The Computer Ch. 11D - Breaking

(This story is a continuation to 'The Computer Ch. 10D- Security', it makes no sense if you have not read that part of the story.)

Please score and comment. If you don't tell me what's wrong, how will I improve.

Day Forty

Awake. It takes a while to realize that I am awake but now that I am, I switch the light on and get up. I perform my usual morning routine. But today isn't usual, today is probably the first day for a long time to come without Henry. With Security crawling all over me, Henry will not call. He won't call me until it is safe to do so. I should continue to call the 'Cinema' line to maintain the fiction of Henry as my Controller.

I ring Claire to see if she is available for breakfast/dinner.

"Good morning, Jack."

"Morning, Claire."

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I was about to have breakfast and thought you might like to join me."

"I've a better idea, come round and I'll make you breakfast, I have eggs and bacon."

"The way to a man's heart?"

"Of course, what do you say?"

"I'll be there in five minutes."

...

Claire opens the door.

"Come in, come in."

"Thanks."

I close the door behind me.

"You should have used your door key."

"That won't work, unless you've been playing with the door codes."

Her smile told me she had.

"I just changed my code to be the same as yours."

"Do I have a say?"

"Of course. It just won't have any affect. Look I won't use it unless you give me permission, OK?"

"O -- K, on a one by one basis. One permit does not give permission for ever."

"Oh, if you insist."

"I do."

By the time we had negotiated this we had made our way to the kitchen.

"How do you like your eggs?"

"Scrambled, please."

"Are you recovered from your Security meeting?"

"Yes I think so, though I do have some lingering problems."

"Oh what are they?"

"I appear to have some people following me, when I go out."

"Oh dear. Do you think they are Security?"

"I'm not sure but I think they lost me at one point, then they phoned someone and they headed in my direction straight away. So my guess would be yes."

"You'd think they had better things to do apart from chasing innocent citizens."

"You remember the last time I got pulled, I was taken to Sector HQ, well that is where I was taken again. I think they believe I am mixed up with the memory module case."

"But you're not, are you?"

Claire asked this in a way that suggested she wasn't sure at all.

"Of course not."

"Because my job prospects would take a dive if I were associating with a gangster."

"Believe me, I am not a gangster, I've been pulled three times, once for trying to buy a phone, once to report a crime and once for calling out a man who was impersonating me."

All this time Claire has been grilling the bacon. She now starts cooking the eggs. Breakfast is nearly ready.

"Have you any bread?"

"Yes in the bread bin. There's spread in the fridge.

I butter a couple of slices and sit back down, just in time as Claire serves my egg and bacon. I eat quickly.

"That was delicious. I may make this my cafe of choice."

"Have you had enough?"

"Yes thank you."

"Good, now tell me. You used to be a model citizen, what happened to make you a regular visitor to Security?"

"Well, not a lot. I've always had a bit of a loose mouth, just never had anyone who believed me before."

"Why did you even try to buy a second hand phone?"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"But it was totally out of character, you wouldn't do it now."

"You don't know that. You didn't know me then."

"No, but I know you now and people just don't change that quickly. So, what happened?"

"Who are you working for, here?"

"Me, I need to know what is going on."

"I've told you everything I know about what is going on. To my mind that is more than you deserve."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm going out."

With that I thanked her for the breakfast and left. I called in at my place to get my top coat and headed out to the park for some exercise.

...

Claire had overstepped the mark this time. She was interrogating me like Security. I had been coming around to the fact that she and Security might be a figment of Henry's imagination, but today's little contretemps had her definitely in the Security camp. I sent her a text 'If you are not sure about me, then maybe we should explore this no further.' I took me ten minutes to get it correct, The autocorrect kept putting its oar in. I must find out how to turn that thing off.

...

My phone made a noise. Its a text from Claire. 'I'm sorry, I been so worried every time you get pulled. Please forgive me.' There were fewer letters and punctuation than I've written here but this is a fair representation of how I interpreted her text. I need to think.

...

Can I trust Claire, I don't mean should I tell her about Henry. If she is part of my life she will come to know more and more about me. Am I a fit person to make any kind of decision about Claire. My experience of women could be written on a stamp. I've been told she is attractive, so she could probably have her pick of whatever is on offer in the Sector. I'm no oil painting, my libido is hovering about the non-existent line and I have little else to offer her. What does she see in me? Claire is just a slippery slope, I should stay away. Cloning the keys does nothing for my peace of mind. What possessed her to do that. She had a master key anyway.

...

I decide to end it. Claire will revert to neighbour status, at least as far as I'm concerned. What she'll do is anybody's guess. I text her, 'I will forgive you but I can't continue with this. I don't want to do this anymore. It's over.'

...

The text gives me no respite from the stuff swirling round in my mind. If anything, it's got worse. I'm worried about Claire's come back. How she will react. If it was really over, I shouldn't care, but I do.

...

I'm walking laps in the park. I cannot see my tails but I know they are there. I don't care. The way I feel now, I would welcome Security pulling me. Anything to get me away from here.

...

My phone rings, its Claire calling. I turn my phone off. I don't want to know. Leave me alone.

...

I head for a different coffee shop. There are several in the Zone. If she finds me in there then she is definitely Security. I order a Hot Chocolate and a cake. I find an empty table and sit. I toy with the idea of leaving just as they get their order. That would be petty. No I'm here for a rest and a warm, not revenge. I wonder why I've got two tails. I must be unique in the animal kingdom. I try staring at them, but they totally ignore me. Well, three can play that game. I finish my snack and leave, not caring if they have finished theirs. Back to laps of the park.

...

I switch my phone on to find a text from Claire. I ignore it, and check the time 23:23. I phone the 'Cinema'. I discover that if I hurry I could catch the start of the main feature. I remember the last time I went and decide against going again, even with my bodyguards.

"OK but you'll have to get rid of my tails."

I don't know if they have microphones trained on me, but if they have, it will give them something to think about and it is totally in keeping with my role play. I put my phone away.

...

The rest of the night passes without incident. I do see less of my tails but, to be honest, I'm not really looking for them.

At 06:00 I call it a day and go home. I half expect Claire to ambush me but she should still be asleep. I make dinner and go to bed.

Day Forty One

Breakfast

Work today, probably 24/8 surveillance at work too, well they will be in for a boring night.

...

19:40

Arrive at work. Let in by Fiona, she seems surprised to see me. Has the rumour mill been working overtime?

"Morning."

"Morning."

"Heard any more about the camera?"

"A little bird told me that it's a general upgrade for CC offices. Tightening up security."

"How was your day?"

"OK we cleared the book early, I let most of the crew go home early."

"The other Day Watch had a clean up after a party got out of hand, last cycle. This job is manic. Mad rush or quiet as the grave, there is nothing in between."

I pick up my tablet and log in. No break tonight, unless Henry can slip one in. I will not be holding my breath.

"You can go early, if you want."

"Thanks, I will. "

Fiona collected her stuff and I let her out the door. I logged in to the system and waited for 20:00, when I can start work.

...

The Watch passes quietly, not a peep out of Henry, no strange phone calls, nothing. Despite having no break, I am late to finish, my last diagnostic finishes at 0747.

Fiona arrives at 07:50. We exchange pleasantries, I wish her well and leave her to it.

...

Home, Claire ambushes me outside my door.

"Jack, we need to talk."

"No. you mean you need to talk, but you may as well come in."

I offer her the chair and she sits. I take off my coat and shoes and put the kettle on.

"Let's hear what you've got to say."

"I need to know why you want to end what we had."

"You don't trust me, it's as simple as that."

"I do trust you."

"No, you say you do, but really you don't. Your actions reveal the truth. Friendship has two sides. Ours only has one. It's over."

"Is that final?"

"Yes it is."

"Right, well I'll go and let you get to bed."

I let Claire out of the door. It won't be the last I see of her but no more breakfast or Hot Chocolate. That could have been a lot worse. Dinner and Bed.

Day Forty Two

Breakfast

I have stripped my life back to pre-Henry levels. Henry will be pleased. The only problem I have now is Security, who suspect me of being a memory module dealer. Unfortunately that problem will not be going away any day soon.

...

19:40

Arrive at work.

Fiona lets me in.

"Morning, Good day today?"

"Morning. Yes, a bit busier than yesterday, but we still finished everything on the list."

I grab my tablet and log in. No break.

"Well have a nice four days off."

"I will."

I let her out and lock up. Fiona forgot to log off the system. I scroll through the jobs to see what they had been doing. Wait a minute, that is my address. They upgraded my camera. This seems to be too much of a coincidence. The guys on the Day Watch don't know me from Adam. They wouldn't know that is my address. I'm sleeping too soundly. Who got Fiona to not log off. It smells of a psychological trick by Security. Unfortunately for them, I don't do anything in my rooms. I scan the remainder of the list, my Coffee shop has camera upgrades listed. I log Fiona off and log in myself. And start on my jobs

...

The night's work is unbroken by Henry. I finish my list of tasks with thirty minutes to go. The Day Watch Captain arrives at 07:55. I bid him good morning, but he does not appear to be all there. He keeps holding his head.

"Are you alright?"

"Hangover."

"Will you be alright?"

"Yeah, I'll get one of the guys to come into the office and cover for me. I do it for them often enough."

"Well, don't get caught. I'll go now, bye."

He lets me out and I go home to dinner and bed. Claire does not put in an appearance.

Day Forty Three

Breakfast. I smile at my new camera. Am I destined for one of those camera clip shows? Maybe I should get Claire in here to do a striptease for the boys at Security. I could phrase it so she probably would but I don't think I'd be comfortable with it.

...

19:40

Arrive at work. Relieved to find the same Day Watch Captain that I left this morning.

"How was your day?"

"Better than I thought it would be."

"You should know better, tell me, was she out of your league."

"Yeah."

"Dump her, she's probably a Security Honey Trap."

"You think so?"

"Definitely."

"You should warn the other Night Watch guy. And report it to Admin. You might get a star on your record. Did you get a picture.?"

"Did I!"

"Let me put it another way, did you get a picture you could show your mother."

"Maybe not."

"Well crop the one you have to just head and shoulders."

"I'm not sure my mother would appreciate that either."

"T.M.I.. Go home and sleep it off."

I open the door and send him on his way. Has he logged off? Yes he has. I get my tablet and log in. No break tonight.

...

I finish about thirty minutes before the end of the watch. The last half hour really drags with nothing to do. The Day Watch Captain turns up at 07:55.

"Do you really believe I should report that woman to Admin?"

"Of course, they are always sending out messages about being security aware. They are not going to punish you for reporting it, are they?"

I leave him to ponder the point and go home to dinner and bed.

Day Forty Four

Breakfast.

It just struck me that maybe Henry had something to do with me finding out about my camera upgrade. It is a possibility.

...

19:40

I arrive at work. The Day Watch Captain insists on telling me about his chat with Admin.

"Well, I told him that a very attractive woman had picked me up, took me back to my place and made mad passionate love to me all night."

"So he asked you for her phone number."

"How did you know?"

"Some people are so naive."

"Does this always happen when you report a mata hari character."

"Yes, its Admin having a laugh. Send the details through in an email, include the photos, and they may get around to it next month after they have finished wanking over her pictures. Admin don't get out much."

I let the 'now wiser' Day Watch Captain out the door.

I grab my tablet, no break, log in to the system and start work.

...

01:00

I've missed the break, not just Henry. So I have decided to have a break regardless. I make myself a cup of Hot Chocolate and sit doing nothing for five minutes. Very restful.

...

07:40

Work finished. I wait for the Day Watch Captain to arrive. I let him in.

"Enjoy your days off."

"Thanks. See you next cycle."

I watch him log in and then I leave. Home to dinner, bed and four days off.

Day Forty Five

Breakfast. I am looking forward to four trouble free days off, whether I achieve that will be up to the gods.

...

21:00

I realize that I am hiding from Claire, in my room. Afraid of a possible confrontation with her. I should force myself to leave my room and brave the future.

...

21:05

Well that worked (not). I found myself thinking of reasons to put off opening the door. I know I'll try again at midnight. Claire should be asleep by then. Less pressure.

...

00:01

Right, here goes. There is nobody out there. Good start. Walk to the stairs. Stop being such a wimp. Get a grip. Come on, down the stairs. Damn! I haven't ordered my shopping. I climb back up the stairs and walk to my room. Enter, take my coat off and sit in front of the TV to order my shopping. I give up on exercising today and settle down to watch TV till dinner time.

...

I eat dinner and go to bed.

Day Forty Six

Breakfast. I'm feeling very down today, a fact that I put down to my lack of determination yesterday. Today I will go out, early and stay out all night.

I get ready to go out, hesitate, then having gathered what willpower I have, I force myself out of the door.

...

Well, I'm outside the Block, that wasn't so bad was it? I start doing laps of the park. I'm concentrating on where I'm walking, to prevent myself from looking around for Claire or my Tails. I'm an ordinary man out for some exercise. I'm of no interest to anybody especially Security (I wish).

...

Rest break. I'd better use the usual Coffee shop because I shouldn't know about the camera upgrades. I order my usual and sit at one end of the shop so I can see all the customers. The man behind me in the queue is one of my tails. Have I been downgraded to one tail? He sits as far from me as he can get. I examine the customers. O.M.G. it's Claire.

I've slipped into shy mode. Avoiding looking at her. I quickly finish my snack and leave the shop as nonchalantly as I can. Nonchalant? I can feel that big neon arrow over my head pointing at me as I walk out of the shop.

That was catastrophic. I must have looked as guilty as sin. Not the devil incarnate, he would have walked out as if he owned the place, and everyone would have looked the other way. Me, I crept out and people were nudging their neighbours to look at the criminal, saying 'I wonder what he's done'. I'm not made of the right stuff for this. Should I call it a day and go home? No! Claire hasn't followed me, keep with the original plan.

...

More laps, nobody is bothering me. I am calming down after my panic moment in the Coffee shop. Another ten hours and I may be back to normal (whatever that is).

...

Time for another 'rest break'. I'm not going to my usual coffee shop, I've got a valid reason to avoid it now. I pull my phone out and dial the 'Cinema'. I listen to the announcement.

"Right Henry, I'm going to take a break now, we'll talk later."

I start heading for my usual Coffee shop. Then I duck into the Block where the alternate coffee shop is located. I run through the lobby and take the exit nearest the coffee shop, and then dash for the coffee shop. I arrive out of breath but well in front of my tail, who finally arrives when I am half way down my Hot Chocolate. I salute him by raising my cup to him. He orders a coffee to go, collects it and goes. I order a Cheese and Onion Toastie. I think I will try and stretch this out to a full hour break. The fresh air will do him good.

...

My tail did look in through the window to make sure I was still there. I thought about moving to a different table to confuse him, but I decide to be good. I didn't see him for the rest of the night. Either he is getting better at his job or he got relieved by another, more professional man. I stay out till 06:00 then I go home collecting my shopping on the way.

I put my shopping away, make dinner, eat it and go to bed.

Day Forty Seven

Breakfast, Laundry day. Thought for the day. Stop messing around, nobody is laughing except me. I'm only upsetting Security by playing Secret Agent. It will make for a boring day but I need to make my peace with them.

...

Claire? Well she hasn't caused a scene in public, she hasn't even approached me or talked to me. I hope she has accepted the break, even if she hasn't, I cannot live in terror of what she may do in the future. I gather my dirty washing and get dressed for exercise. I go out, dropping off my laundry on the way. Laps of the park are the order of the day. I'm not looking for my tails, they can do whatever they want.

...

For my rest break I go to my usual Coffee shop, order my usual Chocolate and cake and sit at an empty table. I take my time so that my tail can enjoy a break too. I survey the customers looking for anything out of the ordinary. But everyone is being very boring today. Because I am looking, I am the one who sticks out from the crowd. At least I would do if anybody was watching.

...

After a forty five minute break I return to my exercise. It starts to rain hard, I take shelter in the block lobby. Its not far to my Block but it is raining so hard that I'm loath to make an attempt to reach it. I'm stuck here for the duration of the shower. Eventually the rain eases off and I can get home without getting too wet. It is still too early to collect my clean laundry, so I head up to my rooms. Claire should be fast asleep by now, yes I know I'm supposed to be not worrying about Claire but I like to know where she is.

I turn on the TV for company and dust and sweep the rooms. It still leaves me with a couple of hours before my laundry will be delivered. I settle down to watch game shows to pass the time.