The Center: Tester - Part 11

By Blackout

Editor: Zip

This chapter is told through Claire's point of view (POV). Also again big thanks to Zip for the great editing!

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It was a really nice day today here at the Center. The birds were chirping and I had finally finished power testing for today. It was a good day to be alive. I was excited inside and my heart was beating. Today I had plans with Leon. I headed to his room in order to fetch him. It was kind of funny actually. Not too long ago I was a boy and never would have dreamed of going out with a boy. Now I was girl and the thought excited me. Though, if I was the girl now why was I fetching Leon? He should have come looking for me. Though in the end, I guess it did not really matter.

Getting to Leon’s room I came up to the door and knocked.

‘Knock! Knock!’ “It’s Claire,” I told the door.

“I’m coming, just give me a minute to throw on my shoes!”

A minute later he came out.

“Well that took you long enough, Leon!”

“Sorry, I was taking a nap!”

“Whatever! Come on Leon, you promised to go for a walk with me!”

“Yeah I know!” He gave me a big hug. “Let’s get going then.”

We started by first walking around the school. It was nice to just spend time with Leon. We were holding hands and for some reason my heart just kept pounding. He just looked so cute to me. It’s weird that I became attracted to boys because of my change. But it was part of my life now. It was not like I did not enjoy it to some degree. It was nice to be doted on and called pretty. I still missed being a guy but as a wise man once said, “When in Rome do as the Romans!”

We began to walk outside and the fresh air was marvelous. Leon’s hand was beginning to sweat now, I guess he was nervous being around me and holding my hand. We decided to go and sit on a bench inside the veranda nearby.

Leon and I started to talk about random things. We were both surprised that my best friend Rachael got a job working with the Testing and Training Department here. It was still very nice being in a school with a bunch of other emergents. Though it was also frustrating. Even though you had all these unique powers you still had to attend school. The teachers gave so much homework that I felt as if I was drowning in the work.

One assignment I had due soon was a Biology lab I was doing with my lab partner, named Emma Ford. I really enjoyed working with Emma. She was a really nice girl. The problem was that the assignments all the teachers gave stacked up. It’s like they did not understand that they were not the only teachers giving homework.

“So Leon, I was just wondering. How are you handling being a boy now?”

“Well probably about the same as you are handling being a girl now. It’s tough at first and a very terrifying experience but you live and adapt. I am not going to go into the details. But what probably helped me the most to adapt and accept who I am now, is you. Before you came into my life here, I could hardly stand being a guy. It was so strange having feelings for woman and being attracted to them. In fact the whole world seemed strange and foreign to me then. But when you came here and we started to get to know each other, you began to help give me a purpose here. I understood the pain you were going through from the change in sex. I also really enjoyed spending time with you. You helped me find the fun side of being a guy.”

“Wow Leon, I never knew you were such a romantic type!”

“Hahahaha! Yeah I loved romance back when I was a girl. One of the fun parts of being a guy though is that you get to implement the romance and sweep the girl off her feet.”

We both laughed at that.

“Yeah, you think you can sweep me off my feet, Leon?”

“Yep! In fact I know I can!”

Leon then scooped me up in his arms. Holding me he leaned in for the prey. I could try to resist, but my body told me otherwise. Catching his prey, our lips met and we began to kiss passionately. I felt the warmth from his mouth breathe into me. There were sparks flying in my head, my heart was pounding up and down and my breasts hardened a little. It was as if my entire body was just begging to become his, to melt into his arms and become one. We kissed for about a minute. Never in my life, when I was a boy, did I think I would be kissing a boy. But now as Claire it just seemed so right, so pure and beautiful. When we were done kissing we pulled away smiling slightly at one another.

“So Claire did I sweep you off your feet?”

“Yeah you did,” I smiled.

He just held me in his arms for about another ten minutes. We finally separated to go our separate ways for the day. We both had to finish homework still.

Leon headed back inside but I decided to wait out here a little bit longer, just to think things through. I had thought about the kiss and how I was so pulled to Leon. I was not thinking rationally. Really I had not changed that long ago. Yet my emotions and body were moving me, pushing me towards a direction I had not fully accepted yet, though I knew I would fully accept it soon. I would be living as Claire for the rest of my life. So I believe I should embrace my new self, and my new self it seems to enjoy being with Leon.

A few minutes later something shocking happened. Mr. Trait and my best friend and roommate Rachael walked out of the Center. I could not hear what they were saying to each other on the veranda, but they started talking. Rachael looked completely exhausted, as though she was just in a marathon. After a bit Rachael began to look really scared and seemed like she was about to make a run for it. But then the most shocking thing happened. Mr. Trait grabbed Rachael’s arm and stuck a needle into her. Rachael just went limp and fell over. It seems like whatever he injected into her had just paralyzed her. Then Mr. Trait picked her up and carried her away.

I took a deep breath and sighed when he went away. I could not believe this was happening. Why was Mr. Trait doing this? All I knew was that this looked bad and I was crying now. I really did not want to lose Rachael we had become so close. Rachael was my best friend. I decided that the first thing I would have to do was to alert Ms. Fine to what I had just seen. I immediately pulled out my Center phone and called her. She was listed as one of the numbers to call in case of an emergency.

“Hello Ms. Fine. Are you there?”

“Yeah I am Claire. Quickly! What’s the problem? I have a serious issue on our hands right now.”

“I just saw Mr. Trait inject something into Rachael and then carry her away!”

“Wait! What did you just say? I want you to repeat yourself tell me the whole story?”

So I rattled off to Ms. Fine all that I had just witnessed. It was so shocking to me; I could hardly believe that this was happening.

“I see Claire. This worries me deeply I am sending a team over to Mr. Trait’s office to see if we can find anything. For the time being I suggest you head to your room.”

So I did what I was told, and started heading to my room. But I did not have the heart to go back to my room without Rachael. I headed inside and starting walking around the building. I was crying so hard now. This was awful and I was losing my friend. Damn! Why was I so powerless? I decided I would head to Mr. Trait’s office myself. I would be miserable if I did not find answers.

As I got closer, I noticed Mr. Trait was at his office door. He was surrounded by Center military personal and a few of the Center’s telepaths were present. Ms. Fine was present as well. Mr. Trait was holding a big brief case and looked way to much at ease when surrounded by a bunch of armed soldiers pointing guns at him. I quickly hid to the side of the hall way, trying to conceal myself as much as possible behind a door of one of the classrooms. For some reason I knew I did not want to get involved in this. Mr. Trait then made a dash for it and the soldiers aimed at him. Though what happened next was baffling. Mr. Trait pulled out a grenade, unclipped the safety and sent it flying backwards in a matter of seconds. The soldiers and everyone else had to dive to safety, allowing Mr. Trait to continue running unobstructed. The grenade went off and I heard a few yelps of pain. I hope everyone was ok over there.

I was pissed that the bad guy was getting away. Even though he hurt my friend what was I supposed to do against someone like him. I was really upset and tears were streaming down like a current now. I was angry and now I wanted revenge. Clearly my next action proved I was not thinking rationally. For as he was approaching me I rushed out of my hiding spot, really pissed, and with a well-aimed kick I got Mr. Trait right in the balls. Mr. Trait collapsed like a pile of sticks. I was so shocked, but then Mr. Trait pulled out a gun. SHIT!

‘BANG!’

Oh shit! He shot and killed me didn’t he. I opened my eyes to see. There was no pain though. Mr. Trait’s gun was lying on the floor and he was clutching his leg. Ms. Fine was standing behind him, her gun pointed at Mr. Trait. Ms. Fine had shot Mr. Trait, she had saved my life. I quickly did the first thing I could think of; I kicked the gun away from Mr. Trait.

Mr. Trait just sat there in pain, glaring at us all. He was clearly pissed.

“Mr. Trait surrender now!” Ms. Fine demanded.

“Yeah right, I’d rather die!”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Watch me Ms. Fine! This is for MAGNUM!”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out some sort of pill that he quickly swallowed. A few seconds later his eyes got big and he collapsed, his head hitting the floor. He was dead.

“Damn! He took a cyanide pill, these guys are no joke. They’re professionals.”

The Ms. Fine turned around to face me. She gave me a glare of disapproval that was among the scariest looks I had ever seen in my life.

“Ms. Evergreen, I am pretty sure I had told you to go to your room. Yet you came here, putting your life and the lives of everyone else here in greater danger.”

“I’m sorry Ms. Fine. I did not want to go back to my room with Rachael not being there. I was so upset and angry. I could not help myself.” The tears were streaming down my face now harder than ever before in my life.

“That is not a suitable excuse, Ms. Evergreen. We will be talking about the consequences of your actions later young lady. I hope you are aware of that.”

“Yes, Ms. Fine.” I cried.

“Now I suggest you go back to your room before you get into any more trouble. I will stop by sometime to talk this situation over with you. Do you understand?”

“I under…stand, Ms. Fine.”

I went right to my room. I was crying all the way there. It was just so unfair. I knew I was lucky to be alive and I was thankful to Ms. Fine for saving me, but the whole situation just sucked. I finally got to my room. I opened the door and went to my bed. I just lay there crying into my pillow for ten minutes before I finally was able to stop. I got a tissue off my desk and wiped the tears away. I then lay on my bed for about another twenty minutes before I heard a knock on the door. ‘Knock!’

“Hello Claire. It’s me, Ms. Fine. I am coming inside. Ok?”

“Yeah, ok.” I sniffled back.

Ms. Fine entered my room. She looked at me and then came over and sat down.

“I hope you understand why I will be punishing you. Why your actions were wrong. Putting your own life in danger.”

“Yes I do, Ms. Fine. Is everyone ok back there?”

“Yes! Somehow everyone survived, although a few got hit by some of the shrapnel, it is nothing life threatening fortunately.”

“That’s good to hear, Ms. Fine!”

“Yes it is. As for your punishment, you will be serving detention in my office, after power testing and training, for the next three weeks. I have work that you will be helping me with around my office.”

“Ok Ms. Fine. I am really sorry. Thanks for saving me!”

“Yes you were lucky I was able get him right in time.”

“May I ask a question, Ms. Fine?”

“Yes, you may.”

“What about Rachael, did you find her?”

“No Claire. I’m sorry we could not. We believe she was taken away from the Center, but I will tell you that we are taking this case seriously and we will do all in our power to retrieve Rachael. With that said, I actually came to discuss something with you.”

“What, Ms. Fine?”

“Before Mr. Trait died, one of our telepaths was able to retrieve information on the location of a minor base they planned to move Rachael to, before moving her again to an unidentified location. As of now the only other information on this organization we were able to retrieve was that their name is Magnum, and there will be a significant threat of emergent resistance at this base. That’s where you come in, Claire. Your ability as a damper will prove beneficial to this mission… possibly lifesaving. We want you to go with the retrieval group in order to rescue Rachael.”

“Are you sure, Ms. Fine?”

“Unfortunately I am being very sure! I am against this but Kris believes you will prove beneficial to this mission. So I am trusting Kris’s judgment. You will be leaving soon, so I suggest you report to the briefing room. I will see you there shortly, Ms. Evergreen.”

With that Ms. Fine got up and left. I just sat there dumbfounded for a few minutes.

I could not believe this was all happening!