Time: episode 7.
Place: city X; motel Y.
A/n: Let's imagine two things:
1. Jake could be hurt by pursuers (you all know that art by slow.hazel, right?)
2. Jake knows Phil.
__________
Finally a city again. Big, anonymous, but still different. I walk like a shadow among the bunches of people, among the lights of signs and houses. A few days since the last stop. I can barely move my legs. Once they almost caught me, leaving me with a nasty scrape and a confused mind as a gift. Everything is better now.
I managed to connect to a public power supply for a short time while riding the subway, but there is still so little power that any conversations on the network are an unacceptable luxury.
Something's different in the city. Something has changed. Everywhere I go, I see and hear it. Billboards, graffiti, even news on screens in stores and talks of passers-by. "#IAmJake", "let's help our friend", "wherever you are, we are there for you ;)". These are all pieces of the same puzzle, of course. I know who the first "we" are, but I don't understand what they're doing.
Now I can almost react calmly, but when I saw it for the first time, I... I just stand in front of this sign on the wall, this hashtag, and I almost cry. This is weird, it's not my style at all. But this inscription, everything behind it... This is even weirder. Nobody has ever done anything lime that for me in my entire life. Nobody. Never. And even if it's a useless thing and a waste of personal time, they try to help me, try to protect me, take risks for me. I just can't find the words to explain my feelings even for myself.
I continue my way. I'm walking between the lights when I hear it. Notification. No, it's even an alarm. Nymos, a hastily written program that should to protect her, at least temporarily, in case my pursuers tried to sneak up on me from the other side. I didn't even have time to finish the work when I had to run, but...
I duck into a dark, narrow alley, press my back against the wall, and check. Well...
Either the attackers are weak, or Nymos is better than I expected, but he deals with the attack without my help. Or - and it's even worse - this is just an attempt to test the waters, they plan to come back later. Now I can't just wait, it's time to act, look for a shelter where can stay for a few days. Lay low in a very deep place and try to do something in case they try it again. This city probably isn't enough.
I correctly got their actions. They are returned. The second alarm goes off, and I'm trapped in a car on the outskirts of town. It takes longer, but Nymos still manages to deal with the attack. You might not be so lucky next time. I asked the driver stop the car as close as possible, kind of my plans are suddenly changing.
That's how I end up in a small motel. Funny. At the reception, I see a girl with "#IAmJake " on her right hand. This isn't just happening in one city. And it really helps to stay here for a while.
I enter the modest room just in time for a new attack -one that Nymos can no longer handle. I only have time to connect to the network. I do that and immediately join the battle, barely having time to close the "doors" they left and eventually disconnect them from her smartphone. I fall back on the bed and just stare at the gray ceiling for a few seconds. I feel like a squeezed lemon. Strange. And it's not over yet.
I think I'm a little late with my participation. They're almost had things they wanted, maybe even showing their presence in time. Damn it. I want the things were best for her, and that's why I'm refuse from any form of connection, too. But it turns out that I only involve her in new problems. Heck! At least Lilly's safe for now because of that video. They will never think that she can help me after she helped them. But her... I'll have to write to her.
•°•°•°
Jake:
Hello Ana.
[20:55]
Ana:
Do you know that I feel like crying right now?
[20:55]
•°•°•°
I know. Me too, honestly. I feel heavy on heart, it just something tears it to shreds. This is another mistake I've made. I thought I do everything to make situation better, but the truth is that I make things even worse. One small warning and she could have prepared herself, been more careful, not afraid... But I don't warn her, naively assuming that they won't bother her, that they'll only focus on me after my escape. I just leave the unfinished Nymos as protection. That's not enough.
•°•°•°
Jake:
I am so sorry.
So incredibly sorry.
[20:57]
Ana:
Did you deflect those hackers?
[20:57]
Jake:
Yes, I stopped them in the very last second.
[20:58]
Ana:
I was so worried
[20:58]
•°•°•°
All I can do is admit my fault, try to explain the situation at least a little. She's in this situation because of me. She's in danger because of me. All I can think about is this, and I can't concentrate. Barely holding the phone in my hands, I tell her about my mistake, about the plan of the pursuers, about Nymos... The flow of messages seems to me to be confused, not revealing the essence of much, but this is all I can do now.
•°•°•°
Ana:
Why didn't you warn me?
We might have come up with something together
[21:05]
Jake:
Because I truly believed that my fears were unjustified.
And it was definitely not initially part of my pursuers' plans to put any pressure on you.
I could clearly see through how they acted and proceeded that they were suddenly changing their strategy.
[21:06]
Ana:
Of course they did 😉
[21:07]
Jake:
I saw it, Ana.
In the subway tunnels
On the streets
Overheard passers-by mention it
[21:08]
Your message accompanied me. Throughout my entire escape.
[21:08]
Ana:
Well, you wanted Lily and me to work together 🙃
Did it help you?
[21:09]
•°•°•°
She wants to hear it, doesn't she? Wants to know that everything is fine now? And I want Ana and Lily not to get involved in this anymore, they don't risk themselves. A little lie will be good for all of us. That's why I write that "of course, it gave me an immense time advantage."
Unfortunately, my pursuers aren't so stupid. They know who they're looking for. They know there's no way I'm going to draw attention to myself, especially not in this way. Maybe it really does make them slow down a little - to understand what it is and how to react. Just like me, though. It's a pointless attempt. For my sake. And I'm sure I won't be able to forget that.
•°•°•°
Jake:
Nobody has ever done anything lime that for me in my entire life.
Nothing comparable, I mean.
[21:11]
I don't know how I can express how grateful I am to you.
[21:12]
Ana:
You don't have to 🙂
[21:12]
Jake:
:)
[21:12]
I hope that I will find someday the appropriate words for it.
[21:13]
•°•°•°
We're losing track of time in the conversation again. Just like before. It's like nothing's happening. She's just talking to me, even though on my way here to this little motel, I'm scared and almost certain that won't happen.
But it happens. She even thinks about the puzzles, although after the events of the evening, they seem like a minor detail. But at least she likes it. She likes everything. Even if using an unencrypted name as a password is a strange thing to do, in the end I'm glad I choose this one.
This time, we barely touch on the topic 'the investigation'. She only talks about one detail - the arrest of Phil Hawkins. How strange, why would they? Phil probably isn't the nicest person, but he's not a criminal either. Especially not a killer. Strange. Maybe I missed too much while I was on the hiding. One way or another, first I will have to sort out the few things that I managed to pick up and read the chat history.
She writes that she misses me, that she's worried about me. And this makes the lump of muscle in the chest contract especially painfully. I feel the same way about her. If I lose her, too... Heck.
I have to take some time to read everything I miss during the few days of escaping. She manages a lot without my help, but one of the dialogues seems really catchy. The worst part is that the eye catches on to a detail that is not relevant to the investigation.
•°•°•°
Jake:
I saw that you had a long conversation with Phil.
Why did he invite you to come to the Aurora?
[0:23]
Ana:
All of Duskwood seems to know me
[0:25]
Jake:
You said you would go.
[0:25]
Ana:
Are you jealous?
[0:26]
Jake:
No.
[0:26]
•°•°•°
Of course I'm not jealous. I don't even know how. It's just that my fists clench when I see these messages. Anger seethes in me as I imagine him flirting with her. We've known each other for a while, and I know exactly how he feels about girls and how they feel about him. I know, so I grit my teeth and fight the urge to throw something at the wall. But I'm not jealous. It's just... I'm worried.
And she just laughs, not taking my words seriously.
•°•°•°
Ana:
🤭
[0:27]
Jake:
He seems very unlikeable.
[0:27]
Ana:
What? On the contrary 😆
[0:27]
Jake:
Well, then it's just me who doesn't like him.
I just don't want you to go to Duskwood, Ana.
It would be too dangerous for you.
[0:28]
Ana:
The objective analysis leaves no room for jealousy
[0:28]
Jake:
But my worries about you do.
[0:29]
•°•°•°
I can't bear the thought of her being in danger. It doesn't matter if it's an investigation or something. I'm just afraid that...