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<div id="titletext"> AfterImage </div> <div id="start"> Nothing ever stays buried... [[Start|Intro]] <div id="footer"> Eric Franco </div> </div>

<<set $read = 1>> <div id="dialogue"> //…copying files…// //…files retrieved. Incoming message from Percy.// BEN: Are you always up this late? PERCY: I should be asking you the same thing. What happened to curfew? BEN: Curfews are tough when you’re not tired. PERCY: And yet your wife is bound to your biological clock… BEN: It’s the only way to pry Mei away from her computer screen. PERCY: And what happens when she catches you on the computer past midnight? BEN: Nothing. She hasn’t come home yet. Been waiting on her for a while now. PERCY: She’s not home? Well, uh, did you call her? BEN: Went straight to voicemail. PERCY: Text? BEN: Messages aren’t sending. Her phone’s probably dead. PERCY: Did she tell you where she would be? BEN: If I knew where she was, I wouldn’t be so worried! PERCY: Could’ve fooled me. Hard to empathize through a computer screen. BEN: Sorry, sorry. I just want to know where she is. PERCY: It’s alright, I get it. BEN: You’re just saying that to make me feel better. PERCY: A little bit, yeah. Did it work? BEN: Not really. PERCY: Ok, how about I stop with the sympathy talk then? Do you have any way of tracking her down? BEN: One step ahead of you. I’ve backed up all her files onto my hard drive. It’s a stretch, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this has something to do with her research. PERCY: Working computer security has its perks, huh? BEN: Please don’t say that. It’s bad enough I’m poking through her files. Let’s not romanticize it. PERCY: Fine, fine. Do some digging and shoot me a message if you find anything. I’ll respond as soon as I can. BEN: Thanks, Percy. [[Open Console|Console]] <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div> </div>

<div id="filepath"> >benf@NEPTUNE:~/mnt/C/Users/benf ls </div> <div id="Console"> <table> <tr> <td>[[TheDayWeMet.txt]]</td> <td>==TestLog1.txt==</td> <td>==WeddingDay.txt==</td> </tr> <tr> <td>==TestLog2.txt==</td> <td>==Broadway.txt==</td> <td>==TestLog3.txt==</td> </tr> </table> <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div> </div>

<div id="dialogue"> 16 November 2017 I tried something new after work today. Research has stagnated for too long, so I decided a change of routine might breathe some new life into the project again. I mean it’s been what, half a year since our last real “breakthrough”? Dr. Newman and I were fresh out of ideas, and it’s only a matter of time before funding gets pulled, and believe me, the last thing I need is to take AfterImage up on their offer. Instead of going straight home, I spent time looking over my notes at a café. The thought of working in public never occurred to me, even in my college days. I always assumed the background chatter and wandering eyes would be a distraction. It was, at some points, but new scenery did lead to some new thoughts. Especially when a very curious man approached me. He wondered why I had a mess of papers all over the table. I thought he was joking, but really, I was just oblivious to the pages of scattered notes around me. Flustered, I scrambled to organize my makeshift workspace, then apologized for causing a scene. I don’t want to remember the awkward conversation fumbling that ensued. Once it was over though, we learned a lot about each other. His name is Ben, and he's a software engineer from Neptune Networks. I knew nothing about software development at the time, but in just an hour, he gave me a base introduction to the craft. He was articulate and confident, with a certain charm that kept me engaged in what he had to say. He talked a lot about computer memory and how a good engineer could manipulate it to their advantage. The core idea of allocating and deallocating memory, mixing and matching references to memory addresses…it was exactly what our research was missing. Ben promised to follow-up with me the next day right after work. It’s been so long since I’ve been this excited, both to make a breakthrough in our current research, and to meet such an interesting man. Looks like the change of scenery really did the trick. Maybe I should talk to Dr. Newman about moving the lab closer to that café. It would definitely save me the drive. [[Continue|DayWeMet Findings]] </div>

<div id="dialogue"> 20 November 2018 Mei Flowers, PhD Newman Industries 1410 Wayback Lane Huntington, NY 11743 Test Subject: Juana Meyer, age 32 Ms. Meyer’s life has been plagued by psychological trauma from a young age. I will not elaborate on her condition out of respect for her privacy, but Dr. Newman and I are certain we can help. After a protracted consultation and a stack of paperwork, Ms. Meyer agreed to be the first test subject for our Cerebral Receiver and Neural Extrapolator. Certain of our success, we sat Ms. Meyer into the CRANE. Everything seemed to be in place. However, as Dr. Newman suspected, our first attempt ended in failure. We were met with complications the moment the CRANE injected the anesthetic. The receiver attached to Ms. Meyer’s head did not correctly map out her cerebral cortex, turning every directory into an encrypted mess of data. It took us an hour to sift through her memories for the right one. Eventually, we found it attached to other crucial bits of information, like her name and her family. Extracting any piece would have meant forgetting the essentials of her personality. Dr. Newman insisted we go ahead with extraction, but I talked him out of it. Ms. Meyer signed up to have her problems solved, not have new ones take their place. Ms. Meyer left the facility with all her memories intact. She seemed to understand when we described our issues to her, but she was disappointed nonetheless. There is work to be done, and Dr. Newman is already looking into repairing the CRANE. I will have to work double time to prepare another test run, but if it’s to help people like Ms. Meyer, I will stop at nothing. [[Continue|TestLog1 Findings]] </div>

<div id="dialogue"> 7 June 2019 Dr. Mei Flowers. That'll take some getting used to. I never imagined what my “dream wedding” would be. The time and place were about as arbitrary as the size of the cake or the seating arrangements. It was always the man who would make the night for me. Ben handled all the planning and kept as much as he could a surprise. He decided on having it at the Chateau at Coindre Hall, somewhere nearby and familiar. I couldn’t complain; it’s the most extravagant venue in all of Huntington. All the most expensive offices and laboratories have a view of just the front gates. The ceremony was held on the chateau lawn, under the shade of a willow tree. Our families blended together in the seats, rather than being separated by the aisle. Ben thought it would be fun to bring everyone together //during// the ceremony. It seemed like his idea went well. Despite never meeting each other, our parents talked for //hours// during the reception. I’ll have to thank Ben in the morning. Speaking of, the reception was the kind of lavish I expect from Ben. He went out of his way to make me feel like I owned the chateau, even rolling in a //throne// for me. I almost laughed at the thought of being a queen, but the feeling faded quickly, replacing itself with gratitude. After popping a bottle of champagne and watching our families dance for a bit, Ben and I slipped away to a secluded hall, where we danced for an hour to the faint sounds of music and cheers from the ballroom. We would’ve stayed longer, had my uncle not stumbled upon us...literally. Ben made our wedding day one of the happiest moments of my life. I couldn’t imagine any other man in his place. I can’t wait to start our new life together. [[Continue|WeddingDay Findings]] </div>

<div id="dialogue"> 25 October 2019 Mei Flowers, PhD Newman Industries 1410 Wayback Lane Huntington, NY 11743 Test Subject: Peter Newman, age 70 Dr. Newman’s father arrived this afternoon, eager to put the CRANE to the test. He is a military man looking to put the war behind him once and for all. Today, we would use the CRANE to extract the most traumatic memories buried within his cerebral cortex. Dr. Newman and I were pleasantly surprised by the amount of progress made in the two and a half years since Ms. Meyer’s trial. Peter’s memories were laid out in front of us like books in a library. All we had to do was find the right ones to read. Still, a problem arose when trying to extract the memories from these “books.” Peter informed us of every detail surrounding his trauma, but the vignettes were too small compared to the greater scope of his time in the war. In a sense, the CRANE was being asked to clip out paragraphs rather than tearing out pages. It was meant to extract entire files, memories about a day in length. By continuing the procedure, we would have removed large chunks of Peter’s recollection of the war. We ended the procedure with heads held high though. We now have the means to map out the entirety of one’s long-term memory. All we need to do is make sure we can extract those memories at a lower scope. Peter has already volunteered his services again. Next time, we will save him from his trauma. [[Continue|TestLog2 Findings]] </div>

<div id="dialogue"> 18 July 2020 Ben surprised me this morning with tickets to see //The Jungle Book// on Broadway. I’ll admit I was ecstatic to tell Dr. Newman I would be taking the day off. As much as I love working on the CRANE, I couldn’t pass up tickets to a live action rendition of my favorite movie. Ben is a genius for finding the one thing that could pry me away from my research. The show itself was filled with the childish wonder that captivated me all those years ago. Ben and I couldn’t stop laughing and cheering until curtains closed! And the music! Don’t even get me started. I feel bad for the people behind us because we were dancing in our seats so much! We hadn’t had that much fun since our honeymoon! Maybe if I spent more time with him… During the car ride home, I started to wonder if all this research was worth the time away from Ben. I’ve been working ungodly hours prepping for our next test, and Ben has been doing everything in his power to get me to take a break. He even went so far as to buy me tickets for The Jungle Book. Alright. Maybe it //is// time to take a step back. My marriage is just as important to me as my research, and I’d hate to make Ben feel lonely in his own home. Starting tomorrow, so long as I’m in this household, I will //only// look at my research if it’s an emergency. It’s the least I can do for him. I think I’ll even start by taking him to a local show at the Township Theater. He did say he would love to see another musical… [[Continue|Broadway Findings]] </div>

<div id="dialogue"> 12 March 2021 Mei Flowers, PhD Newman Industries 1410 Wayback Lane Huntington, NY 11743 Test Subject: Peter Newman, age 72 Dr. Newman’s father has arrived for what is, hopefully, our first successful test run of the CRANE. We have updated all the systems, scanned for errors, and tested the voltage on every circuit. We couldn’t have been more prepared. We sat Peter down and fitted the CRANE onto him. The memories were easy to find, thanks to the logs from his first trial. All we had to was extract them. Working the interface was like prying at ticks with tweezers. You must be delicate, because a single squeeze could end poorly. Each bit of trauma was delicately pulled out, and we continued browsing through his life, detaching the points where he had been haunted. Then, the CRANE finished its job by stitching the pieces back together. Or at least, that will be its function until we decide how to replace those tears with new, happier memories. Peter woke up an hour later, and when we asked him about details of the war, he mentioned how he couldn’t remember pieces. Any other important information was sound, and his mental health reached an all-time high since his deployment. We had done it. Our first successful CRANE test. It won’t be too long before it can be presented to the public. Now to put on the finishing touches. [[Continue|TestLog3 Findings]] </div>

<div id="dialogue"> BEN: How did she…? PERCY: You must’ve slipped up somewhere, bud. AfterImage isn’t going to like this one bit. BEN: I’m not worried about AfterImage. Mei is the only thing on my mind right now. PERCY: Jumping the gun again, are we? Look, if we find her, you’ll be happy, and AfterImage will be happy. So, let’s kill two birds with one stone, shall we? BEN: I’ve gone through every file I have access to. If you didn’t find anything at the lab, we’ll just have to make a guess based on what we have. PERCY: Alright, start throwing locations at me. BEN: An office near the café wouldn’t be too much of a stretch. Cheap enough office space, but she and I know the baristas. PERCY: She could be hiding in plain sight if she thought it’d be the last place you’d look. BEN: Exactly what I was thinking. But is she bold enough to do that? PERCY: Your call. Anywhere else that might make sense? BEN: If Newman Industries could afford it, a lab near the chateau. PERCY: AfterImage’s main building is along that strip. Bit risky, don’t you think? BEN: But like the café, who would think to look for them there? PERCY: Ohhh you have a point. Still, any other place? BEN: Probably the safest bet for her: near the Township Theater. PERCY: The theater, really? BEN: Think about it: who the hell builds a lab near a theater? PERCY: No sane person…or someone who doesn’t want to be tracked down. BEN: Exactly. Now it’s all a matter of finding the right place… PERCY: If she’s on to you, we probably don’t have enough time to make a mistake. BEN: Mei has to be… [[…near the café.|Cafe]] [[…by the chateau.|Found]] [[…around the theater.|Theater]] <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div>

<div id ="dialogue"> //...connecting to Percy…// PERCY: Find anything? BEN: Just this for now. Here. //…sending TheDayWeMet.txt to Percy…// PERCY: So you…helped with her research? BEN: Indirectly, by the sounds of it. PERCY: She’s a neuroscientist, right? Last I checked computers and brains were two separate things. BEN: AfterImage //did// approach her about her initial proposal. PERCY: What does a tech company want with a neuroscientist? BEN: Still can’t see the connection? PERCY: She’s gotta be working on some kind of machine, right? BEN: Bingo, and I have a hunch what it might be. I need to keep digging. PERCY: Well if you find anything, you know how to contact me. BEN: Thanks again for the help, Percy. I’d be a lot more stressed without you here. PERCY: Thank me after you’ve found your wife. [[Continue|DayWeMet Mei]] <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div></div>

<<set $read = 2>> <div id="dialogue"> OLIVER: Oh, thank God! You’re finally here. Were you followed? MEI: N-no, no I— OLIVER: Does anyone know you’re here? MEI: O-of course n— OLIVER: Not even your husband? MEI: Ben doesn’t know //anything,// sir. OLIVER: Good, good. After that little scare, I want to ensure that we’ve taken all security precautions. MEI: Dr. Newman, you need to calm down. We’re safe to finish our research here. OLIVER: We paid the price for an assumption like that before. I refuse to let that happen again. MEI: I understand, but being paranoid will only lead to more mistakes, ones we simply cannot afford. OLIVER: …You’re right, Ms. Flowers. I’ll try to settle down. In the meantime, you should get settled in. MEI: Is there somewhere I can drop my bags? OLIVER: Ah, yes. Right this way. [[Continue|Console2]] <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div></div>

<div id ="dialogue"> //…connecting to Percy…// PERCY: Got something for me? BEN: Found a record of her first experiment. Sending it to you now. //…sending TestLog1.txt to Percy…// PERCY: The CRANE? Seems like it’s got some kinks to work out. BEN: Regardless, Mei was well on her way to converting brains into hard drives. PERCY: Ah, that’s why she needed software engineer to show her the ropes. BEN: She didn’t need me that badly. Give her a few months and she would’ve figured it out herself. PERCY: //Alright.// Didn’t know we were dealing with Einstein’s granddaughter. Then again, who else could astonish you with their intelligence? BEN: … PERCY: What? No snarky remark? Cat got your tongue? BEN: Figured a response wasn’t worth my time. PERCY: Fine, fine. Here, let me make it up to you. BEN: Did you think I was offended? PERCY: No, but it made for a great segue. BEN: Ugh, just get on with it. PERCY: Well, I //was// going to offer to drop by Newman Industries tomorrow morning, but if you’re gonna give me attitude— BEN: They couldn’t be there still, could they? PERCY: Your wife sounds like a workaholic. Wouldn’t surprise me if she was working on the CRANE all night. BEN: I guess it doesn’t hurt to check… PERCY: You’re welcome. BEN: //…Thanks.// PERCY: Ohhh Ben. Polite as always. [[Continue|TestLog1 Mei]] <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div></div>

<<set $read = 3>> <div id="dialogue"> MEI: You’ll still be here tomorrow, right? ?: ... MEI: I promise it //will// work this time… ?: ... MEI: Fantastic! I’m sending you the address. Come by around 10AM, ok? ?: ... MEI: I know, Juana. I’m just as excited as you are. Now get some rest. //*click*// OLIVER: Who was that? MEI: Ms. Meyer just volunteered to test out the CRANE again. OLIVER: Did she? Good to have people you can rely on, isn’t it? MEI: W-what? Oh, yeah, it is… OLIVER: Keep your head up, Dr. Flowers. Tomorrow, we might finally shut the book on this chapter of our work. MEI: I wish it was the end, Dr. Newman. But there’s still more to deal with, even after the CRANE is perfected. OLIVER: AfterImage can’t do anything once we go public. The finish line is right there, Mei; we just have to cross it. MEI: They’re not the only problem I have to deal with… [[Continue|Console3]] <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div></div>

<div id="dialogue"> //…connecting to Percy…// PERCY: Whaddaya got? //…sending WeddingDay.txt to Percy…// PERCY: So that’s where you ran off to. Your mom was looking everywhere for you. BEN: Mei gets nervous around crowds of people, so we danced in private. PERCY: Hey man, you do you. Anyways, you think there’s anything here? BEN: No, it’s just…it hurts to read when she’s God-knows-where. PERCY: If it makes you feel any better, it doesn’t sound like you had anything to do with her disappearance. BEN: Because of this letter? PERCY: “I couldn’t imagine any other man in his place.” BEN: That was two years ago, Percy. Who knows what she thinks now? PERCY: Ben, you’re overthinking it. She loves you. That won’t change. BEN: We’ll see about that. PERCY: How about you ask her when you find her? You know, the thing you’re supposed to be doing right now? BEN: //I get it.// Talk to you later. [[Continue|WeddingDay Mei]] <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div></div>

<<set $read = 4>> <div id="dialogue"> OLIVER: I think I’ve made the finishing touches to the CRANE. MEI: … OLIVER: Mei? MEI: Oh! Sorry, Dr. Newman! OLIVER: Believe me, it’s no bother. Feel free to get some rest for tomorrow. MEI: Thank you, Dr. Newman. Let me finish getting settled in. OLIVER: Do you need any help? MEI: U-uh no, I think I’m fine. OLIVER: Alright. I’ll leave you to your business. MEI: Actually, Dr. Newman? OLIVER: Hm? Is something the matter? MEI: It’s about Ben. OLIVER: I might not be the right person to talk to about this, but go ahead. MEI: I want to see him again, but what would I say to him? OLIVER: I’m afraid I can’t answer that. MEI: Do you think he’ll find us? Will I have to confront him? OLIVER: Mei, you’re going to drive yourself bonkers with these questions. There are better places to put your energy. Best not to spend it on Ben for now. MEI: With all due respect, it’s a lot easier said than done. OLIVER: I’m sure it is. But you won’t get any rest worrying about your husband. Focus on waking up tomorrow and finishing the CRANE. We can worry about Ben afterwards. MEI: You’re right. I’ll try and get some sleep. Good night, Dr. Newman. OLIVER: Good night, Mei. [[Continue|Console4]] <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div></div>

<div id="dialogue"> //…connecting to Percy…// PERCY: Hey! Found something useful? BEN: Another test log. Subject’s name is Peter Newman. //…sending TestLog2.txt to Percy…// PERCY: Dr. Newman’s father, eh? Think he might know where to find his son? BEN: That’s only if he hasn’t gone in for another test. PERCY: Maybe we get lucky and find your wife before I drive down to NI. BEN: We still need to find the father’s number. Think you can handle it? PERCY: Oh come on, I’m not looking for Waldo over here! BEN: I-is finding Waldo difficult for you…? PERCY: Oh no no no. You’re walking me into a punchline, but you know what? I’m not gonna fall for it! BEN: Hey, you threw yourself into that last one. PERCY: …It’s almost 3 in the morning. I’ll find Peter Newman’s number, then go to bed. BEN: I’ll uh—I’ll just get back to it then. PERCY: You should really get some rest. Even if you find Mei, driving this late isn’t a good idea. BEN: For someone who struggles with kid’s puzzles, that was surprisingly insightful. PERCY: Glad to see you can crack jokes when //your wife is missing.// BEN: Glad to see the stress isn’t showing. 😉 PERCY: Go to bed, Ben. I’ll talk to you in the morning. BEN: Night, Percy. [[Continue|Next Morning]] <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div></div>

<<set $read = 5>> <div id="dialogue"> OLIVER: Mei, something’s happened! MEI: Dr. Newman! What’s the matter? OLIVER: My father just called. Said a man was asking for you. MEI: What!? You don’t think it could’ve been Ben? OLIVER: He introduced himself as “Percy,” but I wouldn’t put it past your husband to use an alias. MEI: No, Percy is a friend of his. We’ve met, briefly. OLIVER: How could he have gotten hold of my father’s name and contact information? MEI: I’d imagine it wouldn’t be hard for him. The company //is// named after you. OLIVER: But you’ve only been gone for a day. Is it really that easy for him to track us down? MEI: This is the same man who wiped his school record after being sent to detention in middle school. OLIVER: If that’s the case, are you //certain// he hasn’t accessed any of our test logs? Or any files from your computer? MEI: I’ve checked dozens of times! My files are unreachable to hackers, thanks to Ben’s…security…software…oh no. OLIVER: Mei, check all the test logs saved to your hard drive. If there is a single mention of our new testing location, delete it immediately. Ben //cannot// find this place until we are done. MEI: Right away, Dr. Newman. [[Continue|Console5]] <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div></div>

<div id="titletext"> [[THE NEXT MORNING...|TestLog2 Mei]]</div>

<div id="dialogue"> //…connecting to Percy…// PERCY: Did you sleep, or disregard //everything// I said last night? BEN: Got up early to go through her files again. PERCY: Anything? BEN: Nope. Just a letter about our little vacation to Broadway. PERCY: You never struck me as a theater fanatic. BEN: It was a pleasant surprise. I’d love to go again, but that’s beside the point. Did you make the call? PERCY: Yeah, I did. Says he hasn’t heard from his son since March. BEN: Damnit! He must’ve already done another test with them. PERCY: Either that, or Dr. Newman’s keeping him quiet. BEN: He’s gotta be. From what Mei’s told me, he’s quite the family man. PERCY: Well, his silence does tell us one thing. BEN: He knows where Mei is. We need to call him again. PERCY: Whoa whoa whoa, slow down there, bud. If he wouldn’t tell me, he sure as hell won’t tell you. BEN: You’re right. I’m getting ahead of myself. You still going to NI today? PERCY: Getting ready to head out soon. BEN: Fantastic. In the meantime, I’ll try to find one of those test logs. There must be another lying around if Newman’s father had another trial again. PERCY: See, that’s the Ben I know and love! Keep using that noggin. BEN: Just get to the lab. PERCY: On it. Talk to you soon. [[Continue|Broadway Mei]] <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div></div>

<<set $read = 6>> <div id="dialogue"> OLIVER: Mei? Do you have a moment? MEI: What is it, Dr. Newman? OLIVER: Shhh, not too loud. You don’t know who could be listening. MEI: Dr. Newman, you and I are the only people in this room. OLIVER: Let me explain! Security cameras caught a man entering the old lab. MEI: He couldn’t have gotten far without any access codes. OLIVER: Except…he did have an access code. MEI: What!? OLIVER: If I had seen him sooner, the authorities would’ve caught up to him. Instead, he uh…stepped into your office. MEI: This intruder…was it…? OLIVER: No, it wasn’t your husband. But I suspect Ben had a hand in getting him in. MEI: I figured. The code was my wedding date after all. If we had more time, I would’ve changed it, but— OLIVER: You couldn’t have predicted a situation like this, Mei. Don’t be so hard on yourself. MEI: Oh no, you don’t understand. I left Ben a little present in case he did find his way there. Tell me, Dr. Newman, did the intruder take anything from my office? OLIVER: Just a flash drive. I think there was a note attached. MEI: Good. That’s all Ben needs to see. OLIVER: Mei, I don’t believe I follow. MEI: It’s a personal affair, Dr. Newman. Don’t worry, there’s nothing about the CRANE or this new facility in the drive. OLIVER: Alright, we won't delve into your private life. Come, Ms. Meyer will be here any minute, and the sooner we start testing, the better. MEI: Yes, of course. Let’s finish getting ready. [[Continue|Console6]] <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div></div>

<div id="dialogue"> //…connecting to Percy…// PERCY: Hang on, let me just finish…//oh…// BEN: Percy? You ok? PERCY: Yeah, just uh…did you find that last test log? BEN: I did. It was another test on Newman’s father, just like we thought. //…sending TestLog3.txt to Percy…// PERCY: Wow, even the month matches up. BEN: The half-truths are always the most effective lies. PERCY: You’re telling me… BEN: Anyways, how was your trip? PERCY: Your wife’s smart, but she forgot to change her access codes…and she used your wedding date as digits. BEN: Oh? If she didn’t want me finding her, why wouldn’t she change her code? PERCY: Something tells me she //wanted// you to go in there. BEN: …What exactly did you find? PERCY: I uh…I think it’s best if you see for yourself. //[[...opening file from Percy…|I Know Who You Are]]// <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div></div>

<div id="dialogue"> Hi, honey. If you’re reading this, it’s probably because I didn’t come home. You must be worried sick about me, and I can’t blame you. I know I haven’t been the best wife to you, and it seems like I’ve been so cold over the past couple days, maybe even longer. I’m not good at hiding how I really feel, and you know that. My eyes tell you all you need to know. But tell me, Ben. You can’t see my eyes right now, so how can you tell what I’m thinking? I wonder if you know what I’ll say next. You can probably guess, but no point in building suspense. //Why did you lie to me, Ben?// I know the mask you wear, honey. The mask is Ben Flowers, software developer at Neptune Networks. But I also know the man beneath it: Ben Flowers, software developer and spy at AfterImage, Inc. I fell in love with you, Ben. For four years, you’ve supported me in every facet of my life. I thought it was because you cared; little did I know you were just a pawn in AfterImage’s sick game. You won’t get your hands on the CRANE. I will finish what I started as far away from you as possible. Tell AfterImage my work will not be sullied by their hands. [[Continue|Find Her]] </div>

<<set $location = "café">> <div id="dialogue"> PERCY: Near the café? You think she’s hiding in plain sight? BEN: Definitely. Now let’s get going. We have a few baristas to talk to. [[Continue|Not Found - Cafe]] </div>

<div id="dialogue"> PERCY: By the chateau? You really think she’s hiding right under our noses? BEN: I’m positive. Now let’s get going. We have a bunch of office buildings to comb through. PERCY: Right. I’ll meet you outside the AfterImage building… [[Continue|Lab]] </div>

<<set $location = "theater">> <div id="dialogue"> PERCY: Around the theater? You think she’s covering up her tracks? BEN: Absolutely. Now let’s get going. There’s a show going on and I don’t wanna miss it. [[Continue|Not Found - Theater]] </div>

<div id="dialogue"> //Ben and Percy arrive at the theater. Ben approaches the box office, asking if any of the theater workers had seen Mei in the past twenty-four hours. They say no, so the duo continues to scour the general area. Without any more leads to follow, Ben and Percy grow restless.// PERCY: We’ve been looking around for hours, Ben. She’s nowhere around here. BEN: You’re right. We won’t be able to find her here. PERCY: I’m starting to think we won’t find her at all. BEN: She mislead us, drove us right where she wanted us. PERCY: AfterImage isn’t going to like this one bit… BEN: To hell with AfterImage! What about my wife!? PERCY: You should move on, Ben. The damage is done. BEN: …Mei…I can explain… PERCY: Come on, we should get going. Any longer and we’ll cause a scene. [[END|Title Screen]] </div>

<div id="dialogue"> //Ben and Percy poll office building after office building until they catch wind of a woman matching Mei’s description entering a third-floor office, transporting lots of lab equipment. The duo head upstairs and enter the office, storming past the receptionist and into Mei’s laboratory.// MEI: This is what’s been causing Juana so much pain… OLIVER: Are you prepared to commence neural extrapolation? MEI: Yes, Dr. Newman. Let’s finish what we started. //*SLAM*// BEN: Mei… MEI: Oh my God, Ben! How did you—? OLIVER: Excuse me, sir, but we are in the middle of a //very// delicate test. PERCY: Back off, Dr. Newman. Ben here’s been worried //sick// about his wife. OLIVER: And if you don’t leave now, we’ll all be worrying about Ms. Meyer! PERCY: You expect us to believe the CRANE isn’t finished? OLIVER: We don’t know what state the CRANE is in until we’ve dealt with Ms. Meyer’s case! MEI: Dr. Newman, I—! PERCY: Don’t play dumb with us, Newman! BEN: Percy, wait— OLIVER: I’m not playing dumb, not with something as precarious as manipulating memories. MEI + BEN: Stop! Both of you! OLIVER: … PERCY: Like two peas in a pod… BEN: Mei, please just…let me explain. MEI: You can explain after we’re done here, Ben. I-I’m not risking Ms. Meyer’s mental state because you decided to interrupt us. BEN: *sigh* I understand. Dr. Newman, is it alright if we wait outside? PERCY: Oh come on, Ben, what about—? OLIVER: //You// may wait outside, Mr. Flowers. As for your friend here, either he can leave, or I’ll be forced to call the authorities. After all, I do have security footage of him //trespassing// in a Newman Industries laboratory. PERCY: For Christ’s sake! Fine, have it your way! Ben, you better not keep AfterImage waiting. //Percy steps out.// BEN: Good luck, Mei. I’ll be waiting by the receptionist. MEI: … [[Continue|Wait Outside]] </div>

<div id="dialogue"> //Oliver exits the lab, meeting Ben in the lobby.// BEN: How’d it go? OLIVER: The procedure was a complete success. I’d say our work here is finally over. BEN: Th-that’s great. How is, uh…how is she? OLIVER: Distraught, confused. Can you really blame her? BEN: Not at all. I was supposed to be the man she could confide in. A real husband, not some spy planted by her competition. I can’t believe she even wants to talk to me. OLIVER: She was up last night thinking about the right words to say if she ever saw you again. I imagine the “present” she left you in her office didn’t get the whole message across. BEN: I suppose it’s about time I talk to her then. OLIVER: That's a good idea. I’ll be tracking Ms. Meyer’s vitals as the anesthesia wears off. Take all the time you need. BEN: Thank you, Dr. Newman. OLIVER: Don’t mention it, Mr. Flowers. [[Continue|Reunion]] </div>

<div id="dialogue"> //Ben opens the door, revealing his exhausted wife in front of a few computer monitors.// BEN: Can I uh, come in? MEI: Close the door. BEN: Of course. //The door creaks as Ben shuts it behind it.// BEN: Look, I— MEI: How long? BEN: What? MEI: //How long have you been working for them?// BEN: Six years. MEI: Six…wow. So, you were already there when they asked to fund my research? BEN: I was just starting out: updating their security software, tracking data leaks, making sure corporate secrets didn’t sneak out the building. MEI: *sigh* You’re quite the expert on keeping secrets, aren’t you? BEN: Cybersecurity is a strength of mine. MEI: You know that’s not what I meant. BEN: I didn’t want to upset y— MEI: That night at the café. Did they send you? BEN: Did they send me? What are you—? MEI: //Did they send you, Ben?// BEN: …No, they didn’t. We met out of pure chance. But as soon as AfterImage found out we were dating, they offered me a pay raise if I could... MEI: If you could what? BEN: If I could hand over pieces of your research. MEI: What did you give them? BEN: Nothing. Last night was the first time I even //looked// at your files. MEI: When you were gathering it up to present to them before we finished? BEN: So that I could //find you,// Mei. MEI: …Here’s a question, then. I-if you knew staying with AfterImage would cause this much damage, even if what you’re saying is true, why did you keep working there? BEN: Even without the pay raise they offered, AfterImage’s salary is better than what I could get at any other company in Huntington. How else could I have paid to rent out the chateau for our wedding, or get you tickets for //The Jungle Book?// MEI: Y-you stayed…for me? BEN: //Everything// I’ve done has been for you. MEI: *sniff* Ben, I…I don’t know what to say. How could I…how could I leave you like that? How could I let you worry about me? BEN: You had your reasons. Hell, you kept Percy and me on our toes for a while. MEI: Percy! What does he know? Is he going to…? BEN: He and I don’t have anything to give. Besides, I’ll be handing in my resignation tomorrow morning. MEI: Ben, no. If it’s as good a job as you say, then— BEN: It’s not worth the trouble it’s caused us. Besides, this CRANE of yours sounds like it’s more important than the work of some corporate juggernaut. You’re improving lives with this tech, Mei. I’d rather support that than play for the side looking to use it for a cash grab. MEI: *sniff* You don’t know how much this means to me, Ben. BEN: I think I do. Now, it’s about time I leave you to your work. MEI: You’re welcome to stay, if you’d like. BEN: Oh no, I have preparations to make. MEI: Preparations? BEN: For a “Welcome Home” dinner! What do you want: chicken or lobster? MEI: We haven’t had lobster since your birthday. I can taste it already. BEN: Looks like I’ve got some errands to run, then. See you tonight? MEI: Of course, honey. Love you. BEN: Love you too. [[END|Title Screen]] </div>

<div id="filepath"> >benf@NEPTUNE:~/mnt/C/Users/benf ls </div> <div id="Console"> <table> <tr> <td>==TheDayWeMet.txt==</td> <td>[[TestLog1.txt]]</td> <td>==WeddingDay.txt==</td> </tr> <tr> <td>==TestLog2.txt==</td> <td>==Broadway.txt==</td> <td>==TestLog3.txt==</td> </tr> </table> <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div> </div>

<div id="filepath"> >benf@NEPTUNE:~/mnt/C/Users/benf ls </div> <div id="Console"> <table> <tr> <td>==TheDayWeMet.txt==</td> <td>==TestLog1.txt==</td> <td>[[WeddingDay.txt]]</td> </tr> <tr> <td>==TestLog2.txt==</td> <td>==Broadway.txt==</td> <td>==TestLog3.txt==</td> </tr> </table> <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div> </div>

<div id="filepath"> >benf@NEPTUNE:~/mnt/C/Users/benf ls </div> <div id="Console"> <table> <tr> <td>==TheDayWeMet.txt==</td> <td>==TestLog1.txt==</td> <td>==WeddingDay.txt==</td> </tr> <tr> <td>[[TestLog2.txt]]</td> <td>==Broadway.txt==</td> <td>==TestLog3.txt==</td> </tr> </table> <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div> </div>

<div id="filepath"> >benf@NEPTUNE:~/mnt/C/Users/benf ls </div> <div id="Console"> <table> <tr> <td>==TheDayWeMet.txt==</td> <td>==TestLog1.txt==</td> <td>==WeddingDay.txt==</td> </tr> <tr> <td>==TestLog2.txt==</td> <td>[[Broadway.txt]]</td> <td>==TestLog3.txt==</td> </tr> </table> <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div> </div>

<div id="filepath"> >benf@NEPTUNE:~/mnt/C/Users/benf ls </div> <div id="Console"> <table> <tr> <td>==TheDayWeMet.txt==</td> <td>==TestLog1.txt==</td> <td>==WeddingDay.txt==</td> </tr> <tr> <td>==TestLog2.txt==</td> <td>==Broadway.txt==</td> <td>[[TestLog3.txt]]</td> </tr> </table> <div id="footer"> NEPTUNE SECURITY NETWORKS © 2021 </div> </div>

<div id="dialogue"> //Ben and Percy arrive at the cafe. Ben approaches the baristas, asking if any of them had seen Mei in the past twenty-four hours. They say no, so the duo continues to scour the general area. Without any more leads to follow, Ben and Percy grow restless.// PERCY: We’ve been looking around for hours, Ben. She’s nowhere around here. BEN: You’re right. We won’t be able to find her here. PERCY: I’m starting to think we won’t find her at all. BEN: She mislead us, drove us right where she wanted us. PERCY: AfterImage isn’t going to like this one bit… BEN: To hell with AfterImage! What about my wife!? PERCY: You should move on, Ben. The damage is done. BEN: …Mei…I can explain… PERCY: Come on, we should get going. Any longer and we’ll cause a scene. [[END|Title Screen]] </div>