by Pam Eaton
Mr. Smith gestures for Gregory and me to sit down. “Welcome to your history lesson, Rebecca. We’re going to talk about a lot of important things in here. I need you to stay silent about what you learn, even with the others in the program. Do you understand?”
“Honestly, no,” I tell him.
“May I?” Gregory asks Mr. Smith.
“Go ahead,” is his reply.
Gregory looks at me. “Remember what we talked about last night?” I nod. “You’re getting a little crash course. The rest of the recruits will be eased into it more than you.”
“It’ll make more sense soon,” Mr. Smith says.
Maybe, but in the meantime, this feels ridiculous.
“As I said the other night, our heritage stretches back thousands of years. Our ancestors have been a part of most major historical events and have often caused the loss or win of a war. They’ve been immortalized in myths and stories. A prime example would be the Greek gods.”
Really, Greek gods, is he serious? “Are you really trying to tell me that I am related to Zeus and Ania’s related to Aries? Am I actually at the FBI?”
Gregory and Ania try to smother their laughs, and Mr. Smith desperately tries to keep a serious face. Ania really could be descended from Aries; she is freakishly strong, after all. “No, you’re not related to the Zeus of legends, but those stories were based on real people. There is truth in all folklore and history. You basically floated across the ground when you ran fast, kind of like Hermes. Imagine yourself back in ancient Greece. How else would people explain us? They called us gods because of the things we were able to do.
“Our ancestors have been vital to this world and especially to this country. The Revolutionary War wouldn’t have happened without them. Of course, the FBI wasn’t established yet, but Project Lightning has been involved with this nation’s government since its inception. That’s when it had its founding. Our task is sometimes a thankless one. We won’t be written about in any history books but our own. Now, not all hundred live in the U.S. and not all work with us, but many have come to work here or are operating overseas.
“Our ancestors have invested a lot and provided a great service to this country, one I hope you will want to continue.”
I guess I come from a long line of unsung heroes.
“There’s a new threat on the horizon that we’re currently monitoring. We’re not telling any of the new recruits, but some of our agents have been kidnapped.”
What?
“This is one of the reasons there are so many of you right now, and why we didn’t waste time in recruiting you so soon after your mother’s death. We know some of the agents are being killed after kidnapping. But the others, we have no clue.”
This sick feeling spreads throughout my body.
“The guys in the gold sedan?” I ask.
“Maybe. I don’t know, but we’re not taking any chances,” Mr. Smith tells me.
“I’m only telling you this so you can understand why we’re going to push you rather hard in training. In a week or two, you’ll be going to a different location for further preparation.”
“How can I be more valuable than the others?”
“There’s a lot we can’t tell you right now. It’s better for you to be ignorant. Trust us. I know your grandfather would want you to.”
A tidal wave of anger hits me. He had to play the grandpa card. But what is the alternative? The dream I had last night flashes in my memory. My head aches and my heart is weighed down. Regardless, I have to go along with this, for now. “Trust is earned, and it’s hard for me to trust when so much is kept from me.”
His hands grip the desk, but immediately he releases them and takes a deep breath. “We understand, and in time more and more will be revealed to you. Don’t forget you’re only seventeen and we’ve been at this a lot longer than you have. Other lives besides your own have to be considered. Trust is a two-way street, and we need to ensure that you aren’t planning on running like your mother.”
Low. Blow. And seriously, way to be patronizing.
The mention of her is like a punch to the gut. “First of all, I’m nothing like my mother.” My voice comes out harsh. “Second, I may be seventeen, but I had to grow up pretty fast with a dead father and absentee mother. I’ll accept your offer for now, because you haven’t really given me much of a choice.”
A slow smile spreads across his face. “Good. Now I’d like you to have lunch with Ania, and afterwards you’re going to be with her for the rest of the day.”
We leave the room. It’s so intimidating walking next to her. Not only is she a killing machine; she’s also drop dead gorgeous. “He’s not always that—” Ania pauses, probably searching for a kinder word “—intense.”
“So it’s just me?” Sarcasm drips from my words.
“I think it’s the situation with what’s been going with the missing agents. Plus we’ve never had to question someone’s power. It’s a game changer.”
Fantastic.
After grabbing our lunches, we head to a table and I see Tony motion for me to come and sit with him. I smile and gesture toward Ania. He nods his head in understanding. I seem to be the only one who’s ever accompanied by non-recruits. “The food here is kind of lousy. When we leave here it will get better.”
My eyes widen in surprise. “So you’ll be coming too?” I ask.
“Yes, and Gregory will be coming with us as well. There might be another recruit coming, but that decision hasn’t been made yet.”
The mention of Gregory makes my heart pick up speed a little. “Gregory speaks very highly of you.”
Her lips twitch. “He does, does he? And what has he been saying?”
I squirm in my seat. “He just told me a little about you. Where you’re from, about your mom, and coming here to the U.S…” I hesitate “…and about the extent of your powers.”
She wipes her face of any emotion. Is she mad that he told me about her? “Well, that seems more than just a little,” she says in a flat voice.
She’s right; that’s a lot more than a little. “Really just the Reader’s Digest version.”
She shrugs as if it’s inconsequential. “I’ve known Gregory for a long time. He’s a good friend.” Her eyes lock with mine. “What do you think about what he told you?”
What do I think and what am I willing to tell her? I opt for some truth. “Honestly, I think that you could kick my butt.”
She shakes her head, a small grin forming.
I take a deep breath. “But I also think it’s sad about your mom. That must have been really hard for you, especially at a young age.”
Her mouth quickly transforms into a grim twist when I mention her mom. “I do miss my mom. A lot. I’m very thankful to still have my father. But you lost your mom, so you should understand.”
“Not really. Hard to love someone you don’t know. But I do love my grandparents, and I can’t imagine losing them.”
She starts shifting in her seat at the talk of my drug-addict mother. It usually makes people uncomfortable. “I’m sorry for that. How about we change the subject to something a little lighter? We can talk on the way to training.”
“Good idea,” I say, and we both dig in and finish off the rest of our lunches.
We throw our trash away and head out of the dining hall.
As we walk down the hall I blurt out, “So, how well do you know Gregory?”
She gives me a knowing look. “Cute, isn’t he?”
I can feel my face turning red. She sees right through me. I wonder if it’s that obvious to everyone else. What am I, twelve? There’s nothing wrong with admitting that someone is attractive. I laugh nervously. “Yeah, he’s definitely not bad to look at.”
Ania snorts. “Let me give you a piece of advice. Make friends here—it’ll come in handy to be able to confide in the people you’ll have missions with. But when it comes to love, I have always found that it’s better not to mix work and pleasure.”
<
br /> That might be sound advice, but it’s no good, because I still have a crush on him.
We walk through yet another set of double doors and come upon a swimming pool. This place never ceases to amaze me, but why we would swim? “Ania, I don’t have a swim suit.”
“Oh, we’re not swimming. Look up.”
The ceiling goes up about three stories and on the second level is a suspended track. “I’m going to have you run. It should help us get a better grasp on what’s going on with you. We also have this entire place to ourselves.” Her arm sweeps the area and I take in the stillness.
It’s eerie to be alone in such a large space. Mr. Smith wasn’t kidding when he mentioned that he wanted to keep information on my powers under wraps. All of this secrecy is making it hard to forge any relationships with the others. Too many secrets, too many things to keep hidden, and I’ve just begun here.
We climb the stairs to the second level, the track stretching out before us. Seriously, how much of this building does Project Lightning take up?
Ania motions me to start stretching alongside her and I fall in line. We work our arms and legs. I’d better stretch well or I’ll be paying for it tomorrow. “Before you get to top speed, I’ll do a couple of laps with you at a jogging pace. I also want to see at what speed things begin to change.”
We start jogging, Ania setting the pace. Little by little she increases our speed. Running the track is the first time I’ve felt comfortable here. I’m back in my element, running. I’ve missed this so much. We round a bend and I feel a surge of energy rush through my body, as if I’m a battery being charged. My feet feel light. Ania must sense something too, because she looks over at me. “I’m going to stop so I can observe better. Concentrate on completing your laps and increase the speed at whatever rate feels comfortable.”
When I sprinted earlier for the physical, it didn’t last too long, but nothing is going to stop me now. “What’s going to happen?”
She shrugs, looking as confused, scared, and excited as I feel. “I have no clue. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
I take off from her and begin increasing my speed, focusing on each step I take. When some people run, you can hear the pounding of their feet, but that’s a sign of a bad runner. I’ve learned to roll my steps and how to run at fast speeds, but I can hardly even feel my feet rolling. The ground is there. I can see it. And I think I can feel it, but I’m not sure.
Time to sprint. My heart starts pounding as I start. The crystal blue pool snags my gaze. Man, I want to take a dip in that water.
A roaring sound fills my ears. Something’s forced down my throat. I try to scream, but I can’t breathe. My eyes are burning, and everything’s blurred. What’s going on? There’s a pull at my arm. Is this another dream, another nightmare? I struggle to swing my arms and legs, but the pull is too strong. My head hits something hard and unforgiving.
Air finally hits my lungs, causing me to gasp.
Ania leans over me, water dripping from her hair and face. “Becca? Becca, are you okay?”
I roll to my side, coughing up large amounts of water. I look down at my now-drenched clothes. “What…what happened? Why am I soaking wet?”
I study her face, but it’s completely blank. “Well, I’m not really sure. One minute you were sprinting, the next you disappeared and I heard you thrashing in the water.”
I still don’t understand. “Did I jump over the ledge or something?”
“No, you just literally disappeared in front of my eyes. What was going through your mind?”
I disappeared? I sit in silence for a few seconds and try to recall my thoughts. “I was concentrating on running like you told me to, and then I got a glimpse of the pool. The thought just popped into my head that it would be nice to swim when I was done. Next thing I knew I couldn’t breathe or scream, and something was pulling me.” A waking nightmare.
She runs a hand absently over her jaw and looks back at the door. When she turns back to me, there’s a firm resolve in her eyes. “Let’s get you dried off. I’m going to need to go and talk with Mr. Smith. He’ll want to know this for sure. For now though, keep this to yourself and tell no one, and I mean no one.”
“Okay,” I tell her, and my gut is telling me not to disobey. She helps me to my feet and we walk out of the pool area.
Fifteen
The ceiling above my bed looms over me like a weight on my chest. Doesn’t help that being underground translates into no windows. It’s like a coffin.
I wonder what Mr. Smith will think of what happened today. I don’t even know what to think about it myself. I feel like a science experiment, being poked and prodded, trying to figure out exactly how I work. Except not only am I the experiment; I’m a scientist as well.
Maybe I can try it again. I close my eyes tight and think of my bedroom back home.
I crack my eyelids open. Nothing.
Okay, maybe I need to…I don’t know what the heck to do. Shouldn’t this be easy? But I’m too afraid to push any more. With my luck, I’d end up sending myself Alaska. Wait, I could totally get myself trapped somewhere if I don’t figure out how to control this. And when I do figure this out, I can go anywhere. Granted I won’t have any money, but the places I’ll be able to see, that’ll be amazing.
A knock at the door stirs me out of my thoughts. “Come in.”
The door opens slightly and Gregory’s face appears around it. “Skipping dinner, are we?”
I glance at the clock. I’ve lost track of time. I’m not surprised he came looking for me. He’s been my shadow ever since I got here. “No, just forgot what time it was.”
“Well, dinner is still going on, so why don’t you come with me and we’ll get you something to eat?”
I don’t really feel like eating, but I can’t tell him no. I pull on my shoes and we head down the hallway. He stops me with a hand on my arm. “Is something wrong?”
All I want to do is tell him about what happened at the pool, but I was told to keep quiet. I want to tell him everything about today and how I’m feeling, but I know I can’t. He may have his secrets from me, but I would tell him everything if he asked. I resolve on lying, but I don’t enjoy the idea. “Yeah, I’m fine, just really tired from all the exercise. It’s been a while since I’ve worked out that hard.”
He nods, but it’s plain to see that he doesn’t believe me. He can read me like an open book. He doesn’t move, like he’s waiting for me to say something else. Ania made it very clear to keep quiet, but I feel so ashamed for lying.
We enter the dining room to find Ania eagerly awaiting us at a table. There are already full plates waiting for us. She smiles but it’s a little strained. “I’ve been waiting for you guys. Hurry up and dig in before the food gets cold. Oh, by the way, Becca, we need to go talk with Mr. Smith after you finish up.”
I sit down and feel a knot forming in my stomach. Did she mean to ruin my appetite? How can I eat and have a panic attack at the same time?
Ania and Gregory look at one another, a conversation happening without even speaking a word. She puts a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry; you aren’t in trouble or anything. He just wants to talk to you about today.”
I wish I was sitting with my grandparents eating in our home. That dinner table was always full of laughter and talk of things that happened throughout the day, but those days are gone now. I want nothing more than to be able to tell my grandpa what’s going on. Not being able to talk with him is killing me. I can picture us sitting on the front porch in the rocking chairs. He would always just sit there and listen to me, not interrupting or judging me. That’s where we discussed my fears about private school, my regret of realizing I might have ruined my college scholarship when I got hurt, and how angry I was with my mom.
I so desperately want to be there right now with him. I can see the dark-stained chairs rocking in the wind, the flower box empty from the autumn frosts, and the cool air blowing leaves around the porch floor. Sud
denly, Gregory grabs my arm firmly. Startled, I pull my arm back forcibly. “Hey, what’s the big deal?”
He leans in smiling, like he’s going to tell me something amusing. “You began to flicker,” he whispers into my ear.
My stomach drops and my eyes dart around the room. Maybe no one noticed. But then my eyes lock with Dexter. He looks at me, but keeps blinking, completely confused. I’ve been caught, but I think he’s at a loss as much as I am. He saw something. But I’m still trying to figure out the whole flicker thing myself as. “He saw,” I say in a harsh whisper.
“I wouldn’t worry too much about him. I don’t think he even knows what he just witnessed.”
Ania quickly gathers our trays. “We should probably go talk with Mr. Smith. Don’t you think so, Gregory?” she asks.
“Definitely. He’s going to want to know about what just happened.”
I take one more gulp of water and the three of us head toward the door. Nope, we’re not conspicuous at all. Totally normal. But I can still feel Tony’s eyes fixed on me, so I look back at him and smile. He waves and then turns back to his tablemates.
We walk down the long corridor toward Mr. Smith’s office. As soon as I enter the room, he motions for me to take a seat across to him. His desk is still cluttered with files and paperwork. The room smells stale and so does he, like he hasn’t left his office since yesterday. I fixate on the photo of the soldiers again, stalling. I know one of them has to be him, but who are the others? His lost brothers or best friends?
Mr. Smith runs his fingers through his hair.
“Well, young lady, you’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?”
Before I can even respond to him, Gregory chimes in. “Before you talk about the pool, you should know that she flickered at dinner just now.”
My eyes shoot toward Ania. I thought we weren’t supposed to tell anyone. She has the nerve to pat my hand. “Don’t worry; Gregory knows about today. We felt it important he knew since he’ll be training you too.”