I heard the sound of many people clapping as I came back into the great hall. Is this serenade of applause for me? Or for someone or something else. A statement by the Baroness maybe? Oh, I just dont know anymore. Do I want to know? My heart is beating so much faster than before. I know It's a mixture of emotions, predominantly fear. Fear is creeping all over my body, it stalks each pore. I could not keep myself from trembling. I felt unnaturally cold despite the heating being on. One or two ladies had an electric fan out. One or two more looked hot and bothered. With one step forward I felt like taking a hundred back. Still, I ploughed on - with feigned confidence.

 Everyone was still seated at there tables, all the crockery had been cleared I noted. My eyes scanned the expansive room to see if I could spot, Chole, Michonne, Hinata or Kimmie. They were no where to be seen. All I saw were were attendees of this order still with there masks on. It creeped me out something rotten. Some of the masks were somewhat jovial, I suppose, but the majority were scary and perhaps meant to deliberately intimidate new initiates? Like me and the other girls. Who knows. 

The Baroness, with class, clapped her closed fingers onto her palm into the microphone. Slowly but surly the symphony of applause and chatting ceased until all you could hear were my heels clicking across the floor. With a red guard to my left and my right I was led to the stage. It was only half as big as before for the crimson curtain with golden tassels had been closed to potentially hide something. I was unsure what was going on behid the curtain, but I swear I could hear a muffled moan as if someone had been gagged. Maybe I am just over thinking about the worst case scenario. 

Then my eyes gazed upon an apparatus. I knew what it was. I had seen it before. "The true test," I mumbled barely decipherable. Now, I understood what the Baroness meant when she subtly hinted about the true test. I was going to take a polygraph test, surly. Why else would it be here? Then I remembered what Hinata had said, our loveable young hacker. The cabal might begin asking deviant, promiscuous, highly private questions. If I am hooked up to this apparaaruts and am asked personal questions I will have no alternative but to speak the truth, surly? If I opt to take a polygraph test that is. Who knows what will happen. Can I refuse? Or would I be gently put my neck on the block?   

The red guards stopped short of the first step that led up toward the stage. I cautiously, in these damnable heals, walked up each step, one foot at a time. I heard something behind the curtain, for sure, it did sound like a person who had been gagged. I tried my best to ignore it. 

The Baroness then spoke. "Ladies. Ladies. This is our last initiate of the night. may you give a round of applause for Ella Ann Nijinsky." Duly, the great halled filled with raucous of clapping and a hundred mini conversations could be heard.

"Its her," was the two words she heard more than any other that and her name, "Ella." 

The Baroness also joined in on the applause. Elegantly clapping. I was staning sideways as I was exceedingly nervous to look at everyone gawking up at me in those creepy masks. The Baroness had her mouth closed. Then, like a ventriloquist she began talking. Although I could just about make what she is saying. "Smile dear." I found myself smiling all be it weirdly. "Face your audience. Keep you back straight. Offer them a wave."

I so wish all this had been told to me prior to coming out. I felt like the dummy. 

I did what the Baroness asked. my back was straight, my shouldsers sleek. I smiled although I might have looked like a weirdo for I do so loath to smile unless I am with Leon. I turn, as confidently as I can and face the audience.

"Thats it," the Baroness continued to coax me to show myself off. "Dont be afraid to wave, child." Tentatively I raise my hand and waved. "Good woman," the Baroness then said. "They love, we all do."

Why though?  I saw this as an opportunity to ask about the other girls who I had come to know. "Baroness," I say her name sheepishly. "What happened to the other girls?"

"They have been. . . dealt with." She assured me. 

Her words were ominous but her tone was not.   

With a motion of her hands, the Baroness asked for the crowd to cease there clapping, when the room fell silent the Baorness spoke.  "I now call forth Doctor Juilet Minerva."

"My professor," I half heartedly mumbled. My eyes scanned the sea of ladies and to my left near the wall a woman in an emerald dress stood to her feat. As she walked closer I saw, unsurprisingly, she too adonred a creepy mask with black eyes though I am sure she could see. 

Doctor Minerva walked up the steps to a gentler round of applause. Both the Baroness and doctor Minerva embraced one another and shared a peck on each cheek of the mask. Doctor Minerva, then came to me, I could not be sure it was my proessror, after all she was wearing a mask but she had a similar frame and how many others share her name that would be here? Few I would imagine. Then I smelled the scent of coconut oil and I knew only one person used that fragrance of balm. It was my professor.

"Splendid," the Baroness then said, "splendid." She continued. "Now I call upon, Helen Rosenthal, Madam President." Again the cabal clapped Madam President to her feet. Madam President  must thave felt somewhat naked without the big woman or her federal agents near at hand. She wore a pink dress and a Geroge Washington mask, of all the choices. She too came up the steps and both Madam President and the Baroness shared a peck on the cheek of the mask. 

"Lastly, I call upon Vickie Watts," the Baroness then jutted her head up to look around the room. Right at the back Vickie strutted toward the stage. Vickie Watts, had to be the show off. She wore a uniqe white plague mask with a long beak for a nose. She had a top hat on and she wore this black lacy ensemble. Unsurprisingly, Vickie greeted her fellow ladies in as similar fashion as to what I had already seen.

The three women, lined up inbetween the Baroness and I. 

"This child has synthesized a drug, that will bring about the end of man."

What? I so badly wanted to shout out.  What BS  thought I. This chilling statement caught my attention. End of man? What riddle is this? 

"As you all know, Victoria Watts guarntees she can mass produce these pills and make them available all over the world." 

Victoria, bowed when her name was mentioned. 

She probably loved this. 

I dont know what came over me at that point I just had to inform the Baroness that she was wrong. Complelty and utterly wrong. I coughed, half heartedly, trying to get the ladies attention. I took another step forward. "I'm sorry," I said as quiet a mouse. "I have only ever synthesized one drug in entire life. I -  "

"Doctor Minerva stood by my side and gently ladi her hand on me. 

"I'm sure this must be a lot for out last andidates too take in. I can guarantee you fine ladies. We have found a way to decrease the male population."

"This cant be," I look at the masked faces of all the ladies I had met this day.    

"Teste. . . if you would take a seat." the Baroness indicted to the plastic chair with a motion of her hands. 

I hesitantly walked toward the only chair on the stage. An assistant, most likely a detective in law enforcement plugged me into the polygraph machine. 

"Sponsors, if you have anything to say to your protégé. May you say it now, or forever hold your peace." 

"Remeeber child," doctor Minerva spoke. 

I was having a mini panic attack. 

"What is going to happen," I put the question to whom ever could answer. "Why are they talking about the drug I created? They can not seriously mass produce you know  what it does - "

"Child, it will be for the best. We want to eliminate three quarters of the world," Vickie Watts informed me. There is blunt honest and then there is getting hit on the head with a sledge hammer.

"What!" I blurted out. "Yu cant - "

"Well done,  Watts" MadmaPreseident said frightedn the child would you

"Enough!" Minerva snappe at them both we have a less time 

"Tell her," Vickie said.

"This is the true test, child,"

think about it," Madam Preseident uttered.

"I have to tell the truth?" I figured. "Tell is all and telkl it true."

"Yes child," my professor said. 

"Ten seconds the Baroness said.

"if you are truthfull no matter what is asked be honest. No matter what the subject is about. 

"Sponsers you may go back to you tables." 

"Once I had been pluggesd into the machine and once my so called sponsers had taken there seats, we were ready to begin. 

"First question," The Baroness then said, I saw a wave of hand reach for the heavens. "Yes you, down the back."

The microphone was given to a lady who had a mask that looked like it was done by Picasso. 

"Do you like anal sex?"  She asked. 

What!

Thus ended, The Sponsors.