Chapter 12: Drawback

Chapter 12:

Ethan sat in the backroom of the antique shop with the librarian. She had promised to teach him more about telepathy, and he was eager to learn.

"So, what can you tell me about the drawbacks of using telepathy?" Ethan asked, his notebook at the ready.

The librarian leaned back in her chair and looked at him thoughtfully. "Well, for one, it can be mentally exhausting. The more you use it, the more drained you'll feel. It's important to take breaks and give your mind a chance to rest."

Ethan nodded, scribbling down notes in his notebook. "What about privacy? Can you read anyone's thoughts anytime you want?"

"Not exactly," the librarian said. "It takes a lot of concentration to tap into someone's thoughts. And even then, it's not a guaranteed success. Sometimes people have mental shields that can block you out."

Ethan frowned. "So, it's not like in the movies where you can just read someone's mind like it's an open book?"

The librarian chuckled. "No, it's not quite that simple."

Ethan had never felt more alive than when he was learning from the librarian. She was an excellent teacher, patient and kind, but also firm and unyielding when it came to discipline. Ethan could tell that she had lived a hard life, but she never let it show in her demeanor.

They sat across from each other at a small table in the back of the antique shop. The librarian had placed her hands on the table and was looking intently at Ethan.

"Now, let's focus on one of the most important aspects of telepathy: control. You need to be able to control your powers or they'll control you. And trust me, you don't want that."

Ethan nodded, eager to learn more.

"Close your eyes," the librarian instructed.

Ethan did as he was told and the librarian continued, "I want you to focus on my thoughts. Listen carefully and try to repeat them back to me."

Ethan took a deep breath and cleared his mind. He could feel the librarian's thoughts flowing into his mind, but he was having a hard time deciphering them.

"Come on, Ethan. You can do better than that. You need to concentrate more," the librarian chided.

Ethan tried again, this time with more focus. He repeated back the librarian's thoughts, word for word.

"Very good, Ethan. Now, let's move on to something a little more difficult. I'm going to try and block you out. I want you to keep trying to read my thoughts."

The librarian's face became expressionless and Ethan felt like he was hitting a brick wall. He concentrated harder and harder until he was finally able to break through.

"Excellent work, Ethan. You're making great progress."

As they continued to practice, the librarian warned Ethan of the dangers of telepathy. "You must always be careful not to intrude on someone's thoughts without their permission. It's an invasion of privacy and can have serious consequences."

Ethan nodded, taking her words to heart. He realized that his power was not something to be taken lightly.

As they were finishing up their session, the librarian finally revealed her name to Ethan. "My name is Alice. And if you're going to work with Mark, you need to know that he can be dangerous. He's been hurt in the past, and he's not always rational. You need to be prepared for anything."

***

Mark leapt from the roof of the building, landing with a loud thud on the pavement below. The policemen quickly surrounded him, weapons drawn and aimed at his head.

Mark smirked, raising his hands in the air. Suddenly, the weapons flew from the policemen's hands and clattered to the ground. The policemen looked at Mark in shock and fear as he began to manipulate the environment around him with his telekinetic abilities.

Cars lifted from the street and flew towards the officers, who dodged and weaved in a desperate attempt to avoid them. But Mark's powers were too great, and soon the officers were overwhelmed by the barrage of flying debris.

As the last officer fell to the ground, unconscious, Mark stood panting.

Mark observed the destruction he had caused and felt a twinge of guilt. He had always known he had the power to hurt people, but it was a sobering experience to see the carnage he had wrought. He approached one of the officers who had survived the attack and was now on his knees, begging for mercy.

"Please," the officer pleaded, "have mercy. We were just following orders."

Mark looked down at the man, feeling a mix of anger and pity. He knew what it was like to be at the mercy of those in power, to have your life controlled by someone else's whims. But he also knew that these men had been sent to capture him, and if they succeeded, he would likely end up dead or in prison.

"Orders," Mark spat. "You think that excuses what you were about to do to me? To take away my freedom, my life? You would have been happy to see me locked up, or worse."

The officer cowered at Mark's words, clearly realizing the gravity of the situation.

"But I won't kill you," Mark continued. "I'll let you live, and tell your superiors that if they come after me again, the next time they won't be so lucky."

With that, Mark turned and walked away, leaving the officer trembling on the ground. He knew he couldn't stay in the area for long, not with the police likely to send more men after him. He had to keep moving, keep evading capture, until he could figure out what his next move would be.