typist's chair, the handbook in his lap.
"I didn't forget it," said Cadel.
"I know," Thaddeus replied.
The book was offered and accepted. Cadel asked, "What
is
this Axis place? You've never mentioned it before."
"It's a college. I told you."
"But—"
"It's funded by your father, Cadel. Pretty much for your sake."
"
My
sake?" Cadel blinked. "You don't mean—he created it just for
me?
To go to?"
"Not exactly." Thaddeus checked his watch. "I can't give you the details now—I haven't time. But rest assured it will suit you right down to the ground. It was tailor-made for you.
Tailor-made.
"
"Just so that I could get a degree in computer science?"
Thaddeus smiled. He rose from his chair, put his arm around Cadel's shoulders, and bent his mouth to the boy's ear. "Between you and me," he whispered, "we at the institute prefer to call it an
infiltration
degree."
Cadel pulled back, startled. He peered up into the psychologist's face.
Thaddeus was still smiling.
"If you check that handbook, Cadel, you'll find a little software chip inside," he said. "For your computer phone. It will give you a more thorough understanding of what the Axis Institute is all about."
"Okay."
"Just remember the golden rule," Thaddeus concluded. "
Never take anything at face value.
"
On his way home, Cadel pondered this advice as Stuart swore at the traffic. Like his wife, Mr. Piggott had a meeting scheduled; he dropped Cadel at the house before whizzing off in a cloud of exhaust fumes. Cadel let himself in. Mrs. Ang had been and gone, so the wide, pale rooms were clean and silent. Cadel's rubber soles squeaked on polished wood floors and padded across expensive Persian rugs.
He kicked his shoes off when he finally flung himself onto his bed, creasing the handwoven cover in a way that would have enraged Mrs. Piggott.
Cadel had recently concealed a laptop computer in his hollowed-out world atlas. He had bought the computer with his Partner Post money and was able to use it quite often because Mr. and Mrs. Piggott were away more than ever. Thaddeus knew about the laptop, of course; yet he had given Cadel a tiny chip of software for the computer phone, which, despite all its marvelous features, was so small that it was harder to use than a normal computer.
Why had Thaddeus done this?
Cadel soon realized why. When he loaded the program, he discovered an alternative course handbook for the Axis Institute—and it wasn't the kind of thing you'd want falling into the hands of your parents. With growing astonishment Cadel discovered the
real
names of the institute's schools and departments. It seemed that the School of Deception offered not computer science, psychology, media studies, and accounting, but infiltration, manipulation, misinformation, and embezzlement. The School of Organic Distortion ran courses on contagion and mutation (both genetic and radiation-induced). The School of Destruction covered explosives, assassination (including poisoning), guerrilla skills, and something called Personal Growth.
When Cadel called up more information on the infiltration department, he was informed that infiltration—otherwise known as computer science—was only a unit in the first year of the Axis "World Domination" degree. As a School of Deception student, Cadel would have to attend certain compulsory courses as part of his first-year program. These courses would include Basic Lying (or "Coping Skills"), Pure Evil (or "Pragmatic Philosophy"), Case Studies I (or "Self-Discipline"), and Forgery (or "Cultural Appreciation"). He could then choose his electives—like infiltration, for example.
The philosophy of the Axis Institute, as determined by its founder, Dr. Phineas Darkkon, is one of transformation,
Cadel learned from the "Overview" option.
His goal is to effect the transformation of individuals
and
society. Dr. Darkkon's purpose in founding the institute was to tap into the unrealized skills of those who have lost their way in a community
"I didn't forget it," said Cadel.
"I know," Thaddeus replied.
The book was offered and accepted. Cadel asked, "What
is
this Axis place? You've never mentioned it before."
"It's a college. I told you."
"But—"
"It's funded by your father, Cadel. Pretty much for your sake."
"
My
sake?" Cadel blinked. "You don't mean—he created it just for
me?
To go to?"
"Not exactly." Thaddeus checked his watch. "I can't give you the details now—I haven't time. But rest assured it will suit you right down to the ground. It was tailor-made for you.
Tailor-made.
"
"Just so that I could get a degree in computer science?"
Thaddeus smiled. He rose from his chair, put his arm around Cadel's shoulders, and bent his mouth to the boy's ear. "Between you and me," he whispered, "we at the institute prefer to call it an
infiltration
degree."
Cadel pulled back, startled. He peered up into the psychologist's face.
Thaddeus was still smiling.
"If you check that handbook, Cadel, you'll find a little software chip inside," he said. "For your computer phone. It will give you a more thorough understanding of what the Axis Institute is all about."
"Okay."
"Just remember the golden rule," Thaddeus concluded. "
Never take anything at face value.
"
On his way home, Cadel pondered this advice as Stuart swore at the traffic. Like his wife, Mr. Piggott had a meeting scheduled; he dropped Cadel at the house before whizzing off in a cloud of exhaust fumes. Cadel let himself in. Mrs. Ang had been and gone, so the wide, pale rooms were clean and silent. Cadel's rubber soles squeaked on polished wood floors and padded across expensive Persian rugs.
He kicked his shoes off when he finally flung himself onto his bed, creasing the handwoven cover in a way that would have enraged Mrs. Piggott.
Cadel had recently concealed a laptop computer in his hollowed-out world atlas. He had bought the computer with his Partner Post money and was able to use it quite often because Mr. and Mrs. Piggott were away more than ever. Thaddeus knew about the laptop, of course; yet he had given Cadel a tiny chip of software for the computer phone, which, despite all its marvelous features, was so small that it was harder to use than a normal computer.
Why had Thaddeus done this?
Cadel soon realized why. When he loaded the program, he discovered an alternative course handbook for the Axis Institute—and it wasn't the kind of thing you'd want falling into the hands of your parents. With growing astonishment Cadel discovered the
real
names of the institute's schools and departments. It seemed that the School of Deception offered not computer science, psychology, media studies, and accounting, but infiltration, manipulation, misinformation, and embezzlement. The School of Organic Distortion ran courses on contagion and mutation (both genetic and radiation-induced). The School of Destruction covered explosives, assassination (including poisoning), guerrilla skills, and something called Personal Growth.
When Cadel called up more information on the infiltration department, he was informed that infiltration—otherwise known as computer science—was only a unit in the first year of the Axis "World Domination" degree. As a School of Deception student, Cadel would have to attend certain compulsory courses as part of his first-year program. These courses would include Basic Lying (or "Coping Skills"), Pure Evil (or "Pragmatic Philosophy"), Case Studies I (or "Self-Discipline"), and Forgery (or "Cultural Appreciation"). He could then choose his electives—like infiltration, for example.
The philosophy of the Axis Institute, as determined by its founder, Dr. Phineas Darkkon, is one of transformation,
Cadel learned from the "Overview" option.
His goal is to effect the transformation of individuals
and
society. Dr. Darkkon's purpose in founding the institute was to tap into the unrealized skills of those who have lost their way in a community
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