It’s Agent R’s first outing as a Time-Spy!
After her recruitment by ETERNAL, she was thrust into a whole new world of adventure. Without her trusty longtime companion JQ, all she could rely on is the new ultra-tech “Poppet System” that granted her his talents in the field, to supplement her own extraordinary training. Alas, what she missed most was his talents elsewhere…
In this timeline, Rook Industries and Rosa Rook were evil! It was hard for her to believe at first - they had created some of her most important gadgets in the shadow war against Atlantean ninja - but without the Atlantean Invasion to unify the planet, it turned out that numerous supervillains have run amok through history, including some who corrupted Rook’s leadership. She’d been sent to months before a particularly critical moment, in order to influence an important decision.
Her intelligence source informs her that Rook was looking for geniuses in all fields. Using the Poppet System, R took to the digital world and forged a new identity. The cover wouldn’t be impeccable, but it would hold up against a quick background check. But then, a thought struck her. Should she really be starting low, if she wanted to reach the higher echelons as quickly as possible?
It was a whole new world. She didn’t know how things worked here - not at all. She’d need to improvise.
She accessed the Poppet System for her next move. Administrative Assistants were people who got things done for big companies, and she had a skill package for it. This would tell her how to get in.
People had security badges that let them into the building. Was there a cafeteria inside, or did people book lunches at other businesses? She looked up the corporate benefits Rook offered on their recruiting web page. Sure, enough, a cafeteria. Bummer. But maybe people didn’t eat there all the time?
How about online reviews? Sure enough, a diligent search found a place with Yelp reviews, left by people with Rook Industries email addresses.
Agent R still lacked a lot of confidence at this new Time-Spy gig. But she couldn’t let ETERNAL down. It was time to put the Poppet System to its first use in the field.
She went to a different restaurant, as a diner. If she made skin contact with someone, she could give them nanobuddies that would absorb the skills they were employing at the time. The system already had a library of Soldier, Spy, Vehicle Operator, and many other skill packages. What she was here for was a waitress.
Next, it was time to interview for a job opening. It didn’t take long for one to appear, and with her absorbed talents, she was a shoe-in.
Finally, wait for a big company lunch type thing! Agent R had seen this sort of thing on television, where people go to a favorite restaurant. They’d have to bring their security badges. Dialing in a mixture of Waitress, Pickpocket, and Magician, it was almost too easy. She picked a mark from the lineup, someone who acted forgetful and unfocused, who ordered plenty of alcohol, and lifted the badge without effort. When he got back to the office, they’d assume he had been careless.
The Poppet System was amazing! It gave her confidence where she lacked it. All she had to do was intend something, and her mind would be filled with expertise and memories. Things she’d never done before became things she’d easily pulled off a thousand times. It was like having the warm, comforting hand of JQ wrapped around her shoulder, his soft breath warming her ear…
But those days were not to be. There was a JQ in this world - she’d checked. But his life was very, very different. No doubt he had his own version of Agent R. She didn’t know all the rules of time travel, but she did know she was here for a purpose, and that sadly her personal life must be set aside until its completion.
Back to business. One other thing the Rook building had was a gym. And when you got done with the gym, you’d go take a shower. Nobody took their badges into the shower with them. The starter badge she’d lifted would be revoked soon, once its owner went to the front desk. With a new high-security badge from the gym showers, she dropped the other one off at Lost & Found and moved into the upper floors.
She found a manager’s office. It looked pretty posh - just the kind of thing she needed.
She walked in confidently, thanks to the Poppet System’s Model skill package. “I’m here for a job.”
“Who are you?” the woman demanded. Agent R glanced at her nameplate - ANNIKA DE GROOT - and smiled.
“I’m a genius chemist. I got in here because I think you need the best, from people who can show initiative. Take me to a chemistry lab, put me to the test, and you won’t be disappointed.”
She had the job! It had worked!
She had to return the badge, of course, and explain how she’d gotten in. But the demonstration in the lab, showing what she could do, had convinced everyone.
Now she had to wait for the signal. And then one day, it came. The television promo, the one she’d been instructed to wait for, down to the last detail. She really was a Time-Spy. ETERNAL really could read the future.
“Jason Quill and New Superhero Team Interview, Today With Tasha Starr.”