It was still quite early – the sun having only just gone down by the time we reached our dig, but I knew I needed a nap to allow me to be able to do what I needed to do while everyone slept that night. I hadn’t shared my plan with Bud yet, and I wanted to explain my idea to him, but that needed to be done privately, and we hadn’t had a lot of alone time.
But, before I explained what I had in mind, I wanted to hear what Bud had been up to while I’d been asleep, so we settled ourselves on the loungers on the patio, and I pulled a wrap around my arms.
“I see you’re acclimatizing to the temperatures,” he observed. “What felt delightfully warm a few evenings ago is just normal now, right? I can see why the fireplace might come in handy during winter nights.”
We shared a chuckle, then he pulled out his pad, and began to read, putting flesh on the bones of his notes as he went.
“So I managed to have a good long chat with Dru Ann again – as Don just mentioned – and she did indeed tell me a lot more about the elders who had passed. It turns out that Ravi was a computer whizz; he came up through the ranks at the same time Bill Gates and that lot were out there creating what we now all take for granted. Dru Ann told me he was the one who set up all the computing systems the Faceting organization benefits from. ‘Scalability’ was his big thing, apparently, and while I’m no expert, I know enough to understand that means he developed systems that can start small but grow to accommodate large amounts of data. He also developed the Faceting app Serendipity told us about, which isn’t free by the way, and has to be used by all Facetors. That’s where the note making and burning thingy is – and the app also connects Facetors around the world in various chatrooms and so forth. Basically, once you’re in, you’re connected to all the other Facetors – which is pretty ironic, considering how the big thing around here seems to be that ‘disconnect to connect’ mantra. Anyway, because this is the Shangri-La of Faceting, everything’s a bit different here…more basic, but more real. The other three who ‘all passed peacefully’? She had nothing more to share on how they might have all achieved such a peaceful passing, by the way – just an unquestioning acceptance that they all did – but she did tell me a lot about what they all did on this plane, and – like Ravi – they all had significant roles.”
“Which were?”
“One had set up the online store; he had a background in retail, and was the person who set up all the deals with suppliers to gain the Faceting seal of approval, for which they pay a hefty fee, it seems. Another was the lead architect for this place; she worked with local authorities organizing permits and so forth, then hired and liaised with contractors. The third was the person who coordinated the production of all the literature – a publishing background helped with that.”
“Good job, Husband. That’s illuminating: all the creators of Faceting as it is today are now dead…with the exception of Elizabeth, who came up with the therapies they use. That’s interesting – and significant, wouldn’t you say?”
Bud nodded, looking grim. “They really did give their all for Faceting, didn’t they?” I nodded. “Funny thing is – even though she was happy to tell me all this, that connection didn’t form for Dru Ann. She doesn’t strike me as a stupid person, but it seems her faith in the organization has blinded her to quite a lot.”
“I don’t think she’d be alone in that, Bud. Anything else?”
Bud looked pleased with himself, “I managed to send the photos of the McGlynns and Ambroise to my guys. But it’s still a long shot – they really cannot search photos of every face in the world, despite what the movies might suggest, but they can have a go at trying to narrow the parameters, and see what they find.”
“So you went back to the hub?” He nodded. “How was Jenn?”
Bud gave me a knowing grin. “Not happy…not happy at all. She was stomping around the place complaining that Zara’s expectations of her were ridiculous. Moaned about how she’d taken a pay cut to come here – so at least now we know she’s here in a professional capacity, rather than as a talented volunteer, though a few things she mentioned told me she really is enamoured of Faceting, but more as…well, as a hobbyist, if that makes sense.”
“Likes the general ideas; not a strict adherent, or evangelist?”
“Yeah, like that. Though, talking about evangelizing – she told me about a new member-get-member scheme that gives a Facetor points toward moving up a rung when they recruit a new sign-up…which seems to have created quite a lot of work for her. I admit I took the opportunity presented by her anger to perform a little test of my own; I wanted to get a sense of how she’s into it all. ”
“Do tell.”
Bud’s eyes twinkled. “I managed to let it slip that ‘paying condolences’ meant just that – slapping a thousand dollars at a time in the hands of the movement.”
“And how did she take that information?”
“Told me there was no way that could be right.”
“In your judgement, she knew nothing about it?”
“Correct. She’d been annoyed when I arrived, but that just about sent her over the top. She marched out of the hub saying she had to speak to Zara right then. She didn’t come back.”
I gave what Bud had said some thought. “I think she might be swayed, Bud, and she could be so useful if we could get her to see things our way. She’s got access to all sorts of information that could help us prove to the Facetors here what Zara is up to – they’d believe her more than they’d believe us. And, after the looks we got earlier on, I’m even more firmly of the opinion that any accusations we might make against Zara would not only be dismissed, but that taking such a step without irrefutable proof could actually put us in danger; the mood was downright threatening in the refectory when we left. And – while I know you could probably get us out of here in a pinch, I don’t fancy the idea of having to; it would be easy to follow a fleeing vehicle out here. I also don’t like the idea of slinking away to Lump Hill to make a call and wait for help – if the communications hub became somewhere we were no longer welcome.”
Bud nodded. “Reckon that’s what Oscar thought, too?”
I nodded. “I find the fact that his phone, text, and email records were wiped clean to be highly suspicious…though, to be honest, why whoever did it didn’t just destroy his phone completely is a mystery. We’re in the middle of the desert after all…all anyone had to do was break it apart and drop bits of it around the place; no one would be any the wiser. And yet there it was, in his dig, neatly stored away.”
“That is a puzzle,” replied Bud. “Maybe it had to be found with him, or raise alarm bells? So wiped, but not discarded.”
“Good point. Yes, good point. Anything else?”
“You were only asleep for a couple of hours, I think I did rather well.”
“You said you’d seen Serendipity?”
“Yes, but I’ve told you everything that passed between us already. However, since we’re on the subject…that stolen cash? She thinks she knows who’s taken it, doesn’t she? Covering up for someone. Pretty obvious. But who? Who would take it…and who would she protect?”
“It’s a lot of cash, so anyone might want it. But who would have known where it was? And who would she protect? She’s the protective type, so, to be honest, she might cover up for any number of people. She told me she likes to get to know the novices…maybe one of them? They’re…well, they’re a strange and troublesome bunch, aren’t they? I know they’re not an amorphous blob of people, they’re all individuals, but they seem to have more of a pack mentality than the others. There really is a noticeable difference between those in gray, and those who choose their colors – and I don’t mean in terms of Faceting, but in terms of personality. Those who’ve moved up the ranks seem much more aligned with what I’m thinking of as the core old-Faceting process, of buffing up Facets each day to be a more rounded person, live a more fulfilled life. The novices – the donkey-like ones as KSue thinks of them – seem to be much more interested in using drugs to achieve an almost instant result.”
“Kids these days, eh?” Bud grinned at me, so I swatted at him. He mugged a dramatic flinch. “I know, I know…and I agree with you; there’s a significant difference in general attitude, however, I refuse to attach the ‘it’s a Millennial thing’ label to it. It’s more than not liking their attitude, it’s a feeling that they’re all up to something.” Bud sighed. “Am I hunting for criminal activities that don’t exist, or am I responding with my cop instincts to something that really is wrong, but pretty well hidden. I feel unsettled about them all…their presence always throws me. I feel they’re always rushing, pushing, jostling…but toward what, and why, I can’t say.”
“Me, too. But what does it mean?”
“We’re not of their generation, and they have less patience? They want results now, then they can get on to the next tier? Like with computer games – use your tools, or weapons, or magical abilities, to win battles, gather the points, and move up a level.”
“Tools they’ve had to buy from the Faceting organization – though it appears all the drugs they might want are free, which is nice for them, isn’t it? Good to see them getting something back for their investment in books full of platitudes, woolly psycho-babble, and vague promises of wonderful revelations once they reach the top of the tree.”
“Do you think anyone has?”
“What?”
“Reached the top of the tree. The highest level.”
I shook my head. “I have no idea, but that would be risky. Unless someone reaching the top has a vested interest in keeping the illusion intact, why wouldn’t they blow the whistle when they find it’s no more than smoke and mirrors?”
Bud stood and stretched. “True. Unless they get a cut, why would they add to the mystique – because they would be, wouldn’t they?”
I nodded.
“And on that topic, are you going to tell me what your plan is? You have one, or you wouldn’t have been wittering on to Don about some old housemate of yours – who I happen to believe doesn’t exist – wearing her grannie’s perfume. I hope you appreciated my silence this morning by the way, because that required an enormous effort. And yet – despite the fact that you were lying was pretty much stamped across your forehead – Don lapped it all up, didn’t he? Until he went off on one at us tonight, I’d thought he was a decent sort; a bit gullible, and innocent, maybe, but decent. He certainly liked the way you learned from your experiences with your non-existent friend. So? Plans?”
“Good question. I had an inkling overnight, tested my theory with Zara, and you’re right that my yarn about perfume was a bit of a trap. But I need to do something else that you might not like too much; we have to stay up all night and maintain a lookout for anyone coming into the plaza.”
Bud’s eyebrows told me he hadn’t been expecting that. “And how do you suggest we do that, exactly? And why?”
“Well…I thought the roof would be a good place to – quite literally – lie low, and yet be able to have a good field of vision.”
“This roof? The roof of our dig?”
I nodded.
“Why?”
“I want to see if someone is doing the rounds of the digs in the dark, when everyone is asleep and under the influence of the tea KSue mentioned…which I think might contain a mild sedative, by the way.”
Bud started his head-scratching. “I’ve got to be honest and tell you that hadn’t occurred to me…but, now that you’ve mentioned it, I don’t like the idea one little bit, and yet I think you might have something there. KSue mentioned missing it – which I know can happen even if you’re just talking about consuming anything regularly. But a sedative? Really? More drugs? And what if someone decided to put something stronger in it? Are we back to not-Kool-Aid?”
I shrugged. “Stranger things have happened.”
“Well, not on my watch, they don’t, and – now that you’ve mentioned it, and before we even consider going clambering about on roofs, which is not an idea I’m wild about, by the way – I’m gonna run to KSue’s dig to tell her to give her tea a miss tonight; when we told her it would be safe, the idea you just mentioned hadn’t even crossed my mind. If anything were to happen to her the night before she leaves the place, I’d never forgive myself. You okay here? It shouldn’t take me long.”
“Yes, I’ll be fine, you go. We were wrong to make her feel comfortable about consuming anything at all that we didn’t take to her.”
“Agreed. What are you going to do?”
“I want to go through the commitment records you snaffled. They sound fascinating in the broad sense, but I want to see them for myself, and focus on the questionnaires completed by some specific people, because I think that’s where I might find out something that’ll answer the riddle of why Serendipity isn’t keen to report all that cash as having been stolen.”
“Divide and conquer,” said Bud, as he headed out of the door.