Phoenix

Chapter Two - Rememberance

"It's gonna be great, Phee-Phee." Catseye retorted gleefully picking up her toyed version of my name she got from a children's doll store near Florida. She told it as we met yesterday when she arrived from her own condominium bringing with her securely an unopened briefcase which she swung by her arm effortlessly. Her teasing was often playful but I never appreciated such kidding honestly. Some other time I thought she'd get into my nerves and regret it but for now I need to swallow down.

There hasn't been any news from Alexia since we met at the meeting in Bostow&Kelly and I got the most out of the two-day tour time around New York after DK gave me the keys of my own apartment. So, yes, it's two days without a Knight presence around except DK's snap phone calls —those I answered with a short "OK" (I bet he noticed I was often away from my apartment). After all, he's just doing his work all the time although I wondered if he was currently knocking someone's nose while making the call. Last time I saw him at a just-another-DK-owned building, he brought a new set of eight handguns.

This morning, I came to see Dr. McKenrick whom the Empress had pointed out to diagnose my frequent occurrence of migraine which he found out to be caused eventually by the force of the head bump that did some sort of crazy things to my head. It could also mean some indication of memory recovery or maybe for worse some kind of brain tumor but he told me not to worry since he'll be following up my check-ups for good. I just had to make sure I'm taking his prescriptions to reduce the pain.

Today as I drove along the crossing, my phone rang only to hear DK's voice which I most expected. I knew its Wednesday —the first day of the final training. Good thing I went to gym lately because I knew I might need a "bodystart" and also, I was already wearing the dark overall, or should I call it the Knight uniform, which DK handed me last time. He told me I might need to wear it now. I turned my wheels then I was in Bostow&Kelly right away.

I came to the common table room as usual and met DK who took us to the elevator. We were going down floors.

"What are we gonna do down-floors? I thought we're just allowed from ten up?"

"Every Base we had has secrets. It's a way of defense against intruders."

"How's that supposed to answer my question?"

"This is one of those." DK switched his expression. "We're going to the training area."

Minutes later, the elevator doors opened and as we landed, obviously, in a busy floor of employee cubicles, we walked unnoticed, except for a sturdy-looking employee who gazed away dreamingly, and turned towards an office door. It gave way to a different room showing a curved stairway. We moved upstairs and to another elevator. I think I saw a "For Authorized Personnel Only" sign on the wall but then it closed leaving our own noises as we walked.

Almost, the entire wall was a wide black crystal screen; a bigger version of the HDTV. DK touched it with a fingertip and suddenly it displayed two vertical rectangles. There was a very instant blink of blinding light and it opened to a doorway then after some time, we arrived at what seemed to be a wider area.

Catseye welcomed us and she was wearing the usual black. "The Empress wouldn't be here but we'll have to take care of everything."

"Is everything set up?" DK asked.

"Yes." Trixie replied as she went through the entrance scanner.

"Here." DK muttered to me then I paced with them to the right, through another human scanner then surprisingly, the wide arena spread across my sight. Now I was standing a few feet above the floor of the arena. The wide stairway was made of blue-tint fiber glass reflecting some equipment below.