19 Helping People... or, Killing Everybody (1/2)
”Secrets are about vulnerability.”
- Megacles
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20 Minutes Later
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I get to Candy's.She's sleeping, I head to her lab.I spend a few hours trying to contact Doc-Danger.I've only got 3 ways to contact him, so I really just ping the same 3 addresses, 4 times a minute, 1500 times in a row.
Eventually, I slow to a single round of calls a minute, so I have time to self recriminate.I've talked more with Doc-Danger in the last year than I did with my husband in the last 20 years.How do I know nothing about him?I don't know his address.I don't know his emergency contacts.I don't know his real fucking name.How could I be so irresponsible?
Candy walks in.We sit in silence for a bit.
”That new planet's quite the fucking thing.” she says.
I hold my head.
”Did you do that?” she asks.
I think of answers to impossible questions.I shake my head.”I don't know.”
”What do you need?” she asks.
”I need to find Doc-Danger!”
”Okay.Let's do it.” she says.
I explain how my ignorance makes a normal search hopeless.
”Cool.Let's do a weird search.Tell me some weird stuff.” she says.
I describe the tree, the frost, the billion stars.I say he was affected by the blackout.But was he?I think so.I think of his responsibilities.Oh god, who's taking care of them?I feel sick.
”Hmm, we don't know who he is, where he was, or where he's gone.Do we know why he's gone?” she asks.
I shake my head.I describe the timing of his disappearance, the God Machine's disappearance, the impossible answers, and the new planet.
”Yes, that sounds like a clue.Any chance he got spooked and is hiding?” she asks.
”From me?No.”
”Is there a pattern to when he contacts you?” she asks.
”Uhh, yes.You know that.”
”Of course.Can I see the impossible answers?” she asks.
I look at her.Really look at her.She's not here.She's projecting, and using subtle hypnosis to hide it.My guilt, fear, and hangover melt away.I stand and face her.
”Hello Lodestone.” I say.
She smiles.”Hello Megacles.It's nice to finally meet you.”
I smash the projector and stride out of the lab.Candy's office and bedroom are empty.I storm into the club.I don't see Candy.I grab Omicron by the shoulder.
”Have you seen Candy?”
”Are you joking?” he asks.
I slam him into a wall.Mirror shards tinkle down around us.
”Where the fuck is Candy!”
”Jesus, she's right behind you!” he says.
I turn.Lodestone's on the stage.I get in her grill.
”Where is she?”
”On the roof.” Lodestone says.
I run to the roof.I expect to find her captured by government thugs, but she's just smoking with some regulars.I hold her tight and sob.I thought I lost both of them.
”Hey baby.” she says.”What's up?”
”I fucked up!I got drunk, and accidentally maybe stole a planet, and Doc-Danger discorporated, and an evil robot stole your life!”
”You mean Lodestone?” asks Candy.”I don't think she's evil.Though I may be biased by all the money she gives me.”
”What?”
”Lodestone isn't stealing my life, she bought it.” Candy says.
”What the fuck?”
”I sold her my life rights.She can publish my likeness in any media.” Candy says.”How do you think I pay for a stripclub full of future tech?”
”You sold your likeness to a robot?” I ask.
”Well, an A.I. anyway.I don't think she has a physical body.” says Candy.
”Do you know who programmed her?” I ask.