compared it to a catalyst, though one that was consumed rather than being unreactive.

In any case, little was known or proven and the speculations differed between sources.

His research into the bloodlines proved more fruitful, at least in terms of actual, measurable knowledge. As he browsed through the family trees of both brothers, he saw a huge number of prominent figures, both living and dead, including no less than three Prime Ministers, several generals, a couple of famous musicians and a whole host of scientists of some renown. The bloodlines apparently bestowed quite a bit of opportunities to those with the powers. By association, the organization offered opportunities to the ones without power as well. This made him feel a little less guilty about dragging the girls into it. So long as they kept with the organization, this would likely provide more of an opportunity than a problem. In the back of his mind, he was already planning how to use this to the best effect. First he just had to convince them to induct Lisa and Christa as well. The alternatives were not very pleasant to consider.

The first few days without his powers was almost bliss, kind of like that feeling when a fan is turned off after hours. He enjoyed the silence, even though he felt blind at times, especially at the shop where he had started relying on his powers to read the customers and their responses to his sales pitch. It was not until the middle of the week before he found himself opening the drawer behind the counter to grab a couple of capsules, his hand reaching for them before he caught himself. He shivered at the prospect and decided to double his efforts to stay alert.

Thursday evening, the store was packed with regulars at nine fifty, ten minutes before closing time. Jeff was hosting an event that night and the turnout was larger than usual. He had been quite clear that Garth was not invited, yet, but that a number of members had wanted to meet him before the induction the day after. Garth got a number of long stares, most neutral or friendly, though some disapproving, if not exactly hostile. He could not fault them, he figured. He had messed up, after all. He was introduced to a number of people, none of which he could name ten minutes after, though several faces were familiar to him, likely from newspapers or such.

At ten, the group started drifting down the stairs to The Dungeon, several of them bringing various items from the shelves, not a few making Garth cringe. He waited until they had all gone down before dimming the lights, counting out the day's total and putting the money in the small safe in the storage room. After he had closed the safe he heard sounds drift up from the private room below, the sound muted by the thick floor. The sharp cracking sound of a rawhide whip was unmistakable, however. Garth shuddered slightly and left on tiptoes before closing the shop and going home. Jeff could open the doors from the inside when they were done.

Garth was pacing nervously in his apartment. It was just before eight, Friday evening. Jeff had told him to go home after lunch, seeing no use for him as he was so distracted anyway. He had been rehearsing his statement for the last couple of hours, not sure what to expect, but determined to make them accept Lisa and Christa as his accomplices and someone worthy of trust. He had been able to abstain despite his almost-mishap, so he was not particularly worried for his own sake. He had felt blind and deaf at times without his extrasensory perception, though, wondering idly how he had been able to interact with anyone before he came into his power. Hopefully that would end tonight.

A knock sounded on his door. Garth opened it, not really surprised at seeing two men in dark coats outside. "Mr. Schieler, come with us please." One of them had a kind of badge, like a police officer, only with a yellow and a blue flower intertwining instead. They led him down outside his apartment low rise and into a black sedan parked outside, windows tinted dark. The car drove down the street, and at an intersection an identical car fell in behind them. Garth thought he saw Lisa's blonde locks inside, which made sense; the car had come from her street. They drove through town and up into the western hills, the wealthier part of town.

The car stopped outside a massive wrought-iron gate, waiting for it to open slowly by some remote signal. Off to both sides a tall brick wall enclosed the property inside. Gravel crunched as they drove down a long, winding road lined with ancient oak trees. Well-tended lawns and a small pond with a decorative bridge were visible off to the side. The property had a park-like feel to it, and everything reeked of upper class and old money.

They were shown out of the cars outside a huge brick mansion, more an institution than someone's home, Garth decided. Rows upon rows of cars were parked all around, in small lots spread out before the building. Some were expensive sports cars, others luxury brands and yet others perfectly normal family sedans. It seemed the organization spanned all layers of society, if the cars were any indication. Garth nodded to the girls and got a nervous smile back from both. Trying to project confidence, he smiled back. Their four escorts led them inside massive hardwood doors into a huge foyer where servants took their coats and jackets. "Come with me, Mr. Schieler. Ladies." The lead servant indicated they follow deeper into the building. Their escorts, or guards, Garth was undecided, stayed behind, neutral looks on their faces.

The servant opened another set of doors, ushering them through. These opened up to a huge room packed with people, probably close to a hundred. Jeff stood at the front, arms wide in welcome. Garth also saw Alyssa, Erica and Dave off to the side, drinks in hand, smiling at them. "Welcome!" Jeff called loudly, coming to meet them. "Good to see you, Garth. This must be Lisa and Christa?" He gave them his best smile, and Garth smiled inwardly at their stammered responses. His uncle could be very charming when he chose to, which was pretty much all the time, come to think on it.

Garth recognized some faces from the shop the night before, nodding to them and receiving nods in return, the looks noticeably more friendly today. Jeff led them into the room, introducing several people briefly as they stopped to pick up some drinks at a table. Probably a good idea to limit himself to one or two, Garth decided; it would not do to get drunk, at least not yet. The importance of the occasion started dawning on him slowly, and he felt underdressed even though several others were dressed like him, in simple pants and a shirt, top button undone.

After completing a tour of the room and hearing lots of names Garth could not remember, Jeff led them over to Erica and the others. He wished dearly he had his powers just then, because Erica and Lisa stared at each other like stray cats, suddenly confronted and not knowing if they should fight or greet one another. Erica leaned in and kissed Garth, quite thoroughly. "Garth, who's this?" Lisa asked, her tone dangerously neutral. So she was allowed to be possessive, and he was not? Garth thought better of asking that, however. Without his herbs, Garth felt blind; even if he was more or less sure he would see Jealousy like a swamp all around them. A number of people turned sharply to regard the two women, and Garth saw several yellow flower tattoos.

"Lisa, Christa, this is Erica. I'm sure I mentioned her..." Garth trailed off as he realized his mistake. "Excuse me!?" Erica all but spluttered. "You're sure you mentioned me!? Garth, what is this? Who are these girls?" Garth's head swiveled as he looked from one to the other, not knowing what to say, knowing he was in for it regardless. He chose the coward's way out and said nothing. Not that it helped much. "Garth, who is this? What is she to you?" Lisa asked, her voice rising a little. Garth was unsure, but he thought he heard Alyssa make a soft meowing sound under her breath, her wide grin clearly said she was enjoying the spectacle.

Erica grabbed his arm possessively, pulling him slightly away from Lisa and Christa. "He's my, friend." Garth thought she was going to say something different for a split second. Lisa, however, grabbed Garth's other arm, pulling him back. "Well, he's my, friend, too!" She said heatedly, Christa joining in from the back. "Yeah, we've known him for years!" There was no mistaking the 'Meow!' from Alyssa this time.

"Girls, girls!" Jeff said calmly, grabbing onto Garth's shoulders to steady him. All three girls calmed down visibly, an almost groggy look in all of their eyes. Garth could not see it of course, but he could imagine the influence spreading from his uncle as he quelled their raging emotions. "I'm sure there's more than enough of young Garth for all of you to share. Here and now is neither the place nor the time." Polite applause rippled from all around, yellow tattoos visible as Jeff made a tiny stage bow. His prowess had not gone unnoticed by the other neuropaths as he defused the situation somewhat. Garth harbored no illusions he was in the clear, however. This would have to be handled delicately. Very delicately indeed.

A gong sounded from the gallery above, and everyone turned to a small door off to the side. The lead servant from before stepped through as it opened. "Mr. Schieler, Miss Andrews, Miss Newport, the High Council awaits." Garth felt a spike of alarm. This was it! The crowd parted, forming a straight path for them towards the door. Jeff patted him on the back, whispering loudly. "You'll do fine, just answer truthfully."

When they approached, the servant stopped them with a raised hand, palm outwards. Another servant approached from the side with a tray with three black hoods on it. "I must insist. This is for their protection, not yours. You are not allowed to know their identities until they are satisfied you can be trusted." Garth looked at the girls, all three shrugged as one; in for a penny, in for a pound.

The hood smelled faintly of dust and something old, the fabric soft and comfortable, if one could ignore the temporary blindness, of course. He was led by the hand through the doorway, and Garth got the impression of a small room. There had to be several other people inside, judging from the sounds of breathing and rustling fabric. He was guided to a hard chair, and he guessed Lisa and Christa were being seated next to him.

"Mr. Schieler," A deep, faintly familiar voice began. "You are of the Blood, and you are of the Power. This we know, and while that should have been enough, it is by no means a guarantee of your merit. Many before you have failed to uphold the standards we expect from a member of the Blood. It has not ended well for them." The statement was left to reverberate around the small chamber, his deep voice ringing. Another voice to the right spoke up next.

"It has come to our attention that you have proven less than discerning in your judgment. You have threatened that which we hold dear. That which we are. Such a threat cannot be taken lightly. What do you have to say in your defense?"

Garth began, the first words croaking from his suddenly dry throat. "Well... Er..." 'Great, Garth! Keep up the good work!' He berated himself. Drawing breath and swallowing, he began again. "I showed poor judgment, for that I have no excuse. I will, however, argue that my upbringing is in part to blame for that. Just when I was approaching adulthood, my parents were taken from me, as you no doubt are aware." Tears stung in his eyes, but he ignored them and the pain in his chest. "My uncle has explained that it is customary for a man to teach his son about the Blood once he reaches his majority, something I never got to experience. My uncle was given custody, true, but he is not at fault; my parents, or rather my mother, ostracized my uncle throughout my childhood." Garth swallowed, hoping he had not just made problems for his uncle.

"My poor judgment is my own, and I accept full responsibility for it. In the future I will show restraint and better judgment, thinking not only of my own, base needs, but also of the organization and all those of both Bloodlines. I accept any consequences you deem necessary to reinforce this pledge." Silence fell in the room as he sat back down, not really aware he had risen in the first place. Whispered conferences could faintly be heard as the council members argued. Minutes dragged along slowly, a trickle of nervous sweat running down his spine.

"We have considered your words, Mr. Schieler. Taking into consideration your show of restraint over the last week as well, we are satisfied with your sincerity to do better. We will consider further your willingness to accept the consequences; this is in your favor. You will be informed via your uncle what we decide shortly. Please rise." Garth rose as he heard a number of chairs being pushed back all around the room.

A new voice, younger, intoned in a formal voice. "Garth Schieler, of the Blood. We of the High Council have judged you and found you worthy to be accepted into our ranks as a Practitioner of the Power. You may remove your hood and leave." There was an air of finality to the words. He slowly removed the hood and looked around the room. Eight people stood behind a curved table, facing him and the girls who stood next to him, their hoods still in place. They were all of respectable age; the youngest appeared to be in his sixties. Four were clad in vibrant yellow robes, the other four in blue. Garth looked at their faces, all open and welcoming. He recognized the owner of the faintly familiar voice now; it was the voice of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.