Curiosity Can Kill

Chapter 38: The Truth

"The last and most important test is the truth test. It'll help us determine whether or not we can trust you. We're going to inject you with a small microchip and your inner thoughts will show on a screen behind you. If you're lying, the microchip will pick it up and we'll know." Alexander explained as he lead us to another discrete location.

He led us to a huge stadium-like room. It baffled me how all this could fit in this one underground headquarters. Inside there were what looked like 1500 people, maybe more. All of them were whispering and looking around. "You forgot to mention this was public trial." I said dryly.

"You guys are a free show to them. Everyones on the edge of their seats waiting to see if you guys are here to stay or just some secret spies."

"Spies for what?"

"You guys could just be spies for the AOSS, trying to take us down for them."

"Well, I can assure you that's not why we're here." Matt's eyes almost popped out of his head and he gave me a little nudge but I just chuckled. It was obvious that Matt was freaking out about this truth test. Honestly, I was too. If this microchip thing did work, then we would be exposed.

Alexander walked us down toward the middle of the stadium. In the middle there was a huge platform that was raised by about a foot or so. On the platform there was a chair and behind the chair was a huge screen that everyone in the room could see. "Who's up first?"

I looked over at Matt and made a quick decision. He was too nervous to figure out a way through this. "I'll go." He walked me to the chair and had me sit down and pull my hair up like a pony tail. Alexander walked away for a couple of seconds but came back with a fairly large sized needle. He brought it to my eye view so that I could see the small microchip inside of it. Then he injected it right in the middle of my nape. I looked behind me and saw a bunch of frantic thoughts on the screen.

"I see that you're nervous, Ms.Price. Let's hope there's no reason for that." A familiar voice boomed throughout the stadium. I was almost certain it was Rider Stone.

I looked around at the crowd. "Of course not, I'm always the center of attention to hundreds of people." I replied sarcastically. I noticed that there were microphones all around that projected my voice. "So how exactly is this going to work, Stone?"

"Please, call me Rider. We're going to ask you a bunch of questions and your thoughts and coinciding memories will appear on the screen behind you." The only idea of the slightest way out of this situation that I had was to alter everyones thoughts into seeing different than what was on the screen. I just wasn't sure I could control 1500 minds at once. My last bet was to alter my own thoughts and memories. I wasn't even sure if it was possible, but at this point I was going to try anything. "We'll start with the basics. Name?"

I took all the telepathy power I had and used it on myself. I altered my thoughts and changed my memories to match my responses. "Eva Price." On the screen a bunch of "memories" appeared of me signing my name and greeting people as Eva Price. I let a breath of air out and relaxed a bit.

"Age?"

"16." A scene of me at a birthday party appeared.

"Do you have any family?"

"I have a mom and a dad, but they live in California." A scene of me and a couple appeared in a vineyard type home.

"What are you doing in England if you're from California?"

"My family and I don't get along. I got kicked out when I was 12. I've been fending for myself ever since." Behind me you saw myself sleeping on a bench for the night, freezing. Then it showed me fighting off some other homeless guy. The audience gasped.

"Who taught you how to fight like that? You're better than pretty much everyone in my facility."

"It's a funny story actually. After my parents kicked me out I wandered all around. For a couple of months I stayed inside of a kick boxing gym. The owner saw me outside one time and from then on left the door open for me to sleep there at night. The only problem is I couldn't sleep. So much would run through my mind at night that I needed a release." On the screen was a "memory" of me hitting a punching bag with obvious frustration.

"Can you tell us the truth about how you got into our facility?"

"I told you, we opened a door." The screen showed Matt and I opening the door that we really just got someone to open for us.

"That's impossible."

"Obviously not."

"Regardless of how you got in, what is your reasoning for wanting to joining us?"

"I think the true question is: What is your reasoning for not letting me join you? I would obviously be of use to you guys."

"We need a direct answer Ms.Price."

"Please, call me Eva." I mimicked his tone.

"Honestly, what better do I have to do? I'm a homeless sixteen year old girl. Give me some purpose."

"Thank you, Eva." I walked off of the platform and passed Matt who was now walking onto the platform and into the seat. He looked so confused and stunned. I looked at him and sent him a telepathic message, *Alter your thoughts. It's the only way.*

*How?* He asked me. But it was too late he was already in the seat receiving the shot.

"Name?" Rider's voice boomed through the stadium. But Matt didn't answer. He knew if he said something that our cover would be broken. Rider just repeated the question, "Name?"

He finally cleared his voice and answered, "Duncan Reese." The screen behind him was fuzzy. It went on and off a couple of times and then finally a scene of Matt signing his name as Matt slightly appeared, but before anyone else could tell I tried to alter his memory. The screen fuzzed again and showed him writing his name as Duncan Reese.

"Age?"

"16."

"How did you meet Eva?"

"Honestly, we just stumbled upon each other on the street one day and hit it off."

"Do you have a similar situation as her regarding family?"

"My Dad was all I had and he's dead now."

"How did you learn how to fight?"

"It's a combination of experience and just natural ability, I'm honestly not quite sure."

"Is there anything else you would like to tell us before this test is done?"

"We would be a great addition to what you're doing here. It'd be a mistake to let us go, there's so much more we can do."

"Thank you, Duncan."

Duncan walked up to me and gave me a hug. "How?"

"It took so much power. My head is pounding."

Everyone began getting up so they could leave but all if the sudden Rider's voice filled the stadium again. "Attention everyone. Attention. After much deliberation and testing we have come to a decision. Eva Price and Duncan Reese are hereby inducted as full members of the Malums.