Cindy Psi: Spy In Training

“We’ve got a favour to ask you Cindy.”

She was sat in Dave’s office and Dave, with characteristic bluntness, was coming straight to the point about why he’d pulled her out of that morning’s training session for a one on one chat.

“Ok…” she was slightly hesitant. A favour from her? What could they want?

“Understand I wouldn’t ask you this under normal circumstances, but as you know these aren’t normal circumstances.”

She got it.

Rebecca.

Dave’s reply was heartfelt. Yes. Rebecca. I wouldn’t ask a recruit to help with something like this normally, but we’ve tried everything. We’re at a loss.

It’s ok, it’s fine, but I don’t know what I can do?

Well, we can steer you – I just think if we throw your strength into the mix we can try, well, a brute force attack if you like.

I don’t want to hurt her.

Of course not – we’ll be careful. I’m a lot more aware of the extent of your power now. As long as you do what I tell you when I tell you it will be fine.

Ok then. Cindy was a little worried, but obviously wanted to help. Rebecca had been virtually comatose for several weeks now – she couldn’t imagine what that must be like. And no matter how much they reassured her she still felt at least partly responsible – if she hadn’t followed that mindline the confrontation wouldn’t have happened. Dave and Louise kept telling her that there was no way she could have known, and that they were better off knowing they were being spied on, and that if it hadn’t have been tackled when it was the whole course, maybe even the whole GCCSC could have been compromised, but still, the lingering doubt remained. And, of course, she would have done what she could to help anyway. When do you want to do it?

Well, now’s as good a time as any. Louise is in with her as we speak – come on. And he stood to lead her out of the room.

They went down the corridor past the big training room and took a door to the left. As they walked Cindy mused over how much she didn’t know about the facility – there were plenty of rooms in this compound she hadn’t seen, she felt sure of that, and how many other workers were there? Were there other trainers than the four they’d met to date? And what about other agents? Well, now wasn’t the time to ask, but she made a mental note to speak to Dave about it later. Or maybe Selma. Yes, Selma – she liked Dave of course, but Selma was that much more … approachable.

She became aware they were in some kind of infirmary area – there was a small central desk area and with four doors in an ‘L’ shape behind it, two on each side. The desk area was unmanned. Dave took her to the second door along on the left and they went in without knocking.

“How is she?” Dave asked Louise who was sitting next to a motionless Rebecca, who in turn lay on a comfortable looking bed opposite the door; not really a ‘hospitally’ bed, Cindy thought – that was good. Louise looked run down and tired. Cindy realised this was the first time she’d seen her since the confrontation, and rightly suspected that a lot of the care, defence and monitoring was falling on her shoulders.

Rebecca on the other hand looked incongruously fine – colour in her cheeks, slim but not gaunt, dark hair neat and straight and cascading off the pillow. She looked like she’d just decided to lie down for a quick nap before heading off to a smart office somewhere for a day’s work doing, well, Cindy didn’t know what, but something important. But she didn’t move – the only signs she was even alive were her skin colour and the slight rise and fall of the linen as she breathed, slowly and steadily.

“No change, surprise surprise. Hello Cindy. How’s the training going?”

“Oh, fine thanks Louise. Learning a lot.”

“I hear there’s been a bit of trouble between some of your fellow recruits?” Louise looked probingly at her.

“Well, a little I guess, but it’s all sorted now. Selma dealt with it.”

“And you also did your bit to try and keep the peace I believe.”

“Well not really, um …”

“I’ve put you on the spot. Never mind. But you’re a welcome addition here Cindy – you have a good head on your shoulders and a willingness to help that we appreciate. And maybe you can help us here,” she said as she turned to Rebecca, “We’re at a loss.”

“What do you want me to do?”

Well, let me show you the problem. Dave?

Here.

Let’s go in – Cindy, join this …

Louise and Dave sent out a mindline from either side as the three of them descended into mindspace. As Cindy joined it she was aware that they two of them were also joining with each other. Between the three of them they formed a circle of silver light, which seemed to glow a little brighter when the circle was sealed.

Is this what you did when you …

When we stopped the attack, yes. You were a little preoccupied to notice the detail.

So what do we call this? Cindy thought back to her crib sheet.

It’s just a concentrated mindshare, really, Dave sent, it’s just a bit more joined up. In a way mindspeak is just a one on one mindshare but it’s more … concentrated … well, this is between the two.

Cindy considered the glowing ring joining the three of them. It felt like a much deeper bond somehow, but now wasn’t the time to investigate it.

Ok, began Louise, let’s go in.

And with that she started to steer the three of them towards where Rebecca lay dormant on the bed on her back. The silver ring that joined them focussed towards Rebecca’s mind, and closed in. There was a disconcerting moment of transition that almost felt like they were somehow going through her skull, and then they were somehow inside Rebecca’s mind.

It felt to Cindy like she was in a forest of silvery grey, thick hairs. It was odd, and a little frightening, but, somehow Cindy knew, normal.

Yes, this bit is normal, sent Louise. Wait …

And they seemed to pan back a little, as if rising above the forest in a balloon and looking down, and Cindy took in the curve as she saw what she realised was a representation of Rebecca’s brain.

Not a representation, sent Dave, it is her brain.

Oh.

Look, sent Louise, and she drew the focus back in from all around the brain, like closing a net around it but slipping through it as she went, going in, in, until …

It was like a wall.

Literally, like a wall. A big, cold stone, impenetrable wall encircling Rebecca’s inner mind.

All the autonomic functions, you know, breathing, reflex, controlling body temperature and so forth happen out here, but thought, consciousness, and of course the talent, it all comes from in there.

Which is why she looks so normal … realised Cindy.

Yes, exactly. She’s just trapped inside her own mind. And has been for many days.

Cindy mentally gasped at the horror of that thought. The poor thing!

Indeed.

So what do you want me to do?

Well, we need to be careful, but at the same time it will obviously take a lot of force to break this down. I thought maybe we could try to discorporate it, sent Dave.

What does that mean? Cindy asked.

A bit like the watermelon, but without the spinning, he sent. I want us to try kind of merging with the wall, and then willing it to disrupt. You see if you can encompass it in your mindspace and Louise and I will layer in with you.

Cindy dutifully let her mind spread out and around the wall in Rebecca’s brain. She imagined the silver boundary that formed the horizon of her mental view spreading across the surface of the wall like a gentle, iridescent tide. Bit by bit, it spread, until she had encompassed the whole sphere.

She felt the gentle touch of first Dave, then Louise layering their own strength on hers. It was a bit like someone taking your hand to hold it in a pitch dark room. And then, unexpectedly, another presence layered gently on top.

Who’s that? She asked in alarm, although realising the answer as she asked.

I think you know. Focus, Cindy, sent Dave.

Using her well-practiced self-discipline Cindy returned to the task at hand. Right, here was the wall. Now what?

See if you can find a weak spot to break it down … a seam, a crack, any kind of variation in the shell …

Cindy sent spurs of heightened conscious all through her mindspace, assessing the wall it surrounded, looking for a flaw; a way in. Nothing.

It’s too strong, I think, she sent. Then, after a pause, she added, but I have another idea …

What’s that? Louise asked.

I could try and, sort of, vibrate it apart. Kind of like the apple – make it no longer fit its space so it will be forced to crumble …

She felt the alarm come from Dave and Louise. Interestingly, the other presence showed no such response. If anything, she seemed to sense a hint of curiosity and encouragement for her idea.

I don’t know … remember what happened to the apple, sent Dave, very wary.

I know, but I think I can contain it. What I want to do is … look … and she sent them a mental image of gently vibrating the stone wall so the individual particles of it started slowly dissolving to dust.

Oh I see! Sent Dave, impressed.

Clever, sent Louise.

Well?

Cindy was aware of the other minds conferring, although the content of what was being exchanged was shielded.

Go on then, Dave sent, be careful, and we’ll keep check on it. And draw on our power as you need it. Can you do that?

Cindy considered. I think so yes. Ok, here we go.

Cindy let her consciousness immerse more fully into her mindspace, let her self flow out through the ring around the wall. She felt spread, thinned, like she actually was the ring around the wall in Rebecca’s brain. She let herself nestle in.

Then, slowly, gently, she willed herself to start oscillating.

Nothing happened.

She raised the intensity a little, drawing some strength from Dave and Louise. She felt the third presence adding – well, his strength as well, assuming she was right about who it was. Never mind that now, she let the intensity raise a little more.

Now the wall started to respond. It felt like it was starting to warm up. That was the way! Cindy increased the vibration once more.

Now the wall was really starting to warm up.

And now it was warming up too much.

And now it was hot. Searing hot.

Stand down! Came a voice

Yes! Added Dave, back away!

Just one more minute … Cindy gritted her mental teeth as it were and kept the vibration going against the force of heat.

The wall got hotter, but remained intact. It hurt now.

Back away! Louise. We need to get out! It’s going to …

BANG!

And they were back in the room. Dazed, hurt, but okay, and as Cindy shook her head back into consciousness, flashes of silvery white appeared before her eyes.

“What was that?” She asked blearily.

“The wall pushed back. It pushed us out,” said Dave, also sounding shaken.

“The wall pushed us out?”

“Yes.”

Cindy mused on that. Whatever the evil woman had done to Rebecca’s mind, she’d done one heck of a job with it.

“Yes, she has,” said Louise. Her tone was stern. “And listen, I know you’re trying to help, and that was a clever idea, but you’ve got to do what we say when we say it. You could have been hurt. We all could have.”

“Sorry, it just felt like we were close.” Cindy felt ashamed and embarrassed. Dave looked like he was conferring with someone for a moment, then his tone softened.

“It’s ok,” he said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, “I understand. We’re just thinking of you. You have the enthusiasm of youth – I get it – but you need to listen to us folks who have the caution of age sometimes.”

“I will.”

“I know. So don’t worry.”

Cindy felt better. Then, as she glanced towards the bed, Dave …

What?

Bringing Louise into the share as well, Cindy sent: Rebecca. Look.

They turned to look.

Rebecca had moved.

She was still motionless, still breathing steady, but she was now lying on her right side, facing the door.

And a single tear was rolling down her cheek.

The three of them looked at her a moment.

You were close.

Yes. We were close.

“Ok,” continued Dave aloud, “we’re going to think on this. Plan. And soon, we’re going to try again. Are you game?”

“Yes,” said Cindy, still staring at Rebecca, intent, “Yes. I’m game.”