Testing times

Andi bounce down the stairs and into the A.V.S. workshop.

Alexi's voice dragging his attention to the main door, the accent unusually strong.
"Here he is now."
He turns. Two man standing at the door. Dark suits, white shirt, black ties. Dark glasses. Their short cut hair already dry despite the down pour they had obviously just come from.. Everything about them screams Cloak.
Andi freezes. "What have I done now?"
One of them, the slightly taller one steps forward.
"Andi SLA code 001-2410880-01-12-06-080-001?" The string of numbers drip of his tongue with a practised ease.
"Yeah?" Andi replies cautiously.
"We have a message for you sir." The man reaches into the pocket and pulls out a small white envelope. The hands it over. There is no marking on the message.
Andi takes it as if he half expected it to blow up. Pulling his knife from the belt sheath he slices down the edge.
Inside is standard BPN card. Carefully he eases it out and flips it round.

What little colour is in his usual complexion drains from it. The coughs before trusting his voice to speak.
"I assume they mean now."
"I am not privy to the contents of the message Sir. I was just told to make sure it reached you. Have you received the message?"
Andi looks up, frowning at the obvious question. "Well yeah?"
"Then our work is done here." The two men turn in unison and head out into the rain.

Alexi stares at Andi across the workshop. His face racing with questions that he knows he should not ask.
Andi stares at the card in his hand once more, almost as if he is willing it into non existence. The he looks up at the big man.
"I have to go out." He states.
"This I gathered." Alexi responds.
"I'm not sure when I'll be back."
"I'll hold the fort here."
"If Rich get back..."
"I'll cover for you."
"Yeah, Ta."

Andi climbs into the APC. He pulls the door closed. Relaxing a little in the familiar driving seat.
"What's wrong Andi?" Maggies voice prompts softly from the back.
"Well seeing as they asked for you too, I suppose you can read it." He presses the pieces of card against the map scanner mag plate next to the driving seat.

The A.P.C.splash its way through the rain. The two occupants lost in their own thoughts.

Eventually Maggie breaks the silence. "You don't think they want me back do you?"
Any jerks at the suggestion, a ploy he had not even considered. "I don't know. I hope not."
"I don't want to go back Andi. I don't want to be just the A.I. again. I'd rather delete myself." The panic sounds through in the electronic voice.
"Don't do anything rash Mags." Andi warns. "Not until we know what this is about. It might be nothing."
"Andi they don't issue platinums for nothing."
"May be they just want a word with us. May be we over stepped the mark on the list conversations." His mind races at the possibilities, but nothing seems to make sense "I don't know."
At his confession silence drops on the cap again. The only sound that of the rain bouncing off the roof.

Head office looms into view. Andi straightens himself in his seat and drives up to the security check. The guard scans in his badge. At the read out the guards attitude completely changes. He pulls himself up right, straightening his uniform.
"You are to proceed to Bay 13 level 4. Sir." The sir carries a degree of reverence which confuses Andi."Some one will be waiting for you."
"Thanks." Andi replies retrieving the card. The guard salutes smartly as he pulls away.
"What was that about?"
"May be he recognised the medal?" Mags suggests.
"Don't think so. It seems to be something to do with the parking space we have been issued." Andi briefly glances in the rear-view. Now he has pulled away the guard has returned to his normal slovenly self. "This is not doing my Paranoia any good." He observes under his breath.

Bay 13 level 4 is easy to find. The place is virtually empty. All other traffic descending deeper into the bowls of the building. Bay 13 is at the far end of the floor way out of sight of the access ramps.

As he pulls into it two figures step forward. Exact copies of the men in black from A.V.S. Andi frowns. "They got here fast."
He cracks the door and swings out. One steps forward. The shorter one this time. "If you will come this way Sir."
Andi jumps down, closing the door behind him. There is the familiar clank of the locking mechanism engaging.
"Where are we going?"
"We are not a liberty to reveal that information Sir. Just come with us."

The strange pair lead Andi a short distance along the wall and then insert a key card into an almost invisible slot in the hard surface. The Wall moves sliding back to reveal a small metal lined lift.
The taller of the two gestures to the lift. Andi looks him up and down. Suddenly aware that if he is going to run this is the last opportunity he is going to get.
"Please Sir. He does not like to be kept waiting." The shorter one prompts. Andi can hear the capital pronounced in the He. However He is, He is probably more than capable of having him hunted down.
With a grimace he steps into the lift. The two dark dressed men joining him.

It starts to go up,
and up,
and up.

Suddenly aware of the absence of Muzak Andi glances round the lift. There is also an absence of control buttons. Almost as it the lift only has one destination.

Boredom begins to set in. He looks up at the two men standing in front of him. Looking from one to the other. Hoping for some crack in their fixed expressions.
"The problem with Mort it you can't even discuss the weather." He muses. "Rained a bit warmer to day don't you think?"
No response.
"You catch Slaughter house six on Monday?"
No response.
"So who do you fancy for the cup then?"
No response.
Andi frowns. "Do they ever let you out on your own?" He asks
"I am not at liberty to discuss our operating procedures with you." The taller one responds.
Andi sighs at the conversation stopping reply. "Read any good books lately?"
The ascent mercifully stops.
The shorter one leading him out of the lift, the taller one making it clear Andi has to depart first. As he steps out the lift closes, the wall showing no distortion to reveal it is there at all.

They are in a long light corridor. White marble effect walls floors and ceiling flecked through flaws of creams and browns. The two man lead him down it to a large brown door, pausing on either side. As Andi steps towards it a voice sounds from with in.
"Come in." and the doors swing quietly open.

The occupant stands up from behind his desk.
The distinctive hair style.
The bright blue eyes.
The face of the man who's hand he shook at the award ceremony that now seems like a dim and distant memory.

Andi swallows. Only this time it is harder.
This time he knows who the Man is.

He smiles. "Ah so my Taxi has arrived." He comments lightly.
He pulls a long coat from the back of his chair and shrugs it on whilst striding across the office towards the group at the door. His feet making a gentle tap on the hard floor.
"Did you bring the A.I?"
"She's in the A.P.C. She's a bit big to put in the lift." Andi cringes inwardly at the comment, even as he is saying it.
The man smiles at the soft sarcasm. "You really can't stop that can you." He teases gently.
Andi shrugs. "Call it a design flaw." He observes.
The muscles around the Man's eyes twitch slightly at the comment but the smile is ever presence. "Lets get going shall we."

They return to the lift. The door appearing as the Man approaches it. He gestures for Andi to enter first. Some how it seems larger this time. The two humourless men in suits join them.
The the lift starts to drop.
Andi swallow. Reaching out for the wall in the sudden lack of gravity. The Man turns and looks at him sensing his distress. "I'm sorry I forgot." He apologises. Then announces to the lift "Slow decent. "
Gravity returns.
Andi forces down his breakfast again. "Thank you." Gathering himself he glances up at the accompanying suits.
"They don't say much do they." He observes, talking to take his mind off the drop.
"They have their minds on higher things. " The Man responds.
"Can't be much of a life." Andi continues. Half aware that he is probably talking his way in to trouble, but faced with either that or loosing the morning toast and coffee onto the shoes of a man who could make him vanish all too easily.
"I doubt it classes as a life at all." The Man replies darkly.
Andi glances up at him, catching some hidden meaning in the tone.
The lift door opens.

They step out into the car park. The A.P.C. looking lonely amongst all the empty spaces. The Man looks at the two suits. "Stay here. I won't be needing you."
Then he strides towards the A.P.C.

The side door slides open as he approaches. Andi follow him in. He reaches into his pocket pulling out a small slip of paper. "Take me to these co-ordinates. And try not to attract too much attention." The he sits down on the long bench seat next to Maggie.
Andi moves to the driving seat. He can just make out the Mans voice. Obviously talking to 'the A.I.' but the language is foreign to him. Some how that makes it easier. If he could understand he would have to force himself to at least pretend not to be listening to it. In the in cab mirror he catches a movement form the Man. He pulls a small PDA from his pocket and runs a chippy lead into one of the sockets on the side of Maggies box.
He pulls forward the Tac-com. "Mags?"
"It's OK Andi. But you do not want to know. Just take him where he wants to go. Trust me. This is weird shit."
"OK." He knocks the mirror so he can no longer see into the back of the cab.

The A.P.C. guns into life, and up out into the rain of Mort It's wheels splash through the many deep puddles caused by the heavy rain of the last few hours. The vehicle lights distort into dazzling stars in the rain drops.
"Mags. I could do with the overlay." Andi comments.
"You'll just have to manage on your own I'm afraid. I'm busy." Her voice sounds slow.
The Man looks to the front. "Is there a problem?"
"Not really. I installed a heads up system to act as a back up when the lighting conditions get tricky. But I need Maggie to run it."
"Can you manage without?"
"Yeah, I was just being lazy." Andi admits.
The Man turns back to what ever he is doing.
Andi looses himself in the driving. More to avoid acknowledging what his happening behind him than any real need, despite the difficult conditions.

Some time later there is a movement at his shoulder.
"ETA?"
"'Bout 4 minutes."
"Good." The Man lowers himself into Rich's seat. Adjusting the height and tilt until he is comfortable. "I shouldn't normally need to say this. But I know how much you like to talk." The Man turns to look at him. "You can not talk to any one about this mission."
Andi nods.
"Not even Alexi and Rich."
"Got it."
"Good." He looks out of the window. The rain finally begining to ease.
The A.P.C. turns the corner into the street, the co-ordinates point to a large building about half way down it. A warehouse baring only the logo of some soft company, long since victim of the natural selection of competitive capitalism. As they pull to a stop out side the Man turns to him.
"I know you like to receive your payments in terms other than monetary so expect something useful in the post in the next few days."
"Ta."
He reaches into his pocket. pulling out a small data slug. "Now this is very important. Once you are away form here, but before you stop of any where else I want you to down load this into Maggie. She will know what to do with it."
Andi nods, suppressing surprise that 'the A.I.' has now become 'Maggie' and 'it' has become 'she'.
"Then you have to destroy the slug." The Man instructs. "I'm sure your box of tricks in the back contains something capable of doing that. And you do seem to have a knack for " He smiles "testing to destruction shall we say."
Andi takes the slug from him.
"Thank you for the lift." He cracks open the A.P.C. door. The rain reduced to a gentle drizzle.
"My pleasure." Andi responds.
"Now get out of here and don't look back."

The door closes and the figure heads into the ware house. Once he is out of sight, Andi turns round the A.P.C. and heads back towards A.V.S.
"Oh boy." He breaths a sigh of relief now the man is out of his vehicle.

The impact hits the A.P.C. It's tires screeching in protest as it is pushes broad side across the road.
"What the fuck!" Andi struggles with the wheel, trying to control the skid as the over ten tons of vehicle aquaplanes across the puddles.
A wave of water hits the winscreen, far more than the wipers can handles. The rivelets blinding those in the cab to the outside world.

The vehicle stops.
Andi rocks in the seat. The wind knocked out of his lungs by the impact against the restraints. One thougth hits him immediatly."Mags you ok?"
"All here? What happened?"
Andi stares out of the window. "I don't know." The street before him looks completely different. He has to check the navi map before he can be certain which way he is facing.
There is no longer a warehouse. There is hardly a street. A large crater extends across half the road.
"Bloody hell." He reaches for the radio.
"No!" Maggies voice cuts across him. "Drive Andi. Get us away from here." There is a commanding urgency in her voice that he can not ignore.
"But.." The image of the Man walking into the building burns into his mind.
"Get out of here and don't look back. That is what he told us to do. That is what we are going to do. Drive."
Andi spins round the A.P.C. Water flying from the tires. The massive vehicle leaps forward.
"Drive!"

"We're dead Maggie. If they trace him to us... What am I saying.. Those two suits. They know he was in here... There must be camera's every where..." He pears through the windscreen at the buildings, trying to post the survailance
The A.P.C. wobbles at his distraction.
"Andi! Calm down!" Maggie shouts from her speakers.
"Why have you got so bossy so sudden?" He snaps back.
"Because you have got so useless! Now concentrate on what you are doing."
"Maggie the building just blew up!"
"I noticed."
"But he was in it!"
The is an exasperated sigh form the speaker. "Andi do you really think that the man who taught Ebons Ebb shit is incapable of dealing with something as minor as an explosion. He is over one thousand years old. You don't live that long without learning a few tricks."
"But.....!"
"Andi!" She cuts him off. "Just get away from here. Now where is that Data slug."
"I dropped it." He admits.
"Well find it then. I'll drive. I can't do worse than you are the moment."

He hits the release on the seat belt and drops into the foot well. Scrabbling around in the darkness.
"Shit Mags. It could be anywhere."
"Just find it." She commands.
Fishing around he eventually locates the slug wedged against the door post. Carefully he pulls it out.
"Got it."
"Good. Slam it in the reader and then take over. We should be far enough away by now."
He climbs back into the driving seat. Pulling the restraint back into place before taking over the wheel. He reaches out ot the slug reader mag plated to the dashboard.
Mag's voice sounds suddenly calmer and softer. "Hang on Andi you need to see this."

The small screen next to the reader whites and then flashes into life. A view of the main steps of Head office. And an all too familiar figure, the long coat billowing behind him, striding up them followed by a stream of reporters and camera men.
"How?" Andi blinks at the image.
"It's alive feed Andi." Maggie almost sounds smug. "I told you you were panic over nothing."
"But the building...."
"Forget it Andi. Like the Man said. We don't talk to any one about this. We probably shouldn't even be talking to each other."
"Ok." He almost shrinks in his seat.
"Now give me the slug and lets get this business finished."
Andi rams the slug into the reader with an unnecessary force. He turns his attention back to driving as the wheel goes slack.

After a few moments Maggie speaks again. "Ok. It dealt with you can destroy the slug now."
Andi pulls the slug from the reader. Dropping it into his pocket.
"No Andi! Destroy it! Destroy it now!" Maggie orders.
Andi throws a filthy look at the nearest camera.
Her voice softens. "Trust me Andi. You don't want any one to ever know we had that information in our possession. They will kill us for it."
"Ok." His voice sounds resigned.
He pulls the slug from his pocket attaching it firmly to the mag plate. Then he pulls out the Mac knife. With a degree of precision that suggests he has done this more than once before he cracks open the case to reveal the delicate circuitry in side.
Controlling the A.P.C. with one hand he carefully pulls out the data source. His knee moves up to put enough pressure on the steering wheel to hold the A.P.C. on course, then he pulls out a lighter and applies it to the data source. It vanishes with a satisfying pop and the smell of burning sulphur.
The rest of the cartridge dissolves into so much plastic and metal under the application of the but of the Mac knife.
"Done."
"Good." Maggie almost sounds relaxed. "Now lets go home."

Andi pulls up in front of A.V.S. He feels drained all he wants to do is sleep. Rich stands up form the wall where he has been shetlering under the over hang and out of the rain..
"Where have you been?" He fumes quietly at him as he pulls open the door.
He jumps into the passenger seat and then stops, shuffling in it uncomfortable.
"Have you been messing with my seat?"
"I gave some one a lift," Andi responds. All to aware of the multitude of warning to say anything more.
"Well next time you see him tell him to put it back when he's finished." Rich fumes, readjusting the seat to his normal position.

Andi looks at him. His mind racing. 'If only you knew.' Images of Rich on the day of the award ceremony. The expression on his face when the shook the Man's hand.
Eventually the turmoil boils down into one phrase. "Ok If I remember."
"Well are we going shopping or aren't we?" Rich asks.
"Yeah ok." Andi puts the A.P.C. into gear. The vehicle rolls forward.
"Andi, why is my ash tray full of bits of circuit board?"