Adventure in Character

Mystery: Old News

"Another mission. Another dead end."

When Jasmine first discovered her ability to change shape at will into anyone she wanted to, she became thrilled at becoming anybody but her teenage self.

And then, the authorities found out about her and saw her as a tool rather than a human being. "Kind of like the X-Men," she said. "Nobody saw them as human once their powers were out, but nobody wanted them unless they were useful. And today, it's playing the role of an antics dealer."

"You really should stop talking out loud to yourself," her newest handler said. "And I get it."

"Says the person who makes me go on missions."

"Yes, well, would you rather have someone who felt you could be thrown away at a moment's notice like the last one? You're a great kid, so believe in yourself, Jazz."

"Uh-huh," Jasmine said, carefully moving her flashlight around, looking for a specific crate. She was looking for smuggled goods but not seeing the emblem she was looking for. She touched the communication device in her ear, wishing she wasn't stuck wearing the traditional Chinese dress simply because she was currently a Chinese person, unsure of what her Asian mother would think of her mixed Asian-African self dressing in such a manner. "Or my Black cousins, who say I'm neither Black of Asian enough to pull something like this off."

"Jazz?"

"What was the symbol again?"

"A phoenix, representing new life."

"They aren't hiding the secret to eternal life, are they?"

"No," her handler said. "More of something to give those who don't yet have powers their own abilities. So in the wrong hands....."

Jasmine stiffened. "You mean more teens like me?"

"In the wrong hands, yes."

Jasmine looked around, passing her light over the crates, knowing she was running out of time. And then—

"I see it," she said.

"Do you need me to walk you through the device to cut the crate open?"

"No. You're actually quite honest with me, and make sure I need to know what I need to know," she said, heading over to the crate and taking out the device, or more of turning her flashlight around to pop the cutter out. Holding the flashlight under her chin, she started cutting. The smell of smoke as the device carved into the wood made her hope this wouldn't draw any attention to herself.

And then, the crate was open. She started pulling peanuts out, letting them flop on the floor, only to find—

"You'll find nothing in there, Mrs. Chang," the person said, holding a gun on her.

Jasmine frowned, turning and lifting her hands into the air.

"Jazz," her handler said.

"It's not what you think," Jasmine said, the code word they'd come up with when she found herself compromised.

"Oh?" the man said. "And what is it?"

Taking a deep breath, she changed before his eyes to look like him.

"As I said, it's not what you think."

"Well, that is an impressive ability, the man said. "Unfortunately...."

The sound of a jeep ramming through the warehouse wall was heard, and the man turned. Jass darted away, getting into the jeep, buckling in, and taking a deep breath. Her handler—

"Compromised is right. They know about your ability now."

"Sorry," she said.