"Decision?" Brian stared at Mindi dumbly, allowing Kevin to speak for both of them. "Don't you think you should be talking to me about any decisions that affect Nick?? And what the hell is going on??"
"This isn't a decision you can make, Kevin," she replied evenly, never taking her eyes off Brian. "It's between Nick and Brian. You're here to watch and learn."
Mindi's stare distracted Brian from everything happening around him. With some effort he managed to almost match her calm tone. "What is going on?"
"It's a lot better than it looks," he was informed.
"Good, 'cause right now it looks like a scene from 'The Exorcist'." Kevin put in.
"Kev...."
Mindi stopped him, "Let him talk. You may need a devil's advocate to help you think."
"Thanks." Kevin muttered.
"As I was saying, Brian remember this morning I told you things were going to get weird? This is pretty much what I was expecting. I wasn't expecting Howie to be sitting here when it started, but life's a bitch like that." Her wry tone relaxed Brian more than the preternaturally calm voice it replaced.
"Can you be more specific? This is definitely weird and..." his glance strayed back to Nick. "You're sure he's ok thrashin' around like that? Can't be good for his spine."
"Suzanne?"
Suzanne appeared. "He'll be fine. Let me worry about his physical health - you have bigger problems."
"Exactly how many people are here?" Kevin demanded.
"Seven, including yourself, Brian and Nick," he was told. "And one more isn't actually here but is involved. We're taking care of him as best we can."
"But there's a limit." Mindi put in.
"Obviously."
She ignored him and continued. "Brian, you learned last night that Nick needs the four of you to help him wake up. We can't substitute for you. Now, the other three will have to make their decision about this soon, but we're going to ask for your help with him right now."
"What do I do?"
"Why him?"
"Nick heard me last night." Brian explained. "In my dreams we uh, made a connection."
"One of Nick's team helped Nick and Brian connect subconsciously. Now, Nick is more aware of Brian's presence than anyone else. It's one of the reasons he's doing all this." She gestured at the chaos. "Because he's not psychic, Brian can't really feel the connection, and even if he could sort of figure out that Nick was trying to get his attention, he can't answer back. So Nick's feeling lonely and rejected, on top of all the other horrible things he's feeling."
"So he's throwing a tantrum??"
"No, Kev. He has no idea he's doing this. What's happening now is that his energy levels are right back up to full, and his control is still completely shot. Telekinesis can be triggered by strong emotions and Nick's got plenty of those right now."
"He's also pretty powerful, huh?" Brian observed.
Mindi almost grinned. "Oh yeah."
"You need me to calm him down a little?" he guessed.
"Pretty much. But if you decide to do this, there's no going back. When the time comes to pull him out of this you *have* to be there pulling along with everyone else. Plus, the connection goes two ways. If we get it strong enough that you can respond to him, you're going to also be able to hear him. And you won't be able to shut it off until he wakes up."
"I can deal with that."
"You're sure? You'll feel everything he's feeling, hear everything he's thinking. And if you're thinking it will convince Kevin here to go along with things, everything done in the final stage has to be done *for Nick*. Anyone goes in doing it to save your sanity, they'll lock him inside himself."
"I'm sure." Brian's blue eyes burned with a clear light. "I've been trying to understand why he kept this all a secret. Maybe this way I get to help him out and figure that out."
"All right." She took a deep breath. "Guys, I really need to concentrate. Can you hold him for a few seconds?"
The alcove stilled immediately.
"Kevin, you're a distraction."
"But I..."
"Kevin go now before you mess things up even more!"
He fled.