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  “Here, let me escort you to the transporter. Have we met before? You look very familiar to me. Maybe saw you on the Chic site? Oh, we’re on the same floor— see you around,” he said with a dazzling smile as they exited the transporter at the same time and down the hallway.

  That smile and compliment made her melt, but she had business to attend to.

  “Uh, I’m MJ Moore, nice seeing you again,” she said before entering Entertainment International.

  The robotic doorman greeted and opened the door for her. She strained to see if Vera was already in her office. Looking closely, she saw her favorite author had just arrived, arm-in-arm with George.

  “MJ, let me introduce you to Janis James, one of our top authors. Her crime series, Journey in Time, just took number one on the New World bestseller list. She’s always excited to meet new and upcoming writers,” said George.

  Fresh on her mind, Maggie had just read it and she complimented Ms. James on completing the tenth book in the series. Maggie maintained her composure, but felt awestruck having just met one of the legendary authors of all time. The little green pill that she took religiously was beginning to pay off as she held her own with this mega-celebrity.

  “Love your books, hope to emulate you someday. I enjoyed how you wove the present with the past, focusing on that historical period. I felt like I could step right into that era,” said Maggie.

  “Thank you-- it all comes down to research. Once your book gets published, let’s do a joint book signing. I like your concept— very intriguing. Got to run, but here’s my card. Call me anytime if you have any questions about publishing,” said Janis.

  She exited the office and everyone remarked about her generosity and unpretentiousness.

  “Great gal. Very easy to work with. Vera, JJ had such a terrific idea— double book signing equal double sales! Let’s get the ball rolling, get this book in print, produce the video, and start the promotion. MJ, let’s get your contract signed today,” said George.

  “Yes, but this book needs major editing, and how are we going produce the Sim World?” Vera started.

  “You’ll find a way,” he said.

  Maggie laughed to herself, joyous at another victory and being closer to her publishing goal. Just finishing up the contract details, Maggie glanced at her watch. Her stomach growled-- noon, lunchtime. She tried to dodge Vera, who was coming toward her with some edits.

  “You think you have George wrapped around your little finger! Let’s hope you don’t embarrass us with poor sales. EI is taking a chance on you,” said Vera. She grabbed Maggie’s arm as she headed out the door.

  “Thank you for your help, Vera. I’m lucky to have you as my editor and won’t forget to mention you in my book,” said Maggie. She freed herself and tumbled into the transporter before it closed its doors.

  “Hey, MJ, slow down. We’ll wait for you. What’s the rush?” said Mark Thompson, as he moved aside to let her in the transporter.

  “Sorry, just had to get away from…actually I’m heading for the Star Casino to celebrate my first official contract with EI and plan my strategy,” said MJ.

  Maggie felt like her heart was going to burst with excitement, panic, and attraction all at the same time. Mark remembered her and now she was seeing him again, hoping he’d ask her to lunch. But MJ remained poised and cool.

  “I know we just met this morning, but are you free for lunch? The Casino Café has spectacular views and a great menu and I was just on my way up there,” said Mark.

  As the transporter doors opened, Maggie and Mark stepped out into the casino. Everyone gaped at the wall monitor images and warnings of the shape shifter or the man who changed into the lion, who had been sighted in a local bar and on public transportation.

  “He threatened to kill me the other day. Just sitting in the bar, having a drink,” said a man, chatting to the bartender. The bartender poured him another Scotch and switched the scene. Maggie and Mark looked at each other in awe.

  “So many wackos in this town, you never know who’s telling the truth. Now, what’s your book about? Hopefully not werewolves,” Mark said. He laughed nervously.

  Maggie quickly checked herself in the mirror before sitting down to lunch. An image of a polished woman stared back at her, but she also noticed her ex standing at the bar.

  “Let’s move to a more secluded place; I’m sure my publisher would want me to keep this novel a secret until it’s in the promotional phase,” said Maggie, as she directed Mark to a private room in the back away from the crowds. They settled into a dimly lit booth and Maggie ordered a liter of wine to calm her nerves.

  She poured a tall goblet of wine and slugged it down. Her nerves were shot after her confrontation with Vera and now just seeing Seth. Too much overload in one day. How was she going to keep calm and act normal around Mark? The simple solution— drink wine.

  “Miss, miss, another glass of wine?” asked the zealous waiter, holding a large bottle of Chardonnay.

  “Yes, we’ll take a bottle and your special appetizer plate with the imported shrimp etc.,” said Mark with his eyes on Maggie.

  “Yes, Mr. Thompson, right away,” the waiter said and poured the remainder of the current bottle.

  Mark lifted his glass.

  “Congratulations on your new book! Now that’s much better— I needed a break. Glad we ran into each other. Business has taken off full-speed due to my new campaign and model. Been working eighteen hours a day just to keep up with the registrations, scheduling, and training. My staff…”

  Maggie zoned out for a minute while Mark talked about his current and future trips to the moon. Just watching him, she marveled at his energy, ambition, and dedication. But who could resist those luminous eyes, that sexy smile, and darling dimples?

  The waiter came back with a huge tray of seafood and dried fruit and another bottle to sample. Mark motioned for the waiter to have Maggie taste the wine. He poured the golden-colored wine into her glass and showed her the bottle of Kendal-Jackson.

  Maggie took a sip and savored it.

  “P…P.. Perfection!” she stuttered, felling a little tipsy. “To safe space travel.”

  She clinked her glass with Mark. Then she smiled her brightest smile.

  “And how fate brought us together!” Mark said as he gazed deeply into her eyes.

  Locked in his eyes, Maggie didn’t notice the two men approaching until they were a few feet away from her table. She gasped as Seth almost approached her table, but backed off as a reporter engaged her first.

  “Someone leaked that you’re the Love 2040 blogger and you’ve been in talks with Entertainment International? Also, now that you’ve acquired a million fans, what’s next? I felt the love shared by your characters Tony and Polly, having stepped in your Sim World. Any chance of a sequel?” said a shaggy-haired man from Entertainment World.

  Maggie straightened in her chair, assuming her role as MJ, commenting on her next steps calmly and candidly, while keeping her eye on Seth. Mark gazed at her in awe.

  Seth listened from behind a fake fern tree.

  “Excuse me, sir, unless you’re eating here, you’ll have to move,” said a man in a crisp blue suit.

  Maggie continued, breathing a sigh of relief as Seth disappeared into the casino.

  Sydney

  Her head throbbed as she reached to look at her watch. Two p.m., it read. Sydney groaned and fell back on her plush pillow. Her mouth felt like cotton and her throat felt dry. Hangover again. Someone knocked at the door.

  “Housekeeping,” said a soft, high voice.

  “Oh, not ready. Come back in half an hour please,” said Sydney.

  She’d been used to getting up in the afternoon, mornings were her enemy. She heard the clunk of the maid’s cart and sat upright. An empty bottle stood on the nightstand and two glasses lay strewn on the floor. She remembered the night before and smiled.

  Charlie promised to come back and never did. I hope to hear from him again, but he seem
s preoccupied. Maybe I can change that…

  Sydney showered and changed into her usual t-shirt and jeans. She ruffled a hand through her hair, took a green pill, and checked her backpack. She found a wad of cash and her Star Casino Club card. Remember what you came her for— make money, get rich, and stay out of trouble.

  As she stepped out of the transporter onto the casino floor with the slot machines ringing, the roulette wheel spinning, and the smoke and allure of money in the air, Sydney felt grounded. This is my home now and my lucky year! She planted herself in a stool in front of the Magic Magician and immediately started playing.

  “I REMEMBER YOU WINNING BIG YESTERDAY! CAN I GET YOU A DRINK AND A SANDWICH?” said a busty life-like robot in black shorts and a low cut black top.

  Sydney set herself up, putting in her club card and placing her bet. Just as Sydney looked up, the slot machine lit up, hitting three bells and the clanging sound, amplifying her winnings. “Yeah, hi Mel,” Sydney said. She remembered her from the other day when the waitress kept her hydrated and hunger-free. “You’re my lucky charm; can you get me a beer and a BLT with chips?”

  Sydney noted she won five grand and she put it all back in, confirming the bet in hopes of beating the odds. She guzzled her beer and munched on the sandwich, suddenly hungry as the machine responded with three aces, four cherries and finally another a row of sevens. Mel made sure she was supplied as the hours clicked by.

  A small crowd gathered around her, cheering her on and many gamblers took the spaces around her adding to her party. They peered over her shoulder, offering hints and asking for her advice at times.

  “Is everything okay? You’re Sydney Stone right? Mel says she’s been keeping you fed, but here are some show/dinner tickets. Are you here alone? We can provide some security even if someone is bothering you,” said Tom— his badge read ‘Casino Manager’.

  “Yeah, I’m Sydney Stone— came here for my birthday and hit it lucky. Everyone’s real friendly and Mel’s been great. I think my boyfriend’s coming by later after work,” she said, placing her bet once again. The slot machine responded to her touch and bet, identical rows forming in symmetry.

  Tom slipped her a pouch and motioned to his guard nearby to keep watch on her. “Tyron will escort you to the cashiers when you want to redeem your winnings. We’ve seen you can draw a crowd and that’s been noted upstairs. Hey, looks like you’re going to score big again.”

  Sydney let out a scream after executing a royal flush and the crowd moved in closing, cheering excitedly. A young woman pushing an older gentleman in a rumpled suit in a wheel chair joined the crowd. They waited until the crowd settled down and went back to their own gambling.

  “Excuse me, my grandpa has cancer and is enjoying his last few months. Would you mind if we hung with you for a while? Maybe your luck will rub off on us,” said the young woman.

  “Sure, I’ll show you how easy it is to score big.”

  They laughed as the slot machine continued to crank up more winnings, and even the old man pushed the button a few times in making bet. Sydney pulled out a wad of cash and gave it to the young woman.

  “Go, get some dinner and enjoy yourselves,” Sydney said and gave the elderly man a squeeze.

  The man teared up and his granddaughter couldn’t stop thanking her. After they left, Sydney realized it was 8 p.m.

  “Hey, maybe you could spread the love to me,” said a heavily tattooed guy with a buzz cut. He put his arm around her, his drunken breath overpowering her. She froze and wanted to vomit.

  A burly man in uniform with a stern expression rushed in next to them.

  “Step back and give the lady some room. Is he bothering you?”

  The guy let go of her shoulders and started laughing nervously. “Sorry, I thought the lady was someone I knew. Just leaving.”

  Tyron escorted him away.

  Sydney thanked the security guard, inhaling gulps of air. She smiled sweetly and felt relieved as a familiar figure approached her.

  “Who was that? One of your boyfriends from the past?” said Charlie as he presented her with a red rose and a light kiss on the cheek.

  Sydney turned to hug him tightly, taking in his woodsy cologne and feeling his strong arms around her. He bent down to kiss her mouth, a tingling sensation rushing through her body. I must get him to stay with me tonight! She pulled away and took a whiff of the flower.

  “Charlie, what a surprise! Thank you! I’m so glad to see you; that jerk nearly suffocated me. Let’s redeem my winnings and party,” said Sydney.

  Tyron followed them to the cashier.

  Sydney shrieked, “You won’t believe how much I made! What am I going to do with all the money?”

  She danced around Charlie as some guests looked up from their slot machines.

  “Shh Syd, calm down. Not so loud. I suggest you put your money in your room’s safe and keep a little cash with you. Let’s check on that Jacuzzi,” said Charlie.

  He propelled her toward the transporter, once she claimed her money.

  “Thought you’d never ask,” said Sydney, jumping up and down excitedly as the transporter doors closed. She spun around, locked in a kiss with Charlie until the doors opened to her floor.

  Part II

  Transformation

  Third Month

  Randall

  The G Net site went wild with Randall’s image now going viral. His image spread like wildfire, projected in every city all over the world, on subways, throughout the Meridian, even on the moon, in case he showed up there. Everyone was on edge, on the lookout for a real shapeshifter, not one concocted in the movies. Suddenly Ted from the bar and kid on the bus who encountered Randall became instant celebrities lapping up the publicity and proposing homeland security surveillance.

  The authorities were mobbed with Randall sightings, and checkpoints had been set up at intersections near the local bars, subways, and busy areas of the Sun City. A reward on G Net was set for $100,000 for anyone who caught the beast and knew of his exact whereabouts.

  Randall knew his days were numbered and it made him angry-- mad at Optimal, Dr. Arno, Dr. Neilson, and himself for getting involved in this ludicrous experiment. Without his daily dose of the green liquid, his shifting was sporadic. He stayed in his lion state now longer than his human state. The drought and extinction of most plants caused many wild animals to become extinct, so he found it hard to forage for food, stopping to eat scraps from garbage dumpsters.

  He ran quickly through the fake forest, cutting through plastic brush and dodging any creatures who tried to fight him. Afraid of nothing, he loved being the king of the wild and the freedom of being uninhibited and unchallenged. Being free to run and the crisp night air invigorated him, his senses on fire. His animal instincts kept him alive, but he longed for human company. He decided to take a chance and headed for the Save Haven. Shifting back into his human state, he entered the shelter unnoticed.

  “Hey, never seen you before, got some smokes?” said a man with red woolen cap and cut lip.

  Shaking his head, he made his way to the restroom. Checking himself in the bar mirror, he hardly recognized himself with his shaggy hair, dirty clothes from the dumpster and animal stench. Homeless and a fugitive on the run. He just needed a hot meal and a place to stay for one night, then he’d be on his way. Smelling hot stew, he exited the restroom quickly and planted himself at a nearby long table with others who passed him a bowl. Randall took a whiff and savored the hearty meal.

  “Looks like you haven’t eaten in days. Need a bed tonight? Check with me later,” said a woman with a kind face and a badge that said manager. She took off toward the kitchen.

  Randall slurped his soup and ignored the young woman who entered the shelter and sat next to him. Her long, blonde hair was wrapped up in a baseball cap, her body hidden by black sweats and her face framed by large black glasses.

  “Hey, aren’t you the shapeshifter everyone is looking for? Maybe I can help,” she whispered. She pr
essed some cash into his hand.

  “Don’t know what you’re talking about. Just came here for a hot meal. Keep your money,” Randall said, finished his stew.

  The woman shed her glasses and cap to reveal a perky twenty-something with freckles sprinkled on her nose and deep brown eyes. She opened a thermos and poured herself some coffee.

  “Hey, I followed you and whatever happened, your story needs to be told. By the way, my name is Haley Hansen with Massmedia.com.

  Randall squirmed and smelled the aroma of hot coffee. His mind blurred from lack of sleep and he craved some caffeine. Just the thought of a good cup of java warmed his insides.

  “I can understand if the government is conducting tests, but how did you escape? I’m so curious.”

  She taunted him with that intoxicating smell and peppered him with impossible questions. He wanted something for his revelations, but he feared the exposure and capture. Randall wanted to return on his own terms.

  “Look, don’t know how you found me. Don’t want anyone coming after me. Want to be invisible.”

  The young woman smiled at him and patted his arm. “Just give me names and I’ll uncover the truth. Want some coffee?”

  He’d never see her again; he felt the need to reveal the truth before it was too late. Nodding he stuck out a paper cup and watched her pour the hot, rich java. After taking a sip, he cleared his throat.

  “They’re experimenting on us, giving us this green serum and some of us are turning into freaks. I was lucky enough to escape,” he admitted.

  “Mind if I record this? Sounds very interesting. Why did you drink the serum? Did they promise anything? Is it the government or someone else?” Haley asked, pushing a slim recording pen toward Randall.

  “They promised me nothing, just a job. They’re promising to change people’s identities and it worked. But the others were left to rot…” said Randall.

  The shelter door opened. He smelled a familiar male smell and sensed immediate danger. His claws grew, teeth bared, and body lengthened into a sleek animal. The manager stepped back and Haley screamed a high-pitched yelp. She scurried under the table. The patrons ran to hide in the bathroom. Randall, in his lion state, growled at the two men as they strode through the door. He quickly hid under a nearby bed.