Chapter Four
In Which The Game Begins

Matrix set Bob down carefully on the marble floor.

"Thanks," said Bob. "You know, you shouldn't have done that. I'm too tired to be any help. I'll just slow you down." He sighed.

"Look, Bob," growled Matrix. "I am not getting stuck alone with these two again, and especially not in a Game. Val's here to train with you, so you can spammed well train her. Besides, we need you for the Game stats," he added in a gentler tone.

"This is true," said Bob. He looked around. "Nice."

They were in a long, airy hall built entirely of white marble. Elegant pillars abounded; there was a frieze running around the perimeter of the room just below the ceiling, but that put it too high up to make out the details. Nearer to hand were twelve golden thrones which lined three walls; the fourth wall consisted mostly of a large archway. In the centre of the hall was another, plainer chair beside a circular firepit. There was a person in each seat. All thirteen were completely motionless. They might have been Game sprites or they might have been statues; it was hard to tell. Val started to wander around the hall, peering at them.

"Character selection chamber," said Matrix.

Bob nodded. "Well, it doesn't look like a fight Game. I'm guessing RPG." He raised his left arm. "Glitch -stats." He examined the readout and smiled. "I was right. Role-playing Game, mythological setting. Right now we're in the hall of the gods on Mount Olympus. The object is to get one of the golden apples of the Hesperides."

"Hesperides?" asked Enzo, perplexed.

"Sounds like asparagus," observed Val, wrinkling her nose.

"It's the garden of the queen of the gods," explained Bob.

"Cool," said Val. "Eep!"

The others turned to look at her. She had reached the two thrones at the end of the hall opposite the arch. A golden haze surrounded the one on the left. As they watched, the haze winked out and the throne's occupant stood up. It was male, middle-aged but in good shape, with curly tawny hair and beard and peach skin. (For some reason, those Game sprites and Users that were shaped like data sprites were almost invariably peach; AndrAIa was typical in this respect. Those that weren't peach were usually some shade of brown. They were nice colours, of course, but it did get a bit monotonous.) Taking no notice of them, the User walked briskly out through the arch, turned left and disappeared from view.

"Looks like it's starting," said Bob. "Well, then - reboot!" He double-clicked his icon. The others followed suit. Cyan light rose and green light descended, there was a moment of disorientation, and Bob found that he was now sitting on one of the thrones.

He examined his new apparel: he was wearing a short-sleeved yellow robe with fine gold embroidery on the hem and sleeves, and sandals of gilded leather. The outfit did not include armbraces, and he experienced a brief moment of panic before finding Glitch, now entirely gold, hanging from a chain round his neck. There was a golden lyre on his lap.

Next he turned his attention to the rest of the party. Matrix and Enzo were in the opposite row, three seats apart. Matrix had on light bronze armour: a breastplate and backplate, greaves, a skirt of overlapping metal plates, and a helm with a rather silly red brush on top. A red tunic showed through the gaps in the armour. There was a scabbard attached to his belt and a large round shield leaning against his throne. Matrix looked at himself and nodded approvingly.

Enzo was dressed in a blue tunic, a red cape, and a golden cap with a narrow brim. A pair of golden wings adorned the sides of the cap, and a similar pair was attached to each sandal. He held a golden wand (gosh, there was a lot of gold here) with an oddly-shaped end, like an 8 with the very top cut off. As Bob watched, the wings on Enzo's cap and sandals started to flap, lifting the startled child several inches off his throne. Chuckling, Bob turned to Val, who was seated immediately to his left. She wore a knee-length white chiton, cinched at the waist with a silver cord. There was a silver bow in her hand and a quiver of arrows on her back. She also wore a silver circlet decorated with an upturned crescent, and…

"Hey!" said Enzo. "You've switched hair!"

Indeed, Val's ponytail was now pure silver, and in it Bob could see the gold of his own hair reflected. Val giggled. "It suits you."

"You don't look half bad yourself. Now let's see what we've got." He raised the keytool-amulet.

"Glitch - character info." A list appeared. "Okay, Matrix, you're the god of war. Pretty straightforward." Matrix nodded.

"Enzo, you're the herald of the gods. You can fly," he told the colourful speck zipping madly about the ceiling, "and your wand fires energy bolts. Val, you're the goddess of the moon and the hunt. Besides your arrows, you can also shoot moonbeams. They cause insanity."

"Ah, yes, my specialty," said Val, smiling serenely.

"Yes, but the effects are unpredictable, so you'd better keep that as a last resort," said Bob with mock sternness. He returned his attention to Glitch. "I'm the god of the sun, music and healing. I can create light and play healing music on my lyre."

"Groovy," opined Val. "Well, let's go, then." She jogged over to the archway and stopped short. "Um… guys? We seem to be out of ground."

They joined her and looked down. It took a moment and a bit of craning to realise that the hall was not, in fact, floating unsupported several miles above the ground. It was simply built on a precipice so steep that it actually sloped away backwards. Directly outside there was nothing but air and, a yard away, broad, flat, and slightly translucent, the apex of a rainbow. They stared at it, comprehension dawning. Then Enzo fluttered out to the rainbow, landed on it, and stomped a few times. "It's fine."

"Well, which way should we go?" said Val brightly. "The User went left."

Bob shrugged. "Your call."

"Right, then. There's only one garden, so the paths'll have to converge eventually." She jumped onto the rainbow, walked a few steps to the right, sat down, and pushed herself forward. "Wheeeee!" came her Doppler-distorted cry as she disappeared over the bend. With an enthusiastic whoop, Enzo followed her. Bob and Matrix stepped out and did likewise.

The rainbow was hard and glassy, and it curved slightly upwards at the sides so they wouldn't fall off. It was really quite pleasant, and the view was nice. Looping his lyre around one shoulder, clasping his hands behind his head, Bob lay back to enjoy the ride.

They landed in a sunny glade in the middle of a sparse forest. There was only one obvious path leading away from the clearing, so this they followed. The others tactfully let Bob set the pace, for which he was profoundly grateful.

It was a very nice forest, full of birdsong and flowers and with a cheerful, tinkly soundtrack. Val soon started skipping and whistling along with the music.

"Cut that out," commanded Matrix.

"Aw, c'mon, big guy. Live a little!"

"He's right, Val," said Bob quickly, noticing the look on Matrix's face. "You're a stealthy huntress, silent as the moon! Get in character, why don'tcha?"

"Oh! Okay!" She went into an exaggerated tiptoe.

Bob smothered a laugh. "Enzo."

"Yeah, Bob?" said Enzo, alighting on a tree branch.

"Since I'm slowing us down anyway, why don't you fly on ahead and scout?"

"Sure thing!" He took off.

The three older sprites walked in silence for a nanosecond. Then Val asked, "What do you think there'll be? Wild animals?"

Matrix laughed humourlessly. "In this setting? If there are any, they'll have at least three heads."

"Oh. What, then?"

"I dunno," said Bob, "but I'm sure it'll be weird."

"Oh, good," said Val happily.

"Bob!" called Enzo, appearing around a bend in the path. "There's another clearing ahead, with a Game sprite in it. A big one. It saw me," he added.

Bob frowned. "Are you sure?"

Enzo nodded. "Trust me."

It was a big one, a head taller than Matrix and built on similar lines, but Bob hardly noticed that at first. His attention was too taken up by its eyes. It had rather more of them than most sprites. In fact, its entire body was covered with them.

"This is different," observed Bob.

Val nodded in satisfaction. "You were right, Bobby. It's weird."

"So what do we do?" asked Enzo.

Bob considered. "Matrix, think you can take him by yourself? Matrix?"

Matrix didn't reply. He was staring open-mouthed at the Game sprite. His breathing had turned rapid and shallow, and his mechanical eye was humming loudly. His companions stared at him in consternation.

"Is he all right?" whispered Val.

"Hey! Snap out of it!" Enzo went to hover in front of him, but he seemed to be staring straight through the small sprite - which he probably was.

"Matrix!" shouted Bob. "Matrix! Enzo!"

"Uhh?" gasped Matrix, turning to Bob with a look of panic on his face.

"Look, Matrix, why don't you wait over there for just a pico?" suggested Bob. Matrix nodded blankly and mooched back down the path. Bob turned to Val and Enzo. "This is bad."

"Very bad," agreed Enzo.

"Well… we've got weapons," said Val.

"He looks pretty tough, though. No offence, but I doubt you two could handle him, and I'm still too tired to fight."

"Maybe we don't need to fight him," suggested Enzo. "He hasn't attacked us yet. Maybe he's a passive."

"Maybe, but we can't tell without getting closer."

"I'll check, then. I'm fastest. Val, cover me." Val nodded and drew an arrow from her quiver. Very slowly, Enzo flew forward into the clearing. The Game sprite did nothing until Enzo was about a quarter of the way in. Then it raised its fists and strode forward determinedly. Enzo hurriedly back-pedalled; the monster halted.

"That settles it," said Bob. "Definitely a defensive. We'll have to get past him somehow, and we can't fight him."

They lapsed into thoughtful silence, waiting for one of them to have a flash of insight. Flash - that was it! "I've got an idea," said Bob, "but we'll need to move fast. Matrix!"

"What?" demanded Matrix without facing Bob. He had recovered from his stupor and was slashing angrily at the air with his sword.

"We're going to have to run. I need you to carry me, but on your back this time, okay?"

"Uh… sure. I guess," said Matrix, his brow creasing as perplexity displaced fury.

"Good. Let's get in position." Matrix approached, keeping his eye fixed resolutely on the trees, and crouched down. Bob climbed onto him and gripped his shoulders firmly. "Now, when I say go, cross the clearing. Keep to the side. Don't look at the Game sprite, and don't look at me. Kids, you go in front. Whatever you do, don't look back. Ready… GO!"

They charged into the clearing. Bob watched the Game sprite carefully and, the instant it began to move, he summoned all the Game-power at his disposal and started glowing. The light was dim at first but grew steadily brighter until Bob blazed like a newly-opened tear. The monster bellowed and shut all its eyes tight. While it stumbled blindly, the party raced across the clearing and pounded down the path, not stopping until they could no longer hear the Game sprite's screams.

Finally, as Matrix rounded another bend, Bob released the light and declared, "That's far enough. Take 101, everybody." He dropped to the ground.

Val whirled around, beaming. "Great job, Brown-Eyes! What a bright idea!"

"Thanks, I…" He stopped and narrowed his eyes. Val's face was all innocence. "Hmm."

Val looked past Bob to Matrix, who was studiously ignoring them. She frowned. "Matrix, are you - ?"

"Shhh!" hissed Bob.

"But I - "

He shook his head and mouthed the word "ixnay" at her.

Enzo flew over and whispered in her ear, "We'll explain later."

Val paused, then shrugged. "Well, that was interesting. What's next?"

Bob looked down the path. "That, I guess."

The building, or such of it as was visible, was of dark, rough-hewn stone, unornamented. There was only one storey, but it was impossible to tell how large the building was, for the wall soon vanished into the trees on either side. The doors were plain wooden rectangles, and had no handles on the outside. Bob examined the door and frame. There weren't any obvious traps. He pushed. The door didn't move.

"It's stuck. Matrix, you give it a try."

Matrix strode forward, placed his hands against the door, and shoved. He stepped back and shook his head. "Feels more like a wall than a door. There's no give at all. We'll have to find another way."

Bob ran through the usual options. "Well, we don't need to find a key, because there's no keyhole… maybe a hidden lever?"

"What're these symbols?" asked Enzo from overhead. They looked up. He was examining the lintel of the door. There was an inscription on it:

"Huh," said Bob. "Looks like some sort of code…"

"Step aside, boys!"

Val shoved forward, her eyes shining. She craned her neck, then went up on tiptoe. With Enzo airborne, she was for practical purposes the shortest one present. Extending a hand but not turning her head, she said in an imperious tone, "Matrix, a lift."

Matrix scowled, but when Bob nodded he complied. Perched on his shoulders, Val leaned forward, was silent for a moment, and then started counting under her breath.

"What are you - ?" began Enzo.

"Shh!" said Val and continued counting. Then she nodded in satisfaction, reached out, tapped the third symbol, and said very deliberately, "E."

The inscription shimmered and changed:

Val paused for a moment, then tapped the first two symbols: "T-H."

Next came O, then Y, and then U and R together. Sometimes she would pause and mumble to herself, then resume tapping. In less than two nanoseconds it was done:

THE KEY TO SUCCESS IS TO KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL AND TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS "Wow," breathed Enzo, gaping at Val.

"Thanks, big guy," said Val as Matrix lowered her to the ground. "What does it mean, anyway?"

"I'm not sure," said Bob, "but it reminds me of Dot."

Before Val could make an embarrassing comment, the doors creaked open. She grinned, widely and without a trace of modesty, and sauntered forward. Enzo fluttered after her, awestruck.

As Bob started forward, Matrix grabbed his arm. "Bob…" He paused. "Thanks."

Bob smiled. "C'mon," he said. "Let's get in there before they get in trouble. I think someone's got a bit of a crush," he added.

Matrix raised a scarred eyebrow. "You really think she's our type?" They exchanged a grin and entered.

It was very dark inside, which Bob hastened to remedy. The light revealed a smallish square chamber, with a packed earth floor and walls of the same dull stone as the building's exterior. There was a statue, again made of the same stone, in the centre of the room. Each of the interior walls had a wide passage leading away. Bob had a sudden sinking feeling.

"Uh-oh," he said. He extended a hand and directed a beam of light down one passage, then another. Each had several more corridors branching off of it before it turned. "I was afraid of this. It's a maze."

"What do we do, then?" asked Val.

He shrugged. "Pick a wall and follow it. It's slow, but there's no map."

"What about the cryptogram? Could that have been a clue?"

"If it was, it wasn't very helpful. I can't make heads or tails of it."

"Nor I. Pity." She ambled over to look at the statue. It seemed to be of a king, carved to scale or very nearly, standing on a wide plinth about a foot high. The stone was worn and pitted and quite dusty. Inscribed on the plinth, faded but still visible, was the word MINOS.

Val examined the statue keenly, then climbed onto the pedestal so she could see its face. "Hey, guys, look at this! The crown's gold. It's just so dusty you can barely tell." She tried to wipe away some of the dust. She drew back her hand. She rubbed the crown again. "Oh, boys," she said in tones of badly-hidden glee, "I think I've found something." She glanced around to make sure everyone was looking, then grabbed a spike on the crown and spun the gold ring in a full circle. Beneath her, a hidden drawer in the plinth slid open.

"All right Val!" exclaimed Bob, bending down to examine the drawer's contents. His happiness turned to bemusement as he reached in and pulled out a large ball of white string.

"That's it?" said Matrix disdainfully.

"‘Keep your eye on the ball,'" quoted Bob. "Well, it must be good for something… but what?" He started tossing it in the air and catching it while he pondered.

"Maybe we can unroll it to show where we've been?" suggested Enzo.

"Probably. That'd be some help, but it's still not much better than just following walls. Whoops," he added, missing the ball on the way down. It landed and began to roll across the floor.

Val stared at the ball, then hopped down from the plinth and picked it up. She rolled it back towards Bob. Almost immediately, it slowed to a halt and started rolling back the way it had come. She grabbed it again and tried rolling it to the side; it turned sharply. After a moment's consideration, she found the end of the string, held it, and dropped the ball once more. It resumed rolling, and this time the string unrolled behind it. Val pounced on it and straightened up, grinning ridiculously.

"So that's what it meant," Bob said with satisfaction as Val tied the end of the string to the statue's ankle. "Okay, gang, be careful. Stick close together and watch out for traps. Enzo, come down here and walk in front in case of pits. Everyone else, keep an eye on the walls and ceiling. Weapons at the ready… is this thing in tune?" He plucked at the lyre. "All right, let's go. Stay frosty."

Val dropped the ball and they set off after it down the right-hand corridor. It led them past the first side passage and took them left at the next. They proceeded slowly and cautiously, and the ball itself was soon out of sight, but the string path remained to show them the way.

"Val?" asked Enzo.

"Yeah?"

"How'd you figure out what the ball was doing? Tripwire ahead," he added, flying over it.

"Well, I wasn't really thinking about it," said Val, stepping carefully over the wire. "It was just a hunch. But I guess it's because it was rolling too well. I mean, feel this floor. It's totally uneven. The ball should have stopped right away, and it certainly shouldn't have rolled in such a straight line."

"Oh. Well, how'd you break that code all in your head?"

"Oh, that's simple! It's all just patterns."

"Patterns?"

"Everyone duck," ordered Matrix.

"Sure," said Val as a huge axe passed overhead. "Like, if one symbol occurs more than any other, it's probably E, or maybe T. If it also ends a three-letter word that turns up a lot, it's pretty sure to be E, and the word is THE. Patterns. If the message had contained the word ‘people,'" she added, firing an arrow down the corridor and triggering a fall of rocks from the ceiling, "I wouldn't even have needed to count."

"Alphanumeric! Whoops!" The floor collapsed beneath him. He dropped about a foot before his cap and sandals caught him.

"What happens if the string runs out?" asked Matrix, edging along the foot-wide area of floor that was left next to the wall.

"It shouldn't," Bob assured him.

"But what if it does?"

Bob shrugged. "Then we're back to following walls."

Matrix sighed. "That's what I thought."

They followed the string right and left, across spike-filled pits and past arrow-shooting walls. Bob listened to the youngsters' chatter with amusement and even humoured them when they started a game of 'Are We There Yet?' until he noticed Matrix fingering the hilt of his sword. Despite his lingering fatigue and the pressure of the Game, he was feeling remarkably cheerful. In fact, he hadn't felt quite like this since before the Web. There was something very relaxing about Val. Well, okay, he corrected himself, maybe 'relaxing' wasn't the right word. It was the way she never took anything seriously, least of all herself; it made it hard for him to take things quite so seriously either. Val took the edge off life.

The others had stopped. Bob came out of his thoughts and looked at the floor. They had come to the end of the string. It stopped just short of a bend in the passage.

"Looks like we've reached the end of the line," remarked Val.

Bob shot her a look. "That was deliberate," he said accusingly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she declared.

"Suuure you don't. I bet you've been waiting to say that since we started following - "

"What's that noise?" asked Enzo.

They fell silent. From around the corner came a snuffling and a shuffling. Bob and Matrix looked at each other and narrowed their eyes. Matrix drew his sword. Enzo gripped his wand more firmly. Val nocked an arrow. Then they rounded the corner.

This room was the same size and shape as the entrance chamber, but it had only one other door, on the far side. The floor was strewn with straw and, although the entire building was floored with packed dirt, this floor somehow contrived to be even dirtier than the rest. The room was otherwise empty, except for (surprise, surprise!) a Game sprite. It was as large and muscular as the first one, but had only the normal complement of eyes. Instead, it was covered in fine brown fur and had the head, tail, and hind hooves of a bull. As soon as it saw them, it bellowed and charged.

So did Matrix. He ran forward and swung his sword. The creature veered aside at the last picosecond, then turned and aimed a punch at Matrix's head; Matrix ducked and raised his shield. The two combatants drew back and began to circle slowly.

The rest of the party watched with excitement and anxiety. Occasionally there would be a brief flurry of activity, accompanied by clangs as fist hit shield or sword caught on horns. Then the circling would resume.

"What is it, anyway?" asked Val.

"Minotaur!" shouted Matrix, jabbing at the Game sprite's shoulder. It twisted away from the blow. "I should have guessed from the name on that statue."

Then the minotaur darted forward and left, swinging its head at Matrix's unprotected right arm. Matrix drew back an instant too late. He winced and looked at the line of bright blue trickling down his arm. The monster had drawn first energy.

"Hey!" cried Enzo. "You can't do that to me!" He launched himself into the air and rocketed straight at the Game sprite.

"Enzo, no!" Bob shouted in alarm. Enzo waved cheerfully at Bob, then turned the wave into a resounding smack as he passed directly behind the minotaur's head. The minotaur roared and tried to swat this overgrown fly. Taking advantage of its distraction, Matrix moved in and stabbed it in the side - not deeply, for its hide was extraordinarily tough, but nevertheless, it was a hit.

"All right!" cheered Val, punching the air.

Enzo turned around and started whizzing back and forth past the minotaur, always staying just out of reach. "Hey!" he said, zooming past. "What's the matter?" zoom "Am -" zoom "I -" zoom "- bugging -" zoom "- you?" The Game sprite turned its head this way and that, trying to keep both opponents in view at once. It wasn't entirely successful, and Matrix stabbed it several more times. Unfortunately, this only seemed to anger the beast.

"This isn't working!" Matrix yelled in frustration. "Its skin is too thick!" He hastily sheathed his sword and punched the monster hard in the stomach. When it bent over slightly, he grabbed its left horn and started slamming it in the face with his shield.

Enzo watched this for a moment. Then his eyes grew very wide. He flew to the right-hand wall and used his wand to blast two small holes in the rock, side by side. Sticking his wand in his belt, he pulled off his cape. Just then, with a roar, the minotaur tore free of Matrix. It looked considerably dazed, but it was still prepared to fight. Before it could attack again, Enzo returned to hover beside Matrix. He raised his cape and gave it a shake.

The minotaur froze and snorted. Grinning, Enzo held the cape out beside him and waved it. The minotaur snorted louder and pawed the ground. Enzo waved the cape a third time. As the minotaur ran at him, he whirled aside, soared into the air, and descended across the room, where he shook the cape again. The Game sprite chased after him. Matrix was completely forgotten.

Bob watched, stunned, as Enzo whizzed about the room, whooping and catcalling, leading the minotaur on a merry chase. The Game sprite was getting furious, and the chase went faster and faster. After about a dozen rounds of this, and when it seemed impossible for the minotaur to get any angrier, Enzo somersaulted across the room and held his cape directly in front of the holes in the wall. Faster than ever, the minotaur lowered its head and charged at the cape. At the last possible picosecond, when it was too late for the minotaur to turn, Enzo pulled away.

With a thud, the minotaur ran headfirst into the wall. It paused for a moment in this odd position, and then began screaming with rage and trying desperately to pull its horns out of the holes, in which they were stuck fast.

Enzo donned his cape and turned to face the party, looking rather smug.

"Way to go, Enzo!" cheered Val.

Slowly, Matrix smiled. "Good job, kid."

Enzo beamed at this rare compliment. "Thanks! C'mon!" he said, heading for the door.

As they crossed the room, Val veered aside and approached the struggling minotaur. "We're really sorry about this," she told it. Then she rejoined her companions, leaving behind a very puzzled Game sprite.

Beyond the door was a room larger than the last, although it was so cluttered it seemed smaller. It appeared to be a workshop of some kind. Tools and materials were piled on every surface, including the floor. One table was covered with astronomical charts; on another were various pieces of rock, arranged in neat rows. Kites and dried plants hung from the ceiling. There was a huge pile of feathers in one corner, and an even bigger pile of clay in the next. There were blueprints and models. There was even a small forge. There was not, however, another door.

There was a very large window with no glass in it. Bob let his light go out, there being adequate sunlight coming in already. "That must be the way out."

Enzo flew over the mess and reached the window first. "Uh-oh. We're out of ground again."

Bob stepped over a foot-high wooden cow and looked out the window. There was a several-storey drop to a narrow strip of beach, followed by a wide expanse of sea, much too far to swim.

"And not a rainbow in sight," said Matrix, joining them.

"Well, there has to be a way out of here," said Val, who was idly tracing a smiley face in the surface of the clay.

Bob and Matrix exchanged glances. "Room search?" said Bob.

"Room search," agreed Matrix. "But first, could you, ah…" He indicated his right arm, which had stopped bleeding but was slightly translucent.

"Oh! Right!" Bob raised his lyre and plucked experimentally at it. "Never played one of these before. I'm really more of a guitarist."

"Well, at least it's a six-string," remarked Val. "Lyres can have anywhere from three to ten."

Bob grinned at the two Enzos, who were looking at Val with identical expressions of befuddlement. "Val has transfinite reserves of useless trivia. Okay, Matrix, say when." He considered for a moment, then began to play a modified version of the guitar solo from 'Sympathy For The Virus'.

About halfway through, Matrix nodded. "I think that's enough. Thanks." He flexed his arm, now completely opaque, and grimaced. "Healing spells always itch. All right, let's get to it."

They started examining the sundry items littering the room, lifting things up and peering into corners to make sure they didn't overlook anything. Enzo flew up to check the stuff on the ceiling. Val found a pile of diagrams and started leafing through them.

After several nanos, Matrix said, "Oh, no. You've gotta be kiddin' me."

"Found something?" Bob asked, sticking his head out from under a table.

In response, Matrix held up part of what they had taken for a pile of feathers. Thus spread out, they could see that the feathers were in fact attached to a wooden framework to form huge wings.

"Oh, pixelacious!" exclaimed Val, running over to examine the wings. "Are these held together with wax? Weird. Now, how do you put these on?"

"What about Bob?" asked Enzo as Val and Matrix helped each other with their wings. "Flying that way looks tiring."

"Not to worry," replied Bob, "I've got it covered." He removed the chain from his neck and wrapped it around his hand. Then he leaned out the window and extended his arm. "Glitch - rotor!"

Nothing happened for a moment, and then the keytool spun its gearwheel and emitted a warbling hum. Bob pulled his hand back and straightened up. "What?"

Spin, hum.

"What do you mean, anachronistic?" he demanded indignantly.

Hum, spin, hum.

"Oh, don't give me that!"

Spin, spin, hum, spin.

"Well, you think of something, then!" He rolled his eyes and muttered to Val, whose shoulders were shaking, "He's been like this ever since we split."

Glitch made a rude noise. Then it slid its chain off of Bob's hand and floated out the window. The gearwheel divided into two layers that slid apart and moved to the sides of the box, which began to grow. In a matter of picoseconds, Glitch had become a golden chariot, just big enough for one, harnessed to four golden horses, resting easily on the air.

They all stared in silence for a moment. Then Bob nodded and declared, "I am impressed."

The chariot's wheels spun. One of the horses gave a whinny that sounded suspiciously like a snigger.

Chapter Five

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