Chapter 117: Rise and Fall.
Richard sat in quiet meditation within his private quarters in the Purnas Mansion Underground Base. Two weeks had passed since his forced awakening, and the chaos that once clamored in his mind had been silenced. He had mastered his telepathic abilities, suppressing the influx of thoughts and voices that had previously overwhelmed him. A subtle ripple of energy emanated from him as he extended his telepathic range to its maximum—one hundred feet. He tested sending a clear, concise thought, marveling at his newfound control.
"Two weeks," he thought. "The first was pure chaos, a deluge of voices. But now... silence. Pure, absolute silence. And the range... one hundred feet. Perfect."
Meanwhile, in his room, Jack was engrossed in watching adult videos on his laptop, lost in his own world. Suddenly, Richard’s voice, clear as if he were right there, blasted directly into Jack’s mind.
"Jack. I need you to come down to the basement."
Jack jumped, yelping in surprise. He instinctively slumped down, cursing loudly at the interruption to his private moment. He fumbled to minimize the video, his face flushed with embarrassment and annoyance.
"GAH! WHAT THE HELL?! DUDE! You son of a bitch! Can’t a guy get some privacy?!" He slammed the laptop shut, still flustered. "Fucking Hell! He can do that now?!"
Richard sent another telepathic message, this time calmer, explaining his mastery and his request.
"Apologies, bro. I’ve achieved full control over my abilities. I can now suppress any intrusive thoughts and send focused messages. I need a favor. Can you bring a pair of scissors and some hair dye down to the basement? I need to cut and dye my hair."
Jack, still annoyed, began to formulate a plan for petty revenge involving Richard’s hair. A mischievous grin spread across his face as he imagined the possibilities.
"Oh, you wanna cut your hair, huh? ’Cut and dye.’ Hmm. This is payback for interrupting that. Oh, Richard, you’re going to love what I do with those scissors. Heh." He rubbed his hands together, a glint of mischief in his eye.
As Jack headed downstairs, still chuckling to himself, he was intercepted by Anita and Estello. They looked worried, their concern evident as they inquired about Richard’s whereabouts. He had been secluded and largely out of sight for a month, and they were growing increasingly anxious.