Death Sentence: a Psi-Kicks story by GF Willmetts.
‘Hello Georgie, didn’t realise you were doing duty today.’
Georgire Rothane gave a wry smile. As if. This was the Farsighters unit. They might by clouded by future events where Psionics were concerned but they knew who might visit. The only thing they could be taken unaware of was the presence of Psionics where they looked. Precog was a requisite except it was disrupted by other Psionics in the field or near by. She was only here tonight because the Blank had called in sick code 5, meaning a Psionic was needed. As an empath, capable of reading and projecting emotions, she wasn’t regarded as high-end disruption providing she kept her distance. For a precog to come to her suggests one of them wanted her here. Rachael Harper was recruited at the same time as herself and she was here so what did she want?
Psionics joining the Stable needed little in the need of indoctrination talks because they could pick up what they needed mind to mind and be out working the same afternoon. Farsighters tended to have one talent and couldn’t even spake to each other. They weren’t field agents. Georgire could receive thoughts but not spake herself. Reading emotions was a level lower than being a porkie but she could project emotions, not just from herself but from others. There were parallels to Lull in calming a crowd down. Just a different ability. Sara Seeker thought it would be useful to have in the Stable Consultancy and looking in on the Farsighters from time to time as needed.
Rachael Harper was an oddity amongst the Farsighters. She tuned in on the dead or those imminently close to dying. Not natural causes. Mostly those who were about to be killed traumatically. She could be left traumatised by large numbers and had allowed one of the girls, probably Sheena, to do a little fine tuning so she didn’t pick up on more than a small group at a time. She was even getting it within a mile by district sometimes now aiding police search teams immensely had they known the source. In a bizarre way, she didn’t just leave it to the Blanks to confirm her daily or weekly scores. It wasn’t sick behaviour, but more a need to be aware how right she was and a desire to see before it happened and save lives, even if it could upset the future. It was also a grey area. For Farsighters, to not let an event take place messed up the timeline but had to be taking its toil on Rachael not saving anyone.
‘Hello, Rach. What’s the problem, dahlin’?’
‘Not sure if I have a breakthrough. A couple people who should have died haven’t in the same district where several other people have died before I joined the Stable.’
‘Perhaps they’re late? We can hardly go up and ask why aren’t you dead yet?’
Rachael paused. The subject sounded macabre. Keeping dark humour just kept it in perspective.
‘No one’s expecting a perfect record. Maybe something happened that saved them.’
‘These felt odd. Psionic activity.’
‘Were any Stable in the area?’
‘Not according to duty logs but they aren’t always up-to-date if they’re just passing through.’

‘They weren’t in either area.’
‘A new Psionic?’
‘Not two?’
‘Same signature.’
‘Maybe whoever it was picked up their life expectancy and saved them? Maybe she disrupted the killer’s pattern but reduced the chance on me honing on him or her.’
‘Any on your list today in the same area? Maybe whoever it is is stopping a serial killer but only for whoever it is to strike again?’
‘I never get enough details. I only realised it might be a serial killer based off historical evidence.’
‘Can you scan again now. See who’s still alive now off the first list.’
‘I don’t tend to do the same day twice…’
‘Psychological?’
‘No! It never occurred to me.’
She sat at the table, pulled out her pad and began the list. Georgire went off to the fridge and poured them both a glass of milk each. She checked information going out from the rest of the team. Only the material that was cross-referenced in all manner of subjects. The Farsighters had their own scale of skills. Specialists like Rachael and wider scales who picked up on everything from major disasters to fires. A lot of the time, no action was taken as it was seen as the natural order of things not to be interfered with. More so if other members of the Stable were involved, everything changed. A complicated system but the norms wanted reliable intelligence.
‘There we are.’
The list fed out of the printer.
‘That’s longer than the original list.’
‘It would be. Later in the day. Its tiring doing so many in one day. I wish I could get them before they’re killed.’
‘You’ve given peace to a lot of people in the past year.’
‘The two who’ve survived shows that might be possible.’
‘The serial killer must be getting frustrated if he or she isn’t getting their quota of kills. The number of tries are going up. Can we go out in the field?’
‘We really should call in one of the other Psionics.’
‘That would really blur events. We have enough problems with that stray Psionic in the area.’
‘Looking for two. I’m not going without a weapon.’ Georgire reached into a drawer and pulled out an asp and threw it to Rachael. ‘And neither are you.’ As she tucked another into her coat.
oooooooooooOOOOOOOOooooooooooo
‘I knew the map said this was a park. Just didn’t realise how big and isolated it was,’ Georgire said, eyeing the path. Dusk was drawing in and they were dressed in coats and hats to keep the autumn cold out.
‘It’s used by runners, Georgie. Mostly the early mornings. There’s a group on-line.’
‘Maybe we should have come in tracksuits or shorts.’
‘Should we split up?’
‘We stay together, Rach. I’m going to be in enough trouble bringing you here as it is. How long before the main event?’
‘About twenty minutes.’
‘And you can’t pin-point anywhere closer now you’re here?’
‘How would that happen?’
‘We’ve removed the spatial aspect, can you focus on who we’re supposed to be looking for. I’m not expecting you to locate our mysterious Psionic…unless she’s the victim.’
‘Even Farsighters mess up if they’re in the area.’
‘But you’re in the district where someone is likely to be killed.’
‘Our presence here just means a change in victim…’
‘Terrific.’ Georgire checked her pocket. It could mean them if the asp wasn’t ready.
‘We could have done with another Psionic to scan the area…I know, from a distance.’
‘Wouldn’t make a difference. Still mess up events. We’re here and we might be the events.’
‘So events change?’
‘Just the expectations. We should have sent the police in.’
‘At short notice? We give reliable intelligence of the future but it has to be fulfilled…even death. If we don’t know where to look, I doubt if they’d be any smarter.’
‘And here?’
‘A long term serial killer. He needs to be stopped. Georgie?’
Rachael fell to the ground, right next to the empath.
ooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooo
It was still dusk when Rachael stirred. A bit darker. By her side was Georgie, still out cold. They weren’t far from where they hit. Only they were now tied up. She thought she was seeing double but there were two identical men crouching waiting. They must have walked into their killing field. Why wait? The throbbing began at the back of her head. They wanted us to feel the pain of death. But why didn’t she note two?
‘We heard you talking. How did you know we were here?’
Rachael struggled to sit up. ‘I didn’t. Just looking for your next victim.’
‘So,’ asked the other twin, ‘how did you know where she was going to be?’
‘I see the future. Only glimpses. The police know we’re here.’
‘We were listening, said one.
‘You just said they hadn’t been told,’ said the other.
‘We will be missed.’
‘Won’t make any difference. A draw, bro?’
The other twin nodded. ‘When the other bitch wakes up.’
Rachael pressed her fingers in Georgire’s ribs, hoping she heard that. Please don’t move.
‘You shouldn’t have hit her so hard.’
‘My twin’s out of practice.’
‘I’ve been tracking your…murders. Why such a delay before starting again?’
‘We were travelling.’
‘A lot of countries have parks.’
‘So you left a trail in different countries?’
‘Not a trail. Nobody’s caught up with us yet.’
‘Make this the first attempt.’
‘And only attempt. You won’t see tomorrow.’
‘So what do you, dahlin’?’ asked Georgire, struggling to sit up. ‘Alternate or do it like now, together? Showing each of you who can murder better? I bet your brother says he’s the best but that’s only bragging rites. Neither of you see each other’s kill before. Taking it in turns.’
Rachael felt as if the ground had opened beneath her. If Georgie had kept quiet, she could have kept them talking long enough for someone to walk by or at least until the empath psionic could do whatever she did.
‘I bet if one of you were caught, the other would keep quiet. I mean, dahlin’, why should you both serve time in prison? One of you commits another murder in the same way and the one in stir has a get out of jail free card. Except, he might want to keep you in prison. Maybe you both want to watch each other this time, just to make sure you can do each other’s technique. But I bet your brother will make a mistake to ensure you stay in jail. I mean, why alternate murders when he can do them all himself. Different enjoyment.’
All that meant to Rachael was an early grave for both of them. Georgie was supposed to breathe happiness into their emotions. This was getting deep and dark in manipulation.
‘I don’t think you like each other really. You might think so but given the chance, one of you would like to know who could win in a fight. Not to the death, of course. Just enough to show who should stay out of prison to rescue the other.’
‘What’s she going on about?’ the furthest twin asked.
‘I bet you couldn’t even hit him. That would mean he’d leave you.’
It was enough, the nearest twin struck out at his brother.
‘Again. Again. Again.’
The furthest twin had collapsed by the tree, quickly beaten by the attacking twin.
‘Repentance. Cut the rope from our wrists.’
Georgire offered her wrists first and then Rachael.
‘Now be a good person. Sit by your brother and it he moves, thump him again.
Standing up, Georgire search her coat pockets and found a mobile phone and rang for police support.
‘Were you trying to talk them to death, Georgie?’
‘I assumed you were, Rach. I could pump it up with a bit more oomph.’
‘I thought it would be easier if they thought you unconscious. With us both awake, they could have just killed us.’
‘I needed to work one of them up. That meant talking better than you’
‘One?’
‘They weren’t totally identical. One of them is a Blank. That’s why you only picked up one of them.’
‘Why? How?’
‘Because instead of sending a Psionic in, we can send in one of the Blanks to stop a murder. We might even be able to bring your death rate down. Now that really has to be better for you, dahlin’.’
‘Only if I knew my own future.’
end
Psi-Kicks, Rachael Harper, Georgire Rothane
© 2025 GF Willmetts
All rights reserved
Ask before borrowing