Paige traced a finger over the cryptic symbols of her late friend’s puzzle. Math wasn’t her favorite subject—actually, she hated the notion of spending time in all those algebra classes growing up. If it had not been for Jane’s tutelage, she wasn’t sure what she would have—done. A moment of clarity overcame her. This code… was a sign. She needed to know what was at stake for Jane. She opened a faded sealed envelope that contained a single word—Aiko. As Paige read, her heart raced and her mouth went dry.

What have I done? She’s in danger and I must protect her—by any means necessary.

Paige’s mind raced as she drove to Kyle’s apartment. The weight of her discovery hit her like a two-ton gorilla. As she slid into her car, her hands trembled, and she fumbled with her phone, dialing Kyle’s number.

“Kyle,” she said, her voice urgent. “I need you to clarify something about Jane’s work.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Kyle’s weary voice responded. “What is it, Paige?”

“You mentioned that Jane’s work involved manipulating the human mind,” Paige said, her words tumbling out in a rush. “But was that the sole purpose of her research? Or was there more to it?”

Kyle sighed, and Paige could almost picture him pinching the bridge of his nose, a habit he had developed while working alongside Jane.

“I suspect there is, but I’m missing a piece of the puzzle. Her files are incomplete. I can’t help you.”

“I think I found your missing link. Can you meet in an hour?”

“I’m about to host a videoconference, but it’s just a status call, so it shouldn’t be more than a few minutes. I have nothing after that, but let’s meet at my apartment.

Paige glanced at her watch. “Good, and just make sure you clear the rest of your day.”

One hour later

Paige pounded on Kyle’s penthouse apartment door. He lived on the Upper West Side of Manhattan island. She didn’t know how he could afford this on a researcher’s salary, but Jane treated her people well. A moment later a disheveled Kyle answered the door. Papers were strewn around like a tornado went through the apartment.

“Give it to me,” Kyle said in an urgent tone.

Before, he wasn’t that eager to work with me. What changed his mind?

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Before Paige had the envelope out of her purse, Kyle snatched it and tore open the envelope which fluttered to the floor like a forgotten memory.

“Don’t rip it. I need to keep it clean for Aiko.”

“Of course, the Psi was incorrect in the digital files at the lab. Did you see the wave function? It’s a subtle change, but it’s throwing off all the models.”

“What are you talking about?” Paige demanded.

Kyle gave her a blank stare, as if seeing her for the first time. “You see, this?”

Kyle pointed to several mathematical symbols on one of the pages. Paige recognized a delta and a sigma symbol but everything else looked like crow’s feet or keys. He started drawing other symbols on his whiteboard as he mumbled something about tensors and someone called Schrödinger. She watched him as he toiled with various symbols for a long time. She didn’t speak until the sun hung low on the horizon. The view of the Hudson was magnificent from his apartment.

“I’ve done it. Project Mindjevity will live on thanks to me.”

“Don’t you mean Jane?”

“Oh yes, that’s right. Of course, it’s Jane’s work, after all,” Kyle said in a confused tone.

She had known him for some twenty-plus years and she had never seen him this excited—not ever.

“What’s this Mindjevity supposed to do, keep the brain healthy or something?”

“Precisely,” Kyle said as he combed a hand through his curly hair. “Jane believed that by understanding the intricacies of the mind, we could develop technologies to enhance cognitive function, alleviate suffering, and unlock human potential in ways we’ve only dreamed of.”

“What now?”

There was a long pause, and Paige could almost hear the gears turning in Kyle’s brilliant mind. “Even with these notes, it’s not enough, and it’s impossible anyway,” he admitted.

Paige’s heart got stuck in her throat. “Wait, you said that you broke the code. What changed?”

Another pause, and then Kyle’s voice took on a hesitant tone. “Yes, but what you brought me is only part of the puzzle. And there may be a way,” he said slowly. “Jane kept a secure file server where she stored all her work, including Project Mindjevity. But accessing it won’t be easy.”

“What do you mean?” Paige pressed, her grip tightening on the steering wheel.

“Jane was paranoid about her work falling into the wrong hands,” Kyle explained. “She implemented biometric security measures, including DNA locks. Only those with the proper genetic signatures could access the files.”

Paige’s mind raced, piecing together the implications of Kyle’s words. “So, we would need a DNA sample from someone closely related to Jane,” she murmured, her thoughts turning to Aiko.

“Yes,” Kyle said. “And even then, decrypting the files would be a monumental task. Jane’s encryption methods were second to none.”

“Okay, how do I get you the DNA?”

“A saliva sample should be enough to bypass the biometrics, but isn’t she in foster care?”

Paige tensed. She was going to get him the sample no matter what. She just needed to figure out where Aiko was staying. “We have to try, for Aiko’s sake and Jane’s legacy.”

There was a long pause. Kyle seemed to weigh every possible risk and implication. Finally, he spoke, his voice heavy with resignation. “I’ll do what I can, Paige. But you need to understand this is dangerous territory we’re treading. We could attract the wrong kind of attention if we’re not careful. One of the reasons it was shut down was its potential to control other minds. The subjects would be nothing more than puppets in the wrong hands.”

Paige nodded. “I understand, Kyle. I will get you that sample.”

She left Kyle to his obsessive ranting, scribbling, and mumbling. She noticed something in Kyle's demeanor that she’d never seen and it terrified her.