Another night, just like most of the rest had gone lately. Silence echoing through the halls of the darkened penthouse. Vinny stretched out on the couch looking up through the skylights at the stars of Rhydin. It was rare that he could pull himself together enough to leave the building since his return. Sure, there had been going to the rings once or twice, and sometimes a quick visit to the inn, but it wasn't like the old days where he could be up all night partying. Different people, different faces...everything just felt different. Almost everyone was known through the eyes and ears of his double. And that was hardly a good impression of people to have of him. A womanizing, drinking, rich playboy.

Without moving from the couch, he called out. "Mike" I could use a sounding board right now."

Mike's voice came in through the intercom system. He was always listening, except when told specifically not to. "Feeling existential again? This seems to be your normal state ever since you got back. Actually, I've come to believe it's a common state of any Smith iteration that's existed. You all think too much. Comes from knowing too much about this world, and others."

"Point being" Anyone who bothered to step back and take a look around them could see that we're all just ants on the farm. Do you have any idea how depressing it is to wake up in the morning and know that you're just a puppet on someone's string" And you can't even see, hear, or get more than a vaguest comprehension of the puppeteer." He let out a deep sigh as his arms folded behind his head.

"No, I don't know what it's like. I'm a computer. Means I don't 'sleep' in a conventional sense. Wondering if you're in full control of your capacities like this is a lot like blaming God for natural disasters. Whether or not God actually did it, it happened and you have to deal with it. Like your being gone for three years and finding the thing that took your place turning your image and reputation into a twisted reflection of itself. Not like you can go back in time and change it. At least unless you got some new power that I'm not aware of. The question is, 'What are you going to do now"'"

"Mike, for a computer, you are one of the most exasperating things I have even known. You've got the ability to be right, even when you totally miss my point." Putting his feet on the carpet, he got up and walked over to the kitchen. Going into the fridge, he pulled out a glass of ice water. An odd premonition washed over him as he took a sip. "Mike, what have you done now?"

"I sent off a request to have you included in the charity date auction. If you're not going to get out more, I'm going to make you get out."

Who needed a parent when Mike was around? "I swear, someday I'm going to rip out your wires and stick a virus in your system......" Once again, the computer had established the upper hand. It was slightly annoying to admit, even internally, that he was right once again. And who knew, he might even enjoy himself.

Dingdong dingding.....Good Morning.

Vinny slapped his alarm off and got out of bed, washing up and getting dressed for the days activities. Typical morning he hoped. Look like he was doing something important when he was really just slacking off. Grabbing a glass of orange juice out of the fridge, he made sure he had nothing too important to do. "Mike? Check my schedule. If I have anything at all, reschedule it for some other time. I plan on going off in the woods today."

"Ok boss. I'll tell that guy who was going to meet you about that thing that time that you'll get back to him on the second Tuesday of next week."

"Right. So nothing was planned. You know how to get ahold of me if needed." He headed down in the elevator and made some small talk with the people in the lobby before heading out. As soon as he was through the door, there was a little man in a black suit waiting for him. He tensed up a bit, not really sure what was going to happen. A spell ready to blow things up as the man reached into his pocket and pulled out....a letter.

"Mr. Smith' I was instructed to deliver this personally to you. The desk staff wouldn't let me up to your room, so I just decided to wait down here until you came out. I was told you could guess by the handwriting who this is from. Now, with my job done, you'll have to excuse me." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Vinny with the envelope.

He looked down at it, the handwriting giving him a sense of dread. He knew this couldn't be good. Slowly, he opened it up. There was only one line, but it was enough to make him start cursing aloud. Anything but this. He'd rather have to deal with his evil clone. Or a death match with Anubis. Yes, death would be preferable to this.

His parents were coming over for dinner.