Freedom TM

are deadly boring: what are the Horae in Greek mythology?”
    She shrugged. “They were the three goddesses who controlledorderly life. Daughters of Themis. The word means ‘the correct moment.’ And the earliest mention is in the
Iliad
, where they appear as keepers of the cloud gates.”
    Price just threw up his hands. “Well that’s pretty damned impressive.”
    “Is it a code?”
    Ross stood alongside her. “Or an arrangement, perhaps. Like tumblers in a lock.”
    “You mean these containers need to be arranged precisely like this to unlock something?”
    He shrugged. “You tell me, Doctor. You’re the code breaker.”
    Sebeck was already walking forward. “It’s no code. It’s symbolism. And as you know by now, Sobol’s worlds are chock-full of symbols.”
    Price followed. Ross waited for Philips, and soon they were all walking down a cracked sidewalk toward an ornate, wrought-iron gate. It, too, was somewhat rusted, but the iconography of the gate was unmistakable—three female guardians holding long spears loomed in bas-relief on either side, wreathed in ironwork clouds. The gate was closed.
    As Sebeck approached the gate, D-Space avatars of three towering female forms in robes and enclosed, plumed helms materialized from the shadows, holding tall golden spears.
    Philips looked puzzled as all three men in the group backed away from the shadows. “What is it?”
    Ross held her hand and tapped his HUD glasses. “Female avatars. The Horae, I gather.”
    One of them spoke in a booming female voice. “Only the quest-taker may pass through the gates.”
    Price held up his hands. “No problemo.”
    Ross nodded. “I guess we’ll wait for you here, Sergeant.”
    Sebeck glanced to Price as he stood with his hand on the gate.
    “You know, Laney, I don’t think I would have made it here without you.”
    Price shrugged. “Well, let’s wait to see if it’s good or bad before you go thanking me.”
    Sebeck shook his head and entered the gate. It closed and locked behind him with an audible
click
.
    As he continued to follow the golden Thread along the cemetery path, he noticed the graves were widely spaced. It was more like a shady garden—albeit one with colorful shipping containers as a backdrop.
    Before long Sebeck’s path brought him to another D-Space apparition: a young, healthy-looking Matthew Sobol, sitting on a stone bench beneath a tree. There was an identical bench across from him.
    As Sebeck approached, this younger, healthier Sobol nodded to him in greeting. “Detective. I’m very happy that you’re here.”
    Sebeck couldn’t get over how vibrant and healthy Sobol looked, with his tousled hair, khakis, crisp button-down shirt, and suit jacket. He looked the very image of a successful man with his whole life ahead of him.
    “Please, join me.” The avatar gestured to the open seat.
    Sebeck swept off some leaves and dirt and sat.
    “You might be wondering why I look different from the way I will … or
did
… earlier.” He sat back in his seat. “It’s because I started here at the end. Where you are now. I have no idea where here is or now is at the moment. But I did know that if I started from the end of the story and moved to the beginning, then the Daemon couldn’t begin unless it was complete. So really, your beginning is my end, and my end is your beginning.”
    Sobol gazed directly at Sebeck’s eyes. “When I realized what our world had become, how humanity had become cogs in its own machine, I resolved to do something terrible … perhaps one of theworse things ever done. To exploit the automation of our world in order to plant the seed of a new system is reckless and irresponsible. But I didn’t see any other way we would change. Or could change.
    “But now that humans have accomplished this quest, and you have arrived to tell me of their success, the question I need to ask you is this: was I right or wrong, Sergeant? Should I
destroy
the Daemon? Should I undo everything I’ve done? Yes, or no?”
    Sebeck felt the shock work through him. He was speechless.
    “You of all people would know, Sergeant. Should the Daemon be ended? Yes, or no? I will wait for your answer.”
    Sebeck took a deep breath and looked back toward the gate. He could see no one. Just himself and this long-dead genius-madman. He sat recalling the entirety of his journey, from the point he received the Sobol murder case up to this very day. It had been years. He thought of his lost wife,