Prometheus Incorporated
"Y-You're hand! Shouldn't you stop, drop and roll or something?! While you do that I'll call 911, one second let me do that-" I say in a panic until he cuts me off.
"I said look at me carefully Dawn, does my hand look burnt to you?" As he says, I look at his now burning hand carefully. To my surprise, it was fine, not a single sign that it was currently ablaze. The fire danced around his hand harmlessly until he balled his hand into a fist, extinguishing it.
"What the hell..." I let out.
"Are you ready for that explanation I promised you?" All I could do was nod.
"Well, I will start with some background information. The world as you know it, is not as mundane as it may seem. Underneath the noses of the general populace, the supernatural world flourishes. From werewolves and vampires to gods and demons, just about everything you can imagine exists, although they are more often than not, different from how they are depicted in human culture. For example, you won't find Ra or Zeus running around, but there are other gods who exist, which match or exceed the power of their mythological brethren." He gives me a look as if asking if I understand.
"I know it's a lot to take in, but I think I've already proved the existence of the supernatural to you today, so I think my words can be trusted. I'll give you a moment to process everything." I graciously accept his offer of a moment. At this point, I had far too many questions to put down, so I decided to just let him continue.
"I've processed what you've said so far, please continue." I slowly say to him. Hearing this, he nods before continuing.
"As you may guess, not all of these forces are friendly to humans. That is where Prometheus Incorporated comes in. Ever since we were founded back in the 18th century, it has been our duty to protect humanity from those who would see it harmed. We have gone by names other than this, we have changed greatly since then, and in modern times have decided to place ourselves in a position of power as a corporation within America, but our goal remains the same. So now I have another question for you, will you help us?" He pops the big question after that short little explanation he gave me.
"One question, is the public's ignorance of the supernatural your doing? And if it is, how? How do you keep such a big thing, an entire world hidden?" I ask him.
"You are right to assume it is our doing. As for how the answer is a mix of magic and conventional coverup methods. I'm guessing you know by now that I'm not joking about magic. We maintain tight grips on the world, through our connections to every major world government, and by combining their support with our magic, we are able to keep everything hush-hush. In the instance something does leak, we are able to discredit it, keeping the supernatural world hidden. I think you want to know why, so I will explain that as well. To put it bluntly, the supernatural and human worlds have mixed before, and every time it has ended poorly. After a major event at Krakatoa, resulting in the disaster you know today, Prometheus Incorporated was formed to prevent such disasters from ever occurring again. " I nod at his explanation and continue with another question.
"What is it a normal 17-year-old kid from Florida supposed to do to help a global supernatural organization? Why do you want me?" I ask bluntly.
"Well for starters, you're not as normal as you think you are. We have our ways of detecting magical potential, and to put it simply yours is off the charts. Some of the highest we've ever seen before. With some training, you could be one of our greatest assets." He responds. Well, that's a better answer than I was expecting at least, and to be honest it's definitely made me feel a little special. Hearing all of this, and then hearing that I will get training is very enticing. I don't think that after hearing this I can refuse. I mean, I know everything that goes bump in the night is real, how could I live with myself after that? The mere thought of it is terrifying, and being offered some way to protect myself is enough to convince me.
"I'll help you." I say with some renewed confidence. The smile returns to Sean's face at my words.
"Very good, now as to details on what you will actually be doing. As an intern of Prometheus Incorporated, we will teach you everything you need to know, from magic to diplomacy and everything in between. You will be paid during your training period, at a rate of $15 an hour. Once your training ends, so does your internship. You will become a full employee of Prometheus Incorporated, which will come with a raise, as well as real duties. It won't be easy, life-threatening even, but rest assured knowing that everything you do will make an impact on the world. Additionally, you will be provided protection by Prometheus Incorporated from both supernatural and natural threats, so don't worry about something killing you before you finish your training. Your training starts tomorrow at 11 am sharp. Don't be late. That is all." You know, for a secret organization they're pretty generous. Noting everything in my head, I stand up and bid Sean goodbye.
"I'll be there. See you tomorrow, I hope you have a good day." I say to him, as I exit the room. He nods at me on the way out, and I begin the journey back to my car. On my way back to the car, I pass the receptionist again and decide to give her a wave. Unfortunately, she doesn't seem to notice, as she's talking to someone. I feel some annoyance welling up inside me, but I push it down, I can't have conflict with my new co-workers after all. I continue on my way out of the building until I reach my car, I unlock it with my keys and get in.
The car ride home was uneventful as expected, but I had a lot to think about so it wasn't boring. I want to know everything I can, about Prometheus, about this new supernatural world, and most of all myself. Why is it that I have this magical potential or whatever? I haven't really done anything to earn it, it's all so confusing for me. Once I arrive home, I see my dad on the couch still, the difference is he's asleep. I have a busy day tomorrow, thankfully it's the weekend so I don't have to worry about school, but I'm worried about how I'll balance that and my training. Maybe Sean can pull some strings and get me out of homework all semester. Until I have the chance to ask him, I decide to ignore the problem for now. I decide to head to bed, even though it's a little early. I figured that I would need a good night's sleep to be ready for tomorrow.
Tucking myself into bed, I think about the future and what it will bring, once I'm done with my own thoughts, I fell asleep to the sounds of crickets and my own excited heartbeat.