The Project

I Wish I Didn't Remember

As Cade escorts me through a maze of hallways and staircases I'm almost bursting with questions, but even I know better than to ask them in this public space. After what seems like miles of walking the surroundings start to change a little. The walls are no longer smooth and blindingly white, but are rough grey cement. The kids don't walk alone here as much it seems, sometimes I see two together and once in a blue moon a group of four or more walk by. There are doors lining this never ending cement hallway, and Cade leads me to the one marked 2520.

Right. My number.

Cade speaks for the first time since he adjusted my bindings in the room.

"These will be your living compartments. Would you like a tour, m'lady?

God, he was so cliche-charming.

Get it together. He helped kidnap you for Gods sake Ris...

My words come out, unbidden.

"Sure, why not?"

He flashes a smile which I'm sure has melted the hearts of many girls (and I must admit makes my stomach-butterflies do a little dance) and says,

"Well first, we have to get in the door."

"How?"

From what I can see, the "door" has no handle, no lock, no nothing. Just a small, black square about ten inches long and six wide.
Cade moves suddenly, and I'm caught completely off guard as he takes my hand in his and holds it a second, before guiding it to the black square.

"Just press your hand here lovely, the door will only open up for you.."

Ok I really hope my palms aren't sweaty right now.

Before I can say anything, the door slides open and vanishes into the wall, promptly sliding back when Cade and I enter my room. I do a quick scan and see a simple living space, a full size bed, a table/chair combo, a book on a nightstand, and a doorway to what I can only assume is my bathroom. The room is a pale grey color, with cement floors and walls. Charming.
I enter the bathroom and see it's pretty mediocre, until I notice the machine in the corner.

"Ah yes, that."

Cade says as he appears noiselessly next to me.

"What is it?"

I ask, curious. It looks like a large glass tube, six feet tall or so I guess.

"That is a magnificent creation the Projects inventive team of engineers graced us with. You step in, it clothes you in anything you please. Within reason of course. I highly doubt delightfully short shorts and tank tops are on the menu for you my dear. A shame too, I do miss that outfit."

I can feel the blush on my cheeks simply burning my face, as I think back to our second encounter.
Cade notices and laughs at my discomfort, saying,

"Oh, did the poor Dutch demon-children ever get their heads replaced by any chance? Or did you get arrested by the Disney World secret police?

I wish I could have a sarcastic response on standby, but I don't. So I do the next best thing I can do.
I grab pretty-boy by the shoulders and slam him against the concrete wall, effectively knocking the wind out of him. Only temporarily though, because unlike me, he always has words aplenty.

"Calm down darling, all good things to those who wait you know."

God, he needed to be taken down a few pegs for sure. But I have more important things to talk about than him right now. I growl,

"Alright Silvers, spill it. Where am I, how did I get here, and what the hell was up with the memory swipe attempt??"

He grimaces and looks at me with those silver grey eyes, smirking a little.

"As much as I enjoy the fact that you just can't seem to keep your hands off me Arista, I would appreciate it if you would release me so I can breath and thereby, speak, without becoming breathless. Panting is so unattractive don't you think? Well...in most situations anyways."

He winks at me and I'm disarmed. I mutely release him and he grins a little, escorting us back into my bedroom as he sits on my bed and gestures for me to join him. I choose to remain standing, because I'm not too keen on being dragged around and bossed by this cretin. I'm still pissed that he had a hand in all this mess after all.
He looks a little surprised, but asks me all the same,

"So, what do you want to know first?"

My mind is racing, but my train of thought has completely derailed. All that comes to mind is, why.
Why did this happen, why me, why why why...
So I start with my first question.

"Where am I?"

"I thought this was explained. You are in the Project, plain and simple."

"That doesn't tell me where though."

He sighs, as if considering how much to tell me.

"All you need to know my dear, is that you are now an official part of the Project. It is funded by the government, meaning we have to be somewhere politically correct. To be perfectly honest, I don't know where we are myself. I've always been blindfolded and drugged out coming back from missions, so I have no idea our coordinates.

Crap. He doesn't know where we are...

"Ok, what was with that memory swipe attempt back there?"

"Master Leona wasn't originally going to pull that on you. I'm the only one he hasn't done it to more than once. He does it to everyone new, everyone of our "recruits", if you will."

Recruits? More like kidnap-ees.

"Why didn't it work on me? I still remember everything."

But I wish I didn't.

"Because if my hunch is correct, you and I have very similar skill sets. What do you know of your powers, which powers do you have?"

I fidgeted a little, unsure.

Should I tell him?

"Arista? Something wrong?"

"I don't know all of my powers exactly.."

I blurt out. He looks at me a moment, measuring me. Then he stands.

"What are you doing?"

That came out a lot shakier than I wanted...

He laughed softly.

"Scared of me, are we?"

He was getting closer by the second, and was now only inches from my face. So close that to my eyes, he was the only thing I could see. I felt his breathing, hot on my face and, as always, the smell of cinnamon.

"Of course not."

I scoffed. I wouldn't let him know how nervous he made me feel.
He spoke, never moving, never taking his eyes off mine.

"I know how we can find out your powers. Follow me my dear."

He moved suddenly and I was caught off guard as he seized my hand and pulled me out of the door.