Kate frantically searched for the blue backpack with the white stripes, but it was nowhere to be seen.  She was on the verge of tears and after half an hour decide to ask for help. “Excuse me, sir...” she poked at the airline agent in the shoulder, “have you seen a blue bag? I left it right here just a moment ago.” Her voice was quivering with panic. 

He shook his head for a moment, “No ma’am, I didn’t. Give me a description and I’ll alert the crew to be on the lookout.” She quickly described the bag: blue with thick white stripes and a mesh pocket on the front. “Any valuables inside?” he asked, and while she described the portable electronics, she conveniently left out the part about the shrunken stowaway inside for the moment. 

He placed the two-way radio a few inches from his mouth and she could hear his message being echoed by the radios of other nearby agents, “Attention agents, please be on the lookout for a blue and white backpack with mesh front. Tags for a Ms Kathryn Johnson. Page agent Carson if found.” He put his hand on her shoulder to reassure her. “I’m sure they’ll find it any momen...” 

He paused to answer the chirping of his radio. “It is? Okay that’s great. Thanks so much. Our guest will be happy to hear that.” he turned to her. “Ms. Johnson, your bag is waiting for you in baggage check. 

“Oh, thank you so much!” she gave him a quick hug and then ran back to the luggage area which was now largely abandoned except for the bright smile of a young blond with a button on her lapel that said “Hi! I’m New!” next to her name tag which read “Jenny”.

“I’m Kathryn Johnson. I think you have my bag?”

The young trainee perked up. “Ms. Johnson! We sure do. It’s right here.” the girl opened up a drawer behind the counter and pulled out the missing treasure. “It’s been sitting here for half an hour. We were really worried.”  

Kate stared at the now pocket-sized backpack. “Oh god...” she sighed with part panic and part relief. “Um... can you re-enlarge this for me? I... um... left my iPod inside.”  

“I’m so sorry.” Jenny said, her smile turning into an extremely empathetic frown, “but I’m not trained in re-enlargement yet. My boss will be back from his break in half an hour if you can wait?”  

Kate bit her lower lip as the airport announcement came over the intercom: last call for boarding. “But the flight is about to leave... Ugh... Is there any way...?” but she trailed off as the girl shook her head firmly from side to side. 

 “Sorry Cam,” she whispered into the tiny backpack as she sprinted towards the doors of the reduction chamber, ticket in hand, barely making it through before they closed. 

“Bye bye now.” Jenny waved from across the hall as the doors closed on the last group of straggling passengers, her smile turning a bit mischievous. After the door sealed and the machinery of the reduction technology engaged, she looked around slyly before reaching into her jacket pocket for a pill bottle. She held it up to the light and admired the inch-and-a-half tall man pounding on the sides of his plastic amber prison.