Shimmer *The Seattle Superheroes*

Chapter Three: Pathways

 Chapter Three:  Pathways

Seattle, June 14, 2010; 10:40 a.m.

        There are many things in this world that are a mystery.  No one really knows what the bottom of the ocean looks like.  Very few people have walked on the moon.  Most people don't know what it feels like to have their hair catch on fire.  The common person has never been able to know what their dog truly thinks about them.  What is actually in a McNugget is anybody's guess.  And just about everyone, save electricians, has absolutely no idea how the hell you can flip a little switch and have a light turn on.

        Shimmer, as she released her arms from around Samuel Garland after their meeting, contemplated just that: electricity.  She was in luck, as she happened to be a bit of an expert on it.  As she wished Garland a good day, she put one hand on the light switch and felt the familiar pull.  Her body melted away without hesitation and she disappeared in a shimmer of light.

₪∞₪

        Wires were everywhere: some went to lights, some to switches, some to appliances and outlets, and some to machinery.  Shimmer simply had to jump the circuits she didn't want to go down and stay on the main wires.  Soon enough, only having been sucked through a copy machine once, she found herself on level 7.  She did a quick recap, noting where all of the lines went, and then pushed her consciousness towards the light switch near the elevator.  In the time it takes for an electron to travel through a mass of wiring, her body was shimmering back into existence.

        It took her a few minutes to calm her hair, which was currently made out of sparks in a shimmering white-blue color, back to its normal state of red curls.  While doing this, she contemplated whether or not she wanted to stay and wait for the rest of her new 'team.'   Agent Carver was sure to stay and give them a tour, which Shimmer didn't need.  It would be nice to hear it from someone alive, though.  Is it worth having to be in the company of my team? She pondered.  Thinking that it couldn't be too bad, she decided to stay, if only to ask Carver a few questions.

        Just as she came to this conclusion, the elevator dinged and the doors opened.  Carver walked out, leading the five men and one woman with whom she was going to have to work. 

         "Ah, Shimmer," he said.  "I thought you might already be up here.  It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm—"

         "Agent Kirk Carver, head of the 1st division of the ISDA Detection sector.  Age 38, father of Emily Carver," Shimmer finished for him.

         He looked at her strangely for a moment, before sprouting a small smile.  "You read my file."

         "I read everyone's file, if I thought they were important."

         "I'm honored.  Anyway, I was just going to show everyone around, care to tag along?" Carver asked.

         "I suppose it can't hurt," Shimmer replied and waited for them to begin walking before following.

         "This is the main hallway of the floor," Carver started, walking down the hallway that ran parallel to the wall with the elevator.  This area was much like the rest of the building, but slightly nicer.  It still had the air of a workplace, but with a homier vibe. The walls were a light steel grey and the floors were dark grey; it would seem as though it were stark, but Shimmer liked the soft look of it.  "All other hallways connect to this one.  This side, to the left of the elevator, is mainly business oriented.  The floor has three long hallways going in both directions—this one is Hallway One, and Two and Three are down that way," he said, pointing to the rest of the building.  "Starting from the far left wall, there are hallways A, B, and C.  This is hallway B." They came to the first hallway to the left of the elevator and started walking down it.  "This hallway is pretty empty right now... It's mainly offices, but you can use the rooms for anything you like.  These first two rooms on the left are the lab and the Computer/Surveillance room.  They're marked as rooms A1 and 2, but you can access them from hallway A or B." The rest of the hallway was empty, and Shimmer counted fourteen unused rooms of different sizes.  Carver began to chatter. "I really hope you all like it here.  I'm sorry that everything is still so bare, I'm sure it will be spruced up a bit soon."