Grim Or Grin

Chapter 16: Golden Ticket

Chapter 16: Golden Ticket

There air was filled with tension and the silence was palpable. A lady sat across from us so still that she seemed like a statue. Her eyes were cold and serious, fixed on me. I did not dare to look away because this lady looked dangerous; as if looking away would give her the opening she needed to attack.

After several silent moments of staring, I was about to open my mouth to ask her who was she and what she wanted when she finally spoke, "Good morning, Lyla." Every syllable was pronounced clearly and enunciated with perfection till the point it seemed that she was more stiff than calm. I realized why - a little girl, dressed up from head to toe to look like a young Victorian lady, slept peacefully on her lap. Why had she brought a little girl here? Didn't it make her vulnerable? Or was that the goal of this lady? To make me think she was vulnerable? My thoughts were circling around multiple possible explanation.

"I am sure you understand the predicament you're in," she paused for effect, "so I'm here to offer you a Golden Ticket of sorts."

I nodded. "A Golden Ticket that offers me the opportunity to get out of the trouble I'm in?" What was the catch?

"Yes. I'm sure you're wondering, 'what's the catch?'" She voiced out my thoughts. "This isn't so much a catch as it is a business proposition. I'm offering you and Cole a position in the intelligence agency under MOD. You will serve as an operative, that's the so called catch." I felt my eyes widen at the thought of being an operative. "Rest assured that you will be trained. Cole as well. All I need is your agreement. Cole can give his afterwards."

"Why would you offer me a position as well?" It made sense if Cole/Daemon were offered a position but me? I was hardly operative material - poor acting skills, non-enthusiasm towards exercise and probably countless weak points - and such an offer was suspicious.

The lady's face seemed to crumble slightly with uncertainty. "I'm afraid that information has been withheld from me." But I had not much to lose from accepting the offer, had I? There was a chance I could lose my life from accepting the offer. I had seen enough movies to know that and that this was a real thing, that people lost their lives in this. "You have until the next checkpoint to give me your answer or this Golden Ticket is gone."

What? "When is the next checkpoint appearing?" Checkpoints were stations that checked each freight train for security reasons - to prevent smuggling and all sorts of unhappy surprises from being transported about the country. This had completely escaped my mind until now.

The lady just stared at me and refused to give an answer. I was sure she had otherwise heard the question because I had said it as loud as my previous responses and there were no external noises obscuring my words. Time was ticking and I had no way to know how much time I had left.

Do I accept the offer?

If I did not, she was probably part of MOD. She could have me captured unless I waked Cole/Daemon and made a run for it. But she is part of MOD for God's sake! The train could already have people swarming about and blocking all the possible exits and I had no way of knowing. All because I slept for a short while. Not that it truly helped since I was sure they could still get by without my noticing.

If I did, I get out of trouble but I risk my life as an operative.

This was obviously a zugzwang, I had limited options and both had its not-so-pleasant sides. However, one option was definitely the better one and I was running out of time to reply so I chose, "I accept the offer but may I ask one more question?"

The lady nodded. "Go ahead but I may not have the answers."

"Why not just force me into agreeing considering that MOD's got the resources? It doesn't take much to either."