It turned out a lonely, stormy evening outside and within the Pneumatown aquatic recreation center it'd be no different. Beyond the tinted windows that normally let in sunlight from outside, the world was dark and gray. Thick clouds obstructed the sky and lightning flashed in the distance as heavy rains had just started coming down. They pelted on those windows as heavy droplets, creating a loud pattering that'd be the only sound in the otherwise empty indoor pool area.
Jessica sat behind her desk as she got ready to work and let go of a long sigh. Another day of same old, same old. I think I really need to make some changes in my life she thought. I just can’t see myself doing this much longer, just to climb the corporate ladder. With that thought she logged on to her computer and pulled up her e-mails for the day.
Amelia looked at the gaggle of scientists around her. “So let me get this straight,” she asked, “somehow, one of your weather balloons floated on up, and ended up getting stuck, and now you want me to retrieve it?”
The shrill beeps of the alarm clock jolted Amelia awake in her bed. She blinked in the morning sunlight as she sat up and hit the OFF button with a sleepy arm. Last night at work had been a doozy, with Jerry apparently thinking that bringing a bottle of Sprite near sensitive equipment wouldn’t end in disaster. Turning to look at the calendar on her wall, Amelia scanned for the day’s date. 21st, 22nd, 23rd… wait! Today was the 26th! Amelia pumped her fist and smiled. It was the beginning of her two-week vacation! And that meant loads of time for patrolling the city!
Cloying beads of sweat gripped Emily's brow, gluing her coppery hair to her goggles as she painstakingly measured and gingerly mixed chemicals in the clear vials she held. If too much air got into the mixture, it would froth for days, and the reactions would take that much more time to finish reacting and degrade. This was supposed to be Temporary, after all.
