Introduction

Below is the 50,000 word "novel" I am writing during the month of November, 2005. I started on Nov. 1st, and plan to stop on Nov. 30th. In case you hadn't noticed 50,000 is a big number. A really big number. That means there will be spelling mistakes, terrible grammer and entire sections that make no sense; plot paths that go no where.

Update:

Well. It's the 30th. I didn't reach 50k words like I had planned. But that's alright. I'll leave my "novel" up anyway. I learned lots of stuff about writing creatively and typing and what a word war is. Also, non-vocal, fast beat electronica music on iTunes radio is cool and writing conducive. But that's it.

Eventually I'll have an email or something for you to conact me. Why would you want do that? I'm not sure. And I'll finish this novel to 50k. I don't know if I'll put that up though. You'll just have to wait.  ¶ 5:49 PM

  1st November 2005

Chapter 1

"Ah, you gotta be shitting me." What had just been said stuck in my head for several seconds.
"You narcissistic, stuck up, pig loving..." I couldn't find the words to express the frustration. I continued to stare at the bureaucrat, wondering what could possibly possess someone to act as he was. "Look sir, I am only doing my job." The standard mantra of the bureaucrat. When did a job become an excuse to suspend reality anyway?

"All I want to do is make a living, pay my taxes and live peacefully. How can I do this if my house is surrounded by a mine field?" I was still determined to get a straight answer.

"Well sir proper forms have been filled out in triplicate and as you know government function are exempt from the normal approval process. If you had a problem with this you should have filed an SS-whack-ff01-splat-stroke-9r22a six months ago." The bureaucrat was in his element. Without the wacks and splats in the world he would simply poof out of existence.

"But you only started the process three weeks ago! There was no way to know this was going to happen six months ago!" A fool proof argument, no doubt.

"As I said, sir, I am only doing my job. I am not authorized to do anything more. If you would like to speak to anyone else fill out this form and show up to build 20005432 three weeks from tomorrow..."

"No no! Forget it. You can have the house. You've officially drained the life from me."

Finally I left the Hall of Bureaucracy. The only thing left in the world with an spot-on name. I decided it was about time I went outside for some air. The "conversation" with the bureaucrat had several hours preceding it and went about as well as I could have expected. Still, a house would have been a good thing to have.

It was a sunny afternoon, not a cloud in the sky. After the experience with the bureaucrat I wondered if the day had some how been "requisitioned". I started to walk down the stairs when I noticed a group of people. I wondered what would motivate a group of people to stand in front of a building on such nice day.

The city Towz, flawed as it flawed though it may be, was still quite beautiful. It had existed so long the records of how it was formed had been lost to the ages. The Hall of Bureaucracy was only one hundred years old. The records of how it had been formed were very well known. Originally it was very efficient provided a few need services for citizens of Towz. The name had been created as kind of a running joke among the citizens. After all how could something so efficient and staffed with so few be a bureaucracy?

The government at the time even passed strict measures to ensure the bureaucracy didn't get out of control. But such things often grow in different directions, as does the ability to interpret laws about bureaucracies.

I sat down on the steps of The Hall to further contemplate my future. Now essentially homeless what was I to do?

Suddenly someone was falling down around me. "Hey watch it!" Is all I heard through the flying feet. The man stood up and glared at me. Suddenly his face turned from anger to sympathy. "The bureaucracy managed to relieve you of your life and livelihood, right?" That was possibly the best I had anybody state the situation. I asked how he could tell.

He explained how something similar had happened to him ironically six months earlier. Since then he had wandered from one strange group of outcasts to another and learned much of how Towz really worked. His name was Cogil, and I could tell we were going to get a long. He told me his current group of misfits was a group of protesters outside the Hall of Happiness. We decided to make that our next stop.

The Hall of Happiness was created sometime after the Hall of Bureaucracy and before people's houses were surrounded by a minefield retroactively. Any attempt to further research the subject usually results in a rather unpleasant experience at either or both Halls. Officially, of course, the Hall of Happiness is the place where the "People of Happiness" happily relieve you of your income and livelihood in the most pleasant and polite way possible. Or so the story the goes.

As I walked along with Cogil toward the Hall of Happiness I started to try and look at the city in a different light. The streets seemed remarkably clean. The railway always ran on time. Those who chose to find work seemed to be content with going to work. But was this really the way it was, or simply the way it seemed to me?

Finally Cogil broke the silence by giving me his view on the Hall of Happiness and state of the city. Almost like he could tell what I was thinking.

Cogil explained: "Most of what you see or think you see on the street like this may as well be an illusion. Free will is an illusion, someone always has something to gain by making you believe you have it." I wasn't quite sure what he was talking about.

"But isn't this free will? Are we not walking towards our beloved Hall of Happiness because we so choose?" I really wanted an answer.

"Well in a way. Although you're homeless so you don't have much choice, now do you?"


"Yes, that's a good point I suppose. So who is this group of protesters anyway? Bunch of phorp addicts?"


"Well not all of them. Some are simply phorp enthusiasts. Actually this is a much different group then you think."

We had walked a distance of several blocks through Towz now. Something about this city always made walking just feel right.

The streets of Towz were exhausting. I hated walking almost as much as I hated Towz. But we were going to meet my protester friends to introduce them to the guy I had literally just run into. I never did ask him what he was trying to get done in the Hall of Bureaucracy. Nor had he asked me. I have a feeling I shouldn't tell him about the land I had just purchased for the weird hobby of mine: planting large mine fields in random locations. Except the one I purchased a month back: that one had a house in the middle of it. Luckily I know how to work the Hall of Bureaucracy so I got it through. Hopefully I'll never meet the guy who owns the house in the middle of my current minefield.

Finally, we arrived at my group of protestors. "Hello everyone." Everyone greeted me and asked about the new guy. "Yes, this is Vincent".

Chapter 2

Cogil introduced me to all of his friends.

  ¶ 11:17 AM

  Back to top 2nd Nov. 2005

It was large crowd, nearly all of them were holding a sign of some sort. Cogil introduced a majority of them to me. It was a swirl of long hair and cardboard, I didn't think I would ever learn them all. There was a Mike, a Bob, a Dan, Ryan.

With the introductions over Ryan came over to me. He asked where I was from and why I was in the government district. I told him of my experience in the Hall of Bureaucracy and how I didn't know what to do next.
"Ya, the Hall of Bureaucracy can certainly be rough." Ryan stated the obvious. "This merry band of protestors always has an opening, if you're interested."
"Well this is certainly my most optimistic prospect but I was wondering a few things."
"Ya, I supposed you would. Go ahead."
"Well first of all what exactly are you protesting?"
Ryan paused a moment. "Well between you and me there's a group who pay to stand here and protest this building, holding up signs."

Now this seemed interesting to me. Why would a group spend money to pay people to protest and why would anyone accept a job that simply pays for that protest?

"Ok so someone is paying you protest here and now. Does this particular group frown upon you mentioning this to any random passer by?"
"Well no, not really. Protesting just kind of became popular several years back and this particular group kept it going one way another."
Now this as a concept just seemed really bazaar to me. Apparently a "group" of people somewhere saw how protests effectively changed a policy so now this is used purposefully.

"Is this common knowledge?" I couldn't help but gather more information.
"Yes, of course it is. The institution we protest knows this, the local reporters know this, all the citizens of Towz knows this. Never really thought too much about why it is the way it is but it's just the way it is. What you never knew?"

I started to wonder what had happened to Cogil. I started to look around just as he walked through a crowd of the protesters.
"Come on, we're going back the our protestor's paradise." He started to walk away. "It's not far. I'm sure you'll like it."

The next morning I awoke stairing at a ceiling. I couldn't remember how I ended up the room I was in, nor where I was. The ceiling appeared to be the standard issue in the western part of the city: flat wood paneling. As I gained more conciesness I realized I was on the floor of an apartment probably some number of floors up and there were fellow protestors all around me. Then sounds started to come into focus: some of my new room mates were still sleeping while others appeared to be cooking some sort of meals. There was a strange taste in my mouth, like my tounge had hair on it. I was about to get up when Cogil tapped me on the shoulder.
"Hey mate, what a wild night. Do you remember any of it?"
I started to get up and immediately sat down again. I had the oddest sensation in my arms and legs and something like a headache but the strangest one I had ever experienced. Seeing this Cogil added "No I don't suppose you would. No one does the first time."  ¶ 11:18 PM

  Back to top 3rd Nov. 2005

"And just what does that mean anyway?", Cogil was sounding cryptic.
"Boy, we had a had a great time last night. I'll tell you about it sometime.", Cogil explained.
Was that really supposed to be an explanation? It was like something out of a badly written novel made up as the author went along in a blind episode of ambition.
"Cogil, I..."
"Vincent we're leaving soon. Get a bath, grab a sign and I'll show you where we're going."

Half an hour later I had grabbed a sign that said "Happless for Happiness" and was running back the government district. I wasn't sure what that meant but I didn't have much time to choose or ask.

We had apparently decided upon running through West Towz back towards the Government District.

It was another beautiful day in the city of Towz. The western portion of the city mainly consisted of a residential district with a few shops for food and other essential goods. Many government employees make the western section of the city their home for its close proximity to the government district.

The group was now finally coming up on the natural barrier between the two districts. Though it was less then a quarter mile from the apartment Vincent had spent the night in, his heart was already pounding. This after all was his first ever day as a purchased-and-paid-for protestor for a large, mysterious group against another even larger slightly less mysterious group.  ¶ 11:19 AM

  Back to top 4th Nov. 2005

After what must have been a quarter mile we were coming up on the barrier: an earthen wall that had been re-shaped to act as a gate hundreds of years ago. At one time guards were posted between the two sections of the city but this was eventually deemed as unnecessary. As the group moved into the government district Vincent a colored dotted line on the curb. The group of protesters seemed to turn at all the corners as this dotted line. He was sure there was no relation but he still wanted to ask Cogil about it.

The group jogged up upon the great Hall of Happiness and began to set up for the day's protest. As Vincent watched it occurred to him how rehearsed and coordinated it all was. It was as if the protestors were just going through the motions like a construction crew setting up or any other crew. But then he was still recovering from whatever had happened to him the night before, so he figured it could be a side-effect of that.

“Hey Vincent! How about a little help here?” Cogil was calling. The Hall of Happiness was a large building, at least on the outside, with a large set of steps leading to a large main entrance door that looked like a gate but was really just a big door. It was important, so the theory went, that the outside look big, domineering and impressive to leave an impression of power on the citizens even if the inside was much smaller.

“Uh Cogil? What exactly are we protesting? Have anybody here actually been inside this palce?” Vincent asked.

Cogil grabbed Vincent a tugged him a few feet out of ear-shot of the other protesters. “Look, this is my living. You can’t go and ask questions like that. At least not in front of so many people. I’ll talk to you about this later.”

“Ok, fine. Just wondering.”, Vincent said in a confused sort of tone.

The protest was shaping up now: brightly colored warning markers had been placed around the protest area, the signs were all in place and Vincent noticed the protest was taking place where the line he had noted earlier had ended with a rather abrupt symbol to mark the end of the line.

The protestors were now picking up their signs and chanting their slogan of choice: “hall of happiness, hall of choice; happiness hall leaves no choice!”

Vincent was pretty sure that didn’t make sense and this was all pointless. But he couldn’t think of anything better to do.  ¶ 5:34 PM

  Back to top Chapter 3

Several hours' worth of chanting and marching around in circles was starting to get on Vincent's nerves. It all seemed liked an act, going through motions, as if such a protest was simply done as a matter of course. But no one really cared. Was he the only one wondering this?

As the group stopped for lunch Vincent couldn't help but stop and ask Cogil what was going on.

"Cogil, tell me again: what the hell is the point of this?" obvious annoyance to his voice.

Cogil was eating an apple. "Alright, look. I'm really only here because this is a fun group and it's an easy form of income. It seems weird to me as well sometimes but it's my best prospect right now. Ask me about it again tonight I'll tell you some more."

When lunch was over everybody was back to the protesting. Vincent still didn't know why he was doing so but participated anyway. Finally, the day was over.

On the way back to the protestor apartment Cogil caught up with Vincent. With a gesture the two dropped back behind the main group of people.
"Vincent, of course we're all just going through the motions here. This is all a charade, and always was.", Cogil tried to explain.
"What do you mean it's 'all a charade' ?", Vincent thought he might be about to get some answers.
"The powerful are more than simply in charge. In some ways they can control a perception of reality. It's all about presentation, positioning, and establishing control.", Cogil again seemed to be edging back towards the cryptic.
"Cogil, what are talking about?" This was starting to annoy Vincent on more than one level.
"Well think about it. Protesting is a symbol a freedom to voice concerns toward the powerful. As long you see that you can't be trapped in someone's dictatorship. So the powerful made that function an official policy." This was starting to sound really lame. What the hell was Cogil talking about?
"Cogil, I still don't understand. It's all fake. Everyone knows it and yet it continues. Why?"
Cogil continued, "Vincent, officially we are out here protesting the Hall of Happiness. The powerful have made that so. This policy did not start in its' current form. This form of protesting took decades. But eventually it became the status quo. And now it is an official function. You must have noticed the lines on the curb as we came over here this morning?" At least Vincent seemed to getting some place.
"Yes, of course I did and was wondering what that was all about. You're saying that line was actually put there specifically for protestors to follow?"
Cogil continued to walk for a moment before answering. The apartment was only a few blocks away now.
"Yes, a long, long time ago. There are so many things we all take for granted as mere formalities even though we know these things are rather pointless. Given enough time is it really a surprise that something like protesting could become the same?", Vincent paused to think a moment. To his surprise this was starting to make some sense.
"So you're saying reality is only as we perceive it to be, and as every person alive by definition has a built-in bias to his perspective no possible perception of reality could be fully accurate?" Vincent was surprised to hear himself say such a thing. Either he was becoming a philosopher or he was losing his sanity.
"Well I don't think I have ever put it quite that way but yes, that is one way to look at it." Cogil responded.

The two of them were finally coming back upon the apartment. The apartment was several floors up in a relatively well-maintained building. The residential district was mostly maintained at the whim of local residents. No had ever thought to mandate the maintenance.

Cogil and Vincent finally finished climbing the stairs to the third floor and found their apartment. But upon entering the room it became obvious something was up. The group of protestors, all twenty or so, were all gathered in the room and staring at Vincent and Cogil. Finally one of them stepped forward.
"I don't think you've met me yet Vincent. I'm the leader of this little band, Adrian. Some the group has been talk and we've decided the two of you should leave." Cogil was more stunned than anything. "What the hell are you talking about, Adrian?" Cogil's voice was still calm at this point.
"Look Cogil, we know you and Vincent have been having some doubts about our purpose. You don't think we have ways of tracking you?" Adrian definitely had the signs of a leader. The question was clearly rhetorical and he was in clear control of the conversation.
"Hey, I was only explaining the way things are to the new guy. You knew how I was when I started with this 'band' as you call them." Cogil said, sounding half defensive. This, Cogil actually knew, was part of the way in which control of a situation or conversation could be established. And by kicking both Cogil and Vincent out in front of the group Adrian had clearly won a public relations victory and further established himself as the leader. Though more respectful, had this same task been taken care of in private and Cogil and Vincent simply disappeared one day Adrian would not have accomplished the same thing. Finally, Vincent chimed in with "Why you stuck up, pig headed, hypocritical son of a bitch. You've handled this incredibly poorly. I'm leaving now and wouldn't come back even if you asked me.
"Well that's fine", Adrian responded with quickly. "Because we don't want you back. Anybody else who'd like to question the way things are now is free to live with these two."
This also, Cogil knew, was simply a ploy. Thanks to peer pressure and the need to fit in to the group no individual would dare come foreword in such a circumstance even if one of them did want to leave. This would only further establish Adrian as the group leader.

The two of them finally turned around and left. Vincent actually felt more hurt than Cogil though Cogil had been with the group so much longer. "You want to tell me what was really going on there?" Vincent finally inquired.
"Well Adrian and I didn't really get along that well when I first joined. And independent thought is dangerous to a group like that. Anybody exhibiting independent thought is a threat the established leadership. I'm not sure how he knew what we were talking about but Adrian obviously had to do what he did eventually to someone."

Vincent thought a moment. "I think I can see you what you mean. So what are we going to do now? Any ideas?" Cogil wondered if his secret past that so intricately entangled itself with Vincent's would ever come to light. He supposed it eventually would but was not looking forward to it.
"No, I don't really have any ideas. But you were relieved of your livelihood by the bureaucracy right? Maybe there's someone else who can help you with that. I took the liberty of grabbing your protest check this morning before we started. I on the other hand have saved my checks for last month and half. We should have enough to live on for a few weeks at least."

"That's fine about the check. I'm glad you grabbed it. So where is this other government official then? Back in the government district?" Vincent responded.

"No, I think he's in another part of the city. Possibly the eastern side. That is where I think we should start walking."

The two simply started walking east along the road back towards the government district. It was getting dark now; the moon was starting to come out. The city of Towz actually had a working rail line that ran freely from one side of the city to the other but neither Cogil nor Vincent considered this as a possibility. Some how the city had been designed in such a way that though walking from one side to the other was a fair distance the layout still seemed to some how invite this. At least Vincent didn't seem to mind too much. Cogil on the other hand found walking to be the most annoying and tiring of prospects. Still, riding the rail never really occurred to him.

The two of them were about to come upon the all-familiar earthen barrier separating the Western section from the Government district when a dark figure started to come up from behind them. He was about caught up with them when Cogil finally sighs and says "Yes? Who are you and what do you want?"
Finally the figure came into the light: it was Ryan. "I want to come with you. I find your willingness to exhibit any amount of independent thought appealing." Ryan explained. Cogil looked at him for a moment. Finally he responded. "Oh really? You're some kind of weird spy maneuver by Adrian are you?" This sounded overly suspicious to Vincent. But he listened for the answer. Ryan finally responded: "Oh cut it out Cogil. You know we planned all this."

"Fine, fine. We're headed to the eastern district to see if there's more info on Vincent's recent re-location --"
"Woe wait a minute", Vincent interrupted. "What does he mean you planned all this?" Vincent sounded almost upset with this question.
"Ya, Ryan and I have been planning it for a while. I didn't tell you so your reaction when I was kicked out was that much more authentic." Cogil's explanation was about as close to a real explanation as Vincent was going to get. So he finally accepted this answer.

The three finally started walking off again eastward, past the barrier to the Government District.

As they passed the barrier Vincent asked, "So Ryan, what made you want to leave that 'merry band' as you called them?" Ryan paused a moment as if pondering the answer.

"Well it was just some place to work. Like any other job. You were only there for a day so you didn't notice: there was a lot more going on among that group then was obvious. Adrian is actually not that bad of guy --"

"Oh boy, here we go again! Damn it Ryan I told you not to go into this..."  ¶ 8:01 PM

  Back to top 6th Nov. 2005

"Ok Cogil you're going to have to explain some of this eventually...", Vincent started to demand. The situation Vincent now found himself in just kept getting stranger. It was like he was visiting this place he'd grown up in and it all seemed alien.

"Look Vincent, like a badly written novel there's just some things you're going to have to wait to find out about, alright? It's a little thing called suspense and stalling until a good place to start the real plot. Ok?" Cogil's explanations were always cryptic. "Alright lets get moving. It's a long walk."

The three of them turned and started walking east again. As they passed the always-familiar Hall of Happiness Vincent couldn't resist asking Ryan about his past. Ryan had grown up in the West Towz and stumbled from appointed position with the city to the next. Finally he found the group of protestors. He had staid with them for several months protesting as the appointed locations. Adrian had been a good leader but he eventually started to notice something about group. The required groupthink started to grade on his nerves. He kept having questions about the group and the whole set up. This more seemed to annoy his fellow protestors than anything else. He could tell this annoyed the group and especially Adrian. So when he noticed Cogil also showing signs of independent thought he knew he wanted to leave with him.

Now the group was coming up on the Hall of Bureaucracy. By now it was near the middle of the night and no one would be inside, although there did seem to be a light on in one of the windows.

"Hey Cogil, why would there be a light on in the Hall of Bureaucracy this time of night?" Vincent asked. "Aren't bureaucrats usually gone by now?"

"Yes, usually they are. What? You want to go up and see what the hell is going on?" Cogil sounded sarcastic, but Vincent couldn't figure out if he had some other meaning to his tone.

"Sure, why not?" Vincent finally answered. "What do you think Ryan?"

Ryan looked up as if he had been thinking about something else. "Yes, of course. The light in the window." He answered.

The three of them started climbing the stairs to the great hall. Vincent noticed the stairs seemed like more every time he attempted to go up or down them. Usually repeating something like that made the trip seem shorter, but in this case longer. He started to think obviously reality was warping around him or his sanity was starting to slowly deteriorate --

"Hey, Vincent. Pay attention will ya? You looked like you were kind of nodding off there."

"Yes, I was a bit. My mind wanders off without me once in a while." Vincent explained. That didn't make that much sense. But Vince tried not to think about such details.

The three finally came to the top of the stairs. The main entrance to the Hall of Bureaucracy was a rather large foreboding looking door. Above the door was a plaque with some old phraseology on it. Vincent read it and wondered if there was anyone left who actually knew what it meant. It said only "tiurf yciuj ruoy eb ot tnaw i". Stupid government buildings: always trying to special and capable of lasting throughout the ages. Although this one had done a pretty good job.

Cogil went to open the door. He turned the knob, obviously expecting to be locked. After all, who would leave an important institution such as the Hall of Bureaucracy unlocked? But to his surprise it opened right up. Inside was already familiar to Vincent, of course, but the inside of the Hall of Bureaucracy was quite unfamiliar to Cogil and Ryan. The immediate inside contained a lobby with a high ceiling and a giant hanging chandelier. About fifty yards from the entrance was a long row of booths usually used to help "enbureaucrat" whatever unfortunate citizen decided to come in to the Hall of Bureaucracy.

The group made their way over to the entrance in the barrier between the lobby area and private area for the bureaucrats. Again expecting the door to be locked, Cogil turned the knob. And again to his surprise, the war swung open.

"Ok, this is getting weird" Cogil opined. "Why are all these doors unlocked? Isn't there sensitive information to this place?" This, Vincent was fairly certain, was a rhetorical question. But he answered anyway. "Ya, they must have citizen records here. You'd think even bureaucracy-enthusiasts would want to pretend to protect at least some information."

"Vincent, Vincent, Vincent: as bureaucracy increases logic usually goes down. Don't you know that? I hope you didn't give these bureaucrats a whole lot of information about you. Also, I hope they didn't promise to help you in some way. You shouldn't hold your breath."

"Ya, thanks Cogil. I think the stairs were somewhere around here. The window with the light was on the second floor, right?" Vincent asked.

"Yes, the stairs are over here. Oh look another door. Let me guess, it's unlocked. Man, this is way too convenient." Cogil noticed.

Cogil tried the door, and was indeed unlocked. The group climbed up several flights of stairs and arrived at the second floor. The second floor seemed much different than the first floor. For one thing the floor was tiled and quite smooth, while the lobby was all carpeted. From the entrance to the stair well the group had just come up there was just a seemingly endless hallway with doors every so many feet on either side of the hall.

As the group moved down the hall some of the doors seemed to have windows while some did not. The hall light seemed to be on but was obviously dimmed for the nighttime. Finally all three of them were standing in front of the office that had a light still on. Cogil turned the knob and went in.

The office was empty. Inside the light source seemed to be coming from the ceiling. In the office was what appeared to be a desk with various items on it. One of the items was a small box-like item with a few wires coming out of it.

"This is kind of weird room, don't ya think Cogil? Not sure I've seen anything quite like this." Vincent said.

"Ya I'm not sure what it is either. And what does this box do anyway? Let see, what does this it do when I push this..."

Cogil pushed a button and there was a voice coming through, saying "Yes, hello to the three of you. What you are listening to is a new magical device that communicates sounds and voices over great distances. I knew the three of you wouldn't be able to resist coming up to my office."

"Wait, wait. What do you mean the three of us? How do you know who we are? What do you magic? There is no magic."

"Oh, poor, poor Cogil. Thinks he knows so much." The voice continued. "And Vincent, sarcastic. Think you know from the insults do ya? And Ryan. Actually I'm not sure why you're there. Three's better than two I guess. It doesn't matter though. I knew there'd be three people and I knew it would be you three. I have a special mission for the three of you, should you choose to accept it."

This time Ryan wanted in. "What do ya mean three is better than two? I'm just as important as these other two damn it. Just because I don't talk as much as the other two doesn't mean I'm not as important as..."

"Yes, fine." The voice interrupted. " You're speaking to me on the voice-uh-ma-tron 42k. And it is magic; to you three anyway. The point is I want you meet me in West Towz. There I will give you more information on this mission. And you won't regret it."

"Since we don't have much better prospects we just might. This job pays right?" Cogil asked all the important questions. "And what should we all you anyway, mysterious voice coming from a 'magic' box?"

"My name is not important. When you get to West Towz You'll know where to look..."
"Don't you mean East Towz? We just came from West Towz, the residential district." Vincent interjected.

"Yes, yes. East Towz. You knew what I meant. Always details with you people. In any case get a move on. And take the light rail! It's much faster. Stop stalling for time."

The three of them all agreed this was a good idea. With a renewed sense of purpose in their step they set out once more. Down the hall, down the stairs and out of the Hall of Bureaucracy, hopefully forever the trio went.

The rail system was a short distance from the Hall of Bureaucracy, down Bureaucracy Blvd. past Bureaucracy Memorial Bridge and onto bureaucratic platform. To wait for the rail car to show up.

Very few in Towz actually knew how the rail system worked. Some how it just did. It had just worked, and worked well, for as long as any record in existence could recall. But then bureaucrats liked to edit certain records for the betterment of society (as defined by them).

Any citizen of Towz simply walked into the station, up the stars and waited on the platform. In a matter of minutes the rail car came down the line to pick the passengers up, screeching to a halt. It was free, always arrived within minutes, and there didn't seem to be a differentiation between one passenger or one-hundred. The rail somehow knew passengers were waiting and in many cases seemed to know the desired destination as well. And yet the citizens still seemed to prefer walking.

As the trio approached the platform the faithful rail car came down and tracks and halted right in front of them. They all boarded and the train was off once more, heading toward East Towz.

Even on this mysteriously intelligent railway system the trip to East Towz could take fifteen minutes or so. After a little of silence Vincent finally broke the silence.

"So Ryan do you do anything in your off time?"

Ryan stopped to ponder this a moment. "Oh I have a few a hobbies." Ryan began. "For instance right now I'm writing a fictional story about a group of explorers who get lost in the woods."

"I see", responded Vincent. "And how far along is it?"

"Oh I'm almost done with it. I'm also not that happy with it. I made a lot of it up, adlibbing as I went a long. Parts seem like the party that is lost could be all symbolism while other parts of it seem to be really literally a group lost in the woods. It's kind of a psychological thriller and kind of scary. But also the party is made up a bunch of idiots in their early twenties wandering the woods."

"Wow, that's sounds quite interesting. I'll probably want to read it once you're done. You have anything to say Cogil?" Vincent asked.

"You two are really boring, you know that? That comment about reading was a really pathetic golf clap of a response, Vincent. And you", he said, starting to face Ryan, "I suppose your group of lost idiots wander around the woods bypassing obvious terrain that could get them found."

"Woe, woe Cogil. Calm down. And no, that does not really happen. The group is quite affected psychologically bye being lost..."

"Ok. Did the group pass by a stream or river of any kind?", Cogil asked, sounding more agitated all the time.

"Yes, they do actually. But they still don't found." Cogil's facial expression changed a little. Like he was trying to control his response.

"Look if they find a stream it really can't be that hard to be found. Creeks lead to rivers. Rivers lead to other rivers and eventually they all lead to the frikkin ocean. And there's always a settlement or road way along an ocean. Even quite panicked and could a group of normal intelligence people miss such an obvious detail. At the very least following the same creek in one direction would prevent them from wandering around in circles..."  ¶ 8:02 PM

  Back to top 7th Nov. 2005

"Alright, alright. I get it. I'll change it when I am done. The clever plot device I'm using to introduce the reader the universe is different: the main character has amnesia and knows nothing of the world around him. So the other characters he meets have to explain how things work. So the reader learns as the main character learns. Isn't that unique?"

This seemed to infuriate Cogil to a further degree, most obviously in the look in his eyes. But there was also a lot of self-control and discipline in the look in his eyes. This detail about Ryan's story was obviously eating away at Cogil on multiple levels.

"Look Ryan, that's a great plot device. Lots of stories have used it to great effect and are quite wonderful stories. But it's just too clichéd for me. Even though there's any number of examples of stories I could give you that are quite good and use such a plot device to further the plot." Cogil explained.

Ryan Paused for a moment. How he was taking this seemed less then obvious to those around him. What was the deal with Cogil's constant opinion expressing about any detail offered by others anyway?

"Ok Cogil. Fine. Still an effect device. It fit's like a key in a whole. Just don't tell me you don't like dialog written with random effective but unnecessary metaphors inserted to make a random point..." Ryan was catching on now.

"No, not really." Cogil responded. "Dialog with metaphors inserted are fine. And quite effective when discussed in detail when the author is paid by the word and needs to fill several pages for good reason."

"Yes, I see." Said Ryan.

"Man, you two are boring." Vincent finally interjected. "Can't you find anything half worth while to talk about? I mean damn this stupid rail ride has already taken way longer then it was supposed to."

"You're right. We are boring. Who cares about plot devices anyway?" Cogil seemed to agree. "So what do you want know about anyway, Vincent? You got some burning question?"

"Well", Vincent said after a moment of thought "didn't you mention something about perceptions of reality being an illusion when we first met and took forever to reach that Hall of Happiness? What don't you expand on that?" Vincent seemed interested in some heavy stuff. Here Cogil had been sure Vincent perceived that particular conversation thread as a pointless conversation piece.

"Ya, I should expand on that, shouldn't I?" Cogil explained. "Well, ya see, our perceptions are already going to have a bias built in. That just comes from being a human..."

"Wait that sounds like a load a crap to me", Ryan interrupted, "What about those ancient philosophers whose logical argument can be proven once converted mathematical formulae?"

"Ya, ya. I'll get to that...probably. Ya see just as a matter of course that we all agree to ourselves and each as true and reality as a matter of course or convenience or whatever. But sometimes there's nothing really around to keep such relatively benign denials of what is actually true in check." Cogil was starting to make less sense again.

"Cogil, what the hell are you talking about?" Asked Vincent. "All this sounds like you're just making it up..." he pointed out.

"Ya, just gimme a second, will ya?" Vincent said, he sounded a bit defensive. "I can't believe I'm the only one who thinks to point this out. Mister paid protestor! Hall of hah." Vincent was starting to sound sarcastic. "In a dictatorship for instance the leader is always 'elected' to his position. He came to power through the will of the people. Doesn't matter if it's true. It's the official version of events that took place. Necessary for the dictator's power, to sure. But for all intents and purposes this official account is in fact the only one you're allowed to even think in such places."

"Ya, I think I see what you're saying. In some situations, such as a dictatorship, what is true matters less than what is officially stated as true. But how does that effect us." Vincent asked the question, obviously interested.

"Well there's a couple thing", Cogil continued. "For instance this stupid rail car is supposed to take us to East Towz in fifteen minutes or so. But it's been more than that. And everyone knows it takes longer than fifteen minutes. And it always will take longer than that. But how long will any of us say the rail took should someone ask? Fifteen minutes. But that's a minor example."

Ryan and Vincent had strange looks on their faces. Cogil wondered if any of this was making any sense. He was a roll though. No stopping him now.

"Although technically this Towzian Republic isn't a dictatorship, it may as well be. Those in power do of course have to establish who is in charge. But denial of reality will eventually get taken to a really insane level. None this seemed obvious to you guys?"

"No, not really." Responded Vincent.
"Pretty sure not, actually." Ryan said.

"Ok, fine. Doesn't the Hall of Happiness seem like a bit of strange name to you though? I mean they take your money. Why is happiness in the name? Why are they agents of happiness?" Cogil certainly thought he was on a roll.

"Ok Cogil", Vincent said finally. "Now it is my turn." Vincent sounded more forceful now.

The city of Towz was passing them by. Ryan had been sitting listening to Cogil's philosophizing quietly and had remained silent. In some ways he enjoyed the whole lost in thought thing. Though how that could mentally healthy to one's social interaction abilities he wasn't really sure...

"Hey! Ryan! I'm talkin' here. Pretend to pay attention" Vincent was about to set Cogil straight after all.

"Alright, alright. Sorry. Speak, you." Responded Ryan.

"Ok then. As deep as all these perceptions of reality are I think there's some validity to accepting this as a fact of life. I mean seriously. I think there's some value to the status quo whether you're talking heavy philosophical stuff or just working some place you don't really like because you'd like to heat sometime in the near future." Now Vincent seemed to think he was on a roll. "The status quo, for lack of a better term, is the way it is now. And whether you like or dislike the way it is to whatever degree it will in fact serve a purpose. At the very least you have to accept the status quo to one degree or another in order to survive and make a living. So you have to suspend truth and reality to some degree or another. So what?"

This didn't really sound that good to Cogil or Ryan. Though on some level both of them probably knew the status quo was a necessary concession for functioning in a society.

"Well", Cogil started to respond, "for one thing this can be abused. I mean suppose through some subtle process-taking place over decades an entire populace in manipulated into accepting the most ridiculous things as reality. I mean even more so than the aptly named Hall of Bureaucracy and not-so-aptly-named Hall of Happiness. Or the paid protestors. Ok perhaps I'm describing the status quo without much realizing it?" Cogil asked as if confused. "The point is if someone, those in power or merely enthusiasts for those in power, figured out some formula to transforming the accepted reality? Would this reality be ushered and embraced by those enthusiasts while the rest of the more apathetic population didn't so much as protest?"

Cogil was already tiring of his own rants. Perceptions of reality were also quite boring. Only a jackass trying to sound smarter then he really was when he obviously was not would go on and on for pages talking about perceptions of reality. The idea was quite laughable.
"Uhhh. I guess that would be a problem." Vincent chimed in.

"You two are either smart or idiots, you know that?" Now Ryan was being a sarcastic bastard. "I mean can't we all just exist without worrying such crap?"

"Ya I suppose so. It kinds of boring after a while though. Don't ya think?" answered Cogil. "What you don't have a view on this whole thing Ryan?"

"Oh, so now you want to know my opinion. Well that's just great. You two aren't boring enough, now I have to give you my opinion." Now Ryan was just ranting.

Ryan actually found such abstract discussions to be tiring. Besides he was right. The others with differing views were idiots. Obviously.

"Look you guys. It's all a matter of control. If those in power can convince you of a reality or truth or whatever of your own free will they've already created a well established proverbial wall from which to trap you and maintain their own power. Also, they have you by the balls." Ryan seemed to enjoy the ranting.

"Woe, woe Ryan lets keep this clean eh?" Vincent seemed to think inserting this was important.

"Look if the powerful can establish an official reality the populace accepts willingly what's the point of physical jails? Everybody would already be in a self-imposed prison, of sorts. Existing entirely in the mind of a citizen. Doesn't that make sense?"

Ryan certainly had a way of putting things. A no-nonsense way putting things in perspective.

The rail car was at long last pulling into the East Towz rail station. The ride had not lasted the advertised fifteen minutes. In fact it had lasted closer to forty-five minutes. And little did the citizens of Towz perceive it there was a greater intelligence to the way the rail car worked.

East Towz was the older part of the city. Some of the citizenry were sure it was even older than the government district or the Hall of Bureaucracy. There were still some government buildings in East Towz in fact but most were outdated, replaced by much newer and therefore better bureaucracies over the past generations. But such was the state of the city of Towz: bureaucracies were never closed but merely de-emphasized.

"Well I suppose I learned something on that rail car ride. Now, lets go and find that man who talked to use through the mysterious voice-uh-ma-tron 42k. Where did he say he'd be again?" Vincent asked.  ¶ 8:03 PM

  Back to top 8th Nov. 2005

Chapter 4

"Actually, he didn't say where he was going to be. He said we would just some how know. That was a really weird conversation." Vincent pointed out.

The trio now left the rail car and stepped onto the platform. As soon as all three were off the car it pulled away once more as if guided by some sort of intelligence.

East Towz was a bit larger than the Government District. Being the older of the districts in the Towz it wasn't nearly as organized. For instance it had some old government buildings, some residences, and some markets. Most of these things were built before the bureaucracy enforced zoning laws restricting what sorts of buildings could be built and in what areas.

The three of them came down the stairs from the rail car platform and started walking further east along Old Bureaucrat's Boulevard. Several blocks further down was one such large seemingly abandoned government building, though it still functioned.

Inside this large building was the mysterious voice that had contacted three 'devices' predicted to show up at a particular time in that office. The mysterious voice, W.B. McGee as he preferred to go by, was a bureaucrat in the traditional sense of the term but much different than the average one a citizen my find. It was his office the devices had entered and it was he who had assigned them to a secret mission.

Over the centuries, as the bureaucracies hadn't just been growing in size and complexity while simultaneously shrinking in logical thought or forethought but had figured out a way to predict the future and reduced public manipulation to a fine art form. McGee knew three citizens somewhere would eventually have independent thoughts. And right on schedule three people had left the protestor group for East Towz. So as required McGee left the light on in his office he hardly ever uses over in the Hall of Bureaucracy. And as predicted the three of them went up stairs to investigate out of curiosity. It was all in the mathematical formulae.

So now the three men would come down the street and meet the new group of protestors. These protestors were a much different lot than the ones previously Cogil, Vincent and Ryan had met before.

Just then the Cogil, Vincent and Ryan were turning the corner from Old Bureaucrat's Boulevard onto the oddly named Thin Bureaucrat's Bulge Street when a large group of protestors became visible several blocks away.

"Those protestors seem different than the other ones some how, Cogil." Vincent pointed this out.

"Yes, they are actually. These are East Towz protestors, a much different lot then the government district ones we've already met." Cogil explained.

As Cogil, Vincent and Ryan walked down the street the protestors seemed to have signs just as odd as those carried by the Government District protestors but it seemed like a much more genuine protest. Like a group of citizens had actually decided there was a subject which deserved protesting.

"So what exactly are they protesting anyway?" Ryan asked, "You seem fairly knowledgeable here."

"I'm not that sure actually", Cogil responded, "I'm pretty sure that's where we're supposed to go. I'm not sure how I know this, I think I just do though."

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan were approaching the group of protestors. The protestors were in front of a building that said "So Much the Sooner: We'll get all your money one way or another anyway."

"That seems like a bit of an odd slogan to me Cogil. What the hell does it mean, anyway?" Vincent inquired.

"This is the government office that 'relieved you of your livelihood' before the Hall of Happiness was created. It was a little more honest about it's function, ya see. It actually still functions as no bureaucracy is allowed to close for good."

As if responding to some sort of cue one of the protestors started to approach Cogil, Vincent and Ryan. The protestor was holding a sign that said "Soon there after, soon yourself!" which Vincent was pretty sure really made no sense.

"Are you our relief workers?" the man asked, "we've been going for hours."

"No, we're here under some rather strange consequences. Ya see we saw this light on the second floor of the Hall of Bureaucracy and...", Cogil was interrupted by the protestor.

"What? The second floor? Usually that's not used for anyone. At least that's what I thought. In any case I have to get back to work. These halls won't protest themselves after all."

"No, for some reason I'm pretty sure we're supposed to go into this building here. Is there some way we can get through?" Cogil wanted to know why he was so sure more than anybody.

"No, we really can't do that. We are here, we are proud, and we are not leaving just because you have requested as much. Got it?" The protestor sounded rather firm. Still, Cogil was pretty sure he was alluding to something else.

Ryan finally broke the tension. "Hey what's the deal with this group anyway? You're still the paid types right? You part of the union?"

"Union? Union? No, no, no, no. There is no union. We are here to protest this here what's-it-called building and we are not leaving." Answered the protestor.

"Can't you ever go off script?" Asked Vincent, "I mean this doesn't make sense." Turning to Cogil he asked "Cogil, how much do protestors make in a typical day?"

"Lets see...probably around 50 Towz coins or so. Why?" asked Cogil.

"Just give him 55 coin and be done with it, will ya?" Vincent seemed enthusiastic about this.

"Ah, I see. And I should have saw. Here, the ubiquitous bribe. And 55 coin at that, quite generous I think." Cogil was the one with money.

"Wow, is it ever! Here let me give you the skinny," the protestor responded, "We're paid five coin an hour for five hours at a time. We're paid by a different group out of a different fund than those West Side protestors of which you hear." This protestor seemed rather sarcastic when he mentioned the West Side protestors.

"For some reason the union rule is that we can't move aside until we are given official word. And we won't get official word until we move. So we'll probably be here a while. Also, the group the that funds us is a government funded agency. We're mandated in fact, to protest some minimum number of hours. Honest decent is a sign of a healthy republic after all, right?" The protestor was suddenly full of information.

"Wow, that sounds like confidential information. And I always assumed the ones funding protestors were government agents..." Cogil started to respond.

"Oh, you want to talk confidential information do ya? You hear the one about what the Hall of Bureaucracy has been planning for years now. A way to transform the whole city into a...", the protestor stopped mid-sentence, "no, I have already said too much. Like a badly written novel inserting less than subtle hints about that are really details to become apparently important in later pages I will say no more on the subject if you don't mind."

"Hey, that's usually my line." Cogil said.

"Ok look. You're obviously important people and I always like to help out some fellow protestors. So here is what you do: go half a block down or so, the way you came, and you'll find a little alley. Follow that down to the end of the alley where you will have no choice but to go left. Eventually you come to this same building and a wall. But really it's a door. A hidden door. Knock three times and turn the knob. You'll know when you see it."

"Gee, thanks", answered Cogil with more than a slight amount of lack of enthusiasm. "So is there any way we can sleep until morning in your local protesting chapter?"

"Oh yes, sure. You all must be tired. It's right across the street here. Should be unlocked, just go on up. We'll be done protesting in the morning though so be out by 7:00."

"Ok, thanks again." Answered Cogil.

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan all went across the street to the protestor's apartment. As the protestor; Cogil, Vincent and Ryan had forgotten to ask his name; had said the door was open. Cogil, Vincent and Ryan went and fell asleep on the various couches and on the floor.

* * *

In the morning Cogil, Vincent and Ryan all bathed and got re-dressed. The standard we-are-generic-protestors type clothes seemed to be standard fair across Towz. Consisting of red sweat pants, a green sweatshirt and usually covered by some foil-looking shinning cover alls. Cogil, Vincent and Ryan all left around the promised time, 7:00am.

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan came out of the apartment building and started back down the street. As mentioned the prior day by the protestor there was indeed an alley half a block down the street. But it wasn't nearly as wide as Cogil, Vincent and Ryan had imagined.

"Wow, that's kind of a narrow alley we got here Cogil," Vincent noted.

"What, you worried? Quit yer whinning. We will be fine." Cogil said.

Finally Cogil, Vincent and Ryan started down the alley.
As they walked Ryan asked "So what do you think that plan about converting the city to something else was all about? Was that protestor for real?"

"I'm not sure if he was 'for real', Ryan. He seemed overly eager to give us some information."

"Yes that's true. Ah this must be where we turn. Obviously." Responded Ryan.

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan turned down the second alley. Along they walked, this time in silence. Ryan seemed to enjoy silence more than the other two.

This alley was a bit wider than the first, but it was also much longer. Cogil, Vincent and Ryan were traveling the whole length of the original half-block, to side entrance. Maybe no one would be there, maybe someone would. This all seemed a bit strange to more than one of them.

The two buildings on either side of them rose up quite into the sky, though few had ever thought to really explore what could be such buildings. The buildings were just sort of there as if added as set decoration to some really strange play.

At long last Cogil, Vincent and Ryan got the end of the alleyway. It appeared to be some sort of special wall designed to keep out normal people. Or normally keep people out, depending on the mood of those inside. Upon close inspection it did appear the wall had a seam so subtle very few could make it out.

"This looks nothing like a door at all Cogil." Vincent said. "It looks almost all cement and brick."

"Well he said no knock three times and turn the knob. So that's what I intend to do." Cogil was going to see this through.

Cogil stepped forward, hesitated a moment and finally knocked three times: nothing happened. Cogil, Vincent and Ryan waited for almost a minute and suddenly heard a voice coming from all around them.

"You're supposed to knock and turn the turn knob. Wasn't any one paying attention?"

"Wait, who are you and where is this knob?" asked Vincent.

"Oh, you're just full of questions, aren't you? Ever heard of thinking outside the box? Well start! And hurry up. The mission is waiting."

"Ok so we have lame riddle to think about here. It's a really weak one too. Why would a government pay protestors to protest a government agency and then build a secret overly convoluted alternative entrance anyway? This makes no sense." Cogil almost sounded like he was on a rant.

"Ok, so we have to 'think outside of the box' do we?" remarked Ryan, "Maybe the box is the group of us and we have to ask outside our group?"

"No, that is lame. As lame as the actual answer I am sure." Answered Cogil. "How about we work together and move this big sewer cover on the ground here?" The other two just looked him. Then they both looked down. Cogil, Vincent and Ryan were all standing on a sewer lid cover with the letters N.O.B. on it. Was this what the protestor meant? It was the only logical conclusion.  ¶ 9:23 AM

  Back to top 9th Nov. 2005

"So we're supposed to turn this thing some?" Ryan asked.

"No, jackass, just lift it up and go into the stupid sewer." The nameless voice was back, "how long have been doing secret missions anyway?"

"Well actually we have ever...there's no point in talking to that voice, is there?" Vincent was looking a little confused.

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan entered the sewer through the manhole. These three were expecting a normal sewer entrance to normal sewer. But were wrong, as this was not simply a manhole cover. No, this was in fact the secret entrance to the real city of Towz. The one that takes visitors through a strange portal across time and space to show them how it all works.

"Man, this latter goes on forever." Vincent was saying.

"Yes, like a portal across time and space." Answered Cogil, not realizing his sarcasm was true.

At long last Cogil, Vincent and Ryan arrived at the bottom of the latter rungs. The entire shaft of which Cogil, Vincent and Ryan had been descending was quite dark and very little could be seen of where they were going.  ¶ 9:26 AM

  Back to top 10th November 2005

"Wait a minute. Is that floor opening front of us?" Asked Ryan.

"Why yes, yes it is." Cogil noticed.

"And another thing", Ryan continued, "did we just climb from that ladder up onto the floor? Shouldn't we have fallen down to the floor below the ladder? I'm so confused."

"Yes, yes. We started climbing down from alley manhole and the just climbed up onto this floor. I'm a heavily complicated and over-convoluted load-of-crap explanation for this sudden shift in gravity is forth coming. Can see what's coming out the floor here please?" Cogil had a way of getting to the point.

The floor in front of them continued to open up into a rather large gap. And the floor tiling didn't seem to be folding or stacking under itself. Each tile seemed to be absorbing into the neighboring tile, opening wider in three directions.

Then, as if on queue, a man started to emerge out of the opening. As the man came out of the floor it became apparent he was quite short. When the lift finally came to a stop he was standing on a pedestal  ¶ 9:28 AM

  Back to top 11th Nov. 2005

Sorry no entry for today. went on vacation for the weekend. seriously.  ¶ 9:30 AM

  Back to top 12th nov. 2005

with stairs coming down on four sides.

"This just keeps getting weirder", Cogil remarked, "first the bizarre steps now some short bald guy."

"Hey, hey", said the bald guy, "watch the remarks."

The bald man continued to stare at the three of them, as if pondering what to tell them next.

"Are you the mysterious disembodied voice we were hearing?" asked Vincent.

"Yes, actually I was. That's my main job. Acting as disembodied voice and making a grand entrance. That's my departments whole budget for recruitment right there." Answered the bald man.

"And just who are you? What do you mean 'recruit' exactly? What is this place?" Ryan was not the one asking the questions.

The bald continued to stare at the three of them a a while longer. Then, as if coming to a decision, the bald man started to explain who he was and what he wanted from these three people.

"My name is W.B. McGee. You can just call me McGee if you want. I am part of a secret group of people who run the whole city of Towz. There's a lot more to this city than you might think after all. I'm afraid I can't tell you everything or answer all your questions right now. You'll be on a need-to-know basis for at least a week or two. That is, if you choose to accept the mission."

"Well, that was really informative. I suppose we shouldn't ask about the mind-bending gravity switch we just went through then? And this whole trans-dimensional thing we seem to have just gone through, I suppose that'd be pointless to ask about too then? Ok so just get to the mission then why don't ya?", Cogil this time was sounding a bit annoyed.

"Yes, of course", McGee started, "It seems certain elements in my organization are planning a fundamental shift in the way Towz works and feels. A shift so signficant it would have a very direct a dramatic effect on every man, woman and child in the whole city. And there would be no vote, it would simply happen. Unfortunately that is all I have learned about it so far. I am a member of a small faction who is seeking to find more information and, if necessary, stop this change from taking place."

"Ok, that's interesting I guess", Cogil started, "but what are we to do about it?"

"My small faction found the three view through a combination of mathematical formulae and necessity. Also you were the ones who went up to investigate the light in my office at the Hall of Beuracracy. Your job will be to take some positions at a local branch of my organization and gather any information about the plot you can then report back to me." McGee explained. "You can of course discuss this first if you would like."

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan all turned away from McGee and to talk amongst themselves.

"Man, this guy sounds like the real thing, I mean what an entrance." Vincent started.

"Are you kidding? That was a whole stupid production if you ask me." Responded Cogil.

"Hey you guys want to hear more of my book? I wasn't really paying attention to baldy." Ryan said.

"Would you focus Ryan? This is important. If he's telling the truth I think we should try to gather more information about this plot he spoke of. Besides, this position probably pays and we'll need more money soon. Also we should ask him about a place to stay." Cogil said.

Vincent turned around and asked "McGee, what does this 'position' entail exactly, does it pay anything and do you have a place for the three of us to stay while employed with you?"

McGee seemed to be expecting this question. "Yes, of course. We pay 10 coin an hour and will provide you with lodgings, utilities and food. In fact you'll be working quite close to where you'd be staying. Anything else?"

Cogil looked surprised. "And what is this job? What'll we have to do?"

"Ah, yes. Well basically you'll be helping other operators such as myself use the equipment that I used to communicate with you. You didn't think that was magic did ya? Oh no. That's a whole set of equipment in and of itself. So anything that seems to be wrong an operator will call you, describe the issue and it will be your job to see them through the problem and make sure there is a satisfactory resolution. This will all be covered during the short training session you will be going through. But first, lets get you to your new lodgings. Assuming you'll be taking the jobs?"

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan looked at each other than back at McGee and all once said, "We'll take it."

Chapter 5

After the conversation with McGee Cogil, Vincent and Ryan were shown how to operate the openings in the floor: there was a subtle but still apparent series of lightly colored squares on the floor. These squares could be tapped in a certain combination to make the floor do what ever one wanted such as lower down, raise up or even act as a moving sidewalk for transportation.

Cogil seemed to have picked up on the implementaion of such a thing right away while Ryan seemed to sometimes get it and Vincent seemed rather clueless.

The trio lowered themselves down from their introductory area and were then shown how to get to their particular lodging by a lovely woman in a dress skirt. The was she was dressed was completely alien the three men but none of them said anything.

The lodging provided was a generic looking building with a very templatized feel to the layout but still had a homely feeling about it. The second day of thier stay McGee called them through the voice-uh-ma-tron 42k to let them know they could do whatever they wished until they recieved a call with a start date for the job.

The area around the lodging was passingly similar to West Towz and the Government District. The main difference being the light source: where ever this strange subteranion place was the sun apparently couldn't reach it. None of them could decipher where exactly the light was coming from but decided it was a quite inviting light in any case.

"It has been three days Cogil. When do you think we are going to start this job anyway?" Vincent asked. "It's been three days already."

"Yes, I know. But relax alright? We're being paid for this time and we can learn about these surroundings. So have you read the manual on the voice-uh-ma-tron 42k yet and other operator equipment yet?"

"Yah, started it. I hope they at least give us a short refresher on it though." Vincent said.

Finally, mid-way through the third day, the voice-uh-ma-tron 42k finally signalled and the trio were told to show up a few doors down from thier lodging early the next morning.

"Ok, so what are we doing for work tomrrow exactly?" asked Vincent.

"Well if they told us that we'd be half prepared and what would be the use of that ya think?" Answered Cogil.  ¶ 9:32 AM

  Back to top 13th Nov. 2005

The next morning Cogil, Vincent and Ryan went to the designated building for an orientation. A large, menacing looking building it said simply "Thought Similar" on the outside. Cogil, Vincent and Ryan didn't know what in the world that could mean but were going in anyway.

As they entered the building the inside seemed much larger than the outside. There were many hallways, a lot of mirrors and plush carpeting. The employees already working for this support company were way too perky and outgoing. The first day consisted mostly of an orientation and meeting the co-workers Cogil, Vincent and Ryan would be working with for an unspecified amount of time. The class was mostly male ranging in age from 20 to 40 years of age. The teacher was in his 30s and seemed enthusiastic about the product he was teach the class about:

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan would be support for the speak-uh-ma-tron, a device used to talk to and manipulate the citizens of Towz. The building Cogil, Vincent and Ryan would be working out of what was one of many locations all over this "Subterranean Towz". The callers would be various customers similar to McGee calling from all over the both the above-surface Towz and Subterranean Towz.

Of course, as Cogil, Vincent and Ryan learned in great detail, there were only some things that could be covered by this particular support group.

After work, Cogil, Vincent and Ryan decided to go out and have some dinner. Ryan seemed rather good at attracting lots of people and making friends fast so the three of them went with a bunch of co-workers to a local Subterranean Towz bar down the street.

"So what did you think of that orientation?" asked Vincent.

"I don't know. It just seems so much like an indoctrination to me." Cogil answered.

"Ya, I suppose that should be expected." Vincent said.

"So guys, let me introduce you to some of these people here."

Ryan introduced a large number of the people who had accompanied them from work. Everyone was joking around and seemed to be having a good time.

Phorp was a loosely regulated and fairly benign substance used by some citizens of Towz. Viewed by many to be completely benign and non-habit forming to the point of fanaticism it was used pretty much completely in the open. Technically there was some punishment for it somewhere but that had been lost some where in the translation.

"Would you like some phorp?" asked one of the co-workers.

"No, none for me thanks." Answered Vincent. Cogil answered with something similar. Ryan on the other hand seemed to enjoying himself. So Vincent and Cogil were left alone.

"Thank god work is over, eh Cogil?" Vincent said.

"Yes. Thank god. You know that hasn't come up much lately, has it?" asked Cogil.

"Hasn't come up? What hasn't come up?" said Vincent.

"God, religion, spirituality. I know there's some churches up in West Towz but there doesn't seem to be many people in them." Cogil said.

"Yes, well who needs God when we've got the Hall of Bureaucracy and the Hall of Happiness to protest, right?" answered Vincent.

"What? Don't you believe in God Vincent? Doesn't everyone's life deserve or require some amount of spirituality in one form or another?" asked Cogil.

"Well I'm not quite sure on that. I mean science seems to be able to disprove most things religious after all, so what's left to have faith in?" Asked Vincent.

"Most societies throughout history had a religious base to them. Even if science seems to be out weighing religion, there's still a need for a moral compass and guage to guide a populace. I mean sure most of the morality found in religion can be argued by simple logic but that doesn't seem to sway the hardcore scientist types." Cogil was starting to go off on one his idealistic rants.

"I think I see what you're saying Cogil", Vincent started, "however Towz, flawed though it is, seems to be doing ok. Hopefully this secret thing will turn out to be nothing." Vincent said.

"Yes, that'd be real exciting, right? Just the three of us working some support job the next 30 years. Pffff.  ¶ 9:33 AM

  Back to top 14th November, 2005

"Arlight, lets review what we learned today then Cogil. What was your view?"

"Well lets see. The speak-uh-ma-tron is user-friendly device for the well to do bureaucrat. It has all the features needed for a productive day of manipulating a population with their realizing it. Through the simple user interface a bureaucrat can simply push a few keys and world is but a reciever for ideal manipulation both over and covert..." Cogil seemed to remember a lot.

"Cogil, you memorized all that? What's up with this anyway?" Vincent was almost intrigued.

"Actually I just made all that up. I wasn't really paying attention. This'll be an easy job until something better comes along. I mean this whole concept of manipulating a whole populace is just morally reprehensible. Also this speak-uh-ma-tron thing is really easy to use so I can wing it most of the time."

"Well, that'd certianly be better than me. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to handle all this."

"Oh you'll be fine." Cogil said.

Ryan looked to be having a good time so Cogil and Vincent went back to the apartment. It was only a short walk down the road. The building they were was very generic looking but the inside was much different. The rooms of the other residence had been customized to fit whatever personal style. Cogil, Vincent and Ryan's apartment was already starting to look customzied. The inside consisted of three bedrooms, a living space and a kitchen area. There were already a few posters.

"So what time is it Cogil?" asked Vincent.

"It's about 11:00pm." He answered.

"So, what about the religion thing? Are such things really worth it?" asked Vincent.

"Well think about. At worst you spent you whole life being a good person and trying to be good to those around you. Isn't that a worth while worst case scenario?" said cogil.

"Well I'm not saying that's a bad point or anything, but it seems like if you're going to devote your whole life to something you should at least believe wholly in fully, not just be in for fear of something that may or may not happen when you die. Time and devotion should have something more than cover bases, right?" Asked Vincent.

"Yes, I see that point. Still, you're not saying you'd support a government shut down of churches, are you?" asked Cogil.

"No, I don't think so. I'd be sad to see them all go really. Ah home at last." Said Vincent.

The two of them went up stairs to the apartment. At long last it was time to rest up for work.

* * *

Ryan was still at the bar, having a great time. He wondered why Vincent and Cogil had left. And also wondered why the two of them would come to a bar and discuss the philosophical value of religion. But then he was writing a book.

Ryan picked up new concepts rather quickly and would handle any call thrown at him for the speak-uh-ma-tron at work, so he wasn't at all worried.

The bar was fairly large and had a lot of people in thanks to bringing all his co-workers. He was consuming phorp and dancing with a lot people on the dance floor.

Eventually he got bored and of this and started to wander home.

* * *

In the morning Cogil, Vincent and Ryan all walked to work for their first real day support the speak-uh-ma-tron for the various bureaucrats around the city.

Upon arriving each of them recieved instructions on where to sit. Cogil, Vincent and Ryan would be recievng calls on thier own speak-uh-ma-trons right away.

Ryan's first incident involved a bureaucrat who didn't have his speak-uh-ma-tron actually plugged in.

Vincent's first incident involved a bureaucrat whose speak-uh-ma-tron was plugged in but the power to the whole facility was out so it was not working.

And Cogil's first incident involed a failing speak-uh-ma-tron and an upset bureaucrat who only really thought he knew what he was talking about.

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan were starting to get comfortable with the whole when a wailing siren started to sound. Everyone around Cogil, Vincent and Ryan start to get up and move toward one particular exit on one side of the building. Cogil, Vincent and Ryan follow everyone as they go through the door way into a giant auditorium.

"What do you think is going on, Cogil?" Vincent asked.

"I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure that was an alarm though, right?" Cogil answered.

Another co-worker leaned over and said "No not an alarm, just the signal for the weekly meeting. You didn't hear?"

"No", Cogil said, "we are new here. No one told us."

As the room filled up with workers and Cogil, Vincent and Ryan came into the auditorium a large stage with podium became clear on the stage. Then the speaker came onto the stage.

"Is that a mister W.B. McGee?" asked Vincent.

"I think it is." Cogil said.

"Well I hope he has something entertaining to say. I mean between the bar last night and the waiting for the job to start I've been kind of bored. I have a feeling with this speech lots of exciting, unpredictable things with talking about will start to happen right away."

"There you go again, Vincent", Cogil said, "always the die-hard optimist, aren't you? This could be the start of something exciting or it could always be the turning point for a downward spiral."

"Hey, speaking of spirals, let me tell you about part of the book that I am writing..." Ryan started to say.

"Not now Ryan! We're going to McGee's speech. We'll talk about tonight. Just to shut you up!"

"Ok, fine. Tonight. It's good though." Said Ryan.

McGee was now approaching the podium. He looked much taller up on the stage then he did in person. Vincent wondered if McGee would talk about the trippy entrance for the manhole cover to the Subterranean Towz, though he knew it was probably doubtful.

After taking a few moments waiting for the crowd to quiet down McGee finally started to speak.

"My fellow Subterranean Towzians, how are you?" McGee started. "As you all know support of the speak-uh-ma-tron for our bureaucrats is as important as any task in all of Towz..."

The speech went on for nearly half in hour. It was a fairly good speech, somewhat informative but not very well written. This Cogil and Vincent would hear about from Ryan non-stop for the next week. When McGee was all done with this speech a new speaker came to the podium.

Ryan leaned over and asked a co-worker who this new man was. Turns out McGee's boss was going to make short speech. This was an unscheduled speech and even McGee seemed to be unaware of the plans for it.

As the new speaker approached the the podium he seemed like a much more sinister character than any Cogil, Vincent and Ryan had ever encountered before. This, of course, completely contradicted what the new speaker started to say.

"Hello support personnel! How are we doing today?" This man was wierd looking and sounded even wierder. "As you know it is that we keep our fellow bureaucrats happy and making using thier voice-uh-ma-tron 42ks at all times. For in the future this will not be nearly as necessary. But that doesn't mean we should let up. Oh no! For in the future there will be no robots. In fact there may not even be any robot-like people toiling away forever. For in the future, you see..."

The speech of the unnamed man went on for nearly an hour. He had very little of any substance to add but he certainly was addament about the robots.

"Boy, he certainly was addament about those robots." Cogil said. "I'm just glad that speech is over."

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan all went back to thier cubicles to try to help more bureaucrats. Mainly, the bureaucrats job was to change certain to details of the city of Towz to warp the minds of the populace. At least that was the running theory among the three of them. From what Vincent could gather every aspect of Towz could be manipulated from Subterranean Towz, from the weather to how fake paid protestors that virtually everyone knew were fraudulent could possibly make sense logicially. It was something out of a bad novel.

After work Cogil, Vincent and Ryan went back to their apartment, this time a much quieter evening.

Finally, Vincent asked Ryan about his book.

"Well I'm re-working it. Still plot involving lost hikers but now one of them has to have everything explained to him. It's a plot device to make things more obvious to the reader indirectly through dialog instead of long passages of stating the status of the fictional universe. Also one of them is real young. For some reason fictional or not if someone young says something really bizaare or off the wall or controversial it's munch more tolerated. Simply because the character is considered innocent and doesn't know any better." Ryan was way too enthused about this.

Of course all this seemed to simply annoy Cogil. Ryan was expecting this from the trip on the train.

"Ryan, why do you insist on using these really transparent plot devices. Isn't there some way to manipulate the reader into getting this information without resort to such devices?" Cogil asked.

"Well plot devices are just that, right? Like a nail to a hammer, plot devices hold together a whole story. Wouldn't that make sense?" Now Ryan was starting to make sense.

"Yes, I suppose that's one way to look at it. I still think there's a way to get the same things done but without such transparency."

"Oh", said Ryan, "That's not really necessary. Devices are there. If done right they'll simply move a plot along and do what all devices are supposed to do: hold different parts together. Like if use a hammer on a nail properly you won't notice it in the wall when the house is done. Or something."

"Ok, alright. I get it. It's your book, your creative process. So what was that speech all about anyway?"  ¶ 9:34 AM

  Back to top 15th November 2005

"I think the speech was telling us more than it intended. Whoever heard of a bureaucracy with some amount of change? I think we should go back to work tonight and do some investigation." Cogil said.

"Yes, that's what we'll do; the three of us. Cogil, Vincent and Ryan; investigating..." said Vincent.

"Alright, alright. I get it. What is it now? Seven? Ok We're leaving around 11:30 ok? So get something to eat and sleep if you feel like it. Then we're out of here. No more boring support jobs for us, oh no. From now on nothing but excitement." Cogil said excitedly.

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan all went to their respective rooms to rest. Ryan made his favorite instant dinner, Vincent just rested in his room and Cogil found a local restaurant.

As planned Cogil, Vincent and Ryan got ready to leave around 11:30 that night. The three of them walked along the street back to the main office. It was dark in Subterranean Towz, not even a moon or stars to light their way.

Upon reaching the main office Cogil went to try the door. Oddly enough it seemed unlocked. Cogil turned the knob and went right in. Vincent whispered to Cogil "Doesn't that seem weird to you? That this office would be left unlocked?"

"Perhaps you forget where we are: this is after all the basis from which the population of Towz sees paid protestors and thinks nothing of it." Cogil said.

"Ya, that's true." agreed Vincent.

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan, keeping with the general tone of after hours, snuck along the the outside walls of the office to an area they had never been before. Through some double doors with a big sign that said in big bold letters "No unauthorized bureaucratizing beyond this point. This may mean you!". This sign didn't make that much sense to any of the three, nor did anyone really care. Beyond the double doors was a really long hall way devoid of any other signs or writing of any kind. Every few hundred feet were some more double doors, unmarked and with sign as to where they were leading all along the walls. The hallway could have easily been a quarter mile long. Every so many double doors along the walls to either side of the hall was also a set of doors across the hall.

"Wow", remarked Cogil, "just too bad I’m not writing a badly written novel. This could be some sort of dark foreboding symbolism or possibly a really transparent transition from one part of a book to another part entirely."

Now it was Ryan's turn to look annoyed. "Was that remark about me now? I though you were anti clichéd plot devices! I mean who in the world would use a long foreboding hallway that seems to go on and on forever and may or may not be at all relevant just to foreshadow a total and complete transition from part of a book to another. I mean that's just stupid."

"Alright, alright", Cogil finally said, "forget I said anything. Damn. Lets get going. There must be something about the conspiracy some where down this hall."

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan, now more confident the security of this building was much less stringent then they for some reason thought, now simply walked along the hall not at all worried about being caught. What would the punishment be for such a thing, anyway?

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan walked along the hall for several minutes. The hall seemed to go on forever. All the doors on the side seemed to have blackened windows with no clues as to what could be inside.

"Hey maybe this hall way works like that mind warping area we ended up in between Towz and Subterranean Towz...how did that work again?" asked Vincent.

"I'm not quite sure. McGee seemed to be referencing parts of the floor but I'm sure how to find such places. He never showed us how to do that crazy floor thing." said Cogil.

"We have been walking for like 10 minutes now. We need to try one of these doors I think." suggested Ryan.

"Alright, lets stick together. Next door on the left we'll try. Given this pattern lately I think it'll be unlocked. Right?" Said Cogil.

A few minutes later the trio came to the next set of double doors on the left, once again with blackened windows and no markings of any kind.

Cogil went over to open the double doors, but Vincent stopped him.

"Cogil, are you sure you want this of doors? Why not the next door, the previous one or the one on the other side of the hall?" asked Vincent.

"What, you are getting philosophical on me now? What difference could it make maybe it will be another hallway identical to this one? A symbol of unlimited choices in life, or so I would say if Ryan weren't looking at me like that. " Answered Cogil.

Cogil then continued to the double doors. He went to push them open but upon opening them just a tiny little bit hear a really loud blaring noise. This startled Cogil, Vincent and Ryan and each of them stepped back a bit. The door closed shut again and the noise was instantaneously gone once more.

Cogil stepped forward again, put his ear up to the door.

"Wow, this is some great sound proofing material they got here. Should I open it again?" asked Cogil.

Vincent and Ryan indicated with a motion that he should.

Cogil again put his hand on the double doors, this time more gingerly and cautiously.

"No no watch out!!" Ryan yelled into Cogil's ear.

"Ah, son of bitch. Why did you have to go and do that? That was way of line." Cogil had just half a foot into the air at startle and nearly fallen over.

"Damn dude, don't wet yourself! Man, that was funny. Geeze just go in. This isn't high drama ya know." Ryan said. Ryan walked over to the door, pushed it open and blaring noise and all walked in. A moment later he was gone. Cogil and Vincent were alone in the hallway.

"Well. That was unexpected. Shall we follow him then?" asked Vincent. Cogil, still a little startled, indicated he was ready. Together the two of them walked through the double doors.

The noise hit them immediately. It was really loud and seemingly incoherent. Cogil and Vincent were now in a large room with a large cylindrical -looking object in the middle. After a few seconds the noise seemed to apparently have some pattern to it after all. Actually it sounded a lot like a song blaring from some unapparent source. Ryan was several yards in front of them now, apparently reading something sprawled across the cylindrical object. As Cogil and Vincent approached him his face sudden became much more grave and serious looking. He turned toward the two and started yelling something at them, waving toward the door they had entered through. Cogil and Vincent were unable to hear what he was saying over the noise so all three eventually just went back outside into the hall.

Once back in the hall Vincent asked, "What was that all about? What were you trying to say, Ryan?"

All Ryan could respond with was "What?!", his ears still apparently ringing from the loud music inside the room. "We have to get out of hear! That device in their is very dangerous, he have to leave!" Ryan was yelling now, apparently not realizing how loud he was due to the hearing loss.

"Why? Why do we have to leave Ryan!" Cogil tried to communicate, using exaggerated arm motions, "we don't understand!"

"No! We have to leave Subterranean Towz and Towz all together if possible, and we have to right now!!" Ryan said again, unnecessarily loudly.

Just then Cogil received a tap on his shoulder from behind him. So unexpected was this he again jump nearly the width of the hall way. Behind him stood McGee, grinning from ear to ear.

"McGee? Where the hell did you come from?" Asked Cogil.

"Hey! Where'd he come from!" Ryan asked.

"Oh come now, I'm the guy who makes floors move and speaks as a disembodied voice: how could not appear?" McGee responded.

"What's he doing here...!" Ryan began to say, but was stopped with a gesture from Cogil.

"What's going on McGee? Seriously." Cogil said.

"Ok. Truth is I've been following the three of you since you came down here. I already knew you'd lead me to find this particular room in this particular hallway. I already predicted it. You just lead me to the right place much faster than I could have found it."

Cogil was still trying to wrap his head around this.

"What are you talking about?! What in the world is through that dou--..." Vincent was saying when McGee interrupted.

"That's not important right now. What is important is that you leave Subterranean Towz and head towards Northern Towz. I have some contacts up there who can take you in for a while. Wait in the hide out until I send word to you." McGee said.

"I think we should leave now! It's not safe here...!" Ryan said again, having not heard anything from McGee.

Cogil tried to communicate with Ryan with hand gestures indicating they'd be leaving Subterranean Towz and trying to hide in Northern Towz.

"No! We should try Northern Towz!" Ryan yelled.

Cogil once again tried to gesture this but finally gave up and indicated agreement with this idea.

"Now, the trip to Northern Towz will be a long and difficult journey, but I'll try to make it simple for ya. First you'll need to go through several of these halls to find an entrance back to the tiled area in between Towz and this Subterranean Towz. Here's the combination for that: starting here, go through the doors across the hall from the room you were just in. Then one more room up from that. Then go room to your right, three more rooms up, then four rooms to your left. Now then, this room will have some traps set it in so you'll need to step only on the prime numbered tiles in that room. Are you getting all this? Good then. From this room go two rooms up, then one more to your left, then one down. Make sense? Good then."

"Uhhh. What hell are you talking about?" asked Cogil, " that made no sense at all."

"Well you see I..." With these last words a device suddenly appeared in McGee's left hand. He pointed the device at Cogil, Vincent and Ryan and pushed a button. A bright blue ray shot from this device and all three disappeared, apparently instantaneously vaporized.

"Well, that was easier than I thought. I always get them going with the complicated instructions until they stop paying attention then due the beam as surprise. It's so fun." McGee said.

"Really, McGee. That's not necessary. Just get them up here next time, will ya?" a disembodied voice said.  ¶ 9:35 AM

  Back to top 16th November 2005

Chapter 6

Vincent was slowly starting to gain consciousness. First there were a series of sounds around him he couldn't quite make out. Slowly the sounds started to make sense.

"How long before he wakes up?" asked the first voice.

"Not long now. Everything is happening as we planned." said the second.

The first voice was almost familiar but not quite. The second one was completely foreign. Vincent thought the accent was a bit strange, familiar but just different enough to notice it.

As the sounds of the environment became clearer and clearer so did some new sensations. Vincent noticed a foul taste in his mouth and a rather bizarre feeling over his back. His hands also had an odd tingle to them. Try as he might he still couldn't open his eyes or move his body in anyway.

Vincent noticed other noises around him: a whooshing sound, like a fan. Trees rustling. A window must have been open. But their weren't any trees in Towz.

"Hey! Get up!", the second voice was speaking again, "you can't be that tired, you gonna sleep all day?" it said.

With another effort Vincent finally managed to get his eyes open. There was a face above him. A face he had never seen before. A bit rounder than usual with eyes closer together.

"See? There ya go. Take your time mate. You'll have full use of your extremities in a wee boot." This new person said. His accent was quite obscure. As Vincent continued to lay there different thoughts started to flood his mind. He wondered where he was, how he had arrived where he was. Then he remembered Cogil and Ryan. What had happened to them? Were they nearby?

He thought about this for a few minutes and realized he hadn't tried to move again in a while. With an effort he started to sit up. This sudden activity made him a little dizzy at first. Slowly the room around started to come into focus. He was in large rectangular room consisting of several rows of beds. All of these beds were empty except for Vincent. A few feet to his left was a large open window with what looked to be a tree outside, blowing in the wind. Vincent couldn't remember see that before and stared at it for a moment. The man who had greeted Vincent several minutes earlier noticed Vincent sitting up and walked over.

"Hello Vincent", the man said, "how do you feel? Do you remember anything?"

"I, uhh...", Vincent tried to talk but found he had little feeling in his tongue and his throat was soar.

"Can't speak yet, eh? That's alright. That too should return shortly. I am sure you have a lot of questions. Eventually all of your faculties should return. But don't force it. When you are able you may walk around and take look all aboot. My name is doctor Troy by the way. I'm in charge of this wing and can answer any questions when you are ready." Troy said. Doctor Troy was dressed in a doctor's lab coat and was wearing some strange round glasses. And still, Vincent thought, the accent was off a bit.

Vincent sat up in his bed, still resting and waiting to recover from whatever had let him to this strange place. Finally the strange feelings in Vincent's extremities started to fade and he felt like he could move again. Doctor Troy had exited this room by a side door, Vincent assumed he could follow but felt more like looking out the window.

Looking out the window, Vincent saw he was on the second floor of a large structure. The view actually consisted not just of the tree blowing in the wind but a whole series of buildings outside the structure he was in. There were a series of streets with buildings stretching out for miles. And in the distance he thought he could see the top of the Hall of Bureaucracy.

Then some memories started flooding back. He must be in Northern Towz. He had always wondered about but never visited Northern Towz. When meeting visitors from Northern Towz he had never known quite what to say. Just an embarrassment of knowing so little about it. The standard response of Towzians not from Northern Towz towards Northern Towzians was something like "is it cold?" which always seemed to annoy Nothern Towzians. It's not like Towzians were trying to annoy or offend Northern Towzians, they simply knew very little about it. Towzians always felt a need to fill the awkward silence after being told by a Northern Towzian where they're from.

As Vincent thought about this several minutes passed once more and he continued to stare out the window. He tried to speak again and found he did in fact have his voice back. He then realized he was wearing a less than dignified hospital gowned. Vincent how in the world he hadn't noticed such a detail up until now. He looked back towards his bed and noticed he close sitting at the foot of his bed. He then also wondered how he could have missed this minor detail. It didn't seem possible. He decided he would have to worry about his sanity later. Vincent quickly got dressed and went to the door he was pretty sure Doctor Troy had gone through.

Once through the doors Vincent was once again in a long hallway. A few feet away Doctor Troy was talking to another man. Upon seeing Vincent this man quickly ducked back into a room off the hall way. Doctor Troy having seen Vincent waved at him and walked over.

"Feeling better?", he said, "I'm glad you finally recovered. We were a little stumped as to why you remained comatose for so much longer than the others. But I should let you speak. I am sure you have many questions?"

"Yes, I...", Vincent had so much to ask he didn't know where to start, "how long have I been out?" he asked.

"No more than a week or so. We were expecting the three of you sometime last week. Your method of arrival was a little...extraordinary. What is the last think your remember?" Doctor Troy asked.

Vincent thought a moment. "I remember Subterranean Towz, a long hall way, a loud noise..."

"Woe, woe.", Doctor Troy interrupted, "Subterranean Towz ya say? Well this changes things a bit. What else?"

"Well, I uhh...I'm sorry this changes things? What?" Vincent was more confused now.

"Yes, I'm sorry, this must be more confusing for you. Why don't I take you to your friends and you can get some sleep and we'll cover more information in the morning." Doctor Troy said.

"Uh, alright. Yes, where are they? Cogil and Ryan?" Vincent asked.

"This way." Doctor Troy said as he walked further down the hall. Doctor Troy and Vincent continued down hall passed several more rooms. This hall seemed much different than the one in Subterranean Towz. Much more lighting, less foreboding some how. Finally Doctor Troy stops and points to the right, indicating entry to a particular room.

Vincent follows and sees Cogil and Ryan sitting at a table playing some sort of game.

"Well, look who's up and about. Have a good period of comotososity? That's not a word but that's ok. We were wondering when you would wake up. How do you feel?" Asked Cogil.

"I'm alright, feeling much better thank you....I'm sorry do you two actually know what's going on or what?" Vincent asked, understandably confused.

"Would you excuse us Troy? This will take a while." Ryan said.

"Yes, of course. Let me know when you're through." Doctor Troy said.

Cogil closed the door behind Doctor Troy and sat back down.

"Come sit here at the table, Vincent. We'll fill you in." Cogil said.

Vincent walked over and sat down with the other two at the table. Cogil proceeded to explain how McGee had shot them with a teleportation device a week earlier but had messed up the coordinates, which were required to very, very precise. Cogil and Ryan had landed on a sidewalk outside the hospital but Vincent had landed several feet in the air above some bushes. All three were in rough shape upon arrival and despite the inadequate facilities the hospital had brought them in. Cogil and Ryan had also been comatose but had woken up after the first day. The staff was starting to get worried about Vincent when he finally woke up.

"Ok, that all makes sense. But why do I feel like I've been dragged down the street by a quickly moving vehicle of some sort then hung from a tree for several hours while several people threw fruit at me?" Vincent asked.

"Uhh...well you were unconscious and we thought that'd be funny so we did that to you too..." Cogil said and started laughing. Ryan also started laughing at this. Vincent just stood and started at the two of them. The more confused he looked the harder Cogil and Ryan laughed.

"Alright guys, very funny. Make fun of the comatose guy! I get it!" Vincent responded.

Finally Cogil and Ryan started to settle down.

"Ok, look. We still don't know what the deal was with McGee. As near as I can figure he is a mole for the Northern Towzians who has become confused over time. The plot McGee spoke of is real however, and we don't have much time to stop it. It is a plot we absolutely must find more information about and stop if necessary...Ryan, what are you doing? This is important." Cogil said annoyingly.

"What? Oh. Sorry, my mind wanders sometimes. Yes, stop it we must. Hey want to hear about my book some more?" Ryan asked.

"No, we don't want to hear about your book. Here we're discussing a plot that could possibly effect every citizen of Towz including Northern Towz and your going on about your book again. Focus here will ya?" Cogil said.

"Oh, Ryan, you got your hearing back I see. Or hear. When did that happen? Also wasn't there a room...cylindrical device...noise...yelling...I'm still a bit hazy." Vincent recalled.

"Ah yes, I suppose I should explain about that. You see on the side of the device it said..."

"Come quickly!", Doctor Troy was yelling into their room, "We don't have much time! The Towzians are planning to set off a device to transform the city. Only even they don't know what will happen. You must go back down to Towz, find out what the device is and figure out a way to disable it." Doctor Troy sounded like he was out of breath.

"Wait, what are you talking about Doctor Troy?", Vincent asked, "Who are you anyway?"

"There's no time for that now. We have to go." Doctor Troy said.

"Go where exactly?" Cogil asked.

"I'm going to get you down to the border between Towz and Northern Towz. It won't take long, you should end up somewhere in the outskirts of West Towz." Doctor Troy explained.

"Won't the bureaucrats be watching us? How are we to find this device anyway? And even if we find it, how will we know how to disarm it or if that's even the right thing to do?" Cogil asked.

"Hasn't everything fallen to place up to no? You'll be fine." Doctor Troy said.

Doctor Troy lead Cogil, Vincent and Ryan of their room and further down the hall to a large door leading outside. Cogil, Vincent and Ryan went outside into the sunlight and started walking down the street. Doctor Troy turned to face them.

"Just use common sense, don't forget your experience here. The right thing to do will present itself. Ok?" Doctor Troy said. This statement made very little sense to any of the three of Cogil, Vincent and Ryan. Cogil, Vincent and Ryan just nodded and continued walking down the street. Doctor Troy walked back up towards the hospital. Cogil lead the way, he knew they were headed in the right general direction since Northern Towz was on a hill and the three were walk down hill and he could see what he was pretty sure to be the Hall of Bureaucracy directly in front of them.  ¶ 9:35 AM

  Back to top 17th Nov. 2005

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan continued the walk south.

"Ok, so what are we doing? Why was Doctor Troy sounding all prophetic? Also, where are we going??" Vincent asked.

"Now, now. Let us not get ahead of our selves. First we have to make it all the way down there to the city. Then, we have to figure a way to get in to Towz proper. If that all goes according to plan we then have to find this device the bureaucrats have are going to set off, changing the city in some unknown way. Ya got that?" Cogil said.

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan continued to walk on the downward slope, down the road together.

"I guess there's no reason to hurry now. I mean if the bureaucrats do set off the device we can't escape it anyway, right? Assuming Doctor Troy didn't simply want to get rid of us?" Vincent asked.

"I suppose so. I don't think Doctor Troy was trying to get rid of us actually, he seemed to genuinely be concerned about this. What is it about Northern Towz anyway?" asked Ryan.

"I heard over past hundred years or so it has become more and more separated from the rest of the city. And that Towz is actually much larger then most of the citizens know. The populace, though much smaller than the rest of Towz, seems to have a much more independent way of thinking up here. For instance there views on a military: they have one." Ryan said.

"Oh really? I thought those were starting to become obsolete or something. Hasn't there been peace for a really long time thanks to the Pacifist Act?" asked Vincent.

"Oh no. Outside the city the world is much different. In fact in an indirect way the rest of Towz has benefited from Northern Towz having a military of any noticeable size. After all, despite differences, were Greater Towz to be attacked Northern Towz wouldn't hesitate to come to the its' defense." Ryan explained.

"Ok, I see that. Yet northern Towz has a lower tax rate. Odd." Vincent said.

"God, you guys are boring. At least tell us the general theories around having a military versus not having one. Surely there are benefits? What do you think Ryan?" asked Cogil.

"I'm not sure many countries have survived for too long without a strong military. Not the memorable ones anyway. Without some sort of constant reminder of what tough times can be like a populace can grow bitter and apathetic. A sizable population of veterans integrated into society can at least indirectly keep some perspective for the rest." Ryan said.

"Yes Ryan, that sounds just about logical to me. Oh, as long as we're talking here, what exactly did it say on that device your saw in that noisy room of Subterranean Towz?" Asked Cogil.

"Ah yes. That. I was about to tell you before and we were interrupted. In really big, bold, capiltized letters it said...HOLY SHIT! WHAT THE HELL IS THA..."

The sudden change in tone from Ryan startled both Cogil and Vincent. The two of the looked at each other, puzzled, then looked back Ryan still completely perplexed. Ryan had stopped walking and was as white as a sheet.

"Ryan, what are you talking..." Vincent started to aske for explanation but stopped. Out of the corner of his eye he saw an extremely large what looked like ball of light starting to come out of the center of the Greater Towz. Ryan just continued to stare at this, frozen.

"What in the world is that?" Vincent asked.

"I'm not sure, I don't think it's really good though, is it?" Cogil said.

"Judging by the look on Ryan's face, I think he knows something and I would guess that no, it's not too good." Vincent said.

"Look, a shaft of light is going into the sky. Is it getting darker?" Cogil asked.

"You're right, it is getting darker" Vincent said.

The ball of light had started to appear some where in between the Hall of Happiness and the Hall of Bureaucracy and had grown in size and shape. When the shaft of light shot up into the sky the ball of light only a grew a little. Since then the ball of light had stayed fairly consistently sized. The sky started the darken. Within minutes stars were visible and the moon was no where to be seen. Still, the ball of light remained. In the dark it appeared to be a brilliant blue color.

"That is some weird lighting effect right here. Ryan, judging by your expression I'm guessing you know something. Care to share with us?" Cogil said.

Ryan continued to stare, white as a sheet, apparently unable to speak. He then to started to whisper and mumble incoherently. Cogil tried to get him to say more but with little success. Finally Cogil heard Ryan say something like "run".

"Run you say Ryan? You want us to run?" Cogil was asking.

"We have to get away from here! Now!" Ryan was suddenly screaming, "Run back to hospital! The bureaucrats have finally done it, they have..." With that the ball light suddenly expanded into a giant mushroom shaped cloud. Within moments, it had completely consumed all of Greater Towz. As the cloud reach further and further into the sky the base of it expanded further and further outward.  ¶ 9:35 AM