Solomon's Private File #61
These stories about Stephen and Solomon take place starting in
1950's. Stephen wrote about his life in letters to a penpal, and then
in a secure blog, in case he lost his memory again, in the master
computer in his school for gifted students, which he started attending
in 2016 in a new incarnation, until his death. Now his son Solomon is
attending the same school, and is writing in his own secure blog for
his future incarnations.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
Solomon is 15 in this story, in the Summer of 2041.
Solomon's Private File #61 "Bureau Shuts Drawer"
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I was in a meeting with the Director of the FBI. Brian's father was
there. So was their head shrink. The Director said, "If we hadn't had
that CIA incident in Columbia, I don't think I would have believed this
report." I said, "Aww, I was hoping for some fun with that." He smiled.
He said, "But the Columbian did something that wasn't in this report.
Disabling video cameras." I said, "There are different ways to do that,
and all easily done with basic abilities. All anybody with them has to
do, is want to. Then they will." He thought a little, and said, "So
even the one in twenty could do it?" I said, "Yes, no, and maybe. Out
of the blue, no. Even somebody with more potential than Brian, couldn't
do much of anything with PK without practice. It's like a muscle.
Builds strength. Then the person needs to know how to apply his PK,
which usually includes knowing something about the target. He could
disrupt the power. He could break one of the components inside the
device. He could obscure the lens. Being able to think of those things,
helps." He nodded.
He said, "There are problems. If you train some agents, that won't be
secret forever. The real problem with that, is they they will be
assumed to be able to do ALL you can do, including teleport, which can
get them killed. And I would have to report this to Justice. Then the
sister agencies will want it, too. We KNOW CIA is after you for this.
Then there are personnel issues. Resentment of those you teach. And
underuse. Most of our agents never even fire a gun in action. We could
really use some specialists you would train, but getting them to the
proper location where they would be needed, could cause them to arrive
after the need has expired. And then psychology. How will those you
train take it, when those abilities aren't used very much. and now the
big one. Abuse. How can we effectively control those people so they
don't abuse their abilities?" I said, "My turn now?" He nodded. Both
tried not to smile.
I said, "Last first. Installed inhibitions to start. They have to
agree to have their minds examined remotely and without notice, any
time of the day or night by my people, to check for abuse. Any
discovered, they lose that ability for good, and you are notified." He
said, "That could work, but for the CIA, they would scream." I said,
"Include voice lessons?" They chuckled. He said, "I see you're firm on
that." I said, "We maintain control. What we give, we can take away. If
you were thinking of partial training, no. Once they get started, well,
do you think you can stop them from experimenting?" He said, "Oh. I
didn't think of that. Human nature. You have to take them all the way,
or their could kill themselves or others. That BB demonstration!" I
said, "Pandora's box. I wonder, was it shaved?" Laughter.
I said, "One more issue. If our trained people get identified by
outsiders, they could become targets for assassination, and capture for
the secret of how they do it, and the press could blow their noses, er,
covers." The chuckled, except for the shrink, who laughed loudly. He
said, "Sorry, I'm not as used to him as you are. That one got to me."
The Director said to him, "Do you have any advice on this matter?" He
said, "Yes. Don't accept the offer. This box is much too hairy to deal
with." I gave him a thumbs up sign. He was pleased. He said, "But if
you HAVE to try it, only a few, the most qualified at first.
Specialists. But I still advise not to." The Director nodded, and then
looked at Brain's father. He said, "I'm conflicted. It would be great
if we all had these skills, but only a relative few, could cause
problems, with more problems keeping it secret, and could end up
getting more of our agents killed than saved. And you can't use PK with
emotion, and that's when you most need to."
The Director thought for a while, and then said, "We've been played.
Sol, do you advise us to take your offer?" I said, "I advise against
it." He sighed, and said, "You knew we would insist on it, and never
stop, until you showed us what it would really mean to have it. Knew in
advance, actually." I said, "Sorry, but yes." The shrink was looking
back and forth at us. He said, "And I didn't realize it. Played is
right!" I said to him, "Resent?" He said, "I should, but admiration
supersedes that." I nodded acceptance. The Director said, "We don't
even need your proposed specialists. You could cover that for
emergencies, and if you allow what you do sometimes to be public, that
benefits us in a number of ways more than our specialists would." I
said, "Yes. Well considered." He said, "There is another problem we
have to consider. New administration, eventually. It will take time to
er, break in a new Director. Doing this all over for him, I suppose you
wouldn't be in love with that." I said, "Good supposing." The shrink
said, "He's supposed to be good at that." I grinned and said, "Sweet
revenge?" He grinned back and nodded. The Director cleared his throat
and said, "So, do we make this part of the record?" I said, "I can't
advise on that. Not my place." He nodded.
He said, "So it doesn't go foreword. What about the CIA?" I said,
"What they don't know about, they won't crow about, too much. But they
WILL remember our little talk here. I'll wait till they see how the
Columbian works out for them, and they ask me again. Their agents could
really use these skills, and they're good at keeping secrets, but would
those agents be controllable? That's the big question. And if I train
them, and the rest of Justice finds out and wants it for other
agencies, that brings us back to here again. I could refuse, but bad
blood tends to get spilled. Er, metaphorically, I hope." He said,
"We'll just have to wait and see." I said, "Right. Do you want to stay
on here?" He said, "I didn't think I would, and I didn't plan to. But
with you here, it's too damn interesting to give it up!" I said, "I
understand. My people give me the same noise. Oh, and speaking about
noise, and that being played thing, well, you weren't alone." He said,
"THEY didn't know?" I said, "Like a bombshell. All kinds of unprintable
comments are still being stuffed into my brain." They laughed well.
I said, "When the time comes, if you still feel the same, I'll tell
the next pres I prefer you to stay, if you permit." He said, "I do, but
I don't want you to cause any trouble with that." I said, "More than
practically anything I say does?" He grinned and said, "Yes." The
meeting was over. The shrink and Brian's father wanted to meet with me
alone. I went to the shrink's office. I was greeted warmly by everybody
there. He said, "I really didn't suspect what you were doing. It went
well, though. And not bad for me, too, coming down on the right side."
said, "In advance, 85% you would. There, with your feelings I sensed,
100%." He said, "Oh. Thanks. WELL played!" I said, "Thanks. Coming from
you, that means a lot." We hugged.
Brian's father was in my office. He said, "Well!" I said, "Yes. Not
unwell." He said, "But we still have these abilities." I said, "Yes,
and you should practice them." He said, "But why?" I said, "Why not?
It's not as if it wouldn't be interesting and fun. And any improvement
of a part of a person, improves the whole person in a number of ways.
Both of you have higher IQs now, and you think in broader terms. Your
ethics are more defined, and more firm. You have more compassion, too.
And you two have become quite a team. None of that is positive?" He
looked VERY appreciative, to the point of tears. I said, "One more
thing. It was good for me, too. I have few real friends outside of my
group, who I can be normal with. Our association has been very valuable
to me, and I don't expect it to stop." We hugged with love. On his way
out, I said, "And we know this hasn't hurt your career any." He
grinned.
My next client came in. I looked at his file. I said, "In self
preservation, I should tell personnel not to hire you." He grinned and
said, "Would you?" I said, "Don't tempt me." He laughed. I said, "So
you want to be a profiler. Turn sideways a lot?" He laughed again, and
said, "I take it you don't think highly of that specialty?" I said,
"Common practice in this field. You know the odds are against you. Very
few positions available. Got a backup?" He said, "Yours?" I said, "Got
a gun?" He laughed, and said, "So, nothing here available?" I said,
"Already got a list. And yes, I run this department. Obviously a
position not dependent on looks." He nodded. I said, "You are fit. And
a black belt. And with your knowledge of at least SOME psychology [he
tried not to chuckle], you would make a formidable Special Agent." He
said, "I'll consider it." I said, "Are you applying at the CIA, too?"
He stared at me, and said, "How did you know?" I said with a grin,
"Well, I'm a REAL shrink." He had to laugh. He said, "I don't see
diplomas here." I said, "Good vision! This isn't my main office. We are
special contractors, separate from the Bureau. We provide this service
to other agencies as well." He said, "Why?" I said, "Better to keep
this function separate from internal agency shrinks, but with the same
standards for all security type agencies. We don't have to know about
their cases. Better security." He said, "Now that I think of it, it
sounds reasonable." I said, "This interview usually includes
psychological tests. We both know how well they will work with you, so
we won't do that." He grinned.
I said, "If I approve you, you should know you will be thoroughly
investigated before anything official happens. And that will be used by
the CIA if you apply there. Yes, the Bureau investigates their people
too, for security clearances. And for the military." He said, "I
understand that. Your approval, will that go to the CIA as well?" I
said, "Yes. In fact, somebody such as yourself, would be sent here for
evaluation. With agencies so close, we don't see the need for separate
offices. Stuffy people there, too." He laughed. He said, "I didn't
expect this. I'm impressed." I said, "Oh, I've been profiled?" He said,
"We both know we can't help being who we are." I said, "A test." He
nodded and said, "You are much more than you want to seem. You
absolutely never stop thinking, and you think far ahead of your speech.
Nothing escapes you." I said, "Would it want to?" He laughed well, and
said, "Probably not. You use humor like a medical doctor uses medicine
and a scalpel, to fix things. You like people more than you usually
want them to see. Your ethics is unshakable. Possible faults. You
anticipate more trouble than actually happens. You care for people more
than is good for you." I said, "Do you want me to tell you how accurate
you were?" He said, "Absolutely!" I said with an evil grin, "I won't."
He had to laugh.
I said, after writing notes in his file and sealing the envelope,
"Please take this with you back to personnel." He stood and said, "You
won't tell me the results?" I said, "You don't know? Please give that
back to me." He said laughed, and said, "I know. Thanks. Wow!" I
nodded, and he walked out. Galya walked in, and said, "That was one
very interesting interview!" I said, "Fun, too." Ivanna ported in and
said, "Galya let me know. I watched, too. Entertaining. Good profile,
too." I said, "Also good to let him wonder about that, for a fellow
shrink." She said, "Oh, I see. I hadn't thought about that. You really
do never stop thinking. I liked how you told him he was approved."
Galya said, "Me, too." I said, "So did he."
At a full executive and education meeting, with Mom, Hawk, Ichi,
Pete, Nigel, Ivanna, and George, Pete said to me, "If I could spank
sure how it would all play out, and it still isn't finished. But my
main objectives were fulfilled. My two experimental subjects showed us
what could be done with PK with the non psionic. I didn't know we would
have the Columbian show us that, in part. And we showed the real life
issues involved with it to the FBI so they would stop asking for it,
and it had to come from their own people. Don't know about the CIA yet,
so there still might be more work to do." Nigel said, "But why didn't
you tell us?" I said, "Two reasons you should know. Ha! Mom knows. Not
going to let her have that, are you?" Ichi said, "I'll do it. Situation
managers prefer to show the results, rather than have the process
interfered with. And situation managers don't always know in advance
which tactics they will have to use, which can also change the results
a little." I said, "Right. Any real complaints now?" Pete sighed, and
said, "I don't know if I can take this anymore." I said, "I know. You
can. And, you know you will have to. I aint gonna stop!" Chuckles.
Hawk said, "Done any more thinking about the psi eaters?" I said, "I
have. Oh, who didn't expect that?" Chuckles. George didn't know about
the issue. I pushed it at him. He successfully suppressed a big wow. I
projected my appreciation of that effort to him, and he had to smile. I
said, "I want to grab one of their bosses. A disguised snatch. Then
I''ll go there looking for my lost pet. I think I'll start after the
next batch of early PK trainees, and for more of the Double and S kids
to become fully psionic. Mid winter, probably." Ivanna said, "Lost
pet?" I said, "Who here actually expects me to explain that one in
advance?" A lot of interesting noises erupted. Hawk's laughter was the
loudest.
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Grant
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