Cindy Psi: Spy In Training
Chapter 26: Farewells

“Right, well, this is the research room,” said Selma. She had been taking the lead in Cindy’s intensive training over the past few days since her comm. home, during which time the two of them had bonded quite rapidly. It had been the same with Rebecca, Cindy had mused, it seemed that the age gap kind of mattered less than the common talents they shared. Both Rebecca and Selma were largely treating Cindy like an equal now – there was none of that slightly awkward condescension that most grown-ups usually had around children, at least with the younger agents. Cindy kind of liked it.

Selma led her into a room that was between the offices and the infirmary as far as Cindy could work out, pretty much on the opposite side of the building from the training and recreation rooms. It was again completely unadorned, but unlike all the other rooms this one had a lot of visible tech in it. One wall was clearly a projection backdrop able to handle 2 and 3D, and there were consoles and input screens on the left adjacent wall as you came in. The right wall had some kind of strange, wooden structure. Cindy thought back to her history classes …

“A bookshelf! Are those real books?!?” Cindy was astounded.

Selma sighed theatrically. “Yes, Dave and the boss have got some kind of thing about books. Say they’re better somehow. Seems like a grossly irresponsible use of materials to me given there’s been no need for physical transporters for like, a hundred years, but what can you do? You can’t argue with those two.”

“What’s he like?” Cindy asked.

“The Controller?” Selma was clearly a bit flustered. “Oh, I daresay you’ll replace out one day.” Then, quickly changing the subject, “Oh, and sorry, it was an accident, but I couldn’t help picking up, well, the tone of what you were thinking a moment ago about how we treat you as an equal. It’s true, we sort of do, and there are two main reasons – firstly, it’s just you really. You’ve already shown us that you’ve got the same view of what we do as we do – a lot of agents take years to get to that point. Also, you’ve already done some things and helped us in ways that, well, I mean, I couldn’t do, so to be treating you like some kind of school kid novice would just feel a bit dumb to me.

“The second thing I think one of the old guard might have already mentioned – see, we get it, because we were like you when we were kids, which isn’t so long ago … what it is is that when you have our talents or powers or whatever you want to call it, you grow up quickly. Nothing like spending your early years knowing broadly how the people around you think to give you a certain maturity; a certain insight into human nature, you know?”

Cindy did. “Yes, I think it was Dave who said something about it, and I’ve thought about it since. It makes sense. I mean, I don’t think I’m, like, better than anyone or anything, but sometimes, back at school, when all the other girls were getting into fashions and fads and forming their cliques and things it just all seemed a bit, well, sort of silly to me.”

“Exactly,” said Selma, “Well, that’s why we treat you how we do. Anyway, you feel like one of us to me, Cind, so let’s keep things as they are … except for one thing –”

Cindy sensed a more serious edge in Selma’s tone. What?

When we’re on the mission, I’m in charge. You answer to me. Got it?

Oh, of course! No, I totally get that. You’re the boss. .

Good, Selma replied, and continued aloud, “That’s settled then. So. The research room. We have open comms in here, full omninet, real time galactic mapping and as much secure nebula storage as you could possibly need. Where do you want to start?”

Feeling slightly thrilled with being given the initiative, Cindy asked “What do we have on the woman from Dave’s story?”

“Not a lot. We know she became a teacher, and after they wiped her we never saw any further evidence of power, so eventually her file got closed.”

“So we can’t get to it? Can it be opened?”

“No. One of the principles of the GCCSC is that we’re committed to personal liberty – it’s what we’re trying to preserve after all. So we only keep files on people who are considered a threat or an untrained talent. Fall out of one of those categories for seven years and your file with us gets erased permanently.”

Cindy thought a moment. “That seems strange – what about, you know, the galaxy first and all that?”

“Yeah, I know,” said Selma, “It seems counterintuitive, but then think about it – if we kept every record on every person while we’re training up a bunch of psychics who could pretty much spy on them at will, what kind of freedom are we preserving?”

“I guess you’re right.”

“Not me, them. They make the rules. The old guard.”

“Yes, but you agree, right?”

“Yes, I do. But it doesn’t make it easy for us right now! So, any other ideas?”

“Yessss,” Cindy said slowly, thoughtfully, “Let’s get the Alpha Sector and Valentine up on the wall, 3D. I want to try something.”

Selma dutifully slid her fingers across one of the input screens on the left wall, manipulating icons and typing the odd word, and suddenly a black cloud of mini stars and astronomical phenomena sprung into view along the back wall. Cindy stepped into it.

Right, she thought. I’m in this space, now to go into the other one, and she dropped into mindspace.

The map around her took on the now-accustomed clarity, with the planet in question in the centre. Cindy let her mind spread around it. What to look for? She thought. What to focus on? Let’s see, we had a file on her, can I get any trace of that …?

It was frustrating. The problem Cindy had was lack of anything to start her off. The general idea was to do the search like she had done for Adriá all that time ago …

Wait on! She had nothing to fix on then, she was just working from a feeling that she was looking for a place but the one she found wasn’t right, and it was then that the right place started coming into view.

Can you get me a teacher, same planet, female, around the same age? She sent to Selma.

Sure, hold on … some tapping of keys and screens … here you go ...

And the map homed in on a country in the Northern Hemisphere of the planet, with images and writing appearing above a particular region and town identifying a Theresa Chang, primary teacher at Huckleberry Primary – there was a picture of the school …

No, that’s not right, Cindy thought, and willed the map to zoom back.

The instant she took mental control of the map, things started to feel more right. She rotated the globe in her mind. There was another continent in the Southern hemisphere – looked like this was a standard two basic landmass configuration planet with equatorial archipelagos. On the Southern continent Cindy was drawn to a big city on its eastern seaboard. Letting her inner mind guide the map’s focus she zoomed in, and in, and soon was looking at a school in the inner city, all glass, steel and modernist architecture. As she called up information on the school a class and faculty member was standing out clearly.

City of Brunel … Brunel Central High … Ms Tarkington. Class 3B. That was her! Cindy was sure of it. Can you bookmark please?

Already done, Selma replied. Do we need anything else in here?

I don’t think so. We can close the map, Cindy sent as she lifted out of mindspace.

*

“Yep, it’s her alright. Inexplicable gap of three months in her work record at exactly the time it was happening, then suddenly changes career to become a teacher on a grant for people recovering from mental trauma surgery.” Selma and Cindy were looking through public records from omninet concerning the woman they’d just found.

“Yes. It seems to be, doesn’t it? So now what do we do?”

“Well, I guess we go and talk to her.”

“What, just like that? What if she is the woman? It’d be suicide!”

“Well, no, not just like that. We’ll go prepared, and we’ll be backed up, and, unlike the other two times we’ve encountered the woman, this time we’ll have the element of surprise.”

“Yes, ok. I guess that’s what this is about after all.” Cindy sounded nervous.

“Getting cold feet?” Selma asked, genuine concern in her voice.

“No, no, not cold feet as such. It’s just that every now and then you get a reminder how, sort of, real this all is, do you know what I mean?”

Selma cocked her head on one side and smiled, “Yes, I do. I know exactly what you mean. It’s easy to default to thinking this is all some kind of crazy stream or something and we’re just on the thrillride towards the happy ending, but then all of a sudden it hits you that what you’re about to do … well, it’s dangerous. Like, for real.”

“That’s it. That’s exactly it.”

“Yes, I know. Well, all I can say is that yes, it’s real, yes, it’s dangerous, but I’m a damn good agent despite the jolly hockey sticks impression I give people, we’ll be prepared, we’ll be backed up, and we’ll win the day. I guarantee it. If anything goes wrong, so help me I’ll swear off chocolate cake for the next year. Well, six months.”

Cindy laughed, comforted. “Thanks, Selma. Well, then, now what?”

“Now we get you kitted out, and then spend some time with the other kids, and then …”

“And then?”

“Then we go get the bad guy and have our happy ending!”

And with that the two of them laughed, Selma put an arm around Cindy’s shoulder, and they walked out of the research room.

“Wow! Cindy! You look amaaazing!” Jane had come running over when Selma and Cindy entered the training room where the rest of the children were with Rebecca and Christof working on some shielding exercises. Cindy was wearing a silvery, bodytight space suit that seemed to be made of some kind of fine mesh material. It had a purple waistband and the GCCSC logo on the upper left of her chest. Cindy had been unsurprised when Selma picked it up from the stores and it turned out to be exactly the same suit she’d seen her future self wearing in her vision so long ago. What had surprised her was what she’d found out about it next.

“That’s nothing!” She said to Jane, “Watch this!” And with that she focussed on an image of herself going to school and the logo of her suit at the same time as Selma had shown her a moment ago, and the suit blurred and changed and now … Cindy was stood there in her school uniform.

“Oh wow!” Jane exclaimed, “How did you do that?!?”

“Cool, huh? It’s called a shiftsuit. All agents get them apparently. You can make it look however you want!”

“I’ve heard about morphic fabrics before,” Natalie said, “Really expensive. But you can get them. But not ones you change by thinking about it!”

“I know, right?” Said Cindy. “Check this out,” and she thought about a man she’d seen outside a fast food restaurant back home who was there to advertise it, focussed on her suit logo and … suddenly she was dressed up as a giant chicken. The others all laughed; except George, who was conspicuous by his absence. Cindy thought back to the standard uniform and her outfit reverted to the silvery space suit. She tried an exploratory sping. George? She sent.

Nothing. He was completely closed off to her.

Oh, come on, George, don’t stay all silent treatment with me.

Still nothing. Cindy sighed.

“So can you go all high fashion with it?” Natalie asked, bringing Cindy’s attention back to the group around her.

“I guess so – I’d kind of have to know what it is first!” The three girls and Selma all laughed at that. Even Milton smiled.

“So you’re going on an actual mission?” Milton said; he looked anxious on her behalf.

“Yes, me and Selma,” Cindy replied. We’ll be fine. She added, privately. Milton smiled, but still looked a bit anxious.

“Everyone’s been briefed,” Selma said to Cindy, “The steer is to play this one with a pretty open hand within the walls of the facility – the boss thinks that’s the best way to keep lines of support open when we’re off base.”

“That makes sense,” Cindy replied. “So when are we going?”

“You just need to go and see Dave for a final briefing and then we’ll be away.”

“Ok, but I’ll be able to come back here after I see Dave, right?”

“Yes, to say goodbyes. Then straight to the transporter room.”

“Ok, back in a sec then,” Cindy said to the others general, and headed out of the rec room and up to Dave’s office. She knocked gently.

“Come in,” said Dave, and she did. “Right, Cindy, we’re as prepped as we can get, so it’s time for you to go. Selma has been fully briefed, and remember, she’s the boss,” Dave spoke this last point forcefully.

“Of course. Absolutely,” Cindy said with conviction.

“Fine. You need a codename. You’ll keep your first name – we’ve learned in espionage even before the GCCSC existed that it’s too easy to get caught out with a false first name. Someone calls you, you don’t respond straight away, questions get asked … but you need a new surname. Your agent name will be …” And Dave paused, as if seeking to give the moment some significance.

“Cindy Psi.”

As soon as Dave spoke the words it felt like a whirlpool torrent of potential futures crashed in on Cindy. Just for a second, there were images of her at different stages over the next several years all vying for attention in her mind – it was all Cindy could do to remain on her feet. It felt like on receiving her name, Cindy received all the experiences that name was going to take her to, fragmented and condensed, and overwhelming.

One thing was clear. This spy thing was going to be one heck of a ride.

This all only took an instant, hardly long enough for Dave to notice, and as the images faded, two impressions lingered slightly. One, light, airy, the Cindy from the vision she had at school turning and somehow seeming to wink at her. The second, dark, frightening – it was one woman, face obscured, but manipulative, misguided mind apparent – her current enemy; and behind her another woman, although almost not even a woman anymore – an evil, malignant force of darkness, yet somehow spewing light from its eyes. Nancy, thought Cindy. I guess our paths are set to cross.

And just as she thought this, the twisted face started to turn towards her, the tiniest hint of the rampant light just grazed across Cindy …

It felt like her frontal lobe had been hit by a train. By two trains. She shook her head, and woke up. Dave was starting to look concerned, but Cindy quickly realised all of this had taken place in the briefest of instants, and regained her composure with lightning speed. Her mind still felt like it was in a pool of glowing, red lava, but something, anything needed to be said.

“I like it,” Cindy managed, talking about her new name. “It feels … right.” The aftermath of the vision was quickly fading.

Dave raised that eyebrow of his, but said nothing, instead sticking to the briefing. “Alright. Your PCD is now unlocked, and any digital comms to us here will be secured, although not as secure as a locked down mindline so be careful. Selma’s shown you how to work the shiftsuit, and she will be managing the regular comms with us back at base. Louise and I will be monitoring you constantly – at least one of us at all times. The Controller will also be looking in when he can, but he has other things taking his attention so that won’t be regular.

“Stay safe, Cindy. I think your lead is a good one, so go in prepared. And good luck, Cindy Psi.”

Thanks Dave, she sent, and left his office and headed back to the rec room.

“All ready?” Asked Selma as she came in.

“Yep. Well, bye guys,” Cindy said, looking at the other children assembled. Jane was first to rush over and give her a hug.

“Look after yourself Cind. We need you back here in one piece. And soon, ok?!?”

I’ll be fine, she sent. Anyway, someone needs to keep Natalie on the straight and narrow, she added privately. Jane smiled, and stepped back.

I heard that, said Natalie, pretending to look indignant. She didn’t really manage it though, and she laughed and held out a hand to shake. “Good luck, Cindy,” she said aloud. “Sort this woman out. She’s caused us a lot of grief.” Natalie sent a covert image of George as she said this last, tinged slightly with guilt.

Yes, although not all of it came from her, Cindy sent back, privately and meaningfully.

Point taken, Natalie sent back, I was wrong, but I’m fixing it now. “I don’t have to be,” right? Cindy nodded approvingly.

Milton stepped up as Natalie walked away. He looked like he was going to shake her hand as well, but then at the last minute grabbed her and gave her a big bear hug. “Just … just knock her out and come back safe,” he said. He almost sounded like he was crying. Cindy was surprised at the depth of his feelings.

“I’ll be fine, Milt, don’t worry.”

“Well make sure you are,” he said, breaking off and stepping away. “Joke about it if you like, but we do need you here.”

I promise, I’ll be as careful as I can. Thanks Milton. Thanks for the concern.

Just before she left, an unexpected sping came, presumably from the infirmary.

Goodbye, Cindy.

Um, bye George.

The mindline ceased abruptly without another word.

George? She sent privately.

Come on, George, I just want to talk to you. I want to sort things out with you. Nothing. Cindy sighed.

Selma gave her a look, and Cindy responded with a brief nod. With a final chorus of good byes and good lucks from all but one of the children the two of them left the rec room and headed for the transporter. They entered the little room and stood on the transmission pad.

Shall we do this then, Cindy Psi?

Let’s, replied Cindy.

Ok then, set your shiftsuit as we discussed, and with that Selma punched in the coordinates for Brunel City Public, Planet Valentine, and the two of them disappeared.