Switcheroo
Issue Six

By Melanie E.

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Chapter 13
Dirty Business

When most people think of superhero cars they tend to focus on the iconic ones from comic books and television. The Batmobile, Black Beauty, the Fantasticar, hell, even the Freakmobile. A white Honda Civic usually doesn't make it onto the list.

And yet, that is what I found myself sitting in, along with Martial, Totem, and Bard, arguably the three best negotiators and talkers on our team. I was along mostly due to my connection with Weaver, but also as backup for Martial should things devolve into a fight at some point. Totem could direct her spirit companions to do some pretty nasty things, but it usually took a little preparation, and Bard's super-speed and TK blasts would do more harm than good in an enclosed space like an office building, though his TK barrier might serve us well in an emergency. Between Martial's superman-type abilities, minus the flight, and my own shapeshifting badassery we would have to take care of most of the opponents.

That is, of course, provided they didn't collapse from laughing first.

Dia had argued the point, and Martial had overridden my arguments when it came to returning my costume to an appearance closer to its original look. While changing its appearance had worked to distract from my lack of assets and different body shape before, now that my body had begun the process of filling out to a more classic Switcheroo shape the two of them had tag-teamed me into returning to the older design.

"Stop picking at it, you look fine."

"So says the lady who isn't wearing a spot of pink on her," I said with a glare for Totem's predominately white costume.

Martial sighed. "We can continue the costume argument when we get back to the base. For now, just deal with it."

"Says the man in the navy fatigues and a half-mask."

"Enough. We're here."

The Rhodes Legacy Building was one of the staples of Cedar Falls' riverside skyline. With its asymmetrical and chunky plate glass design, it looked more like some kind of strange statue than an office building. Nevertheless, it was bustling with activity as we exited our car and joined the police officers who were already waiting for us.

"Officer Crowley, good to see you again."

"You too... Martial. I take it you've explained the situation to those you're bringing in?"

"Yessir. They are aware that we are here to ask questions only."

Officer Crowley frowned, an expression that sat all too comfortably on his aged face. "Alright then. I'll admit, I'm not too happy with this plan myself. Back in the day we used to get things done, now with all this bureaucratic malarkey it takes six weeks of paperwork just to get permission to take a piss."

Martial bared his teeth in what could only be described as a snarl. "Let's hope that something happens to change the situation, then."

Crowley chuckled. "If it does, just make sure my men get out of there alive."

"You know me, Mike. I'll do my best."

"Alright then. Let's get a move on."

As a group we moved in on the building, Martial and Officer Crowley at front, Totem, Bard, and I next, with two more officers taking position behind us. The Rhodes employees gave us no problems, if more than a few strange looks, as we made our way through the ground floor and up the elevator to the seventeenth floor.

Whereas the ground floor had been largely modern minimalist in design, all chrome and glass with the occasional black or white accent, stepping off the elevator onto the seventeenth floor was like stepping into some kind of military base. Plain cinder block walls under a coat of white paint were lit by dim fluorescent lights overhead, our footsteps echoing off the walls as we followed the featureless hallway down to the empty metal desk at the end.

Even in human form I felt my hackles rise at the situation. Whatever was going on here, they obviously weren't too concerned about the front they put on for the public. Martial and Bard both looked just as nervous as I felt, and Totem had her eyes closed as she walked, small spirits zipping in and out of her barely visible even to my enhanced vision.

"Did they make a runner when they found out we were on our way?"

"I don't know. Either way, I don't like it."

As we approached the desk, a small disk above it lowered slightly, and I heard a familiar whirring as the image of a woman materialized before us.

"Greetings, I am DiVA, how may I help you today?"

Martial's eyes narrowed as he watched the computer generated woman closely. Her movements were stiffer than Dia's, and her image grainier, with less emotion, but it was obviously the same technology that was being used at our own base, and he didn't seem to like it. "Is this McCree Business Operations?" He asked.

"Yes sir, we are McCree Business Operations, premier enterprise in business applications of state of the art digital, virtual, and electronic systems. How may I help you today?"

"DiVA?" I said aloud, and the image spun in place to face me.

"I am DiVA, a Digital Virtual Assistant designed by McCree Business Operations to aid in the interaction between people and today's advanced computer technologies. How may I help you today?"

"How long have you been in service here?" Bard asked, walking around the desk and studying the projector mount as best he could.

"I am a prototype. I have been installed in this location for approximately seventy-six hours, eight minutes."

"We're not here to question the... computer, Bard," Martial said, gesturing to Bard to join us again before turning his attention back to the hologram. "Can you escort us to whoever is the supervisor at this location?"

"I am sorry sir, my operational parameters do not extend beyond approximately two feet away from this desk." She paused for a moment, her image frozen, before resuming movement with a jerk. "I have just been informed that the resident supervisor is expecting you. Please follow this map to locate his office." her image disappeared completely to be replaced by a map of the floor, with a glowing line indicating where we needed to go.

Without another word for the computer Martial led us down the hallways toward the destination marked on the map. I was sure I wasn't the only one curious about DiVA's presence, but none of us seemed ready to bring it up while still inside the building, though I could see Martial's expression darkening with each step we took toward the office. Whatever was going on here, it had Weaver written all over it.

There was another thing bothering me as we walked the halls. I couldn't quite place what it was, until one of the policemen behind me said quietly, "where's all the doors?" Sure enough, the place was full of corridors, but beyond the elevators at the beginning, I had yet to see a single door in the entire structure. Whatever was going on here was shady as hell, and I was beginning to fear that if things went south Martial and I would be hard pressed to get everyone out of this death trap alive.

We finally reached the first doors we had seen, right where we had been told the office would be. Bare metal security double doors, the only indication of their contents was a small plaque attached to the left-hand door that read "Supervisor's Office." Martial eyed the doors wearily before finally reaching forward and pushing them open with one fluid movement.

Inside we were faced with yet another surprise. Light streamed in through the large plate glass windows on two sides of the square room, illuminating the polished wood floors, and the long, cherry wood desk occupying the right side of the room, but suspiciously devoid of any papers, computers, or other sign of use except for the man behind it.

He was tall, and looked something like Patrick Stewart if he had been built like a wrestler. As he circled around the desk, he extended one well-manicured hand from the sleeve of his expensive suit toward Martial.

"Greetings," he said, in a subtle English accent, "I'm Anubis McCree."

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NOTES:

Dun dun DUUUUUNNNN!!!

Yeah, it's been a while. I'm not writing very fast at the moment, sorry for that! Hopefully I'll be able to make up for it soon. In the mean time, comment and let me know what ya'll think!