MP69

The host reached into his shirt pocket and retrieved a small envelope.  “In this, you’ll find your two account numbers.  I advise you to memorize them and destroy the note as soon as possible.  You’ll find the rice paper they’re written on quite edible.”

Roger yearned to ask his mysterious host some nagging questions, the primary being why he named the most powerful music/video encryption standard in the world MP69.   The debate in the boards was that ‘69’ was purely a sexual reference; others thought differently, but L33 neither confirmed nor denied any of the rumors.  Not expecting an answer, Roger reluctantly asked his employer, “For personal reasons only, what does the 69 stand for in MP69?  Forgive me for asking, but I'll take the answer to my grave.”

L33 coughed out a laugh.  “Being since you will take the answer to your grave,” now Roger squirmed, “it's merely a twisted Yin-Yang symbol in 3l337.”

Roger laughed out loud, for all the raging debates of the origin of MP69, it was merely a nerdy method of turning letters into numbers, like "3" being a backwards "E", "1" being "L" and "7" being "T", just like when old timer nerds use to talk back and forth on their manual calculators.

“Don't laugh too loud,” L33 chided Roger.  “The simplest answers can be the most complex questions.”  Being the Zen master of file sharing software that maintained copyrights, he continued, “MP69 is a general algorithm that converts the analog world to encrypted digital forms, where the connection to reality through sharing is the key to unlocking a simulation, perceived to be real.”

Harold fancied himself as an elite person, hence the '31337' symbolism.  He had made his fortune with his own sweat and blood, and lived in a high-tech house that was the envy of every nerd on the planet.  Since his middle name fit with L33 on the old LCD displays of those ancient calculators, he liked to be called L33 in all his computer communications.  L33 was his handle in the digital world.

Roger’s brain instantly hurt; he was a manager of the obscure, not a nerdy mathematician.  L33 noticed Roger’s math phobia covering his face like rigor mortis on a drowning victim, and quickly said, “It's like this - you sing in the real world, I build an encrypted simulation of you singing in MP69, then you hear that simulation back in the real world so vibrantly, that it sounds like real ...but it’s actually a simulation of you singing.”

Roger needed an out, and started to open the leather case that had all his reports.  “Thank you, and umm... everything is summarized in the set of final reports in this briefcase - the total costs, the final test results, the list of equipment installed, and the various passwords and keycodes that I personally established for access and activation of the various instrumentation.  If there are any questions, you can reach me anytime at the phone number engraved on the case as its serial number.  And, remember, whoever is going to use that room has one, and only one, opportunity to enter.  Per your instructions, there is no escape or entry once inside.”

“And thank you,” L33 replied.  “I’m sure I won’t need your services any time soon.  It’s been a pleasure doing business with you.  Just follow this robot, and he’ll bring you back to the limousine to return to the airport.  Good night.”  Without further social niceties, the truly unique man left the library by a rear entry and Roger was left to follow the silly-looking robot out of the room, one that uncannily resembled the mechanical dog named ‘K-9’ on those ancient reruns of Doctor Who.