Free Switch by Janelle Stalder

thought I was going to pee myself, I was so scared.” She dropped her hand, her eyes wide in the mirror. “Oh God, you don’t think he could hear me thinking that, do you?”
    Bridgette snorted. “I doubt he was bothering to listen to your thoughts, considering where you were just coming from.” Michelle stuck her tongue out before going back to what she was doing. Everyone was scared of Ludwig’s Weapon X because it was rumoured that he could read minds. Bridgette could understand why this would frighten most people, but it didn’t scare her a bit. Her sister Charlotte had been able to do the same thing. No one understood why, but one day she started complaining about hearing voices. At first her mother thought Charlotte was schizophrenic. Their father had been adamant there was nothing wrong with her, but she continued to insist she could hear voices.
    It wasn’t until the next day that they finally put two and two together. She wasn’t hearing voices, she was hearing their thoughts. It had been strange at first, and a little annoying not to have privacy, but after a while their father had figured out a way to block her out. He would make Bridgette and Charlotte practice every night with each other until finally, one night, Charlotte clapped happily that she couldn’t hear any of her thoughts. Bridgette suspected if she ever did meet this Weapon X, she’d have no problem blocking him out the same way.
    “You girls are up in five,” Sebastian called out.
    Bridgette snapped out of her memories, waving at him so he knew she heard.
    “What are your plans after work?” Michelle asked. “You’re getting off earlier, no?”
    “Yeah,” Bridgette replied. “Donna said I can leave at one. I’m meeting up with McKay.”
    Michelle sighed dreamily. “Have I told you lately how hot your best friend is?”
    “Yes. I’m pretty sure you say it every time his name comes up.”
    “That man is something else.” She hummed. “Definitely knows how to show a girl a good time, if you know what I mean,” she added with a wink.
    “Ew, no I don’t know what you mean,” Bridgette wrinkled her nose in disgust.
    Michelle shook her head, giving Bridgette her patent ‘Bridgette’s nuts when it comes to Pete McKay’ face. “You are best friends with the juiciest piece of meat in the city, and you two are completely platonic. It’s insane, you do realize that right? Any other girl would be all over that like white on rice.”
    “Every girl pretty much has,” Bridgette pointed out.
    Michelle snickered. “Not every girl, Bridge. He’s not nearly as bad as you think. He’s just no angel, which me likey – a lot.”
    “I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” Bridgette whined. “He’s the closest thing I have to family. Please don’t ruin it by giving me anything that can be transformed into a mental picture. I don’t think I can handle that.”
    She laughed wickedly. “Fine. Where are you two going? Can I tag along?”
    “Girls! You’re up,” Sebastian yelled.
    “Come on, we got to get up there. And no, you can’t come.”
    “Boo.” She pouted. “How did I know you were going to say that?”
    Bridgette started over to the lift, calling over her shoulder, “because I say the same thing every other time you ask.”
    Sebastian held out a towel as she came off stage. Bridgette took it with a smile in thanks, faltering when she saw the serious look on his face. “What’s wrong?”
    “I just got a call from Garrett,” he said in a hushed voice.
    “A call?” She must have heard that wrong.
    “That doesn’t matter,” he said. “What matters is that the New World army busted the Bull’s Eye tonight. And not just soldiers this time.” He looked around before leaning in closer. Bridgette could smell cigar off his breath and clothes. She wondered, fleetingly, where he would possibly get cigars. She didn’t give it much further thought after his next words. “Roman and Weapon X were there