The author doesn't own any of the characters or events mentioned. She does however own a backache, headache, arm ache and eyestrain. Damn late nights….
Thank you to anyone who reviewed or has been following this story. I am back to being amusing! (I think…)
A listener…
The insane man moved through the kitchen at a fast clip, moving straight towards his personal space. He always did that, considered the telepath. He almost seemed frightened. (If you could ever consider the insane one frightened. Like not feeling pain, his ability to recognize the feeling of fear also seemed to be muted. He did have a point though. Nothing could be done to him that wouldn't 'hurt god' and so torture would probably be enjoyable for him…maybe…)
The telepath didn't know what the insane one was frightened of. He had never 'looked'. It wasn't that he was frightened of the psychopath. How could he be afraid of him? He had been there for the worst of the acts that had been committed by him, and in most cases he had been assisting in some way. If he was to be frightened by insane one, then he would have to be frightened of himself… Now there was a thought…But was it his? It was difficult to tell. It didn't sound like him, but you never could tell
The listener returned to his contemplation of his house and teammate. He wasn't frightened of him. Or at least he wasn't frightened that his thoughts would be to disgusting to handle (he had seen more gore than he had needed to in his life. After a while even the vilest acts became blasé) nor was he frightened that his chaotic thought streams would cause him pain. He had been trained to withstand a remarkable amount of pain by some very ruthless instructors, who hadn't cared how they had inflicted it, mentally or physically.
Pain was not the problem with the insane one, considered the listener. Rather it was his seductiveness. As from the first moment that the telepath had met and attempted to scan the insane ones mind, he was amazed at how tranquil the man seemed on the surface, but with so much brightness flashing beneath the surface. There were so many different paths and trails of intelligence to follow. The listener could immerse himself into the insane ones' mind forever if he let himself. His strange ways of musing were addictive and his mental depths were unplumbed. Listening to him was a buzz and if you let yourself fully into his mind, the listener was uncertain if even he could get back out.
The listener knew he would never have to worry about telepaths while the insane one was around. The man was a walking mind trap for people with his talent…He was fairly sure that he had mind wiped at least one of the all powerful's eavesdroppers. They had come after him for that one, and had submitted him to a barrage of new tests, to try and figure out how he had done it. They hadn't had much success for some reason. The listener smirked. It did the all powerful good to think that he could do things like that to them. It scared them. It kept the team safe.
In many ways the insane one did a lot to keep them safe too. As well as some purely unconscious things, like the mind trap, and the unusually comforting things, like being able to cook beautifully (so long as you checked his ingredients before he started) there were the strange things he did in the name of the team. Like his rampages. The Listener 'heh'-ed softly to himself making a slight face. It was hard to imagine that having a person around that like to randomly kill people would be comforting. It was possible however. The listener had remembered when he had given into the temptation to know more about the man who felt no pain. He could not use his usual method on the insane one to discover what he wanted to know, so he had resorted to secondhand knowledge and had hightailed it over to the all powerfuls headquarters to listen to the thoughts of the insane mans previous carers.
Since the insane one had joined their team, his acts of violence towards outsiders had nearly doubled in number. The carers considered that it must be a reaction to being so constantly exposed to stimulation from the out side world, but the listener knew better. The Insane one was defending the team from something that the previous carers didn't even consider a threat: The intrusion of outsiders into their select group.
The listener knew that in their own quiet way they were famous in their own organization. They were the most efficient set of killers that they had. There were many who had an ambition to be included in their small circle, with the idea that it would help them to be recognized by their superiors. The threat of a psychotic white-haired demon that didn't appreciate outsiders was quite good at keeping all but the most determined away, and the most determined usually left again too. Usually… There were a couple that hadn't been fast enough. The listener tried to look on the bright side. He liked the new hallway carpet!
The insane one also helped to maintain their tenuous position with the all powerful. At any time it might be decided that they were too good. Not a help any longer, but a threat, to be disposed of as best as possible. The insane man was redressing that balance merely by being himself, after all, If they couldn't control one of their members, how could they be organized enough to be a threat? It was a compelling question, and one of the few that left their heads attached to their necks.
The listener allowed himself to sample the edge of the insane ones mind, using him as his own personal trip-out drug. There was some thing to be said for teamwork, mused the listener. He wasn't sure what, but something.
Thank you to anyone who reviewed or has been following this story. I am back to being amusing! (I think…)
A listener…
The insane man moved through the kitchen at a fast clip, moving straight towards his personal space. He always did that, considered the telepath. He almost seemed frightened. (If you could ever consider the insane one frightened. Like not feeling pain, his ability to recognize the feeling of fear also seemed to be muted. He did have a point though. Nothing could be done to him that wouldn't 'hurt god' and so torture would probably be enjoyable for him…maybe…)
The telepath didn't know what the insane one was frightened of. He had never 'looked'. It wasn't that he was frightened of the psychopath. How could he be afraid of him? He had been there for the worst of the acts that had been committed by him, and in most cases he had been assisting in some way. If he was to be frightened by insane one, then he would have to be frightened of himself… Now there was a thought…But was it his? It was difficult to tell. It didn't sound like him, but you never could tell
The listener returned to his contemplation of his house and teammate. He wasn't frightened of him. Or at least he wasn't frightened that his thoughts would be to disgusting to handle (he had seen more gore than he had needed to in his life. After a while even the vilest acts became blasé) nor was he frightened that his chaotic thought streams would cause him pain. He had been trained to withstand a remarkable amount of pain by some very ruthless instructors, who hadn't cared how they had inflicted it, mentally or physically.
Pain was not the problem with the insane one, considered the listener. Rather it was his seductiveness. As from the first moment that the telepath had met and attempted to scan the insane ones mind, he was amazed at how tranquil the man seemed on the surface, but with so much brightness flashing beneath the surface. There were so many different paths and trails of intelligence to follow. The listener could immerse himself into the insane ones' mind forever if he let himself. His strange ways of musing were addictive and his mental depths were unplumbed. Listening to him was a buzz and if you let yourself fully into his mind, the listener was uncertain if even he could get back out.
The listener knew he would never have to worry about telepaths while the insane one was around. The man was a walking mind trap for people with his talent…He was fairly sure that he had mind wiped at least one of the all powerful's eavesdroppers. They had come after him for that one, and had submitted him to a barrage of new tests, to try and figure out how he had done it. They hadn't had much success for some reason. The listener smirked. It did the all powerful good to think that he could do things like that to them. It scared them. It kept the team safe.
In many ways the insane one did a lot to keep them safe too. As well as some purely unconscious things, like the mind trap, and the unusually comforting things, like being able to cook beautifully (so long as you checked his ingredients before he started) there were the strange things he did in the name of the team. Like his rampages. The Listener 'heh'-ed softly to himself making a slight face. It was hard to imagine that having a person around that like to randomly kill people would be comforting. It was possible however. The listener had remembered when he had given into the temptation to know more about the man who felt no pain. He could not use his usual method on the insane one to discover what he wanted to know, so he had resorted to secondhand knowledge and had hightailed it over to the all powerfuls headquarters to listen to the thoughts of the insane mans previous carers.
Since the insane one had joined their team, his acts of violence towards outsiders had nearly doubled in number. The carers considered that it must be a reaction to being so constantly exposed to stimulation from the out side world, but the listener knew better. The Insane one was defending the team from something that the previous carers didn't even consider a threat: The intrusion of outsiders into their select group.
The listener knew that in their own quiet way they were famous in their own organization. They were the most efficient set of killers that they had. There were many who had an ambition to be included in their small circle, with the idea that it would help them to be recognized by their superiors. The threat of a psychotic white-haired demon that didn't appreciate outsiders was quite good at keeping all but the most determined away, and the most determined usually left again too. Usually… There were a couple that hadn't been fast enough. The listener tried to look on the bright side. He liked the new hallway carpet!
The insane one also helped to maintain their tenuous position with the all powerful. At any time it might be decided that they were too good. Not a help any longer, but a threat, to be disposed of as best as possible. The insane man was redressing that balance merely by being himself, after all, If they couldn't control one of their members, how could they be organized enough to be a threat? It was a compelling question, and one of the few that left their heads attached to their necks.
The listener allowed himself to sample the edge of the insane ones mind, using him as his own personal trip-out drug. There was some thing to be said for teamwork, mused the listener. He wasn't sure what, but something.