"This. Changes. Everything!"
Mattie 3.0, a character I had created in the early 2000's for a few stories I had written who had been defictionalized in 2084 -- which is where I was spending my time since getting transported through a portal in an app in my cell phone to the future -- was *very* excited when I told him about the old man I had met on the corner of Bourbon-not-Bourbon street in Old Orleans.
"I know we had planned to head toward Chicago in a week or two ... but if you found a way to get to the original New Orleans, then you need to follow up on it. I will check with my handlers in the IntransiGents in the morning, but I am all but certain that they will want you to take advantage of that offer. We've heard rumors of that city's continued existence -- despite it being at the bottom of the bay of Mississippi -- but we thought it was just conspiracy theorists having their fun."
I wanted to temper his enthusiasm.
"To be clear, though," I countered. "It was just some random man on some random corner who was trying to recruit me. I can't vouch for his authenticity or anything."
"It doesn't matter," he replied. "You *have* to pursue the lead. We *need* to know if it really exists ... and we *need* to know if they will join us in the Fourth Uprising."
I hesitated before I responded.
"I can't possibly go by myself. I mean I just arrived here from my era and I don't want to do anything to interfere with what is happening in these times."
"Sure ... sure," said Mattie 3.0. "I was cleared to go with you to Chicago ... but I'll have to find out whether I can join you on the other journey. Let's head back to my apartment and figure things out."
And so Mattie 3.0 and I walked through the back alleys of Old Orleans, just a time travelling man with his defictionalized creation navigating the world of 2084, planning and plotting for the next adventure -- an adventure about which I'll tell you more on the last day of the month next. Until then -- this is Ilion in 2084 using Troy-in-2018's social media to stay in touch with those of you who are about to experience the "first" Uprising. I understand it to be New Year's Eve in your time ... and so I wish you the best as you plan and plot for *your* upcoming adventures in 2019.
