Chapter 2: TBD

Federal Bureau of Control Safehouse. [REDACTED], [REDACTED], 206, Seattle, Washington.
4:18 PM

"Director Faden? Special Agent Alisha Miller, FBI. I hear Simon sent you?", said the Agent who was waiting for the trio at the safe house.
"Yes, hi, nice to meet you. This is Dr. Emily Pope, and my brother, Dylan.", responded Jesse
"Ma'am", responded Dylan and he and Emily shook agent Miller's hand.
"So what do you have for us?", started Jesse
"I pulled some strings and got this. Maxine Caufield. Born 21st September 1995, age 24. Born and raised in Arcadia Bay, moved to Seattle with her parents at age 13, went back to Arcadia Bay to study at Blackwell University at age 18, two months before the tornado hit. Currently works in an antique bookshop and as a contract photographer. Short, brown hair partially dyed blue. Always carries a bag with a Polaroid logo, with a Polaroid camera inside of it. Lives with her girlfriend, Chloe Price, also a survivor of the tornado.", Miller read from her tablet.
"Do we have an address of that book shop?", asked Jesse.
Miller nodded.
"Alright, let's go. You are driving, you know the city better", said Jesse to Agent Miller.
They walked into the garage and Miller started walking towards one of the SUVs. Jesse didn't follow her. In front of her were the most government looking cars you can imagine. Chevy Suburbans in black, with tinted glass and reinforced bumpers.
"Something wrong?", asked Miller after noticing the group was still waiting at the door to the garage.
"Do you have something, more normal? This will look like feds are investigating something", said Jesse
"But that is exactly what we are doing here", protested Miller
"I'm aware of that Agent, I just don't want to scare anyone, not today".
"Alright, follow me", said Miller
She led the group towards an older looking VW Touareg in white.
"That will do", said Jesse

30 minutes later, one street away from Ms. Caufield's place of work

"Alright, you wait here. I will go talk to her. Rest of you get something to eat", said Jesse firmly, not giving Emily a chance to protest.
"Jesse, wait!", Emily got out of the car and almost lunged at Jesse
"Emily, I'm going"
"Yes I know. Just, take this", said Emily while handing Jesse a badge
"FBI? Really?", asked Jesse, confused. They were FBC, not FBI.
"Yes, really. Now go.", said Emily, turning back towards the car.

Bells on the doors of the book shop rang. Young woman matching description of Max Caufield came up to the counter, hand full of books.
"We are closing in 10 minutes. Can I help you with something?", asked Max
"Mr. Caufield?", asked Jesse
"Yes?", responded Max with a cautious tone.
"Agent Faden, FBI. Can I talk to you for a second?", Jesse pulled showed her badge provided by Emily.
As soon as Jesse finished the sentence Max became visibly red.
"No, no, no, no. I'm not talking about that again. I already told the Air Force and CERA everything years ago. Please leave.", responded Max, visibly agitated, slowly backing into the Employee Only section.
Polaris in Jesse sensed a danger and Jesse's Service Weapon vibrated in her hand, but she calmed both down. Even if Max lunged at her she couldn't stand a chance.
"Okay, calm down. Wait, did you said Air Force?", asked Jesse, confused.
"Yes, now leave!", Max almost screamed, tears in her eyes.
"What is going on?", an older man, owner of the store, said as he opened doors to his office.
"Hello. I'm Agent Faden, FBI. I need to talk with Max here. Could you give us a second?", said Jesse to the man, meanwhile Max slammed the door into the back room.
"Oh, of course. Did she do something?"
"No, I just need to ask her a few questions."
"About Arcadia Bay?"
"Yes. You know about it?"
"Of course. I would advise you didn't talk about that. She doesn't like to think about those times. Just, be careful, okay?", asked the owner Jesse and went to the counter to replace Max.
"Will be, thank you", she nodded to the man and slowly walked to the door.
Jesse knocked on the door and heard no response. Upon opening the door, she saw another door. She knocked again. No response. After opening that door, she found herself in a photographic darkroom, full of red light and smell of the photographic fixer with film all around the room. Max was sitting at a table in the back, sobbing.
"I told you to leave", she said quietly.
"I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to help you.", responded Jesse
"That is what they said before. Instead, they sent me to a mental hospital for a month. They said I was making it up, that it was trauma from the event. Bullshit, I know what happened. Chloe knows it too."
"Chloe Price? Your girlfriend?", asked Jesse, sitting on a chair a few meters away from Max
Max raised her head, turning on the chair, still sobbing.
"Yes. They sent her there too. My parents pulled us out after they threatened to sue the hospital. I have been on medication since. This is why I don't want to talk about it again."
"You know, I went through a similar trauma. I was involved in an incident alongside my brother. The organization I work for took my brother. I ran away. My parents died in that incident. I was bounced from a foster home to a foster home, from one mental hospital to another. For 15 years. But I found my brother. I helped him; I overcame my trauma. Just like you can."
"You would not understand, nobody can", sobbed Max
"Try me", Jesse tried to get Max to laugh a bit.
"Sorry, can't help you.", denied Max again.
Jesse, seeing Max would have another breakdown if she pushed, decided to change the topic.
"You said people from the Air Force talked to you. Do you know why?", asked Jesse
"I don't know. They came to our door a few days after the incident, after me and Chloe moved back here to my parents' house, before CERA took me and Chloe away for a psychological evaluation. Some woman and two men with her. They asked questions. What happened, how did I survive, if I could manipulate time. Of course, I told them no."
What the hell was Air Force doing at an AWE site? With a time travel theory of their own? Did the Bureau have an Air Force spy? Jesse was very confused. And curious. Polaris was quiet.
"Can you?", pressed Jesse
"No, of course not!", yelped Max. Polaris in the back of Jesse's head suggested Max is lying, but Jesse wasn't sure.
"Who were the people who asked you? Do you remember?"
"No, just a white woman, white man and a black man."
That isn't much help, thought Jesse to herself. But then…
"Wait, I do remember one guy."
Max leaped out of her chair, past Jesse and out of the darkroom, back into the bookshop.
Jesse followed her carefully. When she got there, Max was holding a book about archaeology, visibly smiling, looking at the very last page. Well that is progress, thought Jesse to herself. Max was not only talking to her, but she looked happy.
"There, that's the guy, Daniel Jackson. He is, well, was, an archaeologist. He theorized that the pyramids in Egypt were landing pads for alien ships. His research got shut down in 1998 if I remember correctly. He hasn't published much in the last 20 years, but this is one of them. This is his most recent in fact. From 2017. Who was he doing with those Air Force people?."
Well that is some progress indeed, thought Jesse again.
"Can I borrow that?", asked Jesse Max.
"Well you could buy it", responded the store owner from the front desk.
Jesse bought the book.
"Alright, thank you for your help, Ms. Caufield.", said Jesse after paying 16 dollars.
"I'm sorry for how I reacted. I need to control myself better", responded Max, visibly sorry
"Don't worry, I understand. Oh, can I have your phone number so I can contact you if I need to?", asked Jesse
"If you need me, I will be here, 10-6, every workday.", responded Max.
"Alright, take care, bye". Jesse said as she exited the bookshop, the owner locking the door behind her.

Chapter 2 Notes
Jesse has an FBI badge on purpose. While FBC isn't completely hidden, I consider it to be "in the shadows".