The remarkable 40 story WOOHP Headquarters in downtown L.A. featured a 'W'-shaped top and helipad. Within it, the ceiling of Jerry's top floor office parted, and the girls dropped down onto a red Victorian couch, winded. Alex looked at the older man with a considering look.
Years ago, after their first trip, the girls had asked Jerry how such travel was possible. He explained the tunnels were extensively hidden throughout L.A., primarily in spots visited by the trio. The bulk of the travel, however, was done through a form of teleportation, similar to The Center's use of the Portal.
"Hey Jerry! Ever think of using Portals like the Center?" she asked, and thought of Martin. "I'm sure they'd share," she added hopefully.
"Hello Alex. Girls," he replied. "Portals... No, I believe WOOHP Tunnels are a tradition that must remain," he decreed, and raised an index finger with a solemn expression, eyes closed.
Sam smirked at this as Jerry opened his eyes. "It's been a while since our last mission. What's up Jerry?" she asked, and fixed her mussed hair.
"High tech thefts, unfortunately," Jerry said. Two impressive college buildings appeared on the wall-sized monitor behind him. "The New York University Tech Showcase was hit recently, and a mini cloaking device was stolen. Then at the Michigan Institute of Technology Expo, a speed enhancing gadget was taken. The next and only other expo coming up is here," he said.
He pressed a button on his keyboard, and the two structures were replaced by an image of a long, curved, white-roofed building fronted by floor-to-ceiling windows. "The San Fransokyo Institute of Technology."
"Uh, don't you mean San Francisco?" Clover asked, perplexed. Alex and Sam nodded mutely. "Last time we were there was to save the city from that astronaut lady messing with gravity," she added.
"No, I'm afraid this is an alternate San Francisco that was developed with significant Japanese influence. Thus the name San Fransokyo. It is, in fact, in a parallel dimension. A portal opened up a week ago over our San Francisco and has been kept secret from most of the world's population," he replied, then finished off his cup of tea. He pressed a button to show a barely-visible shimmer of energy high above Coit Tower.
The girls stared at him, to the screen, then back to him wide eyed and with open mouths.
"Parallel dimension?! C'mon Jerry. And this guy discovered it? And you want us to go in there?!" Sam replied frantically.
"Yes, agents from WOOHP and The Center have traveled back and forth just fine. In fact, some are living there now. There's no evidence of the window closing."
"Yet!" Alex said, "this is nuts. I mean, we've time traveled- twice. Seen talking animals, met aliens, and well, you know- But this?"
Jerry nodded in sympathy. "I understand your concern, but you three are simply the best, and we need you. We believe the culprit came from San Fransokyo to steal tech in our dimension, and is now returning to his own to complete his scheme," he said. The girls looked at him in concern.
He pressed a button on his console and a metal drawer silently slid out from a nearby wall, which revealed three pink heart-shaped backpacks. "No new gadgets," Jerry said with eyebrows raised. "Dean's packed an assortment of your favorites though," he added. Dean referred to an elite agent who was also head of the gadget department at WOOHP.
"Wow, that might be a first," Sam said, and thought momentarily of Dean, who she'd been dating for some time now. Alex shrugged, Clover considered, then nodded, and the three grabbed the Jet pack Backpacks and peeked inside to check out the contents.
"I've packed enough cash in case your credit is declined there. Your cover will be- well, college students," Jerry informed them. "So no need to change yet," he said, referring to the X-Powders' miraculous ability to instantly change the girls, in a shimmer of energy, from their current outfits to their spy uniforms or any disguise needed.
The girls zipped up their backpacks and looked at their boss with interest. "You're to catch this thief," he said to them simply. "If this theft isn't prevented, I fear the tech from the three expos will be used for a nefarious purpose."
"Well, solid briefing like always Jerry," Alex said and managed a supportive smile.
"Thank you Alex," he replied, and leaned back slightly in his comfortable office chair to glance at the monitor. His face fell a bit and he looked back at the girls somberly.
"But please be careful. I researched a bit of the history of this expo, and a year ago someone stole a robotics presentation by setting the building on fire. It ended in tragedy for one student," he said. Sadly, he pressed a button to show a handsome young Japanese American man who wore a black cap.
"That's terrible," Clover said, shocked. Sam and Alex consented quietly, also taken aback.
Despite the intense danger they'd faced over the years, the girls almost never encountered casualties on their missions; a fact that had kept them quite innocent in that regard.
"We'll be careful," Sam said. "And we'll try to prevent anything like that from happening this time," she added intently. She looked to Alex and Clover for support, and they eyed Jerry with determination.
"Very well, good luck spies. There's more than enough money for a hotel stay overnight if you need it," Jerry said. "Also, communication via X-Powders works across dimensions." He smiled oddly.
"Talk about serious long distance," Clover said, and shook her head. Sam and Alex glanced from her to Jerry and nodded in agreement.
Jerry pressed a button that caused a wall to slide back and reveal a metallic grey high tech jet. They strode purposefully to the plane's extendable gangplank, boarded, and started the engine. The gangplank retracted, the exterior wall of the high-rise parted in front of the plane, and they blasted off out of the small hanger. Jerry used his console to close up the walls and looked back to his computer monitor intently.
You can do it girls. We're counting on you.
A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review and favorite if you enjoyed it!