Page 20 of Master B-1901
The shocked confusion he wore while shaking his head told me he was baffled at how I could even say that.
“Brad, I want to ask you questions, and you answer yes or no. There is no right or wrong answer, only insight for me as a doctor.”
“Okay.”
“Did you serve in the military?”
I paused. “Absolutely. I joined after college. You know this. Or maybe not. You were so heartbroken over Vivia. I…I didn’t say goodbye to you.”
He didn’t respond.
“When you got out, you said you were homeless.”
“I was. I lived on the streets for quite a while.”
“Your family is wealthy. Why didn’t you go home?”
My eyes turned from his, down to the floor. Swallowing hard, I felt my body nearly shutter.
“My father and I got into a fight before I left. He disowned me. He told me if I joined, I wasn’t allowed to ever come back. I got out and…I guess I was already sick at that point. I bounced around. I even held some jobs for a few months, but eventually it was too much.”
Emotion flickered behind Elec’s gaze only a moment before he nodded.
“You say you were sick. That’s what landed you in jail? What happened?”
Something between a groan and an aggravated sound left me.
“The episodes. They weren’t as often as they are now, but they happened. I’d blackout…people would be hurt. I killed a man. They didn’t believe or care that I didn’t remember. There was a video. They had everything they needed to lock me away. But then I was set free, and I came to the Gardens.”
“Amazing. You truly believe this.”
“Believe it? Elec,I lived it. It’s real…and I can prove it.”
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Ididn’t like that I could only see the profile of my Master’s face. From his volume, I knew he wasn’t okay. He wasn’t just angry, he was defensive and held a tone I wasn’t familiar with. It set off alarms that triggered my training. As the Main Master brought his hand up to calm Braddock, I felt my fingers flex on the handle of the knife I held. I felt myself walking wider so I could see Braddock, drawing the attention of the Main Master, but all he did was give me a quick shake as if to say he was okay.
“Calm, Brad. I would love to see your evidence. I’m not going to lie. I haven’t always been the best of friends. I did lose myself for a very long time after…her. But we talked on the phone. Not very often, every few years, but enough that I can say with confidence that it was you.”
“Talked? We never talked, Elec. Not until a few months after I was released from prison and you wanted to invite me to the Gardens. At that point I was already attending sessions. And training, I guess.”
The Main Master’s lips pursed the smallest amount.
“Training? What sessions, Brad? Who did you report to?”
“My doctor, of course. Melissa LaRoe.”
The Main Master blew out a breath, pulling back at the tie until it sat loosely on his neck. He was baffled. I could see the hint of suspicion at Braddock’s words. Elec had no idea what to believe.
“Okay. Let’s go back to the proof. You said you could prove your story was true. Let’s start there.”
“I shouldn’t—I. But.” Braddock stopped talking, confliction and hesitancy making his movements slow. He stood, pulling the gray shirt over his head. What I saw was undeniable, but the truth didn’t seem to sit well with my Master. Braddock was rubbing his eyes and looked uncomfortable. As he did, I eased back to the kitchen, going back to making the sandwiches, but I still wasn’t sure what to think. His mindset was currently stable. He felt in control now that he was being listened to. That made me feel content enough to distance myself from him and the Main Master. As I grabbed the lettuce and started chopping, Elec remained silent. Observative…but quiet.
“Unbelievable. How did you get these scars, Brad?”
“It depends on which one you’re referring to.”
The Main Master stood, still not breaking his stare. His voice was smooth. Calming, but direct.