Chapter 14 – The Headquarters
The next day, when Vincent and Jessica climbed into their transport on the balcony, Annie was not with them. The handful of balconies visible to them seemed to be running late as well. It was, however, the end of the week. Newsim was on the horizon.
At school, they walked into a near empty classroom. Still, as soon as they stepped inside, Vincent could sense the difference in mood. It wasn’t just lethargy that had taken hold. There was a nervous, excited kind of energy as well. The boys shifted in their seats. Their eyes strayed more often toward the girls. And the girls didn’t shy away, as they may have throughout the week. They even sat up a little straighter.
“Good morning, Ben.”
Annie had just walked into the room, in a rush. She was standing rather close to Vincent’s desk.
“Good morning,” said Vincent. Annie flashed him a smile before starting for the seat directly in front of him. She sat down with exaggerated slowness, then leaned all the way back. The scent of her hair should have been overpowering, but this morning, Vincent didn’t mind it.
By the time the digits at the bottom of their Lenses had ticked to 8:00, the classroom was full. Mr. Watts hurried in right on time, looking disheveled.
“Good morning, children,” he said. They started to call out back to him, but he held up a hand. His eyes were out of focus, already navigating his Lenses. “We’re in a rush this morning,” he said. “We have an announcement before our Order sim. Please accept.”
As he said it, a familiar string of text scrolled across the bottom rim of Vincent’s Lenses. Jessica cast him a questioning look. He only shrugged. Glancing down at the invitation, he engaged.
The room disappeared. The simulation was completely black but for a large “Newsight” printed in white down the middle, and their rotating, eye-shaped emblem just below.
“This is a Newsight public announcement.”
The narrator’s voice rang out in Vincent’s head. It was the same, sweet-sounding voice that followed the selection of a newsim.
The black background and plain text changed to an aerial view of a Seclusion. If Vincent wasn’t mistaken, he knew that particular Seclusion all too well.
“The suspect in the Seclusion bombing has been apprehended,” the voice continued. “The man responsible tapped into the defense system and disabled the network, thus enabling the Order’s attack to strike its target.”
The feed changed once again. They were in the Center, out front of the Capitol. There was a group of Senators standing on the front steps, all dressed in their usual, high-collared uniforms. Below them, still climbing upward, was a small squadron of white-clad members of the Guard. They appeared to be escorting someone: an average height, unassuming man with a protruding stomach. Vincent couldn’t see the man’s face.
“We regret to inform you,” continued the voice, “that the suspect is one of our own.”
The feed changed angles so they could see the face of the man being escorted: the wide nose, the large, beady eyes. Vincent’s heart dropped. Next to him, he heard Jessica take in a sharp breath.
“A Newsight developer has been confirmed as the hacker involved,” said the narrator. “He is now suspected of having connections to the Order. He is suspected to have played a role in the identification hacking as well. Today, he will face what we expect to be a swift trial.”
The feed zoomed out once again so the whole Center was visible from above. The dome of the school, Vincent noticed, had been repaired.
“For our loyal Newsight customers,” continued the voice, “there is nothing to worry about. For the inconvenience we may have caused, please accept our gift of a free newsim, and enjoy your weekend.”
The feed disappeared, replaced by the simulation home screen where a thumbnail labeled newsim had been deposited in the lower right hand corner. That lingered for a few seconds, then the classroom returned. Vincent turned immediately to Jessica. Her lips were parted, and her gaze was fixed on the back of the boy in front of her.
“That’s great news,” said Mr. Watts, though his tone didn’t reflect much excitement. “Now we can begin our day with peace of mind. All of you please hurry to our usual sim.”
Vincent stole another look at Jessica. Her mouth was still slightly agape, and her eyes hadn’t shifted from the boy’s back. Vincent had a feeling she was thinking of the “swift” trial the narrator had mentioned. He had a feeling, also, what the result of that trial would be.
“We won’t begin until everyone has accepted.”
Vincent turned to the front of the room. Mr. Watts was looking at them. Casting Jessica one last look, Vincent entered the sim. The explosion happened just as it had the day before, then the smoke, the running, the bodies.