Lish was staring at the series of screens that lined the front of the tank. She was like the ultimate personal assistant. No sick days, no vacations, no sleep, and she wanted to be there. A lot of the paranormals couldnt be trusted with too much. Even though theyre neutered, most of them harbor a bit of resentment toward IPCA because of the loss of freedom. But Lish loved her job. She was in charge of scheduling, monitoring, transports, you name it. Girl knew everything.
Apparently not today, though. Her green eyes widened with interest when I walked up to the tank. I smiled. Whats up, Lish?
How are you feeling? Are you okay after last night?
Lish knew me better than anyone else at the Center. Raquel was in charge of me, but she was hard to talk to about feelings. After all, when the main way you communicate is through sighs, it makes it hard to relate to teens. Lish understood how bad a new run-in with Reth would mess me up. I could (and did) talk with her about everything.
Been better. Didnt sleep.
Lish tried to swearwhich is always funny, because the computer wont translate it. It went something like this: Bleep stupid bleep bleep faeries and their bleep bleep bleep obsessions. He had better stop bleep bleep bleep the bleep bleep rules or I will bleep bleep bleep the little bleeeeeeeeeeep.
All in a completely robotic monotone. Awesome. Lish could really get going sometimes. I loved her for it; she was like the big sister I never had. The big sister who happened to be shiny green and covered in scales, with a long, finned tail and webbed hands. But she was beautiful in her way.
I laughed. The robot voice tirades always cheered me up. Okay, you bleep bleep do that. She shook her head, still mad about Reth. Something on one of her screens took her attention and she waved her webbed hands in front of it for a few minutes. I wasnt sure how all the tech worked in there, but it always looked cool.
Once she was done, she looked back at me. So, tell me about what happened yesterday with the break-in.
What dont you know? Lish was usually the font of all information. Granted, most of that information was classified, but we were best friends. We told secrets, and kept them, too. Like the time when I was twelve and the Center was processing a load of pixies. Lish knew how badly I wanted to see them and slipped me the when and where informationeven though Raquel had grounded me for wandering off on a bag-and-tag mission. Too bad pixies turned out to be dirty, ugly little things, even their wings coated with mucous. Yet another cartoon dream shattered.
What dont you know? Lish was usually the font of all information. Granted, most of that information was classified, but we were best friends. We told secrets, and kept them, too. Like the time when I was twelve and the Center was processing a load of pixies. Lish knew how badly I wanted to see them and slipped me the when and where informationeven though Raquel had grounded me for wandering off on a bag-and-tag mission. Too bad pixies turned out to be dirty, ugly little things, even their wings coated with mucous. Yet another cartoon dream shattered.
They are not releasing much intel. What is it? She looked worried.
Dont know. Ive never seen anything like him. Neither has Raquel.
Why was he here?
Dont know again. I caught him in Raquels office, but he hasnt said why.
And he can take the appearance of anyone?
Yup. Pretty freaky when youre standing there talking to yourself.
A small, wheezing laugh sounded. I looked over and noticed one of the office vamps standing close by, listening. Something funny, Dalv? I glared at him.
He glared back. Its Vlad and you know it.
You and half the other vamps out there. Vlador Dalv, as I liked to call him just to piss him off was one of my least favorite parts of the Center. After neutering, IPCA always set the paranormals up with some mandatory job. Werewolves had the most job flexibility, depending on what they were before. Vamps usually worked in the satellite buildings or did cover-up for sightings using their persuasion skills. Vlad was pretty useless though. I guess I cant blame him for feeling bitter.
Going from being the terror of Bulgarian nights to a janitor would kinda suck. And, since I was the one who had done the bag-and-tag, he especially hated me.
He shrugged as he swept the already spotless floor. His glamour was less flashy than most; he looked like a forty-year-old man, not handsome, not ugly, just thin and slightly balding. Underneath all vamps looked the same. Ugh. He could be a doppelg?nger, he said, a sneer of a smile creeping onto his face.
Whats a doppelg?nger? I immediately regretted asking as his smile spread.
Good news for the rest of us, if he took your form. Giving another wheezy laugh, he walked out.
I turned to Lish; she was already looking it up on one of her screens. Her eyes narrowed. What?
The look on her face was making me nervous. Whats a doppelg?nger?
Doppelg?ngers appear to people as harbingers of she paused death. The tale was that if you saw yourself, it meant you were going to die. They were also bad spirits who would take your form and destroy your life, again leading to your death.