Mission 4- The Algorithm
Cadre members are instructed to meet their informants in the courtyard outside Broughton Hall at a specific time. Once there, the informant leads them into Dr. Beldon's office. The members are told the algorithm is most likely in Dr. Beldon's desk, to be quick, and the informant would keep watch outside.
As soon as the members are alone in the room, they first go to the desk and find it locked. In the center of the desk is a keyed lock that seems to lock the entire desk.
the members start to look around the room for clues
On the right side of the desk sits a rolodex. The paper on the rolodex shows four symbols and a note on the back that says:
"Alister,
Use in case of memory loss.
-Al"
On the shelf in the corner of the office, sitting on the desk, and on the table between the two egg shaped chairs, there are multiple clocks. The hands of the clocks have the same shape as the symbols from the Rolodex. Once the members collect all the clocks, they find the 4 clocks reveal the symbols as
5, 2, 6, and 7 o'clock respectively.
The members soon realize the rotary phone sitting next to the rolodex has a clock symbol taped to the center.
This leads the members to conclude the clock hands correlate to the numbers, or the letters on the phone. On the phone the numbers and matching letters are:
5 - J,K,L
2 - A,B,C
6 - M,N,O
7 - P,Q,R,S
The members take one letter from each number and solve it as L A M P.
Under the lamp on the white table, members find a folded piece of paper. On the paper is a large grid of seemingly random numbers ranging from 1 to 9.
After looking at the grid for a while, the members decide to find all of the same numbers as earlier (5,2,6,7). When they highlight all of these numbers, it reveals the shape of an umbrella.
In the front corner of the office are 2 black umbrellas sitting in a holder. When the members open both umbrellas, they discover a key attached to the inside of one.
This key unlocks the desk.
Inside a drawer on the right side of the desk, the members find a stack of items of interest:
a photocopy of the coded Algorithm
a VHS tape
an envelope with a letter
Coded Algorithm:
Underneath all of the other items in the drawer, the members find what they are here to retrieve, a photocopy of the coded Algorithm from Jess' scientific journal. Both sides of the paper are headed with:
PI: Dr. Jessica Reeves
Project: KRONOS
Date: 10/7/58
One side of the paper has the coded algorithm and the other side has an entry about her test.
-Test #45
I think I actually did it! The N.E.D. Matter was stable for 3 min. 22 sec, then fizzled out. Again. But, That's a huge jump!
However, it looks like the chamber alone can't sustain the parameters as initially set up. It also can't mimic the changing conditions of the N.E.D. Matter to keep it stable. It seems to shift conformation at regular intervals. However, what it really needs is a more powerful computer to sustain the entire system. But that would involve a lot of programming that I'm not sure these computers can handle. Man, what I would give to get ahold of a . (Initials JC)
This is a big leap forward though for sustaining N.E.D. Matter for longer periods of time! I'm excited to see what we can do with this.
On the next page I have typed up the sequence to properly stabilize the N.E.D. Matter.
The backside of the has the same heading and the coded algorithm.
Envelope with Letter:
Another item of importance in the drawer is an envelope. Inside the envelope is a letter from Dr. Beldon addressed to "My Dear Ms. Belbell"
In this letter, Dr. Beldon confesses to having known his granddaughter, Emma, has been Ms. Belbell for a long time. He takes this to mean his life's work has been sucessful.
He continues on to talk about what is presumed to be another project, CHRONOS, and how proud he is of his work. He says his work does however come at a cost. He begins to write about the disappearances in the past being coincidental, but Jess' was purposeful. He says says Emma's and Jess' lives are "inexplicably intertwined with the history of The Institute" and that he plans to cause Emma to disappear also. He claims to take no honor in this, but claims it is something that must be done.
Beldon finished the letter by explaining that he is writing the letter on the day of Emma's birth. This means Dr. Beldon has known about Ms. Belbell and has had more than 20 years to plan Emma and Jess' disappearances.
He ends the letter with "...and I am sorry,"
Transcription of the Letter:
10/4/1999
My Dear Ms. Belbell,
Or should I say, Emma…I’m writing this in the hope that someday you’ll discover it and finally know the truth about what happened to you and why I had to do what I did. Or rather, will do.
Many years ago now I learned of your true identity… Imagine my shock and horror when I discovered that my assistant, the sweet Ms. Belbell, was in fact, my Granddaughter Emma. From the future! While it was an extremely disconcerting revelation, its implications also washed over me with elation. This meant that someday my work will have succeeded! At least in some small measure. My assumption has been that CHRONOS continues to be as temperamental as ever and the most likely cause of your predicament.
As you are aware, during the course of my work I’ve seen and created many amazing and astonishing things. What you may not fully realize is what it has cost me. What it will continue to cost me. Over the years, I’ve had to do some… questionable things in order to get where I am today. Many of which I’m not particularly proud of. Especially as it pertains to Jessica’s fate. However, I believe so strongly in the work that we’re doing here that I would do them all over again. Including what has already happened to you both.
Because the two of you have become so inexplicably intertwined with the history of The Institute I’ll have no choice but to insure your disappearances into the past. I am terribly sorry that I will have to do this to you. It truly breaks my heart. And I’ll be even more heartbroken when, many years from now, I must actually do the deed. Yet I have no choice…I don’t see another way. I fear that changing either of your connections to the project may affect the outcomes of our work. And I cannot jeopardize that. Not even for my own Granddaughter. So I hope, someday, you can forgive me.
I’m actually writing this letter to you on the day of your birth. It somehow seemed like an appropriate occasion for it. You have so many wonderful adventures ahead of you and I have so many fewer; however, this is bigger than either of us. If the work at The Institute succeeds then perhaps none of this will even matter in the slightest and together we’ll have made the world a better place. Both of your sacrifices could help change the world. And isn’t that all any of us want with the sum of our life? To have left it changed for the better?
I love you my dear…and I am sorry,
Grandpa Beldon
The VHS:
A VHS with no identifying markers sits in the drawer with the other items. When the members insert the VHS into the VCR, the following video plays on the TV in the office.
Transcript of Outtakes Film.
DR. BELDON: I hate wearing all this lousy makeup.
EMMA: You insisted on being in these films yourself, so you have to wear the makeup.
DR. BELDON: Why do I even need it? I don’t need to be dolled up like a woman for the study participants.
DIRECTOR VOICE: It makes a difference in the camera.
EMMA: It takes the shine off of your face.
DR. BELDON: I don’t give a damn if I shine. I’m a scientist, not Farah Fawcett.
DR. BELDON: How many more of these stupid things do we need to make?
DIRECTOR VOICE: There’s only a couple left.
DR. BELDON: Good.
DIRECTOR VOICE: They’ll make a big difference for the study. Besides, they’ll be perfect for showing investors.
DR. BELDON: Why do you think I agreed to making them. Is Chronos ready?
EMMA: Yes Dr. Beldon.
DR. BELDON: Good. How does it seem today?
EMMA: …as good as you’d probably expect…
DR. BELDON: I see. Well it better behave for this film shoo…
DR. BELDON: Hello and welcome my friends. I am Dr. Alister Beldon, and this is the orientation film for Negative Energy Device #3, also known as The Eyeglass. This eager young woman next to me is my lovely assistant, Emma. She is the true heart of our facility…and pretty as a postcard too. Give a wave to our eager young scientists, my dear. Sorry fellas, she’s married… to science! The device she’s sporting here is The Eyeglass. It allows the wearer to see their surrounding physical space as it appeared in the past or as it will appear in the future. By inputting the temporal targeting data into the computer our scientists are able to acquire brief glimpses into the environments of yesteryear. Or tomorrow! Now, to demonst…
DR. BELDON: Alright, what the hell?
CAMERAMAN VOICE: What is that… !?
EMMA: What’s happening?
DIRECTOR VOICE: Oh, god, that’s the CHRONOS alarm…!
DR. BELDON: Which experiments are currently operating?!
DIRECTOR VOICE: … I… I’m not sure…
DR. BELDON: Someone get on the phone and find out, dammit!
EMMA: … is it safe to still /wear this…?
DIRECTOR VOICE: Jerry? Jerry? What the hell is happe…? Calm down, take a deep breath, and tell me what’s happened? Oh my god.
DR. BELDON: Out with it!
DIRECTOR VOICE: There’s been an Aperture collapse…
EMMA: What!?
DIRECTOR VOICE: The Aperture’s event horizon collapsed…with Dr. Faraday inside…
DR. BELDON: Oh my god. How did this happen?
DIRECTOR VOICE: They’re not sure. It was well within the range. It just gave out all of a sudden. Dr. Faraday had gone in alone to run one final test but then…
EMMA: This is bad.
DR. BELDON: You think!? This could sink the entire project!
EMMA: But… what about Dr. Faraday…?
DR. BELDON: He was aware of the risks.
AUTOMATED VOICE: You have five minutes remaining to enter the Negative Energy shutdown/ sequence.
DIRECTOR VOICE: They want to know what to do?
DR. BELDON: Shut CHRONOS down, shut it all down! I’ll be there momentarily. If we’re not careful this could kill our funding… and the study. Is that thing still running?
CAMERAMAN VOICE: Uh, yeah…
DR. BELDON: Turn it off! Turn it off!
This outtakes film shows Dr. Beldon attempting to create an Orientation film on a device called The Eyeglass. He is assisted by Emma, who is wearing the device. This film consists of several outtakes and footage of what is believed to be Dr. Beldon's true personality.
Halfway through the film an alarm sounds in the room, disturbing the recording and sending everyone into a rush and worry. Beldon asks about the problem and is informed that there has been an accident and Dr. Faraday has been lost. Beldon then begins to worry and orders the off camera voice to shut the project down, to "Shut CHRONOS Down!" He then realizes the camera is still rolling and orders it to be turned off, ending the film.
After the film is complete the informants reenter the room, instructing the members they need to leave because The Institute members are on their way and they need to go. The informant makes sure they members has a copy of the algorithm, leads them back outside and tells them they need to decipher the algorithm in their own time and Mister E will be in contact soon.