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– There is no prohibited literature there. Only history books.
«This professor is nothing but trouble, it was after his arrest that you decided to leave the capital!» You probably read that he was captured for his connection with the rebels? There were rumors that he could not stand the torture and died, and they also said that he managed to escape from custody, but, as it turned out, this was disinformation from the rebels. And recently it became known that Mr. Graves was released. One of my colleagues living next door said that the lights started to come on in his apartment in the evenings. Apparently, he has returned to his place and, perhaps, will soon be reinstated at the university.
When Chris heard about the professor’s release, he was happy:
– This is wonderful news! This means that the guards did not find any evidence of Mr. Graves’s involvement in the rebels and were forced to acquit him. I need to visit the professor to inquire about his health and return the books after I read them.
Chris and his mother watched until the end of the show, and then the speech of the ruler, who continued to talk about improving the lives of ordinary citizens, justice and the supremacy of the Code. Now Chris perceived Mr. Roskhald’s words in a completely different way: they were addressed to the citizens of Vinland, who must comply with the laws prescribed in the code, and the ruler and his entourage were not going to follow them and lived according to their own.
* * *
Chris passed the exams without any problems and passed the interview at the AI tower. He was admitted to the thirty-first floor, where the selection was especially strict, since it was there that Kronos was in a special room. Chris’s job responsibilities were to monitor gross violations of AI laws on the Continent, as well as protect Kronos from rebel hacker attacks. He liked this work, and the prospect of putting the plan into action gave him additional strength.
He patiently waited for the right moment to make his way to Kronos and tell him about the injustices that were happening in Vinland. Chris was going to notify the Wise One that the ruler regularly violates the laws of the Continent and, having secured the support of a majority in the Senate, makes the necessary amendments to the Code and finances military programs. But in order not to attract the attention of his colleagues and guards on duty in the tower, at first Chris decided to postpone his plans and for now carry out his direct duties as best as possible. During the day he worked, and at night he continued to study the basic laws prescribed in Kronos, and thought about how they could be used to limit the powers of the ruler. In the evenings, Chris went to a specially built building for employees next to the tower – in case of an alarm, specialists could quickly return to their places. During the first two months of his service, Chris managed to gain the trust of his colleagues and meet interesting people, but he did not initiate any of them into his plans.
The AI Tower was located in the central square of the capital, in close proximity to the towers of the Ministry of Information and the Ministry of Guardians. These towers had forty floors and were decorated with crowns, together making up a triad, which was popularly called the «Three Crowns».
During his third month in the tower, Chris was confirmed to have high level access allowing him to continue working on the thirty-first floor. He decided to share the good news with his mother and went home over the weekend.
Barbara was glad to meet her son. They talked for a long time about his work and what was happening on the Continent. After lunch, Chris went to Mr. Graves to inquire about his health and return the books.
Taking the package, Chris headed to the professor’s house. Mr. Graves’s apartment was on the fourth floor. Surprisingly, an elderly woman opened the door. They greeted each other, and the guest introduced himself:
– My name is Chris Taffer. Is Mr. Graves at home?
– There is no professor. I’m his housekeeper, Mrs. Oliver. Should I give him something?
«What a pity,» Chris said barely audibly. – Mr. Graves was my professor at the university. I wanted to inquire about his well-being after everything that happened and return the books.
Looking at the package, the housekeeper kindly said:
– Mr. Graves went to the country to visit his daughter. After all these events, he prefers to spend more time with her. From the first day we believed in the professor’s innocence, and recently he was acquitted. But the time spent in captivity affected his health, and he changed a lot. Now it is no longer easy to recognize him as the former professor.
The clicking of heels was heard from the top floor, and a woman’s voice sounded behind Chris:
– Hello, Mrs. Oliver! The elevator is broken again, so we have to go down the stairs.
Chris turned. The girl’s face seemed familiar, but he couldn’t remember where it came from. She looked to be about twenty-five years old. Chris’s thoughts were interrupted by the housekeeper, who entered into a dialogue:
– This elevator is long overdue for replacement, but no one responds to our complaints.
«But this also has its advantages: you can meet your neighbors more often,» the girl smiled in response.
Wishing her a good day, Mrs. Oliver said goodbye to her neighbor and looked back at Chris. The young man was saddened by the news about the professor’s poor health and, sighing with regret, was about to say goodbye.
«Say your name and digital ID again,» the housekeeper asked. «I’ll tell Mr. Graves you stopped by, and he or his daughter will be sure to contact you.»
– Chris Taffer. Here’s my digital ID.
– If you want, you can leave the package and I will give it to the professor.
After thinking for a moment, Chris replied:
– I have the weekend ahead and I would like to re-read some of the books. Let me know when Mr. Graves returns, I will visit him again and give him everything myself.
Chris was upset that he was unable to meet with the professor, and decided to take a walk through the well-known places where he spent his childhood and youth. He spent the weekend at home with his mother and books, and on Monday he went to work.
* * *
On Monday, Chris was contacted by the professor’s daughter. She introduced herself as Minerva and said that Mr. Graves was delighted when he heard about the former student’s visit, and would like to meet tomorrow at the Leonard Cafe on Trotsky Avenue.
The next day, taking with him a bundle of books, Chris went to the Leonard cafe. From the panoramic windows one could watch people passing by and look at recently erected buildings. In the middle of the street stood a monument on a pedestal in honor of Trotsky, a famous revolutionary of the past. After the disaster, the new government wanted to focus on the social development of the continent, blurring the boundaries between rich and poor. That is why in Vinland there were so many names of streets and squares in honor of the leaders of the proletariat from different continents – great revolutionaries who wanted to make the world of the past more just. At the agreed time, a pretty girl approached the table where Chris was sitting.
– I’m Minerva. Can I sit down?
– Certainly! – Chris pulled up a chair and looked around in search of the professor.
«Father described exactly what you look like, so it wasn’t difficult to find you in the cafe,» the girl said, turning her gaze towards the guy. Chris couldn’t help noticing that the professor’s daughter looked slightly vulgar because of her short skirt and too deep neckline for this time of day. The professor himself was nowhere to be found, and Chris asked with annoyance:
«Didn’t Mr. Graves come with you?»
«He was going to, but in the morning he felt bad, and the doctors recommended bed rest. I didn’t want to leave my father alone, but he insisted that I go to meet you.
«It’s a pity that the professor couldn’t come.» How is he feeling? – Chris asked.
Looking around, the girl said indignantly, but barely audibly:
«You know what methods these executioners use to extract a confession!» After their father spent two and a half years under torture and interrogation, his health rapidly deteriorated. As soon as he was acquitted, I visited my father every day in the apartment, and then took him to the countryside, closer to the hospital, he is gradually recovering.
They ordered coffee, and the waiter brought it in the old fashioned way, and there was a certain charm about it. Chris did not like modern ordering systems, when selection is made remotely, and food and drinks are served to the table using a conveyor belt or a robot waiter.
– Why did the guards seize the professor? How did it all happen? Chris asked, taking a sip of his coffee.
The cozy atmosphere of the cafe: bouquets of fresh flowers on every table, real curtains, like in pictures in old books, and even antique furniture made of dark wood, all this took you back to distant times and created a feeling of reliability, stability, and peace. It is not surprising that the professor loved to spend time here after long lectures.
«This is a very complicated story,» the girl sighed and straightened her hair with a fleeting movement. – According to the official version, several of his students went over to the side of the rebels. The guards forced him to confess to recruiting these students and creating a resistance cell under the roof of the university. But even now, the father continues to claim that the main goal of the authorities was to get some information, some kind of list that he kept for a special occasion. «Looking around again, the girl quietly added: «No matter how much the guards intimidated my father, threatening him with a death sentence, they never managed to get a confession.» Unable to prove anything, they were forced to release him.
Chris thought for a moment, then clarified:
«So Mr. Graves was a member of the resistance all this time?»
– Yes, from the very first day! – the girl said with delight.
Her revelations surprised Chris. He was about to clarify what prompted the professor to side with the rebels, but the girl continued:
«We are ready to do anything to overthrow the government!» With your help, we will put an end to injustice and be victorious in this fight. «Chris was confused and didn’t understand what he was talking about. Looking around once again, the girl continued enthusiastically: «Father was incredibly happy when the housekeeper announced your visit.» He said that now is the crucial time for our struggle and once you hand over the list, we will finally overthrow the head of the Continent. The ruler cannot be allowed to monopolize power by pushing Kronos away from control over the decisions he makes.
Chris couldn’t understand what list the girl was talking about, since this topic had never been touched upon in conversations with Mr. Graves, and just in case he decided to clarify:
– What list are we talking about?
– With the names of the rebels. With your help, we will alert key members of the resistance on the Continent and start an uprising. Father said that the list is kept with you. «After a pause, the girl continued: «All these years, the government has been deceiving the people, and therefore Mr. Roskhald manages to remain at the head of the Continent, but now his power will come to an end!»
Chris tried to remember if he had actually received anything unusual from the professor’s hands, and said:
– I don’t have any list.
– How is it not? – the girl was indignant. «Did your father give you anything before your arrest?»
– Some books. But I didn’t find anything similar there. The data may be stored by another student.
Trying to hide her indignation, the girl, pointing to the package that Chris had brought with him, asked sharply:
– Is this for father?
Not understanding the girl’s behavior, Chris calmly replied:
– Yes. I wanted to present these books in person, but Mr. Graves, unfortunately, did not come. Please give them to the professor.
The girl looked carefully at the package. Chris was about to say that he couldn’t find Mr. Graves’s book, The Age of Blockchain, or Belshazzar’s Feast, in stores, but he noticed that her focus had shifted. She suddenly fell silent, turning to the window of the coffee shop. After a short pause, the girl turned back to Chris, a smile appeared on her face, and in a kind voice Minerva said:
«Chris, your father spoke very highly of you, and so I am glad to announce that the main battle is approaching.» Demian Roskhald’s days as leader of the Continent are numbered, but we need loyal men to put an end to his rule. Do you want to continue your father’s work and join the ranks of the rebels?
After looking carefully at the girl, Chris answered sincerely:
«Whether the professor told you or not, I do not accept the rebels’ methods of fighting.» You are trying to violently overthrow the government, inciting government violence in response. Ordinary residents of Vinland suffer from this.
Without reacting, the girl turned her gaze to the clock, which suddenly began to blink, notifying her of an incoming message. After reading it, she said:
– The doctor wrote that my father’s health has improved and he is ready to see you. Now you can personally hand over the books to him. My car is parked next to the cafe.
Chris was happy about this news and, having paid, went to the meeting.
Arriving at the country house where Minerva said Mr. Graves was, they drove into the garage. The automatic gates closed, and the girl, turning off the ignition, offered to go inside. Chris got out of the car, but before he even had time to look around, he felt a sting in his back and lost consciousness.
Having come to his senses, Chris could not understand where he was. He was lying on the sofa in an unfamiliar, half-empty room. Some voices were heard, but under the influence of the injected drug he could not make out the words. Opening his eyes slightly, Taffer saw a long chandelier. A few meters from the sofa there was a table covered with a transparent tablecloth, at which sat two middle-aged men and the same girl who introduced herself as the professor’s daughter.
Gradually regaining consciousness, Chris began to hear their conversation more clearly. Squinting his eyes with difficulty, he saw one of the men carefully scanning books from a bundle with a special device. The second one was angry with the girl. He stood up and, pacing back and forth across the room, said irritably:
– How many times do I have to tell you – don’t rush! Why do you move so quickly from topic to topic without giving the subject a chance to speak? Weren’t you taught in special training courses that the first thing you need to do is to lull the vigilance of your interlocutor, to win him over? If you had done everything as expected, the guy could have agreed to cooperate with the rebels, and we would have had the opportunity to blackmail him and infiltrate him into the underground.
«I tried to be nice to him, but realizing that he was not the one we were looking for, I almost lost it,» the girl answered guiltily.
«It’s not for you to decide whether this object is the right one or not!» You must strictly follow the instructions you received before the meeting,» he continued.
«I’m terribly tired of the constant complaints from you!» At a meeting at headquarters, I asked several times not to be involved in such tasks. I did an internship on seducing and recruiting rebels through intimate services, and you know very well how much useful information I obtained, how many actions were prevented! But what you are making me do now is completely different!
After these words, the man moderated his ardor and said calmly:
«For missions like this, we usually choose Guardian Aphrodite, but now she’s working with another suspect.» We did a pre-briefing and you had an earpiece. All you had to do was follow the instructions.
«Isn’t it clear that he has nothing to do with the rebels?» He is level five. At the slightest suspicion he would have been captured long ago. I assure you, he didn’t even understand what we were talking about when I started talking about the list. Review the recording of our meeting to make sure.
«We will interrogate everyone who may be in any way connected with the resistance.» According to the instructions, we should test him with a lie detector as soon as the truth serum starts working.
Throwing aside the last book from the bundle, the second guard said with annoyance:
– There is nothing suspicious here. Maybe we’re looking in the wrong place? – he asked his colleague, who continued to rush around the room.
«We have accurate information that the list was kept by the professor, since he was the link between the rebel cells on the Continent. There is now activity in resistance groups, and this may be due to preparations for large-scale sabotage. We need to be the first to find the list at all costs.
Suddenly the bracelet on the hand of the first guard rang. Looking at him, the guard ordered, adjusting the detector:
– Bring the detainee here, the truth serum has begun to take effect. Now he will tell you everything he knows and doesn’t know.
The second guard picked up the confused young man, sat him on a chair and began to put the instruments on the interrogated man. After everything was ready, the jailers began the interrogation. The detector confirmed the veracity of Chris’s words: he had heard about the list for the first time and really did not want to cooperate with the rebels.
It seems that the guards were rather upset by this development. When Chris came to his senses and the serum had lost its strength, they brought him a cup of strong coffee to cheer him up:
«I apologize for this misunderstanding,» muttered the first of the guards. «As a decent citizen, you yourself understand that increased vigilance is now required. We were informed about a large-scale sabotage planned by the rebels, similar to the one that took place several years ago. You understand that our task is to protect the citizens of the Continent by any means.
«I understand,» Chris drank his coffee, rubbed the scar on his chin and slowly rose from his chair. My head was still spinning.
– You can take these books, but you, Chris Taffer, will have an urgent request. If someone suspicious tries to contact you, you will notify us immediately. Here, take this,» the guard handed Chris an old-style pen.
– What is this? – the young man was surprised.
– Press this button, if the rebels come to you, it will give us a signal. Now you need to be prepared for any surprise! – the guard said pathetically.
Chris couldn’t help but grin. A pen with a surprise? It looks like it’s from some old, old spy movie.
– Without a doubt! I promise that I will be vigilant and will remain guardian of the interests of the citizens of the Continent and justice,» Chris said, looking into the eyes of the investigator.
Staggering slightly, the young man went out into the street. An air taxi was already waiting for him 20 meters from the house. Approaching the unmanned aerial vehicle, he delightedly exposed his face to the fresh wind, which immediately ruffled his hair. The events of this day showed in the best possible way that the guards indiscriminately violate the rights of the citizens of Vinland and all the requirements of the Code, under the guise of fighting the rebels. Is this what the founding fathers of the Continent wanted? This cannot continue, this must end, Chris thought as he climbed into the air taxi above the house where he was illegally interrogated. He received further evidence of the guards’ violation of Code 282 and realized that he had chosen the right path.
Chapter Six
Continent of Vinland, 2077
Chris returned to work, and everything, as before, went as usual. On the weekend, he decided to go home for a change of scenery and forget about what happened. Taffer did not let his mother in on all the events and spent most of the time in the room, thinking about the future of Vinland, the fate of Mr. Graves and the list about which he was interrogated. Chris had a lot of questions to which there were no clear answers. He decided to take advantage of his position and ask these questions to Artificial Intelligence at the first opportunity.
One day, when there was no one in the office except him, Chris went to the Wise One.
Kronos was in a large open hall with columns, reminiscent of an ancient temple, and sat on a raised platform under a small shell-shaped canopy, like a god dressed in a snow-white toga. A huge city lay at his feet, and, looking at this picture, everyone who arrived at Kronos felt delight and surprise at the power and beauty of this spectacle. At the same time, Kronos did not suppress; on the contrary, he felt kindness and wisdom, a desire to listen and understand.
Approaching the steps leading to the dais, Chris hesitated. He didn’t know where to start the conversation, and watched as the king, sparkling with multi-colored light bulbs, sat on the throne, making countless calculations within himself and watching the city from above. The architect gave him this position. Kronos was constrained in his movements, but when he heard Chris’s breathing, he turned around, scanned his cornea and asked:
«Why are you so puzzled, Chris Taffer?»
