Floyd slumped into the rolling desk chair with an exhausted sigh and put his feet up on the desk. Adams followed him into the office a second later and swatted them off, much to the reporter’s annoyance.
“I’m tired,” he complained. “Can’t you leave me in peace for a minute?”
“If you want peace go back to your own place,” Adams said unsympathetically.
“I’m too tired to go another step,” Floyd said, leaning back and closing his eyes.
Adams grabbed him by the collar and deposited him on the floor.
“Hey!”Floyd squawked in protest. “What are you in such a hurry about anyway?”
“I want to see if the next episode of that audio drama is up yet.”
“What audio drama?”
“The one with you in it.”
Floyd grimaced. “I hacked into the Author’s network system so that I could keep tabs on her, not so that you could read all that rediculous stuff she writes about us.”
“It’s not rediculous, it’s accurate. And it’s funny.”
“Wait until you become the main subject.”
“I’m in it.”
“Yeah… perpetually portrayed in a good light. She acts like you never do anything wrong!”
“Thats because I don’t,” Adams said calmly.
“Yes you do!” Floyd protested “You…” he trailed off, unable to come up with an example.
Adams said nothing, smugly.
Floyd stood up and dusted off his trousers. “I still don’t like it,” he grumbled. “She’s got no business knowing every little detail of our lives. No business at all. I should really put a stop to it somehow…. do you think maybe she’s a supervillain?”
He sounded almost hopeful. Adams wasn’t listening. “It’s not here,” he said.
“What?” Floyd asked, annoyed to have his tirade interupted.
“The next episode,” Adams said. “It should have been posted by now and it’s not.”
“Good,” Floyd said vindictivly.
“But why?” the policeman protested.
“Maybe the Author got eaten by a giant chewing monster,” Floyd said with a grin. “Maybe she lost her ability to know what’s going on with us. Maybe she realized what a bad idea this whole thing is. Maybe-”
“Someone’s trying to sabatoge the project,” Adams said. “Maybe a supervillain or–” He looked directly at Floyd for the first time since they’d come in together.
“No,” Floyd said quickly. “It wasn’t me.”
“Floyd…”
“I swear!” the alien said, putting both hands in the air and backing towards the wall. “It wasn’t me! Although…. I wish I’d thought of it.”
Adams glared threateningly. “If you aren’t responsible-” he started.
“I’m not,” Floyd protested. “Promise.
“-then find out who is!” the policeman finished.
“Oh come on,” Floyd moaned. “You’ve got to be kidding me! Help the Author? When was the last time she helped me?”
“Floyd….”
“Besides, I’ve got better things to do!”
“Floyd.”
“How do you know she even wants my help?”
“Floyd,” Adams said warningly.
“Fine,” Floyd said in defeat. “Fine. I need to use your computer.”
Adams stepped back and Floyd reseated himself.
“Hmm,” he said, typing some unintelligable commands into the computer.
“Hmm,” he repeated.
“What?” Adams asked impatiently.
“Doesn’t look good,” Floyd said. “Whoever’s behind this is really good at what he does.”
“And what does he do?” Adams demanded.
“Transplaces web links into alternate dimensions of space,” Floyd explained.
“You’re making that up,” Adams accused.
“Am not,” Floyd retorted. “It was a major problem until the Hyper-Web Scientists for Major Computer Securities found a way to implement their new anti-hacking sheild mechanisms in the thirteenth qwak of–”
“Floyd,” Adams interupted impatiently. “Would you stop reminiscing?”
“Sorry,” Floyd said. “What do you want to know?”
“Where is the missing episode?”
Floyd shrugged. “Floating around in cyberspace somewhere, or hiding in an index of cooking terms or hijacking on the back of a youtube video– who knows? Good riddance I say.”
“Who would do such a thing?” Adams demanded.
“Amyone who is as annoyed as I am by the author’s antics,” Floyd said. “It’s a sort of prank thing. A practical joke.”
“How do we get it back?”
“Find whoever lost it in the first place.”
“And how do we do that?”
“You know what?” Floyd closed the browser window and stood up again. “We don’t. You do. Because I’m going to go home and get some sleep before the next big baddie shows up needing killed. G’night, Adams.”
“You can’t run off on me like this,” Adams roared.
“I can,” Floyd countered. “And I will. Have fun with your hacker!”
He fairly skipped out of the office, leaving Adams glowering at his retreating form.
“Now what are we going to do?” Adams muttered.
To be continued….
