Tom took the Willow Street exit off of Route 2, and turned left at the end of the off ramp. Vanessa looked out the windows at the stores, gas stations, and restaurants lining the street, and found it difficult to believe that willows ever grew here. They drove several miles and turned off on to a side street.
The houses on both sides of the street were of a decent size although they were fairly well packed in. "There was an old mill not far from here," Tom said, "This is where the formen and stuff used to live."
"Where's this apartment of yours?" Jordan asked.
"In a triple decker around the corner," Tom said as he signaled to make a right turn. "It's isn't the greatest place, but I was looking for cheap, not palacial."
"Are you sure it's secure?" Vanessa asked.
"The device is well hidden and the land lady is suspicious and paranoid. I've told her that I'm a salesman and on the road a lot. She keeps an eye on the place for me."
Tom pulled the Taurus over to the curb in front of a gery three story buildings in the middle of a block of three story buildings. "Here we are, my home away from home."
The three made their way up the front steps, and Tom waved. Jordan caught movement out of the corner of his eye at the front window. Tom slid a key into the lock on the front door and led the way into the front hallway. He led them up to the second floor and stopped in front of a locked door. The staircase continued up to a third floor apartment.
Tom reached out and touched a barely visible piece of hair near the knob, "I guess I haven't had any visitors recently."
"I think that paranoia is rubbing off on you," Jordan said.
"Maybe," Tom shrugged, "but I think I like being paranoid." He unlocked the door and led the way inside. They were standing in a fairly large room populated by a sofa and TV. On the right they could see a bedroom, and ahead was a kitchen with a small table sitting in the middle of the floor.
"Homey," Vanessa commented.
"Yeah, early slum," Jordan pointed out.
"Like I said, it's cheap. I'm not exactly spending a lot of time here."
"Where's this new toy of yours?" Jordan asked.
"This way," Tom said leading the way to the kitchen. He opened the cabinet beneath the sink, and pulled the trash can out. He got on his knees and removed several bottles of cleaners which Jordan moved out of the way. Then he crawled under the sink and remained there for almost a minute. They knew he was not stuck by the sporadic string of curses.
He emerged with a large zip lock bag teathered to a piece of telephone wire. "There's an opening in the plaster for the plumbing that makes a good hiding place." Tom opened the bag and removed a small wheeled car. He sey it on the floor. Then he removed a small black box with several wires coming out from it, and handed it to Jordan.
"The holy grail," Jordan marvled.
"How does it work?" Vanessa asked.
"Like this," Tom said attaching the three probes from the black box to strategic points on Jordan's head.
"Wow!" Jordan exclaimed.
"You see it?" Tom asked.
"Yeah, it's like I've got a heads up display projected on the back of my eyeballs."
"Select the little car icon."
"How?"
"Just think at it."
The lights on the truck lit up. "Now project yourself into the car," Tom encouraged.
Jordan did, and he was there, seeing the room from the car's perspective. The car rolled over toward Vanessa. Jordan looked up at Vanessa and saw right up her skirt. The car backed quickly away.
"How are you doing this, Tom?" Vanessa asked skeptically.
"I honestly don't know. It works off brainwave patterns somehow, but I haven't figured out the details yet. Jordan, think yourself out of the car, and try the satelite icon."
Jordan did, and stood listening. "Can you hear them?" Tom asked.
"Yeah. They feel incredibly far away, but I can hear them. Other beings, other machinery. It's like looking up at the stars and having them talk to you."
"So it's a control system and a communications device for a species that is spread through space?" Vanessa asked.
"It seems that way."
Jordan was looking out at the stars when he detected something close by. Something was approaching, "Tom there's someone else here!"
"Where?"
"Close by, coming fast. What do I do?"
"Shut down the link," Tom suggested.
"How?" Jordan asked.
Tom swore, and reached over and pulled the probes from Jordan's head.
Jordan leaned against the kitchen counter breathing heavily.
NRPG:
This almost didn't make it out, but I decided I couldn't leave you
hanging. I'm leaving for a few days. I might manage to "accidently"
leave my laptop in the car, but Beth is usually fairly observent and
might remove it.
Krister: Jeff might be away for the holidays, so feel free to continue your plot line and catch up with the rest of the team.
Sau Woon: Over to you.
Respectfully submitted,
Alton Reich
SA-4 Jordan Stern, Team Leader ZULU
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