the door
– i’m really sorry – um
all eyes on Riyadh
– we don’t – we don’t know what’s happening
a pause
– we were just in school and um – i mean we don’t have any – clothes or anything
the woman who had answered the door speaks, whose voice matches the one over the phone
– we can buy you clothes now if you like
– that would be great but – we just don’t – i mean i don’t even know
the man in the leather jacket speaks
– at this point introductions might be a good idea – not saying i don’t trust you Soul, but
– your name is Soul? like as in spirit?
Cardiff asks
– Seoul as in the city in Korea
the woman replies
Riyadh inhales
– oh… shit. that makes more sense then
she says quietly
Cardiff turns to look at her
the woman named Seoul speaks again
– i want to tell you everything, but i think we should wait
the other woman looks at her, takes a breath like she’s going to speak
then releases it again
– do we know if they’re coming?
the other man asks
– i think we should wait – at least until tonight
Seoul says
the four young adults exchange glances
– we’re going to need some more food
the other man says to the one in the leather jacket
he wears a black wool-knit sweater, probably real wool
the professional looking woman turns to them
– you can order your clothes through the housekeeper if you wish, otherwise we can give you credit chips
– of-course i would advise you don’t speak to anyone about anything related to this
Seoul adds
– i’ll order on the net
Cardiff says
Seoul nods
– i’d like to go out
Melbourne looks at Riyadh
– but i don’t know… where anything is
– i can come with you if you like?
the professional woman asks
– Ree?
– sure – we can all go
the two men leave, the woman and the two girls put their shoes on and follow shortly after
Cardiff is left with Seoul
– i imagine you have all sorts of questions for me
he looks at her
– see, but i’m guessing you won’t really answer them right? are we waiting for someone?
she nods
– two others, though whether they’ll come or not – one might come, i don’t really know
Cardiff doesn’t really know what to do
– do you want to order your clothes?
– ok
he doesn’t move
– Cardiff
she’s looking earnestly at him
– please, just give it a little time. once we get into this, you might wish you hadn’t known so soon
– but… why are we involved at all
she stares, and it makes him shift on his feet
– you remind me of myself when i was your age
he stares back
– dive into the net, shuffle data, run your main-line hacks, get curious about ice
her face is neutral
– when you cracked Datacraft back in grade-school, did you realise what you’d done?
– well, i mean, i did when the feds came into my class the next day
Seoul nods
– do you know that’s the longest it’s ever taken them to trace a hack? ever?
his eyes widen
– most coders twice your age could never have done a crack on a company like them as quickly and effectively as you did, let alone at all
he continues to stare
Seoul gives a brief small smile
– they have a lock-down procedure named after you
Cardiff wants to feel pride, and he does, but the gravity of his own work is settling into his thoughts
– i was just messing around i mean, i put a lot of thought into that, but
– but it was a challenge
– well,
– and they were monitoring your father’s financial activities
– they were doing that because of my net habits, but i mean, gee – leave my dad out of it
– so you learn pretty quickly how the net works, how data companies are, even large industries whose core businesses aren’t net related
– they work like yakuza
– the yakuza at least have some sense of ethics, if even only to protect their own
they smile
– you said we were triggered because of our abilities
– yes
– that we’re good enough to get that file
– yes
he pauses while he thinks
– so someone wants that file?
she waits for a moment, then answers
– someone wants something to do with that file, but as yet nothing is clear
he’s still confused
– what is Inverse?
again she waits for a moment, and it doesn’t make Cardiff feel any better
– something some will kill for
the others return at 5pm
outside the sun drifts towards the horizon
by their faces Cardiff thinks their conversation has been as sober as his own with Seoul
Melbourne and Riyadh are in a daze
the two men are the last to arrive, hands holding bags of fresh produce and things wrapped in synthetic paper
they go to the kitchen, put the bags on the island-bench and start laying everything out
theirs is the only motion in the apartment, everyone else having come to a standstill
they notice, and themselves still their motions
everyone slowly looks at each other person
– i’m scared
Melbourne speaks with a slightly shaking voice
– i’m scared and i don’t want to die
everyone looks at her
looks of empathy, hope, concern
looks of fear
no-one moves
it is an image of stillness
four adults, three high-school children standing in the apartment
a man and a woman standing on the other side of the door
– Cairo
his voice is quiet
textured only by the breath of climate control
– are you ready
she takes his hand
inhale
exhale
– yes
the door chimes
everyone’s gaze snaps to the black rectangle in the wall
the man in the black woollen sweater slowly walks to the door
they are all conscious of their breathing
he stops just outside the door’s opening arc
turns to look at everyone
they stare at him
he turns back, and releases the door
a man and a woman stand in the hall, older than the other adults, yet not appearing old
striking in both appearance and posture, they seem to exude a calm sense of warmth and maturity
still no-one moves
through the opening, ties of companionship are re-established
each of the four elites looks at the first sight of the ghosts they’ve had in years
so many years
far too long
the man and woman enter the apartment and the door closes
silently, each of the four young adults approaches and embraces them
the woman firmly clasping the hands of every person as they release
the man holding each person tightly without reservation
they each shed tears
though the children have no understanding of the reunion taking place, they too feel the affection between these people heavily in their chests
though they are excluded from the intimacy before them, somehow, like the others, they feel a sense of completion
the woman notices the children for the first time
there is an authority about her stare, that she is turning her thoughts and regard on them
they become very self conscious
but she smiles
– hello
Riyadh opens her mouth, then closes it
the woman named Seoul steps toward them, in the centre of the group
– this is Riyadh, Melbourne and Cardiff
the professional woman smiles, as does the man in the leather jacket, and the older man who has just arrived
– there’s no easy way to do this i suppose
she breathes deeply
lets her breath out and holds
inhales again
– this is Vitoria, Moscow and Durban
she indicates each with an open palm
– we are what generally the various government bodies and companies in the community call Elite class
the children hold their breaths
– this is Cairo
she moves her body to indicate the two new arrivals
– and Auckland
they both incline their heads in respect to the children
– they are both Ghost class
the names of gods and legends
stories buried so deep they only existed in the most obscure of places
among the oldest, most talented and most eccentric coders in the world
fragments of accounts of the strangest and most elusive activity in the net
Melbourne reaches slowly out to the kitchen bench near her to steady herself
Cardiff slowly backs himself up to a sofa and sits down
Riyadh stares
– oh my god
she whispers
– i take it they were triggered then
Auckland looks at Seoul
– they were
he looks at the children
– i’m sorry you’ve gotten mixed up in this
their thoughts cannot proceed beyond their immediate disorientation
– if there were a way to hide you, i would have done it
Seoul adds
– but as you saw yourself, whoever’s doing this is exceptionally skilled
Auckland turns to her and nods
– can i ask something of you all
everyone turns to him
– can we set aside all of this for the evening and just eat together
there is an openness and earnestness in his voice
he once again takes the hand of the woman named Cairo
– let’s enjoy ourselves tonight, make no mention of Inverse or the events that have brought us here
– yeah
the man named Durban agrees
– that sounds like a great idea