02 . text

[systemize]

[The comm tag reads Stormer and is untraceable.]

Someone asked me recently how I'd define moral and immoral, but I think my perspective's a little skewed. How do you define it?


> private to Magicman
I need to ask you for a favor. Do they have you listed as an adult here? I wasn't sure what your official age would be.

> private to Isaac
I think I have your software finished. I can send you the file to download and you can check if it needs troubleshooting.

Comments

[systemize]

It'd be difficult, that's for sure. I'm with you on this guy needing to be neutralized as a threat.

You might have gotten distracted by the DNA wiring.

[microbrobotics]

good. glad im not the only one. i think dean'l be fine with the tech i gave him but...

okay in my defense, the DNA wiring? is super cool. i'm already doing stuff wtih it.

[systemize]

[And since Cadel has already started reading through that post...] Dean? The man who was killed in that post is the one searching for him?

It is amazing. I was fixated for months by it. What have you been doing? Wait, never mind, back up. Tell me about the superhero thing.

[microbrobotics]

yeah that's him. he's the one who asked me to make a nullifying weapon. fire powers usually. so whoever this dude is he has fire powers too.

okay but they're both fun. it ... kind of happened by accident? there was a jerk i was trying to get revenge on but then i realized hurting him wasn't gonna fix anything.

[systemize]

I'll add a search criteria for suspicious fires. You can tell Dean I'm involved if you want, but say it's Stormer so I can keep things separate?

Maybe you could make a nullifier with a physical switch, so you can remotely activate it if it's planted on the culprit. Make a trap, let him get confident, then when he's in it you can turn it on. I could activate it without a switch, too.

[There's a short span of time before he types to this last bit.] I know a lot of people who've never realized that. That takes a lot. So after you changed your mind, you wanted to keep helping?

[microbrobotics]

totally. i respect secret identities, don't worry.

... that's a good idea actually. i mean, i don't want to be that close ever?? kinda promised my bro i was only going to get involved with the tech part.

[ He pauses too. Honestly, he doesn't feel like he did a lot; mostly he feels empty. And there's still a fire in his heart that would flare into existence if he ever saw Yokai's face again. ]

yeah. basically. part of it was jsut helping, and part of it was like ... after we started, bad guys just came out of the woodwork.

[systemize]

Thanks.

I can do it. I'm used to being bait. If it comes up, let me know.

[Not that Cadel isn't scared. He swallows just typing that. But what else is he supposed to do with himself? For all Cadel legitimately enjoys a chance to go to college and be part of society - legally, no less - there exists in him this belief that when he's uniquely capable of doing something, he should do it. There's no sense letting someone else take on a greater risk when he's better at it. He's faced this situation so many times before. The only difference here is that it isn't Prosper, and therefore directly his responsibility, who's at fault. But he doesn't want to be that sort of person, who only helps when it's his fault. That's not that much better than not helping at all.]

Like you were challenging them? Figures. But they were probably doing something awful before you were around, just more quietly.