Long Division (7 page)

I pulled my computer out and brewed some tea as I waited for it to boot up, which took an irritatingly long time. Once it finally decided to turn on and was waiting for me, I didn’t hesitate as long as I should have done to plug in the drive. It took just a moment for the file to pop up, full of folders. Each one named with a bizarre combination of letters and numbers I couldn’t understand.

I clicked on one, which in turn contained more files. I was already growing overwhelmed. So many documents. I tried one. And was met by an error message. Unreadable file. Code or print needed. I tried the next, and the next, all unreadable. I sat back, disappointed by my results with snooping. The only file I was able to open was a power-point, yet it covered such complicated material that I soon lost interest.

I ejected the drive in defeat and sat back. Then I swiped up my phone and sent a text off to James which I’d not been able to compose earlier: HEARD ABOUT YOUR TALK TODAY SO THOUGHT I WOULD COME. PITY I DIDN’T GET TO SEE YOU. THINK YOU LEFT YOUR THUMB DRIVE. FOUND IT ON THE FLOOR. HOW SHALL I RETURN IT TO YOU?

I didn’t expect it to be replied to any time soon. James had just been on television not an hour ago, after all.

I glanced at the clock. Just after noon. I did get paid today. I needed to buy some groceries. The contents of my fridge were looking pitiful. I sighed and stood, picking up the thumb drive with me. I put it in my pocket. Perhaps if James text me whilst I was out I could just post it. I pocketed my phone, grabbed my wallet and locked the door behind me.

Stepping out on to the street I almost collided with a man whom, if I was not mistaken, had been camped outside my place.

‘Sorry, sorry, mate,’ he stammered, holding up his hands. He had his hood up, but I did catch a thick Irish accent.

I gave him a tight nod yet didn’t get a chance to reply because he was already hurrying down the walk. He cast a look over his shoulder as he went, hunched; looking away from me, not in my direction, but across the street, to the newly let flat. I automatically followed his gaze. There was nothing there.

My hand instinctively stuffed into my pocket and I felt the drive still in my pocket. I gave it a protective squeeze before hurrying my own way.

I couldn’t shake it, for some reason. And as I did my errands for the day, I was struck with a crawling, paranoid sense of being…observed. Watched. It was completely mental, I knew that, and yet…Yet there was something underneath the never ending rush of the streets of London, something I couldn’t put my finger on. Like looking at a picture that had something off to it, but being unable to see what the mistake was. I found myself at every minute or so, glancing round, as if expecting to see some bloke in sunshades and a black coat watching me from over a paper at the end of the aisle. Of course there was no one. Of course not.

I was just finishing my shopping when my phone informed me of a text. I pulled it out. At last! It was from James. c

DIDN’T REALISE I’D LEFT IT. THANK YOU FOR FINDING IT. COULD YOU PLEASE DROP IT BY MY FLAT TOMORROW AFTERNOON IF THAT IS CONVENIENT? I’D RATHER NOT HAVE IT POSTED.

He sent me his address.

I smiled, stepping to the till.

TOP SECRET INFORMATION OR SOMETHING?

SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YES.

I couldn’t tell if he were joking or not. If it was important, it seemed fairly careless of him to leave it lying about. He would certainly be the picture of the absent minded professor if that were the truth. I patted my pocket where I’d slipped it in to ensure it was still there. It was, thank God.

I paid for my few bags of groceries before trudging back down the pavement in the direction of home. I hadn’t made it halfway before my phone vibrated again, this time it was a call coming through and I struggled to answer it with my hands full of sacks.

‘So, you were at my talk today.’

‘Yes. A friend told me about it rather last minute. I was free so I just figured, why not?’

‘What did you think?’
he sounded somewhat smug.

I stumbled, trying to manage too many things at once. ‘Interesting. It was very interesting.’

I could hear the smile in his voice.
‘You didn’t understand a word, did you?’

I grinned. ‘Not a one.’

He and I both chuckled at that. Going to a lecture on mathematics when I couldn’t make sense of it.

‘Still,’ I said, ‘pity you had to leave so suddenly.’

James cleared his throat.
‘Yes. Not my intention. Unfortunately other unforeseen issues arose.’

I was incredibly tempted to ask him to elaborate about that. Those people who had ushered him out so quickly…Was it just for his television appearance?

‘Well, your handlers certainly keep you on a tight schedule.’

‘Handlers?’

I swallowed, wondering if I’d said something wrong. ‘Y—yes, those two who came in and left with you so suddenly.’

James growled unhappily on the other end.
‘I don’t belong to them.’

I felt a bit defensive as I arrived back to my place. ‘I didn’t mean to imply—’

I turned my key in the lock and trudged down the stairs to my door. My attention caught on how it almost turned too easily, like it was open. Had I forgotten to lock up? I stepped inside but stopped dead.

‘My God. My flat!’

The bags of shopping fell to the floor.

‘What is it?’
James’s voice lost its smug quality.

My flat was trashed. Drawers opened, papers strewn across the floor, cushions off the sofa.

‘My—my flat. It’s…it’s been ransacked!’ I stammered numbly, stepping into the room on raw nerves.

Perhaps entering wasn’t the wisest of decisions on my part, but my mind wasn’t terribly clear at that point. Not to mention, my place was so small, just about the only place a burglar could have been hiding was the bathroom and I doubted that. My eyes roved the room. The only thing I could see of any value was my computer, which was still sitting on the table. It had been turned on, but besides that, didn’t look as if it had been touched. Why not take it? Or the television? Beyond that I didn’t own much that would interest any thieves.

‘Has anything been taken?’
Worry tinged his voice, and I got the distinct impression he was not so concerned with the state my place was in.

‘N—no, I don’t think so. Your thumb drive was with me. It’s still safe.’

James let out a deep breath, not bothering to hide his relief.

I almost forgot I was still on the phone. ‘I don’t understand. Why? Why would someone do this? There’s nothing here that they could possibly want!’

I felt dazed. I didn’t know what to do. Wasn’t there something I should have been doing? I felt hopeless, violated, and James wasn’t helping; he wasn’t saying a word.

‘I should…should phone the police,’ I muttered in a monotone voice I hardly recognised as my own.

‘Don’t bother.’
James said.

I pulled the phone away briefly in confused frustration and then clamped it back at my ear. ‘What? Why?’

James let out a deep breath.
‘They weren’t random burglars. Not at this time of day. They were clearly looking for something specific. They didn’t find it. Unless they assume whatever they were searching for was overlooked, they won’t be back.’

I froze and glowered at the wall for a moment, his words ringing through my mind. ‘Hang on…’ I swallowed heavily, ‘you almost sound like
you
know what they were searching for…’ I slipped my hand into my pocket and pulled the thumb drive out.

‘Mark…’

‘What’s on this thing, James? Why would people break into my flat to get it?’

James grumbled.
‘Nothing. Nothing most would be interested in. Yet to some, my mathematical work is quite…valuable to the right people. They are desperate to get their hands on it.’

I swore. ‘Why the hell didn’t you keep a closer eye on it, James? I found it on the floor!’

James muttered something under his breath.
‘It simply slipped my mind! I was a bit rushed, wasn’t I?’

I was completely baffled by this man. Who accidentally dropped something so important?

The thumb drive felt hot in my hand, burning away. It was dangerous. And it was in my flat. It was
wanted
by people. And here it was in my little flat. Already my place had been completely turned over in an attempt to find it. I might as well have been walking round with a bomb! How much longer till something worse happened?

I wanted it gone as soon as possible.

‘All right. I’m coming over. This bloody thing has to go. It can’t stay here.’

James let out an impatient huff.
‘Today will not possibly work. I am much too busy.’

I glowered. ‘Well, you’re free enough to be talking to me!’

‘Yes,’
James said distractedly,
‘and I’m afraid I won’t be able to for much longer…’

I gripped the edge of the counter to stop the room from spinning. ‘Well, when is the earliest I can come by and drop it off?’

James said something rather tersely to someone beyond my hearing. Then he sighed.
‘Eleven. Tomorrow morning. That will be the most ideal time.’

I groaned.

‘Mark?’

‘Yes?’

‘It will be fine. Do not worry. I apologise for the inconvenience this has caused you, but I am very grateful.’

He was gone. I didn’t even have a chance to argue, a chance to question or protest. He was simply gone.

I swore angrily and hung up, resisting the urge to hurl my phone at the far wall. How had things taken such a turn so fast? Here I was stuck with a piece of dangerous information that some nutters in the mathematical community were apparently desperate enough to steal for. And James certainly wasn’t being very helpful about the whole damn thing! I felt my frustration towards him begin to boil over. I didn’t even really know the man and I was already exasperated with him.

I let out a deep breath and sat down on the arm of my tattered chair. My brain spun with reluctant questions. How could James be so careless with something so valuable? Who were those two who had ushered him out so quickly, those who he claimed to not be affiliated with? What was on the thumb drive that was so important people would break into my flat for?

And then another thought hit me: How did they know it was here?

5:
Godlink

I didn’t sleep much that night. It was more or less impossible to turn my brain off. Both fear of masked thugs and questions about my bizarre situation kept me up much too late. My fears, in the end, were uncalled for; no one broke in, no one held a knife to my throat, demanding to know where the thumb drive was. Nothing happened—save for me ending up exhausted.

I dressed, my actions on autopilot for all I noted. I couldn’t focus on anything besides getting the USB out of my possession and back where it belonged. Any other thoughts that might have passed through my mind, about meeting James for the first time, what I’d say, would it be strange, all of those were pushed to some small corner of my head where I didn’t think. Everything was wiped clear by the mad, pressing desire to get the thing as far away from me as possible. Out of my flat. Gone. No longer my problem.

I text James to let him know I was on my way.

I’LL BE HERE.

I almost bolted from my flat, but not before taking a hurried look round my street for anything out of the ordinary. I couldn’t tell. It was a fight to stop the wave of suspicion for everyone I saw. No one was exactly looking sinister or up to no good. But what did I know about such things?

I kept my hand stuffed into my pocket on my journey over to James’s. I had a certain panic over losing the device. I found it a bit stupid, being as careful as I was, considering how careless James had been.

On the silent ride in the cab—I wouldn’t chance the train—my stomach twisted with nerves and as I walked the street to a towering estate, and as I read over the numbers, I felt I was going to be sick.

I finally found the correct address after climbing several flights of stairs. However, I paused outside for a moment, unsure. From the door alone, this was a much nicer than my own. All the thoughts I’d pushed away since finding the damn thing came flooding back. I glanced down at my cheap clothes and scuffed shoes. I wasn’t impressed. Perhaps it wouldn’t matter, considering the way I’d seen James dressed yesterday. He certainly didn’t seem to be bothered with such things. And what the hell was I even thinking? It wasn’t like I was going on a date! I was simply returning a lost item; that was all!

I squared my shoulders and stepped up to the door but paused to glance at my watch, admittedly stalling. It was eleven. James should know I’d be here. I closed my eyes briefly, sucked in a deep, stabilising breath, and then punched the buzzer.

I waited several moments. No answer.

I frowned.

He knew I was coming, so why the hell wasn’t he answering?

I buzzed again, against my hesitation.

Nothing.

After a good three minutes, I finally text him to let him know I was waiting outside. I didn’t receive a reply. Another three minutes passed and I both frightened and fed up. I turned to leave when, just then, the door scraped open.

I saw the ghostly form of James standing in the darkness just beyond. ‘Ah, Mark, do come in.’ He did not leave the hazy gloom beyond the rectangle of doorframe.

Uneasily I stepped forward. James had already slunk away from me and into the dim beyond. I pushed inside, wondering if this was really a terrible idea and closed the door behind me.

It was dark inside. Very dark, and it smelt nauseatingly strong of tobacco smoke. I couldn’t make out much of my surroundings, just the tall, thin form of James as he weaved his way back across the carpeted floor and collapsed on the sofa against the far wall. I stood there awkwardly, feeling about as useful as a potted plant.

I slipped the USB out of my pocket and held it out in a little hesitant wave. ‘Well, I’ve brought it.’ I tried to make out him in the gloom. ‘Shall I just leave it here, then?’ I dropped it onto the counter. I hoped James could hear me, for he wasn’t responding. I swallowed, trying to adjust to breathing in the smoke. I saw a faint tip of red-orange flare up near what I assumed was the general area of James’s head. He must have been chain smoking to achieve so much as to cloud the room. ‘You all right?’ I asked uneasily after a moment.

He still didn’t speak. I debated about if I should be scared or concerned. He was almost lifeless. I stepped hesitantly towards him. This whole situation felt wrong. It sent my nerves into worrying tingles.

I was adjusting to the gloom and could make out my surroundings a bit more. It was all very…impersonal; I got the impression he didn’t use much of the space at all. Hundreds of books were stacked in piles, and, though I couldn’t quite make it out in the haze, there was something scrawled all over the walls. Every inch of space was covered with lines and letters that I couldn’t decipher without more sufficient light.

I just realised in time I’d almost arrived at the edge of the sofa James was sprawled on. I stopped myself quickly to keep from bumping into it.

He groaned unhappily from his prone position.

‘You all right?’ I asked again, firmer now.

I could just barely see his gaunt face thanks to the light from his cigarette. His eyes were sunken and closed. A mop of curly, red hair fell across his tall brow, had a bit of a snub nose and lips that, while curved round the cigarette, made a soft heart.

One green eye cracked open, reminding me of a dragon, what with the smoke curling round his face. His other eye opened slowly to regard me curiously.

‘Ah,’ he purred at last. His voice was deep, if a little hoarse. ‘Did the USB cause you any more trouble?’

I smiled thinly. ‘Despite the lack of sleep from worrying? No.’

He nodded, more to himself than me, and then, in a surprisingly quick movement, he stood to his feet. He straightened his wrinkled clothing and then gave me a strange look. ‘Don’t mind me when I get that way.’

I looked up at him in growing confusion. ‘Sorry?’

James’s mouth twitched, almost sheepishly. ‘I fall into dark moods from time to time. It can’t be helped. I’m sorry you had to find me when I was in one of them.’

I struggled to find something substantial to say; maybe because I was so intimate with that very feeling. ‘That’s,’ I cleared my throat. ‘Are you…taking anything for that?’ I knew it was not exactly the most appropriate thing, but I couldn’t help but be concerned. And I didn’t know if I should be worried for myself or for him.

James shook his head curtly. ‘No. I do my best to avoid medication. It screws with me head.’ He pulled a sour face and glanced towards the curtained windows. As if deciding something he marched towards them and pulled them apart, spreading the black room with light. I found myself blinking hard. ‘Oh, hateful light,’ he muttered to himself. ‘I find it impossible to love London when it’s sunny.’

The window offered an enviable view of the city. And stuck up, almost in the very centre, was the new InVizion tower: shiny, futuristic, conspicuous.

The apartment was suddenly revealed to me. It was as I’d originally deduced: bare. I now saw what was scribbled across every surface of every wall. Equations. Hundreds upon hundreds of equations, everywhere. So many it made me dizzy. Even portions of the ceilings were covered. He hadn’t exaggerated about that.

I frowned, not sure how to respond to James’s complaint. ‘Rain can be nice. Now and then.’ I cleared my throat.

He stared out the window, lost in whatever thought or problem was troubling him and then quickly spun away. He walked to the counter. ‘Want a coffee?’ he asked, swiping up the pot from its precarious position on the sink’s ledge.

I shifted. ‘Actually, I need to be going. I just wanted to give the thumb drive back.’ It fell a bit flat.

He raised his eyebrows in amusement. ‘Oh.’

‘I’m sure you’re busy with…’ I glanced round at the marred walls, ‘problems?’

James raised his eyes from his mug of steaming coffee and grinned proudly at his graffiti. ‘Ah, yes. Constantly…’

I wondered if I should be edging towards the door. James had not shown any sign of releasing me. He seemed to have completely forgotten my existence as he stared at the numbers written there, sunk back into his trance.

I cleared my throat again, a bit louder. ‘Well, I’d think I had better be going.’

James suddenly turned his wide green eyes to me. He set down his coffee. ‘Wait.’

I hadn’t moved from my spot. His words froze the urge in me to bolt from his flat. What could he possibly want
me
to wait for?

James held up a hand and then darted from the room very suddenly. I stared into the darkened doorway that had just devoured him, wondering if I should run, till just as suddenly, James was back, now holding something thin and round in his hands.

He motioned me over and collapsed back on the sofa. I hesitantly obeyed, my stomach twisting into uneasy knots. James didn’t look to me, too involved with the thing he’d retrieved from his room. I stopped before him, and, still without looking at me, James lifted his arm and held the thing out to me. I awkwardly took it and obediently studied it. It was a headset of sorts, looked very high-tech and I was a bit worried holding it, for fear of breaking it. On each side of the headset, where I supposed it would rest over one’s temple, were two little black boxes with blinking screen surfaces, both of which were blank.

‘What is it?’

James’s eyes shone. ‘The future.’

Suddenly, I knew what it was. I’d seen it in videos—and my dreams. ‘This is the new device from InVizion, isn’t it? How do you have it? It doesn’t come out for another five months, I’d thought.’

James, suddenly lively, took it from me. ‘You’re right. It’s called the Godlink.’

I raised my eyebrows. ‘Godlink? That’s quite an egotistical name.’

James grinned. ‘Thanks. I thought of it.’

I gaped at him. His sudden flippant words were so unexpected to me that I was glad I was no longer holding the device or I would have dropped it. ‘You thought of it? What do you mean? How do you have this?’

James smiled, darkly. ‘I invented it. Or, at least, I was head of the team that did. There were a few others.’

I was dumbfounded. This couldn’t be real. He was playing a game with me, but damned if I knew why! ‘You mean to tell me that you’re the inventor of InVizion’s new “miracle technology”?’

He nodded. ‘Yes.’

I shook my head, unable to accept. James Nightgood was one of the creators of this…Godlink? It seemed so…well, unbelievable. James was watching me closely, scowling in something that I almost thought was confusion. He seemed to be waiting for me to say something; I didn’t know what.

In a painfully stiff way I shrugged my shoulders. This was a lot to take in. ‘Okay, so, why Godlink? What made you come up with a name like that?’

James grinned, happy with the question, I supposed. ‘Because it has the potential for unlimited power.’

With a statement like that I didn’t appreciate it being in the same room with me. Like it was watching me. Studying me. I wished James would put it away.

He continued on. ‘People live in a world of technology they do not understand, Mark. They are around it constantly. Everything from what they wear to their toaster at home is all constantly online, all constantly listening and watching and there to acclimatise us to the constant need to be connected. The only reason we still carry around phones or computers is because of our last few shreds of desire to have something
real
to hold on to. This Godlink technology? It will revolutionise all of that we have so far. What is real and what is digital will no longer be discernible. What we are in fact,
capable
of as a species, will for ever be changed. You’ve seen the demonstrations, haven’t you? You know.’

‘How is technology like this even…legal? If it’s as incredible as everyone seems to be making it to be, then why does the government allow it?’

James chuckled darkly ‘Do sit down. You’re making me tired just watching you stand.’

I obediently did. I was much too curious to leave. I took my seat in a chair opposite the sofa.

He lit up another cigarette. ‘Governments can be…corrupted. Laws can be ignored. Some companies can’t be stopped.’

‘So you’re saying InVizion bribed people to get this onto the market? Surely—’

James waved a hand distractedly. ‘Oh, I wasn’t involved with any of that. But I would be extremely surprised if that were not the case. InVizion has their fingers in a lot of pies. They’re much more…involved than they would like people to know.’ He blew out a cloud of smoke.

My head was spinning. I didn’t understand what James was going on about. I couldn’t take it in. In irritation, I finally forgot myself. ‘Look, all of this is fascinating. It truly is. But why? Why are you telling
me
about this?’

James shrugged his bony shoulders. ‘Why not?’

I laughed hollowly. ‘Because you don’t know me!’

James gave me a narrow-eyed look. ‘Oh, I know you better than you think. You’ve written a lot to me over texts this past month. Probably more than you realise.’

My stomach flipped at that. Just how much
had
I said? I really didn’t know. The expression on James’s face wasn’t malicious. Wasn’t dangerous. It was simply questioning. I’d told him things. He thought he knew me. He thought he could trust me. Was that really so terrible?