His little speech was met with applause by the rest of the officials on the Commission. I felt a little undeserving and even a bit scared. I didn’t know if my gifts were impressive enough for them. I didn’t want to let Chace down and I didn’t want the Commission to think I was a sorry excuse for a gifted one.
Before I could think another thought, the interior wall started to ascend. Behind it stood an environment very similar to the one at the factory in Hoboken. It was show time. Hope’s hand pressed against my shoulder in a comforting gesture. Having a direct route to my emotions, she must have felt my uneasiness. “You can do it, Lexi. There are no mistakes in this. You are what you are and everyone will accept you, no matter what happens. You are one of us now. That’s how we roll.” She smiled and gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze before letting go.
“Lexi, please step into the control room,” Peter said. “We would like to see a sample of your gifts. Whatever ones you would like to share at this time would be fine.”
I looked at Hope while I walked slowly into the room. That old knot came back and tied itself around my insides. My shoulders tightened with tension, the sweat trickled down the sides of my head and my breathing got shallow and quick. Hope mouthed the words ‘feel it’ to me just as Chace did. I felt a sudden sense of comfort and confidence in that.
I took my place in the middle of the room. With one deep breath, I closed my eyes for only a second before I disappeared into the tunnel of color. I swam through the liquid walls and reappeared less than a foot away from where I initially stood in the room. I impressed myself that I was able to get that close to the mark. Once again, I closed my eyes so quickly it appeared to be a blink instead. I pulled the energy from only the control room and managed to leave everyone in the next room untouched. I was amazed at my accuracy. I started to do whatever came naturally and I didn’t feel the least bit nervous anymore. I leapt and sailed through the air until I sat high up on the balcony right in front of Peter. He chuckled at my valiant effort at getting so close without landing on him.
I motioned Melody to come in, surprising everyone, including her. She looked to Peter who nodded with a big smile. It was obvious that her tough exterior was no secret. Melody stepped into the room and stood before me for a change. “Give me what you got!” I provoked.
I had never seen Melody smile, although it was a wicked one at best. She was more than happy to trip me up in front of the Commission. With one quick leap at me, she became a huge, seething, panther. A shape-shifter. Not bad, I thought. I threw all my strength into my energy field. No matter how much she swatted, she couldn’t get to me. Little by little, I channeled some of my strength into fighting back. My protective little cocoon shot out spiked barbs that I aimed in benign places so as not to kill her. I didn’t think anyone would have been too happy if I had. Well, maybe they would have, but I wasn’t going to be the one to do her in, even though I didn’t like her.
She receded and shifted back to herself, only slightly injured. Obviously not happy with the result, she came back at me for more. She spat a stream of blue fire at me with such force that it created a huge wind gust. I reacted instantly by bouncing around the room, easily staying out of her path. Flames burned in clusters everywhere and I hung from the rafters unharmed and a bit amused. Melody shifted into a butterfly and flew up to me. She rested on my hand while flapping her brightly colored wings.
“I think you have earned her respect, Ms. Blane,” a voice from the balcony called.
I turned my eyes back to Melody. “I’m not so bad, you know,” I said to the little insect lying peacefully on my hand. “Maybe we could be a little friendly?”
“Don’t count on it!” she said as she shifted back into her normal body. “You have good control of your gifts. You’re a promising phyter and I can respect that. But that’s all you’ll ever get from me.”
“Fair enough,” I said smugly. She didn’t have to like me. I would have been happy just to know she wouldn’t make my life miserable anymore. That remained to be seen.
“That’s enough, Lexi. You can come back down now,” Peter called to me.
I dove down and landed softly while Melody turned herself back into a butterfly and flew to the floor of the control room. We walked out together as the wall closed down behind us.
“Very nice, young lady. You have perfected your gifts in such a short period of time. We are all very impressed with your abilities,” Peter said with a big smile.
“I didn’t expect anything less,” another man from the balcony remarked. I didn’t have to see the face to know who that voice belonged to.
“Chace?” I shouted. I held my arm up to block the bright light beaming down from the balcony and scanned the group high above me.
“You’ve done very well, Lexi. We’re all very proud of you. Need a ride home?” Chace joked. Everyone on the balcony laughed. It wasn’t really that funny, but they were all so used to sucking up to him it just became second nature to follow his lead.
“I’ll come for you after your briefing. Well done, Lexi. Well done!” he said and the lights in the balcony went out.
The women took me to another door in the long hallway. We went through the same security checks as before and then entered the room where my briefing would take place. This was the end of the road for them. Surprisingly, Melody and April shook my hand and wished me well.
“You’ll be wonderful, Lexi. Until we meet again, my friend, stay well.” Hope threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly. I felt like I was losing a sister even though I’d never had one. We shared a connection. I felt it just as she did.
“Thank you for everything,” I whispered. “I hope I’ll be allowed to see you again.”
“I think you will, Lex. I think you will.” She went into the darkness of the halls with the others.
“Ms. Blane,” a woman’s voice called. “Please come in.”
I followed yet another beautiful woman into her office. It was very cozy and made me feel very much at home. “I’m Laura and I will be taking you through the last step of your orientation. It’s very nice to meet you, Ms. Blane,” she said as she reached for my hand.
“Call me, Lexi. Nice to meet you too, Laura,” I said and shook her hand.
We sat on the couch while Laura went over the fundamentals. “Here is a guide that you’ll take with you. Please read it quickly as it will disintegrate in twenty-four hours. I will go over everything that’s in it. This just serves as reinforcement since most phyters are exhausted and probably not listening very carefully by the time they get to me. The most important thing to remember, Lexi, is that you can’t tell the norms of your abilities, nor can you tell them of the alternate universe. You are not authorized to go to the other world unless it is cleared by the Commission. Your suit has a direct connection to them. You need only to think of a request while wearing it and you’ll be contacted immediately with their decision. They will keep track of your whereabouts while you are in the other world so in the event you run into trouble, they can help you. Everyone in the alternate universe is aware of gifted ones from this world. The only things you need to worry about are the defectors there. They are the ones you will be chasing during most of your missions. There are also other beings and entities there, which we’re still investigating. All of these are your biggest threats. You’re gifted, but you’re not invincible. You can still get killed.”
Laura continued to drone on and I unintentionally started to tune her out. My mind wasn’t really absorbing it all anyway and I could find everything I needed to know in the book later. I was still shocked at the whole chain of events that led up to being part of this secret world. I started daydreaming again. I thought about Chace, and what my relationship with him had become. My relationship with William was just as confusing. Laura’s never-ending speech crept back into my ears.
“You’re not allowed to marry another gifted one. You are permitted to marry a norm as long as this part of your life remains a secret.
However, marriage is prohibited until the Commission feels you are able to exercise enough control regarding this part of your life. That is usually somewhere in the range of three to five years of active duty.”
“Because of your wholesome heart and your genuine concern for people, the Commission has determined your role to be a Peacekeeper. You will work with other Peacekeepers or sometimes on your own, depending on the issue at hand. The primary function of this position is minimizing and resolving conflicts between worlds before they escalate into something bigger. You will be up against all different kinds in that world, norms, gifted ones and defectors. It’s not an easy job and you’ll be met with great resistance in most cases. That’s where your gifts will come in. We know you don’t want to be destructive, but you will be in case of necessity. This is a very important role and you should feel extremely honored to have it bestowed upon you. The Commission heads in the balcony must have a strong belief in you. Not many phyters are given this opportunity so soon.”
A little sense of pride crept into my head, but my ego was quickly deflated by a big uneasiness. Did they give me this because of Chace? Was Melody right and I got the job she wanted because of how Chace felt about me and not because of my abilities? I should have been a gunner. With all of my destructive capabilities, that job would have made the most sense, but Chace probably thought it was too dangerous. I didn’t want any advantages. That would have made everything Melody said true. I was new, but I was good enough to handle myself.
“The Commission knows it will be difficult to hold down a ‘real job’ since you have to be available at a moment’s notice. Therefore, you’ll be given a handsome salary, along with anything else you could possibly need. When you are through with college, you will tell everyone that you have a job with the UN as an international peacekeeper. You will report to the UN building each day and go home each night. Because of the seven-day time difference, most of your missions will be completed without the need for overnight travel. Do you have any questions?”
“I wanted to be a lawyer. An international one. I thought it was my calling to change the world, one country at a time. Can I still do that? Or at least try?”
“Absolutely! It’s still your life, Lexi. We have quite a few gifted ones who prefer to live their everyday lives as norms. They’re called upon only when we need their input or abilities. The majority of gifted ones choose to work with us here at the Commission just because it’s easier, in every regard. But by all means, you can do as you wish with your life, as long as you are available when the Commission needs you. We aren’t here to control you, Lexi. You have many more freedoms than a norm, but you do have a few restrictions. You’ll still share in all of the benefits of being gifted if you decide to go through with your career plans. If not, there are always new day jobs opening up at the Commission. The choice is yours.”
“What happens if I make a mistake? What if I forget the laws and do something stupid?”
“As long as you keep to the crucial laws you’ll be given some slack if you do make a mistake in the beginning. No phyter has ever forgotten that gifted ones are to be kept a secret, that they couldn’t marry each other, or that they couldn’t travel without permission. Anything else you may forget will be a slap on the wrist in the beginning. After that, the Commission won’t be so tolerant. They also frown greatly upon intentional law breaking. If you are found doing that, they will strip all of your gifts away along with your memory. They are quite severe when it comes to jeopardizing the safety of our world and the people in it.”
That was a scary notion. If they didn’t give me permission, would I ever see my parents again? Could I just drop in while on a mission? I had to get back to them, at least to let them know I was okay. I also had my ongoing dilemma of settling things with William.
“Laura,” I said with my hands stretching my face down like pizza dough, “My parents are in the other world because of an accident. Could I go to the other world just to see them? I miss them.”
“I know you do,” she said with a motherly tone. “Living without them has been very difficult and painful. Let me help you feel a little better.” She cupped both of her hands around my face so that her thumbs were in the center of my temples. Her eyes closed and I heard a sound that I swore was not of this world. Laura held my head for a few more seconds and then let go.
“What was that?”
“I gathered the emotional bonds you share with your parents and put them in dream form. When they’re sleeping they’ll see your face and hear you tell them all that’s in your heart. They’ll know it’s not just a dream and you’ve arrived safely back in this world. They are fully aware of us, and our little shenanigans! People there are so hard to surprise these days,” she laughed.
“Thanks,” I said. “I don’t mean to sound unappreciative, but I would really like to see them, too. Does this mean I can’t?”
“You would have to make a request to the Commission. I don’t think it’s ever been done, but I can tell you that they don’t allow universe bouncing for pleasure. It’s worth asking them, though. Everyone’s circumstances are different and you never know how they would decide. They do want you to be happy, but most of all, they want you to be safe.”
“Oh,” I muttered. “Well, I guess that’s all then. Are we done?”
“Yes, Lexi. Don’t sound so melancholy. You’re a gifted one with a purpose that is only among a select few. You’ll get used to it and see that it’s not the end of the world,” she said. But it was the end of one of them. At least for me.
Chapter 19
Another Day, Another Party
I didn’t have any idea how long the whole initiation process had taken. Exhaustion had claimed me by the time Chace closed the car door and, somewhere during the journey home, I fell asleep. The tires kicked up the gravel in the driveway and made me stir a little. I tried to wake up but my eyelids felt like they were sewn shut. Chace smiled lightly at me. “You didn’t budge the whole way home. Let’s get you inside.”
“Okay,” I mumbled. He must have carried me upstairs because the last thing I remember was his soft whisper.
“Sweet dreams, baby.” He kissed my cheek and tucked me under the covers.
I woke up to the thud of my phone vibrating itself off the nightstand. At first I rolled over and buried my head under the pillows. It was bad enough that I had gotten up early on Saturday and I really wanted to sleep in. After all, it was Sunday. I lost that battle since the phone kept floundering around on the floor with such an irritating buzz that I had to pick it up. Or throw it.
“Hello,” I moaned into the phone.
“What are you still doing in bed? Get your lazy ass up and let’s go shopping for your birthday dress!” Paige screamed into the phone excitedly.
“Ugh! So early, Paige? Really?”
“Early? Lex it’s eleven! You’re wasting the whole day when we should be at the mall goofing off!” She laughed. “Get ready. I’ll be over in an hour. Oh, and you’re driving. I want to check out the new wheels!” She hung up.
Eleven? I thought. I must have been out too late for William to show up last night. I was disappointed. I looked forward to our meetings and I especially wanted to ask him about the burning picture frame and the open window. It had to wait for the next visit, and I had to live in the reality of this world until then.
Before I even got the coffee, I threw myself into the shower. After clothes, make-up and hair were finished, I grabbed my bag and headed for the stairs. I heard the beep of a missed call coming from the cell phone in my bag. It was Chace. I smiled as the thought of being with him last night flashed in my mind. I hurriedly called him back.
“Hey, Lex! I’m surprised you’re awake after your magnificent display of indoor activities last night! How are you feeling this morning?”
“I’m okay, I think. Just a little tired. I would have slept all day if Paige hadn’t called me non-stop for the last half-hour!” I said sarcastically. “What abou
t you? You should be tired too after getting home so late. What was it, like four or five in the morning?”
“You were exhausted! It was only about one when I dropped you off, Lex. You’re just a slacker and you slept the day away,” he teased.
My heart pounded my ribs hard enough to crack them. One o’clock meant that I was sleeping in plenty of time for William, but he didn’t show. I feared this could have possibly meant the end. Maybe he wouldn’t come back. I was crushed.
“Lex? You there?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m still here. I just dropped the phone. I’m going shopping with Paige today for an outfit for tonight. Care to join us?” I asked, trying to change the subject.
“No, but thanks for the invite. You know how I love to shop!” he said playfully. “I’ll catch up with you at dinner. Oh, and Lex. Don’t forget you have some reading to do today,” he reminded me, his voice sounding more serious.
“Yeah, I know. I’ll read it after the mall. Don’t worry, it’ll still be less than twenty-four hours. Let me get going now so I don’t run out of time. I’ll talk to you later.” I rushed him off the phone.
I didn’t think I would get through the day without going insane with worry. I couldn’t imagine anything good coming out of William’s absence. Since I couldn’t do anything about it anyway, I decided the best thing to do was rally myself and go shopping. It would at least be a good distraction until I went to sleep and waited for William. I hoped and pleaded with whatever forces that were responsible for bringing him to me, to let me have him, even if it was just one more time.
Paige and I shopped for most of the day and I settled on a cute black mini-dress. It was very form fitting and I relied on Paige to tell me if it was too much for where we were going. Aunt Fay was surprising me once again, like she hadn’t done that enough already, and Paige was the only one who knew the location of our little dinner celebration. Paige assured me it wasn’t too revealing and it would be perfect for where we were going. We rushed through the shoe department at Nordstrom’s, where we picked up some funky, chunky shoes, and got home just in time to primp for the event.
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