1923 - Jake Leaves

Jake becomes a rebellious teen, and decides to leave home to pursue adventure. He rides his dog Halley away, says goodbye to Jane. He changes his last name to Halley, but due to a speech impediment, his name is bastardized to Harley, which sticks for the rest of his life. HIC anticipates his temporary departure, continues to prepare for when the time is right for Jake to assume mostly figurehead control of Skaianet. 

By now, World War 1 is over. Chaplin is now the supreme master of the vaudeville assassins, taking Houdini's place. Houdini, Chaplin, and Laurel played a pivotal role in ending WWI, responsible for key assassinations leading to victory. Hitler was continuously shuffled around various German military positions, mostly by Einstein who had the reins on Skaianet. Einstein kept moving him around, hoping Hitler would end up getting killed in action, but he kept surviving. Hitler suspected this is what was happening, fueling his grudge, even more so as Einstein's fame kept growing. 

With the war over, and Chaplin leading Karno's Army, they turn their focus to securing global stability. Which means continuing to investigate and contain the ambitious reach of Crocker Corp and Skaianet. Chaplin understands now in hindsight that Einstein's involvement with his orphanage was a ruse, an embedded intelligence operation ordered by HIC. He devises a counterintelligence measure. He orders his protege, Stan Laurel, to work as a double agent. To act as though he is a defector from the army, and to behave as though he resents Chaplin and wishes to switch sides to spite him, and gather intelligence from inside HIC's operation. 

Chaplin, who by now has built quite a name for himself as a performer, starts working his own angle. He covertly befriends Jake, who is a huge sucker for any big star. Jake loves the motion pictures. He arranges for Jake to have a backstage pass to one of his shows. After the show, Chaplin and Laurel fake a heated argument, which comes to blows. They make sure Jake sees it, who is alarmed. Chaplin manipulates Jake to report this to Einstein. Einstein knows Laurel is a key member of the army, and is intrigued. He invites Laurel for an interview to Crocker manor. Laurel shows up, but is made to wait in living room for appointment. He meets Jane there, who takes it upon herself to entertain him while he waits. She is highly attracted to him, and attempts flirtation. He is very uncomfortable and nervous, as he waits for this meeting. HIC finally shows up. Has brief, chilly exchange. She isn't that impressed with Laurel. Something seems fishy about the situation. She doesn't outright refuse to accept his service, but he's essentially rebuffed. Laurel recalls his childhood infatuation with her, from the dropped photo. The feelings for her come rushing back, and he becomes obsessed again. 

Chaplin signals his double agent operation must continue. Laurel must keep playing the part of being spurned by Chaplin, resentful, pursuing his own career independently. To maintain this cover, Laurel finds a new comedy partner, Oliver Hardy. A chubby civilian performer who knows nothing of Karno's Army, nothing of lethal combat. An affable, earnest fellow who becomes a great friend of Laurel.