Synaptic Overload

by Brandy Dewinter and Tigger

( © 1999, All rights reserved )

 

Chapter 11 - Unending Complications

A week later Thorson was once again approached by the redheaded agent. He was heading for the parking lot at the end of a day of classes when she intercepted him.

"Mr. Thorson! Wait up a minute, please!" Adams called.

He stopped to watch as she came walking up, noting with appreciation that she seemed to have lost a little weight. *I wonder if it's because she's got a corset under there,* he thought with a smile.

His smile earned one of hers in response, as she paused for a second to catch her breath before speaking. Her feminine attributes were displayed most attractively in a fairly tight knit top, drawing his attention for a long second before he managed to refocus on her face.

Her smile broadened a bit at his obvious interest, but she had her own face professionally neutral by the time his gaze reached her eyes.

"Mr. Thorson, I just wanted to tell you that we've captured Maui and Hawaii," she said.

"Indeed?" he said with a sly grin. "Let me guess, the attack was launched from Pearl Harbor, at dawn."

"What?" she said, then caught on. "Oh, you are just terrible. You know what I mean."

He nodded, then his expression became serious as he asked, "Are they all right?"

"Oh, yes," she assured him. "They actually turned themselves in."

"And Oahu?" he asked next.

"No word from him. They said he had given them a ride back to the mainland, then basically kicked them out of the plane. He took off again for parts unknown."

"Well, that's at least some good news," he said, though his mind wasn't really on Synapse's gang. *Hmmm,* he thought, *she could really use a bit of Angie's magic. I wonder if she's doing anything tonight. Maybe I can get her an appointment with them, now that I'm no longer occupying their Friday nights.*

"Um, Sharon, were you planning on going to the concert tonight?" he asked, wondering if she might have already committed to the event that had been the talk of the campus for weeks.

"No, I, uh, well, I have some other things to do," she said, thinking about the report she had to write on this mundane meeting.

"Oh, well, too bad," he said. "I'll see that Entropy gets this information."

"Oh, yes, thank you." she replied. Then she thought, *Was he trying to ask me out on a date? His tone didn't have the sort of, hesitancy, that guys usually have when they've asked me before.*

She looked up from her distraction to see if Thorson's invitation could be reopened, but he had turned away to answer a student's question. She shrugged and walked away, not even sure if she'd messed up.

 

Thorson got back to his apartment early that day, which didn't stop Dinger from immediately demanding to be fed. It was easier to give in than to argue, so Thorson was opening a can of cat food when the phone rang.

"Yes?" he said.

"Jonny, this is Angie. Are you coming tonight?"

"Uh, I don't know. I mean, things seem to be pretty well worked out. It's not like I'm not grateful, but I hate to monopolize your time and talents."

"Oh, hell, Jonny, you're more like family than client. We enjoy having you," she said. Then she dropped her voice, "but actually, I'd like you to come for another reason."

"Yes?" he said, encouraging her.

"I'm trying to get Janice out in casual clothes, jeans or shorts or something. She keeps saying she has to wear extremely feminine clothes to pass, including things that hide what she thinks are her flaws. I think she would do just fine in jeans. Anyway, if you'll come help, I have an idea on how to do that."

"Sure!" Thorson agreed enthusiastically. "That would be fun. What do you have in mind?"

"Can't talk now," she whispered. "See you at 6:00, like usual?"

"Sure thing," he said.

"Well, Ding, this might be an interesting evening after all," the tall roommate said to the shorter one.

"Mrwwoaweer," Dinger replied. [I have plans, thank you. There's this cute Persian with the fluffiest tail you ever saw . . ]

"Don't brag," Thorson laughed.

He reached the Inner Truth salon just ahead of schedule and headed toward the back door "family" entrance. When he got inside, he was surprised to find his Entropy costume laid out, and to find Janice wearing a white leotard and black tights that looked almost like a costume of her own.

"What's going on," Thorson asked easily.

"Angie had an interesting idea," Janice explained. "She thought it would be a good thing if you had some pictures taken with Entropy."

Thorson didn't get it, yet. "So, you're going to dress as Entropy?"

"No," Janice laughed. "There's only one Entropy. We're going to do a little photo manipulation."

Angie chimed in with the rest of the story. "Most photo manipulation gives itself away in shadows, or too-sharp contrast with the background, that sort of thing. What we want to do is take pictures of you with Janice, she's the same height as Entropy, then have you switch places with her dressed as James and you as Entropy. That way, when we merge the two images, the shadows and background will line up perfectly."

"I, uh, see," Thorson said, though he didn't really.

In a short while, though, he understood. Angie, as the photographer, draped Janice over him in most "cuddly" poses. At first, Thorson was uncomfortable at the idea of hugging a guy, but Janice's carefree humor soon cheered him up and he began to laugh and flirt with her, blowing kisses and pretending to let his hands drift in sensual ways. At least, for him it was pretending. The real challenge came when they switched roles. Janice took off her long wig, but Angie wouldn't let her take the time to undress completely. She just handed Janice/James a pair of blue jeans and a shirt not too different from the one that Thorson had been wearing.

It took a lot longer, of course, to recreate Entropy. But they had been through that drill often enough that they worked well together and in a reasonably short while, it was Entropy being draped over a still shapely James. Angie used her authority as photographer to pose them in positions matching her first set of shots, shown on her monitor. So the flirty fun that Janice had enjoyed with Jonathon needed to be resurrected in Entropy's attitude. It was even harder for her to do it from the female side, but James' good humor and Angie's teasing soon had her laughing again.

When Angie pronounced herself satisfied, she started merging the electronic photo images together while they watched. It was pretty amazing, really. In just a few minutes, if you hadn't known the images were merged, you really couldn't tell. She even zoomed in to the individual pixel level to make sure there weren't any discontinuous shadows. When she was satisfied, she started a set of prints on photo-quality paper.

James was helping Entropy out of her costume when Angie interrupted.

"I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat."

"I think it would cause a bit less notice if I changed first," Entropy said.

"Yes," Angie agreed, sending her a silent request to play along, "but only into Janie. Leave your corset on."

"Oh, um, okay," the blonde agreed. Once she had her skin-tight costume off, she looked around for feminine clothes to wear.

"Look, why don't we just go casual, tonight," Angie said. Casually. "Janice is already in jeans, and so am I. We'll find you something similar."

"I'm not going out in jeans," Janice said. "You know I need more help than that."

"Why?" Janie asked. "You were just in a superhero costume and looked terrific. Believe me, there's nothing else you could wear that would be more difficult to pass in."

"Look who's the expert all of the sudden," Janice snorted.

"Hardly all of the sudden," Janie said. "I've been trained by experts."

"Come on, Janice. Don't be a party pooper," Angie teased. "Find a nice wig and let's go."

"Couldn't I at least wear a skirt and pantyhose?" Janice pleaded.

"Um, no," Janie said, thinking quickly. "We're going to a concert at the University. Classical music in the park. People sit on blankets and things. I don't think you want to be flashing all those college guys, do you?"

"Classical music?" Janice said, not very pleased at the idea.

"Yeah, you know. Beach Boys, Buddy Holley, Three Dog Night. It's not the original bands, of course, just local groups, but they do this every year and they're pretty good. Best of all, it's free."

"So you'll do it?" Janice asked Janie, still not convinced.

Janie took as deep a breath as her own corset would allow, then nodded. "I will if you will."

"Then it's settled," Angie said quickly. "Janie, you can wear that other wig that suits you so well, the ash-blonde, smooth one that comes to the middle of your back. Janice, dear, how do you feel about being a redhead tonight?"

The pixie dominated the taller women by sheer force of personality, hurrying them through their final preparations before either could back out. Janice did insist of wearing a more feminine blouse with a flounce around the shoulders baring a rather noticeable area of smooth skin. That was really superfluous, though. By the time they were ready to go, the skin-tight jeans all three wore left little doubt of their shapeliness.

If Janie had found the ride a bit more comfortable when not squeezed within a stiff corset, or even when flying, she didn't say anything. And if she didn't complain, then Janice didn't feel she could either. They were both grateful for the chance to unbend though, when they finally got to the campus. Angie cheerfully spread out their blanket in a relatively smooth spot while the other two took advantage of the opportunity to breathe a bit more easily.

"Looking foxy tonight," a grinning student said as he walked by the statuesque pair. After that it was race to see who could blush first, and most.

"See, I told you!" Angie crowed in a sharp stage whisper.

Janice was the first to recover. She had wanted acceptance all her life, but had never really believed in herself. She had believed in her skill, and that of Angie, but she had never believed in her own femininity. The offhand comment of a passing admirer had broken down a wall in her heart that she had never considered important, until it was gone. The confidence that filled her caused her to lift her shoulders, stand proudly, and light up their little corner of the campus with a smile as hot as any of Entropy's beams.

Janie was not as quick to recover. She asked, "Why did he say that?"

"Because it's true, dolt," laughed Angie.

"No, I mean, why did he just say that and walk on?"

"Why not?" Angie asked back.

"But he just said it, like, well, like he meant it. I mean, like it didn't have to mean any more than that. It's not like he was, well, hitting on us or anything."

Angie laughed. "Well, if you'd have said something back, he might have shown interest quickly enough. But he was just appreciating a couple of pretty girls. It doesn't have to be a 'line', the first step in a path into your panties."

Angie stood up from where she was working on the blanket and said, "Look, there's nothing wrong with bringing a bit of beauty into the world, and there's nothing that says a man can only appreciate it if he's horny. Consider it the appreciation someone might have for a pretty painting, and be grateful you can do it so well."

Janie didn't say anything, but the concentration behind those bright blue eyes lacked none of the intensity Entropy had ever employed.

"How about a coke?" Janice asked, breaking in on Janie's thoughts before she withdrew completely. "I'll buy."

"No," Janie said with a smile. "You drove. I'll buy the cokes."

She looked around for a vendor, spotting a row a few hundred yards away. Angie leaned over to whisper in Janice's ear, perhaps confirming the happiness she saw on her soulmate's pretty face. Leaving the two of them to each other, Janie strolled toward the vendors' booths. A low whistle followed her at one point, and she nearly stopped to peer into the gathering gloom for the source. But some strange impulse caused her to put a little more strut into her stride instead, earning a repeat whistle that was full of humor and appreciation.

Janie was trying to get her hand inside the front pocket of her sprayed-on jeans, where she had stuck a few dollars, when she saw Sharon Adams heading for the same area. She almost called out to the diminutive redhead, but remembered just in time that though the agent knew her as both Entropy and as Jonathon Thorson, she was neither of those people that night. Instead, she fell in behind Adams in the line for cokes.

When Adams ordered only one, Janie spoke to her, "Are you here alone tonight?"

The redhead might have spurned an opening like that from a guy, but coming from a pretty girl, it seemed harmless enough. "Yes, I was hoping to see someone here, but I guess he didn't make it."

"Oh, a guy, huh? Did he stand you up?"

"No, in fact, it's more like the other way around. I think he was fishing to see if I'd come to the concert with him, but I didn't take the bait soon enough," admitted Adams.

"I'm Janie," the blonde introduced herself. "I'm here with some friends, if you'd like to join us."

Adams refused, though she looked wistful. "Uh, no, I don't think so.

I wouldn't want to be the odd one out."

"Oh, it's not like that," Janie assured her. "Not a boy in sight.

Well, at least, not in our group."

"Oh, well, maybe for a while," Adams said. "By the way, I'm Sharon."

"Pleased to meet you, Sharon," Janie said, lifting the extra cokes in her hand by way of excuse not to shake hands or something.

While they walked back to the blanket, Sharon said, "I'm sorry, but I have this feeling we've met somewhere. Should I know you?"

"I don't think so," Janie lied. Or maybe it wasn't a lie. She sure hoped that the trained agent wouldn't be able to penetrate her disguise.

The got back to the blanket before Sharon had the chance to press the point. Janie still didn't feel like trying to bend in her tight corset, so after she completed the introductions, she stood with Sharon, looking over the crowd.

"Can I ask who you were looking for?" she asked Sharon. "Maybe it's someone I know."

"Uh, well, I guess so. It's one of the instructors here at the University. Professor Thorson."

Janice had a sudden coughing fit, spitting up some of her coke. Angie was a bit luckier and didn't have anything in her mouth at the time. She just started laughing instead. Both reactions were too noticeable to escape an explanation, but both were afraid to step on some story that Janie might have started so they looked to her to settle things.

She took a breath to give her time to collect her thoughts, and then started spinning her tale with a question, "You're Sharon Adams, the FBI agent, aren't you."

"Well, yes, how do you know?" she answered.

"Because Jonny Thorson is my cousin," Janie said. "Well, some sort of cousin anyway. One of those second cousin once removed things or something. Anyway, my mother told me to look him up when I got to this area, and we've talked a few times. He's a couple of years older than me. He told me about you, but I didn't make the connection until you mentioned his name."

"Ah, so that's why you look familiar," Sharon said.

"Yes, I suppose so," Janie agreed.

Then she pulled Sharon aside a bit and whispered to her. "Look, I don't want to get Jonny in trouble, but he was asking my opinion on something, and this is too good an opportunity to pass up. He told me that Entropy told him . . . "

"You know Entropy?" Sharon asked sharply.

"I've met her," Janie said quickly, then continued, "Anyway, Jonny told me that you thought you might need some help with clothing and, well, makeup styles. I think you look nice, but you might want to know that Angie is a makeup designer, and Janice is a fashion consultant. I've used their services and I can promise you they're top notch."

"Yeah, right, like you needed any help," Sharon said disdainfully.

"Believe me, I didn't always look this way," Janie said, letting lots and lots of easy-to-access conviction into her tone.

"Do you think they could really help me?" Sharon asked.

"Absolutely," Janie said, "you've got a wonderful basis to build on, much better than I had."

Sharon's expression showed her disbelief, but there was also hope in her eyes. Taking that as a sign of agreement, Janie took Sharon by the arm and pulled her back to the blanket.

"Janice, Angie, I think I just found you a new client," she announced.

Janice looked quizzically up at her, and said, "We don't usually take on clients who are that, um, pretty to begin with."

"Jonny was telling me how much he thought Sharon's self-image would improve if she had a touch of your expertise. That's what you do, isn't it? Help people feel better about themselves? That's what you did with me."

"Did we?" Janice said softly, standing up.

"Yes," Janie confirmed, realizing in her own heart the truth of that agreement even as she made it.

The ever-cheerful Angie chirped in to get things back on a lighter note. "Then I guess it's settled. Sharon, we'll even give you our friend-of-a-friend discount."

Before Sharon could commit one way or the other, an obviously-inebriated Terhune lurched into their group.

"Agent Adams," he called out cheerfully, "caught any crooks lately?"

"Not tonight," Sharon answered. She tried to turn away to give him the impression he was not welcome, but that led Terhune's attention to Janie, standing next to her.

The sight of the shapely blonde seemed to draw the breath from Terhune for a long second. After he started breathing again, he was a lot closer to sober. Unfortunately, while that gave him greater control over his balance and his elocution, it did nothing to restore any sense of inhibition. He focused directly on Janie and started quoting in grandiloquent oratory.

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;

Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!

Janie almost laughed at his obvious attraction. *If he only knew,* she thought. Playing along for the pleasure of tweaking him, she said, "I am hardly a snowy dove trooping with crows."

Before Terhune could say any more, Janie turned to Sharon and said, "You know, Sharon, there may be a crook around for you to catch. I've heard that there's a English Literature professor here on campus who likes to get, um, up close and personal with some of the female students. Now, I'm not a student, and neither are you, but, well, don't you think such a man, if one exists of course, should be, uh, dissuaded from such a pastime?"

Neither Angie nor Janice understood what was going on, but Sharon knew right away what Janie was saying. She laughed and picked up on the theme. "Oh, absolutely. Why, if I found a professor accosting a young lady on this campus, I'd just have to, what did you say? Dissuade him."

Terhune's face took on a hue that was three parts embarrassment and two parts alcohol, but he knew when he was headed for more trouble than he needed. He stood a bit straighter and completed the quotation as he walked off with all the dignity he could manage.

Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight!

For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

Janie and Sharon couldn't control their giggles at his wounded manner, and like most laughter it was infectious. Angie and Janice joined in, which soon had them all laughing with full-bodied humor right up until the opening notes from the first band.

The bands were too loud for easy conversation, and the music was really pretty good, if a bit old fashioned so they didn't talk much for a while. During one of the lulls, Janice leaned over to Janie and said, "This is going to be complicated."

Janie just nodded.

 

Thorson had to go by campus the next morning and he happened to stop by the faculty lounge. He found Terhune at a table, TV again going. However, the English professor didn't seem to be making much progress on whatever work he had spread out. His head was down on his hands and he seemed almost asleep.

"What's the matter, Rick?" Thorson asked.

"I feel lower than snake shit," Terhune moaned.

"Ah, well, that's probably fair," Thorson laughed.

"Huh, what?" Terhune said, struggling to focus.

"Too much partying last night?" Thorson asked with a grin.

"No, that's not it," Terhune claimed. "It's just that I met this woman, the most beautiful woman in the whole world, and she wouldn't have anything to do with me."

"Oh, smart, too, huh?" Thorson said.

"I don't need this sort of grief from you, Jonny," Terhune growled, but his heart wasn't really in the warning.

"I thought you had the hots for Entropy." Thorson reminded him.

"Who? Oh, her. Well, she's certainly pretty, but she's kinda, you know, distant. I mean, you'd never just meet her walking in the hallway or something, right?" Terhune asked.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Thorson asked, trying very, very hard not to laugh.

"What? Uh, never mind. Anyway, I met a girl last night that is even more beautiful than Entropy, and she's well, real. You know?"

This was too much, and Thorson had to pause while he swallowed laughter that just wouldn't go away. When he could, he carefully said, "If you say so."

Then he beat a hasty retreat to let the laughter within him bubble out, echoing off the walls of the staid old University.

 

 

 

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© 1999 by Brandy Dewinter. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, compilation design) may printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without express written consent of the copyright holder.