The Empowered Acclimation Project (EAP) was set up to allow special individuals a chance to register themselves, meet others like them and be provided with specialist help. In reality it had been a ruse, a front to allow powerful people to learn who could do what. Those brave enough to sign up were sent job offers for their respected talents, a first meeting set up at a facility forty miles outside of New york city with promises of money, help and immunity from prosecution of past deeds.<br/><br/><b>The House</b><br/><br/>A simple dirt track from a simple road leads through tunnels, around hills and through tight passes for several miles before opening up at a large ten foot walled compound, a single entrance gate in the monotonous brick wall. The gate is made from riveted metal, no intercom or visible cameras present on the outside or imbedded in the wall, but opens to specific people without password or confirmation.<br/>A short driveway leads to a large, newly constructed house painted a pale white with the visible doors and windows done in a new age metallic look, the driveway continues on to the right of the house. Beyond the front door is an entrance hall lacking in windows or features other than a white marble floor, a set of double doors at the far end of the room and a table with piles of papers against the right hand wall. A simple paper sign is tacked to the double doors and reads '<i>Please remain here until further instructions are given.</i>'.<br/><br/>Inside is a large open plan floor. Straight ahead is a set of stairs to the first floor, immediately to the left is a door and to the right is a lounge area. The door to the left leads into a large, blank room with a metal floor set into a grid system, the same grid system is along all four walls and the ceiling, no windows are present. The lounge area is equipped with several black sofas, an enormous plasma screen tv, a coffee table and a variety of games consoles.<br/>Behind the wall to which the stairs are attached is the kitchen, built to cope with a large amount of people living under the same roof. It contains two fridge-freezers, four ovens, eight surface cooking hobs, a double wide sink, two dishwashers and enough cabinet space to hold food to feed fifteen people through a nuclear holocaust. A large table is set in the centre, around which sit ten chairs. The floor is a cliche black and white floor tile arrangement, the appliances and fittings in metallic black.<br/>In the furthest corner of the open plan floor from the entrance door is a partially walled off space, home to very little. Nothing but a large conference table with more than a dozen swivel office chairs, in black, set around it, all facing a projector screen set against the far wall.<br/><br/>A door is set between the kitchen and this walled off meeting area, leading to a small corridor. On the left is a sparkling clean bathroom, equipped with porcelain, sink and a space age looking shower unit. Beyond that on the left is a utility room, containing two washers and two dryers in more metallic black. On the right hand side is a door leading to a garage able to hold three cars with room to spare. Inside currently are a brand spanking new black SUV, a racier four door salon car also in black, a less conspicuous 'young' person car in dark blue this time and finally a pair of orange and black street bikes. The garage doors open onto the driveway that swept around the house. At the end of the small corridor is a door that leads into a garden, still within the confines of the ten foot wall. The area is equipped with flower beds, a few trees, a sitting area and a hot tub. At the far end of the garden lies a twenty metre, three lane pool currently covered by a blue pool cover.<br/><br/>Up the stairs stated at the beginning leads to the upper floor, housing roughly a dozen bedrooms. Each bedroom is primarily the same, containing a large double bed, shelves, desk, computer, draws, closet and en-suite. The en-suite contains a toilet, sink with mirror cabinet and a bath-shower combo. Each room contains a double glazed window similar to those found in the house except for the metal grid lined room.<br/><br/>-----<br/><br/>The taxi's wheels span on the loose gravel and tossed up a cloud of dust, causing Nicole to cough and splutter as she attempted to fan the dirt away from her face. The cab was soon out of sight and she was left with two bags stuffed with luggage infront of the imposing metal gate. She gulped softly and looked at the letter in her hand once more, making sure this was the right place and not an evil scientist's lair. With effort she heaved her bags over to the gate, jumping when it opened automatically. She reminded herself that most gates like that were automated nowerdays anyways. Her short walk to the front door gave her time to peer at the front of the house and the areas to her left and right, small grassy patches leading around the house, still enclosed by a ten foot 'no one escapes' type wall mind you.<br/>A polite knock at the door yielded it to open, a 'Hi-' cut off as no one was behind it. With an even more wierded out look on her face she dragged her bags inside, setting them against the left hand wall before taking her time to look at the only two points of interest. First the note to the door, so atleast she knew someone had been here and knew she was coming. Next the stack of papers on the table, nine sets and boy they were thick. A quick thumb through made her even more confused, some bore the UN crest, some other such official logos of which very few she recognised, the only two being of the United States eagle thingy and the United Kingdom. She continued to flick through, checking that each pile was the same.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>