The Mark

Chapter Two

Victoria looks around her room for the last time. She takes a deep breath as she grabs her glass suitcase and exits the room going down the stairs she sees her mom and dad waiting by the elevator door to the exit. Her mom’s eyes were red but she was holding back her tears. Her dad’s eyes were also red but he smiles at her and holds out his arms for a goodbye hug.
        Victoria quickly drops her suitcase and goes to her dad and hugs him. “I’ll miss you guys.” She says trying not to cry herself. Charlie pats her back and says “We will miss you to my sweet. We will come and see you in two months since that when the movements lets us.” Victoria nods and pulls away and hugs her mom who kiss her cheek. “Good bye my Victory. I love you and miss you already. Stay out of trouble please!” Anna says.    Victoria heard her voice cracking and kisses her mom’s check as well “I will be careful mom. I love you both” she pulls away and without looking back walks into the elevator and hits the down button. Victoria lets out a sigh and leans against the side as the elevator makes its dissent. Toward the exit to the life she has always known.
        As the elevator reaches the bottom and opens its door Victoria steps out onto the white sidewalk where she could see the blue sky. Squinting due to the sunlight. And walks toward the transportation station to her left.
The building already looked crowded with all the other 18 year olds reporting there. For transfer to their jobs as well. Victoria walks up and stand at the back of the line which was moving semi fast. She studies the young adults around her. Trying to figure out how they are feeling about their change in life. Some looked scared and nervous others looked excited and relieved to leave home.
Victoria wasn’t sure how she felt I mean life always moves forward nothing can stop it from doing so. So why not just accept it and let it take you. Vitoria shakes her head letting life just take her would be the easy way out. She wanted to be the person at the steering wheel directing which way it took her.
Looking toward the transfer building she hears a low rumble as a transport vehicle starts up and floats off the platform it was sitting on and heads out through one of the tunnels. Victoria watches it through the glass window. Other teens watch it to wondering where that one was going. The line surges forward as guards tell them to move forward into the next shuttle. Each shuttle was characterized as to where it was going. Victoria reads the names of the places they were they were going wanting to know which one she would be taking. Spotting a sign reading government headquarters Victoria steps out of line and heads toward that one. Seeing that there were more guards around this shuttle bay then the others and fewer in line
I guess many people didn’t want this job. Victoria thought as she stood behind two others in line. One of the guards turn to her and ask “What’s your name and proof of registration.” Victoria's replies quickly getting out her identification card from her pocket and hands it to them. “My name is Victoria here’s my identification and my job is stated on it as well.” The guard takes the card and studies it making sure it’s not a fake. While his studying it Victoria studies him he had a couple deep scars along his neck and right beside his right eye.
The guard looks up his grey eyes meeting Victoria’s and says “You’re clear. I hope you’re as good as you card says you are.” Handing the card back to her he motions for them to get on the shuttle.  “Good to go there's no one else here that riding this shuttle this year.”  Victoria gets into the shuttle behind the two others wondering why there were so few.
The door shuts behind them and a voice speaks over the speakers “This is Captain Peter Smite speaking. Please take your seat as the shuttle beings to move which will be in 30 seconds. We will be at the Government Headquarters in 43 minutes due to this city is far away. Thank you” the voice com goes dead. And Victoria sits in the second row the other two sit across from her. They probably know each other. Victoria thought as she studied them.
The female turns to her with a sweet smile on her face “Hello it is so nice to know another female taking this job besides me I thought Henry and I were going to be the only ones but they said don’t get on yet there's another coming.” She says imitating the guard’s gruff voice. Then says seriously “Oh, I’m sorry I forgot to introduce myself. My names Nicole and this is Henry we met about 20 minutes ago but were fast friends even though he doesn’t say much.” Nicole pats Henry's leg and ask Victoria. “What’s your name even though I heard it I want to hear you introduce yourself?”
Victoria smiles at Nicole liking her immediately. She seemed fun and you didn’t have to say much being around her and she defiantly made fast friends. “My names Victoria. It’s very nice to meet you Nicole and Henry sorry I took so long to get here. The line was long.”
Nicole nods “I understand. Isn’t this exciting! Finally starting our own lives. No more depending on people.” Henry clears his throat and speaks for the first time since Victoria’s met him “Actually logically speaking we now depend on the government more so then we depended on our parents.” Victoria nods in agreement at his thoughts. What he said defiantly was true. Nicole just laughs and says “You’re so funny Henry we don’t depend on the government.” Henry just sits their refusing to look at her.
Victoria stretches in her seat and ask changing the subject “So Nicole what kind of job are you getting here? “She turns back to Victoria and replies “The government sent me several job selections all of them I loved. But I love helping others and discovering new things. So I’ll be becoming a doctor there. I already trained for this job in here for two years and now I have gotten approval from the government to become a doctor at their Main government hospital. Let me tell you it is hard to get a job there.” Taking a breath she ask “So what are you doing here for a job Victoria?”
“I’ll be a reporter helping the Government keep the public updated and so on. Putting all the new discovers on there. Letting the public know what the Government is currently up to and all. Your job sounds cool too. You seem like that kind of person that would like that. I hope you do well.”
“Thanks and I like your job as well. You will probably know a lot about the government with that job.” Nicole replies and turns to Henry and opens her mouth to say something but Henry was already talking looking at Victoria “So what made you want to be a reporter anyway? I mean that seems like an unusual job. Defiantly close to the government and all their secrets. Their reporters don’t tend to stay long in their jobs especially if they post too much that the government doesn’t want to be know. They always seem to disappear or commit suicide so it is said.”
Victoria not sure what to say says slowly “I think it’s my calling. And I know it’s dangerous and all but the paycheck is worth it in the end.” “So you’re only in it for the money?” “That and for the fun of it though I don’t see why it concerns you.” Victoria says trying to control her rising anger at him.
Henry just shakes his head and looks and says “I know some people who used to have that job. They are no longer with us.” “I understand your conserve about that. But I will do well. And follow the governor’s command.”
We were quite for the rest of the trip up there well sometimes Nicole spoke up about the scenario we passed passed but not much else.