The Sensorians: Awakening

evolved into our secret Community as it stands now.”
He paused, and I took the opportunity to react.
“So, you are saying that quite possibly my mental illness is actually not an illness at all?”
I thought back of my early childhood and the amazing albeit overwhelming feelings and sensations I used to get, all dampened down after I started taking medicines when I was diagnosed.  It used to feel breathtaking and I sometimes  longed for those very intense experiences.  Maybe now, with Zack's help I could experience them again.
On the other hand, this could all be the inventions of a maniac.  I needed to know more.  Zack observed me closely before he answered my question.
“We believe you have the gift.  But there is only one way of finding out for sure and that is to come off your medicines.  Of course we can't do anything without your mother's permission, so we have to bring your mum into this too, which is unprecedented.  Some of the Sensorians in our community weren't in favour of this decision, fearing it to be unsafe.  Markus, our Number One leader, persisted and managed to persuade the majority.  He really must think you are worth it...”
“And you?"  I interjected.
“Do you think I am worth the risk?”
I understood it must have felt incredibly risky for these people to expose themselves to people outside their community, if it did even exist.
“My opinion doesn't matter.  As far as I'm concerned I have no opinion on this case.  I do what I'm ordered to do and I do it to the best of my ability.”
But I saw him look away slightly and felt he wasn't speaking the complete truth.  It didn't matter anyway.  As he said, he was just doing his job.
“So, how many of these 'gifted' people are there in the world? And where are they all? Do you all live together or something? How does it...”
“Whoa whoa, you are bombarding me again, Eliza.”
He fixed his eyes on me to calm me down.
“About seven hundred and fifty in the world that we know off.  There are ninety seven of us in our country, ninety eight with you included, and most of us live together in a compound.  We run businesses and services there to make our money, but not all of us work there.  Some of us work in the outside world.  There are a couple of us who work in a private hospital as well.  We have our own rules that we abide by, and we have a very accomplished team of lawyers who manage our slight indiscretions as we do have some rules and laws that are not recognised under the national law.”
I raised my eyebrows at him
“Like the death penalty you were talking about?”
He nodded.  I think I should have felt outrage, but I didn't.  I still scorned him.
“Slight indiscretions, hey?”
My voice dripped with sarcasm.  He came back quite harshly, obviously feeling defensive.
“It has to be like that! For our own good!”
He almost spat the words at me.  I could see he wasn't going to say more about the matter so I didn't push him on it any further.
“Why me? Why do you need me in all of this?”
How could I, a slightly awkward misfit of a girl, be of any help for them whatsoever.  I didn't even know my father.  I wasn't even sure if I wanted to know my father.
“You're the key to establishing contact with Rick.  You need to agree to come to our Community.  Meet Markus, and he will explain all.”
“He better do."  I mumbled.
“So....  “Dullards”...?"  I questioned mockingly.  It actually made him go slightly red in the face.
I felt a bit useless, I really didn't know what to do with all the information I was given.  I needed to talk to my mum, if she even would believe any of this.  It was eerie how he intuitively answered my unspoken worries.  But then I should really have expected that considering what I just learned about his gift.
“Don't worry about your mum.  Markus is already on the case.  I wouldn't be surprised if he has managed to arrange a meeting with her as we speak.  We'll work through all of this together Eliza.”
I believed him.  His calm and matter of fact approach had made me feel I could trust him.  He just exuded confidence.  It was hard to not be swayed by whatever he said.

CHAPTER 8
I decided to take Eliza home.  I felt she'd had enough.  She had been on an emotional roller coaster, and was saturated with new and frightening concepts.  She needed to process everything to make a sensible decision.  However, that was not to be.  I had been right about Markus' proactive decision to contact Eliza's mum as I saw his car outside of their house.  I told Eliza and she didn't take it very well.  She looked scared.  I gently took her hand in mine and turned her face towards me, so I could look into her eyes.
“It'll be fine.  Markus is amazing and I'm here with you.  We'll work it out together.  You're not alone.”
She took a deep breath and relaxed a little as we walked up to the door.
I could hear Markus talking.
“We believe she's ready for this, Alice.  Zack will be with her every step of the way, and he's our best trainer and coach.  He will protect and guide her.  She'll be in good hands, trust me.”
Alice was not in a receptive mood.  She was on the defence, like a lioness protecting her cub.
“How can I trust you! Coming in here under false pretences and then landing this on me!”
She was wildly gesticulating to underline her words.  Suddenly, she realised Eliza and I were approaching the house and started working Markus towards the door.
“Please go now, I don't want her to see you or know anything about this!”
“That's a little too late."  Eliza said when we entered.
“It's okay Mum.  Let's hear them out.  I need to know more, and I