I Guess We're Doing a Break In

“How did-” The two friends knew the answer to that question already. No one would suspect Avery of doing anything beyond basic readings and machine maintenance tasks. Dorian knew he could do something like this. The fact that he did still bowled him over. “I can’t believe…Wow.”

The shy boy was very much enjoying his moment. “I don’t know why I took the fan. It was just there. Everyone was busy being angry and stuff and I thought ‘I wonder what would happen if I stole it?’ So I did. Is it really that surprising?”

“Yeah, actually, it is, but no internal alarm bells went off at all?”

“What do you mean?” Avery looked genuinely confused. He was thinking so hard that his face almost caved in on itself.

“Like…You didn’t think about the consequences. Let’s say, for example, what would your Dad think? His reputation could suffer if the guys in the Guard found out his child had stolen.”

“I mean…I guess.” Worry crept across Avery’s face and it became clear to Dorian that he hadn’t truly considered the move. Inwardly, he was thrilled. Avery didn’t know it, but his act of kindness may have saved Dorian’s reputation and their friendship at the same time. “But I don't think he would find it very fair that you had been accused of something you didn't do. If that was one of his friends, he’d do something to help.”

“Would he steal?”

“He’s the Chief of the Guard, so probably not? I'm not really stealing it, though. I'm taking it out for maintenance.”

“That would probably work on everyone else, but it will not work on me. I’m not saying you did the right thing or the wrong thing. I’m just saying if you do big things like this, you have to think about what’s coming. You have to think about how your life could change if you step out of line, even just a little.”

“You mean like you? I don’t mind. What gave you the impression I didn't like adventure? I mean, sure I hate when I have to run really fast, and when grass gets on my work pants, and when I have to climb a tree to escape the Guard or the twins. Actually, I do mind, but it's much better than spending your day staring off into space, I think?”

“All right, all right! I get it. You didn’t have to gut punch me like that, but yes, like me."

“I do, I have. I just didn’t want you to get to in anymore trouble. If you’re not around, then I have no one. That’s just a fact. I can think for myself. I don’t want to be alone.”

There was to be no further discussion. This was final.

People could say what they wanted about Dorian's best friend, but when he decided, his mind was made up. There may be a need to worry about what comes later, but that was a problem for the future. He wasn't budging anymore and it would be foolish to try to change his mind. “Okay, but what are we going to do with that? You can't just leave catalogued tech lying around, they're going to be able to trace it back.”

“I know that, obviously! I was just thinking that maybe…”

“That maybe?”

“That maybe…”

“That maybe!”

“We could sneak in and reattach the fan?”

“…What!?”

Avery grew fidgety. Dorian wasn't sure if he was excited or nervous. Either way, the idea was bonkers. He had literally just spent the last minute or so explaining why it could go all shades of wrong, and he still wanted to suggest it? “Oh, you make it sound way worse than it is. I don't mean sneaking at night like a burglar on our tiptoes. I mean, maybe we do it after shift. That would be the best place to do it, right? I could offer to do extra work? No one will question it, its ‘good looking out.’

“I mean, yeah, it will probably work. You were the one who told me about the workings of the fans. Without you I'd just be standing there looking pretty. I pretend to know what I'm talking about, but we both know I'm a good liar. You sure you're up to it?

“Stop asking me if I'm sure!”

“Yeah, okay I know, it’s just-”

“I said stop! Don't you start doing this to me, too. Giving me pointers about everything deciding what I should wear, where I should go, who I can talk to. My world is fuzzy and people scare me, but I'm not an idiot! I try to explain myself to people, but they won’t listen! They never listen…” he trailed off, but Dorian was silently hoping, willing his friend to continue.

It would be foolish for him to pretend that he was different from the community. He wasn't, and even if he didn't mean to, he was still trying to control the actions of another human being. The word sorry formed on his tongue, but he thought better of it.

“I’m just sad.”

Dorian sighed. “You heard Mum talking, I guess,”

“Yeah, I did. You and your Mum are two of the only people that will speak to me like a somewhat decent person.  She told me about everything afterwards. I don't want you to go.”

“Oh believe me, I'm not going anywhere. If we’re going to do this, should we at least plan?”

“What's the point of planning Dorian? Let's be honest. If you did, it would be you just walking in there and giving a rousing tirade about how limiting yourself to the ground is stifling our development. You would give a rousing speech, saying something like: ‘the people of Lugus have their future in space.’ Then you would get jeered and then thrown into the jailhouse.”

“Oh, I don't think it would be…”

“Dorian.”

“Maybe some people would…”

“Dorian! Let me be selfish. Just this once, please? All of this arguing is hurting my head. I’m trusting you to make the right decision.”

He was right. Of course he was. This entire conversation was evidence to Dorian why he needed an anchor. Thank God for Avery and his ability to snap him back to reality. He was as eloquent as his mother, only without the many threats of grounding and being used like a power lift weight.

“But what about the council meeting? I'm pretty sure I could just about sweet talk my way through it… if I practised.”

“Don't give me that. You don't trust them any more than I do.”

“True. Wow Avery, you need to be fired up about more stuff.”

“Sorry, was that too much?" He had started to calm down now. It would be an annoyance for most people to hear somebody go on at length like Avery did when he was worked up, but Dorian considered it a privilege. He understood now what he needed to do. It may be a little more chaotic than even he was used to, but hey, everyone thought of him is an outcast, anyway. What's the harm in playing the role? And if Avery came along as well then, well, that's just the icing on the "lets break into a government building" cake.

“Well then, I guess we’re doing a break in.”

Avery smiled. “I guess we are.”

“Cool, I have just one question. I know you're going to stay behind after work, but how exactly do you do a break in? Surely you've never actually tried before?”

“No, of course not! But, I mean, technically, it's a reverse heist.”

Dorian shrugged. “Well, I definitely don't know how to pull one of those off.”

The cherubic smile of his best friend returned. “Oh, don't worry, you can leave that to me.”

***

The world was static.

The buzzing in Avery's head became stronger now he had left Dorian's house. A mechanical fuzz, like a thousand metallic bees, reverberating inside his skull.

He was reluctant to go home. There would be questions. Dad would probably still have his friends over. He hated to watch them throwback beers and throw out curse words. Holoball league was being shown today. If the Greenhaven Generals didn't put an end to their losing streak, Dad was going to be insufferable later.

Avery lived only a street down from Dorian but to turn the corner into Greenhaven’s second street, You would think that you had stepped into a different world. It looked primarily the same as the other streets. Bamboo houses in a row, neat and tidy. There wasn't really much to mark it out between any of the others.

Except the Junkyard.

Waste needed some place to go, and the people of Second Street were more than happy to break, batter and bruise any kind of technology from the Union. A strong collectivism neighbourhood, almost fanatical in their anti-technology beliefs. The name Luddite Row was apt.

Avery hated being at home. His Father made him uneasy. He just doesn't really understand a lot outside of work and sports. That's what people tell Avery all the time. “He wants to be a good dad. He just doesn't know how.”

Bullshit. He's had fifteen years to figure it out. Laziness and misunderstanding are two different things.

Even then, the reason Dorian hated his neighbourhood was the noise. Whenever he was in and around Luddite Row, the fuzziness would be at its peak, so much so that Avery could barely speak. He skipped a broken vending machine and made his way up to his doorstep. The metallic rumbling began.

It was okay. This had happened many times before. He knew the techniques. Slow deep breaths, think about the things you like. Slow deep breaths, think about the things you like. It's just a conversation, with spirits, or aliens, or something.

He tried to persevere, but the static kept getting louder and louder. Piercing through his ears until one of them bled, he fell to his knees as if praying. He tried to open his front door, but when he touched the handle, he got even worse. The scrambling started to push against his brain, making his vision a blanket of white.

“Ah…Oh…Plea…don.”

A voice?

In amongst the scramble, they formed words. Avery gasped at the sudden new intake of information. Was somebody in trouble? Surely somebody could hear this? Dad, maybe? He looked around at the street. It was as quiet as anything. If there was a crime, people would know. If somebody was in trouble, people would know. He grit his teeth from the pain, and the slow realisation that he might be going insane.

“I don…anything.”

If he could just move away from the house, it would be okay. Avery Took a few steps back, but it felt like the voice was embedded in his brain now. The other sounds melted away, which just made this one all the more clear.

“I told you, I know nothing! Please, I’m-”

The voice cut abruptly, and Avery made slow steps towards the house. With his mind upside down and a sick feeling in his stomach, he just about managed to push the key in the door to open it. Only to collapse to his knees in the hallway when he entered, the boisterous sounds of the Holoball game ringing in his head.