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Episode 13: War of the Minds, Part I - Confronting Adam and the Dark Secrets of Program Alpha-Omega Episode 13: War of the Minds, Part I Gabrielle and Zack spent a good portion of their night up working on the program, trying to increase its power and reduce its run-time. At five in the morning, they finally stopped, in the belief that it simply wasn't possible to do anything more to it. "How long do you figure it's going to run now?" Zack asked her. He had spent the last hour working more on a script than on the program, leaving her to that, as she knew exactly what she was doing. "Right now, it's going to depend on the complexity of the script." "We've gone that far?" "Yep." "Well, let's try a simple relaxation script, then. I have to get some rest, or I'm going to be worthless today." Zack booted up his rejuvenation script, and readied it to run. "What am I supposed to do for the next hour?" Gabrielle asked. "This won't take an hour. Just fifteen minutes. I don't like using it, because I'm not sure what it'll do to the body if you used it all the time, but every once in a while, I just don't have any other good options. Like today. See you in a few." Zack punched the Execute button, and was assaulted by the program. What had once been a rather beautiful and melodic experience was now anything but enjoyable. The sounds were brash and abrasive, and the visuals were causing his eyes to cross. But twelve and a half seconds later, he was under, immersed in the world of his mind. Two of his unknown maidens approached him, and made his stay quite enjoyable. He was awakened by his mental climax. "You look like you're in a good mood," Gabrielle said. "Good dream," he replied, blushing. "You want to try it?" "No, I think I'll get my rest the old-fashioned way, since you won't let me go with you." "I told you, it's too dangerous. I don't want to give Adam another target." "If he's paying attention at all, he already knows about me." "But he may think you're just another girl. …and then things took a turn

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Episode 13: War of the Minds, Part I - Confronting Adam and the Dark Secrets of Program Alpha-Omega

Episode 13: War of the Minds, Part I

Gabrielle and Zack spent a good portion of their night up working on the program, trying to increase its power and reduce its run-time. At five in the morning, they finally stopped, in the belief that it simply wasn't possible to do anything more to it.

"How long do you figure it's going to run now?" Zack asked her. He had spent the last hour working more on a script than on the program, leaving her to that, as she knew exactly what she was doing.

"Right now, it's going to depend on the complexity of the script."

"We've gone that far?"

"Yep."

"Well, let's try a simple relaxation script, then. I have to get some rest, or I'm going to be worthless today." Zack booted up his rejuvenation script, and readied it to run.

"What am I supposed to do for the next hour?" Gabrielle asked.

"This won't take an hour. Just fifteen minutes. I don't like using it, because I'm not sure what it'll do to the body if you used it all the time, but every once in a while, I just don't have any other good options. Like today. See you in a few."

Zack punched the Execute button, and was assaulted by the program. What had once been a rather beautiful and melodic experience was now anything but enjoyable. The sounds were brash and abrasive, and the visuals were causing his eyes to cross. But twelve and a half seconds later, he was under, immersed in the world of his mind.

Two of his unknown maidens approached him, and made his stay quite enjoyable. He was awakened by his mental climax.

"You look like you're in a good mood," Gabrielle said.

"Good dream," he replied, blushing. "You want to try it?"

"No, I think I'll get my rest the old-fashioned way, since you won't let me go with you."

"I told you, it's too dangerous. I don't want to give Adam another target."

"If he's paying attention at all, he already knows about me."

"But he may think you're just another girl. He probably doesn't realize the danger you represent to him. Look, take this stuff," Zack said, handing her a box with disks and a couple notebooks. "This is everything I've ever done with PAO. If I don't come back, the program is yours. I'd ask you to take care of my family, but other than that, just watch your back."

Gabrielle set the box down. "Do you really think this is that dangerous?"

"I don't know. I'm not sure what's going to happen when I lay out everything I know for him."

"Zack, please be careful," she said, and wrapped her arms around him. He kissed her, and they stayed in their embrace for some time.

-----

"Good morning, Lisa," Zack said to her as he approached her. She was waiting for him at the Martina Airpark, as he'd asked her to.
"Good morning," she said, neither congenially nor hostilely.

"Let's get going."

The two walked into the office, and asked the coordinator if anyone was heading north within the next hour.

"I can't give you that information son. I-" The man's sentence died off when Program Alpha-Omega assaulted him. Ten seconds later, the man shrugged three times.

"Now, once again. Is anyone heading to St. Louis, or further north, in the next hour?"

"Two choices." The man wrote down the information, and Zack took it and left.

"Do you do anything the old way?" she asked.

"Why would I?" he responded simply.

It didn't require using the program to hitch a ride to St. Louis, as the first pilot was more than willing to let them ride along. They climbed into the business jet and buckled in. They introduced themselves to the other two passengers, who nodded, but didn't reciprocate. Zack shrugged to himself, and then sat back, waiting for the flight to begin.

-----

Zack walked into the terminal at Mid-America airport. It wasn't St. Louis, exactly, but he was actually closer to where he was going now. He was surprised, as he entered the terminal, to find someone holding up a sign that said "Griffin".

Zack pulled out his PDA and walked over to the man. "Are you waiting for Zack Griffin?"

"Yes, sir," the man confirmed. "Adam sent me to take you into Belleville and find a hotel."

"Fair enough," Zack said. He quickly raised his PDA and hit Execute. It took only ten seconds, and the man shrugged three times.

Did Adam not protect his people from reprogramming? Or has he programmed them to act like it succeeded? Well, one quick way to check...

"Tell me Adam's last name."

"Sandalwood."

"Good. Take us into Belleville."

"Yes, sir."

-----

Zack checked into the hotel, and they settled in for just a few minutes.

"What do you want me to do?" Lisa asked.

"Check around, and find out what you can about Adamant Computers. Try to be somewhat discreet, but I need information."

"Okay. What will you be doing?"

"Confronting Adam."

"That could be dangerous."

"I know that."

Zack walked out the door and got back into the car that was waiting for him. The driver immediately pulled out and headed to Adamant Computers.

"Have you called Adam to tell him we're coming?"

"No."

"Do you have instructions to do so?"

"No."

"Interesting."

The rest of the ride progressed in silence, until they pulled up to the entrance of an office building, four stories high and quite modern. Zack was duly impressed. His PDA was already in his hands.

Zack walked into the building alone. The driver apparently also had no instructions to accompany him. Zack looked around quickly, and spotted a security guard. He walked over, and before the guard could even speak, Zack had begun the man's reprogramming.

"Where is Adam's office?"

"Third floor. Get off the elevator and take a right. It's at

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THE END