Business ideas kept flowing his way, especially since he was known to be a consultant for Digitas and a possible source of venture capital. He was hearing exciting stuff about improved delivery systems for the health benefits of infrared light on mitochondrial cells. And John MacDonald was making some significant breakthroughs with his artificial life modelling that had all sorts of implications for quasi-biological robotics. If only he hadn’t introduced him to Hunter at Plein Soleil.

As Saul passed the entrance to the state park, the last few hundred yards of his highway journey rushed backwards in the giant screen of his Tesla X. He slipped into a trance of optimal efficiency, indicating well ahead of the turning, glancing at the screen as he slowed down, and gliding off the highway while commanding his phone to call Raoul. The ringtone thrummed through the car’s sound system as it climbed towards the first gate shared by Apocalypse, Yab-Yum and Titan, an almost immediate barrier to discourage the millions of tourists meandering along the coast from attempting to explore the segregated hilltops, or even park on the lower slopes.

‘Hello, Mr Saul, I open the gate for you.’

‘Thanks, Raoul.’

The gates were swinging open as Saul turned the corner, giving the flavour of a flow state to the end of his humdrum journey. That sense of exhilaration and the relief of arrival and the pleasure of access to an increasingly privileged setting softened Saul’s dissatisfied and combative state of mind and by the time he came to the second gate, at the foot of Apocalypse, he began to feel that it would be premature to break away from Hunter at this point in their partnership. The first relief package of five million would probably land sometime next spring, enabling him to pay off a chunk of his mortgage and other debts and putting him in a stronger position to strike out on his own at a later date. His contract came up for renewal in just under two years, when he might be able to achieve a relatively frictionless departure. Hunter had certainly mellowed since he had started going out with Lucy, but he was still a ruthless businessman and being the designated target of his legal team was a terrifying prospect. Yes, Saul decided, as he drew into the parking area beneath Hunter’s startling house, he would carry on for the moment working for Digitas, despite the pressure from Chrissy to grasp the billionaire’s crown that he truly deserved.