“youneverdidkeepyourpromise,”meilinsaidsuddenlycaldwellmoschokedonhisfood

iwasdefinielyonewayobreakheiceandshewasbegi

ingogeunforablewihheinensiyofcaldwell’ssareasmuchascaldwelldidn’wanoadmini,meilinhadurnedouobeevenmorearacivehanwhenshewasaeenagerherfeaureswerealosronger,moreinenseherbodywaslihelikeaballedancerwihwellonedmusclesherfacewasalomoreassuredonigh,shewaswearingasraplessopwhicholdanyonewhocaredolookhashespenaloofimeinhegymandhedojoshehadwideeleganshouldersandapacmidriffaperingoffoaslimwaishereyeshadn’changedmuchheywereslighlydarkerinhesubduedlighofhevienameseresauranlocaedasone’shrowfromshekobeach

caldwellknewhadeepinsidehehopedhahismemoriesofherwerenomanufacuredbyhydrahefoundidifficulokeephiseyesawayfromherface,willingherobeeransparensohahecouldseehroughherwhaeverhehadfelforherinhosememoriesofallhoseyearsagowassillflowingbelowhesurfacelikeprecipiaioninawaerable

“i’salongsoryoneionlyfoundoumyselflesshanforyeighhoursago”

“soyoukeepsayingi’mlisening,”meilinsaidsimplyherewasalookofinenseemoionalpainonherface,hekindhahadbeenpainsakinglyburiedonlyohaveirelucanlydugupagainherhinpinklipswerepursedhereyeshadurnedinopoolsofsquidink,opaqueandoallyunreadablewassheacing,bolseringheperceivedauheniciyofhisrecenlyacquiredmemoriesofher?

“heruhisidon’knowwhahappenedomeaferhedayimeyouyouseeihadmymemoryerasedbyhydrasixyearsago”caldwellpausedfordramaiceffecandosudyherreacion

“youdon’expecmeobelievehadoyou?hydradoesn’dohosekindsofhingsaanyrae,hereisnodaaofhisinyourfile”wasshekeepinguphepreences,oeingheofficialline?

“andhameansididn’happen,righ?youwillbesurprisedihinkyouwillbelievemebyheimeiamfinished,”caldwellsaidwihhinlyveiledsarcasm

“ok,goon”herewasaspecerofincreduliyinhereyesbuididn’looklikeihadanysayingpowercaldwellfelhaheicehadbeensomewhabrokenandhewouldbeableomakesomeprogressinmakingherbelievehimye,hewasanyhingbupcenhecouldnorusher

“asfarasiwasawareiknewnohingaboufoulerorhydraunilyeserdaymorningwheniwenohedockndsomeeahackerfriendiknewonlyasglyphunilhen,glyphhadbeenanonlineassociaeonlywehadnevermeinhefleshifiwasn’forglyph,andheworkhahepassedonome,iwouldsillbesleepingroughunderwaerloobridge”

“youweresleepingrough?”

“yeah,ahomelessmunebelowwaerloobridgeheauhoriiesurnedablindeyewelivedoffhesreeserribleimesbumadesomelifelongfriends”

“howdidyouenduphere?”herewassomehingcaldwellrecognizedasempahyinhereyes

“ruhis,iwokeuponedayandhereiwasheareabelowwaerloobridgehasarepuaionasapceoabandonunwanedinfansandiguessfolkswhohavehadheirmemorieserasedbasically,unwanedmembersofhehumanracewhohesysemca

obringiselfomurderincoldblood”

“nowonder”

“nowonderwha?”

“nowonderi’vebeensomiserablemosofheseyears”

“howdoyoumean?”

“foundiimpossibleobehappyfellikeahugeparofmewasmissingidon’knowwhy,buihadafeelingyouweresufferingbeforehepassedaway,ioldmygrandfaheraboumeeingyousoonaferhadayheaskedmeoellhimasmuchasiknewabouyouioldhimeveryhingiknew,whichwasalosincei’dbeeninlovewihyouforyearsbeforewemehadayousideheschoolievengoafriendogemeaprinouofyourschoolrecordsmygrandfaherisarainedforuellerandfengshuimaserhesaidyouwouldfindmuchsufferinginlondonbuwillonlyfindpeaceandhappinesswhenyoureurnhomeonewchinawhenyouneverconacedmeiguessedyouweresillinlondon”

wasn’sheyingionabihick,allhissuffaboubeingunhappy?shelookedperfeclyokohim

“iwishnowihadconacedyouicouldhavesavedmyselfaloofhasslebyjusquiingheagencyandingbackhere”

“iwanedofindyoububyheimeigoyourfamily’sphonenumberfromheschoolrecords,youweregoneandyourparen’shouseoncaineroadwasalreadyupforsale,accordingoheproperyagenwhopickeduphephone”

“ahrighhehousefoulerdidn’sayawordabouha?whadoyouknowaboufouler?”

“hydraglobalheadofoperaionsinhisyouhhewasoneofhemosinfamousphreakersoeverwalkhefaceofheearhhisfore,apparenly,wasobringdownenireelemunicaionsworks,unilheauhoriiescaughupwihhimandmadehimanofferhecouldn’refusedidsomeimeinareeducaionfaciliyandjoinedhydrasoonaferwardsins&dquiearesumeinfac,hydraisnowprobablyhisownpersonaloperaionhekeepshenameforheinernaionalrecogniionfacorandhefachaiopenscerainhighleveldoorsisuspechaheumbrelagencycuhydraloosealongimeagoandnowiisfundedwihfouler’sownmoney”

“ineresingaloofhingsarebegi

ingomakesenseanyway,wherewasi?righ,iwasmeeingwihglyphinapubwhenhesewojapaneseyakuzahugssaredakingshosausglyphgohiimanagedobreakouhewindowonohesreehejapanesewerejusabouokillmeorkidnapme,whoknows,whenhisbckelecriclimopullsupandiambundledininsideisfoulerheellsmehissoryabouhowiusedobesomehoshoins&dbusomehowgrewaconscienceandhreaenedoouheagency,opublishisdarkessecresincyberspacehesaidheagencyhadnochoicebuowipemymemorycleananddumpmeonhesreeiendedupunderwaerloobridgeabousixyearsagowihlileornomemoryofmypas”

“isee”

“inhelimofoulerellsmewhaihadsuspecedearlier,hahejapanesewereaferhiscusomconsole,whichwassenomebyonekenzoyamamoo,adealerininformaionsomesayhewasinodaabckmail”

“whydidhisyamamoosendhisconsoleoyou?”

“ahehub,esseniallyahackerbulleinboardiwasamemberof,hewasoneofourbiggescliens”

“andhowdidyougofromsleepingroughunderwaerloobridgeohehub?”meilinwassillnobuyinghesorypleely

“herewereafewlowlevelhackersinwaerloowhousedorerieveoldpuerparsfromcorporaegarbagedumpsandrebuildworkingmachinesheydidhisomakealiving,resoldhepuersafleamarkesandhelikeoccasionallysomeonefoundsomevaluabledaaresidinginsecorsonhosediscardedharddrivesanyway,oneofhoseguysgavemehisbaseaddresswhileweweregoinghroughhejunk,saidicouldfindhackingjobshereificouldeachmyselfhowodoiaheime,iwasryingopuogeherapuericouldacuallyuseihadnoideawhyihadhisinsaiableneedobuildonebuinheendididandiurnedouihadapropensiyforhehingsihadnoideaaheimenow,iknowwhysoevenuallygoomessaginghisguyonhebaseandwekindofsaredanonlinefriendshiparoundhaimeisaredhackingheunionsysemsinabidofindouaboumypasbuialwayscameupbnkafewmonhser,igoaccepedinohehubanddiscoveringhisnewworldpersuadedmeoryandbreakouofheviciouscycleofwaerloobridgeafercloseofouryearshereandmakesomekindofalifeformyselfiseupanofficialbaseascconlineinvesigaionsmyforewasofindmissingpeoplebuialsodidoherjobshaweninograyererrioriesaferalmosayearofborrowingpowerandco

eciviyfrompublicinfrasrucurebelongingobohunionelecricandunionele,imadeenoughmoneyoleavewaerloobridgeisaredgoingwhereverheworkwasinheunion,anwerp,maasrich,vdivosokhenglyphpickedupaclienwhohadenoughworkogoaroundandsoonweweredoingquiewellforourselvesevenhoughglyphasheownerofhehubookhelion’ssharehaclienwaskenzoyamamooasihappenedkenzoneededsomejobshaglyphcouldn’deliveronandhereferredhimomeaferaloofrigmaroleesablishinghaiwasrusworhy,isareddoingheoddjobforhimwihsomesuccessunibounineweeksago,hisprojecskepmeinenougheurocredioberegurlyholedupincapsulehoelsaroundheunion”

“so,whahappenednineweeksago?”

“igoananonymousjobhroughhehubosealheprivaebankingclienlisofhesumiomobankinokyo,pleewihaccounnumbers,passwords,credihisoryandsoonhisislowlevelwork,sufficanusuallydowihmyeyesclosedye,herunwasapleefailureihadinrusiondeecionbosfollowingmeallhewaybackoheunionimanagedoavoiddeecion,buinexplicablynewsofhefailedrunwaspropagaedalloverheunionhackerbulleinboardshegeneralgiswashaihadpromisedhesecuriyofhehubandhelivelihoodsofhehackersibecamepersonanongraaworkdriedup,”

“andkenzowasbehindhewholehing?”

“god,youaresharpididn’realizeaheimebuifoundoufromheconsole,fromheavaarkenzorecordedbeforehedied,hahehadbeenbehindiall”

“andheconsole?howdidieinoyourpossession?”

“yeserdayishowsupinheposwihkenzo’scallingcardhesaysi’llneediforanupingmissionyoucanimagine,hissoundedlikehebigdealiwasanopporuniyosoplivinginfoampaddedpsiclockershacounedyourlifedownbyheminueandiamru

ingouofcrediwaiingforkenzoosurfaceagainwhenglyphmessagesmewemeeandheellsmekenzoisdeadandheyakuzashowupryingorerieveheconsoleandprobablydispachmeomymakerhenfoulershowsupsayinghehashekeyomypasheisaclevermanheunlocksenoughwihheseriggershehasinhispockeomakemerememberhadaywhenheunofficiallyhiredme,hesamedayimeyouandeveryclichéofhongkongyoucaneverhinkofifihelphemonhismissionodiscoverhefuncionofheconsoleicanhavemypasback,ajobahydra”

“hemadeyouanofferyoucouldn’refuse”

“basicallyandonhepneigeabunchofoldmemoriesreacivaedjuswhaineedforhismission”

“ha’slikemnemonicbckmail”

“concisewayofpuingiyeah!”

“soyousillcan’rememberwhyyounevermessagedme?”

“haparofmymemoryislockedupalhoughisuspeciwasanearlierprocedureahydrahawipedcerainmemoriesihinkfoulermayhaveerasedsomeofmypreviousmemoriesofhongkongwhenijoinedhydraifwedon’findhischineseworkiwillprobablybelockedupforever”

“ihinkyoucandoiyoualwayshadalen,evenaschool”

“sohowdidyouendupahydra?coincidence?”caldwelskedheriwashisurnodeliverhespanishinquisiion

“iguesslefhongkonginernaionalschoondreadaisudiesasinghuauniversiyinbeijingiwashedohinghen,osudyinchinaaferall,hongkongwasbuashadowofisformerselfandyoungpeoplelookednorhwardsforheircareers,culurefix,inspiraionandeveryhingelsedon’knowwhyichosepuerssubliminally,iamsureihadsomehingodowihyouiwasawayofmakingupforhefachaihadprobablylosconacwihyouforeveranyway,ifoundouiwaspreyokaionceigoovermyiniialprejudicehapuerswereboringandaikindofpusahumanspinonpuingsohawasineresingoneday,owardsheendofmyfinalyear,iwassiinginacoffeeshopnearhesanliundiplomaicareainbeijing’schaoyangdisricreadingsomeboringbooko

euralworkswhenargemanwihsrawcoloredblondehairsrikesupaconversaion”

“dewie”

“yeshesaidneuralworkswereveryineresingaskedmewhaiwasdoingioldhimiwasabouograduaewihadegreeinarificialinelligenceanddidn’knowwhaiwasgoingodowihiheaskedifiwouldlikeheopporuniyoworkonsomeofheworld’sleadingsysemsheaskedaloofquesionsaboumyfamilybackgroundandwaspleasedwhenioldhimherewasonlymeandmygranddad,reivelyrecenmainndmigransohongkongparensweredead,hreegrandparensdeadandmeanonlychildaloofessfollowedinhongkongbubasicallywihinsixmonhsofhecoffeeshopencounergranddadandiwereunionciizensandiwasworkingforhydrafirsherewasinensephysicalraininginokyoandhenaheseminaryheniwasbackohongkongsaredoffpushingaloofpaper,henbecameananalyswriingreporsonemergingechnologyrendsinnewchina,moslymiliaryreed”

“haisineresing,”caldwellsaid

“nonearlyasamazingasyoursoryiamsorryyouhadosuffersomuchyoumusreallyhaefoulerandhereiwasbeingangrywihyouihadnorighiwasaskingoomuchofyoufromasingleencouner”

“asinglespecialencouner,”caldweldded,noknowingwherehewasgoingwihhis

“yesbuhawasmanyyearsago”

“rue”

“andhingschange”

“heohingwecanallbecerainofischange”

“sorue”

“soareyoumarried?boyfriend?”caldwellvenured,emboldenedbyhedirecionofheirconversaion

“ifhacouns,youweremyfirsandonly”

“sorryohearha”

“ha’sokiwasmychoiceenirelyandiamsillyoungifiguredcareerfirsmanyyounggirlsinasiadoadophisapproach,preferringodealwihaffairsofhehearaferheyhavesoredouheircareerssowhaabouyou?”

“ihaveafriendingreaerlondoncalledkawhoiamverycloseobunolikeagirlfriendwearemorelikebroherandsisershekindofsavedmylifeonceiguesshesedays,reionshipsarealmosimpossiblepeopleareooplex,herepercussionsoomany”

“ruewell,i’sgeingeshouldwegehebill?wesarbrighandearlyomorrow”

caldwellhadnocredisohelemeilinselehebilndheywalkedbackinsilencealongshekoroadohesoundofwavescrashingonhebeachbelow