Darren did have work to do, and from the secret server room off the study he was able to do it quickly. He checked 12 burner phones for messages, checked several secure message boards for any encoded messages, and checked his standard work email.
With that out of the way he asked himself what he was doing... He wanted adventure, he got it, and since surfing and rock climbing wasn't thrilling enough, he got the life or death adventure that came with being an intelligence operative, at the cost of a family... So now he's kidnapping his friend's son? He's going to play dad?
No, that's not what he wants... He felt it the moment Jeff laid eyes on him and the boy didn't panic... He sighed heavily and picked up his Chronivac Mono. It's much older than the Chronivac 4 but an all in one device and intended to remain upgraded as new capabilities are developed. It looks like a thick clunky smartphone, but opens to be a small tablet. It allows the same complexity as the computer version and the mobile convenience of just taking the emitter. Its only setback is that it doesn't have a scanner. When originally received he stepped into the room size scanner and his profile was loaded onto his device and is why he had to download Jeff's profile. Hence the name Mono. The scanner was later shrunk down and built into the emitter, but software upgrades don't change hardware and the agency that gave him the device wasn't super keen on arming operatives with the ability. Additionally, his device is keyed to his person, so only he can operate it.
Darren walked to the game room with the device, knocking on the door as he entered... Jeff paused the game and looked to Darren standing in his presence as a show of respect.
"Sit down, sit down" Darren said disarmingly. "I'd like to talk to you and well, offer you a choice or several actually." Darren sat down in a chair facing the sofa Jeff was occupying. "Where to begin... Well, I offered to let you stay with me. I'm fine with this, you're fine with this, but your parents wouldn't be, your school wouldn't be, and your father is probably frantically trying to figure out if the vipers got you, if you ran away or accidentally turned yourself inanimate with the Chronivac you got, but he probably pieced together it was something else, since his documents have gone missing."
"Oh, you know about that do you?" Jeff said sheepishly.
"It is my job to know about things like that..." Darren shot Jeff a smile. "So the way I see it, if I didn't interrupt you, you were about four clicks away from being a 35 year old multi-millionaire living in Costa Rica with 4 wives and 2 husbands." Jeff blushed and stammered before falling silent and looking away which made Darren smile. "The point is, if you want to enjoy your life and stay here, I am all for it, but I don't want your family or school freaking out as that will just cause problems and make things more dangerous for us, them, everyone..."
"Oh! Did you grab my computer or... are you suggesting... I call my parents?" Jeff was visibly more excited about option 1.
"No, but I did grab your profile."
"Without the emitter that won't do much."
"I have my own Chronivac." Darren held up his odd looking device
Jeff's face slowly became a huge grin as he realized what he could do but he just as quickly fell inward as calculations continued. "That means, you could have done anything to me as soon as you tied me up, and that was the first thing you did! You could have put me to sleep, you could have made me a 78 year old homeless man, you could have made me kill myself, you could have..."
"...done a lot of mean things to get my way, but I prefer to have consent Jeff, that's why I'm having this conversation with you. You aren't 'suddenly' at a disadvantage, I have had the advantage the whole time..." Darren cringed, he didn't mean to portray himself as a threat but Jeff was loosing perspective...
After a long pause Jeff chuckled awkwardly. "You're right. I had just gotten the tool, hadn't even had a chance to use it before you kidnapped me, I guess I never considered someone else having control over my profile that way, but the tool existing means it was always possible... It just gave me a little freak out, I'm sorry."
"Its a fair reaction, but I'm only bringing it up because its a simple solution to a couple problems. I think we're safe, don't get me wrong, but I'd feel better knowing that you knew how to take care of yourself, especially given your interest in exploring the jungle." A smile was shared. "While I'm at it, I'd feel more comfortable if you were a bit stronger. Finally, so your parents and high school wouldn't be expecting to see you daily, I'd like to make you older."
Jeff froze, this was it, he was making a life choice, he could feel it. For the first time he was being given a significant choice over his future, being treated like an adult, and where he goes from here depends on his reaction and what he says in the next minute. Darren claimed to be a friend, could have killed him at any point, and could have changed him without consent... but didn't. After a heavy moment of contemplation, "I... um, well... I have to defer to your judgement. I would have done stuff, you're right, but given the situation, that I'm missing information, and inadequately prepared to deal with it, it doesn't make sense for me to try to interject. I... appreciate that you are offering me a choice but realistically..." Jeff looked Darren in the eyes "I have to be whatever you want me to be or I'm back in school, probably have lost access to the Chronivac, and am left to the winds of fate."
Darren shifted uncomfortably, Jeff had basically said his hands are being forced and Darren is doing the forcing, which isn't what Darren wanted from the situation. Jeff noticed that Darren looked somewhat hurt and very uncomfortable by what he said and realized that replying 'my hands are tied' when being asked for consent isn't really helpful... Jeff rephrased what he was trying to say, "Hey, I know. I trust that you have a good plan and are trying to look out for me. So, I want you to change me in the ways that you think are best, so we can get along, and I can stay here, just whatever you change about me, please make sure I enjoy it. You know what my goals are, you know what your goals are, make it happen." Jeff gave a trusting and endearing smile. "Better?"
Darren visibly relaxed, and smiled, that was the permission he felt he needed to make the changes he wanted. "Yeah Jeff, thanks. Go back to your game. I'll sort everything out and don't worry, I'm sure you'll love it!"