Equilibrium - #ProjectWomanUp

Eleven

In the training session I had with Kane the following morning, I can do nothing but think of the conversation last night. He told Viktor to stay away from me, then offered him some kind of position to stay away from me.

Kane and I spar – dodging and throwing punches at one another. He keeps beating me; throwing me to the floor over and over again. I groan in pain, when it happens for the fifth time; my eyes are up to the ceiling as my back sprawls out on the crash mat. I don't get up.

"Barbie seriously?" Kane raises an eyebrow, looking down at me in a dubious way.

"Sorry" I mutter, as he holds his hand out to me. I take it and he roughly pulls me to my feet; I stumble slightly before dusting myself off.

"You're distracted" he states, frowning at me. "What's wrong?"

"I heard you talking with Viktor last night" I blurt out. I don't like lying to Kane. It is odd, the relationship I have with Kane. I am his student, his prodigy, and his is my teacher. Yet, there is a deep seated respect between us; we understand one another, we have a mutual appreciation for our relationship.

There is a pause between us, as Kane looks into my eyes. His eyes are guarded and I can tell that I have hit a nerve with him. "How much did you hear?" he asks.

"Enough" I reply, shrugging softly. "What position did you give him, and why did you give it to him?" I demand. There is a moment of pause, as Kane ran a hand down his face.

"It's complicated, Barbie. I can't just tell you, I have to show you. Have you heard of the Paper Minds Project?" Kane questions, his dark eyes cloaked as he looks down at me.

"You're changing the subject" I comment, crossing my hands over my chest and show him my distrust.

"I'm not changing the subject. Paper Minds Project was a project that a group of Intellects did when we managed to capture a group of Red's. They managed to make up a machine that could sort through their minds and see their memories".

"What does this have to do with what happened last night?"

"Because I have access to the Paper Minds machine, and I want to show you some memories of mine. Then you'll be able to understand everything" Kane tells me. With the hardness of his voice, I can tell that he is being very serious.

"Now?" I ask. I can't deny that I am intrigued by what he has to show me, but I wonder why he has to show me and not tell me. I ask him this.

"It's complicated, and you need to see it to actually believe it. Some of the things I need to show you are not nice – but you need to see them. So, tonight, meet me here at two am". There is a pause, as Kane looks intently at me before he turns on his heels and walks out the practice room.

An hour later, all the Novices get called to the main hall. Throwing his arm over my shoulders, Blake leads me into the hall. "What do you think we're doing?" he asks me. I know, Kane already told me about the Intellect Exchange, but I just shrug the question off.

"I bet they're going to have some party or something" Will suggests, coming up to us.

"I hardly doubt that" I snort, amused by the idea that he thinks they're throwing us a party.

"Novices" a voice shouts, breaking the conversation in the room. All the Novices turn to see Kane – and the other instructors – standing near the door. "Today begins the Intellect Exchange. All Novice Warriors will do a week's training with the Intellects. You will become teachers; showing them how to fight, how to shot and how to survive".

There is murmurs through the room at that, before Kane shouts loudly. "Silence". A moment of pause falls over everyone, before Kane speaks up again. "Then, after this week is over. There will be a week where Intellect's train you on how to do the statistical elements of our jobs; grouping, manning, how to use field technology, etcetera".