"Sir, we have him. It sounds like he wants to join."

Banks leaped up from his desk and walked toward the main viewscreen to speak with Jarek. Thank the stars, finally! "Good. Did you have any trouble?"

"Yes, actually. Much more than expected," Jarek said.

"Did he resist?"

Jarek's brow furrowed. "No, he came quite easily."

"Then how so?"

"He was attacked."

No, don't tell me... "Attacked? By whom?"

"An assassin from the Priesthood. They must have been acting on the same information about his whereabouts that we were."

Bomax! What were they thinking? Banks was careful to hide his indignation. "How did he escape?"

Jarek looked away. "Sir, he 'stopped time.'"

Banks tensed. "What?" How is that possible? I know he's gifted, but that...

"I don't know, sir. He seemed distraught. I asked him afterward, and he said he'd never done it before."

If he really did... "It's unheard of, pulling off that maneuver without extensive coaching."

Jarek looked shaken. "I know, sir. I barely knew what I was seeing. I've only witnessed it once before. But that's not all."

Banks took a slow breath. "There's more?"

"Then he threw the assassin against the wall telekinetically. I was struck by the power of it—absolutely astounding. There was a great measure of control, even though he claimed to not know what he was doing."

"This development complicates matters considerably." I can't possibly put him in with other new Trainees. Not with that level of ability. "But he's safe?"

"Yes, sir. Shaken, but unharmed."

Banks nodded. "Good. We'll decide what to do after I meet with him." After all of our careful planning, we're back to making up a strategy as we go.

"Yes, sir." Jarek inclined his head.

"Dismissed."

<end of preview>

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