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It had been a quiet drive back to Never Never Land. While the coincidence appealed to his sense of humor, he knew his wife was in shock. It had taken no effort at all to persuade her to take a nap, for which he was thankful. Looking at her, he smiled, she always seemed younger when she was asleep; no worries, nothing but sweet dreams.
Leaving her to sleep in quiet, he wanders over to the lab and accesses a couple of terminals. On one he googles Diane Hughes and on the other the Harvard web page, inside of five seconds he has found what he was looking for. Reading the article twice, he accesses a couple of other articles and looks up as Ramsey charges into the room.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Ramsey demands.
"Checking up on my wife, if you must know." Jake replies matter-of-factly.
"Just another yahoo that can't control his woman." He sneered.
"Ramsey, I don't know you and you don't know me, so I'll let you get by this time. But don't take that tone about my wife around me again." Jake stated hard. "And I'll warn you; never let her hear you talking like that."
"Oh, like I have something to worry about… Uphhhh!" He groaned as he hit the floor.
Looking at the man in the doorway, Jake looks curiously amused.
"I've been wanting to do that for a while now." Frank Parker said with a smile. "Uh, look… Olga has explained… about your wife's resemblance to Claire… I want to apologize for my earlier behavior. I really thought I was still dreaming."
"I understand your confusion, but you'll understand that I won't be letting her near you for a while."
"I don't blame you. Does she think she can help get rid of what in my head?"
"Well, we just returned from meeting with Dr. Erikson… "
"Olga told me about it… "Looking around he asks,"Where is Dr. Hugh Foley, I'd like to apologize to her."
She's getting some much needed sleep. I've only seen her that shook up once before."
"Is she alright?"
"I think so, what I found on line should help."
"What is it?"
"Her doctorial thesis and a picture of her in a related article; both were published a month before Claire's activation."
"So Claire copied her look?"
"Diane has never had straight hair, but essentially."
"Weird."
XxxxxxxxxxxxX
The Backstep team was assembled in the lab watching Frank sleep as Diane asked for their attention. It looked like she had been crying. They all looked to her husband who was visibly tense.
Diane was stiff as she addressed Dr. Talmadge, "I believe that I have found a way to reverse the problem with Mr. Parker. Dr. Vukavitch has supplied me with a time line of Mr. Parker's problem… In ten hours, we have to Backstep..."
"That is impossible. Donovan can no longer function as a chrononaut. There must be another way."
Walking over to Jake, she buries her face in his chest and softly weeps.
Wrapping his arms around her, he strokes her hair. "We know about his problem. I will make the jump."
Ramsey scoffed as Donovan sat up straight to object, "It takes a lot of training before anyone can operate the sphere. There is no way you…"
"Stop it!" Olga screamed. "Mr. Foley, Donovan is correct, you could never withstand the physical stresses that a chrononaut endures."
Looking down at Diane, Jake smiles and kisses her on the top of the head. "It's time Sweetheart."
She stepped back from him and shook her head, turning to face the others she started, "I am the research Doctor for an ultra-classified project concerning nanites. The projects original aim was to provide soldiers in the field with rapid medical treatment. Early on in the project we discovered a wider and more exciting use for the nanites…"
Everyone in the room was leaning toward her, knowing that she was revealing something important.
"… The original project research doctor decided to sell the research to Irish resistance fighters… Jake," she turned to him and reached out for his hand, "was in the lab working on our server." Tears fill her eyes with the memories, "He was just a tech support guy… "She turned to look at her audience, "With a gun pointed at his head, he activated the alarm and guards came rushing into the lab. In the chaos that occurred, he was exposed to the nanites when a bullet shattered a beaker containing the nanite serum, a large shard pierced his arm allowing the nanites to integrate with his neural network. He is stronger and faster than anyone on the planet, he can regenerate lost tissue, can see in very dim light and farther. His hearing is phenomenal. He can also control electronics like a universal remote."
"She's yanking our chain Sir." Ramsey scoffed.
Jake stepped over to him, grabbed him by the tie and easily lifted him off the floor. "I believe I warned you about how to talk about my wife." Jake said dumping the choking security officer on the ground.
"It is hard to believe," Olga gently said, "but so is what we do. Could we see a demonstration?"
Jake stared at Olga, then she heard a beep behind her. Turning she saw the computer screen behind her displaying a question: 'What would you like to see me do Olga?'
"Impressive Jake…"
She was interrupted by the screen changing to read: 'Not really, do you want me to access you personal files?'
"No!" She exclaimed before being interrupted once again by the screen changing to show a picture of Diane, no, the picture was moving. Then the picture was from behind her, showing her watching the monitor and all the little movements she was making. "Remarkable, Jake. I didn't know that you had a camera with you."
"I don't." He said. "My supervisor calls me the ultimate human surveillance system."
"So you believe you can control the sphere?" Talmadge asks.
"Sir, I believe so." Smiling, he laughs, "It will also mean that I will be the only one to know what was said here and Diane will have no recall of ever having come to Never Never Land, so secrets will be secured."
Stepping forward, Diane adds, "That will also take care of what I need to do now. I need a direct link to my lab, my assistant will have to be informed about what we are doing, and this has to happen now."
"I can't allow that Dr. Hughes Foley," Talmadge states with a growl. "Every 'backstep' has to be approved by 'The Committee'."
Donovan speaks up for the first time, "We've done it before without committee clearance, and with no backup chrononaut this could be our only chance."
"Well…" Talmadge ponders.
"What about the radiation that the sphere encounters? Wouldn't it upset the programming in Jake's nanites?" Olga asks.
"We believe," Diane worriedly looks at Jake, "That the shielding we've already introduced into the nanites programming and the suit the chrononauts wear will protect him."
Looking puzzled, Olga pursues the matter, "What do you mean by shielding you've programmed?"
"Early in Jake's enhancement he was susceptible to mild EM energies. We… I programmed the nanites to build shielding into the ones they were replicating. By now several generations of nanites have been heavily shielded and the originals have been lost to time."
"Truly remarkable." Olga says with awe showing on her face. "And allowing your husband to go on this dangerous mission."
"We trust…" Diane starts, then stops.
"We," Jake continues for her, "are used to… the odds being against us." Stepping behind her, he places his arms around her, "We are a package deal. The NSA has put us through a lot and we've survived by trusting each other, knowing that the other was looking out for the other, no effort is wasted, neither of us go half-way in our efforts to protect each other."
"And you are prepared to take the risk?" Talmadge asked.
Diane leaned back and looked up at Jake, Jake looked down at her, and both of their brows scrunched up. After a couple of minutes they smile at each other. Diane looks at the group and fights back her tears, "Jake has had few assignments that his life wasn't in peril." She says softly, and then a hard, determined look masks her emotions. "It is up to me to see that he has what he needs to come back to me."
Moving his hand to cover her barely bulging belly, he adds, "I have the motivation."
Talmadge looked at the Foley's, studying their faces. He admitted to himself that he liked them. The situation they found themselves in was, unusual at best and they were handling it better than he had hoped. She had figured out how to solve a problem that had stymied his best minds and he had kept her calm and focused; something he was sure wouldn't have happened with her shy personality. Taking a deep breath, he collected his thoughts and came to a conclusion. "Donovan, take Agent Foley to the simulator. Olga, bring Owsley up to speed. Jake, Diane… " Words fail him. "Lets do it people." He says with a stronger voice than he felt.
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Wednesday August 1, 2007 6:30am Washington DC
The claxon roused Frank Parker from his troubled sleep. He had heard the alarm only a few times in his career and he knew he was needed in the briefing room to see what national or international problem Donovan had brought back with him. Rushing from his room while zipping up his coveralls, he runs right into his best friend, Craig Donovan.
"What are you doing here?" They say in unison.
Picking themselves up they rush toward the briefing room.
Seeing Talmadge seated and on the phone, they move to their places around the table and wait as Olga finally completes the group.
Laying the phone in it's cradle, Talmadge addresses the speakerphone. "Go ahead conundrum."
"Dr Talmadge, as I have explained to you, per your orders, I cannot reveal who I am. My involvement in this project is a one time occurrence. It is vital that Frank Parker be flown to Fort Meade immediately for treatment; the nanites that have been used in him are killing him…"
"I feel fine." Frank scoffs.
"You have been having dreams about Claire."
"How could you know that?" He demanded.
"The dreams are the result of a program that she inserted into your nanites when you backstepped to stop her. The programming was interrupted by the backstep and has been kept in check by the frequency of you r backsteps. With Donovan doing more backsteps lately the nanites were allowed to repair the program and you will suffer from lack of rest."
"Ok, tell us why Donovan didn't make the backstep?" Talmadge gruffly asks.
"Captain Donovan have you been having headaches?"
"How could you possibly know that?" Craig admits.
"You have an aneurism; another backstep will probably kill you."
Looking stunned, Craig turns to Olga, "Is what he says possible?"
"We will need to run an MRI, but if what he says is true, it is possible."
"Listen," The voice on the phone directs, "Run whatever tests you need on Captain Donovan, but Frank needs to be on your fastest plane to DC ASAP. Dr. Talmadge, you should accompany him to meet with the appropriate directors. What you need to know about my involvement… let's just say we're equally classified."
"You talk like we've met?" Frank asks.
"We did in the last timeline. And that leads me to the last thing I need to tell you…"
"Go ahead Conundrum." Talmadge ordered after a few seconds of silence.
"Frank, the specialist that you will be treated by… she is… well... In the last timeline you tried to kill her because… she is the template that Claire used to create her appearance."
"You're just yankin' my chain."
"No Frank, I'm not. A word of advice; I know that you had to seduce Claire twice in order to pull her plug. The specialist you will be treated by is married; you might want to behave yourself."
"It sounds like he knows you Mr. Parker." Olga put in, while Donovan just leaned back in his chair.
"I never… usually… This guy sounds like a kook to me."
"Never the less Frank," Talmadge said with authority, "specialists in nanotechnology are as scarce as chrononauts – You will be on your best behavior. Conundrum, we will be in DC before noon your time.
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Wednesday August 1, 2007 7:00am The Nanotechnology Lab in Fort Meade
Jake sat the phone in it's cradle on Diane's desk and smiled as he heard the familiar ticking of her heels as she neared the door.
"Jake!?" she exclaimed at the sight of her husband sitting at her desk. "What… How did you get here? You were at home when I left."
"Sweetheart, I have a story for you that you will not believe." Looking past her, he frowns, "But it will have to wait." He said as he stepped around the desk to give her a peck on the cheek.
"Agent Foley." A cold, angry voice came from the cold, angry woman standing in the doorway to Diane's office. "What do you mean demanding that I come down here immediately?"
"Director Warner." He returns her coolness. "Conundrum."
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A/N: I've had fun with this idea. When I realized that the brilliant actress, Keegan Conner Tracy had played both roles (Claire and Diane Hughes), I couldn't resist writing a crossover.
AA/N: A couple of people asked, so I'm including the poems that I used in chapter 1 as part of Jake and Diane's code. I think they're pretty cool. And just so there is no confusion – they are all in the public domain.
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Robert Burns – A Red, Red Rose
1.
O, my luve's like a red, red rose,
That's newly sprung in June.
O, my luve's like the melodie,
That's sweetly play'd in tune.
2.
As fair art thou, my bonie lass,
So deep in luve am I,
And I will luve thee still, my Dear,
Till a' the seas gang dry.
3.
Till a' the seas gang dry, my Dear,
And the rocks melt wi' the sun!
O I will luve thee still, my Dear,
While the sands o' life shall run.
4.
And fare thee weel, my only Luve,
And fare thee weel a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho' it were ten thousand mile!
She Walks In Beauty like the night
a poem by Lord Byron
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
XLIII. "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways..."
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.