promoted. I frantically combed my memory for
any infraction that I might have committed in the last seventy hours. I’m sad
to say that a lot of things came to mind. What can I say? I like to have fun
and I make no apologies for it. If free time is really free time, then anything
goes. Right?
I could feel sweat trickling down the small of my back as he
continued to sit there. It took everything I had to remain still and silent.
“Have a seat, Soph,” Lt. Certze said and with his break of
protocol I seriously began to worry.
“Is everything okay with Emma?” I asked, immediately moving
toward his desk and the chair right in front of it. I perched on the edge with
my hands clenched in my lap.
“Emma is good,” he answered with a brief smile. “She’s in
good hands.”
Good hands? What the hell did that mean? Emma worked alone.
“First I must have your word that what is said in this room
stays here,” he continued. “You may not discuss anything with anyone outside.
That includes Mandy,” he said, catching and holding my gaze.
I nodded. “I agree.”
“Emma, along with her two partners, have formed the first
triad Enforcer squad. It’s a new program that the Liege Commander has
implemented. Three people working as a linked unit to combat the criminal
elements. Three sets of eyes, three bodies, three minds working as one to
combat the terrorists that still seek to overthrow, control and kill.” He
opened a folder in front of him. “Her triad is considered an ongoing success
and they’d like to initiate another trial to verify if it is possible again.”
I was confused. Emma was part of a triad unit that worked
together? That so didn’t sound like Emma. She was a rogue, going her own way.
But she’d been gone for three weeks, to the fifth, and was still alive. Unless…
“Is Emma actually in the fifth quadrant?” I asked.
“Yes,” Emma’s father answered.
“Okay, so what exactly does all this have to do with me?” I
queried. I was a desk jockey, after all.
Lt. Certze sighed deeply and his eyes closed briefly. “Emma
gave your name to the Liege Commander as a female candidate for the next
grouping.”
“Emma recommended me?” Of course she would. Emma and I had
fought many times and I’d kicked her ass more than half of them. She always
said I’d make a better Enforcer than just about anyone she knew.
He nodded and went back to the folder in front of him.
“There are several things I need to go over with you prior to you making a
decision.”
“Wait a minute. Will this involve me going to full Enforcer
status? Getting my tiger symbol?” The tiger symbol on the black shirt was what
differentiated the juniors from the full-fledged Enforcers. I wanted that
symbol more than anything else.
“Yes,” he said. “If you accept a place within the test team
you will be promoted to Enforcer but—”
I interrupted. “Hell yes! I’ll take a place in the test
group.”
He shook his head. “There are things you need to know,
Burrelis. There are elements regarding this team that you must be made aware of
before you agree.”
“I can’t think of anything you could say that would change
my mind.” Hello, lifelong dream here. Give me my tiger and hear me
rooooaaaarrrr!
“Regardless, we will go over them and if at the end you
decide it is what you want, then you will sign and arrangements will be made.”
“Okay.” I sighed. I was so eager I was practically bouncing
in my seat.
“First off, sign the confidentiality agreement.” He slid a
paper across to me. “It is your binding agreement that you will not discuss
anything we speak of with anyone outside this room.”
I took the paper and held my right thumb out to him. I felt
the fiery burn as he ran the laser over it. I immediately touched it to the
appropriate line on the document. My print was left behind along with a number
of skin cells. I wasn’t sure how it all worked but they could use those cells
to prove I had signed
any infraction that I might have committed in the last seventy hours. I’m sad
to say that a lot of things came to mind. What can I say? I like to have fun
and I make no apologies for it. If free time is really free time, then anything
goes. Right?
I could feel sweat trickling down the small of my back as he
continued to sit there. It took everything I had to remain still and silent.
“Have a seat, Soph,” Lt. Certze said and with his break of
protocol I seriously began to worry.
“Is everything okay with Emma?” I asked, immediately moving
toward his desk and the chair right in front of it. I perched on the edge with
my hands clenched in my lap.
“Emma is good,” he answered with a brief smile. “She’s in
good hands.”
Good hands? What the hell did that mean? Emma worked alone.
“First I must have your word that what is said in this room
stays here,” he continued. “You may not discuss anything with anyone outside.
That includes Mandy,” he said, catching and holding my gaze.
I nodded. “I agree.”
“Emma, along with her two partners, have formed the first
triad Enforcer squad. It’s a new program that the Liege Commander has
implemented. Three people working as a linked unit to combat the criminal
elements. Three sets of eyes, three bodies, three minds working as one to
combat the terrorists that still seek to overthrow, control and kill.” He
opened a folder in front of him. “Her triad is considered an ongoing success
and they’d like to initiate another trial to verify if it is possible again.”
I was confused. Emma was part of a triad unit that worked
together? That so didn’t sound like Emma. She was a rogue, going her own way.
But she’d been gone for three weeks, to the fifth, and was still alive. Unless…
“Is Emma actually in the fifth quadrant?” I asked.
“Yes,” Emma’s father answered.
“Okay, so what exactly does all this have to do with me?” I
queried. I was a desk jockey, after all.
Lt. Certze sighed deeply and his eyes closed briefly. “Emma
gave your name to the Liege Commander as a female candidate for the next
grouping.”
“Emma recommended me?” Of course she would. Emma and I had
fought many times and I’d kicked her ass more than half of them. She always
said I’d make a better Enforcer than just about anyone she knew.
He nodded and went back to the folder in front of him.
“There are several things I need to go over with you prior to you making a
decision.”
“Wait a minute. Will this involve me going to full Enforcer
status? Getting my tiger symbol?” The tiger symbol on the black shirt was what
differentiated the juniors from the full-fledged Enforcers. I wanted that
symbol more than anything else.
“Yes,” he said. “If you accept a place within the test team
you will be promoted to Enforcer but—”
I interrupted. “Hell yes! I’ll take a place in the test
group.”
He shook his head. “There are things you need to know,
Burrelis. There are elements regarding this team that you must be made aware of
before you agree.”
“I can’t think of anything you could say that would change
my mind.” Hello, lifelong dream here. Give me my tiger and hear me
rooooaaaarrrr!
“Regardless, we will go over them and if at the end you
decide it is what you want, then you will sign and arrangements will be made.”
“Okay.” I sighed. I was so eager I was practically bouncing
in my seat.
“First off, sign the confidentiality agreement.” He slid a
paper across to me. “It is your binding agreement that you will not discuss
anything we speak of with anyone outside this room.”
I took the paper and held my right thumb out to him. I felt
the fiery burn as he ran the laser over it. I immediately touched it to the
appropriate line on the document. My print was left behind along with a number
of skin cells. I wasn’t sure how it all worked but they could use those cells
to prove I had signed
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