Chapter #6The Swap Squad by: Seuzz   Later that evening you try mapping out exactly how the "Body Swap Chop Shop" (as you call it) could work, but you can't figure out how to operate the thing all by yourself. You're so keen on the idea, though, that you don't think twice when it occurs to you to bring in some help.
The next day you invite Paul and Carson over, where you tell them about your experience with the lightning and give them a demonstration. After they recover from their surprise, they quickly agree that your carnival idea would be a great prank. You experiment a little with your power, and discover that by changing from a second person into a third without first changing back into yourself, you are able to swap other people around, too.
"This is really big, but your carnival idea is big enough for now," Carson says as he paces up and down, excitedly pressing his head between his hands. He is actually wearing Paul's body; Paul is wearing yours and you are wearing Carson's. "Actually, though, we can make it a little bigger."
"How?"
"Well, don't you see, we can do more than just stand you in front of someone and freak them out with a 'morph'," Carson says. "You can swap with them, then swap their body onto one of us—" He points to himself and Paul. "—and we could then go out and start mixing around, pretending to be them. So when our, um, customers leave, they'll find out that they have changed, and that people who look just like them are wandering around. That'll really freak them out!"
"You mean, swap the whole school?" Paul asks, a note of incredulity in his voice.
"No, not the whole school. We could never put them all back." Carson thinks a moment. "Six people should be enough," he says softly. "If they're the right six people."
You wait expectantly for him to say more.
"What you want to do is freak out the right people, since you can't do the whole school," Carson finally says. "The cheerleaders, the jocks. You know, the top people in the A crowd. The ones who deserve it. Chelsea Cooper. Jason Lester. Almida Jones. Swap them out for the night."
"Swap them with each other?"
"No, with us. That's why we want a few more people. People we can trust. Three more people, and we could hit Chelsea and Jason and Almida and Gordon Brown and ... I dunno. Two others."
Paul looks at you, and you can tell he likes the idea: the "A" crowd at your school is really obnoxious. "Who should we bring in to help," Paul asks.
"Jenny," you say automatically. Then you blush as your friends look at each other grin.
"Okay, Jenny it is," says Carson. "Paul, I assume you'll want to ask Yumi Saito." Now it's Paul's turn to blush.
"Okay, what about you? Who do you have a crush on," you ask Carson.
He waves you off dismissively. "You guys want Jenny and Yumi cuz you think it'll break the ice with them. That's fine, but I'm thinking of the plan. It's gotta be someone who won't cause trouble."
"Lawrence Jenkins?" suggests Paul. You make a gagging noise. He gives you a dirty look, then turns to Carson. "Well then, as long as we're vetoing people, I veto Mark Flickinger." Mark is one of Carson's low-life friends.
Carson snickers and shakes his head. "Yeah, Mark would be good and he'd have fun, but he's totally untrustworthy."
There's a pause. Then you say, "How about Ashley?"
"Ashley who?"
"Jenny's sister. The younger one."
"Why her?" Carson asks.
"She's smart, she's mature. She and Jenny are great friends. She's still in middle school, so it's not like she'd be another classmate who's in on our secret."
Carson nods slowly. "I like that. Unless Jenny objects, I say Ashley it is."
* * * * *
It's hard to get Jenny alone the next day, but you finally steer her out behind one of the school wings during lunch and spill everything to her. She's horribly confused—in part, certainly, because of the shock when you borrow a hair clip and turn yourself into her briefly—but she agrees to meet you again, with Yumi, after school. That meeting is calmer, and thirty minutes later the two of them agree to join your plot; Jenny also agrees to bringing in Ashley.
That weekend the six of you sketch out blueprints and battle plans for the Swap Shop. Carson will act as the "barker," drawing people in for a nominal charge and one article of clothing. The victims will then wind through a dark, circuitous maze that seems to lead into the depths of the room but actually leads them back close to the entrance; this is so that Carson can slip you their clothing while they are still traveling toward you. You yourself will be standing in a glass booth. For those customers you don't intend to victimize, Paul will rig up an ingenious one-way mirror: They will see you, "King Chameleon," seemingly turn into them when the mirror slides into place, but otherwise you won't do anything to them. For your chosen victims, though, you have a nastier surprise in store. Paul, Yumi, Jenny, and Ashley will be on hand, hidden in the room with you, to help out there.
* * * * *
Two days before the carnival, Carson finds you between classes. "Can you do me a huge favor," he asks. "You can name your price, now or later, if you do this for me."
"What?"
"Swap with me after school. Just for this afternoon and evening."
"What's up?"
He makes a face. "My great aunt is visiting, and I'm supposed to put in an appearance. And I can't stand her. Help me out of it, go as me instead, and I'll do anything you ask."
It sounds like an unpleasant favor, but a small one. If you don't use your power to help friends, what's the use of having it?
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