“You Are Part of the Algorithm”
Evan jumped, feeling a hand on his shoulder. He spun around, stifling a scream. Mr. Calder had somehow slipped into his apartment—Evan must have forgotten to lock the deadbolt in his panic. The old man was also staring at the car. His face, usually soft and kind, now looked like stone. “They arrived early,” he whispered. “The timeline shifted.”
“Who are ‘they’?” Evan’s voice trembled. “I’m just a data analyst. I’m nobody. You’re confusing me with someone else!” Calder looked at him with heavy, terrifying pity. “You aren’t the target, Evan. You are the tool. The scapegoat. Your routine… you are too predictable. Coffee at 7:15, subway at 7:30, server room access at 7:55. They studied you. Today, your badge is meant to open a door that no one else can open.”
At that moment, the door of the black sedan opened. Two men in gray coats stepped out. They didn’t look around. They looked straight up at Evan’s windows. One of them pulled out a phone, and instantly, Evan’s mobile in his pocket buzzed. “Don’t answer it,” Calder commanded. “If you answer, they’ll triangulate that you’re home, not commuting. We have to wait until noon.”