Vika thinks for a while.

– No, you don't think so yet, – she says, – But it's okay. The most important is that you at least express agreement. It means, you'll make yourself to believe in it later.

– May I? – Computer Wiz stands by the table, somehow weirdly bent over and with a pleading grimace, – aren't you discussing me? I hope don't interrupt? May I sit?

– Sure, – sighs Vika looking doomed. The Wiz plops down on the empty chair, gets the glass and one more bottle from behind his back in a juggler's gesture: some kind of banana liquor.

– Vikochka dear, thanks! – he says, – I started to think I'm doomed to perish alone! Want some?

Vika fills her glass with champaign in an answer, I also decline the liquor. The Wiz pours it in his glass.

– For our acquaintance! – he proclaims, – I'm Computer Wiz!

– I'm Gunslinger, – I say mechanically.

– Oy! – The Wiz leans back on the chair, – Don't kill me! It's you who keeps "Labyrinth" so excited for the last two days, right? Vika, my congratulations, you've befriended the cool doomer! He makes everybody cry! He kills and kills, to the left and to the right!

– Is it true? – asks Vika.

I just nod.

– I'd never imagine.

– Well, I guess I should surprise you too.

– Hey Gunslinger, don't make too big mess in "Labyrinth"! – exclaims the Wiz, – Otherwise I'll take a leave from Madam, will move myself over there and will rip everything into shreds! I'm a peaceful guy usually but it's a nightmare when somebody pisses me off! Hold me three, two will fail… I remember once…

– Wiz, – says Vika, – We were talking, we have a serious talk. Could you please chat with Tina or Lena?

The Wiz nods sadly.

– It's always like this… Okay-okay, I'm leaving. Nobody likes me…

– I like you very much but Tina is depressed since yesterday. Cheer her up, I know you can do it.

– No problems! – Wiz brightens up. He picks up his bottle and in a dancing walk moves over to the table where the dark-haired splendid girl drinks vodka intently.

I just shake my head.

– This is our own small world here, – says Vika, – A pretty quiet and peaceful one. By the way, all girls come hear in their main bodies, not the ones we put on for the customers.

– So this is your main body in virtuality?

– Yes.

I make the next step.

– And the name too? Your name is Vika?

– In the Deep – yes. That's the only reason why I allowed you to come: you guessed it right.

She smiles sadly.

– In the beginning I even thought that you're some sort of a spy, a hacker or a diver, that you had identified my personality…

My heart starts beating hard.

– And what about now? Do you still think so?

Vika shrugs:

– Who knows? But I like you. I just want everything to coincide this way by itself… in a wonderful and beautiful way.

I don't have time to reply, the curtain on the door opens and the girl's face pokes in for a second:

– Natasha, Tina, your call. The green and the yellow albums.

The splendid girl by whom the Wiz have already made himself comfortable, throws the bottle at the door. Vika rises a little.

– Alice! – she says quietly but clearly, – Substitute Tina!

The girl by the nearby table nods but Tina raises her hands in protest,

– Vika, I'm alright.

She talks through the interpreter program but even through it one can hear feelings of tiredness and anger.

– I'll work as a kid, it's okay… That Cap pissed me off yesterday. { a nick here } One of the gays stands up and quickly moves between the tables, he hugs Tina's shoulders, whispers something to her and gently makes her sit, then looks at Vika questionably.

– All right Anjei, – she agrees, – Thanks.

The gay and one of the girls exit. Vika sits down and drinks her champaign in one shot, then suddenly says in a hissing whisper,

– Assholes. All you males are assholes.

– Who is Cap? – I ask.

– A customer. A constant one. I usually work with him myself but yesterday… I was busy.

– With me?

– Yes, – she replies sharply. – The girls shouldn't work with him, they are out of themselves afterwards.

– What does he need?

– The red album.

I recollect yesterday's evening.

– I haven't seen that one.

– It's an inclusion into the black album. It is not shown just to anybody. – Vika rises, – Damned… Sorry Lenia.

I rise too.

– Did you want to invite me somewhere?

– Yes…

– So go ahead!

Back in the lobby, I look around expecting to see Madam but she doesn't show up. I call the taxi and tell the address: "Three Piglets". Vika cools down slowly. I want to ask her about Cap and the red album but stay silent. I can't. Not yet.

– So, I showed you how we live, – says Vika, – Interesting, isn't it?

– It's okay, – I say, – Not too bad.

– Okay… – Vika takes cigarettes from her purse, clicks her lighter, – Not too bad…

I don't like when girls smoke, even if in virtuality.

– Vika, what did you expect of me? Screaming "How terrible!"? I'm not a hypocrite. Raptures? I can't see any reason for that either.

She touches my hand lightly.

– Sorry Lenia. I'm little worried for girls. You know, you're a random customer. You were fleeing from pursuit, ran into the brothel, went crazy on my picture… Sorry. You don't have anything to do with that.

We approach "Three Piglets". There's no 'rush hours' in virtuality: zone time canceled this term but some random fluxes and refluxes happen. For instance, now the hall is packed.

We elbow our way to the bar and I shout, "Hi Andrei!" to the bartender.

– Hi-hi… – says Andrei, giving a glass of cocktail to somebody, – And who are you?

Wow, it's really him, not a program.

– Leonid, – I reply.

Andrei knits his brow, he never saw me in this body and makes precautions.

– Hey man! – I say in a scary whisper, – What's wrong? Tortured by taxes again? The racket filched your file stuff? Just tell, we'll find…

Andrei leans over the bar and shouts:

– Ah! Haven't recognized you! Just look how you've grown! A real man!

Vika hesitates nearby patiently, obviously feeling out of place. Just like I did in the brothel's recreation zone.

– You want it as usual? – asks Andrei and outstretches his hand towards the bottles.

– Gin-Tonic, fifty-fifty, – I smirk, – It's me, it's me. We'd like to sit somewhere above the river. Alone.

Andrei frowns slightly and looks under the bar, at the terminal.

– Are all channels busy? – I'm horrified.

– We'll find one for you, – decides Andrei. He pushes some button, – A penny deal… Oh, what a perfect timing! Sudden disconnect, one channel's free! Go ahead, quick!

I grab Vika's hand and pull her to the stone wall of the restaurant. In the tambour I order:

– Individual space for us two. No access to anyone else.

– Acknowledged, – whispers the ceiling, – No access. You're guests of the restaurant. "Three Piglets" wishes you a nice rest.

– How cool, – says Vika ironically, – And you're their permanent customer?

– Yes.

I don't tell her all the tiny details, like about that little diver's fraud when I found and kicked some racketeers' butts. They stole original financial files from restaurant's owner. If I failed to persuade that gang of undereducated hackers, Andrei would have to fork up quite an amount… either for racket or for Deeptown's tax inspection. But in this case… everything ended in peace, even racketeers were happy… to get out of this so easily.

We enter the autumn.

Vika stops for a second looking around, picks decayed leaf from the ground, crumbles it in her hands, touches the tree trunk.

I wait. Usually I waver the same way when I enter unfamiliar virtual spaces. I also usually leave the deep to evaluate the real look of the landscape. Vika can't do that but spatial designers must have their own methods.