Michelle Maddox - Countdown

Words appeared on the screen:

YOU'RE DEAD, ASSHOLE! NUCLEARXXX KILLED YOUR SORRY ASS! EVIL REIGNS!

"Fuck!" Colin yelled, and whipped off his gloves. Then he took off his goggles and furiously spun around to face whomever had just made him lose his fake life.

His eyes widened when he saw it was me.

"Kira!" he squeaked. "What are you doing here?"

I grimaced and nodded at the screen. Typed-in taunts were coming in from his opposing players. He wasn't being mourned for his great on-screen sacrifice, that was for sure.

"Sorry about that," I said.

He looked regretfully at the screen, which now read: LOSER!!!!!!

"Yeah, well, whatever." Then his gaze shot back to me. "What… what are you doing here?"

I bit my bottom lip. "I need your help."

He looked confused. "Didn't you ask me for help in the mall and then go all psycho and take off? I thought you were mad at me or something."

"No, I'm not mad. The psycho thing may be debatable, though." I let out a sigh. "I've been really distracted lately. I'm sorry if I seemed like a bitch to you."

"You told me to leave you alone."

I forced a smile. "I was having a really bad day. Do you have a minute?"

"You were with that guy-"

"Colin, listen to me. Can we just go somewhere private where we can talk?"

"Where are you going?" Another gamer next to Colin took off his visor. He looked about fifteen years old. "You need some time alone? Colin, I didn't know you had a girlfriend. She's fucking hot, too." He stuck his tongue out and waggled it very lewdly.

"She's not my girlfriend," Colin said very coldly. "She'd rather be with men who have police records. Sorry I'm not up to par yet, Kira. Where's your new friend?"

"Right here." Rogan appeared at my side. "Is there a problem?"

I glared at him. "I thought I asked you to wait over there."

"I guess I don't take orders too well."

"Obviously."

Rogan looked at Colin. "Now, I believe that Kira was asking you for a favor because she considers you to be a friend of hers. Are you really saying no to her?"

Colin's eyes widened. "I… I… don't know. Um …"

"Just chill," I said to him. "We don't need everybody in here freaking out right now."

The fifteen-year-old took a step closer. "You're Rogan Ellis."

He didn't seem to be freaking out. Which was a good start.

Rogan studied him for a moment. "That's right."

"You can call me Snake."

Rogan eyed him. "Snake, huh?"

'That's right. It's not my real name, but it's my screen name and I prefer it. Man, I can't believe this. Rogan Ellis standing three feet away from me."

My mouth went dry. This wasn't what I wanted. I didn't want a confrontation right here. Not now, there wasn't time.

"Let me guess," Rogan said dryly. "You want my autograph. A lot of people love to collect the signatures of serial killers. Got my share of mail asking for just that."

"Nope." Snake shook his head. "You totally didn't do it."

Rogan's eyebrows shot up. "I didn't?"

"No. Why, are you saying that you did?"

"No … it's just…" Rogan closed his mouth for a moment, and his gaze flicked to me. "It's just that when I meet new people they usually assume that I'm some kind of monster."

The kid flicked his hand dismissively. "You were set up. It's obvious to anybody with half a brain. I even have a Web site devoted to proving the conspiracy that sent you to prison."

I eyed Colin. "Did you hear about this?"

Colin nodded. "Yeah, but Snake's theory is that it has to do with aliens. I never took it too seriously."

Snake glared at him. "Shut up, loser."

Colin didn't even look at the kid; he stayed focused on me. "I tried to show you one of those sites once as a joke but you blew me off. Said you weren't interested in some boring murder case. Guess you've changed your mind on that one now, right?"

Rogan raised an eyebrow at me.

I cleared my throat. "Well, um … right. I think I remember that, now that you mention it."

Hindsight has a strange sense of humor, I think.

Another gamer had taken off his visor and gloves and stood to the side watching our interaction silently. The remaining seven players continued on as if nothing were happening outside of their video game.

"Rogan Ellis," he said after he'd been noticed.

Rogan eyed him. "And you are …?"

"Name's Joe. Screen name's NuclearXXX. I own this place." He extended his hand and Rogan shook it. "So I finally, officially get to meet you."

I took in a quick breath. The owner of the place Jonathan had a business card for was glad to meet Rogan. That had to mean something.

Rogan glanced at me. It was obvious that he was thinking the same thing.

"Good to meet you, too," he said.

"A lot's changed since the last time we saw each other."

Rogan pulled his hand away and studied the guy suspiciously. "We've met each other before?"

"Well, not officially. I saw you in passing five and a half years ago when I came in to interview for a job at Ellis Enterprises."

Rogan frowned. "I never did interviews personally."

Joe leaned back against the table. "No, but we were in the same elevator."

"Sorry." He shook his head. "I don't remember."

"No, I'm sure you don't. But I do."

"Oh, yeah?"

"I was completely floored to be sharing the same air as you. You were so… I don't know. Impressive, I guess. Thought I'd take a moment and try to break the ice, so I commented on your secretary's ass. She had a very fine ass." His lips thinned. "When we got off the elevator you told the interviewer not to hire me. I heard you."

Rogan's expression didn't change. "I don't remember that at all."

Joe shrugged. "Hey, whatever. It's been years. You've been through hell since then; I know that. You're out of jail already? Did your lawyers prove you innocent?"

"Something like that."

I looked at Colin. He watched Joe and Rogan's conversation intently. The other kid, Snake, had obviously grown bored with the whole situation and had gone back to playing the game.

Colin shook his head. "I can't believe you'd want to be with that guy."

There was a dark venom attached to those words. I knew Colin had a crush on me. It was obvious, and I wasn't just being vain by thinking so. There were computer programs in which you could use a real person's appearance on a computer model and then have virtual sex with it. The thought made me feel a bit sick, especially since I'd caught a glimpse of a character on Colin's computer that looked a bit too much like me for comfort. That had been a few weeks ago. Ever since then I'd been trying to keep some distance between us, hoping that he'd get over it.

Not that Colin had never acted on his feelings. He'd never even mentioned them to me. I didn't feel threatened by him at all. But there was still a level of discomfort there. I also didn't want to encourage him, since I didn't feel anything but friendship for him in return.

I was really hoping he would move on to another object of affection very soon. However, even after the little scene in the mall the other day, I'd just seen over his shoulder that his desktop wallpaper was a picture of me.

Terrific.

Therefore, and in my opinion, the hairy eyeballs he was giving Rogan probably had very little to do with the fact that he was a wrongly convicted rapist and murderer, and much more to do with the fact that he was in my company.

"Colin-" I began.

He held up a finger. "I have to take a leak."

He turned his back on me and left the room.

"Okay," I said slowly.

"So what are you doing here?" Joe asked.

Rogan reached into his pocket and pulled out the business card. "Somebody gave this to me."

Joe shrugged. "I appreciate the word-of-mouth advertising. I like to keep things small here. Don't want this place to get too overpopulated."