“Sure.”

The Doctor unscrewed the canister and withdrew a vial.  It was no longer than a pen and no thicker than one of the Doctor’s fingers.  “The faster you drink it all, the quicker and cleaner the transition is.”

Bottoms up!

“You said something about a dream quest?”

“Some experience it.  Some don’t.  Don’t be concerned if you don’t.  Simply relax to the best of your ability and stay focused.

Dream quest? Hmm. Maybe some customers remember whatever interaction these vials may cause with the Dandelions?

The higher and more pronounced the physical reactions like your heart rate, sweating, adrenals, and emotional response, the greater the chance of a physiological change.  I recommend that you keep from dwelling on any stressful thoughts or memories.  Just stay calm and try to relax as much as you’re able.”

“And for the love of all that is good and pure, don’t think about elephants for a second or we’ll have to reschedule.”

“You haven’t eaten?”

“Nothing since this time yesterday.”

“You don’t have any colds, no aches and pains?”

“No.”

“That’s too bad.  The sample we use to moderate and control the effects of the finished products has a short-lived regenerative effect.  This is one of the selling points we offer to the clients we find in hospitals and the like.  

That’s not the direction I was expecting that to go. :p

Some have even recovered or partially recovered from life-long disabilities.  We’ve had reports from people who were mildly ill when they gained their powers, who found they never got sick again.  It would be nice to verify this.”

Now if only they could distill what part of the sample causes this, they could sell some amazing medicine.

“You couldn’t have told me that before?”

“It could easily be a placebo effect.  Not worth a rescheduling.  You’re comfortable?”

Fair point.

Nine years ago, she had been kidnapped for use as leverage against her father.  She had been held in their custody for three days.  No food, six water bottles to drink and no bathroom.

Yikes.

She’d gone to the washroom in the corner, had removed one sock to keep the pee from making its way across the sloped hardwood floor.

Sounds like a thoroughly uncomfortable experience.

She’d assured the psychiatrist that she had gotten over any of the trauma and any fear of the dark that had stemmed from that incident.  It was her father that’d had a hard time dealing with the event.

I feel like if that had become a trigger event for her, it would quite possibly result in a light-based power.

Heh, imagine if it turned out her dad had been a heroic cape on top of his detective work ever since then.

She’d been young then, and the event hadn’t really stuck in her memory.  But she couldn’t shake the idea that the kidnapping might have left some lingering effect on her that would taint the process.

Yeah, very possible.

There was no indicated change room, and the Doctor was focused on the canister and the stack of papers she was setting down on the table.  Jamie changed where she stood, folding her clothes and setting them on the edge of the table.

“Sit.”

Alright, guess there’s more talking to be done.

Jamie sat in the chair.  Comfortable.

“Sample T-one-one-seven-seven, with the agreed upon addition of Sample C-zero-zero-seventy-two.  This is correct?”

Ooh, mixing things up? This could have some interesting results.

“Yes.  It’s what I paid for.”

“Read and sign here.  And there are stipulations on, let me see… pages twenty-six and twenty-nine that you need to sign as well.”

Paperwooork!

Jamie leaned forward and read through the contract.  It was every term they’d agreed upon, legalese and politely worded warnings about the hell Cauldron would try to bring down on her head if she broke the terms of the contract.

Hehe.

There were pages of receipts covering the financial transactions, and pages more of details about her own medical and psychological evaluations.

Basically the same kinds of things we saw back in Infestation.

There were two stipulations to agree to.  One for the three favors she’d agreed to perform.  Another on the psychological testing.

Seems alright so far.

She made her way to the room where she’d done her stress test.  Here, she’d run back and forth with steadily increasing speeds until she couldn’t run anymore.  She’d rested, then run again, then again, until she couldn’t even stand.

Sounds intense.

The Doctor was waiting for her.  A metal canister sat on a table, and there was a sturdily built, cushioned chair sitting close by.

And there it is.

Jamie’s very own power potion.

“You’re ready?” the Doctor asked.

Jamie nodded.

I assume they have a safe room specifically designed for the potion to be taken in. Newly obtained powers can be quite dangerous, after all. Just look at the Scrub incident.

“If you’ll change into this, we can preserve your clothes for the return trip home.”

Jamie took the offered clothing, a plain gray bodysuit that would cover everything from the neck down.

Good idea, especially given the chance of physical changes.

A word in blocky black letters on the front read ‘Jamie’ while one on the back read ‘Client’.

“Hi, my name is Jamie Client.”

The Doctor was not waiting for her, but she knew where she was going.  She strode down the empty, spotless hallways, past innumerable matching doors.  There were no windows in this place.  Nothing peeking into the outside.

So does she have her power yet? She’d have to for the thing I suggested in the last post to be, but there was a bit of a wait.

If she does have it, maybe she’s here to receive instructions on one of her favors?

But if not, I think we’re about to see her receive her product.

Still, she knew where she was.  She’d checked the GPS data on her necklace.  The Ivory Coast.  The west coast of Africa.  It was dangerous information to have.

Oh, huh. That would explain the Doctor’s dark skin and French accent.

If I tried to open one of those doors, would it be locked?  What would be inside?  Or would alarms go off, my chance here spoiled?

Maybe there’s nothing behind them, their presence being a test for customers as far as following the rules goes.

She’d been here twice since her first meeting.  Both times, she’d had her psychological testing.  She’d also had a full workup done.  The psychiatrist had been a young-looking white man, the doctor a heavyset Greek.

Sounds like it’s time, then.

Although I guess it might be time for the physical testing? Or is that what she means by workup?

They’d said little beyond what they needed to for the testing, and had volunteered nothing about Cauldron.

Aw.

Whatever these favors were, all she could do was hope she could do enough good to counterbalance any wrongs she’d have to commit.

I’m not sure post-Decision Taylor would see it this way.

“Alright,” Jamie said.  “Sounds like a deal.”

■

Congratulations, “Jamie”. You just made a deal with the… well, not devil. They’re more like the fey.

Jamie’s fourth visit to Cauldron was less out of her way than her first.

Ooh, skipping ahead quite a bit!

Maybe all we just saw was a while back and Jamie’s the reason Ramrod was in the Birdcage by the time of Interlude 10.5?

She entered the same way as before, but this time the hallway from Cauldron’s location was transplanted into the middle of her apartment.  She wasted no time in stepping through.

Hah! That’s quite a bit less out of the way, yes.