Colin MacGregor

Shortly after four A.M., Colin made his way back to the lounge, a grin plastered on his face. The Chamber had been a blast, and he'd met half a dozen other ghost agents, most already assigned to field work, though one had barely made the trip after hurrying back from the same forensics class that Michelle had rushed out for.

That agent, Paul Leeks, had accompanied him back to the lounge as he had some material to review as well. While talking with the other spirit, an older man with thinning black hair, Colin had learned that his new associate had died only a couple of weeks ago during surgery for a brain tumor.

"I was pretty shocked to find myself floating there, looking down at my body on the table," Paul was recounting. "I'd never been particularly strong on faith, but crossing over does sort of give you a new perspective."

Colin grinned. "Aye, an' i' does, a' tha'. I"d ne'er doubted tha' there was summa' waiting after death, but tis nay a' all wha' I expected. But how did ye find ou' abou' Orpheus?"

"Apparently they keep a regular eye on the hospitals - it's a popular training mission, in fact. Head down to Grady or Northside and poke around for other ghosts who may have died there. Didn't know a thing about OG till one of their agents started talking to me." Paul smirked. "That was a bit of a shock. I'd gotten used to noone seeing me."

"Aye, was much tha same for me." Colin nodded. "'cept I was hangin' aroun' me ol' school. Was Kate I first saw, and was surprised when she seemed tae be watchin' me."

"And just what were you doing that drew the attention of one of our fine Consultants?" Paul cocked an amused eyebrow at the young man and chuckled a bit.

With a sheepish look and an exaggerated cough, Colin explained. "I, ah, was...wha's tha term for i'? Puppeting?"

Paul choked out a laugh and nodded, which Colin returned with a grin of his own. "Anyhow, I was puppetin' some o' me ol' teachers, some students I nay had go'en alon' wi'. Tha' sor' o' thin'."

"Figured out how to do that on your own? Took someone hammering at me for a week before I really got that I could congeal something."

The younger man shrugged. "I actually figured i' ou' wi'ou' thinkin'. Jus' took someone over - the one who killed me in fac'."

Jaw dropping, Paul stared at him but Colin just scowled. "I could nay hold 'im, though. Was too much o' a shock, tae both o' us."

The two turned the corner into the lounge where Marcus was spread out on the couch, watching the news. "Hey, spooks. How you two doing?"

"Depressing conversation, what's on the news?" Paul took a seat in one of the armchairs as Coiln perched on the arm of the couch.

This time it was Marcus' turn to shrug. "Nothing much. Corruption, collapse, chaos. Situation normal for Atlanta."

Colin managed a grin at that, then turned his attention back to his briefing folder with a small groan.

"It goes fast, kid. Just be glad you already know a lot of it." Marcus clapped Colin on the shoulder as he stood. "First training lesson in 'riding tomorrow." The trainer glanced at the clock. "Later today, actually. See you in the conference room at 8?"

"I bet you are. I'll leave you two to your reading, then. Catch ya laters!" With a wave, Marcuse bounded out through the door, and the two trainees settled into their studies.

Colin charged down the hall towards the elevator just as the doors closed. He saw the man inside, coffee cup and folders in hand, reaching for the button to hold it, but not in time.

Already running late, Colin still didn't feel like waiting for the lift to come back, but what else...unless? Closing his eyes, he willed himself less solid than usual and dove through the closed doors just as the elevator began moving. He tumbled into a heap, misjudging where the floor should be, then shivered as the man who'd tried to hold the car sloshed his coffee in surprise and the droplets passed through Colin's insubstantial form.

"Sorry abou' tha'." Colin apologized to the shocked man with a sheepish grin. "Was runnin' late, did nay want tae wait for tha next one."

The suited man blinked a few times, then chuckled. "Don't worry about it. Just a bit unexpected. Most of the spook agents I see usually just phase through the floor."

Colin stared at him for a few moments, then smacked himself in the forehead as he stood up. "Dinnae know why tha' did nay occur tae me. Still gettin' a bit used tae all this."

The chime sounded, and the man nodded to him. "Well, this is my floor. Try not to scare anyone else until lunchtime, gives folks a chance to get some coffee in them."

The other man debarked, and the elevator continued down to the lowest sub basement. The training level. Without waiting for the doors to open, Colin hopped through and ran down to TR4, where he had been due to meet Marcus nearly 15 minutes prior.

When he walked in, however, there was noone there. It was just a large room with cream-colored walls and all-weather carpeting. A whiteboard hung from the north wall, but there was nothing written on it. There were three dogs sitting calmly beneath it, however, and a large water dish sat on a towel in the corner.

Two German shepherds and a black lab stood up and walked over to sniff at him and Colin stared at them in amazement.

"Wha'? So dogs can see me when I'm nay materialized? Weird." He bent down, willed his hand solid again, and held it out for the lab to smell. He smiled at the dog, then scratched him behind the ears.

Colin jumped at the sound of Marcus's voice, and the three dogs spooked as well. The lab growled at him as Colin turned to see Marcus kneeling next to one of the shepherds.

"Most ghosts frighten the dogs at first, have to learn to get them to trust what they can't really see."

As Colin watched, an intricate network of webs detached from the other Shepherd, and a woman, mid-20s with brown hair and wearing jeans and a gold polo shirt materialized.

Marcus nodded, and the girl grinned. "This is Theresa, by the way, one of our sleepers." Theresa extended her hand, and Colin shook it.

"Pleased to meet you." She had a typical Atlanta non-accent. Almost Southern, almost New England, but neither and both at the same time.

"Ye as well, lass. Sorry about bein' late, and I'll assume we can skip tha joke."

Colin nodded, and she giggled. "Late, right. Sorry, I know it's not something to laugh about, but..."

With a grin of his own, Colin just shrugged. "I'm dealin' wi' i'. Anyhow, wha's this wi' the dogs?"

"Well, you can see the strands of webbing running through them? Like you do in people?"

"You can take hold of those in animals much the same way you do with people," Marcus continued, "but animals are much harder to get close enough to. You have to earn their trust, which a lot of spooks never learn to do. Luckily for you, you seem to be a natural."

"Aye, we had a couple o' dogs back home, setters. Had tae leave 'em behind when we came tae Atlanta, but I always got on well wi' 'em."

"That will help. Why don't you try with Mrrshan there?" Marcus nodded to the lab, and Colin smiled to himself as he ran a hand across the dog's furry back.

He concentrated, and the strands stood out in sharp relief against the dog's black fur. He heard Marcus's voice as he gently took hold of the webbing and pulled himself in. "Just ride him, don't try and control him yet. They can spook easily at this point."

Indeed, Colin could 'feel' the dog's hindbrain rebelling against the intrusion, and relaxed his hold slightly, slipping into place, and looking out at a suddenly black and white world. Had nay expected that. Bet I can hear the full range of what the dog can, too.

Marcus was smiling down at him, and Theresa was looking impressed. "And this is his first session?"

Wanting to respond, but not wanting to abandon his host just yet, Colin tried to push Mrrshan into barking once. Instantly, the dog panicked, and Colin found himself thrown out and lying on the carpet dazedly while the dog growled at him.

<--PREVIOUS

DON'T LOOK BACK

NEXT-->

Last Updated: January 2, 2004 by Blake Sorensen

January 20, 2003