“Yet there was an element of physical threat in your treatment of me,” Alex accused. “At one point, anyway.”
“Yes, that’s true.” Gideon nodded. “We required an antagonist to see how you would react, but I was very clear about how far he could go. You’ll note that you were never actually beaten at any point. In fact, I rather think I suffered more than you.” Gideon laughed. “Dear F. He can be terribly gung-ho about his role.”
“I suppose you’ll tell me next that he was just play-acting, and in real life he’s a sweetheart?” Alex raised a disbelieving eyebrow.
“Not at all. In his real life, he’s a complete bully. That’s why I hired him.” Gideon took a sip of his tea and glanced at Alex over the rim of the cup. “He enjoyed the part where he got to beat me because I’m his boss and he’s the sort of man who enjoys that kind of power reversal. However, when you arrived, you were in such bad shape that I gave orders you were not to be physically assaulted. If physical punishment worked, then Mr Tyler wouldn’t have needed to send you here. I did, however, want to see how you reacted when others were abused, and I wouldn’t ask any of my staff to endure that, so it had to be me. If you recall, neither Three, Four, or Five was ever physically hurt, either.”
“I didn’t notice that.” Alex frowned. “Are you saying they aren’t part of your team?”
“No, they were genuine indentured servants, here for instruction. I have, in the past, used my team, but I found it became rather rigid. When we include genuine indies, it introduces a welcome element of surprise, and personally, I find them more believable. It’s a risk because I can control it less, but events are well monitored, and I trust C implicitly. He runsa very tight ship when I’m working on the other side of the mirrors.”
“So, Three, Four, and Five are just regular indies?” Alex felt a wave of relief about that. He couldn’t bear to think of being deceived by all the people he’d come to care about.
“Yes, but very carefully selected ones,” Gideon said. “I chose ones I thought would be easy to manage and complement the group well. I spent a long time on the selection process, and their houders were given a discounted price to take into account the rather unusual nature of their experience compared to that of indies attending our regular course.”
“And what about D?”
“She’s on my team. I wanted someone you’d bond with, or feel sympathetic towards, so I instructed her to give you little gifts, to foster a sense of being complicit in some mild resistance against the regime.”
“I suppose she’s completely different in real life?”
“Not really.” Gideon shrugged. “None of us are. It’s much harder to maintain a role that’s very unlike your true personality for any length of time, so I tend to choose people who already have the personalities I require. D is a shy mouse of a woman. She doesn’t really understand much of what we’re doing here. She does as she’s told.”
“That makes it worse. Fterrorisedher!
“Oh, he shouted at her a little, but she was well taken care of behind the scenes,” Gideon said firmly. “I wanted to see how you reacted to your friends being harmed. You came to her defence – and mine – very readily, which was indicative of your fundamentally decent nature. I really did come to like and admire you very much, Alex. You made a few thoughtless mistakes, such as asking D to look for your photos, but you were genuinely contrite about that. On that subject…” He handed a folder to Alex. “These are the originals. I would never haveallowed F to tear up the real thing. I provided him with some very realistic copies.”
Alex opened the folder and found all his pictures there in pristine condition.
“I have more copies,” Gideon said. “But you won’t have to use those glued-together versions anymore. I must say, that was a very surprising aspect to your stay with us. I had no idea these photos would mean so much to you.”
“You ordered them to be removed to see my reaction,” Alex said slowly.
“Yes. You were quite frantic. I knew then that the people in the photos were the key to your entire psyche, but I had no idea how it would all unravel. The story about handsome Joe losing his husband… that was so unexpected. I read up about him after you told me – such a sad story – and so strange that you should have been there that night.”
“Yes,” Alex muttered, relieved beyond belief now that he hadn’t told Gideon the full story.
“And your family, of course, and poor, dear Solange… so many interesting events and secrets. It was a real insight into who you are and why, and immeasurably helpful to me.”
“So, you ordered F to tear them up?” Alex asked slowly.
“Yes. I wanted to see how you’d react to the loss. It also gave us a nice opportunity to bond with you by glueing them back together. I loved the way the others joined in. That’s why it’s so useful to use regular indies in a scenario. They provide a welcome element of surprise.”
Gideon selected a scone, halved it, and spread cream and jam on it. “I do love afternoon tea, an appreciation I acquired when I worked in the hotels of New London in my youth. Oh yes.” He saw Alex’s look of surprise. “That was all true.”
“You were an indentured servant?” Alex asked incredulously.
“Were? Still am, my dear boy. Still am!” Gideon flicked his cravat aside to show the elegant gold pin attached to his shirt, complete with ID tag. “Most of what I told you was true. What I neglected to mention is that my houder was so impressed with me after I’d worked in her household for a couple of years that she asked me to help her to set up a training academy for indentured servants. I was better at it than she ever envisaged and turned Belvedere into the premier academy for indies. Servants who’ve successfully completed our training usually double the value of their contracts. Over the years, I expanded the academy, and we acquired this place. My houder doesn’t interfere – she’s a busy woman with many different business interests. She trusts me to take care of matters here.”
“What about the others? C, B… are they indies, too?” Alex asked.
“No,” Gideon said firmly. “I refuse to employ indentured servants. I’m the only IS working here.”
Alex gazed at Gideon, trying to understand him. “Why? Do you hate indies?”
“Not at all. I like them very much.”
“But you disapprove of the system?”
