Luke unlocked the room laptop with a token and briefly saw a leftover welcome message for "Donna," noting it as a small operational slip. The desktop resembled a standard setup but lacked email access, while showing icons for two internet browsers. When Luke attempted to access personal or identifying information online, a HAL 9000 voice response blocked his searches, indicating strict content controls.

Testing the boundaries, Luke learned that certain public sites, like the Orpheum Theatre and the Broderick School, were accessible, while searches for specific people such as his guidance counselor triggered the HAL block. He inferred that attempts to contact authorities would likely set off alarms and bring punishment, concluding the computer was tightly surveilled and mostly useless for escape or outside contact.

Thinking of Maureen Alvorson’s financial troubles and her small kindness, Luke searched debt resources, which remained accessible. He dove into research about debt and repayment, forming a broader understanding that debt functioned as a tradable commodity central to the economy, despite being an abstract promise rather than a tangible good.

An instant message then appeared from Mrs. Sigsby, introducing herself and ordering a meeting. When Luke asked if he had a choice, she replied that he did not. Moments later, guard Hadad arrived at Luke’s door and escorted him through a secured door toward the administration building, ending Luke’s brief period of solitary exploration.