Outside the Mirage

#3: Agent Trainee

It was another day in the office. Or at least, that's how Vanessa attempted to act. It was, in fact, her first official day as Merlyn's apprentice. She had woken up Monday with a certain energy she had not had in a long, long time. From the second her eyes opened, she was prepped for the rest of her day.

She had dressed rather formally; a salmon-colored dress shirt with a charcoal jacket and matching dress pants. With a quick look in the mirror, she put her long, dark hair into a ponytail and walked out of the door.

The bus route to the Gerald R. Ford Building took Vanessa about an hour and a half to go through, but when she arrived she was pleasantly surprised. Getting off the bus to see Merlyn standing outside, wearing a baby blue three-piece suit, complete with a matching bowler hat and his gold pocket watch. As Vanessa walked up to him, he gave her a warm smile.

"Good morning, Ms. Moreland," Merlyn greeted her. "How was your bus ride?"

"It went quite well," Vanessa replied. "How did you know I'd be on the bus?"

Merlyn shrugged. "Lucky hunch. Come on, let's get inside. It's getting cold out."

The two walked inside. The lobby of the Gerald R. Ford Building was rather busy, Vanessa noted as they walked through it. There was a large circular desk in the center of the room, and about a dozen different people in suits answering what seemed like a million random questions from a thousand random people.

Merlyn, however, walked straight past them towards the elevator. He pulled a small ID badge out of his pocket and placed it in front of a small black panel next to the elevator.

"So, these elevators are locked to any non-employees," Merlyn explained. "Your ID badge, which you will get shortly, is going to be how you unlock them."

The elevator doors opened, and the they proceeded in. As soon as the doors closed, Merlyn said, "Department of Containment, floor seventeen."

"Department of Containment," the elevator, a stern male voice, chimed back. "Special Agent Merlyn, verified."

"So, the elevator talks?" Vanessa asked.

"That's actually not magic," Merlyn replied. "That's just human tech. The advancements that non-mages have made in the world is terrifying. I'm actually terrified of artificial intelligence."

"What like robots?"

"Yes and no. Have you seen Ex Machina?"

"No."

"Well, that's a disgrace to your family name. Go home tonight and watch it and tell me that artificial intelligence doesn't give you nightmares."

The elevator stopped and the doors opened. "Ah, this is us!" Merlyn said, stepping off the elevator.

Back in a hall she had been in before, Vanessa looked around before following Merlyn back to his office, noticing a small label on the door that read 'Special Agent Merlyn'. Merlyn held the door open for her and she walked in to see the same office she had seen before, except completely empty.

"What happened?" Vanessa asked. "I thought this was your office? Where's your stuff?"

"Well," Merlyn began, "I used your official appointment as my apprentice to convince my boss that I needed a bigger office. That way, you can have this office."

Vanessa's expression relaxed before giving Merlyn an impressed look. "Alright. And where's your new office?"

Merlyn gestured tlowards the wall that had once been bookcases. Part of the wall was discolored, the right shape and size for a door.