Martha Crisp
"If Flanagan made the undernet then isn't he in charge of them?"
The cab driver was excellent at weaving through traffic.
His face frozen, except for his eyes
Repeatedly they scanned back and forth
The driver side window was rolled down
wind roaring in
Martha Crisp
'Maybe the wind drowned me out...'
Martha Crisp
"If Flanagan made the -"
Felix cut her off
Felix Danabrus
"It's possible."
He leaned in the back seat.
Rossin was taking up the other back seat
Rossin shook his head
Felix Danabrus
"I don't think it's likely...
When you meet Flanagan, you'll understand."
Martha Crisp
"So he's ignorant of what they're doing?"
Felix immediately shook his head
Felix Danabrus
"No: he knows, at least he'd better.
We just don't know what his plan is right now...
Because we...
I, am a bit out of the loop."
Rossin displayed his palms
His position was one of 'what'da gonna do?'
Rossin
'I literally choose him at random...
Random from a pool of people with the right Admin privileges.'
"So you didn't vet him?"
Rossin mimed looking around
Rossin
'When would I find the time
I have been talking to you all day.'
"You're a program, cant you do things at like...
the speed of thought or whatever?"
Rossin
'You do things at the speed of thought.'
Martha paused
"Good point..."
Felix repeatedly tapped his finger on his leg
Rossin
'So I know Flanagan...
He did not kill my author...
But someone he knows probably did...'
"Why do you say that?"
Rossin
'The thing that attacked my author, it left...
Sharp edges in me...
There are large chunks of me just...
Missing.
I can see how much is missing, and...
I am...'
Rossin stopped at that point and sat there with his head down
Martha fell to her right, Felix did as well, Rossin sat balanced
Felix Danabrus
"We are...
Just about..."
The cabbie pulled into an alley, then a garage entrance
Fluorescent lights and floors of concrete lower they reached the bottom
Felix Danabrus
"You don't have any weapons on you, right - leave them in the car otherwise."
Martha was about to protest, but felt the weight of the gun at her side.
She slid it out and dropped it under the seat, giving it a little kick also
Felix nodded, and opened the door.
He held out her hand toward her, as she slid herself across the seat
The car was parked blocking some cars in on Martha's side.
To her right was the entrance to a little cave alcove containing elevators
Felix Danabrus
"Don't look away from the security guard, blinking is fine...
But keep your eyes on him."
Martha tilted her head but nodded.
They approached the elevators
Rossin
'He is really serious about that, by the way...
Do not look away, not even internally to write on the board.'
'Why?'
Martha noticed the color of that screen change
'Why is that a different color now?'
'This screen.'
Rossin
'You thinking at me versus you talking at me...
Oh, and other why is because then we die.'
Inside was a single security guard, sitting in a folding chair
Rossin
'His eyes, Martha - keep looking at his eyes.'
Rossin pointed at the security guard
She did, although he was not looking at her.
He had his feet up on another folding chair, with a newspaper in his hands
Felix Danabrus
"Hello, we're here to see Flanagan."
The security guard folded his newspaper, and took a small sip of coffee.
He placed the cup down on a third fold up chair and sighed
A small pause
Felix tapped his foot against hers
Another small pause.
Martha noticed small twitches in the guards eyes, his eyes dilating wildly
He picked up his coffee again and took another sip.
Felix stepped backwards toward the elevator behind him and pressed the button.
The security guard put down his cup and tossed Felix the key from his pocket.
Felix nodded, as he caught it
The elevator door gave a ding and the light above lit
She had started to turn her head
Rossin
'Backwards Martha - keep your eyes on the guard - long as you can see him.'
Martha straightened her neck and stepped backwards towards Felix.
The doors swung open, Felix and Martha stepped inside
Moments later, when the door was closed, and they're eyes could move again:
Martha Crisp
"What happened to us being gods?"
Felix Danabrus
"Some gods are stronger than others."
He pressed the key into a slot and turned
The elevator made a clanking noise, and fell downward, lurching Martha's lunch
She held on to the side railing across from Felix who was doing the same
The elevator slowed over time, and eventually came to a gentle rest.
And above them through the speakers emitted an annoyingly chirpy ding
The doors opened, and Felix and Martha walked out
%%%%
Kent sat alone on a park bench
He glanced at his watch between chews of his bagel
Kent Barbado
'Two-thirty, let me see...
Four PM would hit the twelve hour mark of day two.'
He briefly considered taking a small nap on the bench.
But decided he would stay at a hotel
He stood up, and walked along the city edge
He could afford a few hours yet
Kent Barbado
'Somewhere close by.'
He scanned the streets beyond the park.
In the short distance he saw a hotel sign - Dolphin
Kent Barbado
'A bit ritzy but that is close.'
Down beyond the sign in front of the main entrance something caught Kent's eye.
A shorter woman was holding out a phone in front of her like a shield
Kent Barbado
'No: more like a weapon.'
She held out her phone facing an older gentleman of 60's in a dapper suit.
He stared slack-jawed at it - unmoving
Kent moved closer to the entrance, recognizing this phone business from Felix
Suddenly the older man sprang to life
She switched phones with him, and Kent saw him enter his password for her.
A moment later she took her phone back and walked off
Leaving the man stupefied
Kent navigated the river of cars - which was gridlocked, and reached the old man
The man shook his head - like he was trying to get water out of his ear
Kent Barbado
"Can you tell me anything about that woman?"
Kent approached and flashed his badge
It was a quick flash - he wasn't NYPD.
The man tilted his head slightly
Kent sighed and brushed past him - rounding the corner where she had turned
He was in an alley - the woman, she wore a red cardigan, was at a metal door at the end
Kent Barbado
'Was she always wearing a red cardigan?'
Kent used the edged of his foot, walking quietly as possible
He approached behind her, she was entering a code on a keypad.
The door hissed open.
She walked through
Kent was close enough to the door to make a dash for it
He did
His finger fit in to stop the door slamming shut
Kent Barbado
'Bad idea Kent.'
Kent opened the door slightly and peered inside
A dimly lit hallway - and no person or camera in sight
He opened the door a bit more
There was nothing around the edged of the room, just a hallway
He slid through the opening and closed the door gently
Kent Barbado
'This is a really bad idea Kent.'
Kent Barbado
'You know those horror movies where the person goes in alone into the den of a lion?'
Kent Barbado
'That is you right now: this is what is going on.'
Kent Barbado
'You have not had sleep in: how long?'
Kent Barbado
'Come on Kent - get out of here.'
Kent pushed forward
Kent Barbado
'What if another zombie thing shows up: no gun Kent.'
He was momentarily back in that hallway - shooting at that bloody thing rushing him.
He shook the thought away
Kent walked down the hall - and looked around the corner at the end
He could hear sounds - jovial.
He could see a small gathering of beanbag chairs in a circle.
Some were empty - but most were filled with people.
Surrounding them were chalkboards, covered in writing.
He was too far away to make out the writing.
He felt a hand on his shoulder
Alice Glass of the Tok
"First time?"
Kent turned his head to see another Woman right behind him
He nodded
Kent Barbado
'Okay - go with the flow - act like you belong...'
Kent Barbado
'Stay calm: do not freak out.'
Alice Glass of the Tok
"Come."
She placed her hand on Kent's back
Alice Glass of the Tok
"How'd you find us?"
Kent Barbado
'Fuck - two seconds in and already panicking.'
Kent Barbado
'Thirty-seven hours awake?'
Kent Barbado
'Is that right?'
Kent Barbado
'She is looking at you - answer: anything!'
Kent Barbado
"Oh, you know: saw some stuff...
Read some stuff...
Put two and two together..."
Kent Barbado
'That sounded convincing, right?'
He was led by her to sit down in on of the bean bags
Around him was a stochastic wave of interest.
Expressed as a void, a gap in conversation.
A subtle look, often followed by an 'anyway'
Alice Glass of the Tok
"We start in a few moments, I'll let you get settled."
She herself walked to the other side of the room.
And then distributed paper among those sitting
One paper reached Kent's hands as he passed the rest over
Robert Glass of the Tok
"Hi, I'm Robert."
A voice came from his left
Kent distractedly replied - reading though the paper.
Then the writing on the boards
{dime:: link of paper propaganda of the undernet}
Kent looked around
Half way though he had to force him self to keep scanning
Kent Barbado
'That man...'
Tucked away in the corner of the room, was a shaven bald man.
Perching on a cabinet - like an owl
Kent re-scanned the room
Ahead of him a that woman came out with a platter of syringes
Kent Barbado
'Ah fuck.
In too deep kent, 2 minutes in and in too deep...
This shit escalates way too quickly.'
%%%%
A long hallway entrance in victorian wood lit by candle light.
At the end: a mahogany door
Felix walked up to the door, Martha at his side.
Felix paused
Felix Danabrus
"You ready?"
Before she could respond a creaking came from in front of them
The door swung open by a man in a robe
A bath robe
Flanagan
"Enter and palaver for a time."
Felix Danabrus
"Hello Flanagan, how are things?"
Flanagan shifted his robe, and leaned against the door, inviting them in
Flanagan
"Better now that you're here."
Off to the right of the door was a set of inlaid plaques
Rossin walked off and stared at one
Flanagan
"Come in, inside: you're the first to arrive."
Martha turned her head to the plaques
Rossin
'Over here, come look at this.'
Rossin pointed to the plaque
Martha hesitated briefly
Felix entered through the door.
Martha turned her head to Rossin, then walked forward
Rossin
'Trust me, over here - now.'
Martha sighed and walked over to where Rossin was pointing
"So?"
Rossin
'It should have my name on it.'
Flanagan
"We'll be right in, have a seat in the parlor."
Flanagan closed the door, then walked up to Martha
Rossin
'Okay, so - this either works or...
See that keypad?'
She did, it was below the plaque, slightly off to the right
Rossin
'Put in these numbers...'
A list followed - she typed them in.
As she entered the last one a pleasant chirp came from the tiny speaker attached to the right.
Flanagan nodded
Flanagan
"Glad to see that worked...
Who are you?"
Rossin
'He is asking me.'
Martha Crisp
"Oh... Rossin, his name's Rossin."
Flanagan
"He's inside of... interesting... and you?
Martha - how are you?"
Rossin walked forward toward Flanagan
Flanagan
"Rossin... and he's been helpful?"
Martha paused considering
Rossin at her side started pacing back and forth
Martha Crisp
"I mean...
Yes.
Yes...
He has been helpful..."
Martha Crisp
'Hold on a sec...'
Martha Crisp
"If by helpful you mean flinging me into a bunch of bullshit trouble...
Then yeah: super helpful."
Flanagan blinked, then barked a high pitch laugh
Martha Crisp
'More of a squeal than a laugh.'
Flanagan
"There is some bullshit going on yes...
But we're in the middle of cleaning that up."
Flanagan inspected the air around her, then waved her forward
Flanagan
"Come on in, I can at least patch over some of the leaking...
If he wants."
He stepped back into the room - leaving the door open.
He popped his head back out, causing martha to stumble
Flanagan
"One last question: about felix?"
Rossin leaned over to look inside
Rossin
'He wants to know if we can trust him.'
Martha shook her head
Rossin
'Martha, just repeated what I say...'
And she did
Martha Crisp
"He's been relaxing in Fiji: for the last year.
I - Rossin, think that he's typical."
Flanagan muttered
Rossin gave a noncommittal hand balance
Martha Crisp
"He went like..."
Martha copied Rossin's gesture
Martha Crisp
"If he's fixable - good core in a bad wrapping or rotten through?"
Martha repeated the gesture.
Flanagan nodded, then crossed the threshold
Martha let out a sigh
"What just happened?"
Rossin
'Verification code: ...'
"And?"
Rossin
'And I could prove he knew me...
Which is good...'
Martha looked at him
Martha Crisp
"But your name was gone..."
Rossin
'More like we all perceive it gone - because that reference to me is just... gone.'
"But I never saw it - how could I know it was a reference to you?"
Rossin
'It is weirder when you get to the details...
And we really do not have time right now - here.'
{TODO: link to logic of that.}
Rossin walked to the doorway
Rossin
'Have a read through that when you have some time.'
Martha pushed open the door
Before the hallway was cast in a golden light emanating from the room.
It was bright enough to be blinding, that didn't make sense to her.
As she stepped in it was like a switch had been flipped and she could see
Martha Crisp
"...Oh what the fuck."
The room was atrociously decorated in the most garish wallpaper imaginable.
Purple against green askew and uneven lines covered the wall.
Nothing was a right angle.
Everywhere the eye look every burned into her brain
Rossin walked down the little alcove stairs to the right
Flanagan
"Watch your step on these..."
"Landing pad?"
Rossin poked his head back inside this small section of the room
Rossin
'A place you burn in a bunch of minds...
Burn in their memory...
And you...
Land there - if you need to...
If you die.'
Flanagan was at the threshold to another entrance, Felix at a chair beyond
Flanagan
"Come on now, we don't have all day."
Rossin walked over and then next to her as she sat down next to felix
"That seems a bit... unethical?"
Rossin
'A culture thing: a landing pad is a dominance thing...
Sort of a: if I die I can come for your body from your dreams, kind of thing.'
Martha paused briefly, she nearly sat down before she hesitated
"That's a little fucked."
Rossin nodded his head.
Martha sat down next to Felix
Flanagan was about to speak when a chime rang
Flanagan
"Oh, that would be two of the Relux."
Felix Danabrus
"Where's the third?"
Flanagan
"Still in Romania: now If you'll excuse me."
After Flanagan was out of the room, Martha had to know:
Felix Danabrus
"Name of a hivemind - three people sharing three bodies."
Martha paused
Felix Danabrus
"Can anyone do that?"
Felix raised his hand and shook it noncommittally
Felix Danabrus
"Theoretically, yeah - but it's sort of: well."
Felix paused
Felix Danabrus
"You don't get large groups or many groups because well: just imagine..."
Martha waved him on
Felix Danabrus
"Imagine if you can hear someone's thoughts - no filter.
Every bad nasty thing thought in passing that doesn't get said:
Most people are at each others throats with that level of connectivity..."
Martha Crisp
"So it's a constant connection - you can't turn it on or off?"
Felix Danabrus
"This I'm not that familiar with - thought never appealed to me: so I didn't learn more."
Martha sat in silence for a time - pondering what that would be like
Rossin
'I mean - I am just in your head - our thoughts are not connected.'
Rossin sat down beside her
Rossin
'So imagine this: but more extreme. just...'
Rossin puts up a mock hand and jabbers with it
Rossin
'Gibberish all day - most people - even the Awakened: their thoughts are a mess.'
Through the threshold step Flanagan and Two people next to him.
A burley man - dark skin and curly black hair, and a thin tall blonde beside him
They stepped forward and sat on the couch across from them.
Felix rose to take their hands, and with only a subtle prompting from Rossin, Martha did likewise
Felix Danabrus
"Relux, What's the news?"
Felix sat back down.
The man turned to Flanagan
Lenny of the Relux
"How much does he know?"
Flanagan
"I haven't had time to question them, you arrived shortly after."
Felix Danabrus
"Question us about what the school?
That's why we're here, we just came from there."
Flanagan
"It was more than just the school in New York."
Felix Danabrus
"What, the one in London?"
Flanagan
"It was more than just the schools, though they were all hit."
Felix fell silent
Martha Crisp
"What all was attacked?"
Flanagan
"The schools, a number of hubs, assassinations...
When were you attacked?"
Rossin
'I think he means me, my author I mean.'
Flanagan
"I mean Rossin."
Felix Danabrus
"Who's Rossin?"
Flanagan
"A friend: what he left behind of him is in Martha over here."
Felix turned to Martha
Felix Danabrus
"So all this time?"
Flanagan
"Speaking of, he's leaking pretty badly - Jochek - would you?"
The blonde woman nodded and held out her hand
Jochek of the Relux
"I don't bite."
Rossin
'It is alright - I need some fixing: she can do it.'
Martha reached out her hand and clasped Jochek's
For a moment time seized, stuttering a jerking to a halt.
Rossin faded from view and time jerked back.
Her left eye was close - she couldn't open it.
Martha tried and failed to raise her left arm.
She couldn't feel it... or anything on her left side
Martha Crisp
"How long should this take?"
It came out slurred - her voice breaking as only half of it worked.
A wave a nausea passed her
Jochek of the Relux
"Not that much longer."
Flanagan turned back from the other Relux, looking back at martha
Felix Danabrus
"Do we need a bag?"
Martha waved him no
Martha Crisp
'Hold a thought, hold your stomach, hold your breath...'
The dusty memory of her mother's drinking song, was the very thought she held.
The nausea passed eventually.
Replaced by a coldness
Jochek of the Relux
"Okay, that should just about do it."
Moments passed and Rossin didn't appear
Flanagan
"Now that's taken care of, to the matter at hand.
We think we lost about two thirds."
Jochek of the Relux
"Two thirds of?"
Flanagan
"Of the Awakened."
At the table in front of them was a tea set
Flanagan sat down and poured himself a cup
Flanagan
"I say we think, because it's hard to say exactly..."
Martha Crisp
"You can't remember them."
Flanagan nodded
Flanagan
"I can't even remember Rossin..."
Rossin
'Less than ideal...'
Rossin was sitting beside her now
"You alright?"
Rossin
'Never better...
Well, that I remember, literally the best I have been.'
Flanagan
"We know the loses by the absence of where they should be, physically and in memory."
Flanagan took a sip of tea
Flanagan
"And in my case I had something more concrete to measure by, sample by...
It's about two thirds."
Rossin leaned over
Rossin
'Landing pad, more than likely.'
"How?"
{todo:link to description of how that works}
Both the Relux's hands reached for the teapot - before only Jochek pouring themselves cups put it back
Lenny of the Relux
" We haven't noticed anything in Romania."
Flanagan nodded
Flanagan
" Still though, look for signs of missing things."
Felix Danabrus
"We saw them, at the tower."
Jochek of the Relux
"Burned into their foreheads was a message: underestimated undernet."
Flanagan put down the teacup
Flanagan
"I believe there to be an outside influence - a strong one - manipulating the undernet.
The leaders of the undernet being led along towards us."
Felix Danabrus
"Two thirds..."
Jochek of the Relux
"Two thirds scrambled, at once... so we know it was the undernet?"
The male Relux leaned forward
Lenny of the Relux
"More complicated: they're involved, but they don't have the numbers to pull something like this off, and how?"
He shook his head
Lenny of the Relux
"No, and who did they scramble - and why: you know what I think: coup."
Flanagan
"Nail on the head and winds from my sails, lenny.
I think it's a coup too, and the undernet is being pushed in the spotlight."
Jochek leaned in
Jochek of the Relux
"Underestimated undernet was in all the schools."
Lenny matched Jochek posture
Lenny of the Relux
"Heavy handed."
Flanagan
"It would imply..."
Flanagan sipped his tea
Flanagan
"That it's still a minority of who's still around."
Felix Danabrus
"So what, the undernet's the scapegoat?"
Jochek of the Relux
"That's possible, but a scapegoat general is innocent - that's to be determined."
Felix Danabrus
"When did all this start?"
Lenny of the Relux
"Flanagan?"
Lenny turned his head
Flanagan
"About 24 hours ago."
Martha Crisp
"I mean, I've had Rossin for longer than that."
A quite spread as attention turned toward martha
Rossin
'I think it was about 50 hours now, more or less...'
Martha Crisp
"About double that..."
Lenny of the Relux
"That seems relevant."
Flanagan turned to the door
Flanagan
"Excuse me, it seems we have another guest."
Flanagan paused
Flanagan
"A less than welcome one."
Jochek of the Relux
"Who?"
Flanagan
"Uri, he's in the elevator now."
"Who's uri?"
Rossin turned to her
Rossin
'You want to try it yourself?
Give that board a whirl?'
Martha nodded
Martha Crisp
'Okay, so...
I just need to write a thing that will ask the right question?'
"Who is Uri?"
She waited with dwindling hope
Martha Crisp
'That did nothing...'
"Am I missing something?"
Rossin
'Two things.
One: specificity, two: you are using words...'
'Okay - so thoughts?'
Rossin
'You are going to learn to use more detailed questions if you use words.
Which is why you need to more than just thoughts and words.'
"What else is there?"
Rossin
'A fair bit.
But listen now: everyone else is.'
Around her Martha realized everyone was silent, watching the door
Rossin
'Martha, can you get a little more anxious?'
Everyone turned to her
Martha Crisp
'Well, that would do it.'
--H();
A oscillation rising in pitch faded out of range, her heartbeat thundered in her chest.
Colors filled her vision: filling in spatially where sounds originated.
A color for every sound
A metallic click in the background, from the door.
A panting, rhythmic and low
She focused on the door
Ozmind Yammin in Uri Maca
"For now: is the Relux here?"
There was a moments hesitation
Flanagan
"Why do you ask?"
Ozmind Yammin in Uri Maca
"They need to disconnect."
The door opened, and Flanagan was joined by a stout potato of a man.
By his side was a labrador: feet skittering across the green and purple marble floor
Flanagan
"Alice was successful then?"
Ozmind Yammin in Uri Maca
"No... well, yes.. but No."
Flanagan and Uri returned to the room. The labrador whimpering for food
Flanagan
"There's no chocolate on the table: should be fine."
Uri released the leash
Ozmind Yammin in Uri Maca
"Sorry everyone: hope you like dogs."
Felix shook his head
Ozmind Yammin in Uri Maca
"Oh good you are here.
You need to disconnect: right now."
Lenny of the Relux
"And why would we do that."
Uri paused, then turned to Flanagan
Flanagan
"He can't explain until you've disconnected."
Lenny looked from to Flanagan
Jochek of the Relux
"We aren't all together - one of us is in Romania."
Uri inhaled just a bit too sharply at that
Ozmind Yammin in Uri Maca
"That's not ideal: have them make their way back here."
Uri waited, the dog feasted on the bits of bread and cheese on the center table.
Both Joeck and Lenny stretched their necks in unison
Jochek
"Now why did we do that?"
Uri made his way to sit down, everyone else shifted around him.
He sighed and poured himself a cup of tea
Felix Danabrus
"Well Uri?"
Ozmind Yammin in Uri Maca
"I'm not Uri."
He look a sip a tea
Felix wrinkled his face trying to squeeze a better view out of his eyes
Ozmind Yammin in Uri Maca
"Let me explain: We can't use the link - it's not safe."
Felix Danabrus
"I wouldn't call the link safe."
Ozmind Yammin in Uri Maca
"It's being taken over - by something very dangerous."
Martha leaned back
Martha yawned
Again everyone looked at her and again her hearing was impeccable
Martha Crisp
'What does that mean for Alacira?'