“It will so piss me off if you shoot me.” Said a muffled female voice.

Kaleb stared at the female speedster in all padded black leather and with a tall matte black helmet. He sighed and lowered his Sun Gun, sure he knew who his uninvited guest was, but not ready to take chances. He waved Cybar pistol at the speedster’s helmet, non-verbally ordering them to take it off.

“I am serious, Lizard,” She said removing her helmet revealing long brown hair and white rabbit ears. “I’ll fry your ass.”

Kaleb grinned and holstered his other gun. “What are you doing here Farrah? Besides probably getting me in more trouble with the HLO?”

Farrah snorted. “That’s not possible. You-”

Someone cut Farrah off as a loud voice shouted from above them. “LOOK OUT BELOOOOOOOOW!”

Kaleb jumped back and looked up to see a man in a brown security uniform speeding toward them. He backed up even more and Farrah sped over to beside him. Bob slammed into the dirt runway creating a wide crater in the ground. Kaleb and Farrah had to catch themselves before the face planted on the ground. Bob stomped toward Farrah before Kaleb got in front of his gate guard.

“Whoa there, Bob! She’s a friend.”

Bob slowed to a halt before he shot a glance at Farrah. “Yeah sure, boss? This one took off over the gate like she had something to prove.”

“Hahaha, yeah well, we might have some things to discuss but I assure you-” This time a voice cut Kaleb off as Farrah screamed.

“Why the fuck do you have Quake as your security guard!?”

Kaleb stared at Farrah for a few seconds before turning to bob, who looked a little embarrassed.

“Oh, so you’re a fan, huh?” Bob said scratching his nose, embarrassed.

“I… uh… well… Sorta?” Farrah stumbled for words as she looked helplessly at Kaleb.

Kaleb had to keep himself from laughing. “It’s Obadiah’s Lair, Farrah. Apparently I get Bob as a bonus. Which reminds me: Hey, Bob. Who pays you?”

Bob scratched his beard and adjusted his belt. “You know, I’m not sure. Obie set this whole thing up for me when I retired. He needed someone to watch the property and well, I was bored. This gives me something to do most days Although don’t let that scare you away from getting me more help. I am getting on in years, you know.”

Kaleb nodded to himself as he turned back to Farrah. She looked more nonplussed than anything. Finally she just exhaled loudly and threw her hands up.

“Fine, whatever. Why am I surprised? It’s good to meet you Quake.. er, Bob?” Farrah said sounding tired.

Bob smiled through his beard. “Bob is fine, ma’am. Well, if the situation is settled here, I’ll get back to my shack.”

Bob bent his knees and looked ready to make another jump. But when he looked down at the crater he was standing in he stopped. He gave Farrah and Kaleb a sheepish expression.

“I should probably fix this, huh?”

Kaleb watched as Bob held a hand out palm down. Soon the ground seemed to shake and vibrate before popping back up perfectly flat again. Bob, checked his work, smiled at them, then jumped away. Kaleb watched his aged security guard land some distance away then jump again. Turning to Farrah, Kaleb twisted his head in question. Farrah just groaned at his expression and scratched one of her rabbit ears.

“Let’s talk in that fancy new hangar of yours.” Farrah said turning to walk into his Lair.

Kaleb followed while asking. “So seriously why are you here and what’s with the *Ahem* tight leather?”

“I’m here because we BOTH got in hot water with the HLO and we both seemed to have reacted the same way. The leather is my combat suit. It helps direct the electricity I create when I run and protects from small arms fire and mild collisions.” Farrah explained as they passed through the large doors.

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Kaleb glanced at Farrah’s wrist not seeing an HLO communicator. “What do you mean: ‘We reacted the same way?’ How could you leave the HLO, wasn’t it part of your beta contract?”

Farrah nodded and sat on the trunk of his car. “Well, first off let me say: We got hosed. Word around the HLO was that someone at K-Tech found out about your little junkyard dust-up and complained to some important people. When you submitted your footage, the HLO had a choice: Give you up or go after K-Tech and no one goes after K-Tech.”

“So they threw me under the bus?” Kaleb gripped checking on a still snoring Daivor.

Farrah shrugged. “You’re a Mundane which they don’t want. You pissed off K-Tech, who they want happy. And you pulled that shit with Ozarious in front of the press after the school raid. I think they decided on the most prudent course of action.”

Kaleb could only agree. It did sort of make sense. “So I am exiled for the foreseeable future.”

“Actually, the plan was for you to fly off the handle and hurt someone. Although the way Syth tells it you have emotionally scarred him for life. Once you had hurt a member of the HLO, they could publicly disavow you and you would be S.O.L around Austin.” Farrah explained.

“And now?” Kaleb question leaning on the trunk next to Farrah.

“Now you’re in a gray area. Technically, they have handed down their judgment. So long as you stick to it, you can go back after the suspension is up.”

“Yeah, like that’s happening.” Kaleb interrupted.

“And I doubt they would let it. Those people following you weren’t there to just watch you, they were there to annoy you into being stupid.”

Kaleb growled as he rubbed his hands across his face. “Wait, that still doesn’t explain how you quit?”

“Well, technically the Etha-Farrah AI still works for the HLO. I, however, have an agreement with corporate. I keep on the down-low until certain events transpire in-game and they’ll let me hang out here with you. To your friends I’m just a loyal NPC that followed you after the HLO kicked you out.”

Kaleb gave Farrah a confused look. “Why in the hell would you do that?”

Farrah counted off on her fingers as she spoke. “One: You need the help. Two: You at least know how to have fun in this game. Three: You’re the one person around here that knows I’m a real person. And Four: Your luck is ridiculous. I mean look at this place, you hit the jackpot when tried to save Roy.”

Kaleb scoffed. “I saved Roy. There was no try.”

“You blew off your own arm.” Farrah said deadpan.

“While SAVING Roy.” Kaleb grinned at her.

The two grinned at each other until Kaleb asked another question. “But seriously, Farrah. What are you going to do here?”

Farrah shrugged again. “Just give me an internet connection, a computer, and plug me into that headband of yours and I can quarterback from here. My experience with criminals still counts for something at least.”

Kaleb heard the self-anger in that last sentences. Figuring he knew the cause he said. “This shit isn’t your fault, Farrah. I went the hard route when I choose Mundane plus I’ve made my own shitty choices.”

Farrah gave a half nod. “I know, but I should have known that the HLO wouldn’t do anything against K-Tech. Guess I never noticed when I was in the beta, but they are everywhere. I did some quick searching before leaving the HLO and they are into everything. They own property all over Austin, they have their own security firm, their own shipping companies, they have made sizable donations to various people in City Hall, the HLO, and the US Senate. I should have known the HLO would do nothing against them.”

Kaleb gave a shrug of his own. “Well, nothing to do now but have some fun of our own. I can’t talk to anyone with the HLO and I can’t even go near Roy. So I guess it’s just you and me, Farrah.”

“That’s the deal YOU got. I am under no such restrictions. All I got was a hefty fine and stern talking to about enabling a Super’s bad behavior.” Farrah bragged.

Kaleb rubbed his chin before he came up with a plan. “So how about I do this: I’ll write letters explaining everything to my friends. You hand the letters off to Chip and he can deliver them for us. I’m sure they are watching you like they are watching me, maybe Chip will throw them off. If my friends join us, we’ll start a Super Group and make a go of things without the HLO.”

“And if none of them join us?” Farrah asked.

Kaleb just shook his head, unsure. If no one turned up to help, then he might not even be able to afford the Lair for much longer. Well, he could probably improvise a solution but that would mean going fully to the dark side. For now he would try to keep things on the straight and narrow.

Farrah slid off the trunk of his car and brushed off her dark leather pants. “So what will you be doing while I’m off delivering letters?”

Kaleb started to answer when Daivor spoke up from the passenger seat. “Son of a Bitch! This seat is hotter than hell!”

Kaleb grinned as he explained. “I will set up my new lab and then take a nap. It’s looking like a long night ahead of me. I have to get to Under-Town without my HLO tail.”

“That should be easier than you think. Then only had one stealth unit assigned to you and if I’m right, I saw a tow truck taking them away when I jumped the fence. Drones will probably pick you up, but the HLO doesn’t really deal with Under-Town. Why do you need to go there?”

Kaleb glanced around his empty Lair. “Supplies mostly. I need to find out what the room requirements are to build more rooms, I need to figure out what the obstruction is in the turret AND in the second and third floors and, most importantly, I need to make some contacts in Under-Town.”

“Sounds like you will be busy.” Farrah said.

“Yeah. But, honestly, I can’t wait to figure out how this game works without the HLO holding my hand.” Kaleb grinned.