Page 49 of Dark Shaman: Eternal Hope
"It becomes instinct," Carol assured her. "Like driving a car—at first you have to think about every action, but eventually it's reflexive."
Eva pulled items from her second case. "Now, practical disguise elements. These are things you can carry that completely change your appearance with minimal effort."
She laid out reversible jackets, collapsible hats, magnetic jewelry that could be reconfigured, and glasses with removable tinted lenses.
"The goal isn't to become unrecognizable to someone who knows you well," Eva explained. "It's to be forgettable to strangers or not to match a description. If someone reports a blonde in a red jacket heading north, you need to be a brunette in blue heading south within minutes."
They practiced quick changes, ducking into the penthouse bathroom and emerging transformed. Teresa showed unexpected talent for this, managing complete appearance shifts in under ninety seconds.
"I used to do theater in college," she explained when complimented. "I'm very well practiced in quick changes between scenes."
As the morning progressed, Carol watched her students absorb the information with varying degrees of success. Marlene's natural confidence made her excellent at commanding attention, but she struggled with invisibility. Teresa's analytical mind excelled at spotting surveillance, but she overthought the physical changes. Grace tried too hard to please, making her performances feel forced.
Greta's experience showed.
Regina was the most striking revelation, though. The woman who'd arrived weeks ago, touching her jewelry nervously, had found her calling. She absorbed every technique, every observation, channeling her anxiety into hyperawareness, and her need to please into perfect mimicry.
"Watch this," Regina said during a break. She walked to the corner of the room as herself—shoulders slightly hunched, one hand near her throat where her necklace usually sat. Then she straightened, dropped her hands to her sides, lifted her chin, and walked back. The transformation was remarkable—she moved like Marlene, all confident and commanding.
"Have you been practicing?" Carol asked.
"My entire life." Regina let her shoulders slump back to their usual position. "It's exhausting to project confidence and attract attention when you prefer to lock the front door to your house and curl up with a book."
"The introvert's curse," Eva said. "You can console yourself with the knowledge that introverts are better spies. Since they hate attracting attention, they are very good at observing others, and this is what a spy's job is all about."
"Which brings me to the next segment of today's class," Carol said. "I'm going to play a video of a man at a restaurant. I want you to observe him for five minutes and then tell me how you'd approach him. What persona would you create? How would you dress? What would you say?"
The video showed a well-dressed man in his fifties dining alone at an upscale restaurant. He had silver hair, wore an expensive watch, and spent most of his time on his phone.
After five minutes, Carol paused it. "Marlene?"
"Wealthy, obviously. Probably divorced—no wedding ring but a tan line where one used to be. The way he's sitting, slightly to one side, suggests he's used to having someone across from him. I'd approach as a sophisticated divorcee myself, someone who understands his situation. Commiserate about the challenges of dating again after ending a long marriage."
"Teresa?"
"He's not texting. Look at his thumb movements—he's playing a game. Probably bored, killing time. The restaurant is near the financial district, so he's likely waiting for a business meeting. I'd be a young professional seeking advice, flattering his expertise."
"Grace?"
"His shoes don't match his wealth level. Everything else is expensive, but the shoes are mid-range and comfortable. He cares about appearance but values comfort more. I'd be approachable, down-to-earth, someone who makes him feel relaxed."
"Regina?"
Regina studied the frozen image. "He's left-handed, but his watch is on his left wrist. That's unusual unless the watch has sentimental value and he wants to keep it visible. The way he holds his phone—see how his pinky supports it? That's an old injury, probably from sports. I'd create a persona with a similar injury, something to bond over. Maybe mention physical therapy, see if he relates."
Carol was impressed. "Greta?"
Greta was quiet for a long moment. "I wouldn't approach him at all. He's security. Look at how he's positioned—back to the wall, clear view of all entrances. The phone game is a cover for surveillance. That's not a businessman waiting for a meeting. That's someone watching someone else."
They all looked at the screen again and suddenly saw what Greta had noticed. The man's eyes flicked up from his phone regularly, scanning the room. His position was indeed tactical.
"Very good," Carol said. "This is why observation is critical. Approaching the wrong person with the wrong persona doesn't just mean failure—it means exposure."
20
LOKAN
The keep's gym smelled of cleaning solution and perspiration, a combination that reminded Lokan of the exclusive gym in the Beijing high-rise he'd been living in for the past two years.
