Cashback

by Duncan James

  ***

  Grudge and Valya were busy on the computers when Robin arrived at the flat after his coach trip from Heathrow, to be greeted excitedly. Everyone started talking at once.

  "The first thing to tell you," said Valya, "is that your Marian has been on the phone to see if you had arrived safely. I said I'd get you to ring her as soon as you got here."

  "I'll do that," said Robin. "But what else is going on - she's bound to ask?"

  "Well," said Grudge, "I've managed to work out what I think will be an equitable settlement for all my colleagues, based on their experience and the contribution they made to our American project. Since we don't know how much we shall be able to recover, I've noted it in percentage terms as well as in cash terms, so that if we don't raise the desired total sum, we shall know how much to provide each of them from what we do manage to raise."

  "That's an excellent idea," agree Robin. "I'll take the list to the bank in Montreux when I get back there."

  "And when will that be?" asked Valya.

  "Hopefully, I shall be able to get the evening flight to Geneva tomorrow - I booked a seat on it before I left Heathrow, in case I can get away, but I really want to know how we are getting on with the revised operating system before I finally decide."

  "I really need to talk to you about that," said Grudge. "I think I've made good progress so far, but I'm almost coming to the conclusion that it would be better to produce a complete new system rather than patch up the one we have been able to compromise."

  "Why do you say that?" asked Robin.

  "Well, the fact is," explained Sergei Volkov, "that it was almost too easy for us to breach the system which we had produced in America. I now believe that the system my colleagues and I developed was basically flawed, and that we will now be able to develop a much more robust system for the world's banks to use."

  "That's very interesting!" exclaimed Robin Hood. "You mean that rather than patch up the existing system, which we can demonstrate can be compromised because we've done it, we offer them a complete replacement?"

  "That's exactly what I mean," agreed Grudge.

  "It would certainly be vastly more profitable to us," chipped in Valya.

  "Yes, I suppose it would," said Robin, thoughtfully.

  "What I would like to do," said Grudge to Robin, "is take you through what I have done so far, explaining the algorithms I've used and so on, and then perhaps you will see how I am thinking about future work."

  "Let's do that now, if you're free," agreed Robin. "But what about the timescale involved? How much longer do you think it will take us to perfect an entirely new system, rather than patch up the old one?"

  "If you can join me full time," replied Grudge, "probably not that much longer. Much of the work has already been done, and much of the old system can be adapted. Having identified the flaws in the old system, it will not be difficult for us to get round them and to re-package the operating system as a new development. But you will see, my friend, as we work through what I have done so far."

  "I certainly can join you full-time on the project," said Robin. "Indeed, I very much want to. Once I have been to the banks in Montreux again, most of my dealing with them can be done over the Internet. So, within, say, three days, I should be able to settle back here with you."

  Robin paused.

  "In fact," he said, "if I can get the first plane tomorrow instead of the last, I could save a day. Then you could brief me and we could get straight on with working together."

  "That's a good idea," agreed Grudge.

  "It's such a nuisance that I have to deliver your list personally, but I really don't want to risk sending it over the Internet. I never feel it's secure enough," said Robin, with a laugh. "I'll ring the airline now."

  "And then," chided Valya, "you must phone Marian, and I will get something for our supper."

  Having managed to rebook his flight, Robin got hold of Marian immediately, and gave her all the news. As he suspected, she wanted to hear what had been going on, as well as needing to know that he had arrived safely in Oxford.

  "I had my meeting with Monsieur Gilbert this morning," she told him, "just before lunch, so he now has the list from Africa. I'll tell you all about it when I see you, but everything seems to be OK."

  "Good," said Robin. "I'm coming back sooner than I planned, I'm pleased to say. I've booked on the first flight to Geneva tomorrow morning," he told her, "and I shall have with me the details I wanted from Grudge."

  "That's great news. I've missed you terribly! Shall I arrange a meeting for you with Monsieur Renoir?" asked Marian.

  "That would be helpful, if you could," replied Robin, "about lunchtime, if that's possible. Then we can catch the evening flight home. Could you try to book us seats on it?"

  "I'll do that now. Perhaps then we can settle for a few days in Oxford," she pleaded. "I'm in Geneva at the moment - I had to get away from M. Gilbert's offer of lunch, so business here seemed a good excuse! Now I have something to do as well as shopping, so I don't feel so bad about my little fib!"

  "Don't bother coming out to the airport to meet me tomorrow," said Robin. "I'll see you at the Plaza, about mid-morning."

  "OK," she said. "All news then. I can't wait!"

  "I'm hoping to move money tonight, by the way," said Robin.

  "I'll let you know if I hear any reaction," said Marian.