The trio paused, gazing around the security level for a moment. "Well we can't stay here," Aoloa stated. "It's only matter of time before someone notices the cameras or we run into a random patrol." Darren nodded, he and Crystal scanning the corridors. "Is there a security office we can hide in?" Aoloa nodded, beckoning the two teens to follow her.
Following the Hawaiian woman, the trio quickly entered a security office, Darren noticing two confused guards. With a wave of his hand, both now collapsed. "What did you do," Crystal asked. "Just put them to sleep," he said. "When they wake up they won't remember a thing." Dragging the unconscious bodies to the side, Aoloa and Darren now began looking over a security council for any means of traveling to the fifth and sixth floors. "Security is tight," Aoloa said softly. "We would need an access key to enter the elevator. Even then though, their are security checkpoints."
"And we can't use the vents," Crystal added. "Looks like they rigged them with booby traps. Probably how they caught us." Darren now approached, furrowing his brow as he gazed at the security council. "Let me try something."
Aoloa and Crystal watched as Darren now held his hand over the council. As the teens rings began to glow, Aoloa watched as his eyes appeared to glaze over. "What's he doing," Aoloa asked Crystal. "Sifting through the Normals databanks," Crystal replied. "Darren's always been really good with computers. He did create the Spul Drives afterall." Aoloa simply nodded, astounded by this fact. A Catalyst proficient in both magic and technology was something she had never thought possible. Darren now paused, his eyes focusing once more as turned to Aoloa and Crystal. "Okay do you want the good news, the bad news, or the news you really aren't going to like?"
"Start with the bad," Aoloa stated. "Okay," Darren sighed. "It's like we thought. The vents are rigged so we can't go that way. Invisibility won't work either because of thermal scanners on the levels below." Aoloa and Crystal frowned, they appeared to be at an impasse, so what was the good news. "Good news," Darren continued. "Is that I found away for us to slip in. Apparently the Normal have been recruiting, they're expecting a new scientist today who is supposedly interning with Dr. Ivy."
"Well that helps I suppose," Aoloa stated. "We could impersonate this scientist and sneak in." Darren rubbed the back of his neck, casting Aoloa a sheepish look. "Yeah that's what I was thinking," he stated, slightly embarrassed. "And um...you're probably not going to like it."
Twenty minutes later, Aoloa now found herself descending the elevator to Ivy's lab escorted by a disguised Crystal and Darren. Darren’s idea was sound with one catch. Aoloa now found herself only 15 years old and dressed in a particularly juvenile dress. "I don't see why I have to play the part of the scientist," she whined, grimacing at her youthful tenor as she fiddled with the knee length dress."Sorry," Darren whispered, he and Crystal now dressed in Normal security outfits complete with helmets. "But the doctors name was Malia Iona. She's a genius that just graduated from MIT. She also happens to be fifteen."
"So why couldn't either one of you just change yourself into a Hawaiian girl," she grumbled. "Why you have to make me a kid?"
"Because you're alot better at acting than Crystal and I are," Darren stated under his helmet. "Ivy is going to ask alot of questions. This is an interview and afterwards he's probably going to show you around. That's when we take him." Aoloa frowned, folding her arms across her diminished chest. She couldn't argue with that logic, she just wished she hadn't had to relive her teenage years.
Looking over herself, she was at least glad she hadn't gotten any shorter. Still, she was far from the curvy grown woman she was accustomed too. Aoloa’s chest could barely fill a B cup now, her curves nearly non existent. She couldn't believe she had ever been this skinny or this youthful looking. With her dark hair tied in a bun, Aoloa had gotten a good look at her round face, large, innocent eyes, and button nose. Needless to say, she wasn't exactly thrilled to tell Sarah about this in her report later. As the elevator now settled on Ivy's floor, the diminished agent took a breath to compose herself as the doors opened.
Standing in front of Aoloa, the teenage agent now beheld the teenage Dr. Ivy. Ivy it seemed was even skinnier than she was with a pale face and lanky body swamped in his lab coat. Standing around 5'9" the teen stood a bit taller than she was. "Malia Iona," Ivy asked, to which Aoloa nodded. "Nice to meet you, I'm Dr. Ivy. Please follow me." Aoloa nodded, flashing an innocent smile as she now trailed behind the teen with Darren and Crystal following.
"I reviewed your transcripts Dr. Iona," Ivy stated. "Pretty impressive stuff. Graduated top 5 in your class for robotics. Not bad for someone your age, I'm not too far removed from college myself, Cal Poly, graduated at fourteen."
"Thank you Dr. Ivy," Aoloa said happily. "I'm just so excited to get to work. I hear you're on the cutting edge of robotics." Ivy chuckled, blushing slightly. "Ah the exuberance of youth," he smirked. "I remembered being that excited when I started. But, we have service work, our Boss expects results and he has us on a timetable." Aoloa nodded, inwardly groaning at Ivy's comment. Exuberance of youth? This boy was barely old enough to drive! She had read that the teenage genius was a bit socially awkward but the comment made her feel even more childish than she already felt. Maybe that was his plan so that she wouldn't outshine him.
As Dr. Ivy now peppered her with questions, she along with Darren and Crystal scanned the lab. Ivy appeared to be alone, surrounded by various unfinished projects. Obviously he had been busy yet they now understood why the Normal would hire another scientist. Obviously Ivy could use a hand. "So is it just you down here," Aoloa asked. "Sometimes Remy helps out," Ivy stated. "But the Boss has him working on other projects. Pretty much it's just you and me."
Aoloa nodded, watching as the teen offered her a warm smile. Ivy was friendly enough, but it appeared he wasn't used to talking with people. The teen was shy as far as eye contact, looking past Aoloa as he spoke. It quickly became clear he was nervous talking to kids his age, especially girls. He only seemed comfortable with his work. "So do you have any questions," he asked.
"Yeah just one," Darren stated, surprising Ivy. "Why did you let Steph go?"
Ivy raised an eyebrow, confused and nervous by Darren’s question. As he now removed his helmet, Ivy gasped in shock. "You...you..you're the Catalyst!" Ivy now tripped, gazing into Darren’s eyes. As Darren looked at him, he could see the young scientist now feared the worse. "I'm not going to hurt you," Darren said quickly. "Marie found me now don't move and don't do anything stupid."
"M..Marie," he stammered. "Marie cane to you?" Darren nodded, Ivy now looking between Darren, Aoloa, and Crystal. "Wait, are you guys with him?"
"I'm Agent Aoloa of S.P.E.A.R."
"S.P.E.A.R," Ivy asked, raising an eyebrow. "They have teenagers working for them now?"
"I don't usually look like this," Aoloa groaned. "It's a disguise." Ivy nodded, still casting the girl an odd look as his vision trained on Darren once again. "W..what do you want from me?"
"Marie asked me to bring you too her," Darren stated. "And I keep my promises."
"You're not going to hurt me?"
"No," Darren said softly. "Steph and Marie told me you helped them escape. Steph is family to me, like Marie is to you. All I'm trying to do is reunite you two."
"I have questions for him," Aoloa stated. "And you can ask them after he sees Marie," Darren countered. "But the two of them are going to be reunited." Aoloa huffed in typical teenage fashion as Ivy watched her. For someone who said they weren't a teenager, she sure acted the part. "Fine," Aoloa huffed. "But what about Eastly? We still need to figure out how we capture her."
"Dr. Ivy here is going to call her and ask her to come here," Darren said. "Once she's here we go. I'm positive Dr. Ivy is going to help us, am I right?" Ivy gulped as he now looked to Darren. The teens face had shifted from friendly to fearsome in an instant. Ivy could now see a faint glow in the teens hazel eyes. "Yeah," Ivy squeaked. "N..no problem."
As Crystal now helped Ivy to his feet, the trio watched with baited breath as Ivy now called for Eastly. Hopefully within the next few minutes, Eastly would be in custody and they could leave. All Darren and thw others could hope for was that luck was on their side.