"Thanks hon, lunch was wonderful. It was nice seeing you again; don't wait so long to catch up next time. Ta-ta darling!" I waved as my overbearing sister clicked away, her shoes the last thing I heard as she walked down the street to where her limo was waiting. Letting my hand drop, I sighed and leaned up against the phone-booth, puffing my breath to move the hair from my face. When it just dropped back into its original position, I closed my eyes and banged my head on the metal booth, frustration finally finding a release.
My blond, beautiful, busty baby sister had tracked me down, forcing me to go to lunch with her where she promptly made me feel like a mound of dirt. She didn't try to, but the fact that everything just seemed to be in her favor—from her looks, to her job, to her hot-as-a-greek-god boyfriend... it all just made me feel so... inferior.
The sudden ring made me jump, clutching my chest as I stared into the booth, the blood pounding through my ears. The phone was ringing... I rolled my eyes and huffed, feeling retarded for getting so worked up over something so small as a ring. The phone rang again and I looked around, half-expecting to see some random person running up to answer the phone. As moments passed, marked by the continued ringing of the phone, no one appeared to receive the call and I bit my lip. With each ring, I was tempted to answer, telling myself not to; it had to be a prank... one that I wasn't about to buy into. A small voice in my head suddenly scolded me, reminding me that all of my decisions had been playing it safe and because of it, there was no adventure in my life, no spontaneity. Sighing, I bent over and pick up the phone, holding the receiver up to my ear.
"H-hello?" My nerves failed me at the very end, my voice coming out breathless and shy as nervousness gripped my gut in a choke-hold.
"Excuse me, it this Stella?" The voice was smooth, masculine, and obviously synthetic. I frowned, speaking before my mind had time to catch up.
"Yes... who are you?" I bit my lip, fighting the urge to smack myself in the fore-head.
"My name is Cerebro. I am calling to ask for your help."
"Why?" I asked, frowning and leaning heavily against the booth. I again had the urge to just hang up, but curiosity combined with the hatred I had for how dull I had become kept me on the phone, letting the man—if he was a man—continue.
"Your personality profile, genetics, psychological identity, hobbies, abilities, political alignment, and connection to influential people match the profile we require. Please agree to help us." The voice spoke fast but coherently, the sheer volume of information threatening to overwhelm me.
"Help with what? Who is 'us'? How do you know so much about me? Who ARE you?" I demanded, standing up straight and glaring at the phone booth. The voice spoke again, this time a little slower.
"My name is Cerebro. I am an artificial intelligence unit working for the UNSC. I am programmed to know everything I can. We need your help in strengthening the human-convenant alliance. Please agree to help us." I frowned, my mouth again speaking before I thought.
"What? How could I be able to help strengthen the alliance?" The voice sighed and I could feel the AI rolling his eyes.
"That is classified until you agree to help." I huffed in frustration, rolling my head until my forehead rested on the cool metal booth, slumping against the support again.
"You really aren't giving me a lot of information to go on in my agreement." He didn't say anything as I chewed on my lip. Closing my eyes, I spoke again. "If I agree, will I be safe and happy?" There was a slight pause.
"Based on my information... yes, you will be." I chewed my lip for another moment, rolling it over in my mind. One side of me was still slightly convinced that this was all a joke and that it would only end in pain. The other was screaming that I'd never done anything fun and look where it had gotten me. Opening my eyes, I stared at my reflection in the glass of the building beside me. My slightly haggard, dull appearance stared back, what once could have been a beautiful face hidden behind flat, colorless hair that was snarled from countless late nights with showers far and few between. The baggy clothes hung across my actually shapely frame, masking it from view and making me look like even more of a wall-flower. I stared into my eyes and my decision came, found within the fact that no one knew that I had green eyes any more.
"Okay," I said finally, "I'll help you."
AN: Well, here's something new, I hope you guys enjoy it. I should have fairly steady updates of this story, so please enjoy and know that it shouldn't be too long between chapters. As always, Read and Review so I know what you're thinking!