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Replay ...Part 17 ...Shielded From Harm




The dark dangerous forest is still there...the eerie and ghostly lurk,
as much wrapped in mystery as ever.
― Fritz Leiber




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Home Protection



We're creatures of habit and anything that disrupts our normal routine creates a domino effect on our other patterns. I never realized this until the break-in and became aware of how much of my daily life defaulted to automatic responses. Even my sleep was affected.

I woke up sporadically during the night and felt compelled to get up and check outside. Whatever reassurance I was seeking was beyond me. The street as usual was quiet and empty―that is, with the exception of the black stealth vehicle parked directly across from me.

I was surprised to note how dark it was now that the spring buds had turned to leaves and masses of black trembling shadows flooded the street.



Absurdly, I felt embarrassed I was creating such a fuss that I'd need a surveillance team stationed outside my house. But I also felt grateful and protected knowing that Sarah, Ross and Simon were involved and doing all they could to protect me.

At 3 am I left a message on Paige's voicemail telling her I'd be in later in the day and asking her to post a note outside the lecture hall stating that my morning class was cancelled.

By 5 am the birds were singing so I gave up on sleep and got up and made coffee.

I busied myself finishing planning for the trials of Remnisivere and decided to divide the study into two parts―the first phase would focus on administering a micro dosage as a therapeutic to improve short term recall, The second phase would involve using a larger dose to recover a particular or repressed memory.



Just after 7 am Simon showed up in an unmarked white van and began off-loading equipment. Since I was at loose ends, I went out and helped him in with his gear and made coffee for both of us.

"Rough night, Prof?" he asked sympathetically, probably noting the dark circles under my eyes.

"I can't believe how much this incident has upset me."

"You've got good reason to be upset," he reassured me, "your privacy has been invaded and your routine disrupted. People complain about being in a comfortable rut until their daily life is affected and then they realize how much they take for granted."

"Like feeling safe in your own house?" I deadpanned.

He smiled to encourage me. "Exactly! We all should expect that and in a few hours you'll be well on your way to feeling secure again."



One thing I could say about Simon―he was meticulous and thorough. After spending two hours setting up the security system and anti-virus software on my devices, he spent another hour in-servicing me on how to arm and monitor the equipment.

Once he was finished with the technical briefing, he spent another half hour over coffee giving me some practical tips on how to protect me and my team.

He opened my cell and showed me how to use it effectively for security purposes.

"I'd suggest you all use the Find Me app on your cell phones so everyone will know the others' whereabouts. I'll be glad to do a security assessment on their devices and premises because that's another way intruders can infiltrate your project."

"I feel bad for them having to endure this as well."



He calmly reasoned with me. "It's only for the short term, until you complete your project and publish your findings. It may not even be that long if whoever is doing this slips up and the police identify them. Ross and Sarah are top notch and have cracked many cases similar to this one. You're fortunate to have them looking into this."

"I was thinking how fortunate I am to have you helping. I really appreciate everything you're doing and the support you've provided my team."

"I love a challenge," he smiled. "Hell, I'd do this for free."



Simon finally left just after 11 am and I had just enough time to drive downtown and catch up with Paige at Hart House for lunch. When I filled her in on everything that had been happening, she wasn't shocked.

"I've been suspicious of Sloane from the beginning of your troubles. I'm convinced he's behind all this and has probably hired people to do his dirty work―he can certainly afford it with all his money."

"I was thinking the same thing, particularly when he tried to 'collaborate' with me. He's never let me in on any of his research and relegated me to a lesser position on his research team."

She nodded. "He only included you because Dean Atkinson insisted."

Her remark bothered me but I knew it was true. She noticed my mood sink and changed the subject.

"I'll tell Nigel about our security concerns so we're all on the same page."



But Paige's mentioning Sloane's dirty tricks had already upset me. I hated what he had done to me but didn't want him to take up space in my mind. I wanted to ignore him as much as I could and focus on the task at hand.

"I've finished planning for the Remnisivere trials and think we can begin next week. I want to go first though and experiment with trying to recover a specific memory from my past. As you know, after my skiing accident in my freshman year, I experienced some memory loss. I'd like you to assist me and Nigel to monitor my vitals."

She looked shocked. "Do you think that's a good idea?"



I was surprised by the concern on her face. "It's not risky, Paige―we know the drug's capabilities and side-effects. There's no danger to me."

She frowned. "No physical danger, perhaps, but something may have happened at that time that had nothing to do with your skiing accident. Maybe some emotional shock caused a post-traumatic effect and your subconscious simply repressed it."

"But how would I know, if I didn't try to retrieve the memory? Don't worry, Paige―whether the memory loss had a physical or emotional cause , I still want to deal with it. I'm tired of having gaps in my memory."

But I could see she was still apprehensive and it bothered me. It crossed my mind she might know something about my past that I didn't.

All the more reason for me to draw back that curtain and finally discover what has been hidden from me all those years.



To be continued…


© 2021, John J Geddes. All rights reserved


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