The Investigation

The meeting was not supposed to happen.

Unfortunately, Aditi 1 had discovered something.

This was how most problems began.

Aditi 2 arrived to find a projector already running.

Aditi 3 was eating a snack.

Aditi 1 stood at the front of the room.

Aditi 2: Oh no.

Aditi 3: I said the same thing.

Aditi 2: What's happening?

Aditi 1: I've prepared a presentation.

Aditi 2: Why?

Aditi 1: There are questions that need answers.

Aditi 2: No there aren't.

Aditi 1: There absolutely are.

The first slide appeared.

AN INVESTIGATION

Aditi 2: We're doomed.

Aditi 3: Continue.

Aditi 1 clicked to the next slide.

EVIDENCE

Aditi 2: Stop.

Aditi 1: No.

Aditi 2: Stop immediately.

Aditi 1: I've already started.

Aditi 2: That has never stopped you before.

Aditi 1: Fair.

The slide contained a screenshot.

Aditi 2: Absolutely not.

Aditi 3: Enhance.

Aditi 2: You can't enhance a screenshot.

Aditi 3: Spiritually you can.

Aditi 2: That's not how evidence works.

Aditi 1: Thank you all for attending.

The purpose of today's meeting is to determine what he meant.

Aditi 2: Nothing.

Aditi 1: Interesting hypothesis.

Aditi 2: Not a hypothesis.

Aditi 1: Let's explore all possibilities.

Aditi 2: There is only one possibility.

Aditi 1: There are seventeen.

Aditi 2: There is one.

Aditi 1: Seventeen.

Aditi 2: One.

Aditi 3: I'm with Aditi 1.

Aditi 2: Of course you are.

Aditi 1 advanced to another slide.

POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS

1. Interest

2. Curiosity

3. Regret

4. Nostalgia

5. Longing

6. Confusion

7. Mystery

8. Destiny

Aditi 2: Destiny isn’t an interpretation.

Aditi 1: It’s on the list.

Aditi 2: Remove it.

Aditi 1: No.

Aditi 2: Why?

Aditi 1: What if?

Aditi 2: There it is.

Aditi 3: Classic Aditi 1.

Aditi 1: Thank you.

Aditi 2: That wasn’t praise.

Aditi 1: I’ve chosen to receive it as praise.

Aditi 2 stood up.

Aditi 2: I have a question.

Aditi 1: Proceed.

Aditi 2: How long have we spent on this?

Silence.

Aditi 1: Define ‘spent.’

Aditi 2: Time.

Aditi 1: I don’t like where this is going.

Aditi 2: How long?

Aditi 1: Maybe twenty minutes.

Aditi 2: Try again.

Aditi 1: An hour.

Aditi 2: Try again.

Aditi 1: Several business days.

Aditi 2: Thank you.

Aditi 3: In fairness, it was entertaining.

Aditi 2: We're not measuring entertainment.

Aditi 3: Maybe we should.

The room became quiet.

Aditi 2 walked to the projector.

She looked at the evidence.

The screenshots.

The theories.

The arrows.

The annotations.

The completely unreasonable amount of effort.

Then she sighed.

Aditi 2: Can I tell you what I think?

Aditi 1: Fine.

Aditi 2: I don't think this is about him.

Aditi 1: What?

Aditi 3: Interesting.

Aditi 2: I think you're trying to answer a different question.

Aditi 1: Which question?

Aditi 2: Do I still matter?

The room became very still.

Not awkward still.

Honest still.

Aditi 1 looked down.

Aditi 3 stopped smiling.

Aditi 2: And the answer is yes.

Aditi 1: Oh.

Aditi 2: You don't need a screenshot to prove it.

Aditi 3: That was annoyingly wise.

Aditi 2: Thank you.

Aditi 3: I hated it.

Aditi 2: I know.

The projector was turned off.

The evidence was archived.

The investigation was officially concluded.

Aditi 1: So we have no answers?

Aditi 2: No.

Aditi 1: That feels unsatisfying.

Aditi 2: Life is unsatisfying.

Aditi 3: That should be on a mug.

Aditi 2: Please don't start another project.

Narrator:
The investigation ended at 8:13 AM.

Aditi 1 reopened the screenshots at 8:17 AM.

End of Chapter 5.