"What's weird?" Kyohei Tachibana asked. He was sitting in the passenger seat of Sei's sports car as she drove them down the highway; he had heard Sei's half of the conversation as she'd talked to Meg and Jo through her earpiece.

"What?" Sei said. "Oh, the cybot we're going after. Meg said it hit Django and said 'Tag, you're it.'"

"What, you mean like tag, tag?"

"Like tag, tag."

"'You're right, that is weird,' he said, thinking that not long ago, any mention of cybots would have-" His cell phone chimed. He opened the chat room window. "…freaked him out. Hey…" He smiled.

"Is that your new friend, Eriko?" Sei asked.

Kyohei nodded as he typed.

"Tell her I said 'hi.'"

Kyohei nodded as he added that to his message and hit 'send.'

Eriko's reply came back: 'Tell her I said "Hi," too. But what are you doing with your boss? I thought you had a cooking test to make up.'

'I do,' he wrote back. 'We're doing it at her place. That was the only way I could meet both obligations. Can I contact you later? I'll tell you how it turned out.'

'Ok! TTFN. XOXOXOXOXO.'

"She says 'hi,'" Kyohei said as he put his phone down.

"Have you ever met that girl in person?" Sei asked.

"Nope."

"What does she look like?"

"I don't know. She doesn't have a Social Book page, and she hasn't sent me any pictures of herself."

"What, nothing?"

"Nothing, although I sent her a couple of pictures of me."

"Hmm. Maybe I should have been born in the twentieth century, but I'm not entirely comfortable with a relationship that starts online. But then she's brought a smile to your face, so I can't complain too much. But you watch yourself. There are all sorts of creeps out there who hide behind the 'net's anonymity."

"I'll be careful, although I can't see how she could be worse than you guys…Did I just say that out loud?"

Sei smiled slightly. "I can't fault you for being honest. I've asked you to work for me under the most difficult conditions imaginable, and you have exceeded my expectations at every turn. But I'd be kidding myself if I thought you weren't under at least a little stress."

"To put it mildly. It's ok, Sei. I'll deal. Oh, and thanks for letting us use your kitchen for the cooking makeup."

"No problem."

"And thanks for the new scooter, although in all honesty, I wish you hadn't done that again."

"You'll have to persuade Jo to stop destroying them, because I am going to compensate you for any misfortunes you suffer while in my employ. Why? Has this cause you any trouble?"

"That and being paid three times minimum wage for part time work."

"I want to be sure you get to France. I guess I have my heart set at having a master patissier in my back pocket someday."

"Even if Jo'll put hot sauce on everything I make?"

Sei chuckled. "That is the one problem with that plan." She turned serious. "Is it really bad?"

"Not too bad. Hayao thinks you're my sugar momma."

"Tell Hayao I like my men a little older." She paused, then added: "Sorry if I disappointed you. You're very nice, and I enjoy your company, but we're just friends."

"That's ok, Sei. Somehow I think having you as my girlfriend would make my life even more complicated."

"We can't have that now-" The car phone rang. "-can we." She touched her earpiece. "Go."

"Hey, Sei," Leo Jinn's voice said. "Is Kyohei with you? I thought I'd call you before I tried his cell."

"He's here. I'll put you on speaker." She tabbed the screen on the car's central console. "Go ahead."

"Hey, Kyohei, m'main man!" Leo's voice sounded in the car. "How is it hanging my bah-ruthah?"

"Hey, Leo," Kyo said. "What's up?"

"I picked up the new scooter, and it is sah-weeeet, but one of the shocks is bad, and those vultures at the dealership wanted an arm and a leg for a new one. I've got much better parts here, and you can have it on me."

Kyohei's face fluished. 'Rides in a sports car,' he thought, 'three times minimum wage for part time work, and a new scooter maintained by an insane genius mech builder. Right, Hayao will believe I'm not a kept man.' But he couldn't say he hated the situation either.

Kyohei said, "Thanks, Leo."

"No problem, Kyo. Hey, want me to add some accessories while I'm at it? I've got machine guns, grenade launchers, couple of mini missile batteries…Howzabout an ultrasonic canon built into the headlamp?"

"Thanks, Leo, but other than the shock, I'll take it as is."

"No problem, my man, no problem. Stop by my shop after your cooking test; I should have it ready by then. Good luck with that, by the way. And don't let Meg eat everything! I want at least a few scraps."

"I'll see what I can save for you, Leo. Later."

"Ciao, buddy."

Sei turned off the phone.

Kyohei sighed, and turned and looked out his window. "What am I doing here?" he muttered.

Sei looked at him out of the corner of her eye, then slapped the steering wheel. "I've got it!" she said.

Kyo turned to her. "Got what?"

"My perfect man. I finally figured it out. He'll have Leo's body, your personality, and both your skill sets combined. When I find such a man, you and Leo will get kicked to the curb. Adios, amigos."

"You will never find such a man."

"Why not?"

"Because I will hire Jo to kill him."

"You can't afford her."

"You underestimate my culinary skill. I shall create super-spicy dishes the like of which the world has never seen to bind her to my will."

"I'm sorry, but did I just call you 'nice'? You've grown a devious streak."

"You've had a bad-" Now Kyo's phone rang. He checked the caller ID. "-influence-it's Shiho-" He answered the phone. "Hey, Shiho, what's up?…No, Sei is giving me a lift; we're almost there…uh-huh…Actually, that can work out. Hang on, I'm going to put you on hold." He turned to Sei. "Shiho, Hayao, and Ms. Hongo are running a little late. I figure if the others have to put Django back in his hangar anyway, maybe they can hold back until after that's done."

"I was just thinking the same thing. Tell her to wait some place for…ten minutes. That should do it."

Kyohei nodded, then got back on the line with Shiho. "Shiho? Yeah, my boss has to…put some equipment away. How far along are you?…Ok, so pull into the truck stop off the connector and wait for ten minutes, then come in the rest of the way. I'll meet you there….Yes, right….I'm sure…Ok, then, see you soon."