“That means the story of Jesus.”
“Are you a Christian, Sophie?”
“I don’t know.”
“As a rule not knowing is a step toward new knowledge.”
“Socrates would most likely have said the same. Or Descartes, for that matter.”
“Socrates was a Greek philosopher who lived from 470 to 399 B.C. If you wish
to know more, press F7. Descartes was a French philosopher who lived from 1596 to
1650. If you wish to know more, press F7.”
“Thank you, that will be quite enough. Can I ask you something else?”
“I am glad that this was enough. Go ahead and ask!”
Alberto laughed quietly. Sophie wrote:
“Who is Hilde Moller Knag?”
“Hilde Moller Knag lives in Lillesand and is exactly the same age as Sophie
Amundsen.”
“How do you know?”
“I don’t know how. I found her on the hard disc.”
Sophie felt a hand on her shoulder.
“I have fed the data program with the little information we have about Hilde,”
said Alberto.
“What else do you know about Hilde?” wrote Sophie.
“Hilde’s father is a UN Observer in Lebanon. He has the rank of major and
continually sends postcards to his daughter.”
“I want you to find him!”
“I can’t do that. He is not on any of my files and I am not coupled to any other
data base.”
“I said find him!!!!!!!!”
“Are you angry, Sophie? So many exclamation marks are a sign of violent
feelings.”
“I want to talk to Hilde’s father!”
“You have difficulty controlling yourself. If you wish to talk about your
childhood, press F9.”
Alberto laid his hand on Sophie’s shoulder again.
“She’s right. This is not a crystal ball. Laila is only a data program.”
“Shut up!” wrote Sophie.
“As you wish, Sophie. Our acquaintance lasted only 13 minutes and 52 seconds.
I shall remember everything we have said. I shall now end the program.”
The letter C: once again showed up on the screen.
“Now we can sit down again,” said Alberto.
But Sophie had already pressed some other keys.
“Knag,” she wrote.
Immediately the following message appeared on the screen:
“Here I am.”
Now it was Alberto who jumped.
“Who are you?” wrote Sophie.
“Major Albert Knag at your service. I came straight from Lebanon. What is
your command?”
“This beats everything!” breathed Alberto. “The rat has sneaked onto the hard
disc.”
He motioned for Sophie to move and sat down in front of the keyboard.
“How did you manage to get into my PC?” he wrote.