Falling

Problem

" Kids, there has been a problem."  He finally shook off and said. 

We all changed our attention to him and stop silently squabbling over each other.  

" Apparently Cherlyn's strong mind couldn't be twisted, so she still has a bit of her memories and we have placed some of her new ones in her big brain of hers.  But the problem is that she still remembers that Mari here has a close relationship to her and won't tell us anything until we bring Mari to her."  Mr Ryder told us. 

I looked surprised, even my father didn't survive brain washing when he was invited to become an agent, all of his memories about the outside world were erased and he easily gave in to the injection solution.  Everyone thought that he was born inside the gates but he was actually adopted by a family which was originally inside the gates.  I was born inside the gate.  My mother wasn't born inside the gate but I heard  that her family was originally inside the gates. People who are ' initiated' get some of their memories back a few years later after they finish their course.  My father brought her outside and taught her stuff about the outside world, maybe that's why I know so much about it. 

" But why me?  Why not her sister?"  I asked him. 

Everyone's eyes were trained onto me and I looked at him.  He can't be serious, can he?  Is Cherlyn's mind really that amazing?  

" Apparently she thinks that you are the key to something."  He told me. 

I gasped, thinking of my father and his secret.  Was the legends really read?  I couldn't believe it!  That means that I could go find the Secret of the Peters.  

" I think that means that I have to go to her...  Right?"  I asked Mr Ryder. 

He nodded and told me to pack up. 

" I'm going to get you in a few minutes, and I came here for you anyways."  He said.  " Let's get going." 

After he left, I packed up everything I had in my backpack and changed back into my black tights and black tank top. 

" I guess that means we have to be back at camp."  Oliver said sadly. 

I patted his shoulder. 

" It's okay, I'll talk to you when I come back."  I kissed his forehead. 

Then I grabbed my backpack with all of my belongings and set out to the place he told me to wait for him.  It's just a small cafe around the corner, I heard that it's famous for it's mint cappuccino and for it's gingerbread cookies which are amazing, it's in every magazine. 

" What would you want?"  The waitress asked me. 

" Umm...  I would like a grande mint cappuccino and a bag of gingerbread cookies please."  I told her. 

Mr Ryder told me to have something when I wait for him, he's going to be late only because he's going to arrange a jet to take us to the island that Cheryln was.  It's a private island of our agency's and they keep it hidden from plain sight and requires a special pass to go through.  I had a pass before so my family could go there for holidays, I remember needing to have a pendant to get in.  But they took everything from me when they came for me, I didn't exactly have time to pack when I ran.  

" Oh hi Mari."  Suddenly Natalya was sitting beside me on the huge couches. 

" Hi Natalya!  Nice to see you again."  I said. 

She ordered a tall ice mocha and some cookies then she made herself comfortable next to me. 

" It's amazing that only after a few hours you already know that this is the most famous cafe in the entire town."  She smiled. 

I smiled and our orders were delivered to us a few minutes later. 

" My dad said that we're already going on vacation cause he thinks that this is too much." I smiled, shrugging. 

" I guess this city could be overwhelming, maybe would make you crazy."  Natalya sighed, " I've been living here since I was born, it's a crazy city."  

Natalya smiled at the window and I suddenly saw a mob of girls coming this way.  Then she opened a music magazine and pointed to a girl which looked like her. 

" Wait, it's you!"  I exclaimed. 

" I'm rather surprised that you didn't notice that when I first met you, I was glad to be finally treated like a normal girl.  But sadly, I have to tell you that I'm not a normal girl because I can't stand the thought of our friendship over and I really want to show you around."  

" Never mind, I don't mind you being a star and all, you don't have to show me this to become my friend."  I told her. 

We ended up eating and drinking everything. 

" We should get another drink."  She said and called the waitress over. 

I nodded, " We should, I should get my dad something too." 

I ordered a hot chocolate for Mr Ryder and got a chocolate smoothie with marshmallows and also a sandwich made with turkey and cheese.  

" Hello Mari!"  Mr Ryder finally arrived at the cafe.  " See you've already met a new friend."  He nodded at Natalya. 

Natalya shot a glance at him and a smiled formed onto her lips. 

" Oh Mr James.  How are you and how is Jamaica?"  She asked him. 

I was astonished. 

" How?  How...  How...  How did you guys meet?"  I asked both of them. 

" Mr James here is my friends Jamaica and Jessica's dad, they're both studying in the same school as I am.  Jamaica is also my bestie for a few years, but both of them pulled out of school last year."  Natalya explained.

" Yea, they transferred somewhere else this year to continue their dreams at becoming journalists."  My Ryder said. 

I think I looked puzzled but Mr Ryder gave me a face telling me that I'll get my answers later. 

" So you're sisters with Jamaica and Jessica?"  She asked me. 

I nodded, " I think so...  Dad?"  

" Well, they're half sisters so I think they've never met."  He told her. 

" But you don't look like them, they both have blond hair and green eyes but both your hair and your eyes are dark.  You don't look like them at all, you look like an Chinese person and they're totally English."  Natalya said. 

" Hey...  I sent her here for better education, not for better things to gossip about."  He joked. 

Natalya laughed and replied with a really sassy tone.

" Then how are they now?  Are they happy in their new school?"  She asked. " Or are they vacationing?"  

" They're fine, but we do have to go... " Mr Ryder tried to shake her off. 

She nodded but seemed sad. 

" You could call me anytime."  I reassured her. 

She smiled, showing her pearl white teeth. 

" Okay!"  

Then Mr Ryder grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the store with all of our food and my bag.  We drove to the airport in silence but after the plane took off, Mr Ryder started to scold me loudly. 

" What were you thinking?"  He shouted. 

" Nothing, I was making friends with her."  

" No no no no no!  You can't be friends with an outsider." 

" But who is Jamaica and Jessica?"  I asked him. 

" They're my adoptive daughters, they came to this town to study before they had to make their decision, which is made at your age."  He turned around to take a deep breath.

" So did they both decide to stay at base?"  I asked him. 

" This is not important."