the interloper, part four

by nick nelson

part four of eight

for previous episode, click here

to begin at the beginning, click here

there was one button beside the elevator door and i pressed it. it opened immediately. i had half expected to find k and c on it, but it was empty. thee were no buttons or anything else indicating floors. the door closed and i felt he elevator descend. the door opened again and i stepped out, into a somewhat wider and more brightly corridor than the one i had taken the elevator from. there was a desk at the end of the corridor, with a woman seated at it. there was a small screen on the desk but she looked up from it and at me. i walked up to her. her eyes were hidden behind thick glasses. are you charles jones, number 407-543-py? no, i replied. i am, or perhaps i should say was, b-9-674-kd-7, a mauve of the 53rd percentile. you were right the second time, the woman said, when you "was". you were b-9-674-kd-7. but - she tapped the screen - this is a new life for you and you are charles jones, number 407-543-py. she stood up. follow me, she said. there was a turning at the end of the corridor behind her, and she led me down it. i felt a certain sense of excitement. as strange as my situation seemed, who would not welcome a chance at a new life? i reflected on how tedious my old life had been, endlessly filling supply orders for the virtuslly nonexistent space corps! surely anything would be an improvement. the woman with thick glasses stopped at an unmarked door and opened it. she motioned for me to enter before her. i found myself in a small office with two desks. one was occupied by an unsmiling woman who seemed to take no notice of us. she had a small screen in front of her, and also a small paper notepad and a pencil. the other, unoccupied desk also held a small screen and a notepad and pencil. this is an outlet the department of retribution , the woman with thick glasses informed me. this is helene, number 406-221-hf. she will explain your duties, which are not complicated. we expect you to be fully conversant with them in an hour or two. with that, the woman with thick glasses took her leave. i never learned her name. i never saw her again. i sat down at the desk. if you turn on the screen, helene informed me without looking at me, it will explain your duties to you. if you have trouble understanding them, i will, of course, be happy to assist you. my name is charles, i said. at least, that is what they tell me, i added with an attempt at a smile. duly noted, helene replied. part five