wtssts/src/mute/copy/complex/tadaima/02.twee

The corridors are nondescript, I can't tell much about them, we just walk
\ through again, and I have no sense of direction. The boots will need some
\ time to break in, if I have to walk too much my feet are gonna hurt, unless
\ the future does hold surprises after all. The catsuit is tight, it does
\ restrict movement somewhat, but not in a bad way. As long as I don't need
\ to play tennis I like the way it feels. It doesn't have any pockets, but
\ I don't have anything to put there, at least for now. We walk in silence,
\ agent's heels clack, my boots stomp. Do I want to add something hard to
\ the soles so I clack as well? No, it's fine.

I start to picture myself completing the leather ensemble with gloves and...
\ Well, gloves are easy, but what to do with the head and the face. It's not
\ nearly important or appropriate enough to start asking now, but it's a thought
\ for later. Maybe there is a way to get myself some kind of a leather hood or...

We arrive at the canteen. There are some tables with food and some tables
\ to sit at. I follow the agent as she navigates to one of the tables, takes
\ a cup and pours coffee into it, and I do the same. I mean, I've had worse,
\ I guess. There are some cookies nearby, I take one and hold it in my other hand.

"You can have anything you like if you're hungry, we have time, no problem."

Maybe later. We take a seat at the table and drink our coffee. I'm not
\ a spoiled person, I can appreciate minimalism, but by the same token I can
\ also appreciate a bit of luxury. There is time for buckets of water,
\ and there is time for cups of warm black liquid. Is this real coffee?
\ Whatever, it doesn't matter, I'm not going to complain either way. It's also
\ nice to be able to drink on your own. I mean I didn't mind the pony times,
\ at all, but having the use of your hands can also be rewarding I guess. And
\ the cookie is good: crumbly, not too sweet, even with chocolate bits in it.

We finish, walk to the counter and place our cups there. I hope in the future
\ they don't have to wash dishes by hand, this job is a perfect candidate for
\ automation, come on. Fucking corridors again, I'm continuing to tail the agent.
\ What's on her mind? She walks confidently, with purpose, leading me towards
\ being signed in, then what? She told she's going to get me to the hospital
\ so that... I can spend time with Old Man I guess... and then? Do we just
\ go back to where we were? Start over? She's going to present an opening so that
\ we can tie her up and make her talk? That would be interesting to watch, usually
\ you don't reveal your plans to be made to talk, so I guess this is not an option
\ anymore. Talk about what exactly? Do we need to make her talk in some other
\ solidly planned way now? Did she have a plan B that is now in motion or does
\ she have to invent a new way to ease us into the facts and spend time with us
\ and maybe confFUCK, whatever that meant? It's not like I need to have plans
\ of my own, these are just questions that come to mind while we walk.

We go through another door in the wall and the room looks like a small office
\ with two desks and one person, another woman. She takes a look at the agent
\ and salutes, then grabs a plastic card and hands it to her. Agent examines
\ the card briefly and sighs.

"Classified was a word, not a second name." -- she holds her open palm
\ to the woman at the desk -- "No, it's alright. Do you have something to hang
\ it on?" -- a reddish lanyard is produced -- "Thanks. I also need two blank
\ phones, forgot to mention, sorry. Mute, take a seat and look at the camera please."

She points at the lens and I look into it. Yeah, the camera. Me and the cameras.
\ A word from another world, another life, almost like a dream by now. Memories
\ rush back and I unfocus my eyes, sitting back against the wall, still looking
\ into the glass circle. How I had to choose the equipment, then add more, then
\ upgrade it as the income started to look sustainable, then reroute the wiring
\ so it didn't just snake around the room, then add microphones and the foam,
\ just because I could, then the TV, then there was this huge pain in the ass
\ with that software update... And how Liz helped me, and the guys were glad
\ to give advice, and how I had to deal with the ISP, and then another ISP,
\ and one of the guys took care of the router configuration so that the traffic
\ would squeeze through the bandwidth limit or something...

"Let's go, Mute."

I blink. Yeah, that was another life, now I'm streaming from inside a new studio,
\ a much larger one, to an audience of security staff. I would be very surprised
\ if these premises are not CCTV'd to all hell, maybe they even watch the toilets
\ I'd imagine. I have zero problems with that, you could say I'm uniquely
\ qualified to deal with this situation. I get up and we leave, out into
\ the fucking corridors again. I should get used to this shit, because it's either
\ corridors or more corridors from now on until something happens again, and
\ I'm not sure I look forward to something happening. I want Old Man to be alright,
\ that's what's important now. We are walking again.

"So, miss Mute Classified, here's your guest pass, wear it at all times." -- she
\ puts it around my neck -- "And here is your phone, use it for communication,
\ it has a chat app. And here is a phone you'll give to Old Man once he's up again."
\ -- she seems to be sure he will be up -- "And now I'll drop you at the hospital
\ and leave. I can't let him see me right away, last we met I was pointing a gun
\ at you, but I will visit later, at least I plan to. Tell him I'm not a threat --
\ to him, but most importantly to you, okay?" -- I guess she probably isn't, yes --
\ "You have clearance for the hospital, canteen and your guest room, I'll send you
\ directions later. Find me in the chat if you need anything. Agent Mistress, easy
\ for you to remember."

I take a look at my pass, it does say 'Mute Classified'. There is a joke in here
\ somewhere, but I can't quite point my finger at it yet.

"There are things I can make happen, but you shouldn't get the wrong idea, I'm not
\ running this complex. And you'll never guess who does!"

I hear a challenge. I look up, she's walking alongside now, not in front of me,
\ and she has a playful face. All right agent, I'll play along. Who's the last
\ person to fit? I point at myself. She seems confused for a moment, looking
\ for an exit, finding one.

"Don't be silly, Mute. Look at your pass again, it says you're a guest here,
\ right? Guests don't run things, they are guests, come on. Anyway, as I've
\ said, you'll never guess."

Sure, if you say so. We walk in silence again.

"And it's not Old Man either, before you try him. He's a guest too."

Click-clack, stomp-stomp, the corridors don't end. I notice some colour spots
\ now, I come closer and take a look. Oh good, they have a navigation system,
\ meaning arrows pointing to some places. I see the cross, it probably means
\ the hospital, and the arrow points along our way. That's useful,
\ I'll definitely need that later.

"And you'll never guess my last name!"

It's like she was deep in her thoughts but she's still on the topic, it just
\ took her several minutes to process my last reply. If there was my last reply
\ that is. It's an analogy, all right? It also sounds like a pitch that I should
\ be able to hit. I'm not all that in the mood for games though. I hold my pass
\ and tap my finger against where the last name is printed.

"I mean maybe, maybe not, it's classified!"

Her face is lit like she's just made the best joke in her life. How much of what's
\ happening was designed specifically so that she could make it now? Was it really
\ a miscommunication or was it intentional? I don't really care, and you know what?
\ I like this joke, it's my kind of humour as well. I crack a smile at her.
\ Paraphrasing Murakami, well, any friend of cringe comedy is a friend of mine...
\ it didn't come out as good as I hoped it will. She isn't my friend I don't think,
\ but she smells nice. Fucking hell, where did this come from? I shake my head.

She didn't say anything else all the way to the hospital. I lost my inner voice too
\ and only had some thought fragments and pieces while we walked, but we're finally
\ here, at the double doors with a cross on them and she's standing in front of me,
\ and she's probably ready to leave, and I'll be all alone soon.

"Yeah, okay, I'll pass you on to the doctors."

She walks through the doors and I follow her again. There's a reception here, and
\ the agent addresses the woman -- again -- beyond the counter.

"Stroke patient? She's next of kin." -- she points at me -- "Please take care of her,
\ she's a guest with us." -- the agent walks to me -- "Wait here, the doctor will
\ meet you sooner or later. In the mean time, make friends with the phone, you'll
\ have to talk to people. Don't worry Mute, it's gonna be okay. Do you want a hug?"

I do, but... Ah, what the hell, I nod. She hugs me, turns around and leaves,
\ and I stay. There are chairs here, no point not using them I guess.
\ [[I sit down.|next]]

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