Chapter 21

(16487. Come on, where have I seen that before...?)

Pogue sighed loudly and pressed his palm against his throbbing forehead. He spent the entire morning combing through the layers of his mind, searching for those blasted numbers.

(One more try...)

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, summoning up every ounce of his powers and started pulling random bits of his memories forwards. For a long moment he searched through them, small images of his childhood before his parents died, the day he turned thirteen and first got his powers, a few painful memories of Caleb...his heart pounded against his chest painfully from the images and Pogue tried to force the guilt bubbling inside of his stomach away before it could stop him. He couldn't afford to wallow in his guilt at the moment.

After what Chase did - after what both of them did to Caleb - there was no way he was going to let that fucker win. Even though there was no possible way Pogue could ever redeem himself for what he did, he was going to make Chase pay.

He searched through more scattered fragments and finding nothing he gave up and withdrew his powers. Picking apart someone else's mind was difficult enough but his own mind, he was no where near strong enough to do that on his own. He groaned and rubbed the side of his head as another headache came on in full force. He knew he couldn't keep doing this, it was starting to take it's tole on him. His arm reached for the glass of water and bottle of Aspirin that were sitting on the table in front of him and he downed two pills.

He'd do this all morning if he had too.

When his headache subsided, he raised his hand back towards his forehead and tried again. His body protested once again but Pogue forced himself to ignore it. More images flashed through his mind as he pulled his memories forwards, more flashes of his teenage years, his lessons with Gorman, once again nothing useful.

(Come on; give me something I can use.)

Pogue grew frustrated and forced his powers deeper, digging up images from his early childhood. Pictures of his parents flashed behind his closed eyes, his father smiling and laughing as a three year old version of himself played with a small toy, his grandfather sitting in his study reading a story to a very small Pogue who sat on his lap.

The empath sighed mentally and was about to withdraw his powers once more when something inside of the last memory caught his eye. Resting on a corner of the old wooden desk that his grandfather kept in his study was a small sliver key. Summoning all reserves of his power, Pogue enhanced the image and examined the small sliver key with a sharp eye. Engraved near its head was a set of numbers and he had to squint hard to read them.

27845

(Damn.)

Pogue groaned angrily and let go of the memory. He was getting close, he could feel it. He cycled through more images of his childhood and the found another one to pull forward. This time he was sitting in a small play area, stacking some colored blocks while his parents sat in high backed leather chairs a few feet away from him. His father was in the middle of signing a long list of papers while his mother nervously squirmed in her seat and glanced over her shoulder every few minutes at her son. In her hands sat a small object attached to a thin gold chain.

When her husband finished his paperwork, Mrs. Parry nervously placed the small object into the deposit box sitting in front of her and Pogue got a good look at it. It was a gold pendent, roughly about the size of his palm. Small green gems were neatly fitted into its cover and as he stared down at it more memories flashed through Pogue's mind. He remembered finding a pendent like the one sitting in front of him that night he ventured into the Danvers's house, expect it's twin was fitted with bright red gems.

He tore his gaze away from the small gold item and read the numbers etched into the metal box.

16487

(There we are...)

Satisfied, Pogue lingered for another moment and watched as his father was handed a small silver key with the numbers carved into it before a man came and took the box away. He released the memory a moment later and waited for his living room to appear in front of his eyes.

Pogue flopped down on his back and waited for the room to stop spinning before recapping what he just saw. The small sliver key, he remembered seeing it many times, as a matter of a fact, he remembered holding it in his hands when...

Pogue's eyes snapped open and immediately rolled off his couch and dashed down the hall into his bedroom. Ignoring his weariness, he started pawing through the many boxes scattered along his closet floor, opening their lids and carefully scanning their contents. Eventually, his hand reached the small grey shoe-box tucked away in the far corner and his movements halted. Even though he knew that was the one he was looking for, it was a long time before he could bring himself to touch it.

The contents of that small box were all he had left of his parents. For two years it sat quietly on the floor of his closet, hidden from his view. He stared at it for a long moment before pulling it forwards and sliding the cover off. Small particles of dust shot into the air as the box was uncovered and Pogue blew into the box a few times before he started shifting through the small tokens. Many pictures of his parents were scattered around along with a few small items his father had collected. He shook the box a few times and sure enough, he heard a small jingle sound.

He pushed a dusty photo of his mother and father embracing back, revealing a small, shiny object underneath. It was the same sliver key he saw in his vision. He reached for it and turned the key over so he could read the numbers inscribed on its back.

16487

A relieved sigh eased from his lip and his eyes were directed back down towards the box when another flash of light caught his attention. There was another one...

27845

A cold numbness settled inside of Pogue's chest. That one belonged to his grandfather, he remembered seeing it inside of his grandfather's study. It was the only thing he had left of his grandfather as well. He gathered up both keys in his hand and read the address carved into their blade.

Ipswich City Bank.

He re-read the address once more before tucking the keys inside his front pocket. He needed to go to that bank before Chase had a chance to return and collect what he was looking for. But how, his bike was still, hopefully, sitting in front of the Danvers's house and it was too far away for him to walk?

He weighed his options and groaned; all that was left was Tyler. Pogue sighed and ran his hands through his hair and directed his gaze upwards towards his school blazer; looks like he'd have to attend Spencer sometime today in order to hitch a ride from the younger boy.

--

"Mr. Parry, welcome back."

Pogue had just enough energy to glare at his History teacher as he tossed his late slip on the desk. He could've sworn there was disappointment written on his teacher's face. Making sure his eyes were burning with fire, Pogue continued glaring at him as he made his way towards the sections. Tyler was looking down at him with a surprised look and Pogue returned his gaze with a small nod as he neared his seat.

"Hey." Tyler smiled warmly at him.

"Hey." Pogue replied.

As he sat down he noticed the spot on Tyler's right that was normally occupied by Reid was empty.

"Where's Reid?"

"Still in our room, he wasn't feeling that well so I didn't wake him up."

Pogue blinked; something was wrong with Reid? Before he could ask another question, their teacher started scratching words onto the blackboard. Pogue unzipped his bag and was in the middle of pulling out his textbook when he noticed something. His head felt clear and he wasn't being overwhelmed with the sudden assault of teenage emotions like normal. As a matter of a fact, it felt like a gentle silence had settled inside of his mind.

He only had a small moment to enjoy his peace before the instructor resumed his teaching and he forced himself to try to pay attention. He scribbled down the text his teacher had earlier written on the chalk-bored (some more random junk about that damn pagan ritual they were still studying) and focused his concentration on the moving lips of his History teacher.

Despite his valiant effort, he gave up a few short moments later and set his pencil down. He stole a glance over in Tyler's direction and saw that the younger boy looked just as bored as he felt. Seeing his opportunity, Pogue slid closer towards him.

"Ty, can you give me a ride later?"

The darker haired boy turned his head towards him. "I guess, where?"

"The bank." Pogue replied, trying hard to make it sound like nothing.

"Okay." Tyler nodded and went back to his notes.

Pogue nodded back and resumed his far off gaze. The teacher's voice drifted in and out of his head a few times but other then that his mental sanctuary was quiet for the first time since he turned eighteen. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up so Pogue quietly enjoyed his newfound moment of peace.

--

"Why are we here again?"

"Because I need to withdraw something." Pogue replied and unbuckled his seat belt.

He slid out of the Hummer's passenger side door and waited for Tyler on the curb. The younger boy joined him a moment later and walked with him towards the heavy oak doors that led into the bank's lobby.

When they pasted through the double doors both boys halted. The lobby was in shambles. Desks where turned over, computers were shattered and the hallway leading towards the back rooms was blocked off by police tape.

"What the hell happened here?" Tyler gasped, his eyes jumping back and forth across the destroyed lobby.

Pogue said nothing. He had a pretty good idea what happened, the whole room just screamed Chase's handiwork.

"Can I help you gentlemen?"

Pogue directed his attention towards the sound of the voice and found a middle aged man standing a few feet away from him.

"Yeah, I'm here to make a withdraw...if my vault is still intact that is." Pogue said as he dug out the small key his parents had and handed it to the man.

The bank employee studied the key closely before waving his hand towards the far corner where the only intact desk sat.

"Come with me and I'll check."

Pogue and Tyler exchanged looks before following him. The employee tipped the numbers into the working computer and stared at the screen blankly.

"Vault number 16487, registered under the late Richard Parry, correct?"

"Yes." Pogue nodded as he nervously shoved his hands into his jacket pockets.

"I'll be right back." The man replied and headed off towards the blocked off hallway.

Pogue watched him go and leaned back against the desk.

"So what do you need to take out?" Tyler asked, his eyes still wandering around the destroyed room.

"Something of my father's." Pogue said back, still trying to keep the younger boy out of the loop.

Honestly, the less Tyler knew about this the better. It was bad enough he had to drag the younger boy into this because he needed a ride. He made a mental note to ask Tyler to drop him off at the Danvers house afterwards so he could fetch his bike afterwards.

After another moment, the employee's footsteps where heard coming across the hall.

"I'm sorry, sir but that vault is currently empty."

"What?" Pogue stared at the man confused. "Was anything in there?"

(Did Chase actually find it?)

The man walked back towards the computer and looked at the screen again. "Well, our records indicate that it's been empty for some time now."

Pogue lowered his head and stared down at the ground. His fingers nervously fingered the second key in his pocket.

"How long has it been empty?"

The man leaned back over the computer and typed a few more things in.

"About four years. Its contents were transferred to another deposit box registered under a Gavin Parry. Another relative of yours?"

"My grandfather." Pogue confirmed. "Can I access that one?"

"Do you have the key?"

Pogue paused for a moment and slowly pulled the second key out of his pocket and handed it to the man.

"Is this it?"

The employee took it and typed its number in.

"As a matter of fact it is. I'll be right back."

Once again the man left them alone and wandered off towards the back rooms. Tyler gave Pogue a sympathetic look that was completely ignored. Pogue's gaze was once again on the floor and he didn't look up until the man returned a minute later, carrying a large, silver box in his arms.

"Here it is, vault number 27845." He recited as he unlocked its cover and set it upon the desk.

Pogue hesitantly approached the box and looked down, inside of its metal walls sat the small gold pendent he saw in his memories, green gems and all. He reached his hand inside and pulled it out, its gold surface perfectly catching the light in the room.

"Is this all?" Pogue asked.

"Yes sir." The man replied. "Will you be taking it with you?"

Pogue nodded and gently tucked the pendent into his jacket pocket.

"I'm taking it. It'll be safer with me." Pogue mumbled, not really caring that they heard him.

"Okay then. Here's your key." The man handed Pogue his set of his keys and walked away with the now empty box.

Pogue watched him go and then turned his gaze back towards Tyler.

"Think you can take me one more place?"

Tyler stared at him silently and nodded.

"Where to?"

"I need to get my bike back."