Some time later, Ben receives a knock on his door.
Ben
He gets up from the bed where he had been stretched out, relaxing and thinking about everything that had happened.
"Hold on a moment." he calls out, slipping on his shirt and heading over to the door and opening it.
Paul is standing there.
“Hey Ben I’m not entirely sure what this is about, but Grey is waiting outside the dorm and she said that you likely want to come with her. Right now. Her words.”
Ben
"Grey? Oh, okay. Let me slip on my shoes." he said, turning to get his feet into the tennis shoes and then follow Paul to meet up with Grey outside.
Grey is standing outside, actually dressed up in a suit. The sort of suit he usually saw on lawyers.
“Thank you Paul. That will be all.”
Once Paul leaves, she turns again to Ben.
She sounds tired, or something very much like it.
“I have managed to arrange something for you, if you want it. I have called in a few favors. I have secured a conversation with your mother. One of the conditions will be that I have to be monitoring the conversation. I apologize for that and realize that it might not be what you wanted, but it was the only way the conversation would happen at all. This conversation will be remote. It will not be face to face. It would, in fact, be through me. Your mother’s permission for my intrusion has already been secured. The other part of the process would be your agreement. That is completely up to you.”
Ben
His face expresses his surprise but also his flash of hope to be able to speak with his mother again.
"Of course!" he agreed immediately. "What do I need to do?"
Grey:
“Again, I will emphasize that this will not be a private conversation. They weren’t going to let that happen, and it took some arm twisting and frankly blackmail to get through what I’m doing. What is going to happen is that I am going to touch your mind, and then I am going to touch hers, and I am going to act as a conduit. This will be, mor or less, in what you might term a mindscape. It will feel real. I will not, however, be probing any deeper into your mind. Do you understand the above? If you do, then I can proceed when you are ready.”
Ben
He nodded, eager to see his mother in whatever format they could manage.
"Go ahead Ms. Grey."
She leads him to the elevator.
“For purposes of this we will be in the testing chamber, because there the dampening field will allow for me to do what I am doing. I will only be projecting both you and your mother into an imaginary mindscape. There, you will be able to talk. I will be present and aware. And if Eidolon wishes to interfere, then I will make his like interesting.”
As they get off, she pulls out a chair.
“Make yourself comfortable. I suggest, perhaps, laying your arms and head on the table as if you were going to take a nap.”
Ben
He nodded and took a seat at the table, crossing his arms before him and rested his head on them.
"Okay, I am ready I think."
She sits across from him and concentrates … and soon he feels a tingling sensation come over him. His vision fades … and he fades into what looks like a hotel lobby, with padded chairs and soft indistinct music. Sitting in a chair is his mother, not in her ‘villain’ garb but looking more or less normal, if on the haggard side.
Mother Ben
He looks around to find himself in a hotel lobby, a not uncommon event for him as they had traveled often and always enjoyed staying at five star hotels. He tuned out any other distractions as he saw his mother sitting across from him in another padded leather chair. She looked worn and tired and he felt his heart sink a little at the sight.
"Mom?" he said hopefully.
Her voice sounds tired, but also like her.
“Yes, Ben. I’m sorry that we couldn’t get you away from all this. Come and sit by me?”
Grey appeared to be standing against the wall, just in ‘sight’ as a reminder that she was there.
Ben
He picked up his chair and took it around to sit next to his mother, reaching to hold her hand.
"I have missed you and dad so much! Are you okay?"
She makes a wry face.
“I would say that is a loaded question, Ben. I think we would both agree that my situation, however much it is my fault, is less than ideal. We are in prison, and it is not the nicest place, although they are not precisely abusing us. I’m not sure that they would dare.”
At that she does allow a slight smirk, which quickly fades.
“My main concern, however, has been you. How you are doing. How you are being treated. Are you … ok?”
Ben
"I am fine mom. They brought me to a school of sorts for those like us. They want to make sure that we know what we can do and no mess up. Don't worry, the instructors are pretty nice people. I am under no duress except that I can't leave here until I turn 18." he told her.
“Remind me Ben, to tell you to never be on the wrong side of some of those nice people. They can be dangerous. But … they’re letting me see you.”
She pauses a long while.
“Ben, you remember your reading? It’s very important. Especially.”
And here she meets his eyes directly.
“The picture of Dorian Grey. Remember we were going over it last time we were together?”
She seems very intense right now.
OOC: Okay Art, is this ringing any bells?
Ooc: they had done some studies on the story, and in specific related it to a certain class of super powers regarding energy transfer and what happens to both parties, and it’s limitations and benefits. It was relatively recent and had seemed oddly out of place then too.
Ben
He looked slightly confused but nods.
"Yes mother, I remember." he said, trying to piece together what she is trying to tell him.
“Perhaps you should discuss it with your current teachers. I think they may have some insight.”
There is another brief pause.
“Ben … I want you to understand … we never meant for things to come to this. You…everything is for you. Do you understand?”
Ben
His voice caught for a moment and he nodded, unshed tears glistening in his eyes.
"I know mom. Dad and you have always done everything for me. I love you and I will make you proud of me. I hope that they let me visit you guys some time...in person. But I won't ever forget mom." he said, voice getting a bit rough.
“Ben. Things may get worse before they get better. Be prepared. Promise me you will be careful and that you won’t go out on your own. Promise me that. If nothing else.”
Ben
He looked at her, tears starting to fall down his cheeks.
"I promise mom. You promise me to hold on. I will get you out of there somehow. There was to be a way."
Mom:
“Ben”, she says quietly, “I deserve to be here. I think we both know that I’ve done things I shouldn’t have, whatever my reasons.”
Ben
"You and dad did all this to save my life. You didn't do it to get rich. We were already rich."
“Could be, Ben, but we still did it. All of it. Even if we’d do it again, it was done.”
Ben
"I know mom...but how am I supposed to live knowing the price you both paid?"
“Live well, so it was worth something. Otherwise…”
She again looks him right in the eyes.
“Live, Ben. Help others live. Remember. Your. Homework. Dorian Grey.”
Ben
"I remember mother. I remember everything you both taught me. I love you." he said, returning her look.
" Your father...won't be seeing you. He doesn't
Think its safe...for you.I really hope that..." she pauses a very long time.
"I hope that if all goes well I will have an opportunity to see you again... In person."
Ben
"I will pray for that day Mom. I miss you both so very much. Take care of yourself and don't worry. You taught me well. I will be fine." he said, trying to give her some comfort.
“Be. Safe.”
She looks at him intently.
And he was sure there was much more there than the two words.
Ben
He tried to interpret what his mother meant and couldn't say outloud.
‘Be safe’ had, in fact, been the last words attached to the messages for when he fled, when he left for the safe room. It had been what was attached to their instructions for what to do if they were caught. For ‘if something happens’ instructions.
Ben
He thought back to his time at the safe room, trying to remember if he had seen anything there that might spark a memory or clue to his mother's meanings.
Generally speaking, it had been a sign to log in to a specific secured website, there to find further instructions and information.
Ben
He sat there for a few minutes, going over everything and trying to figure out how he could get access to an unmonitored computer to check on what information had been left for him. This would take some consideration.
(So basically looking for unfettered internet access?)