It wasn’t long before others expressed interest in our abilities, though our background was kept largely under wraps. Tila found a tutor for her art, and I found a mentor to further my education in engineering. Tila grew sick of it all a lot sooner than I did, leaving her mentor in order to do her own art without plugging into the Zealscape. I stayed, and I did well.

After I finished my education, I never touched a Chair again. I hate the feeling of information trickling into my brain. It’s like it fills my skull with noise and pushes out who I am. I always woke up after a night of downloading information as tired as when I’d gone to bed, muttering facts to myself as I made coffee. Perhaps it was harder for us because of our high retention rate, or the fact that Zeal is not as pleasurable for us as for others. In any case, I prefer to learn things the way the brain was meant to absorb them.

The Chair by itself is fairly antiquated. As of a few years ago, most people can download information directly into their brain, with extra implants in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. They don’t have that in Zeal lounges, but it’s the inevitable next step. Neither Tila nor I have those extra implants, and I’m glad they haven’t asked me to get them. I’d rather have the Chair.

“You have your room to store your things, but I’m afraid you’ll be sleeping here, most of the time,” Nazarin says. “Come on, let’s go have some coffee. I’ll help fill you in on what you can expect over the next few weeks.”

Finally. Oloyu hadn’t gone into a lot of detail about the day-in day-out plans of being undercover. He didn’t know.

He makes the coffee—well, orders it from the replicator—and sets the makings on the table. I’ve been in his presence over half an hour and I still have no idea what to think of him.

“So. We don’t have long to train you,” he begins. “Tila works at the Verve lounge a few times a week. We know where she goes and what her shifts are, and we do know how she communicates with them. We can tell them you’re ill, which means you can miss one, maybe two shifts, but after that they’ll expect you back. I can’t have the luxury, so I’ll still be working my usual night shifts while you brainload.”

“Verve … lounge?” I ask.

“That’s what she does for them and how she rose so fast through their ranks.” He seems frustrated that I’m confused. “Surely Oloyu told you about Verve?”