This is the start of a potential round robin. The Gunmen find Invisigoth on the net. What happens from there? I have a few ideas, but this could go anywhere. The idea is that after Mulder's discoveries in the movie, the Gunmen decide that Esther Nairn might be their best weapon against the constant surveillance of the consortium. Plus, she could be their best spy.
If she'll help.
The little man stared into his computer
screen thoughtfully. He tilted his head, then began typing
rapidly. A few minutes later, he clicked the mouse once and
leaned back.
A grin broke across Frohike's face. "Hey guys! I found
her!"
Three faces peered at the computer screen. Byers frowned.
"But will she talk to you?"
Langly nudged Frohike. "Move over, man. She likes me
better."
Frohike ignored him, and began typing into the command line of
the simple chat screen in front of him.
-we need your help
A long moment went by.
"She's not going to help." Byers turned away from the
screen.
"Just wait. She'll help." Frohike crossed his arms
across his chest.
Langly nudged him. "Move over. Let me try."
Reluctantly Frohike shifted off of the stool in front of the
keyboard.
Langly's fingers flew.
-your kung fu is the ultimate. want to save the world?
Grins broke out across all three faces as words began to appear
on the screen.
-kissing my ass now? why would I want to help you?
They looked at each other and then back at the screen. Byers
pulled the keyboard over, paused, then began to type.
-you depend on the existance of the network for survival. the
network will cease to exist if humanity is wiped out. it is in
your best interest to help us.
-nice try. what's next... little green men?
-you could say that.
They jumped at the mechanical whine of one of the security
cameras in the office turning to face them.
Byers typed hesitantly:
-did you do that?
A series of small clicks heralded the opening and closing of a
number of programs on the computer.
The Gunmen looked at each other.
"What is she doing?" whispered Frohike.
Langly shrugged, then whispered back, "Why are you
whispering?"
They both jumped when the computer began laughing at them.
[Obsidian jumps in]
-"What's in it for me?"-
"We told you", Byers leaned closer to the screen,
"the survival of the
network. Your survival." Suddenly it occurred to him that he
was
actually talking to the computer and he jerked back up against
Langley
and Frohike, knocking them off balance.
-"Cute-you oughta call yourselves the "Three
Stooges." Esther's voice
echoed mockingly from the speakers. "You have thirty seconds
to
convince me...one, two, three..."-
"Mulder and Scully", Byers stammered out desperately.
-"You've got my attention, go on."-
"Someone set fire to Mulder's office, destroyed all the
files," Byers
started to explain.
-"So."-
"He kept backups here, he thought they'd be safe...."
-"Password?"-
Langley leaned over with a grin, "One is the loneliest
number."
-"I'll be in touch,"-
The security cameras returned to their original positions and the
computer screen went blank.
Your turn! This is officially a
round robin. Until I get a forum set up for it, you can e-mail
story parts to me and I'll post 'em here.