McMillan Tech Industries Lake Point branch, ground floor
Jerri Blazestorm, as she now called herself, felt her business at McMillan Tech Industries was done. Now it was time to leave.
The punk rock woman noted the security guards at the entrance to the parking garage. She knew the building was on lockdown, and someone like her (who did not resemble anyone they had seen going in at the start of the day) would be considered suspicious.
It was just then that an announcement came over the public address system.
"Attention please. This is Doug Sallow, head of Research and Development. On behalf of Mr. McMillan and the rest of the Board, please observe the following rules."
"Anyone attempting to leave the building must submit to searches by security. All Transformation Guns and instruments of chaos will be confiscated. Secondly, we ask that those affected by Transformation Guns be evaluated and interviewed before they leave. Thirdly, Restoration Guns have been discovered, meaning that the option for people affected to return to their previous selves is available."
Jerri noted that Sallow's voice had more confidence in it than she was used to. Perhaps he had been told about Dankworth's demise. Or maybe the talk she had given him earlier had stuck with him. Whatever the reason, he now seemed more assertive than usual.
Jerri approached the guards. She still had the Punk Gun with her, and by now had used it on herself again several times, in batches of 60. She had zapped herself 60 more times with it, allowed the Punk Gun to cool down, zapped herself 60 more times, allowed it to cool down, zapped herself 60 more times, allowed it to cool down, and then zapped herself 60 more times. By now, she had been zapped with the Punk Gun no less than 360 times.
If her theory - that even though she didn't change mentally or physically with any of those zaps, the Restoration Gun still counted all those as seperate zaps - was correct, then no one would be able to accidentally restore her to who she was before. People suspecting she was the product of a Transformation Gun transformation would likely give up after less than ten zaps, let alone 300 or more.
The hole she had placed Dr. Jerry Chance in was now a lot deeper. And a month from now, the dirt would be well and truly shoveled over it.
She marched confidently up to the guards. "So, you're here to confiscate these Transformation Guns? Here, catch!" With that, she tossed the Punk Gun down the hall. She didn't really need it anymore.
The guards rushed after it, while Jerri rushed past them and into the parking garage. She quickly jumped into Dr. Chance's car, turned on the ignition, and drove out of the parking garage and onto the road with rapid speed.
She would dispose of the car later, once she had taken care of unfinished business at Dr. Chance's house. For now, she bid a not-so-fond farewell to McMillan Tech Industries and sped off, laughing all the way.
She was now on the road to freedom.
McMillan Tech Industries, basement lab complex, secondary lab
Doug Sallow concluded the announcement. Rachel McLewis, with permission from the transformed CEO Richard McMillan, had arranged for Doug Sallow to access the building's public address system and make the announcment from his office. With that concluded, he rejoined everyone else in the secondary lab.
"There, that's done." Sallow said. "Now, is everyone ready? We've got a long and busy night ahead of us."
Ryan Leeson, Samantha Duncan, and Randall Jeffries nodded. Samantha Duncan looked around at the rest of the group: Larry Eastbrook, Carrie Brierton, Arnie Amspoker, Teresa Talton, Milt Smukmeyer, and most of the rest of the people in the Research and Development division. Some, like Milt Smukmeyer, were still in their Transformation Gun-created mode, but were still willing to help.
"He's right." Samantha said. "We all need to contact our families, and tell them we're going to be working late."
She had already texted Jay Duncan with this information. Jay had told her that he would be hanging out with his friends Kyla Leeson, Walter Smukmeyer, and Leonard Drullers for a while, and would be all right.
"All right." Sallow said. "We have eleven Restoration Guns in total. That means we go looking around for people who might be in need of them. But as Ryan Leeson has told us, not everyone wants to be changed back. So ask first, unless they're clearly doing something crazy as a result of their transformation. If that's the case, feel free to zap them with a Restoration Gun."
"What about those of us who don't have Restoration Guns?" said one Steampunk Gun-zapped employee in the back.
"You just keep an eye open, and see if anyone is either unhappy with their changes or acting crazy because of them. Then you report back to us." Sallow said.
Samantha nodded. The rest of the group now knew what she and Ryan had known since the Teleportation Chamber overloaded and sent the wave over the world. There was no putting this genie back in the bottle. But at least there were things they could do to mitigate the chaos here at McMillan Tech Industries.
"Is that understood?" Sallow asked. After a pause, Sallow added. "Good. Time to get to work."
The Gibson house
Jon and Karyn sat on the couch in the living room, watching sitcom reruns. Aside from the fact that Jon was still in the form of a redhaired girl, it was almost as if they were just hanging out together as they sometimes did after school. For a moment or two, they were able to put aside the crazy events of the day.
Then, they heard a car door open and close from the driveway. "That's probably Mom." Jon said.
