The Algorithm of Chaos

‘They are not federals, they are from the Institution which has nothing to do with the government’.

‘Who do they work for then?’

‘The global superstructure layered above any governments on the earth’.

‘Again? The old good cud about Masons, huh? Conspiracy Theory to impress high school kids? Come on!’

‘The stuff is not compulsory… May I have a glass of water?’ 2ic sat down on the coach.

V brought a bottle of mineral water from the fridge. 2ic made a couple of gulps.

‘Some awkward question, V, I just can’t help it, have kept it back for too long. My apologies in advance’.

‘What a delicate approach! You stir most dark suspicions, is it you, my friend? Fire it off, anyway’.

‘Well… damn, it’s hard… Well, why did you break up? You were so obviously in.. well, special to each other’.

‘The word is “love”, dude. Yes, I was in, the split was not my idea. Looks like she wished to feel happy for which end she needs to set some one free. It does not matter whom, me or Fluffy.’

‘I don’t dig it, man. Who’s Fluffy? Are you high?’

‘Never mind. Just a slip of tongue. How are you, by the by?’

‘Wanna know, huh? Thanks, I’m fine except for there’s neither 2ic, nor Alec Taylor Jr. No, no more!. Look!’ He got onto his feet and, slightly careening, yanked apart the sides of his unzipped Windbreaker.

Horrified, watched V the frightful sight. Instead of the jovial plump sybarite he knew, a stick-man stood before him, uneven pleats developed in the shirt hung plumb down his front.

‘See, eh?’ said 2ic. He grabbed the only bump under his shirt fabric, a kinda argyle sack sagging from his waist, to sway and wobble it clockwise and back.

‘O, no!’ exclaimed V shocked yet understanding the sack was the surplus skin, still uncontracted sheath that a couple of months back contained the thick belly of his gourmet friend. ‘How come, buddy? Tell me all’.

‘All? It might hurt, man’.

‘Alright, I’m not too squeamish. Tell me’.

‘I am deprived of eating. Chewing, swallowing are there, I can stuff my stomach full but it brings no joy, does not make me happy as I used to be. So why eating? I can nibble a snack here, a snack there, if I remember, during the day, and no lustful night raids to the fridge. I’ve neither appetite no hunger’.

‘O boy! O boy! But why?’

‘Too much of a shock, I reckon, had I to live thru lately’. 2ic coughed in hesitation and moved his stare over to the corner before to go on.

‘We met a year after you broke up. A chance meeting in the street. She suggested to drop into a cafe. Who would reject so a gorgeous woman! A friendly chat and then I saw – she’s flirting in earnest! My head swerved. Well, you know. “In old Japan,” said I, “Some poor devil, a penniless samurai could arrange a date with the top-notch geisha to be paid for by his dear life”.

“I’m not so versed in Japan’s history,” she answered. “What about a one-night stand paid with a friendly favor?”

‘What favor?’

“The details on the morning after”.

‘What’s there to explain? We’re from the same pod… In the morning she wanted me to run an errand and pass her message to you: “V’s been the best lover in her life”.

‘And then?’

‘Then I saw her twice. A week after the… ahem… taking the errand. In the same cafe she thanked for keeping up to the deal and suggested I apply for a job in the Institution I’ve never heard of. I refused to believe the salary she mentioned, were their employees senators or something?. Yet she was not kidding… The second time we met two months ago in the office of the Institution security boss, Wal. They told me to pass you one of the cards we’re dealing with at the Institution. It’s not a breach but skirting about the regulation for everyone’s advantage’.

‘So your arrest was a fake?’

‘Yep’.

‘And you warned me by Wal’s phone?’

‘Exactly… Then I was told to change the location and my vehicle. That’s all’.

‘And now they told you to feed this tall story to me?’

‘No, man! I was looking for you of my own accord! I knew your habits, favorite places to hang out. Then followed. You can’t imagine what a relief to have all that off my chest!’

Now 2ic was looking at V, not avoiding his eyes any more, breathing deep, both noisily and visibly.

‘Hey, V! I can’t believe it! Looks like I’m hungry. By Jove! I feel it! Wow! Any chow in your fridge?’

* * *

22

After locking the door V turned around and with the already automatic move dropped the key into the entry tray. He passed over to the room and stopped in his tracks, a kinda statue “Apprehensive Thoughts’.

All about looked just as it should, the way it looked ever since he moved in—an immaculate pedantically arranged monk cell. Nevertheless, he knew it now was not the same, except for its all pervading quietude – some thing or other has changed has changed its location if even for a splinter of a micron. He felt it.

‘Anybody home?’ called V out loud.

‘Ahem’, answered the kitchen with a voice whose owner kinda got into a huge vat to embellish their response with a booming reverb echo.

‘Don’t shoot he piano player, Mister. He does his level best’. It rolled like peels of thunder from deep inside his innards.

A two-meter-tall guy shadowed the entry with his bulky frame. Two huge claw-like hands up, a beer can in the right one. Despite the comic attitude, his eyes were dead attentive, allowing to see at once the notice in them “We take no shit”.

‘Beg your pardon, pardner. I took the liberty of checking the your fridge contents’.

‘Feel yourself at home. My castle is your castle, Wal’.

The giant's left brow ticked slightly in appreciation of being recognized without self-introduction. In two strides he reached the chair and got seated. The item reacted to the action with a sorrowful squeak.

V neatly sat on the coach opposite his guest. ‘What can I do for you?’

‘Cooperation in a job interview if you please’.

‘Who’s the applicant, for which position?’