Again Roshike found the classroom empty, and again he took one of the desks at the very back. The other students started arriving almost right on the professor’s heels, so Roshike wasn’t left alone with Tadashi for long. The teacher took his place behind the podium and called the class to order. As soon as the students stopped talking among themselves and took their seats, he began the day’s lesson, the large screen on the wall behind him flickering to life as he spoke.
“This is a picture of an integrated circuit in one of its most basic designs. I want you to understand its history and how it became the backbone of computing, how circuits were constructed to be smaller and more efficient over time, increasing processing power and making calculations much faster. Even today, here at the Gaku, we’re working to make advances in the fundamental design. As capable as the Gaku-net is, it does have its limitations, so we’re always looking for ways to improve the system.”
Had that been a subtle hint about how the man might help Roshike do what he’d come to do? The man had glanced briefly in his direction during that little speech. Such assistance would be invaluable. But he wasn’t going to ask anybody for help, not until he had figured out for sure who he could trust—that wouldn’t be easy.
For the moment, though, he had to stop thinking about it and try to learn all he could about integrated circuits. And not make a mistake.
Chapter 12
Testing and Trusting
That evening, escaping
ROSHIKE CLIMBED ONTO the top of the bank of lockers set against the far wall of the second-floor locker room in the male candidates’ dormitory and reached to the ceiling to slide the half-hidden access panel away, revealing a passage that led up onto the roof. A quite convenient means of egress, from his point-of-view.
Once again he’d left his registered screen in his room and tricked the Gaku-net into thinking he was safely locked in there with it. And last night he had discovered this particular way out of the dormitory and used it for the first time. It was a bit tricky, but a much safer way to get out at night than borrowing some stranger’s code to unlock the outer door. And leaving through the locker room ceiling also meant less chance of being seen by one of the other candidates. There were downsides to getting out this way though.
Pulling himself up into the crawlspace revealed behind the dislodged ceiling panel, he wrinkled his nose at the musty smell, but he had experienced far worse than this. He slid the panel back in place behind him and squirmed down the damp, dirty passage to where a grill covered an air vent next to the giant fan that pulled outside air into the ventilation ducts for the dormitory. If the entrance through the roof into the administration building Seiko had told him about was this easy, he wouldn’t gripe about a little grime.
Unlike last night though, Roshike had taken the precaution of putting on his raincoat before exiting the building. And after he’d carefully lifted the latticed metal grate and moved it out of the way without making any noise and climbed out into the fresh night air, he removed his raincoat and folded it inside out and left it there on the roof. He would worry about cleaning it later.
Brushing some stray dust webs out of his hair, he hunched low and scuttled over to the edge of the roof on the long side of the building. After what he had learned today—it already felt like an extremely long day, and it wasn’t over yet—he wouldn’t be surprised if someone were watching the entrance to the dormitory, just to see if he came out. So he wanted to leave the roof from a spot where such an observer wouldn’t see. He looked down and around then, to see if there were anyone nearby.
Only when he felt sure he could descend without attracting attention did he climb over the edge, hanging on with his fingers as he lowered himself and let his body dangle down the side of the building. The ground below was soft and covered with thick grass, for which he was truly thankful, though it was just a ten meter drop.
Falling away from the wall, he tucked into a ball and hit the ground with his backside, rolling across the grass as he landed and away from the building. He came up into a crouch and glanced around in all directions before standing to his feet and brushing himself off. Then he strolled into the night to meet Seiko at the appointed rendezvous. As he went, he used a small towel he kept in one of the pouches on his belt to scrub his face and hands. This would be an important meeting.
Roshike drifted onto one of the main walkways and assumed the casual stride of a citizen unbound by any curfew. While he walked, half his mind was watching his environment, and the other half tried to decide the best way to be sure of Seiko. He wanted to trust her, but for that very reason he thought it would be best to validate his faith in her. The question was how.
Considering that one of them could be working for the Batsu, he no longer believed bringing Seiko and Shin together was such a great idea. Tash’s precaution in not letting his two agents know each other’s identity, presuming Seiko was telling the truth about that, might actually make some sort of sense. Though if Tash had just told Roshike who his contacts would be, or given him a way to confirm their identities at least, then this problem wouldn’t exist. If only there’d been a password or something...
Then Roshike had a brainwave. If Seiko was on Tash’s side still, she wouldn’t want to risk meeting the other agent—especially if she thought there was any chance they might be an imposter. But if she’d gone over to the Batsu, she wouldn’t want to pass up the opportunity to identify Tash’s remaining agent. So he could suggest bringing them together and see how she reacted.
As he approached the place where he’d met her the night before last, he knew he would appear to be relaxed and confident to most observers. But not to Seiko. His heart was pounding on the inside and all his senses were heightened. And he could hear her breathing from around the corner ahead of him before he got there. She was already waiting.
This time he circled wide and came toward her in plain view—it would look less suspicious to anyone who happened to get a glimpse of this meeting. Hopefully it would seem so normal it wouldn’t even register. Not that there was anyone around, or that they’d be likely to notice two darkly clothed figures in the shadows. And if someone in the distance did get a glimpse of the rendezvous, they’d probably assume it was a romantic one.
Seiko waited until he got close to whisper. “Ro, I thought you’d never come.” Shaking her head she added an unnecessary comment. “And you look terrible, by the way.”
So much for his efforts to avoid getting mussed up, or his cleaning up for this meeting. “Well, I feel terrible, so that’s alright. But I’ll be glad to get this job done and over with and get out of here.”
“It’s not that bad here, really.”
In her face and her voice he could read how she felt—three years in this place had taken its toll, and she was homesick. Whether for the freedom of the fringes, places like Old Osaka or even Chofu, where the Batsu didn’t run everyone’s lives, or the freedom of whatever mountain clan of Kyoushi she had originally come from, Roshike didn’t know. But then he supposed it didn’t matter. Seiko wanted to get out of the Gaku as much or more than he, and with better reason.
He smiled at her then. “Since you’re supposed to help me, maybe I’ll need you to come with, when I get out of here.” If he could think of a safe way to do that. “Then Tash could blame me for taking you away from whatever your assignment here is.” And which might require her to remain undercover here who knew how much longer. He didn’t like the idea of leaving her behind when he left.
She sighed. “I’ll do all I can to help you, Ro, but not if it endangers my own mission.”
He felt sure of her already, so there wouldn’t be any harm testing to see how she reacted to his suggestion. “And I don’t see how knowing the identity of Tash’s other agent inside would endanger either of you. I haven’t been able to figure out what sort of help they might be to me, and I thought if the three of us had a little conference, maybe we could come up with an idea or two—if not to help me pull off
the job itself, perhaps regarding how I can get out of the Gaku afterwards.”
But she’d started shaking her head in the middle of his spiel and kept at it until he’d finished. “I won’t risk it.” Then her voice dropped from a whisper to almost a subvocalization. “If anyone discovered either of us were infiltrators...” She started to shake her head again. “You’d have to have a much more compelling reason than a brainstorming session for it to be worth taking the chance.”
If he hadn’t already been satisfied about Seiko, that would’ve done it. If she’d turned traitor, she’d want to find out about the other agent, but she’d not even asked any questions about them. It was nice to know, too, that she was open to ignoring Tash’s instructions if he could convince her that was needed. He filed that away for later. “Alright, I understand. And I’m grateful for all the help you’ve given me already. Just what was on that button will make a big difference, but you’ve got more for me, right?”
She nodded and reached down to grab a bag on the ground, then handed him the heavy black sack. “I wish there were more I could do for you.”
He managed to keep himself from whistling at what he saw when he opened the bag and peered at its contents in the dim light. On top were fingerless gloves with tiny metal spikes across the palms. Perfect for extra traction when he climbed. And under those was a coil of dark, synthetic cord attached to a three-pronged grappling hook. From the weight, it had to be iron or steel, but she’d sheathed it in rubber so it wouldn’t make a clanging noise. She’d definitely gone the extra mile.
Roshike grinned wide. “I think I have all I need now to do the job, and these could be a big help getting out of this place too.” Trying to scale the wall of the Gaku would be more difficult, and a lot riskier, than climbing up the outside of the administration building, but it might be the only way. “I just wish you’d warned me about how the Batsu piled on the debt—then I might’ve looked to see they’d charged me for a raid on their Osaka headquarters.” Not to mention stealing food as a young boy. “They knew who I was all along—” Seeing a look of dread dawning on her face, he clarified. “Not that I’m Kyoushi, but enough to put me in an awkward position.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t know, Ro. But it’s not like they hide the fact they charge you for every little thing. You could have checked your account at any time and discovered what they knew.”
“Sure, they bill you for the screen they give you and the food you eat and the clothes you wear—but why would I have worried about any of that? If you had told me that they fine you for individual infractions, I would’ve checked and found out how much they knew about me, that they’ve charged to my account things I’d done before I even became a candidate.”
“I didn’t know that either. I’ve made sure not to break any of their rules while I’ve been here, and apparently they don’t know anything about my actual background. Which is a load off my mind. So how would I have known to warn you?”
Roshike relented. “Alright. I see your point. I guess I’m just still a little sore about it.” He hefted the bag. “Thanks again. And I’d probably better be going now—you wouldn’t want to be seen consorting with an unsavory character like me.”
She didn’t look one bit amused by that, but she nodded and faded back into the shadows. Roshike stood there a moment until he couldn’t see or hear her anymore, then turned to go—he had to hurry if he wasn’t going to be late for his meeting with Shin, but it was more important to avoid attracting attention. Especially since he was carrying the bag Seiko had given him. If he were stopped and searched by some enforcer, the fines would likely be astronomical. So he resumed the slow, casual stride that he’d adopted earlier and headed toward the administration building. But he was more careful to steer clear of everyone else who was out that evening.
He also needed to watch to make sure he wasn’t being followed. Of course it was possible Seiko had shown no interest in knowing about the other agent because she intended to tail him and see for herself, but he doubted it. Staying clear was simply a sensible precaution to take under the circumstances.
Strolling between buildings, then back onto one of the paved walkways, he took a circuitous course until he felt confident he was unobserved, but when he approached the area where the enforcers’ quarters were, he moved off onto the grass and into the shadows, making every effort to remain completely invisible. When he finally reached the house, once again darkened and apparently unoccupied, where he’d met Shin last time, she wasn’t there waiting for him. Even though he’d arrived late.
Roshike was wondering whether she’d given up on him or was running late herself, and how long he might have to wait, how long he should wait in that unfortunate place for a rendezvous, when her whisper sounded almost in his ear.
“Ro.”
He spun about, startled that she’d managed to sneak up on him so effectively once again—then he noticed what she was wearing. A shiny red evening dress with a charcoal-gray wrap around her shoulders. That was a bold way to hide oneself, standing out so starkly, especially considering where she was at the moment, and it made Roshike uneasy. And a little cross. “About time you showed up.”
She narrowed her eyes at him and appeared to grow taller as she glared. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
“Yes, and thank you, but neither of us should be hanging around here any longer than necessary.”
She sniffed. “You still worry too much. Now, I hope you’ve thought of some way I can help you.”
“Before we get to that—” Since Shin had possibly seen him meeting with Seiko the other night, it might not mean anything if she evinced no interest in finding out about her. She could already know all about Seiko. He needed to come up with some other test quickly. He could ask for a nonexistent password, which if she were for real, she wouldn’t know anything about. “I need to confirm you’re working for Tash.” Though if she were some sort of imposter, how might she react? She might claim the same ignorance, and then he wouldn’t be any further forward.
But Shin interrupted his train of thought before he could decide what to ask. “I never said I worked for Tash. You assumed I did, and I didn’t bother to correct you.”
Roshike gaped. Recalling their previous talk to mind, he realized she was right about what she had not said, but that left him without any explanation for her. “You said you were looking for me, to help me do the job I came here to do.”
“I told you the truth, and you still haven’t given me any idea how I can be of help.”
“But why would you come here, looking for me to give me any kind of assistance? How would you have any idea what I’m doing here?” Not that he’d say, since she might not really know.
She cocked her head at him, and the moonlight reflected softly off her jet-black hair. “We’re meant to help each other, aren’t we?”
Roshike had to make an effort to keep his voice quiet. “That’s not an answer.” Of course it was part of the code of the Kyoushi to help one another if the need was there, and that principle held between the members of the Yes network, but typically help was asked for first. “Do you even know Tash?”
“I know of him, of course. But I haven’t had the honor of meeting him yet. Though it’s always possible he’s met me.”
Was she trying to confuse him? Obviously she wasn’t Tash’s other agent inside the Gaku, so as difficult as it was to believe, that meant it might really be the professor. Roshike didn’t think Shin was one of the Batsu though. She might be strange, but apparently she was a fellow Kyoushi who’d simply decided for no apparent reason to infiltrate the Gaku and offer him her help. Or if she had some reason, she was being deliberately mysterious about it. Either way, while he wasn’t particularly worried about her, he didn’t think it would be prudent to trust her any further than he had already.
“I think I have everything I need, but thanks for the offer.”
She smiled slightly, as if she knew what he was thinking. “You don’t tru
st me, do you? Have I betrayed you to the Batsu? I know you’re here to take information from the Gaku-net servers. If I’d mentioned that to anyone, do you think you’d still be at liberty, living here as a candidate and training to be an enforcer? I want you to succeed, Ro, so let me do something to help.”
He didn’t let the smile show on his face, but he was glad there was something she didn’t know, that he was studying to be an engineer, as small a point as that was. And he could see why she might’ve assumed he’d be training as an enforcer. Probably he should ask her for something, so she could feel like she was helping him.
“Well, you could give me your wrap.” Depending on how things played out, it could come in very handy.
She blinked, then gave him a wry smile and the wrap from around her shoulders. “I don’t think it’s your style, or that you’ll look nearly as nice in it as I do, but if you’d like it...”
Roshike took the wrap and folded it before stuffing it into the bag Seiko had given him. “Thanks. I mean that. And now we’d better leave before someone notices us hanging around out here.”
“A nice little evening stroll would be pleasant.” She held out her hand. “And we could talk of something other than your job.”
He shook his head. Was she mad? “As pleasant as I’m sure that would be, work has to come first—and I still have a lot to do tonight.” Especially after what he’d learned from her.
Her eyes crinkled in amusement, when he’d expected a cold glare. “Some other time then. But before I go, some advice.” She stopped and gave him a long, considering look. “I bet you’re supposed to steal certain files for Tash—”
He interrupted her. “I’m not stealing anything. I’m taking what rightfully belongs to everybody and sharing it—the truth.”
Whispers of the Dead (Miraibanashi, #1) Page 14