Story 23 - Part 4 - Quite a Sight

“Sweet mother of solenoids,” Vire said as she studied the ‘doomsday’ device. “That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen. It’s completely inefficient.”

Carmine laughed. After they played their ‘roles’ the joggers had all been able to escape and had immediately gone to the nearest phone booth. Since this situation seemed right up the government agents’ alley, they had been contacted. They had been able to take care of the mess rather quickly, but Agent Driver had requested that Vire look at the doomsday weapon to confirm if it was actually dangerous or not.

“How long will it take for you to look at that?” Jordan asked.

“I don’t know,” Vire admitted as she circled the device. “For all I know it could be hallow inside this gaudy structure. You can go home if you need to rest. I heard you had quite the acting debut.”

“It was the worst,” Jordan whined. “I can act like an interrogator, or a tough thief. I cannot act like a kitten loving pansy.”

“I thought you did a good job,” Carmine inputted. “It was convincing enough for them.”

“That’s because they’re crazy,” Jordan sighed. “I would have preferred your role or else Boomer’s.”

“What were everyone’s roles?” Vire asked as began working on a panel of the device.

“I was the good guy pansy,” Jordan grumbled. “Never mind that I’m bigger than both Car and Boomer. Boomer was stereotypical, golden good guy. Carmine was the ambiguous good guy.”

“Ambiguous good guy?”

“My role was a former bad guy who was on the good guy’s side, but without all of their morals,” Carmine explained. “Kind of like an anti-hero.”

“I really wish I had it all on video,” Vire laughed. “Especially your pansy role, Jord.”

Jordan scowled, but it quickly faded into a grin. Carmine looked away as he watched the agents who were sweeping through the area. Agent Wilson had come in and she waved at Carmine before she went to get her exact orders from Agent Driver.

“There is more wire in here than in a bridge cable,” Vire said in frustration after she had pried off the panel.

“What’s it even attached to?” Jordan asked.

“I think it’s just in there,” Vire answered. “I’m not really sure. This is absolutely ridiculous. I think I’ve seen everything now.”

Carmine glanced at them and then left the two to sort through the wires. He did not fully think through what he was doing until he was almost next to Agent Driver. By then, though, Carmine agreed with his instinct, as always. The early morning run had really given him a chance to think a lot of things through and actually reach a decision or two.

“So, Dev,” Carmine said as he put a hand on the agent’s shoulder. “Tiffany here will need to be off in a few hours.”

“She will?” “I will?”

“If I remember last month correctly,” Carmine explained to Tiffany, “you said that you owed me a decent date. One that did not involve us nearly killing each other in an attempt to dance.”

“So you’re asking me out?” Tiffany clarified.

“Yes.”

“Now I’ve seen everything,” Vire yelled from across the room.