InterCorpT

Jiing. Jiing. Jiing. This little unreal noise seems to begin from far away, but it comes to closer every second. I try to leave the arms of Morpheus, driven by the shrill cry of my alarm. I try to crush the imposing button, I miss it, the day starts well (-1). Quick rise, opening shutters, contemplation of the green wall of the building opposite, I'm still in the housing area for low middle class. I look up at the sky, always gray, bad luck. The morning routine begins, a coffee, a shower, I put on my clothes and I'm ready to fight with the world (+3). The whole world is unfortunately also ready to fight with me. I leave my class G apartment, take the stairs and go down the seven floors that separate me from the parking lot. As I catch my breath when I get down, I secretly hope that this is the last time I do it, that I could one day have access to the elevator.

I head for section G of the parking lot, I get in my vehicle. My car informs me of my InterCorpT points and gives me my ranking. I have to be careful, if I don’t catch up, I could be downgraded to category H at the next TO. Then comes the news, which remains rather moribund and monotonous. I only have access to classified G information anyway. Finally, it’s time for my social network. John is still bedridden and has just passed under 100 credits. I should send him a little farewell message while there’s still time, I doubt he’ll make it through the week. Too bad, he was funny, I’ve known him for a long time when I think about it. I end up getting a good score in the oral quiz to check that I have understood everything I was told (+7). After the appearance of this mandatory quiz and the total centralization of the news by InterCorpT, the rate of rebellion fell drastically in the world. People want to earn points and have come to believe in it. It may be better for everyone.

The traffic is quite fluid. I start to think I’m going to get a bit ahead, maybe enough to win the punctuality bonus, 4 credits, it’s always nice. I don’t want to get a speeding ticket, either, because I can’t afford it right now. I finally arrive at the entrance of my company’s parking lot, GlobalEntT. A badge check, head for section G, a little maneuver and voila, I arrive well in advance (+ 2 + 4). Head to the stairs, fifteen floors on foot, I fantasize once again about Group F and its right of access to the elevators. I say hello to colleagues I meet, and I finally settle in my alcove.

GlobalEntT is an operator of the InterCorpT network on the European continent. In addition to providing its subscribers with access to the InterCorpT network, it tracks its customers and deals with the complaints of dissatisfied people and checks the status and variations of their balances. Recently, its staff has also been able to provide leads to try to earn more credit for their customers. GlobalEntT handles categories F to K. For categories below K, another company has claimed the market and provides only minimal service to its customers. The elite of the population has the right to choose between several luxury operators who provide multiple additional benefits.

I am one of those hotliners who have to explain to people why they will be downgraded at the next TO, why some of their loved ones are excluded from the network and are denied access to all devices connected to InterCorpT, leading to their deaths in the coming week. Announcing this kind of news is never easy, but at least it pays well. My pay is relative to the seriousness of the news I give. During this morning, I am lucky, I come across two cases of exclusion: one for having caused a traffic accident, the other for having lost everything in the game. Of the two, I was able to persuade one of them to go on her own to a reprocessing center where she will have one last meal before being “finished” in a “soft” way. I earn a good bonus (+ 20 + 20 + 100). Delighted by my morning successes and wanting to check my new ranking, I log in to my InterCorpT account again. My terminal freezes.

10 billion people are registered on InterCorpT. All these people generate a little over 1000 billion connections to the network daily. InterCorpT has, of course, a decentralized architecture spread around the globe with many daily backup systems set up to avoid plunging humanity into chaos at the slightest problem. Each person has all his data on one of the many servers that dot the planet. Mine must have a design flaw, or is it just fate after all? Still, a bit, a single bit worth 0 goes to 1. Of the few billions of bits that make up my data, it ultimately represents a tiny part. What importance could it have on my life? Unfortunately, if this bit is the parity bit of my input variable and it therefore logically goes from a positive value to a negative value, and that can be important to my life.

After rebooting my device, I go back to my account. I got my bonuses, they put me safe from downgrading for the next TO. This is very good news! I spend the rest of my day managing small files of disgruntled customers who call to try to earn a point or two through attrition and complaints. At the end of the day, it’s not that heavy (+10). At 7 pm, I get up, the good files never drop at night, it's a trainee trap to stay in the evening.

It’s back to the car, the traffic is a little busier than this morning, it will allow me to plan my evening. How to celebrate this providential bonus? I hesitate between the latest big American blockbuster or do some sports. The movie is a little more sociable, I ask my on-board computer for the schedules of the sessions. The next session begins in three-quarters of an hour, I accelerate a little while passing on the left lane. A squirrel crosses. I have always loved squirrels, they remind me of the cartoons of my childhood. Of course, avoiding it at the last second is impossible, the anti-accident system of my car prevents me. The squirrel won't be going back to its shelter tonight. My navigation system lets me know that I've earned 15 points. Yes, I earned points. I ask my car to search the InterCorpT Argus to check since when does crushing a rodent pay points. The answer comes quickly; according to the InterCorpT credits report of the day, crushing a squirrel earns 15 points. Doubt settles in me, probably a connection error in my car, it's old after all.

I arrive at my neighborhood cinema. I cross the car park with long strides, not wanting to lose points arriving late. I notice a piece of trash stuck under the stairwell door when I push it, an easy point that one. Yet the trash can in the lobby of the cinema tells me I lost a point. I head for the cash register and I take a ticket (-6). After the session, I go home a little troubled by my collision with the squirrel and the apparent malfunction of the trash can, this kind of thing doesn’t happen normally, I’m in a good position to know, I’m the one they’d call to complain about it. I’ll see to it tomorrow, it’s probably a problem with the regional server.

New day, let’s start again. I miss the button of my alarm clock again (+1), I prepare coffee, take my shower, go downstairs, find my car, we are up and running again (-3). The information is similar to yesterday’s, the news quiz is always easy (-8). Then it comes to my grading and my pay transactions. I lost 10 points this morning, I don’t understand. The memories of last night are starting to come back, I’m starting to panic. The information doesn’t report a fault in the InterCorpT network, they would have spoken about it. What is happening to me? Why me?

I park at a rest area to pick up my spirits, it is not safe concerning the other drivers that I drive while I begin to be filled with a choking terror (-9). I recheck my balance on my phone, I just lost points, panic wins. Stop. Think about it, what happened? It all started with the squirrel, I won points, I shouldn’t have. Then the trash that turned against me, my alarm clock that made me gain a point, it never happens, I lose points on the quiz, that’s not normal either. I'm starting to understand, there must have been a bug, my account has reversed. What to do? Go to work to lose points and be downgraded at the next TO, there’s no question of that. In my state, I must isolate myself, for the good of all (-5). My phone is vibrating again, I’ve lost some more points, getting out of the way when it’s dangerous for the rest of the people is normally gaining points, I’m screwed, I have to move. If I don’t act badly very quickly, I’ll lose everything, maybe even be excluded before John. This thought repulses me, I go back in my car.

I’m on the road. Above all, don’t slow down, stay speeding so you don’t lose points. Cars pass on my right as I pass them. Find a solution, quickly... The light of my gas gauge comes on, the curse is relentless against me. I go out to the next gas station, I can’t pay, I’ll have to improvise. I start to refuel, I have chills running through my whole body, I’m nervous. I’ve never deliberately broken the law, and now it’s the only way out. But for how much longer? The station has a barrier that prevents the motorists from leaving, it’s the employee who activates it from the inside, a relic of the past. I’ve got to go. I go back to the deserted shop, he’s behind his desk. I can’t ask him to open the gate, I’m going to have to do it the hard way. I grab a screwdriver from the DIY department, approach him, start threatening him, he refuses to open it up and throws himself at me to disarm me. We roll on the ground, I’m in a panic, I can get away, I’m stained with blood, and it’s not mine (+10 000). I feel bad, I can’t stay there, someone could see me. I turn on the barrier switch, go back to my car and start driving, always faster, always farther.

My navigation system tells me that I’ve received a message and reads it to me:

“Hello dear subscriber N° 16561656, We noticed anomalies on your account since yesterday. All this is due to a small technical problem of little importance. We have settled your account and all your losses and point wins since yesterday are being recalculated and will be reinstated as soon as possible. We are sincerely sorry for the inconvenience, The InterCorpT team.”