by Anthea Sharp
“Miss Carter, your father has arrived home,” HANA, the house network, announced. “You are expected to appear for dinner in five minutes.”
“All right. On my way.” She closed the book she hadn’t been reading and went to wash her hands.
When she got downstairs, she found Dad waiting for her in the dining room. He gave her a tired smile and the usual hug.
“Hi, Dad,” she said, biting her tongue to keep from commenting on how wrecked he looked.
“How was your day?” he asked.
It was what he always asked, and usually she replied with some vague, positive-sounding answer. This time, though, it was the perfect opening to find out more about Roy Lassiter. Roy, and his weird ability to make everyone like him.
“Good.” She sat down and pulled her napkin across her lap. “We got a new student today - Roy Lassiter. Weren’t you saying they just moved into The View?”
“Yes. Dr. Lassiter has the big house at the very back of the development.”
Jennet nodded. The homes in the company compound were all big, but the Lassiter’s was huge - more like a palace than a house.
“Is it just her and her son?”
“I believe so.” Dad nodded as Tony, the chef, brought out their first course. “She has a husband, but he stayed behind to finish up his own work. And there’s a daughter, off at college.”
That huge house, for only two people?
Jennet glanced around their spacious dining room and swallowed a dry laugh. Like she should talk. Compared to Tam’s tiny house - with three people living in two rooms - her house was on par with the Lassiter’s. Sometimes her life pricked her uncomfortably, especially since she’d gotten to know Tam.
Tony slid a bowl of soup in front of her, rich red with a spicy-sweet aroma. Her favorite - tomato-basil. She took a spoonful, trying to frame her next question.
“How involved is Dr. Lassiter with the Full-D development… and Feyland?” She hoped her voice sounded casual.
Dad gave her a sharp look. “It’s the company’s number-one project. She keeps a close eye on our progress. In fact, now that she’s here, things are moving forward quickly. She’s brought a new content developer on board to finish up the programming. Mr. Chon. He’s got an excellent background in game design.”
“Oh.” Jennet set down her spoon.
The original designer of Feyland had been her dad’s good friend, Thomas Rimer, who had been like an uncle to her. But he had died, with Feyland still incomplete. A shiver scraped the back of her neck. Had Thomas known what he had been creating, or had he only understood at the very end?
Her dad pinched the bridge of his nose. “No one can ever replace Thomas - we both know that. Still, he laid enough of the groundwork that Mr. Chon expects to finish up the programming soon.”
“Soon?” Fear zinged through her. “But… I thought you were re-testing the hardware.” Not that they’d find anything, but she’d been counting on having more time.
“We’ve just finished running people through the sports-sims on the newest Full-D prototype.” He shook his head. “I tried to extend the trial, but Dr. Lassiter took a look at the tests and said the data was sufficient. There were no issues whatsoever, even with excessive usage.”
“Dad, playing virtual ping-pong isn’t even close to entering Feyland! Look at what happened to Thomas, to Tam.”
“I’m concerned, too - in fact, I brought this up with Dr. Lassiter as soon as she arrived, asking for more time to troubleshoot the system.”
“How could she say no? The problems are obvious!”
He let out a heavy breath. “She made it very clear that the project has been delayed too long already - and that if I kept pushing, I could find myself out of a job.”
“What?” Jennet set her water glass down, hard. Liquid sloshed over the side, darkening the white tablecloth. “But… you’re the heart of the program, Dad. You and Thomas - ”
“Thomas is gone.” He looked suddenly weary beyond words. “Dr. Lassiter doesn’t see any problems. She explained to me - very patronizingly - that Thomas was dying of cancer, regardless of whether or not he played a computer game. And Tam, well, we have no idea what kinds of toxins he’s been exposed to, growing up in the Exe. There’s no direct evidence that their problems were caused by Feyland.”
A hot beast of anger rose up inside her. “Then what about me? Your own daughter? Where did these scars come from?”
She thrust her hands out, palms up. Despite the wonders of plas-skin, she would always bear the memory of Feyland, burned dark red against her skin.
He squeezed his eyes closed for a second, but not before she saw the pain reflected there. When he spoke, his voice was low and defeated.
“VirtuMax has put too much into this project, Jen. They won’t stop now, not without compelling evidence that the game is harmful. Harmful to many players, not just one.”
“So what, I’m statistically insignificant?” Bitterness rose up in her throat. “Why can’t you do something?”
He was her dad. He was supposed to be all-powerful, supposed to protect her. Though that hadn’t stopped her mother from taking off, never to be seen again, when Jennet was a kid. She should know better than to feel this bewildered hurt. Heat pricking behind her eyes, she turned her hands back over, resting her marked palms on the white tablecloth.
“Short of corporate espionage, I’m doing what I can,” Dad said. “Putting the brakes on as much as possible - but this is what the company’s been working toward for years. I can’t stop it, any more than an ant could stop a bulldozer.”
Espionage. She swallowed. Was there any way she and Tam could somehow smuggle explosives into VirtuMax headquarters? The idea flickered through her, then died. The last thing they needed was to be arrested for terrorism. Even if they managed to do some damage, that would only delay things, not halt the project altogether.
“So. What’s next?” The words were dry in her mouth.
“As soon as Chon finishes up the programming, they’ll begin play testing. It’ll be closed beta, with handpicked players.”
“And after that?” She clenched her hands into nervous fists.
“They start shipping. The pre-orders for the Full-D have been incredible.” He shook his head.
“How long…” She cleared her throat. “How long before you think the game will be released?”
“Two months, barring any more technical glitches.”
Two months. Her lungs clenched and she had to force herself to breathe normally. She couldn’t believe that maiming and comas counted as ‘technical glitches.’
Tony came in and silently took their used dishes away, then returned with plates of Fettuccine Alfredo. Jennet poked at the pasta with her fork. It was usually one of her favorites, but tonight her stomach was full of leaden worry, not hunger.
Two months. The only thing she had to go on was a hunch about Roy Lassiter. A hunch that, somehow, had to turn into a plan.
“Um, Dad. Does anyone else besides us have a Full-D system? I mean, outside of the company headquarters.”
Dad rubbed his cheek. “Well. I suppose Mr. Chon was given one, now that he’s lead designer. And Dr. Lassiter, or course. She’s very particular about that, collects every VirtuMax system designed to-date. And I hear she likes to provide the members of her family with top-end gear - even before release.”
Heart sinking, Jennet counted. With the prototype systems, there must be at least three Full-D setups at the Lassiter’s.
She and Dad had two systems - but it had only taken one to suck her into Feyland. She shivered, cold with memory.
A fantastical clearing, silvered by moonlight, where fey creatures danced around a bonfire. The haunting beauty of the Dark Queen, diamonds like stars caught in her midnight hair. A sphere filled with orange flames, while Jennet’s own heart wrenched in two. A red-hot bar of iron clasped between her hands. Burning. Burning.
She shuddered. The CEO had multiple Full-D sim-systems
at home. Multiple entries into Feyland.
What were the chances Roy Lassiter had been in-game? And what had he found there?
CHAPTER THREE - THE BRIGHT COURT
School the next day was a repeat of the Roy Lassiter show - with one severe exception. Instead of joining them for lunch, Marny sat at the head table, with Roy. Granted, there were a lot of other kids there too, but something was wrong if even Marny had fallen under Roy Lassiter’s spell. Whatever kind of spell it was.
Jennet swallowed, shards of fear scraping her throat. There was only one place she knew of where magic was real - and Roy had access to it.
“I asked my Dad a bunch of questions last night,” she said to Tam as he set his lunch tray on the table.
“And?” He sat across from her and rested his chin on his fist, as though his head was too heavy to hold up.
“And… Roy’s mom has three models of the Full-D system at home.”
“Crap.” He straightened and glanced at the front of the cafeteria. “Is Lassiter a gamer?”
“I don’t know.”
“We need to find out.”
“I don’t think we can just go up and ask him about his gaming experience, do you? At least, not if we want a real answer.”
She followed Tam’s gaze to the table, which was packed with students listening to Roy talk. Whatever he was saying, it looked like everyone thought it was fascinating. Why were she and Tam unaffected by the new student’s charm?
“Anyway,” she continued, “we have more serious problems. Dad said VirtuMax is pushing for the Full-D system - with Feyland - to launch in two months.”
“What? They can’t do that!” Tam’s face tightened with worry. “Especially after the terrible stuff that’s happened.”
Exasperation sharpened her words. “Apparently the company can’t let little things like death and comas stand in the way of profit.”
“Your dad must have something to say about this.” Tam leaned forward, his voice urgent. “He’s seen the damage, up close. He has to stop VirtuMax from releasing the game.”
She clasped her hands together under the table. It had been nearly three weeks, but the skin of her palms was still tender. The doctors said she might not get her fingerprints back.
“Dad’s doing what he can,” she said. “He comes home from work every day, frustrated beyond words. But Dr. Lassiter is convinced the Full-D is safe to use. And the company techs inspected each wire and element of the prototype systems we used, Tam. They didn’t find a single thing wrong.”
“Because there’s nothing wrong with the hardware, Jennet!”
“I know that. But I can’t convince Dad the game itself is at fault, and there’s no proof. Of anything.”
“Damn.” Tam raked a hand through his hair.
She caught the haunted look in his eyes, and knew it mirrored hers. Feyland was dangerous, and they were powerless to stop it.
The bell blared, and she frowned down at her half-eaten lunch.
“Meet me after school,” Tam said. “I have an idea.”
Tam waited for Jennet outside, leaning against the eroded brick wall and trying not to act like it was holding him up. He was tired - but he couldn’t give in to his exhaustion. As soon as Jennet walked out of the building, he straightened. The narrowing of her eyes showed she wasn’t fooled.
“Maybe we should talk another time,” she said.
“Meaning?” He slanted her a glance from under his hair.
“Meaning you look like you’re about to fall over.”
“I’m fine.”
She set one hand to her hip. “Tam, it’s me, remember? I know how you feel - I’ve been there myself. Quit being so drastically stoic.”
“Alright - I’m not feeling great.” He gave up on trying to seem lively. “But I’m ok for now. And I have a plan.”
“Sit down, then, and I’ll listen.”
He looked around, at the tail end of students leaving school, then picked up his backpack. “Not here. Let’s walk.”
Jennet pointed with her chin as a flash of red sped past. “There goes Roy Lassiter in his new grav-car.”
“Who’s that with him, in the passenger seat? Long black hair.”
Jennet squinted at the receding vehicle. “Keeli, I think.”
Another Viewer. Of course.
Lassiter had everything - fancy grav-car, privilege, all the status money could buy. And he lived in the compound, practically next door to Jennet. Jealousy curdled through Tam. There was no way he could compete with Lassiter - and he was planning to put Jennet right in the guy’s path. Yeah, a flawless idea.
He hunched his shoulders against the late-November wind, and headed down the street. Beside him, Jennet kept pace. Her pale hair blew around her face, until she pulled it back and tucked it into the hood of her coat.
“So, what’s your plan?” she asked.
“We need to find out if Lassiter’s a gamer. The way that people are acting around him - it’s not normal. Why are we the only people who aren’t affected by his charm, or whatever-it-is? What if it’s connected with the game, and that’s why we’re immune?”
“I hate to say it - but the thought crossed my mind, too.” She drew her brows together. “Still, it doesn’t make sense. The Dark Queen tried to kill us, not make us the most popular kids in school.”
Tam jammed his hands into his pockets. “Yeah, but we lost. What if Lassiter won? What if he got a real-world prize for beating the queen?”
“Could he be such a flawless player - so much better than us?” She shook her head. “I don’t buy it.”
“We’re going to find out. Grab that fancy tablet of yours and message him. Tell him to meet us at Zeg’s sim-café.”
Her eyes widened. “Seriously? You’re taking me to Zeg’s?”
He knew she’d wanted to see the cafe, although it wasn’t the kind of place Viewers went. Ratty around the edges, with older gear - at first he’d been afraid she’d scorn it. Zeg’s was way too important to him. Now, though, he trusted her.
“I’d like to see what Lassiter’s got,” he said, “but in neutral territory. We can test him - see if he’s a top-notch player. If he has what it takes to beat the Dark Queen.”
“But… why would he even come?”
Tam stopped and just looked at her a moment - her intelligent blue eyes, her pale skin and high cheekbones, the silken beauty of her hair.
“You’re cute,” he said at last. “No way Lassiter hasn’t noticed you.”
Pink flushed into her cheeks. “Really? You think so?”
Her good looks were so obvious. He didn’t know how she could pass a mirror and not know. Of course, he liked her for way more than that. She was brave, and smart, and a prime gamer, all rolled into one flawless package.
“Completely.” He set one hand on her shoulder. “Lassiter would be an idiot not to see it. So, message him. Tell him one of the locals says he’s nothing but talk, and is challenging him to a sim duel. Give him the co-ords to Zeg’s. He’ll come.”
Tam swallowed, trying to ease his sense of dark foreboding. He hoped to hell this wasn’t going to backfire all over him.
CHAPTER FOUR - THE BRIGHT COURT
Jennet’s cheeks were still warm as Tam dropped his hand from her shoulder. He thought she was cute - had actually shed some of his skittishness and touched her! Hope kindled a bright flame in her chest.
“Anyway,” he said, “we’re almost at Zeg’s. You can message Lassiter from there.”
He turned and started walking, and she hurried to catch up. It meant a lot - not only that touch, but that he was letting her see Zeg’s. She knew how important the sim-café was to him.
From what she could piece together, Tam had learned to sim on Zeg’s equipment. Once he’d gotten good, Zeg had let him play for free, since people would come in just to watch him.
Tam was one of the best simmers she knew. Okay, the best. He’d won the regional tournament last year, and had a good chance at tak
ing Nationals. If he’d gone. He didn’t talk about it, but she was certain his wreck of a mom had something to do with him missing the tournament.
“Here we are,” Tam said, holding open the door.
Zeg’s Game Parlor was written across the large window, and a gust of warm, coffee-scented air met her as she stepped over the threshold. The place was filled with the hum and ping of games - one side devoted to netscreens, the corner crammed with moto-sense setups. The wall by the door was covered with posters of celebrity simmer Spark Jaxley, her signature magenta hair blowing in a cyber-breeze.
A man looked up at them from behind the counter. He had long brown hair and a beard that melded together into a frizzy halo around his face.
“Hey, Tam! Good to see you,” he said. “Heard you were in rough shape for a bit.”
“Yeah.” Tam didn’t elaborate. “Zeg, this is Jennet. She’s a simmer, too.”
“Cool.” Zeg pursed his lips and nodded at her. “Sim-systems are in the back. Tam’ll show you. Don’t bet against him - you’ll lose.”
“I’m not planning on it,” she said.
“A girl with sense.” Zeg winked at her. “You kids want some coffee? Tea?”
“Um…” She glanced at Tam.
“Sure,” Tam said. “Your mint blend, ok?”
“I’m happy to pay, if you want to scan my chip…” Jennet lifted her wrist, her implant catching the blue light from a nearby netscreen.
Zeg looked at her arm. His eyebrows twitched into a frown, and he shook his head. “Nah, Tam’s cred is good.”
“Next time, then.” She didn’t want to coast indefinitely on Tam’s reputation.
“Come on,” Tam said. “You can message Lassiter from the back.”
He led the way to a second room that held a half-dozen sim-systems with color-coded chairs, helmets, and gloves. The equipment was scuffed and stained, eons behind the Full-D, but she didn’t say anything. Then again, if they played here they wouldn’t run the risk of getting their souls sucked out, or being chased and mangled by demon hounds.
She leaned back against the blue sim chair and pulled out her tablet. It didn’t take long to craft a message to Roy and send it - but she wasn’t nearly as confident as Tam that he would show.
