The Curious Case of the Two Dirk Gentlys

48: Arriving in Style

The ice cream van crashed onto the Blackwing perimeter with the force of an avalanche. Greensleves blared louder than it should ever be played, surely shaking windows for miles. It seemed counterproductive, to announce their presence in such a way, but the agency always had a dramatic flare. There was method to the madness however. The guards were certainly expecting something but what they were expecting was a sneak attack, not a noisy spectacular filled with yelling and music.

Three out of the five armed guards threw themselves aside: one knocking themselves out on the ground, one grazing his knee but getting up unharmed, and one springing to his feet in an instant as if nothing had happened at all. Those who were unscathed started firing blindly on the vehicle. Their positions made it impossible to take them all down in one sweep, even for the likes of Bart, but that wasn't going to stop the agency's efforts. The ice cream van spun violently, kicking up smoke and dirt in an attempt to avoid the bullets. The metal pinged against the side and pierced the thin frame making it difficult for the occupants to stay clear of the danger.

In the confusion the side of the van hit one of the men, causing him to crumble to the ground. Struggling and desperate to grab onto something he grabbed the leg of the man with the grazed knee, tripping him over. That left two guards. Surviving them was simple enough. Bart leaned out of the window and threw her knife without stopping to aim. It landed square in one of the men's chest, halting his assualt. The last man was hardly worth thinking about. The agency slipped out through the smoke screen without sparing a thought for the remaining guard. Mona, finally human again, quickly followed.

"That door is going to be locked. They're not idiots you know?" Said Robert.

"I can't agree with that." Muttered Farah. "But he's probably right about the door. We need to find a way in there and fast."

"These guys have ID cards. Maybe they double as keys." Suggested Bart.

"Not a chance. Look, there's no slot. The cards can't go anywhere." Richard pointed out.

"I know what to do." Said Mona. Without a word she headed to one of the unconscious men and looked over him. After a few seconds she nodded and closed her eyes. Soon there were two identical men in front of the agency; one lying unconscious on the floor and one stood confidently before them. Mona returned to the group and placed her thumb on a previously unnoticed pad. It beeped politely and the doors slide open.

"Nice work, Mona. Could you stay like that for a while? We might do better if we have a guard with us." Said Todd.

"Sure." Mona agreed.

"Wait...what just happened?" Asked Robert as the group began to enter the building. The alarms had already gone off. This was hardly surprising, their arrival had been less than subtle.

"Don't worry, Robert. It's all perfect natural." Dirk called back.

"Okay but aren't we going to talk about the fact that she just changed her DNA?"

"Nope. Come along everybody."