My father pulled up in front of the United Government HQ, and turned off the hummers ignition. He then gave me a glance and smiled.
"Lets go son, isn't your dad awesome for letting you skip the major line?" he said while slapping me on the back.
"Yeah, maybe I'll just go wait in line then..." I jokingly replied as I began to open the car door.
"Okay, okay! Fine, you win," my father let out a chuckle. "Lets go inside now."
"Alright."
We exited the hummer, and the two soldier guarding this entrance noticed my father immediately and gave a quick salute.
"ID please sir, sorry, but protocol is protocol," the soldier said to my father with a wink, it seems like he is well respected here.
"Yes, of course soldier, I wouldn't want it any other way," my father replied with a salute and a smile.
Father then passed both of our IDs to the soldier, and he quickly glanced at them before saying, "ah, so this is your little boy that you talk my ear off about during lunch."
The soldier eyed me up and down with a grin.
"Not bad," he nodded his head in approval before handing the IDs back to my father. "You may go inside now, sir."
"Thanks for your service, soldier!" my father said before we walked past them and into the large building.
We proceeded to navigate the many halls with great efficiency, guess my father knows his way around here after spending so much time with those tests and training.
"Here we are," my fathers tone turned serious. "There will be other children from prominent figures in the government behind this door, along with some of their parents... you ready?"
"Thanks for the warning, I'm ready," I stated as I nodded my head.
My father then gripped the door nob and pushed the door open. Behind it was a little over a dozen or so children, some with parents and others seemed to be escorted here by soldiers. I quickly scanned the room, and then continued to follow my father deeper inside. I then looked towards the middle of the expansive room.
In the center of the room, a massive machine sat. Wires coiled around a massive pillar in the center of the machine, neatly organized and color coded. A console faced towards the door, with a clear square built into the table in front of the monitor.
"So this is what the measuring device looks like?" I turned and asked my father.
He nodded his head, "yes, and behind that other door is the awakening chamber. If you test with potential you will be sent to that room after the test."
"I see..." I looked towards the door at the other end of the hall.
'Hopefully I can awaken...' I thought to myself.
* * *
A girl with fiery red hair and bright blue eyes that glimmered like finely cut sapphires in the light surveyed the room. 'No one particularly impressive seems to be here...'
She seemed to exude an unmatched confidence as she gazed around the room. Her face had delicate features, and it could be said she was very pretty. She then heard the door opening once more. Turning her head in the direction of the entrance, her eyes began to scan the figure that just entered.
His hair was as black as a ravens feathers, his eyes like two dark voids, sucking in all light. He wore his shoulder length hair in a pony tail, and wore a loosely fitting dark grey sweater and black sweat pants. His slightly tan skin peaked through his bangs, which covered his face partially. He stood slightly taller than her, maybe by a few inches.
She could tell at a glance... 'he's been training.'
The way he carried himself, as if he was confident in using his body, the way he glanced briefly around the room. He didn't even seem to notice the other people here.
The man beside him was some one she noticed instantly. 'Liam Cliff...'
He was a well respected fallen child, and warrior in the United Government. Even her father sung his praises, and he was a hard man to gain the attention of. Liam looked around the room briefly before his deep blue eyes stopped on the girl. He gave a smile and a small wave as he began to make his way over to the girl with presumably his son.
"Why hello there, how've you been little miss?" Liam said to the girl.
Her expression turned from cold into a slight smile, "hello sir, nice to see you again... and who might that be?"
"Oh, well this is my son! I brought him here because your father gave me permission," he replied with a smile. "Go ahead and introduce yourself, son!"
"Hello, my name is Jin, Jin Cliff," the boy, Jin, said in a flat tone. His face remained the same as when he entered, a mask of indifference.
"Nice to meet you, my name is Anna Jonathan," the girl, now introduced as Anna replied, still keeping a slight smile on her face. She extended her hand for a handshake.
The boys brows raised a little, he took the hand and shook it.
"Oh, that's the same last name as the Head of Governance, Ragnvaldr, isn't it?" he then placed his hand on his chin and continued to stare at the girl with his dark eyes.
"Yes, that would be my father," Anna replied curtly.
"Oh, cool," Jin replied, his tone only fluctuating a little with curiosity at the news.
A brief awkward silence ensued, until a woman in a military uniform clapped her hands in order to grab the attention of everyone in the room. She had dark brown hair neatly tied up behind her head. Black square glasses sat on the bridge of her nose.
"Okay people, the testing is about to begin," she stated.
* * *
I turned my attention away from the girl I had just met, she also turned her head. Her fiery red hair swooshed as she turned her head, and locked her bright eyes onto the female soldier.
'Daughter of Ragnvaldr, huh...' I thought.
"Okay people, the testing is about to begin," the female soldier stated. "Everyone please get into an orderly line. When I call your name, please join the line behind the person called before you.
She then began to go through a list of names. Eventually coming to a name I knew.
"Anna Jonathan," the soldiers voice rang out.
'Oh, looks like she got called.'
"Jin Cliff," her voice called out once more.
'Oh, looks like I got called.'
I shook my head and made my way up to the line, seems like I was the last one to be called. The rest of the people watching were parents or soldiers.
"One by one, you will place your hand onto the clear section of the console. Then you will keep it there until instructed further," the soldier gave a brief rundown of the process.
One by one, the people in the front of the line began to go through the test. Before I knew it, there was only a few people ahead of me. Only four of the dozen that had taken the test before me and the last couple of people had passed so far.
The boy now at the front of the line and just in front of Anna, walked up to the machine and placed his had on the clear section. He stayed like this for a few minutes before the soldier once again spoke after gazing at a monitor off to the side of the console.
"You have potential, the rank of the potential is Greater."
The boy removed his hand and did a celebratory first pump. He then returned to his father who had a very proud look on his face and gripped the boys shoulders, giving his son a firm nod.
"Next, Anna Jonathan."
I watched as Anna made her way to the console with unmatched confidence. She placed her hand on the square and patiently waited. For the first time, I observed a change in expression from the female soldier as her eyes slightly widened.
"You have potential... Anna Jonathan... your potential is rank..." the soldier seemed to have a hard time believing what she was seeing. "Your potential is rank superior."
The soldiers voice echoed off the walls, as almost everyone stood there in shock.
'Superior, hm...' I thought. 'That's pretty impressive.'
I noticed her glance in my direction briefly, as if she was trying to hide it. She then quickly and confidently made her way back to the soldier that was escorting her currently.
"Next, Jin Cliff," the soldier said after a slight pause, seemingly recomposing herself.
I moved forward, calm on the outside, but my thoughts were furiously bouncing around in my head. I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down.
I reached forward, and placed my hand onto the clear square. Silence filled the room for the next few minutes. Suddenly it was broken when a clipboard hit the floor hard. I turned my head in the direction of the noise, keeping my hand on the square. The female soldiers eyes were now as wide as saucers as she gripped the monitor, assumingly scanning the data on it in a frenzy.
"J-Jin Cliff... you have potential... your potential rank is... unreadable..." the female soldier stuttered in complete disbelief.
"THATS MY BOY!" I heard my father yell across the room, he jumped up and down pointing at me and repeating that phrase to anyone who would look at him.
I stood there, in complete shock... unreadable... some thing so rare, that only two others have even been measured as unreadable in the three and a half years this technology has been available to the public. One was currently one of the pillars of humanity, Tatsuo Takeda. The other is more mysterious, and is the leader of the Watchers branch of the United Government. His name is unknown to the public, all I know due to my father is his code name: Shezmu.
I made my way back towards my father, my head still in a complete mess. The shock was still long from worn off, but I decided to put on a calm front.
"So, dad, will you still love me even if I do awaken?" I asked my dad jokingly.
"HAHAHA!" my father scooped me up in a big hug and swung me around in circles, making me super dizzy. "My genius boy is an unreadable!" he exclaimed.
My face slightly reddened as he continued to celebrate in front of everyone else present, although they all seemed too shocked to move or protest.
"Can you put me down already, you're causing a scene dad..."
I looked up at him, and saw he wore a massive goofy smile across his face.
"Yeah, yeah, sure my little genius!"
"Ahem," the soldier running the test had regained her clip board and cleared her throat to gather peoples focus. "Please, those who rated with no potential, make your way out of the room. To those who tested positive, please remain."
Quietly, many of the people who were in the room before shuffled out the door. Some wore disappointed looks, some were flat out crying.
'I wonder how I would've reacted...'
"O-okay then, please make your way to the next room. It will be the same lineup process but this time it will be based on your potential. We will do highest first to lowest last." The female soldier hadn't seemed to completely regain her senses after two big shocks in a row.
I made my way up to the door and stood in front of it, waiting to be told to enter.
"J-Jin, please make your way inside the room," the soldier respectfully said.
'I guess that's just how the world works now, I have high potential, and her attitude towards me completely changes... not that she was treating me badly before.'
I made my way to the door, and the soldier pressed a button. The door began to slide open revealing a large clear tube in a medium sized room, many smaller tubes connected to the sides of the larger one.
"Please enter and step inside the tube," the soldier said.
I made my way inside and walked up to the tube. The soldier, who had followed me in, made her way over to a console and began to quickly type on a keyboard. The door closed behind her. A glass panel then slid open on the tube, allowing me to enter.
"You might want to take off some of your clothes..." the lady said.
"Oh, why's that?" I asked.
"Well, you will be submerged in a fluid for around fifteen minutes. We will provide you with a change of clothes afterwards, but it will be more comfortable while you're in there." She replied.
"Okay," I nodded in understanding.
I then proceeded to strip of my bulky sweater, and took off my t-shirt that was underneath. I removed my shoes and socks and placed them off to the side on a small table. The floor beneath my feet was cold and smooth.
"Does this work?" I asked after I had stripped to just my pants.
"Whatever you are comfortable with," the soldier replied.
"Alright, I'm ready," I stated.
"Please step into the tube," she replied.
I made my way up a very small flight of three or so stairs, and stepped inside the glass tube.
"We will now begin the process of awakening," she quickly said while furiously typing away at numerous keys. "Please close your eyes."
I slowly shut my eyes, and stood, waiting for something to happen.
* * *
The female soldier glanced at the young boys toned body inside the tube. She was trying to hide it, but she still hadn't regained her composure after the potential reading. First it was the girl, then this boy.
'Monsters...' she thought to herself.
She then pressed a large button beside the keyboard after she was done typing. After she pressed the button, golden liquid began to flow from the smaller tubes and into the larger one. The golden liquid slowly filled the larger tube, submerging the young boy in a golden glow. His dark black hair seemed to soak up light even as it gently floated in the deep golden bath.
The lady sat down in a chair, and let out a deep sigh.
'Should be ten to fifteen minutes. After all, the higher your potential the faster you awaken...'
She checked her watch, five minutes had passed. Suddenly the machine began to beep, making her jump a little.
'What the hell...' she observed the machine that continued to beep.
The record for the fastest awakening using this method was ten minutes, and that was one of the other two 'unreadables'.
'Five minutes is, insane...' she rubbed her eyes and readjusted her glasses to make sure she was seeing clearly.
After triple checking she wasn't going crazy, she began to quickly type once more. Soon the liquid began to drain from the tube, gently letting the young boy down to the ground. He slowly opened his eyes and flexed his arm by opening and closing his hand.
"You are done all done Jin. Welcome to the world of the fallen children," the lady said to the boy.
He slowly raised his gaze and his eyes met the female soldiers.
"Uh, thanks..." he replied lethargically, as if he had just taken a long nap.
"Please grab the change of clothes in the locker over there, and make your way out to your father."
* * *
I made my way over to the locker, and grabbed what looked like an expensive bath robe. I closed the curtain that separated the lockers from the main part of the room and stripped my soaked pants and boxers. I then changed into the boxers and robe provided and reopened the curtain. I walked over and retrieved my sweater, socks, and shoes.
"Please send the next person in," the soldier called as I exited the door.
"Sure, no problem," I responded.
'That was such a strange feeling, I feel like I slept for days...' I flexed my arm once again by opening and closing my hand. 'I feel like I'm bursting with energy...'
As I headed out of the room, I was met by my father. He still wore the same proud goofy smile as when I entered.
"Done already huh? That must be a new record!" my dad stated with unwavering confidence, as if it was his very own achievement.
I ignored him and looked towards Anna, "she said to sent you in," I relayed the message as I was told.
"Alright, thanks," Anna replied, she then began to walk past me, her red hair waiving from side to side as she walked.
My dad, who was still trying to proudly declaring a number of things about me, suddenly shut up and stared at me with a deadpan look.
"She's pretty cute, huh son?" my fathers mouth twisted into a mischievous grin.
"What are you even saying dad, do I need to take you to a doctor or something?" I shook my head and sighed.
"Oh come on... I'm just teasing, no need for a doctor here! I'm as healthy as a bull!" he puffed his chest out with mock pride.
"Loud as one too," I mumbled.
"Ha ha ha, sorry son, I'm just excited," he seemed to finally calm down a little. "Alright, lets go home and test those powers of yours! You should be able to instinctually use your powers at a very basic level," my father continued as he ushered me towards the door.
"Sure, dad."
'Although I am pretty excited, I wonder what type of power I'll end up having?'
We then hopped back into the black hummer, and made our way home.
-Chapter Four End-