Have I Crossed the Line? You decide...

I met a hacker today. Her name's Winter- at least, that's her business name. Says that giving out her true identity is crazy, in case she ever needs to use it. I'm serious- everything she's got is set for Winter Ratterfield, but that's not her real name.

We met by accident, on the Greyhound bus. Her Wi-Fi was messing with my laptop, and she sent me a "beta" worm to make sure it worked. I got mad and started yelling at her, and we finally struck up a conversation of sorts. Turns out she's investigating the mysterious death of her cousin, who expired quite suddenly after breaking off a relationship that began over the Internet. I was surprised she told me that quickly, but when I told her so she just smiled.

"You're no Fed." she said. "I was in your com, remember?" (I suppose "com" means computer)

So we talked for a long time about one thing or another, and then we both got off in some quiet little town near the northern Florida border. I'm working my way west, and she might come with me.

We stopped at an internet cafe, and she broke in to the Missing Persons Database for me. Yeah, I know. Not exactly legal, and I was kind of scared when she did it. But somehow it balanced itself out all right.

So we're together now, each searching for fulfillment in some way. And somehow my job seems a little smaller.

~Stacie