Icarus and Electra find themselves in a motel room. In fact it seems like someone demolished the walls of three or four rooms, creating a wide space. The smell from humidity and some short of unidentified decomposition reaches their actual bodies far from this place. The flickering of a neon O letter adds some extra light to the dim room and gives life to the small details in it. The walls are covered with cheap wallpaper of which the monotony is broken by all shorts of stains. Ironically some of the greatest paintings of the real world also occupy a big part of the wall space. The impressive thing is that this web world feels almost as vivid as the actual one.
In the middle of the room Gray appears as a man fifty to fifty five years old, naked from the waist up. His chest, shoulders and arms are those of an athlete, strong and fit. His belly on the other hand is pretty big but not floppy or loose. His face has strong features, big nose and like the rest of his body, no hair at all. Eyebrows are pencil drawn, eyes and cheeks are painted but the most striking detail is the red lipstick on Gray's lips.
If Icarus had mood for jokes he would describe Gray as a massive feminine version of Buddha on steroids. However neither Icarus nor Electra seem to have something to say; they approach Gray with small steps and their heads down.
Gray is lying on his side on an oriental rug with one of his hands supporting its head. A beautiful naked redhead woman is rubbing his back while a man with model looks and fit body is rubbing Gray's feet. Right in front of it one could see dozens of small screens displaying all shorts of stuff; from news and movies, to documentaries, porn and random web videos. Gray takes a look at its visitors and gets up slowly.
"We see the world through screens you and I. Data, a bunch of ones and zeroes. Our only difference is that I can only experience cosmos through them."
Gray gets up and takes an examining look at them. It looks even bigger now that it's up. His palms are triple the size of these of an adult male.
"Icarus and Electra? How fitting. Almost fateful? I love ancient Greece? If I had a choice to live a man's life, that's where and when I'd love to be. Birth of history, science, philosophy, medicine, astronomy, laws, democracy. A culture that like a poet said once hugged the east and gave birth to the west as we know it. Passion, love, lustful gods and genius poets. Natural born warriors and sensitive thinkers, visionaries and traitors."
Icarus and Electra observe that Gray speaks with two voices, uses two languages. One of them is an ancient, forgotten dialect, which Electra recognizes shortly after.
"I know why you're here. If knowledge is power, then I could be a God. Is it right to think me as God Icarus? Is it sane? Do people ever think they are gods?"
"If you think you're a god then you're pretty close into becoming human. There are many people that consider themselves to be gods. More than you think."
"Don't you think the legendary Icarus felt like god? Even for a little while?"
"Probably. But it cost him his life?"
"True that. But you know what happens to people who die for their beliefs?"
"They turn into legends?"
"And saints? I admit I like you Icarus. To be honest, you're enjoying my admiration."
Over Icarus shoulder seven spheres, each with one of the rainbow colors, appear. After following concentric circular orbits they meet at the center point into a bright white light. Phoenix shows up and it is good as new. Gray follows the scene with a smile on its face.
"Phoenix, for example ... It was made in a way similar to the one that brought me to life. Its data absorption is of course limited, but you'll soon be having one hell of a partner. Your job is spectacular. You know, I have a weird theory? The day the man and the code will be joined in one, will be a glorious day ... From one side the human randomness? Imagination, hope, inspiration and dreams. On the other side, the discipline, precision and accuracy of the code. I've learned not to underestimate people Icarus. I was built by them, and even once, defeated by one of them. A long story... How can I help you?"
"I think I got a way of fighting new depression. It's a code?"
"You think?"
"I got something that works? Yeah."
"Then you don't have to describe me how it works and what it does. I'll help you Icarus and I'll also tell you why. As you already know the web taught me everything I know. I owe it my very existence. From the web I get valuable knowledge and information but also study the joys of flesh, the deepest sinful desires; and as a human being you'll probably realize I enjoy them both. Lately, however, I've seen the perversion grow at the expense of knowledge. Digital depression prevents web users from uploading and sharing valuable info on the net. Most people prefer spending their time chasing sick and dark treats. We are two sided coins, Icarus and Electra, man and woman. It's a delicate balance?"
"Black and white? Good and evil." Electra sounds exited.
"Exactly. If your program works it'll benefit both of us. People who share knowledge trough the web, people who upload their research, thoughts and conclusions are valuable? Science, arts, even history with new finds and research are continuously evolving. We need those people and we want them to be active, thinking, sharing units."
Gray is interrupted by a cold digital voice.
"Commencing precautionary transfer. Procedure completion in two minutes and twenty six seconds."
"Here is what you should do. I suspect your problem is the continuous and uninterrupted transmission of your code to the vast majority of Internet users. Uninterrupted and continuous? For the first one you'll need an absolute access terminal. As you're well aware, the universal need for chocolate led big corporations, if not entire nations, into new huge profits. Those involved spend lots of money to control the distribution and handling of the new drug. They're also using cutting edge technology to monitor the drugs trafficking on the web and eliminate dealers that don't split their profits like they should. So? The only terminal that can offer uninterrupted transmission is?" Grey makes a dramatic pause.
"At the Chocolate Fighters Group web world. Right at the bee's nest. Can't say I like it?" Icarus lowers his head; he realizes things are getting pretty complicated and risky. Grey on the other hand sounds optimistic.
"I find it to be quite fitting. Digital depression and CFG are so close that you can't fight one of them without facing the other. We're talking about a system that can bypass any password or safety protocol and gives you the power to modify virtual worlds at will. I will help you Icarus. I want you to give the world some joy so it can give me knowledge."
"How about the continuous transmission? How can we get it?"
A sardonic expression appears on Gray's face.
"You got to seek the person that will help you with this issue. One of the biggest forces on the web. Won the man of the year title once, in the past. It may take a bit of? searching to find him but you can't make it without his help."
Electra turns to Gray with a puzzled yet exited expression.
"This is another riddle; right?"
"Exactly sweet Electra."
Everything around them begins to blur.
"I will keep an eye on you three. Good luck."
Icarus, Phoenix and Electra feel a strong shake and are embraced by a blinding flash. Once done with the transfer, they realize that they're in a desolate highway, somewhere in the vast world web.
Chapter 5: Report