The Elias Anomaly

Thirteen

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"Mister Elias, a pleasure to see you again, please, won't you take a seat?"

Until Joseph heard the man speak did not recognise him. Only when he heard the man's voice did he remember the highwayman he had encountered in the ship's hold.

The man standing before him now was no longer dressed in the masked costume that he used for sneaking around on sea vessels. Now he stood revealed he looked to be in his early forties. He wore neatly trimmed black hair over a thin face with high, wide cheekbones, making his jaw look a little triangular. His eyes were dark, bright white pinholes of light shone from the edge of each iris.

He dressed in a tight, soft cloth period style. White silk stockings on his calves, soft leather shoes, black breeches and a black tail jacket. He wore silver rings on his fingers and a single silver earring in the shape of the same design that marked a service tunnel. This last detail made Joseph believe this individual had details regarding Joseph's current situation. That, and the fact that this man had sent a troop of merciless clockwork automatons to capture him and bring him... wherever this was.

"I'll stand, thanks," Joseph said.

"Suit yourself," the highwayman said, picking up a decanter from a trolley set away to the left side of his well appointed study. "Drink?"

"You're the one, aren't you?" Joseph said. "You did this to me."

The highwayman poured himself a drink and put the decanter back on the trolley.

"Did what? Woke you up?" he said. "No. For that you have the late Mr Grant to thank. If you just mean I am the one who had you brought here then, well, guilty, I suppose. I intend you no harm, however, I just wanted us to have an opportunity to discuss a few things."

"Excuse me if I am not completely reassured," Joseph said. "You'll also have to forgive me for not being all that interested in anything you have to say."

"Oh, I think you'll become interested, Mr Elias," the Highwayman said. "You take my word for that."

"Go on, then," Joseph said. "Interest me."

"I need to know something first," the Highwayman said. "What do you think has happened to you? Be precise."

"You've abducted me so you can, I don't know, talk to me about something?" Joseph said.

"And where have I brought you to, where on earth, where in time and space are we?" the Highwayman asked.

"We're in some kind of artificial reality simulation called the Cluster, as you well know," Joseph said. "I believed that my little home town was a real place but it was no more than a digital lie. I believe that I am Joseph Elias, an office worker from South East England, but I guess that's probably all lies as well."

"Somewhat, to some extent," the Highwayman said.

"And now you're expecting me to believe you know something about my situation," Joseph said. "Maybe I do, because more information would definitely be useful. On the other hand I have a problem. The only way that I can see you having any information about me is if you were involved in some way. You must have some involvement in the chain of events that ended up with me believing in Joseph Elias and Dewsmonk. That makes me uncertain I want to be at your mercy."

"There are more ways than direct involvement to know about you, Mister Elias," the Highwayman said. "Maybe if I made an introduction. You may call me the Agent, that is the only name I have ever needed."