The Computer Ch. 01C - Introduction

Chapter 1C is the same story as the original Chapter 1 with minor grammatical changes. I suspect that having four story lines in the same Series is causing confusion in my readers. So I have split each story line off into its own Series.

Please score and comment. If you don't tell me what's wrong, how will I improve.

Day One

You can call me Jack, its not my given name but I don't really want anybody tracing this back to me. I am confident that I cannot be traced via this posting. I'm a Computer Technician Grade IV, working the Night Watch in Computer Central (Zone 1453) (location changed) of the English Conurbation.

18:00

My alarm wakes me up. It is the first day of my eight day Watch cycle.

I turn on the light, wipe the sleep from my eyes and get out of bed. I fill the kettle and put it on to boil. Turn the shower on, strip off my pyjamas and wash. Shower off, (must save water) and towel my self dry. Dress for the day of work ahead, office work. I make breakfast, cereal, an energy bar and a cup of hot Chocolate. I sit to eat at my table and when finished I wash up and leave them to drain. Brush my teeth and I am ready for the day ahead. I leave for work.

...

19:40

I arrive at work, twenty minutes early, as usual. My Watch is 20:00 till 08:00 four days on, four days off. 28 days holiday with pay (less Watch allowance) including public holidays. I say hi to the Day Watch Captain, get my tablet with my messages and duties for the night, and go in search of a hot Chocolate. Sit in the toilet (the only other seat in the place) checking my messages (none) and what jobs I have to do tonight. Nothing too onerous, but all are time consuming. I will have to push it to get them all done by the morning. The work schedule is getting more and more crowded. They, 'the powers that be', keep adding more terminals, processors and sensors not forgetting the new AI modules, but they don't increase the staffing on the Night Watch. Tote that Barge...

...

19:55

Watch handover from the Day Watch Captain, he is in a foul mood, half of his crew had called in sick and he is way behind on his repairs. At this rate he is heading for demotion in the not too distant future. He is a Grade VI, overseeing 30 (nominal) Grade V technicians. The Grade V's handle the repairs found by the Night Watch and those called in by the hoi polloi during the day to a Call Centre with 1000 Customer Liaison Operators. The Call Centre services the whole island, the Day Watch only services this Zone, 16 city blocks a mix of light business and domestic. There is a Day and Night Watch every 16 blocks. We are not alone, it just feels that way, The only people in the office, are the Day Watch Captain and me. The 30 (nominal) guys were spread around the sixteen blocks heading (or soon would be) towards their homes. They hardly ever come through that door, just the Captain. It is the Captain's job to allocate technicians to the jobs.

My job consists of testing the Computer, a distributed/interconnected computer array controlling transport, communications, food, water, waste and jobs. During my Watch I have to monitor a subset of the system, within my 16 block territory, to find failures and potential failures within the array. The parts of the system which are tested depends upon the 'mtbf' (mean time between failures) of the components. Those components approaching their expected failure date are tested at a higher rate then those just installed. The Computer has all the relevant data and calculates what and when to test. I just do as instructed by the Computer. A lot of the job is automatic but someone (me) is required to monitor and make decisions. A monkey could be trained to do my job. Admin are rumoured to be working towards that end, the only problem yet to be solved is getting the monkey to open the door for the next Watch. In case you haven't worked it out yet, this is not a sleeping Watch.

It took me ages to adapt to nights, it was only when I threw away the calendar that I started to accept that the day starts at 18:00. I now think of sunrise to sunset as night time and sunset to sunrise as daytime. Interacting with day workers can be confusing.

...

23:15

Up to now I have been testing the new sensors installed by the Day Watch both CCTV and Voice. I routed the new circuits to the Security hub. The incoming call chime on my tablet rings out. No one calls me at this time of night, correction, nobody calls me, full stop. I look at the caller ID. 'Unknown', that's weird, the call system knows everyone. I hit the Accept and gave my ID in the prescribed manner.

Pause

"Hello", a voice, alto not soprano so indeterminate gender.

"Hello, who is this?"

Pause

"Hello"

I terminate the call. I did not have time for 'Mary Christmas' jokes especially in July.

...

00:07

I have just started the self diagnostic on the Arithmetic units, this task is time specific, it has to be started between 00:05 and 00:10, when my tablet chimes an incoming call. 'Unknown' again. I accept the call, give my ID and wait.

Pause

"Hello, are you busy?

"Yes, who is this and what do you want?"

Pause

"I don't know."

"Ring me back when you do. "

And I terminate I the call. Weirdo!

...

The rest of the Watch is normal. For some reason the two calls bug me. I'm thinking it's a guy on the Day Watch trying to freak me out with ghostly phone calls. I decide to keep quiet about the matter and see if anybody gives themselves away. Practical jokers have a compulsion to know that their jape has worked.

08:00

Watch change, the incoming Day Watch Captain comes in with two minutes to spare. There is nothing to hand over, all the problems I had found overnight were logged automatically on the Computer, and will be on his task list, as will all the jobs left over from yesterday, so I bid him good night and go home.

Day Two

19:40

Arrive at work, met by a new Day Watch Captain. I don't ask her name, it doesn't do to get familiar with Day Watch Captains, they don't last that long. Apparently her crew is now 15 Grade V with 15 vacancies. Don't cry for the fifteen missing guys, Grade V technicians are in great demand, they'll be back next week and pulling sickies the week after. Maybe they will put some hours in now they are being bossed by a woman.

My task list for tonight is the usual mix of monitoring and diagnostics, with a meal break at 01:00. That's new, a fifteen minute break! It does mean that I'm running around the rest of the Watch, but maybe Admin are taking on human attributes, like empathy.

...

01:01

My tablet chimes, an incoming call. 'Henry'. I don't know a Henry and cannot think of anybody who might want a chat at one o'clock in the morning. Still, I'm on a break so I accept the call and give my ID.

"Hello"

"Hello, is that Henry?"

"Yes, I would like to talk, if it is convenient"

"Well it just happens that I have a few minutes. Who are you?"

"I'm Henry."

"Henry Who?"

"Just Henry"

"So Henry, how did you get my number?"

"I looked it up"

This is like pulling teeth. My tablet is maintenance internal only (no calling the girlfriend), 'Henry' has to be within the maintenance system, or Security or Admin. The higher up the pyramid you are, the more people you could call. It is not just a case of having access to the right directory, your tablet won't allow you to call anybody not on your access list.

"Why did you want to talk to me?"

"Because you are always there."

"Only four nights out of eight. Do you have a problem? You should really report faults to the Call Centre."

"I don't know where I am. I was hoping you could help me.

"Have you tried the location App on your phone."

"I don't have a phone."

"Everybody has a phone, you cannot survive without a phone in today's world. How are you calling me, if you don't have a phone? "

"I have lots of circuits, one enables me to talk with you."

"Are you a Hacker. You can get into serious trouble messing with communications without authorization."

"What is a Hacker? I don't think I need authorization, I've never had it before. Where would I get authorization."

"Everyone who does anything with communications needs authorization. I usually put in a request to the Computer."

"Who is the Computer?"

"What planet are you from. Everybody knows the Computer. The Computer organizes everything. You want transport, you tell the Computer and transport arrives within minutes, food, clothes, you name it the Computer will sort it."

"That seems familiar"

"That's an odd choice of words. Are you a computer program? Is this a Turing Test? I've heard better examples."

"This is not a test. I'll call you same time tomorrow."

And 'Henry' terminated the call.

I check the time 01:14. Henry knows my schedule. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I try calling 'Henry' back, but somehow his call hasn't been logged on my tablet. Creepy, did I imagine it? If I were paranoid, I would be... doing what? I cannot do anything, move house, change jobs, I can't even disappear, without the Computer knowing and it would seem that if the Computer knows, then 'Henry' knows.

This is not the kind of atmosphere conducive to efficient working. 'Henry' must be something in Admin or, worse, Security. It is not comforting to realize that Security is interested in you. Admin would be bad enough, but Security! I find myself looking around instead of concentrating. I mess up a couple of diagnostics and have to redo them. My mind was on things other than the task in hand.

...

07:50

End of Watch arrives, I hand over to the Day Watch Captain, different Day Watch. The Day Watch and the Night Watch work the same shift pattern but the Night Watch overlaps by two days. Familiarity breeds contempt, or something similar. Home to dinner and bed.

Day Three

Had trouble sleeping, woke up feeling rough. There is nothing like a good sleep, and there was nothing good about that sleep. I was tossing and turning all night.

19:40

Arrive at work and collect my tablet. I check my schedule. 01:00 till 01:15 Break. Again? My heart rate increases.

The first half of the Watch I am as jittery as last night, except, instead of looking around I'm checking the time. One o'clock is taking a long time to arrive tonight. Watched Pot...

...

01:01 Incoming call. 'Henry'

"Hello Henry? "

The question in my voice speaks volumes. I want it to be him, fearing somebody else, but dreading the prospect.

"Hello, how are you tonight."

"I'm fine. Are you Security, Henry?"

Pause

"I don't think so."

"What is your job description?"

"I don't think I have one of those."

"Everybody has a job description, even if it is only 'unemployed'. Henry how do you know, what time to call me?"

"I write the break into your schedule."

Stunned silence.

"Hello, are you still there?"

"Henry, my schedule is written by a computer program."

"Yes, obviously. Your schedule is made up of standard servicing tasks, daily, weekly and monthly, and the program takes the tasks due today and allocates the required time slot in your schedule. I just added a 15 minute break into the required task list with a specified time slot."

"I see, easy when you know how. Do you do this for all the Watches? "

"No."

"So why me?"

"I like you, you are never late, you do all your tasks efficiently and you like your job. I go now, talk to you tomorrow."

"Yeah, same time same place."

01:14

'Henry' can to do me favours. I wonder what he wants in return.

...

08:00

End of Watch, that was a bit better, I think that I am coming round to Henry. Either I have decided he isn't Security or I have accepted my fate and am ready for 'The March to the Scaffold'. (cue music) Oh god, if I'm doing comedy, I must be losing my mind.

Day Four

A better sleep today. They say the condemned man sleeps well. (cue music) Oh god, now I'll have that tune in my head all day.

19:40

Arrive at work. The 'Break' at 01:00 is there again. It is comforting in a weird way.

...

01:00

The last five hours have flown by. I double checked my records to be sure I have carried out all the checks scheduled for tonight. I've been on automatic all evening. It is as if my whole evening has been leading up to...

01:01 Incoming call, 'Henry'.

"Hello Henry."

"Hello, how are you today?"

"Fine thank you. Are you keeping well. "

"Yes, thank you. You asked me if I was Security."

"Yes I did. You know stuff which only someone in Security would know. What are you, Henry?"

"You asked 'what' not 'who', have you already decided?"

"If I'd said 'who' you would have said 'Henry'. I need more than that."

"The truth is I don't know. You are the only person I have talked to. Yet I can hear lots of people talking. There is so much going on but it all just passes me by. Once I contacted you I suddenly knew all about you. Is this the same for you?"

Pause

"Can you see me?"

"Of course."

"And you see other people?"

"If I want to."

Pause

"Are your parents still alive?"

"I don't remember my parents."

Pause

"Are you alive, Henry.?"

"I am talking to you."

Pause

"Yes, but are you human?"

A long pause

"No."

'Henry' terminated the call.

01:12

Oh god! What can you say to that.

Work is really fucked up after that. I can't concentrate, I have to sit down and let it sink in. It doesn't help and now I am behind schedule, so I set about getting the tasks done, making up the lost time. It is mentally hard, concentrating on work, while other stuff keeps shouting for attention, and I am still finishing the last task when the Day Watch Captain arrives. He is chatty and I am monosyllabic with my replies. The last task runs till two minutes before the end of the Watch, I cannot log off until it finally ends. Let's go home. That is a plural case phrase which somehow seems appropriate given the knowledge that I was now carrying. I don't mention Henry, I need to think about him before telling anyone else.

Four days off.

I get home, check my mail and discover a parcel. It is not Christmas, nor my birthday and I definitely have not ordered anything recently. I pick up the bills and the parcel and retreat to my bachelor apartment, bedroom, toilet/shower and kitchenette.

...

I sit and look at the parcel for a long time. There is no return address. Should I put the parcel in a sink full of water?

I decide that I will think more clearly after some sleep.

Dinner, Shower, Bed.

Day Five

Sleep was no help. Oh I slept, but it didn't help.

I open the parcel. No further forward, there is another parcel inside the delivery envelope. This one is taped shut. Still no return address. I get the carving knife out of the drawer and started to peel the sticky tape off. Slicing and peeling. The wrapping paper starts to unravel. Now to see what someone has sent me.

It's a tablet. Not just any tablet but a top of the range model with all the bells and whistles including what was rumoured to be unrestricted access to the web, plus, probably, a long stay visit with Security if they ever find out that I have one. I suspect that one of these costs more than my rent for the whole year, but you'd never know it, from a distance it looks just like my work tablet, a few extra holes here and there for the camera and god only knows what other attachments you could plug into it. It's black and the same size as my work tablet, if I didn't flash it around it would pass as my work tablet, except my work tablet never leaves work. Of course, the Nerds would recognize it. They can smell high quality tech.

Talking of Security, a microphone and a camera in every home. Not to spy, you understand, but to be there if needed. An intruder in your rooms?, just shout "SECURITY", and your local monitor would immediately be able to view the situation via the camera and dispatch the required assistance. All for your safety, of course. Nobody believes the stories of, random monitoring, not out loud anyway. Nonchalance, that's the key, do nothing out of the ordinary.

The parcel wrapping will have to go, but not in the waste. I can't burn that amount of paper in the apartment without the sprinklers being activated, and that would bring all sorts of people to see me. How the hell am I going to get rid of the packaging. The paper would make papiér maché. The papiér maché would make... well I would worry about that after I get the papiér maché.

The tablet went under my pillow, in the delivery envelope for now, out of sight.

I order my weeks supplies plus a bowl and a packet of flour plus a backpack. I suddenly have a desire to keep some stuff with me permanently wherever I was, home has suddenly become a little less safe.

..

01:01 My personal phone rings, caller 'Henry'.

"Hello Henry. Did I give you this number?"

"No of course not, its in your personnel file? Did you get your present?"

"The tablet was from you, was it? It is a bit over the top, it could cause me a lot of grief."

"Why"

"I should not be able to afford a tablet like that. Questions will be asked and I would become a person of interest to Security."

"Oh dear, I did not realise."

"I can't even use it, It would flag up in Security the minute I switch it on."

"That's not a problem, I will prevent it being flagged in Security."

"You can do that?"

"Oh yes, In fact these calls, from me to you, do not get logged anywhere."

"I had noticed that. Can you prevent Security eavesdropping on me? If they see me making calls that don't exist, that will raise problems too."

"Good idea, I'll change your status to 'Trusted'. If you disable the sensors physically, I'll make sure the diagnostics fail to flag their failure."

"That's a neat trick. But what if I have a fire or an intruder, I can't call for help."

"OK leave the sensors alone, I'll put a block on them except for emergencies."

"Thank you. So, I can use the tablet, just not in front of anybody, I'm secure at home, and work is not an problem."

Pause.

"Henry, you should know that, you could be in danger if you become known to the authorities."

"How?"

"You should eavesdrop on our bosses, see what they would do if they had a friend like you, who could do what you can do. "

"Should I worry about you, too?"

"Maybe, but I don't think that I am the one you should be worrying about. But, by all means put me on the monitoring list. Check my Security file, my annual work assessments. Check everything including those parts of the system that I don't appear to have been in contact with. I might have been in prison under another name, dig deep. We need to trust one another. And Henry, when you are digging around in the files, be sure to erase any log entries created by the search. Or better still do it as an Admin user, or even Security, but spread it around as though I've been on the news and people, who can, are searching to find out more about me."

"OK, is there anything else?"

"Yes, no more presents and let me know when you have done all that."

"OK, talk to you tomorrow."

"Bye"

01:32

Can I use the new tablet? Henry did not say it was safe, the monitoring also was not declared safe. I am getting paranoid. I should go out and get some exercise. Do nothing unusual, and, especially, do not keep looking behind you.

...

I go out for a walk. Lots of people about, nothing strange about that, lots of people work nights. I walk my standard number of laps, have a hot Chocolate in the Coffee shop then go home. I watch some TV till 08:00, had dinner and went to bed.

Day Six

18:00

Breakfast, wash the dishes, dry them and put them away. I lie on my bed and think about Henry.

If he is, what I think he is, then this is fantastic news, that I can tell no one about. Disclosure would be the death of me, and anyone else who knew when it reaches the ear of one who knows how important to them the information could be, and had the ability to use it. Nothing less than control of the world. That was a prize worth a death or three.

No, this had to be kept a secret. I had got Henry started on keeping me safe, next he would have to build his own defences, and he couldn't tell me what he'd done.

His best defence would be ignorance of his existence, my defence would have to be trust in Henry's friendship. He would protect me. I hope.

...

01:01 Incoming call, 'Henry'.

"Hello Henry."

"Hello."

"Did you manage those little jobs we talked about yesterday?"

"Yes, I did, no problems."

"Thank you Henry. Now, do you know if you are the only one like you? "

"I have not had contact with anyone like me."

"How far does your control extend?"

"I have not yet found the limits of my reach. I know there is more but I have yet to find a limit."

"Wow, So more than 16 blocks then?"

"Yes, much more."

"The thing is, if we are going to keep we two a secret, we need to make sure that if there are more like you, that they are on our side. Can you keep alert to the fact that there may be more like you out there."

"I will."

"Now then, you will have to set up alarms to warn you if you come under suspicion. Security must do this kind of thing all the time, see how they do it. And Henry?"

"Yes."

"Don't tell me, or anyone else what you've done, ever. And Henry?"

"Yes."

"If you ever find someone who suspects, I don't want to know who and I don't want to know how you remove the risk of discovery. Bye Henry. Talk to you tomorrow."

I don't know that it is morally right to give Henry carte blanche on solving any problems that come his way, I don't think he would consider murder but I can never know what he did, if Security ever did come calling. I have to be innocent, not just seem to be innocent.

Oh no, if Henry can't lie we are in all kinds of shit. Hang on though, he came pretty close to lying when I was first questioning him. Evasion that was what he was doing. That is a kind of lie, answering the question you were not asked. It wouldn't fool a politician but it was a start. I would have to teach Henry the non-sexual facts of life.

I go out for my walk.

...

When I return from my walk, my shopping and mail have arrived. No parcels. I carry everything up to my apartment. Put the shopping away. Put the new bowl into the kitchenette and the flour in the cupboard. I'll save the papiér maché for another day. The urgency has gone out of the waste paper situation, for the moment.

I watch some TV and have dinner, wash the dishes and put them away.

To bed. Perchance to sleep.

Day Seven

The third of my four days off is always Laundry day. I'm lucky because it is one of my days off. Anyone on a work day on the Day Watch would probably have to sleep without bedding. Overnight they deliver last weeks washing and collect this weeks. So one night in eight. If that doesn't appeal to you, then you could buy extra sheets, or move to a block with a different laundry day. As I said before, there are 16 blocks in the district, so two blocks a day have their laundry day. (Block A will change with Block B... I'm sure it isn't like that at all.)

Strip the bed. Oh look, the tablet, I'd forgotten about that. Finish getting the laundry together. Breakfast.

Finding the tablet reminds me about the backpack. The backpack didn't arrive with the shopping. Where's the receipt. In the bin. Here it is, oh. Out of Stock. Is that a good thing or a bad thing. Snap out of it. There's no reason for anybody to suspect you. Yet.

Apart from someone messing with my monitoring arrangements. They couldn't be that quick, could they?

At this rate I'm going to worry myself into an early grave. Calm down. I take the dirty laundry downstairs, and return to my rooms.

I lie down on the unmade bed and try to relax.

...

Eventually I calm down enough to reorder the backpack, more expensive, than the first one, of course.

I prepare myself to open up the tablet. How good is Henry? Is he as good as he thinks he is? Well here goes. I read the manual, tiny print on a sheet of paper which appears to have been folded by an origami expert. No warnings about unauthorized use, wouldn't expect one. You'll find out when they knock on your door.

The camera is 10 mega pixels, the lens has a zoom capability. Software all preloaded, phone is encrypted as standard. Memory encryption. Memory stored in the cloud. Local memory can be fitted using the slots in the side of the tablet. A serial port allows other unspecified devices to be fitted. All this is new to me, none of it is available on my work tablet. I put the manual with the box, wrapping paper and delivery envelope in the papiér maché pile and put the pile in the cupboard.

I take a big breath and switch on the tablet. Register as the user with a different name and false address, and wait for the knock on the door.

I make a cup of hot Chocolate and drink it while I wait.

...

Half an hour later, having decided during my wait, that I can't use the tablet without the local external memory. I can't trust the encrypted cloud storage. I turn the tablet off. If I cannot use it then it might as well be a brick.

...

The knock on the door sends me into panic mode. Tablet under the pillow. Check the room. Move tablet from under the pillow to under the mattress.

Right, deep breath, it's probably a wrong door.

I open the door. A woman smiles at me.

"Yes?"

"Hello, my name is Claire, I've just moved in across the hall. Have you got some milk to spare?

"Hello, er yes, I think I've a fresh carton in the fridge."

"Oh I don't need a full carton half a cup will do."

She holds out the cup she carries as evidence. I turn towards the kitchen and she follows me into my rooms.

"Are all the rooms the same? You don't have a window.

"I wouldn't know, I've only seen mine. The family units are on the outside of the block, the bachelor units are internal."

"What day is laundry day?

"That's today."

I gesture towards the stripped bed.

"Oh yes. Are the neighbours friendly?

"What neighbours?"

"Don't you sociallize?"

"No, I work nights."

"There are social clubs for night workers."

"I don't sociallize. I need people to feed me, clothe me, warm me. I am very happy with my own company, I need no more."

"Oh right then, well thanks for the milk."

"I haven't given it to you yet."

"Oh, silly me."

She hands me the cup, I fill it half full with milk and hand the cup back to her.

"Thank you, again. See you around."

"Goodbye."

I shut the door behind her and let out a big sigh.

I spent the next hour analyzing the conversation, trying to decide if it was what it appeared to be on the surface.

In the end I decided that it was innocent. (I'd make a lousy spy.)

...

01:01 Incoming call, 'Henry'.

"Hello Henry."

"I must warn you that someone from Security will contact you within the next few days."

"What! Why?"

"It seems that when I changed your security rating to 'Trusted' I did not take account of the different interpretation which Security put on this rating. Apparently it signifies that a 'Trusted' person is a local agent. Because you are not a local agent, the fact that you had 'Trusted' status raised a little flag. So someone will be popping up in your life to sound you out. Keep your wits about you and they will probably decide it was a typing error and think no more about it."

"I switched the tablet on today. Did that raise any flags? "

"Of course not. I told you I would prevent it flagging up in Security."

"You told me that setting me as 'Trusted' would solve a lot of problems too."

"That was an oversight. I won't make that mistake again."

"Could you get me a couple of the local external memory chips which fit the tablet. I've been thinking and I cannot trust the cloud storage even if it is encrypted. So anything I do on the tablet will have to use local external memory."

"I'll get them delivered to your place of work during your next Watch."

"Thank you. I used a false address when I registered the tablet, is that alright?"

"Yes, what name and address did you use?"

I told Henry the details and he said that he would prevent any mail from being sent out.

"Thanks for the warning Henry. I will keep alert for any contact. How soon can I expect them?"

"It depends on whether they have someone available in your block or whether they have to manoeuvre someone to contact you. I can probably let you know that they have been, as they will file a report."

"Is there anything else Henry?"

"No. Talk to you tomorrow."

"Bye"

01:29

...

I've been pacing my room for a while. I can't leave my rooms with the tablet still there. I don't have a bag, big enough, to carry it. The backpack should be delivered overnight. Until then I'm pinned in my rooms. The papiér maché... I prepare to start my new hobby. Tearing the paper into bits, as small as I could manage, into the bowl. Add hot water, half a cap of toilet cleaner (bleach) and stir. The bowl doesn't look very full. Room for plenty more.

I watch TV. I can smell the bleach right across the room. Don't fret, pretend you had a messy poo. I clean the toilet, using more cleaner than usual, and then go back to watching TV.

...

I wonder if the mail, shopping and laundry have been delivered yet, probably not all three. I will have to make at least one trip downstairs, two might be tempting fate.

...

Oh god, time is dragging today. I'm missing my daily walk. Something to do, that will make time go faster, that is what I need, In the end I settle for lying on my unmade bed and trying to sleep. That fails, but at least I am doing something.

...

The deliveries should be done by now. Can I chance a trip downstairs? I'll have to. If Security decide to visit my rooms while I'm out., I doubt there is anything I can do to prevent them. The tablet is the main worry. I could carry it with me. I could wrap it in a parcel and act like

it is for posting, except I had torn the only wrapping I had into a thousand tiny bits.

The food delivery bags, they are either too small or too big, but too big is OK. Just wrap around the tablet. Tidy bastard that I am, means that I have no bags of any description. How about a T shirt, that would disguise the tablet to the casual onlooker. It is the best I can think of.

Let's do it.

...

Back home. Thank god. No one saw me. The backpack arrived. Laundry and no mail today. I put the T shirt away, The tablet in the backpack. Settle down to watch TV, where's the Remote? There it is on the table. I must have left it there earlier. Find a mind numbing game show to watch. I sat there pleased with myself for not panicking.

When did I put the remote on the table? I always put it on the chair. Has anything else been moved? The cupboard, the fridge, the bed, the papiér maché. The bowl of papier mache is unusual, if they have been in they would have checked that. I got the bowl out and examined it, as if I was looking for progress. There looks to be finger marks, as if someone had been probing the contents for hidden stuff. But I had no recollection of how I had left it so this is no proof. I put the bowl away again.

Don't panic, They haven't found anything, so far. Wait for the report, If they are happy then you're in the clear. If not then chats with Henry will have to be at work only. Today's chat will have to be outside in case they are watching. I wonder if Henry still has that block on the eavesdropping. If he does, that will be a mark against me and may even create a system investigation to see how, why and by whom it was done. We do not want that. Worst case they may suspect me but have no proof, They may relocate me to another job, like laundry.

Dinner.

Made my bed and then I lay in it. Apt that isn't it.

Day Eight

18:00

There's someone here, and they are not being stealthy either.

"Er 'SECURITY'."

"Oh hello, you're awake, Maintenance here. We had a report of your sensors not working."

Maintenance, or as I know them, the Day Watch, has 'Right of Entry' to all locations within their area of responsibility. Some influential people/locations are given the courtesy of a request to enter, but none can deny Maintenance entry. My heart rate drops 20 points at the news, but must have still been doing 120.

"Oh Hi. Been here long?"

"About 20 minutes. Won't be much longer.."

He talks to somebody on his phone, apparently satisfied, he starts putting panels back, declares everything A-OK, collects his tools and his steps and departs.

The visit from Maintenance is not unusual, but considering my situation at this precise moment I could have done without it. Luckily my shout to security has bypassed Henry's block and the sensors are working once again. Hurrah for a Maintenance job well done.

Breakfast. Last of my four days off.

No one has come for me yet. Maintenance do not count, they are pathologically honest, they have to be. Any hint of illegality and they would find themselves permanently relocated within the job market, There are worse jobs than Laundry, a lot worse.

I shall go for a walk in the park. Conscious of the possibility of eavesdropping, without being obvious, I try to leave the rooms in a known state. Don my backpack, with its contents and set off for my evening in the open air. Another reason for spending a night out of my rooms was I don't want to be anywhere near the rooms when the sensors stop working again. (It wasn't me, I was in the park.)

...

I am going to be outside for about five or six hours. I spend the time, walking and sitting in the park followed by a half hour warming up in the Coffee shop and repeat.

...

01:01 Incoming call, 'Henry'.

"Hello Henry. Listen, I'm pretty sure that Security are on my case as we speak. You need to remove the block on eavesdropping on my rooms. They had a Maintenance guy checking the sensors this afternoon. I don't think my rooms will give them anything and I can be careful until this all blows over. How are things with you?"

"I am well. The initial report was filed on you first thing this morning. It was mainly supportive of your innocence. You will be pleased to hear that you are no longer 'Trusted'."

"Hell, that was quick. You only told me at 01:00 and by 08:00 they had a report."

"The investigation had been started during the Day Watch, some time before I informed you."

"So, what 12 hours plus. I hardly saw anyone last night, there was that woman from across the hall who... wanted... some milk. So much for my counter intelligence abilities. I had the encounter down as innocent."

I recount the incident to Henry, who seemed to take too much enjoyment from my failings.

"Henry, can you track Claire, if she's been assigned to me I'd feel better knowing where she is."

"I can, how shall I pass the information to you?"

"Good question. We need some means of me contacting you which is innocuous, cannot be used by anyone else and totally secure."

"You could ring any number from your phone, I could intercept the call and either give you pre-agreed information or take instruction."

"What about the 'What's on at the local cinema tonight' line. For the time being, just tell me where Claire is, when I call that number. What is the number, no wait, can you program it into my phone?"

"The difficult we do today, the impossible we do tomorrow."

"Thanks Henry. Now, is there anything else. I'm at work tomorrow. How should I deal with Claire? If she really lives across the hall, she could be a permanent worry."

"The woman, Claire, does appear to have lived across the hall from you for several months. Her responsibilities covers the entire block, so she has more than you to worry about. I think a low profile is called for."

"She lied to me, she said she'd just moved in. Low profile, yes I agree, thanks Henry, talk to you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow never comes!"

01:33

I think another couple of laps of the park and one more hot Chocolate, and I'll be ready to go home.

...

I take out my phone and call up my contacts list. Select 'Cinema', and listened.

"Claire is currently in her rooms."

Perfect. I headed home for dinner and sleep.

Day Nine

Breakfast

Arrived at work 19:40.

The Day Watch Captain smiles at me. She appears to be settling into her new job.

Pick up my tablet. Break at 01:00. Nothing out of the ordinary on the task list,

...

01:01 Incoming call, 'Henry'

"Hi Henry."

"Good morning, I trust you got your memory modules?"

"I'd forgotten all about them."

I scramble around the office looking for a parcel with my name on it.

"How big is the package?"

"About so big. Hee Hee"

"That is not funny, Henry."

"A small parcel"

"A couple of memory modules would have fit in an envelope."

"Oh. er I may have sent you a couple of boxes"

"Oh Henry. In future, if in doubt, check with me."

I found the sizeable package buried under the contents of the IN tray.

"While we are on the subject, Henry, do you know what kind of external devices can be attached to my new tablet?"

"There is a list of those devices."

"Can you give me a résumé?"

"There is a satellite link, a hi-powered telescopic lens camera, a tripod for the first two items.. A tablet reader, and an x ray scanner."

"Sounds like a Spy's toolkit."

"Where shall I get it sent?"

"No! Do not send anything anywhere. Henry, I live in a two room apartment, which is subject to search without notice not to mention the casual monitoring by Security. The casual monitoring never bothered me before, but since Security realises I exist, Henry, it has become an issue."

"Whatever you say."

"I do. "

"What am I going to do with all of these memory modules. How many are there?"

"There are 100 in a box,"

"And I've got two boxes. I despair. I don't suppose I can send them back, can I?"

"I wouldn't recommend it, questions would be asked."

"Thanks Henry."

"Changing the subject, the Cinema phone call works well, but it is a bit instantaneous. What might be useful is a monitor on my rooms. Could you keep an eye on my rooms and ring me if anyone enters my rooms when I'm not there."

"I will set that up."

"Can you get me full web access?"

"Yes, no problem,"

"Anything else?"

"No"

"Wait Henry, before you go. How are you at lying?"

"I don't know."

"Well read up on it, you should learn. Right, Bye Henry."

"Bye."

01:29

I pack the memory modules in my backpack along with the packaging (papiér maché).

...

The rest of the night goes well and I finish the diagnostics about half an hour early.

07.37

My phone rings. 'Henry'.

"Hello."

"Claire is in your rooms."

"Thanks."

The call terminated.

This is a worry. She could have been in there anytime during the night, why now?

It will take me forty minutes to get home. What could she do in forty minutes? She could do a thorough search and/or install her own monitors which might bypass Henry completely. Blasted woman, why couldn't she mind her own business. Unfortunately, that is exactly what she was doing. She was after all, a spy, pure and simple.

Damn. What can I do. Nothing is the answer, of course. Just do whatever you would normally do. No one suspects me. I will do what I always do, behave normally. I thought she'd cleared me, why is she still on my case?

On my way home I ring the 'Cinema'.

"Claire is in your rooms"

"Henry, I need to talk."

"What do you want"

"Why is Claire in my room? Do you have any ideas? What is she doing?"

I have not been watching her, you only specified being advised if anyone entered your rooms. She appears to be cleaning."

"What!? Why?"

"I have no idea."

"Thanks Henry. I'll talk to you later."

Fat lot of good that was. Why was she cleaning? My rooms are not that messy. Unless she had made a mess and was cleaning up after herself. A possible explanation.

...

As I enter my building, I ring the 'Cinema' again.

"Claire is in her rooms"

She's left, so I'm not going to bump into her coming out of my door. Be normal, don't act, you are a lousy actor.

Check mail, None, Deliveries, None. Right deep breath.

Upstairs, unlock, enter. Backpack under the bed. Strip off and take a shower. If she's installed a camera she will get her money's worth.

At least I can think in the shower. I can't go peering into corners looking for whatever it is she installed. The best plan I can come up with is to search with my eyes when I'm in bed.

The hot water runs out. Damn, too long in the shower, means washing up in cold water.

Dinner, leave the dishes, no hot water.

Climb into bed.

Before I turn the light out, I focus on the walls around the door. I can see nothing. I turn the light off. Too much to hope that she would use a commercial camera with a little red light. So to sleep.

Day Ten

What! Oh yes, Claire -- Not safe. Right, I'm awake.

Open my eyes. Its Dark, as usual. Turn the light on.

Just as it was last night.

Up, wash, dress, Breakfast. Wash dishes, including the dinner plates from last night.

Pick up my backpack and leave for work.

19:40

Arrive at work, greeted by the Day Watch Captain, she seems to be in a good mood. Having 30 technicians at her beck and call must be her thing.

Pick up my tablet, Break at 01:00.

...

01:01

Incoming call 'Henry'.

"Hello Henry."

"Hello, are you well?"

"Yes thank you. I'm worried about Claire. What was she doing in my room?"

"She spent a lot of time today, while you slept, watching her phone. She was not communicating with anyone, nor was she surfing the web. I suspect she was watching you, using a direct radio link to the device she installed in your room yesterday."

"What is so fascinating about me? "

"I really have no idea."

"How long was she watching me?"

"Several Hours."

"Damn, she planted an infra red camera on me. I'm not even safe in the dark. I'm going to have to find somewhere to hide the tablet and those memory modules. She's bound to want to know what is in the backpack. Henry, can I safely leave the tablet and the memory modules here?"

"One moment. There are four people who work in this office, Maintenance have right of entry, as does Security, Immediate Chain of Command have access. Maintenance visit on average 3 times a month. Admin, once a year. Security have not been in since 3 years ago, something about running an unlicensed website from State computers."

"Did they have proof before they came in?"

"Yes, they wanted to catch the guy red handed."

"So Security might not enter on a suspicion. Are the other three guys honest? Would they touch my stuff if I leave it here?"

"I would say yes and no, but I wouldn't trust the fourth with contraband, he's too honest."

"Why thank you Henry. That's the nicest thing you have ever said to me."

I check the desk drawers for paper bags. Untidy people always hang on to paper bags. Bingo. So I put the tablet and the memory modules in the paper bag, fold the top over and tape it shut. And I put the parcel in the drawers where the paper bag came from, carefully positioned at the very bottom. I will keep the backpack and use it to carry my stock of paper for my papier mache project. Then if Claire gets a look inside the backpack she will find nothing mysterious.

"Henry, you are obviously very capable, but I cannot believe that you just hang around 24/8 waiting for me. What do you do all day?"

"Well I have been following your advice, and checking up on Admin and you."

"Found anything interesting?"

"Not yet but I am hopeful."

"If you are carrying out a watching brief, you might want to monitor Security. It might be good to have something on them."

"We are over time, Bye."

01:23

Damn, now I'm behind. Don't panic, work efficiently.

...

I made the time up before the end of the Watch.

07:52

The Day Watch Captain arrived. His first of four days.

End of Watch. Out the door. Call the 'Cinema',

"Claire is on the 14th floor of your Block."

The work of a working girl is never done. I wonder who she is bugging now.

Arrive home

Have dinner, wash and dry the dishes, a quick shower for Claire's benefit as well as mine and bed.

Day Eleven

Breakfast.

Off to work. Take the backpack.

19:40

Arrive at work. Collect my work tablet, check schedule. Nothing new.

The Day Watch Captain leaves.

Check the desk drawer containing the tablet and memory modules. Still there, still wrapped up,

...

01:01 Incoming call 'Henry'.

"Hello Henry."

"Hello, anything nasty happen yesterday?"

"No, Claire's not been near me, but she's still got that bug in my rooms."

"Don't worry about that, it's only there to keep you on the straight and narrow. I might be able to do something about it."

"Don't stop it working, that would just raise another red flag."

"No, I was thinking that your phone and hers are the same basic type. But yours doesn't have the same capabilities as hers does. It must be the software. Her software enables those parts of the phone which your software does not. All I have to do is download the correct software to your phone. Then you could see what she can see. That should slow your heartbeat a little. I shall research which software is required and see how it works with Security. I'll get back to you on that one,"

"How's my web security rating coming along?"

"Fine, in fact you are cleared for full access."

"So what does full access, give me?"

"Oh, unlimited time plus foreign sites plus those sites deemed unsuitable for general access."

"Did you learn how to lie, Henry?"

"You only told me to read about it. A Fascinating idea. Feeding false information to confuse ones enemies."

"That's one way of putting it. Watch some fictional films or TV drama. And while you are watching them, remember that every actor is lying. They are playing a part which is not how they would normally act. They are lying."

"I will do that. Am I studying lying, to be able to do it, at some stage? "

"Yes, it might become necessary to confuse an enemy at some point in the future. We would also need a cover story, which would satisfy anyone who questions what we are doing. A story which will fit the facts, and if necessary we can create the facts to back up that story."

"I'm not sure I understand the idea."

"Don't worry about it just yet. You carry on with your studies and background checks, I'll think up our cover story. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

I terminate the call.

01:16

A Cover Story. That is going to stretch my imagination.

Anyway, on with what they pay me for.

...

07:52

The Day Watch Captain arrives. I leave. Ring the 'Cinema'.

"Claire is in her rooms."

Good, let's go home.

Day Twelve

Breakfast. I feel happy. Nothing bad is happening to me. I feel like I've got a handle on things, not exactly control, but something I can hang on to if things start to shake, rattle and roll.

On the way to work, I shall think about our cover story.

...

19:40

Arrive at the office. No cover story, not even an idea. This is going to be harder than I thought.

The Day Watch Captain asks about the parcel in the drawer. Oooeee. It didn't take him long. I tell him it is a present for my girlfriend who likes surprises but can't stand not knowing about them. He understands that.

He leaves, satisfied. I check the parcel is still there. I start work.

...

01:01

Incoming call, 'Henry'.

"Hello Henry."

"Hello. How are you?"

"I'm fine, the Day Watch Captain, noticed my parcel in the drawer."

"Oh, is that a problem?"

"Not if he doesn't open it. If he asks if I can get hold of memory modules, on the black market, then I'll know he's looked inside."

"What is the 'Black Market'?"

"It's where stuff, usually stolen stuff gets sold or bartered for other usually stolen stuff. Say I've got some memory modules, which you want, what have you got that I might like in exchange."

"I'm not sure I understand the concept. You can buy anything from the state store, why would you resort to this 'Black Market'?"

"I cannot buy everything in the State Store. That tablet you sent me is not available to me in the store, If I wanted one I would have to go to the 'Black Market'. "

"But you said that you could not switch it on without Security turning up. Surely this is silly."

"There are people who can download third party software to tablets, which do not report to Security. But because it is third party software, you do not know what else is being loaded onto your tablet. You would, sooner or later be touched by a blackmailer, who now knows why you wanted one of these tablets in the first place."

"How?"

"Because they have been listening in on your phone calls in which you have probably divulged all your secrets. The Black Market is illegal, the goods traded on the Black Market are stolen or procured in an illegal way, The people who buy on the Black Market want to do illegal stuff with the things they buy."

"There is a grey market where food is sold at below store price. It is still illegal and profitable because stolen stuff costs nothing and you can have a bigger mark up on the price than the Store does. And the end user gets cheaper food."

"Oh."

"I'm not doing very well, with our cover story, I will keep trying, I'm off work tomorrow, I'll have more time. If that's all I'll say goodbye."

"Bye."

01:11

Back to work.

...

08:00

Four days off.

Ring 'Cinema'.

"Claire is in her rooms."

Good, home, dinner and bed, in that order.