Chapter 17: The Argonaut

I join an equally sleepy Patrick for breakfast at eight o’clock. He’s in a much happier mood than yesterday. I try to think of the right way to apologise for practically throwing Sheba into his bed last night, but Patrick speaks before I can say anything.

“Thank you for what you did last night,” he says. “I don’t know how you managed it but Sheba was just the person I needed. And if Sheba was being truthful, I was the person she needed.”

“Um ... That’s OK,” I reply. “Sorry if I practically threw her at you, but I was late for the ... er ... party upstairs.”

“Hmm! Sheba mentioned she was going to a party before she met you. But it didn’t sound like the sort of party I thought you would be interested in. Sheba made it sound like it was all scantily clad girls competing for Paulo’s favour. Perhaps the rumour about Paulo and some dark-haired beauty dancing naked in a roof garden are true after all?” he laughs.

“Where did you hear that rumour?” I ask. “I’m sure it’s greatly exaggerated.”

“Some of the contestants were talking while we were waiting in the studio yesterday. You must have heard them ... Oh. No ... Of course ... You arrived a bit later. Wait a minute. Harper let slip there are rumours circulating about Paulo and a girl who fits your description. Are you the girl referred to in that rumour? Is the rumour true?”

“Of course the rumour is wrong ... We weren’t dancing,” I reply keeping my tone light. “That came much later. But I admit I’m the girl in the rumour. Are there are other rumours about me? It’s very difficult to get some privacy here with all the security cameras everywhere.”

“You don’t need to apologise to me. I only wish I had half your courage to defy convention and take what you need.”

Patrick and I are back to being pleasant to each other and able to talk without any awkwardness. I just hope he and I don’t have to compete against each other today. While there can be multiple winners of the Argonaut, some challenges involve head-to-head tests in which one of two contestants is eliminated from the Argonaut.

At nine-thirty, forty-six of the fifty original contestants are standing in the huge hall that will be the main testing centre for today’s Argonaut challenges. Apparently four contestants have already been eliminated. Despite plenty of rumours, nobody seems to know the reason, and the Argonaut officials are saying nothing on the subject. I can’t help wondering whether sabotage had a part to play in the contestants’ elimination.

The Argonaut officials are easily recognised by their bright purple gowns. The woman in charge has lots of gold trim on her gown, as if to reinforce her status here. Even the other officials seem nervous about being near her.

“By the end of the day, at least twenty more of you will have been eliminated,” she announces to us all. “For the first challenge, you will be divided into seven groups. When your name is called, go and stand under the coloured banner of your group over there.”

Another official reads out everyone’s names in group order. I’m in Green group, along with Patrick, Chloe, Mansel, and two other contestants I don’t know. Paulo is placed in Yellow group, and Vincent in Blue. Once we are all assembled in our allocated group, an official marches each group off to a different room.

“Last night you have each been approached by citizen of Argon city, and received a card from them. The card indicates that the citizen is willing to provide you with employment in the city, should the Argonaut assessment panel be willing to loan you the money that you need to buy your freedom. Now, place the card on the table in front of you.”

Fortunately I’ve kept Sarah’s card in my pocket, heeding her advice that it may prove useful. Is this what she meant when she said that? I notice Chloe has a similar card, although the black cat on her card is lying on its back, while mine looks as though it is stalking a mouse. I presume Sheba was the source of Patrick’s card. The official studies each card and checks it against something written on his notepad. A grunt is the only indication that everything seems to be in order. He tells us to retrieve our cards.