Mandy took an involuntary step backwards when the lift doors opened and her ears were assaulted by loud 'doof-doof' music. She looked about herself, wide-eyed and speculative, as Xamec pulled her through the packed crowd to the bar at the back of the room.
"Do you want a drink?" Xamec asked her as she seated herself at the bar next to him.
"Oh, no, thanks anyway..." Mandy looked around the room, at the mass of dancing bodies in the centre of the dance-floor, then back to Xamec. "Remind me...why are we here again?"
"You need a way out. I know someone who can do that... recall that?" Xamec asked, smirking.
"Ah, yes. Now I remember...all the loud music must have temporarily made me forget." Mandy rolled her eyes at her new found friend. "When do I get to meet my so-called 'saviour'?"
"As soon as I catch his attention and he comes over." Xamec replied casually.
"Oh! So it's a 'he'!" Mandy exclaimed sarcastically.
Xamec stood and waved at someone. "He's coming. Don't turn around until I say so."
"Why?" She cocked her head to one side, confused.
"Because he'll know you're a user just by seeing those questions in your eyes." Xamec stated bluntly.
"Xamec!" An unfamiliar voice exclaimed from just behind Mandy, causing her to jump slightly. "How good to see you again, old chap."
"Caster." Xamec nodded respectfully in reply. "It's been a while."
"Forty cycles if I'm not mistaken." Caster replied from behind her again. "What brings you here?"
"I have someone with me whom I believe you should meet." Xamec smiled.
"Excellent! Who though exactly?" Caster asked.
Caster. That name rang a bell. Why? Wait. It was another of the names from her father's stories. What was it? Caster was two people. Night club owner…and a revolutionist! Mandy's eyes widened as she remembered the correct part of the story. Caster was Zuse. He did something to her father…but, what was it?
"Mandy, you may turn around now." Xamec caught her attention. She spun round on her stool slowly, her gaze turned to the ground. "Caster, this is Mandy… Mandy, this is Caster."
Mandy looked up hesitantly. She gazed up at the program that stood before her. He was average height, but handsome, with one hell of a body, and the skin-tight, white suit left very little to the imagination. Caster's eyes widened slightly when she looked at him.
"A User? On the Grid?" Caster's voice was barely audible over the thumping of the music.
"She needs your help." Xamec interrupted, which allowed Mandy to escape Caster's gaze as he looked at Xamec.
There was something, a look in his eyes, the insinuation her father had always made when speaking of Caster… he just couldn't be trusted.
"Ah," Caster looked at Mandy a little differently now, assessing her looks and figure rather than as a user. "Perhaps this is a conversation best had behind closed doors."
"Indeed." Xamec nodded his agreement. "Lead the way."
Caster strutted off towards a set of floating stairs, cane in hand, whilst Mandy and Xamec followed. Xamec explained where it was they were headed and why. Caster's private rooms sat high above the dance floor scene below. Low enough to clearly see what was happening below, but high enough to allow complete privacy… and completely sound proof on all sides.
"Make this yourself?" Mandy asked as Caster poured drinks for each of them,
"I did." Caster replied, smiling. However, upon seeing the look on Mandy's face, his voice cooed. "It's true!"
"I don't doubt it." Mandy said, feeling a little awkward just standing in the middle of the room being scrutinised by the man with hair so white, she felt she needed sun-glasses just to look at him.
"So," Caster said as he sat on one of his couch's and motioned for Xamec to sit opposite him and Mandy next to himself. He gave Mandy a sly smirk as she complied and took the drink he offered her. "How may I be of service to you my dear? Do you need a confidant? A business partner? Illegal Identities? Friend? Lover?" Caster winked at Mandy.
"She needs a way off the grid." Xamec explained.
Mandy felt a sudden, incredibly strong, urge to slide a little further away from Caster. A little further away from his stare… and his smug smile.
"Ah, leaving are we?" Caster asked rhetorically. "Well, you came to the right program!"
"That's why I brought her to you, Caster." Xamec explained. "I thought, if anyone could do this without being caught, it'd be you."
"Yes, indeed." Caster suddenly turned serious. "But I'm afraid, my dear, that you cannot leave until the distant star, which is the portal in and out of the Grid, opens again..."
"But that only happens if it's opened from the outside..." Mandy replied. "I've not been here that long...it should still be open."
"But, it is not." Caster replied calmly. "Someone inside has shut you off from your world, thus trapping you here."
Mandy and Xamec looked at each other and spoke simultaneously, "Lingdon."
"Most likely, he took control of the Grid and all the programming Clu left behind...stolen from the Creator of course..." Caster looked pointedly at Mandy. "Only one person knows anything about this place, and you know more than you should for a first timer...which begs the question...who are you? What's your last name?" Caster's eyes narrowed slightly as he emphasised the last two words.
Mandy looked Caster dead in the eye. "Flynn. My name is Mandy Flynn."
Mandy watched Caster and Xamec having their heated conversation, listening for excesses in emotion or further quietening of voices. Finally, she got fed up with their whispering.
"You know, I'm right here." Mandy said; standing and facing the pair. "Is it too much to ask that you," she pointed to Xamec, and then Caster, "And good-looking over here, let me into the conversation?"
"Conversation?" Xamec asked.
"Good looking?" Caster smirked at Mandy.
"Yes." Mandy let her eyes travel down Caster's form, drinking in the sight of him before turning back to Xamec. "Yes, conversation. Which I assume was about me, especially since there was whispering, glances in my direction, you know? All the obvious give-aways? It was kind of pathetic." Mandy paused for a moment before continuing, "Can you get me out of here, or not?"
"Not unless the portal opens again." Caster replied. "And until it does, you're stuck here, my dear."
"So we open it." Mandy stated quickly. "We get Lingdon out of the way and open it."
"And how do you propose we keep it open long enough to get you out? It's a long journey to the portal, and not an easy one either." Caster twirled his cane. "And you don't have transport."
"So what do I do?" Mandy asked, a hint of desperation in her voice.
"You wait for the opportune moment." Caster replied. "But you'll have to stay here, on the Grid."
"I won't stay with Lingdon." Mandy stated bluntly.
"Why ever not?" Caster asked, cocking his head to one side.
"I just can't. The way he looks at me..." Mandy shuddered. "It frightens me."
"You don't have anywhere else." Xamec put a hand on her shoulder.
Caster moved between the two and looked Mandy over carefully. "Yes she does."
Xamec looked at him in shock. "Caster?"
"She can stay here," Caster looked at Mandy meaningfully. "With me."
"No." Xamec replied harshly.
"Yes." Mandy's voice was soft, but assertive.
Xamec pulled her aside, away from Caster. "You don't know him, Mandy. You don't know what he's like."
"I know him better than you think I do..." Mandy assured him. "Trust me... and I may just be able to get something out of him... I need to learn how things run here, he can teach me."
"Do you know where to find me?" Xamec asked as he looked over her shoulder at Caster.
"Yes," Mandy shuddered. "How could I forget?"
"Okay then... Caster, is that offer still good?"
"Of course!" Caster replied gleefully. "Not to worry, my old friend, she will be safe with me."
Xamec looked at Mandy one last time before nodding to Caster and leaving the private quarters.
"So, my dear," Caster spoke up, taking her arm and guiding her back to the couch. "Sit, you must have a million questions buzzing through that user mind of yours." Caster tapped the top of her head affectionately before he took her hand in his. "So where shall we start?"