by Cooper Eaton
“The machines we added pump and regulate micro nano sensors that now run in you.” He paused again as another gasp of horror went through the crowd!
“How can they do this?” “There’s no way this is legal!” More voices.
Mr. Blackwood continued. “Oh, but it is. When you signed on you gave us every legal right to do what we have done. But there is no need to fret. These sensors are in no way harmful to you health. In fact, we have never once had a medical problem with them. You are all perfectly safe. Please stay calm!” He waved down the voices. “If you want to learn their purpose, I suggest you listen.” he once again paused as the crowd quieted. “These nanosensors travele through your bloodstream, through your brain and back again. Their purpose is to help you connect with our technological instruments. This connection between you and our technology is a major part of the test that you have all come here and agreed to take part in. I’m sure you’re all wondering what the test is. Well, it is quite simple. You will all be taking part in a series of missions. You’ll be assigned groups and take part in simulated missions with your team members. These missions will help us fine tune our instruments and determine what type of minds interact best with our micro sensors. In this way, we will be able to optimize our hardware which will eventually help us mass produce this technology to benefit the human race. Any questions?”
A boy in the front of me raised his hand so fast I barely had time to process that it was my roommate, Rasben. “How will you be able to tell which minds interact best with your software?”
The man seemed to get very excited by the question. “That is a great question! We have designed this trial as a competition to fully see which minds handle the nanosensors the best. The competitions we have designed are extremely difficult. You’ll all be assigned a senior leader and three team members. The leaders assigned to each group have worked for ASTA in the past and will be there to lead you every step of the way. They will help guide you and answer your questions. Every few days your teams will participate in missions. Based on your performance your teams will receive points. Things like tactical skill, teamwork, and problem-solving will all be analyzed and graded. The two teams with the lowest scores after each mission will have to fight it out to see which team will go home and which one will stay. These missions are designed to test you in every way imaginable. Some will be excruciatingly painful, and some will give you thrills you’ve never imagined! What is coming is going to be the ride of your lives!”
“Will we be safe?” A girl asked from off to my right.
The man’s face flashed with annoyance. “Of course you will. Our main job here at ASTA is to make sure that each of you are safe and protected. Your safety will always be first.” He finished as if repeating a memorized retort. “If there are no other questions, then we will be splitting you into your groups.” He said without actually looking to see if there were any other hands raised. “ Your senior leaders will now be introduced one at a time, and after they’re introduced, they will call out the names of the testers in their groups. When your names are called, please come to the front and follow your senior leader back to your base rooms.” He finished and walked to the side motioning someone standing in the shadows to come forward. A boy not much older than me, probably 20 or 21 walked from his hidden place and flipped on his amplifier.
“Hello everybody!” He said with a slightly shaky voice. “My name is Josh, and I am a senior leader. I have worked for ASTA for around 2 years and am very happy to be here. Please come forward when I call your name. William Rose, Rasben Blair, Rachel Starr, and Jessica Bell, please come forward.”
I froze! Jessica! She was in my group! CRAP, Crap, Crap! I can’t believe it. There is no way this was happening! I must be cursed!
I looked over at the guys and saw that they were trying to hold back smirks. “You’ll be alright man, everything will work itself out,” Chris whispered under his breath.
“Please hurry, we don’t have all day.” Came Josh’s irritated voice from the front.
I stood stiffly and began to walk past the few people between me and then end of my aisle. I could feel the group of girls behind me staring at me as I walked past.
I reached the group and realized that the little boy that was my roommate, Rasben, was also in my group. Luckily, last night when I’d returned he’d been asleep, and I didn’t have to hear his life story, but I wish I’d stayed and listened to whatever stupid thing he’d had to say instead of being with the girls and screwing myself royally.
“Please follow me,” Josh said before turning and walking towards the door.
We walked around the corner and up a small set of stairs. We immediately turned into the first door on our right. The room looked weird. Everything was white. The walls, the floor, the ceiling. Ever heard of paint?
“How's it going, guys?” Josh turned to us. “So as you already know, I’ll be your senior leader. My name’s Josh, and I will be your number one source of answers, so any questions are welcomed. I know this is kind of sudden, but in about an hour we’ll be having our first mission. Any questions you have should be asked now, before I brief you on some key things, for the mission.”
As he talked, I looked over briefly at Jessica only to see that her focus was solely on Josh.
Rasben asked about what precautions we should take with the new nano sensor in our heads, to which Josh responded that everything would be just like normal, and if we hadn’t been told about the nano processors, we would never have known because they changed nothing. When no one else had any questions, Josh began the briefing.
“Alright, if there aren’t any more questions, then we’ll get on with the briefing. The first thing you should know is that we’ll be in the desert. You should also know that we’ll be in different bodies than our own and that you shouldn’t get freaked out.” He said pausing to make sure we all understood. “Alrighty then, our actual mission is to get a vial from a secret laboratory that will be heavily guarded…” Josh continued to talk, but I couldn’t keep my focus on him.
Jessica was too distracting! The way she bobbed her head agreeing with everything Josh said, as if she knew exactly what he was talking about, was cute. The way her strawberry blond curls flowed down over her shoulders and caressed her face was gorgeous! Her lips and emerald eyes sparkled!
She turned her head to look over at me. I realized I was staring and immediately jerked my head away. I felt her looking at me but was too embarrassed to look back. And then out of nowhere, Josh addressed me.
“William... Wiliam? Can you do that?”
All four of them were staring at me, and I had no idea what he was talking about. “Yeah, sure. No problem.” I sputtered hoping for the best.
“Okay then, we’re good. I think we’re good to head down to our team's simulator room. Any questions?” Without really waiting for questions he turned and headed for the door only looking back once to make sure we were following.
I followed like a baby lamb, still with no idea what Josh had been talking about, just hoping it wouldn’t come back to haunt me.
We followed Josh down the hallway that curled slightly. I tried to keep my distance from Jessica hoping that if I didn’t make any more bonehead moves, she wouldn’t acknowledge me in the manner of last night.
As we walked, I realized that she wasn’t nearly as embarrassed as I was. She walked with purpose and soon was walking next to Josh at the front. I was glad she chose the front and not just because it got distance between us.
Did I mention she was beautiful? I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off of her as she moved with purpose and poise. Her hair was longer than what I’d imagined. It ran all the way to the small of her back where it swished back and forth. My eyes continued downward, past the tips of her stunning hair. Her hips moved gently from side to side, and her bottom swayed with skillful ease in her pair of tight, faded jeans. Her almost too perfect legs moved with grace and… I realized I was staring ag
ain, and tried to look away, but it felt like I was ripping off a band-aid and I just couldn’t do it! Every second I walked behind her made me realized how far she really was out of my league. Man, she’s gorgeous!
“This is it,” Josh announced.
We reached what Josh had called our simulator room and entered. This room, like the last one we’d been in, was completely white. And just like our previous room, it was quite small. Although unlike the other room this one had 5 beds lining the opposing wall.
“This is our team's simulator room. Whenever we have a mission, this is where you need to head. I know it was kind of hard to find your way here, but as your time here is extended, you’ll come to know this place like the back of your hand. I know things are moving very fast, right now but it’s time for us to enter into your first simulation. If you will all please find a bed to lie down on the simulator will be starting shortly.” He finished and then turned studying some sort of computer readout.
I approached the first bed on the left and quickly laid down. Rasben laid down next to me and then Rachel and Jessica followed on the beds on the far end of the line.
Josh finished looking at the readout and took the bed between the girls and boys. “Alrighty then, everyone better buckle up, this is gonna be a bumpy ride.”
I was about to ask what he meant by buckle up but decided to act like I knew what was happening. “Beep, beep, beep.” a machine began haphazardly beeping! The beeping increased with volume and quantity! “BEEP, BEEP, BEEP!” What is happening!
BAM! I was slammed from my body! I flew out of my own skin and into some sort of vacuum! The vacuum sensation started slow, but began to suck faster and faster! I was spun and pulled in every direction! I’m gonna die! Crap! And then, all at once just as quickly as it had started it stopped!
I flew out of the tunnel of light I’d been sucked into and slammed into something, or rather someone! It felt like smashing into a hovercraft! (And trust me, I know what that feels like.) I instantly seemed to bond with the human and meld with it.
It took me a second to gather my bearings, and when I did, I was mystified. Things felt similar to the real world, but something was different this time. Things felt more real. I wasn’t just in another body, I was another body!
I had complete control! Looking down I realized that something was off. My skin wasn’t white anymore! It was brown! My body was entirely different! Instead of being a tall skinny, 16 year old white teen, I was now a smaller, middle aged man with golden skin and muscles in places I didn’t know were possible!
“Hey, William stop gawking at yourself and get over here!” Josh shouted from somewhere behind me.
Turning around I realized for the first time, that I wasn’t alone. I jogged over to a group of men and women who were just as confused as I was.
It was a relief to see that everyone was in different bodies and not just me. The man I was assuming was Josh seemed to also be very muscular beneath the robes of his tunic and the turbin resting atop his head. He looked Arabic, as did the rest of them.
“Alright, let’s get a face to go with everyone's new body.” The man who was Josh asked the group assembled in front of him.
“I’m Jessica,” said a very tall Arab woman. Her skin was a baked golden brown, and her skin seemed to glisten in the sunlight. Her hair was brown now, from what I could see peeking out from behind a headscarf.
“I’m Rachel,” Said the girl to Jessica’s right. She was also Arabic like the others but seemed more exotic, almost like she was might be half and half.
As I tried to figure out what nationality Rachel was, I noticed for the first time that the person standing next to her was, in fact, another girl. You could hardly tell because of the way no part of her was left open to prying eyes, but her body definitely didn’t belong to that of a boy.
“Who’s the new girl?” I asked with genuine curiosity.
“I’m Rasben you idiot!” The new pretty brunette said with embarrassment.
“Haha! No for real, where is Rasben?”
“Shut up William, we don’t want to be heard!” Josh whispered, but it was too late!
A ray blast whizzed past him and sizzled the ground at my feet.
“Move, move, move!” Josh screamed panicking!
I dove to the sand looking for cover but finding none! Word to the wise, don’t get in a firefight in the desert because you will get shot!
I rolled down the hill of sand feeling million of granules of sand slip through my robes scratching my skin.
“Guys over here, run!” Josh shouted as he brushed sand off of what looked like a trap door! The door swung open!
“Hurry hurry, get inside!”
I sprinted as fast as I possibly could, but my feet seemed to sink further and further into the sand with every step!
I dove for the cover of the trapdoor as a ray blast smashed into the wood and splintered it everywhere!
I fell into the passage and on top of Jessica!
“Oww! Get off of me William!” She screamed with irritation.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.
She brushed my apology aside as Josh began shouting orders. “We have to move now, Follow me!” With that, he turned and began to sprint down the tunnel we were now trapped in!
“Who was that?” Rachel shouted with a slight accent ahead to Josh.
“There isn’t any time for explanations, we’re here to get a vial. Stick to what I told you in the briefing. If everyone completes their end of the mission, we’ll be fine.” Josh whispered in hushed tones.
We moved quickly and quietly through the tiny, damp and pitch black tunnel that provided secrecy from the outside world. Ten minutes later Josh unexpectedly opened another trap door, and sunlight ripped into my wide eyes blinding me briefly!
“Hurry everybody out!” Josh whispered frantically!¶I scrambled out ahead of the girl, who was Rasben, and was met by the sight of the craziest building I’d ever seen! There in front of us was a giant rock building that was absolutely amazing! It couldn’t be real! It looked like something straight out of a silver screen! One side of the rock looked like any giant rock should, but the front side had been carved into the shape of a building!
“We have to get inside that rock, and we have to move quickly and quietly,” Josh whispered urgently.
We reached the building, moving quickly in single file. Just before we entered Josh stopped us.
“This is where we’ll split up, you guys remember the plan right? Jessica and William are climbing up the second floor while Rachel, Rasben and I will breach from the ground floor.”
Wait, what? “What are you talking about, since when was I assigned to climb anything? I’m afraid of heights!” I asked trying to hold back my fear.
“What are you talking about William, when I asked you earlier you said that it would be no problem and that you would be fine to do it.”
“When?”
“In the briefing. You said: sure, no problem. Remember?”
“Well, I wasn’t really listening to you,” I whispered frantically beginning to feel a hot flush of embarrassment climb onto my face.
“We don’t have time to rearrange things, you have to climb. If we argue about this any longer, we’ll have no shot at completing this mission and trust me you do not want to have to compete in the deciding games.”
“What’s a deciding game?” Rasben asked in his high-pitched girly voice.
“Never mind, we don’t have time for talk right now, here is your gear,” Josh said as his hand produced a long rope, a couple of picks and what looked like two ray guns! Good luck.” And with that, he was gone along with Rachel and Rasben.
I stood there in complete and utter fear. Why does everything go wrong for me? I can’t climb, I have no idea how!
“Jessica, I haven’t climbed anything except for our rock wall at our school, and we were hooked up to harnesses so we couldn’t fall! ther
e is no way in hell I’m gonna be able to climb this rock.”
“You ready?” Jessica asked completely ignoring my pleas, although the slight grin on her face was enough to tell me that she was going to enjoy this.
She jumped up a couple of feet with a slight grunt grabbing onto the rock and sticking to it. Then she began to scale the wall with effortless ease. When she got to the top, she seemed to run out of handholds and paused for a second. Then like a cat she sprang! She completely let go of the wall and stretched for the lip of a window carved into the rock. She dangled for a second and then pulled herself up and disappeared.
“Are you coming? Let's go!” She yelled down sounding annoyed.
“What about the picks and the rope?” My voice was thick with desperation.
“They would only mess you up. Either climb this wall, or I’m gonna leave you behind!” She yelled back down.
I couldn’t take her egging me on, so I began to climb. My climbing was extremely slow, and it felt like at any second I would fall down the few feet I had traversed.
“Let's go, gramps, speed it up!” Jessica called down again without any thought of people overhearing her.
I got this, I can do this, I just gotta believe. I just can’t freeze up.
And I didn’t. It took a while, but I finally reached the spot where Jessica had paused, and then I froze! Fear washed over me with a paralyzing grip.
“Jessica, Jessica!” I called up.
“What?”
“I’m stuck. What should I do?”
“Jump. Your only option is to jump. It’s not that hard. You can do it, William.” She said dropping all sarcasm from her voice, as she realized that I was actually in danger and desperately needed moral support. “If you overthink it, you’ll never do it. I’ll count to three, and then you have to jump. Okay?”
“Okay,” I whispered back with a trembling voice.
She began the count. “1, 2, 3, JUMP!”
I felt adrenaline surge through me as I pulled with my arms as hard as I could and pushed from the wall with my trembling legs. I got about 2 feet upwards before I ran out of momentum! I felt my body slow to a halting float as I grabbed desperately for the top lip, but all I got was a fistful of dirt!
