A voice barely audible over the sound of billions of people said, “Are you Laurice?” Miss Distressed Business Lady stood up anxiously, expectantly.
“Do you have news?” Laurice attempted to smooth out her disheveled business suit as if it would increase the likelihood of the news being good.
“Yes ma’am. The target is in the building. He is carrying the parcel. You mission is to intercept the target without disturbing the parcel. Upon disturbance of the parcel, every soul in this building will be dramatically obliterated. If this man succeeds in exiting the building with the parcel, every world in this solar system will be spectacularly annihilated. You must not fail.” A dark shape hand her a folder and walk away from the woman through the crowd.
The woman was frozen. A shocked expression seemed to have lodged itself in place of the calm and assured visage that should have been at the receiving end of such a statement.
“I meant news about my luggage...”
Left with no alternative, she sluggishly opened the folder. Time stopped, except for Laurice. A small pixilated penguin materialized over the folder.
“Who... Who are you?” Laurice said.
“I am the protector of this world. My mortal enemy, Adipi Infernum, was successfully trapped in the parcel you seek. If the vial in which he resides is smashed, he will escape. Go, Agent Decrae. The world is counting on you. This is your chance to be the somebody you always wish you were. Go after him.”
“But I’m not Agent Decrae! I’m-”
“Shush, woman! There is no time!”
“But time is stopped.”
“Really? So it is! Goodbye!” The Protector of This World disintegrated.
The world went back to normal. Laurice panicked, threw the folder, and started to run. I can’t do this! Her hair flew behind her. I have to get out of here! She shoved people this way and that.
This is your chance. The gravelly voice of the penguin echoed in her mind. A man saw her running, and sped away in the opposite direction. Go after him. As he turned into an airport alley an airport block ahead of her, she turned into the airport alley right next to her to cut him off.
The man saw her and skidded to a stop. Maybe... maybe I can do this, she thought. He’s right there. Maybe I can be somebody.
“Hey...” They said simultaneously.
Distracted, he dropped it.
She dove. He dove. They missed, landing in a heap on the slimy cobblestones. The parcel traveled towards the ground in the dim light of a lone bulb. The corner of the brown paper box touched the ground. Intricate designs made of light itself began at the point of the parcel. It spread across the alley, went through the walls, and onward, only stopping at the super-reinforced outside walls of the airport itself.
Three hours later, the police found an empty shell where the AirportPlanet once stood.
I work at the Java Hut by docking bay F23 at Han InterDimensional AirportPlanet. They allowed me to write this before dramatically obliterating my soul. I guess that is what we get for confusing a secret agent with a woman who lost all her luggage.