To become one of the unbound, you solve the Founder’s Puzzle. It’s the store, you see. You go from one book to another, decoding each one, finding the key to the next. They’re all shelved in a particular way. It’s like a tangle of string.” I get it: “That’s the puzzle I solved.” She nods once, frowns, and sips her tea. Then, as if suddenly remembering: “You know, I was a computer programmer once.” No way. “Back when they were big and gray, like elephants. Oh, it was hard work. We were the first to do it.” Amazing. “Where was this?” “Pacific Bell, just down on Sutter Street”—she waves a finger
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