62
Mark glanced across the garage workshop at Heather, a lump rising in his throat. God she was amazing. All week she had been forced to endure visits to three different psychiatrists, each of which seemed to be intent upon drugging her out of her beautiful mind. Yet, despite the inner terror she must be feeling, she had managed to focus on the theoretical solution that would grant them new and improved subspace transmission capabilities.
And those efforts had been successful. Jennifer only had to finish the modifications to the controller, which would allow Jack limited remote access to the equipment, and they would be ready for a trial run.
"Bingo!" Jennifer's exclamation brought Mark's head around. "It's online."
Sure enough, the panel of multicolored LED lights twinkled in a manner that indicated the subspace transmitter was up and operational.
Jennifer looked at Mark. "Do you have the target coordinates?"
"Right here." he handed a piece of paper across the workbench.
Heather glanced at the text printed on the sheet. "The NSA again?"
"Why not? It's as good a test target as any." Mark grinned at her.
Before Heather had a chance to respond, Jennifer began typing the coordinates into the subspace transmitter control program. Watching his twin's fingers fly across the keyboard, Mark thought he detected just a hint of eagerness in her actions. Then again, why wouldn't she be eager? The controller was her design and represented a major advance from the crude controls for the original subspace transmitter.
As he watched the glittering LED lights on the display panel, Mark began to feel some of his sister's excitement. The thing was beautiful.
"I'm in," Jennifer breathed.
"Can you identify the network?" Heather asked, leaning in for a better view.
"Give me a sec."
The clicks of the keys reminded Mark of a snare drummer, so rapid that they sounded like the buzz of a drum roll.
"Looks like it's just an administrative subnet, but it is on the SIPRNet."
Mark nodded. "Good. Send the test message. Once we confirm that it’s been inserted, we can break the link. Then we’ll contact Jack."
Jennifer grinned. "It's done."
Mark leaned in to see what his sister had just transmitted. There on the computer screen, four short words clung to the white background.
"Hello, boys. I'm back."