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Date Posted: 23:11:57 04/25/11 Mon
Author: asiacheetah
Author Host/IP: ppp-71-128-204-48.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net / 71.128.204.48
Subject: Chapter 5
In reply to: asiacheetah 's message, "The Recruit (working title) - Michael pre-LFN story" on 03:47:50 04/25/11 Mon

Chapter 5

[Note: Parts of the dialogue are similar to original LFN dialogue intentionally.]

Elsbeth called a meeting to discuss the experimental training regime developed by Madeline. It was the first time so much Section resources were being used to train one recruit. She assessed all three operatives seated in front of her. Caroline, seated in the middle, was a beautiful woman in her mid-30s with long red hair and piercing blue eyes. Kendo, seated on her right, was an Asian man in his 40s with a lethal aura surrounding him.

She focused her attention to the new comer to the group seated on her left. Jurgen was a man in his early 30s with sandy blonde hair and blue-gray eyes. Judging from his demeanor, he obviously had a military back ground.

“Caroline, you and Kendo know each other. I would like to introduce you both to Jurgen, who is on loan from Section 1. He will be helping with the training as well as going on missions.”

The three operatives studied each other while giving polite nods.

“Have you all had a chance to review Michael’s profile and the proposed training program?”

Jurgen: “I just read the file.”

Kendo: “Why are so many resources being spent on one
recruit?”

Elsbeth: “Michael’s compatibility assessment revealed high potential for many different fields. Rather than restrict his training to just one field, we decided to fully develop those potentials.”

Jurgen: “Whose material will he be?”

Elsbeth: “Caroline will be Michael’s primary handler and will continue to train him for Valentine ops field. All three of you shall be his mentor depending on which training areas he will be participating in. Shared responsibility in training will also free up time other Section duties and missions. The three of you need to work out your training schedule. We will meet to evaluate his progress each month. This will allow us to start narrowing down the field for him to concentrate on. Are there any questions?”

Caroline: “Has Michael been brief of this change?”

Elsbeth: “No. As his primary trainer, you will need to update him on his new training schedule.”

Jurgen: “I prefer you not telling him anything about me, that way I can get a more accurate read on his psychological makeup.”

Caroline: “Alright.”

Elsbeth: “That’s all for now. You’re dismissed.”

*****

Jurgen sat in front of a Go board waiting for Michael to arrive. He doesn’t believe him being transferred temporarily to Section 8 had anything to do with the recruit he’s waiting on, rather everything to do with the information he held over the duo in charge at Section 1. While he didn’t have the same information over those in charge of Section 8, they also wouldn’t attempt to kill him while he was technically property of Section 1.

Property, material, those were the dehumanizing terms they liked to use to denigrate the lives of those they control. It was sad that in order to be treated like a human being in this world, he had to threaten those in charge to get it. It remains to be seen whether the games played in Section 8 was as elegant and vicious as those played by Section 1.

Jurgen turned his thoughts back to the supposed reason why he was here. He still wasn’t convinced that Michael would make an ideal field operative. Having the capacity for carrying out missions and actually doing it, are two separate things. Judging from his background information, Michael was a radical student activist, who built and set off a bomb that killed a lot of people. Terrorists like Michael tend to choose death over dishonor. Much less turning and working for the enemy, the very institution he’s fighting against. Jurgen will have to break Michael down to cross that line over to Section’s cause.

He looked up then to watch Michael walk into the room. Judging from the pictures and video, he was expecting a harmless looking man with above average intelligence. The man who walked in defied expectations. Michael was slender but toned, without a heavy muscular build. He was extremely good looking, almost pretty looking. The way he moved was smooth, like a jungle cat. Michael might do well in combat based on the way he carried himself and moved.

Michael walked up to the table and met Jurgen’s eyes. Ah, there’s the weakness. Michael’s eyes were wide and expressive. It gave away every thought in his head. While he had phenomenal control over his facial expression, his eyes gave him away. Something he’ll have to train Michael to work on.

Jurgen pointed at the board game: “Do you know what this is?”

“It’s Go.”

“Do you play?”

“No.”

“You should. You would be surprised what it can teach you.”

“I’m not much for games.”

“You’ll have to learn to play the games if you hope to survive in Section.”

Michael just quietly looked at me without giving a response.

Jurgen: “Why are you here?”

“They sent me.”

“Why are you here?”

“To learn what I can from you.”

Michael’s answer surprised him.

Jurgen: “What do you hope to learn from me?”

“Whatever it is you wish to teach me.”

“You have no opinion on what you wish to learn?”

“Section doesn’t require me to have an opinion unless it pertains to a mission.”

“You’re a quick study.”

Michael just gave me a little nod in
acknowledgement. “Thank you.”

Jurgen thought back to his initial thought about how Michael would be versus the reality. He had thought Michael would choose death over fighting against his former revolutionaries. He wondered how far off he was from that prediction.

Jurgen: “Do you wish to die?”

He watched Michael’s eyes closely since he hadn’t yet learned to shield his thoughts. It revealed turmoil of emotions ranging from anger, resignation, defiance, and acceptance.

Michael: “No.”

“If you want to learn from me you must obey one simple rule: don’t tell me anymore lies.”

Michael studied me closely.

Jurgen: “Do you wish to die?”

“Yes.”

“Good. You’re telling me to the truth. Now tell me why you are here?”

“This is my penance.”

That answer shocked Jurgen into silence. “Penance?”

“I’m here to atone for the death of the people who died by my hands.”

“You do realize that you will be required to kill a lot more people for Section?”

“Yes.”

“Wouldn’t you need to do more atonement for those you will be ordered to kill?”

“Yes.”

“And yet you’ll carry out the orders?”

“People will still die, just different kind of people.”

“Even if those people were your former comrades?”

“If it comes to that.”

Jurgen realized he would have to re-evaluate every preconception he had about Michael. He indeed was a unique case and might just meet and perhaps exceed all expectations. It made him sad that Michael was well on his way to becoming a Section controlled killing machine.

“All right, Michael. Here’s your first lesson: every time you kill someone, I want you to think about those left behind to grieve for them. It doesn’t matter if it’s the worst human being in the world, someone at one point must have loved them. I want you to think about the grief of that person left behind and take it inside yourself.”

“Why?”

“To ground you, to prevent you from turning into a machine, it will humanize you.”

Jurgen watched Michael as he processed this lesson. His eyes revealed his reluctance at following this edict. The reluctance was telling; it exposed Michael’s desire to stop feeling, to be dead on the inside. Jurgen’s goal for Michael’s training well be focused on maintaining the part of him that was still alive, still human.

Michael reluctantly nodded his head in acceptance. “Do you want to begin the session?”

“We just finished. I will see you tomorrow.”

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