Being tested

Jim found his luggage and went through Customs. Since he flew Business Class he did not have to wait very long. He really did not know if what he brought was appropriate, because nothing had been revealed in the welcome note except that he should go alone and a travel plan.

Jim found the train without any difficulty and looked forward to a 50 minute ride. Outside the world ran its usual business, but Jim was hardly aware of it.

The whole situation was so surreal that he could not stop pondering about it. What would happen at the audition? Would he be safe?

His parents did seem a bit worried when he told them about the plane ticket and the requirement to go alone. But the next morning they said he could go. They even bought him a cell phone - just in case.

Jim suddenly realized that his destination was the next stop. He hurried to collect his Ipod and the magazines he had brought for the trip.

A few minutes later he was standing at the platform — not really knowing what to do as the travel plan ended with him being at the platform.

Jim sat down on a bench and waited patiently. A few minutes passed and nothing happened. Jim was bored and started to look around. He noticed that he was not alone on the platform.

A young blonde woman, perhaps in her early twenties, was also on the platform, seemingly awaiting something too. Jim cast a quick peek at her and decided that she was quite attractive, tall (180 cm high, around 5 feet 11), around 65 kg (around 145 pounds), with light blonde, well-groomed, hair. She wore a conservative, but very feminine, business suit.

Jim decided that staring at her was impolite, so he busied himself with looking at the arrival/departure sign. After a few moments he realized that no train would arrive or depart for the next two hours. Jim began wondering who the woman waited for.

In the next few minutes Jim became more and more anxious, as nothing seemed to happen. He finally decided that at the very least he could try to see if the young woman would chat to pass the time.

After starting to walk towards the woman, Jim realized, that he was in the French speaking part of Switzerland, so he might not be able to talk to the woman at all — and worse, he might not be able to talk to anybody he found.

Deciding that it was still worth a try, he introduced himself

"Hello, my name is Jim. We both seem to be waiting here, so I though we might as well chat away the time".

The woman replied that her name was Linda, and Jim was fairly surprised that she spoke flawless English with a touch of a southern accent.

They talked about things for a few minutes until Jim asked the woman what she was waiting for. The woman said she was waiting on a special person, and asked Jim was he was waiting for. Jim decided to follow the recommendation of the letter and lied. He said he was waiting for some family to pick him up.

The woman nodded understandingly, and they continued to chat. Jim noticed that he ended up revealing a lot of personal details about himself, but he barely managed to find out where in the States Linda was from.

After almost half an hour Linda suddenly told him that he was the person she was waiting for. But that she could not give that fact away until certain criteria were met. Jim asked which criteria, but she said she did not have the liberty to discuss them. She said that he should follow her.

Together, they walked down from the platform and towards a late model BMW.