Olivia and Neeley were thrilled that their all-woman scuba diving service had finally landed its first big-paying job and one with hazard pay to boot! They met with Mr. Pageant, a vice president of Gorgon Chemicals, who took them in a boat out into a small lake to the site where they would dive.
"This is no ordinary lake," Mr. Pageant explained. "It is actually a retention pond filled with a highly effective rejuvenation chemical that was accidentally released in a storage mishap. We cannot begin to pump this chemical back into the tanks until we close the valves, but that isn't possible since the valve key is below this boat. We cannot send someone down in a watertight diving suit since this chemical eats away at the synthetic materials used in the suit's construction. Thus, we need ordinary divers wearing equipment made only from rubber and metal.
"Once you are in this chemical, it will cause your bodies to gradually rejuvenate," Mr. Pageant added. "So you must work fast. Thus, we have agreed to pay you quadruple your normal hazard rates -- $100,000 per diver. And the one you actually brings up the key will get a bonus of another $100,000. And don't worry about your bodies. I have the antidote for the chemical in this waterproof box. Now do we have a deal?"
Their competitive spirits raised, both women looked at each other and yelled, "Me first." They dove in together, and 20 minutes later, Olivia bobbed to the surface with the key, with Neeley close behind her.
As the two women climbed back into the boat, it was obvious that they had shrunk from 25 to 6-years-old, with their clothing and equipment having shrunk to fit. Happy with such fast service, Mr. Pageant prepared to hand the box containing the antidote to the divers, but a sudden tip in the boat caused him to drop the box into the lake of chemical.
"That was the only sample of the antidote we have. One of you is going to have to go back into this lake to get it," Mr. Pageant said. Olivia and Neeley looked at each other and said, "You first!"