Tanya

SUMMARY

Tanya takes college classes in the day, and solves problems at night with a shadowy cabal, led by a hidden agenda.

PERSONALITY

Tanya is a smart, clever, confident, chill, and perceptive woman. She stays mostly quiet and she knows what's going on and finds most of her enjoyment out of watching others flail when they don't know what to do. She's got her own sense of charm and sense of humor. She has sarcasm and sass both stored in her back pocket. But she is kind and understanding to those she knows and likes. Tanya has been to the city and back multiple times and is the most well acquainted with it out of the main kids.

She likes to speak in rhyme, allegory, and double meanings. While not outright obtuse, she won't ever answer a question that she was not asked. If you ask if the store is closed, she'll be truthful and say yes. But she won't give anymore and certainly wouldn't tell you it's closed because it's burnt to the ground a few weeks ago. People who know Tanya are careful around her for these reasons. They're specific because they know what happens when they're not. She enjoys a little bit of schadenfreude for sure.

HISTORY

Tanya was born into a wealthy, well-connected family. Her father was a lawyer. Her mother, a lead nurse in the Cattersville hospital and her aunt who was a close friend and often primary caregiver, an engineer. As an only child, she was given both attention and responsibilities. From her birth, she was meant to recognize the importance of success and leading a proper life so that you are not only well adjusted, but well-off and well-connected. This was not a problem. From the start she lived up to and exceeded her family's expectations. Her parents were very proud of her progress in school, her large friend group, and subtle, but powerful personality. No one told little Tanya what to do unless she and her family agreed to it.

Her tenacity and drive, along with her family's favorable image in the region, afforded her connections to a specific opportunity at the small Cattersville High School when she was a sophmore. Her father indicated that this job was the key to starting her career early and effectively. Needless to say, she jumped at the opportunity. He introduced her to a woman with a unique job position. This woman, known to Tanya only as Miss Forge, was Tanya's boss at this new job. Miss Forge was everything Tanya wanted to become: smart, powerful, educated, and mature; all things that Tanya had already begun blossoming into as a teenager.

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"Where are we headed to, Miss Forge?" Tanya asked, attempting to hide her giddiness. She was currently with Forge, en route to the large metropolis that lay a few hours north by car. However, they were travelling in a sleek, quiet, and expensive bullet train. Tanya had never seen anything like it or what was on it.

"You've no doubt noticed how much paperwork you've filed for the Agency," Forge replied. "For an exceptional young lady such as yourself, that is simply beneath you. I wanted to see your organization and confidentiality keeping skills. I'm impressed." Forge looked across the train car to her protege. Tanya beamed.

"Have you been reading up on our documents and only the documents I indicated?"

"Oh course, Miss. I've even compiled a short deck of information cards that detail the most vital components. I've cross-referenced it to the newest version of the map of The City. Well. Inside sources indicate the name is now referred to as The Cleanrooms."

Forge was looking out the window again. All black. Underground. And then back to Tanya. Only flashes of light from the tunnel lights illuminating them. She paused while side-glancing her. "As I would always expect from you." Forge was rare with compliments for others so this was deeply appreciated. Tanya swallowed her excitement, maintaining an air of professionalism.

"You are going to ride sidecar here. Let me do the talking. You do not talk to anyone. You do not touch anything. Clear?" Forge's tone changed, belaying a feeling of firmness and concern.

"Yes ma'am, absolutely," Tanya responded quitely.

"You do not talk to anyone about this. Not your father, nor mother, nor your on-again boyfriend." Brad and Tanya had only recently just gotten back together again. Recent as in 3 days ago. The Agency's knowledge of her personal life was unsettling to say the lease.

"Yes ma'am," she repeated, even quieter.

"And do exactly as I say.

"Yes. Yes, of course."

For the first time in an hour, the sound of metal screeching and air pressure releasing diminished in intensity as the train slowed to the station. Tanya looked outside and saw what seemed to be a normal station as back in Cattersville. However, it seemed more run-down. Messier. Papers strewn on the platforms. Lights flickering, most dim or out. Doors left ajar, revealing dark rooms.

The mechanical doors opened, juttering as they did so. Upon stepping onto the platform, Tanya noticed the sheer lack of other people. While Cattersville stations are not the most crowded, they do have at least some groups of people meandering about to their errands. Empty. Then she looked out, down to the front portion of the train. A figure with sunglasses and a matching set of blue and teal top and bottom emerged from another car and briskly walked around a corner.

"You will grow accustomed to this sight, T." Tanya breathlessly acknowledged. "Come, T."

Tanya followed obediently. They traced the same steps as the figure with sunglasses. This was down a hallway. Next they passed through several doors before arriving to a nondescript hallway with a bend leading further and one doorway.

Forge approached the door and produced a small item from her pocket. It looked to be in the shape of a stylized hammer. With this, she held it up to the frame of the doorway. Paused. She rotated it and held it up again. Then another time. Repeat. Repeat. She placed it in her pocket and stood at the doorway. Tanya attempted to interject but Forge held up her finger and then slowly pointed that finger to the door. The door slide back slowly and noisily, creaking, shrill enough to make Tanya want to cover her ears but she abstained. A second door behind the first was revealed. Unlike the previous one, this door, flung open silently. Forge looked down upon Tanya, smiling.

"Welcome to The Agency."

The room was filled with lines of cubicles along the right side of the room and offices on the opposite. The room was filled with the odor of discount cleaning products. It was dimly lit. The air conditioning sound was defeaning and Tanya couldn't hear when she whispered or even speak to herself. Forge walks Tanya down several paths between the cubicles with enough turns that Tanya had since lost her way. She was almost certain she had walked in circles several times. The odor of the cleaning products faded away and was replaced with smells of cologne, ink pens, and even cut grass. Eventually, Forge arrived at a cubicle that looked like the rest but was dawned with a small placard. On it read, in small font, "T:3", Tanya's alias in The Agency.

"Set your things down here. I need you for something much more important today than three carpet walls," Forge said. Her tone was now unsettled and avoidant. She began avoiding Tanya's gaze and would put her finger up anytime now Tanya tried to speak. Hurriedly, they left The Agency.

They stood now in an alley way, dimly let, no idea the time of night. It seemed damper in here than out on the street. Forge, and by example, Tanya, stood ready at attention, eyes glued on the opposite end of the hallway. An sickeningly sweet aroma begins to permeates the air. Tanya can feel Forge's tension without ever looking at her. From the other side of the crevice, a figure wearing a hood appears.