It wasn’t true sleep, she knew. You couldn’t think when you were sleeping, couldn’t solve. She never really slept.
She sorted the numbers and symbols through her head, trying to make sense of them, until a hand landed on her shoulder, shook it back and forth.
“Mackie! Wake up.” The shaking grew more urgent, forcing her to open her eyes, and sit up, staring at the monitor.
Sian turned to face her roommate. “You logged me off. . .”
“I had to. You were running up the line. Even you can’t afford a six-page phone bill.”
“Aleeex we don’t pay for it.” Sian sighed. “I’d found something really important.”
Alex grabbed the mouse and began tossing it between her hands. “Lighten up; it wasn’t exciting enough to keep you awake.”
“If I hadn’t stayed up all night helping you practice- hey, put that down!” Sian grabbed the mouse in midair and set it on its pad.
“Hey, it’s not like it wasn’t worth it. I am going to kill at competition. . .if I’m not late.”
“Go; don’t let me stop you.”
“Not without you.” Alex grabbed Sian’s arm. “C’mon, I need to get you out of this cell.”
“I’m not really into that kind of thing.”
“Bull. I saw you during archery. Man, if you had decided to try out instead of sitting here wasting time, you could be in there with me, kicking-”
“I’m not that good.” She turned back to her computer. “You beat me last night.”
“That was fencing, not archery, dumbass..” She pulled Sian out of the chair. “You can go in that.”
“I still have to work out what I find.”
“So work on it tonight. You’ll have time.”
“You don’t under. . .it was weird. It gave me a bad feeling.”
Alex laughed. “You’re weird, Mackie. I swear, you were working on it in your sleep.”
“I was not.”
“You’re obsessed.”
“I am not.”
“Then come with me, you freak.”
“Fine.” Sian shut down her computer, and grabbed her sunglasses. “I’m coming.”
“Hey, it’s coed! I’ll bring a brush.” She picked one off her bed and threw it at Sian. “You know how to use it?”
“Yes.” She glared at Alex, then threw the brush back at her. “On the way there.”
“Fine.” She raced through the dorm door, leaving Sian to follow. “Then let’s move it.”
They ran through the hallway and down the stairs. Alex reached the door first, and flung it open, allowing the opressively hot outside air to filter in.
“Hey!” Both Sian and Alex turned at the shout, which came from the top of the stairs. “Tournament’s canceled; it’s too hot to compete.”
“No way! You’re lying.”
“Fine then, don’t believe me.” Kitty flipped her hair over her shoulder. “But they called all the dorm moms an hour ago.”
“They can’t do that!” Alex clenched her fists in rage. “They can’t just cancel the competition!”
“Well, they did.”
“Whatever.” Alex glared and headed through the door. “I’m out.”
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Kitty looked at Sian and frowned. “Aren’t you going to go running back upstairs?”
“Right. . .” Sian nodded, then left.
“Freak.”
When she reached her room, Sian decided to go back online. She figured that if they canceled the competition, they would cancel classes as well, which meant that she could spend the whole day in her room. Which would be paradise, especially with the air conditioning cranked up on high; she made sure that she would contribute heavily to the ozone hole. It wouldn’t do to have her computer overheat.”
She waited as her connection hummed to life, then checked to see who was on. Odd; the Internet was nearly empty. Even Kurt- the man, the guy who set up Rabbit for worthy hackers to use- was off-line. He was usually glued to his computer.
She checked her list again. Only three people were on: Kiljy17, who was, in reality 25, not seventeen, nice, and named Ray. ZazzJaz--damn him; he was an ass-- lived in Utica, not that far away from her, and Raket lived in Los Angeles; she didn’t know how old she was.
Most of the people who used Comptex spent a lot of time online. Only three of them were on, out of nearly a hundred.
Kiljy17:
She jumped as her computer flashed the message, then placed her hands on the
keyboard and typed.Stripes!
Striper:
She sat up and paid attention at his words. No one asked where you were from on Rabbit; you either offered the information, or you didn't want it known; Sian was certain Ray knew that.What’s going on?
Kiljy17: I’m talking to Zazz and Raket about the attacks.
Striper: Excuse?
Kiljy17: where’re you?
Striper:
She noticed his typing style mutating into something ugly, then looked at her
nearly empty list. Something was definately wrong.Earth.
Kiljy17: dammit! I’m not fuckinh around. WHere are you?
Striper:
She had no intention of talking to James; but there was no reason to tell Ray that.Boarding school. South of Ft. Levden. NY. Middle of nowhere.
Kiljy17: Nothing weird going on?
Striper: No. Just hot.
Kiljy17: Talk to Zazz. Nothing there, either.
Kiljy17:
Sian swore as his name dissappeared from his lists. People were shooting? In
both Chicago and Los Angeles? And New York? Impossible. . .Rest of the place; chaos. Rak and I have no idea how long we’ll stay
on.
Striper: What’s going on?!?!?
Kiljy17: If you can, stay where you are. There are people going through the
cities. People are getting shot. Rak could hear shots last she said. And
Vicki said that Kurt was before she got off.
Striper: Yeah, right.
Kiljy17: don’t be a mod Stripes. Theyre killing people. ‘Net’s down, most of it
Striper: I know; couldn’t get any other server-sites.
Kiljy17: It's not them it's us; they've screwed with our connection. Visceria mailed me. we think they’re hitting people on
Rabbit.
Striper: what?
Kiljy17: people have been getting off all of a sudden since 3 this morning. no
phone, no nothing. I thought you were gone around eight.
Kiljy17: they’re getting close. i’ve gtg.
Striper: Wait, you have to tell me what’s going on!!!!
Kiljy17: GOODbye. atay safe, kid. talk to Zazz
Striper:
Code glitch? The code she saw? Was he able- no, he wasn’t even close to good
enough. He couldn’t be. But it couldn’t hurt to ask.
Zazz whats going ON here????
ZazzJaz: People going through cities. Servers going down. Weird.
Striper: Tell me about it.
ZazzJaz: Were you on last night?
Striper: Later part, why?
ZazzJaz: You catch that code glitch?
ZazzJaz:
His name disappeared; Raket’s had been gone long ago. She was alone on Rabbit.
Alone in her world. Dazed, she clicked the exit icon, and detached herself.Hello?
Striper: Yes. Not a glitch. Code. Trying to get it.
ZazzJaz: Weird. They’ll be out here soon.
Striper: They’ll take our stuff?
ZazzJaz: Yeah.
Striper: Can’t have that.
ZazzJaz: I’ll be there in 45.
Striper: Nonono.
ZazzJaz: Me or them. You saw the code.
Striper: Yes.
ZazzJaz: Then you know why I’m coming. We’ve gotta get out.
Striper: You don’t know where I am.
ZazzJaz: Where
Striper: School by Ft. Levden. Academy.
ZazzJaz: I know where it is.
Striper: Can you drive?
ZazzJaz: Yes.
Striper: Fine. Messed up. But fine.
ZazzJaz: Start packing.
