Chapter 9 -- Searching
"Okay Tel, are you ready to do this? For real?" Kat sat down at the computer and glanced over her shoulder with a questioning look.
"Yeah, lets do it." Teli sat down next to her. They had picked this day to start to search in earnest for clues to Teli's past. Kat started typing. She didn't consider herself a computer hacker by any means, but she was proud of her ability to find the information she was looking for. Soon she was connected and had opened her favorite starting search engine.
"Alright, ready. Which clue should we start with?" Kat asked Teli. Teli paused to think.
"Well, I'd say either start with Eyes Only or the barcode." Teli finally replied.
"Run me through the Eyes Only info. I don't think I know that part, but I'd say that'd be the best place to start."
"Well, Eyes Only is who got my adoption papers and found me my home with Jane and Dave."
"Teli, you never told me that! You must be a special case then, 'coz adoptions aren't usually the type of work Eyes Only does." Teli just shrugged. Kat took that as a go ahead and started searching. There were plenty of web pages that followed what Eyes Only did, but the actual Informant Net was, naturally, impossible to find. Kat spent the good part of an hour tying to find any lead or some information that would help. Every few minutes Teli would spot a possible opening to the net, but she wasn't ready to pull out that ability quite yet, not even for Kat.
"I dunno Te, I've tried everything I know, but I can't find it. Makes me wonder how his sources contact him... Should we try the barcode clue?" Kat finally asked. Teli thought for a moment and then nodded. Kat returned to her original search site and started looking for tattoo parlors and hits on other people with barcode tattoos. It took another hour, but Kat finally found a few hits.
"Okay. Looks like we've finally found something. Got a Michele Hanover, arrested by in '09, had a barcode on the back of his neck. Got a suspected cat burglar in Seattle, thought to have a barcode, but this one's pretty sketchy. And I've got a hit on a place called 'Manticore,' off a conspiracy theory site. Which one do you want to try?" Teli looked at the screen for a few moments, try to decide.
"Well, I don't think anything from '09 will help, so not that one. I have no idea how a cat burglar would have any info, but this conspiracy theory site looks pretty whack, I mean, a Manticore is from Greek mythology so it's probably just some idiots story site. Besides, who really believes conspiracy theories anyways? So... I guess... try the Seattle one." Kat almost laughed at how Teli explained her thought process aloud as she clicked on the link.
Kat scrolled down the page, skimming the stories of break-ins and sightings of this mystery cat burglar, there was only one reference to a barcode - some witness claimed to have seen one on her. There was a fuzzy picture at the end, of a girl back flipping over the top of some thug. Kat didn't think much of it. Teli didn't seem impressed either, until she did a double take on the picture.
"That's her."
"That's who?"
"That's her, that's the woman who... who got me out, was at the adoption center with me before Jane and Dave came."
"Are you sure? It's a pretty blurry picture."
"Can you clear it up at all?"
"I can try." Kat clicked on the picture, it enlarged. With a few clicks she was able to clear it up a little, but not much.
"That's about as good as it's gonna get Te."
"That's good enough. It's her."
"Are ya sure?"
"I'm sure."
"How do you know?" Teli thought for a moment before answering; she wasn't really sure how she knew, she just did.
"Well, the curls for one, but mostly because, and this is going to sound really weird Kat, but I think I've seen her do that move before."
"Cool." Kat said after a moment and didn't ask for more. She clicked the window down and went back to the pervious site.
"I'm curious, lets just check this Manticore story, just in case." Kat said. Teli just shrugged, as if to say 'whatever.' The conspiracy theory site came up again and Kat clicked on the Manticore story, but Kat's efforts were blocked by the request for the screen name and password.
"That's really odd. Guess we can't check this one out either..." Teli didn't respond, she was looking at the background of the site. Something about the symbol being used was familiar, but Teli couldn't place it.
"Well, we'll try again another time I guess." Teli finally said, now tired of sitting around. Kat sighed and leaned back in her chair.
"Okay. You wanna go for a bike ride or something then?"
"Actually Kat, I've gotta get home..." Teli's voice trailed off with a smile.
"Oh, what for?" Kat asked, curious.
"Well, I sorta got a date tonight." Teli fought a sheepish grin.
"And you didn't tell me!" Kat jumped up and playfully punched Teli's shoulder as she shoed her out the door. "Have fun, and CALL ME when you get home." Teli waved over her shoulder as she head for home.
****
Tye's whole family was smiling as they made their way to the winner's circle. Tye went right to Intrepid, who had just won his first stakes race. The colt snorted, still excited, into Tye's open hand and took the offered treat. Aliana's father Tom joined them, as the horse's trainer, for the pictures.
As Tye always did when he lead his parent's horses back into the stabling area, he looked up into the always colorful crowd. Usually his eye caught some woman's extravagant hat, the feathers from a boa, or the occasional super-fancy tux. But this time Tye's eye immediately caught that of a darkly dressed woman. The eye contact lasted for only a few seconds while the woman made a few signs with her hands. The contact broke and she was gone. Tye scanned the crowd, but could not find her.
Aliana was at Intrepid's stall to greet him with a carrot when Tye finally got him back. She was dressed in her usual race-day sundress, which suited her nicely. Tye had long since gotten used to having to shove that observation into the back of his mind.
"Hey Ali." Tye greeted her with a friendly smile.
"Hey yourself." Aliana grinned back.
For the next ten minutes, Aliana helped Tye un-tack the colt before they turned him over to be washed and fully cooled out.
"So, your colt ran a good race." Aliana started out, playfully linking her arm through Tye's as they made their way back to the grandstand.
"He sure did." Tye answered with a smile as he led the way to their seats.
"I think a celebration is needed. The usual ice cream stop tonight sounds like an order to me." Aliana said, making her original question into a statement.
"Yeah. But it'll have to be late, I have to meet someone in the back parking lot at 22:00 tonight." Tye replied smoothly. Aliana was confused.
"What? When? Who?" Tye looked at Aliana's baffled expression and suddenly realized just what he had said. His mind flashed back to the woman in the crowd, more specifically to her hand signals. 'That must be what she meant...' Tye thought. He stopped suddenly and turned to face Aliana.
"Ali, do you remember all that stuff I told you about a year ago, about me and my past...?" Tye asked in a low voice.
"Yeah." Aliana answered, trying to connect.
"I think I'm meeting someone who understands it all."
****
Dear Angel,
Kat and I tried to find some clues on me today. I think I learned more then she thinks we did. Found a picture of you - well, I'm pretty sure it's you, doing a back flip over some thug. Nice move, by the way. Why Seattle though? I mean, doesn't it rain WAY too much there? Not that it matters; you're probably not there any more.
We also found this 'Project Manticore' story. Like the Eyes Only info, we couldn't gain access, but something about it was familiar. It took me a while, but I finally figured out what it was. See, they used this symbol as the background for the Manticore story, well, when I got home to get ready I happened to look down at my bracelet. Same repeating symbol. To be honest, that freaked me out. I'd really like to know the connection between Greek Mythology and myself. I'm sure that if I could really talk to you, you would understand this. I hope someday you'll be able to explain it all to me.
Well, I've got to be going, got a date tonight. Shane. Seems like a great guy. This should be a fun night. I'll write more soon.
-- Teli
"Okay Tel, are you ready to do this? For real?" Kat sat down at the computer and glanced over her shoulder with a questioning look.
"Yeah, lets do it." Teli sat down next to her. They had picked this day to start to search in earnest for clues to Teli's past. Kat started typing. She didn't consider herself a computer hacker by any means, but she was proud of her ability to find the information she was looking for. Soon she was connected and had opened her favorite starting search engine.
"Alright, ready. Which clue should we start with?" Kat asked Teli. Teli paused to think.
"Well, I'd say either start with Eyes Only or the barcode." Teli finally replied.
"Run me through the Eyes Only info. I don't think I know that part, but I'd say that'd be the best place to start."
"Well, Eyes Only is who got my adoption papers and found me my home with Jane and Dave."
"Teli, you never told me that! You must be a special case then, 'coz adoptions aren't usually the type of work Eyes Only does." Teli just shrugged. Kat took that as a go ahead and started searching. There were plenty of web pages that followed what Eyes Only did, but the actual Informant Net was, naturally, impossible to find. Kat spent the good part of an hour tying to find any lead or some information that would help. Every few minutes Teli would spot a possible opening to the net, but she wasn't ready to pull out that ability quite yet, not even for Kat.
"I dunno Te, I've tried everything I know, but I can't find it. Makes me wonder how his sources contact him... Should we try the barcode clue?" Kat finally asked. Teli thought for a moment and then nodded. Kat returned to her original search site and started looking for tattoo parlors and hits on other people with barcode tattoos. It took another hour, but Kat finally found a few hits.
"Okay. Looks like we've finally found something. Got a Michele Hanover, arrested by in '09, had a barcode on the back of his neck. Got a suspected cat burglar in Seattle, thought to have a barcode, but this one's pretty sketchy. And I've got a hit on a place called 'Manticore,' off a conspiracy theory site. Which one do you want to try?" Teli looked at the screen for a few moments, try to decide.
"Well, I don't think anything from '09 will help, so not that one. I have no idea how a cat burglar would have any info, but this conspiracy theory site looks pretty whack, I mean, a Manticore is from Greek mythology so it's probably just some idiots story site. Besides, who really believes conspiracy theories anyways? So... I guess... try the Seattle one." Kat almost laughed at how Teli explained her thought process aloud as she clicked on the link.
Kat scrolled down the page, skimming the stories of break-ins and sightings of this mystery cat burglar, there was only one reference to a barcode - some witness claimed to have seen one on her. There was a fuzzy picture at the end, of a girl back flipping over the top of some thug. Kat didn't think much of it. Teli didn't seem impressed either, until she did a double take on the picture.
"That's her."
"That's who?"
"That's her, that's the woman who... who got me out, was at the adoption center with me before Jane and Dave came."
"Are you sure? It's a pretty blurry picture."
"Can you clear it up at all?"
"I can try." Kat clicked on the picture, it enlarged. With a few clicks she was able to clear it up a little, but not much.
"That's about as good as it's gonna get Te."
"That's good enough. It's her."
"Are ya sure?"
"I'm sure."
"How do you know?" Teli thought for a moment before answering; she wasn't really sure how she knew, she just did.
"Well, the curls for one, but mostly because, and this is going to sound really weird Kat, but I think I've seen her do that move before."
"Cool." Kat said after a moment and didn't ask for more. She clicked the window down and went back to the pervious site.
"I'm curious, lets just check this Manticore story, just in case." Kat said. Teli just shrugged, as if to say 'whatever.' The conspiracy theory site came up again and Kat clicked on the Manticore story, but Kat's efforts were blocked by the request for the screen name and password.
"That's really odd. Guess we can't check this one out either..." Teli didn't respond, she was looking at the background of the site. Something about the symbol being used was familiar, but Teli couldn't place it.
"Well, we'll try again another time I guess." Teli finally said, now tired of sitting around. Kat sighed and leaned back in her chair.
"Okay. You wanna go for a bike ride or something then?"
"Actually Kat, I've gotta get home..." Teli's voice trailed off with a smile.
"Oh, what for?" Kat asked, curious.
"Well, I sorta got a date tonight." Teli fought a sheepish grin.
"And you didn't tell me!" Kat jumped up and playfully punched Teli's shoulder as she shoed her out the door. "Have fun, and CALL ME when you get home." Teli waved over her shoulder as she head for home.
****
Tye's whole family was smiling as they made their way to the winner's circle. Tye went right to Intrepid, who had just won his first stakes race. The colt snorted, still excited, into Tye's open hand and took the offered treat. Aliana's father Tom joined them, as the horse's trainer, for the pictures.
As Tye always did when he lead his parent's horses back into the stabling area, he looked up into the always colorful crowd. Usually his eye caught some woman's extravagant hat, the feathers from a boa, or the occasional super-fancy tux. But this time Tye's eye immediately caught that of a darkly dressed woman. The eye contact lasted for only a few seconds while the woman made a few signs with her hands. The contact broke and she was gone. Tye scanned the crowd, but could not find her.
Aliana was at Intrepid's stall to greet him with a carrot when Tye finally got him back. She was dressed in her usual race-day sundress, which suited her nicely. Tye had long since gotten used to having to shove that observation into the back of his mind.
"Hey Ali." Tye greeted her with a friendly smile.
"Hey yourself." Aliana grinned back.
For the next ten minutes, Aliana helped Tye un-tack the colt before they turned him over to be washed and fully cooled out.
"So, your colt ran a good race." Aliana started out, playfully linking her arm through Tye's as they made their way back to the grandstand.
"He sure did." Tye answered with a smile as he led the way to their seats.
"I think a celebration is needed. The usual ice cream stop tonight sounds like an order to me." Aliana said, making her original question into a statement.
"Yeah. But it'll have to be late, I have to meet someone in the back parking lot at 22:00 tonight." Tye replied smoothly. Aliana was confused.
"What? When? Who?" Tye looked at Aliana's baffled expression and suddenly realized just what he had said. His mind flashed back to the woman in the crowd, more specifically to her hand signals. 'That must be what she meant...' Tye thought. He stopped suddenly and turned to face Aliana.
"Ali, do you remember all that stuff I told you about a year ago, about me and my past...?" Tye asked in a low voice.
"Yeah." Aliana answered, trying to connect.
"I think I'm meeting someone who understands it all."
****
Dear Angel,
Kat and I tried to find some clues on me today. I think I learned more then she thinks we did. Found a picture of you - well, I'm pretty sure it's you, doing a back flip over some thug. Nice move, by the way. Why Seattle though? I mean, doesn't it rain WAY too much there? Not that it matters; you're probably not there any more.
We also found this 'Project Manticore' story. Like the Eyes Only info, we couldn't gain access, but something about it was familiar. It took me a while, but I finally figured out what it was. See, they used this symbol as the background for the Manticore story, well, when I got home to get ready I happened to look down at my bracelet. Same repeating symbol. To be honest, that freaked me out. I'd really like to know the connection between Greek Mythology and myself. I'm sure that if I could really talk to you, you would understand this. I hope someday you'll be able to explain it all to me.
Well, I've got to be going, got a date tonight. Shane. Seems like a great guy. This should be a fun night. I'll write more soon.
-- Teli