Code of Silence

Code of Silence - Chapter 10

Although we'd been in the IT lab together on several occasions now, neither Alex nor I had really spoken with Theodore. Khan had sent us the link to Theo's gaming and tech vlog channel, which seemed to have attracted a decent following. The content was mainly reviews of new tech he had, or which he'd recently bought, plus gaming tips and hacks which seemed to generate a lot of hits and likes from like-minded techies. I'd seen a few of the posts; he definitely knew what he was talking about and I was keen to see what he was working on so enthusiastically in the IT sessions.

In some of his recent vlogs 'Theo V', as he like to introduce himself, had been talking about how he'd missed his home while living abroad, particularly his huge bedroom in the family property, which he proudly showed off at every opportunity. He'd even created a virtual tour version for any newbies visiting his channel. Featuring a split-level mezzanine floor, the room had been converted onto his own private tech den, full of gaming equipment, multiple consoles, workstations, monitors and screens. The virtual tour started outside his bedroom door which was on a first floor landing, alongside a second flight of stairs that climbed sharply to the final floor of the house above.

As the door to his personal tech-pad opened, it looked like a fairly normal room apart from the sheer size. It was positioned on one of the corners of the huge house and enjoyed stunning views. The tall side window on the narrower wall looked out onto the extensive lawns, the tennis court and a covered swimming pool. The two main windows revealed the full expanse of the rear garden where rich and verdant manicured lawns stretched back towards a wooded glade, and explosions of colour peppered the well-stocked flower beds. To the side, a dedicated vegetable area, wheelbarrow and tools scattered next to freshly picked produce.

Aside of its proportions, the expensive built-in furniture and walls boasting huge framed prints of icons of pop culture, there was one aspect that stood out. The double-height ceiling, more at home in an entrance hall or hotel suite and which, Theo disclosed, had been developed to meet his extravagant wishes when his parents had acquired the property and proceeded to spend a hefty sum refurbishing it.

Along one of the bedroom walls was a steep angled structure, rising from the floor upwards to a mezzanine level around ten feet off the ground. Theo revelled in showing off this unique feature. Pulling out his smartphone and tapping on the app he'd developed he spoke quietly into the device which slowly and silently transformed the angled structure into a staircase to the hidden mezzanine level above. His personal e-scalator, as he like to call it. The area above the main room overlooked the bedroom below, with its king-sized bed and door to the en suite bathroom at the opposite end. I was determined to ask Theo more about his luxury room and the tech he had at his disposal there. In person he seemed quite shy, but he came alive in his vlogs; a true techie, and for that, a kindred spirit. I wanted to get to know him better.

***

Theo had just turned nineteen, and life had been easy so far; he'd breezed through school with a confident academic ability, less able or interested in anything on the field of sport, but with a razor-sharp intellect and a passion for all things high tech.

Theo's life outside of school had revolved around technology. His activities depended on his mood. If tired and seeking relaxation, hours would be spent in his studio bedroom at home, gaming online with his many real and virtual acquaintances. Having lived and been schooled abroad he'd formed an international network of like-minded tech wannabes who all embraced similar pastimes.

When Theo was online he really was playing on a global scale, as most of his peers had also moved on, either to their original home country, or to some new far-flung outpost dictated by a parent's latest career move. If feeling more creative and energetic he'd spend his time in front of his desktop PC, craning at the dual wall-mounted monitors above the workstation, creating endless new strands of coding until the early hours.