They had left the cottage in Scotland early in the morning, and Mrs. Sterling had driven David to the Barclay Laboratory in Cambridge.

‘Shall I come in?’ - said Mrs. Sterling

‘Of course’ - said David - ‘You can probably get some breakfast and find somewhere to relax. I won’t be long’

Mrs. Sterling and David walked into the reception of the Barclay Laboratory. They were met by a security guard.

‘I am David Sterling’ - said David

‘Nice to meet you David Sterling’ - said the security guard - ‘And how can I help you?’

‘I solved a puzzle and I am supposed to meet here to take a test’ - said David

‘You solved a puzzle and you are supposed to meet here and take a test. And who are you supposed to meet?’ - said the security guard, smiling at Mrs. Sterling

‘I didn’t get their name. But they will be wanting to see me’ - said David Sterling

There was a portrait of Dr. Roger Sterling hanging in the reception area, looking down on David Sterling and Mrs. Sterling.

‘Why don’t you have a seat, David Sterling and I will have a chat with you mum’ - said the security guard

‘David Sterling?’ - said a woman, hurrying to reception

‘Yes’ - said David Sterling

The woman walked up to David Sterling and Mrs. Sterling.

‘Amanda Brooks, ImpossibleCryptograms.com’ - said the woman, holding out a hand to shake David’s hand.

Amanda shook David's hand, and then shook Mrs. Sterling’s hand.

‘I have to say, David, we were very excited to get your answer to our puzzle’ - said Amanda

‘It wasn’t impossible’ - said David

‘It is to virtually all people, and almost every computer, David’ - said Amanda, smiling

‘Look David, its dad’ - said Mrs. Sterling, noticing the portrait of her husband.

‘Will this take long?’ - said David - ‘I have work that I need to start’

‘What work?’ - said Amanda, smiling and looking at Mrs. Sterling

‘Important work’ - said David

‘He is becoming more like his father everyday’ - said Mrs. Sterling

‘Well, come through and we can get you comfortable and then we can have a chat’ - said Amanda

‘They are with me’ - Amanda said to the security guard.

Mrs. Sterling and David followed Amanda through to a conference room. A man was sitting in the conference room waiting for them

‘Would you like some tea or breakfast Mrs. Sterling?’ - said Amanda - ‘We want to have a chat with David, if that is alright’

‘Yes, good-luck with that’ - said Mrs. Sterling - ‘The boy is as smart as a fox, so be careful’

Amanda led Mrs. Sterling to the cafeteria and got her set-up with breakfast.

David stepped into the conference room.

‘David Sterling, pleasure to meet you’ - said the man - ‘Bryon Chesterham, from ImpossibleCryptograms.com’

‘GCHQ?’ - said David

‘I beg your pardon?’ - said Bryon

‘You are from GCHQ. You are a spy - is that not right?’ - said David, sitting down

‘No David, I am from ImpossibleCryptograms.com. Like I said’ - said Bryon

‘It doesn’t matter’ - said David

Amanda joined them in the conference room.

‘How old are you, David?’ - said Bryon

‘14’ - said David

‘Your father was about the same age as you, when he started showing his signs of…’ - said Bryon - ‘Signs of genius’

‘Yes, I read that in his biography’ - said David

‘And you completed our puzzle. Well done!’ - said Bryon

‘You have a test for me?’ - said David

‘Yes we do’ - said Amanda - ‘It is a verification test, just to make sure you didn’t have any outside help in solving our puzzle’

‘And once I have done the test, you arrange for me to go university - here’ - said David

‘I think we you are getting a little ahead of yourself, young man’ - said Bryon

‘Then what is the point of doing the verification test?’ - said David - ‘I only came for the prize’

‘Let’s see how you get on with the test first, David’ - said Amanda, smiling at David and Bryon.

‘When will we start? I have important work to begin’ - said David

‘What is the hurry?’ - said Amanda

‘I need to get into university and graduate, and then gain a position at a research laboratory working on high-intensity high-energy particle beam arrays, before I move to the private sector and have access to the computing power and fabrication processes I need to complete my work. I estimate that I can complete university to Phd level in 4 years, and then conduct my particle beam research over the next 8 years. I predict the computing power I require to be available in 10 years, and the materials for fabrication at about the same time. The sooner I can start work on the particle beam research, the better’ - said David - ‘I will of course help you with the code breaking, as well’

Bryon looked at Amanda, and nodded.

‘So we have the test for you David’ - said Amanda

‘May I see it?’ - said David

Amanda pulled a sheet of paper out of a large envelope that was on the conference table, and placed it in front of David.

‘So this one is a bit more difficult than the last puzz…’ - Amanda started to say.

‘Mary had a little lamb, whose coat was white as snow. And everywhere that Mary went the lamb was sure to go’ - said David

There was silence.

‘I’m sorry?’ - said Bryon

‘The answer to you puzzle’ - said David

‘You think that is the answer?’ - said Amanda

‘I Know that is the answer’ - said David

Bryon nodded.

Amanda took her phone out of her bag and dialed a number.

‘Yes, can you open the safe and get the answer?’ - said Amanda - ‘Yes I know it is only 10:30. Just open the safe!’

Amanda looked at Bryon, and Bryon looked at David.

‘Yes I am here’ - said Amanda

Amanda listening to the other person talking.

‘Okay, thanks’ - said Amanda, and put the phone down.

‘Well?’ - said Bryon

‘He got it’ - said Amanda

‘Have you seen that type of cryptology before, David?’ - said Bryon

‘No’ - said David

‘Do you know what it is used for?’ - said Bryon

‘I should imagine that it is used for communication with submarines’ - said David - ‘To transmit orders’

Bryon looked at Amanda.

‘How did you know how to break that puzzle, David?’ - said Amanda

‘That is not important’ - said David

‘Have you spoken to anyone else about this - about the puzzles?’ - said Bryon

‘Who would I talk to Mr. Chesterham?’ - said David

‘Any…’ - said Bryon

‘Chinese spies?’ - said David

‘Have you?’ - said Amanda

‘I just solved a puzzle on ImpossibleCryptograms.com - and I am here to collect my prize’ - said David - ‘I do not have the time to head back to school and sit and wait. I have told you that I will help you with your codes, but please can we just get on with things. I have very important work to complete’

‘Who is this work for, David?’ - said Bryon

‘It is for me’ - said David

‘And what are you going to do?’ - said Amanda

‘I need to build something’ - said David

‘What is it you are going to build?’ - said Bryon

‘It is a hobby’ - said David

‘What kind of hobby?’ - said Bryon

‘Not a very interesting one’ - said David

‘I think we might be interested, David’ - said Amanda

‘Well, when it is ready I will let you know and you can come and have a look’ - said David

‘Will you excuse us for a moment, David?’ - said Bryon

‘Why don’t you go and get some breakfast with your mother’ - said Amanda

‘Yes, that sounds like a good idea. I am hungry’ - said David, standing

Amanda escorted David to the cafeteria, where he joined his mother.

‘How is it going, David?’ - said Mrs. Sterling, sipping a cup of tea.

‘Well’ - said David

‘Are they going to send you to university, like your dad’ - said Mrs. Sterling

‘Yes’ - said David

‘Oh, that is exciting. I am very proud of you son’ - said Mrs. Sterling, kissing David on the cheek

‘Thank you...mum’ - said David

‘So how impossible was the puzzle on the website?’ - said Bryon

‘Well, if you had the right computer and time it was pretty easy’ - said Amanda

‘How much time?’ - said Bryon, pacing the room.

‘Oh, about 1 million years with the fastest computer in existence’ - said Amanda

‘And the second one - the one he just did?’ - said Bryon

‘Oh, that one is a bit harder. 10 million years’ - said Amanda

‘And he solved it in what - 10 seconds’ - said Bryon

‘Yep’ - said Amanda

‘And that code is used to communicate with the nuclear subs, to give orders? Positioning orders? Launch orders?’ - said Bryon

‘Yes’ - said Amanda

‘And was his dad this good?’ - said Bryon

‘We didn’t have code like this back then, but everything we gave him he cracked’ - said Amanda

‘How quickly?’ - said Bryon

‘About the same’ - said Amanda

‘And who knows about him?’ - said Bryon

‘Me, you, Mrs. Sterling, and the Director’ - said Amanda

‘So what do we do?’ - said Bryon

‘Well, we cannot have someone walking around that can decrypt messages we are sending to our subs in the same time it takes most of us to tie our shoelaces’ - said Amanda

‘If he got in the Chinese’s hands - oh my!’ - said Bryon

‘Yep, we have spent nearly £400 million on building this code. And now David Sterling comes along and cracks it, and we are fucked!’ - said Amanda

‘So what do we do?’ - said Bryon

‘Kill him?’ - said Amanda

‘Well, that does seem like the easiest option. But if he can do this to our code, imagine what he can do with the Chineses code, or the Russians, or the Americans’ - said Bryon

‘So what do we do?’ - said Amanda

‘There is only one thing to do. Give him whatever he wants, and keep him away from the Chinese and the bloody Americans’ - said Bryon

‘Everything?’ - said Amanda

‘Everything’ - said Bryon

‘And he works on our requirements?’ - said Amanda

‘Oh yes’ - said Bryone - ‘He will be decoding for us and working on his hobby at the same time’

‘But where will he work?’ - said Amanda

‘I will sort that out. Can you get him back in here?’ - said Bryon

David had finished a bacon sandwich, and was drinking tea with his mother.

‘We are ready for you David’ - said Amanda

David followed Amanda back to the conference room.

‘So what do you want, David Sterling?’ - said Bryon

‘I want to start my work’ - said David

‘And university?’ - said Amanda

‘University is a means to an end’ - said David - ‘I need access to a particle accelerator, and the only way to get that is via a Phd in physics and being accepted in to a research program’ - said David

‘So here is the deal. You work for us at ImpossibleCryptograms.com solving puzzles, and we get you access to a particle accelerator. How does that sound?’ - said Bryon

‘When do I start?’ - said David