THE INVISIBLE ARMY.

First Installment!

'How was chapter 11, guys?' Agent Kilbey asked. 'Miss Ross, I need to have a word, can you please follow me.' He continued.

Marcie Ross huffed and followed Kilbey. 'I have only just arrived, what have I done now?'

'Stop the attitude, I have just spoken to a ... Principle Snyder, he thinks you have been chosen for a specialist school for the gifted and talented. However, agents' Doyle and Manetti and they informed me that you tried to kill the school librarian and two student?'

'What do you mean tried? Surely they are dead, I locked them in ...'

'...in the boiler room, yes, but an unknown male rescued them. Look you are a talented girl, but I need to ensure you will put your energy into what we are training you for, and not go after those soft targets. We are informing your parents as we speak, my PA, Mrs Fusco is calling them, acting as the head teacher for our specialist school. Promise me?'

Sounding grumpy Marcie made a noise to acknowledge she agreed to the terms.

'Good! Look at this way, if you didn't agree, you would have been put in solitary confinement in a prison of our choosing, with the only interaction is the guard providing your meals, they wouldn't see you, they wouldn't talk to you.'

'Can I ask a question?' she asks.

'Sure, as long as it is sensible.'

'How do you know I was still in the room, and didn't just walk away, how do you keep hold of students?'

'I think you need a maths lesson, that's two questions. But ... on your journey from Sunnydale to hear in Quantico, we inserted a tracker in you, these are exceptional circumstances, I hope you understand. That answers both your questions. Anyway, I believe your next lesson starts in a few moments, Miss West hates late students, so off you pop, room 3B.'

Marcie leaves, and walks to find room 3B, muttering to herself. "I can't believe they survived. I wonder if it was it was Larry. He always had that hero complex ... hmmm! 3B." She opens the door to Miss West staring at the door.

'Miss Ross, I assume?'

'Yes, sorry I was with Kilbey.'

'I am aware, and that is agent Kilbey.'

'Sorry, agent Kilbey. Where abouts in Britain are you from?'

'I am from England, in a city called Bath. A very old settlement, traced back to the Romans.'

'And I am from a small village called Shower, a place created by Walmart.' A mocking cliché English voice was heard.

'Mr Roberts, a comedian are we? Well you can read the first chapter of the books in front of you. Chapter 1, Corruption and Politics.'

The students were in the common room, all guessing where each other was standing. Connor Roberts started to tell the story of what made him invisible, he started to cry, but got his composure back to finish off and swear towards his parents.

Marcie Ross went to talk, but a snotty voice spoke over her. Agent Doyle walked in and told them all to be quiet. 'I need you all to follow me.'

Doyle lead to them a large conference room, where 4 men are standing in front of the empty seats.

'You are the only people in here, sit anywhere and listen. I cannot implore how much I need you to listen.'

'Thank you Sir! Good evening, before you are sent off to your rooms, I thought it would be good manners that we explain what you are doing here; however before we begin, let us introduce ourselves. The voice you heard earlier, came from Deputy Director, Ryan Mountford ...' he waves and nods his head. '... I am Mrs Duffy, Executive Assistant Director for Paranormal army's.' She steps back, and a very tall man stood forward.

'My name is Dave Phillips, as you can tell, I am originally from Australia, Perth to be precise. I am EAD for Modern Weapons and Technology. I will now give way to this wonderful specimen of a man. A shorter man took centre stage, he was smiling and laughing quietly.

'Hi guys, not only am I the butt of jokes to the EAD's but I am also the Associate Deputy Director, their boss, and my name is John Mills. My direct team who work under my command, are the training team, or as you know them, your teachers.

Now, I need to ensure we are all hear, and please consider there are high ranking FBI officials standing either side of me.' EAD Duffy hands him a notebook and a pen.

'When I call your name, please respond ... sensibly. Bloom, Jacob?' 'Here'

'Cullen, Wayne?' 'Yes'

'Howes, Britney?' 'Sir'

'Javernick, Marcus?' 'I'm here, but my family pronounce the J as a Y.'

'Apologies, Mr Javernick. Kane, Bradley?' 'Here.'

Koots, Michelle?' 'Here, I prefer Shelley over Michelle.' There was no acknowledgement, but Mills did write something down.

'Lionhearts, Jackie, great surname.' 'Thanks, Here. I changed it by deed poll. I wasn't allowed my first choice, Whacky.' The invisible students laughed, even the suited one's had a smile.

'Okay, calm down, thanks Jackie. Where were we, Mullins, Adam?' 'Here.'

'We now have twins, and that is unusual, but Norman, Freddie and Frank?' 'We're here.' They both said simultaneously.

'Roberts, Connor?' 'Here'

'Ross, Marcie?' 'Here'

'Ross, Luke?' 'Here, and Marcie and I are not related.'

'Your Scottish accent gives that away Luke.' Mills laughs. 'Unlucky number, but we do have twins, so 13 of you. My training teams consists of 5, and I will expect you all to treat them, as you would with everyone, with respect. If I hear of any disrespect, then there is a cell with you name's on, and we will forget about you on purpose.

You have also met a few field agents, erm ... Kilbey, Doyle and Manetti. You will meet more, as they will act as your protection whilst you are in training.' The door to the room opens and 5 people walk in, all holding folders.

'Sorry, we're late, I hope you are all well' A short balding man looks at the seats as if he can see the 13 people sitting there. The few grumbles that were returned, got him frowning, but he continued to talk. 'My name is Clive Gascoigne, I am one of the teachers, this is, and I am sure you have all met, Miss West, Mrs Stephens, Mr Farrow and finally, Miss Benson.' They all gave a short wave and a high pitched noise of acknowledgement.

'Thank you Clive.' Mountford says confidently. 'Now you know us, we want to know you. So, tonight before lights out, I want you all to come up with a small biography of yourselves. I want it to include your name, where you're from and also two likes and two hates. Dismissed!'

Connor and Marcie are the last to leave their own rooms, as they leave they bump into each other, 'Watch it!' Marcie says hurriedly.

'Hey, sorry, I forgot the two like on my biography, why are you rushing?'

'None of your business, Roberts.' They both made their way to the conference room; agent Doyle was in the room looking at a piece of paper. 'Welcome Miss Ross, Mr Roberts. Take a seat, we will be ready soon, and as you were both late, Roberts, you can go first, Ross you second. We will then go alphabetically.'

Marcie took her seat, read what she had written and was mumbling to make it sound interesting. Her head was filling with self-importance, but Larry came into her head. "Must kill Larry, he saved Mr Giles, Willow and that freak and very unfunny Xander." 'Stop thinking like that, brain. We don't even know it was Larry, It could have been Miss Calendar or even Snyder himself. Yes! Snyder, remember that call he took from what he said was the mayor, and they spoke about the school being on the hellmouth, which makes sense when Buffy claimed to be a vampire slayer, but she was a great ...' 'PSST! You who talking too, Marcie?' Roberts asked

'... what? Sorry was bumbling to myself?' She looked up at agent Doyle and said, 'Have you heard of a Vampire Slayer, Agent Doyle?' He looked up slowly, and replied, 'What did you just say?' This made the other students mumble to each other, the conference door flew open, Miss West walked in, and she whispered into Doyle's ear. 'Marcie Ross, follow me please.'

Walking through the corridor, Marcie was struggling to keep up, she looked at West's shoes, and wondered how she was walking so fast in high heels. 'Uhm! Did I so something wrong, I know I was late, but I couldn't think ..' 'Just follow me, please.' Came a quick response.

They eventually reached a room with a double steel doors. There was a keypad, and Marcie looked to see what was being inputted. "Hmm! 9723, I will remember that for net time."

The doors automatically opened, and the sight took Marcie breath. She walked in as the doors were closing, but then just froze. 'Holy ...'

'Miss Ross? This way please.' Marcie didn't recognise the voice but saw a woman wearing a white coat walking towards her. She held out her hand, and Marcie took it. 'How, did you know where I am?' Marcie asked. The woman took off her glasses and gave them to Marcie. 'Put them on.'

'WOW! Heat source, no bodies, just heat. Can I get a pair?'

'Yes, but only after you have passed. Now please follow me, thank you Miss West.' She did as she was told, mainly because she wanted a pair of the glasses the woman has.

'Hey, you didn't give your name?' 'I didn't did, my name is Debra Copeland, you can call me Debra.'

'Hi Debra, where are we going?' Marcie was losing her breath walking fast.

'We aren't going anywhere, you, however, are going to meet a special team, you wouldn't normally meet them, but I understand you know something important.' Marcia stopped walking and sounded confused.

'I don't know anything, I promise. Please, I don't want to leave.' Her desperation made Debra stop, and she gave out a chuckle.

'I promise, nothing bad will come from this, think of this as you teaching us something we didn't know.'

They reach their destination and Debra opens a wooden door and gets Marcie to enter alone. 'I can't come in with you, but if you need anything, I will be next door.'

She walks into the room and notices a table and 1 chair. She sits down, and then a voice through a speaker "Miss Marcie Ross, can you confirm that is you?"

'Obviously!'

"What do you know about the vampire slayer?"

'Nothing much, but there is a girl in my school ... old school, that claimed to be the vampire slayer, and she was always around when odd things happened.'

"What is the name of this girl?"

'Buffy Summers. She also had friends who would always make an appearance, Mr Giles the school librarian, he is English. But also Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris, this he is an Alexander. Oh, and then there is Principal Snyder spoke about the school being on the hellmouth, whatever that means, on the phone to someone he called Mayor.' There was total silence, Marcie was getting bored, and kept thinking to herself that she is being ignored again.

"Thank you for that information. We can't confirm much, but there is a vampire slayer, and Buffy Summer is the chosen one. You mentioned Mr Giles, do you know much about him?"

'No way? Well, she is a good fighter, I once saw her pick a jock up by his arm and only his arm. Is she like Superman, or Superwoman, or something? Mr Giles was a school librarian, but they were almost inseparable, as if they were ... oh god, were they having sex?'

"He was her Watcher."

'I bet he was.'

"No, he is basically a trainer. He will train the Slayer and also give her the knowledge to defeat the vampires and demons that want to bring hell dimensions into this dimension, and it is apparent that though she doesn't work alone, she is the only slayer."

'Doesn't surprise me, I can't imagine Mr Giles being as strong as she is. But why do you need to know this?' Marcie waited for an answer, but once again there was total silence. Her brain counting.

"The watcher isn't just a school employee; he is also a member of an organisation called the Watchers Council. They are at the forefront of fighting the good fight, and I need to know where your loyalty lies?"

Marcie pondered her answer, she thought to herself, which answer can get her in to trouble. She took a deep breath, knowing this is a fifty fifty outcome.

'My loyalty is to this place.' She took another deep breath hoping that her generic answer would wash.

"What is I was to say we work alongside the watchers council, does this loyalty change, considering you were caught fighting the slayer, and trying to hurt one of her friends, if not more."

She was shocked. Was she being told the truth, or were they testing her? Marcie realised her heart was racing, and she had hoped that she wasn't being seen to looked confused, shocked, or even hoping her heart rate wasn't being monitored.

'I, I, I, I, I,' She stopped, as she couldn't stop the stammer. 'Sorry, I will show loyalty to this organisation and to the allies.' She took another deep breath yet again, and she sat back, but her heartbeat was getting faster and faster. A whirring noise sounded above her head and then a small light appeared, she looked up and saw something move towards her. Resting on the table there was now a jug of water and an empty glass.

"Drink some water, perhaps that'll slow your heart rate." She did just that and took a massive gulp, refilled, and started to sip. She sat back again feeling more relaxed.

"Go back to your common room. There is a lesson this afternoon, I believe it is Chapter 5, Hidden Enemies." There was a click, and the door opened, she thought to herself that she didn't remember the being locked. As she walked out, Debra was standing, waiting for her. They walked back in silence, but before she entered the room, Debra grabbed her, and said 'They know more, just be careful.' Marcie froze then entered the room, looking back as the door closed.