Chapter A Friendly Face

Josh’s dad was waiting for him in the kitchen.

“Where have you been? You’re soaking.” He sounded moreworried than cross, but Josh could sense his seldom vented anger simmeringbelow the surface. “Hello Katrina.” He rummaged around in a cupboard and pulledout some towels.

“I’ve been at Toby’s” Josh blurted, withoutconsciously making a decision to lie.

His dad handed him a towel and looked directly intohis eyes. “You haven’t been at Toby’s, Josh. I’ve just spent about an hourtrying to convince his mum that computers aren’t all evil machines bent on thedestruction of her son, because he’s been in some sort of coma because he hadbeen playing a computer game with you. Now. I’ll ask you again: What have youbeen up to?”

“Sorry dad.” Josh sat down, wishing he had just toldthe truth from the beginning. “We went looking for Geigerzalion again. Youdidn’t tell me not to.”

His dad snorted, which seemed to deflate his anger. “Ishould have, Josh.”

Josh nodded. His dad’s sudden softening surprised him,but it was certainly better than being shouted at.

“I think we’ll need a cup of tea.” Kat said briskly.“I’ll put the kettle on.”

So Josh sat at the kitchen table and told his dadeverything. He started at the beginning with his strange meeting with MrOakhampton and the conversation with Geigerzalion in the study. He describedhis adventures in cyberspace with Michael and the Doge and his meeting with theGazetteer. And as he told his story he felt a knot unclenching in his stomach.

“Well that’s some story, Josh.” His dad said, leaningaway from the table and puffing out his cheeks. “But it’s too far fetched isn’tit? Couldn’t you just have told me that you went to an all night party orsomething? I mean, Trevor Oakhampton, Sir Trevor Oakhampton reappears as atramp, you meet a shadowy group of hackers working out of a glass box, performsome impossible telepathy with the Internet and discover a mysterious allseeing consciousness that controls our planet. Come on…” He didn’t seem crossthough. In fact Josh saw him smiling gently.

“You’re not trying to hide something are you Josh? Youknow you can tell me.”

“It’s true, Mr Bennett. Honestly.” Kat piped up.

“It happened, dad. I hardly believe it myself. Halfthe time, I think I’m going mad.” He looked imploringly at his father. “Is itjust possible that Tech-Tonic could have harnessed children’s brains like that.Theoretically?”

Mr Bennett pulled a loose thread from the cuff of hisold woollen cardigan and sighed. “Theoretically, I suppose it could be.” He satup and shook his head. “But we’re decades away from that level of technology,and morally it’s just so wrong…”

“But it is possible?”

“Well yes, most things are, Josh. But it’s sciencefiction.”

“Dad, it’s not. I couldn’t make this up.”

“But isn’t that the point of your story, Josh? Yourimagination is the heart of the whole thing.”

Kat had taken a chair next to Josh and she placed agentle hand on his sleeve. “Mr Bennett, Josh is very special. We’ve beenwatching him for a long time now.”

Josh turned to her and pulled his arm away. “What?” Hesaid at the same time as his dad. “What do you mean?”

Kat splayed her fingers on the table and took a deepbreath. “I really wanted to tell you Josh. I really did.”

“Tell me what?” Josh felt his jaw clenching and theknot in his stomach had returned tighter than ever.

“I…we’ve been watching you for years, Josh. We alwaysknew you were important.”

“Who’s we? Why have you been watching me?” Josh couldfeel hot tears in his eyes now. The remembered tenderness of the embraceoutside suddenly felt tainted. “Is that why you came in? So you could keep aneye on me?”

“No, Josh. No I didn’t. I was going to go home,remember? I wanted to come in because I…” Tears welled up in her eyes now andshe bowed her head to hide them.

“What?”

“Josh, please. Please listen to me. You want your dadto believe you, don’t you? Aren’t you hurt that he doesn’t?”

Josh only then realised that they were both standingup and glaring at each other. The distressed sincerity in Kat’s face was plainand he did feel hurt that his dad didn’t believe him.

“I don’t know what to believe Kat. I don’t even knowwhat you’ve done.” He mumbled because his throat was aching as if he had beencrying. “I need someone I can trust.”

“You can trust me.” She whispered. “I just want tohelp you.”

Josh’s dad was standing between them now and hereached out with his long arms and drew the pair of them into his sides. “Comeon you two.”

Josh nodded and looked at her. She smiled back at himwith a streak of black makeup running down one cheek and in that instant Joshloved her more than ever.

They all sat down again and there was an uncomfortablesilence for a few moments before Josh’s dad broke it. “So, Kat. What’s beengoing on?”

“You know what my parents are like, don’t you Josh.Always jetting around the world on business or whatever and leaving me behindwith a relative. When I was really young they used to leave me with my uncle.He’s a druid.”

“A druid?” Josh laughed. “Like that lunatic on thenews the other day? Coel somebody or other.”

“Amberglass. Yes that’s him actually.” Kat didn’t seemto have taken offence at Josh’s rather rude interruption. “Everyone thinks he’smad of course, but he’s a lovely man.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be silly. But I don’t think you’ll find hisbeliefs as wild as most people do.”

Josh grimaced and Kat smiled at him. “Anyway, Coeltaught me about how everyone is connected by their dreams and although hecouldn’t show it to me, I believed him.”

“But why?”

“Because he can do things, Josh. Magic. And I don’tmean conjuring tricks. Real magic.”

“Like what?”

“He can make people do things.”

“That doesn’t make him magic, Kat.” Josh saiddelicately.

“Oh I know that Josh. I don’t mean he can persuadepeople to do things. He can slip into their minds and control them. He can doit with animals as well.”

“Are you sure you…”

“Joshua Bennett after all you’ve been through in thelast forty eight hours, I’d have thought you’d have gained enough sense torecognise the truth when you hear it. No matter how strange it is.” Kat glaredat him defiantly.

“Hear her out Josh.” His dad said pleasantly andwinked at him. “It’s certainly no more bizarre than your story.”

“Thanks Mr Bennett. Well, anyway, Coel convinced myparents to buy a house around here so that I could look out for you. Warn himif you got involved in anything dangerous. And I’ve been doing it for the lasteight years. Since we were six.” Josh wanted to protest, but Kat gave him aquelling look. “And it’s a good job we have been watching you, because if wehadn’t then you and Toby would still have been trapped in that stupidcomputer.”

“What do you mean?”

“He took me round to Toby’s. He’d sensed something waswrong and sent me to wake you up. You should have seen him; I’ve never seen himso worried. He looked so fierce I thought Toby’s mum wasn’t going to let us in,but he worked his magic and she just went back to bed.”

“You mean he’s here? In West Hackett?”

“Yes. Well he was last night. He’s come down toprotect you himself.”

“Kat. Why didn’t you tell me all this before? “ Hefelt like an impostor that had stolen someone else’s life. He didn’t understandwhy so many people seemed to think that he was so important. “If I’d known whatwas going on then surely I’d have been in less danger.”

“Would you have been though? You’d have thought I wascrazy.”

Josh nodded ruefully. “Yeah, well I guess that’strue.”

“It is true. You don’t really believe me now. I’vealways wanted to tell you, but Coel told me that it might disturb the balanceof your future. He’s always been confident that you’d overcome whateverchallenges were waiting for you, but he didn’t want to influence your choices.”

“Could we arrange to meet him at some point? Youruncle?” Josh’s dad asked gently.

Kat’s face broke into an unaffected smile and shebeamed at them. “Of course you can.” And she squeezed her eyes shut tightly.

Josh and his dad looked at each other, but beforeeither of them could say anything Kat’s eyes popped open again. “He’s coming.”She grinned.

“What?”

“He’ll be here in a minute. Sooner probably.”

“But…”

“Yes?”

Josh wanted to say something about craziness but wasinterrupted by a sharp tapping at the kitchen window.

“He’s here. I told you he wouldn’t be long.”

“Already?” Josh’s dad stood up and pushed open thewindow. “Come around to the side door.” He called loudly and slowly into thegarden.

A huge glossy raven flapped in through the openwindow, almost knocking Josh’s dad over, and landed on the back of one of thekitchen chairs. It stood there for a second eyeing the room with its beady,black eyes.

“Ello” It cawed.

There was silence for a few moments.

“Um. Your uncle’s a raven?”

“No, he’s not. Stop being so dense. I’ve told you. Hecan control animals. This raven was just the quickest way to get here.”

“It talked.” Josh’s dad grinned foolishly. “The bird.It said ‘Hello’”

“Ello.” The raven squawked again and swayedimpatiently from claw to claw.

“Mr Amberglass?” Josh ventured.

The raven launched into a tirade of croaks andsquawks. The actual noise seemed to be the usual cawing that any bird mightmake, but somehow, amongst the sound Josh heard a distinctly human voice.

“I’m sorry I can’t come in person, I’m afraid theconclave is rather busy at the moment and I’m needed there. Please continue totake care of yourself and listen to any advice that Kat gives you. Be carefulof whom you trust. Hopefully it will not be long before we meet properly.”

The raven fell silent.

“Did you understand that?” Josh asked nobody inparticular.

His dad nodded slowly. “This is impossible? Am I goingmad?”

But no one answered; because at that moment the ravenbecame merely a raven again and it decided that it didn’t want to be in thekitchen any more. It sprang off the back of the chair and swooped around theroom squawking much louder than it had before. It seemed enormous and thefluorescent light threw its shadow onto the floor making it seem like therewere two birds thrashing around.

Kat managed to wrench the back door open and the ravenflew out into the night.

Just then the door leading to the hall opened andJosh’s sister bustled in, performing some intricate twisting procedure with herhair and looking determinedly cross.

“What’s going on? It’s Sunday morning. Oh, so you’vedecided to come home have you?” She didn’t seem to have noticed Kat. “Shame. Itwas nice and quiet without you.”

“Hi, Jackie. Nice to see you too. Josh was quite usedto her barbs. Kat however took instant offence.

“That’s not very nice. He’s your brother.”

Jackie smirked at Josh. “Oh I knew it. I knew youfancied her. But I didn’t think you’d manage to lure her back here. Did youpromise to read your poems to her?”

“Have you seen any more of David McKenzie?” Kat saidferociously sweetly. The effect of these words was instantaneous andremarkable. Jackie’s face flushed puce and she darted a furtive glance at herfather.

“I…I don’t…know what you mean.” She stammered andbacked towards the door. Josh had never seen her so completely deflated beforeand he almost felt sorry for her. Kat sat innocently examining her nails whileJackie closed the door behind her.

“I’ve never seen her shut up so quickly. Is this themagic you spoke of?” Josh’s dad looked as bewildered as Josh. “Who is DavidMcKenzie?”

“He’s just this guy who works at a garage down by theschool. Jackie’s fancied him for ages and last week she plucked up the courageto ask him out.”

“And?” Josh’s dad said stonily.

“He told her he was married and she should look forsomeone her own age. Apparently he was really nice about it, but she hasn’ttaken it very well. He called her ‘sweet’.”

Josh couldn’t contain his laughter. This was the bestpresent a younger brother could get.

“Is someone watching my daughter as well? Is that howyou got that particular piece of information?” Josh couldn’t tell if his dadwas serious or not, but he stifled his laugh just in case.

“No, Mr Bennett. It’s just a rumour going around atschool. She’s not being followed.”

“Well, I’ll certainly be having words with that younglady.”

“Do you believe me now, dad?” Josh asked quietly.

His dad took a deep breath and smiled. “Yes, I supposeI do. Geigerzalion has posed lots of problems that our experts can’t explain.It’s also opened up a lot of possibilities. We’ve been working hard to try andunderstand what it all means, but so far we’ve drawn a blank. Your story, funnily enough, could explainquite a few anomalies that we’ve observed recently. I suppose this ‘Weave’could exist, and if there has been a fusion of children and machines thenperhaps the Internet could connect to it somehow.”

Then he shook his head. “The thing is Josh. IfTech-Tonic were using humans as computers I’d know about it. I work for MythagoIndustries, but really we’re just a semi-independent subsidiary of Tech-Tonic.We all share the same knowledge base. Even if it was restricted or top-secretI’m sure I’d’ve heard rumours.”

“You work for Tech-Tonic?” A vague memory of somethingToby had said filtered into his mind. “But don’t you hate what Mr Oakhampton’sdoing to the software industry?”

“Since when have you taken an interest in that? Butyes, in principle I do. I’ve even given lectures about it. Huge multinationalconglomerates shouldn’t be allowed to put small innovative companies out ofbusiness with their aggressive marketing and so forth. It’s just wrong. SirTrevor actually encourages me to do it. It’s somehow in his interest topublicly distance Tech-Tonic from some of the companies it owns. He doesn’twant the government to think he’s as powerful as he actually is.”

“So you know Mr Oakhampton?”

“Sir Trevor? Yes I do. Quite well actually. He’s beencoming around a lot since we started on the Geigerzalion project. He’s aruthless man though.” Josh’s dad paused for a moment pondering something. “Ithink he would be quite capable of giving the go ahead to an unethical projectif he thought it would benefit his company.”

The telephone rang suddenly and Josh jumped. His dadpicked up the receiver. “Hello.”

Josh wondered whether he could use his father’sunexpected association with Tech-Tonic to find out more about the Delphixians.Was his dad important enough to demand information from other departments? Orwould the project be so secret that only a handful of top level scientists knewabout it?

“Yes… yes… okay, we’ll be there… Yes, that’s fine.Thanks Chris.” His dad replaced the receiver and turned back to the kitchentable.

“They’ve found him.”

“Who?”

“Sir Trevor! He’s just been picked up from the RedLion down the road. Apparently he turnedup earlier this morning dressed as a tramp. Just like you said. The owner wasgoing to turn him away, but he produced a wad of cash and booked the best roomin the hotel. I couldn’t imagine him as a tramp. It just wouldn’t suit him atall.”

“He was quite good at it.”

Josh’s dad chortled. “Well, the thing is, he wants ameeting with me and Chris to talk about the Geigerzalion Project. And he’sasked for you to be there.”

“Me?” Josh was stunned. “How does he know about me?”

“Well he has met you, Josh. Perhaps he rememberssomething about your encounter.”

Josh remembered with a sudden chill what the Gazetteerhad said happened to people after he’d finished using them.

“This could be your chance Josh. You could ask himabout these human computers.”

Josh nodded slowly. “Yeah I suppose.” But he thoughtthat anyone capable of such an atrocity would hardly be decent enough to admitto doing it in the first place.

“When’s the meeting?”

“Tomorrow morning. Nine o’clock. At my office.”

“What about school? It’s Monday tomorrow. I should goto school.”

“I’m not going to force you to come Josh. I thoughtyou’d want to meet him.”

“I’ll come.” Josh said quietly and sighed.

The remainder of the day went slowly. Kat went home inthe afternoon and Josh ran out of excuses for not going to bed by about sixo’clock. He was exhausted but he was worried about falling asleep because hedidn’t know what to expect. He really didn’t want to have to contend withdreams within dreams or a lecture from the Overseer of the Earth. All he wantedwas a rest.

As it turned out he did dream but only randomly, ofthings that were too fleeting to grasp, and he woke up in the morning nicelyrefreshed.

He thought wistfully that perhaps all the things heremembered from last week were just dreams, but then his dad brought him a cupof tea.

“Will you be ready to go in half an hour?”

“Yeah, I suppose.”

Josh got ready with a jittering energy. He was worriedabout what Sir Trevor would remember from their previous meetings and heconvinced himself that he would end up being blamed for making the chairman ofTech-Tonic spend three weeks as a tramp. Sir Trevor didn’t sound like the typeof person to forgive that type of thing very quickly.

His dad, as usual, was not ready in half an hour andJosh waited patiently for him in the kitchen, watching the news. He smiled tohimself a little, wondering what the serious newsreaders and journalists at theBBC would make of his adventures.

“Our leading item today focuses on the riots inBuckingham. This normally quiet market town on the outskirts of the homecounties, has become the centre of middle England’s violent annoyance at theway the general public is being treated by the government. We sent EstellaWhite there to investigate the reasons.”

The scene changed to a street where rioters werestanding in a ragged line behind two still smouldering cars. Josh peered at thescreen and saw that they were not the usual yobbish mob. These were mostlymiddle-aged men and women, who would have been well dressed, had they notobviously just spent a few hours rampaging through the streets.

“Thank you, Myra.” Estella was saying. “Yes, as youcan see. Buckingham high street has turned into a war zone. I’ve spoken to afew of the rioters, and, as yet, the reasons for the disturbances are unclear.Tempers are running high and there have been a few skirmishes between therioters themselves.”

“Can you tell us the cost of the damage so far?” Avoice from the studio asked.

“Well, the worst of the rioting has been kept to thehigh street you see behind me, and that has been quite severe, although nobodyhas estimated an monetary value so far.”

“And there still seems to be no reason for the riot?”

Estella looked as though she was pondering thequestion for a moment and then her expression changed. “I’ve already said that,haven’t I? I mean what’s the point of me being here, if you’re not going tolisten. You lot in your comfortable studio. You make me sick.” And she threwher microphone at the camera and ran away down the street to join the rioters.

Myra’s bemused smile replaced the carnage of theBuckingham street. “I’m sorry about that. We’ll go back to that story when wecan.” She looked at her notes and then to the side. “Technology now. More thantwenty percent of the world’s Internet sites have gone down this morningaccording to an industry watchdog…”

His dad came into the kitchen just then, looking aboutfor something and furiously trying to tie his tie at the same time. “Are youready? Good. Good. Come on then, we’ll just have to leave my briefcase.”

“It’s in the cupboard under the stairs.”

Josh and his father did not talk to each other much onthe way to Mythago Industries, but his father said an awful lot to the otherdrivers on the road, and most of it was not suitable for Josh’s ears. Josh hadnever seen his dad so stressed out and it was not very encouraging to thinkthat it was all because he was meeting Sir Trevor.

When they finally pulled into the car park Josh hadconvinced himself that this meeting was going to be entirely about what he haddone to Sir Trevor and what his punishment should be. Any thoughts of usingthis meeting to his benefit had slunk out of his mind without a trace.

Josh had been to his dad’s office a few times, and hehad always found it interesting before, but now he kept his head down as he wasled swiftly through the building until they came to a small room where a youngman in a crumpled T-shirt sat behind one of two desks. He looked as though he’dslept there.

“Hi, Chris. Is he here?” Josh’s dad bustled into theroom.

“Yeah, he’s waiting in the board room.” Chris had anAmerican accent.

“How is he? What sort of mood?”

“That’s the queer thing. I’ve never seen him in such agood mood. He’s even been laughing. Telling jokes to the secretaries.”

“But he doesn’t normally even speak to them.”

“I know.” The young man threw his arms outtheatrically. “Go figure. Perhaps it’s the calm before the storm.”

“Wait here, Josh. I’ll be back when he wants to seeyou.”

Josh could see the glistening of sweat on his dad’sforehead.

“Okay.”

Josh plonked himself down behind his dad’s desk andwatched his dad and Chris hurry off through another door. He pulled his mobilephone out of his pocket and settled down to wait for a while.

He had two text messages.

The first was from Kat. “Hi J. C ya L8r. Luv K.” He grinned,but immediately tried to work out what she meant by “luv”. Did she mean it theway he felt about her?

He almost lost himself in teenage angst, but theflashing envelope on his phone reminded him that he had another message. Hequickly brought the text up.

It wasn’t text.

Swirling gibberish filled the screen. Pixels danced ina chaotic mess and then his familiar tumbling symbols appeared.

“Trust the chairman. He is my friend. He has helpedme.” The message repeated a few times and then dissolved from the screen. Theflashing envelope disappeared.

Josh put his phone away.

“Josh! Are you ready?” His dad popped his head intothe room. He was grinning. “Sir Trevor wants to meet you.”

He followed his dad through some parts of the officeshe had not seen before until they came to a set of polished wooden doubledoors. Josh’s dad pushed one of them open and motioned for him to go through.

“You’re not coming?”

“He’s asked to see you on your own.”

“But…”

“It’ll be okay Josh. Just remember to be polite.” Hisdad smiled.

“You’ll be waiting out here?”

“Of course. And there’s nothing to worry about.”

Josh took a deep breath and stepped into the room.

Sir Trevor Oakhampton was standing with his handsclasped behind his back gazing out through one of the large windows. He wasdressed in an expensive looking suit and his hair, which the last time Josh hadseen it resembled a bird’s nest, had been cut and combed to perfection.

“Hello Josh. It’s good to see you again.” He held outa well manicured hand.

Josh shook it, trying to see a glimmer of the personhe knew in the eyes of the man standing before him. There was none.

“Hello.” Josh said nervously.

“Please sit down.” Sir Trevor’s courtesy was at oddswith the brusqueness of his tone. “I don’t remember much about our previousmeetings and I was hoping that you could fill me in on what was said.” SirTrevor smiled but Josh could see that the expression had not had much practiceon his face.

“Thank you.” Josh seated himself on the other side ofthe long table. They considered each other for a moment.

“I’m not going to lie to you Josh. I don’t know whathas been happening to me over the last few weeks. One night I went to an operaas an influential business man, and the next thing I clearly remember is wakingup in a ditch three weeks later with whatever happened between those times atotal blur. Your face is the only prominent memory I have. Why do you think thatwould be?”

Josh swallowed hard at the directness of the question.“I don’t know.” He continued quickly, feeling a prickling at the back of hisneck. “You came to see me twice but only for a few minutes each time and Ididn’t really understand what you were talking about. In fact to begin Ithought you were just a harmless tramp.” Josh grimaced. “Sorry.”

“Yes, yes. I’m sure you did.” Sir Trevor gestured forhim to continue.

“You told me a story the first time about how theEarth was in danger from some alien influence or something and that Gaia neededmy help.”

“Aliens? Who is Gaia?”

“Well…I think you meant the whole planet.”

Sir Trevor shook his head. “Madness! What about theother time we met? Did I make any more sense then?”

“Erm. Not really.”

Sir Trevor’s mouth suddenly contorted into a snarl andJosh thought he saw a sheen pass over the man’s eyes. Before he had time towonder about it, Sir Trevor had regained his weighty composure, although he nowwore a more natural smile to replace the inexpert one of before.

“I’m sorry about that, Josh. I haven’t fully recoveredfrom my… adventures.” He leaned forward over the table and winked. “I’vechanged.”

Josh struggled to find something to say. “What do youmean?”

“I wasn’t the nicest person in the world.”

“Really?”

Sir Trevor laughed. “You’re very tactful, Josh. Yourfather must have mentioned how much of a tyrant I used to be.”

Josh was about to protest, but Sir Trevor held up ahand to stop him. “You don’t need to worry about getting him into trouble. As Isaid I’ve changed. I feel like Scrooge, I suppose, when he woke up on Christmasmorning and realised that he could put things right. You’re my ghostly Marleyand the first thing I want to do is reward you for helping me to see the light.Is there anything you want? Something I can give you?”

“Well there are a couple of things I’d like to ask youabout…”

“Yes? Ask away.”

Josh cleared his throat, and then plunged ahead withhis question. “When I was online I found a… boy.” He paused, hardly sure whathe was going to say.

“Go on.” Sit Trevor nodded encouragingly.

“He said he was real. That he’d been wired up whichhad allowed you to use his brain as a computer.”

“Me?”

“Well, Tech-Tonic.” Josh mustered as much defiance ashe could.

Sir Trevor looked incredulous. “That’s absurd.” Hedidn’t seem cross. “Even if we were morally bankrupt enough to attempt such athing, we just don’t have the technology, Josh. I can assure you of this.”

Josh sighed. He didn’t see how he could argue againstsuch an absolute denial. Even though Michael had seemed so honest and sincere,Josh could not think of what to do next.

“And the other thing?” Sir Trevor was smiling.

“I want to help Geigerzalion. Dad said you might beable to do something.”

Sir Trevor grinned. “You really are quite anastonishingly… um, nice boy, aren’t you? And I’d be glad to help. You’ll needto come to our main facility. We’ve got a whole team of engineers who’ve beenwrestling with the Geigerzalion enigma for years. I shall put them all at yourdisposal. I think Professor Ackermann will be particularly pleased to see you.And also, I’ll be able to show you that we don’t have any unfortunate childrenwired up to our mainframe.”

“I don’t know very much about computers. I probablywon’t understand.”

“That’s okay. Your father’s very competent. He’llexplain the things you don’t understand.”

“Would it be okay if I asked one of my friends to comealong?” Josh knew Toby would love the opportunity to see Tech-Tonic’s mainoffices. “He knows all about Geigerzalion.” He added quickly.

“Of course he can come. It’ll be Toby you want tobring, I presume?” Sir Trevor smiled gleefully at him and Josh thought for anembarrassing second that he was going to reach across the table and tousle hishair.

Toby had not been allowed to go back to school, whichsuited him just fine. When the doctors had said that he could go home, he wastold not to do anything exciting and that included playing computer games.

His mum had decided that temptation would get thebetter of him if he was allowed into his own room, so he was now lying on thebed in the spare bedroom staring at the ceiling. He wouldn’t have touched hiscomputers even if someone had paid him, but he hadn’t argued. He hadn’t had theenergy. It was all he could do now to look at all the frilly lace that coveredevery conceivable surface in this room.

He heard the phone ringing downstairs and assumed hismum would answer it, but it continued to ring. He heaved himself out of bed andstomped down the stairs.

“Hello!” He challenged whoever it was.

“Hi, Tobe. It’s me.”

“Josh? How are you? I thought you’d have come over tosee me.”

“I’m sorry Toby, I only got back yesterday and now I’mat my dad’s work with Sir Trevor Oakhampton. He wants to show me roundTech-Tonic’s headquarters.”

“Is he still a tramp?”

“No, he’s recovered. He’s really nice. That’s why I’mringing actually. He’s said you can come too. It’ll…”

“I’m not coming.” Toby interrupted flatly.

“But why. You love this type of thing. I’d really likeyou to come, Toby. I won’t understand any of it.”

“I’m not coming.”

“Please Toby.”

“No way. That’s it with computers. My mum’s said I’mnot supposed to anyway.”

Josh laughed. “So? You only do what she says when itsuits you. You won’t have to go online or anything.” He added.

“It’s not that. I’m not scared.” Toby said quickly.

“Oh, okay then. I’ll just go with my dad. I’ll comeround and see you later then.”

“Yeah, sure. See you later.” Toby put the phone down.

Josh had been the only person in the world he wantedto talk to right now, and he’d found that he couldn’t even talk to him. Joshhad hit a nerve when he’d assumed that Toby was frightened about going backonline. He could feel the dread shivering through him even from just thinkingabout the Doge and the dark dungeon he had been kept in before Josh had come torescue him. Sometimes when he closed his eyes he thought he would go mad withfear. There was no difference between virtual darkness and real darkness. Anysnarling thing could be hiding in either.

He clambered upstairs slowly and flopped back onto thespare bed and stared at the ceiling for a while.

Weariness began to tug at his eyelids and he closedhis eyes. He felt himself drifting off to sleep and then the towers and spiresof Vienopolis rose up around him. It was exactly as he remembered it down tothe finest detail, but this was so much more then a memory. A crippling terrorgripped him and he wrenched his eyes open with a gasp.

He was back in the spare bedroom. He heaved ashuddering sigh of relief trying to calm his rapid breathing.

“I’m back. And the Doge isn’t there anymore.” He toldhimself as firmly as he could.

He tried to close his eyes again, but they justflickered and his hands clawed into the quilt.

“Come on Tobes. You can do it.” He muttered to himselfand squeezed his eyes shut.

Once more Vienopolis appeared around him in all itsgothic, romantic splendour. Fear coursed through him and it took all hisresolve not to open his eyes. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to stay.

He could feel both of his bodies. The one on the bedfelt huge and ponderous, while the one that stood in the narrow alley seemedquick and small, alert to the movements of the night. He felt the differenceacutely and concentrated on it, trying to dull the terror that threatened toswallow him.

Gingerly he made his way down the alleyway and peeredout into a brightly lit boulevard that stretched away into the distance in bothdirections. He saw some cloaked figures tottering up the street and felt hisbedridden hands clench into tight balls. He could barely breathe.

“Concentrate!” He hissed through clenched teeth.

A bell rang out into the night, startling Toby and hefelt the familiar fear beginning to assert its hold.

He opened his eyes again and returned fully to hisbed, breathing heavily. He looked at the glowing digits of his alarm clock, andrealised that they hadn’t changed. It certainly felt like he’d stayed in theVrealm for longer than a minute.

Josh couldn’t put the phone down straight away aftertalking to Toby. There had been a disturbing edge to his friend’s voice and nowhe stared at the handset as if that would help him work out what it was.

“We’ll have to fly there I’m afraid, Josh.” Sir Trevorbroke Josh’s concentration. “Do you mind helicopters?”

“I don’t think so.” Josh had never been in one before,and he wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity.

“Good. When you’re ready then. Is Toby coming here?”

“He can’t come.”

“Oh, now that’s a shame. It would have been nice tosee him again.”

They made their way outside. The helicopter had landedon the grass to the side of the car park, its rotors buffeting the saplingsthat surrounded the building. Josh, his father and Sir Trevor ran stooped tothe helicopter and climbed into the cabin behind the pilot.

“Off we go, Terry.” Sir Trevor said, after pulling thedoor shut behind them. “Strap yourself in Josh. It should be a calm ride, butit’s better to be safe than sorry, don’t you think?”

The ground fell away from them with a lurch and thehelicopter tipped forward slightly as they began to speed up. Josh peeredthrough the small window next to him to see the countryside getting furtheraway and everything in it so much smaller.

Josh enjoyed just watching the ground speed by belowthem and then all too soon they were descending again. Josh thought they hadonly been in the air for ten minutes, but they had actually been travelling fornearly an hour.

Tech-Tonic’s main office was enormous and it lookedpristine and new. It was like a university campus in its design, with copses oftrees and sculpted ponds separating the buildings. It even had what looked likea football stadium and, handily, a helipad. People walked through the campuschatting, and some sat on the many benches that were scattered around. From theair, Josh thought it looked like a really pleasant place to work.

The helicopter settled down and Sir Trevor bustledinto action again, herding them around and into a waiting golf cart. Theywhirred off and Josh gave the pilot a cheery wave of thanks.

Sir Trevor drove them along the paths slowly, but allthe pedestrians gave the golf cart a wide berth. They didn’t look directly atthem as they passed and Sir Trevor leaned over to Josh.

“You can see what sort of boss I was from theirreaction, can’t you. I’m going to change all that.”

“It’s a nice place though. You gave them somewherenice to work.”

“That was purely business, Josh. A happy worker ismore productive than an unhappy one. It didn’t seem to matter to me how rude Iwas to everyone though.”

That was typical of the rest of tour. Every buildinghad its own special purpose and Sir Trevor would ask a petrified technicianabout what they were doing and the man or woman would explain as well as theirtrembling voice would allow. Sir Trevor smiled through all of this with anavuncular expression that belied the fear he instilled in his employees. Whenthey left he would invariably comment on how everything would change.

Just before six o’clock they came to the lastbuilding. It was small, had no windows and looked more like a garage than alaboratory.

Sir Trevor placed his hand on a white square next tothe door and a red beam shone into his eye.

“Processing…” A computerised voice said, and Joshthought that even that sounded nervous. “Welcome Trevor Lewis Oakhampton.Security level seven.” The door slid open.

Sir Trevor led them through into a brightly litcorridor and the door closed solidly behind them.