Ch 3 Analytics (2)

The car banked and I looked at the covered window. It did no good, I couldn't tell where I was. I could tell when the car passed from air to the building because the hum changed but it didn't tell me anything about the building. The engine noise reduced as 2-bit found a parking spot. It stopped shortly after the car stopped moving. I watched Goliath out of the corner of my eye but he still didn't move until 2-bit called out. "All cleared. Evac Rapid set all other functions off, ready when you are chief."

Evac Rapid, so the car looked off but it was already set for standby if they had to leave quickly they thought they could. Great. Goliath stood up after taking off his belt. "Understood, 2-bit."

Goliath untied the restraints and his eyes narrowed just a bit as I rubbed my wrists and flinched. His eyes flicked to where 2-bit was watching from the cockpit of the car. Goliath smiled, "You made sure the recorder is experiencing an unknown error right, 2-bit?"

"As requested, chief. Why?" I looked up and noticed that 2-bit was frowning at Goliath. He seemed upset.

Goliath smiled at the man and the man's eyes narrowed. "So that my little actress gives it a break for awhile, of course. Hopefully before you decide I am just as bad as Ravid now and get me killed."

I squinted at Goliath trying to figure out what he was doing. 2-bit snorted, "Right…"

Goliath rolled his eyes, "Come on buddy you know me better than that. We have flown hundreds of missions together by now." Goliath took a step towards 2-bit and 2-bit just crossed his arms.

"37."

"Really it seems like more. Are you sure?" Goliath crossed his arms and tapped his chin like he was thinking. It wasn't real I got the feeling that Goliath trusted 2-bit around me because he trusted 2-bit with anything that might affect his life.

"I would imagine life or death missions would feel like more than one at a time." I stopped rubbing my wrists and stepped closer to Goliath, "But we are working under a time limit right? Shouldn't we go?"

2-bit blinked at me as I stepped up to Goliath unafraid of his size or weapons. "Acting." He snorted and turned to trigger the back door that we had used to enter.

Goliath clapped the smaller man on the back as he stepped by. The smack staggered 2-bit a few steps. Goliath then leaned over to whisper in my ear conspiratorially. "He is much better in cyberspace. The real world just moves too slow for him."

I nodded, so he was high speed gifted without active nanites. I think they use to call people like that autistic and ADHD. Virtual reality gives them a world that functions at their speed so he might be better when working with any cyber connection. I still got a bit of a creepy vibe off of him as I followed him out of the air car. I felt better walking with Goliath between me and him. Still leaving enough space for Goliath to act but close enough that the people here would think we are just a strange couple with a programmer, if they bothered to think anything at all.

It wasn't far from the landing zone to the RedVR. When the main door opened it showed a big bar like room where people watched hollo dancers as they waited for a room. It was still pretty early in the day so there were only a few people around. Goliath walked up to the desk like he was a regular. The bored looking man behind the counter didn't even look away from the holo girl as he picked up the ID checked it and slid it and a key back through the hole in his pod. "Enjoy." It sounded like it took him momentous effort to even say that much to my group.

That must be why the terrorist picked this place, a human worker who didn't even scan ids, so the net wouldn't get a head start on them. I followed Goliath down a hall that smelled, well let's go with unique. Without intending to, I stayed a bit closer to Goliath. He waved the key in front of a red door panel and the door next to it slid open. Goliath waved for 2-bit to go in first and then me. I jumped as the door slid shut with a finality as Goliath entered behind me.

There was an old fashioned keyboard computer in one corner of the room and 2-bit was already working away on it. Seems he can move when he puts his mind to it. There were three chairs by the computer incase the people buying the program wanted to check on the programmer, like most people who do this know enough to know what a good programmer is doing to a custom program. There was only one VR chair though, and I looked at Goliath.

"I don't like plugging in, I am going to stay out here incase something goes wrong. Since you will be so close to the net, but that is the point."

"What do you mean?"

"You get to play your game for an hour, but I am counting on the net IDing that you were here after we are gone. Those proving we haven't killed you yet and maybe forcing the net to let us move around a bit." So he liked 2-bit but not enough to tell him I wanted net time not just game time. Well, life isn't fun without some mystery.

"Ok and what is your failsafe if the net reacts faster than you think it will?"

"A one bit AI in a RedVR is not going to react quickly." Goliath said with confidence. So was he stupid or acting?

"Physical access." I looked at 2-bit who was still typing away.

"So you will just pull the plug?"

"Net card." 2-bit still didn't look up.

"Same thing."

2-bit smiled at the screen, "Nope. Ready, chief?"