The boy stared at her for a long moment, then broke down in sobs. She moved to sit beside him and put an arm around him. He leaned against her, crying for a while before managing to say, “Thank you.”
She mulled over what to do while he sniffled and wiped at his face.
“How long am I gonna be in jail? They won’t tell me.”
“I’m not exactly sure. You did use Suggestion on cops and threaten to kill them.” She sighed. “There is a good chance you’ll be here until you turn eighteen. It’s better than being on the street.”
He shivered.
“But… I don’t believe you really would’ve hurt them. You were scared, alone, and didn’t think you had any voice in the world. You don’t seem like the sort of kid who belongs locked up.”
Rafael lifted his head to peer at her, eyes widening.
“Don’t get too hopeful, yet.” She sighed. “I’m going to try talking to those two cops, see if I can get them to believe you wouldn’t have hurt them.”
“I wouldn’t. I don’t hate cops, just wanted them to care about Juan Miguel.”
“It’s not me who needs to be convinced of that. Trust me when I say that as a suggestive, you need to be extra careful. They watch us. Most of the time, someone with that ability who goes bad doesn’t make it to jail.”
Rafael stared down at the bed. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t know what else to do. Juan Miguel was dead and no one cared. I wanted to die, too. I thought the cops would kill me.”
Overcome at hearing a boy his age say that, she lost the war against tears and let a few slip free.
“I don’t wanna die anymore. Thought I was gonna die anyway on the street without my brother. I swear I won’t do anything like that again. I got too sad when Juan Miguel died an’ the cops didn’t care about us.”
Kirsten squeezed his shoulder. “Maybe once they trust you won’t abuse your powers, you’ll be transferred to the standard dorms, but that’s out of my control.”
“What’s going to happen?”
“Oh, lots of meetings with psychologists and a telepath or two to see what’s going on in your head, make sure you’re not lying.”
“I’m not. So I don’t care if they look in my head.” He hugged her. “I know I’m just a street kid, but thank you for caring.”
She choked up, unable to speak.
“You helped Juan Miguel… and me. I’m not mad at you for arresting me. It’s your job. Cops should do their job. Don’t be sad. No one’s gonna try an’ hurt me in here.”
They shouldn’t keep a ten-year-old in freakin’ solitary confinement, even if it is a ‘bedroom.’ She bristled at the paranoia around suggestives. Granted, in most cases, it made sense. “I’ll check up on you, okay?”
He nodded, smiling.
Kirsten spent another twenty or so minutes with him talking about his brother. They’d lived on the street ever since the parents died, his brother earning enough to buy food from working at a restaurant. Rafael had liked school and missed it, despite admitting to not having the best grades.
Eventually, she dragged herself away with promises to visit again soon, and trudged down the corridor.
Dorian materialized at her side. “You’ve won me over. That kid’s a victim of policy.”
“How can those Div 1 guys get so damn jaded they can laugh off a murder because the victim belonged to a gang?”
“K, if you’re drowning in a swimming pool full of oatmeal, and someone goes to hand you a bowl of oatmeal…”
Kirsten sighed. “I hope I never reach that point of just… giving up on society.”
“Oh, you won’t.” Dorian grinned. “You’re much too sweet.”
She nodded to the three people at the security desk on her way by and walked into the elevator. As soon as the doors shut, she stuck her tongue out at him.
“Well, the storm’s over. With any luck, you’ll have a nice quiet rest of the month.”
“Not exactly.” She poked the button for her squad room’s floor. “Evan’s invited his friends over Saturday.”
“Walter and Shawn?”
“I should be so lucky. No, I’ll be responsible for four additional kids. That older girl he fell down the elevator with and Willow. It’s like he has this sixth sense to find and make friends with the lonely ones who really need it.” She pointed at him. “Don’t say it.”
“Didn’t plan to.” Dorian chuckled. “Five kids under twelve for an entire Saturday? That’s more harrowing than sending the giant flea back to the Abyss. You should probably call in reinforcements.”
“Ha. Ha.” Kirsten raised an eyebrow, thinking of Sam. “You know, calling in some backup might not be a bad idea.”
Acknowledgments
Thank you for reading Division Zero: Harbinger!
I’d like to thank the readers who have emailed, chatted, and commented asking for (and reminding me to write) another Division Zero book.
Thanks to Lee Sheridan for editing.
Dianne Webb and Daniel Cox (no relation) for beta reading.
Additional thanks to Alexandria Thompson for the cover art!
About the Author
Originally from South Amboy NJ, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Since 1996, he has developed the “Divergent Fates” world, in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, The Awakened Series, The Harmony Paradox, and the Daughter of Mars series take place. Along with being an editor at Curiosity Quills press, he has worked in IT and technical support.
Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom RPG systems, and a fan of anime, British humour, and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.
He is also fond of cats.
Visit me online at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MatthewSCoxAuthor
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/mscox
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/matthewcox10420/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7712730.Matthew_S_Cox
Email: mcox2112@gmail.com
Other books by Matthew S. Cox
Divergent Fates Universe Novels
Division Zero series
Division Zero
Lex De Mortuis
Thrall
Guardian
The Awakened series
Prophet of the Badlands
Archon’s Queen
Grey Ronin
Daughter of Ash
Zero Rogue
Angel Descended
Daughter of Mars series
The Hand of Raziel
Araphel
Ghost Black
Virtual Immortality
The Harmony Paradox
Divergent Fates Anthology
(Fiction Novels - Adult)
The Roadhouse Chronicles Series
One More Run
The Redeemed
Dead Man’s Number
Faded Skies series
Heir Ascendant
Ascendant Unrest
Ascendant Revolution
Temporal Armistice Series
Nascent Shadow
The Shadow Collector
The Gate to Oblivion
Vampire Innocent series
A Nighttime of Forever
A Beginner’s Guide to Fangs
The Artist of Ruin
The Last Family Road Trip
Standalones
Wayfarer: AV494
Axillon99
Chiaroscuro: The Mouse and the Candle
The Far Side of Promise anthology
Operation: Chimera (with Tony Healey)
The Dysfunctional Conspiracy (with Christopher Veltmann)
Winter Solstice series (with J.R. Rain)
Convergence
Containment
Catalyst
Alexis Silver series (with J.R.
Rain)
Silver Light
Deep Silver
Samantha Moon Origins series (with J.R. Rain)
New Moon Rising
Moon Mourning
Maddy Wimsey series (with J.R. Rain)
The Devil’s Eye
The Drifting Gloom
Samantha Moon Case Files series (with J.R. Rain)
Blood Moon
Dead Moon
Young Adult Novels
Caller 107
The Summer the World Ended
Nine Candles of Deepest Black
The Eldritch Heart
The Forest Beyond the Earth
Out of Sight
Middle Grade Novels
Tales of Widowswood series
Emma and the Banderwigh
Emma and the Silk Thieves
Emma and the Silverbell Faeries
Emma and the Elixir of Madness
Emma and the Weeping Spirit
Standalones
Citadel: The Concordant Sequence
The Cursed Codex
The Menagerie of Jenkins Bailey
Sophie’s Light