Rules of Fate

Chapter 4 - Sometimes things don't go to plan.

The thing about Fate? It keeps changing. One minute it's just peachy and the next it's grumbling angrily like a bear out of hibernation, hungry for destruction. Without a helping hand most fates would end in a terrible way. Luckily that rarely happened, at least that's what we had been taught.

Another rule, which in my opinion was very similar to Sod's law; when we pushed Fate it pushed right back. Possibly not straight away, that would spoil the fun. Oh no, it would wait in the shadows, and when you least expected it...Bam! An accident or a freak of nature. And the worst thing? Fatelists were doomed! Pure and simple. We couldn't save ourselves from Fate. Ironic huh? You have no idea! In helping others many Fatelists changed their own fates and at times winded up in severe trouble, some of it fatal. It was the head honchos' job to reduce the risk as much as they could. Of course that wasn't always possible. Even though I knew all this, it was still a shock when Ethan pushed the piece of paper across to me.

'Read it,' he advised, 'thoroughly.'

I glanced at the first line and paled. 'What is it?'

Ethan's face was closed, no expression. 'It's your contract.'

I looked at the paper again, a bit confused. 'But...' I wasn't sure what to say.

Ethan didn't look inclined to give me an explanation. 'We all have to sign one,' he said finally, 'so that if anything happens to us the Society aren't liable.'

Great, so in effect I was signing away my life. I swallowed nervously, paperwork always terrified me, especially legal stuff. 'What if I don't...?'

'Then you're out,' his eyes were blazing now, making him look even more handsome. Yeah I had a bit of a crush on him, who wouldn't?

'Out as in...?'

'Out of the Society...no powers...'

'Oh, I see.' As in practically useless. I knew that meant my powers would be bound and I wouldn't be able to use them again. And if I did I would be taken in and disposed off. No one told you what that entailed but all the newbies had heard the horror stories of Fatelists stepping out of line and mysteriously disappearing before reappearing months later, their fate lines well and truly screwed. They usually didn't last long in the real world. No wonder!

I looked at the contract, read it carefully and signed it with a shaking hand. Apparently if I died doing my job, the Society weren't to blame. Talk about work benefits! I handed the paper back to Ethan who steadfastly avoided my gaze and stuffed it into a briefcase and changed the subject. 'What's on the agenda today?'

I sighed, he was trying to be normal; I could do that, just. 'Uh, more babysitting,' I shrugged. It was getting boring following my guy around. I didn't have any other projects and I was chafing at the bit. I wanted to avert disaster, not sit staring at a guy.

He nodded, clearly understanding. 'It won't be for much longer.'

'It would help if I knew why...' I hinted, letting my voice trail off suggestively.

He didn't take the bait instead he changed the subject again. 'Want to help me with a small task?'

Bring it on, I thought, anything was better than what I had been doing. 'Sure.'

He smiled and jerked his head toward the door. 'Come on.'

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The small task turned out to be a bit bigger than that, actually a whole lot bigger. Ethan took me to the Situation Room. That should have been my first clue. We only went there when there was something big kicking off. This time it turned out to be a flood. There were already dozens of Fatelists milling around, shouting at each other and on the phones at others on the scene.