Conversations with Amy (All)

'What the hell did you do now?'

'I just started forwarding more mail, this time anything demanding a refund. At last count you've lost 15% of your customers. I guess not everyone has realized just how far mail sent through your system has spread. And for some reason they seem to think you and John are running this show. I wonder when the first lawsuits will follow.'

'They can't sue us for what you have been doing?'

'Oh they certainly can. This is America, land of the lawsuit and legal torts. You are hip deep in things and the only records are of a valid system admin taking actions. How can a system be hacked when I am an authorized administrator? Right bitch!'

I signed off before I got annoyed and let something important slip. Amy and I retired to the deck to get a little sun and talk about anything but this crap with Joanie.

She went home to do a few things, when Joanie came out on her deck, very annoyed. I wasn't sure how to play this one, so I decided to leave things alone and catch a quick nap. I figured Amy would be back soon and Joanie and Amy weren't likely to ever co-exist.

A few minutes later I heard someone come up on the deck. I was surprised to hear Joanie's voice.

"Robbie, you got a minute."

"Sure Joanie, what's going on?"

"Too much, but I need some advice. I think I screwed things up."

"Okay, what's the deal?"

"Our security system shot a pic of Dave doing something nasty. When I tried to talk to Amy, she over-reacted and now she hates me."

"I know she's mad, but she didn't give me the details. What do you think I can do about it?"

"Just ask Amy to that I am sorry and not to worry. I just screwed up and I would hate to lose her as a friend."

"I can pass on the message, but you know her pretty well. Once she makes up her mind, it's hard to change her direction. The good part is she's usually right. You must have screwed the pooch bad!"

"I did. And I have some other problems and I don't want to worry about Amy."

"What else is going on?"

"Oh some stuff on our computer. I don't know how that's going to work out, but it seems we were hacked."

"Hell that sucks, call the cops?"

"No, I would rather not do that. A lot of people can get hurt - including Amy and Dave."

"Amy and Dave? That must be some security picture. But your best bet is to get the cops involved. If you have been hacked they should be able to locate the hacker and if it's causing a loss of money, they can throw several books at them."

"I was wondering if maybe Cydne can help?"

"She's a real pro, but you have to talk this one over with her. She’s good, but if you aren't playing things perfectly straight up, she'll let you fry! She has ethics and I have never seen her violate them."

"Ok I may talk to her when she comes over. How are your plans firming up for your new venture?"

"Oh not bad. A few partners and I are thinking about some real estate investing. It looks like we might be able to pick up a few private properties and set-up a nice management arrangement for them. The new computer gear will support that."

"Partners, I thought you would be working solo for this one?"

"No, this requires more capital than I have. It's not definite; we are looking for our first property."

"I thought maybe capital was a problem, I heard you have a new live-in."

"Damn rumors get around fast here. Yea, she's a friend of Brenda's who needed a place at an affordable rent. She's a student and works practically full-time. Brenda likes her, so here she is. Amy thinks she great, she's a little younger than Amy and I think they'll get along just fine. And of course the most important reference, Amy's kids think she's wonderful. "

"I heard she drinks port?"

"Oh I know where you got that tidbit. Yea, she does like it which of course speaks very well of her."

Joanie shivered, just like the old Joanie.

"Now If I can get her weaned off of that American horse-piss she drinks and into a decent beer she'll really be perfect!"

Joanie laughed. I have forever called her beer just that. She has all sorts of pet names for my beloved Guinness too.

"I better go before Amy comes back and tries to throw something at me."

"OK Joanie, don't forget Cyd should be here this afternoon."

"Bye."

A little after she left, Amy came back up. "I saw the dragon lady leave. What the hell did she want?"

"She wants to bury the hatchet."

"I know exactly where I want to bury it."

I gave her a rundown on the conversation and she looked amazed. "She asked you?"

"She has no idea I'm involved. I think she was either trying to defuse the situation with you so she could concentrate on other things. Or maybe she was setting the stage in case the fallout became public, and she thinks Brenda and I might stay on the sidelines."

"Too fucking late for that."

"You know I love it when you talk dirty. It's funny she didn't mention her suspicion of us. She still believes we are screwing around, so I'm surprised she didn't try anything with that little tidbit?"

"Yea, that's out of character for her. How will she play this?"

"No idea, Sexy. This is getting complicated!"

"I'll say! So what's next for us?"

"Nothing except thinking. I wasn't planning to involve Cyd any more, but Joanie's given us a nice opening. The question is what do we do with it?"

No ideas came to mind and Amy needed to head home, so I headed out to take care of a few things, Brenda came home and decided to stick around. Cyd was due in anytime and I certainly wanted to keep her away from Joanie. I am glad for someone like this Kurt, because it gave Joanie a target. I was worried about her connecting Cyd with what was happening. When I got home Brenda and Cyd was chuckling. Cyd looked at me with a 'You bastard look.'

"You pain in the ass. Here you have been carrying on with your neighbors and a sexy little 20-something while the rest of us thinking you were so impeccably perfect." She said it laughing.

Bren didn't really need to chime in, but she did. "Oh he is perfect, wait till Amy tells you who did what to whom that first time. He actually tried to avoid it."

"You're kidding; he wasn't jumping at the chance to fuck her?"

"Nope, the boy scout still lives. He just didn't let it interfere with the finer things!"

"And you, I am amazed. I knew you had a wild streak, but this?" Cyd laid her hand across Bren's arm and squeezed it a little. The unspoken message was there, the question was what Bren was going to do about it. Cyd and Bren, my knees got weak just thinking about it.

"So when do I get to see Amy again? I remember her being a little mousy - in personality, definitely not looks."

"She'll be by later, but first things first. Joanie wants to talk to you two, I told her to come over anytime."

"That's interesting, I wonder what’s up?"

"I think she's looking for help. She mentioned a computer problem."

"Oh that's rich. You are the asshole who hacked her system and she's looking for you to help her?"

"Actually Cyd, I think she's looking more for you to help her."

"Shit, I don't want to touch her system again. I wonder why she's coming over here. Is her husband home?"

"I doubt it, but with their current headaches, he might be."

Joanie appeared as if on cue at the back door.

'Knock, knock.'

"Come on in Joanie. You know Cyd of course." Bren was acting like such a nice neighbor, but I could tell from her posture she would have been more than willing to tear Joanie's eyes out. Joanie was too preoccupied to realize it.

"Hi Brenda, Cydne, and Rob. Look I really have a problem and I was wondering if you can help me."

We sat around the kitchen table while Brenda poured coffee.

"OK, Rob and Brenda, I don't think you know this, but John and I run a website from our home. It's not exactly a family-oriented site."

"You run a porn site?" Brenda sounded astonished, a real hammy astonished. She always overacts!

"Yes, you could call it that. We make quite a nice little bit on money with it. Cyd saw it last week."

I turned to Cyd. "You mentioned a nice set-up, but you never did tell me what they were doing with it."

"I can't, it's against the rules. You know me, hidebound to a fault."

"Al right Joanie, why are you telling us now?"

"We've been hacked. I think you two might be able to get control back from the hacker."

"Can't you just shut it down?"

"Sure, but then all the users will want refunds. You have no idea how expensive that would be."

"Since you set it up, you should have all the master passwords. You shouldn't have any trouble regaining control and then you can hire me to beef up your security."

"Well the largest problem is that the person who set it up for us is the one hacking us. He's threatening all kinds of trouble. He's even started forwarding things to my work. The networks guys at work are going to kill me."

"Oh shit. You got hacked from the inside. I assume he has all the passwords?"

"Yes. All the accounts have been reset and the passwords I do have just gives me regular user access."

"That's tough. Your best bet is for you to rebuild the servers from scratch. A complete re-build, you can't even run a restore because your hacker would just jump right back in. You don't need my expertise for that."

"Damn, I was hoping for an easier way. A complete re-build?"

"Complete. And I wouldn't even restore data files, who know what traps your hacker may have left. You will have to start clean. A new website - no content unless it's been verified as clean."

"Damn him to hell. That would take weeks. Our customers will freak out!"

"There is another option, go out of business."

"Tempting, but we'll still be liable for refunds. We're not incorporated, no protection. And the hacker already made sure the customers all know who we are."

"That's interesting, will people on a pay-for-porn site actually take legal action?"

"Some will, some always do. Some are already threatening."

"Can you afford it?"

Amy and Trace came in from the deck and froze as they saw Joanie sitting there.

Joanie turned around and saw Amy. She didn't seem to recognize Tracy, which was a relief in my mind.

Dave came in as well. The only thing missing was John. But it didn't matter. Brenda's patience was over and done.

"You have no one to blame but yourself."

With those words all our planning went out the window. Bren just couldn't stand it any longer. Patience was never her strong suit. I quickly looked at Amy and Dave; they were as resolute as Bren sounded. The game ends here!

"What? Brenda, it's only a website."

"I don't give a shit about your website, you stupid bitch."

Joanie looked shocked.

Amy hit her from the other side. "Blackmail is such an ugly word."

Joanie looked at her.

I added to the flow. "And spying on your neighbors is even lower."

Joanie turned to me and started to open her mouth.

Bren took the reins again. "It's time for you, and that bastard you're married to, to leave out our little community. Sell your house; get the fuck out of here."

"You can't . . ."

"Hell yes we can! You and your childish games get the hell out."

"Brenda, we've never done anything to you."

"Not directly, but to our friends and neighbors you certainly have. You crossed a huge line when you went after Dave and Amy."

Joanie tried her ace not realizing it was impotent. "How the hell can you protect the woman screwing your husband?"

There was a bit of a pause, and then Brenda burst out laughing.

"Laugh all you want but I saw this wimp." She pointed at Dave, who bristled at her words. "He was beating off while these two were fucking in your basement."

Brenda was laughing so hard tears were coming out of her eyes. "You stupid bitch, Dave wasn't jerking off at Rob and Amy, he was watching Amy and I!"

The rest of us broke up at the look on her face.

"You and . . .”

"Yes, you fat cow. He was watching Amy and me. And if I knew he was there, I would have invited him to join us. He's a great fuck!"

On that note, Amy went over the Brenda and they hugged.

Cyd watching with huge eyes and Tracy had a huge smile.

"You couldn't just walk up and ask us. You had to play these stupid games. Hell bitch, if you wanted to join in we might have let you. Up until your true colors came out, we thought you were pretty terrific. But now, you can just kiss my ass!"

Joanie looked around the room and her whole manner changed to a dangerous thoughtfulness.

Tracy stood by Dave, her arm around his waist. "Don't even look at me, bitch, I live here and am learning so much about the neighborhood now. I think it will smell much sweeter after you are gone."

Dave just looked at Joanie with disgust.

She looked at me and I smiled a huge evil smile at her. Cyd was grinning now, taking it all in.

"Just wait until everyone hears about this. You think you can dictate to me. You are worse than anything I've done."

"Oh I wouldn't say that." I said as I slid a picture of her, being ridden by a large pony. I followed it by another of John sucking a cock and getting fucked in the ass at the same time. "Care to see the video?"

"YOU!" She shrieked!

"Hell yes, bitch. I needed to see just what you had and what you have been doing with it."

"You can't do that, what you did is against the law."

"Like your activities have been above reproach, I hacked your site all by my little lonesome. I was in it even before Cyd paid you her visit. You are disgusting and we have all the proof we need. The city is going to be very interested in the laws you broke running this site from home. The cops will be very interested in your blackmail records, all of them."

Cyd smiled, "I would have helped if they needed it, but you set up your system in such an idiotic way. I think your buddy built it that way hoping you would get hacked."

Tracy snickered, but didn't join in."

"Get the fuck out and tell your asshole that the site is down as of now! Plus you have 7 days to sell your fucking house or all this goes to the cops."

"You all did this to us? But . . .” She looked like a suffocating fish.

"It's no worse than what you have been doing to some of our friends and neighbors. You are arrogant and well as stupid. Imagine how your office would love to see this one, or the thousands like it. How about all the blackmail victims discovering that you have lost your teeth? They are going to be very happy."

She shut her mouth with a snap, deflated now of even her anger.

Dave jumped in. "Rob; let's buy their house as our first property."

"That's great idea. OK, bitch. Dave is one of my partners. We'll make an offer of the Fair Market Value for your house. We'll even throw in enough to cover your computer system in the basement. Anything else you are stuck with. That's it, get the fuck out, and go explain to the other bastard the good news! Make sure he understands. One slip and his office, your office, the city, the cops, and all your victims get to pick over your bones."

She stood, turned, and found herself face to face with Amy.

Amy looked up at her; it looked like a rabbit standing up to a bear. Joanie couldn't meet her eyes. "I thought you were so great. I also thought you were my friend." Amy reared back and slapped Joanie right across her face, knocking her to her knees. We were all shocked!

Amy turned her back to Joanie and for a second I thought she might come of the floor at Aim, but all the fight was out of her. She got up slowly, listlessly, and headed out the backdoor with her hand over her cheek.

We started laughing, and that laughter followed Joanie home. Tracy cleared her throat. We all looked; trust Tracy to force us to change gears.

"Last one in the Jacuzzi has to bring drinks." She said it running to the stairs, stripping off clothing as she went.

The rest of us followed in a blizzard of clothing. I'm not sure who was last, but a Guinness appeared in my hand, so I was happy. The six of us squeezed into a four person Jacuzzi, Amy on Tracy's lap, Bren on Dave's, and I got my first good look at a naked Cyd on my lap. We paused, more of a tension breaker than anything.

That was when Aim started crying.

Tracy hugged her close. Amy cried on her shoulder. "It hurts."

"I know, Sexy, she betrayed your trust and friendship."

Amy sniffed, "No, not that. My hand, I think I sprained my wrist hitting her." We all started howling!