Secret of a Good Bad Girl

Chapter 8

The picture is the dress and color she was wearing.

My favorite part of the Office's training was the section where we had to get rid of our fear. Of course at first I was scared to death.

They started with skydiving. With thirty seconds of instruction on when to let the parachute out, how to land, and other things, the four of us were made to put the parachutes on and jump out. Anyone who didn't jump was thrown out. The first one was hurled by our instructor through the opening in the side of the plane. He screamed, but survived. I just counted to three and jumped on two. My heart was beating quickly and I couldn't breathe. Thankfully, by then I had learned to hold my breath for a long time. I ended up gasping as my parachute yanked me back. My heart calmed somewhat as I floated to the ground. I fell to my knees on impact with the grass and was dragged forward a little. Then we went up again. After the third time, I was able to land a little better and I felt more confident.

The next day, we went parasailing. I sat in the little seat that was attatched to the parachute and lifted off the back of the boat. Hard stares of Office agents followed me as I floated away from the boat. Then they put a flag up to indicate for me to jump out. If I didn't, they would cut the line and I would have to fly even higher.

I stood, took a deep breath, and jumped out. I kept my legs as straight as I could and tried to minimize the amount of limbs sticking out. To say I entered smoothly would be a lie, though I promised it to the next trainee to go up. I entered the water at a slight angle and my legs bent a little. Salt water forced its way into my nose and I struggled to the surface to hack the water out. I started swimming to the jetski that was waiting for me. It took me to the boat and then left to wait for the next jumper.

Then it was walking on a fifty-foot beam across a partially-built seventeen-story building. The wind was blowing hard and a trainee almost fell. Another did fall, but caught himself and crawled the rest of the way. I was told to kick him as hard as I could and I broke his nose. Then he had to walk back. He didn't survive the next excercise.

He slipped off the trapeze handle and fell. He never really had good balance or coordination.

By this time, I was beginning to feel the thrill instead of the fear. Or rather, the fear turned into a sort of drug and the thrill made me high. I laughed as I jumped off a bridge where most would scream or cry or wet their pants. The bungee cord yanked me back up. And I did scream. It made me so happy.

Maybe that was when I snapped. I fell in love with what I was training for. I wouldn't have been able to go on if I hadn't loved it.

Maybe that was where Rose went wrong.

***

Her eyes open and she looks around.

"Hello, Cindy."

Her eyes find me. I move to be in front of her. This is one of my favorite parts.

I reach to something on the bathroom counter as she responds.

"Who are you?"

"I'm the one who's going to be asking the questions. But because you insist," I laugh a little, "I'll tell you. I'm Tracy." I open the mini tourture kit and set it up so she can see it. Tiny knives, bottles of pills, a few hypodermic needles, and everything else someone would need to speed-torture their victim.

"Is that supposed to intimidate me?" To her credit, her expression doesn't turn to one of fear.

"Somewhat," is all I say.

"It's not working." She turns her gaze to the bathroom door.

I move to stand in front of her. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."