MIND'S EYE by JUSTIN BOGGAN
CHAPTER FIVE: "The Information"
6 was seated by the guards. He was unconscious his head falls limp to a
side. One of them puts a hand on his chest to keep him from falling
forward to the ground. A strap is placed over his chest horizontally and
connected to the back like a seat belt.
"Since his body wasn't properly deprived of nutrients, I cannot guarantee
04 will successfully view his mind. Number 6 could even become aware."
"There wasn't time for starvation. The more days that pass, the more
opportunity he might recall. The procedure had to be completed tonight.
Where is 04? Why is he not here?"
"Western perimeter control. His shift ended, but a bit ago. He should
arrive shortly."
The door slides open to the grey coloured walls of the room. 04 walks in
and sits down. As he does Number 2 speaks up.
"Your timing was not perfect. It is not a suggestion when I specify your
presence here."
"You are," 04 blinks his eyes, "conflicted."
"I thought he had to attain a certain mental state before viewing."
"That's right. A set of mind. He just came off of perimeter patrol, you
know that. I told you."
"Then how was he able to do that just then?"
"Well, you see - it's like being angry."
2 raises his head and looks at 42. 42 continues.
"Your temperature rises, your blood flows and your heart rate accelerates.
Emotion is not an on off switch. You just can't stop being angry. It's
something you gradually ease off of. 04 was remote viewing for Rover WPC
group. He is still in that state."
"So his little warm up shouldn't take long this time around?"
"Precisely. I believe he is ready now."
"Good," says Number 2, "I have waited long enough. Earlier today you
mentioned something about better results?"
"Yes," 42 checks 6's heart rate with a finger, "04 has become more
familiar with Number 6's thought patterns. The way one thinks is not much
unlike a code; you figure out the code and you can get information."
"Doctor you are stupendous."
"It's not as good as it sounds. See, a mind is like a book. A long book.
04 was able to be a part of the book, but didn't know where he was. Now he
should be able to locate anything he wants to. You now have access to
stored information."
"Could it be all this time all we needed not the technological know- how,
but rather the mental? This might be recommended as a new standard
procedure if all goes well."
"Please remember, Number 6's own memories may not be correct. Here," he
picks up something, "put this on. 04, you as well."
"What matter of contraption is this?" asks Number 2.
04 puts it on and 42 puts one on 6's head. 2 looks at his. It is like a
hair band. It is silver and shaped like an arched half circle bar. Like a
metal ring the size of a head, cut in half. A wire with a suction cup
circle hangs over the forehead. 42 presses the suction cup against 6's
head.
"An Inter Connecting Neural Network. What happens here is that 04 acts as
an intermediate and you are able to become part of 6's memories, his
thoughts. Only take part though. These are the devices remote viewers
train with. It helps if they understand one another's thoughts. Rover's
must know their targets, not roll around until they might hit it."
"Ah yes ... is that all ... how limited am I?"
"You only have suggestion and you only have it through 04. For example,
you could ask Number 6 about the phone calls and 04 would search his mind.
You can talk and 04 would relay it."
"I suppose it's better than nothing. Will he realize I am there?"
"I am uncertain," says 42.
"But you said remote viewers know each other with these through training?"
"Yes, but they are not starved and exhausted."
"Can I begin?"
42 checks 04.
"Yes. It's a good thing you didn't starve him. Two other minds feeding off
him is mental overkill."
"Yes, well I'll do this job how I see fit and you just stand there and nod
... Number 6?"
He asks after pressing the weird suction cup to his head and 42 plugs them
all in.
"Yes?" asks Number 6.
6 stands in a white room. Completely white with no other colour, or items
except the picture in his hand.
"What is that?" inquires Number 2.
2 is looking at the picture. It is the palm trees and ocean, the same
picture 6 had packed up the day he was brought against his will to The
Village.
"Freedom." 6 answers. He stares off. "There's no way out."
"The exit is hidden behind information." 2 mocks.
"I know a way out..."
"No door's open to you."
"You smell smoke?" 6 comments.
"Who are you calling?"
6 lifts his left hand up. He is now holding a phone.
"Alice," he replies.
He looks and there is a stand and chair. He sits down and holds the phone
to his ear.
"Why?"
"She has something."
"Money?"
"Assurances..."
"Such as?" 2 pushes.
"Safety assurances..."
"You felt you were in danger for what you would do?"
"I have paramount knowledge."
"So you did not offer her secrets?"
"Alice, I have to be with you. You assure me safe passage. They might take
action apon me."
"I see," 2 talks to himself in a low voice, "Alice was just a form of
security."
"She is a decent human being."
"So was Trent..." Number 2 says attempting to switch the conversation.
6 is now in a Bell Hop outfit behind the Charleston Inn main desk. 2 walks
up.
"Can you help me?" 2 asks.
"I don't want to."
"You know a Trent?"
"No."
"Do you have a message for me?"
"No."
"Do you have a message?!"
"No!" 6 sounds off louder.
"You do!"
"No! There is no information for you."
"Bam."
"No."
"Did you hear that Number 6?"
They are both standing outside. They walk toward the crowd and it opens to
let them in.
"This man's been fired upon." 2 comments.
"Trent."
"Did you pull the trigger?"
"Of course not."
Looks at 2.
"Then who did?"
"I don't know. Where am I?"
He is now in his quarters in The Village. 2 sticks his arms out and
speaks.
"Home. You know why you are here?"
"Fear."
"Of?"
"They fear me and what I know."
"And did you plan to sell that knowledge to Trent? Was that the purpose of
your meeting?"
"I had to tell him something."
"What?" 2 forcefully asks. Getting impatient.
"It was wrong. I had to tell someone."
They are both on the beach. 6 is taking his shoes off.
"Been planning this for a long time. Number 2 was oblivious. A fool."
"Underrated I hear. Trent was killed. He knew something, but what?"
"He did not."
"Bam! He's dead."
"No."
"Yes."
"No!"
"Yes, Bam! Why?"
"I don't know."
"You have to."
"I don't."
"Bam! But he's dead. You did!" an extremely irritated 2 shouts out.
"I don't!"
"Bam! Then he stays dead..."
6 grabs his head and covers his ears. He falls to his knees in front of
Trent. They and 2 and the blood are the only things in the white room.
"Why did you resign?"
"Conscious."
"That's not good enough. Did you sell out?"
"No."
"I don't believe you."
"I didn't," 6 keeps insisting.
"You had to. You didn't just retire on a whim!"
6's heart beats echo in the white room. The blood from Trent keeps
spreading across the floor, getting bigger and bigger.
"Now ... show me."
6 looks at 2 and takes a deep breath.
"Please leave Number 42," 2 says aloud. 42 looks and then leaves.
The sound of 6's heart stops. 04 closes his eyes and moves his head
around. 2 drops his jaw in the real world as he learns 6's secrets. All
three are connected by wires via the head gear.
"That's it?!" 2 yells. His body shaking with anger.
"You asked."
"That can't be it! You just didn't leave for that reason?!"
"You got your information."
"You were telling the truth the whole time. You never sold out to
anyone..."
"The truth not to your liking?" 6 comments.
Number 2's face gets red.
"I don't believe you! You are lying to me somehow! You resigned early and
were going to cash out. If you think we will never find that, you are
mistaken. You are never leaving The Village!"
2 rips the suction cup off and pulls the head gear over and tosses it to
the side. The connecting wires to the other head gear pieces go taut and
stop it from hitting the ground. 42 re-enters the room. He had heard 2's
angry yells from the adjacent unit.
"Did you find something?" asks 42 curiously.
2 breaths heavily.
"Have 04's memory altered, or erased, or repressed, or something. He is to
have no recollection of what transpired here today."
"Yes sir. what about Number 6? Did you get the information?"
2 runs his right hand through his hair and paces a bit.
