Code 47 to BREV Force Cracko

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 13

Martin sat in his car in the high school parking lot for what seemed like an eternity. The information the voice gave him had sent Martin into a spin. The past kept colliding with the present and he knew he just needed to sit there long enough to calm down.

When he finally felt ready, Martin headed to the Cottage. The morning traffic was heavy and he wasn't quite ready to deal with it. The message he was given still haunted him. He believed there were maybe three scientists in the entire world that would have knowledge to create a genetic matrix. Vivian was one, he was the other and the third, Remy! But Remy was dead.

Martin saw Mickey's Breakfast Spot coming up and decided to get some food and let the traffic and his emotions, simmer down. He didn't want to go inside so he directed the car into the last empty drive-through order stall. He instructed the window to open then inserted his "Oneness Card" into the choice selector and then indicated coffee and an egg sandwich. The food popped down into the take-out bin and a computer-generated voice requested, "Please place your hand on the identification pad, look into the camera and stay very still until the retina scan identification check has been completed." Martin was always amazed at how fast the system verified identification and processed the charge. "$8.50" was printed on the screen with an authorization code for the debit against his account. The computer voice added, "You can now take your food," smiled, then added "Have a good day."

A small holographic table appeared and his steering wheel automatically moved out of the way. Once the table; which had compartments for condiments was in place, his window closed and the car temperature adjusted to his physical parameters. Martin reached over and took extra cream for his coffee and some extra napkins and then sat quietly eating while he watched the hustle and bustle of the morning all around him. The coffee was just what he needed and even though the eggs weren't Vivian's, he had to admit they tasted pretty good.

A voice came on through a speaker in the table asking, "Do you wish to see the morning news with your order?"

Martin's mind was so full of the morning's events that he declined. He tried to stop his thoughts from flooding him with questions but it wasn't working: Who was this mad" scientist? Was Controller as dangerous as he was being led to believe? Was there a connection to the I.A.S.? It seemed all too coincidental that he and Vivian were chosen, just the day before, with a directive to "neutralize" Controller? And, why was he feeling such a strong tug to his past?

When he finished eating Martin felt a bit calmer. He knew he had to sort everything out or it would drive him nuts. Then, the answer hit him. Rosie! There was no better assistance for sorting out the impossible, than Rosie.

Martin pressed the "finished button" on the table and it retracted and his steering wheel returned to its normal position. The traffic had thinned down and the driving actually calmed him. By the time Martin passed through the campus checkpoint, he was feeling more like himself.

The guard gave him a packet with a security protocol report. He listened as he drove on to the Cottage. Captain Edderly advised him they still couldn't explain the intruder alert from the day before and that the matter was still being looked into. Additionally, a complete report was already in his computer file and headquarters was sending a special follow-up team to investigate the breach.

Martin decided to go over the report in detail later. Right now, he needed to record the information from the morning's meeting in the school parking lot.

As Martin cleared security at the Cottage, he could hear an incoming communication, "Rosie, V-TEL, speaker on," he called out as the exterior door closed behind him.