The Post-Humans (Book 1): The League by Thurston Bassett

figures in the deep…” Brad muttered as he rubbed his short beard.
    “What?” Athan leant forward, “You know something?”
    “Dan Dangerous…” Brad said finally.
    “What now?” Athan screwed up his nose.
    “Daniel Carl,” Brad said as he turned to face Athan again. “Used to be called Dan Dangerous back in the seventies. He is an old man now. He was a certified homicide psychic with the Melbourne and Adelaide police departments; I think he did a few Queensland cases too, anything that was a bit hard for the boys in blue. Anyway, once the Post-Human ‘epidemic’ was declared official in government circles, he was ousted from the police and went private, but that didn’t prove quite so profitable. He began doing psychic readings at ‘alternative lifestyle’ festivals. Then the PHC set up a facility somewhere in the desert and began to do their sweeps of rural Victoria, so he went off grid, but I found him a few months ago.” Brad shrugged. “I try to keep track of people like us if I can.”
    “What is Dan Dangerous going to do to help me?” Athan shrugged. “How does he tie in?”
    “Daniel Carl,” Brad began holding up his forefinger, “had the wonderful ability to probe deeply into the human mind. Nothing like your particular talent, but it was a very powerful skill. I don’t know why he even stayed in Australia; he could have made a mint in America or Europe. I guess he was a bit of a ‘true blue’ boy, Aussie through and through, and was clever enough not to draw too much attention to himself.”
    Athan nodded.
    “He stumbled across imagery in the minds of killers and deranged criminals. Imagery that he found disturbing. He eventually said this in an interview, that he would ‘find any other means possible to help the police prove the guilt of these people to avoid delving into their minds to glean the truth’ . He had seen dark things there, and ‘faceless figures in the deep’ was one of his direct quotes.”
    “So I need to find Dan Dangerous for answers?” Athan suggested. He was glad that there was someone out there who knew something.
    “Maybe not answers, but it sounds like you have both shared an experience. He will have more to offer than me. As for the repeating event in the minds of unconscious patients, I also can’t help you.” Brad thought for a minute. “Would it be all right if I looked at the names of those patients? I don’t know how much I can learn, but it may be something more than you already know.”
    “Umm…doctor patient confidentiality, you know how it is.” Athan smiled as he handed Brad the list of four names. “So, where will I find Mr Dangerous, then? Somewhere obscure I assume?”
    “Oh, without doubt. Ever heard of the town of Hawkesdale in the South West?” Brad raised his brow questioningly.
    “Weirdly, yes,” Athan said rubbing at his temples again.
    There was a person he knew from a lifetime ago that was located in that area, they would be his conduit.
    He also wondered if they had a shop there that sold painkillers.
    ***
    Athan once knew someone who lived out in the country, someone from high school, which seemed like forever ago.
    He used the man’s mind as his conduit and found himself in the farming area of Hawkesdale.
    It was quaint and very spread out, so it was hard to find a single person among many.
    That left social areas, the pub and the football field, but how likely would it be that a powerful psychic would attend either of those?
    Friday night he found himself at the only pub in town, making idle conversation with farmers that still smelt of sweat and livestock. These people worked so hard to keep themselves and their farms alive, that a Friday night beer was the only time they met anyone who they didn’t already live with. This was the social event of the week, where they would complain to each other about the state of the world, the weather and the farm next door.
    After about eight pots of beer the locals were more