B-7

@M: What do you mean?

He couldn't keep from replying. It wasn't just the words, the question was entirely different. He could feel the difference.

@Si: What are you doing? Stop. Stop it.

Since a moment ago, everything had begun to change. A window popped up in the middle of the screen. It was highlighted, while the others were dimmed. Sentences appeared as a continuous string, leaving no room for any action.

**

initialising exigent process …

input variable accepted …

executing exigent process …

terminating all running processes …

closing all open ports …

unable to terminate port 2357 …

executing exception 0047 …

modifying clone parameters …

executing exigent process …

executing argun …

initialising system status …

re-establishing connections …

disengaging ports …

disengaging processes …

complete .

**

What just happened? What changed?

He didn't really understand. The screen seemed unchanged. On the right was Sia. On the left, the packages were downloading from Breaker libraries, but the download had begun from scratch. So, yeah, that was different. More importantly, Sia had gone quiet. He wanted to ask what happened. But he saw the document in the middle. And realised what had truly changed.

**

Argun was a success. It works. All of it, works. On that account, congratulations.

Min, say hello to Sia. She's fine.

Sia, say hello to Min. You know by now. I stole your Blank. In return, along with an apology, I give you Argun. And a request.

It's not what I intended. It's not the way I would have preferred. But here you are. And there's no changing what is. Sia will help. As for the explaining, allow me.

Sia, I found a bug in Gaia. First, I found traces of Bogus. I couldn't just keep my eyes shut after that. I followed the clues. It is native Bogus. Through the open connection, users' consciousness can be accessed. And it is being done. I don't know what it means, what Gaia intends, or what the goal is. All I do know, is the Magus Manifesto.

Gaia must be stopped. The release must be stopped. They must be stopped.

I must do it. I could use your help.

**

He was frozen in disbelief. He didn't understand most of the changed document, but his understanding of the old him had improved. He definitely had a massive head. He accurately predicted the possibilities, and made preparations for each one. He left him directions to not engage. He knew it would be Sia, if he did engage. He knew what Sia would do. And he knew what she should find. He felt like he and Sia were dancing to the tune of the old him. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

And then, he was curious about what Sia felt about the whole situation.

@M: Do you understand?

@Si: Yes. A lot. Tell me everything that happened since morning.

He wasn't sure what she meant. But answering the question wasn't too difficult. Also, he had a vague feeling that Sia meant what she said. She did understand a lot. Certainly a lot more that he did.

@M: I woke blank. Left myself a video message. Told me about the bug in Gaia. That I should stop the release. Stop them. And I was in danger.

@Si: Argun really works. Alright, listen to me carefully. You are in danger. There's been buzz on the dark sky, which was what brought me to you in the first place. I'm sure you don't understand. It doesn't matter. They know. Someone knows. They're not specifically looking for you, but they're looking for the bug. Or, someone called the Bug. You're wanted. The reward on your head is huge. We need to be smart.

He was reading her words from the other side of a Black Gate, but he could hear what she wasn't saying, what was hidden between the lines. He could feel what she was feeling.

@M: But I was the smart one?

@Si: Yes. That makes it difficult.

@M: Running with that, I must have known what I was doing.

@Si: I suppose.

@M: So, let's just run with that. Let's find the bug? Must be a nice place to start at. Can you see my screen?

Before she could answer, a window popped with an alert.

-: download complete

-: extracting package

-: initialising parameters

-: execute process?

-> y

-: executing process

-: translating character set

-: formatting

-: opening document

**

While the wind blow south, the flames of war blow in the east.

Figus semptus zestiv briguis.

**

What was that? Was the old him a nutter for riddles? Why was he trying so hard at being so difficult? Didn't he realise that it came easy to him?

While he was lost with the questions in his head, Sia answered.

@Si: Yes. I borrowed control of a port to your local system. I can see your screen. The second line, that's the motto of the hiking club. The first line must be the key? Makes sense that you would hide it in the hiking club.

@M: What's it?

@Si: The bug. A clue. I don't know. You tell me.

He sighed in sorrow. Sia was definitely a friend of the old him. She shared the same love for riddles. At least she was less difficult pointing the way ahead. The hiking club was what came next.