SOMEWHERE ON A PARALLEL-EARTH
* * * * *
The two men walked into the lobby of the silvery-gray building. The placard above the reception desk read (in columnar fashion):
INTER-
DIMENSIONAL
EXPLORATION-AND
ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY
"Identicards, please?" requested the guard at the desk. The two men opened their wallets. On the outer flap of each left half was a solid gold badge shaped like a lightbulb. On the outer flap of each right half was a white card with a zebra code.
The guard laser-scanned the black and white stripes. And, both times the scanner's digital screen flashed the same red lettering.
"ID: CONFIRMED"
"ACCESS: GRANTED"
The guard immediately waved them towards the elevators to his right. Upon boarding the nearest one, a feminine-sounding monotone asked them what floor they wished to go to.
"Ivory Tower," said the one with salt-and-pepper hair.
"Retinalysis required," replied the monotone: "Please remove optical covering and gaze at security camera."
Both men took off their their sunglasses. Following which, twin beams of red light scanned their eyes.
"Retinalysis, complete," the monotone declared: "Identities, confirmed. Ascending to Level 13."
Upon exiting the elevator, at the specified floor, they walked abreast down a red-carpeted hallway to an office door with white plastic lettering adhered to its light-brown, wood-finished surface.
"MODERATOR-IN-CHIEF"
"PRIVATE"
Once more, they had their retinas and zebra codes scanned. But, with the added precaution of voice-print recognition. When they were cleared for entry, the well-armed secretary pressed a buzzer with her right hand (while simultaneously reholstering a semi-auto sidearm with her left).
"Agents 678 and 679 reporting, sir," said the senior partner as the younger man closed the office door behind him.
"Sit down, gentlemen."
"Thank you, sir," they chorused.
A few moments later, the Moderator asked them why they had so urgently requested to meet him, so far ahead of their regularly scheduled progress reports.
Agent 678 answered first: "Well, sir? We got an emergency call from the Chief Surveillant on Earth-DXM. It seems that the Wishbone Restaurant chain has established a Washington, D.C., franchise on that world."
"What???!" exclaimed the Moderator: "Is Stanley out of his mind? Civilian trans-dimensional traffic to that world is expressly _forbidden_ until it's finished readjusting to the existence of Mini's and Megas."
"A fact we personally reacquainted him with, sir, at the Chief Surveillant's office on Earth-MRG. He adamantly insists the place is not one of his."
"Then, how else does he explains its presence?"
"He ventured to guess that it might have been wished into existence at one of his legitimate branches. Perhaps, by a member of the Sizeloan Mafia..."
"Sitmobtia," his partner corrected.
"Whatever! ...as a front for some kind of illegal activity. Like the gun-running of shrink rays."
"Oh, Great Scott!" sighed the Moderator, as he massaged his thinning hair in exaspertation. Whereupon, Agent 679 raised his hand.
"Sir? I know it's unorthodox. But, why couldn't we just go to that place, order two Wishbone Specials, and simply _wish_ to know who's behind its establishment?"
The Moderator shook his head: "Too dangerous. If it is Sitmobtian, the granting of those wishes might tip them off. Follow the protocol. Go to Wishbone's corporate headquarters, and view their wish-granting records for the last one hundred sixty-eight hours. I want to know who pirated that franchise!"
"Yes, sir!" the two agents chorused. After which, they stood up and left his office. When he was alone, once more, the Moderator sighed again.
"Shrink rays on Earth-DXM. The one thing that world does _not_ need!"
tbc?
Giantess World
Chapter End Notes:
Probably not. This was just a light-hearted suggestion for a crossover collaboration between these two notables.