"...and that's when when Nemo said 'I thought you'd have figured it out and learned something by now since it's such a simple error, not wasted two hours missing the obvious like a moron. Then again, it is you, so I'm not at all surprised.' Barbarius was pretty pissed after that!" Max said, laughing.

Chat frowned, taking a napkin to the sticky projectiles that had flown from Max's mouth and latched onto her shirt. "You know, I might be more interested in hearing about your questionably useful subordinates if you would swallow before you go off on a tangent!"

"Oh, lighten up." He said, more bits of food escaping. "I've seen you covered with grease before and you didn't seem to care."

"The grease wasn't covered in your spit." She grumbled. "Now what did you want to talk about? I'm sure you didn't bring me along just to ramble on pointlessly... and if you did, I'll bash you over the head with my toolbox."

"Yeah, yeah." Max took a drink and turned as close to serious as he ever seemed to manage. "It's about that little project you're working on with Meredy."

Chat raised an eyebrow at him. "The Craymel program?"

"That's the one... have you told anyone about it?"

"I haven't, but Meredy told her friend Keele, the guy in the Inferian complex. They've been having a competition of sorts to see who can get it done first." She explained.

He nodded slowly, frowning and staring at his plate. "When they went over it, was the communication secure?"

"You'd have to ask Meredy to be sure, but I think so." Chat said, leaning forward and getting a bad feeling. "Why? What's going on?"

"I'm not sure." Max scratched his head. "There's nothing on official channels, but Ayla's somehow pieced together that someone might know about the project. Someone that could cause trouble."

"Trouble for who, Meredy or your little orginization?"

"Probably both."

Chat snatched him by the collar and pulled his face down level with her own. "Damn it, Max! I never even told her about that! I swear if anything happens to Meredy because they think she's wrapped up with you and Shileska-"

"I know, that's why I'm telling you now. For extra protection. I'll have my people keep an eye on security, if they start to make a move for Meredy, I'll get her out myself if I have to." He said, looking her right in the eyes. "I promise, I won't let anything happen to you or her because of my plans."

Glaring at him for a few seconds, Chat released his collar and stood up. "You'd better not."

Max spoke up as she started to walk off. "You haven't finished your meal, where are you going?"

She glanced over her shoulder. "Where do you think? To check on Meredy."

"Are you going to tell her anything?"

"The less she knows, the safer she should be, right? If that's true, I won't mention a word of it. If it's not..." A cold edge entered her voice. "...I'll tell her everything I know, regardless of what you think is best for Shileska and your crazy little plot."

xxx

Chat was approaching Meredy's door when it opened and she dashed outside, skidding to a halt just before they collided. Staring blankly at her for a moment, Meredy grabbed Chat by the shoulders and all but dragged her into her room.

"Hey, let go!" Chat demanded, wincing as she tried to follow. She never knew her friend had such a firm grip. Just on the other side of the door, Meredy closed it again and locked it. "What's the big idea?"

Her eyes drifted from the door to Chat, though they didn't seem to focus on anything. "Meredy doesn't know. The first was easy, but the second... Meredy can't understand it."

Chat sighed, rubbing her sore shoulders. "That's what this is about? Keele's past relationships?"

Raising an eyebrow, Meredy's eyes did focus on her this time. "Relationships?"

"Yeah, I know you liked him, and even if he is a jerk he's bound to have known a few girls before you." She replied with a shrug. "Besides, with the whole different complexes thing, it'd be impossible anyway."

That clueless expression remained. "What is Chat talking about?"

Chat hesitated for a moment, thinking either she missed something or Meredy was losing her marbles. "What are you talking about?"

"When Meredy started the camera hack... didn't Chat notice?"

She rolled her eyes. "The girl sitting on Keele? Yeah, I noticed. Kind of hard to miss."

Meredy shook her head, pigtails waving wildly. "No, no, no!"

"You know what denial is, right?" Chat wondered.

"Meredy saw Farah, but that's not what she's talking about!" She said quickly, hair still whipping.

Chat just blinked at her. "What else was there to see?"

"Meredy's camera hack shows all locations viewing." She held up three fingers. "It showed three different addresses... Meredy's was third on the list. Inferia Security was second, and disconnected when Keele left with Farah."

"Okay, so who was the first?"

Meredy bit her lip, looking at the floor. "Nobody."

Chat scratched her head. "What do you mean, nobody? Someone had to set up the connection, didn't they?"

She nodded. "Meredy couldn't trace it. Location wasn't anywhere listed in Inferia or Celestia directories, even sealed ones."

Running this through her head, Chat tried to figure out what it could mean. "So... it came from somewhere outside both complexes? That's impossible, everything else on Eternia was wiped out, remember?"

Meredy nodded again. "Other possibility is that signal originated from Orbis itself, something within the system."

"Is that even possible?"

"Meredy doesn't know..."

"There has to be some kind of clue." Chat muttered, crossing her arms. "What was the location called, anyway?"

Meredy shifted her feet uncomfortably. "Balir."

Not a moment after she spoke, two things happened. Recognition flashed across Chat's face as she recalled hearing it mentioned before, and the door flew open even though she could have sworn it was locked. After that it was a blur. There was a loud crack and next thing she knew Meredy was on the floor, blood coming from her mouth. That alone barely registered in her mind before something smashed into the side of her head and everything went black.