Tempus Clausuris (3)

Part Three:  You were asking where the magic went.


Dikas was still finding his way around the keyboard, never mind the Internet, but had already become distracted by his accidental discovery of YouTube.  Sara Ryland watched him with a combination of pity and sympathy.
     "If there's one comfort in all of this," she sighed, "It's knowing that every question you'll ask me from now on will begin with 'Why'."
     He looked up from the laptop screen and gave a little shrug, then realised he'd missed something and moved the video slider back.  She shook her head and went into the kitchen to make coffee.  It's going to be a long night, she thought.
     The e-mail from Mick Routledge at AktionHive had arrived four hours earlier, closely followed by a much shorter one from Bernie Taylor and then, almost an hour later, the shortest yet from the CTO of AktionHive himself, David Cutter.  With varying degrees of praise and further enquiry, they all concerned the animation she'd submitted to the company.  Against her better nature, and what she realised was over a decade of social conditioning, she'd decided not to reply immediately - to any of them.  Instead, she'd called Dikas to let him know that whatever they'd started had now truly begun, and that she could use some support.
     "Fear not, Miss Ryland."
     "I think you can call me Sara, you know."
     "I will be with you very soon."  There was a pause.
     "But?"
     "Adjustment.  It's required.  It's going to be required."
     "Jesus, I'm not asking you to move in with me," she said, laughing.
     "Not what I meant.  And...I will need instruction.  In some matters."
     More curious now than nervous, she'd stopped laughing.
     "Okay.  Well look, we can discuss all that when you get here.  I need to make a start on what's going to pass as my presentation.  They're badgering me for a time and date to meet."
     "Patience as a virtue knows no cultural boundaries, Miss Ryland.  They'll wait."
     Yeah, she thought, for the elephant to finally arrive in the room.  How the Hell am I going to spin this?  Suddenly, something occurred to her.
     "Oh crap," she said.  "If this is going according to plan, they may already be looking for him."
     Dikas made a 'Mmmm' sound.
     "You're agreeing with me?  Is paranoia contagious?"
     "That too, I think, we'll learn in time."
     "Very reassuring.  You really need to work on that, Dikas."
     "One hour," he said.  "I'll bring food."
     "That's really not..."  He'd already rung off.  "Necessary."


To be continued...