Read Online The Embers Of My Heart by Christopher Nelson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christopher Nelson
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only remove you from your position as president of this committee, I shall remove you entirely. Mr. Parker, before you even entertain the idea, I will not tolerate any further instigation from you. Is that understood?" We both muttered affirmations. "Now, is there any further business?"
"I have a concern," said one of my classmates. He looked between Rachel and me. "It's about training."
"What about it? Out with it. I have no tolerance remaining today."
"Well, it's just that, I think there might need to be additional training. I mean, looking at those two, I couldn't even follow some of what they did. Shouldn't we all be getting trained to the same level?"
Burke sighed. "Mr. Peters, you're an intelligent young man, aren't you? I should hope so. Only intelligent young men and women are supposed to be in here."
"I'd like to think so."
I tried to stifle a laugh. Burke flicked a glare at me before responding. "Then you tell me. We have a wide array of talents in this room. Mr. Parker has exceptional telekinetic talents. Miss Anderson has exceptional telepathic powers. Mr. Young has empathic skills that rival those of anyone I've ever met. Miss Lenza is less powerful than the rest of you, but learns everything taught her, quicker than anyone. That's not even a third of the people in this room, let alone the rest of the gifted students in this school. Does it make any sense whatsoever to train each of you the same way? You are uniquely talented and we train you in specialized fashion to make best use of your uniqueness."
"Standardized testing is what's always been done in school, though," Peters said. "I mean, it'd be nice to have some sort of baseline to compare against or something."
"Does that even work?" Burke asked. "Genuine question. Anyone feel free to answer."
"It's a load of bullshit," I said. "I mean, do test scores really define how smart you are? Don't you all know someone who slacks off but scores higher than people who spend time studying?"
"I guess, but-"
"Enough," Burke said. "This session is closed. I will bring your ridiculous request up and report on its abject failure during our next session. Leave, now."
I stayed in my seat while the others left, Rachel throwing me the finger on her way out. As the door shut behind the last person, Burke looked at me pointedly. "It's like none of them have ever heard of operational security," I said.
He groaned and rubbed his forehead. "While I shouldn't commiserate with you, yes, that request is a waste of time. There is no reason for any of you to know that sort of information without a direct, pressing need."
"What's the point of this, anyways?" I asked.
"The committee?"
"Yeah. Like that request, it seems to be a complete waste of time to me. You'll never approve anything serious."
Burke lifted his head and frowned at me. "There is a point to it, but the point is not for you."
"So what's the point of me being here? Seems like all I am is a reality check for the rest of them."
He stared at me for a moment before lowering his head to the table. "Parker, get out. Just get out. Now."
I got out. The door slammed shut behind me. I chuckled and took a fast walk back to the dorm. The middle of February was still freezing and it took entirely too long for me to get back to Carson Hall. By the time I got inside, I was shivering. Instead of heading to Nikki's room to warm up, I went back to my own room first. To my surprise, Drew and Max were both there. "What's up, Kev?" Drew greeted me.
"Not much," I said. "Just back from my meeting. Still colder than balls out there."
Max looked down. "I don't know. My balls are usually pretty warm."
"Weird to have a meeting on Sunday," Drew said.
"Just some stupid group meeting," I said. Both of them nodded. "So what's going on here? I didn't expect you both to be here."
"Getting ready for tonight, my friend," Max said. "We were discussing our respective plans for our Valentine's dates tonight. You know, romance is in the
"I have a concern," said one of my classmates. He looked between Rachel and me. "It's about training."
"What about it? Out with it. I have no tolerance remaining today."
"Well, it's just that, I think there might need to be additional training. I mean, looking at those two, I couldn't even follow some of what they did. Shouldn't we all be getting trained to the same level?"
Burke sighed. "Mr. Peters, you're an intelligent young man, aren't you? I should hope so. Only intelligent young men and women are supposed to be in here."
"I'd like to think so."
I tried to stifle a laugh. Burke flicked a glare at me before responding. "Then you tell me. We have a wide array of talents in this room. Mr. Parker has exceptional telekinetic talents. Miss Anderson has exceptional telepathic powers. Mr. Young has empathic skills that rival those of anyone I've ever met. Miss Lenza is less powerful than the rest of you, but learns everything taught her, quicker than anyone. That's not even a third of the people in this room, let alone the rest of the gifted students in this school. Does it make any sense whatsoever to train each of you the same way? You are uniquely talented and we train you in specialized fashion to make best use of your uniqueness."
"Standardized testing is what's always been done in school, though," Peters said. "I mean, it'd be nice to have some sort of baseline to compare against or something."
"Does that even work?" Burke asked. "Genuine question. Anyone feel free to answer."
"It's a load of bullshit," I said. "I mean, do test scores really define how smart you are? Don't you all know someone who slacks off but scores higher than people who spend time studying?"
"I guess, but-"
"Enough," Burke said. "This session is closed. I will bring your ridiculous request up and report on its abject failure during our next session. Leave, now."
I stayed in my seat while the others left, Rachel throwing me the finger on her way out. As the door shut behind the last person, Burke looked at me pointedly. "It's like none of them have ever heard of operational security," I said.
He groaned and rubbed his forehead. "While I shouldn't commiserate with you, yes, that request is a waste of time. There is no reason for any of you to know that sort of information without a direct, pressing need."
"What's the point of this, anyways?" I asked.
"The committee?"
"Yeah. Like that request, it seems to be a complete waste of time to me. You'll never approve anything serious."
Burke lifted his head and frowned at me. "There is a point to it, but the point is not for you."
"So what's the point of me being here? Seems like all I am is a reality check for the rest of them."
He stared at me for a moment before lowering his head to the table. "Parker, get out. Just get out. Now."
I got out. The door slammed shut behind me. I chuckled and took a fast walk back to the dorm. The middle of February was still freezing and it took entirely too long for me to get back to Carson Hall. By the time I got inside, I was shivering. Instead of heading to Nikki's room to warm up, I went back to my own room first. To my surprise, Drew and Max were both there. "What's up, Kev?" Drew greeted me.
"Not much," I said. "Just back from my meeting. Still colder than balls out there."
Max looked down. "I don't know. My balls are usually pretty warm."
"Weird to have a meeting on Sunday," Drew said.
"Just some stupid group meeting," I said. Both of them nodded. "So what's going on here? I didn't expect you both to be here."
"Getting ready for tonight, my friend," Max said. "We were discussing our respective plans for our Valentine's dates tonight. You know, romance is in the
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