What have I been doing these past days? Besides filing, you mean?
Well, I have a new project: this. Yes, that is a Tumblr. Why the SMSC wants one is unknown to me and probably above my pay grade. But I am in charge of it.
Why? Because I'm the "tech savvy" junior agent. Because I operate one blog, so why not two? Because I am the lowest on the totem pole.
Just because, I guess.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Doctor Stardust
So the doctor turned out to be a lady. I sat there on her comfy couch for about an hour and told her everything that happened with Dr. Adams. I even mentioned my dream about him.
She wrote that down, but said that it was just my mind sorting out the week's events and that it probably meant nothing. I asked if 'probably' meant that it maybe might be something and she said there was always a possibility that Dr. Adams actually communicated with me, as there have been some cases (poorly cited though they were) of communication through dreams.
She tried to brush it off like it wasn't a big deal and maybe it isn't, but...what if it was real? Does that mean I really should beware the Hungry Men? I don't even think we have any references to "the Hungry Men," whatever they are.
In any case, Doctor Stardust was nice, so I'm not worried about my evaluation. Other things, yes, but not that.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Doctor's Appointment
Okay, apparently I have an appointment with "Doctor Stardust" tomorrow. They are apparently the personal therapist for SMSC agents. All agents are required to go to a session after encountering a Fear. It's apparently "absolutely required" for rookie agents, like myself.
Now, my own question is: is the good doctor Ziggy or Lady?
I guess I'll find out.
Now, my own question is: is the good doctor Ziggy or Lady?
I guess I'll find out.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
A Bad Dream
I had a nightmare last night.
It was after I had already dreamed about going to work nude. After I had belatedly realized I was lacking in the clothing department, I rushed back to my desk to get dressed (I don't know why I had spare clothes in my desk, but hey, dream logic) and saw him: Dr. Adams.
He was standing outside my window. His eyes were still missing, only now there were light bulbs in them. As I looked at him, they blinked on and off.
"I'm transmitting this with on the large 75-volt delta wavelength, so you should see me during your deep sleep," he said.
"Um, okay," I said, quickly putting all my clothes on. I hoped he hadn't seen me nude, then I remembered he had light bulbs for eyes, so probably not. "What are you doing here?"
"I just wanted to thank you," he said. "If it hadn't been for you, I would never have known what it was like."
"What what is like?"
"Death," he said. "And rebirth, of course. The Newborn killed me and brought me back. It dug its nerves and wires into my head and it rebooted me. It remade me. And now I can see everything so much clearer. So thank you."
"Um, you're welcome," I said.
"And since you were the one responsible," he said, "I just wanted to return the favor."
"No, thanks," I quickly said. "I don't really want to be...reborn."
"Not that," he said. "I just wanted to give you some advice. A warning, actually. Beware the Hungry Men. They will pick your bones clean."
He smiled and his teeth were screws and bolts and when he opened his mouth, I saw that his tongue was a live wire, sparking and arcing with electricity. His light bulb eyes blinked again and then I woke up.
It was after I had already dreamed about going to work nude. After I had belatedly realized I was lacking in the clothing department, I rushed back to my desk to get dressed (I don't know why I had spare clothes in my desk, but hey, dream logic) and saw him: Dr. Adams.
He was standing outside my window. His eyes were still missing, only now there were light bulbs in them. As I looked at him, they blinked on and off.
"I'm transmitting this with on the large 75-volt delta wavelength, so you should see me during your deep sleep," he said.
"Um, okay," I said, quickly putting all my clothes on. I hoped he hadn't seen me nude, then I remembered he had light bulbs for eyes, so probably not. "What are you doing here?"
"I just wanted to thank you," he said. "If it hadn't been for you, I would never have known what it was like."
"What what is like?"
"Death," he said. "And rebirth, of course. The Newborn killed me and brought me back. It dug its nerves and wires into my head and it rebooted me. It remade me. And now I can see everything so much clearer. So thank you."
"Um, you're welcome," I said.
"And since you were the one responsible," he said, "I just wanted to return the favor."
"No, thanks," I quickly said. "I don't really want to be...reborn."
"Not that," he said. "I just wanted to give you some advice. A warning, actually. Beware the Hungry Men. They will pick your bones clean."
He smiled and his teeth were screws and bolts and when he opened his mouth, I saw that his tongue was a live wire, sparking and arcing with electricity. His light bulb eyes blinked again and then I woke up.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Assignment: Oblivion! Part Deux
I'm not fired. Actually, Liza Jane said most agents mess up on their first assignment. Well, she said "fuck up" but yeah, I guess it wasn't as terrible as I thought. Still terrible, just not as terrible.
So on with the story: we went to this hospital to look for an Oathbreaker. Me and Aladdin Sane.
He didn't really talk much, but he did give me some advice. "Don't get rattled," he said. "Worse thing you can do is panic and start shooting. Oathbreakers are human anyway, so there's really no need to be worried. We're just here to find him and arrest him."
I was still nervous. "What if..." I paused. "What if they call the Plague Doctor here or something?"
"First of all," he said, "I don't think they can call PD any time they want. Second, if it does show up...get out of there and get out fast. That requires complete evacuation of the hospital. For those situations, we usually call in a bomb threat and then wait for it to go away."
A bomb threat? Holy crap, I thought. What the hell have I gotten myself into.
We met some agents from the local FBI branch when we got to the hospital. They didn't know why exactly we were arresting some doctor, but we had already told them it was due to "national security reasons." (Sometimes Big Brother really is looking out for you.)
Then we split up. I know, I know: stupid move, Scooby Doo. But it was a huge hospital and we all had guns and there was just supposed to be one Oathbreaker. So sue us.
Of course, I ended up being the one to find him. It was just plain luck, actually - I realized halfway through the search that I had to go to the bathroom and when I finished, I noticed that the door to the room next to the bathroom was ajar. I peeked through and saw him.
Per his file, his name was Dr. John Adams and he was forty-six, had graying brown hair and brown eyes. He was also holding a large syringe and preparing to inject what looked like a comatose patient.
"Freeze," I said and burst through the door with my gun out. My heart was beating faster than it had ever done before. "Drop the syringe."
"You don't want me to do that," Dr. Adams said calmly, raising both hands. "You don't know what you're dealing with here actually."
"You're an Oathbreaker."
"Ah," he said, "you're not the usual authorities. Let me guess: the SMSC, correct? I knew I would eventually attract your attention, but now is not really a good time, you know. This patient needs to be moved to a more secure location."
"You're not going anywhere," I said, trying to sound as much like Dirty Harry as I could. It didn't really work.
Dr. Adams raised one eyebrow and continued talking. "You see, this patient has been infected with something and, well, if I don't inject him and then move him, very soon it's going to hatch."
"I said...wait, hatch?"
"Yes," he said, "I believe the common term for this organism is the Manufactured Newborn. We've been experimenting with it, but it's quite dangerous, you see. In..." He looked at his watch. "...about two minutes, it will emerge from this man's body and continue to grow."
I swallowed. "How do I know you're not lying?" I asked. "That syringe could kill him."
"He's already dead, Miss," Dr. Adams said, "the Newborn has eaten all his internal organs. If you want, I can show you an X-ray, but we really don't have time. I suggest you let me take him back to the Crumbling Castle before you have a full-blown incident on your hands."
What the hell was I going to do? I could arrest him and potentially let out a monster that could kill dozens of people or I could let him go, knowing full well that he experimented with and killed a man (probably more than one). So I took a third option.
"I have to call this in," I said and took out my walkie-talkie. I asked for Aladdin Sane and said I had found Dr. Adams and mentioned that there might be a "Mike November" problem as well.
"Are you positive?" Sane asked.
"No," I said. "He could be lying, but...why?"
"Ma'am," Dr. Adams said as he waved one hand. I lowered the walkie-talkie. "I just wanted to point out that two minutes have passed."
"Nothing's happened," I said. "Was it a lie?"
"If you remember," Dr. Adams said, "I said about two minutes."
I looked from him down to the patient. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with him except for the fact he was comatose. And then I noticed it: his stomach. It was rippling.
"Shit," I said and spoke into the walkie, "He wasn't lying."
There was a squawk on the radio and then I heard Sane say, "Get out. Get out now."
And then the patient's stomach exploded.
I don't really remember much after that, but I do remember the thing that emerged looked like it was using his ribcage as a torso. Dr. Adams died pretty much instantly, I think. It...it ripped out his eyes.
I couldn't move at first. I just...I just stood there paralyzed. And then I felt a hand on my shoulder and someone pulling me and then I was able to turn around and run. I later realized it was Sane who did it. He pretty much saved my life.
We ended up evacuating the hospital and waiting for the Newborn to consume enough and grow enough until it could leave. Afterwards, the place looked like a warzone. But the only casualties were the patient (whose name, unfortunately, I still don't know) and Dr. Adams.
I really want to hate him. I mean, he experimented on people. He was responsible for the whole thing. But...but he wanted to move the patient. Perhaps he just wanted to minimize exposure or maybe he really didn't want anyone else hurt. I don't know.
When I got back, I was debriefed for about two days and then had to write my report and deliver it. Then, since I was in charge of filing, I went and filed copies of my report.
I found Lunete in the break room. She took one look at me and gave me a big hug.
It was the best hug I've ever had.
So on with the story: we went to this hospital to look for an Oathbreaker. Me and Aladdin Sane.
He didn't really talk much, but he did give me some advice. "Don't get rattled," he said. "Worse thing you can do is panic and start shooting. Oathbreakers are human anyway, so there's really no need to be worried. We're just here to find him and arrest him."
I was still nervous. "What if..." I paused. "What if they call the Plague Doctor here or something?"
"First of all," he said, "I don't think they can call PD any time they want. Second, if it does show up...get out of there and get out fast. That requires complete evacuation of the hospital. For those situations, we usually call in a bomb threat and then wait for it to go away."
A bomb threat? Holy crap, I thought. What the hell have I gotten myself into.
We met some agents from the local FBI branch when we got to the hospital. They didn't know why exactly we were arresting some doctor, but we had already told them it was due to "national security reasons." (Sometimes Big Brother really is looking out for you.)
Then we split up. I know, I know: stupid move, Scooby Doo. But it was a huge hospital and we all had guns and there was just supposed to be one Oathbreaker. So sue us.
Of course, I ended up being the one to find him. It was just plain luck, actually - I realized halfway through the search that I had to go to the bathroom and when I finished, I noticed that the door to the room next to the bathroom was ajar. I peeked through and saw him.
Per his file, his name was Dr. John Adams and he was forty-six, had graying brown hair and brown eyes. He was also holding a large syringe and preparing to inject what looked like a comatose patient.
"Freeze," I said and burst through the door with my gun out. My heart was beating faster than it had ever done before. "Drop the syringe."
"You don't want me to do that," Dr. Adams said calmly, raising both hands. "You don't know what you're dealing with here actually."
"You're an Oathbreaker."
"Ah," he said, "you're not the usual authorities. Let me guess: the SMSC, correct? I knew I would eventually attract your attention, but now is not really a good time, you know. This patient needs to be moved to a more secure location."
"You're not going anywhere," I said, trying to sound as much like Dirty Harry as I could. It didn't really work.
Dr. Adams raised one eyebrow and continued talking. "You see, this patient has been infected with something and, well, if I don't inject him and then move him, very soon it's going to hatch."
"I said...wait, hatch?"
"Yes," he said, "I believe the common term for this organism is the Manufactured Newborn. We've been experimenting with it, but it's quite dangerous, you see. In..." He looked at his watch. "...about two minutes, it will emerge from this man's body and continue to grow."
I swallowed. "How do I know you're not lying?" I asked. "That syringe could kill him."
"He's already dead, Miss," Dr. Adams said, "the Newborn has eaten all his internal organs. If you want, I can show you an X-ray, but we really don't have time. I suggest you let me take him back to the Crumbling Castle before you have a full-blown incident on your hands."
What the hell was I going to do? I could arrest him and potentially let out a monster that could kill dozens of people or I could let him go, knowing full well that he experimented with and killed a man (probably more than one). So I took a third option.
"I have to call this in," I said and took out my walkie-talkie. I asked for Aladdin Sane and said I had found Dr. Adams and mentioned that there might be a "Mike November" problem as well.
"Are you positive?" Sane asked.
"No," I said. "He could be lying, but...why?"
"Ma'am," Dr. Adams said as he waved one hand. I lowered the walkie-talkie. "I just wanted to point out that two minutes have passed."
"Nothing's happened," I said. "Was it a lie?"
"If you remember," Dr. Adams said, "I said about two minutes."
I looked from him down to the patient. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with him except for the fact he was comatose. And then I noticed it: his stomach. It was rippling.
"Shit," I said and spoke into the walkie, "He wasn't lying."
There was a squawk on the radio and then I heard Sane say, "Get out. Get out now."
And then the patient's stomach exploded.
I don't really remember much after that, but I do remember the thing that emerged looked like it was using his ribcage as a torso. Dr. Adams died pretty much instantly, I think. It...it ripped out his eyes.
I couldn't move at first. I just...I just stood there paralyzed. And then I felt a hand on my shoulder and someone pulling me and then I was able to turn around and run. I later realized it was Sane who did it. He pretty much saved my life.
We ended up evacuating the hospital and waiting for the Newborn to consume enough and grow enough until it could leave. Afterwards, the place looked like a warzone. But the only casualties were the patient (whose name, unfortunately, I still don't know) and Dr. Adams.
I really want to hate him. I mean, he experimented on people. He was responsible for the whole thing. But...but he wanted to move the patient. Perhaps he just wanted to minimize exposure or maybe he really didn't want anyone else hurt. I don't know.
When I got back, I was debriefed for about two days and then had to write my report and deliver it. Then, since I was in charge of filing, I went and filed copies of my report.
I found Lunete in the break room. She took one look at me and gave me a big hug.
It was the best hug I've ever had.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Assignment: Oblivion!
Okay, that sounds more melodramatic than what actually happened. But, um, for my first assignment, it didn't go that well.
The assignment was to go to this hospital in a major metropolitan city (not telling which one), because there were certain reports that suggested that there might be an "OSCAR DOCTOR" working there. That's code for Oathbreaker. Yeah, I don't know why they don't just use Oathbreaker, but apparently that's the code they use.
In any case, an Oathbreaker is a servant of Subject Papa Delta (Plague Doctor), so we can't have them working at a hospital. Generally, we don't even know about them, they fly so under our radar, but this one apparently had given away enough hints for us to actually get involved. Yay.
I have to finished writing my official report right now, so I'm going to cut this post short and tell the rest of the story later.
Hopefully, I won't be fired.
The assignment was to go to this hospital in a major metropolitan city (not telling which one), because there were certain reports that suggested that there might be an "OSCAR DOCTOR" working there. That's code for Oathbreaker. Yeah, I don't know why they don't just use Oathbreaker, but apparently that's the code they use.
In any case, an Oathbreaker is a servant of Subject Papa Delta (Plague Doctor), so we can't have them working at a hospital. Generally, we don't even know about them, they fly so under our radar, but this one apparently had given away enough hints for us to actually get involved. Yay.
I have to finished writing my official report right now, so I'm going to cut this post short and tell the rest of the story later.
Hopefully, I won't be fired.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Updates
It's been, what, two months since I last updated? Wow, where has the time gone.
Well, mostly to filing. And more filing. And even more filing.
And training. Yeah, I've been to the shooting range before, but I after the academy, I sort of stopped going and haven't practiced in a while. Now that I'm in a...stranger department, I figured I needed to bump up on my accuracy and range. So it's gotten to be a tradition that Saturdays are Shooting Days - me and Lunete go to the shooting range and practice shooting paper targets.
Oh, yeah, I didn't mention Lunete yet. Well, ever since she joined as liaison to the Special Ministry, we've kind of gotten to be friends. She occasionally helps me file stuff and I let her talk about what it was like back in London. I guess I'm more of the ear for her to talk to, but hey, everyone needs someone to listen to them.
As for Aladdin Sane...well, he tends to leave me alone most days. Some days he will talk to me gruffly, but he stays in his office and...does stuff. Research, I think. Sometimes, he will go out on a trip, but he won't tell me where he's going. I have a feeling that they give him assignments that other agents don't want.
Of course, all that changed last Friday. That's when I got my first active assignment.
I had everything pretty much sorted by BUE. And then there was a knock and Liza Jane entered. "Grinning Soul," she said, "I know we had you occupied with this stuff-" She gestured around the room at the various files. "-but we need you on an assignment now." She handed me a manila folder. "Flight leaves Monday, make sure you've read everything by then. Agent Sane will meet you at the airport."
Reading everything wasn't the problem. It's making sure my teeth aren't chattering or my skin isn't shivering. It's making sure I am not scared out of my wits.
Because all those reports I've been sorting and filing? I've gotten good looks at them. Really good looks. I've read some things that gave me nightmares and still give my shivers whenever I think of them. I kept myself from being scared by saying that I'm just a glorified file clerk. I got out any excess fear by going to the shooting range. I didn't think that I would actually be going on an active assignment.
And Aladdin Sane's coming with me. I don't know how I going to handle this.
...probably with a lot of booze.
Well, mostly to filing. And more filing. And even more filing.
And training. Yeah, I've been to the shooting range before, but I after the academy, I sort of stopped going and haven't practiced in a while. Now that I'm in a...stranger department, I figured I needed to bump up on my accuracy and range. So it's gotten to be a tradition that Saturdays are Shooting Days - me and Lunete go to the shooting range and practice shooting paper targets.
Oh, yeah, I didn't mention Lunete yet. Well, ever since she joined as liaison to the Special Ministry, we've kind of gotten to be friends. She occasionally helps me file stuff and I let her talk about what it was like back in London. I guess I'm more of the ear for her to talk to, but hey, everyone needs someone to listen to them.
As for Aladdin Sane...well, he tends to leave me alone most days. Some days he will talk to me gruffly, but he stays in his office and...does stuff. Research, I think. Sometimes, he will go out on a trip, but he won't tell me where he's going. I have a feeling that they give him assignments that other agents don't want.
Of course, all that changed last Friday. That's when I got my first active assignment.
I had everything pretty much sorted by BUE. And then there was a knock and Liza Jane entered. "Grinning Soul," she said, "I know we had you occupied with this stuff-" She gestured around the room at the various files. "-but we need you on an assignment now." She handed me a manila folder. "Flight leaves Monday, make sure you've read everything by then. Agent Sane will meet you at the airport."
Reading everything wasn't the problem. It's making sure my teeth aren't chattering or my skin isn't shivering. It's making sure I am not scared out of my wits.
Because all those reports I've been sorting and filing? I've gotten good looks at them. Really good looks. I've read some things that gave me nightmares and still give my shivers whenever I think of them. I kept myself from being scared by saying that I'm just a glorified file clerk. I got out any excess fear by going to the shooting range. I didn't think that I would actually be going on an active assignment.
And Aladdin Sane's coming with me. I don't know how I going to handle this.
...probably with a lot of booze.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)