Claws and code

They meet

Hello, my people,
You have waited long enough. Today, they finally meet! This chapter is a bit longer than the others.
Enjoy,
XG
***

Graphic me peeked around the side of the screen and ducked away when he looked. He smirked and moved a bit closer to my table. When I peeked my graphic onto the screen again, he waved.

I made the words on the screen. 'Just nod. Yes or No.'

He looked intrigued, glanced around and nodded yes. I started typing in earnest and he answered everything with yes or no.

'Your name is Jack?' Yes.

'Red Lake?' Yes.

'Security?' He hesitated but nodded yes. Interesting.

'Do you like it?' No hesitation this time, yes.

'Would you be willing to explain why they are so worried?' I asked. He didn't keep to my rules and spoke out loud instead of nodding yes or no. Not worried about what the others would think when he spoke, he said. 'I will have to meet, Mowgli.'

David thought he was being addressed and answered. 'That's not going to happen.'

Jack answered David but glanced at my computer. 'Does Mowgli understand why we are so worried or was that thing with the hunters a fluke?' I wrote down 'Yeah, just a fluke.' on the screen.

All the systems guys replied in a flurry of voices, David's included. 'What Mowgli does is never a fluke.'

I blacked out the screen and shut my laptop. It was too tempting to talk to this guy.

Three hours later David followed Mark and Arthur in. Mark was still tense around David and it made me feel bad that I had been a rift in their friendship. Not thinking, I walked up to Arthur and gave him a tight hug. 'Hi there, Old man.'

'Hi there, Little Girl. How's captivity treating you?'

Cam's voice drifted into the living room. 'I think our little girl might actually think captivity is quite the turn on.' We could hear his mother hit him and she actually sent him to his room. It was quite funny.

Arthur let go and for the first time since I'd known them, not counting that day he beat up David, I turned to Mark and hugged him tightly. 'Hi there, Big Brother.'

His arms tightened around me for a second before he replied. 'Hi there, Little Sister. Do I need to give Cam a beating for you?'

I stepped back and grinned. 'Nah, let mum handle it, her punishments are way worse than a simple beating.'

It was the first time I'd ever called her mum and we all heard the sob from the kitchen before she rushed out and threw herself at me. 'Oh, my baby.' She looked at the men and cried. 'She called me mum!'

Mark saved me. 'And she'll never do it again if you choke her now!'

Cindy grinned widely as she stepped back. 'It's out there now, no take backs! Now let's eat.'

The others rocked up just as we sat down and Arthur called Cam down; but he was ordered to remain silent. David hadn't said anything yet. I finally addressed him.

'How was today?'

'You tell me, you talked to them.'

'Barely.'

'Why did you though? We had an agreement.'

'They were going through my stuff, David!'

'Actually, they were just smelling your stuff.' He replied blandly.