World At War

by Dave Willmarth

  “We’re taking a relatively small raid party to the drow strongholds. Almost all adventurers. And some dragons. But I would appreciate it if you’d send a few hundred of your best down to the keep to help defend it, in case there’s an attack while we’re away. And please keep watch on the forest up here as well. The dark forces attacked here once. They may try it again.”

  After sharing some of the fermented goat’s milk with them, he’d returned to the keep.

  The last half of the day before the raid, Alexander gathered all the players together. They sat in the Great Hall with Fitz and the dragons who would accompany them through the dark orb portal. Kai was still nowhere to be seen but Alexander didn’t ask after him. Losing a child wasn’t something anyone got over quickly. The dragon prince and his mate had been quietly huddled around their offspring, and Fibble, since the attack.

  Fitz and Sasha outlined possible battle strategies for inside the drow stronghold. The dragons, all of whom had fought the drow wizards before, shared what they knew of old strategies used by the drow and the ways the dragons and their allies overcame them. Sasha and the players suggested some improvements, trying to think outside the box. They all moved as a group to the new dining area inside the mountain and practiced coordinated fighting techniques for hours, until they felt comfortable that they could respond quickly as a group to most situations. Before they all retired for the evening, Alexander gave each of the dragons a guild dragon pin with the Undying and Healing enchantment.

  Up in their rooms preparing for bed, Jules asked, “How worried are you about tomorrow?”

  Alexander paused, sitting on the bed and unequipping his gear almost without thought. “I’m not worried about us. I’m worried about losing. Losing the battle. Getting any of the dragons killed. Getting our people at the keep killed. I mean, if we wipe… what’s to stop the drow from flooding through the portal while we’re stuck in limbo? I don’t know if our citizens can hold out long enough for us to return, even with the help of the orcs and minotaurs. And certainly they won’t manage it without heavy losses.” His shoulders slumped.

  Jules crawled across the enormous bed and sat behind him. Wrapping both arms around his waist, she leaned into him as she spoke quietly near his ear. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but get your head out of your ass.” She squeezed him tighter as he straightened up and started to turn toward her. “Hush. Just listen. I know you take this seriously. But this is still a game. The citizens are just code. Yes, they are our friends. And they seem as real to me as any friend I’ve ever had in our world. But you cannot make yourself sick worrying about them. The game will kill some of them off. And there won’t be anything you can do about it. Except mourn them afterward.”

  He opened his mouth to argue but she put a finger over his lips. “I’m not done. You and I, all of us players here, we have important things to do. One of them is to raise our sync levels and test the limits of this game, so that the information we help gather can be used to help people like you and me.”

  She let go of him and moved to sit beside him, taking his hand in hers and bumping shoulders with him. “Another is to find this Dark One asshole and shut him down so that he can’t hurt anyone else in the real world. Or ruin the lives of more people he uses in-game. How many people have been arrested now? People who won’t be able to provide for themselves or their families because they followed this dipshit?”

  Alexander shook his head. “Too many.”

  “Right. So in the morning, we go on this raid. We give it our best shot. We hope that none of the dragons get killed. But if they do, you have to let it go. Focus on the fight. On the bigger picture. Get to the ones who can point us to this Dark One, or maybe even find him there. Point him out to Odin and take him down, both here and in the real world.”

  She leaned in and kissed him softly. “But also… maybe have some fun. This is still a game, after all. We’re about to run a raid that nobody has ever done before. I’m betting Brick and Beatrix pass out from the legendary loot drops we’re gonna get.”

  He pulled her close for another, longer kiss. “You’re absolutely right. I’m too far into my own head. All the planning and building I’ve been doing for the kingdom, I sometimes forget I’m not really ‘King of Elysia,’ and you’re not queen.”

  She smacked him lightly and gave him a pouty face. “Oh, I am totally a queen! My boyfriend is the richest kid on earth. We live in a castle atop a mountain with its own army and thousands of peasants just waiting to do our bidding.” She gave him a wicked grin.

  “Ha! Okay, Your Majesty. We need to get some sleep. Raid in T-minus ten hours. And take it easy with the ‘peasants’ talk. They can’t hear you in here because of the privacy lock, but if you said that elsewhere, you might find your pod filled with itching powder or something.”

  He leaned back and placed his head on a pillow as Jules moved to lay at his side. They chatted for a few minutes more before Alexander heard a snore from Jules. He smiled and closed his eyes, sleep finding him much more slowly.

  *****

  Matt sat in his recliner, the only light in the house coming from the burner phone in his hand. A message had just come in from his operative inside Olympus.

  “Got your message. Safe spot for now. Want to talk?”

  Talking for any length of time was risky. If the Jupiter Tech people were onto him, they could trace the call within minutes. But the recent odd messages had him burning with both curiosity and fear. And all his plans for taking down the Greystones hinged upon the destruction of at least part of Olympus and the deaths of Richard, Michael, and most especially Alexander.

  He dialed the number and initiated the call. The phone rang once before the voice on the other end said, “Hello.”

  Matt wasted no time. “What is your situation?”

  “Stable, for now. Though security seems to be tightening. They’ve begun pulling people in for interviews, but as far as I can tell they are just fishing. The questions have been vague and don’t seem to be targeted at you or me.”

  “And the explosives?” Matt’s voice was tight, every second that passed being counted in his head.

  “Buried still. They’ve had bomb-sniffing dogs going through the compound around the clock. Too dangerous to move the explosives inside right now.” The voice on the other end of the phone was barely a loud whisper.

  “How long till you can place the bombs?” Matt was beginning to sweat.

  “Once it’s clear to grab the stuff and bring it in, I can have them placed in a day. Maybe less. Depends on the security level at the time. But I need to know where you want them.”

  “Primary targets are the servers and the Greystones. Use what you need to make sure of them. Everything else… place them where they’ll kill the most people. Use your best judgement.” After a moment’s thought, he said, “If you can bring down the tower and still accomplish the rest, do it.”

  The only response was the sound of the call disconnecting. Matt quickly shut off his phone and removed the battery. He thought about destroying it altogether, but replacing it was risky. He’d have to wait until one of his people stopped by and instruct them to get him another burner or two. With Jupiter Tech security, the police, the FBI, and who knew who else all looking for him, it wasn’t safe for him to show his face anywhere any more.

  After a quick trip to the bathroom to take care of necessities, he settled back into his recliner and reached for his headset.

  *****

  Richard’s phone buzzed at him while he was watching Alexander’s feed. Annoyed because he’d been told he didn’t want to be disturbed, he glanced at his wrist. Seeing the call was from Talbott, the head of Jupiter Tech security, he immediately answered.

  “What’s wrong?” He knew Talbott wouldn’t have interrupted him if it weren’t important. And these days, important meant bad.

  “Matt called his mole a few minutes ago. We got a lock on the location here in the compound. My guys are almost there.
The FBI is closing in on the location the call originated from. It didn’t last long enough for an exact pinpoint. But they’ve got plainclothes agents in unmarked cars searching the area.”

  Richard was already out of his chair and moving toward the elevator. “Where in the compound? I’m on my way.”

  Talbott’s voice hesitated. “Richard, no. It may not be safe. They might have a weapon, or explosives. Or both. Let my guys get things under control. Please, just stay where you are for a few more minutes and let me do my job.”

  Richard kept walking and stepped into the elevator. He practically growled his response. “Fine. I’ll wait in the lobby. But tell me where they are.”

  Again, there was a delay before Talbott answered. Richard was about to repeat the question when the man said, “Med labs. We think, specifically, the lab Jules’ pod is in.”

  Richard’s blood ran cold and his face turned ghostly white as the elevator doors closed and Heimdall began its descent toward the lobby. Images of the destroyed lab with body parts strewn about from the bomb that went off in Dayle’s pod momentarily blinded him. He reached out and put a hand on the wall to steady himself. He could hear Talbott’s voice, but the words had no meaning right then.

  The elevator came to halt at the lobby level and Richard’s knees nearly buckled. The doors opened and two security guards rushed in to prop him up and lead him to a seating area. The whole time, the concerned guards and Bethany were asking him if he was injured or unwell. The receptionist looked nearly panicked as he stared into her face, not really present in the moment. All he could think of was having to tell Alexander that Jules was dead.

  He blinked a few times and took a deep breath. The sounds of the room around him came rushing back. He held up his hands to settle the people around him and managed to say, “I’m fine. I’m okay. Thank you.” The guards straightened up and looked relieved, both speaking into their mics to update their boss.

  But Talbott was still on the phone with Richard. He’d been listening, and he understood the man’s reaction. “Richard, you back with me now?”

  “Yes. Tell me.” Richard took another deep breath. His inner voice kept telling him it was okay, he’d not heard an explosion yet.

  “My men are there. They’ve taken and isolated six people in Jules’ lab and those on either side. They’re all med techs who are supposed to be there. My guys have moved them out of the labs into the corridor and are searching them now. Hold one moment.”

  Richard sat on the sofa in his lobby and stared out the window. Directly in his line of sight was the gate that Delbert Simms and his friends tried to penetrate with a car bomb. Repairs had been made and there was no physical sign of the incident. But his mind’s eye showed him the twisted wreckage and the torn bodies from that night. He took a few more deep breaths. His body and soul wanted to get up, to run to the elevator to make sure Jules and his people were safe. But he gritted his teeth and squeezed the arm of the sofa until it creaked.

  Talbott’s voice came again. “We’ve got her. It was one of the techs. She had the burner phone on her. No weapon. My guys are searching the lab for any explosives now. I’ll let you know when it’s safe to come down.”

  Richard shook his head. “No. Bring her to my office. Have one of your female officers strip search her first. Check every stitch of her clothes. Throw some scrubs on her and bring her to me. Do what you can to scare the shit out of her. Her life is over. Make sure she knows it.”

  Richard didn’t wait for a response. He ended the call and got to his feet. He paced back and forth for a few moments before looking up. He saw a look of astonishment on Bethany’s face. Realizing she and the guards had heard what he’d said, he looked from Bethany to the two guards. Both gave him small nods of respect.

  Bethany stammered, “Are… you going to kill someone?” She took an unconscious step backward as she asked.

  Richard held up his hands. “No, of course not. But she doesn’t need to know that. We just caught a mole working for Matt, the man who set off the bomb here and who has been sending people to attack us. When I said her life is over, I meant that she’ll spend the rest of it in jail. Or she may be executed by the state for murder if they can tie her directly to the previous bomb.”

  Bethany’s eyes grew wider and wider as Richard spoke. When he added, “They caught her in Jules’ lab,” the receptionist sat in a chair behind her and covered her mouth with her hands. Richard placed a comforting hand on her shoulder for a moment, then left her to step back into the elevator.

  Michael was waiting for him when he reached his office. “I heard. Let’s hope she’s the only one. Do we know her name yet?”

  Richard shook his head. He quickly dialed the HR office and asked who was on duty observing Jules’ pod right then. He put the call on speaker so Michael could hear.

  The HR director’s voice came back a moment later. “Her name is Jenni. Been with us for six years. Promoted twice. Asked specifically to be put on Jules’ team.”

  Richard cut her off. “Send her file to me. Now. She’s just been detained by security. Found a phone on her she’s been using to communicate with Matt.”

  The woman on the other end of the phone just said, “Oh, shit,” and a moment later Richard’s watch dinged at him, indicating he had email. He thanked the woman and hung up. A wave of his hand displayed the mole’s file in hologram form above his desk. There was a photo of a young woman in her late twenties or very early thirties. Blonde hair, bright smile. Below the photo was a summary of her HR file, including her address, next of kin, and known associates. That last bit had been added when security had vetted all of the employees after the first attack.

  The two men were silently reviewing the information when Heimdall informed them, “Chief Talbott is bringing his prisoner up now. They will arrive in approximately one minute.”

  “Thank you, Heimdall,” Richard said absently as he took a seat behind his desk. Michael moved to stand behind him at his right shoulder, leaning back against a bookcase with his arms crossed. Both men adopted their most intimidating looks as the elevator doors opened.

  *****

  Chapter 10

  Fight or Die

  Alexander was awakened by a foot to the face. Not a kick, precisely. Just Jules’ pink bunnymonster foot shoving at his jaw as she adjusted herself in her sleep. Somehow, she had managed to get turned head over heels in the giant bed and seemed to be dreaming. Like a dog chasing a dream squirrel, her feet were twitching.

  Since she was also smiling, Alexander decided not to wake her. She deserved as many pleasant dreams as she could get. He rose and grabbed a quick shower before equipping all his gear. Today was raid day, and he could already feel the butterflies in his gut.

  He reached out and gently nudged the still-sleeping Jules. She growled at him in her sleep and rolled away. Unfortunately, that roll took her over the edge of the bed to land with a thump on the floor. There was some soft cursing and grumpy complaints, and her head popped up above the bed. Seeing him grinning, Jules grumped, “What the hell?”

  Alexander adopted his most innocent face. “Don’t look at me. I just rubbed your shoulder a bit to wake you up. You rolled yourself off the bed.”

  She eyed him suspiciously as she got to her feet. He took a few steps around the bed, raising his arms in anticipation of a hug, but she stepped warily to the side and moved around him to the bathroom. He just chuckled and headed for breakfast.

  Most of the other players were already there when he arrived. The anticipation of the raid, the chance to get a First Kill and the rewards that came with it had them all pumped and ready to go. Alexander grabbed some food and sat next to Helga. “You ready to kill stuff?”

  She grinned at him, fire in her eyes. “I spent half the night polishing my baby here.” She reached up and patted the enchanted sword on her back. Alexander couldn’t help but remember she’d used that sword to remove his head not so long ago.

  “I have a feeling you’re going
to get more than your share of mobs to kill today.” He paused as he looked around. Jules had just arrived and it looked like all the players were present. Minus those who would be coming from the guild complex in Antalia. He walked over to the portal and opened it. Martin and a dozen or so of the players they’d recruited into the guild stepped through. They followed him back to the dining area and took seats. Several grabbed some food and drink for the buffs.

  Standing up on the bench, he called out, “Listen up, folks. We’re about to head out. Fitz says the portal will likely take us straight to one of the drow wizard’s strongholds.”

  He paused as there were cheers and excited shouts. “Be on your toes. We might walk into an ambush. There will be lots of mobs to kill, and probably bosses, too. The loot’s going to be epic!” He waited for the group to quiet down again.

  “But I want you to remember, this isn’t just a raid. We’ve got citizens to protect. Most especially those who are coming with us on this raid.” The crowd grew silent. “If you have a choice between killing a mob and saving one of our citizens, you save them. Even if you have to sacrifice yourself to do it. We can worry about the mobs after. You are all expendable. Our citizens are not.”

  Everyone nodded agreement and Alexander stepped down. Helga grunted at him, her version of a respectful gesture. Lyra, who was sitting across from them, said, “Dayle would have loved this.” All eyes went to her as a lone tear ran down her cheek.

  Warren patted her back and said, “Yeah. He’d be the first one to dash forward and do something idiotic to grab aggro.” He paused to remember, then chuckled, “He used to make these farting noises, then wave his hand in front of his nose and accuse the mobs. It was so stupid… but it worked!”

  Helga raised her mug of coffee high into the air. “To Dayle!”

  The other players all got to their feet and raised drinks and answered, “To Dayle!”

  As they were all taking their seats again, their UIs lit up with a message.