Chapter 4

RECORD: 9046G766$LUN-0.346 [RECUSAL MIRROR RECORD]
IDENTITIES: Mike Loftus, Liam Yan
LOCATION: K1 Dig Site 3, Anomaly Observation
THREAT DETECT: Level 5—Possible Exotic
THREAT RESPONSE: Record for Posterity
   [REVISED RESPONSE]: Exhibit Record 501, FILE//REPORT TO RASPUTIN


"Here. Listen to this."

"We've been listening to it for the last two hours. I just needed a break."

"No, I know. But you really need to hear this."

"Fine. Shift is almost over anyway. Might as well suckle the last of that sweet nightmare milk."

SILENCE//00:01:37

"So?"

"Yup."

"That's it? Yup?"

"Yeah. It's a new pattern. That seemed super interesting two hours ago, but it got old. I am bored, and I am tired. And when our shift is over, I probably won't be able to sleep until two hours before I have to get up and do it all over again."

"Look at where the signal is coming from."

"What do you mean? It's right in front of us."

"Check the ambit on the PQZ."

"That's weird."

"Uh huh."

"So it's an echo?"

"Well the pattern repeats. First from here. And then from out there."

"So you think it's bouncing the signal off something outside the system? You're crazy."

"I'm not. Also, this kind of signal doesn't bounce. What can it hit between phasic realities?"

"Nothing…" [whistles]

"Still eager for your shift to end?"

AI-COM/FRWL//EXPOSURE LIMIT REACHED. EXIT OBSERVATION.