15
Identity: William McIntyre
“Well you just bloody well better figure out a way to fix it, my friend,” Vicious growled right up in Jimmy’s face.
But Jimmy laughed and walked through his projection to pick up a file he was working on. Vicious sputtered indignantly.
The four of us—Bob, Sid, Vicious, and me—didn’t make a very threatening package. Jimmy had accepted our speaking request only as a courtesy to Bob. He didn’t seem concerned with the news. Then again, with the storms looming, and him being newly appointed to the Security Council, he had much more important things on his plate at the moment.
“I appreciate your situation, and I honestly feel for you,” Jimmy said after a moment, looking up from the file at me. “But I can’t do anything right now. I’m spread too thin as it is. I just showed Willy where the tools were, and, okay sure, I described how he could exploit some vulnerabilities, but so what?”
“This is half your fault, you can do better than that,” urged Bob. “Willy’s in serious trouble.”
“That’s an understatement.” Jimmy put down the file. “I’m really sorry about what’s happened. I was only trying to help Willy, to give him what he wanted.”
“Only to get what you wanted,” Sid pointed out.
Jimmy shrugged. “Aren’t friends supposed to help each other out?” He looked directly at Bob. “I mean, did you help him out? Did you even know how much financial trouble he was in?”
Bob looked away.
“I didn’t think so,” continued Jimmy. “Too caught up in getting stoned and partying with these idiots.” He motioned toward Sid and Vicious, still looking at Bob. “Too busy having a good time to even pay attention to your family, which includes me if you’ve forgotten.”
“Of course not,” said Bob quietly.
“You think I’m uncaring?” Jimmy looked around at us all. “Have you seen the way Bob treats Martin?”
Nobody said anything, but the words seemed to physically strike Bob. He rocked back on his feet a little.
“We all have problems.” Jimmy looked straight into Bob’s face. “We all have our pain to deal with. You don’t think I’ve had it hard? But I’m trying to become part of the solution.”
This was getting personal.
“This is my own fault.” I waved my hands in the air and stepped between Bob and Jimmy. “We’re not trying to blame anyone, I’m just looking for help.”
Jimmy shook his head. “The situation you’ve created is beyond me right now.”
Bob and I both nodded, but Sid wasn’t buying it. “Maybe we should go speak with police about your part in this.” He tried his best to appear intimidating, but it just wasn’t him.
“And maybe I should tell those same police about some of the viral skins you’ve been letting loose in the cyber-ecosystem,” Jimmy replied. “I’ve been watching you, my friend.”
“So what if he has?” bluffed Bob. “Willy’s problem goes way beyond any nuisances Sid’s toys create.”
“Maybe yes, but maybe no.”
“What does that mean?”
“Go ahead and tell the police that I was involved.” Jimmy ignored Bob’s question. “But I’m the one on the Security Council. And any chats I had with Willy were under tight security blankets, so it would be my word against his.” He let this settle. “Quite frankly, Willy being plugged through the perimeter and into Terra Nova, and us not being able to close the connection due to some legal nonsense, is a big problem.”
“Are you threatening to cut him off?” Bob demanded. “Where would he end up?”
“I don’t know, but definitely not here. Somewhere in the open multiverse I’d guess.”
This was tantamount to exile and brought cold stares from Bob and Sid.
I felt like I was going to throw up.
“I just showed him the tools he asked about. Willy’s a big boy. He’s the one who did it.”
Stony silence.
“I really have to go. We’ll talk later, okay?”
Jimmy closed the connection.