"Does it always do that?" Jena asked and Nadia nodded.
"Yeah, when I initially put in the code you gave it asked me to start a new story, then a new chapter. Then Xyle showed and wanted the lead position. It gave it to him and started a new story. Sure seems to just do what it wants." Jena looked down at the computer.
"Oh, uh…" Jena frowned and typed on the computer but was kind of leaning back a little as she typed. She looked like she was waiting for it to slap her or something.
"What are you doing?" Xyle asked eyeing her peculiar lean back. He wanted her to stop touching it. This was becoming serious now in his opinion. Clearly this object was seriously not what they thought. They needed to stop trying to mess with it.
"It shocked me, just making sure you know?" Jena said.
"Wouldn't it be better to just not touch it?" Zyer said with very dry sarcasm. Jena looked at him.
"Well, don't have much choice. Magic isn't always fun and games, and clearly this one has gone a little astray." Nadia raised an eyebrow at her. That was an understatement of the year.
"A little?" Nadia pointed at it. "It has literally pulled people from another… dimension," Nadia used Jena's own words. "Or someone has, that is not a little stray. We," she gestured between her and Xyle, "Are now mates apparently because of it."
"Yeah sorry about that." Nadia gave her a what the hell look, but Jena didn't look up at her. "I didn't realize it was going to evolve. I don't understand, I gave it very strict perimeters." Jena said and the screen went black code coming up. However it immediately went back to white and typing invisible words. Jena frowned.
"I meant what I fucking said." Xyle growled. He was feeling really antsy and whatever Jena was doing was making the hair stand up on the back of his neck. He wasn't sure if it was because she might do something to reverse this, or if he was reacting to the energy coming out of the computer. It was really damn noticeable now. There was a slow static build in the air to be honest.
'Xyle just take it from her. I'm feeling almost nauseous.' Zyer said and Xyle glanced at Zyer who mentally spoke to him. He clearly was not the only one. Xyle moved to reach and stopped as the computer spoke again.
"Side character Jena Soroga, here is your last warning. One more attempt to pause story will result in temporary loss of magic. Story in progress, can not pause story." They all took a step back. It was almost comical the odd trepidation they had of this most mundane object. The voice was once more that automated female voice, but sounded as if it were underwater. That was really eerie. Jena had lifted her hands. After a moment she spoke to it instead of typing.
"Uh, computer what is your program command code?" Jena asked and the computer was silent. Was someone in it? Was someone just looking through it? Nadia once more had no idea what to think. What happened to her simple life? Simple belief that she was in control of everything?
"What is your script? Which programs are running?" Jena was pretty damn sure she had not put anything sentient in there. It was just supposed to be a kind of mental projection summon. Now she couldn't even check the code that was put in. Or her programming and magic, it was literally locking her out.
"Original script run successful. Summon successful, program removed intrusive and incorrect story data. Unable to fix mental manipulation up to save. Corrupted data inaccessible. Story merge complete, correct author found." The computer went silent and they were all looking at it. What the hell did that mean?
"Computer," Xyle said feeling this real dark sensation. "What do you mean corrupted data? Or correct author found?" It was silent for a moment.
"Corrupt data. Hex series corrupt, incorrect timeline. Current correction attempted, live mode. Unable to answer author question." Nadia glanced around them, what were they even going to do with this information? This felt like a dead end. At this point she might as well toss the damn computer in the river. Nadia let her annoyance get the better of her.
"So can you put the damn vampires back computer? How about one freaking straight answer." Nadia said to it. "Care to be useful for once?" She gestured at it even leaning like she was yelling at a person.
"Lead Nadia's irritation noted. Lead Xyle would disagree with computer's usefulness. Deeming Lead Xyle's desire more prudent." Xyle made a surprised humorous sound. Did the computer just scold Nadia? He didn't know whether to laugh or not. Nadia's sharp look at him he held up his hands. He didn't say anything.
"Current plot setting, vampires can not return to Hex. Ending interview via script will delete all character progression and subsequent stories. Characters now share world." Nadia had a stronger irritation now for the stupid object.
"Okay, look this is not a computer anymore. It's acting more like a portal or crystal ball is all I can compare it to." Jena was making little motions in the air and grabbed a side computer and put it up on the counter. She was not getting a read on this computer, the magic had altered greatly. This wasn't good.
"Hey Jena! Fifteen to close." Jim shouted and Jena just rolled her eyes.
"Working on important shit Jim!" No response came, and the four of them were looking at her. They really didn't care what manager Jim was doing.
"Jena, perhaps you shouldn't touch it." Lillian said biting her nail, the hair was raising up on her neck. The others felt it too.
"I'm not going to stop or do anything. I just want to read it, don't worry." Xyle eyed her. Jena pulled a cable and plugged it into her computer. Then stretched the cord.
"I wouldn't." Xyle said darkly. His intuition was pushing at him. He just had the urge to take a couple steps back and did.
"It's fine. I know what I'm doing okay?" Xyle reached and got a hold of Nadia's arm and pulled her back several feet. Nadia looked at him stumbling a bit. She glanced at the hand he had around her arm and then frowned. There was a tinge of darkness to his eyes.
"I really don't think you do." Xyle commented and even Lillian and Zyer moved back. Nadia eyed him.
"What?" Nadia asked him. He just gave her a look. They all jumped bad a moment later. The second that Jena plugged in the cord to the computer it beeped and then everything went white. Just like when the characters were summoned. It lasted only a second but Jena looked like she was hit square in the stomach by an invisible force. Her normal computer shot sparks and smoked.
"STORY IN PROGRESS, UNABLE TO PAUSE STORY!" Holy, shit. The voice from the computer was loud and sounded dark. Still female, but almost demonic. Xyle pulled Nadia behind him and an uncontrollable growl came out of him. Zyer had done the same thing to Lillian.
"You were warned side character Jena. Powers stripped until author deems prudent lesson learned. Tolerance level lost, next character manipulation attempt will result in termination of character. Current true author mental projection attempting to fix corruption of wrong author Laural, attempting to provide character freewill, attempting correct character endings. Current author sensing characters wish to return to old corrupted plots." None of them were breathing. What was it going to do? None moved, it seemed a bad idea.
"END INTERVIEW?" The voice was once again deeper from the computer.
"NO!" The word was said instantly as one from Xyle, Zyer and Lillian. Jena was breathing hard and stood up with a sound of pain. The computer somewhere in the flash had spun around and was facing the four of them. They could see only the words, end interview in all caps on the screen.
"Require answer from original Lead Nadia. End interview?" They all looked at her and Nadia never felt this kind of pressure before. The computer was asking her if she wanted to reset? Did she want to? Just one word was all it might take to change all of this, to go back. So many things raced through her mind. Nadia met Xyle's light green gaze, he held it for a minute and then just looked away from her.
That hurt for some reason, just the way he looked down from her gaze. It felt like disappointment, and never had she felt such hurt from one look before. He seemed to already guess what her answer was going to be. Nadia looked away from Xyle and at the computer. She cleared her throat and gave her answer.