By M. Darusha Wehm
Explorer of Worlds Real and Imagined
Episode Twenty-Three 01001 I am (two) living together in the same mind My body is my own and not my own { sometimes it breathes without me; } There are lights that flash in my memory { when I sleep,...
Episode Twenty-Two >>It looks bad, Jack. There's enough evidence to convict you of a couple of major crimes, and sweet fuck all to prove your allegation against the Red. >But... >>Just don't, Jack. I tested my theory. I'm sending a...
Episode Twenty-One "Do you know what we believe in," Lars started off by asking her. "What the core us of in the Red believe, what started it all?" "Well," Jack began, "it seems pretty obvious that you want to bring...
Episode Twenty The system was different. At first Jack nearly panicked when she realized that her three D rendering engine couldn’t handle the configuration of the Red system and showed her nothing but an empty blue void. But, after backing...
Episode Nineteen Jack didn't know what to do. It was BlackEye for sure, chatting with some dour looking guy just two tables over. It was the first she had seen of him, and although she had imagined before she arrived...
Episode Eighteen The thought of Estella Rowan reminded Jack of her purpose at the compound and renewed her resolve to find out who was behind the consciousness programs. She had her first work shift after lunch and was hopeful that...
Episode Seventeen Jack stuck her key in the viewer's slot and when the friendly voice said, "Hello, b0xenjester, how can I help you?" she replied, "Show me the meal schedule for today." She saw that there was a late sitting...
Episode Sixteen Jack woke up with a start, and for a moment didn't know where she was. The motion of the train was so even that it was as if the train were still. The seats were fairly wide and...
Episode Fifteen After a beer and a contraband cigarette, Jack finally got over the frustration at her inability to do anything, then spent the rest of the night finishing her report for Gilles and Adrian. She would send it out...
Episode Fourteen Jack spent the evening going over the Brugges theft, comparing it to the incident in the Bellis server room. There was more information about the European crime by now, on the regular news boards as well as the...
Episode Thirteen The next day, Jack arrived a little early, hoping to catch a few minutes with Gilles. She rounded the corner to their shared cube, and smiled broadly when she saw his craggy face. "Morning, Gilles," she said, throwing...
Episode Twelve Jack rode the ninety minute train home knowing she ought to use the time to get a quick nap, but was too wired to sleep. She really wasn't sure what to think about the things she had seen...
Episode Eleven Jack felt as if her mind was truly clear for the first time since this ordeal began, though she was not sure that sneaking off for a quickie was the best decision she had made in the past...
Episode Ten Jack found herself in a small vestibule before a locked metal grating at the bottom of a long, narrow, straight stairwell. A voice crackled from a speaker in the ceiling. "There's network here. Upload the map you were...
Episode Nine It was a ninety minute train ride, and Jack was having trouble filling the time. Her nerves were jangling and every few minutes she would decide to catch a return train as soon as they stopped. But, deep...
Episode Eight Jack woke on her own sometime near noon the next day. She felt like crap, and was sure she looked like it too. She fired up the coffee machine and dug out a breakfast bar. She stirred her...
Episode Seven Jack scanned a news report from the previous day. "Estella Rowan, a 63-year old adult entertainer, was reported missing yesterday by her employer after she failed to log in at work for her shift that evening." Jack felt...
Episode Six Jack started walking back to her apartment, planning her next move. If she could trace the path of the unknown login back from the Bellis system, she may be able to find out where it originated. If she...
Episode Five "Well, that was fucking unnerving," Jack said, sitting at her table in her apartment, nursing a growing headache and a slight case of nausea. "What happened," Gilles asked, "are you okay?" "I'm fine," Jack replied, having a sip...
Episode Four Jack woke again to the chirping birds, each peep sounding a bit like a tiny jackhammer to her aching head. The first morning of the weekend often started this way, though usually a few hours later. She silenced...
Episode Three The birds weren't that bad after all. They really did just chirp, and about three of them flapped benignly over Jack's bed until she hit the off button on the alarm. "I can live with that," she said,...
Episode Two As Jack left the building, the rain was falling lightly and making the streets shine in the dim late afternoon sun. Without even thinking, she opened up a program called "shades" from her home brew launcher and a...
Episode One The figure stood beside Jack’s bed and looked down at her sleeping form. Maybe she sensed his presence because she turned ever so slightly. He leaned toward her, his 5 o’clock shadow nearly scratching against her chin. “Good...
