we're getting out of here, suit- I don't want any part of either set of loonies.
Ok. Now to figure out how to do it without attracting attention.
Shouldn't there be some sort of disguise mode?
Hmmmm... can't find any. I think they want people to know what they look like- well,
what their suits look like- so why bother? Plus, most trainees are stuck in
their headquarters during initialization for observation and stuff.
Any way I can speed things up?
We can try. Sit still and let's try to exercise our co-ordination with your senses.
Richelle held still while her mind's new abilities were tested to the utmost.
She had binoculer vision, capable of seeing a pin at miles, then she had a
nose that would've put a bloodhound to shame (she almost choked on a wierd
reek that Jim told her was cocaine traces). Her sense of touch got keen enough
to count her every hair without looking.
Ok, we've got your parameters established. Now you need to be able to do
all that stuff with your own subconscious will. I'm going to have to help you
feel out the connections for that.
True to his word, over the next few minutes Richelle's mind accessed parts of
it that she'd never consciously known were there. A mental pressure feedback
loop led her surely into the proper channels, and she duplicated the feats that
Jim had done before.
Now what?
Now we get off at this station and start exercising your physical ability to run
Any particular place?
Yes. There are dozens of furry clubs listed around here. We should reach the nearest
one in just a few minutes.
True to Jim's advice, Richelle got off with no more than odd looks from the other
passengers, then took off running. At first, she deliberately kept it slow,
no more than an ordinary human could do. Then she increased her pace to top
speed.
How fast are we going? she asked, fighting to not let her panting interrupt
her mental concentration.
If you were a car, you'd be in danger of getting pulled over for speeding. Now
slow down, we've got a turn coming up... left... right down that alley... right
up this street and left through that courtyard.... leap over that wall...
an 8 foot high wall vanished under Richelle's black clawed feet... and across
the yard and into the club. Here we go- you want the employees only entrance.
Tell them that Loraine gave you her suit to take her waitress shift
Richelle leaned up against the wall beside the entrance, panting. Where's
Loraine?
She called in sick this morning. Better tell them your name is... lessee...
Samantha.
"How do you know all this stuff?" Richelle asked softly.
Phone taps by both teams are at my disposal. I've been running their computer
systems through a sieve- did I tell you I used to specialize in computer security?
Well, I did. They're using a system I helped design, so you're about to get
administrator access to everything- and that's a LOT
Richelle laughed weakly. "Easy to stay ahead of the opposition when you can read
their every plan. I think we're going to make this!"
A feeling of amused confidence came from her suit. Well come on, Samantha,
you've got a job to do.
Richelle, now "Samantha", opened the door and walked inside. A short hallway
had the door to the kitchen on the right, and doors to offices and a breakroom
on the left. Opening the office door, she looked in to see a harried looking
woman searching through a rolodex. "Uhhh.. hello?"
The woman's head jerked up. "Hi- Loraine? I thought you were sick!"
Richelle entered the office. "She is, sick, ma'am, but she gave me her suit
and said I could work her shift today."
The manager gave a sigh of relief and quit flipping through the rolodex.
"Thank goodness! I couldn't find anyone else on short notice, and the rush
hour is coming up. Have you had any waitress experience?"
Go back - Go to the parent episode.
Sat Jul 8 06:24:04 2000