Background music suggestion: Iron Maiden's Journeyman


Chapter 8 - Unravelling

...

They were back at the flat. The large kitchen table had been moved to the living room. From the sofa Erik looked at the other agents sitting around the table, staring at the screens.

They had watched the video of Cosmo's encounter with Helena Magnusson and divided the material in her file to be separately analyzed. The mysterious word Bargala apparently meant 'echo' in ancient Assyrian. They had also followed the news. Luckily the evacuation had happened in a good fashion and panic had been averted.

Orfeus and Mitsuko were trying to solve MoGaCon transmissions.
"I don't understand them. I've never seen anything like this. I mean they obviously have data in them but it is as if there's some layer I can't grasp...," Orfeus was talking about the mystery images.
"Also, I didn't notice it back then but they were also sending extremely low sounds. Infrasounds. This is definitely mind-controlling."

It was a surprisingly warm night, early hours of the morning. Jo had been standing by the open window for some time now, looking down at the quiet street. She just couldn't get sleep. A lonely car went by.

"What's wrong, Jo?" she was suddenly startled Ian's voice.
She could sense he now stood close behind her. He had moved there in an extremely stealth manner.
"I'm sorry if I scared you."
She kept looking down to the street.
"It's okay...I just can't sleep. I keep thinking...That it was just all too easy. The way I was left off the hook when Hermann helped us with that deal. So that it was all swept under some rug."
Hermann Grieg, their former technology supplier, had made a deal with the government for the Area 51 transgressions. He saw it as some sort of compensation for the Agents saving the world. After that they had parted their ways.
"Anyway, I don't know why I'm thinking about this now. Or actually I do. I know it was only a dart weapon today but I couldn't help thinking...That I never want to kill again."
"We didn't have a choice. We might not have now."
"I know."
There was a silence.
"Could you just hold me?"
Jo felt Ian's arms around her. The universe was a slightly better place again.

Helena's username was Aquarius_h and she had been using the service already for nine years. Cosmo analyzed her history because he was curious. Apparently Helena had become a user in her early teens. Back then her musical taste had then been mostly Eurodance. Cosmo could also remember listening to groups like Aqua and E-Type hanging out as a teenager with his friends. She had clearly gone through different phases. Some years ago she had begun listening to flower metal, and also symphonic and gothic metal. He smiled as he noted how she had always had one favourite song, like she had repeated DragonForce's 'Seasons' endlessly a year ago. He also noticed that soon after that her musical taste had altered. Night after night, she would listen to gothic metal for hours. He put the album she had most frequently played, Virgin Black's Requiem - Mezzo Forte, on. After listening it for some time he couldn't help remembering...the sad look in her eyes.

The code was quite simple. There was a long list of songs that could be used as a signal that the actual message would begin after that song. They would always pick the first letter of the last word. Then there would be a song indicating that the message was over.
Cosmo played one the signal songs. It was Nightwish's Nemo.

Then, he had decided to go with Ayreon.

Day Seven: Hope
Day Two: Isolation
Day Seven: Hope
Day Seventeen: Accident?
Day Eleven: Love

He had to play at least half of the song so it would appear on the tracking list. Playing this short message had taken approximately twelve minutes. He finally ended the message with one of the ending signal songs, also Nightwish. Then, it was time to wait. Sometime after midnight Helena replied.

'HINEO'

Yes, in the code she had chosen them code names, and yes they were economical in length, and they most certainly contained sci-fi references.

Her message continued.

'HAVEUDECIDEDWHATTODO'

She had obviously tried to pick short songs but the message still stook over half an hour.

Cosmo sent their answer.

'WEWILLSOON'

They were still analyzing the data, trying to think if it was even possible to storm the complex. Cosmo was mainly responsible for communicating with Helena. He would check for her messages, keep her posted on their development and choose the actual songs. Between the messages they would both listen to songs too. Two nights after MoGaCon Helena was once again listening to Virgin Black as she did seemed to do most nights. For some reason Cosmo suddenly remembered her question on the rooftop, about him being like Batman...He thought for a second and it was an impulse. Perhaps she would have his profile open. He played a song from a Batman soundtrack called "I am the Batman." It was quite late and he knew it was silly but somehow it hoped it would cheer her up. He had an odd feeling that somehow she needed that. After her current song had finished, she began playing a song from a Batman soundtrack called "Mind if I Cut In?" Cosmo smiled and straightened himself in his chair. He had gotten her attention. He searched the song and realized it had been actually been the theme of Catwoman in the movie. Apparently she was in a relatively good mood if she could joke that way. Then, Cosmo tested sending a message in their code.

'ITSC'

He tried to pick very short soundtrack songs. Those that would last only a minute or so.

'AREUOK'

He continued. Then, one by one the songs appeared on her list and in the code he could read.

'ISURVIVE'

Cosmo tried to think of something encouraging. He began to send the only sentence he could think of.

'HANGINTHEREH'

Helena replied.

'THANKSC'

...

The following day they noticed Helena was sending a long message.

'OVERHEARDWORDNAMMAPOSSIBLYARTEFACT'

Receiving this message that had contained thirty letters had taken over two hours. Later that day there was another message.

'PLANDEADLINEAUGUSTTWENTYFIRSTDONTKNOWMORE'

It was early June so the date was still over two months away.

The following day they got another message.

'NAMMAANDBARGALACONNECTEDMYSTERYSTILL'

After these messages the Agents had a long meeting.

...

Erik was in the bathroom looking at his mirror image.

They had now decided they would go to the the mountain complex and face Bargala and NüVikings.

And SCEPTRE.

There was a stern look in Erik's eyes now. He touched his jawline that already had stubble on it. Perhaps he could not seek revenge on Nibiru but SCEPTRE had most certainly played a role in Gwen's death. There was only one thought filling his mind now.

He would avenge her.