Working against the clock, I quickly remove the vent covering the ventilation duct and hoist myself up into it. With the Hades Tower built entirely underground, it needs a huge network system for ventilation. It's compact, but navigable with my smaller, effeminate, body frame.
"Rhonda was right, the clock is ticking." I remind myself crawling through the maze of metal ventilation ducts. "If I can't shut that green gamma light machine down, trying to escape is gonna be impossible. And, I'm guessing by 7am. this place is gonna be crawling with people." I assess my overall situation.
A huge fan blocks my path leaving only one direction of travel. Crawling on my hands and knees, I navigate the maze of ventilation shafts; careful not to make any unnecessary noise drawing attention to myself. Up ahead I see a faint light; it seems like a dead end until I notice an exit vent. Easing myself closer I peer down into the room; the coast is clear. Using a throwing knife, I pry the vent cover loose and drop into the room.
"Rhonda must've known this path led straight to her office or was is just dumb luck?" I question myself scanning the room.
Rhonda's computer seems like the obvious starting point. I make my way behind her desk and sit in her office chair. She has a computer set up much like James Coldburn did at the Masquerade in Atlanta. I'm guessing it's activated by fingerprints as I wave my hands over the scanner. Access denied flashes across the screen.
"Figures. I'd have been a fool to guess Rhonda was a clone of me, too." I chuckle in my head.
For some reason I get a crazy idea. I look around on Rhonda's desk and spy a picture of Rhonda and her daughter carefully picking it up to examine it.
"Perfect. Rhonda's fingerprints are on it." I sigh in relief shifting my fingerprints to reflect her fingerprint patterns. "Nifty, little ability; makes spy work a piece of cake." I smile waving my hand across the computer screen granting me access. "Sure is puzzling Rhonda has a child if she's a lesbian?" I let my perceptive thoughts veer off course momentarily before returning to my task at hand.
Searching for the unanswered emails, I find the latest one from Walter Stonehenge and open it. A holographic image of Walter projects up into view and begins playing an audio message; this is interesting.
"Rhonda, I have urgent business in Atlanta with the merger and company take over. I'm flying into Atlanta Heartsfield International airport in a couple of days. Continue the cloning process of Kira Brandenburg. James Coldburn will oversee all operations and handle any issues that arise in my absence. Once cloning is complete, I need you to send the initial clone to Atlanta to the below address." The holographic, visual e-mail says before the screen reverts to the main menu.
"Hmmmm. ... Not only have I got to shut down the green gamma light machine and escape, I need to stop that merger from taking place." I deliberate in disgust copying the address into my internal computer database shutting the computer down.
Making my way to the office door, I place my hand on the door sensing for heat sources on the other side. Nothing. Slowly and quietly opening the door, I peek up and down the hallway double checking my assessment.With the office doors in the Hades Tower on fingerprint identification security clearance, I zig zag down the maze of hallways searching for an elevator cautiously peeking around each corner. Getting caught isn't an option.
Upon discovering Walter Stonehenge's office, I'm tempted to go into his office. But, there are some very bad memories still fresh in my head locked behind his door. Having his fingerprints would be advantageous navigating the maze of hallways, but I really don't wanna waste precious time bypassing the security measures in his office; one misstep could be costly. I elect to continue on, peeking down each hallway cautiously; searching for the elevator.
"Fuck, a surveillance camera." I remind myself touching my left temple to access my internal computer. "Activate shadow mode." I command.
"Activating shadow mode, Kira." My internal computer replies as my body literally becomes a two dimensional shadow hugging the wall.
Undetected, I slip past the one lone surveillance camera, and make my way to an adjacent hallway shifting back to human form. At the far end of the hallway, I spy an elevator making my way to it relieved. I quickly discover Rhonda's fingerprints aren't gonna grant me access to the elevator.
"Options. I need fucking options." I debate to myself. "I probably should've acquired Walter Stonehenge's fingerprints when I had the chance. Oh, well, time to improvise." I whisper out loud using one of my throwing knives to pry open the elevator doors.
Sliding a nearby chair over to hold the elevator doors open, I take a step back, assessing my situation; looking at the numerous cables in the elevator shaft. I can't even see the bottom of the shaft, let alone the top of the elevator. Looks like I'm gonna have to slide down the elevator cables.
"Great. This is gonna be interesting." I ponder in my thoughts trying to muster the courage to slide down the cables.
"Put you hands on your head where I can see them." A familiar voice demands sternly from behind me as I feel the business end of a barrel press against the back of my head.
"Fuck!" I shout silently in disbelief of getting caught revealing my disgust in a facial expression. "Still playing the role of Walter's lapdog, huh, James?" I question stalling for time, raising my hands slowly; resting them lightly on my head.
"I don't know whether to shoot you in the head or bend you over and fuck you in the ass like a sniveling, little bitch again." James debates keeping the business end of the barrel pointed at the back of my head. "You kinda look like you need a good ass fucking in those tight, black, leather pants you're wearing.
