Once there, he followed a pathway that passed by the lake. His thoughts weighed heavy as he pondered what to do next. No clarity, he opted to rest. The Expo organizer would be hosting an outdoor concert later that evening, on Max Yasgur's farm where the iconic 1969 festival was held. It might take his mind off things.

He came upon a playground, which was neglected and overgrown. He stepped on the crumbled leaves and touched the coldness of the rusted swing bar. He thought of home, and the similar-sized playground that was three blocks down. As a child, he would often hop on the swing by himself and proclaim the land of rubber mulch his kingdom. His parents did not care for him, seldom came looking for him. Growing up, Alberto was pretty much by himself.

Oh well. Happiness was overrated, and people like him deserved to be lonely. He once watched a TV pastor preaching the love of the Good Shepherd. Cynical, he switched the channel and tossed out the thought.

Having determined the swing to be structurally sound, Alberto hopped on. He thrust one foot downward, giving the earth below a good nudge. Once in the air, he felt a swift and fleeting sense of freedom.

Rosario Ibaraki-Sosa was standing next to him, seemingly amused. Without asking, she joined him by swinging next to him. They became two differently timed pendulums, constantly brushing past each other.

"You must be the quiet type," said Alberto.

"I am," said Rosario. "Everyone just wants to talk, but I prefer to listen."

"That's deep."

"I'm a reflective person, I'll admit to that."

"You don't say. I'm Alberto, by the way."

"I know who you are," said Rosario. "Did my homework prior. I assume your AI pal looked me up as well."

Alberto sighed. Once again, his past had caught up to him. "Look, Ms. Sosa. You look like a really nice person, so I'm just going to say it. Whatever it is that you're offering, I'm not interested. I've already done prison time, so I just want to move on and live an ordinary life."

"Sure," said Rosario. "It's good to move on. But do you know where you're heading?"

"No," replied Alberto. "But does anyone know? Do you?"

"My path is clear," said Rosario. "And I want to offer you the same thing. I'm a follower of John Burke. He wants to change the world, and he needs someone like you."

Alberto's eyes widened, surprised to hear the name of a legendary hacker. Ever since he left prison, Alberto had been approached by numerous hacker groups, looking to recruit. But none of them could match John Burke's caliber.

He stayed calm, trying not to let his emotions get the best of him.

"Trust me," he said, the world needs no changing. Aesop once told me a fable about the Dog and the Shadow. The moral of the fable is be happy with what you have."

"How can you be happy," asked Rosario, "knowing there's so much injustice in the world?"

"Well, what kind of injustice are you referring to?" asked Alberto. "If it's the price of coffee and cigarettes, then yes, they are becoming more expensive. That makes me angry."

"I'm talking about greedy corporations and oppressive governments," said Rosario, "how they get in bed together and exploit the poor. That's what John's fighting for, a world without social borders. You should know. After all, you used to fight for the same cause."

"The world's chaotic as it is," said Alberto, "and it surely doesn't need another revolutionary. Besides, I'm happy turning a blind eye to those things. Did you know that human ignorance is the second most powerful force in the universe? As long as we set our minds to it, we can tune out everything. It's a real wonder, you should try it. I sleep a whole lot better these days."

Rosario smiled warmly, like still water in spring. "Deep down, you know you yearn for more. Here's an idea, how about we meet up tonight at the concert? I'll introduce you to John, and we'll see how it goes. Deal?"

She hopped off the swing and patted the dirt off her denim. "I'll be waiting for you."

Rosario turned around, took the pathway to the lake, and left graceful shadows in her wake.