Agent Rico, the head of the 24th division of "Internet," is stuck in a room with his pet fish Laurel and forced to go through other agents' accounts of what they face in the strange and unbelievable world. From monsters eating people in the snow, vi...
Rico has his legs pressed against the leftmost wall and is still seated in his rolling chair. He takes deep breaths as his mind clears any unnecessary thoughts.
RICO
Alright, Laurel, it's about focus, determination, and strength. There are times when we must confront ourselves and ask the important questions. Can we succeed?
LAUREL
*Gurgle*
Rico watches the bubble Laurel spit out pop.
RICO
I'm talking to a fish. I'm losing it.
Rico gathers his strength in his legs and pushes off the wall. He flies across the room with his arm reached out. He is almost to the other side. Rico can feel the plaster walled on his fingertips when the chair skids out. The tile floor is firmly introduced to Rico's face.
He lays there for a while. He is contemplating why he did that, remembering when he was a kid. Rico would grab the rolling chair from his parent's room they used at the computer desk, and his older brother and sister would be waiting for him in the hall.
His sister, Sia, is two years older than him with his brother, Vic, is four years older. In his memories, they were always tall, blemish-free, and shining in the light, even when standing in the shadows.
They would play this game where they would try to see who could push themselves off the wall and roll the farthest. Rico was always too weak to beat them as he was younger. He would do squats in the backyard to get stronger. Rico's form was terrible, as years of knee pain were waiting for him in the future. It would be worth it if he could win once.
One day the feeling of being ready settled in; he knew he could beat them. When that time came, his siblings didn't want to play anymore. Quoting how they are "too old now to play." Isn't that funny.
Rico gets up from the floor, fixes his chair, and sits at his desk. He hears scurrying in the walls.
RICO
Laurel, I may need to request an
exterminator. This place may be infested.
The roach in the wall panics as he holds on to the ripped piece of button shirt he got from a loose nail on the wall. The insect theorizes an employee must have walked by, not noticed the nail, and ripped their shirt.
Either way, he knows what he hears is of the utmost importance and scurries away. Rico doesn't notice this. Why would he? Rico's eyes are on the folder on his desk.
RICO
Alright, let's get started with the next case.
Oh, it's an off-world case. I interviewed a few extraterrestrials
in my day, Laurel. If people knew how many of their
friends are actually from off-world,
their minds would explode.
LAUREL
*Gurgle*
RICO
We were lucky as a society that our technology
advanced as fast as it did, or we would be fish
food... no offense, of course.
LAUREL
*Gurgle*
Rico turns to his mic and begins his report.
RICO
This is Agent Rico of INTERNET Division 24.
I am reviewing case file #B0102010110032017A24
codename, Light years
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