Enigma Black (21 page)

The tone sounded then, signaling morning, meaning it was probably between six and seven o‘clock. My body still felt like it’d been used as a punching bag the night before. I knew that I didn’t have to get up, that they wouldn’t be expecting me to show my face at breakfast, but I figured since my resiliency had already impressed them up to this point, why let them down now?

Painfully, I pushed myself up and headed toward the bathroom. Upon passing the mirror, my eyes did a double take at the sight of the strange girl staring back at me. I hadn’t looked at myself in the mirror since the night I arrived, and already the difference in the two reflections was marked. There was still the hint of devastation and anguish present in the expression of the woman before me. However, there was also a new sense of strength and determination present in her eyes that hadn’t been there during our last encounter.

My eyes trailed down from my face to my arms. There was something distinctly different about them. Already, I could see a noticeable difference in the structure of the muscles composing them. They were toned, appearing as though I’d been pumping iron for at least a good six months. I ran my fingers down them, feeling every taut muscle. With the way they poised themselves, I imagined them propelling my body forward in a series of hand springs. I assumed this had to be some supernatural side effect of the adrenaline coupled with another substance that they purposefully neglected to tell me about. Jitters, a less ideal side effect, invaded my body as though I’d downed a couple of dozen cups of coffee. I turned on the cold water, splashing my face. It didn’t help much, but it was something.

The hallway was empty when I stepped out into it on my way to the dining hall. Before this morning, I hadn’t noticed how long it truly was and, in my assessment of its length, I couldn’t help but think about how it would serve as the perfect human runway for me to utilize all of the pent up energy that pleaded for release. Was I really stronger? Was I faster? Well, there was one way to find out. Stopping in the middle of the hallway, I took a deep breath and began running as fast as I could to the end of it.

It felt as if I hadn’t taken more than a couple of steps when I felt my body smash into something solid, instantaneously hurling me to the ground with such force that I lay stunned on the cold linoleum floor, the wind knocked out of me. Once I could breathe again, I sorely raised my head up to see what I could have possibly run into in an open and empty hallway. What I saw when I lifted my head sent shock waves through me. I was at the other end of the hallway and the object in front of me was the wall I’d been trying to run to. I gasped at the sight of the obviously damaged cement. Not only had I apparently run into it, but there was a noticeable dent in the area where my upper torso struck it. The dent resembled a crater of about two inches in depth and was permanently imprinted into the cement wall.

Still in shock, I looked behind me to the point where I began my run; that point was probably a half a football field away. How was any of this possible? I patted my body down to see if I sustained any damage upon impact. Surprisingly, I looked fine.
This can’t be real
, I thought to myself.

Still unconvinced, I knew there was only one way to find out. As I began to stand I decided to add a little extra spring to my step to test the waters. Using my arms to steady my body, I pushed myself up from the floor as hard as I could. To my amazement, the added spring I was shooting for turned into a full blown catapult propelling my body six feet into the air before I landed perfectly on my feet.
Okay, one more test
, I thought.

Never in my life had I been able to do a cartwheel, let alone a front handspring so, since I was doing the unbelievable anyway, I figured why stop now. Standing up straight, I held my arms out in front of me and let my body fall forward. It was like riding a bicycle. I did, one…two….eight handsprings, landing on my feet at the end of the adjoining hall. Maybe this new body wouldn’t be so bad after all. For the first time since my arrival here, I smiled out of satisfaction.

Blake left the code to each of the doors on my dresser. Keying them in, I opened each set of doors throughout the various sections of the Epicenter. Upon approaching the dining hall, I could hear various conversations radiating from the room, most if which were centered on me. What struck me as odd, though, was the fact that I could delineate who was speaking and what was being said even from the opposite end of the hall. Everyone’s voice was crisp and unnaturally amplified.

“How was she feeling when you left, Kara?” Dr. Harris’ voice was the most recognizable amongst the commotion.

“Great. I can’t believe how well she’s doing, actually.”

“That’s good to hear.” Victor was speaking now. “You two seem to be getting close.”

“Well, we have a lot in common,” Kara responded.

“Dr. Martin, when do you think it will be safe to begin her training?” Victor asked just as I walked into the room, causing disbelieving stares and gasps to emanate from around the table.

“I’m pretty sure I’m ready now,” I answered.

Blake looked at me with an expression that screamed, “shut up and sit down, you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into”.

“This is utterly astounding,” Marcus stated. “Edwin, I guess congratulations are in order. Your new design has proven to be pretty effective.” Edwin beamed. Something made me guess that he wasn’t the usual recipient of recognition around here.

“How are you feeling?” Lana asked. Her curly red hair was tucked into a neat bun at the base of her neck.

“I’m still sore, but I’m no worse for wear than that wall is out there.” I pointed in the direction of the hallway, explaining to everyone my activities of the morning.

“Oh, I have got to see this!” Cameron exclaimed as he, Kyle, Drew and Colby simultaneously took off down the hall.

The smell of French toast caught my nose. My stomach screamed in an anguished response. “Eat,” Victor grinned. “As always, we have plenty.”

I took my seat next to Blake, helping myself to the daily variety of breakfast food. For some reason, everything tasted better than it ever had before. The textures of the food and their individual flavors hit my palate, creating a virtual samba in my mouth.

“I can already see the increased hunger has affected you,” Victor observed.. My face burned as I set the plate down. “Oh, don’t be embarrassed,” Victor began again. “Your body is burning off much more energy now and is trying to regain some of the fuel it’s losing.”

“What about my senses? How does this thing you implanted in me affect those? Is it supposed to?”

“Yes. Elevated levels of adrenaline can have a profound effect on your vision, hearing and sense of touch. If you look in the mirror, you may notice that your pupils are dilated. This is your body’s way of naturally enhancing your vision. It’s a defense mechanism used by your body to escape the invisible danger the adrenaline is telling your body exists. Your hearing is also enhanced for this reason. The only sense not enhanced is your sense of touch. This sense has actually been decreased to the point of numbness. The numbness lessens your feeling of physical pain and ultimately increases your overall stamina.”

Hearing Victor’s explanation, there was no wonder now why hitting a cement wall hadn’t seemed to faze me. “I guess I’m a regular force to be reckoned with.”

“Indeed you are. With Blake, you’ll be all but invincible.”

I looked over at Blake. He was eating slowly, staring outside the faux window, oblivious to the world around him. I doubted he wanted to be made aware of anything right now.

“You must have one hard head,” Cameron announced, entering the room from his assessment of my damage. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Don’t most women?”

“How would you know?” Becca sneered, clearing empty plates from the table. “Have you ever even talked to a woman for more than five minutes without having given her your credit card first?” Cameron went to speak, but Becca cut him off. “Oh, and your mother doesn’t count.”

“Oh…dang…she got you,” Drew proclaimed.

“You always hurt the ones you love, Becca.” Cameron shot a sly wink in her direction.

“Excuse me; I think I’m going to be sick now.” She picked up a pile of dishes and disappeared into the kitchen.

“She wants me.”

“Who wouldn’t,” Inez added. “You’re ninety-five pounds of pure romantic fury.”

“One hundred twenty, thank you very much. I’ve been working out.” He rolled up his sleeves and kissed his nonexistent biceps.

“On that note,” Victor scooted his chair back and gestured down the hall. “Care to join me in our science lab, Celaine?”

“As long as you’re not going to be inserting more objects into my body…sure.”

I heard a muffled laugh coming from Cameron’s direction to which Kara muttered, “Shut up”, between her teeth.

Like the medical room, the science lab was filled with technology I couldn’t even begin to comprehend. Beakers, vials, books and machinery dotted a room illuminated by fluorescent lighting that seemed almost archaic in comparison to the technology it shone upon. Like every other room here, the ambiance was nondescript, reminding me of a high school chemistry lab.

Scanning the lab, something peculiar caught my eye. In the middle of the room stood what appeared to be a mannequin. I walked closer to the oddity, studying it and taking notice that its height and dimensions were very similar to my own. Adorning the figure was a suit the likes of which I’d never seen before. It was black, smooth and very tight fitting on the form it covered. I extended my fingers to feel its material. It was like none I’d ever felt before, hard, but flexible. With the whole suit encased in such a hard, shell-like material, I wondered how heavy it would be if it were worn.

Around its waist lay a belt, utility-like in nature that I speculated served as a holster for a gun or other weapon. At its base sat a pair of boots resembling the same material as the suit. I picked up one of the boots and, to my surprise, assessed it to be rather light, even though it felt harder than a rock in my hands. Curious, I placed the sole of the boot to the bottom of my foot and realized that, like the suit, it, too, seemed to be my size.

“The size should be dead on. They took the final measurements before you came out of the anesthesia,” Victor confirmed my suspicions.

“Good to know I had people feeling me up in my sleep.”

“Oh, Celaine, always with the sarcasm. Although, I suppose it’s a good quality to have, especially with the monotony that exists around here.”

“How does she like the uniform?” Marcus entered the room.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” I answered him.

“That’s because there’s only one other one like it in the world. It’s one of my crowning achievements.”

“It feels so…solid. How am I supposed to wear it?”

“Looks are deceiving. It’s actually remarkably lightweight. The materials used in it are to thank for that. It’s not only ballistic proof, but also made from one of the most impenetrable substances available.”

“What is it? Some form of Kevlar?”

“Yes. Kevlar that’s had its molecular structure spliced with that of diamonds.”

“Diamonds?”

“Diamonds are the hardest substance on earth, as I’m sure you already know. In this lab, we have successfully been able to bind the molecules from Kevlar and diamonds together to form a super material. This suit is more than just bulletproof; it’s a virtual force field. You can get hit and feel like you haven’t even been touched.”

“So, what’s the dry cleaning bill run on this thing?”

Marcus looked at me perplexed as if he were contemplating what I’d just asked. “Well…well, there’s really no dry cleaning involved…I mean.”

“There, there, Marcus,” Victor interceded, clearly amused. “You see, Celaine, humor isn’t something that can be cultivated in a science lab.”

“Be that as it may,” Marcus interceded. “This is a multi-million dollar piece of equipment, and I ask that you treat its condition with the utmost seriousness.”

“You have my word.” I glanced at Victor as if to say, “Is he serious?”

“How about you try it on to see if we have the measurements correct,” Victor again saved the moment from turning awkward.

Marcus carefully peeled the suit off the mannequin. I speculated how comfortable it would be as it gripped my body. “Grab the boots and follow me,” he ordered.

“Yes, boss,” I responded. Marcus glanced at me in pure annoyance. “I’ll bet it’s a barrel of laughs in your household.”

“Yeah, my wife’s laughing all the way to divorce court.”

“Oh, I’m…Marcus, I’m sorry…I didn’t know.”

“It’s all right; just a natural part of devoting yourself to the Cause, right?”

My thoughts turned to Chase, and the pain I’d banished down to the deepest depths of my mind returned with full force. “I guess it is.”

Marcus led me to a small room used as more of a storage closet than any other functional purpose. I set the boots down on the floor as he handed me the suit. “I don’t think I need to tell you how to dress. Victor and I will be in the training room with Blake. It’s the one right before the dining hall. Meet us down there after you’ve changed.”

I stood there suit in hand, running my hand down its contours, trying to figure out how it’d been pieced together. It didn’t seem indestructible to me. In fact, it seemed downright fragile. Thinner than it had originally appeared on the mannequin, I wasn’t sure exactly how it would be able to stop a bullet and was terrified at the prospect of it even being used for that purpose.

Further inspection revealed a meticulously hidden zipper in the back. At least there was one mystery solved. I slipped out of my clothes, uneasy over donning the form fitting suit, but guessing that modesty was a foreign concept here. Standing on one leg, I slipped my foot into the first leg. Given how tight the legs alone felt on my body, I quickly theorized that I would need the jaws-of-life to get out of this thing if I managed to even get into it in the first place. When both legs were in, I sucked in my stomach, cutting off my air supply in the process, in order to pull the suit over my torso. Once covered, I fought my way through the sleeves with my arms until my hands poked through the cuffs.