11 Another Test

"Terraformers are creatures of wonder, so scared of death yet so willing to put it on the line. What will it be Zoe, will you play my game or will you be played?" - Rosealinde

A clairvoyant I discovered had many names, their fancy collective name was clairvoyant in other words: prophets, seers and sensitives were all classed as clairvoyant. And so apparently was Esmeralda, because she was a Doctor who intervened directly on the person's soul. She took me to her nonna, her nonna lived outside the glass dome. And outside, the lush palm trees, and the river and fruit trees reminded me… of a postcard advertising the freaking Caribbean's.

Nonna lived behind the waterfall, so Esmeralda and I started the journey away from the dome. The spy building apparently interrupted the 'waves' and 'channels' nonna used for her clairvoyance stuff. I didn't understand any of this. And why it was important, but if Esmeralda was telling me, there must be a reason. I ask her how long this was going to take and she said that today was my first day so not one of my professors would expect me to be in class. Professors? Class? This sounded awfully like the word school needed to pop up soon.

I brush aside what she said and remembered to ask Russo later tonight. Esmeralda was popular outside the dome, she would wave at everyone and occasionally kiss a tree trunk… weird… so it took a long time to get there. The waterfall was a topaz colour, it looked breath-taking. Until I was shoved into it headfirst, afterwards it was cold and chilly like every other watery experience I had.

"Oh, Nonna!" Esmeralda starts screaming. I roll my eyes.

I was expecting some kind of small cottage with overgrown flowers… instead, I stood facing a wagon and a big dromedary. Figures that I would find a camel or dromedary soon enough out in the middle of the desert. A clairvoyant was normally just a human, although they were classed still as sensetives, they were not considered mythical creatures. But they had the ability of hyper sensibility to the 'other worlds' and 'the third eye' and so they were often able to accidentally see the illusions that the Mythological world put in place.

We finally stumbled upon a small woman wearing a flowery dress and a blue pinafore. She wore sandals, Jesus would've been so proud, and she wore a headdress. Apart from that she looked your average tanned old lady from Italy.

"Oh, Nonna!" Esermalda bellows in her ear.

"Assunta's a bit deaf." She explains almost apologetically. I shrug, the old lady looked practically ancient and my Chinese values kick in. I bow slightly when she opens her eyes to look at me.

"Ah, is this her, cara?" She asks rubbing her eyes. I nod.

"A Hybrid, such a long time since I have been asked to do this." She doesn't introduce herself, instead, she grabs me and pulls me down to sit on the ground with her.

"Okay, cara. Ascolta, you must not wake up from this." Then I was suddenly hit on the head, no umming and ahhing. No hypnotising, no incense and spells just a good old fashion whack to the head. And I was knocked unconscious even if the blow wasn't that hard, maybe there had been a spell. I just hadn't realised. And that was my last thought….

….

….

*Lakisha's memories*

"You were standing a bit too rigid." Oh, so it was my fault! I manage to limp close enough to her for her to catch me before I pass out. That was when suddenly I feel arms encircle my waist and I was transferred painlessly into a different dimension. I open my eyes and gasp. Rosealinde's palace looked familiar because I had seen it not long after I had last seen it.

I had learnt that Rosealinde didn't outright lie, she would mutter or growl stuff and then say 'nothing' or ignore you if you asked for a clarification.

So I should've have picked up on what she was saying about 'having already eaten'. God she could be so annoying!!! But then Jillian muttered under his breath 80% of the time as well, maybe it was a Shadow People thing like Vampires drank blood and Zombies ate brains.

"Where are you?" I jump, Esmeralda stood as a phantom by my side watching me, watch me and Rosealinde stagger towards… the medical wing. I knew that whatever was going to happen now was vital for them, so I try and move out of the way. But that's when everything goes white. Like an empty room, the walls were white, the ceiling was white. Esmeralda and I found ourselves standing staring up at a white ceiling, we look around bewildered. Where was my memory? Had I lost my memory? Had I developed Alzheimer? Wasn't I too young for that?

"You're right. Something isn't right." I roll my eyes, No, shit Sherlock. How could you tell? By the lack of… everything in here?

"Don," I mutter realising that this could only mean, she didn't want other people to know what she had injected me with.

"The Don has to allow you to be properly examined otherwise you will be killed or discarded of. You won't be registered, and then you won't be given food."

"Tell Mrs Control-freak." I snap waving my arms around in exasperation. I notice Esmeralda's eyebrows shoot up, shit I had said she.. hopefully, Rosealinde will just erase her mind as well. The Don wasn't supposed to have any form of identity, I don't think her gender was confirmed.

"Why do you think she is keeping it so close to her chest."

"Because she's a bitch?"

"Apart from that, yes."

"No idea. I may spend some time with her, but it doesn't mean I understand her and her maniac ways. You know she sent zombies to kill me!" I growl.

"Umm… I'm sure that wasn't her intention."

"Shut up and agree with me."

"But-"

"We're friends, right?" I demand placing my hands on my hips

"Ugh, yes. But I am entitled to-"

"No, you're not. I don't want to die or turn into a zombie. I need to be registered. Do you know any other methods to restore memories?"

"No not really. It isn't universal knowledge. Things related to minds are carefully protected by clairvoyants and the Ascended Masters."

I whip around to look at her."Who?"

"The Ascended Masters… oh! Right. Problem is no one knows where they live." I slap my forehead.

"If only there was a spy company that probably keeps records on such things…"

Esmeralda nods.

"Yeh, if only…. Oh! I know… but I can't access it. I am only a scientist."

"Who could then?"

"A professional." Russo.

"I have that covered. Now get me out of here." Esmeralda nods, then the white room fades away and I was once again lying next to a dromedary whilst her nonna sits on its hump with her knees pulled up.

"It didn't work." She tells me looking upset.

"Don't worry, I know how to fix it. Thank you for your help though."

"It has never not worked before."

"Yeh, well The Don doesn't like to classify under 'normal'." I try to reassure her.

I left Esmeralda with her Nonna, and I walked back towards the glass dome. I notice that the path was covered with strange hieroglyphics. Note to self, ask Rosealinde what that meant. I stop in the middle of the road when I realise I had no idea where Russo could possibly be. Great!

I stood in the middle of the road like an idiot, ignoring the fact millions of people were shouldering past me. Then it came to me. Maya! Maya would sort of know. I look at my watch it was lunchtime, which meant she would be eating along with everyone else. Professionals ate somewhere else. I pull out my normal phone and find the map application, a hologram projected out of the screen. A little red dot showed where I was, I quickly type in the cafeteria, and watch as a yellow streak appears on the hologram. I follow the yellow line unwaveringly; I push past people who stood in my way.

I find Maya in a room that looked like a restaurant, I look around me confused. I look back down at my watch, it didn't show where in the room she was, it just showed a round yellow dot. Where in the world was she? I decide to just find out.

"Hey! Anyone seen Maya?" I ask in a loud whisper, when no one paid any attention I tried again, louder.

"OI! ANYONE SEEN MAYA!?" Everyone turns to look at me.

"Maya who?" I jump as a girl just materialises in front of me. Oh that was cool, she could make herself invisible!!!! Also, that was a good question, what was Maya's last name.

"Dunno. But she's Indian, she has long black hair and dark brown eyes. She's yay tall – I demonstrated her height by waving my hand above my shoulder- and she's very annoying. She's often loud and she is maybe, possibly, friends with Professional Russo!"

"OOHH, that Maya." There was a pause where the speaker closed her eyes and looked very far away from reality, or sanity before she opened them and shook her head.

"Nope, don't know her. But let me know when you find her!" I grind my teeth in irritation. Was nobody able to be serious around here? I sift through my contacts wondering if Rosealinde had sneaked in her number without me realising. It turned out she had, seriously! Why hadn't I checked previous to now? I paced waiting for her to pick up, finally she answered.

"What's wrong?" I was surprised she actually had got straight to the point, maybe she was busy.

"Where's Russo now?"

"How do I know, I don't have his tracker IP or code." She snaps.

"Well, how do I find out?" I demand to ignore the tone in her voice.

"If I hack the system to find out will you leave me alone?"

"Depends, what are you doing?"

"None of your business." I heard the sound of typing, she definitely wanted me to leave her alone… interesting.

"Are you having an affair?" I ask. She chokes on the line before saying.

"How do I have an affair when I don't even have a boyfriend!"

"I thought you and Rosealinde were married. Rose and Maya sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g first comes love-"

"-There done, he's down in the training hall, now you need to get a special pass for that sort of training hall. Now leave me alone." Then she hangs up.

I shrug and rush over towards the VIP restaurant section, I whiz past the kitchen tying an apron around my middle. I pick up a silver domed plate and walk into a professional meeting where everyone was eating.

"Don't just stand there, go and serve Q.T" Someone had called themselves Q.T? Poor guy. I walk up to the person the maître di had rudely pointed at, I put the plate in front of him and remove the dome, he ignores me. I stare at the badge around his neck then blink. I hear the shutter go off. Being a portable camera wasn't so bad. I walk out and head towards the closest IT room. I find it jam-packed with juniors like myself practising how to hack and create systems.

I was lucky Rosealinde had installed it into my head. To get into any training hall you needed a badge, however, the Professional badges allowed further access and every locked door opened to this one of a kind of badge. All I needed to do was duplicate it, I had yet to understand how my picture mode worked so I pulled out the phone Rosealinde had given me. I pressed call and then tapped the tattoo on my back – I did this by discreetly scratching under my shirt-. Then I could hear the call being picked up in my head.

"Hello this is Rosealinde's phone she is out being too cool for words how may I assist you?"

"Uh, I want to know how to upload the pictures taken with my eyes."

"Easy, just run your finger along the side of the computer, this will give you electric shock, then focus your mind on the image you took. It will take a minute to form. Anything else?"

"Just tell her I said hi okay." And I miss her… no Zoe, pull your shit together.

"Goodbye" Well she was rude.

I followed her instructions by the letter and sure enough, I soon had a replica of the badge. I replace it with my picture and my name then I stand up and leave using the fire exit. I quickly jump into a lift, not managed by Buster, so the ride was much smoother. I was dropped straight in front of glass doors which had the normal badge scanner. I swipe my card and march in as if I was supposed to be there, the smell of sweat was prominent as were grunting sounds, men liked to make sure the women knew they were working out hard.

I was able to find Russo in a private training area wielding a strange ball attached to a whip, it looked loosely like Rosealinde's double sword and chain weapon. I walk by and tap on the glass, Russo stops and does a double-take when he sees it was me.

"What are you doing here?" he hisses as he marches out of the training hall only for professionals, he grabs me roughly by the elbow and continues to drag me.

"Looking for you."

"Yeh, I understood that when you disturbed my downtime! Now, what do you want?"

"Do you know where or how to find the Ascended Masters?"

"Why?" He stops and folds his arms across his torso. His muscles bulged and covered in sweat, just made him look like chicken freshly marinated (was that a strange analogy?) It was distracting, making me forget my misfortune for a second and a half.

"Please don't be nosy; that's Rosealinde's job."

"And I work for her, which makes it my job." He counters pointedly, he goes far as to raise an eyebrow and humph.

"Okay, well little Miss Princess has made it so that even a clairvoyant can't access my mind."

"Well, why don't you ask her then?" He pulls out a phone and I stand there shell shocked; I had gone through all this trouble for what reason? To then be told that it was useless.

"Rosealinde, she needs to be registered properly." He said it in a very final tone, I strain to hear her reply, but ended up being shoved aside roughly.

"So are you saying, that everything I just did was a waste of time."

"It was a test." He answers cautiously, probably waiting for a negative reaction.

"WHAT???!!!!" I scream.

"It was to see how well you could think on your feet." I stare.

And then I punch him in his stomach. When he doubled over, I grab the back of his head and slam it down into the ground. Not caring what permanent damage it could do to him.

Then I storm off angry with everyone, why was nothing ever going my way. On the bright-side, I wasn't going to be 'benched' (killed) but I still didn't know what had happened that fateful day.