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welcome them.”
Francisco finally looked over toward the twins. Giuseppe stood up
again to rejoin the group, by now very lively.
    “Well, I think we’ll continue the
introductions later. Our guests must be exhausted after their long
trip. Please come with me; I must introduce you to Francisco. Then
I will show you to your rooms.”
    Before joining Francisco, Giuseppe took
Clementine and the twins aside, to prepare them for the
meeting.
    “Before I introduce you, there are one or two
little things you should know about Francisco. He is autistic. In
fact, to be precise, he has an unusual form of autism which affords
him some special abilities. In certain areas he is an
extraordinarily intelligent man. Without him, our cybernetic
research program could not continue. Unfortunately, his condition
makes communication a little difficult. He probably will not look
at you, or perhaps only fleetingly. Your coming is a source of
anxiety for him – as is any new encounter – but if you do not
startle him, he will quickly get used to you.”
    “Yes, I understand,” answered Charlie. “Don’t
worry; we’ll do our best not to startle him. Jacques and I have
spent quite some time wandering the corridors of insanity.”
    Giuseppe, very concerned by what he had just
heard, asked a little sharply, “Just what exactly do you mean?”
    Jacques replied quickly, “My brother simply
means that, in light of our very unusual condition, we have had to
spend many years in hospital, where we have been in the company,
enjoyable or otherwise, of other patients in the neurosurgical
department. Other than that, there’s nothing to worry about, even
though I must admit that it’s not always easy to be in harmony with
oneself when there are two us making decisions.”
    Then he addressed Charlie internally to
reprove him, “ You know I don’t like you talking about
that!”
    “I see. Come along,” replied Giuseppe, still
rather taken aback by what he had just heard.
    Francisco stood waiting at his table. He
smiled and extended his hand, all the while his eyes looking into
space. His book lay on the table. Its cover read: “The
Chess-player”.
    “That’s an excellent book you have there,”
said Charlie. “I’ve read it and re-read it for years. It is Stefan Zweig’s novel, isn’t it?”
    Francisco, flustered, took the book and
slipped it into the pocket of his jacket. “Yes, it is. Welcome. My
name is Francisco. I turned thirty-six years old, twenty-three days
and seven hours ago. I earned a PhD in Physics twelve years ago
from Paris-Diderot University and a PhD in the History of Ancient
Civilizations from Paris-Vincennes University five years ago. Since
then, I have been doing research work with Giuseppe. He has told me
a lot about you.”
    Jacques spoke internally to Charlie, in a
sarcastic tone, “Well! I think you two are going to get on
marvelously well together! This is all very interesting, but I
don’t understand why we still don’t know what we’re doing here; or
how they can have heard of a pair of poor old handicapped guys like
you and me.”
    “We are flattered that scientists such as
yourselves are showing such interest in us, but now my brother and
I would like to know the reason for our presence here,” said
Charlie, looking back and forth from Giuseppe to Francisco. “How
can we possibly be of service to you?”
    “I understand your impatience,” answered
Giuseppe. “Tomorrow I will come and pick you up at 6:30 am. We will
go with Francisco to the research center. But for now, let me show
you to your rooms. Ah! I almost forgot; I still need to introduce
you to Émile, the concierge. He will give you your electronic
cigarette and your identity codes.”
     

 
    6 VICTOR

     
    The next day, in a small room in the research
center, Giuseppe was seated opposite the twins and Clementine.
Slightly off to the side, Francisco was franticly tapping away on a
tablet which he held in his lap. The room was fairly