The System Read Online Free PDF Page A

promising to read it. And he had, some of it anyway; it was an old book written in a strange language, a weird book, full of stories of war and loyalty and deception. Benjamin had laughed when he’d seen him reading it, had told him he hoped he took the good from it and not the bad. The truth was, Raffy hadn’t taken much from it really; it had confused him more than anything. But there was one story that he’d really liked, a story that he still thought about sometimes. ‘No, that won’t be necessary. I’ll call you Cassandra.’
    ‘Cassandra?’ the computer asked. ‘The doomed soothsayer?’
    ‘No one listened to her,’ Raffy said lightly. ‘Maybe they’ll ignore you, too. How do you know that story, anyway? I thought you were in start-up mode. Does that include knowing about the
Odyssey
?’
    ‘I know everything,’ Cassandra said simply, no arrogance in her voice, no self-congratulation.
    ‘Everything? Are you sure?’ Raffy asked.
    ‘I have never been found wanting so far,’ Cassandra replied.
    Raffy considered this. ‘Okay then,’ he said. ‘In that case, Cassandra, let’s get to work, shall we? I want you to show me the world. Everything you can. I want you to fill me in on what’s happened in the past twenty-five years. I want all the facts. And then I want you to tell me how you work, all about the technology platform you’re built on. Got it?’
    A woman’s image appeared: young, blonde, beautiful. ‘Got it,’ Cassandra said, winking.
    Raffy held her eye for a few seconds, then shook his head. He needed to focus, not to be distracted. ‘Twenty years older, please,’ he said, his voice deadpan.
    ‘Really? You’re sure?’ Cassandra sounded plaintive, disappointed; it made him think of Evie, think of every time he’d disappointed her.
    He cleared his throat. ‘Definitely,’ he said quickly. ‘Actually, on second thoughts, make it thirty.’
    The apartment was big. Too big. Particularly with just the three of them rattling around in it. Raffy felt Benjamin’s shadow everywhere and he longed for his mentor to still be alive, to walk over to him, those serious eyes looking right into his as he proffered advice that was always so welcome, so exactly right. Benjamin had been a good man, but he also knew what it was like to not be good; to feel anger, resentment, jealousy and envy. He knew what it was like to inhabit dark places, to allow the demons within to have free reign. He got it; Raffy could see it in his eyes. Had seen it in his eyes.
    He missed him. Missed him more than he would admit to himself. Missed his very existence, not just his presence. If the world could forgive Benjamin, if Benjamin could be reborn as such a wise, just man, then perhaps Raffy could, too. Perhaps there was hope after all.
    But for the time being, there wasn’t much of anything. Linus may as well have been living somewhere else for all Raffy saw of him. He shut himself away in his little cubicle from morning until night, only emerging for comfort breaks and, occasionally, to eat. When he did emerge, he was monosyllabic, gruff; the only sentences he managed were platitudes that meant nothing. Bide your time. Be patient. Let’s play the long game.
    The problem was, it wasn’t a game, not anymore, and Linus didn’t see that. He was so used to being several steps ahead of everyone that he couldn’t deal with the fact he was now miles behind. Thomas had won the game; now it was real life. Now, if he didn’t build Thomas the System he wanted, Evie was in danger. Raffy would put up with many things, but he wouldn’t jeopardise one hair on Evie’s head, and he kept trying to make that point to Linus. But he hadn’t got through. At least he was pretty sure he hadn’t.
    He sat down heavily at the table where food was laid out, just as it was for every meal. Fish tonight, with roasted vegetables and couscous. Cassandra had told him what it was all called, told him how it was made. She hadn’t been allowed