Chapter 3 - Problems with Projects

"Your next assignment for geography and history coincide with one another; the task is to study a lesser known country or a country with an interesting history in the world. You will have three weeks to prepare your assignment that you will then present to the class, and you will also need to print a copy of your speech and facts for correction later. Take a slip of paper from this bowl; this is the country that you will give your presentation on. Burt, you pick first," Mr Soper said as he brought the bowl over to Burt, who picked the first slip that he could find and read,

"Russia."

"Good, now hold on to your slip until the presentation day, so I know who did which country. Kathy,"

"Egypt"

This continued on for quite a while, but I had phased out while I was waiting to get my slip. That is, until there was only two people left without slips, and I heard the word,

"Amrira"

"Oh, that's a good one Trixie, Amrira has one of the most interesting histories there is,"

'Yeah, no kidding,' I think to myself as Mr Soper continues onto the last person, Me.

"China."

Good, I should be able to complete that easily and not have to think too much about Trixie's assignment.

"Now that you have all gotten your countries, you can have the rest of the lesson to begin your research."

With that everyone rushed for their laptops and began franticly searching for information about their country. I opened Google and typed 'interesting facts about China's history' and clicked on the first result, dutifully taking notes.

'The modern word "China" most likely derives from the name of Qin (pronounced "chin") dynasty.' The website read, 'First Emperor Qin Shi Huang (260-210 B.C.) of the Qin dynasty first unified China in 221 B.C., beginning an Imperial period which would last until A.D. 1912'

The rest of the class went without a hitch, so we were let out from school on time, and were free to do what we liked until dinner.

"Meet me in headquarters at four," Trixie's voice came over my headphones

"Copy that." I reply and I hear Vin and Newton mumble something similar before I turned my music on.

As it was 3:30pm when we got let out from school I really only had 15 minutes for myself before I had to leave for headquarters, which meant there was really no point in going to my room. No sooner would I get there I would have to leave again, so I slowly made my way up the staircase to headquarters, eternally complaining about how many stairs there are and how many books I have to carry in this school, with every step I take.

I reached headquarters just as 4 o'clock came, putting my books on one of the desks in the room.

"So what did you call us up here for?" Vin asked

"Don't you think that it's a little strange that Macbeth hasn't tried to take over the school in the past month?" Trixie replied

"Maybe she's changed" Newton said

"Somehow I highly doubt that, I still get a ridiculous amount of lines if I so much as answer one of her questions right, and even more if I answer it incorrectly." I input

"My point exactly, my theory is that she is planning something big,"

"Such as?" Vin asked

"I don't know; but you may need to investigate her office to find out more. Could you do it tomorrow night? You could also test Newton's new invention on the way back. What was it called again, Newt?"

"The Super Bubble-gum Electrics Fryer, you chew the gum and put it in the area of the electronics and it fries all the wires nearby!" Newton exclaimed

"Super, so could you do it?"

"I can, I don't know about Zero, but I can." Vin said

They all look at me, "Doesn't bother me, but why can't we do it tonight?"

"I want to continue reading about Amrira, it's really does have an interesting history. I've only read up to their history of the island itself, and I have just stared reading about their monarchy. Did you know that their monarchy usually ruled with the King and Queen, side by side, but if the King or Queen, whichever one was born into the royal line, chose to rule as a single party, they could do that too?"

"Used to?" Newton asked

"That was just what the website said, I'm confused too, which is also why I want to continue reading. It's nearly five and all the good food will be gone if we don't get to the dining hall soon, and I don't want to be the one who has too eat the leftover food again. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"We have maths homework, don't we Trix," stated a downcast Vin

Trixie nodded her head as she picked up her books and made her way to the door. "Yeah, and if you hadn't been making faces at the new girls, you might not have so much."

"So…"

"Yes, Vin, I'll help you with it, though you really should start paying attention."

"Thanks Trixie, you're the best! See you later" He exclaimed as he grabbed his stuff and ran over, and out of, the door, Newton rushing after him.

"Just make sure you're in the library right after dinner!" Trixie shouted after him, leaving headquarters and making her way too her room, "Zero, can you lock up?"

I nod and watch her as she walks out of the room, following the others as I pick up my things and shut the door behind me, waving the electronic card that Newton made over the keyhole, locking the door. Why of all people did it have to be Trixie that got Amrira? Why? I think someone has it out for me, although, that doesn't make any sense, the only people who know who I am, don't know that I am at Pinkerton. At least, I think they don't.

I flicked a switch on my headphones, causing 'For the First Time in Forever' to start playing into my ears. Drowning out all thoughts about the history/geography assignment as I carried my books to my room, where I promptly dumped them on my bed, and walked back out of the room closing the door behind me.

As I begin to make the daily trek to the dining hall, the song changes to another Frozen song. Okay, maybe I downloaded all the songs from Frozen. Maybe.

Apparently my quiet humming to the tune must have changed into quiet singing at some point, because when I reach the table where the rest of I.N.K are siting, Vin is looking strangely at me and once I turn off the music; the song now 'The Gospel Truth' from Hercules, Trixie says, "You have a nice voice, Zero"

"Umm, thanks, I guess." I say as I put my plate of lasagne on the table. Everyone's eating lasagne tonight; we only get our favourite meals from Cook-O-Matic on a weekend as a treat, Pinkerton has become too big to continue having our favourite meals every day. I look at the bowl of meat and sauce and sigh, before eating my meal in silence. It's quite nice for dining hall food. For once.