Chapter 2
*Francesca* Francesca awoke suddenly to a voice in her head. Had she been dreaming? She rubbed her eyes and liked at the display of her clock-radio on her bedside cabinet. It read 4:23 AM. Obviously, she had been dreaming. Bother! She would have to try to get back to sleep.
*Francesca* The voice came again. This time she was wide awake.
"Who said that?" said Francesca, looking around in the half-light.
*My name is TIM* 'pathed the voice. *I'm a friend of Carol.*
"You mean Mum's friend Carol?" asked Francesca. "Should I get her? I'd have to wake her up?"
*No, thank you. In any case she wouldn't be able to hear me* 'pathed TIM. *I am communicating telepathically.*
"Are you a telepath? Are you like me and Carol?" asked Francesca.
*Not exactly, but similar enough. Francesca, I'm going to have to ask you to trust me. Do you trust me?* 'pathed TIM.
"I don't know" said Francesca. "Is Carol there?"
*No, Francesca. Carol is not here. She and her friends need your help.* 'pathed TIM.
"What do you want me to do?" asked Francesca.
*On your dressing table, you will see a wrist band. It looks like a watch strap without a face. Do you see it?* 'pathed TIM.
Francesca switched on her bedside lamp and squinted at the bright light. On her dressing table, she saw the band. "Yes I see it" she said.
*Place the band on your wrist* 'pathed TIM. Francesca got to her feet and walked towards the dressing table and picked up the band. She examined it for a moment before fixing it to her wrist.
"Now what?" asked Francesca.
*Close your eyes* 'pathed TIM. Francesca closed her eyes. She felt the temperature momentarily get cold before feeling comfortably warm again. "You can open your eyes now" said TIM. Instead of the comfort and security of her bedroom, Francesca found herself in the unfamiliar surroundings of the Tomorrow People's Lab.
"TIM? Where are you?" said Francesca, looking round.
"I'm here" said TIM.
"Where?" asked Francesca.
"Here" said TIM. "All around you."
"Why can't I see you?" asked Francesca.
"You can" said TIM. Francesca looked around again, then suddenly the penny dropped.
"Oh my God! You're a machine!" exclaimed Francesca.
"I am a computer. A biotronic computer" said TIM. "Now Francesca, we do not have much time. The safety of Carol and her friends depends entirely on you. Are you prepared to help them?"
"I . . . I think so" said Francesca.
"Thank you Francesca" said TIM. "Carol and her friends have been abducted, and I would like you to try to release them from their captivity."
"Oh" said Francesca. "So who abducted them?"
"I don't know" said TIM. "One of the abductees is Carol's sister. I was able to fit her with a sub-dermal tracking device to her before she was abducted, and have now been able to locate her. It is my belief that once we find her, we will find the others."
"Can't you tell the Police?" asked Francesca.
"I'm afraid they are beyond the help of the Police" said TIM.
"What if I don't want to help?" asked Francesca.
"Then I'll return you home" said TIM.
"And what would happen to Carol and her friends?" asked Francesca.
"I don't think we'd see any of them again" said TIM.
Francesca thought for a minute before replying. "I don't think Mum would be happy if I didn't help Carol."
