Author's Note: Hello. For those of you who have already read this story, I took the liberty of going back and trying my best to clean everything up, including errors, grammar, and other weird things I didn't like. While there is likely still some things I missed, I hopefully got rid of as much silly stuff as possible to make this story a more enjoyable, reading experience. As always, thanks to everyone that read and reviewed this fic in the past, and for those of you that haven't read Cleaning With SOAP yet, I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1
Cleaning With SOAP Part 1
A particularly eerie night hung over a strangely quiet metropolis. The moon suspended high above gave off slightly more radiance than usual, and the thick fog slowly wrapping itself around the city bordered on unnatural. The mist ascended into the skyline, reaching the top of the many colossal buildings in town.
From the same height, a person could be seen jumping from structure to structure as if their life depended on it. Perhaps it did. The man, gasping for air, landed on a smaller edifice, losing his footing in the process. The black briefcase he had been tightly clutching to his chest flew out of his grasp as his body rolled a couple of times across the rooftop. He promptly got his wits about him and hastily pounced on the object. There was no way he could lose what was inside the case, he thought. He would rather die than part with its contents.
"...What's going on?" he said, being barely audible. Cautiously, the man's reddened and trembling eyes inspected the shadowy area behind him. "T-There's...no one there...?"
Not having the slightest idea where his pursuer had gotten off too made him more anxious than relieved. His pursuer had been on him like glue mere moments ago. He highly doubted they would let him go so easily.
His fears seemingly held merit when a shadow momentarily blocked out the moonlight hitting him. Someone else then landed a few steps away. He let out a piercing gasp, while a woman in a black catsuit glared at him with cold, blue, and piercing eyes. Because a black ski mask covered the rest of her face, the man now quivering in fear was unable to discern her identity. He supposed it hardly mattered at the moment.
"...You're trying my patience," the woman declared, noticeably upset with having to play this little game of cat and mouse. Holding out her hand, she added, "Hand over that briefcase if you value your life."
"N-Never!" the man answered, trying to swallow his fear. "Y-You really think I'd give something this important to the likes of you?! I may have no idea who you are, but I'm well aware of who you work for! I'd be jeopardizing the safety of millions by letting your people obtain what's in this case!"
The speech, while riveting, only served to enrage the person after him. She took a step forward, causing him to take a step back. She then took another step forward and he another step backward. This continued until the man nearly stumbled; there was no more rooftop for him to walk on. Although it was a dire situation for sure, he smiled at the fact it was one he could use to his advantage.
"...L-Like I said, I'm not giving you this briefcase!" he exclaimed.
"...You wouldn't seriously jump. Stop bluffing," the woman replied. Much to her surprise, the man allowed himself to go tumbling off the building as promised, intending to destroy himself as well as the item in his possession. The woman quickly sprang into action by pulling out an expandable bungee cable from her utility belt and tying it to a nearby chimney. She then jumped toward the ground herself. The man, assured of his victory, was stunned to see her go to such lengths to chase after him. She straightened out her body, which in turn made her fall faster. Afterward, just as it looked as if the two would hit the pavement in bloody chunks, she grabbed hold of the man and dragged him forward through the window of a cake shop. Glass and fallen pastries were strewn about the pitch-black shop. The man with the briefcase managed to get to his feet first, running toward the back exit. The woman broke off her cable and stayed closed behind. Her target in response began knocking things over in an attempt to impede her. It appeared to work; he gained a sizeable lead on her before bursting out the back door and into a narrow alley way.
"You're seriously wasting your time if you think you can outrun me," said the voice that greeted him.
He was more than a little dumbfounded to see none other than the woman in black lying in wait for him.
"H-How...?" he began.
"I'm no longer asking for the briefcase."
The woman reached down to her belt and tossed something at the man. As he braced himself, a thick veil of smoke burst forth from the bombs thrown, completely blinding and confusing him. Grunts, groans, and the sound of flesh being hit then resounded in the alley. One last kick sent the helpless man flying from the smoke cloud and into a nearby brick wall.
"D-Damn it all!" he growled, battered and bloodied. His hands then frantically felt against his person for something that was no longer there. "N-No! T-The briefcase! Where did I...?!"
The woman answered him by holding his prized possession up between her fingertips. The man tried to snatch it back yet got punched right between the eyes for his troubles, endingazeg any hope of a rescue operation.
"Thank you for your cooperation," the woman stated as she casually walked away. "Despite the trouble you put me through, I won't bother ending your life. You really aren't worth the effort. Just do yourself a favor and stay down."
"D-Don't think you're going to get away with this, spy! I-I have accomplices! I have allies! We will hunt you and the rest of your comrades down to get that briefcase back if we have to!"
The catsuit clad woman didn't bother with a response, instead firing her bungee cable off at another building, rising up, and disappearing into the fog-shrouded night. Being left behind with nothing but his shattered pride, the man pounded his fist into the pavement.
"Damn you, SOAP!" he screamed, his voice echoing throughout the still city.
#
With her mission a success, the woman in black returned to base. The mostly dark corridor she trekked down became more tolerable to maneuver when lights on the flooring lit up the path as she moved. The distinct clatter of her high-heeled boots hitting the ground was the only thing she could hear. With most of her comrades out on missions at the moment, the silence all over headquarters made sense to her.
Eventually, she arrived at the end of the corridor. Walking through some double doors, she entered an expansive, grey, and circular room. Nothing of interest other than a desk at the end and a giant monitor behind it was inside. The woman in black made her way down the lavish carpet leading up to the desk and got down on one knee, just as someone sitting in a swiveling chair turned to her.
"I've come back to report. There were a few minor hiccups, but I managed to complete the mission in the end," the woman stated, holding up the briefcase.
"...You have done very well, Agent C. Very well indeed. Good work."
The man, possessing well-kept, black hair, a red scar running down the right side of his face, and a black mask covering the entirety of his jaw, took the briefcase Agent C slid to him and wasted little time in clicking it open. He then greedily pulled a strange, metal cube out of it that was no bigger than his fist. Agent C was, to some extent, surprised to see the thing she had worked so hard to get appeared so unimpressive.
"So, how did the mission go?"
Agent C replied, "Good. Like I said, there were a few hiccups. I had to chase the target through half the damn city. Other than that though, I experienced no difficulties."
"That's good to hear." Even whilst talking to her, the man with the eye patch did not take his lone eye off the strange object in his grasp. Agent C could tell he was even smiling, even though his mouth was hidden from sight. "You must be getting hot in that mask. Why don't you go ahead and take it off. Your identity is safe with me."
C rolled her eyes at the joke, but did as told and removed the ski mask from her face. From the concealment came the visage of an attractive, caucasian woman who couldn't have been older than nineteen years old. C parted her hand through her waist length, silver-colored hair prior to using a scrunchie to tie it into an equally long ponytail. No matter how many times the man in the eye patch saw her, he was always taken aback by her beauty.
"So...what is it?" C asked, pointing to the mystery cube. "If it's just some fancy kind of Rubik's cube, I'm gonna be pretty ticked off."
"This..." the man started, standing to allow Agent C to see the white tuxedo he wore. The red undershirt was overkill, in her opinion, but he always dressed like this, so she supposed she shouldn't have been so annoyed. "...is the Cube of Confusion. With it, our plans to destroy the World Organization Of Human Protection should progress that much smoother."
"WOOHP," snarled C through clenched teeth. "As much as the thought of that organization being destroyed sounds good, you still haven't explained how this so-called 'Cube of Confusion' is supposed to help us do the deed."
"That's classified information, Agent C."
"'C-Classified information?!' Scar, I'm the one who went and got the stupid thing for you in the first place! Don't you think I have a right to...?!"
Scar interrupted C's rant. "Agent C, what does our organization stand for?"
"...What?"
"I'm asking you what we're all about!"
"...W-We're out to destroy WOOHP, right?"
Scar shook his head and sighed. "You are only half right, my dear! Our elite group of operatives, Spies Organized Against Peace, is not only out to get rid of WOOHP, but any organization hell bent on preserving peace!" In dramatic fashion and forcing a bead of sweat to roll down the back of C's head, Scar added, "That is our sole reason for existing! Once our ambitions are realized, Agent C, Jerry Lewis and accursed groups such as his will be thoroughly cleansed from this world!"
There was a break in the conversation.
"...That was probably the lamest thing I've ever heard," said C in a deadpan manner.
Scar's expression fell abruptly. "...C-Come again?"
"I-I mean, I agree with the whole 'destroy WOOHP' part, but after all these years, don't you think having a group called SOAP is a bit silly?"
For a moment, Scar wanted to get angry. He wished to lash out and berate his agent for once again criticizing the name he had come up with many years ago. Time and time again, he had explained that the label of their faction wasn't important. The cause was. However, that wasn't the point at the moment, he thought. Clearing his throat, he managed to contain his frustrations with her.
"While we're on the subject of our organization, I have a new assignment for you, Agent C," he stated calmly.
"Seriously? It's not like I just got back from one or anything. Well, what is it?"
As if replying to her, the lights in the room suddenly dimmed, and the screen behind Scar came to life. A chair then popped up from a trap door in the flooring, emphatically sitting a bewildered C down in it. It was afterward that the display on the wall first showed a map of the United States before focusing in on the state of California.
"Your newest assignment is going to be a bit...different from what you're accustomed to," said Scar, returning to his own seat. "I wonder if you're up for it."
"...So long as it's for the benefit of SOAP, I'll do whatever is asked of me," said C.
Scar grinned. "My, my. Aren't you the little patriot? That's exactly what I like to hear though. Anyway, your mission this time around will be to go to Beverly Hills, California and go uncover as a normal university student at the local school of higher learning: Malibu University."
Though C had stated she was willing to do anything, this was a bit much. She honestly presumed her superior was joking at first. "Huh?! You wanna repeat that?! W-Why do I have to do something like that?! I don't understand!"
"Relax, agent." Scar held up his hand to silence her. "There is a perfectly good reason I'm having you do something like this out of the blue. I can assure you that much. You see, there's a quantum physics professor who works at the school who's latest invention I believe would help our organization greatly. His name is Dr. Heisenberg. The project he is working on at the moment is one that will somehow allow the user to move at the speed of light. That's about all the intelligence we've managed to gather right now, so it will be up to you to not only learn more about this invention, but to steal it when the time comes."
"I...see."
It made sense to C why SOAP would have interest in a device like that. Moving at the speed of light would give anyone an advantage over their enemies, yet there was still one thing about this mission that was bothering her.
"I don't understand why I have to go undercover," she declared. "Would it not be easier for me to just go and steal the invention outright? Why even bother with formalities?"
"Hmph. You would have a point if it weren't for the rumors of WOOHP agents attending Malibu University. It would be far too risky for you to go after Doctor Heisenberg directly if that's the case."
C smacked her lips. This whole matter was becoming more bothersome for her with each shred of information she was given. "I-I suppose. I...guess I have no choice. Fine. I will go to Malibu University and go undercover as a college student. I-I'm not sure I'm the right choice for this mission though, Scar. I mean, I don't know the first thing about being an ordinary college student."
"Oh, I'm sure you'll catch on fast," Scar replied with a reassuring smile. "I've already sent the university your 'transfer papers.' We've given you the highest grades, the highest recommendations, and stated you were one of the finest students at the prestigious SOAP University before your transfer."
"...You don't have much of an imagination, do you?"
The lights in the room brightened, and Scar pressed another button on his desk, revealing a host of items sitting on a panel. Agent C did not recognize any of them.
"Despite the fact that this is an undercover mission, you're still going to need gadgets. This time, however, I've had to design them a bit...differently. They're intended to be just as functional as you're used to but look like common items a regular college girl like you would have." Scar laughed at his own remarks, but C simply glowered. "Here, we have the All Purpose Fountain Pen Laser. It's not only handy for taking notes during lectures but also blasting right through diamond and lead like they were mere paper."
C took the black pen and noted that it really did look harmless. Had Scar not told her it was a high-tech gadget, she likely would have accidentally cut her hand off.
"Next, we have the Knockout Gas Apple Earrings. I think the name alone would give you an idea of their function. Basically, they release a sweet-smelling gas that puts anyone unfortunate enough to breathe it in asleep. Oh, they'll likely look good on you as well!"
"...You do know my ears aren't even pierced, right?" said C.
Scar ignored the remark. "Our next gadget is the Faux Silk Invisibility Scarf. As soon as you wrap it around your neck, your entire body will be invisible to the naked eye for a brief amount of time. It's a shame though."
"What's a shame?"
"It's a shame no one will be able to see how stylish you are since they can't see you!"
"...I-I don't care about idiotic stuff like that! The gadget works, right?!"
"D-Don't get so bent out of shape! Of course it works! All my gadgets work! Unlike that nincompoop Jerry Lewis' inventions!"
"Oh no..." Chris mumbled, understanding that she had committed a huge mistake. For the next couple of minutes Scar began ranting to no one specifically about how his creative genius was ten times that of WOOHP's leader. C recurrently sighed at the display, forgetting that agitating her boss by dismissing his work always had dire consequences.
"And that'swhy his Lip Lock Laser Gun pales in comparison to my own Tongue Tied Beam Rifle!"
"...Okay. Sure. Why not? Is that all the gadgets you have to give me or what?"
Scar, fixing his tie, regained his composure. "N-No. There's one more. This one is an old favorite: the Expandable Bungee Cable. I saw no reason to alter the design of this one since I can't honestly imagine you carrying around an inconspicuous bungee cable around with you."
C agreed. "Well, if that's everything, I better..."
"WAIT!"
The room actually shook rather violently in reaction to Scar's command. Nearly falling over in her chair, C dared not move until her leader got through saying what he wanted to say.
"...I nearly forgot one last item," Scar, picking up some fallen over family portraits on his desk, said, "Here. Take it."
He tossed Agent C a small, black, and rectangular object she couldn't discern at first. It was solely when she opened it did she realize picking it was a compact mirror, the sort of things girls used to apply makeup and check their complexion using the reflective surface inside. Strangely, the one she was given was different from the norm, containing a very sophisticated bottom with buttons and a mirror that doubled as a display.
"...You do know I don't use makeup, right?" she said.
"Yes, I'm aware. It's such a shame too. You're not the prettiest sight to behold first thing in the morning..."
C angrily slammed the device shut and restrained herself from strangling Scar to death using her bare hands.
"It's not actually a compact, despite its looks," Scar stated. "It's called a Z-Powder, and it's more or less a communicator. It's how we'll be able to talk with one another while you're undercover. It does a lot more than allow you to speak with me though. With one push of a button, it can also change what you're wearing. Rather handy for slipping in and out of your catsuit or even switching into a nifty disguise. It also has a couple more features, but I think I'll let you mess with the thing and figure them out yourself."
"A little unorthodox, but I suppose it will have its uses."
"One last thing, agent. For this mission, you won't be using any code names."
One of C's eyelids rose upon hearing this. "...What do you mean?"
"You're going to be using your real name."
That was the last thing Agent C had expected to hear at this briefing. Well, that and having to go undercover at some college. She honestly found herself speechless for a bit.
"...I-I don't understand! You want me to go around using my real name?! Wouldn't it be smarter to use a cover name?!" she cried, becoming visibly upset.
"You sure do always look quite volatile whenever we discuss your real name...Christine," Scar answered. His mouth twisted itself into a rather satisfied smirk. Apparently, he had been garnering for her exact reaction.
"D-Don't call me that..." Christine mumbled, snarling under her breath.
"Well, whether you like it or not, I've already written the name 'Christine' on your transcripts, so it's far too late for me to change anything."
That was it then. Begrudgingly, it seemed Christine had no choice but to accept the circumstances. She wouldn't have minded them so much if hearing her actual name didn't always stir up so many painful memories inside of her.
"Are you all ready to go then?"
"H-Huh?" Scar's abrupt question snapped Christine from her deep thinking. "Y-Yes. I suppose so." Standing and saluting, she added, "If it is for SOAP and its goals, I am willing to do anything. Guess I already said that, but I just want to make sure you get that. Leave Heisenberg and whatever invention he has to me, Scar."
"Yes, yes. I really do enjoy your unbridled enthusiasm. Good luck out there, Christine! I'm expecting good result from my best agent!"
"Eh? Didn't I already tell you not to call me...!"
Scar pressed yet another button on his desk, and another trap door on the floor opened, this one causing Christine to fall straight down into a crevice. The sound of her surprised screaming dissipated soon afterward. Scar went back to admiring the Cube of Confusion in his fingertips.
"As much as I detest Jerry Lewis, I see now why he enjoyed WOOHPing his agents so much..."
#
The still shrieking Christine fell straight out of the sky and crashed down into a large bush, scattering green leaves all over the place. It took her a couple moments, but she managed to stand, groan, and wipe herself off. She then glanced upward at the blue and cloudless sky, baffled at how she could have been dumped off in the middle of nowhere from SOAP headquarters.
"...Where am I? And how the heck is it suddenly daytime again?!"
One thing was for sure: Christine definitely wasn't at SOAP anymore. The vast amount of young people walking and talking everywhere made her confident of that. The open area she now occupied was enveloped by a multitude of buildings, all sized and shaped differently. Christine quickly surmised she was at Malibu University, in part because of the sign that said so in the distance. The trek to the institution might have been rough, yet she certainly couldn't complain about the speed.
"Good. This save me the trouble of having to ask around to find this place. Now then, the sooner I retrieve this Doctor Heisenberg's invention, the sooner I can get this asinine mission over with."
Of course, that was easier said than done. She might have been in the right place, but finding one man on an expansive campus like this without directions was going to be a challenge. Christine wondered why Scar hadn't simply told her of the good doctor's whereabouts before sending her on her way.
"...Whatever. There should be a school directory or something similar around here. I just have to..."
Without warning and scaring the living daylights out of her, an incredibly high and nasally voice punctured the depths of Christine's ears, nearly rupturing them in the process.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?! Were you hiding in that bush because you dropped something or because you don't want anyone to see that hideous outfit you're wearing? You really should consider shopping somewhere other than the flea market! Ahaha!"
Christine moved her head up toward the young woman insulting her, uncertain what to make of her nasty remarks. The girl, in a thoroughly good mood, laughed a couple of times in the same obnoxious manner as she spoke. Christine figured she might as well have been listening to nails against a chalkboard.
"...And just who are you?" she asked in a serious tone.
The girl gasped in response to Christine's question, apparently offended such a thing even needed to be asked. She flipped her wavy, waist-length black hair back before smiling, exposing her flawless teeth. For reasons Christine couldn't understand, this simple gesture caused her irritation to increase.
"You don't know me?! Everyone on campus knows me!" the girl exclaimed. The mole under her left eyelid twitched. "I'm Mandy! What, are you new to Mali-U or something? Ha! You must be! No one attending this school on a long term basis would ever be caught dead in an outfit like that!"
It was only when Mandy poked fun at Christine's clothing a second time did the latter realize she was no longer dressed in her spy catsuit, but an outfit befitting that of a normal girl her age: a white blouse, a black, denim jacket, and a matching skirt. There was no doubt in her mind Scar was behind the abrupt wardrobe change.
"I'm not understanding what my clothes have to do with anything."
Mandy was both confused and appalled by the statement. "W-What's your problem?! How can you feel good if you don't even look good?! Everyone knows it's what's on the outside that counts!"
,She let out another tirade of laughter and Christine found herself wanting to rip the young woman's head off more and more with each passing second. Personal looks meant nothing to a spy like her, though judging from Mandy's overall appearance and demeanor, it seemed to be the only thing that mattered to her. Christine had to admit the girl was rather pretty, having perfectly tanned skin and just the right amount of makeup to accentuate her features. It was just unfortunate her attitude wasn't remotely as attractive.
"...I can't figure out why you're talking to me right now, so if you don't want anything, leave me be," Christine then stated. "I have more important things to do than waste my time on the likes of you."
"W-What?! Y-You can't talk to me like that!" replied Mandy, steaming like a tea pot with anger. "Y-You're just some newbie! You should be lucky someone like me would even bother wasting her breath on the likes of you! Oh, you're so gonna pay for this! TR-EEEEEE-ENT!"
Mandy whistled. Soon enough, Christine could hear the sound of a motor vehicle approaching. Subsequently, a well dressed young man driving a cart for two pulled up, looking both annoyed and terrified to see the woman who called for him.
"Y-Yes, Mandy?" said Trent in a low voice.
"TRENT!" howled Mandy, inducing a jump of fright out of him. "Do something about her!"
She pointed a well manicured finger at Christine, and Trent in turn moved his head to the girl. He wasn't really sure what Mandy wanted him to do. He was only an intern after all.
"Y-You have to be kidding me..." said Christine under her breath.
The stupidity of all this was becoming too much for her to bear. She grit her teeth, and both Mandy and Trent began trembling in fear at the fierce and volatile glare she began giving them.
"Listen here, both of you! I really don't know who you two idiots are, and frankly, I don't care! Just get lost this instant unless you want to be eviscerated!"
That was they needed to hear. Mandy quickly hopped inside her personal cart and told Trent to punch it ahead of the vehicle zooming off, leaving a trail of exhaust in their wake.
"...And that's why I can't stand dealing with other people," Christine muttered. "Dammit. I should have asked them if they knew where I could find Dr. Heisenberg."
Something in the pocket of her denim skirt started to beep, so Christine found a safe place to hide before pulling out her Z-Powder and opening it. Scar's face then showed up on the top screen, and he waved to his agent, who rolled her eyes in response.
"Hello, Christine! I'm glad to see you're doing well and have made it to Malibu University unscathed," he said.
"I thought I told you not to call me that," Christine said in response.
"Oh, yes. I had forgotten. Silly me."
"Like hell you did..."
Dismissing the rude statement, Scar asked, "How's the mission going so far?"
"Other than you sticking me in these stupid clothes and making me deal with the imbeciles here, everything is peachy-keen."
"Ah, about your clothing...you needed to blend in, Agent C, so I took the liberty of picking you out a very cute outfit for your first day of school!"
Christine regretted bringing up the matter entirely after hearing this. "...I haven't been able to locate Doctor Heisenberg yet. I was hoping you could shed some light on that."
Scar nodded. "Heisenberg should be heading toward the West Hall on campus to start his daily lecture. Fortunately for you, I made sure to sign you up for his class, so you'd better hurry and find his room because class starts in five minutes. You do want to make a good impression on your first day, right?"
Christine, unwilling to hear Scar chuckle at his own corny remarks any longer, slammed her Z-Powder shut post-haste. "...I'm already tired of college life."
#
Although being a spy had its perks, it did nothing in terms of helping Christine navigate her way around the expansive Malibu University. Of course, trying to get through crowds of unruly students who seemed to have nothing better to do than impede her path certainly contributed to her woes.
"Just made it," she muttered as she rushed into Heisenberg's lecture hall and found an empty seat. "...I-Is this what a college classroom is supposed to look like?"
Most of her schooling had been done at SOAP headquarters, even from a young age. There were seldom more than a dozen operatives being taught with her back then, so being in a giant classroom with hundreds of other students was somewhat daunting. Her seat was so high up, she could hardly see the older gentlemen scribbling something on a blackboard at the head of the class. He wrote his name down in white chalk and Christine was relieved to see the man was indeed the Doctor Heisenberg she was searching for.
"Now then, where's his invention?"
Her eyes scoured the large room though were unable to find anywhere she thought the professor might have hidden his speed of light project. She guessed that made sense. If it were here at this school, a lecture hall full of students was the least secure place she could think of to hide something so important. She would probably have to procure the invention's whereabouts from Heisenberg himself.
"Welcome to Physics 101 students!" said Heisenberg just in a loud, booming voice. "My name is Professor Heisenberg, and starting today I'm going to be your instructor for the semester! I'm pleased to see so many of your are interested in the wonderful world of Quantum Mechanics! We're going to go through a lot of material this semester, so I hope you're all ready for the daunting task! Today, we're going to start off with a little introduction to Physics before diving into the deeper facets of the study later on this week! Now then, if you'll all open your books to page thirty-five..."
Before Christine knew it, she was taking notes and listening intently to a lecture she had no interest in. Scar certainly hadn't said anything about her having to study like an actual college student. Did he intend for her to finish this entire course before she would be able to get her hands on Heisenberg's secret invention?
"Tch! My talents are being wasted on note taking and formula memorization," she mumbled, twirling the ink pen in her fingertips around in total boredom.
"Um...excuse me? Do you have an extra pen I could borrow?"
Christine turned to the individual sitting next to her, not comprehending the favor being asked of her at first. A redheaded girl, likely around her age, smiled at her awkwardly. Without saying a word, Christine handed her a spare pen she had brought along.
"Thanks! I don't know what I was thinking before I got here!" the redhead started. "I guess I was so excited to get to class today, I totally forgot to bring something to write with! A total, airheaded move, right?"
Christine simply nodded at this. Trying to get back to her work, her redheaded acquaintance pulled her away from it again by showing her a stack of papers she had retrieved from her backpack. The sheer amount made the SOAP spy's eyes enlarge.
"I figured I should study up on Quantum Physics ahead of time, so I took down a whole bunch of notes in preparation for this class! You know, just to get a feel of the course," the girl explained.
"I-I see..."
"I'm just glad I registered for it on time! Just look at all the people here! A second too late and I probably would've had to wait until next semester!"
"Yes. That...would have been unfortunate."
Christine honestly didn't see what the big deal was. It was just a class that would likely have no bearings on the future's of most here. They were likely just taking it because it would look good on their transcripts. However, that plainly wasn't the case with this girl.
"Oh! My name is Sam, by the way! Nice to meet you!" she happily said. Christine stared quietly at Sam's outstretched hand before deciding it was safe to shake it. Introductions weren't her strong suit, and she wondered why this Sam was being so pushy with hers. The two of them didn't even know one another, and the only thing they had in common was a pen. With that in mind, why was this person being so friendly?
"I'm..." Christine hesitated to say what she knew she was obligated to because of her job. "My name is...Christine."
Sam, a bit confused at Christine's mannerisms, replied, "Christine, eh? I haven't seen you on campus before. Are you...new here?"
"Y-Yes. I just transferred from...SOAP University."
The name of the school sounded even more ridiculous to Christine the second time around.
"SOAP University? Can't say I've ever heard of that one..."
"Yeah, it's a rather...exclusive school."
Sam, though skeptical, bought the story. "Well, welcome to Mali-U, Chris!"
The sound of her name being shortened was strange to Christine. Sam immediately noticed this and looked remorseful.
"E-Er...sorry!" she hastily stated. "I-Is it okay if I call you that?"
Chris paused at the question. "I...suppose it's okay."
That couldn't have been farther from the truth, but if saying so would get Sam to leave her alone for a bit, Chris could live with the circumstances. Nevertheless, her statement had the opposite effect; Sam seemed more interested in her now more than ever.
"So, why did you decide to take Physics 101?" she wanted to know.
"...I don't know. I guess the subject was just intriguing to me," Chris replied. Her tone was filled with sarcasm, although she hadn't exactly meant for her response to be so snarky. She just really wanted to get back to her pointless note taking. Muttering, she said, "Ugh. Just give me a break already…"
#
Doctor Heisenberg's lecture was over before Chris knew it. She had been so into watching him write complicated equations on the board and listening to his discussion, she hadn't so much as looked at the nearby clock even once. Only the bell ringing and the shuffling of students entering the hallways told her what was happening. Immediately, she grabbed her stuff and prepared to depart. The entire class period had been a complete waste of time in her opinion. She had learned nothing pertaining to her mission, and the sparse knowledge of quantum physics she now knew would have been totally worthless if it weren't for Heisenberg mentioning something about a pop quiz on Thursday.
"I'll see you later then, Chris! Thanks again for the pen!" said Sam, who ran past Chris and handed her back the writing instrument in question. "We should totally study together some time!"
Chris nodded at her new acquaintance's words, though she really didn't understand them. Why was she being invited to study with someone when it was more productive to do it alone? As Sam vanished down a corridor, all Chris could really say about the girl in terms of a first impression was that she was quite peculiar.
"...There's something about her. I can't put my finger on it…"
Doctor Heisenberg was the last to come out of the classroom, locking the door behind him. Now alone with him, Chris saw her chance to strike.
"Excuse me, Professor?" she began, getting Heisenberg's attention. "I really didn't understand the part of your lecture where you were talking about how heat affects molecules. Would it be possible for you to explain it to me more clearly?"
Heisenberg smiled at her. "Of course! I have some free time now, so we can head to my office! I can answer any questions you have on the matter!"
The way things were turning out was almost a bit too perfect. Chris, unable to contain a very malevolent grin, wasn't going to complain. It would be a simple matter now to interrogate Heisenberg and figure out where he was hiding his research.
"O-Oh no! Look out! Watch it!" said a howling voice that was fast approaching.
Chris moved her head to it and cried, "What in the...?!"
Someone abruptly crashed into her with the force of a bowling ball nailing pins, knocking her right off her feet. Her vision became blurry, and for a moment, she could have sworn she saw birds circling over her head. She then let out a drawn out groan, seeing the silhouette of an individual hovering above her before passing out.
#
The harmonious sounds of birds chirping awoke Chris from a slumber she hadn't planned. She opened her reddened eyes and almost immediately, pain throbbed across her temples. Another moan escaped her person as she gradually sat up from a bed she had no clue how she had gotten into. A white sheet hung on one side of her, and adjacent was a window that allowed her to see the outside of campus Mali-U.
"Guess that means I'm still at school."
A gentle breeze wafted through the crack in the window. It was soothing enough to ease her anguish somewhat.
"W-Where am I? How did I...?"
One of the curtains blocking her bed off from everything else swung open abruptly. A middle-aged woman with brown and curly hair then grinned at a confused Chris. Judging from the woman's white coat, Chris figured she must have been a nurse, meaning the place she was in presently must have been the Nurse's Office.
"Yo!" the woman said.
"H-Hello," replied Chris cautiously. She then got a peek at the ID attached to the woman's clothing. "You're...Melody Smith?"
"Yup, that's me! I'm the school's nurse! No need to look so serious! You're fine now!"
Chris took her advice and relaxed. "W-What happened to me? Why am I here?"
Nurse Melody fixed the pair of thick, rectangular glasses adorning her face. "You don't remember? Heh, considering what happened, I guess you wouldn't. Anyway, you took a really nasty shot earlier. You had a lump on your head the size of a football, but I managed to get the swelling down."
It was then Chris reached up to her forehead and felt bandages tied around it.
"...Thank you," she said to Melody. It wasn't often she said those words, and they felt strange coming off her tongue.
"I'm not the one you should be thanking! Alex here is the one who dragged you all the way here!"
Chris hadn't even noticed the girl timidly standing in the corner of the room. She waved and anxiously smiled in Chris' direction. Chris nodded in response.
"Y-Yeah, my bad!" the girl with dark skin and a black bob cut chimed. "I-I'm also the one that put you in the nurse's office to begin with! So...um...oopsie?"
Chris didn't respond, but a low grumble could be heard from her.
Alex then went on, stating, "I was late for class this morning and totally wasn't paying attention where I was going! I'm really sorry!"
Bowing promptly, she genuinely looked sincere with her apology. Taking this into account, it was hard for even someone like Chris to stay upset at her.
"Thanks for your help, Alex. You better get to class now," said Melody.
Alex's face turned red and horror filled every inch of her features. "Oh my gosh! I-I totally forgot about class! I was running in the first place because I didn't want to be late, and now I've almost missed the whole lecture!"
"Don't worry. I've already explained your absence to your professor. Just hurry!"
Alex didn't need to be told twice. She ran out of the room in a flash, though both Chris and Melody could hear her wailing as she raced to class. If there was one thing Chris could already say about her time at Mali-U, it was that all the students there were peculiar.
"Thank you again." Chris stood from her bed, nearly toppling over from dizziness.
"Hey now! Are you sure you want to be walking around so soon?" asked Melody.
"Y-Yes. I have something important I need to attend to."
With that, Chris exited the nurse's office through the sliding doors.
Sighing, Melody said, "Well, I'm at least glad to see she has plenty of energy now."
#
"I've wasted enough time. I've never had this much trouble on a mission before. Unbelievable."
Chris' skull was still pounding like a drum, and she emitted a third groan as she clutched it between her fingertips. She assumed beforehand that while this undercover assignment would be both bothersome and unorthodox, it would nevertheless be an easy one. It was so far anything but considering half the day had already passed, and she was no closer to figuring out where Doctor Heisenberg had stashed his invention. She sighed at this fact, becoming aggravated by the many crickets chirping in the trees around campus. The sun was just beginning to set; it wouldn't be long now until darkness descended upon the school.
"I think Scar said something about me staying here on campus in one of the dorms."
That covered her bed for tonight, yet where had Doctor Heisenberg gotten off to? It was likely he had gone home for the day, meaning Chris would be forced to endure life as a college student for one more day at the very least. The mere thought was enough to make her gag.
"Wait a minute." Reaching onto her person, Chris pulled out the Faux Silk Invisibility Scarf Scar had given her earlier. "Even if Heisenberg isn't here, I can still check out his office here on campus to see if he left whatever he's working on there. And with this scarf, I can snoop around without worrying about being caught. Well, what do you know? That idiot Scar might actually help me out for once..."
"Whoa! Way cute scarf you've got there! Mind if I try it on?"
Chris' entire body tensed up into a fighting stance in response to whoever had spoken to her. It was afterward when she realized it was yet another woman around her age, rather than an enemy, did she relax.
"Uh...y-you don't have to let me try on the scarf if you don't want to..." said the blonde, visible startled by Chris' reaction.
"N-No, that's not why I... never mind. My apologies," Chris replied. "Y-You just surprised me is all."
"Seriously though! You just have to let me borrow that scarf! I think I have the perfect outfit to go along with it!"
Chris wasted little time in removing the scarf from the girl's prying hands. "I-I can't! I...it's...it's a precious, family heirloom! I can't lend it to you..."
The girl appeared more confused by Chris' erratic behavior than saddened. "No prob! Still, your outfit is really cute! How come I've never seen someone as fashionable as you around campus before?"
"I just transferred to Malibu University today."
"Welcome Mali-U then! I'm Clover!" said Clover in the sort of Beverly Hills accent Chris was becoming used to at this point. "Since you're new in town, we should totally go shopping together! I could show you around Bev Hills, and we could totally get some mani-pedis together!"
"...'Mani-pedis?'"
The more Clover talked, the more Chris was certain the girl was speaking an entirely different language. The only thing the SOAP agent could discern from the conversation was that Clover wanted to go to the mall, something Chris had no interest in. Hoping to get back to her mission, she struggled to think of something to make Clover go away.
"Er...t-that sounds great, Clover..." she said in the most insincere tone. Clover didn't seem to notice however. "A-As much as I would love to...er..go shopping...I have...something I need to do right now. It's something that really needs my full and undivided attention at the moment."
"No prob! We can totally go another time...uh...er..."
"...My name is Chris."
"Got it! I'll see you around campus then, Chris!"
Chris nodded. "Er...sure. See you around."
Clover waved and soon disappeared. With that out of the way, Chris put her hands on her hips and sighed. She then went somewhere she was certain no one would see her ahead of pulling out her Z-Powder and pressing a button. Her black catsuit then formed around her body behind an array of light.
"I have to admit, that's actually rather impressive. Now then, time to do something I'm actually good at." She slipped her trademark ski mask over her face. Reaching onto her person, she muttered, "Where did I put it...?"
She pulled out a map of the Malibu University campus she managed to snag before going to class that morning. Looking it over, she saw that Doctor Heisenberg's office wasn't that far from her current position. In fact, it was right above her. She chuckled at the reality something was finally going her way for once and then aimed her bungee cable at a nearby window. The metal ending of the cord clanked against the glass and pulling herself toward it, she quickly scaled the wall, reaching the window. A nameplate on a desk inside told Chris that the space was indeed the office of Doctor Heisenberg. With that confirmed, she pulled out the All Purpose Fountain Pen Laser, cutting a circle large enough for her to fit through. She then kicked the now loosened glass away and leaped through the hole.
"Hmph. Good at note taking and infiltration. Handy little gadget," Chris said with a smirk, putting the pen back in her pocket. "Now then, where to start?"
Doctor Heisenberg's office was rather small, solely containing his desk, two file cabinets in one corner, and a trophy case on the opposite side. Curiosity got the better of her, so Chris walked over to the trophy case first. Heisenberg was certainly no slouch when it came to Quantum Physics. He had decades worth of awards and trophies in his name for his achievements in the field.
"Good. That means this invention of his is the real deal."
Chris next turned her attention to Heisenberg's desk. A number of the drawers were locked, albeit they were no match for Chris' trusty All Purpose Fountain Pen Laser. She spent a number of minutes combing through every inch of the desk, though she was unable to find the thing she sought after amongst the clutter.
"Old gum wrappers, receipts, and random notes. Heisenberg sure is a messy guy."
She moved on to the file cabinets, using her gadget to slice through the locks keeping them tightly off-limits. To her dismay, hundreds upon hundreds of folders and papers were contained within each drawer. With no other choice, she began sorting through the files one by one.
"Jeez. This guy is a hoarder too. Half the stuff he has in here isn't even relevant anymore."
Finally, Chris found something of interest: a red, unmarked folder. Unlike the other files, it was sealed tight with thick tape. Chris burned off the seal, and the smell of musty papers hit her nose after opening the covering. She paid this no mind, more intrigued by the first file that read 'Lightspeed Power Suit.' She shifted through the pages, her eyes lighting up more and more.
"This is it! This is the invention Heisenberg is working on!" she exclaimed in a hushed voice. "Let's see here. It says the Lightspeed Power Suit allows the wearer to move at the speed of light. Pretty self-explanatory. Hmm, it also says that it's still undergoing testing right now. This is definitely Heisenberg's handwriting on these papers, so this has gotta be legit. Still, where is he actually keeping the suit?"
She scanned the files a bit longer and found the mention of a secret laboratory. Though she was ticked off by the parchment mentioning nothing about its location, she now understood Heisenberg was a rather paranoid individual that would never keep something so important as the Lightspeed Power Suit on campus where others could accidentally stumble upon it.
"Does that mean this laboratory of his is somewhere else? Dammit! Then it could be literally anywhere in the world!"
Chris, calming herself, took some pictures of the papers with her Z-Powder for future reference. It was then she heard voices outside that were steadily growing louder with each passing second. The door to the office slowly clicked opened. Heisenberg, along with a student, walked inside. The room was totally empty, and judging from Heisenberg's expression, that hadn't been what he was expecting.
"I-Is something wrong, professor?" the student inquired.
Heisenberg shook his head. "N-No. I just thought I heard something strange coming from inside here. Sorry. I must be imagining things."
Unbeknown to both Heisenberg and his pupil, Chris had slipped right past them and into the hallway. Then again, there was no way they could have caught wind of her presence when she was wearing the Faux Silk Invisibility Scarf. She dashed around a corner, ripped off the gadget from around her neck, and grabbed hold of her Z-Powder again.
"Scar! Hey, Scar, answer me! Tch! Where is he when I need to talk to him?!"
Scar, sipping a piping hot cup of tea, came on-screen the second she finished slighting him. "Ah, Christine. I didn't think we would talk again so soon. You certainly look well."
"I told you to stop calling me that! Bah! That's not important right now! Listen, I've figured out what Doctor Heisenberg is working on!"
Chris explained everything she had found out about the Lightspeed Power Suit to Scar, who was more than slightly intrigued by her findings.
"Fascinating," he replied. "And the suit? Where is it now?"
"Heisenberg's keeping it in some secret facility. I don't know where said lab is..."
"Well then, agent, I believe you still have a job to do. Tata for now."
"W-Wait! Don't..." The screen on Chris' Z-Powder went dead. "...hang up."
She sighed. Like always, she was just going to have to handle this herself.
"Dammit! That lab could be anywhere in the world! If only I had some clue to go on."
There was no time for her to lament over her sorrows. Footsteps were heading toward her once more, and she figured it must have been Heisenberg coming back. Pushing a button on her Z-Powder, she changed into some more casual apparel. However, instead of her Quantum Physics instructor, three familiar faces all laughing as they walked around the corner.
"Sam?! Alex?! Clover?!"
It was indeed the three girls she had run into during the day, or at least in Alex's case, the one who had run into her. The trio spotted Chris and stopped their ongoing conversation, seeming just as stunned to see her as she was to see them.
"Oh, hey! It's you!" said Sam.
"Yeah, it is Chris! W-Wait a sec! You know her too?" asked Alex. Sam nodded.
"No way! I ran into her today too!" added Clover.
"Well, we share a Physics 101 class together," explained Sam.
"Er...I-I almost killed her today," explained an embarrassed Alex.
Clover then added, "Well, I stopped to talk to her because she had a way cute scarf on. Speaking of which, are you positive I can't borrow for just a little while? Pretty please?"
"I am. And...h-hello again, you there," said Chris, clearly uncomfortable with this chance encounter. "S-So you all are friends then?"
The three nodded enthusiastically.
"Isn't it rather weird though that we all bumped into Chris here today?" asked Sam.
"Yeah, it is! Maybe it's like...fate or something!" exclaimed Alex.
"Puh-lease! Like I'm seriously going to believe in that horoscope crap!" said Clover. "Still, it is totally bizarre!"
Being talked about like this was making Chris even more uneasy for reasons beyond her. Her face was hot and butterflies were floating around in her stomach.
"I-I should have just used the Invisibility Scarf to run away when I had the chance…" she whispered.
"Hey! Since we're going to the mall anyway, we should totally bring Chris along!" suggested Alex.
"That's a great idea!" Sam replied. "I'm sure Chris would love The Groove!"
"Totes!" added Clover. "I said I would show her around anyway!"
"W-What's 'The Groove?'" asked Chris. She wasn't sure she even wanted to know.
Clover was so shocked and stunned by the question, she found herself unable to speak for a moment. "Y-You don't know what The Groove is?! Seriously?!"
Chris nodded.
"It's only the greatest place on Earth! Not only does it have the best shops but also the cutest guys! Seriously, how could you not know?!"
"I...just didn't."
"Well, good thing you ran into us then! Anyway, they're having a sale on cashmere right now, so we better move if we don't want everyone to take all the good stuff!"
"And I still have to make it up to you for almost giving you brain damage today!" Alex told Chris. "I know! I can buy you a drink at Señor Smoothie!"
"There's also a great bookstore at The Groove where we could probably find something to help us for Physics class tomorrow!" added Sam.
Chris wasn't sure what was going on anymore. She had no interest in shopping and even less of a desire in drinking a smoothie. It made no sense to her why anyone would waste their time on such fruitless endeavors.
"T-Thank you for the offers, girls, but I..."
Her new acquaintances weren't taking no for an answer it seemed. They basically shoved Chris out of the door and in the direction of the mall, much to their helpless victim's chagrin.
"D-Damn it, Scar! I'll never forgive you for making me go on this stupid mission in the first place!" she grumbled. Things were about to get a lot more interesting for the simple SOAP operative from the looks of it.
END