cout << "Hello, World!";

[sunset_sneak]

San Francisco! What a city. Warmer than the last city, which will not be mentioned. That was a nice change.

Much, much more expensive, too. That was not so nice. Still! They had managed to convince several uniformed passers-by that they were not sleeping on a park bench, no! They were an art piece. You see their mask, yes? It represents disconnection from fellow creatures in the new technological habitat. It is very poignant, to lie on this bench.

Tonight, though! Tonight, they were in a club.

Ah, the club. A place where one was supposed to have fun, yes? Not like a bar, where one could be very miserable. Or the toilets of the club, for that matter, sometimes that was a place of much dramatic misery. In the club, there is music! It is very loud, and beats on the air in your lungs like someone has turned your back into a drum. And the lights have many colors! It can be very pretty, if one restrains the employee in charge of them. And there is dancing! It is of dubious quality, but rarely lacks enthusiasm or space invasion. And there are many, many ways to become intoxicated!

And, delightfully, this club did not seem to be the turf of any one syndicate. Yes, tonight Naiddahe has been making a very good trade. Seeing many friends, making new ones. So many of them giving Naiddahe money.

They have retreated to one of the darker booths at the edge of the club, where the music buzzes pleasingly through the seats, and does not deafen their friends. They have not taken their mask off--they never do in public. Yet they have bought a drink, and paid fifteen times its cost to the bartender. Because they are becoming very good friends, and Naiddahe would like to stay that way.

It is a nice night, giving so many others a fun time. Maybe they will take a little fun for themselves, too.

Comments

[in_theworks]

Naiddahe isn't the only on in the club with a drink and a mask. Wrench, however, is probably more likely to tip it up on occasion, to take a sip from it -- or he would be if it wasn't mostly a nice prop. He's not here for the booze, he's here looking for the new guy he's heard deals in the good shit. He's interested in acquiring some of that good shit for any number of reasons.

Thankfully, in the long run, they're not too hard to track down.

"Hey, dude," he starts as he approaches, mask flashing a brief, bright (^_^) in greeting. He gestures to the side of the booth opposite them. "You mind if I join you or whatever?"

[sunset_sneak]

Their glass was now half-empty. How did they do this, when they haven't taken the mask off? A straw? Ha! No. Keep guessing, friends! Naiddahe has many delightful secrets.

"Hello, new friend!" They wave to the portion of the seat they are not yet sprawled over. "Of course! Come and sit with Naiddahe. We can be very fashionable together."

[in_theworks]

If more of the alcohol disappears without them having taken their mask off, Wrench might ask about it. For now, however, he thinks nothing of it as he slides into the seat across from them, setting his own glass on the table. His smile for what it is, returns and disappears again, quickly.

(^_^)

"Thanks." A beat. "And I am alllll for fashion. Just two masked guys sitting around, looking cool and drinking. And maybe discussing business, too, but you know." He shrugs. That part can wait. Ish.

[sunset_sneak]

Excellent! They do not recognize this one, not yet. They are only just learning the local crowd. Is this a customer? Competition? Just aesthetic kindred? Who knows!

Or, they will know, soon enough. "Ah, yes! This is still my shop, of course, and I am not out of stock yet. Tell me what you need, friend."

[in_theworks]

It's an actual miracle that Wrench doesn't ask them if they got any grapes. There's a moment of hesitation, despite that, because of it, as he talks himself out of it, either way. He shifts a little, with the effort, and as he resettles and more seriously, he explains, "So, the last time I was at a party, this guy did some really amazing shit with mushrooms soaked in acid, soooo ... I might be wondering if you can get me enough mushrooms and LSD for, like, five or six people?"

He pauses, ticking his friends off in his head, and then nods once, seriously.

"Yeah, five or six."

[sunset_sneak]

"Yes, this can be done! A strong combination, not for beginners. Go in unprepared and one may become convinced the moon is stalking them." They have now said it, and therefore no one can get mad.

"And good acid is not easy to find. But I have sources, do not worry. You need this when?"

[in_theworks]

"Yeah, that more or less happened, last time," Wrench tells them, wistfully. Swelter Skelter had been a good time, and one they'd desperately needed on the heels of all the shit Dusan had pulled. They're due for a good time now, though this time, in a more celebratory sense -- they deserve it, now that they've taken care of Dusan once and for all.

"But, uh -- whenever?" he answers, pulling himself out of the memory of last time. "It's kinda coming as a surprise, so ... " He shrugs. It's not like they need a time and place and excuse to party, right now.

[sunset_sneak]

"If that is what you like, I will not stop you!" That sounded adventurous. And possibly amusing to watch.

"Whenever. My favorite time! Let's say this whenever is... Tuesday." They pull out a notebook, scribbling down a couple of symbols on a seemingly random page, mumbling to themself. "Mavatwaran pa'o rasïtu ponamr. There! With an order like this, there will be discount. One person rides free."

[in_theworks]

Wrench glances between them, the notebook and back again, his curiosity evident. He doesn't ask, though, because even if he wonders what language that is, he knows a little black book when he sees one. He knows a business ledger when he sees one, and -- yeah, he probably shouldn't pry.

"Awesome," he says, instead, brightly. The mask mirrors the sentiment with another <>(^_^) and he shifts a little, slipping a hand into his pocket to pull his phone out. Setting it on the table, he asks, "So, how much do I owe you?"

It's not like money's an issue.

[sunset_sneak]

"Ah," Naiddahe laughs, raising a finger in a brief gesture--wait, no, shake the head. Yes. That is how you say no here. Yes. "First, you owe me in dollars, or things with good value. Unless you are paying in phones." Which would not be the first time, but it was not the usual place where things started.

"Private business is done pleasantly when the whole city does not watch, yes?"

[in_theworks]

"While I could probably actually pay in phones, that might get a little weird. And kind of cumbersome. And I probably wouldn't trade this one." He likes this phone -- it has all of his shit on it. He'd rather not have to replace it, even if he could.

"But uh, I'm guessing you're not really the Pay with PayPal type?" Not that he'd use PayPal.

[sunset_sneak]

"People pay me with strange things," Naiddahe shrugs, "but I do not judge them! Unless they try to give me something very inconvenient." Like the one that offered an engine block as payment. That was a very strange day.

"I am the type that likes to have secrets. People trust Naiddahe, because I keep secrets. PayPal hates secrets. So do people who make these," they lea over to tap the phone, "and people who make ctOS."

[in_theworks]

Wrench glances at Naiddahe's fingers on his phone. When he looks back up at them and earnestly, he asks, "Would it help if I told you I was with DedSec?"

He can prove it, too, if they really want to vet his credentials beyond the t-shirt he's wearing and if that and the mask aren't enough. He's with the hacker group that's been taking on the corruption rampant in San Francisco, between Blume and its CTO, Dusan Nemec, and the mayor, and Tidis, Nudle and !NViTE. He's with the hacker group that's literally pulled ctOS apart and made it work for them -- hell, his mask is technically based very loosely on a jailbroken version of their facial recognition software. He can pay Naiddahe digitally, without leaving a trail, without compromising their secrets, and if that's not enough for them?

"I mean, I can get you cash, too, but that's gonna take a minute." He'll need to get up, find someone with a fat bank account to put his sticky fingers in, and then an ATM to actually get the money. It won't be hard, but it does require them trusting him enough to stay where he can find him for at least a little bit. He doesn't carry cash, himself.

[sunset_sneak]

DedSec? They'd heard of this. They dealt in interesting programs too. Even if the news had not talked about them, they would know. It would make sense if some of them were here.

Still. "That is a very nice name to mention, but anyone can mention things." They could mention that they were the Emperor of the United States, and their name was really Norton! It was not, fortunately.

But, they were still new in this city, and they had no safe place to stash money yet. This was not a problem yet, their pockets were many, and they were mostly unnoticed. But the more they built up a reputation here, the more dangerous it would be to carry so much.

Still. "If you can prove this, I would be happy to be friends with DedSec. But I am new here, yes? New people, they get taken advantage of, because they are new, and they are not friends with anyone yet. So, you see, I cannot trust the phone."

[in_theworks]

Wrench is silent for a moment, the mask displaying a thoughtful expression that the narration cannot figure out how to replicate for the life of her. When it changes, it's to a (-_-) and with a sigh.

"Okay, I can actually prove I'm DedSec, but it's not something I could do with, like, a phone call or whatever." It won't be easy, is what he's saying -- or not easy to prove it unequivocally, all the things that spring to mind to prove himself off the cuff things that could be copied or faked. He wants to buy the drugs now, rather than jump through hoops for an hour or two or however long it takes for him to get frustrated with the hoop-jumping and call Josh or Marcus or Sitara to ask for help with a definitive litmus test.

That in mind, then, after a beat, he suggests, "So, how 'bout you give me, like, ten minutes, and I go grab some cash so I can pay you now, and we'll figure out me actually proving I'm DedSec after?"

[sunset_sneak]

"Good choice! If it was easy, I would not believe it." An exclusive hacker group should not have business cards or tattoos! They should prove themselves with their deeds, or possibly an interesting secret handshake.

"Ten minutes, yes! I need more drink anyway." Wasn't their glass half-full a few minutes ago? Why yes it was! Now it is not. It has disappeared into Naiddahe, like magic.

And it would give them a chance to ask the bartender about this new masked friend, which was also an excellent way to learn truths about people. Truths like 'yes, this one is DedSec' or 'no, this is a weird man who we do not like' or, very importantly, 'no, this is a cop who is trying very hard to be cool'.

[in_theworks]

Now that he thinks about it, Wrench isn't sure whether their glass was half-full a moment ago or not. Clearly, it can't have been, for all that Naiddahe didn't actually drink any of it, but --

-- but he doesn't actually give it that much thought, his subconscious more than happy to supply a hundred ways to rationalize it. That said and done, he starts to get up from the booth, starts to head for the doors, phone still in hand. And over his shoulder, as he moves away, he calls, "I'll be right back."

He is, in fact, quick to return, though not so quick that Naiddahe can't get some very interesting information from the bartender, first. "Okay."

Now he has cash.

[sunset_sneak]

"I will be here!"

This is a lie. They will be talking to the bartender.


Hello, friend! You have been so wonderful to Naiddahe, who is very new to this city. I would like another drink, please. The one with the--ah! Yes, that one. It is good, the fruit taste is nice. Do you have, ahh, mmninixejot? Very sweet, extremely purple? ...Not familiar? What a shame! It is very good for mixed drinks. I will have to bring some.

Ah! Thank you. Here is tip, and I also need a tip, for I want to know something. (Was that a pun? ...Haha! Yes! Good. I love puns.)

Anyway! There is another one wearing a mask, the one with the lights? Very good look. Do you know this one? He was trying to impress Naiddahe, who is too new to know if this is lies.

DedSec? Excellent! I worried he might be lies hidden under nice clothes. Tell Naiddahe more? I have heard a little of DedSec, but I have not met them...

Thank you, thank you friend! I will not keep you. And tell Naiddahe if they can do anything for you!


Now, drink in hand, they return to the booth, to perform another magic trick.

"Hello, friend!" They raise their new glass. "So! You are DedSec. Congratulations! You get more discount for this--six doses with the price of four. I will sleep on the park bench again at this price, but it is worth the discomfort."

[in_theworks]

"Am I internet famous?" Wrench asks after a beat, the mask flashing a merry (^_^) He imagines that must be the case, that Naiddahe found some video of him online -- or maybe snuck into one of DedSec's chat servers. Either way, he doesn't necessarily blame them for vetting him. It saves him from having to figure out the logistics, himself.

It doesn't occur to him that maybe they did things the the old fashioned way and talked to someone.

[sunset_sneak]

Oh, that was an interesting assumption! "If I had looked in the most open places, I could tell you this. But no, my information is better. Good business relies on these things!" And they did very well, despite all park benches to the contrary!

"DedSec is also good business, but you overlook these things sometimes!" Like this one time, right now, which they were basing their entire statement on. "I can help with this. Naiddahe learns many things that cannot be hacked, not by anyone else."

[in_theworks]

Wrench isn't so sure about that, for all that there's frighteningly little that isn't connected to ctOS in some way, shape or form, but -- well, he's also not about to turn down a potential ally for DedSec. Sitara would never forgive him.

"So, you wanna be, like, an informant or whatever?" Wrench ventures, that in mind. Look, recruiting is not his strong suit. Maybe he should just leave this to Sitara, and that in mind and after a beat, he's quick to amend, "My people are gonna wanna meet your people, either way."

[sunset_sneak]

"I can inform, yes! I can also provide documents and identity cards, when government or business is mistaken about who you are, and whether you are allowed in buildings." Or on airplanes. "Hacking can only do some of this. For the rest, you need very good and very particular shiny paper and plastic." And little friendly radio frequency chips. That was much more difficult, but it was very important for Naiddahe. After all, the government was under the mistaken belief that they did not belong where they were! That was a lie. They belonged everywhere they were needed!

"I have the tools for this, but they wait in a far place until I find a good home for them."

[in_theworks]

He may or may not be on the no-fly list, for all that he did some time with the FBI none too recently, and that's absolutely where his mind goes, when Naiddahe goes through their spiel. Never mind the fact that he's not sure why he would need to get on a plane, at this point. It's still the principle of the thing. He can still see the merits of having someone who can do shit like that around.

(Maybe later, he'll have them forge an ID for one Mister Seymour Butts, who absolutely has an off-shore account with some of his money in it. He's not sure why he'd need one anymore than he's sure why he'd need to get on a plane, but again -- principle of the thing. And who wouldn't want to have a legit ID with that name on it?

But anyway.)

"Once we get you in, you can bring your crap to the hackerspace." A beat. "You could probably bring your crap to the hackerspace before we talk to my friends, actually. I did." He literally just started showing up. That's the story of his he joined DedSec.

[sunset_sneak]

Oh, good! Very good. No further bribes needed. "I will certainly do this! It will only take tiny space. At least, until the printing machines come. They are beautiful monsters. Very heavy. Very fiddly. Very indifferent to prayers." This did not bother them at the moment, but it would. At 3 AM some morning, it would.

But for now, no technical difficulties! No more sleeping in the park! "I am lucky you found me, friend! Tonight is a good night. One to celebrate!" And they are indeed celebrating--their glass is empty again!

[in_theworks]

"All printers are like that, man," Wrench promises them. He knows this from personal experience, from his 3D printer, back at the hackerspace. That thing is everything Naiddahe described -- huge, fiddly and a motherfucker when it wants to do what it wants to do. He's tried to have several Come to Jesus conversations with it, but they never end well. Probably unsurprisingly, considering the bastard won't ever tell him if it's gotten the message, if the threats have gotten through.

But at any rate, now he notices Naiddahe's magic disappearing drink, and he can't help but blink. (x_x) (?_?) "Wasn't your glass full like a second ago? Or, like, fuller?"

[sunset_sneak]

"Ah, yes!" They pick up the glass and turn it over. Barely a drip falls out. "You have found one of Naiddahe's secrets! Well done, friend. It is always good to be mysterious, yes?" Mystery, intrigue, and plausible deniability. The most alluring of traits.

Anyway! "This is very true. And this was very good." Still could use a little mmninixejot, but they would fix that one day. Or maybe tsa'itmilirso. Yes! Yes. That would be good.

[in_theworks]

"Definitely mysterious," he agrees, still somewhat baffled if the look on the mask is any indication. "And maybe something you can teach me, cause I still gotta lift mine up, to drink."

Whether he really wants to be able to drink without taking the mask off or if he just wants to know what the trick is, however, is anyone's guess. It could go either way, really.