by A. A LEVINE
“Even if a breaker comes in voluntarily, we will use the cuff. Sometimes their fear or anxiety gets the better of them. We don’t want any vans accidentally flipping over.” He holds it in the air. “Once you set it against the wrist, the locking mechanism automatically engages and the chip activates.”
He puts it on his wrist to show how it works. “It can only be removed at an Orion onboarding facility, and only by the supervising agent in charge, so we need to make sure the cuff is going on the right person.”
One of the other agents pulls out the key to remove it. The information about the op is transmitted in real time. “If the paranormal’s name is Michael, make sure that’s who the report says we have in custody. As soon as you find a discrepancy report it.”
He hands the cuff to the person in the first row to pass around. When it reaches me, I take my time turning it over in my hands. When he asks if there are any questions, I raise my hand.
“Yes recruit Forbes.”
“Where’s the chip?”
“Inside the cuff.”
“Right but how do we know it’s working before it goes out in the field. Do the agents have to troubleshoot or perform manual overrides if the chip isn’t working?” I ignore the stares I’m getting. I’m used to them by now.
“The tech teams perform repairs and inventory before they issue the equipment to the agent. But if something happens, and it fails in the field, tasers are used to disable the subject and then tranquilizer darts to subdue them for transport.”
“If they come to, won’t that be an issue?”
“The vans are outfitted with S-chips as a redundancy in our safety protocols.”
He goes to the board and writes teamwork on it. “The most effective asset agents have in the field is the team back here feeding them Intel and each other. We stress working as a team because it will save your life.”
My eyes follow Xander as he paces across the room. “When you’re off work, you can hate each other’s guts. But the minute you step on the operations floor or go out in the field everyone has to be on the same page. Put your differences aside and focus on the job in front of you.”
I still have the cuff in my hand. I’m staring at the face and band marveling at its design. I pop off the face to see the guts. Inside is a little tiny chip. The circuitry interwoven on and around it. I can imagine the micro tools used to arrange and solder it into place. My dad would get a kick out of this. He loves tinkering with electronics. I snap the face back on and pass the device back to the front of the class.
The second it’s out of my hands, I sense that someone is watching me. I’m amazed that I didn’t notice before. While I was holding it, I also didn’t hear any of the thoughts I’m hearing now. That tiny little piece of equipment packs a lot of punch.
I discreetly look around the room. Indira’s in the far corner of the room, staring at me, thinking to herself what a waste of oxygen I am. I guess she’s still mad that my brother dumped her and I won our sparring match last week. She had the upper hand until she made a comment about my family that earned her a chop to the throat. I resist the urge to flip her off.
I throw my blanket off my shoulders and turn to face the window. My skin feels hot and the covering scraping against me is making me uncomfortable.
The cool air hits my skin and I drift in and out of sleep. I feel the impression of a hand against my shoulder and fingers skimming across my cheek. When his lips slide against mine, I know it’s not a dream. Awkward, I’m crashing someone’s date. This is new. In all the books I’ve read so far, none of them mentioned the equivalent of a paranormal sex dream. I force myself awake breaking the connection.
It’s early Sunday morning, or late Saturday night, depending on how you spend your time and I decide not to go back to sleep. I don’t want to be transported to the NSFW part of the festivities.
I slip on some sweats and head to the gym. Since I’m assigned to the operations building, in phase three, I’m allowed to be out of my dorm room between the hours of four am and midnight. The athletic building is empty. It’s still much too early for any of the gym rats to appear.
I step on to my usual treadmill and start at a slow walk to warm up. I can still feel the rough scrape of hair against the girl’s cheek. I up the speed and start jogging. I never saw his face- but the feeling that she felt- the love and desire was unmistakable. I run even faster trying to drown out the sounds of them kissing and their heavy breathing. Sweat rolls down my back, but I’m finally at a pace where the only thing I’m aware of is forcing breath in and out of my lungs and willing myself to run just a little longer. Finally, I’m at the place where everyone else’s thoughts fade away. I’m alone and at peace.
I run for two hours and I feel like I’m on a high from the endorphins. I see Millicent exiting the cafeteria on my way back to the dorms. She sees me and seems frozen in place. I raise my hand in greeting so we’re not locked in an awkward staring moment. She looks behind her and for a minute I think she considers waving back. A black sedan pulls to a stop in front of her and she slowly climbs in the back of it. I watch as the vehicle pulls away. Whatever internship she’s got now is a step up if it comes with a driver.
Mrs. Price seems distracted today. I’ve been here for twenty minutes and the little orange folder has yet to make an appearance. Today’s correspondence is in a dark blue folder and it doesn’t even have my name on it.
“Mrs. Price?”
I’ve just finished reading the headline of the newspaper non-descript person number five is holding in his hand, three offices away, and she hasn’t said a word. I know I’m right, so at this point I’m no longer waiting for or expecting affirmation, but her being distracted is an issue. Without a specific lesson to focus on my mind wanders. This building is huge, there’s no telling where it could end up.
“Tell me about Millicent.”
Her inquiry catches me off guard, which I think is the point. “She’s a junior who transferred out of Orion, and then she came back a few weeks later.”
“Are the two of you close?”
I shake my head and inspect my nails. “I barely know her.”
“You had lunch when she came back to the compound.”
She didn’t ask a question, but it’s obvious that she’s waiting on an answer. “Yeah, we did.” I shrug like it’s no big deal, because it wasn’t. “She had a whole table to herself and so I sat down.”
“What did you talk about?”
That day Millicent asked me not to mention medical, and I promised not to. I keep my promises. “Nothing really.”
“You sat at a table together and never talked? I didn’t think it was possible for teenagers to eat in silence.”
“With phones and tablets we can.”
“Which is part of the reason we don’t allow them on campus. We encourage real-life interactions.”
I get it. They’re accomplishing something a lot of adults can’t. Getting their kids to unplug. “I’m sure I said something, but can’t remember what it was.”
“You can’t, or won’t?” Her voice takes on a cautious yet accusatory tone.
I weigh my own tone and words very carefully and force my mind to go blank. “I can’t, because I honestly don’t remember. She’s not very chatty. I think I might have been babbling about classes or something.”
“She never mentioned what she’s doing for her new internship?”
I shrug like I could give zero shits. “Not that I remember.” I lean forward and make my eyes wide. It’s my earnest face. The one I learned from Aiden. I haven’t used it in a while, but I’m sure I’m still pulling it off. “Why? Do you think I’d be a good fit for it? I’d be willing to consider a transfer if it turns out hers is cooler than mine.” I give a playful giggle at the end of my statement.
“Holli.” Mrs. Price sighs dramatically. “Why would you think you’d need to transfer?”
“I haven’t progressed out of the 147-150 range.” I give a dramatic sigh
of my own. “I’m probably on the next round of cuts. If I can transfer internships, and still get to stay on the compound, I’d take a transfer.”
Her drawer slides open, and the orange folder appears. She skims through a page, scribbles something in the orange folder, and then puts both folders in her desk drawer.
You can flunk all your classes and training and request to leave, and there’s still no way Orion’s transferring you out.
She’s good at keeping her thoughts to herself. Unless she thinks the S-chips are up, like now, which is why she let that little nugget slip. This doesn’t make any sense. If it’s not about my grades or how I’m doing in training, that’s impressing the people in charge, why haven’t I been booted yet?
I’m the kid of an employee but that can’t be enough reason to keep me. I know because three of the students that got cut have parents that work here. More than one student has secretly thought that I’m getting preferential treatment. I thought they were saying because I’m close to Xander, but maybe it’s more to it than that.
Another unexpected consequence of reading someone’s mind is that it can make you suspicious. At work I’m second-guessing everything everyone says or does. Mrs. Price has me looking over my shoulder. Kind of like Millicent. And what was the deal with those questions about her anyway? Am I imaging the weird looks I’m getting from the employees in the operations center? Orion wants me here. But, why? I’m guessing the answers I need are in that orange folder.
Chapter Nineteen
Holli
This is the absolute last thing I want to be doing, but I need Shane’s help to get into the administration building after hours. He’s had more hallway hookups this semester, then most people have all year, and he’s still here. I’m betting he’s scoped out where all the cameras are so he can avoid getting caught. I just need to get into Mrs. Price’s office so I can see what else is in my file. She keeps the folder tucked away in her desk drawer and after seeing her reaction to hearing I haven’t spoken to my mother in six months, I’m wondering if she’s been in contact with her.
I walk over to Shane's table and he asks, “Turtle. You’re on the wrong side of the line aren’t you?” His friends cackle and I ignore their presence.
“I need to talk to you.” I flick my eyes to his group. When Wes steps closer, I stress, “Alone.”
“Alone, huh? There’s only one thing girls want to do with me alone, and turtle, I thought you were a good girl.”
Gwynn’s sitting on his left and I get a glimpse of them as the future prom king and queen. It’s his thoughts I’m seeing, not hers. “I’m not interested in whatever girls usually want from you. I need information.”
“I think your study notes are better than mine, so I can’t help you there.”
He’s got that right and if he flunks this upcoming midterm, he’ll drop six points on the leader board.
“Fine, then how about a trade? I’ll help you study for whatever class you’re doing the worst in, and you’ll answer a couple of questions for me.”
“I’ll pass. I have plenty of other people willing to help me study.”
I start back towards my table and decide to try another tactic. I turn back towards him scribbling something on a piece of paper. “If you change your mind.” I tuck the paper in his shirt and continue walking, ignoring the curious stares from the other students as I pass by. I’m sure they all think I just gave him a love note. He’ll understand what it means when he reads it.
Gwynn is sitting on her bed when I return from dinner. I push the door open wider and see Shane sitting on mine. He holds up the slip of paper between two fingers and waves it in the air. “How did you know?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
“Were you in on it?”
“Sending the TO’s to search your room? Who would I have that much influence over? And we don’t run in the same circles so how would I know to send them your way?”
“Yet you knew the day and time my mattress and closet were getting tossed.”
I give him a blank stare and shrug. “I have tutoring in the admin building. I overheard someone talking about it.”
“They didn’t find anything. It was a witch hunt.” He explains. “But, because I guess you call yourself looking out for me, I’ll answer one-,”
“Five.” I counter.
“Three questions.”
Three questions are more than enough for me to decide if I can tell him what I need done. “Did you snitch on Millicent?”
“No.”
“Rat out the couple who ditched class to make out?”
“I wouldn’t cock block my mans like that.” He looks to Gwynn for answers and she shrugs her shoulders. We’re not the type of roommates that share, so nope she has no idea why I want to know these things. “You have one more question.” Shane says.
This is where I let him know what I need from him. “How do I get invited to the next party?” The senior recruits have more access to the administrative building after hours. There’s a space they use for social gatherings that connects to the hall right below Mrs. Price’s office. If I can score an invitation, I can sneak up there and see what’s in my file.
“Why would you want to hang out with us?” Gwynn asks.
“And why would I want to help you?” Shane amends. “Just because we put our feud aside during a training event doesn’t mean I want to be around you in real life.”
I could lie. Pretend that the team event made me decide that I want to be friends after all these years, but I don’t think that’ll get me what I want, so I tell them a version of the truth.
“Here’s the thing. I can’t think of anything that would make it worth your while to help me. But I’m asking for your help anyway, because I think there’s something weird going on around here.”
The future king and queen share another look and he motions for me to explain. “Weird like what?”
“Millicent says she didn’t steal those test answers. A few people were caught places no one should have been. I’m guessing those locations are secret hiding spots that have been in use for years, so how did they get caught in the act when nobody else has? The guy with the phone. Where’d he get the phone from and who told that he had it? They didn’t all live together or run in the same circles, so how did they all get caught? And then there’s the fact that each of those recruits have left campus.”
“They got bounced. We’ve known from day one what the penalty is for breaking the student code of conduct.”
“Right, but where did they go, and how do you explain why Millicent is the only recruit that got reinstated? Isn’t her theft technically worse than everyone else’s crimes? Have either of you tried to talk to her since she’s come back?”
Shane shakes his head, but I see my questions turning over in his mind. “That’s a waste of time. She doesn’t say much now.”
“So you agree, she’s different.”
I take their silence as a yes. “Shane, I figure the tip I gave you saved you from being shipped off to whatever wasteland they’re dumping troublesome recruits at." He shifts on the bed. "I think it’s safe to say they’re not being sent back to the main campus.”
“I still don’t understand how inviting you to hang with my friends helps anything.” He narrows his eyes at me. “There’s no rule against social hierarchy so if you’re trying to say we’re violating the rules by excluding people it won’t get us in trouble. And being around us doesn’t magically improve your position on the leader board, turtle.”
“You’re right. I’m probably one demerit or verbal ass whipping away from getting cut.” I take a deep breath and give them a little more information. “The thing is, my tutor has a folder on me and I want to know if what’s in it hurts or helps my chances for staying.”
Gwynn meets my eyes for the first time this evening. “What else?”
“What do you mean, what else?”
“You could always ask how you’re being graded at tut
oring, so what else are you looking for?”
She’s not my friend and revealing anything else will probably backfire against me, but this is my only shot. “Information about my mom. I wanna know if Orion has told her anything about how I’m doing here.”
“Well, you already know the answer to that. They don’t tell our folks shit about what’s happening here. It’s all part of the cone of secrecy.” Her eyes never leave my face.
“My mother works for Palmer Biotech, so in theory they could be telling her a little more than shit.”
Shane looks at me like I’m the one with the rapidly declining GPA. “So at the next family day why don’t you just ask her?” He’s clearly been too caught up in his own world to know what’s going on in anyone else’s.
“Because I haven’t talked to her in months. I think my file might have an updated phone number for her. I just want to see if she’s at least called to check on me or Aiden.”
“This is crazy. You’re crazy. If Shane were to help you, and you get caught.”
I can’t tell is she’s really worried about Shane or not. “Then I’m out of here.”
Shane leaves without giving me an answer and Gwynn’s looking at me like I might have a mental breakdown at any second. “I told you not to trust anyone, yet here you are laying out your plans, like we’re your trusted confidants.”
“That’s just it. I know I can’t trust Shane, or you, which is why I won’t be blindsided if either of you tells anyone what I’m planning to do.”
She’s quiet for a minute then asks. “What do you think happens to the students?” I see a flash of her thoughts. Before coming here, Millicent was one of her best friends. She continues talking. “I know. I mean, I knew ahead of time, that Millie didn’t go back to the main campus. Our parents are old friends. They hadn’t heard from her in weeks, and when they did, they said she wasn’t quite herself.” She sounds a little sad and her face loses the hard edge I’m used to seeing on it. “And now that I see her around, I know what they mean.”