Cindy Psi: Spy In Training
Chapter 23: Aftermath 2

Everyone was in the common room, apart from George. Selma and Christof were there as well; Selma was in the kitchen area making tea. Jane had a blanket around her shoulders but was still shivering – Cindy recognised it as shock. Natalie had her head down, almost, in an ironic twist that somehow made Cindy massively angry, looking at her shoes a la George. Louise was lying rather than sitting, the whole experience leaving her completely exhausted and drawn, albeit ok. George had been taken off to the infirmary wing to a room that Cindy imagined would be much like Rebecca’s.

Milton spoke. “It was our fault.” He sound utterly disconsolate.

“Yes,” said Dave, “Yes, it was. It’s not your fault that the woman exists, or that the Turgs exist, but it’s your fault they found you this evening. You endangered everyone. Never mind the hide and seek game outside the defences; we knew about that and had our eye on you, which is how we were available to help so quickly. But the attack on George was what gave you away to the enemy. And, although I know this will make you feel worse, you didn’t just endanger everyone here, you endangered the whole galaxy with your childish stupidity.”

Milton burst into tears. “I didn’t mean it,” he sobbed, “we were just … just …”

“Just what, Milton?” Asked Selma, that edge back in her voice, “Just undertaking a planned attack on one of your classmates? One of the people that one day may be helping you save countless lives, including the lives of your own friends and family? May one day be saving your life? Is that what you were ‘just’ doing?” She looked at him in disgust. He couldn’t respond, and just sat there sobbing.

“It wasn’t his fault.” Natalie’s voice was quiet, flat. “It was mine. It was my idea, and I manipulated him into helping me do it.”

“We know,” said Dave, emotionless.

“I think I should leave the programme.”

“I think you should too you horrid cow!” Jane was angrier than any there could have imagined her to be. “Of all the stupid, selfish, arrogant, um, I don’t even have any more words. Of all the … just … awful, awful, awful things to do. You may be tall but you are just the lowest, lowest person I have ever met.”

Natalie didn’t respond. She also didn’t seem to disagree. Her haughty demeanour had disappeared entirely.

“You’re right,” she said eventually. “And I think I should leave the programme. Wipe my mind and send me away.”

Oh no, came a sping from Louise, too tired to articulate actual words, you don’t get off that easily. You need to live with what you have done.

And this was at last too much for Natalie, who broke down in gulping, wracking sobs. No one moved to console her.

“Dave,” Cindy asked as Natalie slowly recovered herself and sat sobbing quietly to one side.

“Yes?”

“How does it work that they replace us like that? I mean, how come they don’t just attack us in our beds at night or something? They know where we are now, right? And the defences don’t extend outside the compound …”

“Ah, I see what you mean. No that’s not quite right, remember there are defences outside the compound, they’re just different. The main defences outside the training rooms hide us under normal circumstances perfectly well – once they retreat after something like that, they can’t easily replace us again. But large displays of power like last night shine out like a beacon and they can home in easily – as you’ve seen. The training rooms have the extra defensive wall, the one we use that shields against any level of power so we can do the more high impact exercises. The one we can’t replicate.”

“Oh I see,” she said, and slipped back into thinking about the events. Something was nagging at her. But, after a pause, Dave continued speaking to her.

“I think we all owe you thanks yet again for your help, Cindy.”

Cindy cut in before they could all chorus in and embarrass her: “I don’t know, Dave, I lost my head too. Sure, I was trying to help the situation, but I let my power flare outside the compound and that was what made the beacon you’re talking about.”

“And it’s what protected me and Natalie from George. It’s what saved our lives.” Said Milton.

“George wouldn’t have killed you,” Cindy replied, firmly. “He just wanted to hurt you. And he had every right.”

“Yes, I know, but you saw his power and you saw he’d lost it. Who knows what might have happened? We were stupid.” A shake of his head in incredulity at his own actions. “Just so, so stupid. And you helped save us. Thanks.” And, after a pause, “poor George,” and he started crying again.

Natalie, still sobbing gently by herself, said nothing. No-one seemed inclined to offer her any comfort.

Natalie … Cindy reached out.

Leave me alone Cindy, she responded, mind-voice full of tears, Jane’s right. You’re all right. I’m a horrible person.

Cindy thought for a moment for the right thing to say.

You don’t have to be. She sent, as earnestly as she could. She saw Natalie start at that, and after a moment the sobbing stopped. Cindy left her to her thoughts and returned her attention to the group.

“Look, I don’t really like all this ‘thanks Cindy’ stuff. Really.” Cindy said. “Can’t we just focus on what we need to do? We need to stay safe against this evil woman and her alien army and we need to make sure we get along and work together, don’t we?”

“Yes,” said Selma, as Dave and Christof nodded, “that’s exactly what we need to do.”

And … Cindy sent, thoughtful once more, and accidentally reverting to mindspeak because of it.

Yes? Sent Dave.

We need to help George. And Rebecca. And I think I’m sort of getting an idea. Can we go somewhere to discuss it?

Leaving the others, Dave went with Cindy to his office. When they were there behind closed doors Dave asked “What is it, Cindy?”

“Well, I’m not sure or anything, but when it was all going on there was … a feeling I had. Like another voice.”

“Yes. The Controller was there helping us.”

“No. I know that. Not him. Someone else.”

“Really? I didn’t sense anyone. I was pretty preoccupied at the time, of course.”

“Well, it was really, kind of, deep in my mind. Do you know what I mean?”

“I think so, yes. What did it say?”

Cindy paused. She instinctively felt she needed to hold back on mentioning too much about the direct involvement and how the help the voice gave her manifested itself, but the sentence that was repeated she felt she could share. “It … she, I think … said “It is yours to break. You need to see it done.”

“Interesting.” Dave paused and looked thoughtful for a moment. “Um … do you have any idea what it means?”

“I think maybe a tiny idea … about the second bit anyway.”

“What is it?”

“Well, I think the vibrating thing is right, but I think we need to vibrate it in a different direction.”

“What do you mean ‘in a different direction’?”

“You won’t think I’m crazy?”

“Of course not.”

“I need to see it done. I think we need to vibrate it, sort of, in time.”

Dave stood straight up as if slapped. Say that again! He sent.

I think we … she started.

“No, no, no, out loud!” Dave exclaimed.

“I think we need to vibrate it in … time.”

Dave startled her then by throwing his arms around her and giving her a huge hug, picking her up and spinning her around in the air as he did so.

“You’re a genius!” He cried. “Of course!” He set her back down again.

“Well, I mean, I don’t know, but …”

“No, of course, of course! You’ve got it! I’m sure you have. Ok. We’ll have to wait until Louise has had a night’s rest. We’ll sort this out first thing tomorrow. Well done Cindy.”

“Well, save that until we see if it works,” she said, abashed.

“Oh it will. Come on, let’s get back and see how the others are faring. We still have a lot of mopping up to do after that …” And here he paused a minute, as if suddenly realising something.

Look, are you ok? He sent.

Me? I’m fine.

Really? You’ve just been through a hugely powerful, frightening event.

Yes. Again. I’m kind of getting used to it. She noticed Dave briefly notice and smile inwardly at the sping smiley. Then he continued more seriously:

But, jokes aside, you’re going through a lot here. This is not a normal course. And we’re leaning on you a lot.

Well, as you keep telling me, I’m not a normal trainee. I’m ok.

Dave looked at her probingly for a moment.

Promise?

Promise.

And you’d tell me if you weren’t?

Yes, of course.

Resolved, Dave was all business once more. “Right, well then let’s go see the others,” he said as he stepped purposefully toward the corridor. Then, as he reached the office door, he said over his shoulder, “You’re made of strong stuff, Cindy Parker, mighty strong stuff. Come on, let’s go.”

Back in the common room things were starting to level out. Louise had retired to her quarters to get the rest she desperately needed. Selma was sitting talking to Jane and Milton. Christof had helped Louise off and was now back, sitting near Natalie, looking a little awkward. Natalie had her head down and was saying nothing, her face impassive.

Cindy?

Cindy was slightly surprised. It was Natalie.

Yes Natalie?

You’re right. I don’t have to be horrible.

No, you don’t. It’s up to you.

Yes, I get that now.

Really? Cindy was slightly sceptical. After all, Natalie had fooled them before.

Yes, really. Look.

Huh?

Look. Inside me. I’ll let you. Look.

Puzzled, Cindy let her mindspace spread until it was flowing across Natalie’s. She let herself slip amongst the older girl’s thoughts. She found she got impressions, textures of what was going on … remorse … resolve … She dug a little deeper.

Commitment. A commitment to try to change. Regret over her previous behaviour. Natalie’s mindvoice came. I mean it, Cind, I really do. I only wish I hadn’t got to the point where I endangered us all before I wised up. But … how do you do it?

Do what?

You don’t seem to have a selfish or bad bone in you. How does that work?

I don’t know. I mean, I’m just me, do you know what I mean? I have, um, bad bones and stuff.

Well I haven’t seen them. But keep being you. And thanks for being the first one to speak to me.

We all deserve a second chance. Don’t worry about it.

Cindy broke the contact. She’d had enough praise for one day. She’d had enough for her whole life as far as she was concerned. She went over and joined Selma and Jane’s conversation, noticing out of the corner of her mind that Natalie was opening a one on one mindline to Milton. I think that should be just fine, she thought to herself. As far as she could tell, Natalie really had wised up.