Sinners and Saints (7 page)

“
Are you sure?”

Nodding,
Vylette replied, “I am positive.”

Finally, another sweet smile on his face.
His voice back to normal.

“
Then...okay...how about we just see where things go?”

“
If that will make you feel better.”

“
It would.”

She cocked her eyebrow.
“Subject change, then?”

Looking at Dorrian, t
he relief was not just written on his face, but throughout his entire body. His face and shoulders seemed to relax with the exhale of a large a breath.

“
Please.”

“
Okay, how's this...When does my training start?”

“
Tomorrow morning, 8:00 a.m. sharp. You need to be in the training room and dressed in something tight enough it doesn't fall off, but loose enough you can move.”

“
Great. I’m excited.”

“
Good...Oh, and Vylette, be ready to get your ass handed to you.”

Narrowing her eyes,
she replied, “What does that mean?”

“
It means, training is not easy. The instructors are ruthless and uncaring and they should be because out there in the field, the world is too and you need to be able to handle it.”

“
Okay. I will see you in the morning.”

She noticed a troubled expression cross his face before he clarified.

“Actually, no you won't. I won’t be here. I have errands to attend to. Plus I don't usually attend training classes with the recruits.”

“
Oh…”

“
Come, let's go. I'll walk you back to your room.”

As he turned to walk away, she fell in
step beside him, thinking of the day to come and what it would bring. She was unaware if it was the memory of his kiss and lingering gaze or the thought of beginning her new life, or both, but her stomach was both in knots and churning. Her head was spinning, life had changed so much in just a few days time.

The elevator d
oors closed and she turned to him.

“
What will happen now? I mean what will my days be like?”

“
Well, you will be given a schedule when you arrive at training in the morning. Most likely, it will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You will have physical training, combat skills and field training. Tuesday and Thursday you will have languages, culture and etiquette and dress...”

“
Sounds like college.”

His laugh always made her smile.
“Well, it kind of is. Granted this is more extreme classes and lessons, but it's something you need to learn none the less. How else do you expect to be taught what you need to know?”

Shrugging, Vylette replied,
“I don't know...I just didn't think it would be like school. I guess it makes sense. As you said, it is what I need to know.”

“
It is, and it takes time. Don't worry, Vylette, you will not, I repeat, will not, go into the field until you know it all and pass several mock missions. The last thing we want is to lose agents. I mean it happens, because we can't control everything, but we do put as much in place as possible to ensure the safe return of not only the people we are trying to save, but the agents themselves.”

“
Sounds reasonable and well thought out.”

“
Good.”

The door of the elevator opened and they were facing the west
side of Mr. Buchanan's office, her uncle's loud laughter billowing from behind the closed door.

“
Well, sounds like your... Mr. Blackstone, is in a good mood.”

“
I have never seen him, with the exception of earlier when he found out I was missing, to be anything but in a good mood.”

Passing the closing doors, she followed him toward his office.

“You two are very close aren't you?”

“
Yes, since I was little. I’ve always spent a lot of time with him.”

“
I have always known he was a family man, it's just nice to see. In this business you learn to really appreciate the easy happy things in life since they are few and far between sometimes.”

“
I can only imagine.”

“
Save your imagination. With the decision you made, in about two years, you are going to more than understand...”

She stooped and stared at him, he grabbed her hand and halted their advance.

“Vylette, are you sure this is what you want?”

Nodding,
Vylette assured, “Yes, I am sure. Given who my family is, I knew deep down that I would eventually end up in this lifestyle. I tried to deny it and pretend otherwise, but I have always known. This way, I can at least enter in on my own terms.”

“
Okay. Know this, Vylette, if you change your mind, you can leave the Mission Program at anytime, no questions asked.”

“
Noted. Thank you.”

“
Okay, are you ready to tell your uncle about your decision?”

“
I am. Damn, Lewis was right...can we keep that between us, though.”

She laughed along with him.

“You can try, but I assure you, he knows. That is why he told you beforehand. I told you, he is very good at what he does and his talents are many.”

Just as they reached the door it flung open and she came face to face with her smiling uncle and Lewis. Her uncle eyed them both before he asked what she knew he was waiting to hear.

“Well, Vylette, are you joining us? It is okay of you don't want to.”

In that moment, it seemed as if
everyone was holding their breath. She walked up and hugged her uncle close, taking the moment to inhale his cigar aroma stuck to his clothes. She always loved that smell, it always reminded her of home. She pulled away and smiled.

“
Yes, uncle, I have decided to join the team.”

Hugs and cheers all around.

Chapter 14

She arrived at 7:54 a.m. in the training room and surveyed her surroundings. Men and women from fifteen to forty were dressed and stretching, readying themselves for today's lesson. Next thing she knew, she was getting grabbed from behind and slammed onto the mat she stood on. A man's face came into view, his voice very audible.

“
Rule number one, recruit, always be ready!”

She glared at him as he removed his hands from her. As she got off the floor, she noticed he had turned back to address the group and was not paying attention, she kicked out and nailed him in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

Smiling, she retorted, “Back atcha.”

“
Touché.”

Stepping back in case he planned to attack her again, she watched him get
up from the floor wearing a smile of his own. “What is your name, recruit?”

“
Vylette. Vylette Echo.”

“
Nice to meet you, Vylette, please take your place in one of these rows with the rest of the recruits and we will begin.”

A little
brunette next to her piped up, “That was a ballsy move! He is the instructor you know.”

She turned to the girl.
“What’s your name?”

“
My name is Brianna.”

“
Well, Brianna, never let anyone assault you, no matter who they are. Just because he is the instructor doesn't mean he is going to make things easy for us, therefore, I am not going to make it easy for him either. The world is full of asshats, while we are in this class, that instructor represents all those asshats. If you can't defend yourself against him without thinking, how do you expect to do it out there?”

She loved to see the looks on people faces sometimes. Her favorite was always li
ke the one Brianna wore now, those confused expressions that begged the question, “Is this chick really crazy or just a weirdo?”

Surprise, surprise, the answer is both
.

She smiled at Brianna and turned to the instructor as he began the lesson.

“Today we are going to pair up and go over what you have learned in the last month. Remember the moves, the names are less important than the moves themselves. Keep in mind the moves that break bones or maim your opponent should only be done full force when your sparring partner is in full gear, so for those moves practice with care. Now, starting from the left, turn to the right and that is your partner for today...”

Damn, this again?

She sighed when the instructor turned and looked her dead in the eyes.

“
Echo, you will be training with me today. Since you’re new, I need to evaluate you to determine what you need to be taught. As you heard, these recruits have been here training for a month. This is your first day. So, if you will walk to the big mat at the far end of the room, I will meet you there.”

She glanced behind her and spotted the mat.

Well, shit! Looks like I will have everyone's attention. Back of the room? More like front of the class.

Snatching up her water bottle and towel she walked over to the mat and waited for the i
nstructor who was walking through the crowd giving last minute instructions and answering questions. Dropping her bottle and towel, she took her place in the middle of the mat and prepared for what she knew would turn into a show for the rest of recruits. Who could blame them? A one on one with the instructor. That is always worth watching.

It took only a few more minutes before she was face to face with him.

“Okay, let's see what you know. Get ready.”

Vylette stood with her feet apart concentrating on th
e core of his body, trying to gauge what move he would do. A second later, she dodged his punch, dropped to the ground and tapped his knee cap with the heel of her shoe.

“
Nice job. We call that move the Knee Crusher. Glad to see you already know that move. Take your place and get ready.”

Back on her feet, she took her defensive stance once more. She side stepped his elbow, slid behind him and knocked him off his feet. He was smiling when he rolled onto his back.

“Have you had training before or are you just lucky?”

Now it was her turn to smile.

“Yeah, I have had training before.”

Giving him a
hand, she helped to pull him from the floor. Out of the corner of her eye, her suspicion was confirmed. They had everyone's attention. She turned her gaze to the crowd in the room. No one was training. All the recruits had stopped what they were doing and were watching them battle it out on the spongy piece of plastic. The Instructor must have noticed too.

“
Alright, show’s over, back to training.”

Vylette turned back. “
So, Instructor, do you have a name? What do I call you or do you prefer 'instructor'?”

He had a sweet
, deepish laugh. “All the recruits call me, Hardass Haiden, but my name is Haiden Harlow. I go by Haiden.”

She plastered a wicked smile across her face. “
Hardass, it is. Nice to meet you, Hardass.”

She was surprised to see him smile back at her.

“You know, Echo, I think I’m going to like you. I love a good sense of humor. Even if it is a smartassed one. Makes things...fun.”

“
I try. So, now what do we do?”

Be
fore he could answer, the entrance of Mrs. Travine caught the room's attention. Her expression and presence was sweet as always.

“
Excuse me, Haiden, but can I please borrow Vylette? I have to get her picture and prints for her I.D. Cards and such. She just joined the team last night, so we are still getting her into the system.”

“
No Problem, Mrs. Travine.”

As she was heading toward Mrs. Travine, Hiaden's comment caught her before she went too far. “
Nice work. I'll see you tomorrow, but it may be at a different time. Mrs. Travine will know. This class is for beginners and clearly you’ve had training, so I want to put you in a more advanced class.”

“
Alright. Until then, Hardass.”

Her eyes caught Mrs. Travine's face, her eyes going from her to the Haiden. No o
ne spoke, but she noticed Mrs. Travine and Haiden share a smile. Shrugging it off as a private joke of sorts, she crossed the room and followed the woman into the elevator.

Chapter 15

Vylette stood in the slowly rising metal box with Mrs. Travine at her
side, in silence. So to break the endless white noise in the air, she turned to the woman next her.

“
Where are we going?”

“
We are going to the set up room, located on the ground floor of the main building. You have passed it before. It is the third door in Mr. Buchanan's wing. You know the one with the window you jumped out of.”

She heard Mrs. Travine stifle a small snicker.

“Yes, well, I was in a hurry you see, so you may need to point it out to me. In my haste, I wasn't really paying attention to what was in the room at the time.”

“
Fair enough, I suppose I can show you.”

She turned and placed her hand on her chest, and a mock grateful smile on her face.
“Why, that would just be great, Mrs. Travine. I mean, you are so nice and stuff.”

Before the doors ope
ned they were both laughing.

“
You Know, Vylette, I am so glad that Mr. Buchanan assigned you to me. I really like you. We share the same sense of humor. Perhaps in another life were sisters or best friends or something.”

“
Maybe...I like you too and I love that you get my quirky behavior and jokes. I have met so many who just don't get me. I make them nervous I guess, they always look at me like I'm a weirdo or something.”

With a straight face, this fell from Mrs. Travine's lips. “
But you are a weirdo.”

Vyl
ette just looked at her for minute and they both burst out laughing.

“
Who wants normal anyway?”

“
Exactly!” Mrs. Travine said as they stepped out into the main room of the warehouse.

“
So, do I get a break in the day for a meal? I am starving, I was so nervous about training class I didn't eat before I went.”

“
Sure, it's almost lunch time anyway. After we get your I.D.'s and stuff done we can go to the dining hall and grab something.”

They had reached the hallway and her eyes traveled up to the door with th
e severed head of a snake, and her heart raced.
I wonder if Dorrian is in his office?

Mrs. Travine's comment brought her back from her daydream.
“When we get in here, we'll look over a menu and order lunch so it will be ready when we get there. I think I’m in the mood for a rib-eye, how about you?”

“
A rib- Oh, I forget its fantasy land around here. I was expecting soup and sandwich kind of thing.”

“
You will learn.”

“
Although, now that you mentioned it, rib-eye does sound good. Your chef makes loaded baked potatoes too?”

“
That he does, and excellent ones at that.”

“
Sounds like lunch to me.”

They were walking through the door and into the room. Mrs. Travine grabbed the phone to finalize lunch.

“Great, give me a second and I’ll call it in. Have a seat in front of the desk.”

Vylette picked at her nails while Mrs. Travine gave Chef their order.

I should make up some weird crazy crap just to see if they could make it. After what I have seen so far, I wouldn't be surprised.

With the clicking of the phone, she turn
ed to the woman.

“
So, what all do they serve in the dining hall?”

“
Anything you could ever want.”

“
Really? Say I wanted a sandwich shaped like a shoe with a splash of chips shaped like a handbag?”

Even though, she tried to keep a straight face, the woman s
miled, clearly enjoying this little game.

“
Then Chef can make it. There isn't any food dish, he can't make. You can keep trying to think of weird things if you like, but the answer will still be the same.”

She sighed, “
How about...a steak stacked and shaped like the Eiffel tower served with a baked potato shaped like France?”

“
I tell you, he can do it. He is a genius when it comes to food. It's his passion I guess. Everyone here, hungry or not, always stops by the hall just to see what he has created. You know those shows where people create different scenes and stuff using food? He can do that...with anything. He loves it.”

“
Okay, fine. I give...for now, but if I think of anything else I will be sure to ask.”

“
Bring it. So, are you ready to get this done? All this talk about food is making me hungry.”

“
I'm right there with you. What do we do first?”

Her gaze on Mrs. Travine, she watched as she moved about the room grabbing papers from here, folders from there and so on. When she finally sat back down, her h
ands were full as she emptied it on the desk.

“
What is all this?”

“
This stuff is for you...”

A piece of paper slid into her view, with an explanation from the woman.

“This is your schedule. You need to be sure you are on time...”

She glanced at the class
es and times.

Name: Vylette Echo   Rank: Recruit  Status: Training  Agent Number: 33VE42

Time/class                             Place                      Room

0800                                

MWF:Physical Training                   Training Facility              202

T/TH: Intro to Languages and how to speak it  Main Building               124

0900

MWF: Advanced Combat Skills              Training Facility             202

T/TH: Cultures and World Trade              Main Building              115

1300

MWF: Field Training                       Training Grounds        Back filed   

1600

T/TH: Etiquette and Dress, Know your style      Main Building            105

Wow, looks like full days.

“
Do you approve of the schedule?”

“
Um...I guess. I mean, it looks legit to me. Is there something that might be a problem?”

“
No, but we like to know if you think it is too overwhelming. We can drop some of the classes and make it shorter, but you will have to attend and pass all these classes before you make it onto field.”

“
Oh, yeah. I know. Mr. Buchanan told me as much yesterday.”

“
Great, if you will sign here, saying that you approve this class schedule.”

Vylette grabbed the pen off the desk and signed the sheet of paper in the marked areas, then passed it back.

“Okay, now you need to sign these release forms saying that in the event that you are injured badly, maimed and/or incoherent and need medical attention that the Academy of Training and Culture has the right to make such decisions based on the type of care, medication and should it be necessary, the decision maker on life and death issues such as life support and 'Do Not Resuscitate' orders.”

Scrawling her initials and signature, she signed the papers and handed them back, no questions asked.

“This is the last piece of paper you sign. This just states that we have the authority to set up and maintain a bank account for you, in your name for anything you need, personal, business and training missions.”

“
Really? Can I go buy a crap load of shoes with it?”

“
If you wish it. It will be your money.”

“
Great!”

Excited at the thought of a shopping trip, even if only online, had her scratching her name quickly across the lines.

“Great.”

She sa
t back in the chair while Mrs. Travine stacked and organized the paperwork in proper folders and files before pulling out little plastic squares, stamps, a sheet of pictures and badge holders.

“
What is all that for?”

Mrs. Travine flashed each item and explained what they were for, starting with the glossy sheet of a pretty blonde.

“This is a proof sheet of the photos Christoph took of you. You need to choose one for your I.D. Academy badge. These small squares of plastic are to laminate your picture before we attach it to your badge. This will need to be worn at all time. On the back, here, just like your driver’s license, this back strip is activated with your security clearance and will open all the doors, according to your rank, will allow you entry. If you come across a door that once you swipe your card and entered your code and it still won't open, then you are not allowed access. However, as you are a training recruit, you will be allowed almost anywhere. Now give a look over these pictures and pick one.”

Taking the paper from the woman, she stared at the girl smiling back at h
er. She couldn't believe how pretty she actually was. So much so, that until Mrs. Travine pointed it out, she didn't know the pictures were of her. Studying each photo carefully, she finally settled on one of just her face.

“
This one here, number twenty-four. The one of me in the suit, but it focuses more on my face than the rest of me. That one is my favorite.”

Mrs
. Travine took the sheet back and proceeded to cut it out, affix it and create her badge and I.D. Card. It was apparent by how quickly Mrs. Travine got it all together that she had done this plenty of times before. After a flip of the hand, her badge and I.D. Card landed in front of her.

“
There ya, go. All done. Your picture is on the front and your swipe part of your I. D. card is on the back. They are not attached to each other, so if you need to take them out you can. Just when you put them back, you put them back the way they are now.”

She pinned the card/badge to her shirt.”
Great, let's go have lunch.”

“
Agreed. Let's go.”

She sprung from the
chair, eager to get to the hall and the phone rang. Mrs. Travine stopped and answered. Vylette leaned against the door frame and waited, while the woman chatted away on what sounded like business. A few more minutes later, and Mrs. Travine, with her hand over the phone spoke to her.

“
I think this may take a while, go on to lunch without me. Can you have Chef send mine to me here? I’m sorry, Vylette.”

“
No problem. I will just catch up with you later this evening then.”

“
Sounds good. Thank you.”

Her stomach s
ending threatening messages to her brain, she hurried away in search of the dining hall.