Chapter 6 --- BEEP BEEP

Diane was tired. Two months of intensive training could ruin a girl's social life, not that she had ever had much of a social life; At least until Jake. Being married to him often felt like one big date: dinner, movies, shows, parties and trips – all with her best friend. In some ways the last two months had been fun, spending almost all day with Jake. In other ways not so fun, Jake was training her. Technically it was Kyle, but Jake was the one who could physically keep up with her. Always besting her, it was frustrating! She wondered how he could stand losing at Boggle so much.

There were compensations. She could get more work done on her computer. She wasn't in Jake's league with technologies, but when it came to accessing files, especially her own, she was good. Her endurance surprised her. Staying in shape had always taken backseat to her all consuming lab work. Last week she and Jake had run 100 miles on the treadmills. Since Jake took one step to her two, she felt like she had won that one. The best compensation was in the bedroom. She had never understood how much control Jake had used to protect her from injury. She made sure he knew and understood her appreciation. Every sense was amplified along with every sensation. Soreness was short lived and recovery was incredibly fast. Diane was thinking of changing her name to Randy, because she was, constantly.

Lou insisted that Diane continue wearing glasses, even though the nanites had repaired her eyesight. "Only for appearances," Lou had insisted. "Can't be seen changing too much, too fast." Anyway, Jake likes it; it gives her that 'sexy scientist lady' look that he fell for in the first place.

Finally it was time for Diane to play Coyote to Jake's Roadrunner. It took her three hours to succeed in shooting him with her last paintball; the longest game on record by two hours and thirty-seven minutes.

At Kyle's suggestion they switched roles. When Jake stepped through the door of the arena he immediately shot straight up, nailing Diane between the legs. The shortest game on record at 00 minutes and 01 seconds.

They played eleven more games, none lasting more than a few minutes. The last six games with Diane gunless. This has Kyle worried, Diane is supposed to be learning to play 'rabbit' not 'road kill'.

On the drive back to DC, Diane is huffy. When they stopped for coffee at a convenience store, Jake bought a small bottle of baby oil and got into the back seat with her. It takes a few miles and some coaxing but she agrees to allow him to massage her feet. Judging from the sounds Kyle hears, Jake has done this before. Glancing back Kyle sees the Chinese lettering on Diane's right foot. "What do the tattoos mean?" He asks.

"That Tequila and finals don't mix." Is Diane's retort. Mom nearly killed me. It was my last finals before getting my B.A. at Harvard and mom was treating me like a baby,"

"Diane," Jake said, "be fair, you were seventeen."

"So."

"What if our daughter did that?"

"We won't have that problem."

"Really?"

"If she's like me she'll be home schooled till she's thirty."

"What if she's dumb like me?"

Diane kicks Jake on the thigh, "Don't insult my husband in front of me."

"Aww… It sounds like you care."

"A little less since you shot me in the …" She glances at Kyle.

"I know where he shot you, I was there remember?"

"Really Jake, that is embarrassing!"

"Be glad there wasn't a cadet class there. Besides," Jake continues, "I didn't aim, I just stepped and fired. You were playing my game, baby."

"I thought your game was Chutes and Ladders?"

"You two play Chutes and Ladders?"

"Only when I hide the Boggle."

"Come on Jake," Diane begins, "Kyle we play a lot of games."

Smiling, Kyle arches his eyebrow. "Really?"

"Sure: Chess, Backgammon, Parcheesi, Go…"

"What, no cards?"

"We used to play Poker."

"Why'd you stop?"

"I own all her clothes." Jake interjects.

"Not my new ones." Diane coos as Jake starts massaging her left calf.

"Jake," Kyle interrupts, "go any higher and you're sitting up front with me."

"Spoil sport." Diane purrs.

"At least you're in a better mood." Kyle adds.

"Jake's tha man." Diane say's while sitting up and leaning over to kiss Jake. "Jake's my man!"

XxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Miss Yoshida, what is your report?"

"Actually it's Dr. Yoshida, Sir,"

"Point taken, Dr. Yoshida. Please begin."

"Sir, Ma'am; in short Diane Hughes-Foley's infestation with the nanites occurred when a bullet passed through her husband's body and into hers. The close proximity of their bodies during and immediately after allowed the transfer of the nanites."

"What proof do you have of this?" Chief Director Skerrit asked.

"First, blood traces recovered from a period she had the morning in question, show no nanite presence."

"Secondly," Fran pulled up an entry from a nearby terminal and the main screen on the back wall lit up with Jake's picture. Calling up the next screen, Fran announced, "This is the way the nanites look at rest." Highlighted areas along Jake's nervous system show nanites all over his body. "The next few images show where the nanites are when he's injured, at different points while healing and well. The nanites amass on the injured area but reduce over all coverage by only about 20."

Pulling up a series of screens that show Diane's nanites, Fran explains; "Here's Diane, 22 minutes after she was injured. As you can see the nanites are only around the wound. After an hour the scan shows the nanites starting to spread through her body radiating from the wounded area. This would indicate when and how the nanites were introduced into the body of Dr. Hughes-Foley."

"So your assessment is that it was a freak accident?"

"Yes Sir."

"What is your prognosis?"

"She will never be as enhanced as her husband."

"Explain please."

"There are differences in DR. Foley's augmentations from Agent Foley's"

"Exactly what are the differences?"

"Strength and speed are roughly 45 of Jake's. Eyesight and hearing, maybe 50. Her ability to heal and her endurance are at 100. Yet her ability to interface is only 10 at best."

"Do you have an explanation?"

"I have a theory."

"Continue."

"The nanites are taking on the characteristics of the cells they inhabit."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"The nanites Jake originally received were unadulterated. These original nanites are long gone and have been replaced many times and reprogrammed by us many times. The nanites Diane received were not pure so most of her enhancements are weaker, except for healing."

"Why is the interface enhancement so much weaker?"

"I think part of it's psychological. If you remember, she was present when the two agents we enhanced lost their minds while interfaced. This ability in Diane has increased over time; I believe that as she gains confidence and experience it will develop."

"Can you explain why this accident did what we haven't been able to do, namely successfully transfer nanites to an agent?"

"I believe that the nanites were in an active healing mode. It's the only explanation that fits the facts we have."

"Thank you Dr. Yoshida for your report. For the time being it is classified 'Director's Eyes only'. You are dismissed."

"Yes Sir, Ma'am." With a quick turn she is gone.

"What do you think, Skerrit?"

"That it's too risky to have been intentional on their part."

"I agree. Letting them marry, I don't like it, not one little bit."

"I agree Warner; however, Lou has a good argument. Allowing Foley to believe that he has a life is beneficial to us, at least until he's retired to a lab full time."

XxxxxxxxxxxxX

Next: What else can go wrong, or is it right?

6