Six months ago

The cell phone message tone chirped urgently as a series of single-line texts flooded his phone. He swiped a finger, unlocking the screen. An unknown number headlined the messaging app.

Sighting spotted in SoCal.

Video posted on Reddit.

You know what to do.

Little dots danced across the screen as the sender tapped away and then a hyperlink popped up.

Fuel the fire.

Janyor pressed the link and a video popped up. His phone's speakers were tinny and crackly, and he could barely understand the audio but could definitely glean the context. He watched, delighted, as a restaurant scene unfolded, with clattering dishes, gasping patrons, and the pin-dropping silence that followed when the young woman filled the frame, arms outstretched. He almost squealed at the sight of the levitating coffee mugs.

"Jedi," Janyor whispered, almost reverently. "No. Way." A rare smile crinkled the corners of his eyes as he rushed to his computer. He tethered his phone to one of the bulky computer towers and excitedly texted while the video transferred.

- This is fantastic. Where'd you get this?

A little birdie.

- Who are you? How'd you get this number?

I go by Kylo Ren. The little birdie provided it to me. We both thought you'd be interested.

- I am. Tell your birdie to keep bringing these to me.

Janyor swiveled his chair to another monitor and keyboard. He punched in a search for "Kylo Ren" and a few scant pages of results appeared. It was what Janyor suspected, just a typical and predictable presence on major news aggregate and social media sites. He clicked around on some, finding this Kylo person active on some of the more controversial forums, ideas promoting nationalism, anti-immigration, anti-alternate lifestyles like Jediism, and the like. There was a smattering of pro-border control, climate change hoaxes, and other usual tropes associated with people like Kylo, but nothing revealing as to who really is this Kylo.

Janyor gave up after a short while, deciding it didn't really matter the identity behind the computer warrior and patriot. "As long as he keeps these juicy bits coming," he murmured to himself, "he could be a puppy-kicker for all I care."

His other computer dinged as it completed the upload and he opened up his media editing software, which immediately froze. "What the fuck?" he grumbled, slamming his mouse on the desk. "Open up!" The screen did not obey.

His cell phone rang, an angry and persistent tone, and no number showed on screen. No one ever called Janyor. No one with common sense, anyway. Warily, he grabbed up and hit the speakerphone but didn't say a word. Someone could be recording him on the other end, for all he knew. At least he had the camera covered.

"Janyor." The person on the other end sounded male, and it was deep, raspy, and almost metallic. "I cannot emphasize the importance of making this video go viral. You saw it for yourself. It is proof evident of what you've wanted to show for so long."

Janyor swallowed to find his own voice. "Is this Kylo?"

The man chuckled, robotically. Janyor wondered if the caller was using a vocal modulation program. "As long as you are careful with the source of your information, I will keep feeding it to you." He paused. "But do me wrong, or misrepresent our shared agenda, and I promise you will see the extent of my wrath."

Janyor rolled his eyes. He was used to this, these self-professed patriots who think they're the sole source of any halfway decent information to help the crusades, but like mushrooms springing after a rain, six new sources always pop up to replace a single one. There was never a lack of truth seekers.

"Don't fool yourself," Kylo warned, as if he read Janyor's thoughts. "Don't think you can get this from anywhere else."

"Sure, sure, I get it," Janyor agreed. "So, how do I get a hold of you when I need something more?"

Kylo chuckled. "I will get a hold of you." The line went dead and his computer unfroze.

Janyor stared at the phone then at his computer and back at the phone. "Weird," he murmured to himself. He had no time to dwell on the strange conversation, however; there was work that needed to be done.

###

Dalraga's beady eyes scanned the print out, scrutinizing each word. Janyor watched, eagerly, and awaited Dalraga's blessing.

"This should do," Dalraga finally said.

Janyor tried to not feel deflated. After all, this video would probably end up being one of their most-viewed videos and that's all he had to say?

"Patriot76, good, nice subtle moniker," Dalraga murmured, nodding in approval. "Keeping it real, honest." He hummed and harrumphed as he skimmed through again. "Let's get this going, then. Pull up the video." Dalraga liked to review his scripts before watching the videos they'd accompany. His initial reaction to any video would be more organic, he had said. Genuine. He could channel his persona better that way. He scooted his chair closer to the center of Janyor's desk.

"Now, I'm warning you—" Janyor started.

Dalraga held up a hand. "Ah, ah, ah, let the video speak for itself."

Janyor clicked and the video blew up to screen-size. He watched Dalraga for a reaction but he only watched, from beginning to end, in unblinking silence.

"Again," Dalraga commanded. Janyor restarted the video and it played again, tiny mirrored images of the screen reflecting off of Dalraga's coal-colored eyes.

"Slow it down, seventy-five percent," Dalraga said. "I'll tell you when."

The video restarted and played at a snail's pace. The reactions of the patrons were slow-motion horror and shock; it was almost comedic how mouths gawked open and eyes widened. The slender girl in the focus of the video was the only one who seemed to move quickly, despite the slow playback.

"Stop!"

Janyor froze the video and stared at it, wondering what it was that Dalraga saw.

"There – you see it?" Dalraga stabbed a chubby finger toward the corner of the video frame. "The mirror. Can you zoom in?"

Janyor squinted at the screen and drew a boundary around the area Dalraga was fixated on. He pulled out the still and zoomed in on it, running a few commands in an attempt to sharpen the image.

"Right there!" Dalraga exclaimed, tapping the screen. "It's them."

Then, Janyor saw it, plain as day. In one of the decorative mirrors on the restaurant wall, there were two faces captured in its polished face. Two faces that were turned and watching the scene unfold, but with little reaction compared to everyone else. The woman's profile was blurry, with a crooked half-smile, but her features were undeniable.

"It's the wonder twins," Janyor gasped. "They were there."

Dalraga laughed, joyfully. "Luke and Leia Skywalker, we've found you!"