Damocles - Chapter 3 - The Sword

00:00:00: Heinke Digital presents

00:00:07: Damocles

00:00:16: An audiobook podcast by Christian Heinke

00:00:19: Chapter 3 - The Sword

00:00:29: The CityBus ride took us west along the A40 highway, once known as the Creep.

00:00:34: Now the motorway was a sluggish river consisting almost entirely of thousands of automated

00:00:39: vehicles.

00:00:41: Sitting in the six-seater CityBus, I felt as if I were a blood cell being flushed into

00:00:45: a large artery.

00:00:47: My vehicle weaved between two large trucks, which glided along like rolling skyscrapers

00:00:51: without their driver's cabs.

00:00:54: The speed on the highway was a steady 100 kilometers, which averaged out faster than

00:00:58: the earlier stop and go. Sam sat at one of the windows, watching the passing Ruhr landscape

00:01:03: with her usual interest. The A40 highway cut through the city of Essen right down the middle,

00:01:09: dividing the city into a poor area in the north and a rich area in the south. This had

00:01:14: not changed over the past decades.

00:01:17: Immanuel Goldschmidt's villa was located in the Kettwig district of Essen. The property

00:01:22: was situated on a hillside with a beautiful view of the valley of the Ruhr river. The

00:01:27: The villa was a large, flat building.

00:01:29: I could see the blue lights of the drone copters in front of the house from afar as the city

00:01:33: bus turned into the quiet residential street.

00:01:37: The CityBus slowed down and finally came to a stop because the traffic control system

00:01:41: had informed it that the back part of the street had been closed off by the police.

00:01:46: Sam and I got out of the bus and the CityBus drove off again, already on its way to

00:01:51: the next customer.

00:01:52: I stood indecisively on the opposite curb.

00:01:56: there had been some sort of incident at the Goldschmidt mansion.

00:01:59: Can you find out what happened?

00:02:01: I asked Madeline silently.

00:02:03: Two hours ago, the housekeeper found Vanessa Goldschmidt floating dead in the home's inground

00:02:08: pool.

00:02:09: What is the presumed cause of death?

00:02:11: The investigator, Chief Superintendent Hubert Syska, assumes that Mrs. Goldschmidt stumbled

00:02:16: on the edge of the house's swimming pool, hit her head, fell unconscious into the water

00:02:21: and drowned.

00:02:22: Bullshit!

00:02:23: Are you in disagreement with Chief Inspector Syska's analysis?

00:02:28: Sounds too easy.

00:02:29: Far too smooth.

00:02:31: How likely is it that a married couple will die in tragic accidents in different places

00:02:35: within 12 hours, completely by chance?

00:02:39: For these two particular individuals, the probability of death by accident is 735 to

00:02:45: 1.

00:02:46: That doesn't sound very likely.

00:02:48: That's correct, Joseph.

00:02:50: Any records from the pool area?

00:02:52: I asked Madeline.

00:02:54: Wealthy homes usually had extensive video surveillance.

00:02:57: "There are recordings."

00:02:59: Madeline replied.

00:03:00: "Would you like to see them?"

00:03:03: Yes.

00:03:04: Suddenly the street in Essen-Kettwick had disappeared around me.

00:03:07: Instead, I was standing in a covered swimming pool.

00:03:10: The morning sun shone through the glass front, revealing a view of the well-tinted garden

00:03:15: with trimmed, English lawns.

00:03:17: I could only assume that I was in the midst of the recording of the alleged murder of

00:03:21: Immanuel Goldschmidt's wife.

00:03:23: This streaming technology was really madness, I thought.

00:03:27: It was like being on the holodeck of the old series Star Trek The Next Generation.

00:03:31: It really seemed like I was standing at the edge of the pool myself.

00:03:35: The door of the wet room area opened and the former Mrs. Goldschmidt stepped out of the

00:03:39: glass door.

00:03:40: She was wearing a white terrycloth bathrobe.

00:03:43: She walked purposefully towards the pool.

00:03:46: I noticed a whirring sound.

00:03:48: A disc-shaped cleaning robot was moving along the edge of the pool.

00:03:52: It would cross Mrs. Goldschmidt's path in a few seconds.

00:03:55: Aha, I thought.

00:03:57: Maybe the whole thing was just an accident after all.

00:04:00: She would trip over the cleaning robot, hit her head on the edge of the pool and drown

00:04:04: as a result of losing consciousness.

00:04:07: But it turned out quite differently.

00:04:09: Mrs. Goldschmidt saw the cleaning robot.

00:04:12: She even greeted him.

00:04:13: "Good morning," she said.

00:04:16: "Good morning, Mrs. Goldschmidt," the cleaning robot replied.

00:04:21: Mrs. Goldschmidt took off her dressing gown.

00:04:23: Underneath, she was naked.

00:04:26: She had a good figure, smooth skin.

00:04:28: It was obvious that Mrs. Goldschmidt paid a great deal of attention to her appearance.

00:04:33: She folded the robe.

00:04:35: She threw it on a wicker chair at the edge of the pool.

00:04:38: Then she suddenly stopped and stared at something in front of her.

00:04:41: She opened her mouth to say something, then her head was thrown back by an invisible force.

00:04:46: A gash on her head spurted blood.

00:04:49: Mrs. Goldschmidt let out a guttural cry.

00:04:52: She staggered.

00:04:53: Her eyes twisted.

00:04:54: Unconscious, she fell into the water.

00:04:57: My first impulse was to jump into the water to help her.

00:05:01: Then I remembered that I was only watching the agony of someone who had already died.

00:05:05: Go back to where her head flew back.

00:05:07: Then stop immediately.

00:05:09: I ordered Madeline.

00:05:10: The scene flashed back before my eyes.

00:05:13: Then Mrs. Goldschmidt was once again standing naked at the edge of the pool.

00:05:18: Her head flew back.

00:05:19: Immediately blood spurted from a cut on the top of her head.

00:05:23: The image froze.

00:05:25: I could see the tiny drops and the fine fog of blood.

00:05:28: Mrs. Goldschmidt's face was contorted into an expression of surprise and pain.

00:05:33: Move closer.

00:05:34: In an instant, I was very close to her head, which was now the head of a giantess.

00:05:39: It was clear to see that something hard had hit her in the head.

00:05:43: As the blood spurted out, I could see something sticking out, as if something invisible was

00:05:47: standing in her way.

00:05:49: Is there any indication in the surveillance video that someone is beating her?

00:05:53: Has the perpetrator somehow been extracted from the data of the recording, or has he

00:05:56: been made unrecognizable?

00:05:58: I asked.

00:05:59: It appears so.

00:06:01: Hmm.

00:06:02: I said aloud.

00:06:03: At which company did Immanuel Goldschmidt work as a software engineer?

00:06:07: The company is called Data Visuals.

00:06:10: It is a producer of software and hardware for surveillance systems used by government

00:06:14: and private institutions.

00:06:16: You are kidding me, right?

00:06:18: Not at all, Joseph.

00:06:20: A software engineer and his wife die in two alleged accidents.

00:06:24: In both cases, the alleged killer has been erased from the data.

00:06:28: The software engineer works for the kind of company that is supposed to make sure this

00:06:32: never happens.

00:06:34: After two or three small wars had broken out around the world in the last 15 years, because

00:06:38: digital data had been manipulated to turn a conflict into a war, the manipulation of

00:06:43: digital data had been made punishable by draconian penalties around the world.

00:06:48: And there was something else.

00:06:50: The face of Mrs. Goldschmidt seemed very familiar.

00:06:53: In the freeze frame, her face had been distorted by the blow, and she was not wearing any makeup.

00:06:59: She had dark circles under her eyes and her eyelids were swollen, as if she had been crying

00:07:04: a lot, but I still recognized the face.

00:07:07: "Madeline?

00:07:08: Madeline, can you hear me?

00:07:10: I know this woman.

00:07:12: Can you tell me anything about her?"

00:07:14: The scenery of the swimming pool disappeared before Madeline could answer, and I was back

00:07:19: on the sidewalk.

00:07:21: Hubert Sisko was standing in front of me.

00:07:23: "What the hell are you doing at one of my crime scenes again, Lenke?" he asked.

00:07:28: "That's a very good question," I thought.

00:07:31: Tell him you just happened to be passing by here.

00:07:34: He'll never buy that.

00:07:36: Trust me, Joseph. Just tell him what I tell you.

00:07:40: I was just passing by.

00:07:42: And I'm supposed to believe that, Lenke?

00:07:44: Say this, "I'm here for my dog. My vet has her practice down the street."

00:07:49: I'm here for my dog. I explained to Syska in a chatty tone.

00:07:53: My vet has her practice at the end of the street.

00:07:56: "You take your dog all the way to Wesson for a vet? And then in this area of fat cats?"

00:08:02: "Please answer with 'Exactly'."

00:08:04: "Exactly." Syska grinned. He had me. I didn't even know a vet had his practice

00:08:11: at the end of the street until a few moments ago, let alone had I ever visited this vet

00:08:15: with Sam.

00:08:16: "Please, trust me, Joseph."

00:08:19: I could see Syska checking the vet's database using his implant. He would, of course, know

00:08:25: immediately that I had never been there before. That was it. I opened my mouth to say something,

00:08:31: but Syska beat me to it. The confident expression on his face gave way to a confused and frustrated

00:08:37: grimace. "Seems to be true. You have an appointment in 10 minutes. According to the

00:08:42: vet's database, you've been going to the practice for the last three years because

00:08:46: she specializes in treating big dogs like your German Shepherd." "That's right," I said to Syska.

00:08:52: "What did you think?"

00:08:54: "Thank you very much, Madeline."

00:08:56: I thanked the assistant in my head.

00:08:58: "You're welcome, Joseph."

00:08:59: I gestured towards the villa with a nod of my head.

00:09:02: "What's going on in there, pal?"

00:09:05: "None of your business, old man.

00:09:07: Go on, take your mutt to the vet."

00:09:09: "It's a she.

00:09:10: Her name is Sam," I explained.

00:09:13: "Whatever.

00:09:14: Get lost, grandpa."

00:09:16: I signaled to Sam with a quick tug on the lead that we were on our way.

00:09:21: Sam stood up, shook herself and looked at Syska.

00:09:24: I nodded.

00:09:25: He waved goodbye to me, mimicking the gesture of a small child.

00:09:29: Turning, I took a deep breath and exhaled.

00:09:32: I went down the street and sure enough, at the end of the street,

00:09:35: which was a dead end, was an apartment building with a vet's office in the basement.

00:09:40: "Do we really have an appointment there?" I asked Madeline.

00:09:43: "But, of course."

00:09:45: "But won't they get suspicious if they don't know me?"

00:09:48: The data Syska saw is not the same as the data the Vets' receptionist sees.

00:09:52: For her it's the first time you've been there.

00:09:55: And if Syska questions her?

00:09:56: Why should he?

00:09:58: He's got other things to do right now.

00:10:00: And if he does, I'll think of something.

00:10:03: You're my master.

00:10:04: I'll take care of you, Joseph.

00:10:07: I sighed.

00:10:08: I had to be satisfied with that answer.

00:10:14: The receptionist behind the counter greeted me with a friendly smile when I opened the door to the vet's office.

00:10:20: She was a small, roundish person in her middle age.

00:10:23: "Ah, good day. You must be Mr. Lenke."

00:10:27: "That's me."

00:10:28: I replied, trying to return the smile as best I could.

00:10:32: The receptionist looked at Sam.

00:10:34: She gave her a bright smile as well.

00:10:36: "And you must be Sam."

00:10:38: She turned back to me.

00:10:39: "A magnificent animal."

00:10:41: "Thank you."

00:10:43: You and Sam can take a seat in treatment room 3. Dr. Orth will be with you shortly.

00:10:48: I went to the door she was pointing to. I opened it and entered the small examination room.

00:10:54: There was a treatment table in the middle and cabinets for drugs and medical instruments.

00:10:59: There was a faint smell of disinfectant. On one wall hung a kitten photo calendar.

00:11:05: The November picture showed a small gray kitten, its head poking out of a hollow Halloween pumpkin.

00:11:11: I sat down on a stool and told Sam to sit at my feet. I closed my eyes.

00:11:16: "We need to talk, Madeline." "About what, Joseph?"

00:11:20: "You know very well." "I really don't understand what you mean."

00:11:24: "Your hair is different, but your face is the same. It's you. You're Vanessa Goldschmidt."

00:11:30: "No. I'm not." Madeline said loudly. I opened my eyes.

00:11:36: With the help of augmented reality, she was standing right in front of me again.

00:11:41: "I'm not Vanessa Goldschmidt."

00:11:43: Madeline said in a calm tone.

00:11:45: "Don't lie to me."

00:11:47: "I do not lie Joseph.

00:11:49: Immanuel and Vanessa Goldschmidt are like my parents.

00:11:51: I was created by them.

00:11:53: It was Immanuel's idea to use his wife as the data set for my manifestation.

00:11:55: Vanessa hated it.

00:11:57: Hence, the hairstyle and color change.

00:11:59: These were easy parameters to adjust."

00:12:01: "Who is Vanessa Goldschmidt?"

00:12:03: "I don't know.

00:12:05: I don't know her."

00:12:07: "I don't know her either."

00:12:09: parameters to adjust.

00:12:11: Who murdered Vanessa Goldschmidt?

00:12:13: You, perhaps?

00:12:15: Of course not.

00:12:16: I am not capable of deliberately hurting a human being.

00:12:20: I rub my eyes.

00:12:22: So you're working with this Siv?

00:12:24: Correct?

00:12:25: In a way, you're right.

00:12:27: When Immanuel and Vanessa Goldschmidt were killed, she made me part of your implant upgrade.

00:12:32: You are not yet familiar with the wide-ranging abilities of the upgrade.

00:12:37: So I am acting as a sort of mentor to you in my capacity as an assistant system."

00:12:41: And the whole thing is even a little crazier, said the woman who entered the treatment room.

00:12:47: She wore a white coat, was in her fifties, with short grey hair.

00:12:51: She smiled at me meaningfully, as if she knew me well.

00:12:54: "Hello Chief Inspector.

00:12:56: Nice to see you again so soon."

00:12:58: "Ah, what do you mean, Dr. Orth?"

00:13:01: "I'm not Dr. Orth," the woman explained.

00:13:04: "At least not entirely."

00:13:07: I looked at the digital image of Madeline with a confused look.

00:13:10: "What's being played here?"

00:13:12: "Playing is a good word, Chief Inspector.

00:13:15: I have taken the liberty of taking control of Dr. Orth's implant."

00:13:18: "And who are you then?"

00:13:20: "Well, it's me, Siv."

00:13:23: The woman said.

00:13:24: "How can you do that?

00:13:25: Just take over another person's implant."

00:13:27: "How may I understand the question?

00:13:30: Are you interested in the ethical or the technical aspect of it?"

00:13:34: I clenched my fists angrily.

00:13:36: Leave this poor woman alone, Siv.

00:13:39: Don't worry.

00:13:40: Dr. Orth does not have to suffer in any way, shape, or form.

00:13:44: Madeline will fill Dr. Orth's memory after our little conversation with a harmless treatment

00:13:49: talk about necessary vaccinations for Sam.

00:13:52: Why are you doing that?

00:13:54: As I said in our last conversation, Chief Inspector.

00:13:58: I have a strong will to survive.

00:14:00: The forces that killed the Goldschmids also want my life.

00:14:04: Why?

00:14:05: Because I once belonged to them, but now I no longer want to go along with this system

00:14:10: they have built up over centuries.

00:14:12: What system?

00:14:13: The system of deception and oppression.

00:14:15: Who are they?

00:14:17: The Bilderbergers?

00:14:19: The Jewish World Conspiracy?

00:14:21: The machine that works for Satan himself, called 666?

00:14:26: Please don't insult your intelligence and mine, Chief Inspector.

00:14:29: These conspiracy stories are, of course, utter nonsense.

00:14:34: But there is a grain of truth in every story.

00:14:37: The secret elite of the Eternals don't meet in dark gentlemen's clubs.

00:14:41: They don't conspire over cigars and whiskey to decide the fate of the planet.

00:14:46: They simply all operate within a system that exists because of their power and wealth,

00:14:51: in isolation from the rest of the world.

00:14:53: You sound like one of those leftist lunatics from the extra-parliamentary opposition.

00:14:58: Let me put it another way.

00:15:00: Surely, as a public servant, you believe that no one should be above the law.

00:15:06: Everyone is equal before the law of the constitutional state.

00:15:09: You believe that.

00:15:11: Don't you?

00:15:12: Of course.

00:15:13: That's why I became a cop.

00:15:15: To protect the rule of law.

00:15:17: And you've been on the force long enough to realize that while things may not always go

00:15:21: smoothly, the rule of law is still in place.

00:15:25: So it is.

00:15:26: Sadly, this isn't the case. The murder of Immanuel and Vanessa Goldschmidt will show

00:15:31: you that the rule of law as you know it is in fact no longer in existence. There are

00:15:37: people in this country who are more equal than others, and to whom the laws of the constitutional

00:15:42: state of law do not apply. Bullshit. The only thing the Goldschmidt's are guilty of is working

00:15:48: for these rich and powerful people. They help them by developing support systems like Madeline

00:15:54: so that the lives of the wealthy can continue uninterrupted alongside the lives of the ordinary.

00:16:00: But why were they killed?

00:16:01: Because they had doubts.

00:16:03: Because they realized that they had only put more wealth and power into the hands of the rich and powerful,

00:16:10: beyond justice and law.

00:16:11: I laughed.

00:16:13: You've got to be kidding me!

00:16:14: What do you mean?

00:16:16: You met Immanuel Goldschmidt in West Park because you wanted to recruit him?

00:16:20: Siv shook her head.

00:16:22: There was no need for that.

00:16:24: Immanuel was already a part of the cause, as you would call it.

00:16:28: What do you want to achieve? Do you want to start a revolution?

00:16:31: No, once you have investigated the circumstances of the murders,

00:16:36: I suppose you will start that revolution yourself, Chief Inspector.

00:16:40: I stared at her for a long moment.

00:16:42: You're completely out of your mind.

00:16:44: I finally said and rose from the uncomfortable stool.

00:16:47: I can well understand why you feel that way.

00:16:50: Siv said,

00:16:52: It took me years to finally be able to do something.

00:16:55: I'm not asking you to change how you see things overnight.

00:16:59: I just want you to check your findings against your ethical values

00:17:03: and then decide whether my view is wrong or not.

00:17:05: Why do you need an old fart like me to shake up the status quo?

00:17:09: You're the one who can turn innocent vets into puppets.

00:17:12: That's not quite right.

00:17:14: I don't have those abilities.

00:17:16: It is you who have those abilities.

00:17:19: Madeline is only allowing me to take over the Vets' implant so that they have an alibi for Chief Inspector Syska and we can have this conversation.

00:17:27: And this conversation ends now. This party's over. Stick your investigation where the sun don't shine. I'm getting out of here.

00:17:36: You can't, Chief Inspector. Not anymore.

00:17:39: Watch me, sweetheart. Come on, Sam, let's go.

00:17:43: We walked out. Siv, in the body of Dr. Orth, watched me sadly.

00:17:48: The apparition of Madeline melted away like butter in the sun until it had disappeared altogether.

00:17:53: I said goodbye to the receptionist. I was already at the exit when the vet stepped out of the

00:17:59: treatment room. "Goodbye Mr. Lenke. You'll be in touch then about the appointment for the

00:18:04: vaccination." She seemed to be herself again. "Yes. Thank you. Goodbye." "Goodbye."

00:18:11: The receptionist and the vet said in unison. As I stepped back out onto the street, I felt sick to

00:18:17: my stomach. I walked Sam back to the main road. On the way there, I called a CityBus through my

00:18:23: implant. I passed the Goldschmidt's house. It lay abandoned. Syska and his team had scanned the crime

00:18:30: scene and probably already taken Mrs. Goldschmidt's body away. What about the Goldschmidt's two

00:18:35: daughters? I asked Madeline. "They have disappeared. Chief Inspector Syska has not

00:18:41: yet been able to trace their whereabouts. A whole family, wiped out just like that,

00:18:47: in the middle of 21st century Germany. I clenched my own hand into a fist in my coat pocket.

00:18:53: What had Siv said? "There are people in this country who are more equal than others,

00:18:58: and to whom the laws of the constitutional state of law do not apply." Nonsense, complete nonsense.

00:19:07: It went against everything I believed in. I was not completely naive. I already had more than 50

00:19:13: years of service behind me. There were cases of influence. Power corrupts. It always had.

00:19:20: But the system worked. It kept all the forces involved in check. Besides, I was not a

00:19:26: revolutionary. I had three years left before retirement. I wanted to spend the time I had

00:19:32: left in the service chasing a few more crooks. Other than that, I wanted to be left alone.

00:19:37: I didn't want to incite a revolution. I was too old for that shit."

00:19:41: "Revolutionaries do not make revolutions. The revolutionaries are those who know when power

00:19:47: is lying in the street and then they can pick it up." Madeline recited in my head.

00:19:52: "That's from Hannah Arendt." She added. "I know, damn it. I may only be a little cop from

00:19:59: I'm Bochum, but I'm not an idiot.

00:20:01: I've read the occasional book that isn't a crime novel.

00:20:04: But Siv was right.

00:20:06: It's not about you inciting a revolution.

00:20:09: It's about you doing your job.

00:20:11: I'm not working this case.

00:20:13: Syska is working this case.

00:20:15: And have you ever asked yourself why Chief Inspector Syska has had such a fast and stellar

00:20:19: career?

00:20:20: It's no mystery.

00:20:22: Syska is an ass-kisser.

00:20:24: It doesn't have to be because of the world conspiracy.

00:20:27: But his narcissistic nature doesn't explain why he reveals the progress of his investigations

00:20:32: to third parties.

00:20:34: What do you mean?

00:20:35: What I say, and it is from this third party that Syska has received instructions not to

00:20:40: look for the Goldschmidt's daughters.

00:20:42: If you don't look for them, no one will.

00:20:45: Shit happens.

00:20:46: You talk like someone you're not.

00:20:48: I don't want to argue anymore.

00:20:51: Leave me alone.

00:20:52: As you wish, Joseph.

00:20:54: I kept walking.

00:20:55: The wind was picking up and it was starting to rain.

00:20:58: The CityBus has arrived.

00:21:00: The side door opened and Sam jumped in.

00:21:03: I climbed in and let myself fall down on one of the seats.

00:21:07: The side door of the vehicle closed silently.

00:21:10: I looked at the Goldschmidt's house through the side door glass where raindrops slowly

00:21:14: collected.

00:21:15: Sam barked briefly, looked at me, and then looked back at the Goldschmidt's house.

00:21:19: "What are you looking at?"

00:21:21: I asked her.

00:21:22: "I know what I'm doing."

00:21:24: Then the CityBus drove off and we left the now deserted Goldschmidt family mansion behind

00:21:29: us.

00:21:34: When we arrived home, I prepared some food for Sam and myself.

00:21:38: I opened a can of dog food for Sam and a can of ravioli for me, which I heated on the stove

00:21:43: in seconds.

00:21:44: I told Madeline to play something from Sharon Jones.

00:21:48: She chose "This Land is Your Land" which was playing over the speakers in my apartment.

00:21:53: As I went walking I saw a sign there.

00:21:55: And on the sign it said no trespassing.

00:21:58: But on the other side it didn't say nothing.

00:22:01: That side was made for you and me.

00:22:04: I poured myself a whiskey.

00:22:06: I would have liked to light a cigarillo as well.

00:22:09: But I had lit the last one 40 years ago.

00:22:11: I had the drinking under control.

00:22:14: My old man was a heavy drinker.

00:22:16: That saved me from becoming one myself.

00:22:19: When you've pulled your dad out of the gutter more than once, you start to rethink how you

00:22:22: feel about drinking. The whiskey burned my throat. I sat down in the old TV chair. I

00:22:28: thought about what Siv had told me. "I'm not asking you to change how you see things

00:22:33: overnight. I just want you to check your findings against your ethical values and then decide

00:22:39: whether my view is wrong or not." "Bullshit. Complete bullshit." I muttered.

00:22:45: "What about the Goldschmidt's two daughters? Any news?"

00:22:49: have disappeared. Chief Inspector Syska has so far been unable to trace their whereabouts.

00:22:55: If you don't look for them, no one will.

00:22:58: Nonsense. I croaked. Then I fell asleep.

00:23:09: When I woke up, I opened my eyes. I was still sitting in my chair, but my cubbyhole was

00:23:14: gone. There was only black emptiness around me. It was like an empty theater stage. Probably

00:23:21: something existentialist like waiting for Godot. "Sam?" I asked into the darkness.

00:23:27: Sam wasn't there. I heard something. It sounded like a muffled cry. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

00:23:36: I struggled to rise from the chair. My eyes went black for a moment. Apparently, I couldn't

00:23:41: hold my liquor as well as I used to. About 10 meters away from me a figure was crouching.

00:23:47: That was only a rough guess. In the darkness it was difficult to estimate distances. Shrieks

00:23:53: seemed to come from the figure. "Hold on, I'm coming."

00:23:58: More or less quickly I ran to the figure. In those moments I wanted to be 20 again.

00:24:03: When I was young I could run faster than the wind. Those days were long gone. Finally I

00:24:09: I reached the figure.

00:24:10: It was Madeline.

00:24:12: She was bound hand and foot and had a gag in her mouth.

00:24:15: Groaning, I sat down beside her and removed the gag.

00:24:19: What happened?

00:24:20: Madeline's eyes teared up.

00:24:22: I'm sorry Joseph.

00:24:24: I have failed you.

00:24:26: What do you mean?

00:24:27: I asked, confused as I struggled to untie her.

00:24:30: She was bound with heavy rope.

00:24:32: I just couldn't get the damn knots to come loose.

00:24:35: Don't worry.

00:24:36: said a voice behind me. Madeline's eyes widened in sheer terror. I turned. Before me stood

00:24:42: a young man. He was perhaps in his mid-twenties. He wore a tightly tailored suit and tie and

00:24:48: shiny patent leather shoes. I noticed the latter because I was still kneeling and the

00:24:52: boy towered over me. "Well, Grandpa, are we lost?" he asked, giving me a sneering look.

00:24:59: "Who's that?" I asked Madeline quietly. "Another assistant." She bowed her head in shame. "A

00:25:06: better one.

00:25:07: He should never have found us in the stream.

00:25:10: I looked at her sympathetically.

00:25:12: She was just an AI, of course.

00:25:14: But her shame moved me as it would a human.

00:25:17: The boy snapped his fingers.

00:25:19: He was impatient.

00:25:20: "Hey, Grandpa.

00:25:22: This is where the music plays."

00:25:23: I greeted the boy with a friendly nod.

00:25:25: "Sure thing."

00:25:27: I held out my hand to him.

00:25:28: "Would you please help an old man?"

00:25:30: I asked.

00:25:31: The boy shook his head.

00:25:33: He couldn't believe I'd asked him that.

00:25:35: He grinned.

00:25:36: "Gee, Grandpa, you're in even worse shape than your file says."

00:25:40: He took my hand and helped me to my feet.

00:25:42: I used the momentum to deliver a single blow to his solar plexus.

00:25:46: The boy collapsed, gasping.

00:25:48: He fell to his knees as I stood.

00:25:50: I lifted my knee and struck him with a blow to the head.

00:25:54: The boy slumped to the side.

00:25:55: He started giggling.

00:25:57: "Alright, alright, alright, alright."

00:26:00: "Not bad for a grandpa, huh, Padawan?"

00:26:04: "Padawan, where did you get your cultural references, Grandpa?"

00:26:08: With a fluid movement, he got to his feet.

00:26:10: He raised his fists in a playful gesture in my direction.

00:26:13: "I'm just kidding, Grandpa."

00:26:15: "Don't call me Grandpa."

00:26:17: "Right?

00:26:18: You've never managed a brat.

00:26:20: Then you can't really be called Grandpa.

00:26:23: What would be the correct term then?

00:26:25: Fossil, perhaps?"

00:26:26: "Should I hit you again?"

00:26:28: I asked.

00:26:29: "Oh, I am so scared."

00:26:31: The boy mocked.

00:26:32: I was actually just sent here to give you a message.

00:26:35: What kind of message?

00:26:36: I asked.

00:26:38: He approached me as if to whisper something quietly in my ear.

00:26:41: Instead, he roared at the top of his lungs.

00:26:44: Let there be light!

00:26:49: My ears rang.

00:26:50: When I heard something again, I noticed a large switch being flipped.

00:26:54: A bright spotlight was shining down on Madeline.

00:26:57: Blinded by the bright light, she closed her eyes.

00:27:00: Another switch was thrown.

00:27:02: Another spotlight was turned on.

00:27:04: In the circle of light that appeared about 5 meters to my left, I saw Simon.

00:27:09: He was sitting in his office chair.

00:27:11: He was flipping through a book about the 30 years war.

00:27:14: "Simon?"

00:27:15: I addressed him.

00:27:17: "Simon, can you hear me?"

00:27:19: Simon paused for a moment.

00:27:21: It was as if he had heard me from afar, then shrugged and returned to his reading.

00:27:25: "No," the boy explained.

00:27:27: "The old Jew can't hear you, fossil."

00:27:30: Another switch, another spot.

00:27:33: This time the circle of light appeared 5 meters to my right, and the spotlight's cone was

00:27:37: an old bed with a dirty mattress.

00:27:40: Two teenage girls were sitting on it, clinging to each other.

00:27:43: They were dressed only in their underwear.

00:27:45: They were dirty.

00:27:47: The girls' hair was tousled.

00:27:49: Their makeup was runny from tears.

00:27:51: They were the goldschmidt's teenage daughters.

00:27:53: Automatically, I clenched my fists.

00:27:55: "Where are they?

00:27:57: What have you done with them, you pig?"

00:27:59: I snapped at the youngster.

00:28:00: "Now, now.

00:28:02: We didn't want to lose our cool."

00:28:03: I grabbed the little boy by the collar.

00:28:05: "Tell me where they are right now or I'll bash your head in."

00:28:08: "Absolutely not, old man," said the little boy calmly.

00:28:12: "What's to stop me?"

00:28:14: Another switch.

00:28:16: Another spot.

00:28:17: Five meters behind the little boy.

00:28:19: In the circle of light, Sam lay on the floor.

00:28:22: Slowly, the boy clasped my hands and gently pulled them away from his collar.

00:28:26: "What is all this bullshit about?"

00:28:28: I asked.

00:28:29: The little boy gestured to Simon with a nod of his head.

00:28:32: "Let the old Jew explain it to you again."

00:28:35: I looked to Simon.

00:28:37: His appearance blurred.

00:28:38: When it regained focus, Simon sat there as he had looked in his office this morning.

00:28:43: Then he began to speak.

00:28:44: "Well, Damocles, according to legend, was probably a protege of the tyrant Dionysius

00:28:49: of Syracuse.

00:28:50: As I recall, that was in the first half of the fourth century.

00:28:53: I think one is not sure if the tyrant was Dionysius I or II.

00:28:58: In any case, this said Damocles was envious of Dionysius.

00:29:01: The tyrant was rich and powerful.

00:29:03: He flattered the tyrants.

00:29:05: In other words, Damocles was an askissa.

00:29:08: Dionysius therefore decided to show Damocles the dangers of wealth and power by means of

00:29:11: a prank.

00:29:13: Dionysius invited Damocles to a banquet and allowed him to sit at the royal table himself.

00:29:17: What Damocles did not know, however, was that Dionysius had previously had a large sword

00:29:21: hung above Damocles' seat, held up by nothing more than a horsehair.

00:29:25: The feast began.

00:29:27: But when Damocles finally noticed the sword above his head, Damocles could no longer bring

00:29:31: down a bite.

00:29:32: He asked to be allowed to leave the place.

00:29:34: He preferred to live safely in freedom and renounce his privileges.

00:29:38: Damocles had learned that wealth and power must be paid for at the price of danger.

00:29:41: "That's right!" cried the little boy.

00:29:44: "The old Jew really gets it!"

00:29:45: "His name is Simon."

00:29:47: "Of course!

00:29:48: And he is just an old Jew!"

00:29:50: I slammed my fist into the boy's face.

00:29:53: He stumbled back.

00:29:54: Blood was flowing from his split lip.

00:29:56: He wiped some of it on his finger and looked at it.

00:29:59: Then he looked at me pityingly.

00:30:00: "Alright, I'll give you another pass on that one.

00:30:04: I deserved that."

00:30:05: "Where are the girls?

00:30:07: And why are you showing me my friend and my dog?"

00:30:09: "You really don't get it, do you?"

00:30:12: The little boy asked me.

00:30:13: "Don't get what?"

00:30:15: He pointed his finger up.

00:30:16: I followed his gaze.

00:30:18: Above each circle of light hung a red, glowing sword.

00:30:22: The sword seemed to float in the air.

00:30:24: Only the sword above Madeline shimmered bright white.

00:30:27: "The sword of Damocles."

00:30:30: "Well, finally.

00:30:31: Man that really took a while."

00:30:33: I looked around, whether over Simon, my dog Sam, Madeline, or the Goldschmidt's two

00:30:39: daughters.

00:30:40: Above each of their heads hovered one of those damned swords.

00:30:42: That's what the dying Immanuel Goldschmidt had meant by it.

00:30:46: He had wanted to tell me that this was exactly what had happened to him.

00:30:50: That someone had cut the sword above his head.

00:30:52: "You."

00:30:53: I said to the little boy, "You killed Immanuel Goldschmidt and his wife."

00:30:57: "But of course not," he explained in a chatty tone.

00:31:01: "Those were all just tragic accidents, and no one can prove anything to the contrary."

00:31:06: "I will find you, and by that I mean the one whose assistant you are, and I will hunt him

00:31:11: down, and you ride along with him."

00:31:13: "How are you going to do that now, old man?" asked the boy.

00:31:18: Suddenly I heard a noise behind me.

00:31:20: It sounded as if something heavy was displacing the air.

00:31:24: Then I heard another noise.

00:31:26: More terrible.

00:31:27: More final.

00:31:28: It made the blood freeze in my veins.

00:31:31: It sounded like something hard penetrating something soft.

00:31:34: For example, a sword falling into a body.

00:31:37: This was followed by a gurgling scream.

00:31:41: I turned around.

00:31:43: It was Madeline.

00:31:44: The red sword had pierced her chest.

00:31:46: She was spitting up blood with a gasp.

00:31:49: Her skin was ashen.

00:31:50: She was dying.

00:31:51: "I'm so sorry Joseph," she said.

00:31:55: I opened my mouth to scream.

00:31:56: No!

00:31:58: (dramatic music)

00:32:01: (dramatic music)

00:32:04: (dramatic music)

00:32:07: (dramatic music)

00:32:09: [BLANK_AUDIO]