Dot disappeared into the back, leaving Mouse alone up front. She gazed
around the room, then placed her feet upon the counter, causualy leaning
back until she was lying on another stool. Cecil wasn’t in the position to
berate her. He was too tense. He should relax more. Like this. This was
actually quite comfortable.
Just then, the door opened. Quickly, Mouse pulled down her feet and turned
to look at the newcomer. “Zipp!”
“Be right with you!” Dot called.
Friskett momentarily released Cecil, who made a vain attempt to jump away,
and uttered a low growl towards the new girl.
Zipp smiled, curling a piece of green hair around her finger. “Didn’t think
you’d recognize me, Mouse.”
Mouse laughed and hopped off the stool. “How could anyone forget you,
sugah?” She threw her arms around the other girl. “It’s super to see ya
again.”
“I know,” Zip replied, hugging back. “It’s been cycles. I’ve really missed
you.”
“So what brings you to MainFrame?” Mouse asked. “You’re not here to arrest
me, are ya?”
“Why do you ask? What’d you do this time?” Zipp laughed. “You know I’m
out of that business. I was going to check in with Megabyte on some
business, but...”
“Found the place abandoned, didja?” Mouse smiled. “Megabyte is...well, he
had an accident.” She laughed at an old memory. You were getting kinda
buddy buddy with him, as I recall.”
Zipp gave a dry laugh. “So that’s what happened. Oh well. The Guardians
didn’t care much for him anyway.”
Mouse noticed how Zipp clenched her teeth at the mention of the word
“Guardian.” “Speaking of Guardians, darlin’, Bob’s in town.”
Zipp jerked her head up. “Bob? Guardian Bob 452?” A smile spread slowly
across her face.
“He won’t be too happy to see ya, sugah.”
“He never was. Well, I’ll have to get up with him while I’m here. Catch up
on old times.” She skipped up onto the counter. “By the way, are you still
in the hacker business?”
Mouse didn’t like Zipp’s smile. There was something different about it. In
fact, Zipp herself seemed different. This wasn’t the same sweet young
sprite she had met cycles ago in the Super Computer. Then again, she had
grown up. “Well, Zipp, it’s not what it was, but I’ve still the skills.”
She raised an eyebrow. “What are you processing?”
Zipp tilted her head, giving Mouse a pleading smile. “Please, Mouse. It’s
what I came to see Da-, Megabyte about. I just need one little favor.
You’re so much better than me.”
Mouse smiled at that. “You and your crazy ideas. What is this all about?”
She felt as if it was something not good.
“Why, don’t you trust me? I thought we were partners!” She slipped a disk
into Mouse’s palm. “Please, Mouse, it’s nothing bad. We’ve done worse in
the past. It’s just one little project.”
“Well...”
Dot reappeared, holding two cups. She handed one to Mouse. “Here’s your
shake. Who was at the door?”
“That was...” She turned around, searching the room. It was empty, save for
Friskett and Cecil in the corner. She laughed. Zipp had picked that trick
up from her. Imitation was the best form of flattery. Zipp used to be a
Guardian. Maybe not a very good one, but she was a nice girl. Nicer than
Mouse had been. She couldn’t be up to too much trouble. Why not help her
out?
She examined the disk. It read “Meet me in two seconds. Lost Angles.”
“What’s that?” Dot asked curiously.
“Oh, nothing, Dot,” said Mouse, slipping the disk into her pocket. This
wasn’t something Dot would be happy about. “Nothing at all.” She took a
sip of her shake and headed toward the door. “Now, if you’ll excuse me,
hon, I’ve got some business to attend to.”
Dot frowned as she watched Mouse leave. They had gotten to be good friends
recently. Mouse usually filled her in on things. Perhaps she should follow
her.
But before Dot could do so, the door burst open, and in rushed a little
sprite.
“Dot! Dot!” cried Enzo. “Matrix wouldn’t let me do anything in the game!”
“He was shooting at all the wrong ships!” came a loud masculine voice from
outside.
“I only did it once!”
Dot sighed.
~
Lost Angles was a desolate place. Overhead was a dim, dirty sky,
accompanied by sickly green clouds of old files and User knew what else.
Dilapidated buildings seemed to piled on top of each other, all leaning
dangerously over any passerbyer. Every now and then, a single null crawled
past, occasionally pausing to peer around before hurrying on to seek shelter
under a rotting board.
Mouse veered around a crumbling building, keeping her zip board on as low a
speed as possible. A disgusted frown on her face, she scanned the view for
any sign of Zipp.
Why was she even here? Mouse thought back several cycles, to when she had
known Zipp. It seemed programs ago, an entire life time. Looking back at
the old Mouse was like looking at an entirely different sprite who lived in
slums, socializing with crooks and virals, doing anything to make a bit of
money. And she had actually enjoyed that criminal life! Mouse smiled
slightly. User, it hadn't been too bad, actually.
But that wasn't her anymore.
Mouse had expected more out of Zipp. Mouse had always admired the younger
sprite's willingness to do right. She could have made something of herself.
She did make something of herself. She had been a Guardian, for crying out
loud! Mouse had met her when Zipp was about 1.3 or 1.4., a little orphan in
the Super Computer. Mouse had then been young herself, only 1.9, just
freshly starting out her career as a hacker. Zipp had learned the trade
relatively quickly. She was a smart girl. But after a cycle, she was off
to the Guardian Academy. She couldn't stand doing wrong. Mouse gave a
short laugh. Those were the days. And she had worried that she had been a
bad influence on Zipp!
Well, perhaps she was.
Somewhere, a piece of silicon fell from a building, bursting open on the
ground. Mouse automatically drew her katana and stopped.
Nothing.
Then she heard a voice laughing. She looked up to see Zipp standing on a
silicon beam jutting out from the dilapidated building. The girl jumped
down in front of Mouse.
"You came! But oh my User! You actually stopped! You actually prepared
for a fight!" Zipp fell to the floor, laughing like some hysterical little
sprite.
Mouse stared at her like she was an idiot. "Well, now, darlin', what'd ya
call me here for? Besides playing practical jokes? If you wanna do that,
try it on Dot Matrix. She gives a much better reaction."
Zipp recollected herself and stood up. "It's nothing, really." She pulled
a small data cartridge from her belt and handed it to Mouse, who studied.
It seemed harmless enough. Zipp hadn't given her any reason to distrust
her. Zipp just thought she was the old Mouse.
"I don't exactly have means to broadcast this," continued Zipp. "Couldn't
you possibly break into the P.O.? This contains several bits of signals, so
if you could possibly send those out, I'd be really obliged." She caught
Mouse's scrutinizing frown. "It won't harm hardly anyone, if that's what
you're thinking." She smiled sheepishly.
"Hardly anyone?"
"Well..."
Mouse knew Zipp. Something wasn't being said. "This isn't about Bob, is
it?"
Zipp cocked her head. "Why would it be?"
"I know how you to get along, or the lack thereof. Same with the other
Guardians."
Zipp laughed. "Don't worry! It's not that! I know how you feel about
Bob."
"What about Bob?" (OMG! a movie!)
Both girls spun around. Bob's zipboard hovered some distance away. His
mouth hung open in shock, and his eyes were wide and full of anger.
"Zipporah Drive? What in the net are you doing here?" He zipped over. "I
thought you knew better than to come this close to any Super Computer
protected system!"
"Toldja he wouldn't be too pleased, sugah," Mouse muttered to Zipp.
Zipp sent Bob a flashy smile. "Oh, hello, Bob! How nice to see you again."
She reached out and flipped a strand of his long silver hair. "I like
your hair. It's changed since the last time I saw you."
Bob grabbed her wrist. "I can't believe you're here! After what you did!"
His entire body seemed to be shaking with rage.
Mouse frowned. She knew Zipp and Bob didn't like each other, but this was
riciculous. And the conversation had her thinking. She had heard Zipp had
been expelled from the Guardian League, but she had never heard why. Her
heart beat faster as she stared at the cartridge Zipp had given her. What
was this thing?
Zipp yanked her hand away with ease. "Maybe I got lonely." Her voice
suddenly lost it's sweet tone. It was now bitter.
Then she snapped back. "I guess I came to apologize, Bob. I've totally
repented for what I had done. All I want is a second chance. I know I'll
never be a Guardian again, but... They won't let me into the Super
Computer..." She started to cry.
Mouse bit her lip. Zipp sounded sincere.
Bob glanced over at Mouse. "So this is who you're hanging with? When Dot
told me to follow you, I never expected you to be with her! Does no one
tell me anything?"
He grabbed Zipp's wrist again. This time she did not resist. "You're
atleast coming with me."
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