Ascension (16 page)

“What are you saying?” Katherine wailed, her stare shifting back and forth between both Anzu and Monica. “What is going to happen to me?”

Anzu hung his head low; he let his golden eyes aimlessly wander over the tiled floor. He dared not look up, consumed with his own guilt.

“Anzu, Ms Hawthorne?” He heard her cry.

“We request much from our fragile bodies; to share in such energy with guardian spirits, to ascend and reach newfound levels of consciousness beyond our physical capabilities can lead to dire consequences,” said Monica.

Katherine sobbed, pressing her hands against her forehead. “What consequences? Please, you must tell me.”

“In the event an Indigo survives the forging of a celestial bond, there remains a chance that the Indigo could face their death earlier than nature had first intended. Many who try and form celestial bonds in the first place often die in the process of making them,” Anzu answered, his talons clenched into fists.

Katherine slumped down on her bed. She glared at the opposite wall without blinking once, numb to her surroundings, and distant from expressing any form of emotion. Anzu dared not read her mind, but he so desperately wanted to know what she was thinking.

Eventually, and after a significant amount of time had passed in which she refused to respond, he couldn't help himself any longer. But he soon could sense she sought to ask of him whether he knew about the risks involved; of why he hadn't warned her, and of how long he'd intended to keep the consequences a secret. She gazed down at him, still not offering up much in the way of acknowledgement. He felt her eyes pierce through him as if they were a pair of knives. He kept his head bowed in shame, refusing to exchange eye contact and struggling to conceal of his own emotions. But despite his own feelings of remorse, he knew that had he not acted and formed a celestial bond then and there, this young woman would most certainly have lost her life.

But how can we both move forward
? He pondered;
if she deems me to be dishonest and unworthy of her trust?

“You have an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than yourself,” he heard Monica proclaim. “There are those innocents who will fall prey to those
Corrupted
if we're unable to protect them. We need you.”

Praying that Monica's word might reach her and revitalize her faltering spirit, Anzu looked intently at Katherine to see if there was any change to her morose demeanour. But all she offered him was a look of defiance.

“I refuse to just be another one of your projects,” she snapped through gritted teeth.

With that, she forced open the bedroom door and went out into the organisation's main corridor.

Both he and Monica quickly followed; they stood idly observing as she surveyed the walls in search of a means to escape.

I fail to understand her rationale,
he thought to himself.
What makes her think the organisation will let her leave? Even if she successfully escaped, what would she do when she inevitably resurfaced in the middle of the desert?

And as he'd rightly anticipated, the organisation had no intention of letting her go free. For their path was now impeded; numerous armed operatives were lined across the width of the corridor.

“I am sorry Ms Munroe, but I cannot allow you to leave.” Walter's raspy voice echoed from out the facility's internal speakers. “I cannot allow you to compromise the organisation's secrecy.”

Anzu glanced over at Katherine, pleading she'd come to see sense. Only, she gazed back at him, her eyes watery, with the vain hope he'd help her as a guardian should. But Anzu had chosen his side long ago. He had his own agenda, his own reasons for reuniting with this organisation from his past. He decided to leave Katherine to her own devices, alone in face of this controlling organisation's firm resistance.

Chapter 13

The day was now nearing its end, and Katherine had barely moved from her bed all afternoon. She had lain there, staring upward at the tiled ceiling, counting the number of grooves in its plaster. But once this had finally grown tiring, she scouted the room in search of something else to better occupy her interest. Now that she was a prisoner, and with ample time at her disposal, she thought back to a more simple life when both she and her father would watch various crime drama's on the lounge's old television set.

These shows weren't exactly what I'd have chosen to watch if given the choice, and all they often served as was an opportunity to procrastinate from doing homework,
she remembered
. But I really miss it now, knowing we'll no longer be able to spend any time together.

For it really had developed into one of my favourite pastimes;
she thought to herself,
there were moments I even considered the possibility of joining the police force as a career. He would have been so proud of me; protecting the innocent, catching the bad guys, and throwing them behind bars…

She glanced down at Anzu, the guardian had not moved from her bedside.

“If you wish to stay here and hunt down these spirits,” she said, now sitting upright. “How can I break our bond and set you free?”

She watched as Anzu clambered to his feet and gazed back at her with firm resolve. “You are now my new master; I only exist to serve,”-

“Enough,” she growled, his words leaving a sour taste in her mouth. For the phrase she felt was utterly demeaning of them both.

I want no part in having a guardian who felt he was nothing more than a servant to our bond,
she thought,
especially given his earlier actions where he'd decided to side with this ‘Project'.

She heard a loud knock on the bedroom door. But she felt little need to reply.

It's not as if this organisation has cared for my wishes until now
, she remembered.

“Katherine, I apologize for the inconvenience,” said Lance from behind the door. “I am only here to fetch you for dinner.”

“You mean to say I can leave my cell?” Her response dripped with sarcasm.

The door slid open and Lance stepped inside. She pondered at first if it were best to silence him out, only to reconsider and think it more advantageous to test him.

“Lance, may I ask you something?”

“I suppose it depends upon the question,” he replied with an awkward smile.

“Why have you stayed with this organisation for so long?” She asked. “You don't come across as the kind of person who'd willingly hold a young woman hostage.”

Although clearly unimpressed, Lance barely flinched. He simply looked back at her with the stoic face of a devoted soldier.

“Like it was with you and your father, this is the only place I've ever thought of as home,” he said. “Not only that, but I wholeheartedly believe in the importance of this organisation's cause, and in the protection of those most dear to me.”

His words at least sounded sincere,
she decided,
but I can't keep myself from feeling he's just kowtowing to this ‘Project's' wishes.

“You say you believe in their cause, but I believe that even you view their methods as unethical,” she responded. “We don't know what's hunting us. We're treated like lab rats under the façade of a school, and this organisation has proven more than willing to hold captives against their will.”

“I believe the end justifies the means,” he swiftly replied, his reserved composure appearing to crumble. “Anabasis High was specifically established to provide a normal life for those gifted. To give them a safe and meaningful environment where they can learn and reach their true potentials.”

“I took you for a soldier, but now you sound like a salesman,” she mocked.

“I don't really know what it is you want me to say. Frankly, I can relate to your situation; for I've seen far too many innocent people fall prey to the
Corrupted
. That is what I'm most concerned with, making sure no others are lost by their hand. Not with whether the organisation fails to serve the appropriate moral agenda,” he said, claiming a nearby chair. “I know it's hard for you to hear, but you're not the only one to have experienced loss from their hands. Most people party to this organisation have lost a loved one or more to the
Corrupted
. And you know what really pains me?”

“What?” She asked, only half interested.

“The fact I'm utterly powerless to do a thing about it,” he said. “Yet here you are, granted with the necessary strength. You are someone who can make a difference.”

She found his words unsettling; for she'd received more insight into this young man's beliefs than she'd bargained for. Until now, Lance had presented such a calm and unfaltering front, yet now he showed signs of vulnerability.

This sense of powerlessness he'd expressed and his desire to protect those he cared about.
She pondered.
Did he actually believe that the organisation would fare any better if I were to join them?

He arose from his seat and headed for the door. “I'm sorry Katherine if I've upset you. I was only to offer you some dinner.”

“Lance, wait. If you don't mind me asking, it's just I'm trying to understand,” she replied, figuring how to word her question without upsetting him. “Who have you lost to the
Corrupted
that has made you feel this way?”

“I have lost many friends and mentors, your father being both,” he responded, momentarily pausing and rubbing at his temple. “And just like you, I too lost my father.”

“I'm so sorry,” she mumbled. “I didn't know.”

“You needn't be, and you weren't to know,” he said, smiling back at her. “We all must confront death at some point in our lives, and it's a matter of how we deal with it. I just take it one day at a time, and try to make what little difference I'm capable of providing. We all must search for our own purpose in life, and serving this organisation the best I can is mine, regardless of the consequences.”

What he said makes some sense,
she decided.
Even if it's too soon and difficult for me to accept, I've got to keep going, and this organisation has obviously played an important role in my father's life.

Just maybe,
she further considered,
I've been too quick to judge. But this doesn't mean I should ignore my instincts altogether, only that I may have more in common with these people than I first suspected.

“I could go for something to eat,” she told him.

With Anzu following closely at her heels, she briskly marched at Lance's side toward the project's mess hall. In the hall many officers were already eating and engaging one another in leisurely banter. It didn't take her long to spot both Blake and Kulullu. As she had expected, they were seated toward the farthest wall, withdrawn and reluctant to take part in conversation with the other officers.

I shall never understand him,
she believed.

“You may benefit from taking the opportunity to talk with some other officers,” Lance suggested. “These are all good people.”

Lance left them, claiming a seat next to a pair of other officers and joined in their discussion. Not exactly pleased, she uncomfortably glanced about the hall for a free seat.

How am I supposed to talk with these people?
She wondered,
I don't know any of them, and will mostly have nothing worthwhile to talk about.

But it wasn't long before a young woman, in her mid-twenties, motioned Katherine to join her. She was very athletic, even tomboyish Katherine thought at first glance.

“My name is Officer Harkin,” she said with a gentle smile, looking up at her through bright hazelnut eyes. “But you may call me Aleisha. It's nice to finally meet you in person; your father would often tell us a lot about you.”

“I hope about nothing too embarrassing,” she stuttered, averting her gaze.

In the corner of her eye, she recognized Mr Dreyfuss sitting before a large piece of steak, looking rather satisfied with his meal. To his side also sat Mr Moss; a lanky gentleman in his mid-forties employed at Anabasis High in the science department. Across from them, Katherine then spotted her art teacher Ms McCauley. She couldn't stop from staring as Ms McCauley, rather than reading anything affiliated with works of art, was reading a basketball magazine of all things.

“So are you going to take a seat? Or are you just going to stand there and gawk at everyone while they eat?”

She turned round. Towering overhead was a lean officer looking down at her with a jovial grin. “The name is Officer Spears,” he said, as he reached for the other free seat next to Aleisha. “It's nice to finally meet you Ms Munroe, and if you don't mind, I have a very important question to ask you.”

She sat down, anxious about what he wanted to ask and how she should look to respond.

“As a student of Anabasis High,” he began, “You don't happen to also be a fan of the great sport of basketball by any chance?”

Relief promptly swept over her, and yet she found herself unable to shake off what was likely a perturbed expression.

“You are so predictable Gavin; I'd go so far as to even say obsessed,” Aleisha teased, stroking at her fringe of brown hair. “You've already seen the upcoming schedule for the new season, haven't you?”

“I may have,” he replied, a glint in his eye. “I'm also predicting that Anabasis will go far this year. So Katherine, what do you think of their chances?”

She thought it was all so bizarre; she had never imagined they'd want to casually discuss such trivial things as high school sports.

Why haven't they asked me about the Corrupted and my guardian?
She pondered.
What am I even supposed to say? I don't really like, nor know anything about basketball.

“I hear they have a new point guard, and I'm told he's very good,” she said, having mustered the courage.