The door to Frank's study opened slowly, letting in a small glimmer of light from the hallway. Jake peered inside and saw a room that was strangely cluttered, but at the same time devoid of any personal belongings. As if it were inhabited by a restless man with no past.
From a person who was so well dressed and elegant like Frank, Jake would have expected an immaculate, perfunctory room, perhaps with a few silly details like a Newtonian pendulum on the desk to give the room an intellectual tone.
Instead, he saw an unmade bed, notes strewn across the floor, and dirty dishes that Frank had apparently forgotten to take back to the kitchen stacked on a small table in the corner of the room.
Despite the chaos, there was a nice smell of lodgepole pine and wood in the air. Jake loved that smell; it brought back happy memories of days at the beach and warm summer days spent playing in the pine forest near their hotel overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
However, this smell was completely out of context - Jake could see no scent diffusers, incense sticks, or candles anywhere. Where was the scent coming from?
"Do you need something, Jacob?"
Jake jumped slightly when he heard his full name from the masked man sitting in front of a large computer screen. He took off a pair of headphones, but continued to work on his computer instead of turning his head to look at Jake.
"Omg, please don't call me Jacob, only my grumpy old aunt calls me that when she wants to complain about something." Exclaimed Jake. "Jacob, don't sing that song while eating!" Or "Jacob, stop using your sling in my house, you're not a savage! That's the third antique vase you've broken for me!" Or even, "Jacob, I told you a thousand times not to ride your tricycle on the roof!" Jake imitated his aunt's voice in a mocking tone before chuckling and shaking his head. "Oh, by the way, how did you even know it was me? You got eyes in the back of your head or something? You're really creepy, let me tell you. No offense."
"None taken. I just see you reflected in my screen, no magic tricks." Frank typed something on the keyboard a few times before speaking again. "All I can say is that I feel sorry for your aunt, but that's none of my business. But to refuse your real name just because your aunt scolds you seems a bit childish to me."
"You don't understand! It's not just that! Jacob sounds like a sad middle-aged man full of hatred for his boss. It sounds dusty and cringe. Jake suits me better! But I understand that being a boomer doesn't help you understand these things." Feeling encouraged by Frank's response, Jake decided to go inside and approach that eccentric man. "What were you listening to? I saw you had headphones on."
"I'm not old enough to be considered a boomer. But it's also true that since we're from two different timelines, it wouldn't make any sense anyway." As Jake approached, he turned his head to face the boy. Despite the lack of aggression in Frank, Jake still felt uncomfortable watching those red, expressionless eyes peer into his soul.
"Classical music. I suppose you find that genre 'boring', am I right?"
Jake shrugged. "Well... yeah, it's not really my thing. But can I listen to what you listened to?"
"Be my guest." The man handed him the headphones and Jake slowly placed them on his head. The boy listened to the track playing in the headphones for a few seconds while Frank was observing him. It was impossible to tell if he was interested in studying Jake's reaction or if he was just patiently waiting for Jake to leave so he could get back to work.
"Hey bro, that's not too bad. It actually slaps." Jake seemed genuinely surprised. "What's the name of this song?"
"It's not a song, it's a piece. It's the Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major by Johann Sebastian Bach. Specifically BWV 1068, 'Air'.
"Huh? Holy shit, how can you remember all that? What does BWS even mean? Why number 3? How many are there?"
"I just like it, so I remember it easily. BWV comes from the German "Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis". It's simply a catalog of Bach's compositions. And there are four orchestral suites."
"Wow." Jake nodded slowly as he took off the headphones. "I see. But you know, that's why I can't really get into classical music. Too complex, too hard and snobbish. For example, I play the trumpet in my school band. I bet any classical music lover would spit on me for playing such a stupid instrument."
"That is the farthest thing from the truth. First of all, not all classical music lovers are the same. Second, the trumpet isn't a stupid instrument. There are also many pieces and entire concertos dedicated to the trumpet in classical music."
Jake's eyes widened, obviously interested. "Really? Do you have an example?"
"Of course. Wait a minute." Frank clicked on a few files before finding the right one. Jake put his headphones back on.
"Try to listen to this. Trumpet Concerto in E-flat Major, Second Movement, Andante by Joseph Haydn."
"Hmm. I only hear violins."
"Be patient."
"Oh, yes. Now. Oh! Wow!" Jake smiled. It was true, he could hear a trumpet playing like the protagonist of a movie. Proud and elegant, at ease with the rest of the orchestra.
Without realizing it, Jake was listening to the entire piece. Meanwhile, Frank had returned to looking at the screen and typing things that were completely incomprehensible to Jake.
"Wow. That was amazing. I never thought such a seemingly boring genre could be so special. Jake admitted with a small amount of embarrassment, who knows how his friends would have teased him if they had heard that statement! Rebellious Jake appreciating music for old people!
"That's why I like it. When you listen to it, you feel like you're in direct contact with an ancient art that can express concepts so profound that ordinary, vulgar words can't". The closest thing to an emotion, but Frank decided to not express that last statement out loud.
"But how do you get these pieces? They sounded as if they were played by real musicians - you could even hear the clapping and the occasional, accidental coughing of the public. As if they had been recorded at a concert. Isn't the music of your time all made with AI?"
"These are pieces I got when I was in your era, when art and music were severely undervalued, but at least they still existed."
"Did you hack any websites?"
"No. I bought these recordings legally, but under a false name. I don't support that kind of hacking against the arts. It's what has empowered AI to permanently kill all forms of musicians and artists."
"I see. Have you ever tried to play an instrument?"
"They don't exist anymore, but I would have liked to have had the time to learn when I was in your time."
"I see. I really liked that. Do you have any other suggestions?" The boy gave him back his headphones and smiled softly.
"If you are particularly fond of brass instruments, another interesting piece to listen to might be the Horn Concerto in E-flat Major No. 3, KV 447. But there are so many pieces to listen to that it would take me six lifetimes to show you all of them. I suggest you start with the most popular composers and then try to listen to more difficult composers like Szymanowski." Frank looked at Jake and sighed. "We are straying too far from the subject. I doubt you came to me to discuss classical music. What do you need?"
Jake sat down on the table next to Frank's computer and swung his legs in the air. "I have a problem. It's a little embarrassing. It's a... huh... romantic problem?" He looked away, too ashamed to look directly at that man. Frank just stared at him without saying anything.
"There's a girl I really like, and I thought she liked me back. But the problem is that now she is suddenly super interested in some nerd she just met. She wants to spend all her time with him now, but it pisses me off. I want to..."
"My apologies for interrupting, but I really don't think I'm the right person for this. I don't even think it's appropriate. I don't understand why you're treating me like I'm some kind of familiar figure or some kind of wise friend, because I'm not." Frank's tone was very calm and non-judgmental, yet firm. "You should think very deeply about this tendency of yours to get attached to and trust adult figures you barely know, because it makes you vulnerable and manipulable. Not that I care, but it's dangerous for a kid like you."
"Hey hey hey! Whoa! Slow down! You sound like a headshrinker! I don't do that!"
"Yes, you are. I saw how attached you were to the inspector. You barely know him, and yet you were willing to do anything to help and protect him."
"He was innocent! He was in trouble because of you!"
"It doesn't matter. You didn't have any proof. You trusted him blindly."
"Hmpf." Jake frowned, not wanting to continue that conversation. "Whatever! I didn't want to open up to you, I just wanted to explain the context of my request!"
"Which is...?"
"Please teach me how to hack a computer!"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Yes! I want to look cool to her! I want her to think I am as intelligent as that stupid nerd! And I want to hack Bruno's equipment just to make his life miserable!"
Frank was silent for several seconds before he answered with a sharp "No".
"Aww! Come on, why not?"
"For many reasons. First of all, you don't know anything about computers. You should at least learn the basics of computer science first. Second, I don't want you to destroy Bruno's work because it's very useful for our missions. Third, you shouldn't pretend to be something you're not just to make another person like you."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"If you want a lasting relationship with someone, you cannot pretend to be something you are not, because sooner or later the mask will come off. If she does not appreciate you for who you are, I would let it go. It means you two are not compatible."
"But... how do I know I will ever find a girl who can love me for who I really am?"
"Beware, this "who I am" thing can become a trap. To be loved for who you are is not to open your arms and say:"This is who I am, take it or leave it." Because that thing implies that you are taking yourself out of the relationship. In this view, where is the part where you work on yourself and choose what you give to the other person?"
"I don't understand. What should I do then?"
"One thing is to try to work on our flaws. One thing is to try to change our nature. Not liking computers and liking skateboarding is not a flaw, it's a part of who you really are."
"I see. Hmm." Jake seemed to think about those words for a moment before answering. "But she used to like me. Why doesn't she like me anymore?"
"Either people change or she is trying to make you jealous to compensate for her insecurities and to make herself feel wanted. But either way, it's not your responsibility."
"You seem to know a lot about love for a weirdo in a bunny mask who spends his days in front of a computer screen."
"That's not true. I don't know anything about love. People are extremely complex and hard to read, they are driven by inner reasons that nobody truly knows, not even themselves. I don't think I've ever really understood anyone in my life. Mine are just hypotheses based on my own experience. But they're not a universal truth about love."
"It's just..." Jake sighed deeply. "I feel so useless these days. I really want to help the inspector, but I don't even know if he's alive."
"He is."
"How do you know that?"
"Because, fortunately, in this age of unbridled progress, people have become so entranced by insignificant and harmful details that even the simplest technology has become a quick way to gather data about them. For example, light bulbs."
"I'm not following you."
"You know those smart light bulbs you can turn on with a voice command or by clapping your hands? I was able to access the microphones and motion sensors of the light bulbs at a police station not far from the prison where we were being held."
"You mean..."
"Yes. He is alive and they are currently trying to recruit him into their forces. The dog too, as long as he's useful to them."
"What...? Frank, this is a big deal! Why didn't you tell me before?"
"Because you didn't ask."
"You knew I was looking for the inspector! How can you be so stupid and so smart at the same time?"
"I was planning to tell this to Miss Maia anyway. Tomorrow we will have a big team meeting where we will discuss various topics. Including what to do with the inspector."
"Oh my God. I gotta tell somebody. Thanks bro." He jumped off Frank's desk and ran out into the hallway, leaving the door open.
Frank sighed, stood up and closed the door with a shake of his head. He hated leaving doors open when he was working.
"Annoying kids..." he muttered before sitting back down in front of the computer keyboard and dedicate his full attention to his computer.