CHAPTER 3: "Reach Out And View Someone"
"Can you clarify his capabilities?"
"04 as you know," says Number 42, "is trained in 'Remote Viewing' where the viewer can see things without actually being there."
"You mean he can see things? In his mind from this chair that are elsewhere?" inquires an excited Number 2.
"Precisely. Remote Viewers are in the early stages by the government. They can read words on paper across the world and some ... some have even managed to transcend time. Forwards and backwards."
"Remarkable! So, possibly 04 could be used to thwart future plans by Number 6?"
"No," 42 looks at 6 and back up, "The Village Viewers are merely trained in about a mile radius from their viewing point. Anything more and they act as beacons to other governments Viewers. That's why after a certain distance into the sea they just stop."
"Yes, kaput. Is 04 ready?"
"He will be momentarily. The viewing requires a deep state not unlike a trance."
"The details will be made privy to me later, but at this moment I got more pressing matters. Here is a record of phone calls Number 6 made days before his resignation. Now all these numbers have been checked and one was even out of service. I want to know why one number was called only once and the other that is out of service. Who answered on the other end?"
"Remember he cannot actually transverse time. He acts as persuasion in 6's mind. And then views his thoughts. The key here is that Number 6 may be able to lie to us while lucid and even when under drugs, but if he is unaware of the mental intrusion he has no need to lie. Not to himself. So it is the truth that holds it's own here. He'll wake up not even remembering. It's like trying to remember something, but not remembering trying to."
"Science never ceases to astound me. What will they think of next?"
"There are even people in studies that could turn on and off light switches using wavelengths controlled by their brain. The mind's capabilities are endless when harnessed right."
"Let us hope we are the ones to first harness it. Is he ready?" asks Number 2.
Number 42 waves his hands in front of 04. 04's head doesn't move, but he seems to acknowledge it. 42 looks at Number 2.
"He is susceptible. What do you wish first?"
"The telephone numbers," he hands over a sheet to 42 that has typed out the two numbers in question, "that'll be our first step."
42 holds the paper in front of 04. 04's eyes glaze down and then back up. He stares directly at Number 6. In a broken voice 04 rambles.
"He's dialing a number..." 04 says.
"Which one?" 2 asks.
2 looks at 04 then 42.
"Never ... dialed it before..."
6 picks up his phone. 04 is in his mental house. 6 dials. He looks at his watch and back up.
"Ah yes, hello?" inquires 6.
2 haunches down and is transfixed on 04. He speaks slowly with emphasis.
"Who is there?"
"You know who it is..." says the voice on the other end of the phone.
"It's a female voice..." comments 04.
"I just thought I'd call you. A promise is a promise my sweet. I got my tickets. Shall meet you there."
"I can't..." 04 struggles, "wait."
"Where?!" 2 demands.
"I do not wish to stay on the line long, I've further business to attend to. My future is now and it's just not possible without you."
"Who is she?!" Number 2 again demands.
"My darling, do be careful. My love as always," says the lady.
"Who is he talking to?! Where are they meeting?!?!?!"
"He can only patrol in the fantasy not control it. He's not a mind reader." Number 42 reminds Number 2.
"Do we have one of those?"
42 shakes his head no.
"Of course. Till then ... he hung up." 04 notes out loud.
"What about the number out of service? Who was that?"
"He dials ... hello?"
"Don't push him," warns 42 to 2.
"John. How are you? I haven't seen you for a few days. I was worried."
"Please don't call me that. I need to get with you. It's important," tells Number 6.
"How so?" 2 asks 04.
"I am taking my leave of my work."
04 looks at Number 6 and replies,
"It won't be that simple."
"I am resigning and wish to speak to you."
"You can't just go. It's like a Chinese finger trap; no matter how much you try to pull away, their hold on you only tightens."
"Trent, it is of the utmost importance. Charleston Inn, tomorrow at noon."
"Trent!" Number 2 says aloud. He snaps a finger. He picks up the folder with 6's information and flips through it. He speaks up, "I remember Trent ... yes ... yes ... here it is!"
"I'll see if I can make it."says 04.
"Who is he?" 42 asks.
Number 2 frowns and puts the folder down.
"A secret agent found dead at the Charleston Inn. He was unidentifiable at the time. Did he kill this man? I don't believe Number 6 is a killer."
"You ask 04 like he could reply. He is only a..."
"Only a receptacle. I understand."
"Chances are an event, so traumatic like finding his friend dead, would be an experience his mind would have no choice, but to repeat again and again."
"Funny how the mind chooses to relive those, the most painful of times. A folly so deep," 2 looks at 6, "I could almost sympathize."
"Excuse me," says 04.
They both look at 04. Number 6 still and his pulse increasing. A desk clerk looks up and assists Number 6.
"Yes sir?"
"I am looking for one Trent Pennyweather. A friend of mine, supposed to meet here. I don't suppose there is a message?"
"No sir, nothing."
"Thank you."
04 gulps his breath and opens his mouth slightly. He closes it and then his lips flap open once with a word. He blinks.
"Bang."
6 runs dashes out of the hotel to the outside. People are gathering around a man on the ground. He can't make out who it is quite yet.
"What happened?!" Number 6 demands.
"He's been shot in the face. Number 6 is pushing through the crowd." 04 comments.
6 freezes in his tracks. Some are screaming, some are turned in horror, others look in disbelief. The blood trails to the shoes on 6's feet.
"Trent ... Trent..."
"Trent..." 04 mourns simultaneously with Number 6, "he has pilfered the man's wallet and taken off."
"I need more. Why was he meeting this man? So close to his resignation, surely there must have been a reason." 2 pounders.
"What ever he knew he took with him." 42 remarks.
"This dead man can't tell me no tails. He knew something."
"Indeed he may have. As a psychologist by profession, I suggest you not dwell on it. Weaknesses are a bordon on others."
"Point taken. Gentlemen, take him back to his quarters."
The two guards pick him up and begin to leave.
"And bath him before he is placed back into his bed. Touch nothing and leave all as it were when you entered."
They leave. 2 sits in the chair across from 04.
"You are flustered," comments 04.
2 lifts his head and takes his hands off it.
"Turn that thing off."
And with that 2 walks out of the room. 04 stares off into space.
"Can you clarify his capabilities?"
"04 as you know," says Number 42, "is trained in 'Remote Viewing' where the viewer can see things without actually being there."
"You mean he can see things? In his mind from this chair that are elsewhere?" inquires an excited Number 2.
"Precisely. Remote Viewers are in the early stages by the government. They can read words on paper across the world and some ... some have even managed to transcend time. Forwards and backwards."
"Remarkable! So, possibly 04 could be used to thwart future plans by Number 6?"
"No," 42 looks at 6 and back up, "The Village Viewers are merely trained in about a mile radius from their viewing point. Anything more and they act as beacons to other governments Viewers. That's why after a certain distance into the sea they just stop."
"Yes, kaput. Is 04 ready?"
"He will be momentarily. The viewing requires a deep state not unlike a trance."
"The details will be made privy to me later, but at this moment I got more pressing matters. Here is a record of phone calls Number 6 made days before his resignation. Now all these numbers have been checked and one was even out of service. I want to know why one number was called only once and the other that is out of service. Who answered on the other end?"
"Remember he cannot actually transverse time. He acts as persuasion in 6's mind. And then views his thoughts. The key here is that Number 6 may be able to lie to us while lucid and even when under drugs, but if he is unaware of the mental intrusion he has no need to lie. Not to himself. So it is the truth that holds it's own here. He'll wake up not even remembering. It's like trying to remember something, but not remembering trying to."
"Science never ceases to astound me. What will they think of next?"
"There are even people in studies that could turn on and off light switches using wavelengths controlled by their brain. The mind's capabilities are endless when harnessed right."
"Let us hope we are the ones to first harness it. Is he ready?" asks Number 2.
Number 42 waves his hands in front of 04. 04's head doesn't move, but he seems to acknowledge it. 42 looks at Number 2.
"He is susceptible. What do you wish first?"
"The telephone numbers," he hands over a sheet to 42 that has typed out the two numbers in question, "that'll be our first step."
42 holds the paper in front of 04. 04's eyes glaze down and then back up. He stares directly at Number 6. In a broken voice 04 rambles.
"He's dialing a number..." 04 says.
"Which one?" 2 asks.
2 looks at 04 then 42.
"Never ... dialed it before..."
6 picks up his phone. 04 is in his mental house. 6 dials. He looks at his watch and back up.
"Ah yes, hello?" inquires 6.
2 haunches down and is transfixed on 04. He speaks slowly with emphasis.
"Who is there?"
"You know who it is..." says the voice on the other end of the phone.
"It's a female voice..." comments 04.
"I just thought I'd call you. A promise is a promise my sweet. I got my tickets. Shall meet you there."
"I can't..." 04 struggles, "wait."
"Where?!" 2 demands.
"I do not wish to stay on the line long, I've further business to attend to. My future is now and it's just not possible without you."
"Who is she?!" Number 2 again demands.
"My darling, do be careful. My love as always," says the lady.
"Who is he talking to?! Where are they meeting?!?!?!"
"He can only patrol in the fantasy not control it. He's not a mind reader." Number 42 reminds Number 2.
"Do we have one of those?"
42 shakes his head no.
"Of course. Till then ... he hung up." 04 notes out loud.
"What about the number out of service? Who was that?"
"He dials ... hello?"
"Don't push him," warns 42 to 2.
"John. How are you? I haven't seen you for a few days. I was worried."
"Please don't call me that. I need to get with you. It's important," tells Number 6.
"How so?" 2 asks 04.
"I am taking my leave of my work."
04 looks at Number 6 and replies,
"It won't be that simple."
"I am resigning and wish to speak to you."
"You can't just go. It's like a Chinese finger trap; no matter how much you try to pull away, their hold on you only tightens."
"Trent, it is of the utmost importance. Charleston Inn, tomorrow at noon."
"Trent!" Number 2 says aloud. He snaps a finger. He picks up the folder with 6's information and flips through it. He speaks up, "I remember Trent ... yes ... yes ... here it is!"
"I'll see if I can make it."says 04.
"Who is he?" 42 asks.
Number 2 frowns and puts the folder down.
"A secret agent found dead at the Charleston Inn. He was unidentifiable at the time. Did he kill this man? I don't believe Number 6 is a killer."
"You ask 04 like he could reply. He is only a..."
"Only a receptacle. I understand."
"Chances are an event, so traumatic like finding his friend dead, would be an experience his mind would have no choice, but to repeat again and again."
"Funny how the mind chooses to relive those, the most painful of times. A folly so deep," 2 looks at 6, "I could almost sympathize."
"Excuse me," says 04.
They both look at 04. Number 6 still and his pulse increasing. A desk clerk looks up and assists Number 6.
"Yes sir?"
"I am looking for one Trent Pennyweather. A friend of mine, supposed to meet here. I don't suppose there is a message?"
"No sir, nothing."
"Thank you."
04 gulps his breath and opens his mouth slightly. He closes it and then his lips flap open once with a word. He blinks.
"Bang."
6 runs dashes out of the hotel to the outside. People are gathering around a man on the ground. He can't make out who it is quite yet.
"What happened?!" Number 6 demands.
"He's been shot in the face. Number 6 is pushing through the crowd." 04 comments.
6 freezes in his tracks. Some are screaming, some are turned in horror, others look in disbelief. The blood trails to the shoes on 6's feet.
"Trent ... Trent..."
"Trent..." 04 mourns simultaneously with Number 6, "he has pilfered the man's wallet and taken off."
"I need more. Why was he meeting this man? So close to his resignation, surely there must have been a reason." 2 pounders.
"What ever he knew he took with him." 42 remarks.
"This dead man can't tell me no tails. He knew something."
"Indeed he may have. As a psychologist by profession, I suggest you not dwell on it. Weaknesses are a bordon on others."
"Point taken. Gentlemen, take him back to his quarters."
The two guards pick him up and begin to leave.
"And bath him before he is placed back into his bed. Touch nothing and leave all as it were when you entered."
They leave. 2 sits in the chair across from 04.
"You are flustered," comments 04.
2 lifts his head and takes his hands off it.
"Turn that thing off."
And with that 2 walks out of the room. 04 stares off into space.