by Pam Eaton
Mr. Smith strokes his chin for what seems like an eternity. He moves some papers around on his desk, searching, scanning. He stops when he finds a packet, but quickly puts his hands on top of it before I can read what it says. His eyes meet mine. “Becca, why don’t you tell me what happened at the track today? I’ve heard Ania’s account, but I want to hear it from you.”
I begin to relay the story about how we started out running together around the track. “The next thing I knew, Ania was pulling me out of the pool soaking wet.”
Mr. Smith sits there for a few moments studying me. “What about tonight at dinner?”
“I didn’t even know that I had flickered until Gregory told me. I wasn’t even running.”
His face remains a blank mask. “Was there anything in particular you were thinking about?”
I squirm in my seat under his piercing gaze. “I was thinking about my grandpa and how much I missed him. I was envisioning my home, eating dinner with my grandparents. I also thought a lot about sitting on the front porch in the rocking chairs with him and telling him everything I was thinking and going through. I wanted to talk to him about what was going on. I wanted to be there.”
I look down at the floor and feel the flush creeping up my neck. I’m practically a grown woman and shouldn’t be experiencing homesickness, but I can’t help it. I want to run home, back to a life without these types of responsibilities. I want to go to practice and hang out with my friends.
Gregory rests his hand on my arm, pulling me out of my inner turmoil. “It’s okay to miss your grandpa; he’s probably the only person outside of here who knows what’s going on. We’ve isolated you a lot from the others. You’re not alone, though. Everyone in this room knows how you feel.”
Mr. Smith and Ania nod in agreement. I’m one of them, and they understand, but it still hurts. “We are asking a lot of you, just as a lot was asked of us and everyone else here,” Mr. Smith says. “However, it’s important that we not disclose to too many people what you are capable of. It seems that your powers can be tied heavily to your emotions. You lack control, and that’s something I can’t let everyone know.”
He shifts his gaze to Ania and Gregory. The air in the room seems to become heavier. “We might need to move up the time of relocation. It’s getting too risky to have Becca stay here. We also need to make a decision on which other trainee will be coming with you.” He completely disregards me; it’s like I’m no longer sitting here.
I don’t like being left out of this conversation like I don’t exist. Yes, I agreed to come here and join them, but they should at least let me know matters that concern me. “What other location?” I ask.
Mr. Smith holds up his hand to quiet me like a small child. “Remember, we talked previously about taking you somewhere else to continue training. That time has come much sooner than anticipated. I cannot tell you yet where you’ll be going, but we’ll fill you in soon enough. For now, let’s have Gregory escort you back to your room and we can discuss more tomorrow.”
He dismisses us with the wave of his hand and starts poring over the papers that cover his desk. Gregory and I exit the room and walk down the same boring hallways toward my room. Maybe he can sense my uneasiness, or maybe he knows me better than I thought, but he puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me in close. My body relaxes at the comfort he gives. “I know this doesn’t seem fair, but just trust that we have good intentions and that everything will keep unfolding for you.” He stops, letting his arm fall, and places a hand on my cheek. “You can trust me.”
I smile at him. He has such an ease about him that always settles my nerves but makes my heart race. I may have met him a short time ago, but I do trust him.
We reach my door and say goodnight to each other. I walk into my room and sprawl out on my bed. I can still smell him on my clothes, and a smile lights up my face. Looking up at the ceiling, I try to imagine where we’ll move for training, who might be coming with us, and how long I’ll be there. As my thoughts wander, I begin to drift off to sleep.
Sixteen
Am I dreaming? I can feel something moving in the darkness of my room. I rub my eyes, but it does no good. Blackness encompasses everything. My heart quickens as I hear movement again. A whoosh of air and a hand is clamped over my mouth. My arms and legs thrash, trying to break free. But then a familiar voice whispers into my ear. My body seems to recognize it better than my mind because I immediately relax. “Becca, calm down. Don’t worry. I’m going to move my hand and turn on the light, but you need to stay quiet.”
With the flick of the light switch, I blink rapidly, glaring at the lights. As my eyes adjust I see Gregory kneeling before me at my bedside as he turns off a flashlight. I pull my covers up to my chin. It’s not like I’m half-dressed, but I feel vulnerable nonetheless. “What on earth are you doing in my bedroom?”
His eyes shift from me to the door and back again. “Your bags are packed and ready to go.”
My eyes go wide and I see them sitting by the door. “Excuse me?”
“I threw stuff in your bag. Don’t worry about it. But the timetable has been moved up. We have to leave right now.”
This has got to be a dream. They would never drag me out of here in the middle of the night. And he totally just handled my underwear. A look of horror must have come over my face, because he puts a hand on my knee. “Trust me. I need you to do that now. And don’t worry, I didn’t look at your stuff; I just grabbed it and threw it in the bag.”
I look into his sincere eyes and for a fleeting moment it seems like he’s looking into my soul. A calm washes over me and I search his eyes for any type of deceit. None. “I trust you.”
There’s no relief in his face, only the pressing need for us to get going. “Good, but we don’t have a lot of time. We need to leave. Let’s go.”
I swing my legs out of bed, and grab my mom’s A. A. coin off the nightstand. The clock reads three a.m. What’s with the urgency in leaving so early? As I pull my shoes on, Gregory grabs my bags, throws them over his shoulder, and ushers me out the door and down the hallway.
We race down the hall toward the elevator. My hair flies in my face and I push back the tangles. Ugh, I bet my breath reeks right now. With everything going on, it’s ridiculous how concerned I am about morning breath.
The elevator doors open and there stands Ania…with Tony and more suitcases. I look at Gregory. “What the…?”
Before I can even finish my sentence, Ania pulls me into the elevator. Tony gasps at my appearance, but then a slow smile spreads across his face. Gregory rolls his eyes at Tony. Well great, this’ll make things more interesting.
She pulls me close and whispers into my ear. “I get how confusing things are right now, but we’ll explain as soon as we can. I just need you to stay quiet and calm, and continue trusting us.”
I nod at Ania, afraid to make even the slightest sound. Tony gives me a wink. He better not know more than me about what’s going on.
We reach the basement level and walk swiftly into the parking garage. Gregory waves at the guard in the security shack and we head toward a row of black SUVs. Figures. Anytime you see anything regarding the government, they’re always driving around in black SUVs.
Next to the SUVs, though, is a small silver sedan. Gregory pops the trunk and throws my bags in and the others as well. He looks over his shoulder with his charming smile. “Only the big wigs get to travel in style. We get to travel in a normal car. Draws less attention anyway.”
Why do we need to draw less attention? Is someone going to follow us?
Ania gets into the passenger seat and I sit behind her next to Tony. Gregory turns the key and as he’s about to put the car into reverse, there’s a tap at the window. We all jump. “Sweet goodness,” I rasp. Tony shoots me an amused glance.
Gregory slightly cracks the window. It’s the guard from the security shack. My breath whooshes out of me. “Mr. Smith just called and told me to inform you not to stop; get as
much distance in as you can.” He backs away from the car and we drive out of the parking garage.
After a few minutes of silence, I can’t take it anymore. “Can we talk yet? I’m dying back here. And if we can’t talk, then please at least turn the radio on. But if we can talk, what the heck was that all about?”
Gregory looks up at me through the rearview mirror. He tries to smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Just keep the conversation light.”
Really, keep it light? I just got dragged out of my room in the middle of the night and some guard told us to get a move on. This whole situation is crazy. Tony has an evil smirk on his face and turns toward me. “Gregory says keep it light. I say we make it entertaining. So Becca, what do you look for in a man?”
Ania starts laughing and my mouth gapes like a fish. She looks back at Tony and says, “Goodness kid, Gregory said keep it light. Ever heard of subtle? Why don’t you start with what’s your favorite color?”
They both laugh, and it gives me time to regain my motor functions. “Well, Tony, I really like the color green, and I like my men to be athletic, charming, smart, and funny.”
He looks shocked at receiving an actual response, but recovers quickly. “Well, how do three out of the four sound?”
He has such a smug look on his face. I laugh and shake my head. I wonder which three traits he thinks he has. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Gregory’s glance. “Gregory, you’ve been really quiet. What about you, what do you look for in a girl?”
I thought he was part of the merriment in the car, but apparently I’m wrong. “How about those who aren’t driving get some sleep and let me focus on the road?” His voice is unyielding.
Well, someone is a little pissy. He glances up at the rearview mirror again and his eyes are flat. He’s not smiling. Everyone seems to withdraw to their own little corner of the car. I lean my head against the window and drift off to sleep.
“Becca, just remember to keep your secrets and trust no one.” I know I’m in a dream just now. The voice is so familiar to me and though I can’t place it, it makes me feel so comfortable. I’m sitting on the tree swing in my grandparents’ backyard, feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin and the cool breeze dancing through my hair. It’s summer, not the cold biting frost of winter that’s coming. Bliss is the best word to describe this moment.
Thunder pounds in the distance, and with that, my bliss turns to terror. Shadows grow and creep outward from the tree line. They take the forms of men and beasts, but I can’t make them out completely. I keep twisting in the tree swing to see if someone’s coming. Beads of sweat dot my brow and my heart pounds like a bass drum. The wind becomes more violent. It lashes at me and makes the shadows dance in the blackness. Snap! I spin around at the sound of a branch breaking and a man is standing there, cloaked in darkness. My skin erupts in goose bumps. I can’t see his face. My throat begins to tighten, my wind pipe crushed. All the oxygen is being sucked out of my body. “A raging storm is coming. Question Gregory.”
They said Gregory’s name. I can’t breathe. I try drawing in air, but it won’t come. My knees give out. I slump to the ground and the man stands over me now. I can’t make out his face. I need to see his face. Lightning strikes; everything blurs. I can feel myself fading, fading into the darkness that completely encloses me. The shadows of the beasts and men flank me until everything is black.
In the darkness I can hear a whisper of sound. I move toward it like the lifeline it is. “Becca! Becca, breathe!” Tony screams.
Gasp! I draw in huge gulps of air. The car. Just the car. Everyone’s gaze flits from one to another. I fidget in my seat, unsure why they keep looking at me like I’m a mental patient. Tony slowly reaches across the seat and lays his hand on my arm. He touches me like I’m a scared animal. Maybe I am. I draw up as much bravado as I can muster. “Sorry guys, it was just a bad dream.”
I turn and look out the window, trying to make it seem like it isn’t a big deal. I can still feel their eyes fixed on me. The silence in the car is deafening. Looking out the window, I realize that we’ve pulled over. It’s late morning—I can’t believe that I slept that long. Did I sleep through a pit stop? I must have.
I keep my eyes focused on the window, not wanting them to see my tears and the humiliation on my face. “So, where are we now?” I have to push the words past my tears.
No one responds to my question. We must have gone south; there would have been snow if we had gone north. The trees are pretty much still green, but there are signs of the season changing here as well. Finally, Ania breaks the stifling silence. “We’re just about there. We pulled over because it sounded like you were choking.”
I can’t shake the horrible feeling that the dream left me with. I wipe my face on my sleeve and then turn, catching Gregory’s eyes. He looks so unsure. “I’m fine. We can keep going.”
He turns back around and puts the car into gear. About two miles from where we stopped, we turn off the main road and onto a dirt one. We drive for about thirty minutes deeper into the forest. Nothing but tall pine trees, rocks, shrubbery, and dirt flanks the car. Finally, the car stops, and directly in front of us is a dilapidated cabin. The wood looks old and weathered, the paint on the shutters is flaking off, and there’s a huge hole in the screen door. Gregory shuts the car off and turns toward us. “Welcome to your new home.”
Tony laughs without humor. “What, no Hilton or Ritz?”
Ania shoots a disapproving glance at him. As we move up the front steps of the cabin, I step gingerly, feeling that at any moment the wood is going to crumble. It reminds me of one of those cabins in horror movies. When was the last time someone was here? Walking toward the front door, I feel chills race down my spine and I look into the woods at the shadows forming. This is ridiculous. It was just a dream. I drop my bags on the porch and turn to find Ania. “How long are we going to be here for?”
“I have no idea. That’ll be decided by Mr. Smith. I do know that we have a lot of training to do, and I haven’t forgotten that I promised you some explanations.”
That isn’t exactly the answer I’m looking for, but what else is new? Gregory comes up from behind us and unlocks the door. Peering into the darkness, I barely make out the staircase to the right and a furnished living room to the left. Once Gregory finds a light switch, I’m pleasantly surprised.
Even though the outside looks like it’s about to fall apart, the inside is clean and crisp. It has new furniture, freshly painted walls, and brand new appliances. Gregory places his hand on Tony’s shoulder. “Well, it’s not the Hilton, but I’m sure you’ll like it just fine. Let’s all get settled and meet back down here in a few minutes to talk about what our time here will be like.”
“Think the rooms are nice?” Tony asks.
I look around the cabin again. “Maybe?”
He rubs his hands together. “Only one way to find out” he says, as he takes a step toward the stairs.
“No way, I call first dibs!” I race Tony up the stairs, and hear Ania and Gregory laughing from behind me.
My room is plain, nothing special, just your basic bed, dresser, and side tables. The view from the window is beautiful, however. There’s a small window seat that beckons me to come and sit for a minute. I look out at the trees. It’s still a sea of green, and the sun setting behind them gives a golden hue to their tops. I struggle with leaving the seat, but I know that I have to go downstairs. After all, we’re here for a reason.
We all sit down in the living room; an anxious feeling hangs in the air. Tony sits on the couch next to me, absently biting his fingernails. Hopefully we’ll get some answers now. Finally, Gregory sits down next to Ania. “I’m not going to beat around the bush with you guys. Why don’t we just delve right into the facts of why we’re here?”
Tony and I look at Gregory and nod our heads in agreement. The sooner we get down to business, the better I’ll feel. He continues, “Some of what we’re going to tell you is not going to be fair
to you, Tony. Becca will get to learn about you and your abilities, but we can’t tell you too much about her right now.”
Tony’s eyes flash in anger, but before he can open his mouth, Gregory keeps going. “I get that you’re mad, but everyone’s safety is at stake. Our main objective for being here is to train both of you for a covert mission. It’ll be a retrieval, but even I don’t know what we need to get. In order for this mission to happen and be completed successfully, secrecy is of the utmost importance. We had to leave in a hurry because Becca was being watched before she got to Project Lightning. No one can know what’s going on if we’re all to stay safe. You don’t have to like it, but you do have to comply. Now Tony, do you want to explain your abilities or shall I?”
Tony gives Gregory a long, cold stare. It’s not fair, but they have their reasons. What I don’t understand is why they aren’t telling him about the missing agents. “Even though I think this is a bunch of bull to be kept in the dark, I have no problem telling Becca what I can do. The short story is I have amazing vision.”
Gregory huffs his annoyance at his response, and truthfully, I’m at a loss. That could mean a hundred different things. “What, do you have X-ray vision?”
Tony and Ania laugh. Tony leans back and puts his arm on the couch behind me. “No, if I had X-ray vision I would get nothing done because I’d be constantly distracted by women like you.”
I can feel my cheeks getting redder by the second and I reflectively fold my arms in front of my chest. Gregory starts fidgeting in his chair, looking uncomfortable as well. He shoots an annoyed look over at Tony. “Why don’t you elaborate for her and cut out the creepy crap.”
Tony’s smile falls. Pretty sure he just realized what he said. “I can see for miles. Not only can I see far distances, I can make out the smallest details miles away. I also can see every hair that is out of place on your head right now. Every flaw, imperfection, every small detail and every beauty mark is picked up by my eyes. It’s sort of like using a zoom lens on a camera. I can turn it on and off. I’ve also been working on reading lips.”