.
II.
Three Weeks Earlier
London, Early March
Rin checked her notepad, "Kōga Martin" it said, "Floor 11, 9:30". It was 8:45.
She climbed the expansive stone steps to the imposing front doors of the Parapsycological Information Corporations International Headquarters. Known more simply as ParaPsyCorps London. Since the discovery of manifest psychic abilities in the last hundred years different organizations had developed all over the world to identify people with psychic abilities and educate them. ParaPsyCorps was one of the largest and most well respected of these organizations. They had offices in most of the major cities in America, Africa, Asia, and Europe.
The hall was cream marble and had rows of elevators on either side. There were no buttons to call the elevators.
The floor stretched out before her, the ParaPsyCorps logo set in marble. Triangles met at the tips as if mirrored, one had a dog's profile facing right and the other a human profile facing left. The triangles were black but the human face was white stone and the dog was a rich red. The outlines and details were picked out in a brass-like metal.
A brass elevator door opened into a warm crimson interior to her right with a whir and quiet "ding".
A young auburn haired man in a dark suit held the door. "Rin Dane?"
She glanced up in surprise. "That's me." Her voice was huskier then one would expect from a woman her size.
"Kōga Martin is expecting you."
Rin frantically checked her wristwatch as she hastened towards the elevator. It read "8:48". "Has Mr. Martin been waiting long?"
The young man smiled, "Not at all, you are a bit early but he did not want to keep you waiting." There were no buttons inside the elevator either.
The receptionist behind the desk smiled at Rin and her guide as they stepped off the elevator. The room was bright with sunlight from the floor to ceiling windows that lined two walls.
A man in a dark suit appeared at the top of the glass staircase that hung in the center of the office suspended from the ceiling by metal rods. He was tall and broad-shouldered. He ran his fingers absently through his dark hair before descending the steps to greet her with a firm handshake.
"Rin Dane. Pleasure. I am Kōga Martin. Thank you Shippō." He nodded at the boy who brought her up. "Just fetch us a tea tray would you? Good lad." He smiled at Rin, "Just up to my office please, Miss Dane."
Rin followed him mutely.
His office had a lovely view of the street below with a few scarlet buses going to and fro and pedestrians hurrying past, their coat collars pulled up around their ears against the wind.
Mr. Martin motioned her into one of the deep mauve chairs and took a seat across from her. A file was laid out on a small table between them.
Shippō came through the door with a tea tray loaded with little quiches and biscuits. Mr. Martin didn't touch the folder until Rin had a teacup in hand and a small plate loaded with redolent pastries.
"Pardon me Miss Dane, I haven't yet had breakfast." Mr. Martin smiled as he popped miniature spinach quiche in his mouth, his bright blue eyes crinkling at the corners.
Rin's lips curled upward. "Neither have I." She took a bite out of one of the biscuits as he flipped the file open.
"Your resume and application." Mr. Martin took a sip of his tea. "Now I have a few questions for you, just for clarification you understand. And then we have all our applicants complete a Zener profile. Just as a formality, your performance does not hold the ultimate sway here. Does that sound acceptable?"
Rin took a deep breath, "Of course."
"It shows here that you have never been tested for Parapsychological Intelligence. Is that correct?" Mr. Martin's manner was just as open and friendly as before but Rin felt sudden chill wash over her.
"No, never." She swallowed harshly and set her teacup down before he would see how her hands were shaking.
Mr. Martin nodded and made a small note on the file. "You were educated in a state boarding school?"
"Yes sir."
"No need to be alarmed Miss Dane, have another biscuit." Mr. Martin nudged the plate towards her hand.
Rin took one absently.
"You have not worked as a secretary before. Is that correct?"
"No sir, but…" She trailed off.
"Miss Dane?" He urged, chewing on another quiche.
She swallowed, "You can see my scores in the preliminary word-processing and filing tests are excellent."
Mr. Martin smiled kindly, "That I can. They are very impressive, which is why I am so surprised this is your first job of this kind."
Rin relaxed a little against the chair and took a sip of her tea.
"Now here you have noted that you live in an apartment nearby. Is that still the case?"
"Yes sir, all of my personal information is current."
"Excellent." Mr. Martin closed the file and stood. "This looks to be just in order. I will ask Mrs. Priest to administer the Zener Test at this time."
Rin was asked to predict the symbol on a card she could not see by a woman introduced as Sango Priest. "Just relax, say the first thing you think of."
Rin took her advice and without Mr. Martin in the room it seemed easier to say silly things like: "Three vertical wavy lines." Or "A circle." Or "A five pointed star."
After fifteen minutes of going through the cards Mr. Martin returned and collected a single sheet of paper from Mrs. Priest.
"Well," Mr. Martin cleared his throat, "Everything looks just perfect, I'll just take you down to the processing floor. Is next Monday alright?"
"I'm sorry?"
"Is Monday alright for you to start working?" Mr. Martin tucked the sheet into the file.
"I… I got the job?"
"Oh how silly of me. Yes, yes. If you accept it."
Prompt Redolent [fragrant].
