Chapter 7: A Dangerous Meet-Up
The digital game of cat and mouse had been going on for a week. Adam, using his Gu-enhanced mind, was always one step ahead, his sarcastic, pop-culture-obsessed wit a perfect foil for Skye's cynical, guarded persona. Their conversations, all text-based, were a whirlwind of movie quotes, riddles, and vague threats. It was a hacker's version of flirting.
Finally, after a particularly long night of coding warfare, Adam sent her a message. Let's meet. Coffee. My office. Be there.
Your office? she typed back immediately. And what, I'm just supposed to trust you?
You don't. You should absolutely not trust me. I'm a mysterious stranger on the internet who just beat you at your own game. But, on the other hand, what's the worst that could happen? I could kidnap you, put you in a dungeon, and force you to do my bidding. Or... I could offer you the chance to change the world. The choice is yours. The coffee is on me.
He knew that the thought of a grander conspiracy, of a chance to change the world, would be enough to get her to come. It was her weakness. Her passion.
And he was right. She agreed, but with a warning. Don't be late. I don't like waiting.
He spent the next few hours preparing. He cleaned his office, which was a nice gesture, but mostly pointless. He was a Gu Master. He could have just used his Cleaning Gu, but he wanted to make a good impression. He put on a clean shirt, a nice pair of jeans, and waited. He had a plan, a whole series of contingencies, and a backup plan to the backup plan.
And then she walked in.
Skye was... well, she was exactly what he expected. A little guarded, a little wary, and a lot more beautiful in person. She was wearing a leather jacket, jeans, and a look that said, "I'm not to be trifled with." She scanned the office, her eyes taking in every detail, every potential threat.
"So," she said, her voice a little more gravelly than he expected, "You're the guy who's been messing with my code."
"The one and only," he said, a charming, sarcastic grin on his face. "Please, have a seat. The coffee's on the way."
She sat down, but she didn't look comfortable. She was a coiled spring, ready to snap at a moment's notice.
"You've been leaving me riddles," she said, "and you've been talking about things... things that shouldn't be possible. The spaghetti line, for example. What did that even mean?"
"Ah, the moment of truth. Time for a little bit of the old Stiels charm."
"It meant that the matrix you're living in is just a bunch of sauce and meat," he said, a deadpan expression on his face. "The truth is out there, Skye. You just haven't been looking in the right places."
He watched her, his Liquor Worm Gu humming in the back of his mind. He could see her frustration, her curiosity. She was torn. She wanted to believe him, but her instincts were telling her to run.
"I don't believe in the supernatural," she said, a little too quickly.
"Good," he said, "because what I'm about to show you is a lot more real than a ghost."
He then showed her a vision of her future. Not a prophecy, not a glimpse into the future, but a series of facts. Her name, her past, her connection to S.H.I.E.L.D., her future as a hero. It was all there, laid out in front of her, and he could see the color drain from her face.
[Main Mission: Recruit Skye. Objective: Convince her to join your team. Reward: 10 Coins and Techno Gu.]
The system's mission popped up in his mind, a welcome, digital encouragement. He was on the right track. He just had to seal the deal.
"I know," he said, his voice softer now. "It's a lot. But I'm not here to hurt you, Skye. I'm here to give you a choice. You can keep living your life, or you can join me. You can join the team that's going to change the world. The coffee's still on the way, by the way. I'm a private investigator, not a barista. I'm also not a psychic. Just a guy with a system and a lot of knowledge about the future."