Chapter 64

“Good point.” And so I pushed the radiation up from its core, the atoms bursting from some deep, hidden place. I looked at a zombie in the rear of the booth, adjusted the speed and strength, and then let go. Lift you right arm, I said inside my head, transmitting the thought. Sadly, he didn’t budge. Groaned, yes, budged, no. I tried again. This time, I got some singed flesh and a nasty whiff of death for my efforts.

“Thank goodness this is only practice,” said Lola.

“Well, you’re welcome to try then,” I told her.

She sighed. Or at least grunted, but still. “I have been. I’ve tried both your tricks, but I can neither slash through anything nor see through anything. I tried and tried, and nothing. It must be something about you, perhaps the fact that you’ve been cognizant for so long. Maybe you’re in better control over your body as a result. Maybe in a few hundred years I’ll be able to master it. But, for now, everything is resting on you.”