Chapter 7: CaMi
There was no leaving. Matrix and AndrAIa had tried their best, but Bob could not be convinced to leave the crystal tower. Many angles had been tried, but when Bob had finally answered with, "I promised her I�d never leave her." the others knew that was that. The next order of business was to find a place to hide. It was a grueling time they spent in Daemon�s pale hallway, piecing Bob back together and watching for the arrival of new guards or another attack from Daemon herself. However no one stirred, either in the sealed-off room which no one wanted to think about, or in the rest of the hallway. Apparently, Daemon was distracted. But no one wanted to think about that, either.
Finally Bob was sufficiently calmed to discuss strategy, though his completely detached demeanor showed that he was suffering no less from the recent turn of events.
Matrix dared to suggest a plan first. "Look, if we�re not leaving, we need to find somewhere here to camp out. Somewhere secure. Daemon�s not doing anything now, but we can�t depend on her distracti..." He trailed off painfully. AndrAIa rested a hand on his shoulder, then reached out to get Bob�s attention.
"Bob, who was that girl you spoke to downstairs?"
Bob looked up from the floor suddenly, the smallest spark of hope flaring in his eyes. "CaMi? She was one of my professors, from the Academy...she sometimes looked after me, too...she remembered me, she talked to me..." He trailed off, then looked up at AndrAIa, almost beseechingly. "Maybe..."
"Maybe she could help us. She seemed to be fighting Dae...the infection." AndrAIa finished the sentence, straightening up and gazing down the hall. "Now all we need to do is get to her."
Bob stood up as well, but he started bacl towards Daemon�s chamber. Immediately AndrAIa and Matrix were at his side, but he brushed them off. "I just want to see one last time..."
The other two accompanied him, but stayed back to give him his space. Bob stepped up to the gateway, pressing his hands to the strange crystal. Then as if weary to the soul, he closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the door as well.
In the perfect silence before the gateway, a thready lilting sound could be heard within the chamber, with the now-familiar eerie echo of voice processors. Somewhere deep within her crystal haven, Daemon was singing.
Bob listened for a moment, almost as if entranced. Then he pushed roughly away from the door and headed for the lift they had arrived in. "Let�s find CaMi." he said as he passed Matrix and AndrAIa. He did not look back.
The three remaining members of the original team descended to the bottom of the crystal tower in the silent elevator. They expected resistance, but much to their surprise no one attempted to stop them. As they walked down the final hallway, the lights dimmed. It had become dark outside, though they could not remember so much time having passed.
Finally the three arrived at the stone desk they had passed before. The delicate sprite they had seen before was still seated there, narrow shoulders slumped in exhaustion. Tentatively, Bob reached out and touched her slender arm. She started, whirling around and fixing her large navy eyes on the group. She seemed frozen for a moment, then she reached out and grabbed Bob�s hand. "What are you doing here, boy?! They sent you to..." She frowned for a moment, freeing one hand to touch her temple delicately. "What..."
AndrAIa stepped forward. "Daemon�s...distracted, shall we say. Please...you�re fighting her, I know you are...you can help us!"
CaMi gazed at AndrAIa for a long moment, then turned back to Bob. "Where�s the other young lady who was..." She stopped suddenly, seeing the pain in Bob�s eyes, and patted his hand gently. "I�m sorry, boy. You don�t have to talk about it." She glanced around the entrance area of the tower, then stood up carefully. "Come. We need a place to talk."
The tiny sprite led her new charges to a tiny chamber far back in the entry hall. She gestured them through the doorway hastily, then slipped in behind them, turning to lock the door and rest her back against it. Much more alert now than she had appeared before, she eyed Bob, Matrix and AndrAIa carefully. A rueful smile pulled at the corner of her lips as she said, "You three sure know how to make a girl feel vertically challenged." Her gentle alto voice was light in tone.
Her comment somehow managed to pull an answering smile from Matrix and AndrAIa, though Bob was understandably not as demonstrative. CaMi pursed her lips thoughtfully, an expression the three found somehow familiar and certainly comforting. She finally perched on the edge of the small desk occupying the room, indicating the others should sit as well. They did so.
After another speculative gaze at her guests, CaMi spoke again, directly to Bob. "So, my boy, you return to the Supercomputer in the midst of a viral takeover, are taken to see this virus, and somehow return to ask me for help." She shook her head slowly, eyes affectionately amused. "Oh, silly boy. If that isn�t just you all over."
Bob managed a slow smile at the woman�s statement. "I could say the same for you, little mother. Daemon obviously doesn�t have you the way she thinks she does-"
CaMi cut him off with a gesture. "And the less said about that, the better. Aren�t you going to introduce me to you friends?"
AndrAIa blinked, then said haltingly, "Bob...CaMi�s your mother?"
CaMi laughed, a sound like silvered chimes. "Me, co-produce a firebrand like him? No, no...Bob�s sweet mother asked me to look after him, long ago. When she caught a bug and couldn�t do the job herself anymore, the poor dear. So it�s my function now." She smiled and leaned over to pat Bob�s shoulder comfortingly. "Anyway, I�m CaMi. You are..."
"AndrAIa." The name�s owner replied promptly. "And this is Enzo." Surprisingly, Matrix didn�t correct her.
CaMi nodded. "Well met. Ah, Enzo...I do believe I heard Turbo mention your name. Spoke very highly of you."
Bob leaned forward. "Turbo!? You�ve talked to him? Where is he, maybe..."
"Hsst. Don�t speak of it, boy. We can�t help him right now." CaMi replied, frowning slightly. "Ah...you still haven�t told me what has happened to your little valkyrie."
All three were confused by the term. AndrAIa sounded the word out in query. "Valkyrie?"
CaMi flipped a lock of pale hair back from her eyes. "Ah. It�s a User term from legends, a word for a female warrior. And while you, my dear, are certainly among their number, there was another with you when the Guardians brought you in."
Bob had been bearing the discussion of Daemon fairly well, but at the mention of Dot he finally broke down again, stifling angry sobs as he hid his face in his hands. CaMi looked surprised, then understanding dawned as she hopped off the desk and wrapped her arms around her sobbing charge.
"Ah, my poor boy. I warned you about this. You fell hard, didn�t you."
Bob managed a miserable nod against CaMi�s shoulder, and she soothed his hair. "Don�t you worry. She�s a valkyrie. We�ll get her back for you. All we need...is a plan."