Automated message: We're sorry but the Protagonist can't come to the screen right now. Please hold while we connect you with the first available ZAP Guild agent. Thank you.

Cheesy elevator music plays.

Click.

"Hi, I'm Zak Andrew Parsons and I'll be your temporary Protagonist this evening."

Zzz-ZAP!!

"That never gets easier," said Zak trying not to revisit his lunch. Traveling between realms always messes with his stomach. Once he'd regained his strength, Zak checked himself over. As usual his steampunk googles and aviator jacket were replaced by the clothes of the person he was filling in for. Currently, he wore a trench coat and fedora and a set of suspenders, not to mention the hidden sidearm, which dug into his side.

A quick look in the mirror confirmed the ZAP successful. Instead of a 14-year-old, Zak stared at a 40-year-old man. The man also had dark hair versus Zak's white hair; his skin was slightly more tanned than Zak's semi-pale skin. (Zak's hair and skin were a side effect of being held prisoner for 25 years--well, to him it was 25 years to everyone else it was 25 hours).

Even though he'd only been free of the prison for a few months, this was not his first time temping for a noir detective. He knew what would happen next.

On cue, the door opened and a woman in elegant evening wear, high heels, pearls, and long flowing hair that seemed to be constantly blowing in the wind entered. She laid her arm across her forehead dramatically as if she was about to swoon. "Mr. Green, you've got to help me. My...my husband was killed in a hit-and-run."

"Sounds like a case for the police, Kid," Zak said trying to imitate a "hard-boiled detective."

"I've already gone to the police." She took a few steps and then stumbled. To stop herself she put her arms around Zak's shoulders. Their eyes met and Zak could feel color seeping into his cheeks. "They didn't believe me."

"Believe what?" Zak said pulling himself from her embrace. As the woman began to dive into her story, Zak reached for the cigarette on his desk and lit it. Bubbles appeared from the cigarette and drifted to the ceiling. Zak sighed as he remembered the "parental controls" the ZAP Guild Supervisors put on his missions. He might have the mind of 40-year-old but everyone still saw him as a kid.

The woman, Ruby van Herring (Zak sighed at the pun), recounted how her husband Marty MacGuffin (another sigh from Zak) was a scientist working on a new drug. He'd called her before his death telling how he'd cracked it. He was on his way to his superiors when he was hit.

"How is it--" Zak started.

"I changed my name back after his death." She wiped at her eyes. "It's been three days."

Zak gave a side-glance. Oh brother.

Her eyes went wide and her lip trembled, "Please help me, Johnny Green."

***

Zak knew what to do next. After accepting the case, because if he hadn't this would be a really short story, he headed for the local bar owned by the town's crime boss to gather information. But since the parental controls were in effect, it turned out to be a coffee shop.

"Welcome to GreenBux," said the young woman behind the counter. "Can I take your order?"

"I'll have..." Zak's eyes glanced around the room, "the full-fat latte."

Everyone in the room paused with a gasp, a dish clattered somewhere. Zak gave the woman a knowing smile; her eyes narrowed and she reached under the counter. A soft click sounded before a door opened next to the counter. "Mr. Skim is expecting you."

Zak wasn't too sure how he knew the password or how Mr. Skim knew he was coming, but he decided to roll with it.

Soon after entering the "secret room," the door closed behind him. A thin, balding man in a white suit, Mr. Skim, motioned for him to sit down.

"I suppose you're here for information about Project GREEN," said Mr. Skim.

Zak shrugged. "Not really. I'm here to find out what happened to Marty MacGuffin."

"Aw, but they are tied together." Mr. Skim knitted his fingers and leaned closer. "MacGuffin was killed for his formula."

"Why?"

"Do you know what it does?" Zak did not; that wasn't his mission. "GREEN will cause anyone who takes it to break into a murderous rage. You think road rage, school shootings, and employees going postal is bad now...wait until GREEN hits the streets."

"Why make such a thing?"

"The government wanted it to make their soldiers fearless and powerful. But...darker forces wanted it for their own purposes." Zak's back straightened at the mention or "dark forces." The room seemed to turn a bit colder. "These darker forces wish to use GREEN to have mankind destroy itself."

Zak slowly reached for his sidearm but was stopped by a click next to his head. One of Skim's minions had a gun to his head. "Let's cut the pretense, 'Johnny,'" said Skim, even going so far as to use air quotes. "I know you work for ZAP." Zak gasped. "As I am sure you can deduce who I am." His grin turned into a wide, wicked smile that seemed to fill his face. A dark aura began to appear around him.

***

"Can I take your order, Sir?" the woman at the counter asked.

"Yes. I'll have, uh..."

BOOOOM!!!

The wall exploded outwards, sending debris smashing into tables, the counter, and into the opposite wall. Zak smacked into a table with a groan. His gun clattered a few feet nearby. Mr. Skim exited the hole. People ducked or ran from this man who looked more like a flaming shadow.

"You...can't...use your powers...here," groaned Zak. "It's not...a...fantasy world."

"It doesn't matter," said Shadow Skim. "This realm will soon fall into the Void. What do they care if they learn Darkness exists."

"It does matter; just as MacGuffin did," Zak said before rolling to escape a plasma ball blast from Skim. This roll not only allowed Zak to escape but got him close enough to retrieve his revolver. With a half-turn, Zak faced the Shadow Man and fired.

The bullets only made it a few feet before the Shadow Man transformed them into beetles. The beetle-bullets scurried away. Shadow Skim took a moment to bask in his glory. "MacGuffin was a stooge. Easily dispatched by me. He mattered no more than you."

Unfortunately for Skim, this gave Zak the chance to rush him. Zak knocked into Skim and using his own enhanced strength plowed Skim into the wall. Skim roared; the blast sent Zak flying backwards.

Zak panted as Skim approached, energy arching off the Shadow Man's body. "You can't beat me," hissed Skim.

"I already have. Or have you forgotten why I'm here." Skim's eyes widened in terror. "I was sent to find MacGuffin's murderer. And you...just...confessed!"

"NOOOO!!" Skim's arm stretched across the last few feet so he could lift Zak by the neck.

"It's too late," choked Zak. "Good triumphed over Evil."

Skim roared as Zak smiled.

Zzz-ZAP!

_________

If you want to read more of Zak's adventures, the book "ZAP Guild" is on My Works page.