“Agent,” Claude answered, “I choose Agent.”
“Wise decision, kiddo,” Dr Steinberg grinned, “Welcome to G.E.T.”
“I’ll have you know of course,” Claude said, “that most of the people you vaporized are still here.”
“Still… kid, what’re you getting at?” Dr. Steinberg asked.
“Well,” Claude explained, “their bodies are gone, but they’re still with us… in spirit. Quite literally as spirits. Ghosts, put simply.”
“Of course…” the doctor sighed, “Psychics can see ghosts. Look, I know you’re probably pissed about what we did to everyone, but now you’re one of us. That means you’re above everyone else who isn’t in the Agency. Their lives don’t matter that much anyway!”
“Not even your family?” Claude asked grimly. The doctor froze. This kid…
“Oh for the love of… that’ll have to get taken care of, too. Rest assured, we’ll tie up any loose ends like your parents and whatever. Once you’re one of us, you become virtually invisible. No past, only a future.”
“How can you say that?” Claude asked, “Didn’t you have a family? Don’t you miss them?”
“Listen,” Claudia crouched down to the boy’s level, “We’ll talk about this later. For now, if you promise to stop asking those kinds of questions, I’ll pay for anything you want to do at this fair, okay?”
Claude gave it a moment’s thought, and reluctantly agreed.
——///——
“Quincy’s a girl again!” the former Quim clutched her face, tears of relief down her cheeks, “Quincy can feel like herself again!”
“C’mon, babe,” Patricia rolled her eyes, “you were always a girl. If nothing else, I’m happy you’re happy with yourself.”
“More than happy!” Quincy giggled, “Quincy feels like herself! Oh… if only you could be yourself, Pete… Patricia.”
“Well hey, whole day ahead of us,” Patricia smirked, “Let’s take a look at the list here and see what’s left.”