guys are so slow,” Felix sighed. “It’s Dr Higgins!” He shook the photo in exasperation. “This must be, like, some kind of NJ7 crazy scientist end-of-term photo.”
“I don’t think they have terms,” said Georgie. “But whatever – I think you’re right. He looks a bit younger, doesn’t he? But it’s definitely him.”
“So these other people…” The pieces were falling into place in Jimmy’s head.
“These must be some of the scientists who designed…” Eva paused, unsure how to put it. “…who worked on your genetics, Jimmy.”
Jimmy grabbed the photo and ran his finger across the faces. Dr Higgins was the only one he recognised.
“Have you seen any of these people at NJ7?” he asked.
“I don’t think so,” replied Eva. “But there are hundreds of people working there. It’ll take me some time to find out who they all are and what’s happened to them since this photo was taken.” An idea flashed across her face and she dropped her voice, almost talking to herself. “I can scan it in and run it through the facial recognition programme, then the NJ7 database…”
“Is Dr Higgins still in America?” Felix asked. “He’d probably help you.”
“Maybe he would,” said Jimmy, “but he could be anywhere in the world right now. Eva…” He thrust the photo into her hand. “…if you can find one of these other scientists, that’s my best chance.”
“As long as they’re not still loyal to this Government,” said Georgie. “Otherwise they’ll turn you in and NJ7 will kill you.”
“I have to risk it,” Jimmy insisted. “I don’t have a choice.”
“OK,” announced Eva, “I’ll see what I can find out.” She started gathering all her documents together again, keeping the photograph on the top of her pile. “I’ll send you a message in the Sudoku.”
“The who-do-what?” Jimmy asked.
“You know,” said Felix. “The puzzle at the back of the paper.”
“Since when do you read the paper?” Jimmy asked.
“Since your mum started trying to get me to do school work.”
“Oh, right. Sorry about that.”
“It’s OK. I just do the puzzles and tell her its maths.”
“Don’t,” Eva cut in. “Don’t ever do the Sudoku.”
“What?” Felix looked hurt. “Why?”
“Or the crossword.” Eva looked genuinely scared at the thought. “The Government controls all those puzzles. Every day the numbers and words are arranged by a government computer to make you feel calm and happy. It’s like a drug. It’s one of the ways they make sure people will do whatever they say.”
Jimmy couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“You mean the puzzles in every newspaper are designed by the Government to make everybody more obedient?”
“Every newspaper except the Daily Mail,” Eva explained. “They have too many puzzles and I think their readers are obedient anyway.”
“All this time they’ve been brainwashing me!” gasped Felix. He gripped his skull in his hands and his mouth dropped wide open. “I knew it!”
“I think your brain would take a special kind of washing, Felix,” said Georgie with a smile. Then she turned back to Eva and was serious again. “So if these puzzles are controlled by a government computer how are you going to use them to send us messages?”
“I have access to the computer programme,” beamed Eva. “So get The Times and hold the Sudoku up against the crossword clues. Whatever words it highlights, search for them online and go to the first message board that comes up. I’ll change which message board I’m on every day, and if I have an urgent message for you I’ll just put it straight into the clue words.”
“Thank you, Eva,” said Jimmy, but he wasn’t sure whether he sounded grateful enough. He knew Eva was risking her life for him. She just smiled and headed for the lifts until Felix stopped her.
“Eva, wait.” His voice was suddenly low and his eyes downcast. “When you look through all the stuff on NJ7 computers and in their documents and everything…”
“What is it?” Eva asked, but Jimmy knew straight away what was on Felix’s mind. He recognised the darkness in his friend’s eyes that had never been there before a certain day several months ago – the last time anybody had seen his parents.
“Do you ever see anything about my mum and dad?” Felix’s voice was level, but it was obvious how much effort it was taking. His parents had been seized in New York, and at first everybody had assumed it must have been NJ7 that had taken them. But Jimmy had found out the truth. The head of the CIA admitted that he’d taken them.
Jimmy would never forget how it had happened. He could still see the triumph in Colonel Keays’ eyes, the wrinkles on his face all seeming to point to his devilish smile. The man had used his power as head of the CIA to send Jimmy on a fake mission to an oil rig. The result had been Colonel Keays gaining even more power. In fact he was now on the verge of becoming President of the USA.
“The CIA has definitely got them,” Jimmy went on. “Not NJ7. Colonel Keays had no reason to lie about that. It’s going to take time, but we will get them back.”
“I just thought it was worth checking,” mumbled Felix. “In case NJ7 knew something. That’s all.” He shrugged slowly and Jimmy felt a shot of intense sadness shoot through him. It was like an injection of pure darkness. At least my programming still lets me feel sympathy, Jimmy thought to himself.
“Sorry, Felix,” whispered Eva. “If I find anything about your parents I’ll definitely send you a message straight away. But I think Jimmy’s right.”
She hurried away towards the lift, the beat of her footsteps echoing through the car park.
“We should wait until she’s gone,” Jimmy whispered to Felix and Georgie. “Then we’ll go down the other way together.”
“Oh,” Eva called out, swivelling round as she waited for the lift. “I saw William Lee. He said something about trying to fix the satellite surveillance system. It wasn’t working properly or something.”
“Across the whole of London?” Jimmy asked hopefully.
“That’s what it sounded like,” said Eva. “And it didn’t seem like he was doing a good job of fixing it.” The lift arrived and Eva stepped in. “So they might not have such good coverage of the streets as usual. I’ll send you a message if that changes. Don’t forget – the puzzles in the paper!”
“Thanks again, Eva,” whispered Jimmy.
“Good luck.” Eva’s words were lost in the shadow of the lift doors.
