Marci woke up, still unrescued, wearing only her underwear. She was strapped to a table in a dark room, with a single sharp light shining down on her. Marci tried to scream, but discovered she was gagged by an ill-tasting mouthpiece. Two campus security guards, still in their hazmat suits, stood around her, adjusting small monitors and medical equipment.
"Everything checks out so far," one of them said. "All signs point to ordinary human."
"Keep scanning," another said. "The Temple wants to know..."
"Hey, she's awake."
"Don't worry about it. Chances are she won't remember any of this."
Marci's whole body was sweating. One of the guards stepped forward with another syringe.
"We just need a few more scans, and a couple of samples."
Marci cringed as the needle pressed into her bare stomach. She bit down on the gag, its plastic taste making her feel ill.
Marci imagined herself as Future Girl, smashing through the nearest wall, and beating the snot out of these guards. Instead, she fell asleep again, with no Future Girl in sight.
Marci drifted in and out of sleep for a while, each time waking up in the lab surrounded by faceless security guards. In her daze, she tried transforming into Future Girl, but it didn't work. She got stuck with another needle and blacked out again.
* * * *
Marci woke up in Miss Kahror's office. She wore only a papery hospital gown over her underwear. Kahror entered, wearing a short black skirt. Even in this situation, Marci couldn't help but notice how nicely muscular Kahror's legs were.
"Every test we have says you're not Future Girl," Kahror said. "You're human. You're ordinary. Your intelligence only barely qualifies you to attend this school."
"What about mind over matter?" Marci said weakly.
"You've wasted my time."
The room spun. Marci wondered what drugs could possibly be in her system.
"But I am Future Girl," she said. "I have to be."
Marci was about to pass out again when she heard a loud crash behind her. The door to the office had been knocked off its hinges and flew across the room, landing right next to Marci. Future Girl flew into the room.
"Leave her alone!" Future Girl said.
Marci willed herself to move, turning her head toward Future Girl. Kahror stood and was about to say something, but Future Girl moved too quick, spinning around and striking the largest window in the office with her elbow, sending all the shards of glass flying outward.
"I'm you," Marci said.
Future Girl looked at Marci quizzically for a second. "Just hold still."
Faster than she could react, Marci felt herself lifted into the air. With Future Girl holding her, Marci went limp as the two of them flew through the window and upward into the night sky.
Future Girl lowered Marci to the ground on the grassy school common. Still feeling dizzy, Marci walked over to the nearest park bench and sat down.
"You're me," Marci said. "We're the same person."
"I'm sorry," Future Girl said. She then flew off, so fast that it was almost as if she disappeared. Marci stood up, felt dizzy again, and then sat down on the bench and shut her eyes.
* * * *
The sound of giggling woke Marci up. It was morning, she'd slept on the school common all night, and now her fellow students surrounded her. Remembering she was still in a revealing hospital gown, she sat up, gathering as much of the gown behind her as she could, and sprinted toward the girls' dorm, with the laughter of about fifteen students behind her.
The attendant at the dorm's front desk knew Marci. He let her inside without asking for her ID. Marci had no idea what had happened to her wallet and keys, but, fortunately, the door to her room was unlocked. She sped inside and slammed the door behind her.
There was Future Girl, standing in the middle of Marci's dorm room, pressing the fingers of her left hand against the palm of her right hand.
"Oh," Future Girl said.
A flash of light filled the room, so powerful that it blurred Marci's vision for a second. She then saw her roommate Amber standing where Future Girl had been, with her fingers pressed against her palm.
"Amber?" Marci said.
Amber blushed. "You're not Future Girl. I am."
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END OF CHAPTER 3
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Next: Under the arch.