Countd0wn

Chapter 29: The Power Is Yours

I lay back on my bed, staring at the ceiling. The bedsheets beneath me were designed to make me feel comfortable so I could drift off easier, but right now, all the tranquilizers in the world couldn't make me sleep. I hadn't heard about Sparrow's progress for a while, but apparently today was what I liked to call her "initiation day."

It happened to me when I first fought Angelo, the boy that could teleport. It was the day where Mossberg would take the newest metahuman she had managed to acquire and put them through their paces. Sometimes she would make them fight against each other, or against something much worse.

I had been called to Mossberg's office the night before. I was slightly surprised, since I didn't think that she, or anyone else here, had an office of any kind. But, I guess since I was quite literally sleeping in a hotel room underground, nothing should have surprised me anymore.

The guards had escorted me down the endless series of hallways that made up the inner organs of Reservoir, and taken me to a room that seemed to be the outside of the interrogation room I had been in already. But, when we opened it, I found a regular room, almost like a principal's office, staring back at me. It was the cold, merciless feel of the room that had made me mistaken it for the room that had caused me so much pain.

Mossberg was sitting, sifting through some old files, when she looked up and smiled at me. She put down the papers, and motioned for the guards to stay outside. "Ah, hello Wren. Thank you for coming on such short notice."

I walked inside, and felt the guards shut the door behind me. I looked at the singular chair that was in front of Mossberg's desk, and sat down in it. She stared at me across from it, and laced her fingers together. "Wren, as you know, your friend Audrey, or Sparrow as I know you like to call her, has been adjusting to life here at Reservoir. And tomorrow, she will go through what you did. A training exercise. I would like you to join her."

I blinked a bit, confused. I knew that even with the old man's influence, Mossberg still didn't trust me. She still believed she was doing all this in her own free will, so she could think whatever she wanted. So why was she entrusting me with something like this? I brought this question to her attention. "Wait, join her? Why? Why me?"

Mossberg leaned back in her chair, and gave a knowing smile. Her hand were now placed in her lap, never once taking her eyes off of me. "Because Wren, you're her friend. Most likely the only friend she has. She'll respond much better to you then one of our guards. She's quite feisty."

I hated how she talked about her, like she was some sort of cat that was acting up in front of it's owner. But, I kept my emotions to myself, and nodded slightly, agreeing with her logic. Then, another thought crossed my mind. "Mossberg...I'm not going to have to fight her, am I?"

Mossberg laughed a little bit and shook her head, sighing and adjusting her glasses. "Please, no no no. We wouldn't want to do that to the both of you. Like I said, you're friends. You both share a bond. We can use that in battle. Two heads are better than one, and all that."

It made sense. It was still cold and calculating, but it made sense. Anyways, if me and Sparrow were going to think of a way out of here, we needed to coordinate some form of attack. What better way to do it than this? I looked at Mossberg and nodded. "Alright then. I'll do it. But I want to practice with her more often."

Mossberg smiled and shrugged a little bit. "Whatever you want. We can make it possible. You know Wren, I was a bit unsure about you at first, but you've really managed to turn yourself around. You're going to make a fine addition to Reservoir."