Tall, please
Private Message from Atai [REPLY]
>Vlad and Nade and I... investigated, Glass' cult, even though kind of told us not to?
>http://pastebin.com/pm5JZXYs
>It was wrong and I know you're like
>Lawful Good basically
>And whatever we'll submit ourselves to the relevant authorities
>But before that happens...
>Please.
>I need you.
>Glass needs you.
>Can you please just... talk to him?
Re:Tall, please
Private Message from Tall Mud (Administrator) [REPLY]
>I will talk to him.
>We can talk about what you should do to atone afterwards.
>For now, talking some sense into him is the most important thing.
>Atai...
>I'm proud of you, to tell you the truth.
>You never gave up the chase
>Even when you probably should have.
>I have to admire that kind of conviction.
>Thank you. I am glad you are in my life.
> And that you are strong where I am weak.
>Never lose that strength and nobility.
Atai relaxed, finally, for the first time in days. She asked Mud to keep her posted and she allowed herself a few long disconnected hours.
And then it was morning in France and she called Dante.
"Yes," Dante said. "It's me."
"So, uh, you were right and I'm sorry I ever doubted you?"
"Thank you for your overwhelming vote of confidence. Did you manage to save your friend?"
"I sent Tall Mud to talk to him. He's... I don't think I could ever deny Tall Mud if he talked to me sternly enough."
"He's like a father to you."
"Uh, yeah, kind of. Internet dad and whatnot." Atai didn't feel the need to mention that that was the only kind of father she could ever have.
"That must be nice, to have that degree of trust. Tell me what comes of their conversation. I don't have that same feeling. Maybe it's because I know the cult too well, but I find it difficult to imagine that they would let your friend go easily. The indoctrination is strong, Atai, too strong."
The doubts and fears that had plagued Atai nested back down into her mind.
"Um."
"Please, call your friend?"
Atai didn't need to be told. After a few shrill buzzes, Tall Mud answered his phone. He sounded like a chain smoker, though he certainly wasn't one, and greeted her brusquely.
"How'd it go?"
"It went. Glass agreed to stop. We had a heart-to-heart which I am, of course, forbidden from telling you about."
"But he agreed!"
"Yes. In no uncertain terms, too."
"Thank you! So much! I knew all he needed was for you to talk him down!" Atai gushed.
"Not a problem."
"You're a hero!"
"I'm a sysadmin," Tall Mud said, "but I guess that's close enough."
An old joke, and then it was like things were the way they used to be, at least a little bit.
YOU ARE READING
We're All Human
FantasyA boy named Glass vanishes without a trace. His friend Atai wants to understand why. She's an artificial intelligence stuck in a computer, which makes investigating difficult-- but it's the age of the Internet, and strangers step up to help. Glass i...
