Chapter 2
Saturday. The slate gray overcast that surprised everyone on the streets and the slightly cool air of the late morning was invigorating.
An indistinct figure held the receiver of the neighborhood library's telephone."Male and female Chipmunks are still under observation, as they have been for the duration of the mission,"he reported. Then he asked,"Do you think the software is complete enough to ask the question?"There was a pause."Okay. Let's try it."
He looked around to make sure he was alone in the hall which held the small bank of phones. All was clear."Query: Given all global historical data, locally recorded Chipmunk/Human interaction and all Fine Arts and manuscript trade, both legal and illegal beginning with the last known or recorded sighting of The EverSpring Archive, March 3,1370,where would The Archive be found today?"
Another pause, slightly longer. The response on the other end almost made him want to rip the phone from the wall. He hung up calmly but bitterly and then turned to leave.
'Stand-by. Data cannot be sufficiently collated and analyzed due to faulty or incomplete software,' he thought darkly. How often had he heard that message and how often he wished he could incinerate the supercomputer that continued to give it.
Yet he forced himself to count his blessings as he stepped out into the cool morning."Still, the reconnaissance is showing a good investment with these two,"he said to himself."With their assistance, we'll finally win."He stared at the home across the street. The home that belonged to a Chipmunk named Arthur Duval."We'll finally win."
"Jeanette! Telephone!"
"Thanks, Miss Miller!"Jeanette called from her bedroom. She trotted to Miss Miller's bedroom, put down her needle-nosed pliers and picked up the receiver."Hello? Arthur! Hi!"
"I was wondering, are you doing anything tonight?"
"Nothing important. Why?"
"Well..."he started apprehensively."I've been invited to my cousin Gale's after hours post-graduation party over at my aunt's house. She went to the University of California and I know that this is so last minute for you. I mean, you're a rock star and I...I mean..."Then he composed himself."Look, I'm sorry I tried to bother you on a Saturday. You're probably too busy, anyway, Jeanette. I'm sorry."
"Wait! Sorry about what? What did you want to say?"
Sighing and fearing rejection, he said,"I...I'd like for you to be my date, that's all."Then added quickly,"If-if you want to, I mean."
Jeanette was floored and pleasantly shocked."I-I'd like that, but...I don't know. After hours? I mean, I'd like to go, but, I'd have to ask my mother, Miss Miller, first,"she said breathlessly."I guess I'm a-a little nervous. I mean even Simon never took me to an after hours party before."
"Simon?"
For seconds she wondered if seppuku with a pair of needle-nosed pliers would be adequate punishment for letting her flustering shoot off her mouth to her new beau about an old flame.
"Hello? Jeanette?"
"Huh? Oh! Uh, he was my old, uh, boyfriend from, uh, way back,"she answered."But it's, umm...over now and so you, uh, don't have to worry about him."
"Well,"he considered, then gave up on the grounds that that last reply had him completely taken aback."That's good to know. I guess. Anyway, do you think you'll be free tonight?"
She felt her composure recover as she reclined on her mother's bed."Well, like I said, I'll have to ask Miss Miller first but I think...Hang on, there's someone else on the line."She clicked the hook."Hello?"The voice on the other end made her squeak."Simon?! Get off the phone! I don't have time for this!"
"I didn't mean to call you."Simon said indignantly from the hall phone at home."I dialed a wrong number, that's all. But at least you can stop pretending you're on the phone with someone else."
Jeanette wondered angrily if Simon was really The Scientific Community's biggest living ego or was he just simply a jerk."I'm not pretending! Why should I?"Then she decided to shoot him down hard for bothering her on a weekend. 'He'll get the message,' she thought."In fact, do you want to know who I'm talking to? I'll tell you who!"
A pregnant pause.
"My new boyfriend, that's who. He just asked my out on a date and...and,"she began to waiver a bit."I'm going to say to say yes!"There was no reply but no sound of a hang up, either. He was just listening. She had him where she wanted him, she decided.
"That's right, so you can put that in your pipe and smoke it, Mr. Seville!"Then she cut him off with a satisfying click back to Arthur."Arthur,"she spoke up in a determined voice full of spite."I'll be there. With bells on"
Simon could sense Alvin behind him, slowly shaking his head in disdain."Wrong number, Simon? That went out with mood rings."
"I *did* dial a wrong number, Alvin."
"Really,"he mockingly asked as Simon went downstairs,"Who were ya trying to call?"
"A professional killer. Your birthday's coming up,"came the deadpan delivery from below.
"Ooooo!"Alvin cried mockingly.
The bedroom clock read 11:15PM,not that The Chipettes noticed. They slept soundly in the quiet of the house that settled like a blanket over both Chipmunks and Human.
Jeanette breathed deeply in her slumber. Or rather her recording of that could be heard beneath the strategically placed pillows and padding under the covers. She peeked out of their closet and checked her sisters' breathing.
She decided that they were out for the night and stepped out in a blue party dress.
She crept down the hall and peered into Miss Miller's dark Master Bedroom. She reposed in her customary ruffled sleeping mask over her eyes and the white family cat asleep on her feet. 'Safe,' she thought.
After coming to a quiet stop at the foot of the stairs, she pulled out the note from her purse that gave her the rendezvous where she would meet Arthur before going to the party. Then she took a glance at the small table in the dark foyer.
A small, flat cardboard box rested there with a stamped stylized script in blue on the front of it.
She ignored it for the more pressing matter of wracking her brains trying to figure out what rationalizations went well with what she was going to do. She was choosing ideas and rejecting them with the quick, analytical ruthlessness of Brittany in a clothing store.
No simple excuse could beat back the rising guilt and apprehension she was feeling in spite of her wanting to go. The longer she thought about it, the angrier she got. Something in her wanted her to go and whatever it was, it couldn't believe that she was wasting time thinking about it.
So it decided to think about Simon for a moment and was rewarded with a most compelling argument for going. 'Yeah, that's right! That Simon! He thinks he's so smart and knows me so well! Well, I'm tired of not controlling my own circumstances enough!' She marched out of the house and silently closed the door.
Eyes in the night, close by, watched her briskly leave the walk and head down the street.
Eyes that decided to follow.
The party was only less sedate that the average rave one went to these days. Chipmunk and Human teens, friends and relatives of the guest of honor, gyrated, bumped and collided with one another in various levels of rhythm.
Arthur led Jeanette around the happening, meeting and greeting family members and college friends.
Before they arrived, she asked him if he wouldn't mention the fact that she was a celebrity to the guests. For one thing, she was too humble about it. For another, she didn't want someone from the party recognizing her on the street sometime afterwards in front of her family. Arthur complied reluctantly.
After eating their fill, they picked out a small dancing area off-center of the living room-turned-dance floor and got down with the rest of the guests. A figure glided up to the punch bowl and was almost unnoticed by everyone there, as was his hope.
He scanned the room for four minutes before he spotted his quarry. From his sleeve, he surreptitiously trained a tiny dish-shaped gun in their direction and placed an even smaller device in one of his ears. A miniature button was pressed and instantly all extraneous sound and noise vanished, filtered out, except any sound coming from the two he studied.
He barely heard the music change from House to some R+B ballad. He just silently watched and listened to them face each other, arms gently entwined.
Jeanette looked anxiously into Arthur's eyes, trying to communicate to him that she was two left feet when it came to slow dancing.
All Arthur did was shrug of the awkwardness with a smile and said,"I'll lead."
Something in his voice made her believe that. The dance was nothing more complex that an intimate sway, but it was enough for them. The singer's voice was hypnotic and the steady rhythmic beat kept them focused on one another as if it was a waltz from another time.
Then Jeanette giggled self-consciously. "I feel like Cinderella. This is so silly,"she whispered.
"No. No, it's not. You are Cinderella to me,"he whispered back.
She had to turn away as she reddened."Thank you."
"I wish I didn't have to leave you though." Jeanette almost had a coronary.
"What?!"she almost squeaked aloud."Where are you going? Wh-why do you have to go?"
Arthur had the look of someone lost. Condemned. Filled with the knowledge that he was an ant's step away from losing something nearly irreplaceable."It's nothing, Jeanette, really. I just won some trip to a science summer camp for two weeks,"he helplessly explained."I-I'm sorry I scared you. Maybe you could come, too."
"I've never even heard of the place. Besides, you said that you won that trip. How could I go?"Jeanette long since stopped dancing after hearing this news and happiness was as vapor to her now."I wish you'd told me sooner, Arthur."
He released her and clenched his small fists to his sides, radiating waves of self-loathing and embarrassment."I knew I shouldn't have dragged you out here. I was so selfish and put you through all of this."
Jeanette reached out a hand and held his arm gently."I just wanted to show you a good time before I left,"he sighed painfully.
She breathed morosely."Arthur, it's okay."
He couldn't fathom her understanding at all but brightened with hope at a thought."I promise you. Two weeks and I'll be back before you go on tour."
"Are you sure, Arthur? We've just started going together and already something's thrown a monkey wrench in the works. It's not fair."
"I know, Jeanette. I know."
She suddenly felt dejected and hollow."Then...let's just enjoy the time we've got."
She felt more mature saying that and it helped ease some of her tension away. 'Every little bit helps,' she thought as she laid her head on his shoulder and slowly rocked in time with him.
The spy had left the party soon afterwards.
The groceries she carried from the super mart were only less burdensome than her thoughts of last night.
She had decided during the slow dance that she was going to do something, anything, to be with Arthur at that camp. "Two weeks wouldn't be that long a time away before the month ended," she reasoned. 'Everything that needed to be done for the tour should have been done by now. I've got to try to convince Miss Miller. Somehow.'
Coming up the walk, Jeanette thanked her lucky stars that she made it home without a hitch last night. Miss Miller might have been of advancing years, but she could swing a mean hickory switch when the need came. And for those rare times when it happened to her, Jeanette knew that fur alone could not protect her for its bite.
She opened the door slowly, as if not wanting to disturb anyone within. From the foyer, she could see her sisters in the living room watching television.
"Do you know where Miss Miller is?"she asked.
Brittany lounged on the couch, strumming and tuning her acoustic guitar."In the kitchen,"she said without looking up at her. Jeanette hoisted the load and headed that way. Slowly.
On the way, she weighed the strategy of asking her foster mother right then and there to let her go, somehow, to that camp against asking her at some other nebulous time.
"Oh, yeah,"Eleanor called to her."Miss Miller wanted to talk to you about last night."
'Dead 'munk walking,' Jeanette thought as her knees buckled under the weight of her fear and regrets. She stepped into the kitchen with a cold stomach and dry cheek pouches.
Miss Miller looked up from her tea and newspaper and took one of the bags from her."Oh, hello, dear. Back so soon?"she said pleasantly.
'Strange way to start off, 'thought Jeanette warily. 'Why be pleasant about it. Just ground me for my next three lifetimes or set me up with an appointment with 'Ol Hickory. Just don't toy with me!'
"Uh, yeah. Uh, Miss Miller, uh, I was just going to say-"her heart was sitting in her stomach.
"Don't worry, dear. I already know,"she said in that same tone.
'This is torture,' Jeanette fretted as worry darkened her normally cute and pale-furred face."You do? I-I know I should have come to you first, but-"
"Well, it must not have seemed to matter to you after you got your message Saturday."
"How did you know?"Jeanette was dumb-and thunder-struck.
"It just came to me. Oh, Jeanette, I know that Brittany and Eleanor aren't saying, but we're so happy for you."
Her daughter was the picture of surprise. She now knew how a Death Row inmate felt after receiving a gubernatorial pardon. She didn't understand why she was so happy, but she could definitely see an out when shown."You are? Really? Well, I really wanted to go and I thought I'd have a pretty good time there."
"I suppose so. It seems right up your alley."
"Actually, I kind of thought that Brittany would have had a better time."
Miss Miller looked at her oddly."Brittany?"
"Yeah. But I guess anyone could go if they had a date like I did."
"Date?"Miss Miller asked suspiciously. Jeanette hardly noticed.
"Yeah. We had a great time at the party last night."
"What party?"Miss Miller was now getting concerned and annoyed. Something Jeanette was just starting to notice."Yes. What's wrong, Miss Miller?"
"What date? What party?"
'She's forgotten already,' she thought in grief at the seemingly obvious loss of her mother's faculties at this stage of her life. Still, she would humor her and be understanding, like a good daughter should be. Poor Miss Miller.
"Uh...my date with Arthur at the after hours party last night. Remember?"The look in Miss Miller's eyes told her that her foster mother was talking about something else entirely."Uh, heh, heh. Wh-what did you think I was talking about?"she asked nervously.
"The videotape that was delivered by messenger yesterday afternoon while you were on the phone. It's from Science Island Summer Camp. You won a complimentary visit there. I forgot to tell you, but I left the tape on the table near the front door for you."
Time froze for Jeanette and then from the living room, her sisters heard a squeal explode from the kitchen."I DID?! I DID?! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! I CAN'T-"She was already happily forgetting the growing peril that still existed."Oh, Miss Miller! I promise that I'll make it back home in time for the tour, I swear!"
This time Miss Miller was dangerously cool."Uh-huh. I don't doubt that,"she said in her Southern drawl."But before you leave, you and I are going to have a little talk, young lady."
Jeanette looked in her eyes again and realized what she meant immediately."Guess I really should have come to you, first, huh, Miss Miller?"she asked with gallows dancing in her head, remembering also the box she ignored last night.
"Uh-huh."
Poor Jeanette.
The clouds meandered along the wings. Underneath, the Pacific seemed to be as still as a painting although it glittered from the sun.
"It looks nice out there."said Jeanette, adjusting in her seat again for the eighth time. 'Five days and I'm still sore,' she thought bittersweetly. 'But I'm here. It was worth it.'
Arthur smiled from the seat beside hers."I figured you'd like the window seat."
"Thanks, but we can take turns using it. I don't want you to miss out."
The small seaplane's only two passengers suddenly felt the subtle, gentle force of gravity pull up at them. A descent was in progress.
Jeanette glanced out the window and was rewarded by the view of a large, green, irregular shaped crescent sitting in the blue vastness.
As the plane descended further, they could make out distinctions in the terrain. It was a fairly large atoll that civilization leveled off significantly on the east and Nature peaked and rose with tiny valleys and hills towards the west.
The stately seaplane landed smoothly and cruised into the island's natural bay, steering for the east.
"This is epic,"Arthur said as he fumbled at his seatbelt after he felt the plane finally stop.
"I can't believe it, either. What are the odds?"Jeanette said, standing. They blinked at the sunlight of one of the clearest days they had ever seen as they passed the passenger hatchway.
Besides the seaplane, the docks were shared with a weathered freighter, two yachts and a research hydrofoil. Despite the excitement, they inhaled the warm, heady sea air and calmed at the sounds of the gulls feeding near the coves close by.
Someone could be seen walking a brisk professional pace along the dockside parking lot towards them.
She wore a tailored suit, a hairstyle and a grin that spoke of a healthy salary. The click of her heels alerted them to her approach.
She closed the distance and held out her manicured paw-hand. Arthur took it, not knowing what to make of this."Hi! I'm Sheila, a representative of Science Island,"the adult female Chipmunk gushed.
"Uh, hi,"said Jeanette shyly from behind and to the side of Arthur.
Sheila took her paw-hand and shook it energetically,"Oh, we are so glad that you both won our random choice contest! And we certainly don't get celebrities down here! This is a real treat, Miss Miller!"
Jeanette was taken aback. At school, she was never this popular and on the road or in concert, she was used to Brittany being in the forefront. Now she was the star, the celebrity, The Popular One. It was like a drug to her."Thanks."
"Oh, no! Don't thank us. We're just glad that you won and don't worry, we'll make sure that you're well taken care of." She then herded them to her modified company car.
"Now, if you'll come with me, I'll show you the campgrounds, the facilities and I'll introduce you to the others who got here the old fashioned way,"she joked.
Once inside, she settled into her raised seat and slipped her feet into the stirrups of the elevated brake and accelerator pedals. Soon the sedan glided out of the lot and onto the main road.
"As you can see, the eastern side of the island is where the camp and campgrounds are located. The camp itself has the financial backing of NASA, Macrofirm and I.T.O and most of its equipment has been purchased or donated from them so the facilities are quite state-of-the-art,"she lectured as she could see the expansive, walled property getting closer.
"I noticed that the island is an atoll,"Jeanette piped up.
"Yes, it is. A little joke around the camp goes that when we purchased the island in the mid-eighties, the sovereign government never named it. So before we named it Science Island, we named it-"
"Nothing!"
"Atoll! Right!"The pair chuckled at the pun while Arthur just wanted to bury his head in the sand after hearing it. And all the while, the surveillance cameras within the car and without, silently clicked away.
After checking in with the guard at the gate house, Sheila drove into the parking lot. Her charges could now see what the well-made, ivy-covered walls hid and protected.
Full, imported trees and tall, modern buildings could be seen all around the orderly, landscaped interior. There wasn't a rustic thing to be seen here. Not one cabin, shack or outhouse in the whole of the place.
In fact, with the dormitories, gymnasium, cafeteria and lounge, the huge, gleaming white Science Center that dominated the area like some ancient temple and the administration building off to the side, it wasn't a camp at all. It was a full-blown campus.
A moderate sized crowd of guests milled about excitedly on the Quad, laughing and chattering amongst themselves or resting on the lawn or on the Quad's fountain. Adults wearing suits or lab coats were discussing schedules and events with smaller groups that they culled from the larger throngs.
That there were teens and adults, male and female, in attendance, was nothing to remark on. The fact that they were all Chipmunks, however, was striking.
Sensing that they noticed that, Sheila remarked,"You may have noticed that all the guests and staff here are all Chipmunks. That's one of the policies of Science Island. Here we try to cultivate and enrich the Chipmunk mind before they return to the world."
Perhaps it was the car's acoustics or maybe it was her imagination, but for a moment, Jeanette thought that she detected a bitterness in Sheila's voice.
Sheila cleared her throat and opened the door. Soon she and her charges were wending their way along the paths of the campus, out away from the crowds, in a staff golf cart while she continued her tour.
The proceeding hour was spent with Sheila concluding the tour and the pair being turned over to The Activities Coordinator and briefed, in an equally cheerful patter, on all the amenities therein and when to enjoy them. Soon they were free to join the rest of the patrons.
It was close to evening when the VR lab doors opened. Everywhere, campers lost all track of time as their intellects were being appeased. Math, chess and science clubs were swelled with attendants. Hands-on experiments were conducted with abandon. Computer use nearly overtaxed the networks. It was a nerd's paradise and no one would disagree with that assessment.
Jeanette was pulling off the oversized VR telemetry gloves and clipping them to the belt of the accompanying form-fitting suit.
Arthur was waiting outside the labs when she finally finished changing into her civvies and came to him. His mind at the moment was occupied with only one particular thought: the image of her in that black telemetry suit. Black was slimming, but on her already slim body, it made her look outright sinful in a high-tech way. He valiantly opted for propriety as he spoke up.
"Clever use of that ocean wave to block my missiles after I locked-on to your heat signature."
"Thanks. I saw it done in a movie once,"she shrugged."So, what do you want to do now?"
"Rest!"he grinned."Actually, I thought we could take a walk around the campus."
She smiled."That would be nice."
Two adult males caught her attention as they flanked Arthur on either side. He didn't seem too concerned as they asked him to come with them to The Administration Building.
"I'll be right back, Jeanette,"he said easily."Probably just something to do with the contest we won."Then he and his escorts went down the hall.
Jeanette just stood there for a minute or two, trying to interpret what just happened. She finally decided not to worry about it and busied herself by roaming the halls for anything interesting to do.
Homing in on an authoritative, echoing voice in an auditorium, she snuck inside and sat unobtrusively in a vacant front-row seat. The Chipmunks in attendance were in rapt attention as their subject of interest, a portly, scholarly looking, bearded male, continued his lecture unabated while he watched the room clock with practiced glances. Quitting time was soon.
"The most compelling evidence of The Splintering, the mytho-historical separation of our people in ancient times, has been the Twee-Twee tribe of Siesta Grande, Mexico,"he said.
A young male raised his hand and spoke when noticed."Professor Maywood, does this discovery validate the notion or theory that we assimilated Human culture or was assimilated by it?"
The professor thought a minute."It would be safer to say that we had to do both to survive with Humans. The Twee-Twee obviously had to adapt to the Mesoamerican way of life and you'll find that that has happened worldwide, in almost every country and culture for centuries."
He turned to a chart hanging on a blackboard that displayed both nude male and female Chipmunks and the more socially isolated and elusive Grey Squirrels in varying stages on evolution. "Now Professor Karman's theory is as hotly contested now as it was forty years ago. Though some still think she was more philosophical that theoretical, there are many adherents to her so-called, Selective Evolution theory."
He then pointed to the chart."Here we can see the progressive evolutionary path of our species, Neoeutamias Bagdasarianii, named in honor of the Tenth Century Armenian troubadour who reputedly discovered us..."
Jeanette watched the pointer move along the levels of biological improvements, her mind feeling pleasantly stimulated by the lecture than on the more lighter pursuits and entertainments of the past few hours.
"Though there are some genetic variations on the theme, longer tails or non-existent ones, Human-sounding speech, clearly a birth defect and thankfully rare..."
Jeanette was glad none of The Chipmunks were there to hear him say that. Their Chipmunk paternal grandfather sounded Human enough to fool one over a telephone.
"Or in females, the inability to bear a litter of two to three children at a time, the development is seemingly consistent with Professor Karman's work."Then the professor turned to his audience, earnestly considering them.
"Hypothesis or Historical? Biology or Bunk? Conclusive or Conjecture? That is the question, people. Well, one of the many questions that we have to ask ourselves. We cannot let Humanity do our questioning and answering for us. That's what these lectures and forums are all about."
Professor Maywood stepped away from the podium and chart and addressed the group from the edge of the stage. He seemed to be talking in her direction, she thought."To question the accepted Human norms of their society about us. To shatter the myths and archaic, naturalistic dogma that still exists well past Linnaeus' day. To dig for the truth and build a foundation or our voice to be heard."
He took another glance at the clock."Now, in the few minutes we have left, let's field the theory question around."He looked at Jeanette as though she just materialized and gestured to her."You. I haven't seen you here before. How about it? What do you think about Karman's theory? Do you agree with her assessments or findings?"
Until now, Jeanette was content to simply listen. To say little and hear much. Now she was surely taken aback by Maywood's questioning. Clearing her mind, she responded."You know, no one's ever asked me that before."
"Well, what do you think?"he pressed.
"Well, I think that Professor Karman's Theory of Selective Rodential Superspecies Evolution has a few salient points, but I just can't see how one species of chipmunk and one species of Grey Squirrel could evolve into what we are now. Not to mention, the fact that there has never been any fossil remains of our species found in any of Earth's later geological eras. And what about the little documented accounts of other animals having slightly elevated levels of intelligence, like a species of penguin that my sisters and I encountered in Antarctica a few years ago. They created a village of igloo dwellings and near-Human furnishings for their colony."
Maywood's face was a mask of admiration. He nodded to her while some of the group murmured about what she said."Good thinking and good questions."Then, as an afterthought, said,"I suppose if one were to find The Archive, the answers might be there."
"Archive?"
"The Archive,"he said wistfully."The EverSpring Archive. The Eldest Tome. The Wooden History of Mysteries. The Great Book of The Green Road. Incunabula de Rodenta. Many names for one ancient book, my dear. Legends say that it details the chronicles of our people from the oldest time recorded. From the first moment the book was written and our personal history to The Splintering and our first contact with Man. Every historian, anthropologist and zoologist has tried to find and research the book. A noble goal, especially for a Human, to follow.
Anyway, all the answers that Chipmunks have been looking for ages are said to be in those pages, waiting to be read."With that, he started to collect his papers and prepared to leave. The group was already starting to disperse from the room.
"Including our biological origins?"she asked as she got to leave.
"It may. If our people were as profound as we think they were, then they may have written something on the subject. Well, I must dash."
Then to the rest of the group, he said,"I'll see you all tomorrow for our next forum and lecture: Chipmunk orphans. Concern or Conspiracy? Good Evening, everyone."
The Quad was tranquil in the island sunset as fewer campers appeared outside."So, did they say why they wanted to talk with you?"Jeanette asked Arthur.
"Like I figured. The contest. They wanted to know if we were related to any employees of I.T.O."
"I.T.O. Didn't Sheila say something about that in the car earlier?"
"Yes. It's a really, really large international technology firm. Computer parts, telecommunications. You know they developed the experimental First Generation-"
"CrysChip! Yeah! Now I remember. Storing tons of data in a photo-aligned crystalline matrix. I wish I had one of those,"she blurted.
"How would you like to work on one?"
"What?"was all she could say.
Arthur looked a little penitent."I suppose I'd have to tell you eventually, Jeanette."
"What?"
"I know a little more about this camp than your average camper. In fact, I sort of own it."
"What?"
"Well, you didn't want me to make a fuss about you being a celebrity. I guess I didn't want you to make a fuss about the fact that I'm one of the wealthiest Chipmunks on the planet."
"One of the wealthiest?"she sputtered.
"No. You're right, I'm sorry,"he corrected."The wealthiest."
"But-"
"Look over there!"
She turned to the direction he gestured towards and then felt something surprising on her cheek. A kiss. Light yet totally unexpected. She turned to face him, pleasantly surprised and reddening. He said nothing. He just looked down with a lopsided smile.
Jeanette coyly smiled, as well, but then suddenly felt a bitter shock in her guts. A pang of sudden guilt and loss. Simon.
Her mind weakly tried to push away everything she and Simon went through. It only made her stomach flip-flop even more. She couldn't help it and she didn't want to fight it. 'Don't tell him,' she thought.' Arthur doesn't need to know. Besides, I'm confused enough already.'
She tucked her emotions away and forced a gentle smile to her face."That was a surprise,"she said shakily. She shook even more when he held both of her hands and looked at her in earnest.
"Jeanette, I want you to know that I trust you. I-I think I..."he stopped to compose himself."I told you the truth about me. I didn't have to. I didn't need to, but...Look at me. I'm the richest teen in the world and you can turn me inside out with a smile."
He took her to a bench and they sat, Arthur still holding her hands."My father is Phillip Duval, owner and chairman of the board of I.T.O. I.T.O. owns the island and the camp. The camp itself is a private think tank for the firm. Everything we build is for the betterment of the planet in some way. We don't build weapon systems or pollute the environment or anything like that, honest."
"Do the others know about this think tank?"
"No. They just think they're here having fun."
"But,"Jeanette pressed.
"But every hands-on experiment we involved ourselves in, every program we ran or wrote, every game we played or staff member we talked to was in someway used in the development of new products or technology. And more. We truly believe in the social and cultural reinforcement of our species, Jeanette, and this think tank helps make that possible."
"Well that's great, Arthur, but how am I involved in this?"
"I.T.O. has been developing a new computer with a Second Generational CrysChip in our R+D labs, but the operating system still needs work. One of the reasons we have computer labs on campus is for us to see who has real computer skill. A programmer, not just a hacker."
"And you think I'm qualified?"she asked, a little surprised.
"Actually, you're perfect. I wouldn't be surprised if you'd streamline our next type of software we're working on, Emotitronics."
"Emotion-factored software?" Jeanette gushed. "Software that operates with the user's own emotional feed-back? One possible foundation for Artificial Intelligence? I read about that in Top Tech Monthly. Boy! Sheila was right. You guys are cutting-edge!"
"Bleeding-edge, actually,"he demurred."But you see? You're interested in what we do. Think about it! Your brilliant mind and your status as a member of The Chipettes could be invaluable to what we're doing."
Jeanette seemed to think about it, indeed."Well...I guess I could help out. But what about my tour? I can't stay here past two weeks, you know that."
"You won't, I promise. But I still want you to see the new computer, anyway. Give it an evaluation, maybe? See what you improvements it ought to have."
Jeanette sighed, surrendering to the hard-sell."It means that much to you?"
"If I didn't think it was this important, I wouldn't have wasted your time with it, Jeanette. Will you?"
'I guess it couldn't hurt,' she thought."Alright, I'll look at it, It's not everyday you get to see a new generation of computer."She took off her glasses and prepared to clean them on her sleeve when Arthur handed her a cleaning cloth."I figured you'd need it."
"Thanks. I didn't know you wore glasses, too."
"Only when I'm studying. Let's go. I'll take you to our facilities."They stood and then walked in the direction of the Administration Building.
"Lead the way,"she said cordially. 'This might be a good thing, after all,' she thought. 'Maybe I'll be too busy to think about Simon.'
Not if you were building the Space Shuttle from the ground up, her subconscious pricked.
They walked though the ornate halls of Administration. Nothing seemed out of place for an administration building except for the fact that somewhere Jeanette hadn't seen yet since arriving on the island was the research and development labs of a benevolent multinational corporation.
'Oxymoron,' Jeanette thought as she was led to the lone elevator in the middle of the marble tiled hall. They stepped into the car and then Arthur pressed the Third Floor button twice, the First Floor button three times, the Second Floor button four times and then the Basement Floor button. The car descended.
"What I don't understand, Arthur, is why all the secrecy? If you needed me that badly and you set all this up just to bring me here, why bother? You could have just asked me back home."
"Two reasons,"said Arthur."One. Some people, Humans, I fear, have taken a dislike to our pro-Chipmunk aims and feel a bit threatened by our stand to give Chipmunks a greater voice in what they term, Man's World."
"You mean Humanity's Hand?"asked Jeanette soberly, running remembered news reports of their actions in her mind."They're after you?"
"Not me, per se. But they wouldn't mind putting a stop to all we've accomplished so far. But you're right. We shouldn't have done this. We should have been more honest with you, but we were scared that they might have sabotaged the project. There were so many spies in your neighborhood alone that a contest was the only way we could bring you here without their knowledge."
"And the second reason?"
"I wanted to be near you."
The car stopped.
Jeanette noticed that she was holding her breath when the doors parted. She tentatively walked out and quickly realized that she figuratively, if not literally, stepped onto Terra Incognita, unfamiliar land.
Incredulously she took in everything she had time for as she and Arthur marched through clean, bright, steely halls of Corporate Science. Chipmunks moved about with purpose in lab coats and a stylized uniform that sported an insignia of sorts, a silhouette of a tree, around the arm.
Workers carried equipment that Jeanette seen before and others that she couldn't begin to fathom. 'MunkTechs', Arthur called them. She couldn't believe that she was here. In all the world, she could have been anywhere, doing anything. But to walk these labyrinths of technology, to see what no average citizen of the world could see, the possible birthplace of AI, a new level in the planet's technology, was thrilling, to say the least.
They stopped at a large set of smoked glass doors. Written in glowing script, were the words: Predictor Lab.
"Predictor?"she asked.
"The name for our new computer. What do you think? Too pretentious?"
"Oh, nooo,"she sarcastically smirked.
"Well, it's just a working title,"he chuckled."After you, my dear."
For the second time, doors parted for Jeanette and once again she felt like she stepped onto another planet.
The interior was literally panoramic. The ceiling was spacious, vast, with only the occasional fan or vent to maintain the constant cool temperature needed. The curving, expansive walls were covered with terminals, nothing was bare. She just stared in awe at what could be described as a cathedral of computer science. The ballroom of a few weeks ago seemed so small to her now.
But if this was a cathedral, then the towering terminal she now gazed at could only be its altar. It dominated the mechanized vista easily. Its flat, dark, wall-like monitor loomed over the workers like a soon crashing tidal wave frozen in time. The terminal's keyboard was curved and ergonomically sound, yet frightfully complex, holding more special function keys than the norm. It was apparent the other computers were merely satellites to the larger one, monitoring and assisting it constantly and unceasingly.
"Predictor?"she whispered.
"Just the prototype. It'll be scaled down, of course. We just use this supercomputer to help with the software. That's what we're hoping you could help us with."
They went further into the chamber amidst glances of curiosity and/or concern from the MunkTechs within. Jeanette shyly glanced back, hoping not to offend them. As if he sensed her uncomfortability, Arthur stopped in the center of the cavernous room and spoke up.
"Ladies and gentlemunks, please stop what you are doing for the moment. This is my guest, Jeanette Miller."She weakly waved at their salutations."She will be supervising the Predictor Project in my stead."She turned to him in wordless shock. Supervising!
"I know you can do it, Jeanette. I believe in you."He turned back to the crowd."All technical operations will be under her direction concerning software design. Make me proud, people. Okay, back to work."
She solemnly approached the terminal, feeling like she did on her first concert, so many years ago, nervous, intimidated and exhilarated all at once. She lightly touched the keys and felt a thrill run through her body.
Behind her, Arthur watched her get more and more acquainted with The Predictor. He never felt such a sense of pride or love in her. He didn't think there was anything he couldn't do with her by his side. She was already seated at the terminal when he stood by her.
"How does it feel?"
"Not bad! I'm impressed, Arthur, but this might be too much machine for me to handle."
"Nonsense. You'll get the hang of her. Just start whenever you're ready. I have to go for a little while and take care of a matter with Quality Control. I won't be long."
He turned to leave but was stopped cold by Jeanette softly holding his hand."Thanks. I'll do my best."
Arthur couldn't say anything. So he just smiled and melted inside.
The meeting chamber was intentionally dim. Subdued lighting made the room, with its black circular table, matching leather seats and general Medieval decor, an even somber place.
Three dark robed figure sat, agendas, secrets and suspicions swimming in their malevolent minds. One of the attendees wordlessly raised a hand and a voice, high, cultured and smug, floated out from the depths of the ebon hood.
"Progress."
"The search for The Archive continues, of course, however, it shouldn't be much longer,"said one of the three. The one the other two were here for.
"I actually believe that,"said the other."How goes our progress with the P.A.C.s', then?"
"The reports show that they are in final testing now. The defoliant shields are also being field tested."
"Good. How about our fail-safe?"
"It is still in readiness, sir. Even if Chipmunks manage to stop us, Operation Nightlight will not fail, even if everything else does."
The two nodded approvingly."Good. How about our quarry?"asked the first one.
"Despite a disruption in surveillance, Jeanette Miller is being watched. Someone is with her almost all the time."
"Almost?"asked the second one.
"Well, the target has to not suspect anything unusual, considering where she's staying at the moment. Allowing her to work and interact with the other Chipmunks allays any suspicion about us and what we've planned for them."
The duo glanced at each other, weighing the third's decision. They soon nodded again. The third continued."And as for the other one she's with, I wouldn't mind having another little 'chat' with him again. Just to let that Chipmunk know who I am and what I have of his,"he hissed.
The two chuckled low at that as the first spoke again."Agreed. But we must be careful, regardless. Interpol would like nothing more that to destroy our advances against them. We must handle these two delicately. They may not know it, but they have a powerful ally in Interpol that could be devastating to us."
"Yes, sir."
"By the way,"added the second figure."You mentioned yesterday that you suspected that an Interpol agent was working in our organization. Have you discovered who it is?"
"Oh, yes. The agent is enjoying our hospitality at this moment. Our only true concern is The Archive. We can't go forward with any of our plans until we have that book. With its information in our hands, Chipmunks will soon understand what they're up against."
"Agreed,"said the first."Chipmunk/Human relations is a dangerous, fallacious thing and it must be cut off at the knees. History screams the examples of the past. The suffering and bloodshed caused because one wanted to claim a brotherhood with the other. They will pay for that lunacy."
The third was typically stirred by such sentiments. Now was no exception."Yes, sirs. They will pay most dear."
Her aching fingers blurred over the keyboard to the growing awe of those MunkTechs not busy around her.
She sat upright and worked without distraction, binding programming code together in an almost intuitive way. Like a sorceress weaving an algorithmic spell, Jeanette was caught up in that same enchantment. Nothing filled her mind outside her work, not even thoughts of Arthur intruded. She looked every bit the virtuoso.
On the monitor above, hexagonal shapes, visual, tri-dimensional equivalents of megabyte blocks of data, shifted, floated and connected into place like a complex game of Tetris, into the semblance of a glowing, geometric wall. The visual representation of a now self-correcting piece of software.
"I have to hand it to you, Miss Miller, you sure know your code,"said the closest MunkTech to her.
"Thanks, but please, call me Jeanette. I'm just happy to help out, that's all,"she said modestly."Whatever this software will be, it'll be very, very complex. I guess it's a good thing the basic code is so familiar,"she mused to herself."It should be finished in a few hours, once I reinstall this Decision Generator. It seems to be at the heart of the operating system, every other function seems to be subordinate to it. This is going to be a thinker,"she marveled."Oh, and thank you for making me a honorary MunkTech. The uniform is quite stylish."
She looked down at the singular tunic and trousers she sported. Only its colors, blue and violet and its markings, stood her out from the rest.
"Don't mention it. We're just glad to have you here helping us. We might be able to finally finish on time,"said a female MunkTech.
"Yeah,"said her companion,"How'd ya get The Predictor to debug its own compiler like that?"
Jeanette modestly shrugged."It was nothing, really. Simon would show me-"Her hand shook and her heart fluttered erratically.
"What's wrong, Jeanette?"
She felt like she was being electrocuted."Air,"she gasped."I'll be back. I-I'm just tired."She unsteadily launched from her comfortable seat, which at the moment, didn't feel so comfortable, and rushed out of the lab.
"Think she'll okay?"he asked.
"Yeah, but call Maintenance to check the air quality, just in case,"said his female companion.
"Right."
Jeanette leaned against a wall in an empty corridor around the corner from the labs, gulping air.
'Why?' she thought frantically. 'Why do I still have him on my mind? I'm falling for Arthur, but I can't help it. I miss Simon! I...miss...Simon.'
She kept running that thought through her tired mind over and over while she sat on the cold floor and finally wept all her heartache and bitter confusion away.
The office was tasteful, dark and quiet. The heavy wooden door opened with a crack of light beaming from the hallway onto the carpet.
Jeanette found it hard to believe that this was Arthur's office. She figured that he truly earned his father's respect and trust and that this office and the responsibility given him reflected that.
It took some time to find the place after she had gotten the heartbreak out of her system, a half hour ago. She felt tired and it was getting late. A few work-related questions and she would hit the sack. In sleep, there would be no thoughts, no questions afterwards or insecurity. Just numbing peace and darkness.
"Arthur,"she croaked in a sob-strained voice,"Are you busy? I just wanted to say that the software is almost complete. The MunkTechs should be able to finish up the design and it should be ready to be compressed into a disk or three."
When there was no response, she braved a peek and looked in. No one was there. She tip-toed inside and turned on a nearby lamp. The place was as she expected it to be. Cozy, well-furnished in a scale comfortable for a Chipmunk and sedate, yet businesslike and no-nonsense, as well.
Her eyes glided around the contours of the room, around the potted plants and corporate placards. Then she saw, along a section of wall, a collection of awards and certificates of varying enterprises, bearing Arthur's name boldly. They ranged from the scientific and scholarly to the recreational.
Jeanette smiled as she perused the gallery at her leisure. Every accomplishment seen, put another point or two on her personal scoreboard, making her believe more and more that her decision to give him her heart was not only a good one, but a sound investment in her future.
'Mrs. Jeanette Duval?' she mused wistfully,' Hmmm...'
She went to another award but found that she was having difficulty reading it. Blinking in annoyance, she slipped her glasses off and checked the lenses. Their surfaces were coated with dust and dried tears. 'That's a relief,' she thought, 'I thought I was more tired than I am.'
Putting them back on, she padded her pockets for the cloth Arthur gave her earlier and soon found that she left it in her civvies. In exasperation, she turned to leave and saw something on the polished desk.
Among the stationary, was Arthur's eyeglass case. A smooth well-made affair with his initials, in gold, on the lid.
"I'll borrow his cloth,"she said to herself as she opened the case.
If it was rigged to explode upon opening, Jeanette couldn't have been in more shock. Recognition hit her like a force of Nature and made her drop the case. The object bounced on the carpet safely by her feet but the damage was already done as far as she was concerned.
She quickly knelt and pocketed it. Then she placed the case back on the desk and turned off the lamp.
Incredulity flooded her mind as she passed the threshold and closed the door. She moved through the halls to the elevator, unnoticed and unstopped, like a thief. Her bed back at the female dorm called to her, but what she saw and now possessed would give Sleep the fight of its life.
She stepped into the car and pressed the First Floor button while feeling the prize in her pocket. If she could live eight lifetimes, she was sure that what she had with her now was the last thing she would have ever expected to find on either the island...or Arthur's office.
The car ascended...