“I /wish/ I knew who he was — his shields are amazing. And terrifying. I can hear him, but I can’t get in.” Summer shivered. “As far as what he wants — it’s not what he’s claiming. Logically, he wants to use me.” She looked down at her hand, and closed it, an expression of determination hardening her face. ‘I don’t think he’s going to like the results of that.”
When she said the man was trying to use her, apparently for her powers, he frowned, letting his concern take over his suspicion for a moment. “If you can manipulate emotions, how come you’re not doing that to me?” he asked, curious and aware that there was a chance he was going to regret asking that question. But he had to.
“It’s cheating. But, you know,” she went on, a little sadly, knowing she was going to invoke his suspicion all over again, “in a way what I am doing is cheating, too. I know what you’re feeling, so I can tailor my actions to evoke the feeling I want. Without ever actually touching your emotions from the inside.” it didn’t matter than in her fear, she hadn’t, really.