by Adi Sethupat
“I’m surprised you even cared,” she said sharply. Chrissy’s telepathic gift should have been working…but she couldn’t read the man at all. He had to be shielding his mind somehow, either through technology or military training.
“Chrissy,” said her father, “leaving you, your sisters, your mom… and staying away…It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I had to save my family, Chrissy. It was the only way. Don’t you understand? Once certain people knew who I was and that I worked for the agency…I became a target. I couldn’t put you all at risk. The only way for me to protect you was to leave.”
“But you never even called.” Tears filled her eyes. Suddenly, she could feel his emotions, calling to her through the pain of her own loneliness.
“Chrissy,” he said, reaching across the distance that separated them, “I love you.”
She didn’t pull her hand away. Her vision blurred and hot tears spilled out on to her cheeks.
Chapter 8 - Agency Headquarters
To her surprise, Chrissy saw Slum City out the front window.
“Where are we going?”
“I’m taking you to the agency headquarters.”
“But Michael…” Chrissy protested.
“He’s safe. His father’s not going to harm him. And we have him under surveillance, just in case.”
“But…he thinks I’m dead.”
“That’s good. So does his father.”
She squeezed her father’s hand and let go, so that she could rest her hands on her lap.
“Agency headquarters is in Slum City?”
“Not exactly.”
When they had almost reached the city, her father turned off onto a side road. They drove up to a farm, and her father eased the van into a large old barn which had once been red but was now grayed with age and peeling paint.
“This is the agency headquarters?!”
“You’ll see,” her father chuckled. He pressed a button and the large barn door slid closed. The ground shuddered beneath them and the whole car moved downward.
“It’s an elevator!” Chrissy exclaimed.
“Cool, right?” said her father.
She nodded.
“Agency headquarters has been built directly under Slum City, the ideal location. There are ten hidden entrances.”
“Under Slum City is the ideal location?” Chrissy asked.
“It’s the last place anyone would think to look for us. And…there are other reasons, too.”
They drove down a tunnel wide enough for three cars to drive side-by-side. In the dim light, she made out a rounded ceiling far above them. In front of the van, the tunnel stretched out for as far as Chrissy could see.
In silence, they drove ten minutes more before they came to a large parking garage.
“Here we are,” he said.
They got out of the van and her father led them to a heavy metal door in the thick wall. He pulled it open and they stepped through.
“It’s not locked?” asked Chrissy. “There are no guards?”
“Everything’s under surveillance. They know we’re here.”
Three austere hallways led away in different directions.
“This way,” said her father, choosing the one to their right and setting out at a brisk pace.
He spoke as they walked. “Kerberos has been under surveillance for a long time. He’s been the mastermind behind a lot of really bad stuff. Kerberos is a gift-user; he can access all the gifts. And now he’s surrounded himself with the Gifted. He’s considered armed and extremely dangerous.”
“Dad…I’m one too. I mean…I can use all the gifts, too.”
“I know,” he replied. “That’s why you’re here.”
“But…” She stopped abruptly. Her eyes burned and she tried to blink back the tears. “I thought you saved me because you love me.”
“Of course. I rescued you because I love you.” Her father walked back to her and drew her into an embrace. He spoke softly, close to her ear. “I love you very much.” Then he released her, held both her hands in his, and looked deeply into her eyes. “But I brought you here because we need you.”
Understanding blossomed inside her. He does love me! And he needs me!
“Are you up for this, Chrissy?”
“Yes.” The new knowledge filled her with confidence.
“Then let’s go.” He released her hands and continued down the hall.
Before they had walked much farther, they heard footsteps coming up a side passageway toward them.
“Hello, hello!” they heard a friendly voice say. Chrissy was surprised when the man came into view. He was a little person, shorter than she was by almost half!
“You’re to report to the director,” he said to her father, “while I give this lovely young lady a tour of the facility.” The man grinned broadly at Chrissy. She could read him plainly. No guile. He was a nice person.
“Very well,” said her father. “I’ll see you in a while, Chrissy.” He turned and walked away, his long strides carrying him swiftly down the corridor.
“Hi,” said the friendly little man, sticking out his hand in greeting. “I’m Ted.”
They shook hands.
“This way!” he called, leading her back the way he had come.
Soon they entered a busier area. People flowed up and down the hallways. Ted introduced her to everyone they passed. Her head swam with names and faces.
“And this is the treasure room,” announced Ted, swinging open a round, heavy, metal vault door.
Chrissy gasped. Inside was money of every currency, gold, silver, gemstones, jewelry, and all types of valuable, ancient relics.
“Ted!” Someone called from behind. “Ted! I need to speak with you.”
The little man sighed. “Feel free to have a look around, Chrissy. I’ll be back.”
Chrissy walked into the large vault. She had never seen such things. The money held no interest for her but the pendants, necklaces, rings, and the other ancient artifacts were incredibly beautiful. She inspected the golden treasures closely, even handling a few of them, but she didn’t dare to try anything on. Chrissy didn’t want to get in trouble.
“Okay, I’m back,” Ted called from the entrance to the vault. “Ready to move on?”
Chrissy followed the little man to a large open area. People were clustered about computer consoles or other contraptions.
“Research hub,” Ted explained.
“Look out!”
Chrissy turned in time to see that a heavy light fixture was falling from the ceiling. Directly below sat a woman looking into a microscope. Almost as fast as thought, Chrissy moved toward the woman. Her feet hit the floor twice in a mad sprint, and then she was in the air. She snatched the woman out of her chair and phase-shifted them both for good measure, just as the huge metal fixture came crashing down on the woman’s workstation.
“Oh, my!” exclaimed the woman, as they phased back and Chrissy set her down beside the pile of debris. “Thank you!”
“I’m so sorry,” called a man from up in the rafters. “We’re installing some new lighting. I can’t believe that one got away from me.”
The woman frowned up at the man who shuffled away.
“Good job, Chrissy. Well done!” exclaimed Ted. “That certainly was more excitement than we usually get around here.”
Chrissy breathed a huge sigh of relief. That was a close one.
“Shall we continue the tour?” asked Ted.
She nodded in agreement and they exited the research hub through a hall on the other side.
“These are the practice rooms,” said Ted excitedly, as they walked down a hall with many doors leading off to both sides. “All the rooms are lined with metal and then padded with thick, fire-proof foam. We want to keep our gifted agents-in-training safe.”
“Help! Help!” Chrissy heard someone calling from one of the rooms.
“What’s wrong?” she wondered aloud.
“Let’s
check it out,” said the little man.
They walked down the hall toward the sound of the cries. In one of the small practice rooms, they found a male youth, trapped up to the neck in a thick block of ice.
“What happened?” Ted asked the boy.
“I was practicing water control and I got myself stuck!”
“Well, you know the policy,” said Ted, turning to walk out of the room. “You got yourself into it. You get yourself out of it.”
“No! Please!” cried the boy. “I’m really stuck! It’s so cold…it’s hurting!”
Back out in the hall, Chrissy turned on the little man. “He’ll get frost bite and hypothermia; he could die.”
“He’ll probably not die,” said Ted. “He’ll just learn not to do that again. And if he doesn’t make it…well…then…that’s too bad.”
“That is not okay,” said Chrissy, marching back into the room.
“Don’t help him,” Ted called. “That will be breaking the rules. You’re gonna get yourself in trouble.”
“That’s a stupid rule,” Chrissy fired back as she focused her mind and sped up the molecules within the ice. With a whoosh, the water released and splashed to the floor.
“Thanks,” said the boy, smiling at her. “I owe you one.”
“Let’s go,” said Ted briskly, from the doorway. “I think you had better have a talk with the director.”
They walked in silence down several hallways until they came to a door labeled with a metal plaque that read “Director”. Ted opened the door and they both walked in. There stood her father and a man with white hair. Large viewing screens hung on a wall behind a massive wooden desk. But the men weren’t looking at the displays. The screens were turned off. The director and her father were both looking at her. Chrissy felt a twinge of fear but shoved it away. She had done the right thing.
“I’m pleased to report that Chrissy has passed all the tests,” announced Ted from beside her.
“Yes, we know,” said the director. “We’ve been monitoring her progress from here.”
“Tests?” Chrissy gasped.
“Yes!” said Ted. “The test of honesty, the test of speed and strength, and the test of compassion.”
“Of course,” the director confirmed. “We had to assess your skills and integrity before we could offer you the position of special agent.”
“But that light fixture falling toward the lady…”
“All planned,” Ted explained. “There was a force shield that could have been activated had you failed to ‘save’ her.”
“But the boy trapped in the ice block?” she asked helplessly.
“A volunteer,” said Ted, chuckling. “If you didn’t help him, others were standing by to let him out.”
“And…it’s policy…?” she asked, incredulously.
“Bah, that’s not the policy,” Ted countered. “That would be a stupid rule, wouldn’t it - not helping others?”
“But I sensed no deception!” she sputtered.
“Ah, we know a few tricks you haven’t caught on to yet,” said Ted, chuckling again.
She turned her focus to the director. “You want me as a special agent?”
“Yes. I see, now, that your father was right. We want you on the team, Chrissy. We need your help to stop Kerberos.”
Chrissy wasn’t sure what to say. She always hated the agency for taking her father away. But now…
“Chrissy…” said her father, “the children at the School for the Gifted,” your sisters, “they are not safe while he is in charge there. And he has plans - diabolical plans. He needs to be stopped.”
“Very well,” said Chrissy. “I’ll help with this. But afterwards…I’m not sure.”
“That will do for now,” said the director. “Things are already in motion. There is no time to waste.”
Chapter 9 - Ungifted
It was dark when a stealth chopper took Chrissy to the farmer’s field where she had begun her adventure only three weeks earlier. She was dressed in black and wore a black backpack. In it was a special helmet. Her mission was to get the helmet on Mr. Kerberos. The helmet, in addition to being lead-lined to block his connection to the gifts, was also battery powered. It sent out a signal that caused the wearer to pass out. Chrissy hugged her father goodbye and then winked out of sight. She soared up into the air, over the forest, toward the school. Neither the principal’s office nor his private rooms had any windows. But Chrissy thought she knew how she could get to him.
She flew directly to the window from which she had left. After landing lightly on the ledge, she peered inside. The window was open. Michael was sitting on the edge of his bed, with his head in his hands. She ‘listened’. Sorrow. Loss. He missed her!
Climbing in the window, she went to sit beside him on the bed. Michael felt it as she sat down. He looked around, wide-eyed. Chrissy remembered she was still cloaked and she flipped it off. Michael gasped. A ghost!
“No,” she whispered. “Michael, it’s me!”
“But I saw you drown!”
“No. You saw me sink down into the water. I’m not dead. I’ll explain the rest later.” She took her backpack off. “Right now,” she pulled the black helmet from her bag, “we need to get this onto your father. He has to be stopped.”
Michael nodded. “I think my father will agree to see me. You come in with me - cloaked. Can you also cloak your mind?”
“I think so.”
Michael plucked the phone from his nightstand and dialed his father’s number. He waited with the phone to his ear, concern causing a crease in his forehead.
“Hi, Dad. I was wondering if I could come and see you now.”
Silence.
“Yes, I know it’s late but…I haven’t seen you since I got back. We really need to talk.”
Longer silence.
“Okay. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” Michael clicked the receiver back into place. “He said yes.”
Michael walked slowly to his father’s suite. Chrissy matched him, step for step, under cloak. She carried the helmet in her hands. She felt ready. Michael stopped at a large door and pressed a doorbell in the wall. The door opened, revealing Mr. Kerberos, in his pajamas.
“Come in, Cain,” he said tersely.
Michael walked in and Chrissy entered quickly behind him, before Kerberos closed the door and slid the lock back into place.
“What is it, Cain?”
Then, suddenly, Chrissy found herself flat on her back. Kerberos was on top her with his fingers wrapped around her throat. The helmet had been flung out of her hand. She clawed futilely at his arms as blackness began to creep in at the edges of her vision. All at once, his grip loosened. He was slumping over and Chrissy found she could scramble out from under him. Then she saw Michael. He was cradling his father’s limp body. Michael had put the helmet on Mr. Kerberos.
***
In the morning, Chrissy heard a knocking at her door. As she awoke, she realized that she had slept in her clothing. She hurried to see who was at her door. Michael and Ted stood in the hallway.
“The director wants to talk to us,” Michael informed her.
“Okay,” said Chrissy, following them into the hallway.
“Can you find your way without me?” asked Ted. “I have other matters to attend to.”
“I think so,” said Chrissy.
“I’ll see you later then,” said the little man, moving off down the hall.
“What’s wrong?” Chrissy asked Michael. Sadness and guilt were washing from him in waves.
“My father…” said Michael, “they did that operation on him. The one he was going to make you have.”
“Oh!”
“Yeah. I guess they had to. Now he won’t be so dangerous. But…he will be utterly devastated.”
“Is he okay?”
“The doctors told me that the operation went well. There shouldn’t be any brain damage…apart from the fact that he lost everything he was…everything t
hat mattered to him.”
“Michael, he was a very, very dangerous man. He had too much power. He tried to kill me…twice. And you know that would have just been the beginning.”
“Oh, it wasn’t the beginning. I know some of the stuff he’s done. He was a very dangerous, very bad guy.”
“So it must be for the best, then, that they’ve taken his power away.”
“Yeah, I guess. But I’m sure he would rather have died if he had been given the option…I guess now he’s ungifted. Just like me.”
“Mr. Kerberos has been un-gifted,” said Chrissy. “But you…you’re not ungifted. You just have different kinds of gifts.” They looked at each other for a long moment. Slowly, a smile spread over Michael’s face, making his eyes crinkle in the corners.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “That’s true. I think…I think I’ve been made right, too.”
“Yes, yes, you have,” said Chrissy, reaching for him. Hand in hand, they walked together down the corridor toward the director’s office.
Chapter 10 - A New Destiny
It was some time later when Chrissy and Michael actually reached the director’s office. Apparently, Chrissy wasn’t as good with directions as she had thought.
“Come in. Come in,” he said, motioning them to the chairs opposite his desk.
“Sorry we took so long,” Chrissy apologized.
“It’s not a problem.” The director smiled and Chrissy realized that he probably had been monitoring their progress for the last forty-five minutes, on his very large view screens.
They sat down.
“Chrissy, we would like you to become a permanent member of the team. And Michael, there is a position open for you here as well.”
“Yes!” said Michael.
Chrissy looked at him.
“What?” he asked. “Have you seen the cool stuff they have around here? It’s awesome! Plus we’d be working for the good guys, Chrissy.”
“I’m just not sure,” she said finally. “What would we do?”
“You remember all those practice rooms we have, Chrissy?”
“Yes.”
“Did you notice that most of them were empty?”
“I never thought about it.”
“We have only a very few Gifted working for us. To make this world a better and safer place, to turn the tide on evil, we need to recruit more of the Gifted. We need to bring them to our side. That’s where you’ll come in.”
“You want us to go back to the School for the Gifted?” asked Chrissy.
