Now, that Jenny is awake, and she is getting better, the two survivors can talk about the events in the house, Heiter, and everything they endured together, for the first time. How will that go? Do they have the self restraint to avoid reopening each other's fresh, barely healed wounds? If not, can their friendship survive something like that, or it will end here, today? In the meanwhile, Lindsay gathers information about sensitivity, and how it's affecting her. Is it going to be enough to help her, or she needs someone - or something - else? If it's the latter, where could she find that? Or that person?
Lindsay sat in her wheelchair, in Jenny's room, while her friend was laying on her bed. They frequently did this, since the taller woman woke up. After a quick lookaround, the former noticed that Jenny already began to feel at home, as some of the equipment now functioned as bookshelves, and such. This reminded her, that Jenny was always very practical. Her thoughts were interrupted though, by the latter's voice.
The time for my knee surgery is getting near. – She noticed the anticipation in Jenny's voice. – I'm a bit nervous about it, though. I want it, of course! I want to use my legs again, but there is always the thought that something might go south.
The only thing that's going south here, is the Danube … - Scorned Lindsay. – That self-righteous, "Who, if I don't?", douche bag will make sure that everything will be well and good.
I don't understand why are you so hostile to him. – Jenny's voice clearly indicated her confusion. – He is a very nice man, and he's really trying his best to help us out.
He's in it for his own gain. - Explained the long haired girl. - If that would be in his best interest, we would have ended up dead in that house. Or in this damned hospital.
That's what you think. - Chastised her curly haired friend. - What's the big deal, if he is like that, anyway? We get what we want from him, while he also gets what he wants from us. It's like doing business. He has something he wants to sell, we would like to buy it, and we have money to pay for it. So?
I knew a certain guy who committed suicide, while an insane, raving, German was staring at us, from a door. - Recalled Lindsay. - He was perfectly aware, that we will be at an enraged lunatic's mercy, if he does that, but he followed trough with his plan, anyway. His timing was perfect though, I give him that. A minute after he did it, some cops entered the house.
Not everyone is like that, Lindsay. - Answered Jenny with a smile. - I'm worried about you, though.
Me? - Lindsay gasped. - What's wrong with me?
You weren't this severe before. - Probed Jenny.
I weren't sewn into a guys ... and no one put ... into my mouth before. - Sneered Lindsay.
I understand. - Reassured her friend. - But Linus just tries to help us, and there's nothing wrong with that.
I don't help people for selfish reasons. - Lindsy was deep in her toughts, her voice got quiet. - I help, if I care for the person that needs my help, or I don't give a damn about him or her! But I'm not a cold-hearted, calculating, reptile-faced, chame ...
Linds'! - Interrupted Jenny. - There you go again.
There I go where? - Lindsay gave her a surprised look.
You are actually getting a lot worse than he is, whatever you think about him. - Explained Jenny.
Who? The apex predator of Germany's political system? - Mocked the shorter woman.
Yes. - Lindsay noticed the serious expression on Jenny's face. - He's actually trying to help us here, while you are saying you shouldn't offer help to someone who you don't know.
Why should I? - Lindsay paused to think about something. - Somehow I got this ability to copy people's attributes, and I absorbed Heiter's power. Made it my own!
You did what? - Jenny exclaimed.
I learned from him too. - Continued Lindsay. - I learned from him, that our world is a big experiment, and evolution is it's tool! The stronger ones exist only to destroy, or dominate the weak! Why should I make any sacrifice for anyone? Let the weak and the worthless make the sacrifices, I say!
Lindsay. You look like Heiter. - Observed Jenny.
- Do I really look like him? Am I becoming something like him? - Pondered Lindsay. - I would have noticed that, wouldn't I?
Look, Lindsay. - Said Jenny. - I know you had that skill, which allowed you to detect people. Sometimes you were able to copy them too. But it never got this far! You never became someone else.
You knew about it? - Lindsay got agitated. - You knew about it all along, and somehow forgot to inform me about it? Is that it?
Why would I had to do that? - Jenny was confused. You were using it, constantly. I don't know what's it exactly, or how you were doing it, but you did it, all the time!
I did it? - Gasped the straight haired girl. - I never knew that I'm doing it. Hell, I never even knew that I even had it!
You didn't? - Jenny wasn't sure what to think of all this. - Then, how did you use it?
I don't know. - Lindsay shook her head. - But it wasn't this strong before. It's overpowering me, taking control. That last one? I felt ... disconnected from my body. Like it wasn't even mine! And I wasn't able to normally control it.
I'm not sure I even know you now. - Muttered her friend.
Jenny, I'm still the woman you knew. - Reassured Lindsay, but she was uncertain in what she said. - Like I went back for you, to Heiter's basement.
You did what? - Jenny's face was a mask of surprise. - When? He sedated us together, and we woke up together.
It's not how it happened, exactly. - Answered Lindsay. - I undid one of my restraints with my mouth, while he was busy, sedating you. Then I ran away, he chased me around with a sedation rifle, I ended up in his pool, and nearly drowned.
Really? - Jenny lifted herself up, on her elbows. - Then what happened?
The power went out. - Recited Lindsay. - I climbed out from the pool, and went down, to take you away from there. I managed to drag you out trough a window he broke earlier, then he shot me, and I passed out. The next thing I remember was waking up, with the two of you.
You should have ran away, and got help. - Commented Jenny. - We wouldn't be here, if you have done that!
And leave you with that madman? - Exclaimed Lindsay. - You saw what he did to that man! The one, he casually killed, just because he wasn't a mach? And you were there, when he almost exploded on us, when I spilled some water! By accident, mind you. I was afraid that he will go ape... again, and just kill the two of you.
He wouldn't have done that. - Muttered Jenny. - He wouldn't thrown out two matching subjects, just because he got a tantrum!
He was ready to kill you off, when he noticed you were sick, remember? - Asked Lindsay.
Now, you are saying to me, that you can see into the future too? - Jenny was barely able to manage her temper. - At that point, there was no way for you to know about that! If you have gotten help, we would have gotten out from the whole thing, unharmed!
I made a quick decision! - Lindsay also tried to hold herself back. - Bad calls happen to everyone.
Sometimes, yes! - Jenny was clearly angry now. - But for you, they always happen! You were the one who came up with the bright idea, to leave the car, and go look for help! You found the house! Then, you messed up the whole thing, by not killing Heiter in that basement! Or failing to do that, running the hell away, when you had the chance! But no! You know what? I think you deserved to get ... pumped into your mouth! It was quite amusing, by the way!
Really? - Now Lindsay decided to just let it all go. - You had plenty of opportunity to object, to any of it, and (for some weird reason) you didn't! You just followed me around like a little girl, crying for her mother! Oh, wait! You actually did that! In the basement, remember? "I want my mom!" You could have undid your restraints, then the two of us could have taken on Heiter, and end it then, and there. But no! You just cried like a little girl, who lost her favorite doll! You know, Heiter could have really done me (and the rest of the world, for that matter) a favor, by killing you, when he was talking about it! Then, he should have thrown you to the trash, where you belong, so I would be rid of you by now! Because, you were a pain in my ...!
Get out! - Growled Jenny. - Out of my room!
I'm going, don't worry! You yowling little mommy's girl! - Sneered Lindsay. - I'm better of without you, anyway. Who want's to drag you around while you are biting into her ...?
Out! - Yelled Jenny.
What's going on here? - Asked Dr. Eckart, from the door.
Nothing, doc. - Sighed Lindsay. - I was actually trying to leave, anyway.
Later, on the hallway, Eckart noticed Lindsay's sobs, though. - Are you all right? What happened back there? - He pointed back at Jenny's room.
You just witnessed the end of our friendship! - Cried Lindsay. - I messed it all up! I was so stupid!
Don't give up on it so fast. - Said Dr. Eckart in a reassuring tone. - I'm sure the two of you can patch it up, and soon!
I'm not so sure about that! - Sobbed Lindsay.
Do you want it to happen? - Asked the doctor.
Yes, I do. - Sighed Lindsay. - Of course, I do!
Then you should give her some time. - Said the doctor. - I think, she just needed to let all that accumulated stress out, and so did you. I think you will be able to talk about this, and settle it, when both of you had enough time to think about this whole mess.
Thank you. - Said Lindsay, while wiping off her tears. - I think, I will write her a letter. May I ... ask you to ...?
I will give it to her, of course! - Eckart gently touched Lindsay's shoulder. - I think you had a great idea there, Miss Lindsay!
You think so? - Smiled the woman. - Then, I will just get to it, right away!
Lindsay was busy in her room, writing a letter to Jenny, when the hospital's resident psychologist, Dr. Jens arrived. She quickly put away the pen and paper, and greeted her visitor. After the usual greetings, the woman initiated discussion.
Doctor, I'm curious about emotional sensitivity. - She started. - I have read about it in a book here, and I thought you might know something about it.
I heard about it, yes. - Mumbled the doctor. - The people who have it, have some great abilities.
So, you never actually met one? - Asked Lindsay.
No, I'm afraid not. - He scratched his head. - Although it might be, that I have met some of them, just I wasn't able to recognize them. They aren't some kind of alien, after all. They look exactly like us.
Ok, I understand. I still trust in your opinion, nonetheless, and would like to ask some questions about them. - Lindsay complimented.
How they get it, in the first place? - She continued.
Well, they are born that way. - The man started to explain. - All of us has the ability to detect, understand and process the emotions of others. For them, this is stronger, more controlled. The part of the brain, which is responsible for the process, simply works better for them, that is all. It's not some kind of extra function, or something, if you thought about it, that way.
Right. - Lindsay just thought about a comparison of sorts. - So it's like a sixth sense, or something, and works like our other senses do? If we don't use one of them, it gets weaker, while the others we are using, are progressively getting stronger.
You did some research, I see. - Smiled the man. - Yes, It works like that. If you can use emotional control to gain something, why would you resort to arguments? The former is universal, and it works on almost everyone. - Mostly. - While the latter does not.
Lindsay tried to go for her beanbag, which Astrid gave to her, wen she got well enough to sit in the wheelchair. She got used to it, as she found nothing else to actually move, and relieve her excess energy and stress. The man saw what she's trying to do, and brought it to her. When he sat back, Lindsay came up with her next question.
- You said, you never met any of them. But Linus did.
I'm not surprised he met at least one. - The doctor scratched his eyebrow. - In politics, they are the big predators, so it's also not a surprise that he is afraid of them. Maybe he is actually one of them.
No, he is not. - Lindsay reassured him. - He does not like them, at all, and that was an understatement.
Maybe he was just acting it up? - Smiled the man, like he knows some secrets.
I'm sure, he wasn't acting. - Answered the woman, while playing with her beanbag.
Really? How do you know that for sure? - The woman picked up the suspicion in his voice.
Damn! I can't tell him, that I haven't felt anything strange around him, and the book clearly stated, that they can "feel each other", whatever that means. Now, that I think about it, what does it matter, anyway? This is not a live debate on television.
I'm not sure, of course - Smiled Lindsay, while passing the ball, to her conversation partner. - I just had a gut feeling that's all. Anyway, he said, that they manipulate and control us. Do you think they are doing that?
They are certainly capable of that. - Answered the man, while playing with the ball. - Most of them like to help people with it. They are mostly doing the same thing, I do, just without training. Which means they can't help with more complex problems, like mental illnesses, or personality disorders, unless they knew someone who had a specific one, and they learned what to do with it. But they can certainly manage the symptoms, if they want to. Some of them tend to outright manipulate though. They use their ability for their own gain, which can get them very far in the world.
He feels some kind of respect for them. - Thought Lindsay, while she began to feel a mild headache. - Do you think they can recognize each other just by using their ability?
As I heard, they can. - Said the German. - But, as I also said, I have never actually met one, so maybe I'm wrong in this.
Then Linus was wrong, and I'm not one of them. Or, he really doesn't belong to them. Uhh, this is so confusing. On the other hand, this man seems to know a lot about them, yet he is always ready to admit, he is unsure about something. This just makes people respect his opinion about things. After all, if you know someone is gladly willing to admit, he doesn't know something, you will know that he is well aware about the limits of his knowledge. Unlike most people ... So if they say, they know something, you can be sure, they have some background with that topic.
You said, this ability cannot be taught, or learned. - Said Lindsay, coming out from her thoughts. - But you are a psychologist, so you are basically doing the same thing they are doing. Right?
Wrong! - Smiled Dr. Jens, while he passed the ball, back to the woman. - My ability is similar to theirs, but it works differently. I learned what to keep an eye out for, and I'm doing exactly that, consciously. Then, if I see something, I now what it is, because I already learned it. They though, they are using their skill subconsciously at best, and it's not even conscious at worst. They learn what they are detecting, "on the field", by a trial and error method. They just detect something, and find out what it is. This forms a connection, between what they have experienced, and what they know about it, so later, they can identify that same thing, if they run into it again. Also, I have to concentrate in order to not miss any fine detail, I might find useful, while they don't. It's jut comes for them, naturally.
I see. - Murmured the woman. - I also read that sometimes they can "integrate people", whatever that means.
It's not something specific to them, actually. - Answered Jens. - All of us copy something from people, we like. Mannerisms, phrases, beliefs, and such. The difference is, it's stronger for them. They can imitate people like that, even if they don't like them, or actually hate them. If they find something useful, they "get it", and later start using it, when they feel it's appropriate. They can do this on purpose too, if they want to. At least, if they had learned how to do it, that is. I think, that's not automatically "included into the package".
I get it! I think ... - Smiled Lindsay. - Linus also has an ability to prevent emotion-detecting. He calls it "masking", if I remember correctly.
That can be learned, in fact. - Said the doctor. - It's the same thing, some actors and actresses are doing, actually. They imitate the appropriate emotions for their role, and express them strongly enough to hide their own, true ones. This "jams the radar", so to speak, if you are the audience.
It won't work on the sensitives? - Wondered Lindsay.
No, it won't, I guess. - Replied Jens. - The stronger they are, the harder it gets to fool them with it.
Right. I never had the ability to detect the personality of an actor or an actress, so I'm not sensitive after all, right? I know it's a weak argument, but at least I have something. But back to the subject, and quickly. This headache is getting stronger, and I still have some questions.
Ok, it's can't be obtained, but can it be improved, if someone already has it? - Inquired Lindsay.
It definitely can. - Came the doctor's reply. - The more someone uses it, the better it will get, to a certain extent. All of them have a threshold, and they can't go beyond that, I think. Also, It should improve faster under duress. When a lot depends on it for the individual, he or she will have it primed all day long. That kind of sudden, heavy use can improve it very quickly.
So the time I have spent in Heiter's house, the constant terror and alertness did this to me? Yes, I had to watch him on full alert, all the time, in case he makes a slight mistake, which I can use to escape from him somehow, but still ... That alone won't do it, right? Or I'm wrong, and it was really him? This headache is killing me!
If they are that good in controlling others, their ability can control them too? - Contemplated the woman. - I mean, from inside?
I never heard about such a thing, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. - Said Jens, cautiously. - Emotions are subconscious and the brain's conscious part has to hold them back, if you don't want to express them. The stronger the emotion, the harder to repress it, so it could overpower them. In theory. In some way, it actually does it too, as they feel a strong urge to help people, or to manipulate, sometimes both. Most of them freely express the former, while holding back the latter. Helping others involves some kind of manipulation, after all. That way, they can satiate their urge, and do some good in the process.
This sounds like a very good thing to have. - Praised Lindsay. - Does it have any negative effects?
It does. - The doctor was thinking about something. - They frequently get "overflows". The mind gathers information while we are awake. If something is urgent, it processes it, right away, and stores the other things. Then, at the next sleep period, it organizes them. If something is useful, it gets stored for long term, if something is junk, it gets canned. When we are sleeping, our brain "takes out the trash". Their mind can gather a lot more information though, so it needs to clean the house more frequently. This can cause strong headaches, sleepiness, disorientation, irritability, and such. They are likely to get distracted from the more everyday tasks anyway. Like they often forget about the tea, or the food, until the kitchen becomes a disaster zone.
Yeah, I'm easily distracted, from everyday things, that's sure. - Mused Lindsay. - Like my tea often boils off, or I tend to burn the food. That's why I never liked to cook, in the first place. Sometimes I got those headaches, and "sleep attacks" as well, but those weren't this strong before. So, this still won't prove for sure, that I'm what I think I'm. But maybe I'm just trying to deny the truth here? I think the only way to find out more about this is to ask someone who knows one of "those people", or better yet, if I can ask one of them. - She was interrupted by Dr. Jens.
Is there any particular reason you are so interested in this topic, Miss Lindsay? - He asked.
I'm just curious about them, that's all. - She felt the suspicion in the man's voice, but before she would have thought abut it, she felt she is going to fall asleep right there, on the spot. This produced a huge yawn.
Are you all right? - Jens asked. - You probably should get some sleep.
Yes, you are right. - Murmured Lindsay. - I think, I'm going to sleep for a while now.
I will get someone to help you back into your bed. - Said the man. He paused for a moment. - Just one more thing about the topic: being sensitive is like having brown, blonde, red, or "I don't know" hair. It's not a big deal, they are just different, that's all.
Maybe you are right. - Mumbled the woman, while she was climbing back into her bed, with some help. - Thanks for your time.
- You are welcome!
Lindsay fell asleep in her bed. - I need to "categorize the information" I just collected. - She thought.
It looks like the two survivor's friendship is over, once and for all. But is it, really? Can they forgive each other, for what happened in that room, at the hospital, and patch things up? Can the former friends accept each other again, as what they have become, and get some much needed support? Meanwhile, their "pursuers" - in the form of the press - are closing in on them. Can they avert the incoming "disaster", or the whole world will hear about the events in Heiter's house?