Chapter 5

Christopher sat at his computer in the office the next morning. He was taking hand written notes on everything he was reading. A few curious stares came his way from around the office. Nobody could even remember the last time they saw Chris look so involved in his work. Sarah couldn't help but take a picture on her phone. When he heard the sound of the camera app he slowly turned around and glared at her with a menacing look on his face.

"If I see that on your Twitter feed later..." Chris pulled out his phone and opened a photo to show Sarah.

She narrowed her eyes at the photo and then looked up at Chris, "You wouldn't dare!"

"Test me," he said to her in a serious voice.

The new sports editor turned around to see what was so interesting. When he saw the picture of Sarah in her lingerie with a finger up her nose his face turned red and he quickly looked away. "Why do you even have a picture like that of her?!"

"This isn't even the worst picture I have. Ever since she posted a picture of my ass on Twitter I've been preparing for nuclear war!"

The younger sports editor shook his head, "Mutually Assured Social Media Destruction? Hope you have ammo against him Sarah."

Sarah smirked at Chris and opened a photo on her phone to show him which caused his glare to intensify. This one was a picture of him unconscious with Ikaros in her skimpy armored outfit clearly chained to his hand in his bedroom.

"And you still wonder why your dairy section can't hypnotize me into mindless subservience. This is a new low and I will have my revenge! One day woman, I will get dirt on you that will be viral enough to make the black death blush!"

"Alright sports boy! All I posted was a picture of the birth mark on his ass six months ago and now he's at Defcon one over me taking a picture of him working hard for the first time in a year. Could you fill in for the UN and impose a cease fire resolution for us here?"

"When you two started showing off soft core porn of each other and escalated your little spat into proper NSFW territory I had to check the sign on the door to make sure I was in the right place because for a moment there I felt like I was in the head office of Playboy."

"Don't get your hopes up kid. Playboy does better journalism than we do these days," said an indignant Christopher.

"And whose fault is that Chris?" asked the Managing Editor who was now standing over them.

Chris looked up at her, "Probably mostly mine. Which brings us to the reason I'm glad you're standing over us like a towering specter of unspeakably sexy evil. I have a story pitch for you."

"It better be good because I almost can't wait to see you try to explain that comment to the HR department," answered Kathy with an irate glare.

Chris took out his camera and put the memory card into his computer to open up the images he took of all the soldiers working to clear the field he'd taken the previous day. Kathy put her good arm down on the desk and leaned in for a closer look. "What the hell happened there? Did a UFO crash?"

"Something like that actually. The reason my head is all bandaged up like this is because Sarah can't do first aid to save her life and because the rubble of a stone building literally fell out of the a giant hole in the sky right on top of me. And before you dismiss this as crazy talk..." Chris opened up the few pictures he got of the debris coming down over him from that night. "They're not the best shots I'll admit. As soon as I realized it was going to land on my face I had to stop shooting and start running. I tried to go back there yesterday to get some shots of the debris but that's when I found the military clearing it all up. I went back again last night and the army still had the area under lock down."

"It's kind of dark and fuzzy. But yeah. I can see it clear enough. So you didn't fall off your bike? We'll discuss that later. For now write up what you got and then show it to me. I'll make some calls and try to get comments from the military, police, and local government," she said while walking off.

"You got it boss!" said Chris with enthusiasm that had Kathy smiling.

Sarah rolled her chair over to Chris' desk and leaned in closer to whisper into his ear, "You know you left out the most important detail..."

"Yes. And I'd thank you to leave that out as well," he whispered back.

"I take it you realize that some heat will come onto you from this if they realize you were there and saw this right?" she pointed out to him.

"I know what'll happen better than you do. I used to play for their team. But there's no other way to find out what I really need to know. Before you ask, yes I'm taking precautions."

"As long as you know what you're doing I'll trust you," she said and then rolled her chair back to her desk.

Chris took a blank memory card out of his bag and inserted it into his computer to copy over all his pictures. Then he took it back out and walked over to Sarah and put a hand on her shoulder to forcefully hold her down while he shoved his hand down the front of her shirt and stuck the memory card into her bra. When he let her go she slapped him across the face.

Chris shook it off and held up his hands apologetically and winked at her as soon as she put a hand over her breast and felt the card in her bra. "Keep it there," he mouthed to her before walking away.

"Ok... Now you have to tell me why the fuck does that fucking fucker still have a job here!" asked the young sports editor with anger and fury on his face and in his voice.

Sarah turned to him and took a deep breath to compose herself. She held up her hands to him to gesture for him to relax as well. When she started speaking it was in a low voice, "A few years ago. Kathy was a reporter on assignment in Afghanistan. That's where she first met Chris. He was an Army Ranger."

"No shit? That guy?!"

Sarah hushed him up, "Keep your damn voice down. This isn't something we like to talk about here. Anyway. The second time she met him she was in Iraq. Skipping over gruesome details Kathy and her crew were taken by insurgents. Remember a while back there were those videos of reporters getting beheaded? Some of those were Kathy's people."

"Holy shit..."

Sarah nodded and looked over to see Chris working something at a computer across the office then turned back to the young sports editor, "Chris went after them. I'm not going to explain how and you don't want to know about it. When he got there it was a big firefight and he got shot four times but he saved Kathy and two of her guys and got them out of there. Kathy got shot twice during the escape so Chris carried her out."

"Damn... So that's why everyone puts up with his crap... I had no idea."

"There's a lot more to the story which I am not going to tell you about which I'm probably not even suppose to know about, but Chris almost ended up homeless after he came back. When Kathy found out about his situation she had just started as Managing Editor here. So she brought him in and put him to work. So yeah. Cut him a little slack. He's an asshole but-"

"But he's got giant brass balls. So what, are you two competing to see who gets the D now or something?"

"What the fuck kind of question is that to ask me?! I told you this because I don't want you to run your mouth to Chris and the boss doesn't want you asking questions about it. She and I can deal with Chris. You worry about the NFL draft," she said while pointing to his news alert.

"I ask because I'd like to ask you out on a date sometime... But if you're into Chris that's cool."

"Damn newbie. You're really competing with Chris for inappropriate work place etiquette now aren't you?" she said while turning back to her computer to go through her news wires.

"Is that a no?" he asked in response.

"My life is a little complicated right now and it's not looking much better in the near future. Ask me again sometime for a definitive answer."

"A yes or no would be nice... But I guess I can accept a 'maybe' for now. Change of subject then. Why do you do Science and Tech news? Are you just interested in science or are you waiting to move to another section?"

"I have a degree in science and I love educating people about it. I look up to people like Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson. I also do a science show on YouTube in my spare time debunking creationist pseudoscience and other bullshit. Only twelve thousand subscribers right now but it's growing."

"Smart and beautiful. Now I feel even more intimidated by you," he said to her.

"Relax newbie. I'm not scary at all."

"Don't believe her new guy. She'll eventually Hulk out on you and you'll learn better," said Chris as he sat back at his desk.

"My name is Peter... Could we stop calling me newbie and new guy or whatever?"

"No. From now on your name is Spiderman. And Sarah is the She-Hulk."

"For the record Peter Parker was a Photojournalist... Not a sports editor. And She-Hulk is a Lawyer."

"Who are you then Chris? Hindsight Lad?" wondered Sarah.

"The fact that you even know who Hindsight Lad is says more about you than me. I am obviously Captain America."

"How do you even get that ego of yours through the door?" asked Sarah without taking her eyes off the computer.

"It's not easy. But it can be done."

Sugata observed carefully as Ikaros worked with a set of tests he printed off the internet. Mikako wrapped her arms around his left arm and rested her head on his shoulder. "Have you learned anything interesting from all these tests you've given her?"

"Yes. I have. I've determined that she was very low emotional capacity but she appears to have a very high level of complex problem solving skills. Given enough time she's been able to solve every test and puzzle I've given her. Including today's Sudoku and crossword."

"Awww. I wanted to solve those..."

"But that's not even the most interesting thing. When I ran out of paper for the printer she pulled out this thing she called a 'Transport Card' and literally summoned paper out of thin air. She explained that the card is able to grant wishes. So I got her to create a few other things. Near as I can tell the card seems to be some kind of technology which materializes things the user needs. I'm not sure what limitations it has and I'm hesitant to run any further tests with it at this time until I can come up with some appropriate experiments."

Mikako smiled at Sugata which drew a curious glance from him, "What is it?"

"I just haven't seen you this passionate in a long time now. Nothing excites you like the unknown. So tell me more about this card."

"I thought that might get you interested. Just don't mess around with it. There's too much we don't know. She told me she used it to make Chris' apartment clean itself. There's no telling what else it's capable of. When I asked her she said it could do anything. So if you're looking for a good return on your investment in my research this could be it. But I'd ask you to-"

"Sugata... Relax. I'm won't go playing with your new toys until you tell me it's safe. I learned that lesson from your chemistry set in second grade, your particle accelerator in high school and with your glider in university."

"So you only had to blow off your eyebrows, black out half the city, and crash into the boys dormitory to learn your lesson? Do you not see why I'm so insistent about this right now?"

"You just don't want me learning my lessons the hard way. I get that. So where's Chris right now?"

"At work. He told me to keep Ikaros here and find out more about her. He doesn't want her near his apartment or his work today. He said he wanted to keep her safe while he poked the hornet's nest. Whatever that means."

"I suppose we'll find out later won't we?"

Ikaros looked up from her test and the long loose strand of hair on top of her head started to twitch. "I think my master is in danger..."

"Chris knows what he's doing. He told you to stay here because it wasn't safe for you with him. So trust him and don't do anything stupid Ikaros," explained Sugata.

Chris sat with his arms out across the couch in the Managing Editor's office while an Air Force Major sat at the chair in front of her desk. She was reading an order requesting they hand over all of his photographs of the event and forbidding them from running any story in the newspaper about it or the military activity in the area.

"This is bullshit..." she muttered while reading the document.

"Nobody asked for your opinion ma'am. Please sign the document and hand over the requested materials."

"I could refuse to sign this and have my legal department challenge it in court."

The Major shook his head. "I'm afraid you can't. This is only a courtesy. We're giving you a chance to cooperate and avoid more serious problems later. If you refuse, we'll take what we want and charge you both with obstruction, espionage, treason... the works."

Kathy looked over to Chris, "Can they really do this?"

Chris shrugged, "Big brother can do whatever he wants because someone forgot to tell our current and previous presidents that 1984 wasn't meant to be an instruction manual," the Major was about to interject when Chris put his hand up and continued talking, "They can argue in court that by releasing a news story about a top secret military operation that we are in effect leaking top secret information to enemies of the United States. Even though it is complete and utter bullshit since they're conducting this operation in plain sight. The law is unfortunately on their side. Just look at what happened to Snowden and Manning. Though I am curious how you intend to keep this information off social media."

"That's not your problem Mr. Murrow."

Chris looked over at Kathy and nodded to her, "Sign it. We're not going to win this."

Kathy sighed in frustration as she took up a pen and signed the document. After that she closed the folder and handed it over to the Air Force Major who then looked at Christopher who reached into his pocket and pulled out two memory cards and held them up, but did not hand them over. The Major held out his hand and Chris shook his head.

"No Major. If you want these, you have to take them. I won't hand them over," he said sternly.

"I checked you out before I came here. I heard you were a prick. You certainly live up to that reputation. Why do you think it matters if you hand them over or I take them?"

"If I hand them over to you it means I acknowledge that you have a right to them. But if I hold them like this and make you take them from my hand I get to burn the image of you violating the constitution you swore to uphold in my mind."

The Major reached over and snatched the memory cards from his hand and walked out without saying a word.

"And he says I'm a prick..." muttered Chris.

"Well you are. But this is one of those rare instances where I'm glad you're the prick who's on my side. Well. I guess that's that. You got anything else to work on?"

"Yeah. I do. There's obviously something to that hole in the sky that they aren't telling us. At the risk of sounding like a tabloid reporter, I think it merits some additional investigation. Since the hole is presently parked over this city and it's the first time it's stopped moving at all since it was discovered, I think the public would be curious to read some sort of detailed analysis about the hole, it's history, and what effects, if any, it's had on the world."

"As long as it doesn't get us anymore visits from the military. Go ahead," she said while gesturing to the door.

"Sure thing boss," he answered while getting up to leave.

"Oh and Chris. It's good to see you taking an interest in something again."

"I guess the world decided it missed me enough to suck me back into it," he said and then suddenly stopped moving entirely as he thought about what he just said.

"Chris? You alright?" she asked with concern.

"Yeah... I just realized the possible meaning behind a recurring dream I've been having. If you think it's even possible that dreams try to tell you something?"

"The mind is complicated. I think different parts of it try to tell us things we already know but don't consciously acknowledge... So yes. I do believe that's possible."

"Good to know. So I'm not completely insane yet," he said while leaving the office.

"That's debatable..." muttered Kathy while sitting back in her chair and rubbing her shoulder.

Chris sat in the passenger seat of Sarah's car. He gave her instructions to drive them to where Sugata was camping out. After a short while on the road he held out his hand. "I'll be needing that memory card back now."

Sarah groaned in annoyance as she reached into her bra to pull it out and then slapped it into his hand. "Oww! What was that for? You already slapped me for what I did!"

"You could have just asked me to hide it for you! Why did you have to grope me?!" she demanded.

"Because the security camera doesn't see my desk. So it didn't see me make a copy of the card. It also didn't see me handing you a memory card and explaining things to you. It saw me grope you and then it saw you slap me. So when the military eventually go through it to check, that's what they'll see. They'll think I'm an asshole sure but they won't be able to prove I made a copy of that card."

"Why all the James Bond shit?"

"Because I was honestly expecting them to come to the office and go through all the computers to make sure they had everything. But they didn't go that far. They just sent an officer to intimidate us. Which in itself tells me exactly what I needed to know when I started this little experiment. The government, the military, they know something we don't. But they don't think we know enough to cause a problem for them. But we actually do."

"You mean Ikaros?"

"Exactly. I don't think they know about her."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because we aren't being tailed. They think they're done with us. Which is perfect. Once they leave here it'll all be done with and we can work in peace and secrecy. But we still have to take precautions to make sure nobody unfriendly knows about Ikaros."

"So what are you going to do with her?"

"I have no idea. I'm just playing it by ear right now. Between the Yakuza, a mad scientist, and a super advanced angel robot I'm way out of my depth. But there is one thing I wanted to ask you about."

"Oh? What's that?"

"Your lack of reaction to Ikaros. You just took that picture of us. You haven't freaked out about her yet."

"Neither have you. Besides grumbling about the inconvenience she causes you," retorted Sarah.

Chris turned his head towards her lazily, "I've seen enough shit in my life that I don't freak out about much. What's your excuse?"

"I don't honestly know. I just feel comfortable around her. Like there's nothing strange or abnormal about her. I can't explain it really."

"Well. I'm glad you feel that way. Because I want you to help Sugata try to figure her out. Like I said, I'm way out of my depth here. You're into science and technology and I trust you a hell of a lot more than I trust him. Especially around her."

"Getting protective of her I see," said Sarah with a smirk.

"For whatever reason, someone entrusted her to me. Until I know who that is and why they picked me I'm just going with the flow."

"And when you find out?"

"I'll either thank them or punch them in the face. Maybe both. Depends on how things work out. But one thing that won't happen is that they won't be disappointed with how I treat Ikaros," said Chris with a steeled voice.

"How about some music?" asked Sarah while turning on the radio.

"Yeah. Good call."

Sarah handed him her phone. "Pick something good from my library."

Chris took her phone and started going through her music. "You know I could just delete all the objectionable pictures you have of me."

"You could yes. But you're not the only one with hidden backups!"

"You are pure evil. You know that don't you?"

"Yes I do!" she answered proudly.

Sarah ripped some paper out of Sugata's hands and tore it up before throwing it all over him in frustration. "I thought Asians were suppose to be smarter than us white people! Who the hell taught you to do math? A hamster?!"

Sugata glared back at Sarah with genuine anger in his otherwise generally expressionless face. "Excuse me! I got my degree from Caltech!"

"Oh. I'm so sorry," she said in a sincerely apologetic tone which put a smug look on Sugata's face, "I didn't realize you were special needs. Alright, I'll teach you how to calculate g-forces and I'll even draw you pictures," she concluded which made Sugata's face turn red, his fists balled up, and his shoulders trembled.

Mikako stood beside Chris and watched the two argue with increasing intensity. "What's their problem?"

Chris shrugged his shoulders, "Sarah went to MIT, and Sugata went to Caltech. Some animosity there I think."

"I also went to Caltech..." muttered Mikako.

Chris raised his eyebrow at Mikako, "Am I the only ignoramus here? What did you study at Caltech, you don't strike me as the science type."

"Political Science. If that counts. What about you? You were an officer so you've obviously been to college."

"International Relations and Journalism at NYU."

"Ahh, so that's how you ended up in the news business."

"Part of it anyway. I think I'll see how Ikaros is doing. Maybe you should keep an eye on those two. Before this degenerates into science pranks, or hacks, or whatever goes on between MIT and Caltech."

Mikako walked away towards Sugata and Sarah while Chris went into the tent. He found Ikaros there solving some kind of puzzle he couldn't understand. "Hey Ikaros. How are you?"

"I am well master," she answered monotonously.

"I'm sorry I had to leave you here all day but I needed to cause a little trouble at work and I needed to know you were safe. So what have you been doing all day?"

"Solving puzzles."

"Is that fun for you?"

Ikaros put down her pen and looked up at Chris with curious eyes, "Fun? What is fun?"

"Heh... That's not an easy question to answer. Fun is something you have when you're doing something you enjoy. Something that gives you pleasure."

"My purpose to give that to my master. But I don't have a concept of it for myself."

Chris shook his head and looked around the tent, his eyebrow twitched when he saw something sitting in the corner. It was a brand new acoustic guitar which he went and picked up. "Heh. I didn't know Sugata could play. Come on Ikaros. It's time for you to develop a concept of fun."

Chris took Ikaros by the hand and pulled her up to make her follow him out of the tent. "Hey Sugata. Do you actually play this?" he asked while holding up the guitar.

"I used to. But not on that one. I was conducting tests on that card Ikaros used to clean your apartment. Trying to determine its exact capabilities. It created that Guitar."

"No shit?" said Chris while sitting down in one of the folding chairs and testing to see if the instrument was in tune.

"Do you play?" asked Mikako.

"Back in High School and college I played a lot. Haven't touched a guitar since then so I'm a little rusty... but... Come sing it with me Sarah, I know you know the words!" he exclaimed happily before he started strumming the country tune.

"We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout. We've been talkin' 'bout Jackson..." they sang together.

"...Ever since the fire went out. I'm goin' to Jackson. I'm gonna mess around. Yeah, I'm goin' to Jackson. Look out Jackson town." he sang on his own.

Sarah took over and sang on her own in her best June Carter impression."Well, go on down to Jackson; go ahead and wreck your health. Go play your hand you big-talkin' man, make a big fool of yourself. You're goin' to Jackson; go comb your hair!"

"Honey, I'm gonna snowball Jackson." said Chris in his own Johnny Cash impression.

"See if I care." she answered him back with a grin.

"When I breeze into that city, people gonna stoop and bow."

"Hah!" exclaimed Sarah while lightly smacking Chris upside the head.

"All them women gonna make me, teach 'em what they don't know how. I'm goin' to Jackson. You turn-a loose-a my coat. 'Cos I'm goin' to Jackson."

"Goodbye, that's all she wrote." sang Sarah. "But they'll laugh at you in Jackson, and I'll be dancin' on a Pony Keg. They'll lead you 'round town like a scalded hound. With your tail tucked between your legs. You're goin' to Jackson, you big-talkin' man. And I'll be waitin' in Jackson, behind my Jaypan Fan!" she emoted fanning herself with the last line.

The two of them then proceeded to the final chorus, "Well now, we got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout. We've been talkin' 'bout Jackson, ever since the fire went out. I'm goin' to Jackson, and that's a fact. Yeah, we're goin' to Jackson, ain't never comin' back."

Mikako clapped her hands and then rubbed her ears, "I hope you two are good at your day jobs, because you shouldn't quit them. Johnny Cash and June Carter are probably spinning in their graves right now."

Chris shrugged, "As long as you're having fun it doesn't matter if you're good or not," Chris then turned his gaze to Ikaros and smiled at her, "This is an example of fun. So how did it make you feel?"

Ikaros put a hand over her chest and closed her eyes. "I'm not sure master. I've never experienced this sensation before."

"Does it feel good, or does it feel bad?" asked Sarah with a smile.

Ikaros looked up at Sarah and met her eyes, "I think it feels... good."

"Alright then. Enough science for today. Instead let's all have a good time! Lemmie think here... Can't remember what else I know how to play..."

Chris started strumming randomly until a certain set of notes reminded him of something and he started to play for them again.

Sarah smiled brightly at Chris while he played the guitar. Mikako stepped over beside her and with a curious glance, "I realize we only just met, but, what's with you?"

"I just haven't seen him like this since I first met him. It's a nice change of pace."