"Be careful of your thoughts, they may become words at any moment." -Iara Gassen

Laura

"Where are they?" Fenton asked Con Riley when he saw him standing at the nurses station in Bayport General.

Sam Radley, who had accompanied us to the hospital, put a steadying hand on his shoulder. I couldn't tell if my husband was more worried about his son's safety or the fact that they disobeyed him. That was his only vice, he couldn't quite let them go, he still felt extremely responsible for them and so he unconsciously ordered the boys around.

"They came in with Nicko Prito, they're in with Jamie Hooper right now, he just regained consciousness," Con said, a slightly concerned look on his face. He didn't have kids of his own, but the officer could clearly understand how we felt.

"He was unconscious?" I asked, shocked, "are the other's alright?"

"Yes, they're fine. Jamie is okay too, he just has some minor bruises and a few knife wounds."

My hand reflexively flew up to mouth covering a gasp. What the hell had the boys been investigating?

"I told them not to mess around with this case," Fenton whispered trying to reign in his annoyance.

"It's in their blood you know," Sam smiled, as we walked down the hall to the room Con had told us Jamie was in.

I couldn't keep the smile from my face. Sam was right.

...

Frank

Jamie looked miserable.

But at least he wasn't miserable and dead. Being alive was definitely a plus right now.

"All I want to know," Jamie rasped, sniffling from the cold he was developing, "is why the hell that guy attacked me."

I gave Joe a sidelong glance. At this point we hadn't exactly told Jamie anything about Alexander Bernheart, Joe's...premonitions, and so far we'd conveniently left out the part about Biff going missing at the Water Park. He'd been too out of it to think twice about our excuses for his brother's absence.

What could have happened? I thought to myself, He was right next to us one second and then gone the next! I'm worried...

"I'm with you on that one big brother," Joe whispered to me. I turned to face him. Had I just said that out loud?

"Joe, I didn't say anything," I whispered back seeing what his reaction would be.

"Of course you did, you said 'one minute Biff was there and the next he wasn't' and then you said 'I'm worried,' well I'm worried too," Joe said trying not to talk to loud about Biff's disappearance.

"Joe--"

"What was that about Biff? Where is he anyways?" Jamie asked. He was propped up in the hospital bed, staring at us through glazed blue eyes.

"Nothing. Everything's fine Jay, nothing to worry about. Biff's just...talking to your mom, that's all," Joe said quickly.

"Geeze, she's gonna come in here and be all worried...and freak out..." Jamie trailed off shaking his head.

"That reminds me," Joe whispered, "What are we supposed to tell Mrs. Hooper?"

I stared at Joe. He really had thought that I said all that stuff about Biff out loud. What the hell!?

"Frank, pipe down," Joe said as we walked out into the corridor outside of Jamie's room.

I stared at him, my eyes wide. Was he reading my mind or something? That's crazy...wait, nope. No. It's not crazy. Not after what's been going on lately. Maybe it is. Maybe I'm going crazy!

"Frank, would you quit talking to yourself," Joe muttered. I swear my chin hit the floor. Joe gave me a weird look but before I could freak out too much I felt a hand on my shoulder and jumped around, startled.

"I thought I told you boys not to mess around with this investigation." My dad did not look pleased. But I saw Sam smiling behind him. Our mother was close behind, matching his expression.

"Dad it's okay--" I started with a weak smile.

"No, it's not okay. You dragged Jamie into it and now he's in the hospital!"

"We didn't know--"

"And what's this about Biff? Con told me he 'disappeared' at the Water Park!" He huffed.

"You boys do seem to leave a trail of trouble behind you...and I always seem to have to clean it all up," Con grinned coming up behind my dad.

"Yeah, but unfortunately our friends are getting wrapped up in it too," Joe sighed. I couldn't help but keep a wary eye on him. Something was up, and I wasn't sure what.

"Well Con, isn't it better than writing parking tickets?" Sam quipped.

"Ah, those were the days," Con replied with a smile.

"Joe can I talk to you?" I asked in a serious tone. He looked at me, slightly confused as to my intent gaze.

"Oh no, you boys aren't going to get out of this one. You got into this case against my will and now you're going to leave the wreck to us? No. You two are going to stay and finish this case," our father said, I could tell he was extremely stressed and wasn't going to let us off without a fight.

"Now Fenton, they had no knowledge of how deep this case was," our slightly naive mother said, "how were they supposed to know that it would lead them to all this trouble--"

"For one thing, Laura dear," he said with a hint of sarcastic annoyance in his tone, "the boys are trouble magnets, and another thing, they did know everything about this case."

Our mother smiled wanly and nodded her head, "Alright," then she turned to us, a glint of humor in her blue eyes, "I tried."

"Thanks mom," I said hurriedly then turned to my father, "Dad, it's OK we'll be right back. Don't worry we're not going to make you and Con 'clean up after us' I promise."

I put on my best smile and saw Joe do the same. We weren't kids anymore, but hell if it worked before...

...

Akacia

Over the years my powers had become more and more dynamic.

Naturally I had learned to refine them and only use them when absolutely necessary.

My inner ear, so to speak, picked up everything I tuned into. From a small conversation on the other side of the world between people I barely knew, or the thoughts racing in someone's head two feet away from me.

If one wants to get technical, it's sort of like having a radio dial plugged into my mind. Depending on the station I turned to I could listen to anything.

Now, unfortunately for me, my father was more than eager to use these powers for his own good rather than just letting me keep them to myself. That's the one thing I absolutely hate about Alexander Bernheart. He's a manipulator.

At this particular moment the "channel" was tuned in to a variety of different inner musings. Some more interesting than others. But the ones that I was paying most attention to were those of my new "friends."

Jamie Hooper was pondering how easily he could persuade the family physician to let him go home early.

Hope Peters was replaying happy memories in her head. All of them pertaining to her fiancee. It was almost enjoyable for me to watch her memories, they played in her mind like a movie. Lucky. So, so lucky.

Nicko Prito was thinking about his brother, and how stupid he was for getting involved in this "case." I should know better, trouble follows those two, he thought.

Frank Hardy was thinking that his little brother was going insane.

Joe Hardy was wondering why his older brother was talking to himself so much...

Wait. Frank wasn't talking to himself.

No.

It can't be. He can't...I thought...Joe doesn't have all of my powers...no. But...

Father will not be happy to hear of this. But yet something inside of me was almost...excited. There was someone else like me. Joseph Hardy was a channeler.

...

Joe

Why is Frank acting so weird? I asked myself as we gave our parents pleading smiles and then turned and headed down the nearest hospital corridor.

"What's so important Frank?" I asked, slightly annoyed by Frank's persistence. What could be more important than finally cracking this case? Maybe our dad had a lead! Or the police had new evidence! Hopefully this little heart to heart wouldn't take too long.

"Joe," Frank hesitated. What's with him?

"What's wrong Frank?" I prompted.

"Joe are you reading my mind? Because if you are that's just freaky! I mean it's not that I don't believe it at this point because...well...all this other 'seeing the future' stuff is happening...and, I just don't know anymore! Joe what's going on?" Frank said all in one breath.

I stared at him. Startled. What was he talking about? "Reading his mind?" I wasn't reading anybody's mind!

"Geeze Frank, chill out" I heard my brother say in a low voice.

"See, you're doing it again. Why are you talking to yourself Frank? You never used to do that," I said to him, slightly worried about what his reaction was going to be.

"Joe. I didn't say anything," Frank replied in a steely monotone. I looked at him for a moment, in silence. That wasn't the reaction I was hoping for.

"You didn't say anything," I repeated him. He didn't say anything. What was he talking about? Of course he said something...

"Frank," I whispered, "I-I can hear what your thinking?"

"Um...yes? I guess...I don't know, that's what I'm asking you," he said.

There was another moment of silence before I spoke again.

"So I'm a freaking mind reading psychic," I stated in shocked horror, "I think I'm gonna need to lie down Frank."

A/N: Sorry for the late update. I promise they will come faster because I'm going to be participating in "NaNoWriMo: 50,000 words in 30 days" this year and will be working on this story and it's sequal as well. Thanks for your support! -Sleuth