The TALONS Files: the chronicles of telepathic agent Ryan Dart

Psycho??

16

Declan straightened, as his voice echoed enthusiastically through the room. "Now, if your mind has grasped what I have said, I'll move on to our creed." Then his eyes met Ryan's solemnly. "I want you to take this vow seriously. Not following the creed can also result in expulsion.

If you would stand please."

Ryan pushed himself from the chair, and watched Declan glide towards the corner of the room. Declan grabbed a lone book sitting on the podium. He easily strode across the room and brought it before Ryan.

Ryan caught a glimpse of a thin gold cross over the brown hardcover. "I Have to swear on a bible?"

"Yes, If at any time you feel as though you cannot go through with this, just stop me. You won't be judged, and you'd be returning to your normal life."

"I'll go through with it. My life isn't normal anyways."

Declan's blue eyes almost scolded. "No one's is, Ryan."

Then Declan called loudly, his voice positively resonating through the room. "TALONS control, call the director."

In moments, a bald chubby man, beaming a smile, shown on the wall. His face was slightly red, as his blue eyes seemed to glow. Yet, Ryan didn't sense an amiable vibe from the man. The director fired towards Declan, "Agent Scott, I see you've collected a very worthy candidate."

Ryan saw the smile, but felt something very aggressive in the man's nature. He seemed very much like someone who would be director. His voice was thin, but with a gravelly nature that made it seem somewhat respectable and intimidating at the same time.

"Yes Director," Declan said without returning the smile. "If you wouldn't mind bearing witness to the swearing in, while I read our creed."

"No problem at all, No problem at all. Proceed with the ceremony."

Declan started, as he faced Ryan, "Place your left hand on the bible, and right in the air."

Ryan did as instructed.

Declan began to recite the creed, as he didn't refer to cards or a sheet of paper. "Repeat after me. I, state your name, vow to follow the rules of TALONS"

Ryan stated his name and finished repeating the sentence.

"I also vow to make decisions for the sake of the United States of America, with a focus on doing right by the whole of humanity."

Ryan repeated.

Declan continued to recite, as apparently he had this memorized. "I will obey the orders I receive from my direct supervisor and the Director."

Ryan repeated.

Declan's face carried a friendly smile, as he spoke the next words. "My allegiance is to God, humanity, my country, my colleagues at TALONS and my family."

Ryan repeated.

"Should I forget the rules forged by our predecessors, or the creed I am now declaring allegiance to, I will forfeit the right to be a telepathic agent."

Ryan repeated.

Declan's smile was as broad and bright as a Jumbo-Tron. "Now, Ryan..."

The Director interrupted with a hearty tone. "Good agent Dart, you now are a TALONS agent. Which, if Agent Scott didn't tell you, as a matter of fact I'm sure he forgot, stands for the Telepathic Agents League Operating for National Security.

It simply means we accumulate knowledge by telepathic means. It also means we are funded by the Intelligence committee. We don't report to them. You report to me, I run this place, I alone."

"Dick, we have a board." Declan said.

The Director smiled that beaming smile and said, "Agent Scott, you know my title is Director Johnson. I'd appreciate you following protocol. If you don't follow procedures, things could get lax, that's when order falls into chaos and people make life altering mistakes."

Declan rolled his eyes and quipped softly "I called you by your first name, I didn't drop a nuclear bomb or anything."

The smile fell from Director Johnson's face. His giant head, which dominated the viewing wall, recovered with a halfhearted smirk while he eyed Declan. "Yes, what a sense of humor you have, that was terribly funny."

Director Johnson appraised Ryan, who stood before the the bald man with his heart in his throat. Where Declan had always made Ryan feel at ease, there was an intimidation factor with the director. He listened carefully, as the director's gravelly voice sped Ryan's pulse, "Agent Dart, you need a code name, something you'd remember. I need something that would sound fierce and intimidating."

The director paused, as Ryan felt a charge shoot through him. He was getting a code name. And judging from the director's face, it had been selected before this moment ever took place.

The director looked at him with an expression that Ryan hardly believed. Dick Johnson's face was smooth and when he sneered, as he had now, lines contorted that smooth image. As if he transformed into a snarling animal, he growled. "When you're in the field, you'll be known as Psycho."

Ryan felt the positive energy that had been building, considering how his life might be changing for the better, crash land at the bottom of the sea. Excitement became disappointment and anger. Ryan gritted his teeth and glared at the director who, in turn, beamed that smile. "Well then, all is set..."

"Uh dick" Declan started, "Agent..I mean Director Johnson, can't you think of something else for the kid. I mean, that's what they called him at his high school."

The director nodded his head fully at Ryan. "That's why I picked it. He can feed off of that angry emotion and do great things."

Declan's whole upper torso reeled at the statement. "Whoa! You want our agents feeding off of their anger?"

"Why not? Anger is a great motivator. If you would please, Dec...I mean Agent Scott, I've have tons of Issues to tend to. The world isn't going to save itself, even if it should."

With that, the Director disappeared from the wall. Ryan was fuming and disheartened at the same time. He couldn't believe the director had chosen the very title he loathed most. Why would he do that? Wouldn't you want to treat your agents with a little dignity and respect? Ryan looked at Declan, "I'd rather call him by his first name too."

"Yes, he wasn't first choice for the Director by a long shot, but we're a small organization and he does follow the moral codes and ethics to a tee. So, we're stuck with him I guess." Declan surveyed the train, whose last few cars were crossing the street, and shrugged. "Well, anyways, onto the fun stuff."

He reached in his pocket and scooped a few Items from it He first handed Ryan a bank card that said US GOVT on it. "The bank card has an initial two thousand dollars on it. Use it however you choose.

"This key," Declan held a small white key card at Ryan's eye level, which was slightly lower than Declan's own, "Is the key to the apartment across the street." And then Declan smiled a huge grin, as he set the apartment key in Ryan's palm and then dangled a second at eye level. "This is a key to a Toyota Four Runner."

"A brand new car?"

Declan chuckled, "You got it."

Ryan snatched the keys from Declan's fingers. "Cool!"

Agent Nunez will take you to see your place. We'll let you grab your things from your parents house, with your new car of course, and let you get settled in your living space. Tomorrow we'll start the day with some regular schooling and then Intro to Telepathy in the afternoon. I'm sure you'll enjoy your two months on this campus."