Indoctrination to the Checking Piece Courier Service

Jade stopped at the dilapidated door. The metal had rusted and it was barely hanging onto the frame. She peered through the dirty glass. It appeared to be an abandoned bicycle shop.

She looked again at the business card in her hand. A standard sized, flat white card with a pawn embossed in black on one side. On the other side was scrawled “47, Naity Rd, Nabagram Colony.”

She squinted at the faint letters on the glass of the door. She could barely make out the number 47.

Except for a flickering lamp, the street was dead. It felt like a graveyard.

Closing her eyes, she mouthed the Pavaman mantra several times, hoping fervently that the path she had chosen would lead her to truth and light.

Summoning her resolve and swallowing her fear, she gently pulled on the door handle. Surprisingly, it did not squeal as it opened. The hinges were not as bad as they appeared.

Jada stopped inside, allowing the door to bump her lightly as it closed. It was a small comfort knowing that the exit was so close. The shop floor was dark and dank. The illumination from the street lights showed racks of bicycles covered with dust and cobwebs.

This can’t be the right place, she thought. It looks like it’s been abandoned for a very long time.

Cautiously, she moved down the main aisle, being careful to remain in the middle as far from the bicycles on both sides as possible.

A flicker of light caught her eye. She looked toward it. From behind the sales counter, a faint glimmer showed from under a door behind the counter.

Repeating her mantra again and swallowing her fear, she approached the door. She pushed gently against it, but it refused to budge.

She tapped lightly on the door with a tightly clenched fist.

“Queen’s Knight to Queen’s Bishop 3,” a gruff voice said.

“Um…” Jade squinted and struggled to recall the words spoken to her by the man who had given her the card she clutched in her hand. “Um, P-pawn to K-king’s Bishop 4.”

The door opened onto a hallway. A burly woman gestured her in, indicating haste. Jade entered quickly and the woman closed the door.

“Where…?” Jade started to ask. The woman pointed down the hall, but said nothing.

Jade breathed the Pavaman mantra as she sidled down the hallway. Her heart was pounding. She noticed a light emanating from a closed door on the left. The knob turned and the door opened onto a brightly lit room.

“Welcome!” a voice called to her. “Are you here for the orientation?”

Jade gulped and nodded.

“Wonderful! Please, take a seat. We’ll be starting shortly.”

She found an empty and isolated seat in the back row and sat down.

The person who had spoken was a pleasant-looking young man, but not from India. English, most likely. He waited patiently for another minute or two before approaching the microphone.

“Welcome!” he said. “My name is Oliver. You have been invited to this orientation because we believe you share our views of the yoke that is English rule. If that is not why you are here, you are free to leave without prejudice and may exit through the door to my left.”

Oliver gestured to the door and waited patiently for a few moments. No one left.

“Wonderful!” he said. “I truly hope everyone has remained by choice and not by fear. Our cause will not be served by those who follow because they are afraid.”

One person stood, and hesitantly walked toward the door.

“Thank you!” Oliver said. “I appreciate and value your honesty. This is not for everyone, and there is no shame in bowing out.”

Two more people stood and walked toward the door. Oliver waited patiently, a pleasant smile on his face, until several minutes had passed and all dissenters had left.

Oliver cleared his throat. “I represent an organization whose goal it is to overthrow England’s rule over our world. Where the American Revolution and the Indian Revolution have failed, we hope to succeed. You are here because you desire to be part of this new revolution!”

Hesitant applause from the crowd.

“Our goal is to find a peaceful way to an end of the tyranny of the British Empire and its stranglehold on this world, “ Olver continued. It’s okay that you are uncertain.”But I assure you we are making progress! Our guest speakers, all who have started as pawns like you, will share their stories. Then, it will be up to you to decide if you wish to be a part of our revolution.”

Hours passed as speaker after speaker spoke of their experience. In the end, Jade was convinced she was on the right path.

“For those who wish to be a part of our revolution,” Oliver said, “you will start as ‘pawns.’ A pawn is used to send messages to key imperials. Exceptional pawns may advance to the position of Knight, Bishop, Rook, or even Queen in our organization.”

Oliver paused a moment before continuing. “Again, however, this may not be what you thought it was. You are free to leave without prejudice.” 

He again gestured toward the door on his left. One more person left. Oliver maintained a pleasant smile and nodded politely to the person.

“Excellent!” Oliver said after the person had left. “Please, follow me.”

Oliver exited through a door to his right, After a short walk down a hallway, he entered a large room filled with bicycles. Clean and pristine bicycles.

“Each of you will be given a bicycle and a contact. The contact will provide instructions for messages to be delivered. Officially, you are employees of the Checking Piece Courier Service.Your job is simply to deliver messages. Most of the messages are requests by clients who wish to send an official notice. That is the primary purpose of our business. Our secondary purpose is to warn officials; to let them know they need to change their stance or suffer the consequences. Any questions?”

No one had any questions.

“Excellent! As soon as we have confirmed our new recruits, we will post your assignments. Please be patient.”

Oliver proceeded to call roll in order to finalize the list of recruits. Half an hour later, assignments were posted on the bulletin board.

Jade eagerly looked up her name on the roster. A key code directed her to the bicycle assigned to her. She located the bike and entered the key code to unlock it. A message on the attached mobile communication device directed her where to meet her contact.

Breathing her Pavaman mantra, she mounted the bike and headed for the exit.