Chapter 7: The Truth

Dot

Rap, rap, rap.

Dot lifted her head slowly, unsure if what she heard was real. She stared at the door through swollen and blurry eyes, disbelieving someone would visit her at this late microsecond – except for the one person who might know she was up. Her fingers tightened around the pillow in her lap. The silence stretched, and she slowly sank back into the couch, trying to ignore the surge of disappointment.

Rap! Rap! Rap!

Her heart jumped in her throat. She hesitated a nano, then unfolded her legs from under her and made her way to the door. There was no one on the other side of the peephole. Frowning, she called, "Who is it?" She winced at the thickness in her voice. She coughed and asked again.

Rap Rap!

Her head jerked back. Keeping the bat within reach, she carefully opened the door - and gaped. "Glitch?!"

The keytool hovered before her, a white gloved hand sticking out of his side. The hand turned palm up and waved at her.

"What are you doing here?" She looked around and was more surprised to find he was alone. Glitch shifted, the arm disappearing and the faceplate expanding into a tablet sized screen. Words scrolled across. {Hi, Dot. May I come in?}

Her eyes widened. She'd never communicated with the keytool before. "Um, sure." She stepped aside, and the device floated by her with a beep of gratitude. "Uh, can I get you anything – a charger or something?"

{No, thank you.} He settled on the coffee table.

Dot sat down on the couch, feeling awkward. "Did Bob send you?"

{He doesn't know I'm here.} Her eyebrows shot up. {And he won't be happy when he finds out.}

"Why?"

{Because I'm here to save him.}

Dot sat up straighter. "Save him? From what?"

{From himself. He's about to do something very brave but very basic. He's going to turn himself into the Guardian Collective about the night you were attacked.}

Dot scoffed. "And you think that's brave? Owning up to something he should have done from the start instead of lying to me all these hours? Guardians must have lower standards than I thought."

{You're right, he knew he was wrong. And whether or not you believe me, he's never forgiven himself for not taking responsibility sooner.}

It was a small condolence, and she couldn't deny the tiny thrill of satisfaction. "So, why now? Because I called him on it?"

{Do you remember when he told you about the restrictions all Guardians live by?}

She shifted uncomfortably as she recalled other memories from that night. "Yeah."

{Relationships are forbidden. Those found guilty are given immediate dismissal from the Collective. Bob is going to tell them what happened, and he's going to lose his format. Or, more accurately, he's going to give it up.}

"What do you mean, give it up? Why-?"

{Because you asked him to.}

It felt like a slap in the face. "No!" she jumped to her feet. "No, don't you put that on me. I told him to transfer, not end his format! If he feels that much guilt, that's his decision!"

{It's not. He can't request a transfer, Dot. Not without answering questions. And those questions are going to lead right back to you, and that night. No matter what, it's going to end with him no longer a Guardian.}

Dot wasn't expecting that, or the way her heart dropped into her stomach. She should have been happy, he was getting exactly what he deserved - but the thought of him not being a Guardian hurt way more than she wanted to admit. She felt a fresh wave of anger, fueled by embarrassment at her outburst. She looked away, her cheeks turning red. "He could have told me that."

{He could have told you a lot of things. But he won't. And that's why we're in this mess.}

She shook her head. "I don't understand."

Glitch beeped and clicked twice, the words disappearing into a flat green line. The line jumped as voices played from a recording.

"You are one twisted sprite, you know that?"

Dot's eyes widened as she recognized Bob, his voice young and angry, but still every bit the Guardian she'd come to know.

"Oh, it's you." A new voice, unfamiliar and cold. "You'd better watch it, boy. One shout from me and you'll be all over the news on your way to a jail cell." She sank onto the couch, her stomach a knot of anxiety.

"If I go, you'll be right there with me."

"I'm not assaulting citizens."

"No, you're just date raping them." Bob's words took the breath out of her as she realized who he was talking to. She couldn't remember his face or his name, but the voice stirred the shadow lurking in her mind. Her fingers tightened into the cushions.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Really? Maybe a trip to the Principal's Office will help jog your memory."

"On what grounds?"

Bob's voice went just as cold as her attacker's. "I'll list them on the way; you can pick your favorite."

"So, no official warrant, then. Why? Dot can't remember the details?" Hearing her name made her shudder. His sickening voice dropped to a solicitous whisper. "But you do, don't you? Be honest, that sweet little girl was a wild one, huh?"

Dot covered her mouth, nauseated. How could she get involved with such a sprite like this? There were sounds of a scuffle and a laugh. "That's what I thought," the voice mocked.

"You won't be laughing for long. I'm going to make sure you go away for a very long time, in a very lonely place."

Another laugh. "You think so? This must be your first time outside of school, so I'm going to help you out on this one. In the real Net, evidence is what puts people away. So, you can take me in, get me frisked and scanned for evidence. But it's not my code they'll find on Dot. Is it?"

Dot's fingers tightened around her mouth, the blood draining from her face.

"I took a hit last night, and I know you were breathing in as much as I was. And here you are, defending the honor of your damsel. But she hasn't filed a report, or else you'd have a warrant, and you didn't file a report because all evidence would point to her being raped by you."

The bile rose in her throat and she felt faint. She closed her eyes to stop everything from spinning out of control. There were the familiar sounds of a fight. Then his terrible, sickening voice came through and her heart clenched as she heard someone struggle to breath.

"Now you listen carefully to me. I could crush the life out of you right now, but I don't need that kind of attention. I like where I'm at in life, and you're not going to ruin that for me, you little runt. So, if you even think about trying to get me on rape charges, I'm going to spin this back on you so fast you won't know which way is up. You will be the disgrace of your kind, a living stain tarnishing the "impeccable" reputation of the Guardian Collective.

"And as for your little girlfriend," he hissed, and Dot froze, "I'll stir up such a media storm that she will never want to show her face in public again. I will make her the embarrassment of this worthless little system, and every other measly backwater system on the Net. Her brother will grow up in shame and her father will forever be mocked as a failure, in science and in fatherhood."

A body landed hard on the ground, followed by hacking coughs. Then, "It's your choice, boy. Pretend to be an adult, if you want. See where it gets you. Here. You need it more than me." The sound of feet departing echoed through the speaker. A nanosecond of silence, then a scream of anger.

Dot opened her mouth to speak, but Bob's ragged voice cut her off. "He's right. Even if I tell Dot the truth, if any word gets out about her association with him, he'll come after her." Glitch beeped, then, "But they won't go after him to keep her safe. They'll come after me."

The pieces finally fell together, creating a dark and painful picture. Oh, Bob, why didn't you tell me?

The line disappeared, the recording tucked back into Glitch's database. He waited, not saying anything. He didn't need to.

"He lied to protect me," she whispered.

{Yes.}

"Then why would he lose his format? It wasn't his fault, you can prove that."

{Because he should have reported it as soon as he realized what had happened. The Guardians could be lenient for him being drugged without his knowledge, but not for allowing a predator to remain on the loose.}

"But he was looking out for me!"

{And he put the safety of one sprite over the safety of all. A Guardian's actions should always be done for the greater good. 'Mend and defend' for all, not one. That is why relationships are forbidden, Dot. And that is why Bob will lose his format. His judgement is skewed to favor you. It always has been, since that night. And he knows that. So he's putting an end to it.}

It was bittersweet, and it hurt so much she wanted to weep. "All this time, I had no idea."

{No one did. That was how he wanted it.}

She shook her head. "But it's not fair. He shouldn't be punished for that, not because of me." A trembling hand covered her eyes. "User, it's all my fault."

{No, Dot. It's not all on you, or on Bob, or on anyone. We all played a role that got us here, me included. And now, if we don't do something about it, we're all going to pay a price.}

Dot swiped at the tears in her eyes and cleared her throat. "What can I do?"

{Stop him from going back to the SuperComputer and doing something basic. Convince him he's not alone in this anymore. Be the friend he desperately needs right now. He won't listen to me, but maybe he'll listen to you.}

"And maybe he won't. He's got firewalls so thick even Megabyte couldn't get through." She shook her head. "You've been his companion longer than I've known him. If you can't get through to him, what makes you think I'll have any luck?"

{Because he cares for you more than he should.}

She froze as she read the words. More than anything she wanted to believe him, wanted that validation she'd been seeking for so long. But her wounds were still deep, bleeding and raw from her picking at the scabs all night long.

Glitch seemed to detect her hesitation. {He doesn't want you to know, because it'll only hurt more in the end, for both of you. And right or wrong, it was his secret, until you found the diary.}

Her eyes immediately went to her desk, where she'd thrown the offensive tablet on her return.

{Now his secret is yours, too. His actions are going to affect your life, whether you want them to or not. You should have a say in what happens.}

She looked between Glitch and the tablet. Her teeth raked over her bottom lip as she considered Glitch's words, and Bob's - 'I won't risk my purpose here.' "I might have a say, but it might not change anything."

{It might not. Or it might save him.}

She glanced out the window as lightning flashed, her thoughts and feelings a similar raging storm. Could she face him again? More importantly, could she face the rejection again? It might save him. He wouldn't hesitate for her. Why wouldn't she do the same for him?

"Where is he now?"

{He's packing.}

Dot took a breath and pulled on a heavy hooded sweater. "Then we better get over there before he finishes."

{I think this is a conversation best left in private, or I might not survive the night. So you'll need this.} He displayed the access code to Bob's apartment.

Dot nodded and swallowed, suddenly nervous. "You can stay here, if you'd like."

{Thank you.}

A strong gust of wind rattled the windows. She didn't envy going back out there - or facing him again. Only this time, she was better prepared. She hoped.

{If it helps, he's scared too.}

Dot chuckled despite the gravity of the night. "I never would have believed him to be scared of anything. He's always been larger than life. It's so easy to forget he's still a sprite under that uniform." She shook her head and repeated the words he told her earlier. "He has his limits, too."

The keytool clicked slowly. {Yes, he does. And now that you mention it, there's one more thing you should know…}

After three attempts with no answer, she used the access code and slipped into the apartment. It was dark save for a light in the kitchen and beneath his bedroom door; the only sounds came from the storm outside. Silently, she moved across the living room and peered into the kitchen.

It was empty. She continued to the bedroom, listening outside the door. When she heard nothing, she tapped softly. "Bob?"

The door creaked open and she found the room empty. A bag was half open at the foot of his bed, clothes haphazardly thrown in and miscellaneous items scattered around. She heard a gasp and spun around. The bathroom door was open, and she could make out Bob's muscular shape behind the clear curtain. Arms braced against the wall, his head hung low as the jets pounded down on him.

Her mouth went dry. She shouldn't be here. No matter how much she wanted to see him, now was not the time. She forced herself to turn away, to wait in the kitchen until he was done, when something on the sink made her stop. She craned her neck and her eyes widened.

The bottle of whiskey rested on a creased and worn picture. Glitch had warned her, but still seeing his vice made everything so much more real. Yet it wasn't just the bottle that made her stomach twist. Stepping as close as she dared, she reached down and pulled out the picture; one she'd never seen before, but recognized immediately. It was at the Pub, and Bob was spinning her around on the dance floor. She was laughing, her smile huge and full and her eyes closed in exaltation, as Bob danced with her. His own face was full of happiness, his eyes sparkling as he held her close. They were oblivious to the photographer, only aware of each other.

They'd been so happy that night and the next second they were both miserable. She glanced at the whiskey, and her heart ached to know she hadn't been the only one with a hangover from that night. How many other nights had he reached for comfort at the bottom of a bottle?

It had to stop. It would stop tonight. She didn't know what she would tell him or how to convince him to stay, but he wasn't running from this anymore. Returning the picture, she hesitated before taking a drink of whiskey. She grimaced at the burn and the clink of the bottle as it tapped the faucet. Her eyes shot up to the mirror, watching his reflection, but he didn't move. Relaxing, she eased out her breath and turned to leave...