Leslie rested their hands on their knees as they watched the video with us. “This has to be it!” 327480’s excited voice came from the System device while the camera swept over a room filled with dusty computers and other equipment I didn’t recognize.
“So many paths lead here,” 327480 continued, pointing the camera at several doors lining the walls. “This has to be the System’s weakness. Why else would she keep it hidden?”
The video ended abruptly: the screen black, a replay icon taking up the screen. Most of 327480’s videos in the virtual alter were like that. I never got used to how jarring that was.
“Does this mean what I think it does?” Leslie asked, frowning.
Tazina, positioned just behind Leslie, replied, “Not only does Dax have to find this room, she has to get me there.”
Leslie stood up, crossing their arms with a sigh. “Is there a way you can access it remotely?” they asked Tazina.
Tazina shook her head. “By the looks of that equipment, everything in that room is too safeguarded. And I seriously doubt Dax can implement the steps to make it remotely accessible. No offense,” she quickly said to me.
“Why would I be offended?” I replied. “You’re right.”
“And to make things even more fun,” Al started sarcastically, “I’m pretty sure this room is underground.”
Leslie groaned, sliding a hand down their face, the yellow, white, purple, and black nail polish shining under the fluorescent light. “Itejtioewjkmldsfe hard enough getting Dax inside wetajieokmwfajict,” Leslie muttered. “Ajaiwoetmkaenhfdusijokaemnfhuidjs.”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about getting me inside,” I said. “I know how I’ll get in.”
“What?” Leslie asked, giving me a blank stare. Al and Tazina gave me equally puzzled looks.
“I’ll show you,” I said, standing up from my chair. With all the practice I’d done, it didn’t take me long to find the green thread for the chair. I pulled on the slippery string, unraveling the chair until it was no more than a faint outline of multi-colored dust. Then I reraveled it, pushing the thread I still held to make the strings wrap around themselves until the chair was fully reformed. I released the string, leaving the chair unchanged.
“I can do that to a wall no problem,” I stated. The three of them gaped.
“Wait,” Al said, a note of irritation in his voice. “If you could’ve done that this whole time, why didn’t you just do it to all of the System walls?”
I frowned. “The walls aren’t connected enough for me to unravel all of them. It would take too long. And you know how quickly the System can rebuild.”
“Hmph,” was Al’s only response.
Leslie was still staring openmouthed at the chair I’d reraveled. I hadn’t expected them to be so stunned.
“Leslie?” I called.
They snapped their mouth shut, finally looking up at me. “How are you so certain you can do that to a wall?” they asked.
“I’ve been practicing,” I replied with a smile.
To be continued…