Sometimes Knowing Sucks

[Ivan Sarkozy]

Ivan felt light headed. Tired. Oh, he could hear fine. Was mostly following her. And he was angry. Well, he knew he should feel angry. And his mind was angry. Knew he was angry. He saw his family separated. The drones. Could see how scared they all were.

And he cared. In his mind he cared. Enough. Enough that it pushed away some of the fake calm that the sedative had made him feel. And that brush of emotion touched on anger. And that made him feel angrier.

And he felt the slight warmth of the power. Not enough to reach for. Not close enough.

And he was angry because this was his fault. His stupidity with Nox. It was still like fighting through jelly to think. He knew where Nox was. He wasn't sure who the other guy she was talking about was.

He couldn't concentrate, his mind jumping from one word or thought to the other.

But something caught it. Kept coming back to him, half forgotten until he remembered he had heard it, then forgot.

The third? fourth? whatever? time around, he grabbed it.

"Your father knows the drill. He's done it a time or two if I recall."


He shot her a look. "What are talking about?"
The words felt slurred. He tried to get his tongue and lips to work right. "What do you mean about my father."
His voice sounded leaden.