The Assignment (Closed)

Brice Williams lived a fairly normal life. She was active in keeping in shape ran marathons, cross country and had an eye for detail. She was 27 years old the day of her 'accident' had her whole life ahead of her and not a care in the world to bring any negativity into focus. She had long auburn hair, brown eyes, her height was 5'7 and her weight was just under 127 pounds, she was slightly tan from being outdoors most of the time. Her hobbies included weaponry, science fiction stories were her favorite books and considered joining the service though no commitments had been made as of yet. There was no significant other in her life. She was a perfect candidate for an experiment the government was planning. Her scores were higher than any other female in the country.

Before signing the contract she wanted to go for one more run in the country as it would be many months before she would see the outdoors again. Brice drove out to the hilly and twisted woods that she had run so many times before without incident. She put several small bottles of water and a Gatorade in her backpack throwing over her shoulders. She placed her sweatband in place stretched outside the car before locking it up and heading into the woods. No one knows who brought her into the hospital, when she woke up she had wires and gadgets attached to her. The doctor saw that she was awake and explained to her she had fallen into an old well and she was completely paralyzed from the neck down.

Noises of popping, slurping and various kinds of sounds sifted into the dark room where Breeze was. She didn't have anyone to talk too there was just the sounds. They weren't made in uniform timing they were just there. Breeze could not see she had no vision, she didn't even know what she was or if she was. She chose the name because somebody out in another room said something about a light breeze. She liked the sound of the name and took it from him though she had no way of telling him so. Night and day were all the same to her. There was no concept of time. Once in a while something would find its way into her mind of running fast jumping over things. She couldn't tell you what they were she just saw shapes and heard sounds of something chirping in the far distance.


Breeze was completely alone in that room for the most part. If someone were to visit no one would see her. She was enclosed in a steel room. No windows, no light, she was completely hidden from human view. Today would be different something was being taken from Breeze and in return something wonderful yet strange to her was about to happen. She was given a sedative though she did not know what that was. The kind voice on the other side of her steel chamber told her she would not be in much pain, though it couldn't be helped. Upon coming out of the sedative Breeze felt she was no longer alone. "Who are you?" she asked the other that was there with her in her mind. The 'voice' sounded like Breeze yet it wasn't.

"I am you."

William was at school, just laying on the bed in his dorm room looking up at the ceiling not sure of the future. Things were going to be moving fast from here on out. He just had to learn to adapt and go with it. He reached over to grab his phone that looked like a thing that was just a bit bigger than a flip phone but it was smarter than most smart phones. "Mindi?" He called out to the phone that he now held in his right hand. "Yes, William?" The phone replied in a soft female voice. "What is the plan for the day?" He was quite unsure of it himself since he had no idea what was going on a few miles away from where he was now.

"Well today there are no plans but I do encourage you to get familiar with the campus and your surroundings." Will shook his head a bit as he opened the phone to allow Mindi to "appear" in the chair across from his bed. Holographic imagery was something that had taken him a couple of year to put together. Now all he was doing was tweaking so that more and more Mindi seemed like she was really in the room. Even now, there was no clear difference that she was or wasn't in the room with him right now.



He had based her likeness off a model that he had seen more than once. So surely if someone saw him right now there would be a small bit of jealousy going on, but he had just made her seem real so that he could have his project also be his friend. One of the other projects that he had been working on was to make Mindi a physical body, but that was taking a lot more time to develop than just making her project onto his chair like she was now.

"I should, can you come with me?"

Mindi smiled at him and leaned back in the chair. The chair did not move with her motion but the image adjusted as if the chair was applying pressure on the hologram. "Yes, I would love to." He smiled and got up from his bed, he slipped the phone onto the case at his belt so that she could continue to be projected and "there" in real life and not just a soft attractive voice coming from his phone.

"Breeze, do you remember feeling a pinch after the doctor came into the room? I am not sure if you can understand what a pinch is yet. It would feel like something unfamiliar to you within your mass." After no response she knew Breeze was calculating her thoughts just as she had the first time she heard the doctors voice. She continued.

"I like the name Breeze, it is light and easy to remember. I need a name, a real name for the time when we leave this chamber. While you have been in here undergoing changes I have been communicating with the doctor in another room. Just as we are communicating now, you and I."

For a few minutes the only sounds were from the gadgets, various hoses connected to Breeze and the ping in the far background. "Do you know who Brice Williams was? More important, do you know the name William Nautilus?"

Breeze tried to collect all this new information this voice was giving her. Breeze listened to this voice. It was pleasant and familiar. Though she did not understand due to no one had really communicated with her, other than the kind voice outside her chamber. “I remember the soft voice who came in and told me I might feel uncomfortable, no one before him has ever tried to communicate with me. I have been here as long as I can remember.”

The background noise had changed she realized. The sounds were distinct and clear. Breeze also realized that there was more to her than previously. “What has happened? I am no longer a glob of gooey substance sitting on metal. I have strange sensations flowing through me that seem to stretch outward. What do you mean you are me? I don’t know who Brice Williams is, or this William Nautilus how could I?” Breeze thought about this Brice Williams for a few moments, then as before she heard strange sounds, somehow she knew they were the sounds of running fast and suddenly nothing. A dead calm. I do not know anyone by that name. I have always been here as long as I can remember.” She was silent for a few minutes.

“Brice, she does not exist any more. I don’t know how I know this, but it is true, isn’t it?”

As usual, he had gotten stares from men and women alike as he walked along the sidewalk on the college campus. Mindi was the one that caught the attention of all the people around, William, her creator, always faded to the background when she was around. And the odd thing was that he did not mind it all that much. Most of the reason for that was that Mindi was fiercely loyal and a great judge of character. So she knew which people William would make good friends with and which ones it was best that they avoid.

"Hey girl, what is your name?"

A jockish guy walked up looking at William and dismissing him while looking at Mindi like she was an object. William snickered as he knew what was about to occur to the man. Mindi looked at him rather seriously as she dug up all of his information on the internet. She would find the best way to crack and dismiss him, just as he had disrespected William and herself.

"My name is Mindi, your name is Jack Cartwright right? The jock who nearly got busted for attempted sexual assault last year right? Daddy had enough money to pay the girl off and make the charges disappear if you are in fact Jack Cartwright."

The jock went pale as a sheet as he looked at Mindi who seemed to know something that could very well ruin his rep with any girl on this campus. He had shifted schools and everything to get away from that past but she knew somehow. From nervousness came anger, he got red and buffed himself up.

"What is wrong Jack? Going to hit me? Never really could control your temper could you? Whatever, you aren't even worth my time."

Mindi walked past him and William walked with her. Jack tried to grab at her but she had detected this and moved out of the way just as his hand came close.

"Touch me and I swear everyone will know just how much of a pig you are."

Jack was furious but could not afford to transfer again, so he just glared at her with anger in his eyes. His friends were watching for a distance seeing that he had been completely brushed off. They were chuckling and laughing at him, but were cut short when he turned back to them angrily.

"You are correct Breeze, Brice is dead. We are her in many ways. As the doctor explained it we are her clones. Her DNA gives us life. We have been here a long time now, as we grow we will be moved into other chambers. Then we will go through intensive training to learn how to protect those we are assigned too.

I have given it much thought as to my name. I choose Anastasia. It is Greek and means One who will rise again. In us, Brice will live again, except we will be better, stronger and more educated."

A door opened with a creaking sound there before them was the doctor and several others dressed in masks and strange clothing. Breeze and Anastasia were taken from the chamber they were in and placed in separate units. Wires were connected to their heads and a small recording device placed in each chamber. Their education was beginning. Both would receive the same information. Today's recording would be firearms and other weapons.

The doctor made sure both were as comfortable as possible. "All week you will receive new recordings. At the end of the week you will have a few days off then into another chamber to learn tactical skills. Time is short girls, we must finish soon, and then both of you will be sent to the University where you will meet your assignment, William Nautilus."

The next phase of training Anastasia found herself in a large area with many targets. Sitting on the shelf she was led to find a Glock 27. Instructions were given to shoot at the stationary targets then she was instructed to shoot only targets with a black ribbon attached. Most of them were moving targets. The following day she found herself being instructed in hand to hand combat with a master in self defense.

Daily for seven days she continued practiced using the skills she was taught and tested at the end of one week on every phase of protection and self defense. At no time was she in touch with Breeze who they separated at the beginning of the recorded sessions. The instructor told her the doctor would be in touch with her soon. She was taken back to a room that looked similar to a room in someone's home. It had a sofa, chair and outdated magazines. Their were no windows and the door locked from the outside.

Breeze really liked the name her..her what had chosen? Her sister? Yes, they were sisters, and she liked the name Anastasia. “You have a lovely name I like it. So, if we are her, yet different, then we must be sisters is how I am seeing this Anastasia. I can’t for some reason imagine that we have ever been separated, though it has only been a short while that you arrived. So much to think about in this place where before all I had was the noise and no one to talk to, I think I will drive you quite mad now that I have a voice.”

The idea of them being separated wasn’t even in her thoughts, until the doctor and several others arrived. Each one being taken in another direction Breeze yelled out, “No! You can’t take her away, Please don’t do this to me, to us. We just found each other. Anastasia!! Don’t leave me.”

Breeze was afraid again and reacted out of her fear. Soon she found herself on a table in a dark room with wires being attached to her head and various sounds like low speaking voices. Looking up and around to the doctor and those surrounding the table, she sighed. After a while she grew slightly agitated.

“Okay Doctor and you others, how about just leaving so I can get on with this whatever it is you are doing. If I need to listen then I need it quiet.” She was hoping they would all leave her be. Breeze already missed her solitude, her dark chamber and..her sister. She closed her eyes trying to sift out the poking and pushing of instruments on and around her body. For a brief moment an emotion flashed across her mind, she felt angry enough to push one of the men away. It was an irrational thought yet it was in that thought she made a huge discovery.

Breeze now had a whole body. She stared at her hand and fingers that pushed the guy away from her. Like a baby that discovers for the first time that their fingers have movement, Breeze watched with a new curiosity at the slow movement of each finger as she used her mind to make it happen. Looking up at the doctor and the men around her only for a moment then looking back at the hand. Her hand. A smile formed on lips that belonged to her. “Amazing!”