Cipher [A Gravity Falls Tale] #Wattys2016

Five

Rushing to his phone, Ford glanced at the crumpled business card in his hand. His old friend Fiddleford had given him this card the day they graduated college, promising to start up a successful "personal computing machine business." Now, it was a year later, and Ford felt like he heard from his pal once every other month, though he had been completely silent the past four.

He dialed the number on the card and pulled his phone off the hook and up to his ear. It rang once, twice, then--

"Hello. Fiddleford's Computermajiggs, Fiddleford speaking," answered a voice with a strong southern accent. If Ford remembered correctly, his friend came from a small town out in Tennessee, though he now lived somewhere in Palo Alto with his wife and son.

"Fiddleford, hey, it's you old pal Ford," said the young scientist cheerfully. "I'm out in Gravity Falls, Oregon, working off my grant money. I need your help on some sort of project of mine that will put your engineering skills to good use. Can you help me build a vortex that will break the known boundaries of time and space?"

"You say you're trying to build a trans-universal poly-dimensional metavortex?" asked the engineer with enthusiasm. "Well, that's mathematically feasible!" With a slight but of hesitation, he added, "I reckon."

Ford smiled. His friend was enticed and on board. "When can I expect you?"

"I'll hop on the bus tomorrow!"

"Excellent. I'll meet you at the bus stop, then." Ford hung up the phone, feeling exhilarated. He glanced down at his first journal, where he had been drawing up the blueprints the otherworldly being had provided him. Per Bill's instructions, Ford had divided up the plans for the gateway so no one could steal his ideas using just one source. Ford had come up with the idea to use his journals, as he was now on his third and the triangular device Bill had shown him was easy to divide into three sections.

The day passed slowly, Ford barely able being able to sleep. Early the next morning, he hurried outside and drove to the bus stop. The bus arrived on time, and Ford smiled as his old friend stepped out.

Fiddleford was loaded down with baggage, his banjo strapped across his back and a strange looking briefcase in one hand.

"Fiddleford!" cried his friend. "Good to see you! Let me help you with your things." After they unloaded his luggage into the car, Ford repeated his sentiments.

"It's great to see you too, pal," agreed McGuckett in his strongly accented voice. "You'll have to show me your place."

"With pleasure," smiled Ford. A short drive later, they were back at the facility. The whole way there, McGuckett had stared out if the window in awe, taking in the sights and scenery. "Most folks seem to think there's not much out here, but most folks would be wrong. I believe its unassuming appearance is what's kept Gravity Falls off the radar."

Pulling into his facility, Ford stopped the car and stepped out. "Nice place you've got here," observed Fiddleford as they unloaded his things.

"Just wait till you see what we're on the verge of creating," Ford told him. Ford led him to the facility's elevator and took him down to the subterranean study. McGuckett picked up one of Ford's journals and began flipping through it.

"Ford, this is..." Fiddleford struggled for words, "incredible. Truly incredible. On the verge of unbelievable, but incredible."

"True, many mysteries that this town holds wouldn't be found believable, but they can help us harness the true power that lies beneath."

"Nonetheless," put in McGuckett, "I hope you realize the scope of what you're asking me to help you with. The science behind something like this is tentative at best. Some of the technology we'd need is experimental-- and some of it's theoretical. How do you plan to get all of this?"