Play Testers Wanted Pt. 20

"Who is Greg?" I asked. Kat was having a crisis of logic. "When you have eliminated the possible, whatever remains no matter how improbable must be the truth or something like that."

"The alien AI," Kat whispered. "It is millennia ahead of anything we possess. Cronos must have pulled this off, but why?"

'Should I call you Cronos?' I asked the AI around my neck. 'Are you Greg's AI companion?'

"The question is," I began. "Do you trust me?" I asked, and Kat flinched as if I had bitch slapped her. I had a flashback to Surfer asking me the very same thing. I reached up to remove the torc, and Kat wailed and flung herself into my arms. "I love you too."

Tears stained my shirt as I held the most powerful woman on the planet in my arms. With Numenor behind her, she could accomplish anything. I kissed the top of her head, and Kat's entire body shook as she wept. The fear of failure after Nick's death hung around her neck like a millstone. What could I say to encourage her?

"We are family," I pronounced. "I am here for you." Kat shook as she cried. I remained silent and let her get it out of her system. Eventually, she grew still, and I kissed her cheek. When Kat looked up, she seemed to have shed years. The worry lines were gone. "I need some time away. Shouldn't be more than a day or two, a week at the most, then I will return and finish the Disney Princess side of things."

"Have fun," Kat whispered. "I need a nap after that little display. Good luck."

'You did not tell her about the nine remaining assassination attempts,' Bright Eyes said. 'Why not?'

'Kat has more than enough on her plate,' I replied. 'That would only cripple her.'

I opened the pack to see which clothes and supplies Kat had packed for me. I approved of her choices and pulled the zipper shut. The mere thought of getting away filled me with energy, and I tapped my foot impatiently during the elevator ride to the lobby. A crowd of test players stood just outside the front doors. The gamers were gesturing and talking excitedly as I stepped out and saw the reason. Akira of the Silent Shadows stood next to a familiar-looking vehicle dressed in jeans, a dark blouse, and a killer smile.

"This," she said, clapping her hand against the passenger side door, "is the NAC-100. NAC stands for Numenor Air Car. It is completely electric, autonomous, and is about as all-terrain as they come."

"It looks just like," I began, and Akira finished my thought.

"Just like Katria's design for a land speeder," she laughed. "Numenor R&D send their regards. It is a prototype that needs field testing. A Z-PEM powers it, or Zero Point Energy Module, which I have it on a great authority you know a little bit about." Akira explained as she opened the door for me. "Alright, guys, the show is over, skedaddle," Akira declared to the group, which reluctantly returned inside. "I will show you how to pilot it on our way to wherever. Surfer was not noticeably clear on that point."

"Missouri for now. I will fill you in once we are on the road." I replied, and that was good enough for her.