The double doors to the Lotus building swung easily open, attracting the attention of a thirty year-old man from behind a horrendously messy desk. Tall professor Maybrid grinned broadly showing a row of neat white teeth, sparking green eyes, and a mop of shaggy brown hair held flat by a pair of plastic protective goggles atop his head.

         �Ah, come in, come in, please. It�s good to see you�re finally here. I�ve been expecting you.� He shoved a pile of papers and plastic models out of his way and removed the goggles. A plume of hair splayed out from where the goggles had been and looked as if no amount of gel could tame them.

         Lucas knew exactly how he felt as he brushed stubborn stray bangs from his own eyes.

         The three of them followed Laura inside the lecture hall, meeting Maybrid half way to the stage. �Laura, nice to see you as always,� he smiled enthusiastically, then shook Bridger�s hand and kissed Westphalen�s. �Professor Terrence Maybrid, at your service.� That enthusiasm grew when he laid eyes on Lucas. �And you, you my boy have been nothing but an enigma since I reviewed Dr. Levin�s report. Fascinating discovery in the development of the human consciousness--the ability to harbor a second soul. Indeed a puzzling puzzlement.�

         ~This guy�s a wack job. ~ Lucas wondered where in the merry old land of Oz this guy came from, but couldn�t object to his curiosity.

         �Our doctor thought the same way, and we were hoping your idea could solve this �puzzling puzzlement,�� Bridger said.

         �Ah yes!� the professor exclaimed, tearing his eyes away from Lucas as if he just remembered why they were here in the first place. He spoke as he hurried back down to the stage, his tone more explicating.

         �As you know, the human brain can only contain so much information running along the different pathways and such--frequencies, you know, and the acquirement of another form of that information would readily overload the synapses, causing neural difficulties if not dealt with properly. I surmise headaches, some disorientation, maybe hallucinations while the opposing information is being stored in cellular memory.�

         Lucas glanced to Samantha�s �hallucination� and grinned. ~How long is he going to keep rambling like this? ~

         Maybrid took no notice, but fussed with the papers on the desk, organizing them into uneven piles and searching through them. �Immediately I knew it was a logistics problem between conflicting brainwaves and I have devised a method to divide and correct such inconsistencies developed by the two. Theoretically, of course.� A few papers fluttered to the floor.

         Lucas stepped forward up to the desk. �Then it won�t surprise you that I see Samantha?�

         �Not in the least,� Maybrid answered casually.

         �How about flying monkeys?�

         That roused an animated curious expression from the good doctor.

          ~Gotchya. ~ Lucas grinned, listening to Samantha laugh and withholding his own want to do so.

         �So what have you invented?� Nathan intervened, breaking the awkward silence.

         Maybrid stopped, looking seriously at the young man. �I call it a Psyonic Induced Neuro Pathway Inhibitor. Or more simply, a Frequency Amplifier. Six of one, half dozen of the other--doesn�t matter,� he shrugged and went back to sifting through pages.

         Lucas looked at the captain and Kristin, wanting to explain this, but decided better to leave it alone and let them figure it out.

         Westphalen was the first to respond. �What sort of method are you using?�

         �Aha! Here it is!� Maybrid grabbed a piece of paper and held it into the air. �Follow me and you�ll see,� he said happily and walked through a door at the end of stage left that said �Laboratory 1�

         Laura turned to the two scientists. �I�ll leave you with Maybrid. Although he seems a bit eccentric, he knows what he�s doing. Good luck.� Her eyes rested on each of them for a second, then she left them to follow the mediary.

         Lucas was the last to enter Lab 1, dreading that this kook was going to scramble his brains in some way.

         �Sit,� Maybrid ordered as he activated the equipment.

         Lucas lowered himself into a chair placed next to the table, warily eyeing the wrist bonds on each arm rest. �Are these necessary?�

         �Merely a precaution. Spirits can be unpredictable,� Maybrid answered, �but I doubt we�ll have to use them.�

         �Have you ever done this before?�

         Maybrid froze for a half second. �Technically...no, but I have chuckled in the face of catastrophe.�

         ~Who talks like that anymore? ~ He reminded Lucas of a badly scripted DC comic hero. It took a surprisingly immense amount of willpower to refrained from muttering that sarcastic comment. What was he getting himself into?

         *I don�t know, but suddenly I wish I was somewhere else.*

         ~You and me both, ~ Lucas thought.

         Besides the three of them, Maybrid wasn�t alone in Lab 1. Four other psychics were already in the room engaged in other activities, and discussing details unheard with Maybrid. Lucas glanced at each psychic as they readied the equipment, and bit his lip while a woman placed small electrodes on his head. His eyes shifted to the only two people he knew, Kristin and Nathan. �Since when did the vote go out that I�d be the guinea pig for this specific experiment?�

         The woman placing the electrodes spoke up. �Since your the only one on campus with a legitimate alter-ego we can test this on.�

         �Gee, if this is all it takes to get recognition, I�d have done this years ago,� Lucas laced heavily into sarcasm.

         �Who are you?� Nathan asked her.

         The dark haired psychic turned to Bridger, tucking a strand of brown hair behind her ear. �I�m Doctor Wendy Smith. Laura called me in to assist Professor Maybrid, and I couldn�t find a way to say no. Simply put, they needed a spoon-bender who had been educated in anatomy to keep an eye on things. And you are?�

         �Captain Nathan Bridger.� He noticed quickly how confidently she handled herself, and how much that haircut accentuated her slim figure. He caught the look from Westphalen out of the corner of his eye. �And this is Dr. Kristin Westphalen.�

         Wendy smiled and shook her hand. �It�s an honor to meet you, Dr. I�ve read some of your work. It was very impressive.�

         �Thank you,� Kristin returned the camaraderie. �Aren�t you the one who wrote that article about a psychic�s view of the human heart?�

         �Yes,� Wendy smiled, surprised someone like Westphalen had even glanced at it. �It was my end-of-the-year thesis. I�m glad you liked it. That means a lot.�

         Kristin put a hand on her hip. �I make it a point to keep up with all the new medical information. Even if it is from a psychic.�

         �Ahem,� Lucas cleared his throat and had all of them looking at him again. �Can we move on now?�

         �Oh, right.� Kristin said. The two women stopped their conversation, Wendy going back to work.

         Maybrid addressed a psychic swiftly. �Is this being recorded?�

         �Yes, professor. Since we got here,� the young brunette answered.

         �Splendid, Jarod, splendid,� Maybrid grinned.

         Kristin placed a hand on Lucas� arm. �Are you ready?�

         Samantha made Lucas exhale as she glanced to them, and spoke for him. �Let�s just get this over with.�

         Dr. Smith placed one last electrode on Lucas� forehead as Maybrid flipped a few switches and the equipment hummed to life. �You�ll feel a slight sting and a tingly sensation, but don�t worry, it�ll pass,� she said, then backed away to watch the health monitors.

         Everyone not actively involved looked on in expectancy.

         �Cross your fingers.� Maybrid flipped one more switch and the complete collection of technology came to life.

         Lucas felt a sting in his temples like he�d been told, and flinched, then flexed his fingers when his skin began to crawl from the tingling sensation. He saw the professor enter a series of commands, press the enter key, and watched as one more light winked on.

         Nothing happened.

         Samantha took control of Lucas voice briefly to ask what was wrong when she felt a stab of pain to her forehead and shuddered.

         Lucas jerked violently forward from the pain, his blue eyes wide, and gasped as he saw his vision blur and draw quickly away.

         Points of fire hot electricity lanced at him from every side, whipping around him like angry snakes poised to attack. They were around his arms and legs in a heartbeat, and in another, yanked him violently to the rear of his own mind. He fought briefly at the force tearing him away from any known sense of control, any trace of command before invisible walls appeared suddenly around him, completely entrapping him. He�d barely had time to register anything had happened when he screamed at what felt like someone hurling him up against a brick wall, and he dropped into unconsciousness.

         Because of Samantha�s brief take-over of his speech, she flew forward, her head throbbed as something ripped her away from Lucas--farther away than she had ever been before. Everything opened up to her in a barrage of information, all sense of sight, taste, sound, touch, and even the sensation of true control became close enough to grasp and hold onto tightly.

         Lucas� head dropped wearily to his chest.

         Wendy watched the EEG machine spike, and the wave that represented Lucas shrank to one indicative of sleep--a delta wave dominance--and Samantha�s grew to completely override his--an Alpha wave. By her readings, Samantha Kinkade was now in complete control of Lucas� body, and Lucas had been put into a state of sleep.

         �Lucas?� Bridger prodded as he saw the boy�s head come slowly back up like he�d been woken from a week long nap. �Lucas.�

         Samantha blinked, shock coursing through her. �Whoa.� She felt normal, like herself, as if the skin she was in was meant to be her own. Softly in the back of her mind, the familiar whisper of Lucas� consciousness played in his constant presence, and she could feel him, but that was all.

         �Unbelievable.� She studied Lucas hands, touched his--her skin, feeling every nuance and tactile sensation belonging to it, and took a testing deep breath. The whisper that was Lucas offered no resistance or hindrance at all.

         �It worked,� she uttered through his voice.

         Kristin read the EEG and looked back to Lucas. �Samantha?�

         Samantha looked up with Lucas� eyes, swiping hair out of his face. �Yea.�

         Bridger licked his lips. �Where�s Lucas?�

         Samantha searched, closing her eyes, and to her astonishment, found a small mental image of Lucas lying out cold in the same small room she herself had imagined when Lucas was in the foreground. �He�s still alive, just--I think you seriously knocked him out. Is he going to be ok?�

         �He�s dormant for now,� Wendy explained. �This should last for about eight hours, and in that time, we�ll want to monitor you continuously for any changes or anomalous readings.� She removed the electrodes and placed a small device to Lucas� right temple. �Keep this on. It�ll keep me informed of your status.�

         Samantha stood, lightly touching the transmitter, then stretched and just moved for the sake of moving--becoming use to total control again. Even when they did this the last time at the moon pool on the SeaQuest, it was never to this extent. �So I�m free. No interruption? Nothing? Just me for eight hours?� elation formed her words.

         Bridger stood. �Yes, but remember where you are, Sam. This is just to separate you first.�

         Samantha laughed. �This is incredible.� She smiled and turned to Maybrid, embracing him enthusiastically. �Thank you.�

         �Oh, it was my pleasure. At least we know you�re not dead,� Maybrid forced an uncomfortable grin and pushed Lucas away.

         Samantha blinked and ran her fingers through Lucas� hair. �But you�re sure he�ll be ok like this? I mean, he won�t be hurt will he?�

         Maybrid shook his head, tousling bits of brown bangs in his own eyes. �No, I shouldn�t think so. In fact I�m quite sure he won�t be damaged in this sleep state.�

         That gave her some relief. Samantha turned to the captain, the smile still on Lucas� face and feeling very antsy. �Captain, I wanna go do something. Now. Go anywhere. I don�t care where.�

         Bridger looked to Kristin, who nodded, but he shook his head. �I don�t think you should leave.�

         �Oh come on, Nathan, what will it hurt? He--she�s got eight hours before she has to be back here,� Kristin said as convincingly as she could.

         Maybrid nodded in agreement. �As long as the transmitter is still in place, I don�t see the harm in it. Lucas� awareness is suppressed deep enough that the others won�t even know he�s in there.�

         Samantha bit Lucas� lip. �It�s the first time in a week I�ve had any sort of freedom like this, and I only have eight hours of it. I promise I won�t go anywhere or do anything where there aren�t any psychics.�

         Bridger sighed and gave in. He�d lost this round, but what harm would it do? After all, didn�t Samantha deserve this? And according the EEG, Lucas was asleep, so there was no reason to keep her here. �Alright.�

         �Yes!� Samantha cheered, punching a fist in the air. �Intense!� Lucas� voice sounded lower, but she�d become use to it by now. �Ok, how about food? I�m starving. What about that Chinese place in the mall? Or that Mexican place down the street? Hang on, I�ll go back and get my wallet.� With more exuberance than she�d felt in days, she ran out of Lab 1 and back to the Aspen dorm building.

         No one had seen Lucas act that happy since this whole folly began, and both Kristin and Nathan thought it was about damn time.

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