Chapter 7: Did I Just Get Offered the Matrix
Richie
I woke up screaming. Astrid pounced out of her chair next to me, fully surprised by my sudden alertness. She carefully laid me back into the white and yellow gurney I was seated on.
"It's okay, everything is okay", she said softly, trying to relax me and prevent any further harm.
Everything hurt, even with the anesthesia. The beeping of the heart rate monitor was sort of relaxing. As I slowly reclined back, I felt pain growing in my abdomen; I clearly had a broken rib or two. I opened my mouth to talk but only small squeaks came out.
Astrid leaned over and put her hand on my arm. "It's okay I brought a board for you to communicate with and some books for you to read. I know I'm the librarian of this place but I figured you being an intelligence prodigy and all, maybe you'd like to read too".
I accepted the board and Astrid left the brown box of books next to the bed. I slowly settled back into my seat when Zach walked in.
"Aw dude, are you okay? If this was one of my games, I'd totally give you a MedKit and you'd be back in the game".
He looked terribly worried and rushed over to the side of the bed.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
I grabbed the bright red sharpie that Astrid had just given to me. I scribbled "Terrible" on the whiteboard and showed it to Zach.
He smiled, "Even in pain he has a sense of humor".
Headmistress appeared in the doorway.
"Astrid, I need to speak to you, immediately. You as well, Zach".
They quickly exited the room, leaving to myself. I closed my eyes, partially from the pain and partially because I was tired, but mostly because I was hoping I could listen in on everyone's conversation if they were close and loud enough. Outside, Astrid and Zach's voices were just a small whisper, then they suddenly stopped. I heard their footsteps recede down the hallway, but there was also a pair walking towards me. I pretended to be asleep, but carefully left one eye open, just enough to see who came into the door. Jenna appeared in the doorway, and I quickly shut my eyes.
"Don't panic, do NOT panic", I said in my head, trying to calm myself and control my breathing.
"Aw, poor little thing, so small and fragile", She said as she slowly walked around the room. "You actually seem less dorky when you're asleep". I felt the bed shake as she sat down next to me. She leaned in close to my ear, her long braid running back and forth along my forearm. "Mitchell may be easily swayed, but I swear to you, no one will accept you as our leader until you show that you are our leader. Also, quit getting beat up, I understand you're a newbie and all but I need a challenge. I know you'll never beat me but I'll try you on for size. Mitchell is getting too easy, and Astrid and Zach aren't even having me break a sweat. Hopefully, you feel better soon, just so I can send you back here". I knew she had her familiar smirk across her face, even though I couldn't see it. "By the way, I know you're awake and listening, otherwise I wouldn't even be here". The bed lifted as she got to her feet, her steps echoing throughout the room until I heard the door close.
I opened my eyes, but didn't move. I tried to process what she had just told me. Why would she tell me what's going on? What does she mean no one will accept me as their leader? However, I understood one thing perfectly; she wanted to fight me, a fight that would determine if she would respect me or not.
I leaned forward, using most of my reservoir of energy to reach a point of nearly sitting straight up. Looking around the room, I knew I had to get out of here. I stared at my surroundings trying to formulate a plan. Just then, Headmistress walked in the room along with the two guards that had greeted me when I first came to the Academy.
"Glad to see you're awake Richie. We need to talk immediately," Headmistress said. Her brisk and concise attitude shocked me, telling myself to listen carefully. "Another one of your teammates has been injured. Mitchell is a few doors down from you, if you would like to visit him, but we have extremely urgent things to speak of". She nodded to the guards behind her, who shut all the doors and windows, locking and sliding closed the white blinds. The dark room was only illuminated by the bedside lamp, just enough to see Headmistress and the guards in front of me. "You are incredibly important to this team. You are the glue that holds the two sides together, physical strength and mental strength, without you this team will fail. I need you to understand that revenge is never a good answer, especially with your own team. Right now, your team is divided and only you can unite them. Just remember, the best spies don't rely on their gadgets; they use what is near them to conquer their challenges. I am relying on you Richie; do not let me down."
She swiftly exited the room, twisting on her heel flanked by her two guards. On her way out, she whips a black flashlight out of her coat pocket. But it was no flashlight. A blue light illuminated in a spiral out of the top opening like a Star Wars lightsaber. It grew to form a hand, which flew around the room, stretching and shrinking to room various ends of the room and fix it just as it had been before. Bright sunlight illuminated the room with all of the blinds and decor back in place. A blue light flashed down the hall as Headmistress's light saber looking gadget turn off and return to her. On the silver tray next to me, was a bright red pill as well as a blue one adjacent to it. A bright yellow note hung just above them. It read," I'm counting on you Richie. Take the blue pill and you can return to your normal life, your friends, and your family. However, if you take the red pill, you will explore the depths of what you can really do as a human, yourself, and most importantly, a spy. You have five minutes to choose or else a nurse will come to retrieve these pills and you will be expelled from the school. I know you will chose correctly. -H".
I sat back, thinking about everything that had happened since my arrival. Meeting the team, my run ins with Jenna and Mitchell, and Headmistress's long conversation about being the leader. I stared at the wall in front of me, questioning the opportunity I have. Should I leave my team and return home, to Mom and Dad, Ri and Becky? No, I wouldn't be leaving my team, I'd be abandoning them. I didn't need to be a prodigy of intellect to know what I had to do. I glanced at the camera in the top corner of the room, looked back at the silver tray, and made my final decision. Before I could question my decision, I reached out my hand onto the silver plate and ran my fingers over the blue pill. I mouthed "I'm sorry", said my final goodbyes to my family, and quickly stuffed the red pill in my mouth, feeling it slip down my throat, leaving a taste of chemicals and, oddly, cherries. As soon as I knew the pill had slipped down my esophagus, running footsteps echoed down the hall.
Headmistress appeared in front of me and smiled, "I knew you'd choose correctly."
I began to convulse, horrid uncontrollable shaking over my body as if I was having a seizure. Headmistress ran to my side as she saw the panic in my eyes.
"Don't worry," she said, “it is a side effect of the pill. You will feel dizzy, paralyzed, and freezing cold, but this pill will heal you from all your injuries. Well, most likely. If so, the symptoms will wear off within an hour."
Most likely?! What did she mean by "most likely"? I tried to talk or even move, but that was impossible, I had lost all control of my body. The shivering worsened, I violently rocked the bed as my body and limbs shook. I began to feverishly sweat, even though I felt extremely cold. My mouth become very dry, but there was no way I could swallow water.
I closed my eyes, "Don't panic, this is helping you. You'll feel better any moment." I told myself.
Then, it stopped. Not gradually or slowly, just all together. My legs and arms fell back onto the bed, it stopped sweating, and my fever magically disappeared. I began to sit up, but Headmistress quickly pushed me back down.
"Wait! We must see if it worked. Slowly, follow me." she said as she turned and began to walk towards the door. Just as I was getting out of the bed and Headmistress walked through the door, steel bars barricaded the door and an iron door slide down, clicking as locks loudly slide into place. The pill had obviously not taken full effect as I still felt weak, but I could at least stand and walk now. With a slight limp and pain in my legs and chest, I strode over to the newly locked door.
"Headmistress?" I called.
A loud crackle sounded from the loudspeaker above me. Headmistress's voice rang out, "Richie, this is the test we must commence. Find your way out of this room. Good luck! You may need it."
"What? How? Where do I go?" I asked yelled back, expecting an answer back.
No further crackle to signal an incoming speak or sometime of hidden message appeared.
"Time to go to work," I told myself. I began looking around the room, until my sight concentrated on the guards still standing by my bedside.