Script Kiddies

Chapter 8

Bonnie opened her eyes as a shooting star whizzed past in the black emptiness. Then a hundred more streaked around her toward other, more distant and stationary stars.

She held her palm out, and a similar star appeared. She whispered into it before it shot off. A few seconds later, another star exploded in a flash of sparks before her. When they faded, Clyde was floating in front of her in his pinstripe suit.

"Ain't you a sight for sore eyes," Clyde said, his eyes roaming up and down Bonnie's body.

"Flattery will get you nowhere," she replied.

"No?" Clyde took a step closer. "And what about a VNC Remote exploit?"

Bonnie arched an eyebrow. "You're not trying to make up for that bomb of an 'exploit' last week, are you?"

Clyde clutched his chest like he'd been shot, and Bonnie rolled her eyes.

"Always the dramatic one," she said, then held out her hand. "Gimme."

Clyde reached into his back pocket and pulled out a fast-food menu. She reached for it, but he pulled it away.

"What's it worth to you?"

She leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the cheek as she plucked the menu from his fingers.

"Keep dreaming," she said.

"Don't need to," he said. "And when you've been suitably awed by my skills, you'll have no choice but to accept my invitation."

"We'll see," Bonnie said with a smile.

Clyde grinned back. He floated sideways and held a hand out for her.

"This way, my dear."

Bonnie took his hand, her skin tingling as they touched, and they zipped forward until they reached a star that swirled with blue and gold. There was a flash as they touched the star's outer shell, and Bonnie was suddenly standing on a field of green grass.

Before them was a row of a dozen brick storefronts. Each had a blue-and-gold striped canopy covering two windows where teenage kids worked cash registers. A sign on the brick front showed two blue interlocking Bs standing on a gold circle. Below the logo was the store name and street address in gold letters.

"I was just here," Bonnie said.

"What'd you get?"

"Number three with cheese."

"Careful, too many of those and you'll end up like Davy," Clyde said.

Bonnie punched his arm.

"How does this thing work?" She asked, turning the menu over in her hands.

"The guy I got it from said you just have to send it to the server, and it'll do the rest."

"It works on any of them?"

"Should," Clyde said.

Bonnie raised an eyebrow at him.

"I mean, this guy said it would," Clyde said. "One way to find out."

Clyde shook her head, the peacock feather on her headband flopping around.

"What happens if it doesn't work?"

"I'll have to find another date to prom," Clyde said.

"Will they be able to trace it back?"

Clyde shook his head. "You're good."

"You're sure?"

"Scout's honor."

"You do realize I know you're not a scout, right?"