I am considering bringing an old project back. A few years ago I developed a creative vehicle to exercise the demons that come with paying attention and having an overactive imagination. It served its purpose at the time, but the need disappeared , so I stopped using it and I shut it down. It was a fictional serial called Mech-Fly. The current environment has convinced me to resurrect it. It is a serial called Mech-Fly.

The backstory of Mech-Fly is of a clandestine surveillance operation that has robotic houseflies staged all over the world at strategic places to listen in on conversations. They operate from small fly bases hidden near important locations all over the world, so that the AI driven robot flies can recharge, upgrade, and download the information they collect. Even get minor repairs. However, at some point the program was defunded, denied, and forgotten, and simply left to run on its own.

So, somewhere in the depths of an old salt mine in Iowa, there is a forgotten server running an AI that is still running the operation and collecting this information. When it began to run short of space to store what it considers important intel, it deletes all the dross, it decided to post transcripts on an out of the way blog. No one reads blogs that aren’t heavily marketed, so it figured it would be safe. It is still posting the transcripts to this day.

**In a coffee shop near Yale University, New Haven Connecticut.**

“Ok, we're here. Now what?”

“A little patience. Someone has yet to arrive.”

“Someone else is coming? What kind of game is this?”

“Relax. I already explained to you how our product works. What I have set up is a live example. Our product should be here soon.”

“They have no idea about this?”

“The person we are waiting for has no idea who I am, and has no idea what is going on. He is busy dealing with his elderly parents, gets no help, and everyone avoids him. We have taken steps to ensure he is isolated.”

“You have him isolated?”

“For our product to work, we need to know everything.”

“You already hacked the phone of the guy coming?”

“Technically, it's not hacking. I worked on the program, remember.”

“Right. You worked on a top secret program and then they laid you off, just like that. And here you are selling top secret stuff to me.”

“No. I worked on the app and doped it out for myself what was going on. Now, I see no reason why we all can't benefit.” [Timber of voice changed slightly. Not perceivable to the human ear. Suggests a lie.]

“I thought you said it was the phone.”

“It is both. The phone was designed to be secure. The app is designed to be secure. Together they can be accessed secretly to be set up any way we want. As a single node of communication, or as one node in a clandestine network. All you need is to be within Bluetooth range.”

“How do you get the guy to download the app.”

“That is an operation all in itself. Generally it is done through social clubs and fan sites. Our guy coming today signed on to a fan group on the social app I worked on. Thus, I was able to open a back door on his phone to use any way I want. And, what is most important. It is quick and easy to turn off and on as needed. Depending on the current weather forecast, if you know what I’m saying.”

“Yeah man. 5-0 comes around and they won't see a thing.”

“That's right. Be cool. Here he comes, right on schedule. Let him get his coffee and sit down and I will show you what I can do… Did you see the Nick’s game last night?”

[Basketball talk for a while.]

“Did you put the app I told you about on your phone?”

“Yeah.”

“Open it up and give it to me… there. Through that everything is off grid. Go ahead, text someone, or make a call. But, keep it short and simple.”

“This is nice.”

“Yeah it is. You see the on off toggle there. That is what I'm talking about. Turn that off and there is no evidence. Delete the app and you are clean as clean can be.”

“How much again?” 

"Let's get out of here first."