<span style="font-weight: bold">The Office of Dr. Julien Summerfield:</span><br/><br/>From her vantage-point Jess watched as the Lurker turned half-circle, away from the mirror. That wasn't good, not good at all. True, it meant he couldn't keep the entire room in his field of vision anymore, but it also meant he didn't feel the need to any longer- that he had a better idea of where she was. It was difficult to say whether he was simply gazing out the window now, or gazing at the upper limits of his office. Jess decided it best to err on the side of caution and assume the latter, based on what she'd seen of this Lurker so far; he was getting warm but he wasn't hot yet. He had a thoughtful look on his face, a hand scratching his chin, elbow against the other arm, which was wrapped around his torso. It looked like she was right; his mind was the weapon to watch out for, and he was deciding how best to use it in light of her response. She needed him to respond now, for their verbal exchange to last as long as possible. The longer they jousted with words, the more time the girl had to recover, and better she could get out under her own power than slung over Jess's shoulder when the time came. Soundlessly, Jess shifted her weight, readjusting her stance; she'd need to be ready to move one way or the other soon enough anyway. Even if he couldn't detect her with acute senses or extrasensory perception, he'd soon get a fix on her location through common sense and process of deduction. Especially since now his guard was up and he was looking. She kept her attention focused on him as he spoke again, breaking the momentary, silent lull that had commenced at the end of her own verbal riposte.<br/><br/>“So, you do have a voice?” Julien congratulated mockingly. He theatrically opened out his hands, revealing the 3rd eye within the palm of his left hand. “That’s always a start, my dear". Jess didn't respond to this, other than to keep a sharp eye on Julien. It was clear he wasn't done yet. “As for sharing my plans…” Julien turned around and paced to other side of the room. Towards Carly. “…Perhaps, I would ‘care to share’ something,” he made inverted commas with his fingers.<br/><br/>That was another development for the worse. He didn't have a precise fix on her yet, so he was hedging his bets, staying close to the girl. He knew she couldn't allow him to remain in close proximity to her, not indefinitely anyway, so- in a metaphorical sense at least- he was attempting to take the high ground. He didn't want the stand off to become a physical battle just yet either though, he wanted a bead on his target- that was why he'd offered to share a little; buying time to strike. Jess wasn't sure she cared for that third eye in the palm of his left hand. Clearly it perceived things on more than just the regular spectrum of visible light.<span style="font-style: italic">What</span>other things did the doctor see- and what had he seen when he'd had it glued to the girl's forehead? Her state of mind and emotions perhaps? Something more? If that third eye did function in something of that manner, it must be a very useful tool for getting inside the heads of his patients, the perfect complimentary instrument to a sharp mind. She listened as he spoke again.<br/><br/>“There’s so many…<span style="font-style: italic">special</span>people out here. In this world,” Julien explained with a delighted tone, ominous and ambivalent, “this girl is one of them". The opportunity for reply was cut short, as Julien spoke quickly. “I wonder what words of comfort were offered to this girl when she lost her parents to Lurkers. What possible explanations were fabricated to stop tearing her well-being and soul asunder. All the while her own parents knew what she really was…”<br/><br/>The Lurker's words hinted at a great deal. That delight that there were so many, as he put it, 'special' people out there. She had a feeling he wasn't simply referring to those like this girl, but people who, lost and hurting, needed a listening ear and turned to him to get it. How easy it must be, Jess contemplated, for a Lurker of his disposition to cultivate their dependence upon him. However, that he said she'd had her parents taken from her by Lurkers, that her own parents had known what she was, confirmed what the girl's aura had told Jess earlier: This girl was something more than an ordinary civilian. Quite possibly something extrordinary if Lurkers had attempted such an overt strike at her life and well-being once already. The doctor believed he knew what. She listened attentively, though she suspected he'd cease to share at about this point, using those tantalising tidbits of information like a lure; trying to draw out his opponent that bit further.<br/><br/>“And that she was too<span style="font-style: italic">different</span>,” Julien addressed the unconscious Carly as if she had a disease. Jess watched as he took a seat and began to play with a rubix cube, slipping the pieces smoothly into place. For a moment she wondered if he was finished sharing and waiting for a response; but then he spoke again, even as his hands worked on the cube. “Which is why… I’m here to help her,” Julien lied through his teeth. Turning the rubix cube some more. “That’s the plan.” He added noncholantly, setting the cube to one side. A face of the cube all red and nearly solved, bar a lone green square that was stuck in the corner.<br/><br/>As she'd expected, he was done sharing- hoarding his discovery of what the girl was like gold in Fort Knox. Jess was starting to suspect maybe the girl was a bona fide Angel if this Lurker wanted to keep his discovery to himself that badly. It had nasty implications for her though, since Jess didn't buy for a moment that this Lurker planned to help her- it was much more likely he planned to help<span style="font-style: italic">himself</span>. On the other hand, it did explain why their war of words hadn't escalated yet. Whatever his plans were, it seemed likely that Dr. Summerfield needed his patient alive and well- or at least in one piece- for the time being, making him reluctant to threaten harm to her to draw his opponent out. Not much consolation, but it meant the girl had a measure of security. Her musings on that posibility were interrupted as Julien spoke once more.<br/><br/>“In any case, Carly’s session is up now. I guess I have time for a walk in. So, why don’t you present yourself, my dear?” Julien’s eye rose inquisitively, before falling into a dogmatic frown “or do we have a case of agoraphobia here?” Looked like quiet time was up. Despite his even temper, Jess suspected that Dr. Summerfield was getting irritated that he hadn't pinpointed her yet, and the invitiation to present herself was a ploy to gain him a target he could hit without risking harm to his prize patient. Carly, Jess noted, vowing to remember the name for later. The way the doctor's eyes rose inqusitively before he frowned- he was starting to form a suspicion as to where his opponent might be located. Better to keep his curiosity fed than to allow that irritation to build too much, but Jess suspected this might be about the last time she'd get an answer in before things went critical. She chose her words carefully again before addressing Julien in the same light-hearted tone as before.<br/><br/>"Present myself? Before you've sent your last patient safely home for the evening? How very improper Dr. Summerfield!" she called with a light chuckle. Going over the reply he'd given her she spoke again. "Unless you're making this a group-therapy session that is; very spontaneous of you if you are. Got to, got to award kudos points for that. Oooohh, and does that mean I get to psychoanalyse you too Doctor? Do let me, it'd be ever so much fun!" She paused only for the briefest of moments, enough to draw breath, and spoke once more, buying herself and Carly what time she could, readying to move at a moment's notice or less.<br/><br/>"You'll have to forgive my use of common phraseology doctor, I'm not a practitioner like yourself. Agoraphobia though? Dreadful guess- chronic curioisty it is couldn't you tell? Questions all the time, that's me. Questions like; how'd you know your client's parents were killed by Lurkers? She tell you that herself or did you figure it out on your own? Or just recognise the signs, being a Lurker yourself? Gotta admit, I've been asking myself why a Lurker would pose as a psychiatrist too? Guess I can ask you, since you've been so accomodating. Mind games perhaps? Manipulating the vulnerable? I know Lurkers like to do both. But I figure you've got a bigger, better sweet-tooth than that, haven't you Dr. Summerfield? One like, oh maybe,<span style="font-style: italic">power</span>?" Jess paused, allowing the emphasis on the last word to stand out a little before continuing.<br/><br/>"Its intoxicating, isn't it doctor? People come to you, paying you, just about begging you to tell them what to believe. You don't even have to hide it nowadays. In the hope of peace of mind, even fleeting peace of mind, people pay you tell them that they can't trust their own minds, their own senses. Can't trust the minds or senses of others, even the opinions of other professionals are questionable. The one person they can trust is<span style="font-style: italic"> you</span>- yours is the opinion that matters, yours the actions that will do them good, yours the words to believe like the gospel truth. What's that like Dr. Summerfield? A little taste of how it feels to be God maybe? Except a little taste isn't enough is it? You don't want to have to tell them you're their god, you want<span style="font-style: italic">them</span>to tell<span style="font-style: italic">you</span>. You want the kind of power that goes with being God, and think Carly can help you achieve it. That's my two cents of pop-psychology anyway doctor; that you have a god complex. I know, I know, that isn't even a recognised, diagnosable disorder, but like I said, I'm no professional. I have to say though; if I'm right- very disappointing doctor, and not even terribly original. There was one who had that same idea long ago Dr. Summerfield, one called<span style="font-style: italic">Lucifer</span>- sure I don't need to tell you what happened to him. His little god complex cost him Heaven; and he was smarter and better than you, don'cha know?"<br/><br/>With those words Jess fell silent, readying herself for whatever response her pronouncements might yield- and readying herself for action, certain the stand-off couldn't last much longer.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">OOC:</span>Well, that got long again! Hopefully it doesn't make people's eyes water when trying to read it! ^^;