Chronicles of Han: Preserving Creata: Part 1: Learning Curve
Chapter Twenty-Eight

I landed back in my body with a start, hearing the urgent knocking on the door.

Managing to open an eye, only darkness greeted me.

The candles were out.

I must have been gone a considerable amount of time.

The now familiar headache and dry mouth did not bother me so much, but I experienced trouble getting my body going again.

Tucker gently opened the door to my meditation room as I struggled from the floor.

My body felt cold and stiff.

He switched on the light and came over to help me.

“Where have you been?” he asked. “You are cold as ice. We should warm you up.”

For the second time, he helped me to the bathroom like an attentive father and made me stand under the shower, increasing the hot water slowly. He helped me rub my hands and feet to speed up the circulation.

It was beginning to feel second nature to be pushed into a shower by Tucker. I really appreciated the old man’s help.

He was also not a chatty person and did not ask a lot of questions. He accepted a lot of things he could not explain. It took a great man to go entirely on faith.

“Why do you help me, Tuck?”

“I’m responsible for your wellbeing. It is my duty. And my honour. I think it makes me feel wanted again. You know I have nothing except the job, and you certainly need the help. The way you are carrying on, I’m starting to think about moving in with you.”

He laughed his big, belly shaking laugh. It was good to see him laughing. It made me want to laugh, too. I smiled back at him.

“I’m pretty much thawed out. You think you can order in some food. I’ve finished what I had left in the apartment when I came home yesterday.”

Tucker left to order food and, I hoped, to make some coffee. I dried and dressed and had a quick peek in the mirror.

I did look better. There was some colour back in my cheeks and most of the blue under my eyes was gone, as well as the puffiness. Maybe I’m getting the hang of this ‘vision’ thing now. I surely hoped so. It was really hard work, mentally and physically.

I smelt coffee before I reached the kitchen.

Tucker presented me with a huge mug as I sat down at the table.

“The Flatbread place was the only one still open. We’ll pick it up on our way,” he said while I drained the coffee and gave him an inquiring look.

“We were summoned by the Captain to an address on Upper Hill. It sounded pretty desperate and I said we’re on our way, I just had to pick you up first. I tried phoning, but I see that your communicator is on silent.”

He handed me my comm and I stashed it in its holder at my belt.

“You also make a habit of not locking your door. I hammered a few times and then simply walked in. I’m glad I did. Are you going to tell me where you went in that meditation, or must I rather mind my own business?”

Well, for a man with few words that certainly was a lot.

“I’ll tell you on the way, after the food” I answered him.

Three Flatbreads later and I was starting to feel really mellow and happy again. I knew Tucker was waiting for an answer and, as I did not want to reveal the whole truth, I decided to compromise.

“Our little Low-life was actually the crime-lord known as Blitz” I announced.

Tucker whistled. “Do you have any proof?”

“Of course not! You know how this works. I can only tell you what I saw. It is up to others to follow the leads and do the investigations. I can also not tell who had killed him as he did not see anything before his death.”

The lie came out sounding part of the conversation and I hoped that Tucker would not pick up on it.

“Okay. I’ll take your word for it, but I know that you are not telling me everything. I’m sure you are being prevented from giving me everything by some higher force or something and I’ll adhere to that. I’ll put it down that even you guys have your limits.”

And here I thought I was the psychic!

Lots of people knew things, they were simply too indoctrinated or scared to allow their talents to grow. It probably was a good thing. We did not want criminals to be able to know things in advance. That would really be looking for trouble.

Or are there some of my kind who have already turned to the darker paths?

I put the thought out of my mind. Let me concentrate first now on training myself in these new things. Time to worry about darker things when I might come across it.