Crash Landing [✓]

bonus [1]

ZACHARI'S POV
[After Chapter 6]

I left Adeline and Milo confused, after I told them there was no way I could decode the microchips, albeit I was a genius hacker. That didn't mean I wouldn't be able to ever, it just meant I needed some help. And for help I had to go to the Elma Pet Store.

Why did I need to go to a damn pet store? Well I couldn't quite explain but I had a girlfriend who worked there, her side job being hacking.

Oh who was I kidding, she definitely wasn't my girlfriend, but she was a lovely soul nonetheless. She was lively, and always cheery, topped with unnecessarily horny —that, I didn't mind one bit, because we always had heaps of fun doing things together.

But on a serious note if anyone could help with complicated and complex technology, it was damn Elma, with her great, big, googly glasses that covered her clear blue eyes, and her sweet mouth that said more intelligent things than anyone could ever imagine.

I approached the store with a skip in my step, holding a plastic bag, and my fake fishies. As suspected, the store owner Raheem was at the front showing some customers hamster cages.

"Zachari!" Raheem shouted across the store, "How you doing buddy?"

"I'm great Raz," I beamed, eyes scanning the vicinity for Elma, "How's business?"

"Sold ten hamsters this week." He said, elated. "Elma is out back, tidying the pet food shelves."

I didn't converse with him any further and continued to Elma, fake fishies in my hand as I rounded the corner. She had on a top, that had sandwiches plastered across it and paper bag trousers that covered her petite legs.

"Looking lovely Elma." I grinned, poking the back of her head, causing her to turn around, whipping her blonde hair across my face.

"Ouch." I moaned, "That hurt."

"Zachi!" Elma happily said, squeezing me in a hug, her breasts pressing up against me. "Sorry! I haven't seen you in a while. What can I aid you with today?"

"Straight to the point, that's why I love you." I sighed, cupping her cheeks in my hand.

She giggled in response and gestured towards the stock room, which was far too dusty for my liking but I wasn't complaining.

"I need help getting into these microchips." I told her seriously, opening the bag in my hand to reveal the insides to her.  "You can help I'm sure."

"I think so." Elma proudly said taking them off my hands, "I'll just sign off work and let Raz know. You wait outside for me."

Nodding in agreement, I left Elma to speak to Raheem while I headed outside, plonking myself onto the bench outside the store, waiting for Elma.

She came outside in a few minutes and I followed her direction. She was more cheery than usual, probably because we really were seeing each other after such a long time.

I knew where she was taking me, to her tech crib. Hers was every technology nerds dream, you'd think she worked for the central intelligence even. At first I even believed this when I met Elma, thought she was the lady version of me. That was until I realised she was definitely cooler, and had no time on her hands to help the government not when she was bonking both genders every other day, with her tone deaf grandmother in the house.

"What did you tell Raz?" I curiously questioned, wondering how she got off work so early.

"Oh," Elma smirked, "I told him it was funky time."

"Really?" I muttered, "Wait with me?"

"Don't be silly Zachi," Elma snorted, "We both know you're way out of my league."

"What's your grandma doing Elma?" I enquired, making conversation when we finally ended up at her doorstep.

"Let's see shall we?" Elma whispered, unlocking the door to the smell of definitely-burnt-cookies.

"Noni!" Elma couldn't help but yell, running straight into the kitchen, "I told you not to bake unless I was home."

"Don't you dare call me a snake young lady!" Her grandmother, a short, brown lady exclaimed.

Elma helplessly turned the oven off and pulled her grandmother into the living room; she turned the television on and exhaled deeply, "Sit here and watch the discovery channel, for a while please. I'll be up soon."

With that she descended the steps to the basement and I trailed after her, impressed at the lack of change, comforted by the monitors and lights.

"So what have you been up to?" Elma asked, turning on multiple computers at a time.

"Nothing really, I have some friends over at the cabin." I told her, proudly.

"Friends?" Elma repeated, intrigued.

"Oh," I said sheepishly, settling into a bean bag chair. "Remember a while back I had you track a person?"

"Yes, I remember him, sexy motherfucker he was." Elma stated, licking her lips.

"He's my friend, my best friend, family even." I admitted, "And he's come to me for help. That's what I need you for now."

"Any friend of yours is a friend of mine, sweetie." She announced, winking in my direction.

"Thanks Elma, I don't have many friends but you're certainly one of them."