Dumas snorted when Chester mentioned giving him a private performance.  “As it happens, I linger in my lonely box every night, hoping you’ll drop by after your last show.  But by the time you finally work your way through your horde of groupies, it’s nearly noon.  Even the hunkiest security guard needs to go home and sleep before that.”<br/><br/>‘Horde’ was probably an exaggeration, but Chester did have quite the fanbase.  And why not?  He was charismatic, talented, and confident to the point of cockiness.  Dumas had never quite figured out how seriously Chester regarded any of his fawning admirers.  But then, he’d never quite figured out how seriously Chester regarded anything at all.<br/><br/>As the cat watched him with its upside down face, Dumas fought the urge to compensate by twisting his own head.  The impromptu tune, like most things about Chester, was clever and amusing.  Dumas knew from past experience that he would probably find himself humming it later that night.  He’d always admired Chester’s creativity and ability to improvise -- traits which he himself lacked.<br/><br/>However, Chester’s accusation about being ‘an item’ with DEE hit uncomfortably close to home.  Not that Dumas was sexually involved with the security system -- was that even possible?  But DEE seemed closer to him than any of his human friends, or even the members of his own flesh and blood family.  How could he not be, when they shared every passing thought?  Sometimes having that level of intimacy with a machine troubled Dumas.  A machine that he didn’t even own, that could be taken from him any time Red decided she preferred a different head of security.  And then what?  However, Dumas wasn’t about to let Chester watch him squirm.  “Yeah, you got me.  While everyone else is drinking and dancing, I’m down here doing the nasty with a hologram of myself.”  Stretching out in the chair, Dumas released a deep yawn.  “God, I wish my sex life was actually that fulfilling.”<br/><br/>Out of the corner of his eye, Dumas noticed that Mari’s image had once again appeared on a screen.  DEE was usually skittish and quiet around Chester.  After all, the magician was also a talented hacker.  Dumas supposed that DEE felt the same way about Chester that a human would feel about anyone capable of seriously fucking with their brain.  But apparently something had stirred the security system to action.  Dumas shook his head as he watched the hostess pop a pill before returning to work.  Then he regarded Chester’s avatar with serious expression.  “We have to do something about this.  It’s not safe for a girl like that to wander around, not remembering half the things she does.  What if she has a brain tumor?  Or someone’s drugging her?”