Tanya got home from work only to discover there were about four messages that had come in for her. There were some definite disadvantages in being inexpendable.
Sighing, and deciding to get it all over with so she could relax, she took pen and paper in hand, sat down near the speaker and pressed the appropriate buttons.
"Uhh, hi Tanya, it's Jim here. Look, Ray's gone and done it again. Are you sure that's normal telepathic behaviour? Because -"
Tanya rolled her eyes and didn't bother to pay attention to the rest of the message. Really, how much reassurance did a parent need? Maybe she should get a secretary. She wondered what Vicky was doing with herself these days.
"Tanya, hi. Look, it's happened again, and it's getting beyond a joke. If you can call me back as soon as you get this? Okay, thanks, bye."
"It would help if you left a name and number, moron," Tanya thought to herself in annoyance.
"Hi Tanya. Frank here. Just calling to let you know that the amplifier is done. It passed the tested by Halle, but if you wanted to check it yourself? Also, have you the list of the locations - we can't find it here and no one's sure where this one is going. Thanks, bye."
At least there was once sensible message on there. She paused the playback and wrote off a quick email. This amplifier was going to Tokyo, Japan.
Tanya found it personally amazing that they were producing so many amplifiers so quickly these days. Since Toronto, Canada, they had also put ones in Sydney and Perth Australia, New York and LA.
Email done, Tanya listened to the last message:
"Umm, hi Tanya. It's Zac. Zac Hanson? You treat my brother Taylor? Uhh, anyway, I'm calling because I had an idea about dealing with his alterego. I hate this idea but... okay I won't waste message time explaining: what if Taylor needs to let it run its course? Like... like a fever or something?"
Zac went on to mention that his brothers were living with him after the tornado and just managed to fit in his number before the time ran out. Tanya absently wrote down the number. Let Taylor's alterego loose? He was comparing it to a fever?
And as distasteful as Tanya found it, she also had to admit she hadn't any better ideas. She glanced down at the paper and dialed Zac's number.
"Hello?" Saku said, answering the phone.
"Hello, is Zac there?"
"Yeah, who's that?"
"I'm Tanya."
" 'kay."
Tanya smiled as she heard Saku yell for his daddy.
"Hello, Tanya?"
"Hi Zac. I got your message."
"Ahh, good. Wha-what do you think?" Zac was a little nervous.
"Can I hear your explanation?"
"Oh, uhh, yeah," and Zac went on to explain how he had reached his conclusion.
After a moments hesitation he also mentioned what had happened the night before between himself and Taylor. Tanya mulled it over.
"I think I hate the idea too. But it's a distinct possibility," Tanya sighed. "I'll have to think it over. Something like this requires very serious thought. You keep an eye on Taylor. Let me know if anything new crops up. I'll try and think of some way of pulling it off without anyone getting hurt, and I'll talk to him at his next treatment."
Zac breathed a sigh of relief.
"Okay. Say, uhh, did Tad tell you? He said he would mention it in his next report."
"Well, I get monthly reports from him - and the last one came before the tornado. So, no, he hasn't told me yet."
"It'll be interesting to see if he actually does."
"Anyway, I'll talk to you later Zac. Thank you for telling me."
"Thank you for listening. See ya."
"Bye."