Director Michael SandersonQuantum Resources, Inc.*

He tapped the SEND option on his console. It would take more than twenty minutes for the message to reach the Orcus 1 Orcus 1; an additional amount of time for the captain to form her response; and another twenty minutes for the reply to reach him. Still, Michael checked his computer a dozen times that hour for messages.

When his secretary informed him she was heading off for lunch, Michael realized he was hungry. To clear his mind, he put on his overcoat and gloves, and took a walk down the street to the Webster Family Feed Company for a ham on rye and a tall gla.s.s of unsweetened iced tea.

His thoughts were in turmoil. The national and international ramifications of the events of the past few months were staggering, but Michael could not help thinking about Alex.

The poor kid. First, he lost his parents, then was propelled more than four billion kilometers from home; and, as he made the long journey back to Earth, he was accidentally ejected into s.p.a.ce, and subsequently kidnapped by forces unknown. How would all that affect a child's mind?

When Michael arrived back in his office, his computer DMR screen was flashing, indicating an urgent incoming message.

Barely suppressing his excitement, he opened the communique and read Captain Turner's reply.

To: Director Michael Sanderson, Quantum Resources, Inc.

From: Captain Justine Turner, Orcus 1, NASA Security: Level 1 Clearance Security: Level 1 Clearance Against my better judgment, I am forwarding selected excerpts from my private journal-coded with a double-redundant protocol-to you through a trusted colleague; you should receive the uncoded version in a matter of hours. It is painfully obvious no transmission is completely secure; I would have rather waited to present this information to relevant parties in person, but have taken as many steps as possible to keep this information secure. I ask that you keep this to yourself for the time being.

A second copy is being forwarded to Director William Tuttle.

Captain, Justine Turner, Orcus 1, NASA*

The wait would drive him crazy. Michael decided to occupy his time answering his other meshmail and browsing the Earthmesh.

Knowing that it could be years before Quantum Resources saw a profit, Michael had diverted a small percentage of the startup capital into a number of secondary investments; hedging his bets, as it were. He logged onto the EarthMesh Global Stock Market and checked the progress of his accounts, selling off a few, buying into a few other companies that looked good to him.

A knock on his door brought him back to the here and now, and he looked up as Calbert Loche entered the room.

"I just wanted to let you know that I've formed a research team of seven for this project. Most of the information available is already in our data banks, but they've decided to start from the beginning and work their way through it all as if for the first time."

"Good. I've made a few inquiries of my own to obtain more data. I'm racking my brains. There's this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that tells me we're missing something crucial. I want to know more. I want Alex found."

"Those are some of the directives I issued them. Also, they are contacting a few other organizations that might have a different angle on the entire Dis Pater Dis Pater matter; SETI and some of its independent splinter groups. Crop circle experts are having a field day, saying they've predicted this for over a hundred years. There's a lot of data out there, and a lot of people with even more opinions. There are the Luddites who think progress is the devil's own weapon against the soul, and would do anything to keep this information from being used. If you're looking for someone who's responsible for the kidnapping, we've got ourselves about a billion-and-a-half suspects. And almost as many motives." matter; SETI and some of its independent splinter groups. Crop circle experts are having a field day, saying they've predicted this for over a hundred years. There's a lot of data out there, and a lot of people with even more opinions. There are the Luddites who think progress is the devil's own weapon against the soul, and would do anything to keep this information from being used. If you're looking for someone who's responsible for the kidnapping, we've got ourselves about a billion-and-a-half suspects. And almost as many motives."

"I'd like to narrow that down, just a little," Michael replied acerbically. "And quickly. Within the next week or two."

"You ask the impossible, and we shall provide." Calbert smiled lightly. "Anyway, it's knock-off time. I'll see you in the morning."

Michael looked at the chronometer in the corner of his DMR. "Already? Where did the time go? I'm going to stick around a while, check a few leads."

"All right. See you."

"Bye."

Michael went back to his computer, but he could not focus on anything. He leaned his chin on the palm of his hand and stared blankly at the monitor, letting his thoughts run away; a free a.s.sociation exercise of sorts.

He imagined traveling to the stars, meeting alien cultures, and charting the entire galaxy. What an adventure!

He was jarred out of his reverie when his communicator chimed. Picking it up, he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Sanderson here."

"Henry at the front desk, sir. Your wife is here to pick you up. She's waiting outside in the car."

"My wife! She's not supposed to be picking me up. I drove here this morning myself. Are you sure it's my wife?"

"Uh, yes, sir. She rang in and said she's been waiting for twenty minutes."

Michael sighed. It probably was time to turn in for the day. He was exhausted and far too frustrated to be effective. He needed a good night's sleep.

"All right. If she rings in again, tell her I'm on my way."

"Certainly, sir."

Michael hung up the communicator and, with a puzzled expression on his face, put on his jacket, packed his briefcase, and headed down to the lobby. He nodded at Henry as he pa.s.sed through the front desk security scanners, and stepped outside.

His car was idling in the pickup area. He couldn't see through the tinted windows, but when the horn sounded sharply-a trait his wife had when impatient-he subconsciously relaxed. Walking over to the pa.s.senger side, he opened the door and got in.

There was a man dressed in a large winter jacket and wore a balaclava pulled down over his face. With a speed that stunned Michael, the man opened the driver side door, slipped his car card in the slot to lock all doors, and closed Michael in. Fumbling for his own card, Michael found it and used it to release the doors, and jumped out, but by the time he was on the sidewalk, there was no sign of the stranger.

Looking back inside the vehicle, Michael saw a manila envelope between the driver and pa.s.senger seats. Sitting back down inside the car, he opened the envelope. Inside was a report.

The front page read: *

Decrypted Text Excerpts From The Official Flight Journal Of Captain Justine Churchill Turner.

He flipped quickly through the dozen pages of transcribed entries, describing Alex's ability to manipulate electrical devices, and his apparent insomnia. Obvious side-effects of exposure to Element X.

Looking around to see if anyone was watching him, Michael slowly went over the journal excerpts line by line. The insomnia, the computer files, the hidden camera, the electrical telekinesis-all pointed toward something in Alex. A mystery. There was something there.

By the time Michael got to the end of Captain Turner's report, he knew exactly why why Alex had been kidnapped, and why the pirates had gone to such lengths. Alex had been kidnapped, and why the pirates had gone to such lengths.

The only question that remained was...who were the pirates? were the pirates?

Pirate Ship : Sol System :

Like a petrified clam within its sh.e.l.l, Alex waited inside the security receptacle and listen for the sounds of the kidnappers to come to pry him out forcibly. He was too panicked to remember to use his special clairvoyance to watch their approach. within its sh.e.l.l, Alex waited inside the security receptacle and listen for the sounds of the kidnappers to come to pry him out forcibly. He was too panicked to remember to use his special clairvoyance to watch their approach.

Docking with the pirate ship had been clumsy, and if Alex had not been secure in the receptacle, he would have had numerous bruises and b.u.mps to show for the experience. As it was, he was more scared than if he had been injured; if he had been, at least he would have something to take his overactive mind off what would become of him.

In the DMR game, Nova Pirates, Nova Pirates, a captured fighter would be taken to the pirates' home base where he would be enslaved for the rest of his life, performing menial ch.o.r.es and suffering the abuse of the pirates. That was just a game; this was reality; and over the past six months, Alex had come to know that most of the time reality was much worse. a captured fighter would be taken to the pirates' home base where he would be enslaved for the rest of his life, performing menial ch.o.r.es and suffering the abuse of the pirates. That was just a game; this was reality; and over the past six months, Alex had come to know that most of the time reality was much worse.

On the Orcus 1, Orcus 1, he had felt safe, secure, and could afford to be aloof, reserved, even arrogant in an effort to hide the internalized pains of losing his beloved parents in such a brutal manner. The he had felt safe, secure, and could afford to be aloof, reserved, even arrogant in an effort to hide the internalized pains of losing his beloved parents in such a brutal manner. The Orcus 1 Orcus 1 was an accommodating, concerned crew. was an accommodating, concerned crew.

On the pirate ship, he would have no such luxury.

He could imagine his future torment. What had he done to deserve such horrid fate? His parents killed, himself kidnapped. The song in his head threatened to drive him insane. What else was going to befall him?

After a quarter of an hour by himself in the receptacle, Alex thought he was going to go crazy from the isolation and from his imagination. Soon, however, he could hear the sounds of footsteps as the pirates made their way through the defunct TAHU to locate his security receptacle.

Within minutes, they found him, and he finally gathered enough wits to blink out blink out and see beyond the receptacle to his captors. As with every time he closed his eyes to use his clairvoyance, that haunting song came to him, the lyrical words too soft to define, too far away to catch, too intense to ignore. and see beyond the receptacle to his captors. As with every time he closed his eyes to use his clairvoyance, that haunting song came to him, the lyrical words too soft to define, too far away to catch, too intense to ignore.

There were two of them, he saw. Both were men, dressed in flight suits. One had dark hair and short. He looked oriental. The other man was a tall and blond Caucasian.

Though Alex could not quite pin down their ages, he finally decided they were younger than any member of the Orcus 1 Orcus 1 crew. They did not look like pirates; more like astronauts you could find at any s.p.a.ce agency in the world. crew. They did not look like pirates; more like astronauts you could find at any s.p.a.ce agency in the world.

Taken aback by the kidnappers' unexpected normality, he didn't hear them at first, but they repeated themselves. The tall, blond one had a European accent Alex could not pin down.

"We are not going to hurt you, Alex. I'm going to open the receptacle, and I would like it very much if you cooperated with us, and didn't try to run," one of them said. "There is no place to run, anyway; but if you are a good boy, things will go better for you. Can you hear me?"

Alex's tongue did not want to work for him.

"Can you hear me?" the man repeated as he withdrew a pair of handcuffs from a pouch tied around his waist. "Tell me you'll cooperate, and I won't have to tie you up."

"I won't fight," Alex finally replied loud enough for the sound waves to penetrate the metal of the receptacle, and let his clairvoyance shut down as the men punched the release b.u.t.ton, allowing the door to swing open easily.

Alex stepped out cautiously, and looked up at the men, making no effort to run from them. They had spoken the truth; he had no place to go, except open s.p.a.ce. He was in their power.

"Good," the man said. "I see we have no need of these."

He raised the handcuffs before Alex a moment before putting them away in his pouch. "Now, my name is Captain Gruber, and this is First Mate Chung."

"Who are you?" Alex had to ask. "Pirates?"

"We work for a private organization that has taken a great deal of interest in you, Alex. They have followed your progress quite closely since your unfortunate accident last August, and would like to meet you. I a.s.sure you, no harm will come to you if you cooperate, but make no mistake, we have taken you prisoner, and you will do as we say, or there will be repercussions. Do you know what that word means?"

Alex nodded. "In Nova Pirates, Nova Pirates, prisoners are tortured and made slaves." prisoners are tortured and made slaves."

Captain Gruber gave him a sour look. "Very funny. No, we are not pirates...exactly. Nevertheless, if you do not cooperate, you will be dealt with severely. Certain privileges that I am in a position to grant you will be withdrawn. It will be a few weeks before we return. How you spend those few weeks-either in comfort, or locked in your room with no entertainment-will be your choice. My orders are to keep you incommunicado. Do you know what that means?"

Alex shook his head, even though he knew the answer.

"It means no contact with anyone, locked in a room for the rest of the trip; but if you are a good boy for us, I will let you have certain freedoms. What do you say to that?"

"I won't try anything," Alex promised.

"Good. Now, if you will follow First Mate Chung, he will show you to your accommodations and then bring you to the mess to get some food. We have recreation facilities for the crew that you may use to occupy your time until we attain orbit. The only requirement we have of you until our landing is a daily physical examination. I understand that you have some small ability with the manipulation of electricity." He gave the boy a stern, uncompromising glare.

So, they had somehow hacked into the Orcus 1's Orcus 1's secure data bases, as had Alex. How they had done it from s.p.a.ce was beyond him. secure data bases, as had Alex. How they had done it from s.p.a.ce was beyond him.

"I don't know the extent of this power, but I have no interest in a demonstration, Alex. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Off you go, now. I'm looking forward to a comfortable, uneventful return. I trust you share my optimism, and that you will make every effort to be a good little boy."

"Yes, sir."

"Good. We understand each other perfectly." He turned on his heel, and strode away.

After being shown his room by the First Mate-a small, cramped s.p.a.ce marginally larger than a coffin, with a military bunk and a glowlamp-Alex was familiarized with the latrines and the mess hall. Chung brought him to the common room that was empty right then. There was a DMR television with an extensive library of foreign language videos; a video entertainment console with a number of games also in other languages, but Alex thought he could get around that with the games. There was also a refreshment kiosk that, Chung explained, contained files on every beverage Alex could want.

"Now, remember, Alex; this common room is for the crew members, a place to relax. They have been given orders not to talk to you, so when they are off duty, you may not come in here. You can play the videos when the room is free, and you can read any of the books in here if you can find one in English. However, under no circ.u.mstances are you to contact any of the crew for any reason. If I hear one complaint, you will be locked in your room for the duration of the trip. If you have any questions, you may approach me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Now, we must go to the medical bay for some tests."

The physician at the medical examination room was a pleasant looking older man with a disarming manner.

When Alex arrived, the doctor smiled and beckoned the young man to come in. True to form, the doctor was dressed in a lab coat, and wore spectacles over bright blue eyes. His hair was balding, and what hair he had left he swept over the bare skin of his pate. Chubby hands held a stethoscope he had just been donning when Alex arrived.

When he spoke, it was with an accent from one of the southern states of America.

"Have a seat young man. I promise this will be much easier than you think. I'd just like to take a few readings-heart beat, respiration, all on the EEG bioreader; and if I could, a small sampling of blood, if you don't mind. Then you can be on your way."

"That's all right," Alex told him. Taking off his shirt, he lay down on the examination bed.

"My name is Doctor Hyndman, but you can call me 'Doc.' "

Doc began his examination by attaching a few electrodes to Alex's torso and temples. "I understand there is some kind of electrical disruption field you are able to produce."

There was no use denying it. "If I want."

"Remarkable. Could you show me now? I already have reading for normal state of rest."

"The Captain said-"

"It's all right, Alex. The Captain is not here right now, and I don't take orders from him. But, if you don't wish to..."

Alex, despite himself, liked the doctor. "All right. But you have to tell me how you knew about it."

The Doc smiled. "Our organization has many resources, both financial as well as human. A little bribery is all it takes to obtain remote codes. A laser EPS to the Orcus 1 Orcus 1 when we know no one is monitoring the computers, and 'boom,' everything is laid out for us. Now, I have shared a secret with you; it is your turn to show me what I would like to see." when we know no one is monitoring the computers, and 'boom,' everything is laid out for us. Now, I have shared a secret with you; it is your turn to show me what I would like to see."

Alex, with as little effort as it took to breathe, caused the EEG bioreader to flatline.

"Remarkable. How do you do it?"