Mask Read Free

have a better idea, much better,” he said flashing his eyes, “let’s do eighty-eight percent of everything, since this is such a so, so special day.  Send out the usual ‘Apply Next Year’ letter to all of those rejected.”  He flitted his fingers in a dismissive fashion.  “Purge their content and forward the remainder to,” he sighed as he continued, “the Division of Content Creation – Compliance Department.”
    “Yes Sir.”  J. Anderton noted the wistful smile, but continued without comment.  “I think you’ll enjoy this.  We have a one T. Iommi, High School student in Iowa, who violated the School’s Arts Charter on Music Appreciation.”
    “Pray, what did the young lad do?”
    “He was found utilizing a diminished fifth in a class assignment.”
    R. Garraty grinned, “A tri-ode, interesting.  The Devil’s note refuses to remain quarantined?  And what are we doing about this particularly pesky morsel of wickedness?”
    “Tactical is currently in route.  The class will be held for a day of re-education, the student will receive a month re-education assignment and the teacher will be detained for the statutory term of six months.  The student’s family is being vetted as we speak.”
    “Excellent work Jay.  Most excellent.  As usual, yes?  Tell me, which clever, hard-working tech caught this odious wisp of unpleasantness?”
    J. Anderton glanced at his report.  “That would be Tech F-dash-Four-Five-One.”
    “Put a commendation in his file , ‘ hard work and devotion, blah-blah-blah-something-something’ , okay?  Few would have caught this one.”
    “Consider it done , Sir.”
    “ Marvelous. 
    “I thought you’d appreciated that , Sir.”
    “But I assume there is more?  Please, tell me there is more,” R. Garraty encouraged.
    “ And just to top off your morning,” J. Anderton grinned foolishly as he continued, “we have a new applicant for IC.”
    “A new applicant?  Well, that is just, that is just stupendous, that’s what that is.  Simply stupendous.  Oh, go on, please, please share.”  R. Garraty cradled his face in his hands in anticipation.
    “He posted Anthem.”
    R. Garraty lifted his head and his eyes narrowed and for the briefest of moments darted to his locked drawer.  His tone changed abruptly.  “That’s sealed away in the Forbidden Archives.  How did he get a copy of that book?”
    “We don’t know Sir, but it isn’t the book.  It’s just the cover.  There’s another layer of encrypted data we’re going through now.”
    R. Garraty relaxed a little.  “Very talented demonstration.  Very talented indeed.  Where was the image posted?”
    “On my vid desktop Sir.”
    R. Garraty took in a deep breathe.  “Very, very impressive.  Does he have a tag?”
    J. Anderton again glanced at his notes.  “Yes, Slipknot seems to be the tag.  I researched the Archives.  Slipknot was a musical group from the early twenty-first century that concealed their identities by wearing frightening masks.”
    R. Garraty rubbed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.  “This is most troubling, very troubling indeed, even for a new applicant.  So I suppose we had better not waste any time and offer him a position sooner rather than later, yes?  A few months in Battle School and he’ll be a Level One Tech.  I feel confident on this, and I’m rarely wrong about such things, now am I?
    J. Anderton laughed as he touched the screen on his hand held vid.  “No Sir, you rarely are.”
    R. Garraty was less convinced of his own words.  This was too bold, even for a hacker attempting to get noticed by the Division.  There was a fine line between criminal hacking and showing off for IC as an applicant.  This was something else entirely.  No one had ever penetrated the Division’s firewalls.  And the choice to post Anthem was no less troubling.  Ability was one thing, but a purpose was dangerous.
    A new image appeared on R. Garraty’s desk