Part Two
Bob arrived at the diner the next day looking tired. He sat down quietly and laid his head
on the table.
“BOB!” Enzo said, looking up from where he was sitting at the bar. Dot had made
him sit there and study, but since Bob was here, she wouldn’t mind if he took a little
break, would she?
He hopped off the stood up and rushed over to slide in across from Bob. “What’s
processing?”
Bob glanced up at Enzo for a nano before setting his head back down on the table.
His voice was slightly muffled as he spoke. “Have you seen Dot?”
“Yeah, she’s down in the basement.” Enzo answered as his tone grew serious.
“Could you get her for me?” Bob asked as he laid his head on the table.
“Yeah, sure Bob!” Said Enzo as he rushed downstairs to find his sister.
A few nanos later Enzo ran up the stairs, quickly followed by Dot. The both
walked over to the table.
“Bob, what’s the matter?” Dot asked him. She received no response. “Bob?”
Dot smiled softly and shook her head. Bob was asleep.
The cry of pain woke Bob from his sleep. His head jerked up and he glanced
around. Dot and Enzo sat at the bar while various customers sat in booths enjoying their
meals.
Another cry of pain erupted in his skull. Bob then realized that the sound was
inside his mind. There was only one person he had ever known who had been able to
project emotions inside other people’s minds.
“Mercury.” He whispered, louder than he had planned to.
Dot and Enzo turned towards him.
“What?” Dot asked as she watched him create a tear by blowing his table up.
Bob’s eyes closed quickly, as if he was concentrating. Energy shot from his hands
to form a portal. Dot walked over to him.
“Bob?” She demanded. “What’s wrong?”
He looked at her as if he didn’t recognize her for a moment, then he smiled. He
grabbed her arm and pulled her into to the portal.
The landed in Hex’s lair. The pain in Bob’s head reached a crescendo. He fell to
his knees, his hands clutching his head. Somewhere he felt Dot shake his shoulders.
The pain receded in his mind. He opened his mind and his vision cleared.
Hex kneeled next to a pile of blankets that Hex had obviously stolen from the
Hospital. A female sprite lay on top of the blanket, a thin sheet covered her. Hex cradled
something in her arms.
Hex glanced over her shoulder, smiling at Bob. She made a face at Dot and stood
to face them. A baby lay in her arms. Dot gasped in surprise.
Bob tried to glance around Hex to get a look at the woman on the floor. Hex
noticed what he was doing and moved in his way.
“Bob.” Hex purred, her mouth pouting.
There was a bright light from behind Hex like a sprite rebooting. They heard the
click of booted heels hitting stone as a blue female sprite limped over to stand next to
Hex. She clutched her stomach, her eyes half closed.
A sound of disbelief escaped Bob as they stared at the tall sprite. She topped Hex
by a couple of inches. The woman looked at Bob with a pained expression as he stared at
her in disbelief.
“Mercury.” He whispered her name, almost soundlessly.
The woman closed her eyes and leaned against Hexadecimal. Her body radiated weariness
as she opened her eyes and smiled at the azure colored baby in Hex’s arms.
“Bob, do you know this girl?” Dot asked sharply.
Bob smiled at Dot.
“She’s my sister.”
