Mini-Story 3

Mini-Story 3 (Part 9)

Despite my enthusiasm to reach Headquarters, my body and mind are exhausted. I desperately need to rest. I hope she didn't mind.

"Layla?" I say with a yawn. "Can I take a nap?"

"Sure," she replies. "I'll wake you when we are close."

"Aren't you tired?" I wondered aloud, my eyes already closing.

"I slept well last night, and I had my morning coffee, so I'm good to go. Rest now, Shalynn. Soon, you will see your parents."

"Thanks again, Layla," I whisper.

"You're very welcome."

I put the sun visor on my side down and recline my seat back, leaving my seatbelt on. Within mere minutes, I'm sound asleep. My dreams are nice...as well as confusing.

First, I see my parents, and we are all embracing warmly. Next, there's a young girl, clinging to my hand, and looking up at me, a smile on her precious face, eyes full of trust. Finally, I saw a man. He was wearing a nice, gray suit, with a white undershirt and a silver tie. His eyes were a bright, penetrating emerald color, his hair light-brown and cut short. He held out his hand, and I took it. He gave me a hug, and a deep kiss. This was the part that confounded me. I didn't know him, but he seemed to know me.

I woke up with a start, sweating and feeling flushed. I've never had this type of dream before. All of my dreams are usually filled with adventure and mystery, but never romance. I didn't know what to think of it, though I should've expected it eventually. I'm only human. It both scared and excited me. He'd been handsome, and looked toned...and very interesting. I put him, whoever he was, if he was even anyone, or just a figment of my imagination, out of my mind, and instead focused on the sight of my parents, and thought even more of the little girl. Who was she? I had no idea.

"How close are we?" I asked Layla groggily.

"Around two miles away. Are you alright? You woke up really suddenly."

My cheeks turned red as I responded. "It's one of those embarrassing dreams."

"Ah," she said. "We all have our fair share of those."

"So..." I say, shifting the topic of conversation away from my secret hormones, although I bet she would understand if I ever do breach the subject; she's a woman, too. "What can I expect when we reach Headquarters? I need preparation."

I looked over at her, and she smiled, noticing my tactics, but she answered my question anyway.

"Well, first they will get you a change of clothes, and you will have an evaluation. They want to understand your limits, and mindset, how you would respond to certain situations. There's a written test, as well as a virtual reality simulation."

"Is it difficult?" I inquire, feeling nervous, even though I probably shouldn't worry, especially since I've got the training.

I don't doubt that I can pass with flying colors, but my stomach remained in knots anyhow. As my thoughts circulate around my specialized examination, I listen to her, hoping she will explain things in a manner that will lessen my brooding.

"My training wasn't the same as the others. Only in the sense of it being more difficult for me, because I never had the instilled intelligence that most of the agents and even you currently have. So I had to work even harder. In a way, my skills are more designed for assistance, to be an aide to people like you." She paused, giving me a chance to ask a question, which I did.

"Why weren't you given the intelligence?" I asked, wondering what had set her apart from the other agents, from me.

Layla seemed to take a long time to answer, but when she did, I was in shock.

"My parents begged them not to," she said, her voice cracking.

"Why didn't they want you prepared?" I asked softly.

Tears ran down her face as she answered. "Because my older brother was given the knowledge, and he turned rogue against The Savers of Justice. He is currently working for the slave owners. He fights our people, and gives the enemy training which was only meant for agents to have. My parents feared I would do the same thing. Honestly, after seeing the change in him, I was afraid, too. I didn't want to disappoint my parents the way he had. I was so young, but I saw the effect it had on him. I didn't want any part of that. It seems like he was brainwashed, an entirely different person than the brother I'd known and loved."

She was still crying, but I closed my eyes and let her. She needed to get it out of her system. I understood that. By now, we were almost there. So I simply rested in my seat, being as patient as I could right now.