Chapter 1
Agent Moore had a lot on his plate. He was the head of his own subdivision at The Agency. It had no actual name, as it’d been around for a long time and always been referred to in vague labels. His job, for his subdivision, was to locate and rehouse gifted individuals. Now, there was a problem there. He had a quota. Albeit, a small one. But as the years had gone by, gifted individuals were being slowly wiped out of existence. It took two gifted individuals to produce a gifted child.
It was easier in the “olden days” to get gifted children. Parents didn’t know they were gifted, but with each new generation came stronger abilities. It was harder to hide the gifts. Once gifted individuals were discovered, they were taken away, hidden from the world and hospitalized until they died. Until the government discovered ways to remove the gifts and left shells of humans in the wake.
The Agency was developed to raise and teach these gifted people. The Founder was viewed as a leader of the people. He believed gifted individuals were the evolution of society. He wanted to nurture their capabilities.
Agent Moore didn’t believe in “recruiting” people. He found people who were in distress and needed the help and guidance of The Agency. If there happened to be gifted individuals who flew under the radar, he let them be. Clearly they were capable of living regular lives. But Agent Moore had one secret that his superiors didn’t know about. Agent Moore liked to...make gifted individuals. With the help of his secretary, a seasoned psychic, Agent Moore was capable of figuring out which gifted individuals would make the best gifted children. With minimal help from him.
With a little bit of “guidance”, Agent Moore got the new recruit that he needed.
Agent Moore knew what he wanted next. Most of the time, gifted individuals were just “heightened”, their already existing abilities. Creating faster, stronger, smarter people. He typically reviewed his cases and tried to play Cupid, to the best of his abilities.
He fiddled with the pencils in his ‘world’s best boss’ mug and let out another hefty sigh. He’d been doing it every few minutes, hoping Inessa would finally come help him with his problem. He knew she hated when he did this. She hated ‘meddling’.
After another heavy sigh, Inessa sauntered in with her air of sensuality, “What do you want from me, Steven?” She demanded. Sensuality? More like, he was just sexually attracted to her.
“Inessa, thank you for coming. I’m so glad that we know each other well enough that you could just TELL I was upset.”
Her lips curled back in annoyance, “You sighed seventeen times in the last minute, Steven. Get on with it.”
“Fine,” He swept all of his case files into a nice pile and fixed his gaze on her. He tried for his best puppy dog look. “You know I need another one.”
“No.” she crossed her arms.
“I’m helping people find love.”
“You are meddling, Steven.” She pointed an accusatory finger at him. A perfectly manicured finger on a soft hand.
“Fine, just give me one moment then. One.” He begged, picking out a singular file.
Her lips puckered in contemplation, “One moment.”
He opened the personnel file for Elias. He was a brute of a man. Seven feet and one inch of pure muscle. He worked on the labor side of The Agency. He was a warrior if ever Moore had seen one. Unfortunately, the man refused to work in the field. He was a ‘gentle soul’.
When it came to The Agency, they tried to be as self reliant and removed from society as they could be. All meats, cheeses, and breads came from within. Schooling and medical, within. Elias was a jack of all trades. He did a little of everything. Some construction work, some electrical work, some farming and animal care. With strength and speed like his...Moore dared to dream.
“Elias, what about Elias? What you want with him?” Inessa braced a hand on her jutted hip.
“Just, tell me where Elias ends up. Who does he end up with?”
“Fine.” She turned her back to him.
She didn’t like people to see her eyes when she ‘did what she did’. He’d cause a glimpse once, they went pure white while images quickly flickered over the surface.
After a few moments of silence.
“Elias ends up with a regular human girl and bears no children.” She answered boredly.
“What about his relationship? Is it a healthy one?” He pushed.
“You know Elias, he gives too much. His wife will take. It’s fine.” She tried to turn and exit the room.
“Wait,” Moore slid another file out from under the pile and opened it for Inessa. “What happens if I get him together with her? If I set up a blind date?” The woman could speak to animals and could float at will. Another generation could probably fly.
Inessa turned away again and after a few moments, “Nothing, Steven. They meet, they eat, they go about their lives. They’re too shy.” She waved dismissively.
“Okay, what if I have Elias stay in the barn with her for the spring season? Birth a few babies and whatnot.”
She grimaced, “ You are just so sneaky, Steven. With all your little schemes.”
After a few moments. “Nothing, Elias will keep his distance. Everybody is on to you, Steven. And he is a proper gentleman, unlike you.” She pointed at her eyes to lead his gaze away from her breasts.
“Okay, hear me out. What if I have Elias stay in the barn for the fall and winter season and I tell him to keep a platonic relationship? Huh? Elias’s doctor says he runs very warm and she was just complaining about how cold it was in the barn during winter. I can say due to budget cuts, Elias is all we can do.” He rubbed his hands together just like the evil mastermind Inessa accused him of being.
She paused, did her little psychic thing, and then glared at him. “A baby.”
“Boom,” he clapped loudly at his ‘victory’.
“I don’t like it, Steven.” She pouted. “This is not spontaneous love in the making. You aren’t God.”
“Would they be happier? Than Elias and the human girl.” He pressed. That was always Inessa’s problem, love and soulmates.
She just glowered, which was all the answer he needed.
Yes, Elias would be happier with her over the human girl. Human, meaning without gifts.
“I will not help you do this,” Again was left out.
“That’s unfortunate, you do it so well. Anyhoo, please page Elias Palmer to my office when you get back to your desk. I’m glad we had this chat.” He collected his files and shoved them into the bottom drawer in his desk.
Inessa’s glare stayed on him, even as she’d entirely exited the office. He’d asked her soon after they’d first met who she was going to end up with, and she got so mad. Inessa said that she doesn’t like to meddle. A word she used quite often. She especially doesn’t EVER look at her future. So he never bothered to ask how happy she would be if they were together.
He was certain they wouldn’t just happen together, considering he called her Mexican, in which Inessa said she was ‘Colombian’ and she refused to speak to him for three months until he apologized profusely. Don’t get it wrong, he had apologized, she just didn’t accept it until then.
