29

"What the hell was that, now?" Factor 1 was sweating again as he stared at the screen, typed, stopped, stared.

"Roger, just chill out. He's doing everything according to plan." Factor 2 was more relaxed and composed. "Look, he was just reading philosophy and spiritual literature - what do you expect?"

"You got a point there. He's staying inside this one now, so I should be content. But what he's thinking... that could cause problems. Did you figure out where that text came from?"

Factor 2 frowned. "Yes, but you may not like this. Scan this, but don't say it out loud." She passed a scrap of paper to him.

Roger's face went slack as he read the single word over and over. "Sue, you're kidding."

"Wish I was. Here, give me that back and I'll dispose of it securely."

"Did you do a back-trace for other stuff he put in there?"

Sue brushed a lock of hair back, more from habit than need. "Yea, and there wasn't much to find. Obviously, I couldn't tag them because that would be obvious that we knew. But I memorized them. All interesting points which wouldn't mean much otherwise. Something here, something there. All designed to be innocent additions - unless you are looking specifically for them."

"Or being led to them." Roger was thinking out loud.

Silence filled the small control center.

Sue spoke first. "We can't even talk about this here. Let's do some squash after shift and go over it."

 

30

Immersion tank would do it, but that's extreme. Just a darkened room in the early morning would suffice. Lay there with the lights off and the blinds closed. Still familiar enough to root to you the Now, but indistinct enough to allow your mind to wander.

Since dreams were an always-on, moving in and out of them was not difficult. Factually, we probably do it all the time - this might even compose "thinking".

But right now, I want to try something else.

Just extending my beingness out.  Beyond the room, beyond the halls, beyond the floor, beyond the building - out and out and out...