Jamie has made a point to touch me periodically while we stand and chat about her selection and training in the previous cycle. Things were much more disorganized then, she tells me. I wave over the girl I tipped earlier and ask for more bubbly and a snack tray she scampers to get it with a smile on her face. Yep, she definitely expects another tip. Girl comes back with six glasses and the rest of the tray full of food. She leaves the tray and gets that tip.
“Do they know you here?”
“Nah, Marcella said we should get here early and they fetched us a bunch of stuff then. Apparently I over tip.”
She might have had something to add but the doors slam open and a mid-sized bear of a man trundles through. He’s followed by a smug Parker and a cold-featured Marcella. I try to dig deeper on what she’s thinking and I hit nothing but snow.
“Novarro! Front and center!”
“Aww, fuck me.” I slam the drink and touch Jamie’s shoulder and march smartly before him.
Saying nothing, he backhands me hard enough for me to slide halfway back to my table, knocking my hat all the way back. Pain splashes across my face and skull as my brain finally catches up with what happened.
With a throbbing cheek, I walk back, put my hat back on, grab two glasses from my table and bring them back to where I was hit. The man grunts at me, takes both glasses and downs them both.
He takes a step forward and yells in my face. “Explain yourself!” I look over to Parker and his hammed up bandaged hand.
“About six months ago, Parker abducted me, interrogated me and left me alone overnight. I escaped, then went back to the interrogation school warehouse a week later for training. Three weeks later, Parker shows up again, attempting to order, cajole and threaten me into isolation again, and when he reached out to touch me I stabbed his hand to a table. Turns out he was just trying to take my burger. How was I to know?”
“That’s not the story he tells.”
I snort reflexively and speak before thinking. “Mine’s not a story that gets taller with each telling.”
Before I know it, I’m tossed a few feet again, this time the left side of my head hurts. I guess I packed a tin I made for a reason. I pop the top and spread it on my face. It stinks something piney, but the fast-acting part is for real. The pain subsides some and my teeth stop throbbing. I put the tin back in my pocket, grab my hat and go back for round three.
“What was that?”
“A balm I made this morning.” I don’t move and I know it’s pissing him off.
“Hand it over.” I do as ordered. He peers at it for a minute, nods and pockets it. He grunts then moves on toward the stage. Marcella nods at me as she walks by. I sigh and walk back to my table, mildly surprised that Jamie is still standing there. She hands me the last drink on the table. I grab her hand and squeeze it in thanks. After a few moments, she grabs my free hand and slots her fingers in mine. It’s enough to distract me from the embarrassment that was forced on me.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, members of the Organization, and valued trainees, Welcome.” The bear-man pauses and places his hands on the podium. “I called for this celebration to praise our newest Members, successful protegees, and promising trainees. However, accusations of impropriety have marred this occasion and unsettled me.”
“Kimber Novarro was accused of offering Violence to an Officer of this Organization without life-threatening cause. It should not be discounted that said Officer levied a grievance against a member of good standing with little proof.”
“Are you kidding?! She’s not a member and there are witnesses to her stabbing me!” The pretty, petty man shouted before realizing his mistake. I guess we do have something in common.
The man I have come to realize is Medvedev grips Parker by the front of his coat with one hand and lifts him off the ground with one hand, his features twisted by rage. “She adopted a track that advances the Organization after picking a craft trade in service of the Organization. By the algorithm selectee rules that you wrote, she was full member last night. You accused her this morning, MONTHS after the event. Every one of your so-called witnesses said that you posed a credible threat. Either way, you lied to my face.” Through herculean effort, the Russian takes a deep breath.
“Though I want to kill you, petty lies are not grounds for execution. They are however unbefitting an Officer. Mister Strum, you are demoted effective immediately. Sasha Wilhelm will act in your stead.” He tosses him back and the man tumbles off stage. Medvedev then turns to Marcella. “You both will be compensated in accordance with our customs.” She nods. He turns to me and waits. I nod as well while Jamie squeezes the devil out of my hand.
“Now that this ugliness is concluded, let us break to refresh ourselves and resume in twenty minutes.” That, is a nice way to calm yourself down and tell people they can leave at their leisure. Well played, grandstanding jackass.
“Are you okay?” I hear Jamie whisper.
“I’ll be fine Jamie. Never seen that interrogation tactic used in front of a crowd though.”
“You were analyzing his technique?!”
I smile, “It was the only way I could think to not fly off the handle. It worked somewhat.” I look over to see she’s still scared. “Sorry if I freak you out. I’ve talked with my mentor about him, and what to do if I ever met him. I messed up, but not too badly.”
She shakes her head. “I honestly don’t know what to think. I’m a little turned on and kind of want to run away.”
I laugh again, “well, I should go find my mentor, but I’ll be back.” I squeeze her hand before I saunter off toward the stage.
Marcella pulls me off to the side and tilts my head back to look at my face. “Do you need more balm?” I shake my head. “You could have looked a little more vulnerable, but well done on keeping your emotions in check. I’m really proud of you Kimber.”
Ahh, those warm reward fuzzies. A feeling of correctness settles into my core. “Thanks. I was just flying by the seat of my pants and trying to read you and Parker. What was he saying about compensation?”
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
“False accusations are serious business. Not enough to encourage people to stay quiet, but since he held high station, that fine is heavier. I think it’s a thousand credits and a gift of guilt? I’ll take the gift and send you the credits if you’re okay with that.”
“That’s fine. I’d rather break his face, but the demotion feels good to my Justice parts? That sounds super weird.”
“Fits the person though, weirdo.” She pulls me in for a side hug. “Who’s the girl slick?”
“Someone I interrogated in class?” Marcella stiffens, “She’s not being weird about it though. I don’t know, the attention feels nice after Belle though.”
“Just be careful. I don’t want to dig another pit for the people who break your heart.”
“Aww, you big softie.” I head-butt her arm and continue, “Any other surprises?”
“Eh, not really. Boss wants you to alchemy all the time, as we expected, but I told him that you took an enforcer related Track, as you heard, we had a shouting match about the passed-up alchemy track, but in any case, you basically got a B-grade Track right away, and we all should be proud of that.”
“Blarg. So far my Track has been interesting. Not what I expected to have, but I’m not beating up drug dealers and pretty happy about it.”
“No shit, blowing them up from afar is much safter.”
“Yes! Exactly. It’s nice to have family that gets me.” And then said sister punches me in the arm.
“Don’t be a sappy shit. You’ll make me cry.” I smile, then look back to the table and see that Jamie’s looking around having second thoughts.
“Well, gonna go back to talk to Jamie.” I spin and walk allegro back to the table.
She does not look as happy to see me as when I left. “Hey again, you seem conflicted?”
“Oh do I? It looked an awful lot like you want to be involved with that woman.”
“Eew, no. No no. She’s my mentor and basically my sister. She’s also a fucking mess upstairs, but she’s family.”
“Oh. Sorry. I got a little intimidated by your whole encounter. I don’t mean to seem like a flaky bitch.”
“And I don’t mean to seem like a cold shitbag. Just promise me this isn’t like a trauma crush or something.”
“Hah. That is embarrassing, offensive, and fair to ask. I wanted to find out who the girl is that left me a bunch of food, and then snuck me food after that. That and you’re really cute.” She flushes again, but keeps eye contact this time.
Must be my turn to blush and look away. I grab her hand and squeeze it though. Making bold moves Kimber. Good work. I feel her run a finger along the shoulder seam of my vest and tug on it a little.
“This is a nice suit. Looks good on you.”
I’m screaming inside as my whole body blushes. I’m being hit on and I don’t know what to do! I’m saved from thinking as some people come around to talk to us. Mostly trainees from GenPop to talk with Jaime, but they say hi to me as well and introduce themselves. I’m still red in the ears from Jamie’s advance, so I will never remember them.
“I heard you know Marcus.” A clean cut boy in slacks and a button down asks.
“Huh? Marcus? Yeah, we lived at the same Orphanage. What’s up?”
“Any idea why he’s so adamant about policing Co-ed behavior?”
“Like, consensual stuff, pervert creeper stuff, or violent sexual stuff?”
“Uh, what?” I wasn’t that confusing. I’m guessing he’s referring to grey area stuff that the boys like to victim shame. My mind isn’t jumping to conclusions, no way.
“Look man. Marcus has always been a consistently standoffish dude, but would defend people in a way you could rely on. If he’s laying down the law, some women are being disrespected. Be glad he’s doing it before I hear about it.”
He scoffs at me and walks away, I hear a “whatever bitch” a few paces away and I’m forced to take several deep breaths.
“You okay?” she asks, putting a hand on my waist.
“I will be. I suspect he was taking advantage of people and wanted me to get Marcus to back off. I get triggered easily and I’m working on it.”
“Seem to be doing well from my perspective.”
“Will you quit it! I’m gonna melt through the floor!” I hold her hand to my hip while I bump her. She giggles again and it sends happy little tingles to my neck and ears.
For a few minutes, we just stand there, in contact, enjoying the company before Medvedev takes the stage again. He looks far less angry this time.
“Alright, alright. Ten more minutes and we can break for half-priced drinks in the lounge.”
Cheers break out across the room. He motions for people to quiet down, but he’s playing the crowd well. “It seems that all of our algorithm-selected trainees have gained Tracks and are now members of the Warram Syndicate.” Claps of respect make the rounds.
“Now we don’t rank trainees, but we do grade tracks! Problem is, two of them are secret!” Boos break out across the hall as well as laughter. “Yes, yes, we’re all jealous. However, we can’t have growth affected by indiscretion.”
“Jamie, Kimber, Marcus and Maribel, please come up here.”
I slide out of Jamie’s arm and go up to stand with a Jamie I haven’t seen in two years. Marcus and Bell walk up under their own power, their Mentors standing behind them for the recognition. Jamie gets rolled up on the stage, her wardrobe cultivated but her eyes distant and clouded. The most shocking thing about her appearance is the electronics attached to her eyes, ears and scalp. What the fuck happened to her?
“Marcus has excelled recently and received the Track of Group Protection and Crowd Management. A surprising asset to the VIP team and a C grade first Track!” He gets a round of applause.
“Maribel has been working hand in hand with our psych team to get our trainees to move forward from their often traumatic upbringing, receiving the Track of Trauma Response Assistant, another grade C.”
“Which brings us to the more experimental protegees.”
“Kimber has been subjected to the most rigorous physical program of any trainee to date, as well as some highly experimental exposure that our doctors are still collecting data from. Her track is enforcer related, but is of High B-grade.” Claps around, but a lot of murmers.
“And our most promising new member to date, Jamie Kroch. She has undergone some transformative alterations, which she was fully informed of before undertaking, and has been making strides with our analysts with statistical prediction that can help us in the short and long term. These advances have cost her much, but her track has helped her integrate with our magitech systems, a confirmed A-grade track.”
I clap for her. I can’t not. Afterward, I put my hand on her shoulder and squeeze once. Her had jerks up and touches my hand. When our skin connects, I get a flash of a single sentence and a mess of ancillary data. I pull my hand away immediately and take a step away. Her attendants hiss at me and whisper at her.
Tova, leave that alone until I’m in a safer place. She chirps in confirmation.
Medvedev ignores it. “Trainers, trainees; our future is focus and sponsorship. It is clear that the algorithm is helpful, but the commonality of all of these exceptional trainees is the extra attention from influential members of our organization. Pick their brains, analyze costs, and prepare yourselves for a new selection period in a few weeks.” He waits for the half-hearted applause to die down before inviting the gathered to the lounge on this floor for half priced drinks.
You have received an invitation to the Executive lounge on the 40th floor.
I’m about to ask Marcella, when she messages me.
\I take it you got the invitation as well?\
/Yeah, are we going?/
\I would rather not, but I’m not sending you alone to a meeting like that. I have history with that lounge, and I won’t be staying for any of the ‘luxuries’. If you wish to, that’s on you.\
/Okay, do you want to talk before we get there?/
\No. Not about that. But getting this kind of attention for anything other than your alchemy isn’t necessarily a good thing.\
I was feeling good, but now a sense of trepidation creeps up my neck and holds on tightly. I exchange info with Jamie and apologize that I have to leave. She seems sad and understanding, but a little lost as I walk away. She seemed so confident when she came up to me at the snack table; I wonder what’s going through her head?