The A.I. turned with an equally proud smile and flashed it for their companions.
“Got what?” Thel asked.
“The code that’ll let us circumvent the trapdoor and call out!” James responded, as though the answer were obvious.
Thel smiled and shook her head. “Geniuses will be geniuses.”
“Damn straight,” James replied as he jumped to his feet and walked briskly to the candidate, his left hand held out while the right held the golden stream of code. “May I borrow your aug glasses?”
“Of course,” the candidate replied, removing the eyewear and handing it to James.
“What’s this supposed to do?” Thel asked.
“We’re changing the code,” James replied. “I could really use anything—you remember the coffee demonstration you made for the candidate?”
“It was a London fog, but yes,” Thel interjected.
“…but the aug glasses are, essentially, a first-generation version of the mind’s eye, so it makes the most sense to modify them.” He slipped the golden, coded pattern over the aug glasses and it seeped into the device, becoming one with it. “Perfect.”
“Now what?” Thel asked.
“We make a phone call,” James replied.
“To who?”
“The range won’t be great,” James replied as he opened a line of communication, “so we have to hope Aldous has found Old-timer by now.”
“Is it true that Old-timer can get us out of here?” she asked.
James nodded. “Oh yeah. Those tendrils on his new body can unfurl until they’re microscopic and make connections with nano-sized materials. He can connect to anything. If we can get him into physical contact with the hard drive Aldous constructed, he can get our patterns out.” He grimaced. “Damn it. He’s not close enough.”
“Try Djanet,” Thel suggested.
James nodded in agreement and tried to open communication.
“Even if you can get your pattern out,” Thel continued, “what then? If the mainframe was destroyed, our bodies—”
“It’s highly unlikely James’s body was destroyed,” the A.I. chimed in as he stood and calmly strolled over to the trio. “While Aldous likely thought the impact of the android ship would destroy it, it is designed to be extremely durable. Only a trip to the center of a star or a black hole could destroy it.”
“Damn it,” James cursed, “no Djanet either. I’ll try Rich.”
“This isn’t looking good,” Thel pointed out. “What’s the use of being able to call out if the only person we can reach is also the one person who wants to keep us trapped?”
“Oh my God,” James suddenly whispered.
9
“James?” Rich reacted to the voice he heard in his head.
“What’s that?” Aldous asked.
“Rich, if this is you,” James responded quickly, “don’t let Aldous know you’re speaking with us. Just cough and move away from him. Let me know when you can speak.”
Thel and the others watched James’s face breathlessly as they waited.
Rich coughed. “Sorry,” he said, pretending to clear his throat as he got up from the chair.
James suddenly smiled. “He coughed,” he relayed to his companions. “We’re standing by, Rich.”
“Are you okay?” Aldous asked.
“Yep. Need water. I’m just gonna head to the bathroom.”
“I thought I heard you say James?” Aldous asked, his expression puzzled.
“I did,” Rich confirmed. “I did. I was just thinking, I really wish James was here, you know? Because he’d know what to do. So this sucks. Then I realized how dry my throat is. I’m getting water. Want some?”
“From the bathroom?” Aldous asked quizzically. “The replicator is working just fine. I think I’d opt for that if I were you.”
“Yes,” Rich agreed. “Yes but I also need to pee. So, two birds with one stone, I was thinking. But, you’re right. Pee first. Then replicator for water.”
Aldous nodded.
Rich began to head to the bathroom before Aldous’s voice stopped him.
“Oh, and Richard...” he began.
Rich squinted in frustration before wiping the expression away and turning back to Aldous with a slight smile. “Yes?”
“In the future, when you need to use the facilities, there’s no need to be so...descriptive.”
Rich pulled his lips back in a half-smile and nodded. “You’re right again. Okay, so, off to do something mysterious with my body.” He turned and left.
Seconds later, he was in the bathroom. “Okay, what the hell?” Rich asked in a whisper as he looked at his own worried reflection of the mirror. “Is this really James?”