INTEGATES (Original Story)

CHAPTER 9 - THE TEST

Director Shaw and the four other heads were standing outside the private room when Frey escorted me. They all had their arms on the back, dashing the commanding image more, yet on the other hand, their faces put up a proud look. I wanted to comment that it was too early for it, but my focus was more into my growing nervousness.

Earlier, they gave me an overall black suit made of stretchable material. It was a bit thick, yet it was enough for my comfort. It would give the right amount of freedom to any movement.

They suddenly presented weapons which they were hiding behind their backs. Each of the five people in front was waiting for me to choose. They informed me yesterday that I was only allowed to use one item for my entire final test.

Bartlet held a sharp knife while Lyra had a 45-caliber pistol and Ervy, a set of grenades. Then on Rodrick's hand laid a coil of rope, and lastly, Denver had a crossbow and arrow. I noticed that they were all weapons except from the Essential head. Even knowing that I could do so much with them, there was something inside me that felt uneasy using one.

I remembered the day before my training. Director Shaw and Doctor Zigan told me that I never fought physically, and I also discovered that on all my previous tests. Anything that involved the use of body movement wasn't exactly my forte.

So I had to pick the rope.

"As expected." Bartlet casually commented. The other four heads' smile grew as well, like they knew all along what I would choose.

They stepped aside to give way for me. Before I entered the dark room, I looked back at them and saw that they didn't intend on following. It made me panic more inside because I thought they were conducting the test like the previous ones. Yet I stopped myself from commenting and just put up a strong facade. They all nodded encouragingly as I took a deep breath.

"Any last words?" I tried to tease.

They all looked at each other funny like they were thinking of an old inside joke. The smirks on their faces slightly eased my apprehension. Frey, on the other hand, was staring at me with worried eyes.

Sometimes, it was irritating how he made me feel like I would break anytime. Like I was made of glass. Delicate. I didn't know if it was just how he used to treat me before and I was totally fine with it. But now, it was throwing me off. The kiss that we had earlier and how I was regretting it made me feel a lot worse.

"Don't die." The director and heads joked in chorus. I only responded with a chuckle.

The moment I stepped inside, there was a sudden coldness that gave me goosebumps. Especially when the door closed behind me and my vision could only catch the circular platform placed on the center. Other than the light surrounding the outline, there was a faint spotlight that pointed to the side opposite to where I was standing.

Footsteps echoed as the air turned thicker. Or maybe it was just my imagination. And slowly, I saw the lights revealed a figure. A body shape that seemed dangerously familiar. The same long blonde hair that had appeared in my dreams and panic attacks. Then my own body froze the moment I saw the pair of eyes that could both be the darkest and the softest ones I had ever seen.

It was her.

My heartbeat raced. I knew it wasn't real. It couldn't be real. Riley McGill couldn't be here. Impossible. Bartlet and the other heads may have tricked me several times, but I knew that they never lied to me. They had let me mess things up but they have been nothing but frank of what I should know. They couldn't lie about Riley being in the facility all along.

Yet there was something fighting that thought. Her presence was too enthralling that it was hard to believe she wasn't in front of me. And I didn't know what to feel about it.