The System

"Hi, Pam!" she said happily. When she saw her friend not as happy, she asked what the problem was.

"I've found out something about my family that I can't turn my back on any longer!" she said, acting near tears.

Her friend Annie welcomed her in, gathered up some tea and met Pam on her back porch.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" Annie asked.

Pamela went on to tell how she learned about Donna and Mark. She laid out a story about having suspicions for years about a sinful relationship happening under her roof and the implant system eventually confirmed it. She also added in her suspicion about her husband and daughter having an affair but couldn't prove it.

"And Christian?" she asked, alarmed at the sudden news.

"My poor innocent boy!" she cried, feigning tears, "He's gotten all caught up in this!"

Annie puts her hand on her friend's back, "I didn't want to peak into your business, Pam, but I noticed a couple fliers around town that someone was looking for your Donna and Mark."

"Did it say what they wanted them for?" she asked, looking for a way to continue the story she began laying out.

Annie shook her head, "No, darlin', it just said if you knew where they were to call a number. I was surprised because there weren't any pictures to go with the names."

As Pam laid out her case to her friend Annie, she knew her job was done. Her self-described annoying neighbor would soon talk to other neighbors and parishioners at their church and the story would eventually spread like wildfire. While Pam continued to cement herself into the story as the innocent victim, James Scofield began an unorthodox audit of the software that was the heart of the system.

***

His experiences with Scott continued to gnaw at his nerves. His focus was entirely on the series of circumstances that had kept him from gaining the control of the Company he knew he was destined to have. He could think of little else but decided to put his fears to rest after realizing there wasn't time for such distractions. He knew he could dwell on those thoughts after he figured out what was happening to his family's legacy.

His in-depth knowledge of the System would inform him if a comparison with an archived version of the software for the System and the implants to the running version would reveal anything suspicious. He wrote the audit program himself. He crafted it with suspicious minds and prying eyes in mind. He knew it had to work under the radar.

"Scott...," he started. He simultaneously spoke while conjuring his thoughts. "...or someone is clearly monitoring the System. I'll have to do this without raising any eyebrows."

Once completed, he installed it into the System. His office computer was set up to provide real-time updates while the data from the comparison streamed in, bits at a time. It took hours for the entire code to finish and all the data to be sent to James' computer. When it was complete, he deleted the new program from the System and terminated the link. He began the long process of parsing the data.

He was able to quickly remove results that showed where patches had been made over the decades and became frustrated with the amount of unnecessary but benign changes that had been made to the system.

"They're not even optimized changes," he thought as he leaned back in his chair.

He was nearing the end of his audit when he came across a section of code that was out of the ordinary. His initial investigation showed a data size that was significantly larger than even the biggest patch. He leaned forward in his chair and went to work on his keyboard. He opened the code, isolated it, added some of his own and eventually compiled it. The screen remained blank, but network activity spiked as did the demand on the processor assigned to that code segment.

"It's passing data but to where?" he said out loud. He narrowed his eyes as he read the data being presented to him on the screen as a result of the code segment running.

His frustration grew when he realized whoever wrote the code knew what they were doing. His thoughts went back to his boss. James grew increasingly irritated at the lengths Scott had gone to modify the System in a manner James could not yet identify.

He printed out the code and brought it home for studying along with the rest of his report. When he arrived, he tossed his bag into the hall and snatched a beer from the fridge. He fell into his easy chair with the printed code in one hand and a beer in the other. He emitted a loud sigh as everything about the code seemed mundane until he came across a function that passed irregular and even worse, unnecessary data to one of the main data combiners in the primary code block. He took another sip of his beer and re-analyzed the code to figure out the data that was being extrapolated and transmitted.

"They're gathering new data, transferring it through established data paths and storing it somewhere else," he mused.

He soon realized he needed access to the mainframe computer. The data he had available to him only painted part of the picture he needed to see. He remotely logged in and pulled up the database access tool. He was able to match the data path to a location within the database quickly. His long history with the System provided him a unique ability to pinpoint anything out of the ordinary. The non-descript columns that were holding the new data did not use the company's standard naming convention. He had to start over.

He talked his way through the data like someone tracing through their steps while figuring out where they lost their wallet. He spoke out loud as he walked through each intricate step of the data collection and storage process.

"This data here is only supposed to be used as a data quality indicator. It shouldn't even be in the database," he surmised.

After a closer look, he realized what was happening. He found repetitions of the same data being associated with hundreds of identification numbers. After a lengthy analysis, he realized they had figured out a way to use pieces of location data from all the implants in a specified area. They were using the pieces of data to triangulate the position of an implant.

"They knew this was the only way to accomplish what they wanted. Adding a full-blown GPS tracker to the implants would have been discovered quickly. The public's trust in the Company would plummet!" he thought.

James stared at his screen while continuing to process what he had learned. His arm was hanging lazily over the arm rest and his beer was only two light finger grasps from falling. The answer to the question of why the Company would want to potentially track an implant eluded him. He set his beer on the side table and was about to close his computer when the realization suddenly hit him.

"They've known about this problem for longer than they let on," he thought.

His eyes darted around the room as the lightbulb's soft glow turned into a blinding light.

"My god!" he said as the laptop slipped and fell to the floor, "They're going after them already!"

FIVE

While James was waking from a fitful night's sleep, Donna and Mark continued to make their way down the trail. They were enjoying the sights and sounds of nature when Mark looked up to the sky.

"It's gonna rain soon, I think," he said.

Donna looked up, then to her brother in disappointment. "Well, that's no good. Think we should find a shelter or something just in case?"

"Probably not a bad idea. I'd like to keep our food dry and in good condition for as long as possible. We've been out here for a couple weeks and have been fortunate so far."

She playfully punched him in the arm, "I'd also like to stay dry!"

He smiled widely and shoved her back, "I know, dummy! I was just thinking of the things we need to live! We don't need to be dry to survive in the short run."

They walked a bit further when they came across a few downed trees that fell in a manner that would make a suitable shelter with little work. They divvied up the chores and went about making camp. She built the shelter around the fallen logs and he scoured the forest floor looking for firewood to last them the evening.

A low rumble filled the sky as a few falling drops of rain turned into a sprinkling of water all around them. Mark took what he had in his hands and ran back to the shelter, dumping the wood in a dry area. He ran back out to find more while Donna finished their temporary home. By the time everything was done, the pair was soaked. They sat under the lean-to soaked, hoping the fire would dry them off. They had already eaten and waited impatiently for the fire to do its work.

"What do you think Mom and Dad are doing?" Mark asked. His eyes were fixed on the dancing orange and red flames.

Donna continued staring at the fire without emotion. She was consumed with their situation and the series of events that brought them to where they were. She heard his question but took a moment to close out her thought to respond.

"Mom is probably playing the victim card right now," Donna said quietly. "Dad is lost. He doesn't know what to do. He wants to leave but he knows what Mom will do if he tries."

Mark sensed the growing frustration Donna was feeling. He shifted himself over until he was sitting directly next to her and wrapped his arm around her. She turned her head, smiled at him, and leaned against her brother. They both stared at the fire when Mark interrupted the silence once again.

"Do you regret being with me?" he asked shyly.

Donna took offense at the question, "Do not ask me that ever again! Would I be here with you now if I regretted it?"

She turned to face him and held both his hands in hers. Her face became brighter and a smile crept across her mouth.

"I'm out here with you because I know we're right together. I think back to the moment we both knew we were supposed to be together and it warms my heart. I would not go back and change a thing!" she said, gripping her brother's hands with each emotional word.

She looked at him, "Tell me when you knew we were meant to be."

He looked into her eyes as he replayed all their special moments. She watched him recall everything and waited patiently for him to speak.

"I knew long before you did," he told her. "But I certainly remember when you began realize what I had known."

Their memories took them back to the time when the bond between them became more powerful than the love a brother and sister typically have for each other.

***

As twins, Mark and Christian weren't inseparable. They had a closer bond than brothers typically do, but they shared different interests which took their lives in different directions. They both became interested in girls around the same time but as Christian was chasing around the girls at school, Mark's eyes looked to his sister. He knew the societal implications of what he was feeling but was also aware of how normal it felt to him. Because of that, he never uttered a word to anyone about it.

Donna eagerly left the nest first. She obtained her first college degree and landed a local job. She was able to set herself up in an apartment and provide for herself. She was proud of her independence and frugal nature. Her focus on her career took precedence over everything while she established her position where she worked.

George beamed with pride as his daughter did everything on her own without needing her parents to shore up bad decisions. He always complimented her achievements. When none of the furniture in her apartment matched, George would tell her how proud he was that she was able to provide for herself. Pamela stuck her nose up at the décor she deemed classless.

When pressed by her mother about finding a husband, settling down, and having babies, she always felt let down.

"Mom, I want to provide for myself and learn to do everything before I settle. I need to know how to do everything before I'm expected to teach my children how to do them. Don't you wish you had done more before you had us?" she once asked.

There was a tinge of disgust in her tone when she replied, "No. I had you when I was expected to. I thought I taught you better."

Donna looked to her father for an explanation. He raised his hands slightly and barely shook his head, indicating she should dismiss her mother's comments. Donna knew he was behind her every decision. It was that day when Donna realized she made the right choice to leave home.

Mark, on the other hand, graduated high school and stayed at home until he felt ready to leave. He had worked in the auto industry since his early teens and worked his way through the ranks of a major local repair shop. He went from appointment scheduler at minimum wage to mechanic in his mid-teens. By the time he was done with school, he was the lead mechanic. He oversaw all the other mechanics but specialized in custom engine rebuilds and modifications.

"There's not a legitimate job out there that you should feel ashamed of, son," his father always told him. "Some may get degrees, some may not. A piece of paper doesn't make you smart. If you want to work on cars, be the best at it. You have my support in anything you do as long as you do your very best at it."

Mark used his father's words as a lifetime reminder of the difference between his father and mother. His mother would have told him not to do anything unless he was the best, as if his very best wasn't good enough. He knew her expectations would have him be better than everyone else and flaunt it. He took his father's words to heart and dove headfirst into his dream job. He did so at the expense of a traditional high school life. He didn't chase girls, he didn't go to parties, and he didn't have much in the way of friends. When his parents confronted him about his lack of companionship, he always had a tool in his pocket to hold in from of them.

"This will never let me down, Mom," he would say proudly. George would belly-laugh and walk away while his mother shook her head in disappointment.

He never sought approval from his Mother. It was his father's reactions that drove him harder toward realizing his dreams. There was only a single desire he had that continued to remain unfulfilled. As the years passed, he remained silent about his heart's desire. Instead, he established a new relationship with his sister.

A year after graduating high school, he visited with his sister at her apartment. He came over some nights during the week but always went home after dinner. On weekends, he would often stay the night. They would stay up late at night and talk over board games or cards. Their conversations revolved completely around their jobs and their parents. They shared their experiences with their mother and agreed she would likely never speak a positive word about them in private. In public however, they were angels that walked amongst man and could do no wrong.

Mark knew that every visit with Donna was intensifying his deep love for her. It was torture for him to see her smiling face as she opened the door for him. She was always genuinely happy to see him when he came over. They would hug and she always kissed his cheek. He had nearly convinced himself that she felt the same for him. As each visit passed, he was closer to bringing himself to tell her about his feelings. After several months, he arrived at her apartment for the usual visit when she dropped the bomb on him.

"Hey," she said after greeting him at the door. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but I'm going out tonight."

He was bothered that she never mentioned any girlfriends and especially that she never thought to tell him that she wasn't going to stay with him that night.

"You're welcome to stay here tonight," she said as she finished cleaning up.

She was already dressed and ready to go. He stood in the foyer watching her move about as she put things back in their places.

"Will you be back in time for a game tonight?" he asked, trying not to let the disappointment he felt show in his tone.

"I don't know," she said without looking up at him. "He's taking me to a movie then we're going dancing."

"He!" he thought. "What the fuck was this?"

"He?" he asked, not thinking of moving from where he had been standing since he walked in.

"Yeah," she said happily as she looked up at him. "I met him the other day at lunch. He seemed nice when he asked me if I'd like to go out one night so, I said I would."

She stared at him, waiting for him to respond. Instead of speaking, he turned and walked out of her apartment. His heart was broken. He felt a pain he would never wish on anyone. He felt a knot building in his throat as he turned the key in his car and the engine fired up. He looked behind him for clearance to back out. When he assessed the area was clear, he turned and saw his sister walking up to his car. He put the car in reverse without ever acknowledging her presence.

Donna stood in the driveway clueless about the pain she inflicted on her brother. She had never given thought to the possibility that he was hurt until that moment. She would not soon realize why. After her date that night, she texted him asking him why he left so abruptly. He never responded. It took days of her begging for him to speak to her before he finally did.

"It's fine, I just had a hard day at work and was looking forward to being in a quiet, peaceful setting and playing games with you," he lied.

He forgot to add his annoyance at her failing to prepare him that she would not be there when she knew he planned to be over. After they resolved their issues, he mended his wounds. It was a few more months before he changed their lives forever. It wasn't planned but it began the same way that hurt him before. Her repeated thoughtless actions regarding her brother would lead them down a new path in life.

Mark showed up on a Friday evening after work and let himself in. He looked around for his sister until he ultimately found her doing her hair in the mirror in her room. He leaned against the door frame; his disappointment building into anger.

"Going out again?" he asked.

"Shit!" she said, slamming her brush against her dresser top. "I'm so sorry, Mark! I forgot. I'm genuinely not trying to be a bitch to you!"

He knew she was being genuine and wasn't trying to hurt him. It didn't stop him from feeling hurt, though. She stared at him until he nodded his acceptance of her apology. She resumed her primping with a degree of frustration he recognized. His mood lightened when he realized she was beating herself up inside about not telling him.

When she was done, she seemed hurried. She put everything away and went to move passed him.

"I have to go. You're welcome to anything I have as usual!" she said.

She went to absent-mindedly kiss his cheek. He stopped her and pulled her close him.

"This is going to keep happening unless I show her," he thought.

He pressed his lips softly against hers. She offered no resistance but didn't reciprocate the kiss, either. She put her hands on his forearms but didn't push him away. When he released her, she was in a state of shock. He searched her eyes for a response until he finally got one.

"Why did you kiss me like that?" she whispered.

Her tone was everything to him. There was no aggression. She exhibited a real sense of curiosity rather than repulsion. He couldn't come up with an answer. Her eyes moved left and right as she looked into his while she waited for an answer. When there was none, she moved close to him and kissed him on the cheek as she originally intended.

"I'd like you to be here when I get back," she said softly.

He agreed and remained where he stood as she walked by. Both their minds became a tangled mess of emotions. He had developed a relationship with that state of mind. She was thrown off entirely. She spent the entire night reliving the moment. She played it repeatedly trying to figure out what why it happened.