Revolution V - Jill: Not Large, But Still in Charge
My name is Jill Tiny
chapter 29
by
copier
· original author:
dr.manhattan
Giving Jill a questioning, almost accusatory stare with her lambent emerald eyes all the while, Cindy lowered her right hand, and with it a passively disgruntled Jackie, toward her opposite, piceous-clothed thigh. Jackie plopped rump first onto the ripply cotton veneer of the much larger girl's sweatpants, her back resting against a solid wall composed of similar fabric. A horizontal tree of smooth, dark buff flesh descended with gentle casualness onto Jackie's lap, rolling itself softly into her midsection.
"Alien Technology?", there was skepticism in Cindy's query, "What makes you say that? I mean, I'd expect this kind of thing from Jackie, but...".
"Watch it, tall, white, and clingy", Jackie addressed the gigantic blond as she pushed futilely against the muscular forearm pinning her to the vast abdomen on which she involuntarily leaned. With a sigh, Jackie admitted defeat and turned her attention to Jill. "She does have a point, though", Jackie yielded while undulating an upturned thumb, then asked with more than a hint of suspicion in her voice, "So, how did YOUR day go, Jill?".
"Me?", Jill responded plainly, "Oh, it was nothing special. You know, just boring administration stuff. Nothing worth mentioning, really".
"That's two nothings", Cindy looked down to Jackie, "She's definitely hiding something".
Jill, with blushed cheeks, nervously gave attempt to debunk Cindy's claim, "No, really. You guys put me to shame with your stories. I wouldn't even know what to say".
"We have ways of making you talk", Jackie threatened deviously with a smirk on her thin red lips, "Kong...".
Sending an obedient nod Jackie's way, Cindy reached with her unoccupied arm for her tiny, modest friend standing but a few feet away. Jill, for her part, made no effort to escape the approaching Brobdingnagian extremity as it carefully scooped her within its confines and lifted her skyward. She crossed her dangling legs at their knee caps as her hands laid themselves just behind her, compressing the plushy surface of Cindy's palm in support of Jill's reposed weight.
The inclined ride soon came to an end for Jill, placing her before Cindy's beautiful face, which held a comparable height to the ten inch girl by itself. Jill was met with widening irises of dark but brilliant green carrying a tint of sadness around dilated pupils. Below, a pair of full lips glazed in light red, the bottom of the duo protruding significantly, begged for consideration as well.
"Please", Cindy beseeched with an almost childlike quality.
"That's it?", Jackie interrogated, "I quoted Dumbrille for that?!" (warning: obscure movie reference)
"Misquoted, even", Jill corrected her friend from on high. She then stretched out her right arm and patted Cindy on the bridge of her nose, "Alright, alright, I'll talk. Just stop with the puppy dog face. That's way more cuteness than I can handle".
"Works every time", Cindy giggled as she set Jill back onto Jackie's maroon bedspread.
"I know I don't say it enough", Jackie proclaimed as she turned her head away in a pouting manner, "but I really hate you guys".
--------------------------------------------------
As Jill oscillated in rhythm with her carrier's stride, she squirmed about in the vain hope of finding comfort within the fist tightly enclosed around her waist. The woman inconsiderately transporting her, Jill thought, must be a secretary of some sort. Wearing a white with thin brown stripped button-down shirt and lower thigh length brown skirt, accompanied by dark pantyhose and ugly coffee heels, what else could she be?
In any case, Jill wasn't too fond of the way this red-headed behemoth, seemingly in her late-forties, had snatched her from the school lounge high above without asking. Nor was her lack of response to anything Jill said during the elevator ride very pleasing. Of course, introducing Jill to everyone they crossed in the hall would have been nice, had this rude biggie not presented her as one would a Barbie doll, giggling as she announced Jill as "the cutest little intern she'd ever seen".
Jill was therefore more than a tad relieved when her transporter stopped at one of the card slots overhead. The woman lifted an ID card to the waiting port with her free hand, inserting and then retracting it. Jill caught glimpse of the slightly more elevated panel, observing neon red letters reading TECH OPS: HEAD. A lengthy slit materialized into the wall and split to reveal a vacant doorway.
The impertinent woman strayed into a room which looked like most others Jill had seen in the complex. The walls were a dull metallic gray, though something seemed amiss with them. The room itself was empty, save for a skinny-legged silver desk encumbered with papers and files, and the man, probably in his early-to-mid-thirties sitting behind it. Jill was taken to the front of the work table, where she noticed a tiny ladder hung from its top to the floor. The hand holding her moved to set her down among the wasteland of disorganization, but instead flung her from its grasp with a flick of its neighboring wrist. Jill tumbled onto the littered platform with a tiny thud.
"Check out the new intern, Mac", there was a condescending tone in the woman's voice.
His face buried within a file, the man known as Mac only replied, "Thanks, Jezel".
Jezel devilishly smiled down upon Jill pulling herself to her feet before leaving the office. Brushing her powder blue t-shirt with both hands, Jill waited with patient politeness as Mac finished reading the file. It didn't take long. The man looked at Jill, his pale blue eyes going wide for a split second. Most would have missed such an insignificant action, but, at her size, Jill had long become accustomed to noticing the slightest of movements.
"You must be the new Level 1, right ma'am?", Mac inquired in a near monotone voice.
"Er, yeah", Jill was nervous after her previous treatment, but couldn't help asking, "So, your name is Mac? Really?".
Mac briefly showed Jill a small smile, "As far as anyone here knows, ma'am". His face returning to its naturally mundane form, he stood from his seat, "Welcome to Technical Operations, ma'am. This is where the day to day functions of this facility are powered and monitored. It's the most important sector in this place. And the most boring".
Standing with arms behind his back and feet shoulder width apart, Mac's professional demeanor struck Jill as a bit odd, given his appearance. Contrary to the various uniformed employees she had seen walking about, Mac wore a torn and dirty beige hooded sweatshirt with equally tattered white trousers. His light brown hair was ruffled and unclean, and his facial hair could only be described as something between a five o'clock shadow and peach fuzz. If Jill had seen him on the street, she would have dismissed him as a bum.
"Well, I'm just happy to be here...Mac", Jill had to hold back her laughter at the ridiculous name, "Oh, I see you have a ladder on your desk. That's for me?".
"Yes, ma'am", Mac replied unassumingly, "I wasn't certain how ma'am felt about being picked up".
"Ma'am?", Jill questioned.
"That's you, ma'am", Mac replied without sarcasm.
"You don't have to call me ma'am", Jill informed, a little embarrassed, "I'm Jill".
"That won't do, ma'am", Mac countered, "Would you settle for boss?".
"Boss?", Jill asked surprised.
"They didn't tell you?", Mac quizzed knowingly, "Your assignment is to run this sector".
--------------------------------------------------
"Whoa. Wait a minute. Stop everything", Jackie interrupted, "You show up and five minute later you're running the show? Talk about fast track!".
"Yeah. No fair!", Cindy mock pouted.
"Well, I wouldn't say that", Jill retorted, "There's a big difference between someone telling me I'm a boss and me actually being one".
"Such wisdom, such grace", Jackie taunted, "Spoken like a true leader, eh, Kong?".
Cindy ignored Jackie, instead showing concern for Jill, "Did someone give you a hard time?".
"No", Jill stated, "Well, yeah, sort of I guess".
--------------------------------------------------
“I don’t think this is going to work”, Jill worried, “I mean, pretty much everyone I saw on the way here was giving me a dirty look just for being an intern. How am I going to lead those people?”.
“Permission to speak freely, boss”, Mac requested respectfully.
“What?”, Jill was caught off guard, “Oh, yeah...you don’t need to ask”.
“Those guys out there are a bunch of animals”, Mac’s tone turned soft, almost timid, “They can smell fear. You need to wear a strong deodorant”.
Jill gazed blankly up at the much taller man.
“Maybe I should have said perfume?”, Mac offered, but still got no indication of understanding from Jill, “Sorry, I’m not good at this advice stuff. Uh, don’t worry too much. I’ll help you out. That’s kinda my job, really”.
“Thanks”, Jill gratefully called back.
“There are a few people I think you should meet, boss”, Mac returned to his more efficient speaking method.
Mac fumbled through the messy contents of his desk, eventually finding a long panel built into its sterling expanse. He pushed three buttons on the keyboard-like device, and within five minutes three people filed into his office. Jill immediately recognized Jezel, but she couldn’t place the people standing at her sides. To the left of Jezel was a grizzled man, the top of his head reaching just below her knees, wearing filthy overalls bearing the complex’s symbol. At Jezel’s right, a girl not much older than Jill, dressed in a complex issued jumpsuit stared menacingly at Jill.
“That guy over there”, Mac pointed to the small man, “goes by Big Mic...for obvious reasons. He’s the chief engineer of the complex. If anything breaks down, he’s the one to call”. Jill had little time to take in this information as Mac moved on, “You’ve already met Jezel, right boss? She’s my administrative assistant, which means she’s your administrative assistant”.
“Wait”, the youngest of the trio cut into the roll call, “THIS is the one who’s taking over?! A stupid tiny?”.
“I’d check that attitude if I were you, Lauren”, Mac calmly fielded the complaint, “Miss Keeper is the one in charge now, so maybe you should bury those personal feelings of yours”.
“Miss Keeper?”, Lauren’s eyes grew wide, “You mean....”.
“Yeah”, Jill broke into the conversation, “My mom’s the director”.
The three employees stare, jaws agape at the puny girl standing in front of them. Then, something unexpected happened. It was a slight giggle at first, but Jezel’s laughter soon built to a cackle. All eyes in the room focused on the middle-aged woman until her face quickly snapped to one of fright. Jill turned around to catch the tail end of the icy glare Mac was projecting to Jezel.
“Boss”, Mac refocused himself, “Lauren here is a level 1, too. Actually, I recommend that you head with her for the day. She’s been doing some research you might want to see first hand. I’ll fill you in on the minor details of the job tomorrow”.
--------------------------------------------------
Jill once again found herself in an uncomfortable grip, though she was thankful that this one held her steady and upright as she traveled down mazed hallways. Trying to take her mind of the annoyed glare of Lauren's auburn oculars, Jill focused her gaze on the bouncy raven hair hanging just below chin level from the pretty girl's head.
“So, Lauren”, Jill tried to break the awkward silence, “How much farther along is this mainframe place?”.
Jill became a tad unnerved when Lauren, paying no attention to her question, swivelled her neck to and fro, obviously checking for witnesses. Witnesses to what, Jill was about to find out.
"I don't think anyone will be coming this way anytime soon", even in its most cruel undertone, Lauren carried a sweet quality when she spoke, "I've got something I want to ask you, little miss boss".
Jill felt the dainty fingers enveloping her midsection constrict without mercy, almost forcing her to cry out in pain.
"Go ahead", Jill managed to blurt out as she writhed.
“Do you really think you’re going to last here?”, Lauren squeezed tighter as she asked her question bluntly.
Jill wanted to scream. She wanted to quiver, to hide, to beg. However, a certain piece of clumsy guidance circulated throughout her mind.
“Yeah, I do”, Jill suppressed her terrified emotions, “If I didn’t, I’d just be wasting everyone’s time. Like this conversation we’re having; a complete waste”.
“What?”, apparently Lauren meant for her question to be a rhetorical one.
“Now”, Jill put some authority in her voice, “If you don’t mind, Lauren, I think I’d prefer to walk the rest of the way”.
Lauren looked over her living cargo curiously for a moment. Jill forced a smirk over her lips. Lauren swiftly, but with a camouflaged gentleness, set the tiny girl at her feet.
“Don’t think I’ll always go this easy on you”, Lauren tried in vain to sound intimidating.
“Likewise”, Jill carried a swagger as she replied.
As Lauren set off again, Jill shivered at the thought of how differently the situation could have turned out.
Jill was struggling to keep pace with the humongous older teen, but luckily for her, Lauren stopped at a card slit not too far down the hall. She used an ID card to open the door, illuminating the word MAINFRAME in dim blue. The pair stepped through the resultant entryway.
“Here we are”, Lauren didn’t look down as she talked, “This...is the mainframe”.
Jill marveled at the sight in front of her. She had expected to see some sort of computer, but instead she was staring at an ambiguous still life blob composed of the same dull gray matter as everything else in this place. The formless object, larger than an average sized person, laid suspended with wide threads above and below, as well as from all sides. It took a bit of maneuvering to reach the rugged orb.
“What is it?”, Jill managed to utter quietly.
“No one knows”, Lauren seemed awed as well, “All we’re sure of is that every action of the complex runs through here”.
“Runs through?”, Jill needed further elaboration.
“For example”, Lauren explained with pride, “Every time we swipe one of these handy dandy ID cards, it sends an electrical pulse to a corresponding portion of this thing. Then, it sends a neuronic pulse back to the panel, which in turn stimulates the appropriate portion of the respective wall and poof! Doorway”.
“Neuronic?”, Jill queried in disbelief, “You mean like brain waves?”.
“Yeah“, Lauren returned, “Spooky, huh?”.
“There shouldn’t be anything like this”, Jill proclaimed, then paused before adding, “Not on Earth”.
Lauren lowered her gaze to Jill. For the first time, Jill saw a smile on Lauren’s beaming face.
“I’m glad you’re the one who said that out loud”, Lauren almost whispered.
--------------------------------------------------
“So the complex is alive”, Jackie started in irate fashion, “And that qualifies as nothing to you?!”.
“It’s too early to say things like that”, Jill admonished, “We don’t know if that thing is capable of cognitive functions. I wasn’t going to bring this up until I was sure, so that we could actually talk about it without jumping to conclusions”.
“That does make a lot of sense”, Cindy agreed, “It’s not like it would change anything, anyway”.
“I guess not”, Jackie reluctantly admitted, “So what’s our next move, oh fearless leader”.
“There’s obviously a whole lot going on that we don’t understand yet”, Jill reasoned, “We just need to lay low and keep our eyes open. The more we know, the better our odds of success”.
“Jeez”, Jackie teased playfully, “You sound like an after school special”.
The three girls giggled at the comment.
"Alien Technology?", there was skepticism in Cindy's query, "What makes you say that? I mean, I'd expect this kind of thing from Jackie, but...".
"Watch it, tall, white, and clingy", Jackie addressed the gigantic blond as she pushed futilely against the muscular forearm pinning her to the vast abdomen on which she involuntarily leaned. With a sigh, Jackie admitted defeat and turned her attention to Jill. "She does have a point, though", Jackie yielded while undulating an upturned thumb, then asked with more than a hint of suspicion in her voice, "So, how did YOUR day go, Jill?".
"Me?", Jill responded plainly, "Oh, it was nothing special. You know, just boring administration stuff. Nothing worth mentioning, really".
"That's two nothings", Cindy looked down to Jackie, "She's definitely hiding something".
Jill, with blushed cheeks, nervously gave attempt to debunk Cindy's claim, "No, really. You guys put me to shame with your stories. I wouldn't even know what to say".
"We have ways of making you talk", Jackie threatened deviously with a smirk on her thin red lips, "Kong...".
Sending an obedient nod Jackie's way, Cindy reached with her unoccupied arm for her tiny, modest friend standing but a few feet away. Jill, for her part, made no effort to escape the approaching Brobdingnagian extremity as it carefully scooped her within its confines and lifted her skyward. She crossed her dangling legs at their knee caps as her hands laid themselves just behind her, compressing the plushy surface of Cindy's palm in support of Jill's reposed weight.
The inclined ride soon came to an end for Jill, placing her before Cindy's beautiful face, which held a comparable height to the ten inch girl by itself. Jill was met with widening irises of dark but brilliant green carrying a tint of sadness around dilated pupils. Below, a pair of full lips glazed in light red, the bottom of the duo protruding significantly, begged for consideration as well.
"Please", Cindy beseeched with an almost childlike quality.
"That's it?", Jackie interrogated, "I quoted Dumbrille for that?!" (warning: obscure movie reference)
"Misquoted, even", Jill corrected her friend from on high. She then stretched out her right arm and patted Cindy on the bridge of her nose, "Alright, alright, I'll talk. Just stop with the puppy dog face. That's way more cuteness than I can handle".
"Works every time", Cindy giggled as she set Jill back onto Jackie's maroon bedspread.
"I know I don't say it enough", Jackie proclaimed as she turned her head away in a pouting manner, "but I really hate you guys".
--------------------------------------------------
As Jill oscillated in rhythm with her carrier's stride, she squirmed about in the vain hope of finding comfort within the fist tightly enclosed around her waist. The woman inconsiderately transporting her, Jill thought, must be a secretary of some sort. Wearing a white with thin brown stripped button-down shirt and lower thigh length brown skirt, accompanied by dark pantyhose and ugly coffee heels, what else could she be?
In any case, Jill wasn't too fond of the way this red-headed behemoth, seemingly in her late-forties, had snatched her from the school lounge high above without asking. Nor was her lack of response to anything Jill said during the elevator ride very pleasing. Of course, introducing Jill to everyone they crossed in the hall would have been nice, had this rude biggie not presented her as one would a Barbie doll, giggling as she announced Jill as "the cutest little intern she'd ever seen".
Jill was therefore more than a tad relieved when her transporter stopped at one of the card slots overhead. The woman lifted an ID card to the waiting port with her free hand, inserting and then retracting it. Jill caught glimpse of the slightly more elevated panel, observing neon red letters reading TECH OPS: HEAD. A lengthy slit materialized into the wall and split to reveal a vacant doorway.
The impertinent woman strayed into a room which looked like most others Jill had seen in the complex. The walls were a dull metallic gray, though something seemed amiss with them. The room itself was empty, save for a skinny-legged silver desk encumbered with papers and files, and the man, probably in his early-to-mid-thirties sitting behind it. Jill was taken to the front of the work table, where she noticed a tiny ladder hung from its top to the floor. The hand holding her moved to set her down among the wasteland of disorganization, but instead flung her from its grasp with a flick of its neighboring wrist. Jill tumbled onto the littered platform with a tiny thud.
"Check out the new intern, Mac", there was a condescending tone in the woman's voice.
His face buried within a file, the man known as Mac only replied, "Thanks, Jezel".
Jezel devilishly smiled down upon Jill pulling herself to her feet before leaving the office. Brushing her powder blue t-shirt with both hands, Jill waited with patient politeness as Mac finished reading the file. It didn't take long. The man looked at Jill, his pale blue eyes going wide for a split second. Most would have missed such an insignificant action, but, at her size, Jill had long become accustomed to noticing the slightest of movements.
"You must be the new Level 1, right ma'am?", Mac inquired in a near monotone voice.
"Er, yeah", Jill was nervous after her previous treatment, but couldn't help asking, "So, your name is Mac? Really?".
Mac briefly showed Jill a small smile, "As far as anyone here knows, ma'am". His face returning to its naturally mundane form, he stood from his seat, "Welcome to Technical Operations, ma'am. This is where the day to day functions of this facility are powered and monitored. It's the most important sector in this place. And the most boring".
Standing with arms behind his back and feet shoulder width apart, Mac's professional demeanor struck Jill as a bit odd, given his appearance. Contrary to the various uniformed employees she had seen walking about, Mac wore a torn and dirty beige hooded sweatshirt with equally tattered white trousers. His light brown hair was ruffled and unclean, and his facial hair could only be described as something between a five o'clock shadow and peach fuzz. If Jill had seen him on the street, she would have dismissed him as a bum.
"Well, I'm just happy to be here...Mac", Jill had to hold back her laughter at the ridiculous name, "Oh, I see you have a ladder on your desk. That's for me?".
"Yes, ma'am", Mac replied unassumingly, "I wasn't certain how ma'am felt about being picked up".
"Ma'am?", Jill questioned.
"That's you, ma'am", Mac replied without sarcasm.
"You don't have to call me ma'am", Jill informed, a little embarrassed, "I'm Jill".
"That won't do, ma'am", Mac countered, "Would you settle for boss?".
"Boss?", Jill asked surprised.
"They didn't tell you?", Mac quizzed knowingly, "Your assignment is to run this sector".
--------------------------------------------------
"Whoa. Wait a minute. Stop everything", Jackie interrupted, "You show up and five minute later you're running the show? Talk about fast track!".
"Yeah. No fair!", Cindy mock pouted.
"Well, I wouldn't say that", Jill retorted, "There's a big difference between someone telling me I'm a boss and me actually being one".
"Such wisdom, such grace", Jackie taunted, "Spoken like a true leader, eh, Kong?".
Cindy ignored Jackie, instead showing concern for Jill, "Did someone give you a hard time?".
"No", Jill stated, "Well, yeah, sort of I guess".
--------------------------------------------------
“I don’t think this is going to work”, Jill worried, “I mean, pretty much everyone I saw on the way here was giving me a dirty look just for being an intern. How am I going to lead those people?”.
“Permission to speak freely, boss”, Mac requested respectfully.
“What?”, Jill was caught off guard, “Oh, yeah...you don’t need to ask”.
“Those guys out there are a bunch of animals”, Mac’s tone turned soft, almost timid, “They can smell fear. You need to wear a strong deodorant”.
Jill gazed blankly up at the much taller man.
“Maybe I should have said perfume?”, Mac offered, but still got no indication of understanding from Jill, “Sorry, I’m not good at this advice stuff. Uh, don’t worry too much. I’ll help you out. That’s kinda my job, really”.
“Thanks”, Jill gratefully called back.
“There are a few people I think you should meet, boss”, Mac returned to his more efficient speaking method.
Mac fumbled through the messy contents of his desk, eventually finding a long panel built into its sterling expanse. He pushed three buttons on the keyboard-like device, and within five minutes three people filed into his office. Jill immediately recognized Jezel, but she couldn’t place the people standing at her sides. To the left of Jezel was a grizzled man, the top of his head reaching just below her knees, wearing filthy overalls bearing the complex’s symbol. At Jezel’s right, a girl not much older than Jill, dressed in a complex issued jumpsuit stared menacingly at Jill.
“That guy over there”, Mac pointed to the small man, “goes by Big Mic...for obvious reasons. He’s the chief engineer of the complex. If anything breaks down, he’s the one to call”. Jill had little time to take in this information as Mac moved on, “You’ve already met Jezel, right boss? She’s my administrative assistant, which means she’s your administrative assistant”.
“Wait”, the youngest of the trio cut into the roll call, “THIS is the one who’s taking over?! A stupid tiny?”.
“I’d check that attitude if I were you, Lauren”, Mac calmly fielded the complaint, “Miss Keeper is the one in charge now, so maybe you should bury those personal feelings of yours”.
“Miss Keeper?”, Lauren’s eyes grew wide, “You mean....”.
“Yeah”, Jill broke into the conversation, “My mom’s the director”.
The three employees stare, jaws agape at the puny girl standing in front of them. Then, something unexpected happened. It was a slight giggle at first, but Jezel’s laughter soon built to a cackle. All eyes in the room focused on the middle-aged woman until her face quickly snapped to one of fright. Jill turned around to catch the tail end of the icy glare Mac was projecting to Jezel.
“Boss”, Mac refocused himself, “Lauren here is a level 1, too. Actually, I recommend that you head with her for the day. She’s been doing some research you might want to see first hand. I’ll fill you in on the minor details of the job tomorrow”.
--------------------------------------------------
Jill once again found herself in an uncomfortable grip, though she was thankful that this one held her steady and upright as she traveled down mazed hallways. Trying to take her mind of the annoyed glare of Lauren's auburn oculars, Jill focused her gaze on the bouncy raven hair hanging just below chin level from the pretty girl's head.
“So, Lauren”, Jill tried to break the awkward silence, “How much farther along is this mainframe place?”.
Jill became a tad unnerved when Lauren, paying no attention to her question, swivelled her neck to and fro, obviously checking for witnesses. Witnesses to what, Jill was about to find out.
"I don't think anyone will be coming this way anytime soon", even in its most cruel undertone, Lauren carried a sweet quality when she spoke, "I've got something I want to ask you, little miss boss".
Jill felt the dainty fingers enveloping her midsection constrict without mercy, almost forcing her to cry out in pain.
"Go ahead", Jill managed to blurt out as she writhed.
“Do you really think you’re going to last here?”, Lauren squeezed tighter as she asked her question bluntly.
Jill wanted to scream. She wanted to quiver, to hide, to beg. However, a certain piece of clumsy guidance circulated throughout her mind.
“Yeah, I do”, Jill suppressed her terrified emotions, “If I didn’t, I’d just be wasting everyone’s time. Like this conversation we’re having; a complete waste”.
“What?”, apparently Lauren meant for her question to be a rhetorical one.
“Now”, Jill put some authority in her voice, “If you don’t mind, Lauren, I think I’d prefer to walk the rest of the way”.
Lauren looked over her living cargo curiously for a moment. Jill forced a smirk over her lips. Lauren swiftly, but with a camouflaged gentleness, set the tiny girl at her feet.
“Don’t think I’ll always go this easy on you”, Lauren tried in vain to sound intimidating.
“Likewise”, Jill carried a swagger as she replied.
As Lauren set off again, Jill shivered at the thought of how differently the situation could have turned out.
Jill was struggling to keep pace with the humongous older teen, but luckily for her, Lauren stopped at a card slit not too far down the hall. She used an ID card to open the door, illuminating the word MAINFRAME in dim blue. The pair stepped through the resultant entryway.
“Here we are”, Lauren didn’t look down as she talked, “This...is the mainframe”.
Jill marveled at the sight in front of her. She had expected to see some sort of computer, but instead she was staring at an ambiguous still life blob composed of the same dull gray matter as everything else in this place. The formless object, larger than an average sized person, laid suspended with wide threads above and below, as well as from all sides. It took a bit of maneuvering to reach the rugged orb.
“What is it?”, Jill managed to utter quietly.
“No one knows”, Lauren seemed awed as well, “All we’re sure of is that every action of the complex runs through here”.
“Runs through?”, Jill needed further elaboration.
“For example”, Lauren explained with pride, “Every time we swipe one of these handy dandy ID cards, it sends an electrical pulse to a corresponding portion of this thing. Then, it sends a neuronic pulse back to the panel, which in turn stimulates the appropriate portion of the respective wall and poof! Doorway”.
“Neuronic?”, Jill queried in disbelief, “You mean like brain waves?”.
“Yeah“, Lauren returned, “Spooky, huh?”.
“There shouldn’t be anything like this”, Jill proclaimed, then paused before adding, “Not on Earth”.
Lauren lowered her gaze to Jill. For the first time, Jill saw a smile on Lauren’s beaming face.
“I’m glad you’re the one who said that out loud”, Lauren almost whispered.
--------------------------------------------------
“So the complex is alive”, Jackie started in irate fashion, “And that qualifies as nothing to you?!”.
“It’s too early to say things like that”, Jill admonished, “We don’t know if that thing is capable of cognitive functions. I wasn’t going to bring this up until I was sure, so that we could actually talk about it without jumping to conclusions”.
“That does make a lot of sense”, Cindy agreed, “It’s not like it would change anything, anyway”.
“I guess not”, Jackie reluctantly admitted, “So what’s our next move, oh fearless leader”.
“There’s obviously a whole lot going on that we don’t understand yet”, Jill reasoned, “We just need to lay low and keep our eyes open. The more we know, the better our odds of success”.
“Jeez”, Jackie teased playfully, “You sound like an after school special”.
The three girls giggled at the comment.
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August 15
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