Transmission

You are investigating a numbers station. You can find out about it by [[asking your contact]], [[trying to transmit back to the station]], or [[going to the station]].

You transmit a message to the station which is understood. You receive no response. Two days later an armed insurgency overthrows a small Eastern European government.

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You don't get answers on the truth behind the station but you impress your contact and they give you new, more important tasks in the future.

(set: $static to '') (live: 1s)[ (if: $static's length < 5)[$static(set: $static to $static + '░')](else:)[$static [[Turn the dial->Intro1]] (stop:)]]

(set: $static to '') (live: 1s)[ (if: $static's length < 5)[$static (set: $static to $static + '▒')](else:)[$static [[Turn the dial->Intro2]] (stop:)]]

(set: $output to '') (set: $numbers to (a: "zero", "one", "two", "three", "four", "five", "six", "seven", "eight", "nine")) (live: 1s)[(if: $n < 10)[(set: $output to $output + '\n' + (either: ...$numbers))]$output (if: $n is 10)[[[▒▒▒▒▒->Ch1.1]](stop:)](set: $n to $n + 1)]

The voice is there. The numbers are there. [And then they are gone]<1|. (click: ?1)[The radio dial glows on the desk. You realise the room has grown [completely dark]<2|.] (click: ?2)[You can't even read your handwritten notes any more. It's time to [[sleep->Ch2.1]]. Or perhaps you should quickly [[check your email->Ch1.2]].]

The sun wakes you up early, pouring through the gap between your bedroom curtains. Outside, the street looks just the same as every morning. Dusty cars are parked on both sides of the street. A small flock of sparrows sit hunched on the telephone wires, watched by the grey tabby cat who lurks in the next-door garden. Nonetheless, you feel the energy of [[a breakthrough->Ch2.2]] coursing through you.

$computer[12:30 - `[Fwd:][Fwd:][Fwd:]` Worlds Funniets Mustaches]<1| $computer[14:12 - Re: Re: Urgent: your tenancy as of next month]<2| $computer[18:00 - The latest from your Facebook friends!]<3| $computer[[[23:07 - Numbers->Ch1.3]]] (click-replace: ?1)[Boring.] (click-replace: ?2)[Too scary.] (click-replace: ?3)[Nope.]

$computer[Subject: Numbers Message: You're awake late. Perhaps you are as curious as I am. Answer your phone.] (live: 1s)[(if: time > 5s)[ring-ring ring-ring [[ring-ring->Ch1.4]]]]

Your [mobile phone]<1| nearly buzzes itself off the table. (click: ?1)[The voice on the other end sounds raspy and far away. $phone["You're interested in the numbers."] [["Yes."]] [["No."]] [["Who are you?"]]]

$phone["I have friends who can help you."] [["Who?"]] [["Who are you?"]]

$phone["Don't think you can lie to me. I know you better than you know yourself."] [[click]]

$phone["I would have thought you'd know better than to ask that, at this stage."] [[click]]

$phone["Don't be silly. I can't just hand that information out."] [["How did you get this number?"->"Who are you?"]] [["I understand."]]

The [phone]<1|'s dial tone purrs in your ear. What was that about? How did they get this number? (click: ?1)[ You check the call information—perhaps you can call them back? $computer[Unknown number, duration 0:12] ] [[Maybe this will make sense in the morning.->Ch2.1]]

$phone["Here are some different numbers you might find useful. Write them down: "five, one, four, seven, nine, three, nine, three, oh, eight."] [[click]] (set: $gotCoordinates to true)

(set: $gotCoordinates to true)You swing out of bed and head straight to your desk, grabbing [breakfast]<1| on the way. Usually, this would be the time to check [the forums]<2|. (click: ?2)[The numbers community is a global team, even if it's not always clear whose loyalties lie where. You would never have got this far without your online collaborators.] But you know [you're onto something]<3|—the phone call last night is the proof. (click: ?3)[If you run through the analysis of your own recorded signals one more time, you can almost certainly figure out what...] (if: $gotCoordinates)[There's a more urgent mystery to solve today. The string of numbers recited by that harsh voice on the phone line.] [[You pause.->Ch2.3]] (click-replace: ?1)[half a bagel and a can of energy drink]

{ (set: $gotCoordinates to false) (set: $gotForumInfo to false) (set: $decodedSignal to false) }

There's only time to do one thing in the next few hours before work. [[Gather info online->Forum0]][ or ]<1| [[run the numbers on your numbers->Coordinates0]][?]<2| (if: $gotCoordinates)[(replace: ?1)[,](replace: ?2)[ or [[try to decode the new information->Analysis0]]?]]

(set: $posts to (a: "New >>Twang<< frequency two nights running [[5 messages->Forum1]]\n", "newb here hjow to listen to numbers stns [[1 message->Forum2]]\n", "Triangulating CC19 - followup [[17 messages->Forum3]]\n", "CRISIS ACTORS [[214 messages->Forum4]]\n" ))\ (set: $x to ((history:) contains "Forum0"))\ (if: $x is false)[ (set: $n to 1)\ (set: $output to '')\ \ The world outside the bedroom windows fades away as (transition: "dissolve")[the forum page loads.] (live: 1s)[\ (set: $output to $output + $posts's ($n))\ $computer[$output]\ (set: $n to $n + 1)\ (if: $n > $posts's length)[(stop:)]]]\ (else:)[$computer[$output]]

You wonder how to decipher the phone message. Could it be - coordinates? - frequencies? - telephone number? Probably best to [[ask on the forum->Forum0]] about it.

Numbers stations broadcast ... numbers. They're not just any numbers, though. Unfortunately you can't run your analysis because your hard drive died last week. You decide to [[check out the forum->Forum0]] instead.

$computer[''New >>Twang<< frequency two nights running''] You scroll quickly through the discussion. It's interesting but Twang isn't //your// station—just one of the many the forum keeps tabs on. There are a few familiar screen names in the thread. Good to know the regulars are still there. $computer[(link-goto: "Back", "Forum0")]

$computer[''newb here hjow to listen to numbers stns'' --- Closed by admin. This is not the right forum for this type of question. [[Back->Forum0]]]

$computer[''Triangulating CC19 - followup'' ... `[coffee17, 06:02]` alright thanks @buzzerfan, ive put your data into the spreadsheet, see attached file: <u>[[cc19`_`revised.xls->spreadsheet]]</u> ] Now this is more like it. CC19 is a weak companion to CC08, your station. It broadcasts on a nearby frequency, sometimes mimicking sequences from CC08 a few hours ago.

$computer[''CRISIS ACTORS'' (set: $m to 214)\ (live: 0.05s)[$m messages\ (set: $m to $m + (random: 15, 45)) (hidden:)|1>[--- Closed by admin. This is NOT The kind of behaviour we expect on this forum. I've banned several of you and put others on a timeout, and I don't mind banning more if you don't drop this subject.] (if: $m > 3000)[(show: ?1)(stop:)]] [[Back->Forum5]]]

You sit up, [blinking]<1|. (click: ?1)[The room is dimmer than you thought. [Your back aches]<2|.] (click: ?2)[Shit, what time is it? Did you just spend the whole morning reading forum drama? You have to get to work!\ \ (if: ((history:) contains "Forum3") is false)[Just... [[one more post->Forum3]]...]\ (else:)[[[You pull on some jeans, grab some chewing gum and run out->Ch3.1]].]]

(set: $gotCoordinates to true)(set: $decodedSignal to true)It's evening. [Quiet]<1| on the street, [quiet]<2| in your room. (if: $gotCoordinates or $gotForumInfo or $decodedSignal)[You're about to make your move, finally. Your fingers tingle at the thought. ] (if: $gotCoordinates and $gotForumInfo)[With the coordinates of C19's station confirmed by both your team online and the mysterious voice, you know you'll find [[answers->Russia0]] there.]\ (elseif: $gotCoordinates or $gotForumInfo)[You don't know what you'll find in that blank spot on the Russian map, but there's got to be something—[[something->Russia0]] to make your hard work and obsession worthwhile.]\ (else:) [The numbers [sing]<3| to you from nowhere, from empty space, from the void. After all your listening and analysis, they still won't be pinned down. (click: ?3)[(if: $decodedSignal)[But now, you can [[sing->Ending 1]] back to them.]\ (else:)[But the [[voice->Ending 4]] on the phone does.]]] (click-replace: ?1)[The last of the traffic has rumbled away]\ (click-replace: ?2)[only the hum of computer fans and electrical wires]\

(set: $gotCoordinates to true)Waiting for the file to download so you can check the data, you scan the rest of the thread. You can barely keep your eyes on [one line at a time]<1|, this is so exciting. (click: ?1)[$computer[`[liliana_b, 06:45]` Looks good to me! (if: $gotCoordinates)[(text-style: "fade-in-out")[[[51.479, 39.308->location1]]]](else:)[|2>[51.479, 39.308]]... that's somewhere near Voronezh, right? `*resists urge to say I told you it was on the Ukrainian border*` :D]] (if: $gotCoordinates is false)[(click: ?2)[The calculations look okay to you as well. Based on last night's transmissions, the group has triangulated the (current) [[location2]] of CC19.]]

(set: $gotForumInfo to true)You're used to numbers by now. You've got the habit: taking them apart, turning them around, manipulating them, [remembering them]<1|. (click: ?1)[(text-colour: white)[(font: "Courier")["five, one, four, seven, nine, three, nine, three, oh, eight."]] You've got a plane ticket to buy. But first, [[you've got to get to work->Ch3.1]].]

If only it was this easy to locate where CC08 is broadcast from. It seems to move every night. And no one has managed to decipher even a fragment of its code. Not even you. You post a quick $computer[nice work!] in the thread and [[head to work->Ch3.1]].

{ (print: "<script>$('html').removeClass(\)</script>") (if: (passage:)'s tags's length > 0)[ (print: "<script>$('html').addClass('" + (passage:)'s tags.join(' ') + "'\)</script>") ] (set: $computer to (font: "Courier"))\ (set: $phone to (text-colour: grey)) }

It's been a long time since you've travelled [this far]<1|. Russia is [[different->Russia1]].\ \ (click-replace: ?1)[[out of the country]<2|] (click-replace: ?2)[out of town]

After the flight, you try to buy breakfast in the [airport.]<1| (click-replace: ?1)[==> (set: $output to '')\ (set: $numbers to (a: "zero", "one", "two", "three", "four", "five", "six", "seven", "eight", "nine"))\ (live: 1s)[(if: $n < 5)[(set: $output to $output + '\n' + (either: ...$numbers))]$output (if: $n is 5)[[[did you hear something?->Russia2]](stop:)](set: $n to $n + 1)]]

{(set: $output to '') (set: $numbers to (a: "zero", "one", "two", "three", "four", "five", "six", "seven", "eight", "nine")) (live: 1s)[(if: $n < 10)[(set: $output to $output + '\n' + (either: ...$numbers))]$output (if: $n is 10)[[DESTINATION]<destination|(stop:)](set: $n to $n + 1)]}

It's some kind of meat bun—you have no way of finding out what kind, but it's delicious. |1)[[[The train journey is long, too.->Russia3]]]\ (if: time > 4)[(show: ?1)] ==> (set: $output to '')\ (set: $numbers to (a: "zero", "one", "two", "three", "four", "five", "six", "seven", "eight", "nine"))\ (live: 1s)[(if: $n < 20)[(set: $output to $output + '\n' + (either: ...$numbers))]$output (if: $n is 20)[(stop:)](set: $n to $n + 1)]

You can't get a taxi out to those [coordinates]<1|. (click: ?1)[The walk is [good for you]<2|, anyway. At last you're here, and it's not what you're expecting. (live: 5s)[(if: time > 4s)[[[An allotment?->Russia4]]]]] (click-prepend: ?2)[probably ]

There's a tiny shed. Geraniums. Tomatoes. Well, you're here. The only thing to do is to [[knock at the shed door->Russia5]].

There's no answer for a long while. You're turning to go when you hear it: (if: $gotCoordinates)[the creak of the rusty hinge and the [[whine->Russia6]] of a generator.]\ (else:)[the long barrel of a gun, scraping on the window ledge and the bang]

You'd know this voice anywhere, and you're smiling as you turn to face it. (set: $output to '')\ (set: $numbers to (a: "zero", "one", "two", "three", "four", "five", "six", "seven", "eight", "nine"))\ (live: 1s)[(if: $n < 300)[(set: $output to $output + '\n' + (either: ...$numbers))]$output (if: $n is 300)[(stop:)](set: $n to $n + 1)]

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