She smiled ruefully. "Someone more colorful, at least. You know what I mean."
"Well, the man's a scientist. They're not usually known for their flamboyance." But Gabriel knew what she meant. Considering the reason for tonight's meeting, she could be forgiven for expecting someone a little more theatrical. Not that Mullins was the kind of man you could ignore. His eyes behind the incongruous cat's-eye spectacles were cold but laser sharp. And his reputation was impressive.
Alexander Mullins was an eminent neuropsychologist with a thirty-year research background in statistical methods and cognitive processes. But his true passion lay in the field of psychic phenomena. Eyestorm. The reason this motley collection of people had gathered here tonight.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course." Gabriel glanced at her inquiringly.
"Do you…" Frankie hesitated, colored. "Do you feel a little silly being here? You know, don't you feel like this is all just too woo woo?"
He smiled but before he could answer, Alexander Mullins was tapping a knife to the stem of his wineglass.
The hum of voices ceased and all eyes turned toward the host.
"Welcome. I am very pleased you have decided to attend tonight's meeting." Despite his words, Mullins's voice lacked warmth. "The fact that you have responded to my advertisement means that all of you believe you may be in possession of a latent talent-a rare gift. Tonight will be the first step in determining if this is the case."
A wintry smile. "Not all of you will be successful. But if you make the grade, you will receive an invitation to join a great adventure…"
But in the end, of the forty-seven original participants, only three made the grade. After six months, only Gabriel, Frankie and a middle-aged plumber by the name of Norman were invited to join an existing group of psychics known collectively as Eyestorm.
Eyestorm was the British equivalent of the American STAR-GATE project. First launched in the U.S. by the Department of Defense, STARGATE was designed to study real-life applications of telepathy and clairvoyance or, as it subsequently became known, remote viewing.
The term "remote viewing" was chosen on purpose. It was considered an acceptable, neutral term and was adopted by two physicists at the Stanford Research Institute, Dr. Harold Puthoff and Russell Targ, who were involved in some of the earliest work. As Mullins explained that first night, "Unfortunately, terms such as 'clairvoyance' and 'telepathy,' which could have been useful, have been hijacked by charlatans. We needed something fresh in their place. 'Remote viewing' is a term not yet tarnished by the exploits of fake psi practitioners."
Gabriel lifted his hand. "There are those who would argue that psi practitioners are per definition fake."
Mullins's cold eyes glittered from behind his spectacles. "Mr… Blackstone, is it? If you're not a believer in psi, why are you here tonight?" Without giving Gabriel a chance to answer, he continued, "Please accept my assurance that STARGATE's exploration into inner consciousness was based on very strict methods. And this is the way we work at Eyestorm as well."
He looked away from Gabriel and allowed his eyes to travel over the faces of his audience. "Let me be very clear indeed," he said forcefully. "The protocols used at Eyestorm are exceptionally rigorous. This is not a forum for Loch Ness searches or UFO sightings."
Even though Eyestorm was largely following the model and ideals of STARGATE, there was one big difference, Mullins continued. Unlike its American cousin, which received federal funding before it was closed down in the nineties, Eyestorm did not benefit from direct government sponsorship. The group had to rely on fees paid by private clients and, as Mullins explained with a self-deprecating smile, on the considerable inherited wealth of its founder member.
The approach of the two groups was very similar, however. Both Eyestorm and STARGATE were firmly oriented toward results in the outside world. The two units were not merely think tanks; their research was applied to real blood-and-guts problems.
One of the bigger successes of the American unit was in tracking down smugglers of illegal narcotics. Working with the U.S. Coast Guard, STARGATE's remote viewers had used their clairvoyant skills to identify suspect ships and in several instances had been able to sketch the exact location of hidden drug caches. Another notable achievement was helping the American Air Force search team track down a downed Soviet airplane in Africa. A remote viewer managed to pinpoint a site to within three miles of the downed craft.
In contrast, Eyestorm's clients were not government-affiliated but people who turned to it after exhausting the more conventional routes of police and private investigators. Many of Eyestorm's cases involved tracking down stolen artworks or lost heirlooms. And then there were the search-and-rescue missions. Using their remote viewing skills, Eyestorm members would assist in finding missing relatives and hostages.
This was what attracted Frankie. The human factor. "Just think how awful it must be, Gabriel, not to know if a loved one is truly lost. Isn't it wonderful that we can bring peace of mind to these people?"
He nodded in agreement, but in his heart of hearts Gabriel knew that for him, the attraction lay elsewhere. Remote viewing was power. He reveled in the opportunity to exercise this talent that was hardwired into his brain. For him it was a rush. For Frankie it was a calling.
Ah, Frankie. Frankie of the soft mouth and bright mind. Frankie who slept with the night-light on because she was afraid of the dark, but who did not hesitate to confront a street thug menacing an elderly shopper. Frankie who was laughter and comfort and serenity. When they met in Mullins's living room, they had liked each other on sight. The connection was strong, immediate and blessedly uncomplicated. And liking soon turned to love.
The transition had been free of the extreme mood swings and passionate excesses usually associated with a first romance. This wasn't thunderclap stuff. It was an exceptional friendship gradually elevated to a more intimate level. Around them on campus, fellow students were involved in brief, passionate flings; testing their boundaries, experimenting at love. He and Frankie did it differently. It was a remarkably mature relationship considering it started when they were both only eighteen years old.
Still, it probably was their youth that finally let them down. If they had been older, they might have weathered Eyestorm a whole lot better. Instead of being blown apart, they might have been able to emerge from that whirlwind without the anger-or worse, the terrible sense of disappointment they had ended up feeling in each other.
Eyestorm tore them apart. But Eyestorm also forged a bond between them that was unbreakable. And it created an environment where they could give free rein to an exceptional and mysterious talent shared by them both.
Remote viewing. Second sight. The Gift. The Shining. In the end, though, they all came down to the same thing. And ever since he was a little boy Gabriel had been aware of it: a tiny bump in his unconscious. At the time he had no way to explain what it was, either to himself or to others.
Only after joining Eyestorm was he taught the concept of "psi-space," that nebulous field of information that encapsulates the accumulated knowledge of different minds. It was explained to him that as a psi-sensitive he already had a highly developed neurophysi-ological network in place, which made it possible for him to enter the psi environment and merge his thoughts with information generated by the minds of others. With practice, he would be able to pick up on the resonance of those thoughts with increasing ease.
As a small boy, of course, he had been unable to articulate what was happening to him. All he knew was that he had an uncanny ability to track down missing things-to "see" where they were.