Chapter 6 (1/2)
A furry ball of white cuteness scurried up Dan's arm and settled at his shoulder, brushing against his cheek with a squeak. Dan rubbed its head, his heart breaking.
”Stop moping and get on with it,” Mercury demanded loudly from across the room. The frail doctor valiantly stood behind a portable glass safety screen. In his hands he cradled a device that resembled a radar gun glued to a hair dryer. A pair of oversized earmuffs protected what was left of his hearing, and gave him a convenient excuse to shout.
Dan, bravely defying convention, decided to risk his adorable animal friend's life, rather than suffer the doctor's displeasure. He squinted at the large target painted on the wooden floor, quickly taking in its features. Then, he closed his eyes and hoped he wouldn't arrive covered in blood.
A surprised squeak snapped them back open, and he jerked backwards towards the sound. Mouse-friend fell from shoulder height, where Dan once stood, and hit the ground. Thankfully, being about 90% fluff, the little critter bounced. Dan heaved a sigh of relief upon finding himself standing exactly where he'd meant to be.
”Again!” the doctor barked from his armored sanctuary. ”This time, actually try to bring the mouse with you!”
Dan nodded, walking back to his previous position and scooping up his little friend. ”I'm naming you Merrill,” he declared. ”You've got a name now, so you aren't allowed to die.”
”Stop being absurd,” a heartless old man shouted in the background. Dan easily ignored him.
He set Merrill back on his shoulder, giving her a reassuring pat. Turning back to the target, he focused harder than ever before; he imagined himself standing there, triumphant, with Merrill on his shoulder. Another indignant squeak had Dan spinning around. Once again, Merrill bounced off the floor.
”Oh, sorry Merrill!” Dan exclaimed, rushing back to the traumatized mouse. A few reassuring pats comforted her somewhat, and Dan slipped the wiggling bundle of fur into the front pocket of his shirt. He'd read somewhere that mice like enclosed spaces, so hopefully it would settle her down. She stopped squirming after a moment, so he turned to Doctor Mercury expectantly.
”Well?” he asked. ”What's the verdict, doc?”
The doctor squinted at his radar gun, jiggling it a little bit, as if puzzled by the readings. He glanced back at Dan with a frown.
”Give it one more shot. Keep the rodent in your pocket, this time.”
Dan shrugged and complied. It seemed fairly obvious to him that his jumps wouldn't hurt Merrill, so why not? He lowered himself into a crouch, this time, fully expecting Merrill to fall the short distance from his pocket to the ground. Dan took a short glance at his target, just as a reminder, then closed his eyes and—
No squeak this time. He peeked open an eye, quickly confirming his position. Yup, right on target. He spun around, looking for Merrill. Something twitched in his pocket, and a fluffy white head poked out.
”It worked,” Dan breathed, stunned.
”Of course it did,” Doctor Mercury bellowed through his glass wall, ”it was my idea!”
Dan rolled his eyes and stood up. ”Great job, doctor. Maybe you could explain why it worked then? All we did was put her somewhere else.”
”Of course I can explain it,” Mercury shouted back. ”But first, try jumping with that animal carrier over there.” He pointed towards a nearby lab table, where Merrill's cage sat.
Dan trudged over to the cage, lifting it like the light piece of plastic that it was. He held it loosely by the handle, frowning at the old man hiding in a corner. ”Like this?”
The doctor shouted a vague confirmation and pointed his radar gun in Dan's direction. Dan shrugged, and did as he was told.
Eyes closed focus focus focus, aaaand the cage was still in his hands. Dan stood still for a moment, not quite willing to check his position. Merrill squeaked what he hoped was encouragement at him, and he opened his eyes.
Inside the painted target: Check
Carrier in hand: Check
Mouse in pocket: Check
Dan let out a whoop of triumph. He could move things without moving! Physics was totally his bitch!
”Don't celebrate just yet,” Doctor Mercury interjected. ”You've got one more test. Do it again, but this time keep the mouse inside the cage.”
Dan frowned. ”Why? What would that accomplish?”
”You are releasing some sort of energy from within your body and coating yourself in it,” the doctor explained. ”When you teleport, the field extends just enough to snap over your clothes, which is why you were initially unable to bring along the mouse.”
”But putting him in my pocket extended the field over him?” Dan asked incredulously.
”It did.” Mercury nodded. ”Your energy field seems to obey your will somewhat, since it extended itself over the cage, but it also conflicts with other living creatures. The first two jumps, your field just bounced off its skin. Once you put it in your pocket, your energy field was somehow able to overwhelm whatever natural defenses it has and dragged it with you. The process seems binary, too. You'll either force the creature along entirely or not at all.”
”You made that sound so violent,” Dan murmured to himself.
”It is violent,” Mercury roared in reply. ”I'd wager that if the energy you emit does not fully immerse itself in a non-living target, you can teleport away chunks of it. That's terrifying! Now, put the mouse in the cage! He'll either be fine, too far away from your body for your field to integrate him, or the cage will act like your pocket, surrounding him with your energy and bringing him along with you.”