Mind to Metal

Chapter 2

Four years later

The woman at the front desk ignored me when I entered the office. It was only when I rolled my wheelchair her desk when she and others glanced my way. For the few who caught my smile, they returned it with one that reached all the way to their eyes. It was nice. Most made sure to keep their distance.

"Hi! My name is Carly Taylor. I am here for the Hull McKnight Georgia Cyber Center for Innovation and Learning internship." Dang. Say that seven times fast.

"Are you sure you are not just a student at Augusta University who wants a sneak peek? We have had multiple people try to squeeze and lie their way into this program. If you are not actually an intern, you are trespassing."

I laughed. Probably looking like a crazy person, whoops.

"Don't worry. I applied. I was interviewed. I was invited."

She cleared her throat, voicing her own disbelief.

"Aren't you a little young to be working with the US Department of Cyber Command?"

Me: A twenty-one-year-old woman, fresh out of her sophomore year out of college, who decided to apply to a professional internship within the US Department of Defense. A person, who literally couldn't walk, took a step figuratively to further her career and life. All because of her merit and brains. And not just sit in the corner of a dark room, crying myself to sleep in self pity and depend on everyone else for their good will so I could survive this harsh, harsh world.

I gave my biggest, customer service smile yet.

"Nope. Don't worry. I can keep up." She sighed then directed me toward the conference room. My anxious thoughts were dulled by the sound of workers around me. People who I would be soon enough.

I couldn't help but feel a little excited.

More than fifty fellow college students and older graduates clumped into groups when I entered the room. I gapped at the room, estimating that it could hold at least three hundred people comfortably. Rows of tables were staggered onto the inclining steps. The large stage looked ready for a famous orator to begin his world-changing speech. Every intern was engulfed with the feeling.

Unlike college, most people were eager to sit closest to the lecture area. I struggled to wheel myself to the handicap spot open on the far side of the room. Thankfully, no one paid much attention to me. I unpacked my laptop and began clicking away.

"Whatcha' ya doin'?" The woman next to me asked. By the looks of it, she looked like a senior or newly graduated student from college. The man next to her scuffed, as if she had gone through this process with him as well.

I ignored him and turn my laptop toward her. A twinkle of excitement sparkled in my eyes.

"Well, I'm working on an online class that I can practice my computer programming and other computer-related information. Sometimes I game, play a brain game or find another fun project I think of."

Her eyes lit up. "No way! I do the same thing. Well, I'm not taking college courses over the summer but I practice setting up and breaking down computer programs. It's all on a controlled app on my computer, but it makes me feel like such a badass!"

I rolled my eyes.

"Your idea of badass is way out of proportion." She shrugged but didn't wipe the smile off her face.

"By the way, my name's Kendra." She prompted me to shake her hand. It was firm and warm to the touch. I took in her spunk and quirkiness with open doors.

She attempted to pull out her computer so we could compare, but suddenly the room fell silent. Everyone rushed to find a seat as a man walked to the center of the stage-like area. His leather shoes patted the ground as he came to attention.

"I am General Stanford. The head of this program is General Hemingway. She is occupied with an important meeting at the moment. She will overlook all of your advancements and work. If you do not know this by now, you are in the Hull McKnight Georgia Cyber Center for Innovation and Learning. If you are not in the right place, please leave." I twisted around to see if anyone would leave, but no one did.

"As you know, you all had to sign a contract in order to intern here. While this is not a permanent position, you may stumble upon important information within your projects. Information that could harm the U.S. Military and soldiers overseas if leaked to terrorist groups or enemies of the US. Remember, you signed an oath to no speak of the operations that you and this branch participate in. There will be no room for leniency on the punishment for this offense."

He continued to talk about our responsibilities, rules of the building, and other orientation basics. After an hour, he assigned us into two groups and traveled to two sections of the building. Luckily for us, Kendra and I ended up in the same group. Kendra, the rest of our group, and I followed the directions he gave us and arrived to our destination in no time. My jaw dropped at the sight of so many computers.

They didn't let us waste time by standing around. Immediately, we were told to sit and begin working on our first assignment. Interestingly enough, they had created a network for us to hack as our test challenge. I felt eyes on us, scoring us to pick out the lions from the sheep.

I cracked my neck and got to work. My own device looked less high-tech as the one they provided, but I chose to use my own anyway. My fingers flew over my keyboard, working within my decoding program and other standard tools that hackers had.

When the man next to me side-glanced at my screen, I made an effort to type in an out-of-control way. I could almost hear his thoughts, mocking how silly I looked and how I didn't belong there.

Think whatever you want old man.

He soon grew tired of me and looked away.

I went back to normal but I reached for a flame-like feeling like an intangible lever. Something lit behind my eyes as the feeling passed down my body. It enveloped my nerves. Each time I use my ability, I felt like there's a silent sizzle on my skin like an electric current. I never got tired of the feeling.

Of course, no one noticed. No one noticed my fingers connect to my computer in some Nevis i le way as I typed anew. All I had to do was think of what I wanted to do. With my fingers typing fast and my mind moving faster, I was the first one to hack the fake server.

My fellow classmates declared that they completed the task ten to twenty minutes later. Pride swelled in my heart when Kendra was one of the first.

I waited another minute after the first few finished before saying I finished too.

These next five hours are going to feel longer than I thought.

I let the sizzle on my skin fade to inexistence. I jumped the gun on how intense the program would be, especially for the first day. I switched back to the personal project I was working on, acting aloof and unimportant. Still, I pondered if I screwed myself over for going so fast and, who knows, dug myself an early grave.