by Indiana Jones
"Whatcha reading?" I asked in the sexy voice that was now at my command.
Kathleen was startled for a moment. "Oh God you scared me!" She regained her composure and said, "It's called 'The Bell Witch'. It's a true story of a supposed witch. I thought it was appropriate considering the circumstances. I don't think I'll ever get used to your new voice."
"Well I just wanted to check and see if you were ok," I said and turned back to the living room, if you could call it that.
"Wait, where are you going?" she asked sheepishly.
"To the futon. You don't really want me to sleep in here tonight do you?"
She bit her lip searching for the answer. "Well, you know I can't sleep without you. I can just think about it like a slumber party."
I smiled. Maybe she's getting used to the idea, or maybe she was losing it. I couldn't tell at this point, but I chalked it up as progress. "I'm going to meditate for a while. I'll be back."
"Don't take too long I'm kind of tired," she said, smiling.
"I won't. I may have a surprise afterward," I said then crossed the room to the dresser drawers. I pulled out a small pendant necklace, this one of a small cross. I thought about putting it back but then thought, hey, it couldn't hurt.
Kathleen eyed me suspiciously. It was a very feminine necklace and she was a bit leery of what I was doing, but she soon went back to her book. I took the necklace and sat in a lotus position on the floor. I began to quietly chant "Change...Growth...Power," repeatedly.
Kathleen was sitting upright in bed mulling over something she had just read when I walked through the door again. It took her a moment to register what was going on. Her jaw and her book dropped at the same moment. There before her stood a naked man wearing a petite girls necklace.
If her jaw could have dropped any lower, it would have fallen on her tongue as she saw the specimen of absolute male perfection standing in the doorway.
"Indy?" she asked of the raven-haired hunk.
"Yeah, its me. Or the me I am now. I mean the me as my power."
She cut me off with a look and a smile. It was an inviting smile. She mesmerized me with it and I followed it to her.
I don't know how long we made love, but I do know it was the sweetest moment of my life to that point. We became one again as we were meant to be. The most beautiful of unions. But the moment was not to last. I am not sure the point I felt something change. Nevertheless, it did and I realized I was not the first one to notice.
There we were, now two naked women, sweaty women, holding each other in a lovers embrace. To my surprise, Kathleen was the first to blink. She broke out into laughter. It was unexpected but I soon joined her. Eventually she got up and I followed her. I almost tripped a few times as my muscles were unused to the punishment I just put them through and somehow the fatigue translated into my new form.
Kathleen walked to the closet and went in still laughing. I followed her up to that point and stopped at the threshold, starting to get worried. This was now getting weird. She came back out holding a set of sheets and a comforter. She pushed them into my arms and I stopped laughing. Kathleen followed soon after.
"What happened to can't sleep without me?" I asked sheepishly.
"I'll manage," she said with no obvious emotion. I knew I was in real trouble.
I went to the futon with no hesitation. Looking at the clock, I found that we had been in there for at least an hour. I would have to retreat for now if I wanted any hope of salvaging our relationship. The door slammed behind me, but a positive sign was that she was no longer crying.
Day Three
I awoke to sirens screaming through the streets breaking the morning silence. My first instinct was to follow the sirens, but my second thought was: "Shit! I forgot my classes!"
I rushed to put on the baggiest clothes I could find, but I still looked gorgeous through it all. Maybe no one would notice. It was a large class, but what would happen in my less populated classes? I put my hair up as best I could into a baseball cap and made ready to run out the door as fast as I could. Then I realized I could fly. I changed into my armor and flew through the ceiling. I heard Kathleen yell after me, "You couldn't make the bed?" as I sped up and out.
It didn't take me long to get to class, but I was still a few minutes late. Fortunately, no one noticed another 'grunge' girl making her way into class late. It was boring as usual. History of Western Civilization wasn't one of my main interests, but it was a requirement. So I made the best of it.
After class I tried to make it out of the auditorium as fast as I could but I couldn't help but eavesdrop on some students who were talking about the Raucous Chicken.
"Man, did you hear what happened the other night?"
"Man, is that spooky or what?"
"...should have gone, I was wearing my Darth Vader costume."
"I was Donald Trump."
"...Mantra and Wonder Woman, wow!"
"...envy them. Wish I had Wonder Woman's power, just not the other part."
So far everything was positive and I liked what I was hearing. I was tempted to garner some of the fame and good publicity when:
"Aren't you worried?"
"It is kind of scary...I mean how can we control such power...how can they?"
"The police should round 'em all up or something."
"...government should do something."
"We should do something."
"Right--start fliers."
"...support...pity...hospital."
I thought at least it wasn't all negative and I slipped into a blind alley next to the Student Union. I slipped quickly into my Mantra persona and flew off for my business meeting.
I was going at a good clip when I sensed something at the corners of my mind. A bolt of energy flew right by me barely missing me but leaving me tingling all over. It didn't miss the man standing on the roof of a three-story building just above me. I formed a shield about me and dove for the man who was tumbling to his death.
Two more shots reached out and made contact with my shield. I nearly blacked out, but I had to save that man. I reached out with what was left of my power and forced the wind to gently hold him aloft, then set him upon the ground. I wasn't as lucky. I hit the ground like a meteor. At least that's how it felt. To my pleasant surprise, I found that the armor I was wearing was not just for show. Somehow it cushioned the blow and left me alive. Alive but not unhurt.
I was slowly pulling myself from the ground in the alley where I landed. I knew I was going to be bruised over a huge portion of my body but I was fine. Until the menacing figure stepped from the shadows holding a nasty looking piece of weaponry on me. He was completely cloaked in black, with various pouches, sheathes and holsters placed strategically on the fatigues.
"Hold it right there!" the figure said in a rough voice. "Chameleon Six to Mobile. Have target in block eight. Requesting immediate backup and containment."
I could barely hear the voice coming through his headset. But I thought I heard, "Roger that C6, hold your position C1 and C5 will rendezvous at your position, ETA 2 minutes."
I tried to stand up and got an immediate response from the thug who put two slugs into the ground at my feet.
"Hey!" I shouted in as tough a voice as I could now muster. "Those slugs could have ricocheted into me!"
"If you're lucky, you will get to die! Now shut up and don't move!"
I got an idea and stretched out before the man. Partly to work out some of the pain and partly to get his attentions. I knew how a body like this could affect a man. Heck I knew what it did to my male mind just looking in the mirror.
"Oh look at little old me. I'm not gonna hurt you!" I said in the most sultry voice I could manage. "I really need to stand up and stretch!"
I think it worked cause I saw him lick his lips before he said, "All right, get up!"
He kept his gun on me at all times. He was surprised as I approached him with a sultry look (or my approximation of one) on my face, but he made no move to stop me. I immediately disarmed him with a move I had learned in Kenpo. He was so shocked he made no move as I twisted his arm making him drop his gun and forced it into a position that snapped his wrist. He screamed in agony, though it wasn't broken it still had to hurt. He wasn't going to be firing a gun with that hand any time soon. To finish him off I brought my knee sharply into his crotch. That's when the tide turned. Of all the films these guys probably watch, who knew these Neanderthals would actually pay attention enough to issue cups to their soldiers.
Surprise was no longer on my side and he backhanded me, knocking me to the ground and drawing blood from my lip. I reached out with my leg and caught him in the calf knocking him to the ground. He, however, was better trained than I could ever hope to be, especially in this unfamiliar body, and he recovered quickly. So quick, I didn't even have a chance to get up. Before I knew it, he was on top of me.
Nothing brought the reality of what had happened to me home more than the horror of what I assumed was going to happen next. I struggled as hard as I could but my strength was practically gone from the stun blast and I couldn't gather my wits enough to cast a spell. I just swore that if he showed anything I was going to bite it off.
I screamed as loud as could but I didn't think anyone was listening. I began to try to build power for a spell but it was so hard to concentrate. I thought I was fodder for the one eyed beast when a burst of light zapped the man.
He screamed in agony and rolled off me. He was a horrid mixture of spasms and babbling. There was another figure in black standing before me. He was also wearing a ski mask like his comrade on the ground next to me. I'm surprised he stunned his friend. I always thought these macho idiots stuck together. Not that I was complaining, mind you.
I was about to thank the stranger when I heard a female voice say, "Hands up! Stay where you are!"
I shouldn't have been surprised. I guess I was still the enemy. I had no more tricks up my sleeve and I had only enough energy to cast one last spell. I guess I should have saved the energy, but I was not in control of my emotions at that point and the need for vengeance overwhelmed me. I stayed on the ground but I released everything I had towards my attacker. He was incoherent and if he felt any pain, he was incapable of showing it. I like to think the magic did what it wanted, shaped itself, but I think I had something to do with it.
His whole body began to writhe and I saw a hint of red poke out from beneath the mask. Soon the once massive frame of the man was replaced with the smaller frame and curves of a woman.
I slumped back to the ground and unconsciously reverted to my normal clothes. I had nothing left. I was just waiting for the hammer to fall.
"Chameleon 5 to Mobile. C6 is incapacitated and target is rabbit. Repeat target is rabbit." I wasn't sure what I just heard but it sounded like she said I had gotten away. I waited breathless for a moment.
"Roger that C5. C1 and C Commander are on your location ETA 1 minute."
"Rabbit is north from my position." She said removing her mask. She winked at me and the voice from her headset said, "Roger. C1 and C Commander will intercept at Sector 7 grid nineteen. C5 Converge from behind. All Chameleons converge on target.
"Now we can talk," the woman said with a sigh of relief.
"Who are you?" I asked, even though I had already recognized her as the woman
who kissed me at Area 51.
"WHAT," she stated.
"Huh?"
"WHAT," she said again.
"Who?" I asked
"We're WHAT."
"I don't know, I'm asking you!"
She laughed and said, "I don't have time for the Abbott and Costello routine so I'll make it simple. We are the Weird Happenings Action Team."
"Oh...WHAT!" I said with a wry grin.
"Exactly. I'm Special Agent Amy Winters with the FBI."
"I thought you said you were with WHAT."
"Look, I don't have time for the comedy again, so knock it off. The GAO assigned me to infiltrate General Gaines WHAT operation and report any funny business."
"So why are telling me?" I asked with skepticism.
"Our intel indicates that you are allied with Bill Edwards, AKA Wonder Woman. You both seem to be trustworthy. I also know that you are genuinely concerned with the fate of those affected by the events of the night before. I have been in contact with my superiors and most of them want guarantees that you and the others are not a threat. They also see you as citizens of the United States whose rights are to be respected."
"So what? Are they going to help us?"
"If they can. There are an equal number of people who would just as soon put you all under the microscope or in a zoo, if they can sway the others into thinking you are a threat." She looked over in surprise at the woman who was still drooling on the ground.
Concerned, I asked, "Will he be OK?"
"He'll be fine. From what I saw, he got what he deserved for losing his professionalism. Gaines will probably give him the worst physical of his life."
I was relieved to hear that. But I wanted to know more. She must have been reading my mind.
"No time now. The others have probably reached the rendezvous point by now and are wondering what happened to me. They'll backtrack any minute. Do you have a way for me to get in touch?"
I almost gave her my home phone then I thought better of it. Instead, I gave her the number to the office building me and Bill would be renting if my plan worked.
She pulled her mask back on and winked at me again. I couldn't help but feel a little self conscious at the way she looked at me before she lit off to the north. For some reason I felt like a piece of meat hanging from a hook.
Slowly I pulled myself up, not without a lot of pain, and made my way south. It was slow going, but I knew I had to put as much distance as I could between those WHAT guys and myself. Besides, the Governor's son was staying in a hotel in this direction and he was my plan.
The Governor's son wouldn't see me. No big surprise there, and I couldn't tell them exactly why I needed to see him either. Extortion tended to be looked down upon, though this technically wasn't Blackmail. If they eve wanted to get rid of me though, I think that would probably be a start.
I 'forced' my way into his penthouse suite on the top floor and what I saw almost made me ill. Have you ever seen a grown man cry? It's not pretty.
He looked up at me as I floated to the floor before him. "Who are you?" he asked.
"I'm a friend. I think I can help you with your problem," I told him with a
gleam in my eye.
He stopped crying and asked, "What do you mean?"
"I mean I can probably give you your life back."
"How?" he asked.
I just smiled and pulled a fifty-cent piece on a chain from my costume.
"What is that?"
"This is the proverbial genie in a bottle. It can give you your life back."
"That's very generous of you to offer, but..."
"Boy, you really do think you are liberal. Nothing is free."
It almost seemed as if he was going through some sort of metamorphosis. "What do you want?" He asked in a completely different tone of voice.
"Three million dollars. One million now and two million to be put into accounts I will determine later."
His jaw practically hit the ground and it was a race to see what would stretch farther his jaw or his eyes popping out of his head. "What?!?" was all he could manage.
"What kind of liberal are you?" I asked. "What is it worth to get your life back? Your political career?"
"First of all, liberals have to worry about money just like everyone else. We're in it for the same reasons that the conservatives are, we just have a better PR position!" His face went pale. "Did I just say that?" He took a moment to regain his composure. "Second, I don't have that kind of money."
I rolled my eyes. How stupid did he think I was? I looked around the room to emphasize my point. I made sure he got the hint before I continued. "Come on. I read the papers. I know what your family does outside of politics. Heck, your father probably carries more than a couple million as pocket change. It probably costs a few thousand a day just to rent this place."
Luckily, his liberal side took over at that moment. "Actually I paid a million in advance to have this place always unoccupied so I can have it whenever I want."
I smirked and crossed my arms. It was awkward but I didn't let it show. He walked over to the room closet and opened the door. To my surprise, the whole closet turned out to be a safe. He twirled the tumbler then pulled down on the lever. With a clunk and a groan, the door opened to reveal a wide vault loaded with a variety of shelves and drawers. He walked over to a briefcase opened it and showed it to me.
"Would you like to count it?" he said with a scowl.
"No, I trust you," I said. My smirk growing in leaps and bounds. I just couldn't help myself.
He handed me the case and I handed him the medallion. "How do I work this?" he asked.
"Just put it on. It should negate any confusing thoughts." I told him. I almost told him I added a little something different from Kathleen's pendant. I made the spell so that he would have to concentrate on it a little to keep his thoughts together. That was to make sure I had an ace in the hole.
He slipped it over his neck and tried it. "I think that we should give more
money to schools and tax the rich more!"
I was surprised. For a moment I was scared that it wasn't working. Then he laughed and shouted, "It worked!"
"But you sounded like a liberal."
"I know! I was lying and telling you what you wanted to hear!" he danced a little jig.
I made for the window as if I was going to leave and he cleared his throat to get my attention. "Where do you think you're going?"
"I'm leaving."
"What makes you think you can just leave? In fact I could have someone come in here to take care of you, if you know what I mean."
I didn't like the implied threat and my blood was boiling. But I kept my calm and walked back over to him as relaxed as I could be. "I'm leaving. I will contact you with the accounts I want you to drop the rest of the money into. Don't try to find me, I will find you." I knew what he was thinking and I wanted him to call for help.
He removed his cell phone from its holster on his belt and pushed a button. I didn't flinch and I could almost see the fear in his eyes. He thought I should be running.
A huge man burst into the room. "What's the emergency?" he asked, then caught a glimpse of me. The Governor's son nodded to the man whose leg was bigger than my entire body.
He smiled, cracked his knuckles and sauntered over to me confidently. I smiled sweetly and feigned a punch to his head. He blocked it easily and smiled confidently. That's when I drove my foot sideways into his knee, which made a stomach churning snap. He dropped like a sack of wet cement.
"That was to let you know I can take care of myself physically."
The man was screaming on the floor and the Governor's son looked as if he was going to taste his lunch again. I pointed to the guard and a wind lifted him from the ground and at my command extricated him from the room via the closed door. I think they got my point. I hope they did because I had little left.
"Wait for my call. If it makes any difference, I can remove the magic from that medallion faster than you can spend your kickbacks. Later!"
I flew out the window and made my way quickly to the street. I changed into my street clothes and let out an exhausted sigh. Then I almost panicked when I realized the case with the money had disappeared. I changed back to my armor and was relieved to find the money re-appear with it. A handy thing to know I thought and changed back. I began to walk home. As tired as I was, I just couldn't help but began to whistle a happy tune.
I passed a convenience store and stopped in for a Slurpee and to make a few phone calls. I called Kathleen first to let her know I would be home soon. She seemed concerned but was anxious when I told her I had a surprise. She hated surprises but I told it would be worth waiting for.
"I've got the money for the building and an even more pleasant surprise. We need to meet," I told Bill over the phone.
"That's great! You didn't rob a bank or anything?" Bill asked.
"No, nothing like that. It's on the up and up. I also have some good news. We have friends in high places."
"What kind of friends?"
"I think we should discuss that face to face, and that's part of the bad news."
"There's always bad news," Bill said laughing.
"The guys I've had to deal with today aren't dumb. They're well trained and financed and now they have a vendetta. They have to be the same guys I told you about from Area 51." I hope that I didn't blow Amy's cover if those people were somehow listening to this.
"Meet me where we met yesterday and we'll figure out where to go from there. These guys shouldn't be able to take all of us."
"Yeah, if it was you they were after. I get the feeling this is personal. Okay I'll meet you there in a half hour." I said and hung up. I had a long way to go and no magic for the time being so I had to flag down a taxi. I had to make a pit stop in an alley first to get a few bills out of the briefcase. Unfortunately, it only contained hundreds.
(Note: Again I didn't actually witness this. But I imagined what had to have happened went something like this.)
"Mullins, what happened?" Gaines asked of the blonde who was actually Amy.
When I arrived in the alley, Bentley was attempting to sexually force himself on the target."
The General broke his unlit cigar in half as he turned to the flame haired woman standing next to Amy. She looked impressive at attention with her impressive chest out and her flat stomach sucked in. She cringed slightly under the withering gaze of the General, but to her credit, she stood at attention.
"I made the decision to stun the target and Bentley in order to contain the situation. However before I could fire the target did this to Bentley," she said and swept in his direction with her hand. "She then somehow managed to shield herself with Bentley as she hurled him towards me. He was stunned and landed on me. By the time I managed to extricate myself from the knot we formed, the Target had escaped."
Gaines was crumbling the remnants of his cigar in his hands. "Why did you report the target as headed north?"
Amy was as cool as a Popsicle and she never missed a beat. "I was disoriented. I could have sworn she went north." She could hardly keep herself from smiling. He looked as if he were about to blow a blood vessel.
"Amateurs. I ask for soldiers and I get Amateurs. That does it. You have one more chance. You blow it and you are going to pick up the sorriest duties I can think of. You think its bad at Groom Lake, it's a picnic compared to Thule, Greenland. Then I'm gonna call in the W.H.E.R.E (Weird Happenings Emergency Response and Elimination) Team." He said then threw what was left of his cigar on the ground. He turned to Bentley and shouted in her face, "And you owe me a cigar!"