Nova's Rebellion

Chapter 8: The Partner

In the quiet confines of his apartment, Alex contemplated the daunting task that lay ahead. He was considering an audacious attempt to infiltrate DataBrainz, an undertaking that dwarfed any of his previous ventures. He knew that he stood on the precipice of a monumental challenge, one he couldn't face alone. He needed assistance. And only one person came to mind – Ignatius.

Picking up his encrypted phone, Alex dialed Ignatius. "What do you want, Alex?" came the response, the tone reflecting a certain annoyance.

"Ignatius, I need your help," Alex confessed, cutting straight to the chase. "I'm planning to infiltrate DataBrainz. I need you on the outside, as my backup."

Ignatius fell silent for a moment before responding, "You trust me with this?"

"Yes, I do. You're one of the most brilliant people I know, Ignatius. And I know I can count on you."

There was a pause before Ignatius replied, "Alright, Alex. I suppose I owe you one."

Alex breathed a sigh of relief before adding, "We should meet. This isn't something we can plan over the phone."

Ignatius hesitated at this proposition. He then proceeded to weave an intricate web of excuses, each more fantastical than the last. He claimed his wheelchair was broken, his mother, also wheelchair-bound, needed him, and their caretaker was on an indefinite leave.

His excuses were a hodgepodge of inconsistencies that didn't quite add up, and it struck Alex as odd. Ignatius, who prided himself on his intellect and problem-solving skills, suddenly helpless? It didn't sit right. Alex was convinced Ignatius was concealing something.

Their conversation concluded with Ignatius agreeing to help, but he was adamant about one thing - they would not meet in person. Ignatius was a fortress unto himself, his world as impervious to outsiders as the organization they planned to infiltrate. Now, Alex faced a dual mission. Before penetrating the defenses of DataBrainz, he would have to breach the walls that Ignatius had erected around his own life.

Alex was no stranger to detective work. A few hours, several strategic keystrokes, and a generous amount of digital investigation later, he tracked down Ignatius's place of residence.

His heart pounded with anticipation as he approached the house. The moment of meeting Ignatius, the face behind the endless encrypted messages and dry wit, was upon him. But nothing could have prepared him for the shock he was about to receive.

Alex had always pictured Ignatius in a high-tech house, full of ramps and robotic devices to assist with his supposed mobility issues. So it was quite the surprise when he discovered that Ignatius's home was a modest townhouse in a quiet neighborhood, complete with a healthy flight of stairs and absolutely no sign of an elevator or any mobility aids. The incongruity of it gave Alex his first real chuckle in what felt like months.

He stood there on the sidewalk, peering at the house, confusion and amusement battling for dominance. His mind was suddenly inundated with images of Ignatius and his also supposedly wheelchair-bound mother tackling the stairs on a daily basis, and he couldn't help but laugh.

However, the moment of levity was brief, replaced by a rush of anticipation. He was about to meet the man who had been a faceless voice and the source of countless intriguing and often frustrating conversations.

With a deep breath, Alex stepped forward, a grin playing at the corners of his mouth. As he raised his hand to knock, he couldn't help but marvel at the absurdity of it all. He was on the verge of unmasking Ignatius, the man full of tales as tall as the stairs leading to his front door. The anticipation was palpable, the knock on the door echoing the beat of his own heart.