TNP2-19 "Forbidden Destination"

A Chapter by dw817

Smithers spoke, "David. I'm very sorry. I have strict orders to not let you back to work until muss Candy permits it." I looked to Trudy who gave me a knowing look. "Things to hide, right, David ?"

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THE NANCY PRINCIPLE-2
© October 2014 Written by David Wicker
Please do not reprint without permission

CHAPTER 19 - FORBIDDEN DESTINATION
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Rated: EVERYONE

Trudy pinched up her mouth for a second. Then she leaned over to whisper in my ear like it was a great secret, "Things to do with ESP and extra terrestrial life."

"What, really ?" I was amazed. I know the job I had there was basic data entry, but I had no idea BBI dealt with these extra activities.

I added, "How come I haven't seen anything to this effect working there ?"

"Because you only had access to 3-floors underground. There are actually 15 floors that go beneath the surface. I know for a fact on the 10th floor there are fossils that are believed to be from alien bodies centuries ago."

"Can we go see it ?"

"Right now ?" she asked ?

"I can't think of a better time." I grinned at her.

"Okay," she horfed down the rest of her pizza, washed it down with the remainder of her soda, and we both left together.

We caught Smithers finishing up his egg sandwich and reading a book, "Stranger In A Strange Land."

How coincidental is that, I asked myself ? I remembered that story well, about psychic aliens ! I wondered then if Smithers had any dealings with BBI.

He looked up and saw us and quickly set down his book and wrapped up the remainder of his sandwich.

"To BBI and step on it." I told him.

He shook his head, "David. I'm very sorry. I have strict orders to not let you back to work until muss Candy permits it."

"What !?" I exclaimed. I looked to Trudy who gave me a knowing look. "What was it I told you earlier, Dave ? Things to hide, right ?"

She addressed Smithers. "That's fine. Take Dave home and =I'LL= go to BBI, can we do that ?"

"Certainly mum."

Trudy then leaned in close and whispered, "I've got my Kodak Instamatic right here in my skirt pocket. I'll take some photos and we'll get together later to look at them. I'd like to get your opinion on some things."

"Thanks." then I looked ahead, "Okay Smithers, if not BBI, then yeah, I can go home."

"Verruh good suh."

He dropped me off and drove away with Trudy to BBI. But then I realized there was no-one with me, so how did I get back in ?

I knew the entry was the pillar outside the building. I waved my hand over the area that scanned prints. Nothing happened.

I started to walk away to find another way in when it beeped plaintively and slid the side of the pillar open for entry.

* * *

I cautiously walked inside as it slid closed behind me. The familiar green tracing light went down across my head, chest, and feet. Finally SHE spoke, "Recognize. David Wicker. Entry admitted."

Then the cylinder in the pillar descended a step and opened back up. I smirked, it was certainly going to take me some time to getting used to this. And, like before. It was all quiet.

I pondered going to the other floors to see what I could, even though there were only 3 choices. Decided against it and instead raided the fridge on my level to find a good ice cream bar.

Taking it back to my room, I checked the log on my BBS.

Goldschlager called, Lamron, and ... yep, right there, that mysterious caller again with no name.

I brought up the text file in EDIT to get a closer look at the activity. What I saw really scared me. This mystery caller tried 14 times to guess my SysOp password, unsuccessfully of course as it was 20-characters random digits and letters that I memorized.

What was really frightening was the fact they used all the home addresses I've been at, including Dad's as part of the password. So whomever was trying to hack my system apparently knew me since I lived with Dad, which was - 4 years ago.

I was being stalked by someone for over 4-years now ! Were they the ones that cut the glass circle in Smithers limousine earlier ? This had to end now.

I made a slight change in the code. After 3 incorrect tries to login user #1, that's me, I added text printed in red that would appear for the caller, "I just called the police." and then it would drop their connection.

I wrote the code to make it print out really slow too like I was typing it and I was right there watching them. That oughta scare him or whoever off.

I sat in my chair which rotated 360 and looked at my Teddy Bear collection. They certainly looked great.

Then I heard a sound, like a slight cough. I recognized, that was Susan.

Now I know I told myself years ago that whenever Susan talked to me, it was just my imagination that was doing it. But as the years waned on and the conversation seemed genuinely unique, I began to doubt it.

Not once did I consider throwing away this beloved Teddy Bear or getting mad at her or myself. Instead I treated her like a good friend, though she only talked with me when I was alone.

"David ?" she asked.

"Yeah, Susan. I'm here."

"Where did you go ?"

"Crystal's Pizza. They had videogames and food and stuff."

"Where couldn't you go ?"

I smiled, walked to the bed and pulled her out of the covers. Sure enough her eyes were shining with that strange infinite reflection and light - and it meant she was active talking to me.

"What are you - reading my thoughts ?"

"Something like that." she said mysteriously, "But where couldn't you go ?"

"I couldn't go back to work till Tricia gave the okay. Trudy told me there were alien artefacts on the lower floors and she was going to get some pictures of them."

"Aliens ?" She scoffed, "You don't believe in that sort of nonsense do you ?"

I rubbed my nose with my fingers. "I'm not sure. I'm - well, I'm really beginning to wonder if this is really a house I'm in or - "

"Or what ?"

"Or - I don't know what. On a different subject, who do you think the mystery caller is ?"

"I only know as much as you do." Susan spoke cryptically.

Was this an indicator that she really was a figment of my imagination ? There were times I thought it, and yet others - she responded in such unique conversation I thought surely she must have a mind of her own.

"Okay."

"I'm going back to sleep now." Susan said suddenly. And without waiting for a reply her eyes changed and turned to cheap reflective plastic again.

"Yeah, you and me both." It was only 4pm but I was tired. I wasn't sure why. It seemed like the air was sweet, like after a rainstorm or something, and that always made me sleepy.

"Just a few hours." I promised. Understanding a bit more about the coconut waterfall mechanism, I changed it to look and sound like a rainstorm. That added to my sleepiness, then I took off my clothes and went to bed.

It seemed only a few minutes passed when I heard the bell on my door signal. Then I heard Trudy's voice over the intercom.

"Hey sleepyhead, wake up, it's almost night ! I've got the photos to show you. Are you there ?"