Episode 5.3

Gillian and I look at him. When we nod, she quickly types "Arthur Stoughton" and hits the "Enter" key.

"Password Recognition Failed - To print this document, please re-enter password."

"I swear I'll stick my foot through the fucking screen," Charlie complains.

We only have one try left.

"Try the guy's name with the cleft chin," I say.

"Try my dad's bank account number," Gillian suggests.

"Try 'Gillian,'" I say, my voice and my confidence absolutely wavering. I'm not the only one. Despair settles on Charlie's face. He knows what we're playing for. Gillian, he repeated.

Charlie rubs his cheek with his knuckles. The idea does not excite him at all. However, there is no time to argue.

Turning to Gillian, he studies his piercing blue eyes and searches for the lie. But, as always, the lie does not appear.

"Try it," I insist.

Charlie looks at the keyboard, types the word "Gillian" and is about to hit "Enter." But for some reason, just as his fingertips brush against the key, he stops.

"Come on, Charlie.

-You're sure? he asks with a shaky voice. maybe we should...

"Just hit the fucking key," I tell him, leaning over to the keyboard and hitting it myself.

The three of us remained hypnotized in front of the screen, waiting for the computer's response.

There is a long, empty pause.

In the distance I can hear someone leafing through a magazine. The air conditioner makes a low hum... the porno guy giggles... and to all of us's surprise, the laser printer purrs softly.

"I can't believe it," Charlie says as the first page comes out of the machine. They have finally given us a break.

With a broad smile lighting his face, he jumps out of his chair, lunges forward, and grabs the page from the printer. But when he holds it in his hands, the smile fades from his lips. His shoulders slump. I look at the blade that trembles in his hands. It is completely blank.

We both turn to the computer screen just in time to see Duckworth's account slowly fade to black. We have entered the minefield.

"Charlie...!"

-I'm on it! -He says. He picks up the mouse and presses all the buttons in sight. There is no way to stop it. He has almost disappeared.

"Get the address of the website...!" -shout.

Our eyes are riveted in the direction that appears at the top of the screen. I take care of the first half; Charlie memorizes the second.

Gillian is missing.

-What are you doing?

-Not now! I tell him, making an effort to memorize my part.

The screen flickers and a new image appears. It's the Seven Dwarfs and a red button that says "Company Directory." Back to the beginning. But at least we're still on the internal employee site.

"Charlie, go...

Before she can finish the sentence,

Charlie is already there, eagerly activating the "Directory" button. Hundreds of photos of the company appear on the screen. Charlie repeats the operation that he has performed minutes before and begins to scroll through the screens until he reaches the "Imagineering" section. As before, he finds the face of the black man with the cleft chin. Just like before, he activates the cursor over his face. But this time, nothing happens. The photograph doesn't even move.

"Olly..."

"Maybe you should look at all four photos," Gillian suggests.

"Press again," I insist.

-I've already done it. But it's useless," Charlie says in a panic.

—Includes the address.

Charlie hands me the keyboard and steps away from the computer as I type in the first half of the memorized address. Then he adds the other half. The instant he hits "Return," the screen flips to a whole new page.

-Alright. We're still in…" he says as we wait for the image to load. And, for a second, everything seems to indicate that Charlie is right. But when the page appears.

Finally, my stomach flips over. The only thing that is visible on the screen is a completely white background. Nothing else. Just another empty page.

-What the hell is this? -asked. "He has disappeared..." "Disappeared?" That's impossible.

He goes back.

"There's nothing to do," he says.

Charlie. He is not here.

Are you sure you have written?

the right direction? Gillian asks.

Charlie checks the address again.

"This is exactly what us...

"It hasn't disappeared," I insist.

He can't have disappeared.

I walk past Charlie and head to the

nearest computer, removing the "Out of Service" sign from the keyboard.

In a few seconds I find myself before the Disney.com page: "Where magic lives Online".

"All we need is to start over," I say in my best Brooklyn accent.

"Olly..."

"No problem," I tell him, already halfway to my goal. Gillian says something too but I'm too busy perusing the biographies of the company's executives.

"Ollie, she's gone. There is no way you can find it.

I know it's here, just one more page.

When I manage to find the pyramid of the corporation, the photos of a dozen employees appear on the screen. For the second time I make a beeline for Arthur Stoughton, place the cursor on his spot and activate the photo. When nothing happens I click the mouse again. And one more time. The photo does not move.

"It's impossible," I mutter.

Trying not to lose my cool, I search for the photograph of the pale banker. Then I move on to the image of the redhead. But again, nothing happens.

"Come... please," he implored.

Rising from his chair, Charlie places a hand on my shoulder.

"Olly..."

I look at the screen, sunk in my chair. I have my elbows resting on my knees.

"Why can't we ever have a moment's respite?" I ask, and my voice cracks.

It's a rhetorical question that Charlie can't answer. He keeps the

He rests his hand on my shoulder and checks the screen. Barely if he can bear it. I don't blame him. Five minutes ago, we had everything Duckworth had created. And now—while my brother and I keep our eyes glued to the screen—we have absolutely nothing. There is no bank logo. No hidden account. And, worst of all, no proof.