Tech Support

by All-My-Characters-Are-Dead

Arlua works for a tech support company as a service technician and is also a skilled hacker. She can handle anything any piece of technology has ever thrown at her, but can she handle the one client no one else in her company will deal with, or her friend's hidden desire for vengeance? ShizuoxOC, IzayaxOC. rated for swearing, contest in last chapter, to be continued in Attenuation.

1. Prologue: Assignments

I haven't done any work on any of my stories in forever, so of course now I'm starting a new one in a completely different category than usual. Makes complete sense. Anyway, hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Natsuki and Arlua.

Prologue

"Here's your list for today – and good luck," Natsuki added wryly, passing her newest technician a sheet of paper. There was only one name on the list of clients whose computers the technician was supposed to check out for the day. Said technician arched her eyebrows at the older woman.

"Natsuki, I think I can handle more than one job in a day," she sighed. Natsuki shook her head.

"Not this one, Arlua. This one will take hours. Unless you decide to quit like the last six techs I've sent to this client," she said, tapping the paper with one finger. "But I know you like challenges, so maybe you'll do better than the others. Just check over his computer, make sure it's running correctly, and try not to murder him. If you're lucky, he won't even be there yet; you're just making sure his stuff works for when he gets back into town." Arlua rolled her eyes and started toward the door.

"To be completely honest, I don't believe you. I'll be back as soon as I'm done fixing whatever problem he has," she called over her shoulder. To her surprise, Natsuki laughed.

"Oh, I don't think you can fix whatever problem he's got. His computer, maybe. But that guy needs a different kind of fixing. The straightjacket and padded room kind."

Arlua frowned and looked down at the paper again. Was this client really that bad?

"Arlua?"

"Yeah?"

"This guy's only in town every now and then, so try to bear with checking the technology for a bit, and he'll leave again really soon. He always does," Natsuki told her. Arlua waved to show she'd heard and stepped out of the building. She glanced at the address next to the client's name. It wasn't too far, so she decided to walk.

He couldn't be that bad, this…what was his name? Arlua glanced at the sheet. Orihara. Izaya Orihara. The name seemed familiar, but she couldn't place it… She shrugged and started down the street.