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The newcomer—Rick—returned the smile with one that looked substantially htly relieved “Ah, Buffy,” he said “You,your boyfriend’s clothes again I hope this one is at least a Catholic?”

“That’s betweenhilasses far enough down my nose to make my expression plain “I take it you two know each other?”

“No, I just call every strange blonde I see ‘Buffy’ You’d be aht” He offered his hand Buffy snorted, amusement evident, and retreated to her closet

I could pursue that line of questioning later “Well, you’ve tagged our Fictional, and I know you knoho I am Care to even the odds?” I took his hand and shook it

His grip was firm, but not overly so “Richard Cousins—Rick to h I’istered with Talking Points and Unvarnished Truth”

“Huh,” I said, releasing his hand Talking Points and Unvarnished Truth are two of the larger blogger databases; anyone can register a bias page with thenal-to-noise ratio is surprisingly good, largely because they self-police on a constant basis, looking for people who clai another “License level?”

“A-15 Wag your boy” He produced a data pad from inside his coat “My credentials are there and ready for link, along with my most recent medical records and blood test results”

“Fabulous” I slid the data pad into the docking slot on my terminal Files promptly filled my screen I skimmed them as I unhooked the pad and passed it back to hio, but you’re already reporting at an A-15 level? I don’t knohether that’s impressive or suicidal”

“I vote ‘blackmailed the license committee,’ ” contributed Shaun

“Actually—” said Rick

“Open the file on his printfro Won’t it, Ricky?”

“Print azines?”

“Try newspapers,” said Buffy, eyes on Rick I had to give hirace, and he wasn’t squirolden oldie”

“Newspapers,” I repeated, disbelieving, and pulled up the next page in his file The rest of his credentials filled the screen I slid o—Buffy’s right Staff writer, St Paul Herald, five years Field reporter, the Minnesota News, three years How old are you?”

“My recertification to virtual , “And I’ot on by waiting for her to realize Ry her ah” Relasses, I looked from Rick to Buffy and back “What’s the story, you two?”

“Richard ‘Rick’ Cousins, Newsie, stated biases are left-wing De any lines into actual psychosis, solid writer, good with deadlines, not too adept at use of iery, and the bastard beat o,” Buffy said