Aerik logs off the net and goes to his phone book remembering a friend that did his grad studies at MAU (Mid America University).  Leafs through the pages thinking I know I have his number in here.  Getting a big smile, he finds it.  Grabbing the phone he dials the number and sits back in his chair waiting for the phone to be answered.

Finally the phone is picked up, “Hello. John and Tammy can’t come to the phone right now please leave a message at the sound of the peep.”

Aerik sighs and thinks damn answering machine.  Listens for the peep and begins his message asking John to give him a call as soon as he can.  Hanged the phone up and thinks, who else could he call.

 Flips quickly the phone books and dials up another number.  This one is a guy he use to work with back when he was a tech.  A little girl picks up sits’ listening after about four rings the receiver, “Hello?”

Sitting up and leaning on the desk Aerik says, “hello, is Mark there?”

 The little girls say cheerfully, “one minute I will go get my daddy.”  Gathering his thought, he says to the little, “ok.”  He heard the little girls shrill voice yelling, “Daddy telephone!”

 A couple minutes later he heard the phone get picked up and a male voice on the other end saying, “hello?”

 “Hi Mark this is Aerik Jae, “Aerik identifies himself.

With a smile in the voice on the other end he hears, “Aerik, hi.  What have you been up to in that ivory tower?”

 Aerik smiles and chuckles into the phone, “getting a ulcer and no sleep.”  Mark laughs back and asks Aerik why he was honoring him with this phone call.

 “I need  to know if you still have access to the company’s main server?”

Aerik inquires.   “Main server? Yeah, I’m head of the department remember.”

Mark says into the phone.   “Good, I need a favor. It is strictly confidential, can I meet you tomorrow at lunch?” Aerik asks.

 “Sure, what is it about?” Mark asks curiously.  “It is about that cyber experiment they are doing at that University,” Aerik says.

 Marks voice has a sound of interest in it when he asks, “Oh, what about it?  You knew we have a direct link into their server don’t you?”

 Shifting in his chair leaning forward Aerik, “what time can we meet I have noon open.”  He leafs through his appointment book that is sitting on the desk.

     Mark says, “looks good for me too.  Will be looking forward to this meeting you have peeked my curiosity.”

     Grins starting to see some progress.  Still not quite sure how he will proceed, but at least he will have some information to make his option clearer. “I think I used up enough of you time, I’ll talk to you at lunch,” Aerik states.

     “Ok, sounds good to me, where?” Mark responds.

     “How about Joe Joe’s?”  Aerik asks knowing that it is a nice easy place that is easy to find.

  “Sure, sounds like a plan, see you then,” Mark says with a smile in his voice.

     Aerik hears the click of the receiver on the other end.  Hanging up the other end he sits back for a moment and thinks.  What is he going to do at lunch? He hopes they don’t think he nuts or worse do something to hinder his mission. He wishes John would hurry up and call back. Shrugs his shoulders as he looks at the phone, he pushes the switch to turn the CPU back on.

     The systems hard drive lights up as it comes back to life.  Eagerly he logs back onto the net and wanting to get back to him love.

     Just as Aerik clicks the mouse to start up the icon for Fantasy Realm the phone rings.  Quickly he picks up the phone and says, “Hello.”
    “Aerik? Hi this is John, what’s up?” says the voice on the other end.

     “John, glad you return my call so quickly.” Aerik saying, happy that he can get things arranged so quickly.

     “What’s up?” John repeats curious to what his old friend wanted. Aerik voice on the answering machine had a sound of urgency about it.

     “I need to know if there is any way you can get me into the research center at the University. : Aerik inquires, watches as the welcoming screen flash, then he sees his character appear on the screen in the middle of the town square.

     “I don’t know depends on which part of the center you want to get into.” John informs Aerik.

     “What are you doing at noon tomorrow?” Aerik asks his friend.  Clicking F-2, checking to see who was on line. There on the top of the list was Emerald, smiling to himself. He heard John say, “ummm.... Let me check.  The line goes quiet for a moment, then hears in the background John talking to someone he assumes it is Tammy John’s wife.

     Coming back to the phone John says, “nothing why, what’s going down?”

     “I need some help and I think you maybe able to help me.” Aerik says not wanting to give to much information just yet.

    “Where do you want to meet?” John asks.

      “What about Joe Joe’s on main?” Aerik suggests.

     “You got it. I like that place. Can’t tell me anymore, huh?” John says wondering what his friend was up to.

     “Tell you all about it at lunch,” says Aerik thinking if he remembered right John was always interested in an challenging adventure.

   “Okay, I’ll be looking forward to it.” John says as he hangs up the phone.
     Clicking his mouse pointer on several characters curious to whom they are, he sees Zephyr is on the main map and moving over to him.