Devious Origins

CHAPTER 23

The morning sun crept through the French doors and dragged me reluctantly toward wakefulness. Dee was already up, showered, and packing by the time I was finally crawling out of bed. I grabbed a quick shower as well and then joined her downstairs to begin our hike to the train station. We chatted as we walked, mostly about inconsequential things. The events of the previous night did not enter our conversation until we were on the train and well on our way.

"You did a good thing last night," Dee commented as she stared idly out the window.

"Sure," I responded, though my tone betrayed my skepticism.

Dee turned to me. "No, really, you saved a life. You're a hero."

It surprised me. I wasn't even sure she had noticed the young police officer's behavior, that she had come away with the same interpretation. "I didn't do anything," I insisted, "We can't be sure of anything."

"I don't think you really believe that." She reached over and squeezed my arm. "I could tell just by looking at you that something was going to happen. Something bad. I think you stopped it."

I looked down at her hand. I thought about the strange journey I now found myself on. "Some part of me wants to believe that. Maybe some part already does, deep down. But sometimes what we believe is wrong. Everything might have gone down exactly the same last night if I wasn't there. I can't be sure of anything. I'm an engineer. I believe in science. I believe in empirical evidence. I start believing I have freaky mind powers... well, that's a journey into madness."

There. I said it. Unspoken was the implication that Dee was already well down that path.

Dee was silent for a long moment, then said, "It took me a long time to believe in my power. It wasn't so long ago I still had doubts like you. But stack up enough anecdotes, at some point it starts to look like evidence."

"The plural of anecdote..." I began.

"is not data," she finished, "Yes I know, Barry, but at some point you have to trust your own life experience."

"Maybe I just need more time then," I answered, more to avoid an argument than anything else.

"Let's hope so," she replied, and gave my arm another gentle squeeze before turning her attention back to the window. I dug out my Theory of Computing notes and started in on homework. It was a quiet ride home.

* * *

After getting back to my dorm room, I continued working on homework another hour before switching to one of my personal electronics projects. The hours slipped past, and I was surprised to find it becoming dark outside when I finally stopped. I might have kept working late into the night if I hadn't been interrupted by a phone call from Tilly.

"Hey Barry, are you free tonight?"

"I could be," I answered, "I mean I'm tinkering on a project, but nothing I couldn't set aside. What's up?"

"I just found out that Omicron Epsilon Iota is having a house party tonight, We don't normally run patrols on Sunday, but I thought maybe someone should swing through later and see if anyone needs an escort home or anything like that. Care to join me?"

"Sure. What time?"

"Meet me at my dorm a little before nine. We can walk over from there."

"Sounds like a plan. See you then." I hung up, turned off my soldering iron, put away my other electronics tools, and started to get ready. After showering and changing clothes, I still had time to stop at the cafeteria before going to Tilly's. This was a good thing as I had worked right through lunch, and my stomach was now reminding me of it.