by Adam Myhr
Alpha Test Subject #3435
A Roguelike LitRPG Adventure
Adam Myhr
Copyright © 2017 Green Giraffe Publishing LLC
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author – except for brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the authors imagination and should not be misconstrued as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, businesses, and individuals, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
For my family - thank you for standing with me.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Afterword
About the Author
Acknowledgments
One
“Frank? Franklin H.?”
I put down the magazine I’d been skimming and waved as I stood up.
“Right this way sir.”
I felt like everyone in the lobby watched as I went through the doorway to the back room. Hell, I’d watched the people in front of me go through it, so they probably did. I tried not to let it bother me, but as an extreme introvert I let out a sigh of relief when the door closed behind me.
“Everything OK?”
“I’m good.” I wasn’t. This trial had to work. I was in a rough spot and needed the money badly. Like many college students, I struggled to make a buck. I’d turned to being a test subject in hopes of pulling in a little cash, but time after time they rejected me. This was the first study which accepted me. My parent’s money was running out, and I couldn’t afford school much longer.
I’m glad to hear that.” The nurse indicated a short hallway. “We’re going to stop here and get your resting vitals.”
The hallway opened to a small room containing two chairs, a scale, and a toilet-sized corner closed off by a curtain. I stepped in and to the side, pausing and looking to the nurse for my next move.
“I’ll need you to remove your shirt, shoes, and socks. If you have an undershirt, I’ll need you to remove that as well.” She pointed to the corner, “You can pull the curtain closed if you’d like.”
I stepped to the corner while she sat down at a small desk and started tapping away at a computer. Not seeing the point of the curtain, I removed my shirt and slung it over the other chair. I sat down and took my shoes off, putting my socks inside.
“Ready? Great. Please stand up; I’ll need to place these sensors on you.” She held a handful of small wires, each with a disk at one end. “The sensors stay with you when we go back to the testing room.”
I stood back up and moved to the middle of the room for her. She proceeded to plaster my upper body with two dozen sensors. She then pulled a bundle of colored cables from the wall and started hooking the leads to them.
“Just another minute Frank, or do you prefer Franklin? In here we’re going to get your normal resting vitals. We’ll use that as a baseline, monitoring changes while you’re in the simulation.”
“Frank is fine. I read the info before signing the release.”
“Of course, you did. I’m just reminding you, in case you’d forgotten.”
“People forget?”
“Not really.” She sighed, “Most people don’t read the info we give them.” She went back to the computer and tapped out a command.
I could see that. The trial info and acceptance paperwork were extremely generic. I knew I was in for a simulation of some sort, but that was it. Chatter about the trial was also non-existent. When I signed the NDA, I understood why. It was intense, and even admitting to my friend Vinny I’d been accepted to the trial, while allowed, made me nervous. A mechanical whir from behind startled me. When I turned to look, I saw a small platform protruding from under the chair, two foot-shaped depressions in it.
“Please have a seat and place your feet in the holes.”
I sat down nervously, the cool metal of the platform sending shivers up my spine.
“Now, relax. Look at the screen across the room. What would you like to watch?”
“Sorry, this is my first clinical trial. Can I watch a live feed of the Mars base?”
“No problem. Whatever you use to unwind at the end of the day.” She tapped away at the computer, and the Mars base came into view on the screen. “I’ll be back in a bit.” She left me to the Mars base.
“Thanks.” I leaned back and watched the crew. They were in the middle of checking readings from various radiation detection stations around the planet. The past two years had seen some reduction in radiation due to atmospheric modifications. Scientists projected radiation would lower enough within ten years to allow custom engineered plant life to flourish on the surface.
About half an hour later she came back. “How’s it going, Frank? Are you relaxed?”
“Yes, thank you. I’m getting a little hungry though. Can I get a snack before starting the simulation?”
“Of course. Your comfort in this test is a primary concern.” She sat down at the computer and tapped away for a bit before the Mars base vanished from view. “Here.”
I took a thick, white plastic bag from her hands.
“Please place your clothing and shoes in that and follow me.” She got up and waited at the other end of the short hallway.
I carefully placed my shoes in first, and my shirt on top of them. Taking one last look around, I followed the nurse out, turning away from the waiting room and heading deeper into the clinic.
“Please wait in here. Dr. Jefferson will be by soon to go over the final details.”
I walked past the nurse, and she closed the door behind me. I was standing in the middle of a windowless room. The faint smell of bleach let me know it was clean. There was a small closet in the corner in front of me, and a desk along the wall next to it. To my left, there was a fridge and microwave. Along the wall next to the door I saw a small desk with a computer. To my right, there was another door in the wall. I set the bag down next to the closet and sat at the desk, looking around for something to do.
Knock, Knock.
“Come in.”
The man who stepped in the door didn’t have any distinguishing features. Brown hair with brown eyes set into an oval face in the least memorable way possible. I could’ve drawn a million pictures that looked like him, but not pick him out of a crowd, or a group even. “Hello, Frank. I’m Dr. Jefferson.”
He extended his hand, so I stood to shake his. His hand was dry with a slightly firm grasp. “Nice to meet you, Doctor.”
He sat down and tapped at the computer for a moment before turning back to me. “The nurse mentioned you were hungry? Go ahead and grab something from the fridge there. I need a moment to get your record up.” He then turned his back on me and went back to work on the computer.
The fridge held snacks of all kinds, fruit, vegetables, yogurt, sweets. I picked a meat and cheese filled pastry and tossed i
t in the microwave for a minute before sitting back down, drinking a bottle of water while it cooled off.
“There we go.” The doctor turned back to me. “I just need to go over a few things; then we can get started.
“I signed all the waivers.”
He smiled at me, “I know. We appreciate that. Some people like to discuss them here before signing, and it slows the process down. Even so, regulations require we go over some things.”
He opened a drawer in his desk, pulling out a bundle of wires. “When you lay down, leads similar to these will come out of the table.” He handed them to me.
“Ok, they seem harmless enough.”
“They are. Here.” He held up a small disk. “I need to put these on your head and neck for them to connect to.”
“What do they do?”
“They interrupt your neural pathways, hijacking them and replacing your reality with a different one.”
“The simulation?”
Dr. Jefferson smiled, “That’s right. Because of these, the simulation will feel real to you. Do you have any other questions?”
“No.”
“Good.” He took the bundles of wires from me and placed sensors on my head and neck. “You’ll be monitored at all times. The sensors on your body tell us in real-time how you’re doing physiologically. If you go too far off your baseline, we’ll end the simulation.”
“Got it.”
“We also monitor your interaction with the simulated reality. If at any time you feel overwhelmed and need to get out, you can use a pre-determined safe phrase to be pulled out. What would you like that phrase to be?”
“Um, what makes sense? What kind of reality will I be in?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t disclose that information. Rest assured, whatever phrase you would like to use is just fine.”
“Ok, how about ‘get me the hell out of here?’”
“Get me the hell out of here?”
“Yeah, let’s go with that.”
The doctor turned and tapped on the desk for a minute before turning back to me. “Very well, if at any time you say ‘get me the hell out of here’ we’ll end the simulation. Now, compensation.”
I put down the half-eaten pastry and leaned forward. This was my primary reason for being here.
“You’re a student at Roosevelt University, correct?”
“I am.”
He turned to the computer and tapped on the keys. “Ah, here it is.” He pulled a tablet out of the desk and looked back at me. “Your base compensation is 1000 credits per week of participation, assuming 35 hours. Payment will be decided based on how many 15-minute blocks of the 35 hours you participate in each week. You will get your payment at the end of the testing window whether we move forward with the project or not. Any disclosure of the testing by you to any person, at any time, will result in both a forfeiture of compensation and a fine equal to ten times your calculated payment. Do you accept these terms?”
“Yes, just as I did before.”
“Perfect, I’ll need you to sign this, verifying we discussed payment and you willfully agree to the terms as set forth.”
I looked down at the proffered tablet, then back up at him. “Where do I sign?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, you’ll need to initial at the bottom right. The last page has a signature block.”
I took the tablet and started scrolling through, skimming the text. I’d seen most of it already, in the paperwork I filled out before being accepted. After four or five pages the signature block finally showed up. I didn’t even pause, quickly signing it and handing it back.
“Great! We’re almost done here.” He put the tablet away. “Do you have any questions for me?”
“Like what? You can’t tell me what kind of reality I’m going to be in.”
“Have you ever done anything like this? Do you understand how you’ll interact with the world?”
“I’m in it right? Like, walking around and stuff?”
“Sure, but there’s more to it. You’ll have certain information in your view at all times; this is your HUD. You’ll also be able to call up a more detailed interface at most times. This is done simply by thinking of it. It may take some getting used to, but soon it’ll be like recalling a memory.”
“Oh. I guess I didn’t think of that at all.”
“Can you think of anything else now?”
“Not really.” Truthfully, I just wanted to get the test underway and be done.
The doctor stood up and gathered his things. “Well, Frank. There’s a bathroom through that door. In the closet, you’ll find a robe. Please put it on, leaving your clothes in the closet.” He paused at the door. “The nurse will be back in about five minutes to bring you to the testing room.”
Thankfully the testing room was right across the hallway. I wouldn’t want to go very far in only that robe.
“OK, Frank. Please stand here while I get you hooked up.” The nurse slipped what felt like a plastic diaper on me. “We use this so you can stay in the test for an extended time.” She finished hooking it into place. “There. You can have a seat for the rest of this.” She indicated a chair along the wall.
I sat down awkwardly, trying to balance on the stiff plastic of the contraption she’d put on me. “How long until we start?”
“Soon. I need to hook this IV in, can you make a fist for me?” She pulled my arm up on a table next to the chair, poking around to find a vein.
I looked away, made a fist, and tried to control my breathing. I never did like needles.
“I’m going to need you to relax now. You’ll feel a -”
“OW!” I looked down, seeing the IV in place and ready.
“There you are. I find sometimes it’s easier when it’s unexpected.” She continued her job of getting me hooked up. When she finished, she stood back and smiled. “There we are. Let’s get you laid down now.”
I looked over at the bed next to me. There was a depression in it for the diaper strapped to my mid-section. That should make things easier than the chair. I got up and waddled over to the bed, carefully lowering myself to it.
“There you are, perfect. Is the temperature good in here?”
“Yes, it’s fine.”
“Do you need a blanket or anything?”
“No, I’m fine. We can start.”
She smiled at me and tapped on a control panel next to the bed. I felt the wires Dr. Jefferson had warned me about. “We have a few tests to run before we start. I’m going to head to the control room now. You’ll hear us from the speakers above the bed. We’ll hear you from the microphones, just talk normally.”
“Sure.” I wiggled around, trying to get comfortable. The mattress wasn’t as firm as the one I used at home, but it did give support. As I settled in, the feeling of wearing a diaper faded. I could maybe even sleep here if I needed to.
“Frank?” I heard the doctor’s voice fill the room softly.
“Yes, doctor?”
“Good, you can hear me. Are you comfortable?”
“Yes, I think this will work well.”
“Ok. I’m going to turn the lights off now.”
The room went dark. As the after-images of the room faded, the room got even darker. There was no machinery glowing around me; no light was coming from under the door. I felt as if I was floating in a formless void.
“How are you feeling Frank?”
“Truthfully, I like this. I’d love to know how to get my room at home this dark and comfy.”
“Great! Now, I want you to think of the video you watched when you first arrived. Visualize it. Pretend it’s playing on a screen in front of you now.”
I recalled the Mars base, trying to recall the actions of the crew members as I watched earlier. It was harder than I thought it would be, and getting a screen to appear in front of me was proving almost impossible.
“Is everything OK, Frank? You seem to be experiencing some stress.”
“I’m sorry doctor. I can’t
seem to do it, make the screen appear in front of me.”
“That’s fine, Frank. We can work with the readings we have coming in. I want you to picture yourself now. Imagine yourself brushing your teeth, combing your hair. You should be seeing yourself doing your morning routine.”
This was easier. I stuck to a very strict morning routine. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and opened them up again, this time picturing the mirror in front of me. I saw myself, staring back. Reaching for the toothbrush on the counter, I saw myself in the mirror, picking it up and putting on some toothpaste.
“Very good, Frank! One more tweak and we’ll be ready to start.”
I dismissed the image and waited, enjoying the feeling of quietly floating in a void. All too soon my solace was interrupted.
“Frank?”
“Yes?”
“We’re ready to go, how about you?”
“I am.”
“Good. This is the last check-in before the simulation. Start the recording.” I heard some mumbling from near the doctor. “The recording is live. We are recording everything in your room, the control room, and the simulation. The system is ready to launch the simulation. Frank, are you a willing participant in our study?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Are you ready for the full simulation experience?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Do you remember us going over the terms of our agreement in detail earlier today?”
“Yes, I do.”
“And finally, are you still willing to be bound by the terms of that agreement?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Thank you, Frank. We’re going live with the simulation. We’ll speak again after your first round of testing.”
