Sanctuary Falling

by Pamela Foland

Just as Angela was beginning to wipe away the worries hassling her when the outer door hissed open, revealing Niri and Annette. Startled by the arrival, Angela waved towards the doughnuts. The girl seemed nervous and she watched Niri for a moment before joining the older woman and selecting a doughnut. The girl sat silently and began contemplating, rather than eating, the doughnut.

  “So, you’re ten minutes early. I guess you’re eager to start the test,” Angela finally said after chewing and a sip of coffee.

  The response wasn’t immediate, the girl sat picking at her doughnut for a time, perhaps expecting Niri to respond. Annette glanced at Niri, making brief eye contact before suddenly blurting, “Uh, okay. . .”

  Angela had thought the girl would be more enthused, given the early arrival, “I’d expected more enthusiasm than that.”

  The girl turned her face up towards Angela, “No, I mean yes. I mean I am eager to get the test over with, but we came in early so I could talk to you about a few things. I figured it out.”

  Angela felt the first stirrings of an enigmatic hope, “You figured what out?”

  Enthusiasm stirred in the girls face as she opened her mouth for words to flow out, “The whole thing, everything from your twins to the bet between Sinclair and Niri, to you arbitrarily calling time. I figured it all out this morning. I had a feeling, last time, that I was missing something. This morning everything fell together. I talked to Niri about it in the waiting room and we figured I should tell you, because my responses will be different based on what I know. It wouldn’t be right to let you think I’m doing things for one reason when I’m really doing them because I think that’s what you want to see.”

  Angela listened to the girl’s words, without hearing. As the meaning drilled itself in to her mind Angela lost her grip on the doughnut. The girl figured out everything about the test? Angela picked up the doughnut and stuffed it into her mouth hanging one of her stock expressions on her face by reflex. The girl figured me out? That thought was almost thrillingly disturbing. How could a prepubescent child figure it out when none of Angela’s subordinates had a clue most of the time? Time, Angela knew she should be responding. Angela sipped at her coffee “I’m impressed. I do have one question though. You honestly didn’t figure this out until this morning?”

  “I pieced part of it together five days ago, but didn’t get everything until this morning. If what you’re worried about is the other test, I really didn’t have a clue then,” Annette answered. Angela listened carefully to the girl probing softly for veracity. The girl was telling the truth.

  Angela ground mental gears for another moment before speaking. “Okay, I appreciate you telling me. It doesn’t affect today’s test, much. I wasn’t going to test your character again. I was going for a test of your problem solving abilities. Apparently you have those in abundance. I do need to make the assurance to you that it is possible to finish this test. I won’t arbitrarily stop you, unless you have missed something important and will be clearly unable to finish. I will also say that your knowledge might make it harder for you in particular than if you were still ignorant. Though that was probably an unfair clue. I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t show that you know in front of the other candidate.” Angela smiled half at the girl half at herself for taking the surprise so well.

  “That went well, I think,” A familiar but long absent voice suddenly interrupted.

  “Corrine?” Angela momentarily mistook it for her half sister Corrine before realizing that there was another possibility. The doughnut fell again this time falling farther than her lap. “Tawny?” Angela erupted, looking around the room at the speakers.

  “Yeah, ya old softy. It’s me!” Tawny’s voice again came from Annette’s direction, “You don’t call. You don’t write. A program could get the feeling you don’t like it anymore!”

  Angela finally saw the small spider shaped pin on the girl’s collar, her eyes widened, and her true expression of surprise spilled out spinning into a nostalgic smile before returning to tight control.AHow is it, that you came to be in possession of Tawny’s remote pin?” Angela asked stiffly.

  “She gave it to me, I’ve been staying in Corrine’s old room,” Annette answered hesitantly.

  Angela raised an eyebrow, “Tawny you let her stay there? At Niri’s request? I thought you were utterly against resettlement, Tawny. Last I heard Sinclair tried to delete you over a refusal, and he failed horribly. Why would you take her in?”

  Tawny’s remote made a stuttering sound like a person clearing their throat, “I dislike that man intensely. He never requested. He ordered. As intensely as I dislike him, I like Annette. She’s a good egg, if a little picky about her dietary consumption. “

  Angela looked the girl over again, not for the first or the last time. There was so much more to the girl than what was on the surface. She was the person people talked about with the whole, “don’t judge a book by its cover” thing. A laugh slipped out at the idea of being so thoroughly surprised after all these years. “With such a ringing endorsement from Tawny, and staunch support from both Niri and Tina, and my own observations, I’m not sure I need to see anymore, but it wouldn’t exactly be fair to whatever-his-name-is and Sinclair,” Angela smiled at Annette. It was a firm, genuine smile, given freely and unrestrained by any of The Chief’s masks. “Annette, you have a lot of potential.”

  At the unexpected praise, Annette blushed, and stuffed a large chunk of doughnut in her mouth. Suddenly the room seemed to contain only Angela and Annette. Angela felt a surge of hope completely beyond anything else, and a sense that something unusual was happening. Angela looked at Annette and saw the same inarticulate feeling in the girl’s eyes. Then the moment and the feeling faded. Angela faintly heard Annette longing to ask if Angela had felt it too.

  Angela played a hunch and looked Annette directly in the eyes, “Yes,” answering the un-asked question.

  A moment of silence passed before Angela heard a stronger inquiry, “You just answered me telepathically , didn’t you.”

  Angela teleported herself a fresh doughnut and deliberately took a too-large-to-talk bite out of it, making sure Annette was watching. “What do you think?” Angela projected just as deliberately. The girl was a hesitant telepath, and it reminded Angela of her own awakening to that reality.

  Angela watched Annette, waiting for Annette’s response. Before it came, the door to the waiting room hissed open. Sinclair trotted into the room with a superior look on his face which faded as soon as he saw Niri and Annette sitting and eating. Angela looked at the clock, it was precisely nine-fifteen. That was Sinclair, never more than prompt, and always eager to upstage. Angela glanced back at Annette sharing a moment of eye contact before addressing Sinclair, “Good morning mister Chavez.”

  “Good Morning Chief,” Sinclair answered.

  “Today is the second test for entry into the factor training program. I trust both applicants have studied and trained for this and are as prepared as possible for that which I have placed in front of you. Because they went second last time, I will allow Becky and Annette a five minute head start, and I will keep those five minutes in consideration when it comes to Rupert and Anthony’s turn. You can wait in the waiting room.” Angela gestured towards the door and watched as Mario, Anthony and the two mentors departed. Angela glanced at Annette the girl seemed preoccupied or perhaps focused. Hopefully the girl was focused. Angela smiled and stepped into the transport pod.

  - - - - - - - - - -

  The next thing Annette knew the bed was shaking beneath her and Tawny’s speakers were buzzing faintly. Annette sat up and rubbed her eyes. Had she really fallen asleep?

  “Come one Annette! Pull it together,” Tawny pleaded in a soft voice, “It’s nine o’clock. Niri’s waiting outside to take you to the test!”

  Annette scratched her head and realized she had forgotten to put it up like she’d meant to. She rushed into the bathroom and ran a brush through it again then whipped it up into a bun, pin
ning it in place with a wide silver clip. “Let her know I’m on my way out.” She rushed to the door.

  “Done! Do you need some earplugs?” Tawny asked, her voice was still super quiet.

  “I don’t think so,” Annette answered placing her hand on the knob.

  “Break a leg, preferably not one of your own,” Tawny said in her normal tone, as Annette turned the knob and came face to face with Niri.

  Outwardly, Niri’s seemed slightly stressed, but not really upset. She smiled at Annette and started walking down the hall. Annette followed, surprised that Niri hadn’t said so much as good morning. It was unusual, considering her highly verbal, almost verbose nature. That more than anything told Annette just how nervous Niri really was. Perhaps the truth of what she was risking had suddenly sunk in. Or perhaps the woman was confident in Annette’s abilities, and in sudden worried shock over the responsibilities which would soon be hers. Annette wanted to comfort Niri, to remind her that she already did much of Sinclair’s job. She wanted to tell the woman that the events of that morning would only make formal a state of affairs which was already fact. The trouble was that such statements would probably only serve to disturb Niri further. After all, Annette clearly wasn’t supposed to know the stakes.

  Niri ducked straight into her office and stepped into the pod. Annette followed. Still, Niri said nothing, she just tapped the activation key for their preprogrammed destination. On arrival, in the same waiting room as before, Niri sat quietly in a chair.

  Annette watched her mentor with concern, wishing she knew what to say to calm Niri. “You really don’t have to be this nervous. I’m going to do fine.”

  Niri jerked. “What do you mean? I’m not nervous,” She denied while picking at the arm of her chair, “Where would you get the idea that I’m nervous?” Annette sensed Niri’s nerves were edging towards concern that she was giving away information to Annette, which only increased her stress.

  Annette knew now that letting Niri know that she’d seen through the layers of the test to the initial wager would just serve to agitate the woman more. “Sure, that’s why you didn’t say a word to me until I spoke. I’m supposed to think you’re fine. You do know that there are jokes going around most circles about how much you talk. It’s legendary. When a legendary orator can’t rub a >good morning’ together, it doesn’t take a telepath to see she’s upset.”

  Niri relaxed a bit, “Okay, so I am feeling a little stress. I just hope we went over enough. If this doesn’t work out you won’t get a third chance.”

  Annette nodded, though she suspected an extensive metamorphosis might change even Sinclair’s mind. “I know.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. You have as much invested in this as. . .” Niri tapered off and shut her mouth.

  Annette really couldn’t take it. Niri would tear herself apart worrying now. Annette decided to speak, “You know, if Sinclair does by some fluke win, I’m pretty sure we’re all screwed. You’ve been doing so much of the job that he won’t know what to do without you.”

  Niri nodded. “That’s nice of you to say, but I’m not sure it’s the case. . .” Niri’s jaw dropped and she stared openly at Annette, “What did you just say!”

  Annette suppressed a smile, “I said Sinclair can’t do his own job, let alone both of yours.”

  “Who told you!” Niri sputtered.

  Annette’s threatened grin cracked through, “I figured it out myself. And don’t worry your reaction didn’t confirm it. I had a talk with Tawny this morning about my suspicions. She confirmed it. I also know about the twins. They belong to Angela, and are part of the test. I did really well last time, and I didn’t even know it until this morning when it all came together.”

  Niri managed to close her mouth, though her eyes still gaped. “And I was actually worried? There is no way Simmons has a clue. Are you going to tell Angela?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t get that decided. I fell asleep instead,” Annette answered truthfully.

  Niri rubbed her chin, “You could tell her off the bat, or we could save it to surprise her with. You really figured this out all on your own?”

  Annette nodded, “I had a funny feeling last time that there was something that I was missing. My one problem is that knowing the truth about the test might invalidate it. If I’d had an inkling last time, it wouldn’t have been fair. I would have done the same thing, but my reasons would’ve been different. Letting Angela know seems like the right thing to do.”

  Niri nodded, “But you shouldn’t do it with Simmons around. While I’m sure your motives are the same either way, he would act differently based on the knowledge. Besides, he didn’t earn it, or any advantage it might convey.”

  Annette nodded, “Then maybe we should see if she’s in there now, before he arrives.”

  Niri nodded, “I was going to give Chavez the benefit of simultaneous entry again, but this is important enough to forgo that curtsy. Especially, since he wouldn’t do the same.”

  Niri rose from the chair, much more confident than when she sat. She took the few steps to the conference room door, and Annette followed. It slid open and they entered to find Angela eating a chocolate glazed doughnut. Each of the twins were absently eating a cinnamon roll while reading a comic book. There was an open box of breakfast pastries and doughnuts sitting on a table set up behind the waiting chairs. Angela seemed surprised at their arrival but her mouth was too full for an immediate response, instead she smiled and gestured at the box. Niri selected a turnover from the box and left Annette standing in the doorway. Annette watched Niri for a moment and selected a doughnut from the box as well, before taking her seat next to Niri.

  “So, you’re ten minutes early. I guess you’re eager to start the test,” Angela finally said after chewing and a sip of coffee.

  Annette picked at her doughnut, waiting for Niri to respond. When Niri remained silent Annette glanced at the woman. On making eye contact, Annette faintly heard Niri’s voice in her head, “It’s yours to tell come on and tell it!”

  Spasmodically Annette spoke, “Uh, okay. . .,” She wondered if Niri realized that the response was to her thoughts rather than Angela’s words.

  Angela’s expression changed, “I’d expected more enthusiasm than that.”

  Annette spun her attention back to Angela, “No, I mean yes. I mean I am eager to get the test over with, but we came in early so I could talk to you about a few things. I figured it out.”

  Angela’s eyebrow rose, “You figured what out?”

  “The whole thing, everything from your twins to the bet between Sinclair and Niri, to you arbitrarily calling time. I figured it all out this morning. I had a feeling, last time, that I was missing something. This morning everything fell together. I talked to Niri about it in the waiting room and we figured I should tell you, because my responses will be different based on what I know. It wouldn’t be right to let you think I’m doing things for one reason when I’m really doing them because I think that’s what you want to see,” Annette answered.

  Angela dropped her doughnut into her own lap halfway through Annette’s revelation. Once Annette had finished, Angela absently picked it up again. Her face still showed a superior sort of indifference, but Annette sensed she had actually surprised the woman. The doughnut made its way to Angela’s mouth where another large bite came off. Angela chewed it slowly, still making no apparent decision. Finally, she swallowed and washed it down with coffee. “I’m impressed. I do have one question though. You honestly didn’t figure this out until this morning?”

  “I pieced part of it together five days ago, but didn’t get everything until this morning. If what you’re worried about is the other test, I really didn’t have a clue then,” Annette answered truthfully. As she spoke she felt a hard pressure at the back of her mind. Was Angela scanning her thoughts for veracity?

  “Okay, I appreciate you telling me. It doesn’t affect today’s test, much. I wasn’t going to test your character aga
in. I was going for a test of your problem solving abilities. Apparently you have those in abundance. I do need to make the assurance to you that it is possible to finish this test. I won’t arbitrarily stop you, unless you have missed something important and will be clearly unable to finish. I will also say that your knowledge might make it harder for you in particular than if you were still ignorant. Though that was probably an unfair clue. I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t show that you know in front of the other candidate,” Angela smiled and went back to eating.

  “That went well, I think,” Tawny bleeped from her remote pin. Annette had forgotten she’d even put it on this morning. She hadn’t meant to bring it to the test.

  Again, Angela dropped her doughnut, this time it landed on the floor. “Tawny?” Angela erupted, looking around the room at the speakers.

  “Yeah, ya old softy. It’s me!” Tawny’s voice again came from the pin, “You don’t call. You don’t write. A program could get the feeling you don’t like it anymore!”

  Angela finally saw the pin on Annette’s collar, her eyes widened, and the indifferent mask fell from her face. In its place was an expression of welcome recognition. The expression didn’t last a glance around the room quickly restored her masking expression. Annette had accidentally seen the woman underneath, if only briefly, and admired her all the more for the flood of new insights the brief glimpse had brought. “How is it, that you came to be in possession of Tawny’s remote pin?” Angela asked stiffly.

  “She gave it to me, I’ve been staying in Corrine’s old room,” Annette answered hesitantly.

  Angela raise an eyebrow, “Tawny you let her stay there? At Niri’s request? I thought you were utterly against resettlement, Tawny. Last I heard Sinclair tried to delete you over a refusal, and he failed horribly. Why would you take her in?”

  Tawny’s remote made a stuttering sound like a person clearing their throat, “I dislike that man intensely. He never requested. He ordered. As intensely as I dislike him, I like Annette. She’s a good egg, if a little picky about her dietary consumption. “