I Baked You A Story

Okay, so, things have been up and down and all around lately, haven’t they? The forum is down for the moment due to technical issues, but to make it up to you, I’ve added a thread function that makes it possible to reply to specific comments. That should make commenting more fun and easier to follow!

Oh, and more Brat Stalker. More!

Brat Stalker 4.0

The days following her capture and incarceration were decidedly unpleasant for Chase. The work was hard and boring, and unlike in Chase’s previous role, there was no chance of slacking off to play video games. She found herself installed in the Data Center, which turned out to be a large, inexplicably hexagonal room with terminals ranged around its outer walls and similarly hexagonal command core in the center where serious faced fellows and ladies stared at screens of incomprehensible data and punched at keyboard keys with rapid fire strokes.

Her supervisor was a lanky middle aged man with a youthful dress sense that involved large amounts of t-shirts, jeans and leather accessories. His jet black hair fell to his shoulders, giving him a sort of mild mannered rock god feel to his persona that Chase found quite soothing after dealing with Agent Darby.

“This is a tracking program. It will do most of the work for you, but you’ll need to pay attention to the flags and pass them up the chain,” he explained over her shoulder as she sat at the terminal she’d been allocated. In front of her eyes, maps of rocky terrain scrolled continuously.

“A trained monkey could do this,” Chase noted in dismay.

“Then I guess you’re our new monkey,” Ray grinned as he winked at her.

Chase groaned. “When does the urge to throw yourself off something go away?”

Ray laughed. “You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t want to live, monkey. They screen for that, you know.”

“I should have let Darby shoot me when I had the chance,” Chase muttered, turning her attention to the screen.

“Darby’d be willing to shoot you any time,” Ray muttered.

“What?” Chase looked over her shoulder.

“Nothing, get to work, monkey,” he said with a smile, returning to his own console at the center of operations.

Chase watched him go, envying his apparent freedom. She didn’t even get to choose what she wore, she was stuck in a charcoal gray set of what looked like scrubs. Darby hadn’t explained why the uniform was so plain, except for making some sort of quip about getting bloody on a regular basis. It was probably all part of the psychological game she was playing and Chase had largely ignored it. Sitting in front of the computer now she felt almost safe, the familiarity of the glowing cube screen was comforting, like a teddy bear, or a worn blanky.

Sighing, she tucked her feet up on the edge of the seat and gazed at the screen over her knees. This was going to be a long 10 hours.

“How is she doing?” Darby’s cool gaze met Ray’s warm brown eyes.

“Fine, she’s doing fine. She’s easily distracted, but they all are at first. She’ll build up tolerance over time.”

The pair were standing on an over-bridge that crossed above the Data Center and ran the length of the Command Section, culminating in the Head’s offices. Below them, through the one way ceiling, Chase and her colleagues worked on largely oblivious to the activity taking place above their heads.

Ray lounged against the side of the walkway, resting on his elbows. “You don’t look convinced,” he noted.

Darby flicked a glance at him, then returned her gaze over the side of the walkway, where Chase appeared to be nodding off with her chin rested on her knees. “Her assignment status wasn’t straightforward. It’s this, or the field.”

“The field? She’s a bit old for that, isn’t she?” Ray quirked a teasing brow, his wide smile lighting up his handsome features.

Darby glowered.”She’s a good deal younger than I am, and I’m in the field.”

“But you’re super human, Agent Darby,” Ray smiled.

“Quite,” Darby furrowed her brow as she glanced back over the over-bridge. “Is solitaire part of the data tracking we’re doing these days?”

“What?” Ray followed her gaze, and swore under his breath as he saw Darby’s screen partially covered by pixellated cards whilst the terrain she was supposed to be scanning flew on by un-screened. “Oh for chrissakes Darby… didn’t you put the fear of god into her?”

“I tried,” Darby replied grimly. “I can see I am going to have to try harder.”