Howzat? Saturday morning 9:38

I woke up and looked around. Same as always, same room, same unbroken silence. The apartment was empty.
I sat there for a few minutes, rubbing my eyes for a bit, basically procrastinating on starting the day. Eventually, I got out of bed and did the usual, shit shower'n'shave routine and got dressed.
I kept thinking to myself, something about today, I got a feeling something I either really did or did not want to happen, would happen. Regardless, as I was walking down the hall I kept trying to imagine what would probably happen, like I could predict the future of somethin, which I really couldn't.

Sorry, forgot to tell you my "intro". I guess you'd probably like to read all about where i grew up and who my parents were and all that good stuff, but I'm not going to, because I don't want to, quite frankly. What I will tell you is a little bit about what’s been happening to me lately, it's actually something that I reckon telling people about would maybe actually enjoy and learn from my story, and if you don't like it, well whatever, to each his own right? Anyway, my name is Jay, it's not short for anything, just Jay. It even says so on my birth certificate, and who could argue with a government document, they're sacred aren't they? My full name is Jay Hale. I live on the thirteenth floor of an apartment building, second building in the complex of four, in a quiant little city called New York.

I've lived there for most of my life, about seventeen years. Since then i've developed all the skills to survive on my own, and I've also developed the ability to learn about what's going around me as much as possible. When i was younger I didn't really pay much attention to what was going on with anything. Everything I saw I just kind of took in, and nothing really processed all the way. I guess I just didn't care to know anything, just take it one day after the next and everything'll be fine eventually I suppose. Then I started to pay attention to the things I had bluntly taken in for several years. There was a certain hockey player, I would watch him on the box any night New York was playing, seeing that there was never anything else of much interest on I picked up on the game. Can't remember the name of him right now, but i remember his number was 17, and that he played a killer game most of the time.

Once, I was watching a game, it was Devils vs NY and 17 had just gotten smashed into the boards and knocked unconcious. This was somewhat concerning. As the camera panned in on him laying on the ground and the medics rushing over something weird happened, it was like i felt his pain for a split second. It felt like someone had just shot my brain from the inside or something, and then it was gone. I looked back at the screen and 17 was still in the camera, face bloody, eyes open, staring directly at the camera. His eyes were wide open, almost in shock and the shot panned away from his face up to the glass where he had smashed into. The impact was so hard it actually left a small spiderweb, with a small blood stain in the center. I sat back and tried to figure out what the hell had just happened. Had that made any sense? I decided to leave it alone, and that maybe i'm just losing my sanity.

At the time I thought maybe this was just a random insane thought crossing my thoughts, but now that i've seen what i have. By the way, i'm not asking you to believe everything i say, because a lot of it sounds crazy, just keep an open mind.

Events that were in reality not related to me in any way, seemed to become related to me if i payed attention to them. I remember another time, I was at a party, it was a big house party, lot's of people, i had heard the music from my balcony, so i decided to go. I got there and everyone was drunk and having fun. I sat down in a chair in the t.v. room and just drank, watched people go by having fun, spilling shit on the rug, burning themselves with cigarettes and so on. It was funny to watch, but I never really liked to partake in it most of the time. As i sat there, the room had become heavy with people. There were kids trying to change the channel on the t.v. and a few others bitched at them to leave it on the same channel. This prompted an arguement which led to drunken fighting. One guy shoved another into the coffee table in front of me and it desinigrated under him. Two of his friends got him back on his feet and ready to fight again, shoving him into his swaying opponent in less than ten feet of space free in the room. More shit got broken and the kid that owned the house came down to inspect. He started bitching at the two guys fighting and kicked them out. Now, everything should have gone back to normal, fun, spilling shit, burning and so on, but it didn't.

Everyone sort of just sat down and listened to the music blaring in the other room. I sat there in front of these people and wanted to say something. When i thought that, a girl with dark green eyes looked up at me menacingly. Maybe she was right, I don't really have a say in this, but what was weird about it was that i didn't say anything. I thought, maybe i should leave, the room shifted slightly, uncomfortable movements and even more uncomfortable faces. What i couldn't understand was why? What had made all these drunken teenagers deperessed? It was a fight, that got broken up. I wanted to get up, but didn't really need the attention, so just sat there and looked around. Some were concentrating on the movie that was playing, quietly laughing every so often, and a few girls in the back were whispering something. I tried to make out what they were saying, but thought it was too quiet.
"Shh. He'll know" I think one said.
"Well it has to be done" The other responded
At that point the movement in the room was too loud to hear what else they were saying, but for some reason, maybe ego-maniacal, but i thought they were talking about keeping something away from me. I looked over to catch one of them glancing away from me, and I could almost convince myself of it.
"Well, what'll it be then?" A voice from the t.v. caught my ear.
"Umm.. well.. uh.. i.. guess.. " A second voice. They were watching an old movie where the protagonist possibly, is holding a joint to the face of a young kid. Peer pressure seemed to be a theme. Take it I thought, with a small laugh. Several kids snickered at the same time.
I really should leave now, this party's dead. I thought

"Well fine, be that way then, see if you'll get anything from me ever again!" The voice from the television blurted. At the same time a few people coughed, one guy was looking around the room and glanced at me, i made eye contact and nodded. He leaned over to his friend watching the movie and whispered something. His friend just smiled and knodded. I could make out the words from his lips
"I know man, I know."
what's going on here? are people mad at something? Slight movements around the room. I didn't get it, so I decided to leave. I stood up and almost immediately half the room looked at me. Few had almost relieved expressions on thier faces.
"Take it easy guys, nice seeing ya." I said, trying to sound like I really meant it, like i knew any of them. A few nods from some, quick smiles from others and I was gone. Walking out the front door I could almost swear I could hear people picking up conversations from half an hour ago.

Walking down the street back to my apartment I was thinking about very strange things. I didn't know if i could actually believe that I had anything to do with the sudden decline in attitude at the house, but for some reason something was telling me this could be true. I hadn't done anything wrong, i didn't say a single fuckin word the whole night almost, besides "No that's not my beer" and "Nah man, I don't smoke." It was like, just by being there I brought people down. Of course i didn't have any hardcore proof, but hey, anything was possible i suppose.
At that point in time, I tried to recall anything else that had happened like that, and i couldn't really think of anything in my past that had ever brought people down like that, but again, i never really paid much attention. It could have been happening all my life and I may have never noticed.

Enough with the memories though, I just wanted to give you a little background info first. You know how it is.
I got onto the elevator and pressed the dimly lit G button on the panel. The doors wheezed shut and the elevator started it's decent to the ground floor. The flickering floor indicator dropped three floors and stopped, two girls stepped in, going on about something.
"Not even, if I had had that chance, yeah for sure I would have taken it." One said.
"You never know, you'd probably be saying somethin else if you were actually there" The other responded. They were cute, probably about my age.
The girls continued talking about whatever it was they found so important.
Wouldn't it be nice.. I thought, casually shifting my eyes downwards. I hadn't gotten laid in and unfortunate number of months, years possibly. Stuff like that isn't really nessecary to keep track of. The girls had stopped the conversation and one was looking at me with disgust. Had it been that obvious i was checking her out? Even if, what was the big deal?

Before I had a chance to ask, the doors opened and the two girls marched out without even so much as another glance and I continued on my way to a small restaurant i knew of a few blocks away. I rarely cook, and I always have the money to buy food. I don't have a job, but i've become good friends with computers, and I found a way to make my own counterfeit money. It's almost perfect, except the paper quality is a little different. Regardless, people accept my home made twenties almost everywhere. I just hope no one catches on.
Walking into the restaurants, i noticed it was particularily full, especially for breakfast. Sitting down at a table, i wait for someone to come over and take my order. I just wanted a breakfast bagel and a beer. It's never a wrong time for beer.
As i waited for someone to serve me I noticed concerned glances coming from a couple across the restaurant. The woman looked over in my direction, maybe directly at me, and then leaned forward to the man and whispered something. He went to turn his head, but I could tell she told him not too. If he had, I could have figured out if it was me or not, but it didn't really seem to fit. I ignored the couple and went back to reading the menu. Waiting for a breakfast always take so much longer when you're really hungry, i thought. The waiter approaches not five seconds later and placed my breakfast combo on the table, a small nod and he walks a way. I guess today i was fortunate enough to get my meal in good time, which usually never happens.

Do you ever get that feeling you're being watched? And then as soon as you start thinking about it all the hairs on the back of you're neck stand up? Maybe the hair stands up because you're being watched, or maybe it's just paranoia, and by thinking someone is watching you its the real reason. I wasn't sure, but I got the feeling, and all the hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention. I decided to ignore it at the moment, feeling that it really wasn't something worth racking my brain over.
Unfortuantely for me, this was one of the few times I should have been paranoid and looked around the room, because, possibly coincidence, possibly that weird sixth sense thing, there was two men looking right at me. One was talking to the waiter, and she was pointing at me, the other one just stood there eyeing people in the restaurant. They we're both dressed in these really expensive type suits, kinda like government officials or something. I had no idea this was going on. I was just sitting back reading some random article in the Times. It was a sort of funny article, about how by donating pennies to homeless support groups ironically takes away the only job the homeless have. I had just finished the article and these two suits walk up to me casually and stand beside my table.

"Hale? Mr. Hale? Are you Jay Hale? The one closest to me asked. His tone was sharp and direct, I figured for sure they were government.
"Um, yeah. who wants to know?
"We're from the, um, Internal Revenue Services." He responded.
He had to think about that?
"Right, anyways, we need to talk to you about something in private. You may be a key element in solving a case."
"What? What case? I haven't heard shit about any case man, I think you have the wrong guy. “
"Jay Hale, you are Jay Hale are you not?" He remarked almost like he forgot I had just told him a minute ago.
"Yeah, but maybe there's another Jay Hale in the city."
"We looked it up", the second official chimed, "you're the only Jay Hale in all of the New York reigon. And our sources say that you know something we need to know, so if you will kindly come with us we can continue onto the case."
"What fucking case??" I was almost screaming at them. I didn't really want to draw too much attention to this, so i tried to keep calm.
"Please", The first one said wearily "If you will just get in the car, we'll discuss this whole thing. It's too confidential to reveal any information about this here, you never know who could be listening."
"Wouldn't it be YOU guys if any that would have places like this tapped?" These guys were really discontenting. I didn't want to get in a freakin car with these two tight ass-right-side-of-the-law-at-all-times types because I really didn't have jack shit to do with anything they were trying to convince me of knowing.
"Fine. If you aren't willing to cooperate with us, we'll just have to use force." He said, opening his expensive jacket slightly, exposing a holster with what looked to be a standard issue glock.
"You'll shoot me right here if I don't cooperate with you?" I questioned silently. "You're actually willing to kill me for something that I don't even think I'm supposed to be involved in?"
"That may be the case Mr. Hale. I suggest for your sake, that you take a drive with us, and let us fill you in on what's happening."
"Why the fuck should I care what's happening? What's any of this got to do with me? I'm not going to get in you're goddamn car unless you tell me why." I started getting angry. I really wanted to just stand up and crack him in the face. Just seeing his sunglasses flying off in two directions, and him falling to the ground with a thud started making me consider actually taking a swing at him.

The agent, or whatever he was, took off his glasses and stared at me. His eyes were grey and cold. "I'm sorry, but you are getting in that car with us, and you will be discussing some matters that we are quite positive you are involved in. Now, you have proven to us that you are not willing to cooperate with us, and you have given us no choice but to use force."
With that, a third agent came up from behind me and injected something into my neck, holding me there, in front of an entire restaurant full of people. I passed out instantly and presumably was dragged into thier car.
I awoke in a chair in front of a big black table in which looked to be an interrogation room. There was a television in the corner, a filing cabinet beside the door and a camera on the opposite side. The clock on the wall read 4:30. I wasn't sure if it was morning or night, nor did I care at that point. I just wanted to figure out whatever it was these guys needed to talk to me about, so i could explain to them how they could shove the whole case up thier asses and that i had nothing to do with anything. The door opened, two more suits walked in and sat down across from me. They said nothing, they just sat down and began spreading some papers around. Finally, the one to my left set a final paper down and looked up at me.

"Mr Hale, my name is James Nealen, i'm in charge of the investigation unit, I'm just here to ask you a few questions."
"What is this regarding?" I asked.
"This is regarding you." He retorted.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"That's all i can tell you at this point in time." He said as he began looking over his papers again.
I looked over to the suit on my right. He was just sitting there watching me.
"And why are you here?" I asked. I figured i had a right to know that much. He looked at me with suprise, like he didn't think i could communicate with him or something.
"Sorry, Karl Rosenberg, head of the interrogation unit. I'm here because you have some information I need as well."
“Well then, shoot. What do you need from me?”
“We’ll leave that for later, Mr. Hale. Right now Mr. Nealen needs to ask you a few questions first.”
Finally Nealen looks up from his papers and looks at me.
“We have been watching you from some time now Mr. Hale, and I believe that there is something, let’s say, different about you. The, um, Bureau is concerned about the effect you have on others. We believe you may be missing a chance to play a vital role in our society by being a complacent non-conformist that doesn’t vote and makes counterfeit money on his computer.”
“You bastards have been watching me? That’s goddamn invasion of privacy. How long have you been watching me?”

“Pretty much since you moved to New York Mr. Hale. You see, we believe that you are here to assist in the morale and lifestyles of this city. If you’re in a good mood and talkative, everything seems to flow. Business usually increase in sales, stocks usually go up, and studies have shown over the years that it rains less as well.”
I sat there for a second, just trying to understand what he had just told me. Standing up slowly I announced that it was great to meet them and fuck off. Heading for the door both agents stood up.
“Mr. Hale, we do realize the scale of this matter is significantly larger than anyone would normally expect, and this is hard to believe but trust me, this is true.”
The door was locked. Giving up on escape I decided to sit down and hear what these space cadets had to say.
“Alright, assuming that that is true, why the hell would you pick me? I haven’t accomplished anything worthy of this.”
“It wasn’t us that picked you, it’s in you.”
“Right. So what am I supposed to do with whatever’s in me?
“You are here to keep spirits high or low if you’re not happy.”
It seems things just keep getting stupider.
“So are you actually, um, FBI?”
“We are a branch of the government similar to it, but it deals in matters pertaining to people such as yourself.”
“Like myself?”
“You’d be pretty daft to have to think we’ve built this whole branch just for one person.”
“So, there’s a lot of these people like me?”
“Twelve to be more precise.”
“And what do we have in common?”
“It seems that your ancestors, as with the other twelve members are here to control certain parts of the world.”
Just then, there was a blast, the building shook, lights started flickering.
“What the hell was that?” Nealand asked, standing straight up.
“You’re the fuckin agent here, you tell me.”
This must have been some drug induced dream or something because a moment after I said it there was another blast louder than last time and I woke up in my apartment and sat up. Feeling a little dazed, kind of like a hangover but still drunk at the same time. It was Monday morning.

“Damn, that actually happened.” Sitting down to a cup of day old coffee I tried to figure out where all of that had come from. It didn’t make any sense but they seemed pretty dedicated to who or what I was.
I turned on the tv, half expecting it to be those agents on the screen with the words “We’re watching”” flickering below. It was football. Patriots verses Raiders, tied at 28. There were 3:00 left and the Patriots had the ball, I watched one of the players run down the center and get on a clear path to the endzone. The Patriots are doing pretty good this year. Just then the player slowed down and dropped to his knees, holding the football above his head and then getting driven into the ground by four Raiders. Well, I’d say that’s a sign, but it could be coincidence.
“You’re damn right,” A voice on the tv blurted. “That was just about the dumbest things I’ve ever seen him do. I mean he was right at the line for godssake. He get’s paid millions a year and this is how he plays, it just doesn’t make sense Jim. Back to you.”
I think I needed some fresh air. I went out to the balcony and looked over. Usually the area is pretty much dead, not many people pass by, but today there were signs of life.
Two girls walking under my balcony looked up and smiled. I could see a few more walking down another sidewalk on the street stretching straight down my field of view. I could tell they were cute even from where I was. Kids were riding their bikes through the streets and there was an old couple further down as well. Looking around I notice another good looking female walking towards the building, she noticed me looking and smiled too. That was pleasantly freaky. She went into the lobby and disappeared out of sight.  ¶ 21:28