Skin

After getting off of the phone with Kate, my curiosity was definately tickled.

I was a huge risk-taker and an impulsive person which had led me into many sticky situations, but I was older and wiser now at 20. This situation with my mystery employer was one not to be passed up especially if money was involved which Kate had mentioned before I hung up.

Aware that I only had 15 minutes to make myself look and smell presentable, I hopped in the tub for a quick shower and pulled on a fresh summer dress afterwards. For my protection, I strapped on a thigh holster with a sharp knife I had bought at a trade show. Though I wasn't in my own body too often, I wanted to protect it as best as I could. I swept my hair up into a bun and slapped on some nude lipstick.

There was a knock at my door as I was pulling my ballet flats on.

"Coming." I said pulling my boobs into place before opening the door. A tall man in a black suit stood on the other side, I mean what did I expect. Kate sounded so serious and professional I would expect the same of all people associated with her. The man kinda looked like Thor, I wouldn't mind being smited by him, I thought putting my game face on: Slightly bitchy and critical...well actually more bitchy than anything else.

"Zara Elba?" He asked, though I'm sure he knew exactly who he was speaking with.

"So where are you taking me, Lurch?" I asked snagging my purse from the door handle and rifling in it for my sunglasses. As soon as I had opened the door, I felt the stifling heat of midday anf I knew it was going to be a sunny scorcher. Lurch raised an eyebrow.

"You won't need that." He said pointing at my Louis Vuitton. It was my turn to raise an eyebrow.

"And what if I need to buy a Fresca while im out." I said putting my bag on my shoulder.

"Anything you need we will provide for you." He said irritably, he was ready to go, but I wasn't quite ready yet.

"I'm expected to leave my house with a complete stranger to get into his car, to meet ANOTHER complete stranger without my purse or phone..." I snorted. "Yeah right."

He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a thick leather badge with a gold emblem that read FBI.

"Actually. Yes." He said as-a-matter-of-factly. Now my curiosity was off the charts.

Lurch brought me to a gleaming teal Prius outside and opened the passenger door for me. I had to chuckle a bit, a Prius? Really? I eased in as he walked around the car and got behind the wheel, not bothering to buckle his seatbelt.

"So the FBI rolls around catching baddies in a Prius?" I said biting a finger to keep from laughing. Lurch's face was stony, as he shrugged and turned the air on.

"Its good on gas, good for the environment...silent."

I nodded agreeing with the last part. I could respect that. He drove me out into traffic skillfully ad we drove for what seemed like forever. He took me out of the Phoenix city limits going out where the roads are longer and the scenery is more wild. I protectively held a hand over my thigh holster, suddenly feeling that clench of danger in my stomach.

What if I made the wrong choice? I thought creating a quick game plan in my head. I glanced at him, he was twice my size, but I had the advantage of being very slight and I could evade him easily...but he was in the FBI, I'm sure he's wrangled bigger fish in his time. Wait. What if he really WASN'T in the FBI?

It was the quietest drive I had ever gone on and it was only fueling my fear. Eventually we made it to a huge mound of a mountain, with a compound surrounded by barbed wire fences and a few armed guards patrolling. It looked like one of those places that people go into but never come out of. The mountain was so huge that it actually gave shade to the building built into the side of it. I swallowed, my throat dry as Lurch was waved through the squealing gates. He drove into a enormous covered garage that was big enough to hold 2 helicopters at least, in fact, there was one in the far corner.

Lurch got out and opened my door, my legs were weak as jelly but I tried not to let it show. See my one problem, being a body snatcher and all, was that if I was REALLY nervous enough, I could jump into any body I wanted immediately. It's like a normal person being scared of a sound and running away from it. I had done some pretty risky stuff, but nothing that directly involved the law...or potentially losing my life.

"My name is Adam. Not Lurch." Lurch said, his mouth twitching into a smile as he took my hand to help me out of the Prius. My face snapped up to his. It was as if he had read my mind. If he could sense my astonishment, he didn't let it show, he merely led me to a pair of steel elevator doors. I just marked it as a coincidence...but it did freak me out.

Once we were enclosed in the elevator he swiped a card and keyed in a code I didn't see and we were on our way up. It was one of those industrial elevators that could easily hold a baby elephant. I was so amazed by Adam's correction that I had forgotten to be scared. We reached the top level and the door waited for Adam to swipe and key again. He did so, getting out and leading me down a endless, barren and windowless hallway. We went through a quick key swipe again, I was surpised we didn't have to do the old airport pat down...maybe they trusted me here...or maybe this wasn't really the FBI.

We were admitted into a very sterilized and brightly lit front room where a woman sat behind a mac desktop. I looked around in awe, it was straight out of science fiction film or an operation room, I wasn't sure. The woman looked up and I was instantly envious. She was blonde and perfect with lips like pillows and wide green eyes. Her long blonde hair was pulled into an intricate ponytail which cascaded over her black pant suit. She stood to shake my hand. I felt under dressed in my cheap maxi dress. God, I should have at least had my Louis Vuitton. I shook her cool and dry hand.

She looked past me and nodded at Adam, "That'll be all." She said dismissing him. He nodded and left the way we came in.

"I'm Kate, and you're Zara I presume." She said, her face bright and smiling, like an ad for a Colgate commercial. I could tell that was something under the surface of this Kate, but I didn't know what it was. It was scary.

"I am." I said guardedly as she was.

"I'm so happy that you decided to take us up on this offer." She said motioning to one of 2 stiff metal armchairs "Please have a seat while I call Mr. Hopkins." She said invitingly. I sat cautiously, leaning back and observing, I put on my bitchiest of faces, assesing her as I normally did. Her stick thin body folded back into her chair as she dialed whoever Mr. Hopkins was.

My jealousy was so thick I could almost feel it in my hands. It was slick and cold. I wanted her body, and once I did that, I would be able to figure out what was going on here. Seeing that it was a completely closed room with no doors anywhere, I decided to take a peek into her subconscious to find out if I could easly slip in.

Let's see what yout can do. I thought haughtily as I dipped a toe into her subconscious.

Our minds touched, and though she was on the phone she glared at me and I was forcefully pushed out of her head so hard it hurt. I stood up shakily, unsure of what to do. I had never been found peering into others thoughts.

"Our Miss Zara is here." Kate said calmly into the phone. She hung up, folding her hands and staring at me challengingly.

"I suggest you don't do that around here." She said pursing her lips.

"I-I-" I stammered under her unfaltering gaze.

"Yes, you are a body jumper, I know. And you just tried to jump into my mind. I myself, nor anyone else here have dealt with your kind. But I can honestly say that you're not the only supernatural in this building, so keep the shennanigans to a minimum please." She said politely. Her green eyes snapped back to her computer screen and she began to type furiously.

I held on the armchair for support. Was she a supernatural being like me? I wasn't able to get anything out of her thoughts and it was driving me crazy. A door opened on my side and I looked over, a thin panel in the wall had opened up and a man stepped out. I felt dizzy, this was way too much for me to handle, it was like bing in a James Bond flick.

Kate stood as the man walked in. Correction: as the palm sweatingly gorgeous man walked in. I straightened up and took him in. He was easily at least 6 foot 5 with bronzed skin and chestnut hair. He had the bluest eyes I had ever seen, it was as if he were staring right into me. He was dressed impeccably as Kate and Adam had been, maybe even more. He had a hand in his pocket and the other extended to me.

He shook it firmly, his own hand engulfing mine.

"Slater Nicolas." He stated putting a hand gently under my elbow. "Please follow me if you will."

I stared up at him feeling an energy I had never encountered before. I followed him back into the wall and the doors shut behind us as we left Kate to her typing. We were in a massive and modern office that overlooked the back of the compound which was grassy and shaded by the mountain. Employees sat eating lunch or working dilligently on their laptops.

"Did Kate offer you water?" Slater asked before leaning against his desk.

"I'm fine." I said matching his nonchalance and sinking to a chair in front of him. "Why am I here?" I asked flatly.

Slater clapped. "Good, a woman who gets straight to the point. I like that." He said circling around to get behind his desk.

"I don't care about what you like." I said evenly, though that was a lie, if I had any sense I would have jumped into his body right now and stared at myself naked for hours. God, I bet he's got muscles on his muscles. I thought biting my thumb.

Slater thumbed through papers on his desk, finding the one he wanted and presenting it to me.

"Before I explain the situation to you, I must have you sign these forms adressing the consequences of you leaking the information I'm about to give you." He said sitting and steepling his fingers. I looked at him seriously.

"So you really are the FBI?" I asked incredulously. He nodded expressionlessly.

"I've probably been with the FBI longer than you've been alive." What was that supposed to mean? He continued.

"Kate and I head a private sector of the FBI out here in Arizona and have been doing so for many years. We take on the more...challenging cases." He said cryptically, handing me an expensive fountain pen. I took it gingerly.

"Can you prove you're really in the FBI?" I asked crossing my arms. Slater's mouth twitched with amusement. He reached into the desk and pulled out 2 picture frames and a badge.

One of the pictures was of Slater and Kate shaking hands with President Obama and the other was of Slater in some sort of military uniform. The badge was an FBI crest.

"We also have a training facility, drug dogs, labs, and a panic room if you want to see that for proof as well." I leaned back taking the pen and signing the paper against my leg.

"No, fine fine." I said, my eye scanning the document, the few words I picked out were: Prosecution, jail time, and severe penalties.

"I also happen to know that you're hiding a knife on your right thigh in a holster, i'd appreciate it if you'd keep it visable." He said leaning back and folding his hands over his abs. I grudgingly reached up my skirt and shimmied the holster down. Slaters eyes trailed my actions with lazy interest. I held it up.

"There. Now you reveal your weapon." I said still clutching my knife. Slater pulled out a gun from a pocket in his jacket with a thin tube attachment and laid it on the table.

"There, unarmed. I promise." He grinned wolfishly, revealing a row of straight pearly white teeth. I put my knife by my feet, learning from my self defense class never to completely trust your opponent.

I gave him the paperwork and leaned my elbows on my knees.

"Now please explain what you want with me. I'm a very busy woman." I said already fed up.

Slater handed me a photo from the stack of papers.

"We're trying to track down this man." He said. The photo of the man looked like someone had taken it on the street. It wasn't very clear, but I could see that the man was probably around my age with a knot of blond hair tied behind his head. He looked over his shoulder with the same blue eyes as Slater. I shook my head.

"How am I supposed to work with just a picture?" I said handing the photo back to Slater. I wasn't giving anything away about my abilities, assuming he already knew.

"We've been tracking sightings of him for over a year now and we can't get our hands on him. His name is Eli West and he's been murdering people...er, like you." Slater said uncomfortably.

"What AM I exactly?" I asked testing him.

"We've been tracking you as well." He said surely. "You possess bodies."