Adventure in Character

PrehistoricCreatures: Fate of the World

"How did I end up in this mess again?" Jasmine asked the agent sitting next to her on the helicopter. She'd already changed into the persona he wanted, precisely, her spy persona. "I'm a high school student, not an actual spy for the government."

"Yes, well," the agent said, chuckling. "You're a teenager with a very unique ability, one that we feel will be helpful to us on this particular mission." He handed her a badge. "Here is the scientist they contacted that we want you to pretend, so you can find out what's going on down there on the island."

"And I want to be involved in this because?"

"Well, you're the one who took on the persona of a heroine vigilante, didn't you, Ms. Nadia Johnathan, miss I'm not trying to rip off Cleopatra Jones." He nodded his head at the badge. "She's Asian, like your mother."

Jasmine rolled her eyes. "So you think that this will be easy, me impersonating this scientist? I don't know any of the jargon."

To which the man who was her handler, a handler she didn't want, handed her a folder, a small communication device, and a case. "We'll be located on the island in case you need a quick getaway," he said, pulling out a map. "Just to the north of the facility. Don't open the case unless we ask you to do so."

"And what if I don't want to do this?"

"Well, the world's fate is in your hands, Ms. Jackson. That includes your family."

"Do you enjoy blackmailing a kid?" she asked.

"Shall we discuss charging you for taking the law into your own hands, Ms. Jackson?"

"Fine," she said. They landed, and she let out a sigh. She waited patiently for the soldiers with them to capture the scientist, and she headed on into the facility.

She could hear her handler say, "Don't worry. It will be fine. Nobody will suspect a thing."

So, she walked into the facility, slowly heading to the part of the lab they wanted her to, with the door opening with a gush of air. And she gasped, which sounded more like a teenager than an adult scientist and drew the other scientists' attention.

"Ah. Glad you could finally join us, Ms. Yamamoto," the man said. "Ready to get to work on our project again?"

"Our project?" Jasmine asked, looking at the dinosaurs growing in the tanks around her warily.

"Ah, yes. My project, as the head scientist, is based on what you found. But you were on board with all of this, creating super dino soldiers to be released in war zones to do the job of the highest bidder."

"Thrilling," Jasmine said, trying to keep up the persona of a world-class scientist.

"Set the case down," the agent said. "And find a way to leave."

Jasmine let out a sigh. "Look. It's that time of month...."

"Really?" the man said. "Strange. I thought you'd already hit menopause, Ms. Yamamoto."

"It's code for I ate something bad," Jasmine snapped. "And I'm not in the mood for throwing up all over the specimens." She waved her hand. "I mean the equipment as the specimen are contained."

"Alright," he said.

She turned to leave, but not before she heard him say something else.

"Keep an eye on her."

Jasmine sighed. She started walking.

"Ms. Yamamoto, the bathroom isn't this way."

"So, I can't stay at my place or go throw up in the jungle where nobody can see me?" she snapped. "I'm really not feeling good, so don't test me."

And then someone moved, punching the guy square in the face as one of the solider's scooped her up and started running. "Sorry, but your cover is blown."

"What?" Jasmine let out a sigh.

"And you're taking too long. The bomb is set to blow."

"Are you kidding me?" Jasmine nearly screeched. "You didn't think to tell me?"

They burst out into the jungle of the unknown island, the soldier tearing off to the North just as the explosion happened, and he said, "He didn't think you'd go through it."

"You mean the man blackmailing a teenager into being their spy simply because she's got a power they can use?" Jasmine said. She took a deep breath, changing back, and then panic set in.

"Ah. So he was wrong," the soldier said. "When you change, your mental state is what you think the person you are would be, rather than your own. Interesting."

"It's not!" Jasmine screamed. "My parents are going to wonder where I am!"

"On your Senior school trip," the soldier said. "Remember!"

"As if they'd believe that!" Jasmine said, watching smoke billow up from where the lab exploded as the soldier plopped her into the helicopter. "I'm not sociable. Just a geek. I hate this."