Ntshona (11 page)

She turned to face Lon. “The government tries to control all technological development by either restricting access to information, or buying out any competition. The Tech Centre was built in response to that, hence the investment from the opposition party, and other private sources who don’t align themselves with the SARP”.

“In essence it’s like an alternative to the Science Centre,” added Eve, “but the Science Centre has much fewer limitations due to the financing it gets from the government, meaning advancement is more likely there”.

“Theoretically,” said Cat, “but we have a large pool of talent here, something the Science Centre doesn’t have”.

Eve became understandably irritated, “I did tell you that I work there, right?”

“Don’t worry, I’m not trying to offend you. It’s just that, on the whole, most of the people who work here have more dreams and ambition than those who work in the Science Centre. Many of them are politically motivated, and want to make a point, as opposed to the people in the Science Centre who generally work for higher pay and an increase in social status”.

“Not all of us are working there for those reasons,” said Eve, trying to defend her honour.

“Either way,” interrupted Lon, “there are two centres for technological development. But how and why do the government still restrict advancement?”

Eve decided to respond first. “The Science Centre isn’t just for technology, you know I suck at that, but I still work there”.

“Ah, yeah, of course,” said Lon, feeling slightly silly for forgetting.

Cat added, “The government controls technology as a form of passive oppression, a method that the majority of the public don’t notice. As for medicine, somehow it became one of the most profitable industries our country offers, therefore there are much fewer restrictions on the development of biological and medical technology, especially in the Science Centre where the government has an extremely high level of control”.

“Yeah, you’re right about that,” said Eve, “I work as a biologist there, and I’ve recently been upgraded to working on a cutting-edge biomedical project”.

This suddenly ignited Cat’s interest. “Oh, is it? What project would that be?”

The lift slowed to a halt, the doors slid open, and in stepped another Tech Centre worker. He smiled at the three and turned around to face the doors.

“Please select additional destination,” sounded the lift.

“The Atrium,” said the worker.

“Your destination has been selected: the Atrium. Is this correct?”

“Yes”.

Cat put her index finger to her lips as a gesture for Eve not to speak further.

The remainder of the ride in the lift lasted for roughly another twenty seconds.

The lift doors opened, and all four passengers alighted. They stepped into a large, glass-covered, circular area, in the centre of which were many trees and garden-like features, as if it were an indoor park, and on the outside were glass-walled office spaces and workshops. There were yet two or three more storeys that were visible from the centre of the atrium.

The sun penetrated the glass ceiling, yet the temperature in the place was mild.

“We still need to get into another lift to reach the top,” stated Cat, and she set off guiding them towards it.

“Wow,” said Lon, “this seems like quite a cool place to work”.

“It is,” Cat said.

“Eve, why didn’t you work here instead of the Science Centre?” he asked.

“Well, for one thing, I’ve never been up here, so I didn’t know about this particular part of the building. I did like studying here though, but the Science Centre is more prestigious and offers more opportunities for
personal
, not just social, development”.

The next lift was close to the one from which they had just exited. They got in and Cat told it to carry them up three more floors. They stepped out only a few seconds later onto a long balcony surrounding the inside of the central area, overlooking the park-like space.

“Our company is right there,” Cat pointed to a nearby office and workshop space, with glass windows as the rest, physically and visually separated from the neighbouring spaces by walls. Or it seemed. In fact, it was not possible to tell which separate rooms belonged to which company.

“Company?” Lon was lost. “Isn’t there just one company; the Technology Centre?”

“No,” said Cat, almost sounding as though she was talking to an idiot, “that’s not possible without government funding, so investors buy or support separate companies within the building”.

“That’s why the Science Centre has more opportunities; there’s a hierarchy to work up through, whereas here it depends on the company you’re in, and they’re all smaller than the Science Centre,” explained Eve.

“Oh, so how big is the company you work for, Cat?” he asked.

“We’re not a large company by any means, but we have some very skilled workers, and some very committed sponsors”.

They approached the entrance to Cat’s company’s space.

“In fact, there are only a few more rooms than the ones you can see now,” she added.

The door slid open at sensing human presence, and the three stepped inside.

As expected there was a small reception area, complete with the classic company receptionist.

“Enjoy your lunch break Cat?” asked the receptionist lady.

“I did, very much so, thank you,” Cat said.

“And we have visitors?” she directed her attention towards Lon and Eve.

“We do indeed. Eve, Lon, this is Kaya; Kaya, this is Eve and Lon”.

“Howzit?” greeted Kaya.

“Hi,” said Eve.

“How’s it going?” responded Lon.

“They’re going to be working with me on a project, that’s why they’re here,” Cat explained to Kaya.

“Okay, then don’t let me stop you from getting started!” said Kaya. “Go on through!” she laughed happily.

Cat, Lon and Eve passed through the door behind the reception desk to a room that could not be seen from outside the company’s confines.

The new room was long and thin, and contained numerous workstations, yet few workers.

“Why’s it so empty?” asked Lon.

“Because it’s Saturday,” again Cat sounded as though she were talking to someone of much lower intelligence.

“Oh, yeah. I forgot,” he said.

They did not remain in this room, however, but passed on into the next, which was almost identical to the last.

There was but a single man in the room as they entered. He looked up from his work terminal, swivelled on his chair to face the new entities in the room, and gave a big “Welcome!”

“Lon, Eve, this is Strys; Strys, this is Lon and Eve who I told you about”.

“So you two are gonna help us?!” said Strys in a large voice, and with a large grin spread across his face.

“Um, yeah,” said Eve, quite unsure of what they were to help with, “we’re gonna help you with a networking project”.

Cat sniggered lightly.

“Oh, that’s right! Our ‘networking project’!” Strys gave her an over-emphasised wink.

Now Lon and Eve realised he must know about their situation.

“Come! Sit!” he voiced loudly, “Both of you sit down nicely next to me,” he pulled two chairs from under the worktop, one on either side of him.

Lon and Eve followed his instructions and sat, forming a sort of triangle so they could all see each other clearly.

Cat leant against the work surface near them.

Strys, still smiling widely, lowered his volume to a more natural level, and, still in an excited tone, asked “What preliminary research have you two been doing for this ‘project’?”

Lon and Eve glanced at each other; neither of them quite got what he meant.

“Okay,” said Strys, “I was told you started researching this ‘project’
last night
”.

At this point it became a little more obvious to the two that he wanted them to recount their whole story, again. But why continue to talk as if in code? He seemed a little odd.

They recited the most up-to-date version of their story.

At some point during the narration Strys’ smile sagged, although it did not disappear completely. “I see. So this morning’s episode is the reason you were late to get here”.

Lon and Eve both nodded.

“And now we don’t know what to do,” said Lon.

Eve had a sombre look about her.

“Don’t worry my friends,” began Strys, “if you help us, we can help you”.

“How can we help?” said Eve, not offering, but genuinely asking how they could possibly do so.

“First
things first,” said Cat, “Strys, can you hack into the police database and check their criminal records?”

“Ja, not a problem!” he replied. He span himself around on his chair, and began to tap away at his computer monitor and the artificial keyboard on his desk, much in the same way Tan did to hack into the NGT system database the night prior. “Just bear with me for a moment. The police system is a little tricky
…”

“Can you get caught?” asked Lon.

“No man!” Strys broke out into laughter, “Nobody can catch me, my friend!”

That was not the answer Lon was looking for. “Okay, then, what if it were somebody else trying to hack into the police database from here?”

“Well, if they’re really bad! Our security system tells onlookers that we’re in Angola!”

“Oh, is that software that Tan wrote?” asked Lon.

“Yes, it is! You’re so attentive!”

Lon thought Strys’ overly happy personality was a tad creepy.

“Sorry this is taking a while, even though we’ve got many provisions here for this kind of thing, it does take some time. As well as that, the police database has a stupidly large defence,” explained Strys.

“I take it you can’t alter anything in the database too, right?” asked Lon.

“Well, yes I can, but they’d be able to figure out that I’m not in Angola”.

“And we can’t risk that,” Cat added, “because if they discover we’re in the Tech Centre, then everyone here will be screwed. The government have been trying for years to find a reason to shut this place down, and we can’t afford to give them one”.

“Well… it makes sense,” admitted Lon.

“Ah, almost done it,” said Strys.

“You’re taking your time,” Cat said.

“Hey, you try doing this quicker!” he laughed. “Count to ten, and I’ll be in before you finish,” he challenged them.

Cat began to count, “One… two… three… f-”

“And we’re in!” yelled Strys excitedly as he punched the air.

“I’m glad you find this amusing,” sad Cat.

Indeed it was as if it were a game to him, yet more like a dangerous gamble to Lon and Eve.

“Right, lemme see…” he said.

The other three stood gathered around the monitor.

“Eve, could you please tell me your ID number?”

Eve obliged and told him for what he had asked.

A few taps later he brought up her records on the computer monitor.

“Evelyn Chen” was the title of the page, under which Eve’s face was displayed, the same picture as her digital ID card, followed by a list of information, just as in the NGT system database, only with much more data: place of birth, parents’ names, education, etc., as well as a picture of her fingerprints and one of her retinas.

“Bloody hell!” exclaimed Lon, “I didn’t think they’d keep so much information on people!”

“Isn’t it to be expected?” asked Cat rhetorically.

Strys scrolled down the page past the personal details to the section entitled ‘Criminal Status’, under which were written two shocking words, ‘Terrorist Threat’.

Upon reading this Eve almost fell forwards; her knees became weak and she immediately felt nauseous.

Lon jumped towards her and gave physical support, then helped her into her seat. He quickly turned back to the screen to see if he had read correctly. “Where the fuck did they get that idea from?”

The smile on Strys’ face had fallen off completely, and he looked serious in front of Lon and Eve for the first time. He read the accompanying comments for the criminal status out loud, “This person has direct links to an as yet unknown terrorist cell, likely from China, responsible for multiple kidnappings and murders in the Ntshona area. Furthermore she is highly capable of inflicting bodily damage with or without weapons. Approach with caution”.

Eve began to weep with her head in her hands, “Wha… what am I… what…”

“It’s okay, Eve,” Lon comforted her, “we’ll get this sorted somehow”.

“They… they think I’m Chinese,” she sobbed.

“What are these people thinking?” asked Strys. “You can tell by looking at her she’s not dangerous!”

“It’s absolutely ridiculous!” Cat’s seemingly unceasing placidness was beginning to waver. “But now we know why the police were so violently pursuing you”.

“Lon, please tell me your ID number, we need to see what they have on you”.