Code 47 to BREV Force Cracko

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 21

Driving home, Martin was thinking, I'm still not happy about being pushed into working with The I.A.S. but knowing that we'll be working with Dr. Schmidt to resolve the situation with Controller, makes me feel a little better. He knew Vivian would be relieved too. By the time the car approached the driveway Martin felt even better about the whole situation.

Vivian met him at the door, put her arms around him and held him tight. He could feel a bit of apprehension in her as he led her to the sofa in the living room.

"As I told you Viv, things actually turned out better than I had expected with Donatez. In fact, how would you feel about working with Dr. Schmidt again?"

Vivian's eyes lit up as she listened to Martin recap his conversation with Dr. Donatez.

When he finished, she released her grip and gazed into his eyes, experiencing the same strength and gentleness that she felt when she first fell in love with him.

"Martin, since we still have to wait for Dr. Schmidt to contact us, perhaps we can use the time to investigate how Controller got access to our files?"

He nodded. "I've got Rosie on it but I'll try and do some additional detective work. Have you seen today's newspaper yet?"

"No, I haven't had time. Why don't we pretend we have nothing else to do with ourselves and just sit and read the paper, over coffee?" she suggested.

"Sounds great to me!"

"Good, I'll get the coffee. You bring up the holo-paper."

Vivian went into the kitchen to get the coffee and then met Martin back in the living room. He initiated a two-person holographic screen so they could both view different parts of the newspaper at the same time and then keyed in Island Falls Times.

When the front page and index appeared on the screen, Vivian went to the crypto-quote section for her daily brain teaser and Martin headed for the front-page news.

"Controller made the front page," he said starting to read the article. "Hey, Viv, you've got to read this."

Vivian placed the coffee on the side table and leaned over to view his holographic image. The headline told her why he was so interested:

"CONTROLLER INVADES ISLAND FALLS"

CONTROLLER, the computer virus that has been creating havoc in computer and communication systems across the U.S., has arrived in Island Falls. Recent occurrences on our two college campuses, originally believed to be pranks, are now being speculated as the work of the computer virus known only as "Controller."

What experts first speculated began as an error in programming, has turned into a menacing computer virus which continues to elude programmers. They have issued a statement that it is beyond their scope of understanding. "Even though we've seen computer viruses before, we've never seen anything like Controller," Michael Ramsey, C.E.O. of Inter-tel Data Systems, Island Falls foremost authority on computer software, told this reporter. "What we understand about computer viruses falls short when dealing with Controller. We've come to the conclusion that this is a computer being of some sort, possibly sentient and that would explain why it doesn't respond to any conventional anti-virus software." When asked about the recent startling appearance of a hologram, Ramsey said, "We can only speculate about the hologram being some sort of a mutation of the Controller virus but what we can't fathom is how it could possibly leave the computer environment."

But, that is exactly what the hologram can do. This hologram, for lack of a better term, calls itself Cracko and has appeared twice so far, at Island Falls College. One student there described it as, "Coming right out of the computer station. It was dressed in very loud looking clothing and kept talking about solving all our problems." At the same time, one of the students was seen handing out Controller related flyers with some kind of candy. Norton University reported a similar instance but at first, it too was written off as senior pranks. Well, maybe not!! Authorities are now focusing on Island Falls but admit they know very little about Controller, or its agenda. Local police Commissioner Davis's office gave this statement, "We've never been up against anything like Controller... it has resources we can't even begin to combat... but the community needs to know we are working day and night to discover how to bring this thing and its hologram, under control. All we do know for sure it that Controller seems to be interested in our colleges." So, how do we deal with this technologically created force? Let's hope someone can come up with an answer soon...

###

Martin and Vivian stared at the image of the hologram that accompanied the article: the caption read, "Students V-TEL captures first look at Cracko."

"Martin, this is all very strange. First it was thought Controller was no more than a computer virus but now it is being suggested it might be a 'sentient computer being.' And to boot, it has its own puppet hologram that decided to land in 'our' hometown. Doesn't that strike you as strange, especially considering Donatez's visit?"

"I've been having the exact same thoughts. Actually, it all sounds too convenient but whatever the explanation, Controller has found its way here and we've been chosen to do something about it."

At that moment, Martin considered telling her about the stranger in the parking lot but decided that another connection between them and Controller might frighten her even more.

Vivian interrupted his thoughts, "You know Martin, last night at dinner Evie talked to me more about the things that happened in her class yesterday and at first it sounded like a prank... but when I talked to my mother..."

"Oh, come on Viv. We are scientists, not science fiction junkies!"

Vivian put up her hand to stop what else she knew he would say. Martin always loved her mother but he felt Victoria's sci-fi interests were totally unrealistic. "No really Martin. This time I think we need to listen, it is no longer sci-fi mumbo jumbo. Her take may be as good, if not better than anyone else's. Now, this thing, this holographic Cracko...here in our town, going after our college kids —our children. And since no one seems to know how it got to be what it is, or how to get rid of it... it scares the hell out of me Martin."

"I know Viv." And he did know! The stranger in the parking lot told me... well, at least part of it. "Controller isn't like anything we've seen before. We'll alert the kids to be extra careful."

He could almost see her mind rationalizing a way to deal with all this. Then Vivian's tone changed. "Previous computer viruses only affected computer systems, this is somehow alive and trying to get a hold on our world. Well, Martin I think that'll be its downfall. We've spent our lives working with living things. Now, its invaded our corner of the world and for us, the stakes just got bigger...our town, our children, our work and the I.A.S. assignment of neutralizing Controller, is just the catalyst.

He was about to tell her about the 'neutralize to destroy' change in order, when Evie came bounding in and sat down on the couch next to her mother.

"Oh, you've seen the latest. See, I told you Mom!"

"I know Evie, so please be extra careful around school...promise?"

"You know me Mom, I'm always careful. Maybe you should tell Brad."

"I'll havea talk with him," her father said placing his arms around both mother anddaughter.