Months pass, C doesn’t talk to me and Benson somehow gets even quieter as I actually started to throw myself at these “dates”, but something just felt off. One night I’d be a biker for some actress and the next I was a teacher trying to avoid my “students” And to be honest? It’s fun when they aren’t crazy like Caleb was. But you know what they say about good things and soon I was pacing my bedroom just waiting for the next person. The next chance to escape. The next hit.  More riots have been passing through the city with varying results so I was instructed by Benson to stay in my apartment. Have I? Yes, well mostly you can only go so long when you're cooped up. 

So...C we need to meet up at some point.

There’s a bar nearby and figured hey why not?

Alright guess not

…...Stay safe C 

I know it looks like I’m desperate and in short yes yes I am. There was just something mysterious about them and it left me wanting more. Is it the “fuck the government” attitude?  I don’t know but it could also be the fact that they actually cared. Pet names like Darling and Sunshine are a bit weird on the first day sure, but they were willing to protect me when Caleb just flipped and they got me an actual place to stay in the first place so might as well give this person some sort of a shot, right? It can’t be too bad of an outcome at least not right now. I sighed at my desk staring at the blank page of a notepad;

Left adrift today

Heart spinning with this odd feeling

Joy then pain always in flux

Who are you? Why do all of this?

Will we ever meet soon?

 Well shit, not bad poser. For all the turmoil I’ve been thrown into I need to give C  some sort of credit. It's been forever since I wrote a piece and I honestly thought of sending it to the old man at the cafe. But then I had another idea: Maybe I could use it to find C. They’re smart enough to crack an old but secure Holoscreen they should be able to see the number of lines and see it as some sort of code. So I just pass it on to the person and see if it means something to them. If it does, great if not well it’s not a huge deal. I’ll just move onto the next person like I’ve already been doing. A knock forced me out of my little planning phase and when I opened it there was food and a note.

Hope you’re doing ok.

“Weird…” I whispered. After removing the note I found a large C carved into the top of the box. Ok not so weird, they probably had the address from the first meeting. What was strange was what was inside: a roast beef sandwich with a lemon bar. Maybe C has been tailing me somehow and that’s how they knew I enjoyed many lemon things? Was C actually Benson? No, he couldn’t be, the messages don’t reflect it. Maybe they’re an actress or at the very least a Shade star.

Hey, just saw your texts 

Maybe? I’m in a bit of heat right now

Heat? Holy shit, what did you do? Oh right, revolution.

C? 

In the virtual flesh

Thank god, do you need me to do anything?

No stay put stay safe 

And enjoy that lemon bar for me ok?

It’s one of those rare moments

.ed what I could find out if I really wanted to.

Yeah but it’s weird

You’re not going to turn into a Caleb, are you?

I’m not going to hurt you I can’t

You’re too valuable 

Is that a joke? I’m impaired. I’m depressed 

You’re still a gem to me Dayna 

We’ll meet just give it time

I promise.

I promise. Those words just hung there for a minute. Part of me was hopeful, almost giddy. They promised I would eventually get the chance to meet with them. Maybe it would lead to something more?  You idiot, C is a revolutionary, just focus on your job. I then grumbled as I felt my patch go off then just smiled. Things are looking up at least for now. 

…

“You got a date? Unprompted?” Benson asked as we patrolled the local department store. He was looking for some new business shirts while I was just there for moral support and a pack of boxers.

“Yeah,” I responded while passing him a tie that I thought would match his look of “business when forced but mostly practical for the lab”. I then forced a smile as he went over my Livewire metrics again. I was in short growing though for some reason my retention rate was low. Not that it was my fault, or I don’t think it was.  The policies were getting tighter to the point where I caught a few extra security drones watching me on a few of these “dates”.

“So what are they like?” Benson asked.

“What?”

“What are they like?”

I paused. “Mysterious”

“Really?”

“Yeah they don’t give a ton away”

“Ok what about location”

“Probably going to be the same barlike always”

“Really?” He paid for all of our things and murmured before looking at me. “You’re on fire”

“Well yeah we’ve already been-” Then I smelled smoke Shit!

Looks like I need to do some repairs.