OTHERS (Formerly The Scarlet Effect)

40 - Fake You Out

Solo training. Room time. Meeting. Combined training. Interrogation. Lab work. All of these have become components of my daily schedule.

Today, I get up and train my hardest, narrowing my focus on the mind. After doing my daily exercise in the Training Center, I set up an experimental Programmable on my own and practice more interrogation techniques without Brink's assistance or observance. For the most part, I fare pretty well.

Room time basically means alone time for me. There's not much to do by myself though, at least not inside the walls of Brink's Sector. I'm sure gardening in Stella's Sector would kill time and be somewhat enjoyable, but I hardly wander. I feel it's best for me to maintain a sole focus on bettering my skills and extracting vital information from Travis McCormack. Until I accomplish that, I'll keep within Sector A.

Honestly, I wish I obtained a sufficient amount of stealth to enter the outside without anyone knowing. Brink tends to be an expert at evading consequences, but I know I wouldn't be so lucky. I'd be found me before I could get too far. And if not, I'd be punished upon returning.

The Meeting today was short, but lacked a sweetness. It was boring as usual. However, nothing bogs down Stella; she always enjoys them no matter what. Talking and interacting is second nature to her.

I have yet to tell anyone about what happened in the interrogation room yesterday--the air-bending incident. I don't know if or when I should tell someone. It's only a matter of time before they find out on their own.

Prepped for combined training, I head toward the Center and linger outside the door. Above me, I watch as Brink rides a descending tile to me. He waves from afar.

Our stride is identical as we walk into the massive space. "What did you want to work on today?" he asks me.

I rub the back of my neck and decide I should spill to him right now; I'm not a fan of keeping things bottled up. "Um, Brink? I think I've discovered my power."

He plants his feet and turns to frown at me. "Really? What do you suppose it is?"

The reaction I receive is far less chaotic than I assumed it would be. Regardless, his moderate enthusiasm brings up questions I can't answer with one hundred percent certainty. "Well I can't really explain it. It's like...air-bending or something. I don't know. It happened yesterday—"

"It revealed itself with Travis McCormack," he assumes. When I don't deny it, he continues to spew out all sorts of thoughts. "So...what happened?"

I deeply swallow, recalling the topic of the conversation when things went awry--Brink and I's relationship. "I was angry and everything just moved so quickly. Before I knew it, Travis was unconscious."

Brink strokes his chin slowly. "Interesting. Care to show me?"

I can't help but make an odd face. "Well I can't just do it. I don't even know how I did it. It just kind of happened."

He nods. "That is because it comes naturally. Would you like me to upset you so that you can display it to me?"

I bite my lip, his offer bringing out an uneasy chuckle in me. "No, I don't want to hurt you. I don't know the severity of it yet. It happened once and it knocked Travis out cold. It could kill you for all I know."

He laughs. "You could just strike a Programmable, not me."

My eyes drop to the floor awkwardly. "Oh. Well...it's still too risky. What if it only hits the person I'm angry at?" I glance back up at him. "Who knows? Let me just practice during solo training tomorrow. I didn't intend on using it with you right now anyway. I prefer we work on other things."