Project Infinity

6/7

Chapter Tris

I barely notice the tall white structures we are going past that make up the headquarters.

Everything is crisp and silent,a cloud of gloominess settling around us like a cage.I close my eyes and feel the silence.I'm pretty sure we aren't the only ones here.

"You okay?"Ian asks me,turning his head slightly to make eye contact.

I nod,although I am still slightly unsure if I can walk on my own.He puts me down and lets me lean on him as we walk into the building.

Compared to the almost creepy silence of outside,inside is a complete mess of the conversation of a few hundred.

"Wow."Is all I can say.Above us is a tall and curved white ceiling,and light shines from the little gaps of windows between broad pillars that hold up the structure.Skylarks are crossing our paths to other towers-some are looking at us,others are too engrossed in their various books and technology to pay us the slightest bit of attention.I feel relieved because of that.

I turn to the right and see a lady impeccably dressed,wearing a black and white business suit with 2-inch blue stilettos.I've often wondered how people can actually manage to walk in them.She gives us a warm smile and walks over,a clipboard in hand.

"Hello Ian.I didn't know you went to retrieve a Skylark;what's your name,dear?"She looks at me and prepares to write it down.

"I'm..."I falter.I don't want to be called Elizabeth Hayes anymore.It's the name of a scared,lost girl in Manhattan.I don't want to have it haunt me for the rest of my life.

"You're...?"She looks at me encouragingly.

"Beth,"I say.She nods and writes it down."Nice name.I'm Angela,head of the initiate training department.If you need anything,just let me know,alright?"

I smile at her,and she turns her gaze to Ian."Find her a room,will you?"

"Of course ma'am."Ian pretends to salute,causing Angela to roll her eyes jokingly and walk away.

"Let's go,Beth."Ian winks and pulls me along,not giving me a chance to respond.

He leads me down a hallway and we reach a lift that goes all the way up to the twentieth floor.

When I step out of the lift,the cool,crisp air hits me.Somehow,we're out in the open,a small fence surrounding the lift and there's a little gate that leads back indoors.

"Nice place for the initiates,huh?"Ian asks,smiling.I agree wholeheartedly.It's nicer than what I'm used to,and this makes me feel both guilty and pampered.

"Let me show you your room."He pulls out a card key from his jeans and hands it to me.I flip it over in my hands and there's a little thumbprint scanning device attached to it.

"You need to scan your fingerprint for the chip to detect you,then from now onwards no one can use the card to enter your room."He explains,and I place my finger on it.A small buzzing sound tells me it's been done.

"Ready?"Ian says as we reach my room door:2050.I slide in the card key and the door clicks open smoothly,making me wonder what kind of advanced technology they had that could do such a thing.

I step inside,my footsteps echo quietly on the wooden floor.The room is simple yet so modern and spacious.A mattress sits on a huge wooden trunk with all sorts of compartments in the corner next to large window-to-floor windows to view the outside.There's a vanity desk against the wall and the walls are painted light blue.In other words,it was my dream house.

"This is so nice,"I breathe."I know right?"He grins before adding,"Just like you."

I punch him in the shoulder."You're just saying.I bet you tell that to all the initiates you know."I snap.

"Not really."He leans toward me,and I can feel my heart rate increasing.

"I...Ian..."

He gives me a disappointed look and pulls me into a quick hug."Welcome to Project Infinity."

I let out a sigh of relief.He understands I don't want to go anywhere now with anyone,not just Ian."Thanks."

"I've got to go now,"He says quietly,and I've got a feeling he's up to something.Just like that,he pokes me in the stomach and runs off,slamming the door behind him.

"Idiot,"I grumble and turn away.But little did I know that I was actually hiding a smile.

Chapter Seven

Ian returns an hour later to bring me to lunch break.On our way to the cafeteria,he briefs me on how the training's going to be like tomorrow.

"They're going to connect your mind to different wires and they'll give you all sorts of serums to see how well you do under their influence,"Ian dodges a flying drone before continuing."Stuff like love,happiness,anger,sadness...and the likes."

"Then how does it wear off?"I enquire,getting into queue in the cafeteria.

"Once you overcome the emotion,it'll go away,"Ian smirks at me."Although I'm sure the love serum won't wear off,seeing that you hang around with me all the time."

"You watch yourself,"I frown up at him.He's at least a head taller than me;I bet he thinks I'm inferior to him because of this.

I get my food and go for an empty bench,hoping Ian won't follow.Unfortunately,he plops his tray down and spills the food over my lap.

"Don't you have someone else to bother?"I grumble,shifting a few spaces away.

"Nope.My main goal is to annoy you like hell until you like me back,"He shrugs.

"Are you for real?"

"As real as sunrise and sunset,"Ian answers,and there is awkward silence.

"Beth and Cassandra,please meet Instructor Miller at the main foyer for briefing."An announcement comes through the speakers at the sides of the cafeteria.

"That's you,"Ian says once the announcement is over."I'll finish your food."

Ian grabs my plate as I get up and roll my eyes at him,then I begin walking to the main foyer on the first floor.

I see a tall Asian lady standing at the foyer.She has dark almond-shaped eyes and smooth black hair pulled back in a high ponytail.Her black jacket and combat boots make her stand out amongst the crowd of skylarks who only wear white with a touch of grey and blue.

She spots me amongst the crowd and motions me over.I walk towards her and see another girl slightly shorter than me standing next to her,probably Cassandra.

"Hello Beth,I'm Instructor Miller,and I'll be training you and Cassandra until your initiation is complete."The Asian lady gives me a once-over and smiles."We'll be starting now."