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H.I.V.E.mind,’ the Contessa said impatiently.
    ‘Yes, Contessa,’ the AI replied.
    Suddenly the room was filled with a flash of bright blue light.
    ‘Measurements complete. All students please proceed to the changing cubicles,’ H.I.V.E.mind continued. Along one wall the white panels retracted to reveal small rooms, one for each of the students.
    ‘Now, children, please use any one of the cubicles to change. You have five minutes.’ The Contessa stood watching as they made their way over to the cubicles.
    Otto stepped into one of the tiny rooms and the door hissed shut behind him. One wall of the room was covered by a mirror and on the opposite wall was a small screen. The screen lit up, displaying H.I.V.E.mind’s face.
    ‘Please remove your clothes and place them in the processing bin.’ A box slid out of the wall.
    ‘All of my clothes?’ Otto asked.
    ‘Yes please,’ H.I.V.E.mind replied.
    ‘Are you going to watch?’ Otto asked, half smiling.
    ‘I’m always watching, Mr Malpense. Please proceed.’
    Otto knew that it was silly to be embarrassed about undressing in front of a machine, but he still felt uncomfortable as he removed his clothes and placed them in the bin. Despite himself he started to imagine the door opening again while he stood there naked, all of the other students pointing and laughing at him. He felt vulnerable, and Otto didn’t like feeling vulnerable.
    As he dropped his underpants into the bin it retracted into the wall and there was a muffled whooshing sound. Immediately another panel opened and hanging inside was a black jumpsuit, a pair of black trainers and, much to Otto’s relief, clean underwear. After putting on his fresh socks and boxer shorts he took the jumpsuit down from its hanger. It was immaculately pressed and had the familiar fist and globe badge in silver embroidery on the chest. Attached to the collar was a single white stud. Otto slipped into the jumpsuit and zipped it closed. The high collar felt stiff around his neck but otherwise the uniform fitted as if it had been made specifically for him. Finally he put on the trainers and stood looking at himself in the mirror. He had to admit that it did look good on him, although it did clash rather with his hair.
    ‘Is everything to your satisfaction, Mr Malpense?’ H.I.V.E.mind enquired. His soft voice made Otto jump slightly; as he had been getting dressed he had almost forgotten that their digital guardian was there. Otto guessed that it would be very easy to forget that H.I.V.E.mind was watching and wondered how many times the AI had overheard the incautious conversations of H.I.V.E.’s other students. Yes, H.I.V.E.mind was always there – indeed, from the way in which he had described his system, he was quite literally everywhere .
    ‘Yes, thank you, H.I.V.E.mind. Everything seems to fit perfectly,’ Otto replied.
    ‘Very well. You may now rejoin the other students.’
    Otto turned to the door, expecting it to open.
    ‘One other thing, Mr Malpense.’ Otto turned back to H.I.V.E.mind’s screen. ‘In answer to your previous question . . . I am not happy.’
    Astonished, Otto opened his mouth to reply, but before he could say anything H.I.V.E.mind vanished, the screen turned black and the cubicle door opened.
    Some of the other students were already gathering in the room, their new black outfits contrasting sharply with the bright white surroundings. Wing was there too, looking even more imposing than before in his uniform, if that was possible. Otto walked over to him.
    ‘So how do I look?’ Otto asked, smiling.
    ‘Very impressive,’ Wing replied. ‘Black suits you.’
    ‘Really? I think I look like a pint of Guinness,’ Otto joked.
    Wing started laughing, a new sound to Otto, a deep, booming laugh that caused several of the others to look curiously over in their direction.
    ‘Thank you. I have not laughed in a long time and I was beginning to worry that I would have forgotten how.’
    Wing slapped