EPILOGUE

The place was as seedy as a dive could get. Sprites and binomes looking to avoid the light of day were settled into their favorite places, sipping on cheap beer and grumbling about the unfairness of life. The mood was appropriate: there was no small talk in this place, no casual meetings or first dates. Occupants kept to their own, not even bothering to acknowledge the brawl that broke out in the corner. The most interest it garnered was the occasional lifting of drinks to avoid spillage as bodies were thrown around the room.

No one would care he was here, or who he came to see. As long as he kept to his business, they would keep to theirs. Spotting an empty table in the corner, he waved to the bartender for a draft and took the seat against the wall. He scanned the crowd, searching for his contact.

The drink came with a pretty young sprite, her clothes short and tight and hugging all the right places. She dropped it off and looked at him, not missing the way his eyes trailed over her body. "You lookin' for a good time?" Her voice was low and soft, and the words rolled off her tongue like warm honey.

"Always. You know a place?"

"The party never stops in G-Prime." Her lips spread in a dark smile. "If you're into that kinda thing."

The beer paused halfway to his lips. "I thought you'd be a male," he responded quietly.

"Most males do, but I haven't heard a complaint yet." She sat across from him and crossed her long legs. The skirt stopped just at the top of her thighs, slowly riding higher as she moved. "Eyes up here, cowboy. Let's talk business." She settled back and pulled out a cigarette. "What are you offering?"

Straight to business. He liked it. "Bob's head on a platter."

Her eyes shot up over the lit match. She took a puff and waved the match out. "That's quite a boast. And a stretch of the imagination. He's resilient."

"I have information that won't just damage him; it'll destroy him."

She considered his words. "Let's say you're right. Make one Guardian go away, another one shows up. Bob is a nuisance, and he ruins our plans for system takeover more often than we'd like to admit. But he has a weak spot: he doesn't delete. That means a lot to our survival. Bring in another Guardian, we might not get so lucky." She took a slow drag. "And that's not beneficial to us."

"What if I could get you a deal?"

Her eyes narrowed. "What kind of a deal?"

"One where your survival would be secured, indefinitely. You only have to play along."

"I'm going to need more than that to be impressed."

"The end of Guardian protection in Mainframe." He drank long and slow, watching the wheels turn behind her eyes.

"That could never happen. The SuperComputer won't allow it. The Mainframers-"

"Have a right to say who serves them – or doesn't. The SuperComupter can't stop the majority vote."

She whistled. "That sounds ambitious."

"Go big or go home, that's what my dear sweet Mother used to say. I'd hate to disappoint her."

"And what do you want?"

He looked over her suggestively, took a sip, and answered. "Protection. I'm sure I don't need to explain why."

She took a breath and put out her cigarette. "Where can I find you?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. "I'm staying here. Room number on the back to call me directly."

She tucked the card into her shirt, just over her heart. "If you don't hear from me in twenty-four microseconds, he's not interested."

"Then I expect to hear from you soon."

She stood up and smiled, her full lips pouting just right to make him squirm. "Ambitious and arrogant. Megabyte will like that."

"And you?"

Her tongue darted out, and she smacked her lips together. "Maybe. But I've seen plenty of your kind before. Most fall short of my expectations."

"Come see me with his answer and you'll find there's nothing short about me."

She laughed, low and throaty, and threw some coins on the table. Turning away slowly, she sauntered off through the dim lights and smoke, her hips swaying. "See you around, Don."

Yes, she would. Whether she wanted to or not. Because he enjoyed the thrill of the hunt. And he didn't like being denied what he wanted. He drank his beer slowly, savoring the taste. Just as he would savor the taste of Bob's end. And then Dot's.

It was good to be back in Mainframe.

The End