"It's me, Tom," Lisa shouted into the phone. "It's Lisa Torelli. Guess what happened?"Inside the apartment, tiny Lisa waited breathlessly for the sound of the elevator bell. Only when it sounded, and enough time passed to assure her George was really gone, did she finally move.
The fake happy smile on her face disappeared at once, replaced by a grim look of determination. Quickly, she moved purposely to the nearest chair. Jumping onto the side, she steadily lowered herself down to the arm, and then slid carefully to floor level. In doing this she ignored the miniaturizer completely, for she knew from experience that at her present size she had no chance whatsoever of operating it.
Instead, she ran across the floor towards the sofa. Here, she clambered up using footholds in the upholstery until she reached the armrest, and then she hurried over and hopped onto the end table. Seeing her move through the giant-sized room so easily, an observer might think she had done this before, and they would be right.
She came to the telephone and easily shoved the receiver off the hook. Then she moved quickly and dialed a number she knew by heart. A single ring could be heard, and then a man's voice. "Harris here," he said quickly. "Who is this? I don't recognize this caller ID number."
"It's me, Tom," Lisa shouted into the phone. "It's Lisa Torelli. Guess what happened?"
"I don't have to guess," he replied with a sigh. "I can tell by your high-pitched voice. You got shrunk again, didn't you?"
"Yeah," she answered. "My neighbor George Cunningham did it to me this time. I told you, remember? I said if anyone else would do it, it'd be him!"
"I know, I know," replied Tom sadly. "Sorry, Lisa, you know we can't watch everybody just on your suspicions. Besides, from the fact that you're calling, I assume the usual ploy worked?"
"Yeah, and pretty fast this time," she replied with some measure of pride. "He's taking a walk now, trying to figure out what to do with me. I have to hand it to you, Tom, you guys really had the right idea with this!"
"Well, it wasn't my idea," said the policeman on the other end of the line. "The profilers figured it out. Any man who shrinks a woman and kidnaps her is looking for fear and terror. When he gets a happy, willing pet, he just can't deal with it. He doesn't want you like that."
"Yeah, I thought they were nuts when they first explained that to us, but they were right. I just wish they didn't have to be right so damn often, you know? This is the fourth time for me, and some of the other girls on the squad have been shrunk a half dozen times or more."
"It comes with the territory," he reminded her. "You girls go out in those sexy outfits every game, and of course people are going to want to shrink you. Hell, I've dreamed about it myself."
"Oh, stop it!" she laughed. "You probably say that to all the four-inch cheerleaders!"
He chuckled at her. "You're right, actually," he admitted. "Well, anyway, stay put. I've got a unit on its way over right now. We'll have you back to normal in no time."
"Thanks, Tom, I owe you one."
"Again," he pointed out. "Oh, and have a good time hanging up the phone. Catch you later, doll!" With a laugh, he hung up, and a moment later a loud dial tone could be heard coming from the speaker.
Lisa shook her head and struggled to pull the receiver back into place. Being shrunk so many times wouldn't be so bad, she thought, if she didn't have to put up with all the bad jokes.