Harv'

Induction

-Chapter Nine-

Induction

Harvey was awoken the next morning by the peculiar sound of knocking. Blearily opening his eyes, he lay still on the sofa, trying to make sense of the sound. Sunlight was streaming through the invisible window; its rays dazzled him and made it that much harder for him to think straight. After a few minutes there came another loud knock, and this time Harvey understood what it signified. Somebody was at the door. Summoning energy from nowhere, he jumped up off the sofa and raced across to answer it. He was met by Brian Brade, who looked considerably cleaner than he had done the previous day.

'Morning,' Brian said, sweeping through the door. There was a spring in his step, and the gloom of yesterday seemed well and truly lifted from his shoulders. 'Lovely day, isn't it,' he said, gazing off out through the window. Harvey went to say 'yeah' but instead yawned widely. 'Shall we take a seat?' He motioned towards the dining table, and before Harvey could reply, Brian had pulled out two chairs and plonked himself down. Bewildered, Harvey sat down beside him.

'What's that you've got?' Harvey asked, realising that Brian was holding a shopping bag in one hand.

'Some new clothes I bought for you. I think you'll find them more appropriate.' He grinned and handed across the bag. Inside, Harvey found several hoodie's, t-shirt's, tracksuit bottoms, and two pairs of trainers, all in black. 'And I've got this to give you as well.' From his pocket he pulled a folded envelope. Harvey stared at it curiously before snatching it and ripping it open, and out slid...

'My grandad's necklace,' he exclaimed, catching the spiralled jewel in the palm of his bandaged hand. Brian continued to grin and nodded. 'But how come?'

'The Council have decided that it belongs to you after all. I was called into Head Office this morning, to discuss the outcome of the Council's deliberations. It appears they've had a change of heart. You are to be trained as a Secret Keeper, and I'll be the one teaching you.' Brian's chest seemed to expand with pride even as he spoke, and yet his words were nothing but vague echoes of sound to Harvey. And then their full meaning flooded into his consciousness, sharp and clear and overwhelmingly so, and Harvey sat there stunned. When he had requested to the Council that they train him to become a Secret Keeper, he had done so rashly, and had not for one second actually believed they would accept.

'You look just as surprised as I felt when they told me,' Brian chuckled. 'I'm led to believe that Chris was very instrumental in your favour, but ultimately the final decision was left down to Oliver Baird, our leader here at Headquarters.'

'And...he said yes?'

'That he did.' Harvey swayed on the spot, feeling suddenly faint. He was not used to acceptance, and found it difficult to express himself.

'What happens now then?'

'It's entirely up to you. If you wanted time to settle down and get used to your surroundings, it would be perfectly understandable.'

'I wanna start now.' As if to add emphasis, Harvey rose from his chair. Brian looked up at him and laughed.

'I thought as much. Go and get changed, then. You'll have a long day ahead of you.'

It took Harvey less than five minutes to get ready; he did not bother to brush his teeth and style his hair. That could wait till later.

'You asked me before about this building, and it's probably best that I indulge you,' Brian said. They were walking through the winding third floor corridor, heading towards the escalators. 'As you may have already guessed, Headquarters consists of three levels. The third level operates as a living area for the inhabitants of this building, of which there are currently around two-hundred and fifty.