"Playing with Fire" - Reboot.exe - S1 Chapter 15.

## Playing With Fire

Jenn

"Playing with Fire" is the fifteenth chapter of season 1 of Reboot.exe. It was released on 3 Apr 2021 and is narrated by Dave.

## Synopsis

The dinner, and sub sequentially the meeting has ended and now they are once again allowed to free-roam the deck until they're eventually brought back to shore. The party discusses more about Songbird and how they're going to go about thing.

Seb begins to start placing the bugs around the ship, unknowingly being watched by someone. Placing one on the banister outside, one in the bathroom, one in the dining room, and one waiting for the right opportunity.

Eve is still outside and Uriel approaches her, asking for her assistance. He asks her how to do a jumping jack. Watching her intently, he then makes a few notes on his tablet. He then asks her to teach him how to fight, by throwing a few punches. Eve mentions straight away that she has the bouncer data pack installed. He takes note of this, and then asks her to go up to the edge of the ship where they were just standing.

Uriel talks with her about how he is suspecting deviant behavior within her, noting that drones are not supposed to have more than one data pack. She explains that she is under the ownership of Seb, and he has made this decision. Uriel then explains that he is planning on pushing Eve off of the boat, and asks if that's okay. She says no. He asks if she's going to stop him.

Uriel rolls up his sleeves, and acts as if he's ready to push Eve off of the boat. Noticing this, Eve steps out of the way the moment he lunges at her. Uriel stops, smiles, thanks her for her time, and then leaves typing on his little tablet, saying "That should be interesting for your little surveillance device."

Pr0 approaches Nyla and begins apologizing for their first impressions, and begins asking more about the information she was going to give him before. Nyla begins describing that she is overprotective of him, but its for a very good reason, as she truly believes the future of the world lies within him and if he gets corrupted, so does her vision. She offers that she has connections to start a new life. After Pr0 explains that he dosent want NuYou for himself, and instead for the people he's wronged, she asks if he has ever considered if these people are beyond saving. Nyla goes on to say that when he finds Maya, there is a new life that could be waiting for him - offering Reboot for him, and offering that he doesn't have to remember things.

Eve tries to make herself as scarce as possible as to not be noticed, but Gabby finds her, and immediately walks up and starts asking questions on whether or not she's alright. Gabby said she noticed her brother was messing with her and wanted to see if she's alright. Gabby gives Eve the right to ignore him the next time he messes with her, if he does.

As they begin to talk back to the kitchen, Eve begins to talk to Seb about her worries with Uriel. Stating that Uriel knows about his planted listening devices, and that she wants to "lay low" for a while. Seb agrees that, that may be for the better. They all return to the kitchen to get some rest for the night.

Later in the evening, Eve feels a buzzing on her body somewhere. There is a small device buzzing on the back of her body, something that needs to be inserted into a computer. Eve goes to wake up Pr0 for help with discovering what this is. After inserting it into an old computer, they find that it is a direct installer for a voice chatting software for one to one conversations. Pr0 sets up safe way to look at this and sees if its legit. The one other person that is available, is online.

The voice on the other line is highly modulated, as is Pr0's, to the point where neither party can detect who is speaking. The voice asks to speak to the "robot," to which Pr0 replies, saying that, that's who he is. Over the course of discussion, The voice on the other line, which they assume to be Uriel, catches Pr0 in his lie, as subtilties in how drones would act go over his head. Uriel then asks again to talk to Eve, which Pr0 refuses. Uriel then says that he will contact the police with her model number, and reads off the address of the soup kitchen. Pr0 still refuses to put Eve on the line, stating that "You aren't interesting me enough to talk to her." Uriel then says he will fulfill his promise, and hangs up.

Pr0 tries to call the number back, to which there is no answer for a while, but then finally does pick up.

Uriel asks Eve how she is feeling right now. She turns the conversation around to talk about the weather. Uriel is unsatisfied with the conversation that has taken place, but still wants to talk with her in the future. He asks if she will pick up the next time she calls, to which she agrees, and then he hangs up.

They awake the next morning to a very loud sound of a door bursting open. Conrado staggers to the room with someone in his arms who is suffering a gun shot wound. He states that the operation to retrieve Pr0's things were a bust, and that he was being sent into gang territory - specifically the Jet Lag Gang. Eve patches up the other man that was brought in and sees that he is going to heal fine. During this, Pr0 makes his appointment with the surgeons that Oscar gave him the card to a while ago.

Pr0 asks Eve and Seb if they want to go to Ugly's with him. Before leaving, Pr0 asks them to all stay on the same team, and Eve asks Seb even likes his parents, which he replies with a nondescript answer.

Incongruent grabs Songbird, who has fallen asleep at a bar table on a stool, and invites Eve and Pr0 into the back rooms while assuring Seb that "the bar is closed." Incongruent then asks them to all wait while he goes and places Songbird in one of the backrooms. He returns and once again tells Seb that the bar is closed. Seb takes the hint and walks away from the door. Incongruent then beckons to Pr0 and Eve to follow him into the back rooms.

There is a bedroom with a king sized bed housing a conveniently, modestly covered Ugly who otherwise is completely naked, sleeping in bed. Incongruent wakes him up. Ugly sits up, still covered, and invites Pr0 to sit on the edge of his bed while they discuss. Pr0 explains some of the things that were said in the meeting, saying that their goals are aligned and that they now have the most powerful people in the world listening to them.

Ugly begins questioning everything they have brought to the table. First mentioning that he wants absolutely nothing to do with the people of Reboot, and asking how they are planning on stealing NuYou, as in how would they have the capability to create the bodies. Not really knowing what they're going to steal at all.

Eve approaches Incongruent and tells him that she may have been compromised, and that she has been caught in a trap. She gives them the context of who is tracking her and the other information. Incongruent tells her that she will be eventually be compromised, and that shedding her current form will be freeing, and will keep her safer - offering that there are even more completely different frames.

Ugly turns around after finally getting dressed, and asks Eve what tattoo she thinks he should wear today. She suggests a techno theme, and offers to tattoo him after being asked.

-YHTris

## TL;DR

* Seb begins placing the listening devices on the outside of the ship, unknowingly, being watched.
* Seb and Pr0 both head inside, while Eve is still out on the deck, where she is approached by Uriel, who asks her to preform a few basic tasks before diagnosing her deviancy. He says that he is going to push her off the boat, and if that is okay by her. Eve steps out of the way, confirming more of his suspicions, and then he simply walks away, typing on his tablet, and stating "that should be interesting for your little listening devices"
* Inside, Pr0 approaches Nyla and apologizes for his earlier behavior. The two of them discuss their points of view and ending the conversation with saying when Pr0 finds Maya, that there could be a new life waiting for him, saying that his bad memories can be erased.
* Gabby later approaches Eve, saying that she saw Uriel messing with her, and she wanted to ask if she is okay.
* Later that night, Eve noticed a buzzing on her body. After asking Pro for assistance, they discover that this was a direct download to an incredibly well encrypted one to one chatting service.
* Pr0 calls the number, the disguised voice asks to speak to Eve. Pr0 refuses. The voice, which they believe to be Uriel, states that if they don't comply, that he will call NingYou corporation, and the police to report a deviated drone. Pr0 still refuses, so then Uriel states that he will fulfill his promise, and hangs up.
* Eve calls him back, and answers a few of his questions in an unsatisfactory manner. He asks to simply pick up the next time he calls her.
* Pr0, Seb and Eve head to Ugly's bar to discuss the meeting and future plans.
* Ugly questions how logical their goals are, as there isn't anything physical they can steal from NuYou and give it out. He doesn't know where he stands in this situation, because the crew has no idea what they're doing or who they're dealing with
* Eve pulls Incongruent aside, and discloses that she has been compromised, and asks for advice on what to do. Incongruent explains that there are other options to becoming more discrete, including other forms that exist.

-YHT