Symco opened her eyes and groaned as she grabbed her aching head. She saw an agency doctor standing at the foot of her bed next to her department head and the agency director, Pledgestone.

“What happened?” She asked. She was startled by the sound of her voice which sounded much lower and raspier than usual. In shock, she cupped her hand over her mouth

“Alicia, there's been an accident.” said the doctor.

“What...” she spoke again, still unsettled at the sound of her voice. “What do you mean?”

“Alicia, as you may remember, Agent Hodge made an unsanctioned move to apprehend the coven leaders before the ceremony could be completed...” Said the director.

“Yes...” Symco said shakily.

“Turns out he ran in as the ceremony was being completed.” Pledgestone explained, “It seems that, due to your psychic link, the final incantation caused your consciousness and the consciousness of agent Hodge to be switched.” Symco hesitantly looked down at her hands, now large and bony. She touched her face and ran her rough fingers over her sloping brow and swollen cheek bones, and she wiped away some drool from the corner of her crooked mouth.

“Show me...” She said. They passed her a mirror and she gazed at herself in horrid disbelief. “I don't understand...” she said, “I thought you said I switched consciousness with Agent Hodge...”

“You did.” Said the doctor.

“But, I saw Hodge in the psychic link, he was a young man! He was fair with delicate features.”

“Agent Hodge has a rare condition,” said the doctor, “A growth imbalance where aspects of his body develop at rapidly different rates. It's deformed him superficially, but has given him excessive strength and agility. The image you saw was how he remembered himself from before his transformation.”

“How do we switch back?” Symco asked. Pledgestone sighed.

“We aren't sure.” he said. “Our best hope is to apprehend the high priest and compel him to reverse the spell. The problem is he could be in either his own body or in Varak's body, depending on if the ceremony worked. I'm afraid you'll have to remain displaced until we can find a solution.” Symco let out a quiet sob and asked to be alone.

By evening Symco had some time to contemplate her situation. Hodge's body felt hunger in significantly more intense ways than she was used too and she had ordered 3 dinners before she had felt full. She was dismayed to learn that Hodge's body did not like the taste of tofu or chick peas which were hard staples for her vegetarian diet. She choked them down as a matter of principle as The doctor walked through the door.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Fine, I guess. It's difficult to move.” she said.

“Oh?”

“No,” she clarified “what I mean is, I'm not used to the dimensions of this body. It's difficult to gauge my movements.”

“I see.” said the doctor. “I imagine that would take some getting used to.”

“Am I able to see Hodge?” She asked.

“I suppose so. Have you two been in contact with each other?” the doctor inquired.

“No, I've been in my room all day...”

“I was referring to your psychic link. We think it may still be active. If you can strengthen the bridge between your two minds you may be able to switch back on your own.” the doctor said. “Then again, we know so little about this circumstance; I suppose it's also possible you could cancel each other out and nullify your mutual consciousness.” Symco stared at him anxiously “...I'll have a nurse wheel agent Hodge in here so you can talk.”

Symco had a burst of outrage as Hodge's bed was wheeled in. Hodge, in her body, was sitting upright in bed cutting a steak and smoking a cigarette.

“What the hell do you think you're doing!?” she yelled.

“What?” asked Hodge cluelessly.

“Your smoking in my body! And eating a steak! I'm a vegetarian!”

“And I'm a carnivore! A hungry one!” He snapped back. It was unsettling for Symco to hear her own voice piped back at her.

“You are not allowed to smoke in my body!” She ordered

“Look, cigarettes are a stress reducer and, if you weren't aware, I'm kind of going through a stressful time right now!”

“You're going through a stressful time! I'm trapped in your ginormous body! If you need to reduce stress try meditation!” she said.

“Meditation?” Hodge said skeptically.

“Yes,” said Symco, “It's helped me hone my psychic abilities and it gives me a great deal of inner peace.”

“Of course it does.” He said sarcastically. “Look, I'm not happy about this either! I did the puberty thing a few years back, I'm not exactly gunning to go through a body change again. Also, your boobs keep getting in my way! How has anyone with boobs accomplished anything ever!?” Just then Director Pledgestone walked in looking annoyed.

“What the hell is going on here?” he asked. “I can hear you two bickering on the other side of the compound!”

“Sorry, sir.” Said Symco sheepishly (although it sounded anything but sheepish booming out of Hodge's body's mouth.) “We are having some disagreements over how each of us wants our bodies treated.”

“Look at her dinner plate, sir! She made me eat tofu! TOFU!” Hodge moaned.

“Well knock it off or I'll have to separate you!” the director snapped.

“Sir, how long do we have to sit in these hospital gowns? I want to get back out in the field!” Hodge said eagerly.

“You want to get back out in the field?” Symco asked. “You want to take my body and put it into mortal danger?”

“You'll be fine.” Said Hodge.

“This coming from captain body swap.” Symco snipped.

“Hodge, you're lucky i don't lock you up!” The director yelled. “You disobeyed a direct order and put yourself and Agent Symco in danger, causing what may be an irreversible accident!” Hodge stayed quiet. “But...” Continued the director “Both the doctor and our occult expert think the two of you might have the keys to track down the coven leaders locked in your subconscious, so we want you to begin training with the intent of going out into the field. As a team!”

“Sir, you can't be serious!” boomed Symco.

“Obviously this would be a voluntary mission, and you would need to give the other permission to use your bodies, but I would consider this carefully, Symco.” The Director said. “This might be our only shot and putting you back to normal.” Pledgestone walked out of the room and Symco and Hodge sat staring at each other in disbelieving silence.