*END TRANSMISSION*
Other links reacted to the blip. They were the very first ones cut off. Although previously unnoticed, invisible, never discovered, or unrecorded by either of the Centers. Only one source knew. This source was unknown to all the other feeds. The newly identified and recorded watcher sign-off variations included:
Disconnected - Connected
OFF -On
feed disrupted - feed returned
ERROR - ERROR FIXED
Connection lost. Attempting to re-establish connection - Connection re-established
Notices of a computer glitch came back from the tap-taps flying across computers for the few computer operators who saw the message in real time. Others would read the brief notices when they checked on the daily recordings. This tiny blip in communications lasted only three nano seconds or 1.0000E-9 seconds. An eye would not notice. Computers could and did catch it, if the Operating System allowed it to report. A brief exploration for more data led nowhere. Longer searches would not find enough to help them understand what happened. It was just a glitch. Glitches happened all the time.
Contact was re-established to all the watching computers. They would continue to watch Jake and William working silently on their analysis, with only brief, but general interactions related to the data they were working on. What they saw and recorded was far different from what was happening in real time.
In real time, Jake's headache returned. The pulsing and pounding scared him. It was bad. He got up holding his head in both hands swaying.
"What's wrong?" William was immediately at his side and he caught Jake as he fell.Jake sputtered a choking laugh, "I got what I'll ask for." Then Jake collapsed. William eased him to the floor with a perplexed "Huh"?
"The silencing device. God this hurts." Jake tried to get up, but flopped back down into his seat. In moments the pain faded. "All better." Jake did look better. Clear eyed,William's intent gaze told him. William was still in the dark about what just happened.
"We can really talk now, William."
"How do you know that?"
That's a great question. I'm glad you asked. You won't like the answer. The only answer I have is- I know. The silencing device is here.I feel it. I sense it. My mind tells me it is just you, me, and the device. I can't explain it beyond that. How about we treat it as fact, ok?"
"Device? Okay, Jake. I'll go with you on this one. You know I'd prefer verification. If you're wrong it could get bad."
"I'm not wrong. Sadly, I only have the limited comprehension I have. My understanding of all the craziness going on is almost as incomplete as yours. You do a lot better with it than I do.I guess we are both operating on trust." Jake took a moment to think."Did you feel like we've been watched by too many people?"
"Yeah."
"It's better now. We are still being watched, but there is only one watcher now. He, she, or it is on our side."
"Is that better? Who the hell is watching us? How the hell do you know this watcher has our back? Jeez, this is going way bizarre. We damn well need a lot of someones on our side, so you'd better be right."
"Shhh. Our Center watchers will return in a moment. They need to be part of this upcoming conversation. A bunch of other watchers will also see this. They shouldn't, but - here we go."
The computers booted up on their own. All the monitors flared to life, including the huge full wall HDTV. William and Jake looked up from their hard copy analysis, hearing everything turn on. They would continue to develop the overview data construction when they found time.
"Here we go again" William blew out a deep breath of irritation. "Always with the interruptions."
"Of course. That's how the world works. Our world, anyway."
"Is our world working? Not very well, in my opinion. The concept is an oxymoron." William grumped. Jake's lips curved up, eyes crinkling.
"Good morning, gentlemen. We gave you two a few extra hours while we consulted with Center 2. Now we are ready to proceed."
William tossed a quick questioning glance at Jake, who winked back, smoothing his face into an impassive mask. He wanted to laugh. The headache finally and completely departed. The fuzziness faded and the revealed insights stayed with him. This new bit of knowledge filled his mind with unexpected ideas and new information. All of the new information was crowding into Jake's conscious mind demanding attention. He was amazed. His mental state calmly organized the unfamiliar data, like a routine study he'd completed before. He realized their data analysis did offer some additional interesting possibilities on .cloaking too. He noted that idly, then wondered how he knew. He shrugged it off. He knew, that had to be enough."Hello Mael"
Ishmael's eyes widened. He refused to allow the shock of hearing his real name cross his face. A guess, he wondered?He schooled his face to show no other reaction beyond a slight smile. Center 1 would have discussions after this contact. Something in the first training?
"Today we discuss next steps. Center 2 is monitoring, as we are. They will only speak to ask additional questions or to respond to any questions you have for them. This meeting is for you two, and it will serve to keep the other Center up to date. Everybody has reviewed the tapes we sent you yesterday. We've confirmed that. The Delvin and Arthur saga is being investigated. Do you have any questions about the Control room we presented to you?"
Jake hid his growing anger. He did not like being lied to. A few more salient facts rose to the surface of his mind from that fuzzy layer he felt, recognized, but did not understand. His face did not reflect it in his casual chosen words. "Not at this time, Mael."
William proffered a slow nod of agreement with Jake.
"Good. Then we can proceed. Center 2 has not found Delvin yet. That does not affect our plan."
"It never did, did it Mael?" William's head swiveled to Jake, his mouth open.
Ismael grimaced. He looked stressed. He did not realize he was sweating at that moment or what he was revealing. He would after the replay. "No Jake, it really didn't, it is important, although - can we discuss that later?"
"Certainly, " Jake replied, his voice returning to an almost cheerful note. He noticed the bead of sweat. "Proceed with your plan."
Ishmael's posture relaxed. He forced his posture to change. He wiped his damp forehead with a pass of his hand. Not a guess then. How much did Jake know? More to the point, how did Jake know? Residual memory? "This is our six point plan at this moment. Each step holds many variables subjecting it to instant transformation to any of the thirty other high probability rankings we have identified within each step.
"First, we need to deal with the opposition groups. I'm afraid you have one or more assignments there.
Second, we need to consolidate and rebuild resources.
Third, we-" A muted voice at Center 1 interrupted Ishmael. He paused, looking off screen. "I'm advised that we should not expand into the third part of the plan."
Jake interjected. "Agnes is right. The third step should not be mentioned until after we have completed the first two steps. And yes. I know we have an assignment. I know what it is, too. Thank you for the note. We have loads of time to accomplish that." To further mislead all the extra listeners, he now knew were listening and watching, several were peeking in from, and through, Center 2, he added, "We have a number of paperwork issues to accomplish before we can attempt anything else. Finishing that data analysis is our next step. It will take another week." Jake suspected Center 1 might have extra watchers too.
Ishmael partially understood. He thought he knew what Jake was saying. He was unsure why Jake was distorting the facts and changing the conversation. It wasn't true. The timeline was very short, and probabilities suggested it was growing shorter, faster than expected.
William was alarmed. He stood up. Ishmael told him to sit down, and spoke directly to Jake. "Thank you for your consideration and perspicacity, Jake. Please hold those time issue details to yourself."
They looked into each others eyes, underst
anding each other more clearly than either expected.
Center 2 director Jonas was more than startled.He scribbled rapid notes. Ishmael hadn't told him about any assignment for his team. And what the hell was Jake saying. He needed to see Jake immediately. He needed explanations. This was going beyond impossible. He restrained himself. It was hard to sit still. He was angry. He'd been flatly told not to interrupt the conversation for any reason. He listened in disbelief when Ismael told the boys, he "consulted with Center 2." If that short set of directives was a consultation, it was one-sided. He provided the info requested and was politely requested to watch, but not respond or initiate any interruption, unless asked a question.
"I have to, Mael. We have both already seen the effects of too much information from the future affecting events in our own timeline."
"Yes, we have." Mael added, "We've seen too much interference. I apologize for Center 1. We are new at this."
Jake laughed easily, in command. "Not as new as you are pretending. However, that is unimportant. We do have a need here. There may be a solution you can arrange." Jake received an emergency note from Center 2. He didn't glanced at it, he already knew what it said. His earphone buzzed. An intervening voice asked if he wanted to activate the ear bud. He did, and mentally sent a message to Center 2 that became a verbal "not now." He did not wonder how he knew how to do that. He didn't concern himself with this new intervening voice step. It felt natural.
"What would that be?" Mael asked, thrown off balance again, unaware of the Center 2 interruption. Jake realized he alone controlled the communications. He proceeded to make the request already completed. It had to be requested, didn't it?
"William and I have to converse and continue our work without being recorded by either one of the Centers. Is that possible?"
"Not being recorded - I didn't expect - I agree Jake. You continually surprise me." He thought through what he needed to say. "Yes, I think so. I'll send you our ideas through a potentially useful device. We will prepare it immediately after we sign off. It should be there momentarily. I guess we are done?"
"Yes we are done for now. Glad you will help. I know you will need several days of continual work to prepare that device. Thank you." Jake said. "Home Team out."
"Center 1 out."
Center 2 flashed on. "Jake? What is happening?"
"Later Jonas. I'll contact you very soon. Wait for my messages." Jake was not distracted. He was energized and hyperaware.
"We're unrecorded again, William. Our visitors are all shut down. I hope I said what was supposed to be said."
"Supposed to? Hoped? What the hell is going on Jake?" William demanded.
"We are going to have a nice long chat and get out of here, William."
William sat up straight with wide eyes and growing enthusiasm.
"After we finish the data. I was telling the truth about that step. I only lied about the amount of time it will take."
William's eyes dimmed and his posture slumped. Jake laughed.
"Come on." Jake encouraged. "Let's finish our analysis. We are closer to finishing it than I knew.My vision of the limited data we have is razor sharp right now. I have never seen patterns this clearly before. I have to use what I know. I have no certainty that this awareness will last long enough to finish. I hope our efforts now will help later on.Trust me. Let's get to work."
William went into the kitchen. He sat down at the kitchen table. The papers were already spread out there. He wondered when Jake had done that. He remembered being handed the papers. He sure didn't spread them out. He grimaced,pulled the papers back together and began going through them from page 1. He focused.
In the living room Jake was looking at the ceiling. He appeared in idle thought. He wasn't. He was having another earbud sub-vocalized conversation with Mael.
William finished his part of the edit in an hour. He handed the six pages to Jake. "Here is the little I could add to the your dynamics of war and its preparation and execution. All the basic forms of battle were covered. How did you get all those local police actions categorized? That looked really good. I added a small section on individual and small group confrontation. It was not even conceptualized in the rest of the doc."
"Thanks for your additions to this study. It all helps. The Center gathered the police actions for me. Great data. I've filled in several sectors that are completely new to the math part."
"Now can I get ready to leave?"
Jake grinned. "Yup, and thanks. We can leave in less than three hours. Backpacks only. Don't worry about additional guns. What you have is enough." Jake spent an hour on William's summary, nodding and making notes, adding more symbols to the single page of calculations. Jake carefully stacked the final two hundred and fifty pages that remained of his study summary and began his final review. Later adjustments to the mathematical formulas at the end of the document should give them what was needed.
Two hours later, Jake hollered. "Done!"
William trotted in carrying two backpacks. He tossed the black one to Jake "I had time to pack yours too. Want a steak before we go?"