NPCs

[donotlick]

Comments

[foo_bar]

I misspoke. I was gonna say a mom's promise... but it sounded lame. Sorry.

[donotlick]

That's kind of adorable. You're a fucking nerd.

[ He's not into it. He's not into it. He's not into it. ]

Anyway, that doesn't prove anything. I'm still banking on this divergent dimension theory. It's the only thing that explains why you think everything should be normal, but Todd and Megumi are both trying to build people up to fight some Big Bad.

[foo_bar]

Maybe... It's both. They're just closer to it than the rest of the world?

[look, he cares a lot about his parents. especially his mom. he's a good son]

[donotlick]

Maybe.

[ He shrugs. But also... ]

Hey, this is gonna be real fucking random, have you gotten any weird notes or something from anybody you didn't know?

[foo_bar]

Huh?

[he considers this, maybe a touch too long.]

No... Why?

[donotlick]

You sure?

Because I did. So, y'know. If you have, you can tell me.

[foo_bar]

Nothing that explicit. Just other, minor things. What did you get, Hank?

[donotlick]

Minor things like what?

Because I got a fucking threat.

[foo_bar]

A threat?

[he pauses.]

From who? No-- wait, sorry. You don't know. You said that.

[donotlick]

Yeah, wish I fucking knew, pal.

So, you get any weird messages too?

[foo_bar]

Not at all. It's all been subtle stuff, like deleting programs I had uploaded for class.

Can I see the letter? It's via the tablets, right?

[donotlick]

Fuck. Of course it's something like that.

[ He shakes his head. ]

Can't. Fucker deleted it as soon as I read it. Whoever it is hacked into Hale's systems. They're good.

[foo_bar]

[han will remember that]

Hacked in? You're sure?

[donotlick]

You're in some kinda closed system, right? Hale said nobody was supposed to be able to get into it—so it's gotta be a fucking hacker.

[foo_bar]

Did he say anything else?

[not denying the closed system part.]

[donotlick]

[ Yeah, he figured as much. Hank shrugs. ]

He said he'd look into it. That's about it.

[ A pause. ]

I'm gonna keep calling him, see if I can fuck with him. Least if he's gonna play with me, I'll play right back.

[foo_bar]

Him and me both.

[he's got a vested interest in this now. That's weird, and. strangely competent.]

Thanks for letting me know.

[donotlick]

What, you and him are working together now? What happened to hating his guts?

Not that I'm complaining. This fucker's a biggest stickler for the rules than Hale. If you can put a stop to them, then I don't care if you gotta call the whole gang together.

I don't much like bein' watched, but at least when it was just you, Hale and Megumi, I knew who it was doing the creeping.

[foo_bar]

Todd's seriously outclassed, and wouldn't know where to begin looking.

Someone who just uploads whatever program he's getting without actually confirming who sent it? Sounds like a 2016 issue.

[donotlick]

Yeah, well us old hacks didn't grow up around this shit the way you kids did.

[ He says, as if Han was born in the 2010s like other people who would be his age in Hank's day. Okay. ]

If this H fucker turns out to be some bratty kid I'm still gonna punch his ass myself.

[foo_bar]

Not impossible. But, honestly, we don't know who they are. And we should tread carefully about that.

[donotlick]

Yeah, at this point who even knows. Glad it ain't my problem.

[foo_bar]

Well... As long as you don't punch me anymore, apparently.

[he's done good with the make-up today, can't even tell it happened. He presses a hand to his shoulder.]

But also, thanks for the tipoff. This 'H' might be the source of a few problems I've been having.

[donotlick]

Don't bust my fucking balls. I said it wouldn't happen again and I meant it.

[ Gosh!! You go on one bender because your android is fucking a hot teacher, and all of a sudden it's a huge to-do. ]

Yeah, don't sweat it. I'll be sure to let you know if I get any more creepy shit from 'em.

[foo_bar]

[so much more cursing]

And if you hear anything from Hale...?