CincyKris

This was an exciting start! I can't help but wonder about our mystery driver.

I agree with @centexhairysub that the majority of our world's nations would react exactly as you have written. Just look at the reactions of the "Establishment" to the hippie movement in the sixties. If the hippies had super health they might have survived the seventies! The worm is offering what some of us would consider utopia. Mass empathy in the military and government would be devastating to those in power.

Congrats! I think I should get a half point, due to my close but not close enough comments. But a half answer to my question would be worse than no answer!

I think I got the impression early on that Jim's physical and verbal separation from the boys was at Cammie's insistence, because she was so hurt and so mad. But I looked back at a few early chapters and can't find any evidence of that. If that is indeed correct that it was Jim that pulled away from his sons, I think I have ever so much more sympathy for 17 year old Keith. But current Keith, sorry but I'm still with @Summerabbacat, I still don't like the leach. I'm glad that this might make Jim and Jon have an easier familial relationship, and it will be good for Alex and Cammie.

In my comment for the previous chapter I wondered which part of Josh's psyche would show up. The answer was both - - at the same time! The protective voice, that I'm still thinking of as Josh's AI, reacted so negatively to the FBI that I think the baddies might have been agents or hired hands paid by someone in the Bureau. Were the hospital baddies the same as the house baddies? We have blood at both scenes. The same as the car chase baddies? Both Joshes seem to trust the Kincaid brothers. As is already evident, the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing here. I suspect there are good and bad at both federal agencies. I haven't forgotten about that new intern, is she reporting to anyone? And finally, just where is that magic doohicky?

I can only assume his training covered interrogations as well. But which part of his psyche will be in charge?

I need to let this chapter stew in my brain a little. My first impressions were that Josh is some sort of cyber-bio-genetic creation, AKA “the project”. His left leg’s neuro-cyber pathways were damaged in the wreck. I just made up all those words, but something to that effect. The fact that he looks totally human on scans and internally I have not yet figured out! His super processor brain, with the help of his background AI, woke up his body and he acted as programmed when the threats appeared. That’s all I got for now!

I love the beginning of this psychological thriller! My first thought right now is that I'm kind of rooting for the worms. All you've told us so far is that it turns you into a healthy, horny, pacifist bisexual. I can see how that would threaten any conservative and powerful rulers.

I'm guessing that Josh is the long-term project that Rachel was working on. I suspect that Josh was instrumental to the creation of Cerberus and is the key to fixing it. All the numbers his brain is hiding are the cause and/or the fix of the encryption. I'm intrigued by the relationship between Trooper Kincaid and Agent Kincaid. This seem like a huge coincidence. What about that third missing person? Was Julian Parks in the chase car? Lastly, what was the motive? Is Walter Green involved? Was this an effort by an outgoing agent to fix what he sees as a dangerous program? I like this new angle!

As long as it doesn't take away from your excellent new mystery! While I love dramas and "slices of life", well written mysteries are very few and far between and Encrypted is turning out to be very good.

While there is still an underlying tension, or maybe awkwardness is a better word, all the guys are settling in to their new normals. I wonder if they have realized they have formed a little community? With one new member, hopefully.

One more thing I thought of, but it's probably just a red herring. This is Shelly. She’s an intern shadowing with us for the next few weeks When did she show up? After Josh arrived at the hospital? It's probably nothing. Probably.

I'm wondering if there is something extra extra special about josh that allows him to heal so quickly. That allowed him to survive and escape the crash in the first place. There are few quotes that triggered my spidey senses. I could still feel that strange buzzing tension in my legs, like everything inside them had just been rebooted and hadn’t quite settled yet. Rebooted -- interesting choice of words. It was so simple, so unpressured, that it caught me off guard. I wasn’t used to people offering anything without conditions. He may not remember who he is, but he remembers feelings and sensations. I wonder what those pressurized conditions were? And then there's this, we know someone ran him off the road, they're probably looking for him. And honestly, you’re kind of the talk of the hospital right now. Your chart’s been making rounds faster than a nurse on night shift. The gossip is about one step away from a HIPAA violation.”

Perhaps Daventry was already drunk when he made this statement: “You lead such a dull life, George,” Daventry sniffed.

I keep wondering why his legs feel so weird. He was physically fit with no signs of abuse. Was he somehow physically restricted previously? Could walking be a new sensation? I haven't forgotten his lost trinket or the "number". That protective voice in his head is staying mighty quiet for now.

This chapter felt especially comfortable and homey, but with a sense of anticipation for whatever gods thing is next.

I'm glad that Toby, Brian, and Gordon, as well as Russ, have settled into healthy and comfortable relationships with each other. I look forward to reading about Russ' adventures in Ireland. Might he find a love interest? How would that effect his standing threesome with the guys?

One of my all-time favorites! It stands on it's own, but it would help know the characters to read Sidewinder first. Also because Sidewinder is gripping, thrilling, heartfelt. Bearpaw builds those young relationships into grown up ones, just wonderful!

Great reunion! I have done a fair bit of tent camping in my life, but not lately. I’ll leave that for the young folks.

We've seen what this team can do working together to build their compound, which reminds me of a medieval castle or walled city, just with wood and solar panels instead of stone. Now we see the whole group work together to assault rather than just defend. Great chapter, very gripping.

To @centexhairysub and @Headstall and anyone else who decides to give this a try, this story is all about the quirky characters. My favorites so far are Thayer, who is a really cute, nice teen that doesn't understand just how desirable he is to almost everyone who meets him, and "Inspector" Shamus, an intelligent detective who writes gay fiction novels on the side. But you will probably have your own favorites amongst the wide array of inventively named oddballs.

I'm halfway through and highly entertained! This is great fun.

Great "slice of life" chapter. I think the last line is good advice for almost any touchy personal topic: “It’s out there, let’s not pretend otherwise, but it doesn't define me.”

I agree fully with everything @Summerabbacat has said. Keith is a selfish, free loading brat. If he actually cared about his mother and brother he would have stopped his childish behavior years ago. Jim and Cammie let it go and now we have the big baby that is Keith. I like what Jim and Jon are doing now and truly do not care whether Keith gets past this or not. You created a completely unsympathetic character.

@drsawzall said it best! I loved this little story of a young man finding the happy inside himself!