Page 27 of Pandion

From what Harumine could tell through the link, the fast pace was key in keeping the man focused, and because the pauses were so loathsome for him, he only stopped when he was forced to by a snag in the process or when he was done with something.

“How do you decide what to take and where?” Harumine snatched this rare opportunity to ask.

“It’s a hunch. I’ve been doing this for a long time.” Kagesawa drummed the edge of his desk with his fingers.

“What’s it all for?”

“You want the truth?” He switched from drumming to shaking his leg and then back again.

“Yes?”

“I like the satisfaction of seeing it all come together. I don’t care so much about the outcome.” He proceeded to tap the tipsof his fingers against his knee while he checked whether he could get back to it.

“But what do you do with all the data you’re collecting?” Harumine asked while the man still had capacity to hear.

“I find the optimal place to put it.” Kagesawa stretched, cracked his knuckles and resumed his increasingly restless fidgeting.

“‘Optimal’?” What was optimal? Harumine frowned.

“I’ll show you an example once this is done. Here’s a few more files for you. That stack should be enough.” The script was done loading, so Kagesawa continued where he’d left off and fell quiet again.

After three hours of this intense immersion and finding himself in dire need of sustenance and a pee break, Harumine was ready to declare Kagesawa a machine and admit defeat.

“I need a break.” He stood up and stretched. Kagesawa paid no attention.I need a break,Harumine repeated.

“Hmm?” Kagesawa seemed to take notice momentarily, but he was too much in the middle of it to break free. Harumine decided to leave him a note and retreated from the room.

A blip of confusion through the link alerted Harumine that Kagesawa had finally broken free from his obsessive concentration and realised Harumine was no longer in the room. He seemed to be reading the note, gained some awareness of his hunger and wondered what time it was.

It’s sixish,Harumine informed him from the living room.Done?

There was no clear projection back, but Harumine had curiously little trouble picking up a few pieces of what sounded like the man’s inner monologue as he finished up and emerged from his bedroom.

“Did it work out the way you thought it would?” Harumine asked and handed him a pair of katsu sandwiches with sliced cabbage and other assorted vegetables.

“Yes. Maybe better. Of course, I won’t know how all of it plays out once I’ve sent the data, but it’s looking promising.”

“What’s it for?”

“I’ll show you after I’ve eaten.” He sat down and decimated the sandwiches. Just when he was done and about to return to his BCI setup, Harumine received a message on his palm reader.

“I’m sorry, you’ll have to show me another time.” He stared at the message, dumbfounded. “I just got a reminder of a review appointment.”

“What?” Kagesawa sounded equally baffled.

“I don’t recall getting an invite in the first place. I need to recheck my messages… but this says it’s for tonight at 7 p.m.”

“Why’s it so late in the evening?”

“I haven’t got a clue. Did you get an invite?”

“I don’t think so. Let me check…” Kagesawa shook his head and started to pick on the frayed edge of his sleeve. Apparently, whatever this was for, they’d excluded him.

“Why would they review me? Did I do something?” If anyone, the likelier candidate should have been Kagesawa… but even then… why? No matter Kagesawa’s questionable hobby, hadn’t he been extra careful about not breaking any laws? And, with the link this crisp, surely Harumine would have been able to tell if he’d lied about something. “Did you do something?”

“Not that I know of.” Kagesawa shrugged.

“Well, I guess we’ll find out soon enough. I’d better get going so I won’t be late.” With a doubled sense of dread, Harumine hurried to get dressed.

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